TTAG’s Top 25 Posts of 2017 Countdown: #25 to #21

The week after Christmas is typically the time that publications look back at the year that was and make bold predictions for the upcoming year. We won’t bore you with any bold predictions, but it’s worth taking a look at what interested you, our dear readers, the most in 2017.

While gun reviews are typically our most-popular content, this year’s most-read posts contain a few click-worthy surprises. Less than half of our Top 25 in 2017 was comprised of firearm reviews and a few of those probably aren’t guns you’d expect to make the list. Some of these posts originally ran years ago, but remain some of our most popular content.

And because counting down to midnight on new years is so passé, we’ll be revealing our 2017 Top 25 posts in our own countdown, five at a time. So here we go with the first pentaptych . . .

No. 25 – Springfield and Rock River Illinois Sell-Out: Picking up the Pieces

The news of Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms selling Illinois gun dealers and gunowners down the river continues to spread among The People of The Gun. As it should. For those who missed it, we broke the story late Thursday evening.

Springfield Armory, Rock River Arms Trade Opposition to Illinois FFL Licensing Scheme for Carve-Out

The lobbyist for the Illinois Firearms Manufacturers Association (IFMA), Jay Keller, traded that group’s opposition to the bill in exchange for a carve-out, removing Prairie State firearms manufacturers from the licensing requirements.

Two companies provide the bulk of the funding for IFMA: Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms.

A whole lot of gun owners see the deal as a sell-out. And they’re telling their friends.

No. 24 – Gun Review: Springfield SAINT AR-15 Rifle

Springfield Armory is embarking on a bit of a corporate re-branding. According to the gunmaker’s marketing mavens, their “Defend Your Legacy” slogan targets Americans between 25- and 45-years-old. Buyers who know their safety is their own responsibility. Who understand that the good guys have firearms because they’re the best tool for the job of self-defense. That all Americans have a historical right to keep and bear arms. Enter The SAINT.

No, not the Roger Moore series by the same name, famous for the actor’s arch dialogue, arched eyebrow, and Volvo P1800 coupe (which had fins, not arches). The SAINT is Springfield’s first AR-15. Following an expensive teaser ad campaign, the company finally unveiled their secret weapon at a media event in October. After putting some 700 roundsthrough two production examples, my first impressions were positive. But would alone time with the SAINT change my opinion?

No. 23 – Ask Foghorn: What’s The Difference Between a Muzzle Brake, a Compensator and a Flash Hider?

I was sitting around with Kevin Brittingham and Reed Knight talking about gun stuff and one of the things they agreed was a mutual annoyance at how people don’t use the right word to describe the thing on the end of their muzzle. Heck, even some gun guys don’t really know the difference. So, at their request, I figured I would write a quick article trying to explain the difference between the three main muzzle devices in use today.

When you buy an AR-15, or any modern rifle with a threaded barrel, the default muzzle device is typically a flash hider. It’s the standard issue muzzle device for the M16 and M4 rifles in the U.S. military, and since the current service rifle is the model for civilian firearms, that’s what the gun companies use by default as well.

No. 22 – Gun Review: Century Arms C308 Rifle

Some years ago, Century Arms’ first attempt at assembling CETME-style, .308 battle rifles from surplus parts didn’t go extremely well, and the product was hit-or-miss. The market has been a bit hesitant to dive back into a Century Arms-branded CETME/G3/HK91, but the most recent effort here, the C308, is definitely proving to be a solid performer at an incredibly low price. The C308’s manufacturing process is pretty unique, but it also means that they’re strictly limited in numbers. . .

By marrying U.S.-made parts from PTR Industries, a company with a solid reputation for quality and reliability from its much more expensive HK91 variants, and new, military surplus parts, Century Arms is able to keep the price really low on the C308. MSRP is $699, and standard going rate online is as low as $619.

No. 21 – Gun Review: Taurus PT111 Millenium G2 – 9 mm

Call me an elitist, but I’m a S&W and Springfield fan when it comes to my polymer pistols. Gaston’s guns are OK, but they’ve never fit me. So when it comes to a carry gun, mine either says M&P or XD(m). However, the folks at Taurus have me begrudgingly admitting that I might have been a narrow in my assessment of carry guns. And here’s why . . .

Fit and Finish

In my mind, Taurus guns have always been associated with “The Judge” and generally larger, cheaper handguns. So imagine my surprise when I unboxed the PT 111 Millenium G2 to find a well-crafted, compact polymer handgun. I racked the slide a few times and rattled it in the hopes of finding some sloppiness. No dice. I slid an empty magazine home, heard it click, and then hit the release. I watched the magazine drop free. Damned if everything didn’t seem to work. And then I saw that MSRP was $349. Consider my snobbiness subdued.

Tune in tomorrow for numbers 20 through 16 where we’ll featuring bump fire stocks, muzzle brakes and a popular budget gun.