David Rowe, co-owner of Armadillo Guns, said the perceived lack of ammunition seems to be putting a brake on gun sales earlier this year.
“We are actually getting in a pretty good inventory of ammunition, and prices have begun coming down a little bit, too,” Rowe said. “But we hear it from customers almost every day: It’s great to buy a new gun, but if I can’t get or afford the ammo, what’s the point?”
Still, new concealed carry handguns are moving quite well here, especially the Springfield XDS and the Smith & Wesson Shield. Top carry caliber is 9mm, by far.
Armadillo Guns is doing many trigger jobs on new concealed carry handguns, too, replacing springs and lightening trigger pulls.
Many of the new concealable semi-autos come from the factory with seven- and eight-pound trigger pulls.
Yet, a growing percentage of customers here are of retirement age or better, and given the aches and pains that come with aging, a hard trigger pull is tough for many of these folks.
“We get the trigger pull down to around four pounds, and it helps them a good deal, especially to stay on target for that second and third shot,” says Rowe.
Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the March 6, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
“Right now, handguns seem to be the hottest sellers, military or commercial,” Cady Auction co-owner Mike Cady said. “German stuff is very hot.”
German Lugers with the Nazi mark stamped onto them are selling for $2,400 to over $3,000 at auction, depending on condition and accessories.
Just a couple of years ago, says Cady, $1,000 was about the best you could get for one of these pistols.
Customers come to Cady’s in search of military long guns, and Garands are selling steadily in the $800 to $1,200 range.
Yet, and for reasons he doesn’t understand, vintage .30-40 Krag’s have dropped off in value considerably. Good condition .30-40s used to go for $1,500 and up.
“Today, $750 is a more realistic price,” he notes.
Vintage ammunition is bringing in some very heft bids. At a recent auction, Cady offered a 50-round box of .22LR made by Winchester Ammunition in the 1920’s.
“It was labeled ‘Indoor Precision’ on the box,” says Cady. “A collector in New York State took it for $2,100. Two grand for 50 rounds, that’s pretty amazing!”
Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the March 6, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The 2015 Standard Catalog of Firearms is the preferred desk reference guide to the realm of antique, vintage, and modern firearms from around the world, and is now in its Silver Anniversary, 25th edition with more than 26,000 listings of collectible and modern firearms. This industry-leading reference on firearms valuation and pricing has everything you need, whether you’re looking to buy, sell, or collect firearms.
Jim Clark was known as one of the best bull's eye shooters of his era. But he left his mark on the shooting world in another way, developing 1911 pistols that excelled in competition.
These days we have I.D.P.A., U.S.P.S.A, and a plethora of other acronyms, but in the beginning the game was bullseye.
To my knowledge, bullseye is the only shooting sport mandated by law. That’s right—law! Title 10 of the United States Code, Section 4312 states:
(a) An annual competition called the “National Matches” and consisting of rifle and pistol matches for a National Trophy, medals and other prizes shall be held as prescribed by the Secretary of the Army.
(b) The National Matches are open to members of the Armed Forces, National Guard, Reserve Officers Training Corps, Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps, Citizens’ Military Training Camps, Citizen’s Air Training Camps, and rifle clubs and to civilians.
(c) A Small Arms Firing School shall be held in connection with the National Matches.
(d) Competition for which trophies and medals are provided by the National Rifle Association of America shall be held in connection with the National Matches.
The NRA National Championships have a rich history, and the 1911 really made its presence felt in the grand competition’s post-WWII era. With a ton of surplus guns on hand and the many having been smuggled home by G.I.s, it was a natural to modify the 1911 for bullseye.
The way bullseye works is simple. You have three guns, pistol or revolver, chambered in .22 rimfire, .32-caliber or larger, and a .45-caliber. The course of fire is pretty simple.
An elegant version of a Fitz-style open trigger guard
First there is the “slow-fire” match, in which the competitor has 10 minutes to shoot 10 shots at a range of 50 yards. Next up is the “timed-fire” stage. At a range of 25 yards, strings of five shots must be completed in 20 seconds. The “rapid-fire” stage is exactly the same as the timed-fire, but the time is cut in half for each string, thus allowing 10 seconds for each. This is course of fire is shot three times, once with the .22 rimfire, once with the .32 or larger centerfire and once with the .45 centerfire.
Most competitors just use a .22 pistol and a 1911 in .45ACP, the latter fulfilling the requirements for both the .32-caliber and .45-caliber divisions. This saves money on equipment. This is not to say that some do not use .32s created specifically for the purpose of bullseye; Walther, Benelli and Pardini, as well as others, produce .32s just for the sport. These fine .32s notwithstanding, the 1911 chambered in .45 ACP rules the roost. As I said, in the post-World War II era, there was an abundance of surplus 1911s, as well as tens of thousands smuggled home by G.I.s. It wasn’t long before gunsmiths were customizing them.
One of them was a fellow named Jim Clark. He had been a Marine in the Pacific, a tough duty tour on its own, but Clark was also a scout/sniper. He had been assigned to the newly formed 4th Division, which had the distinction of being the first to go directly into battle from the United States. Jim saw action at a tiny pair of islands named Roi-Namur. When I say tiny, I mean Roi was 1,250 yards at its widest part and Namur was 900 yards—yet they had more than 3,000 Japanese soldiers defending them.
The U.S. Navy pounded the islands, before the Marines landed; there was a shocking number still alive to resist. After securing those islands, Clark was among those sent to Saipan. His Springfield 1903 was damaged along the way, so he scrounged an M1 and some optics. He spotted some Japanese troops trying to escape the invading Marines over a thousand yards away. Once he found his groove, he had over 300 hits.
Surviving a gunshot wound while saving a buddy, Clark spent months rehabilitating a paralyzed arm before he was discharged. A couple years later, back in Shreveport and going to school, a friend invited him to go to a bullseye match. He promptly borrowed the required guns and learned the rules. In his very first match, he scored a 78 percent. He’d enjoyed it much and decided to pursue the sport. When he went to his first match sponsored by the National Rifle Association, he qualified as a Sharpshooter. His next match he qualified as an Expert. His next match a Master. Unworldly ability.
If bullseye had a rock star, it was Jim Clark. Everything about him seemed bigger than life. (Indeed, he and Bill Blankenship were arguably the greatest civilian bullseye shooters in history.) As Clark’s reputation grew and his name continued to appear in the record books, more and more people approached him to buy his guns.
If such requests happened after a match, he would gladly sell his pistols for a nice profit, then return home and use his gunsmithing prowess to build more for the next match. When a friend loaned him the money to set up shop, Jim’s reputation as a shooter made him an instant success. As the only civilian-trained shooter to win the National Bullseye Championship, his guns were in high demand.
Detail of an old added muzzle weight.
Now, many men would set about to making guns and be content to ride their own reputations into the sunset. Not Jim. His innovations and inventions were numerous. One of Clark’s innovations was the long slide. He had been thinking about how to add more weight to the muzzle and elongate the sight radius. Most people were hanging weights off the sides of their guns and adding front sight extensions that pushed the front sights forward of the muzzle.
Jim didn’t like those ideas, so, when he came across a barrel of slides at an Army surplus store, he bought them all for a dime a piece. With these, he would cut the slide of another gun and extend it. This accomplished everything he wanted, both a longer sight radius and a more muzzle-heavy gun. To Jim, he was just finding a way to get the job done, but, thanks to his creativity, we now call him a visionary.
Of course, while an innovator and a genius in his own right, Jim Clark is also a man who helped other gunsmiths. It is safe to say that his reach went far beyond the guns that came through his shop, Clark Customs, and, today, it is difficult to find a gunsmith who doesn’t have appreciation for the man. Truly, here is where one can consider the custom 1911 to have been born.
Searching for a gun more futuristic looking than Han Solo's blaster? CZ-USA might just have you covered. The Czech manufacturer recently announced the release of its CZ Scorpion EVO 3 S1 to the U.S. Market in 2015, a civilian version of the Scorpion EVO 3 A1 sub-machine gun. And if the gun doesn't float the tactical world's boat, as one gander at the above video proves, it should grab the eye of those enamored with unique and cutting-edge lines when it comes to firearms.
The review by the NRA's Colion Noir is worth an entire watch, not just to catch a glimpse of some new hardware. Noir gives a short, yet in-depth history of the Scorpion, from its early days as a .32 ACP to its reinvention as a 9mm. There is also interesting footage of him thumbing off rounds of the fully automatic A1 version; if only it was being introduced to the American civilian market.
As for CZ's new pistol itself, well Noir puts it through its paces and seems to like what the Scorpion EVO 3 S1 has to offer. From the outside, despite being a 9mm pistol with a 7.5-inch barrel, the firearms appears to be a smooth operator. Presently, the pistol has a MSRP of $849.
Ruger continues to roll out the products, with new models of its Scout rifle and an aftermarket trigger for 10/22 rifles.
With the SHOT Show on the horizon, tis the season for new firearms and firearms accessories. That is, unless you’re Ruger.
The company is churning out new products as the calendar year dwindles down. But instead of pushing out goodies for 2015, the New Hampshire/Arizona manufacturer is still introducing its 2014 roster.
The new model of the Ruger Gunsite Scout will be released in January 2015.
The other product includes an upgrade for one of its most iconic rifles. No matter how you look at it, Ruger appears like it's ready to finish – or start – the year with a bang.
Ruger Gunsite Composite Stock Scout
Ruger Gunsite Composite Stock Scout Rifle
Next to Ruger’s American Rifles, perhaps no other series has been expanded more the past year than the Gunsite Scout line. And fans of the Ruger rifle will have another option to consider here soon – what sort of stock they want. Ruger has just introduced a composite stock model of the rifle, allowing for a lightweight option. The new stock option reduces the Scout’s weight to 6.25 pounds, around 3- to 4-pounds less the original laminated wood stocks. And Ruger is aiming to keep the rifle accurate, outfitting the new stock with forward aluminum bedding blocks to free float the barrel. The new composite stock Scout has the same MSRP as the rest of the line, $1,099.
Ruger BX-Trigger
Ruger BX-Trigger
The BX-Trigger is a drop-in replacement assembly, compatible with all Ruger 10/22 rifles and 22 Charger pistols. The new trigger allows shooters to outfit Ruger .22 caliber firearms with a lighter, snappier fire control. The 2.75-pound pull weight of the BX-Trigger is a considerable improvement on the factory trigger, which Ruger lists at nearly 6 pounds. The MSRP of the BX-Trigger is presently $89.95.
If it is a 1911-style handgun, it is in demand at Brown’s Gunsmith Repair, especially the Sig Sauer 1911 in .45 ACP.
“That’s a $1,000 handgun, but they went out the door like hotcakes,” owner Greg Brown said. “I have more on order! I was absolutely surprised.”
Concealed carry is big locally, and Brown is also selling a good number of the Ruger LC9’s packaged with a Crimson Trace laser sight for $599.
Local deer and hog hunters spent the fall snapping up bargain-priced big game rifles, including the Savage AXIS and the Ruger American.
They sell for $350 to $450, depending on if they are bought as a combo package with scope or not, and the reports Brown’s getting back on these long guns are all positive.
“That Savage AXIS is $400, but they are accurate as all get out,” says Brown. “My hunters love them.”
Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the March 6, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Gun Digest Book of SIG-Sauer, 2nd Edition by Massad Ayoob explores the ins and outs of the SIG-Sauer pistol, covering each and every available model. Each model of the SIG-Sauer has a dedicated chapter in which the attributes of the pistol are discussed, as well as other information relevant to the particular model, such as its various calibers, quirks throughout the model’s history, magazine and ammunition options, model variations, price, ergonomics, reliability, accuracy, and much more. This pistol guide also covers developments of the SIG-Sauer over the past ten years, highlighting the gun’s notable features and improvements. In this edition, new chapters explore the most popular new models, and revisions explain significant changes to existing models.
CrossBreed's new Speedloader Case, designed by Grant Cunningham.
There is something reassuring about a revolver.
Not prone to malfunctions and able to fire every time the trigger is pulled, it is a top choice for self defense. However, revolvers present their own set of challenges, especially as a concealed-carry piece.
Among the most troublesome is how to tote along spare ammo. However, one of the nation’s top holster manufacturers appears to have come up with an elegant solution.
CrossBreed Holster’s Speedloader case allows revolver fans to carry fresh rounds conveniently on the belt in a hassle-free fashion. The ambidextrous case is designed to place a speedloader flush against the body, keeping it in reach, while still being out of the way.
What looks to be an ingenious way to carry extra ammo is the brain child of one of the better known names in revolvers. Grant Cunningham is among the most experienced revolver experts and instructors in America (he literally wrote the book on revolvers).
Cunningham, per the video below, actually designed the case sometime ago, having his wife whip up the accessory. He brought it to CrossBreed after years of being asked where the case could be purchased.
Presently, the Missouri company is selling cases for some of the most popular calibers of revolvers. The accessory fits most five-shot .38 Special/.357 Magnum speedloaders.
And the case also has material options. The retention loop where the speedloader is carried, comes in two choices of leather – black cowhide or natural horsehide. The device weights only 2 ounces without a speedloader and is 3.75 inches in height and 2 inches in both width and length.
Presently, CrossBreed lists its SpeedLoader Case $39.95.
If you can put it on an AR-style rifle, it’s probably been moving out the door at Gamaliel Shooting Supply.
Starting with AR stocks, forends and vertical grips from Magpul. Higher-end metal handguards from Midwest Industries and CMMG are selling very well, too.
“Spikes Tactical offers a lot of small parts and accessories to finish building complete rifles, like lower parts kits, buffer tube assemblies, complete uppers and more,” says Grayson Pare, Gamaliel’s sales and marketing director. “We have sold a lot of that lately, and I assume it is because many shooters have stripped or incomplete AR-15 lowers from last year that they are finally building into complete rifles.”
Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the March 6, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
For rifle shooters of every stripe, the above video is simply amazing. A bullet is fired at an initial aim point then – mid-flight – changes course to hit the desired target.
The maneuverable projectiles, known as Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO for short) are the first of their kind, according to DARPA. But, the U.S. Department of Defense agency has offered scant details about how .50 caliber EXACTO rounds execute their mid-air adjustments. The Daily Mail, however, offers up one possibly:
DARPA has not released precise details of how its bullet moves in mid-air, but this is one way in which the technology could work.
Each self-guided bullet is four inches (10 cm) long.
A sniper working at extreme range shines a laser onto the target.
An optical sensor on the bullet detects the light from the laser to identify where the target is.
Once fired, actuators inside the bullet receive data from the optical sensor to guide it to the correct location.
Small fins are used to change the bullet's trajectory, and the bullet can correct its movements 30 times a second.
These changes are in response to movements of the laser, which the sniper uses to continually track and light up the target.
DERPA graphic of the EXACTO round.
While it might be a first for small arms, the EXACTO round is not the first maneuverable projectile cooked up. Presently, the U.S., Swedish and Canadian militaries all use M982 Excalibur, a navigable artillery shell.
The application of the new EXACTO round, if it ever finds its way to the battlefield, is fairly obvious:
According to Darpa: ‘For military snipers, acquiring moving targets in unfavourable [sic] conditions, such as high winds and dusty terrain commonly found in Afghanistan, is extremely challenging with current technology.
‘It is critical that snipers be able to engage targets faster, and with better accuracy, since any shot that doesn’t hit a target also risks the safety of troops by indicating their presence and potentially exposing their location.'
Given the long shots made by U.S., Canadian and British snipers in the recent conflict in Afghanistan using conventional gear, the EXACTO could potentially be a potent leg up.
Trijicon has added the option of a green reticle in its versatile Reflex Line of illuminated optics.
Whether it's their ease of use or their ruggedness, Trijicon’s Reflex Line of sights have earned their share of accolades. And the series appears to set to become even more versatile.
The Michigan manufacturer recently announced it is expanding the line to include the choice of a green-dot reticle. Previously, Reflex sights were only available with red reticles.
Trijicon’s move is more than just adding a pretty color to its catalog. There are specific applications where green reticles are said to outperform their red counterparts.
In particular, illuminated green reticles have been reported to be more visible in low-light situations. It is also claimed, the color provides a sharper reference up close, while not obscuring a target at long range.
Presently, Trijicon is offering the new color option only as a dot and in two sizes – 4.5 MOA and 6.5 MOA. And they will include all the bells and whistles of the older editions.
One of the more intriguing aspects of the Reflex Line – no matter reticle color – is they are battery free. Instead, the system relies on Trijicon’s dual-illuminated technology that operates off tritium and fiber optics.
Trijicon's Reflex Line of optics has become known for its ruggedness and ease of use.
The company has attempted to make the light gathering ability of the scope more efficient with a unique design of its illumination system. The fiber optics are laid out in what Trijicon calls a “racetrack design” meant to optimize their ability to collect ambient light.
Similar to the rest of the Reflex Line, the new option should be ready to tackle even the most demanding tasks. The sensitive parts of the optic are protected in a rugged aircraft aluminum-alloy housing, allowing them to endure their fair share of abuse.
The system is designed to work on nearly any firearm platform, with mounting option available for rifles, carbines and shotguns. And, like most illuminated-reticle optics, the Reflex Line offers parallax-free aiming solutions.
The MSRP for the Reflex line runs from $519 to $682.
Is it ever a good idea to fire warning shots in self-defense?
Warning shots have long been prohibited by most American police departments. Massad Ayoob spells out 10 good reasons why.
The “Warning Shots Are a Good Idea” Myth
You know a myth is widespread when it emanates from the White House. In 2013 while campaigning for a ban on so-called “assault rifles,” Vice-President Joseph Biden told the public he had advised his wife that if there was a home invasion, she was to take a double barrel shotgun and fire both barrels upwards. One can only imagine how the Secret Service Vice-Presidential detail felt when they heard that. I can tell you that across the nation lawyers, cops, and gun-wise people rolled their eyes and shook their heads.
Here are 10 reasons why firing a warning shot is not a good idea.
1. What goes up, must come down. The stereotyped warning shot is fired skyward. Shooting live ammunition into the sky is a practice normally associated with Third World countries where respect for human life is not as great as in the United States. There are many cases on record where such bullets “fell from the sky” and killed innocent people. In one New England case, a man carelessly fired a warning shot upward in the state’s largest city; the bullet struck and killed an innocent bystander who was on the upper porch of a tenement building.
2. To fire the warning shot safely, the shooter would have to aim it into something that could safely absorb the projectile. This would force the shooter to take his eyes off of the potentially dangerous criminal opponent he was trying to intimidate – always a poor idea tactically.
3. What appears to be a safe place to plant the warning bullet, may not be. I know a police officer who, trying to break up a riot, fired a warning shot from his 12 gauge shotgun downward from the upper floor walkway of a hotel into what appeared in the dark to be a soft patch of earth. It was, instead, darkened pavement. Double-ought buckshot pellets caromed off the hard surface, one striking a young woman in the eye.
5. Warning shots can lead to misunderstandings with deadly unintended consequences. Years ago in the Great Lakes area, two police officers were searching opposite ends of a commercial greenhouse where a burglar alarm had just gone off. One confronted the burglar, who ran. The officer raised his arm skyward for the traditional silver screen warning shot. As is often the case, the blast just made the suspect run faster. On the other end of the building, the brother officer heard the shot and shouted to his partner, asking if he was all right. But the powerful handgun had gone off so close to the first officer’s unprotected ear that his ears were ringing, and he didn’t hear the shout. The second officer then saw the suspect running. Concluding that the man must have killed the partner who didn’t answer, that second officer shot and killed a man who was guilty only of burglary and running from the police.4. Suppose the person who caused you to fire the warning shot runs around a corner. Another gunshot rings out; someone else has shot the man, in a moment when deadly force was not warranted. The bullet goes through and through, fatally, and is not recovered. The man who wrongfully shot him claims that he fired the warning shot, and it was your bullet that caused the wrongful death. It’s your word against his…unless you can say, “Officer, you’ll find the bullet from MY gun in the friendly oak tree right over there.” But it would have been better in these circumstances if you had not fired at all.
6. A single gunshot sounds to earwitnesses (and, depending on the circumstances, even eyewitnesses) as if you tried to kill a man you were only trying to warn. Did you yell the standard movie line, “Stop or I’ll shoot”? It could sound to an earwitness as if you threatened to kill a man for not obeying you, and then tried to do exactly that. Don’t make threats you don’t have a right to carry out, and as will be noted elsewhere in this book, the confluence of circumstances that warrants the shooting of a fleeing felon is extremely rare. (Remember that there are usually more earwitnesses than eyewitnesses; sound generally travels farther than line of sight, especially in the dark. Remember the infamous case of Kitty Genovese, who was murdered as 38 New York witnesses supposedly watched and did nothing. A study of the incident shows that only two of those witnesses actually saw the knife go into her body. However, more than 38 apparently heard her scream, “He stabbed me!”)
7. Even if there are no witnesses and the man claims you shot at him and missed, evidence will show that you did fire your gun. If he claims you attempted to murder him, it’s his word against yours.
8. Murphy’s law is immutable: if your weapon is going to jam, expect it to jam on the warning shot, and leave you helpless when the opponent comes up on you with his gun.
9. The firing of a gun even in the “general direction” of another person is an act of deadly force. If deadly force was warranted, well, “warning shot, hell!” You would have shot directly at him. The warning shot can tell judge and jury that the very fact that you didn’t aim the shot at him is a tacit admission that even by your own lights, you knew deadly force was not justified at the time you fired the shot.
10. If the man turns on you in the next moment and you do have to shoot him or die, you’ve wasted precious ammunition. With the still-popular five-shot revolver, you’ve just thrown away 20% of your potentially life-saving firepower. In one case in the Philippines, a man went berserk in a crowded open-air market and began stabbing and slashing people with a knife in each hand. In a nearby home, an off-duty Filipino police officer heard the screams, grabbed his six-shot service revolver (with no spare ammunition), and ran to the scene. When he confronted the madman, the latter turned on him. The officer fired three warning shots into the air, sending half of all he had to protect himself and the public into the stratosphere. He turned and ran, trying to shoot over his shoulder, and missed with his last three shots. He tripped and fell, and the pursuing knife-wielder literally ripped him apart. Responding officers shot and killed the madman, but their off-duty brother was already dead by then.
Rock Island Armory aimed to give shooters a more versatile 1911 when it introduced its 2011 Tactical Series a few years back.
The defining feature of the series was the accessory rail situated at the forend of the pistol. The new design was perfect to take advantage of the growing trend of topping handguns off with flashlights and other aftermarket products.
The trouble was, if a shooter planned to tote a 2011 as a concealed carry piece, they were in a pickle. The series only included full and mid-sized models of the steel-framed pistol, making them cumbersome for some to carry.
The Armscor subsidiary has addressed this situation with a recent announcement of two new pistols tailored for clandestine carry. The company is adding compact versions of its 2011 in .45 ACP and 9mm at the end of 2014.
Both pistols boast six-groove, 3.5-inch barrels and trim overall dimensions. The handguns each measure in at 7.375 inches in length and 5.5 inches in height, which should make them easy sidearms to conceal.
Unfortunately, there was no information on the new pistols' weights, which is always an consideration when it comes to concealed carry firearms. However, a similar Rock Island handgun – the TAC 1911 II – has a listed weight of 2.36 pounds unloaded.
The big difference between the two new 2011s is their capacity. The 9mm comes with an eight-round magazine, while the .45 ACP comes with a seven-round magazine.
While the new 2011s are smaller, they still retain many of the same features of the rest of the line, including: ambidextrous thumb safety, combat hammer, G10 grips, adjustable sights and extended beavertail.
The most obvious similarity of the compact 9mm and .45 ACP to earlier iterations of the 2011 is the Picatinny rail at the forend. This addition makes slapping a flashlight or other accessory on the gun a snap.
The pistols both have a MSPR of $760, which continues Rock Island’s tradition of being among the more economical names in 1911s.
Israel Weapon Industries is set to sell its popular Jericho 941 pistol directly to the U.S. market.
The Jericho 941 has been sold under many names in the United States. Now, IWI is reintroducing the popular pistol back to the American market under its original moniker.
The Jericho 941 is going on 25 years of manufacture. And in America, it is going through its fifth name change.
The Israel Weapon Industries double/single-action pistol has been known as the Uzi Eagle, the Baby Eagle and the Baby Eagle II. But from now on the Jericho 941 will be known as the Jericho 941 – a moniker not hung on the pistol since the early 1990s.
The handguns’ new name, or its reversion to the old, has come with IWI's recent push into the American market. Instead of relying on importers to peddle its wares, the Israeli-based manufacturer is taking the reins of its own sales this side of the Atlantic.
Really, though, by any other name the Jericho 941 is known to shoot sweet. In fact, the pistol the it is based off of – the CZ-75 – was one of the few 9mm handguns iconic firearms instructor Col. Jeff Cooper ever lavished praise.
It’s easy to empathize with the founder of Gunsite Academy, the pistol in its many iterations appears to have plenty going for it and still does.
Perhaps one of stronger selling points for the freshly reintroduced Jericho is IWI continuing the slew of options. The company is offering six models of the 941, in three calibers (9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP) and the choice of steel or polymer frame.
The steel-framed models have the potential to get certain corners of the shooting world’s ears perked, given the material’s ruggedness. But there are reasons why IWI has opted for a polymer version as well.
The steel-framed Jericho is a fairly hefty sidearm, with models tipping the scales at between 1.95 and 2.3 pounds with an empty magazine. The polymer variants, on the other hand, weigh in at between 1.6 and 1.75 pounds. (See the specs below for each models overall dimensions).
The Jericho retains its unique frame rails, where the slide rides alone the inside of the rails. This feature allows for a slimmer and lighter slide to be used and also lowers the bore axis than most handguns, making it a more controllable pistol.
The semi-automatic pistol comes outfitted with a thumb safety, which de-links the trigger from the firing system. The safety also functions as a decocker, dropping a cocked hammer without firing the gun.
All models of the Jericho come with fully adjustable combat sights and have the upgrade option of tritium night sights. Four of the models (the RPL, RPSL, R and RS) also boast integral Picatinny rails to add an accessory of the shooter’s choice.
The pistols MSRP should continue to make it popular on the American market. The steel-framed models ring up a $655, while the polymer Jerichos are listed at $559.
This magnificent, deluxe special order Winchester Third Model 1873 lever action with brilliant case hardening went for $149,500.
In the shadow of the Black Friday shopping weekend, the gun auction scene was red hot as Rock Island Auction Company’s December 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction saw collectible firearms selling like flat screen TVs.
Rock Island Auction Company’s December 2014 Premiere Firearms Auction took place from December 5-7, 2014, marking three days of intense gun-buying action. The auction would achieve an impressive $11.4 million in sales, bringing RIA’s annual total to $47.5 million.
The first day set the stage for the weekend’s bidding battle. Of note was fierce competition for high end Ithaca shotguns. Single barrel and side-by-side shotguns in a wide variety of calibers and special order features could not be had quickly enough. Examples included an engraved, gold and silver-inlaid 7E grade single barrel that sold for $8,050, or the scarce Field Grade ejector hammerless side-by-side 28 gauge that would exceed its high estimate and realize $6,325.
Gun that Nearly Assassinated Gov. George Wallace
The revolver used in the assassination attempt of Alabama Governor George Wallace would bring $28,750.
Also making a splash on day one was the revolver used in the assassination attempt of Governor George Wallace, that would bring $28,750. The inconspicuous-looking revolver was used in the 1972 attempt on the life of the Alabama Governor.
The unassuming handgun was wielded by Arthur Bremmer, a man overcome with loneliness and determined to gain himself fame by killing then President Richard Nixon or Gov. Wallace. When Nixon turned out to be inaccessible, his sights turned to Wallace, literally.
During the presidential primaries in 1972, at a campaign stop in Laurel, Maryland, Bremmer got close enough to Wallace to fire five shots. Two shots struck the governor, one lodging in his spine, paralyzing him for life. Three bystanders were also wounded. Bremmer served 35 years of his 53 year sentence and has been out on parole since 2007.
Colts for Sale!
A custom-engraved Civil War Colt 1860 Army with a factory letter detailing its original shipment to the New York Arsenal was estimated at $4,500, but the percussion revolver blew away that figure to sell for $19,550. Other Colts sold like nuts on Friday, including a gold-plated, factory engraved Third Generation SAA that more than doubled its $6,500 high estimate to sell for $13,800. A J.P. Lower & Sons shipped black powder Colt SAA with its accompanying research had a high estimate of $2,750 but would eventually ring the bell at $6,900.
An outstanding pre-war, factory engraved Colt SAA with carved pearl grips beat its high estimate, selling for $51,750.
Day two would prove to be a bustling auction day from start to finish. Beginning with a host of Winchesters, Volcanics, and Henrys, strong bids were leveled immediately at firearms like a magnificent, deluxe special order Winchester Third Model 1873 lever action with brilliant case hardening that would not be had for less than $149,500.
An exceptional, factory engraved New Haven Arms Volcanic No. 1 pocket pistol also exceeded its high estimate of $18,000 en route to a $25,875 sale price. Likewise, an outstanding pre-war, factory engraved Colt SAA with carved pearl grips beat expectations and joined a new collection for $51,750.
A historic “C Company” Colt Walker contained reached a price of $172,500; a previously undiscovered deluxe, panel scene engraved Colt Model 1855 revolving shotgun achieved $138,000; and an exceptional Civil War production Henry rifle brought $86,250.
Colt Snake Guns
This historic “C Company” Colt Walker contained reached a price of $172,500.
As Colt “Snake Guns” began to cross the block, the auction hall began to buzz. Every phone line was filled and online bidders began to make their presence felt as numerous collectors scrambled to own one of the popular revolvers. Bidders raced as values soared and jaws dropped while the numbers reached previously unheard of heights. A feeding frenzy had begun. A special R. L. Wilson special order Colt Python—with a high estimate of $4,500—would see a sale price of $11,500. Another Python, this time a scarce, inscribed, three-inch barrel Combat with its original box would go even higher and sell for $12,650. Numerous Pythons, Anacondas, Cobras, and Diamondbacks would exceed the $5,000 mark and many surpassed the $10,000 mark. It could indicate an extremely interesting trend for those who seek or collect these revolvers.
After Saturday’s blitz on Colt double action revolvers, it would hardly be a surprise to see them do well again the following day. However, the success of double actions initially came from another source—Colt Model 1877/78 Lightnings and Thunderers, led by the William Baird Collection. A very rare Lightning chambered in .32 Colt had a high estimate of $11,000 but that number mattered little to the collectors and the diminutive revolver would eventually be had for the whopping price of $25,875.
Similarly, a Colt Model 1877 Target chambered in .32 S&W was estimated between $12,000 – $18,000, but determined bidders would drive the sale price to a remarkable $31,625.
Fancying Fancy Shotguns
This deluxe, panel scene engraved Colt Model 1855 revolving shotgun achieved $138,000.
High end sporting shotguns continued to be a sought after commodity by collectors, hunters, and investors. An antique Parker Brothers Under Lifter side-by-side, Damascus barreled, 8-gauge shotgun smashed its $9,000 high estimate to knock down a $14,950 price. While a majority of these guns exceeded their high estimates, an engraved and gold inlaid Ithaca Grade 7E double box lock shotgun broke the bounds of its $7,000 high estimate on the way to its final figure of $13,800. It was a very dramatic end to 2014. Some genres such as early and pre-Winchesters, further cemented their dominance as one of gun collecting’s iconic brands, while also proving to remain an excellent investment opportunity.
Others, such as the Ithaca brand shotguns, while needing no introduction to seasoned shooters, began to make some noise a bit more audible to the public at large. The surge enjoyed by modern Colt double action revolvers and “snake guns” had collectors beside themselves at the end of the auction and discussing the explosive new growth. Will these trends continue or will other new interests by collectors and investors emerge to take the scene?
The 2015 Standard Catalog of Firearms is the preferred desk reference guide to the realm of antique, vintage, and modern firearms from around the world, and is now in its Silver Anniversary, 25th edition with more than 26,000 listings of collectible and modern firearms. This industry-leading reference on firearms valuation and pricing has everything you need, whether you’re looking to buy, sell, or collect firearms. Learn More
One of the main attractions of AR-style rifles is how quickly and easily they are modified. A tweak here and there and the platform can quickly go from something akin to a sporter for hunting to a carbine ready to tackle the battlefield.
Recently, Colt has moved this concept to the next level with its M.A.R.C. 901 Series. The rifle comes outfitted as a 7.62x51mm NATO/.308 Winchester, but can jump to the smaller 5.56x45mm NATO/.223 Remington. The only requirements to make the switch are a Mil-Spec Colt upper receiver and fairly simple conversion kit.
But exactly how simple is it to switch calibers on the AR-10/AR-15?
Well, the above video from LeagallyArmedAmerica.com gives a pretty good idea, by switching calibers on the rifle the M.A.R.C. Series was based off – the Colt LE901. Really, going from 7.62 to a 5.56 is as simple as pushing out retention pins, swapping some buffer components, adding or removing a magazine adapter and throwing on the upper assembly . The procedure remains essentially the same for Colt's new 901s.
What is especially impressive about the Colt system, as demonstrated in the video, is the speed it takes to switch calibers. They clock the process on the video and come up with 1 minute and 15 seconds.
It's difficult to say if Colt's concept has any potential to be a wave of the future, but it certainly does appear to be a convenient way to have two calibers on one platform.
Inland Manufacturing is offering a 1911A1 replica true to the historic original.
To many fans of semi-automatic pistols, there are few handguns that hold a candle to the 1911.
The pistol has earned its share of renown; first as military sidearm, later on as a competitive firearm and concealed carry option. And shooters now have the opportunity to own a 1911 in one of its most iconic forms.
MKS Supply announced recently it is offering Inland Manufacturing’s replica of M1911A1, the long-running military version of the pistol. And from a cursory look at the handgun, shooters might find plenty to like about the new 1911.
Inland’s pistol appears to have stayed true to the original design of the 1911A1, with the new gun's dimensions nearly identical to the early military iteration. The new handgun has a 5-inch barrel and tips the scales at 39 ounces .
The company has also kept the chambering of its firearm historically correct, opting to make this gun a .45 ACP. This should win a lot of 1911 fans' praises, given purists have typically grumbled when the gun has been produced in anything other than its original caliber.
Inland’s version of the single-action, recoil operated pistol has a 7+1 capacity and comes with one magazine. Picking up spare magazines should be simple, given the company has made the pistol compatible with Mil-Spec 1911 magazines.
The frame of the 1911 appears ready for heavy use, constructed of 4100 series steel. The chromoly steel is typically used for M4 and M16 barrels and is known for its toughness and resilience.
The grips of the pistol are plastic, styled and colored like the original's. And while it might sound counterintuitive, this is not a historic departure. Before the eruption of World War II, walnut grips were phased out in favor of more accessible forms of plastic.
As an aside, MKS Supply had this note about the original plastic grips in its press release on the new 1911:
In the years since WWII, owners of the original .45s replaced the plastic grips (also referred to as stocks, grip panels or stock panels) with wood, rubber and other materials. The original plastic grips, however, often shrank if removed from the pistol and left unused for a long time – sometimes to the point that they no longer fit on the screw escutcheons. This makes the rare original plastic grip panels that still fit a rather scarce item.
Perhaps the feature that has the biggest chance to get shooters – 1911 aficionados and otherwise – to swoon is the pistol’s price. The American-made handgun has an MSRP of $749, making it an economical choice in the world of 1911s and semi-automatic pistols in general.
The 1911A1 should be available by the end of December 2014 to the beginning of January 2015, according Inland Manufacturing's website. And it is not the only U.S. Military firearm replica the Ohio company is producing. Inland also manufacturers replicas of the M-1 Carbine, also available at the end of this year or beginning of next.
Tangentially, Inland Manufacturing was founded in 2013 and is named after the now defunct division of General Motors. The tie into firearms comes from the original Inland Manufacturing producing M-1 Carbines and other goods for the U.S. Military during World War II.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
David Rowe — Armadillo Guns, Nevada, Texas
