Kirsten Weiss, Author at The Truth About Guns

[Sponsored Content] The Texas International Firearms Festival Announce Exhibitor Line-Up for November Event

September 2, 2014September 2, 2014 by Kirsten Weiss

Liberty Hill, Texas (September 2014) – The inaugural Texas International Firearms Festival (TIFF) is going great guns! Exhibitors to the two-day “come and shoot it” event (November 8th and 9th at Best of the West Shooting Sports in Austin Texas) now include Advanced Armament Corporation, ArmaLite, Beretta, Barrett, FNH, Henry Repeating Rifles, Lapua, McMillan Firearms, Noveske, SIG SAUER, Springfield Armory, Slide Fire, SilencerCo, Silencer Shop, TrackingPoint, Underground Tactical and Winchester Ammunition. With more to follow! According to says NRA smallbore champion and TIFF spokeswoman Kirsten Joy Weiss . . .

[Sponsored Content] Sneak Peak at Texas International Firearms Festival Gun Drawing

September 1, 2014September 1, 2014 by Kirsten Weiss

Hey Sharp Shots! Just nine weeks to go until the first annual Texas International Firearms Festival at Best of the West Shooting Sport in Austin, Texas, November 8 and 9. I’ve had the privilege of working with some of the gun industry’s best brands for this try-before-you-buy, the ammo’s-on-us event: Advanced Armament Corporation, ArmaLite, Beretta, Barrett, … Read more

Q&A on The Texas International Firearms Festival [Sponsored Content]

July 24, 2014 by Kirsten Weiss

Hey Sharp Shots! Kirsten Joy Weiss here for the Texas International Firearms Festival (TIFF) at Best of the West Shooting Sports in Austin, Texas November 8 and 9. I’m getting emails asking questions about the event. “How will the ‘try and buy’ function? Will attendees need to purchase and/or supply their own ammunition to try vendor firearms? Will there be any other cost associated with this activity?” For one fee, visitors can try any gun from any exhibitor. There’s no charge for the ammo; it’s provided by the gun makers. If you want to buy a gun . . .

Governor Rick Perry Invites You to The Texas International Firearms Festival [Sponsored Content]

July 22, 2014 by Kirsten Weiss

Hey Sharp Shots! Kirsten Joy Weiss here for the Texas International Firearms Festival at Best of the West Shooting Sports in Austin, Texas November 8 and 9. Yesterday, a few readers claimed they were tired of seeing my face in these sponsored ads. As if! So I asked my good friend Texas Governor Rick Perry to take over for today’s post. [Full press release after the jump.] There’s only one way to stop these ads: click here and buy tickets! Sales are strictly limited to 5k (per day). Once they’re gone, my work here is done. So come and shoot guns from FN, GLOCK, Taurus, SIG SAUER, Mossberg, Barrett, Beretta, McMillan Firearms, Springfield Armory, Henry Repeating Arms, Armalite, Underground Tactical and Tracking Point for one low price, ammo included. See you at the show! . . .

The Joy of Shooting From a Helicopter

January 24, 2014January 24, 2014 by Kirsten Weiss

“Don’t be scared of hanging out of the helicopter to get a better shot, you’ll have a harness.” the helicopter pilot over the blades whipping above us. “You mean this?” I held up a floppy black seatbelt, looking no more secure than the belts in the old Jetta I hoped to blow up. Well, here we go. I shrugged my shoulders internally, and locked into go mode . . .

Kay Jay Dubs: The Henry Lever Actions Have Landed!

December 30, 2013December 30, 2013 by Kirsten Weiss

There’s just something about a lever-action rifle. They’re ingrained in our history. They’re in every good western and even a few sci-fi flicks. The characters that preferred them are almost as well-known as the lever action itself. The rifle played a part in settling America’s frontier. In short, the lever-action is among a few gun designs that are practically built into America’s DNA. And yet, I had shot one but once . . .

Mammas, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up Shooting TrackingPoint Rifles

December 8, 2013November 23, 2013 by Kirsten Weiss

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pMrFc2yDhcU

Fate recently decided that I’d get the chance to shoot the gun that makes experienced shooters obsolete. Allegedly. I was at The Best of the West Range during off-hours helping lay the groundwork for the 2014 Texas International Firearms Festival. The TrackingPoint technical team rolled-up in their blacked-out SUV. RF made contact. The next thing I knew I was behind the trigger of the TrackingPoint’s Precision Guided Firearm, the .300 Win Mag XS-2. [Click here to read Nick Leghorn’s review.] Well it works as well as they say it works . . .

Gun Review: Volquartsen Snake-Fluted Barrel Rifle

October 21, 2013October 21, 2013 by Kirsten Weiss

When the wind dies down in the west, you grab the opportunity. You don’t waver, you don’t put it off ‘til tomorrow, you don’t wish it was warmer–you go. That’s why when I looked out of my snow feathered and ice crusted window to see if it was a good day for testing, the answer was yes. The crystallized pine branches weren’t moving — no wind — and thats all I needed to see. Fast forward to the range . . .

Volquartsen Update: The Case of the Mysterious Crown

September 18, 2013September 18, 2013 by Kirsten Weiss

Hello TTAG. Well, no matter what I did, I couldn’t get the Volquartsen to shoot as well as it should. I dirtied it up with rounds (sometimes barrels shoot better that way), but that didn’t help. I cleaned it gently with a pull through (always breech to muzzle, of course). Still didn’t shoot well. I checked for loose parts, cleaned any gunk out of the feeder…you name it. It still was off (1-2 inch groups at 50 yards). I shot other rifles to make sure it wasn’t me (too much coffee maybe?) but those rifles shot MOA or better. Compared to the sub-MOA groups Volquartsen expects from their rifles, I knew something had to be wrong . . .

Ask Kirsten Weiss: Which Rifle for a Hunting Newbie?

September 20, 2013August 17, 2013 by Kirsten Weiss

Over at TTAG’s Free Fire Zone Forum reader Rokurota writes:

Greetings, Kirsten. My in-laws just purchased a 50-acre property with 42 acres of woods lousy with deer and turkey. They have invited me to hunt the land in return for meat. Trouble is, I don’t hunt and have never killed anything bigger than a cockroach. I have asked a hunter friend to introduce me to the sport. I’m sure he’ll have an opinion on a deer rifle and turkey gun. What’s yours? I’m reasonably competent with a rifle on the range. I’ve mostly shot .22LR, .223/5.56 (AR-15) and .308 (Mauser) out to 100 yards. (I am no marksman, though — I need a lot more practice before trying to take a deer.) So maybe what I’m really asking for is: 1. advice on a rifle setup and cartridge; 2. a training protocol to prepare for a first hunt, even if it’s ‘just sit there and watch your friend.’ Thanks.” Click here or make the jump to read Ms. Weiss reply . . .

Volquartsen Snake-Fluted Barrel Action Accuracy Update

August 6, 2013 by Kirsten Weiss

While dodging thunderstorms complete with switching winds and dime-sized hail, I managed to snag a few calmer hours to test the Volquartsen properly. I shot a stack of targets with my Lapua ammo, and still no luck. The inch-sized group is still the winner for the smallest group I can get out of the current Volquartsen at 50 yards. Every other grouping was larger (around an inch and half, sometimes more). As I tested . . .

First Look: Volquartsen Snake-Fluted Silhouette Stock .22 Rifle

August 1, 2013August 1, 2013 by Kirsten Weiss

The Volquartsen has landed! I had the rifle shipped to a local tactical supply, and it didnʼt even make it out of the shop before the guys who work there and I tore into it like it was Christmas morning. Volquartsen sent the rifle cradled in a light but substantial black shipping case complete with chrome latches. Not that anyone dwelled on that detail for very long. Popping the case open, it was immediately obvious that the photos on their web site just don’t do it justice . . .