If someone were to ask you which products Colt has sold over the years, would you say a .22 semiautomatic rifle? I didn’t think you would. Colt made three versions of .22 rifles, the Courier, Colteer and Stagecoach, as well as others under several private-label names for Sears, Wards and other companies. This alloy rifle shot well, but did not hold up well. Unless it was kept oiled and clean, the alloy parts wore very rapidly. In spite of this, the little Colt rifles were good enough lightweight shooters that most owners will pay to get them fixed rather than discard theirs.

Introduced in 1963, the Remington Model 1100 shotgun has been around for over 40 years now. Variations include a sporter for field shooting, a Magnum version for ducks and geese, as well as a skeet and trap model for those who enjoy breaking clay targets. In all, there have been well over 3,500,000 Model 1100s produced over this period of time so you are bound to see one (or more) come across your bench. In this article, I’ll cover some of the common problems that result in ejection failures along with a few of the possible glitches that aren’t seen very often. And, of course, I’ll examine the cures that will help you get this shotgun back in service as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Check out several videos this week: Close quarter defense requires different tactics than defense from a distance. Pillar bedding is the process of installing aluminum columns in a rifle stock to ensure there is perfect metal-to-metal contact between the action and bottom metal. Gunsite Range Master Il Ling New demonstrates the how to properly load and unload your firearm.

What's ahead for the midterms? Jeff Knox at The Firearms Coalition says, 'There might be a few Democrats who haven't been able to bring themselves to declare support for the Second Amendment, but the official party line is broad support for the constitutional right, while interpreting it in the narrowest terms, and doing all they can to undermine and dismantle it.' As for the other party, 'Republicans, on the other hand, are generally supportive of the right to arms, but few of them have any more understanding of the issue than do the Democrats. They definitely lack the resolve and the backbone to vigorously oppose the Democrats' attacks on the Constitution and the President's appointments of radical extremists to the courts and high level government positions.'

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Fulton Armory Titan FAR-308 308 Winchester

Courtesy, Gun Tests

The Titan handled everything we fed it in an easy-to-shoot package. the only gun in our test equipped with a compensator, its reduced recoil led to easier handling and faster follow-up shots. The FAR-308 also turned in the best accuracy, including our only sub-moa average. We can excuse a couple of misfeeds toward the end when the gun was getting dirty, but can’t quite give it an ‘A’ as a result.

Fulton Armory is a small manufacturer located in Savage, Maryland, known in the competitive shooting market for its reproductions of the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, and M-14 models. Their AR-15s aren’t chopped liver either: Fulton’s FAR-15 (5.56/223 Rem.) was our gun of the year in 2009. Now the Titan FAR-308 was in our crosshairs. To ensure neutral opinions on this gun, none of our testers had participated in last year’s review of the FAR-15.

We started our examination by un-boxing the Titan to review its contents. No criticism could be made about their gun case, because there wasn’t one; just a foam-lined cardboard box. Within the box came the gun, owner’s manual, and a webbed sling for attaching to sling-looped supplied gun.

Fulton’s owner’s manual was illustrated and relatively straightforward, though not as detailed the book from ArmaLite. One note in the book stuck out: No barrel break-in was required for the Titan.

Moving to the main event, we examined the gun from stem to stern. The first feature noticed was the unique side-cocking module. The dust cover, forward assist, and brass deflector are removed, instead featuring a handle that may be used to work the gun’s action in lieu of the charging handle. All of our testers liked this feature, even a couple of southpaws in the group.

The 18.5-inch target-grey stainless-steel barrel was topped with a Bennie Coolie Compensator. Wrapping the barrel was a free-floating vented black-aluminum tube fore end. The FAR-308 also came with a non-adjustable two-stage trigger. An Ergo Pistol Grip was the last option on the rifle, as the stock was of the standard plastic A2 variety with a hard-plastic buttpad. This combination totaled a little bit more than two thousand dollars ($2058). Our testers were in agreement that

Courtesy, Gun Tests

All of our testers liked the Fulton Armory Side Cocking module in lieu of a standard charging handle. Despite the elimination of a brass deflector, no spent rounds found their way into contact with the shooter.

The Titan tipped our scales as the middleweight of our group, registering 9.3 lbs. While still weighted forward, our testers said the shorter barrel and lighter weight gave the gun better balance and a livelier feel.

Our trips to the range gave the team ample time to access the shooting capabilities of the gun. At the conclusion of the tests, we found that, unlike the Armalite, our two test groups were in complete agreement. All of our testers preferred the Fulton FAR-308 over the competition. The remarks were remarkably similar: "accurate," "balanced," "easy to shoot," and "low recoil." Two of our SWAT team members gave it their highest compliment, stating they would plunk down their own cash to buy Fulton Titan FAR-308.

The empirical data tended to back up the comments, as the Fulton proved to be the most accurate with all three brands of ammo fired through it, including an average the 0.9 inch group size with the Silver State Armory 175-gr. Sierras. The Bennie Coolie Comp did noticeably reduce felt recoil and allow follow-up shots to be performed with relative ease. However, those shooters at each flank of the shooter were well aware where the recoil had gone, getting a palpable jolt of expended gas thrown their way after each shot.

Reader Comments

Being a Vietnam Vet I preferred the M-14 over the M-16. If I were to purchase a fighting rifle I would want it to be a 7.62/308. But $2,058 is a lot of money to spend for a rifle especially one which had a couple of misfeeds when dirty.

I assume the price did not include the scope we see mounted and no mention was made as to its manufacture.

Comment by: Bill W | November 12, 2009

"no mention was made as to its manufacture"

Fulton Armory, sir.

Regards,

Walt

Comment by: wjkuleck | November 12, 2009

"had a couple of misfeeds when dirty"

The new stainless steel mags with CrSi springs have corrected that.

Regards,

Walt

Comment by: wjkuleck | November 12, 2009

Price?

Comment by: KURT L. H | November 12, 2009

Dear Santa...

Comment by: lfdavis | November 12, 2009

I own a Norinco M14 which I sent to Fulton Armory several years ago for their Chinese M14 upgrade. I can vouch for the excellent work and attention to detail they put into their rifles. It's a beautiful rifle and very accurate with any .308 I feed it with no FTF's yet, and every time I take it to the range, it becomes the center of attention. From what I can read about the Titan, it would make a great companion to my M14.

Comment by: lfdavis | November 12, 2009

Just a note: Fulton has done some Garand work for myself an some other various work for friends and some acquaintences at My Gun Club. Myself and all of them to a man have said "If it's done by Fulton it's done right!"

Comment by: TIMOTHY C | November 13, 2009

Fulton Arrmory is indeed impressive. I ordered a custom-built AR-15 upper in .223... 20" heavy barrel, free-floated rail handguard, Phantom flash suppressor, etc. I put it on top of a lower from another AR-15. Long story short, after just 60 rounds of (not needed) break-in, the Fulton Armory upper put 3 rounds in the same hole at 50 yards without me really trying. Sight was an unmagnified holosight, and I was shooting from a bench with a front support only. Ammo was Lake City SS109. It's my best-shooting rifle ever. If you want to be MORE than satisfied with your rifle, buy from Fulton Armory. Next time I want or need a rifle, that's where I'm going.

Comment by: jamraqui | November 14, 2009