Journalists, policemen, and emergency services in the street of the shooting, a few hours after the January 2015 attack. Photo by Thierry Caro
There is a lot to be concerned about when it comes to terrorism and the manner in which many recent terror acts have been carried out around the globe. Concealed carry is a practical solution.
Two misguided brothers stormed the publishing offices of magazine Charlie Hebdo in Paris early this year, killing 11 people and injuring 11. Weeks earlier, a gunman took hostages in an Australian café. The standoff ended when police stormed the building, killing the assailant. Two hostages also died.
In Denmark, a gunman shot and killed two people at a forum before shooting several more outside a nearby synagogue. Even our neighbors to the north in Canada witnessed a soldier killed by a crazed gunman who then stormed their nation’s Parliament building before being shot.
Could such an attack happen in America? Even notoriously anti-gun politician Sen. Dianne Feinstein thinks so.
“I think there are sleeper cells not only in France but certainly in other countries and, yes, in our own,” CNN and The Washington Times reported. “This calls for vigilance.” A January poll also showed that “65 percent of Americans believe it is at least somewhat likely that an attack” in the United States will occur.
So what can we do as citizens to be vigilant and ensure our families and ourselves are safe? Both Robert Sadowski’s “Survive a Terror Attack” and Dick Jones’ “Essential Training for Concealed Carry” offer great insights to help you be prepared for just such an event.
Most experienced trainers wisely warn against ever engaging an armed attacker during an active shooting if escape is an option. As private citizens, most of us lack the training, skills and resources to come out on top in such a situation.
But if you find yourself with no chance for escape, that gun you carry could mean the difference between survival and becoming a statistic. I personally don’t want to be a statistic.
This article appeared in the March 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. Click here to download the issue.
Though there is a focus on armed defense, fundamentals of security, evasion, barricading, and non-lethal defensive actions are also covered. Pincus stresses the importance of being safe and secure inside your own home, regardless of whether or not you choose to utilize a firearm for protection. Because this book is concept and principle based, the information provided can be practically applied to any home, apartment, or workplace, and any family size or budget. Get it here
The Baby Desert Eagle III offers shooters a more streamlined option.
The new Magnum Research Baby Desert Eagle III gives shooters a slimmed down option in the popular line. The double-action pistol is available in 9mm, .40 Smith & Wesson and .45 ACP.
Streamlined is most definitely a relative term when Magnum Research uses it.
The Minnesota-based subsidiary of Kahr Arms is known for some of the biggest and baddest handguns around. But the company has taken its best crack at slimming down one of its most popular pistols to it a bit more manageable.
The New Baby Eagle III is still a handful compared to nearly every other semiautomatic on the market. However, when measured against its Desert Eagle brethren, the pistol has definitely found some weight savings.
In particular, Magnum Research has slimmed the slide and frame of the pistol considerably. This economy of material shaves nearly an ounce off the handgun, compared to the Baby Desert Eagle II.
Even with the new handgun putting the line on a diet plan, the pistol is still hefty. The example the company gave in its announcement was a full-sized, steel-framed 9mm, which it listed at 38 ounces.
This variation also has some sizable dimensions, measuring in at 8 inches in overall length, with a 4.43-inch barrel and a 1.31-inch slide width.
That example, however, is on the extreme end of things when it comes to the Baby Desert Eagle III. There are lighter-weight options in the line with the company offering polymer-framed and semi-compact models.
Magnum Research’s new Baby is available in three of the most popular pistol calibers — 9mm, .40 Smith & Wesson and .45 ACP. Given the pistol’s size, it should be dynamite at deadening recoil, in turn it should make any chambering a real smooth shooter.
Like earlier iterations of the pistol — all patterned after the CZ 75 — the latest Baby Eagle features a double-action/single-action trigger. In short, this means on the first trigger pull the gun operates as a double-action pistol. After this, the hammer is cocked and the gun works as a single-action.
Those who know Baby Desert Eagles won’t be surprised the double-action pull is substantial. Similar to the rest of the family, it requires 12 pounds of pressure to fire. But, as a single-action the trigger-pull weight is a much more manageable 4 pounds.
Similar to earlier versions, the Baby Desert Eagle III has some ambidextrous controls. In particular, the pistol’s decocking lever is situated on either side of the slide. The magazine release, however, is only found on the left side of the firearm.
The Baby Eagle III should win the hearts of those who find accessories a must. The gun features a rail under the barrel, making the addition of a flashlight or a laser sight a snap.
The gun is set to start shipping in June and has a MSRP ranging from $646-$691, depending on model.
The U.S. Marine Corps newest enlistee, the Glock 19.
This news is a bit long in the tooth, but nonetheless intriguing — the U.S. Marine Corps is adopting the Glock 19.
The branch announced the authorization of the polymer-framed pistol’s use in a Feb. 2 Marine Administrative Message. But not every Devil Dog will get a shot at holstering the striker-fire 9x19mm sidearm. Presently, the Glock 19 has only been sanctioned for use by Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command.
MARSOC, officially activated in 2006, is based out of Camp Lajeune, N.C., and is split into three subordinate commands: “Raider” Regiment, Support Group and Intelligence Battalion. The Glock 19 represents the third pistol MARSOC has used in its short history.
At times, the special operations group has utilize the Beretta M9A1, a variation on the standard-issue U.S. Military sidearm. More recently, MARSOC has employed a variation of the venerable M1911. Around two years ago, the Corps placed a $22.5-millon order with Colt for its M45A1 Close Quarter Battle Pistol.
According to Military.com, the most recent addition to the special operators’ roster of sidearms came at the direct request of the troops themselves:
As nice as the new .45s are, many MARSOC troops prefer to carry Glock 19s instead, sources said.
The 1911 was a ground-breaking design that served the U.S. military before World War I until the mid-1980s. The design is still popular, but it’s also heavy, prone to malfunction and limited to seven or eight-round magazines, pistols experts have said.
The G19’s easy of use and maintenance, capacity (15-rounds standard magazine) and reliability were given later in the article as some of the reasons why the pistol has curried favor with MARSOC.
The G19 is utilized by a number of militaries around the world and has seen action in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The pistol, however, is perhaps better known in the United States for its work in law enforcement. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, New Your City Police Department and U.S. Marshals Service have all at one time or another carried the Glock 19.
The Glock 19 working its way into the Marine Corps isn’t the only sidearm shakeup in the U.S. Military. Presently, all branches are looking for a replacement for the Beretta M9, which took over duty from the M1911 in 1985.
There might not be a cooler or more practical way to get on target than Peak Studios’ Ballistic.
There are all types of ballistic calculators on the market today, however, none may be more complete, detailed and practical than Peak Studios’ Ballistic.
When it comes to shooting, next to ammo, there is one thing you can’t have too much of — data.
Velocity, trajectory, wind drift, spin drift, target speed, what have you, it all matters. Each is a tiny, yet imperative piece of the ever-changing puzzle that needs to be solved to put a round where you want it to hit.
As anyone who has organized these bits of information into a solid firing solution will tell you, it truly is fantastically and frustratingly wonderful.
Of course, in this era of digital wizardry, getting straight dope in a timely manner has become much simpler and accessible to everyday shooters. It’s hard to argue, ballistics calculators in all their forms have changed long-distance shooting for the better.
Peak Studios’ Ballistic gives shooters comprehensive table and graphical data, in addition to other displays.
And when it comes to these incredible programs there are few — if any — that hold a candle to Peak Studios’ Ballistic. The iPhone/iPad application might be the most complete tool developed for precision shooting to date. (In fact, the app has proven so outstanding Gun Digest has become a sponsor.)
As would be expected, the heart of the application is a powerful and detailed ballistics calculator. And while the initial table data provides a wealth of information in and of itself, it really is just the starting point of the program.
Ballistic branches out into some pretty impressive territory for an app that only takes up 15 MB in its iPhone version. There are options for 3-dimensional modeling of a shot, the ability to compare multiple shots on one graph and even a rangefinder utility.
This doesn’t even touch upon the app’s library of more than 5,000 projectiles, factory loads, military loads, and performance data points from leading manufacturers, military testing, and performance testing.
Even with all of these bells and whistles, however, it’s the program’s practicality that is its true selling point. And where Ballistic truly shines in this department is its ease of use in the field.
The vital numbers of a load — muzzle velocity, bullet ballistic coefficient, etc. — can be programmed beforehand. Then in the field, the environmental variables can be accounted for in a wink of an eye, namely because a number of them can be set to automatically complete (they can also be manually inputted). How the program does this is pretty nifty.
Peak Studios’ Ballistic gives you the ability to chart, save and study your shoots.
Using the iPhone/iPad’s location services, the program accesses data from the nearest weather station to your location. This fills in the elevation, barometric pressure, temperature, humidity and even wind velocity, which of course will have to be fine tuned to your exact spot.
The only thing the shooter is left to add into the equation is where the wind is coming in on his position. Even here the app has made it a snap, giving shooters an intuitive input system.
A tap on the wind direction controls brings up a circle with a dial. Placing the top of e-device facing the 12 o’clock of the shot all that needs to be done is move the dial to where the wind is coming in on the position to account for its vector.
There are more detailed models available in the program that take into account multiple crosswinds at various distances. But like so many other elements of Ballistic, an entire article could be dedicated to it alone.
There isn’t the space to do that here and now. But suffice to say, if a shooter is in the market for something to get them on target — again and again — anywhere they find themselves, then Peak Studios’ Ballistic is a must for their kit.
Don’t believe the gloom and doom about the slowing AR market. Now has never been a better time to be shopping for your first … or 12th modern sporting rifle.
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2015 looks to be a good year for ARs, and it’s off to a good start. This year’s SHOT Show saw some companies offering new features, some companies just changing the dressing, one company offering no dressing and some companies offering hybrids of caliber platforms and even rifle platforms. With firearms as super-popular as the AR—much like the 1911—companies don’t feel like they can contently sit with last year’s model. There’s a feeling that they must produce a new model or configuration every year. With 1911s this often means that a “new model” is just different checkering on the grip. This is sometimes true with the AR, but not the ones that made this list.
This article appeared in Modern Shooter Spring 2015.
The Japanese concept of Wa is best understood in one word — harmony.
In its most traditional sense, it is the principal of order applied at the social and familial levels. Beretta, however, has employed the principal of Wa in a slightly different way.
Using the concept as its guiding light, the world’s oldest firearms manufacturer set out to find congruence between Eastern and Western craftsmanship, art and functionality, convention and modernity. The results, well, simply breathtaking.
The Izumi Project took five years to complete, in doing so created a truly one-of-a-kind SO6 EELL Shotgun and Samurai Tanto dagger.
The artist at the center of the project is perhaps the most consequential Japanese sword engraver alive today — Izumi Koshiro. The master engraver integrated a fair amount of his traditional background — not just in technique, but also theme — in ornamenting the amazing Beretta over/under.
The firearm is adorned with a dragon motif, a mythological creature revered in Eastern cultures as a symbol of strength and good fortune. The dragons on the shotgun, according to Beretta’s website, are meant to provide power and protection to its owner and his family.
Whether good fortune will shine down upon the eventual owner of the ornate SO6 EELL is yet to be determined. But, they will most likely count themselves among the lucky when reflecting upon the three hand engraved and gold inlaid dragons on the firearm’s receiver.
On the right side is a sea dragon surrounded by waves, the left is a celestial dragon in the clouds, and on the bottom is another sea dragon emerging from the water into the sky. The dragons are each chasing a dragon ball, the symbolic “sacred pearl” of wisdom. On the gun it is depicted as a gold sphere.
As can be easily seen, the engraving is a break from that traditionally found on shotguns. And the accompanying dagger is equally exquisite and unique. Also following the dragon motif, the edge weapon is the creation of five Japanese sword masters.
The SO6 EELL itself is one of Beretta’s premier shotguns. The side-lock has a low-profile receiver and vault-like cross-bolt locking system. The line of shotguns uses top walnut briarwood, hand selected for color tone and sturdiness. The shotgun’s wood to metal joints are hand cut to give them a seamless and superb fit.
The Izumi Project’s Tanto Dagger is as unique as the rest of the collection, crafted by five master Japanese sword makers.
The Izumi Project’s SO6 EELL comes not only with the custom dagger, but also a wooden box. The box features a dragon on it lid and was designed and crafted by David Linley of London. It also has a secret drawer that stows a cleaning kit.
Of course, if this beautiful gun has stolen your heart, you better start putting away your nickels and dimes. While there was no price listed on the Beretta site for the Izumi Project, it is has been reported that its price is well over $100,000.
Guess that comes with the one-of-a-kind territory.
Gunpowder structure plays an important role in precision reloading, especially when it comes to compressed loads.
Stick, ball, flake — propellant comes in all shapes and sizes. Master ballistician Phil Massaro helps you figure out exactly which gunpowder structure best suits your next reloading project.
Gunpowder. We all use it, we all read about it, but it may warrant some discussion to better understand it. Especially when it comes to gunpowder structure.
Modern gunpowder has gone through some major revisions, with burn rates becoming slower and slower to feed the huge-cased magnums. In addition to this, gunpowder structure has been revised to operate better in powder dispensers and throwers that have become so common.
Short-Cut Gunpowders
The first one that pops into my mind is Hodgdon’s H4831SC, the SC standing for Short Cut.
For me, the original H4831 has been a rock to lean upon, achieving fantastic velocity and accuracy in cartridges from the .270 Winchester up to and including the behemoth .378 Weatherby. However, the long, extruded grain structure didn’t flow well through a powder measure, and was easily crushed when loads became compressed.
The new SC powder does flow better in the dispensers and meters, and I like the way it fills the voids in the case better. And that makes a huge difference that we’ll get to momentarily. First, lets take a look at all the different gunpowder structures.
Structure Of The Grain
Stick powders look like small strands of spaghetti, cut into specific lengths. The powder is extruded to a certain diameter, and then coated in a retardant that slows the burning to an exact rate. Ball powders are tiny flattened spheres (with the exception of a few, like H380) that compress very well, leaving very few voids in a case filled to its capacity. Flake powders are flat and circular and, being purposed for pistol cartridges and shot shells, are rarely compressed. In turn, their grain structure doesn’t usually pose a problem.
Shaping Up Loads
When the loads we’ve chosen for our rifle cartridges approach or exceed 100-percent case capacity the grain structure can be broken, giving slightly unpredictable results. This is an especially important consideration when we are loading for extreme accuracy.
With many rifle cases, I’ve achieved the best accuracy when a case is filled near to capacity. And with some of my own rifles I have compressed loads that work very well, especially with some of the longer-for-caliber monometal bullets or hollow-point boat tails with long ogives. Let’s look at some examples.
The .308 Winchester, a very efficient case, causes some problems when loaded with longer 180-grain bullets. Powders that work so well with shorter bullets — such as IMR4064 and Varget — are highly compressed when using bullets like the 180-grain Hornady GMX or Swift Scirocco II.
Ball gunpowder is just the ticket for those who load long bullets or compressed loads.
Instead of loading stick powders, I’ve used Hodgdon’s H380 with good effect. The spherical design of H380 stacks up easier than do even the short-cut stick powders, and upon compression it is more difficult to break the grain structure.
The same can be said for the .300 Winchester Magnum, whose overall length presents challenges. The cartridge — what I like to call the .300 Winifred, an homage to the Elephant Guard from Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book — requires longer bullets be seated deep into the case to function properly in the magazine of most rifles. This means losing case capacity when firing the long, lean bullets that produce such wonderful accuracy.
Most of my loads for the Winifred are centered around stick powders such as IMR4350, Reloder-19 and Reloder-22. In the event that I want to use a 180-grain Berger VLD I often look to powders like H414, a ball powder that has a grain structure similar to H380, but with a much slower burn rate that is better suited to the magnum case.
When your loads are approaching maximum, take another look at the reloading manual for the bullet you’ve chosen, and try to pick a powder that will best suit your needs without breaking the grain structure. I bet you’ll see an improvement in performance.
Call this a moment of Zen for gun folks. Larry Vickers of Vickers Tactical gets behind the business end of a M60 general purpose machine gun and starts throwing around lead and M13 links. And while that in and of itself is pretty cool, there is an even more impressive aspect to the video. Vickers’ camera crew does a dynamite job catching this belt-fed beast in slow-motion. Really, the snail’s pace footage of the firearm is pretty incredible. First off, it gives an interesting perspective of how the gas-operated M60 goes about its business — at least superficially. But there is another less tangible aspect at play in the video. It accentuates the power of the firearm as it chews through 7.62x51mm NATO ammo, at the same time making this devastating weapon seem somewhat serene. It’s a real heavy-metal yin-yang.
M60 Specs Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO Weight: 23 pounds Barrel Length: 22 inches Operation: Gas; Open Bolt Cooled: Air Fire Rate: Sustained — 100 rpm; Rapid — 200 rpm; Cyclic — 550 rpm Maximum Effective Range: Area Target — 875 yards; Point Target — 656 yards; Moving Target — 219 yards. Service: 1957-present
A retired detective reflects on what it really takes to shoot a .38 snubnose revolver.
A speedloader, shown here with a Colt Cobra, requires practice to use skillfully. It also adds bulk and may be difficult to conceal.
Unfortunately, an inexperienced shooter often buys a snubnose as a first handgun, a decision that is usually a mistake. For several reasons these guns are best utilized by experienced handgunners. The small size, low weight and very short sight radius serve to amplify a shooter’s lack of skill. This often leads to an unfair evaluation of the snubnose as being inaccurate. A larger, heavier revolver is more forgiving in terms of an inconsistent grip, less-than-perfect trigger control, recoil and recovery from the same. Also, the greater distance between front and rear sights allows for slight errors in sighting that affect a bullet’s point of impact far less than with a 2-inch barrel.
A ruler and a postage scale indicate there is not a great deal of difference between the Colt Detective Special and the Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special. However, the fingers, hands and extended arms of many shooters indicate otherwise. Colt stocks (call them “grips” if you wish) are somewhat larger than the more compact and more easily concealed round-butted J-frame stocks. Many find the Colt’s to be more comfortable for shooting. For years, S&W marketed an optional square grip frame on the Chiefs Special for this reason. Some aftermarket stocks were made large; a Chief so equipped was easier to shoot but more difficult to conceal.
Snubnose revolvers have considerably more recoil than their larger and heavier counterparts. However, it is tolerable, particularly in the all-steel guns, and with standard pressure ammunition rather than +P cartridges. The lightweight models are, of course, less comfortable to shoot. Double-action trigger pulls are fairly heavy, but can be well managed with practice. Some shooters make the mistake of trying to fire too many rounds during one trip to the range. Any shooting after fatigue sets in is a waste of time and ammunition, and snubnose .38s provide a shooting workout; they are not plinking guns. One box of ammunition expended per session is plenty.
Regarding ammunition, the choice for use in a snubnose .38 is a bit more critical than it would be for a larger revolver. Sights are reportedly regulated for heavier bullets at standard velocity. I’ve found this to be roughly true, mostly at distances of 15 to 25 yards. Many snubnose guns shoot the popular lighter bullets (110-125 grains) low, often six to eight inches low at 15 to 25 yards. For defensive use that may be tolerably close, but ultimately that’s a decision for the shooter. At very close ranges, however, it’s of little consequence.
While their usefulness is debatable, some shooters prefer grip adapters as depicted here on a Smith & Wesson Model 60. Since the installation is on the inside of the frame, added bulk is minimal.
The argument with respect to the use or non-use of +P ammunition in snubnose .38s will likely go on forever. Most self-anointed Internet “authorities” should be considered unreliable sources. The best suggestion for one advocating the use of +P in a particular revolver is to simply contact the gun manufacturer to find out if the product is rated for such ammo. Velocity suffers in short-barrel firearms and sometimes the difference between standard-pressure loads and +P is not as great as some would like to believe. Also, whether +P or not, many hollowpoint bullets cannot be depended upon to reliably expand at modest velocities.
While not often mentioned, it would be a wise move to select at least three or four commercial loadings for evaluation. Shoot at 15 and 25 yards and stick with whatever provides the best combination of accuracy, closeness of point of bullet impact vs. point of aim and acceptable recoil. A secondary consideration should be +P or standard. It’s better to hit with standard-pressure ammunition than to miss with +P.
Other important factors sometimes ignored are muzzle flash and fast recovery from recoil. Snubnose guns can produce considerable muzzle flash, which can often go unnoticed except in very low light situations. The flash, coupled with recoil can hinder recovery for subsequent shots. Some ammunition makers advertise products that produce less recoil and lower muzzle flash. These would certainly merit consideration when making selections.
As for shooting practice with a snubnose revolver, some advocate practicing at very close distances simply because, “It’s a snubnose and you can’t hit anything with one anyway.” There is little or no benefit in practicing at three, seven or 10 yards. Granted, most defensive shooting incidents occur at very close range, but shooting targets at such distances does little to improve one’s shooting skills. It does, however, serve to hide a shooter’s shortcomings. At 15 and 25 yards one’s deficiencies become blatantly evident. Learning to shoot and practicing at the longer ranges eliminates the need for practice at shorter distances, other than to check point of impact vs. point of aim.
The snubnose revolver’s small size and short sight radius do not lend themselves to target-grade accuracy, but with practice reasonable groups are attainable, and are accurate enough for the gun’s intended purpose.
Laser grips, night sights, fast reload devices and other gadgetry can be found useful to varying degrees, but like the snubnose .38s, such accessories are not for beginners. A wise decision would be to expend available funds on ammunition and range practice to the point that shooting basics become ingrained. If a burning desire for aftermarket gizmos goes unquenched after shooting skills are mastered, only then should optional equipment be considered. This approach works out much better than the other way around. Regardless of the ads and sales gimmicks that serve to sell merchandise, none of the products being hawked will transform an inexperienced handgunner into a proficient one.
Depending on one’s needs a holster may or may not be a necessary acquisition. However, a holster may be required for a concealed carry qualification course. A big advantage of a snubnose .38 is the fact that it can easily be carried concealed on a person without the use of a holster and instead in a coat pocket, waistband, etc. Of course, some may not “carry” a gun at all, instead preferring to have one within reach.
I was a vice detective for many years. Such an assignment was (and probably remains) 100 percent undercover work. A handgun not only had to be small, but well concealed to the point that the carrier could pass a cursory (fortunately sloppy!) pat-down search by some street hustler. Holsters are of little use for such duty. I tried an ankle holster briefly but found it worthless due to pain from prolonged wear.
Most of the time I carried a 2-inch Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special as it came from the box. A brief trial with aftermarket rubber grips may have made the gun a bit easier to qualify with, but added to overall bulk. With no regret, I replaced them with the original tiny S&W wood stocks.
What about grip adapters? While these items have enjoyed a renewed popularity in recent times, I question whether it’s from actual usefulness or simply a fad. They do add an appealing look to many revolvers and there are claims that they provide a better grip. That may be true for some shooters. My experience with grip adapters has been on J-frame S&W revolvers only and my conclusion is one of indifference. However, since they are on the inner frame area (rather than the outer), they add almost nothing to the overall bulk of a revolver.
Never did I feel undergunned or find a snubnose Chief lacking in any way. Most of the detectives I worked with were similarly armed, though a few carried Colt snubnose guns. I’m unaware of any shooting incidents involving vice detectives where bad guys got up and ran off after being struck by anemic bullets fired from short-barrel .38 Special revolvers.
Speedloading devices have been around for years. Some like them; others can’t see a need. Depending on several factors, they are often too bulky for adequate concealment. In my experience, the time and effort required for familiarization and practice with such implements is about the same as that necessary to master fast manual loading.
This is the current production Smith & Wesson Model 638 Bodyguard Airweight Stainless, rated for +P ammunition.
Glow-in-the-dark “night sights” and laser grips may have a place in the specialized niche of snubnose .38s if used by experienced handgunners. Mistakenly, like the unskilled rifleman who thinks a light trigger pull and a high magnification scope will offset his shortcomings, revolver sighting contraptions are not learning tools. It’s also important for a shooter to remember that reliance on any device requiring battery power to function can easily become a liability at the worst possible moment. Again, money for such items, especially for the beginner, is far better spent on ammunition and learning to shoot well.
While I am a snubnose .38 enthusiast and have had long experience with them, I sincerely hope that no one has been led to believe that the small-frame Colt and Smith & Wesson revolvers are the best choice for any situation requiring a handgun. Far from it. These guns are specialized tools and are perfectly adequate for their designed purpose. Despite technological advances over many years, the usefulness of the small-frame snubnose .38 is no less now than it was generations ago.
CZ’s 75 has been around for almost 40 years and today there is a wide variety of different options. The 75 Compact, shown here, is a short-recoil operated semiauto that is small enough for concealed carry.
Here’s a look at some of CZ’s oustanding pistols.
The P-09 has a polymer frame and a magazine capacity of 19 rounds in 9mm. It is also available threaded for a suppressor and has a decocker that can be converted to a manual safety.
The CZ 75 is one of the most successful handguns of the modern era and it is the weapon of choice for law enforcement and military officers around the world. This short-recoil operated semiauto first appeared in the mid-1970s and it was a major hit immediately. The 75 has proven to be very reliable and accurate, thanks in no small part to its superb balance. Today, CZ offers over a dozen variants of the 75, including several small versions ideal for personal defense.
For those who are shopping for a concealed carry gun, the CZ 75 Compact has all of the features you’d expect from the full-size gun like SA/DA operation, a large manual safety and decocker, and a wide, double-stack grip. The 75 Compact comes with a steel frame, which is slightly heavier than other carry pistols in the CZ line (about 33 ounces), but that weight helps reduce recoil.
If you’re looking for a lighter carry gun, the CZ P-01 in 9mm is ideal. The alloy frame reduces weight, and at 28 ounces unloaded the P-01 is large enough to reduce recoil and shoot accurately but still light enough for carry. There’s also a conversion kit to turn your 9mm or .40 S&W 75 into a .22 for cheap, low-recoil practice.
Competition shooters also have several options available as well, including the IPSC-ready CZ-75 Tactical Sport. Designed for competition, the Tactical Sport offers competition-ready features like an extended magazine release and competition hammer. The magazine well is large so that it is easy to make rapid mag changes during the heat of competition, and the front and rear straps have heavy checkering for a secure grip.
If you want to step up another level, try the CZ 75 TS Czechmate. This semiauto pistol is designed for IPSC Open or Limited division competition and it offers a long list of features like an ambidextrous slide racker, four-port compensator, four magazines (three 20-round, one 26-round) and much more. The price for the Tactical Sport is $1,310, and the feature-loaded Czechmate sells for $3,317.
The Dan Wesson RZ-10, (that’s 10mm).
The P-09 is one of the best full-size, high-capacity, polymer-frame 9mms on the market. It’s very well balanced, accurate, and the grip is comfortable. In addition, the P-09 has a large magazine capacity – 19 +1 in 9mm – so you’ll cut down on time between reloads and you’ll always know that you’ve got plenty of firepower on tap.
The P-09 also comes with a decocker that can be transferred to a manual safety, and there are new versions that come with a flat dark earth frame, and another version that is threaded for suppression. MSRP on the P-09 ranges from $530 to $577, making it one of the best buys in full-size polymer guns.
Dan Wesson, which is owned by CZ, is offering a full lineup of 1911 handguns for every need and budget. Some of the standouts in that lineup are the Razorback RZ-10, which is chambered in the mighty 10mm Auto and comes with defensive sights, cocobolo grips, a 5-inch ramped match-grade barrel, a smooth front strap and much more.
The Razorback is an ideal gun for defense (for those who can handle the recoil) and will also serve as a close-range hunting gun. Also from Dan Wesson is the compact ECO, a 25-ounce concealed carry 1911 available in either 9mm or .45 ACP. It has a solid one-piece guide rod and a flat recoil spring rated for an incredible 15,000 rounds. MSRP on the Razorback is $1,350 and the ECO is $1,662.
Everything old is new again. The old saying seems no more relevant than in the second .327 Federal Magnum Ruger has released in the last year.
Hot on the heels of New Hampshire/Arizona manufacturer’s introduction of the Single-Six in the light magnum comes a SP101 bored for the cartridge. But this isn’t the first time the double-action revolver has been mated with the relatively new round.
In fact, the small-frame beast was one of the original handguns that grazed on the cartridge when Federal Ammunition introduced it in 2007. But the revolver had a short lifespan, with Ruger pulling it from the market in 2013.
The .327 Federal Magnum SP101 is back again and boasts a number of features and refinements that has hit the line in recent years.
Perhaps the handiest for what should make a dandy field gun are the fully adjustable rear sights. The gun’s windage and elevation can be tailored to the shooting conditions and distance, a plus for anyone who aims to be in total control.
Aiding the gun’s sighting system is a fiber optic front sight, which helps shooters focus where they should. Given the hard-hitting light magnum would make a top-notch small game choice, these features alone should get many shooters excited.
The light recoil of the .327 Federal Magnum has the potential to be further mitigated by a number of aspects of the SP101. The gun’s weight, a shade under 2 pounds, is one; its grips are the other.
The .327 version of the SP101 features engraved wooden grips — something that should appeal to traditionalists. But this classic feature is surrounded by rubber that runs along the backstrap and the front of the grip.
The synthetic material should reduce felt recoil considerably. In addition to this, it also will aid shooters in getting a solid positive grip on the revolver every time the draw it.
The new SP100 should get the most out of the .327 Federal Magnum cartridge with a 4.2-inch barrel. This gives the six-round revolver an overall length 9.12 inches, which might make it an option for some as a carry piece.
The cylinder has three lock points in the frame (front, rear and bottom) creating more positive alignment and dependable operation. And it features Ruger’s patented transfer-bar safety, which secures against accidental discharges if the gun is dropped.
Presently, the new .327 Federal Magnum SP101 has an MSRP of $719.
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Rock Island Auction Company is gearing up for its first premiere firearms auction of 2015 and the April 24-26 event is shaping up to be a doozy.
The Illinois-based auction house will have over 2,700 firearms and 3,000 lots crossing the block. As always some of the most historic firearm manufacturers will be part of the event, with RIA ready to auction off more than 500 Colts, 400 Winchesters and 300 military arms.
The auction will be highlighted by four incredible collections that should leave rare-gun fanatics’ tongues hanging.
The Gene Smith military collection is certain to prick up the ears of German military arms aficionados. RIA has featured guns from this encyclopedic collection in the past and have had a huge response from those hungry for rare and historic arms.
April will be bittersweet in one respect, it will feature the final installment of the iconic Ralph Shattuck collection. Described as a “dream collection,” Shattuck had an unmatched catalog of Lugers, Mauser and Borchardts.
Those who have a taste for 7.65mm pistols will be left drooling over Dr. Joel Glovsky’s collection. Dr. Glovsky is renown for the most complete collection of the German-born caliber, amassing rare prototypes, tool-room samples and test models in 60 year of chasing these pistols.
Finally, RIA will host part two of the William Baird collection. Filled with Colt revolvers of every stripe, collectors who yearn for historic American wheelguns won’t get enough.
The badge, ID wallet and S&W Model 29 revolver of Captain Bob M. of the Texas Rangers.
Whether it’s a Texas Ranger revolver or a warhorse rifle, each gun has a story to tell.
A pair of Colt 1911Ai Government models of Texas Ranger Manuel T. Gonzaullas, known by bandits as “El Lobo Solo,” or the Lone Wolf.
The citation next to the Smith & Wesson Model 29 in the display case said that Texas Ranger Bob M. had been carrying that particular pistol when he was called to the scene of a domestic disturbance. A man had been released from prison, and had promptly gone to the home of his estranged wife and taken her hostage at gunpoint. The police had the house surrounded when Ranger M. arrived, and the suspect was barricaded behind a couch in the living room.
All the cops, bristling with rifles, pistols and teargas guns, were hunkered down behind their patrol cars outside. Ranger M. calmly walked up to the porch and called inside to the suspect, telling him to put down his gun and come out with his hands up. The suspect called back with words to the effect that, if the Ranger wanted him, he was welcome to come in and get him.
So he did.
Ranger M. walked into the house, grabbed the culprit by the scruff of his neck, gave him a few whacks with the Model 29, dragged him out the door and handed him over to the local police. And then he went on about the rest of his work day.
A tear gas billy club and the engraved Colt Model P revolver with personalized grips of Texas Ranger “Doc” White.
The Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum, overlooking the banks of the Brazos River in Waco, Texas, still has that particular Smith & Wesson on display, along with hundreds of other guns and various equipment that officers carried during the famous law enforcement agency’s 191 years of existence. If those guns could talk, every one could tell stories of bravery, honor and adventure akin to the citation describing Ranger M.’s tale of unusual enforcement of the law.
The first time I saw the Model 29 in question, my friend had taken me to visit the museum, but first he said he wanted to show me a tractor he was working on. We drove to a small farm near Waco, looked at the tractor in the barn and visited with the owner, a friendly, ordinary-looking, retired gentleman.
Arriving at the museum, my friend pointed out the Model 29 in the display case, and told me to read the citation. When I had, he asked me what I thought. I said the fellow who had carried that gun must have been quite the hombre in his day. My friend said, “He was. That’s the man you met a while ago. He owns the place where my tractor is.”
In an age when America has been sissified and civilized and watered down almost beyond recognition, it’s good to know there are still brave men who aren’t afraid to do what it takes to get the job done. Most of the time they look like regular, ordinary folk, but when the time comes to make a stand, they step out and put themselves in harm’s way for the rest of us. To paraphrase John Wayne, they may be scared, but they saddle up anyway.
The guns carried by such men are similar to the men themselves. They’re not wimpy, delicate or fragile. They are tools, designed to fit a specific need and to hold up well under abuse and still function. They’re usually the best of their kind available during the times they’re employed, and are retired and replaced only when a better tool comes along for the job at hand. Their stories would fill libraries the world over, if written down.
The guns in the Texas Ranger Museum are some of the lucky few. Having seen their service, they’ve been offered a respite from their labors. Others, particularly surplus military guns, are often subjected to less auspicious fates. But their stories, if known, might be just as interesting.
Firearm History At The Local Gun Shop
A pair of .45 Colt Commanders with personalized grips.
The line of old Mausers had seen better days. There were about 20 of them in a rack at my local gun shop, in various stages of decay and neglect. Picked up en masse for a song, or even a verse or two, the price tags attested to the fact that these guns were no longer the proud warriors they’d once been. Any one of them was available for $125, as is, no guarantees, no sad songs and no returns.
Enjoying a Saturday morning at the shop with four friends, I made the owner a pitch—how about $75 apiece, provided all five of us bought one. The haggling settled at $100 each, with 100 rounds of 8-millimeter surplus ammo thrown in with each rifle. We all agreed and proceeded to coon-finger the guns, inspect bores and rub already well-rubbed stocks. One gent amused the rest by shouldering his choice and goose-stepping out the door.
The five of us convened at “the shooting bench,” a private range that belonged to a member of the group, and we spent the afternoon seeing what the old rifles could do. Some were more accurate than others, none was a tack driver, but all of them worked fine.
Mine was capable, we found, of putting three rounds into an 8-inch cactus pad at 300 yards, using the old flip-up ladder rear sight.
The guns of Texas Ranger Walter Russell: Winchester .30 cal. 1895 carbine, Colt S.A. Army Model 9 revolvers in .357 mag. and Colt Pre-and Post-WWII 1911A1 Government Models.
The World War II ammo we were using was less than optimal, however. Some of the rounds failed to fire, whereupon the shooter would hold still for a count of 10, and then open the bolt and fling the round away like a hot potato. After a while we decided we were pushing our luck, and fell to removing bolts and scraping old cosmoline from nooks and crannies.
All the stocks were scarred, pitted and abused from years of warfare, more so from decades of storage and mishandling. The wooden stocks probably told the story of those rifles better than anything else. They seemed to be the unsung heroes of a bygone era.
One stock had a group of notches carved into it, a testament, perhaps, to the marksmanship of a previous owner. Which war, and which side in that war, were left to the imagination.
Another, in perhaps a still more ominous vein, was adorned with a crude swastika. Whether the carver was actually a Nazi or just a fellow who wanted to make his rifle appear villainous we can never know.
Still, we all gathered round and got quiet when the offending symbol was pointed out. All guns are new at one point, but unless they’re safe queens, they all see service of one kind or another, acquiring nicks, scrapes and abrasions throughout their lifetimes. Most firearms change hands several times, and rarely are their histories documented. But every gun tells a story. Where have your guns been?
This article appeared in the February 1, 2015 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Improve your aim with these simple shooting drills.
Practice drills on hostage targets.
Although we shoot our defensive pistol at center mass, shooting it precisely is also important. Shooting groups with a pistol is fun and also helps us develop better trigger control and trigger reset ability. Trigger reset is the amount of return your finger allows on the trigger until it clicks or resets for the next shot. This of course pertains to semi-autos but is part of trigger control.
By only releasing the trigger enough to reset, we avoid taking the finger off of the trigger and developing trigger slap, which deteriorates accuracy.
I like to start all of my training sessions shooting circles. Many instructors use similar training, and I got this drill from Ed Santos of Center Target Sports.
It consists of a target that only has to be made once and then copied as many times as you practice. It has four 2-inch circles drawn on it with a heavy marker. It is a precision exercise and requires the shooter to attempt to put the bullet though the same hole. It’s a simple drill, but when practiced regularly, will do wonders with your accuracy.
Start by standing directly in front of the target. First shoot one of the circles at 3 yards and fire three shots. This is not a speed event; try to put each round in the same hole and concentrate on trigger reset. If you’re not happy with the group, shoot the next circle three times trying to do the same thing.
Groups shot at 10 yards.
When you get a clover leaf consistently at 3 yards move back to 5 yards and then to 10 yards. After that, if you’re really confident, move back to 15 yards. I don’t spend a lot of time on these drills, maybe 24 rounds each training session. I even do it with a .22 sometimes, but it’s good to do with your carry pistol to manage the recoil and become more accurate with the handgun you may be called upon to use in an actual situation.
This practice will perfect sight alignment and trigger control and the training drills will generate notable shooting improvement. While shooting this exercise, remember to use proper grip and stance. There are many versions of hostage targets that can also be added to your training, and they are good for putting a face on something you might hit if you spoil the shot.
Remember as a concealed carry citizen there may be a time you will be called into action. In many situations, there will be a bunch of people running around in a frenzy. Never take a shot that could harm innocent bystanders.
Accuracy is certainly critical at such moments and being able to deliver a round precisely where you intend it will prevent you from getting into trouble. Keep up the training and be sure to work shooting circles into your training regimen.
Eugene Stoner is perhaps best known for designing what has become America’s most popular rifle — the AR-15. However, there is another creation of the renowned weapons designer that is held in high regard in many firearms circles — the AR-7.
The quirky rifle was designed with one purpose in mind, keeping downed U.S. Air Force crews alive. Nowadays, the firearm, chambered .22LR, is a popular choice with those heading into the backcountry or to remote areas. Sooch00 shows exactly why in the above video.
The You Tube gun guru does a solid job giving the history, specs and review of the now Henry Rifle-made AR-7. But it’s worth taking a moment to point out why this particular firearm’s design has withstood the test of time.
In short, the rifle performs when put together and breaks down into a miniscule package. When the barrel and receiver are packed away into the stock, the 3.5-pound AR-7 measures in at just 16-inches. Few will argue, at that size and weight anybody can make space in their rucksack for a tool this important.
There is a little bit of everything in A*B Arms’ Mission Critical Kit.
Part of owning a gun is keeping it running right through proper maintenance. For most, this means some quality time in their designated gun room pampering their baby.
Of course, whiling away the day on upkeep isn’t always an option. Whether it is tactical, competition or what have you, there are times that a vital part of a firearm needs to be fixed on the fly.
American Built Arms Company has come up with what appears to be an ingenious solution for just these situations. The Pennsylvania company’s A*B Mission Critical Kit shoots too keep AR-15-style rifles in the fight when in the field.
“There are hundreds of cleaning kits on the market today, but no real kit to help you replace mission-critical parts,” president and founder of A*B Arms Jason Combs said in a press release. “We wanted to design and manufacture a kit that would meet those goals. We accomplished that with the MCK.”
The kit comes with 13 items that are designed to tackle some of the most common failures of the AR system. This not only includes replacement parts, but also maintenance material and a little first-aid gear to boot.
The MCK includes:
1 A*B Complete Nickel Boron Coated Bolt Assembly
1 A*B Arms Firing Pin
1 Firing Pin Retaining Pin
1 A*B Arms Extractor
1 Extractor Axle
6 Gas Rings
1 Bolt Assembly Instruction Card
2 UV Resistant Black Gear Bands
1 A*B Arms Latex Barrel Cover
1 5.56 Broken Shell Extractor
2 Vials of 3M Breakthrough Battle Born High-Purity Oil
2 Latex-Free Adhesive Bandages and Alcohol Prep Pad
1 Tactical Black, Ballistic Nylon Case
Certainly the kit doesn’t cover every probable malfunction or failure that can occur. However, it looks as if A*B Arms has covered a lot of bases in keeping an AR running, particularly with the extra bolt assembly, firing pin parts and shell extractor.
The company has also thrown a few less intuitive items into the MCK, such as the gear bands and barrel cover. But, in a pinch and with a bit of lateral thinking they could be mission-saving equipment.
The Mission Critical Kit comes in a 5”x3.5”x1” black nylon case, which shouldn’t make it an imposition to tote along. The MSRP of the kit is $149.99.
With this handy kit we give you the tools and the knowledge to keep your AR-15 in tip-top shape. The collection includes five references focused on the popular rifle and three tools that are perfect to keep it going any time or anywhere it runs into problems. Check It Out
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 of the best concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
