Typically, gun auctions muster up images of firearms with a patina and of historical vintage.
Earlier this year, however, it was much more recent guns that drew top bids at an event.
At an KIKO Auctions, bidders made it plain they wanted AR and military-style rifles and pushed up the prices accordingly.
According to KIKO firearms expert John Slagle, the auction house recently sold a Heckler & Koch model 91 Rifle for $1,900; a pair of Springfield Armory M1A rifles, one for $1,700 the other at $1,500; a Bushmaster XM15 for $1,125 and a DPMS LR 308 for a cool $1,000.
Huh, and the AR buying frenzy was suppose to have been over in 2014.
“They were used rifles, all in very good condition,” Slagle said. “And we were a little surprised at how the bidders kept going at it.”
Self-defense handguns were sought after, too, especially Glocks and SIG Sauer models.
A Kimber Ultra Carry lightweight 1911 in .45 ACP recently commanded $825, a difference of less than $200 from the new-in-store price.
Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the January 27, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
The Ruger LCR, now chambered in the ever-popular 9mm Luger.
From their simplicity to their reliability, there is a solid case to be made for revolvers as defensive weapons.
Obviously, this is something Ruger has been well aware of, having come out with one of the more popular concealable wheelguns on the market. The LCR's petite dimensions have made it a choice as a primary and secondary handgun for many practicing concealed carry.
Since its introduction in 2009, the line of revolvers has grown to include the most popular calibers for that platform – .38 Special, .357 Magnum and .22 Long Rifle. But the most recent model to join the LCR family is definitely not the first caliber that comes to mind when thinking about a revolver – 9mm Luger.
For most, a 9mm conjures up thoughts of semi-auto pistols, but in recent years more and more manufacturers have come out with revolvers chambered for the round. The introduction of the LCR in 9mm was made, according to a Ruger press release, due to consumer demand.
This makes sense, given the 9mm is among the most popular self-defense calibers presently. Cartridges of the World places it as the most used cartridge in the United States.
The newest LCR retains all the features of the other revolvers in the line.
The double-action-only 9mm, has polymer fire control housing, an aerospace-grade aluminum monolithic frame and an extensively fluted five-round stainless steel cylinder. These features keep the gun a svelte 17.2 ounces.
The gun appears to be designed for comfortable carry from waistband to ankle with a length of 6.5 inches and height of 4.5. The revolver has a 1.875-inch barrel.
While the dimensions of the gun make it a natural for concealment, it potentially could give newer shooters some trouble. Smaller, lighter guns produce more felt recoil, thus control issues. This, however, can be overcome with practice and becoming familiar with the attributes of the firearm.
To combat some of these issues, the LCRs are outfitted with a Hogue Tamer Monogrip. The rubbery grips give a more solid purchase on the handgun, thus more control. And the grips have attributes that help reduce felt recoil. The LCRs are also outfitted with a grip-peg system, which allows grips to be switched out quickly.
Full moon clips are available for the revolver and it comes outfitted with a blade front sight and a U-notch integral rear. As a bonus, the revolver is sold with a soft case. The 9mm is also available in LCRx external hammer model.
The gun is at the high end of the line’s MSRP, ringing in at $599.
The past couple years, there has been no shortage of suppressor-related merchandise to hit the market.
From suppressor-ready rifles to silencers for shotguns, it seems every company wants to make noise with the accessory. But what might be the simplest take on the device to come down the pike could also be one of the coolest.
The Cadiz Gun Work’s Econo Can is little more than an adapter, connecting a firearm to an oil filter. And while it might sound crazy, as the above video shows, it appears to work pretty dang well.
There is definitely a grind-house-movie cool factor in strapping a can with STP on the side to the muzzle of a gun. But there is also a practical reason behind an oil-filter suppressor – cost.
The price of the most affordable manufactured suppressors is effectively doubled due to the $200 NFA tax stamp required to own one. The Econo Can – a registered suppressor with the ATF – still requires the stamp, but retails for only $85 on Cadiz website.
The really neat thing about this dandy little device is it puts a suppressor within reach of any shooter – that's definitely not something to keep quiet about.
With a nickle finish, the Cobra Marine gives shooters a shotgun that is comfortable on land and water.
With a nickel finish, Tri-Star's new defensive shotgun is comfortable on land and water. Boasting a nickel finish on its barrel and receiver, and a nifty spring-loaded pump-action, the Cobra Marine looks to handle trouble on land and water.
Tri-Star Sporting Arms definitely has a hunting bent when it comes to its shotguns. A majority of the importer’s smoothbore catalog is angled at downing fowl of one feather or another.
The Missouri-based company, however, is no stranger when it comes to defensive arms. Tri-Star’s Cobra Tactical Pump Shotguns offer shooters what looks to be an ingenious and affordable line of smoothbores – Turkish in origin.
Recently, the company expanded this line of defensive shotguns with a model likely to strike a cord with those in inclement environments and around saltwater. The Tri-Star Cobra Marine Tactical Pump Shotgun offers shooters all the options of the rest of the line in a corrosive-resistant package.
The primary feature that keeps the synthetically stocked 12-guage in the fight no matter the conditions is a nickel finish on its barrel and receiver. The metal has historically been a popular plating material, given its slow rate of oxidation at room temperature.
Truth be told, the nickel finish also endows the shotgun with a bit of a cool factor, as well.
The new defensive shotgun has an 18.5-inch barrel, which is a new feature to the entire Cobra line; previously, the pump shotguns had slightly longer 20-inch barrels.
Shortening the barrel has made the shotgun more maneuverable, trimming down its overall length to around 41 inches. This should prove to be a solid design modification for the marine model, which has the potential of being called upon in the close quarters of a ship.
The defensive shotgun also has what appears to be an innovative feature designed into the pump-action. The forearm is spring loaded, so simply pulling back on and releasing it cycles the gun.
The shotgun is set up to fire a wide variety of ammunition. It has a 3-inch chamber, accepting both 3- and 2 ¾-inch shells, and any size of shot.
The defensive shotgun also has a number of other notable features.
It has a chrome-lined chamber and barrel for increased lifespan. It is outfitted with a Picatinny rail on the forearm for the quick addition of an accessory. It has a blade front sight and comes with one Beretta-style choke tube.
The defensive shotgun appears to be an affordable option, with an MSRP of $369.
Always train and practice with the same pistol you plan to carry daily. Author Photo
It’s not enough to own a gun and shoot it a few times a year. To be prepared to defend yourself and your family, regular handgun shooting practice is a must. Get the most from those sessions.
The handguns of today are smaller and more powerful than ever, allowing a person to carry a viable weapon, concealed and ready for use. Ask people what they have at home for self-defense and the most common response will be a pistol. More people own and carry handguns now than any other time in our nation’s history. But, just having a firearm doesn’t prepare you to use that weapon efficiently to stop an attack. To properly use a handgun, both safely and effectively, requires application of basic defensive fundamentals such as movement, communication, using cover, shooting, if necessary, and thinking. Applying these fundamentals in response to a sudden, violent attack requires an introduction to these training principals followed by plenty of practice. Learning through repetition is a must for any shooter to become proficient and prepared.
MOVE
The Skill: You move during an attack to create distance between you and a threat. Distance reduces your chance of being injured, no matter what type weapon, if any, the threat is armed with. In order to obtain a clear field of fire it may be necessary to move because of bystanders or the environment. You move to cover and the protection it provides. Moving puts the threat into a reactive mode. Initially you may be in a reactive state because you didn’t start the confrontation, but as soon as possible you need to make the threat start reacting to you. Moving is one of the best ways to achieve this. With repetitive practice moving in response to a threat while armed with a firearm can be programmed.
Master the Skill: The best way to practice moving is with dry work, using a dummy pistol or even your pretend pistol. Few of us have the time, ammo or a facility to run live fire drills necessary to learn how to move and, if necessary, shoot while moving. With a dummy or blue gun you can practice moving and drawing the weapon from concealment, without the worries associated with working with a real handgun. Still treat the plastic pistol like it’s real, following the big four safety rules, to minimize the development of bad habits.
For example, I’ll holster my Glock 19 blue gun, and watch a show on television. I decide the next time I see a certain character on screen I’m moving left, or right or back, while drawing my pistol. If it’s a movie with lots of gunplay I move when a weapon appears. This is an easy way to program movement in response to an unexpected cue.
Airsoft weapons, which fire plastic balls, are great tools for practicing movement. You still have to pay attention to safety—the pellets travel fast enough to hurt—but they allow you to practice inside a garage or backyard. When you get the chance to practice these skills on a range, focus on efficiency, not speed. Start with the pistol holstered. On command or cue you move, draw and engage your target with one or two accurate shots while moving. Eventually you work on multiple hits to the different zones of the target.
COMMUNICATE
The Skill: Communication is a key tactical skill that is often overlooked. You communicate with a threat: “Leave my home now!” More than two million times a year the presence of a weapon and strong verbal commands diffuse potentially violent confrontations, and this is just what’s documented. You’ll need to communicate with family, friends or bystanders. Sometimes it’s good to talk to yourself. It may sound funny, but verbalizing your actions helps maintain mental focus. Communication is best kept short and simple. For example, “Bob, move toward that exit and call 911!” Using a name first helps get that person’s attention. Also keep in mind almost everyone experiences auditory exclusion under stress. You’ll have to yell out loud, maybe more than once. Communication consumes a big part of our brain’s resources, so it’s necessary to practice it in advance.
Master the Skill: You can practice communication with your partners or family during dry drills. Every time you go to the range communication should be a part of your practice. For example once you’ve engaged your target you announce, “Threat down!” to let your partner know the status of your threat. The real world has all types of obstructions. You’ll have a different view of the world than your partner, and vice versa. Once the threats are down you scan, communicating with your team that it’s clear left and rear, or whatever your area of responsibility is. Then you’re announcing where cover is, the exit or any other critical information. The other shooters on the range may be amused, but we don’t care what they think, we’re developing our defensive skills.
USE COVER
The Skill: Cover provides a physical barrier between you and a threat. Whenever possible, even if you think the fight is over, use it. To use cover there are a few principles to apply, keeping in mind there are always exceptions. Create and maintain distance from the object you’re using for protection to greatly reduce the chance of being injured by fragmentation and debris created if bullets are bouncing off that object. Most objects offer a certain degree of protection, but they aren’t bulletproof. About three pistol rounds, even fewer high-velocity rifle rounds, will punch a hole through a concrete block.
When you are able move to better cover or toward an exit or escape route. Distance also opens up your field of view, allowing you to see more of what’s going on in your environment. When possible, work around the side of cover, as opposed to over the top, which exposes all of your head. Don’t discount the value of concealment. It doesn’t offer any ballistic protection, but if they don’t know where you are, the chances of them attacking you are greatly reduced.
Master the Skill: Dry practice, again, is the best way to work on cover. With your dummy pistol, or your “pretend” pistol—your hands—work with the furniture and corners in your home as cover, focusing on exposing the least amount of your body in order to locate, identify and, if necessary, engage the threat. A great way to fine-tune your position is by using the edge of a mirror as the edge of your cover. As you lean out, you get to see what the bad guy sees, and you can adjust your position accordingly. It’s the mental and physical aspects of using cover that are important to practice, getting these skills programmed into your mind in advance.
Airsoft can be used to practice firing from cover. All you need is something set up to represent cover and a target. You begin a few steps to the left or right of your cover. On cue you’re moving, drawing the pistol, issuing verbal commands and engaging the target. With the proper preparation you can do a form of “force-on-force” practice with the Airsoft, working against live, thinking and reacting opponents.
On the range do the same thing. For example a target stand with cardboard can represent cover. You practice working on moving, communicating, using cover and firing accurate shots on target.
SHOOT
The Skill: The firearm is like any other tool. You have to work with it a lot in order to use it effectively. If it’s necessary to shoot to stop the threat, you apply the fundamentals of marksmanship: aim, hold, press and follow-through for every shot. You must practice until you can fire an accurate shot. After each shot, you follow through, recovering from the recoil, reacquiring a new sight picture and resetting the trigger in anticipation of firing again, because multiple shots will probably be necessary to stop the threat.
Master the Skill: The shooting range, where about all you can do is fire one shot at a time, is the place to practice these fundamentals. Eventually, through repetition, you will get to where you can fire an accurate shot subconsciously.
Manipulation skills are an important part of owning a pistol. It’s mandatory to know how to load and unload safely. During a confrontation, if you have a malfunction, or the weapon runs empty, you must clear the stoppage or reload efficiently without delay.
Dummy ammo allows you to practice these manipulations, plus the basics like loading and unloading, without going to the range. On the range you can mix in dummy ammo with live rounds in the magazine for malfunctions at unexpected times.
THINK
The Skill: Basically it’s problem solving at high speed. You’re presented a problem. Normally you have a very short amount of time to come up with a solution to the problem and apply the proper response.
Master the Skill: To develop these skills constantly play the “what if” game. While having lunch at your favorite spot you’re thinking about what if someone comes through that door and begins an attack. Where is the best location to be in case there is an attack, protective cover or an alternative exit? While sitting at a red light, you’re scanning, again thinking about what you’ll do if an attack occurs. Not only will this improve your thinking ability, but it will help you develop better situational awareness.
This article is an excerpt from the Summer 2014 issue of Modern Shooter magazine, presented by Gun Digest.
Perhaps one of the biggest selling points of Glocks, at least in recent years, is the amount of aftermarket upgrades available. If you can imagine a way you'd like the Austrian handgun to perform more to your tastes, well, there is probably some company churning some little add on to make it a reality (Patrick Sweeney did a whole chapter on the subject in Glock Deconstructed).
Above is a short video by Scootch00 of a couple quick and easy Glock upgrades. I shan't disclose how he improves his 10mm Glock 20, you'll just have to watch the video to see in full. But overall, they seem to be practical improvements with the potential to make the firearm more user friendly and are fairly simple to install. They're also appear to be affordable upgrades, to boot.
Perhaps best of all, Scootch00 demystifies the process of working on a Glock. He adds all of his upgrades to the pistol in less than 14 minutes, which also includes a good deal of jawing about each new part he adds.
Get a realistic and common sense approach to concealed carry and other personal protection topics with Firearms for Personal Protection by Joseph von Benedikt. Providing a practical, non-tactical perspective, this comprehensive guide covers essential concepts pertaining to personal-protection gun ownership and use, including concealed carry, good safety and handling practices, nightstand guns, shotguns, carbines, and much more. Stemming from several years of real-world gun carry and use in the Southwest United States, this book provides the knowledge you need with the experience to back it up.
With a slimmer head, the new SureFire weapon lights help keep tactical arms highly maneuverable.
Given the amount of doodads available today, it’s easy to go overboard with firearms accessories. But when it comes to outfitting a tactical gun, there are some basics that should be considered.
Quality optics or sights should be the first concern, after which a solid weapons light of some kind is next on the shopping list. (Gun Digest writer David Morelli did a solid write up on just this topic, read it here.)
SureFire has been one of the leaders helping defensive and tactical shooters light up the night. And recently, the California-based manufacturer has initiated a number of refinements to a couple of their popular lights, which appear to make them more user-friendly accessories.
In essences, what SureFire has done to its M600V and M620V Scout Lights is slim them down, making them less burdensome when attached to rail. The big changes, reducing the LED lights’ heads down nearly a ¼ inch in diameter and cutting the weight, nearly 20 percent on the M620V and 23 percent on the M600V.
The weight reduction shaves 1.5 ounces off the lights. It might not sound like much on paper, but lightening the lights has the potential to add up for the weight conscious. And their smaller diameters and reduced profiles make them less likely to snag or bang into an object, thus maintaining a firearm's maneuverability.
The smaller heads have changed the dimensions of the lights, but they do not look to have affected their performance.
The output and runtime of the new LED heads remain the same in both lights, whether they are run in white or infrared. The M600V has a 1.8 hour runtime, while the M620V goes for 1.5 hours. The white light on the Scouts turns out 150 lumens and with IR they have 120 mW of output. They also retaine their weatherproof sealed heads, which make them useful no matter the conditions.
SureFire has slimmed down its Scout weapon lights, but has kept all their popular functions, such as run time, output, pressure pad and thumbscrew clamp.
SureFire has kept switching from white light to IR as simple on the new Scouts as it was on previous models. Shooters need only twist the self-locking selector ring on the bezel to switch between heads.
The lights are also still constructed from aerospace aluminum, coated with Mil-Spec hard anodizing and boast O-ring and gasket seals for weatherproofing. They can be activated via either a tailcap click switch or an included remote pressure-pad switch, as in earlier models.
They both quickly and securely attach to MIL-STD-1913 rails, though in different fashions. The M600V uses a thumbscrew clamp and the M620V attaches via SureFire's proprietary Swing-Lever clamp. The latter devices also attaches to out-of-spec rails.
The M600V Scout Light has an MSRP of $485, while the M620V retails for $595.
Tammy Sapp – Bass Pro Shops, National Headquarters Springfield, Mo.
Mega outdoor retailer Bass Pro Shops has more than 60 stores in the United States and Canada, plus does major sales via the internet.
And one definite trend the chain is seeing, as reported earlier this year, is the purchase of first rifles and shotguns for youngsters.
Favorites include the Henry Mini-Bolt .22LR youth model at $300, and the Marlin XT-22YR youth model for $200.
“In shotguns, 20-gauge models are our number one seller for these first-time shooters,” Tammy Sapp said, communications director for Bass Pro Shops.
In centerfire rifles, .223 and .243 calibers lead the way.
“We've also been selling first firearms to others, including numerous women who want to shoot for fun or to own a firearm for personal protection,” she said.
Bass Pro Shop gun managers report many customers specifically looking to become recreational shooters, with no real thoughts of hunting or self-defense.
“We're selling increasing numbers of shotguns that will never see a feather, and rifles in calibers large and small whose only purpose is to hit long-range targets or put bullets in ever-decreasing group sizes,” Sapp said.
Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the January 27, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
It’s easy to spend a lot of money on a bolt-action rifle, just go to your local gun store and find out first hand. What is difficult is finding a solid long gun that doesn’t break the bank. Luckily, manufacturers of every stripe are offering excellent entry-level bolt-action rifles at reasonable prices. Here are 10 economical choices ($600 or less) that will get the job done in the field or at the range.
P.S. You can enlarge the images by clicking on them.
The .357 Magnum became a popular law enforcement choice, after it was found the .38 Special did not have the stopping power to save officers' lives.
This powerful-for-the-time cartridge was introduced in 1934 and was an almost immediate success. It is, in essence, a .38 Special case lengthened by 1/8th of an inch to prevent the possibility of firing the higher pressure round in chambers designed for .38 Special pressures.
Wikipedia credits Elmer Keith, Phil Sharpe, D.B. Wesson of Smith & Wesson, and Winchester, for the development of the cartridge. The 3rd Edition of Mike Bussard's Ammo Encyclopedia credits only Smith & Wesson.
Elmer Keith writes in his book Sixguns as follows: “Next we have the .357 magnum Smith & Wesson cartridge. I worked with Doug Wesson on this development and sent him the first Keith bullets used in developing the load. We also put 1000 rounds of 173 grain Keith solids backed by 11 grains No. 80 through a .38/44 Heavy duty S.&W. Revolver just to see if it would take them or blow up. They developed an average of 42,000 pounds and the gun held them with no danger.”
Phil Sharpe, in his book, Complete Guide to Handloading, wrote “The .357 Magnum cartridge was born in the mind of the author several years ago. On a hunting trip with Colonel D. B. Wesson, Vice-President of Smith & Wesson, a pair of heavy frame Outdoorsmen model revolvers were used with a large assortment of handloads developed and previously tested by the author. In the field they proved entirely practical, but Colonel Wesson was not content to attempt the development of a Magnum .38 special cartridge for ordinary revolvers, and set to work on a new gun planned in the field.”
However, a bit later in the same chapter, he wrote, “The author is not connected with any arms or ammunition maker and desires this fact clearly understood. He did not design the gun or the cartridge, although he cooperated and collaborated in a minor way.” Why he chose to distance himself from the project, I have no idea. Perhaps he was concerned about liability issues.
Both Keith and Sharpe mention Colonel Wesson and also Winchester in their writings on the .357 magnum, so it's a safe bet that all were involved.
For many years, starting around 1902, through essentially WWII, the chances of finding a police department armed with anything other than a revolver, either Colt or Smith & Wesson, chambered for the .38 Special cartridge, were about the same as finding a rooster with lips!
Police files are rife with hair raising details of police shootings which involved multiple hits on criminals and still having the perp wound or even worse kill the officer(s) involved. I personally witnessed such an event many years ago. The policeman involved was a friend of my family.
A few weeks before the incident, he had reluctantly accepted the job as Chief of Police of a small town. The town provided no equipment support and each LEO was required to provide his on handgun. The only one my friend owned was a WWII surplus 1911 auto in .45 ACP.
He caught all manners of flak about carrying such a cannon, so he traded it in on a new S&W Chief's Special. A few weeks later, while serving a warrant, he was involved in a shootout. He shot the perp several times, putting him on the ground, down but no where near out. The perp shot him from the ground and killed my friend instantly and he expired from his wounds later that evening.
The .357 Magnum is simple a .38 Special cartridge that has been lengthened by 1/8 of an inch.
Had the LEO still been armed with the 1911, I'm sure the outcome would have been far different.
Many police officers across the country upgraded their arms by adding a revolver chambered for the .357 magnum, often doing so at their own expense. While many Police Departments frowned on the practice, the officers could use either .38 Special or .357 magnum cartridges in the same revolver.
These days, most PDs around the country have armed their officers with semi-auto pistols. Quite a few switched to the 9mm Luger, but it is my sense that many have gone to larger calibers such as the .40 S&W, 10mm, or even the .45 ACP.
As I write these words, the US Army has announced that they are looking to replace the standard sidearm, the Beretta 9mm, with a larger, more powerful handgun/cartridge combination. I thought that they had learned that lesson in the Spanish-American conflict before the turn of the twentieth century.
I guess the old adage, the more things change, the more they stay the same, applies.
Savage Arm's 64-FV-SR is one of three new rifles that come suppressor ready.
With Savage's release of three new suppressor-ready rimfire rifles, the company now has nine firearms that accept silencers.
Hear that? That deaden rifle report is the sound of the growing popularity of suppressors.
The shooting accessory, in recent years, has enjoyed a surge of interest from plinkers and hunters alike. And more and more firearms manufacturers have come out with models ready to accept a can.
Bolt-action rifle specialist Savage Arms has been among the companies to embrace silencers. And recently the Massachusetts gunmaker (owned by ATK) has expanded its suppressor-ready offerings.
Savage added three new rimfire models threaded to accept suppressors, expanding their suppressor-ready catalog to nine firearms in all. New to the lineup are three rifles certain to get varmint hunters making a lot of noise.
The company has introduced two new suppressor-ready bolt-actions in the 93R17 FV-SR and 93 FV-SR. And it has expanded it small semi-automatic collection with the addition of a threaded model of the 64 FV-SR.
The bolt actions offer shooters two potent calibers that work well in conjunction with a suppressor. The 93R17 FV-SR shoots the red-hot 17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire, while the 93 FV-SR eats 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire.
The bolt-action rifles come outfitted with ½-inch, 28-pitch threaded muzzles for quick and easy suppressor installation. To keep the adapter and muzzle crown safe until then, the rifles come with a factory-installed twist-on muzzle protectors.
The bolt-action rifles tip the scales at 5.5-pounds, have overall lengths of 35.25 inches and barrel lengths of 16.5 inches each. Both have heavy fluted barrels for fast heat dissipation to improve accuracy and over-sized bolt handles for fast cycling.
Each rifle comes with a five-round detachable magazine and Savage’s AccuTrigger adjustable trigger system. The system allows the trigger’s pull weight to be adjusted from 1 1/2 pounds to 6 pounds.
In addition to quickly and easily accepting a suppressor, the Savage 93s have a load of features that should endear the rifles to plinkers and hunters alike.
The 93R17 FV-SR has a rate of twist of 1-in-9 inches, and the 93 FV-SR has 1-in-16 inches. All three rifles, like all of Savage’s offerings, are button rifled.
The semi-automatic Model 64 FV-SR, a 22 Long Rifle, has the same muzzle-thread specifications as the bolt-actions. It is a tad lighter than the other new models, weighing in at 5 pounds. Its rate of twist of 1-in-16 inches, it has an overall length of 36 inches, and a barrel length of 16.5 inches. It comes equipped with a 10-round detachable magazine.
The rifles appear to be priced to move and leave plenty of extra cash for a suppressor purchase. The 93R17 FV-SR and 93 FV-SR both have MSRPs of $358. The 64 FV-SR comes in at $231.
With hunting season over, Braverman Arms is seeing a noticeable influx of first-time female customers, most of them in the market for a self- and home-defense handguns.
The preference of these buyers, says store manager Keith Savage, is for a revolver over a semi-automatic.
“The revolver seems to make more sense to the ladies,” Savage explains. “It’s easier to use, safe, reliable.”
These women are snapping up Smith & Wesson 642 revolvers in .38 Special, priced at $420.
So much so, Braverman Arms is having a tough time just keeping the 642’s on the shelf. S&W Models 19 and 66 are also strong sellers, in the 2.5- and 4-inch barrel configurations.
For the semi-auto crowd, Glock 19, 23, 26 and 27’s lead the way.
Braverman Arms has finally gotten caught up on its ammunition orders, and has a good stock of all common hunting and handgun calibers. But prices are higher than they were a year or two ago, especially for handgunners.
The same boxes of 9mm that Savage sold for $13 to $15 now command $16 to $17 per box.
Editor's Note: This brief originally appeared in the March 27, 2014 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Outstanding Original World War II Fully Automatic Class III Nazi Krieghoff FG42 Paratrooper Sniper Rifle with the Highly Desirable Rare Accessories Including ZF4 Sniper Scope, Original Mount, Grenade Launcher and Spike Bayonet
Rock Island Auction Company‘s most recent event continued the Illinois-based auction house's impressive run of jaw-dropping sales in 2014.
RIA finished its Sept. 12-14 firearms auction with $11.6 million in sales. In part, the sky-high numbers were driven by some top-notch innovatory crossing the block, including the Gene Smith Military Collection, the Donald Kotecki Collection, and Part II of the Von Norden Collection. Through it all, there was one area that drew the a majority of the bidders' attention — historical military firearms.
A German Krieghoff FG42 light machine gun with numerous accessories was one of the belles of the ball. The rare select-fire weapon drew attention from around the globe and was finally won with a bid of $299,000.
he Finest Known Historical Bulgarian 7-Shot “Georg Luger” Marked Prototype Baby Luger Semi-Automatic Pistol Documented in “Luger: The Multi-National Pistol”
A couple other lots also proved the desirability of German military firearms as collectables.
An impressive MKb-42(H) — grandfather of the legendary StG-44 — moved at $149,500. Besides its historical importance, the fact the firearm was the only remaining example in private hands also drove its price.
Smashing its high estimate of $95,000, was what was touted as the “finest prototype” of a Baby Luger to roll through the Illinois auction house. The pistol drew a breathtaking final bid of $161,000, more than 40-percent over what was expected.
While some of the top bids came on German firearms, American guns were far from left out in the cold.
A splendid “C Company” Colt Walker drew a winning bid of $161,000, but had plenty to lure bidders to breakout their wallets. The revolver had a rich history, originally from Walker’s own company and had extensive use by other military units.
Another anticipated twosome of Colts were the elaborate matched pair of Cole Agee cattle brand engraved SAA revolvers. Boasting Navajo silver and turquoise grips they smashed their $25,000 high estimate en route to a price of $37,375. It was all topped off with a first year production M1911, with serial number 147, that sold for $51,750.
Historical and Rare Walker's C Company Marked U.S. Contract Colt Walker Model 1847 Revolver
Winchester fans also appeared to be out in full force, snatching up models from nearly every era. A Third Model 66 sold for $92,000 and a U.S. Property marked, Vietnam Era USMC Model 70 bested its high estimate by an additional 36-percent.
Wrapping up the final day of the auction were some top-notch Thompson sub-machine guns. A “Chicago Typewriter”, complete with its original FBI case and numerous accessories rattled off a sale of $57,500. While the other Tommy Gun, with a Navy overstamp, sold for $43,125.
The opening day of the auction saw a number of smaller, personal protections arms from the 1830s fly off the block, each well over the expected selling price.
Winchester Third Model 1866 Lever Action Carbine
Two unmarked cane guns each went for 246- and 184-percent over their high estimates, respectively. And a Remington Dog Head cane gun sold for $6,900 –138-percent over its high estimate.
Also popular from the era were the Marston derringers and palm gun – each sold for 149- and 138-percent over their high estimates. Curiosa arms from that age of developing firearms design also achieved high prices, such as the harmonica pistols each of which sold over their high estimates. The Gyrojet pistol more than doubled its high estimate at $6,325, and the prototype Krnka pistol crossed the block for $13,800.
If you practice concealed carry, put these 10 essential articles by Massad Ayoob on your ‘Must Read' list!
1. Video: Massad Ayoob on Handgun Concealment Considerations
There are many facets to concealed carry, chief among them is exactly how you conceal a handgun. Check out what Mas has to say about keeping a handgun under wraps until it's needed. Watch the video
2. Video: Massad Ayoob on ‘Stand Your Ground’ Laws
In this video from the Cato Institute, Mas draws on his decades of experience to critically examine so-called “Stand Your Ground” and “Castle Doctrine” laws. Watch it now
3. Massad Ayoob: The Dangers of Over-Penetrating Bullets
One critical rule of firearms safety is that the bullet must stay in its intended backstop. No responsible shooter would go to one of the older indoor shooting ranges that have a warning poster saying “LEAD BULLETS ONLY, JACKETED BULLETS CAN PIERCE BACKSTOP” and then proceed to pump hard-jacketed bullets into that frail backing. Click here
4. Five Lost Secrets of Combat Handgunnery
Mas gives you five key secrets essential for proper handgun control when faced with a violent attacker. Power stance, high hand, crush grip and front sight, smooth roll. Recover these lost secrets and watch your combat handgun skill increase. Get these tips
5. Is Hollowpoint the Best Defensive Ammo for Concealed Carry?
Sterile lab testing in ballistic gelatin is great, but the ultimate laboratory is the street. Here are the loads that seem to be doing best there, input written in blood from gunfights police departments have experienced with defensive ammunition. Click here
6. Hybrid Holsters for Concealed Carry
When it comes to holster material, combining leather with polymer gives the armed citizen the best of both worlds. No wonder hybrid holsters for concealed carry are so popular. Learn more
7. Maximizing Semi-Auto Handgun Performance
There are reasons why autoloaders are more popular than revolvers today. However, many fail to maximize semi-auto handgun performance by overlooking firepower and shootability. Learn the solution
8. Why Carry a Gun? 7 Objections Destroyed
The question is constantly asked: Why do you want to carry a gun? Here are Massad Ayoob's 7 proven answers vindicating concealed carry. Load up on intellectual ammunition
9. How to Conceal Spare Ammo
There are lots of ways to carry extra ammunition in a discreet manner. Mas explains how
10. Concealed Carry: Should You Carry a Back-Up Gun?
The backup gun is a second handgun, normally carried concealed, used as a supplement to a primary handgun that may be carried openly or concealed, depending on the circumstances. Click here
Be sure a gun fits well in the hand and that all buttons or levers are easy to work. Author Photo
Once so-called women’s guns were either revolvers—touted for ease of operation—or tiny, underpowered .22 or .32 semi-autos. Now, women can choose a semi-automatic handgun from an ever-growing selection, many designed for concealed carry.
With more options than ever, prioritizing desirable features in a self-defense semi-automatic helps women make good choices at well-stocked gun counters. Sadly, not all gun store clerks are savvy to the needs of their female customers, and too often confuse small and light with proper fit and functionality. Let’s consider semi-automatic selection priorities to ease the female gun owner’s first buying experience.
Of highest priority, the semi-auto pistol bought for self defense must function reliably. Rarely can one test fire a new gun before buying (after all, it would then no longer be new for the next shopper). Still, many opportunities exist at gun rental ranges to shoot samples of the same brand and model of the pistol under consideration.
How can you determine reliability? Ask what others have experienced. The Internet is a useful resource revealing positive or negative experiences of a big pool of gun owners with particular brands or models.
Take what you read with a grain of salt, but give serious consideration to multiple reports of premature breakage or feeding and extraction failures in a particular model of pistol. Confirm online anecdotes with information from firearms instructors, fellow shooters at the range and recognized experts like Gun Digest authors Patrick Sweeney, Grant Cunningham and Massad Ayoob, to name only a few. Remember, a gun must be sufficiently durable to fire thousands of rounds in training and practice.
In addition, a self-defense gun that will be in and out of holsters, carried for personal protection and used in training and practice requires internal safeties to prevent unintentional discharge if the gun is dropped. These are standard in high quality handguns like Glocks.
Trigger pull weight is another concern with most experts recommending a minimum five-pound pull weight for safety in circumstances that may call for presenting but not immediately firing a pistol.
Choosing a Semi-Automatic Handgun
Size matters in the caliber debate when considering guns for self defense. Faced with choices including .22 LR and .22 Mag., .25 ACP, a variety of .32s, .380 ACP, 9mm, plus all the calibers starting with .4, no wonder beginners become confused.
A good introductory class or mentored trip to a gun rental range is a big help, since recoil sensitivity varies from one individual to the next. Bear in mind that felt recoil changes radically from one pistol to the next, so caliber selection decisions have to be based on shooting the gun you eventually intend to own.
Most agree that calibers of at least .380 ACP or larger are best for self-defense. However, the buyer also needs to determine what is the largest pistol caliber she can fire with a sufficient balance of accuracy and speed. A simple evaluation entails firing five shots in five seconds, all inside a five-inch or smaller circle, from a distance of five yards.
Beyond caliber and recoil control considerations, the gun buyer has to deal with how the gun and its controls fit in her hand. The applicable term is ergonomics, though concerns are larger than one simple word can describe. Determine that you can easily and safely use controls, levers and buttons (which vary wildly from one brand to the next), including the manual safety, decocker, slide lock/release and magazine release.
In addition, for accurate shooting under speed, the distance between the gun’s back strap and the face of its trigger must let the shooter center the grip tang in the web of her hand and place the crease of her trigger finger’s first distal joint on the face of the trigger. Many semi-auto pistols are simply too large for small-handed shooters.
Don’t confuse a correct backstrap-to-trigger reach with simply buying the smallest semi-auto on the market. Even with small caliber options like the .380 ACP, the weight and overall dimensions of the pistol greatly influence handling, including comfortable recoil distribution and a solid hold in the hand during multiple shots and rapid fire.
Super small and light are not good criteria for a gun with which you may fight to preserve human life, especially if you can only hold it with a few fingers.
A final priority in self-defense gun selection is reasonable availability of aftermarket accessories and armorer services, as well as replacement parts for repairs and upgrades. This necessitates choosing a gun that is fairly common, not a one-of-a-kind collectible.
For example, thousands of holsters, replacement sight options and other aftermarket products are sold for the Glock pistol. That’s no surprise for a gun with three decades of popularity in the American marketplace. Often holsters or aftermarket pistol sights get their start selling to Glock owners, then branch out to the many other pistol options in use today. Consider that a hint.
Given their usefulness in close quarters and urban environments, the shotgun is becoming a more popular tactical tool.
There has been a marked turn toward home-defense, military applications, and police-style shotguns, which have become a dominant force among gun enthusiasts. A few points about taking up the defense shotgun for the protection of yourself, home, or office.
First of all, keep it simple. Simple means less weight, in most cases, and that means control and an extra edge in speed, if you get into a gunfight. Those cowboys back in the day shot plain-Jane scatterguns most of the time, not the fancy types you saw in the movies.
Some shotguns kept to standard length barrels, while others were cut off as “coach” guns, with nothing added save for a bead on the muzzle, if even that. These guys as lawmen, stagecoach guards, and the like were shooting for their lives anytime those two sections of pipe went off. Still, they kept it simple.
Simple doesn’t seem the way these days, but you should try. Systems with flashlights attached may look sexy and are all the rage, but they can get you killed. The light marks you as a good target surface right off, when it’s attached to the gun.
Best to use a handheld light held off to the side opposite of which your gun is cradled. The light can be shot at by a bad guy, but you’ll still have your center mass in check, with a good scattergun and a good arm ready to go when it comes time to shoot.
Some people wonder at the merits of having a shotgun in a closed-in location, but using one in such conditions doesn’t have to be as awkward as you might imagine. Locate a pre-established defense position in your home, if covering an entry way or door. Use heavy chairs, tables, or even hallway corners as some form of barricade.If you need to expose yourself, stay low and stand sideways to the threat, as you’ll then make a small and narrow target.
When I teach folks to shoot shotguns for home-defense (and I have worked specially with a number of older members of our Dakota community every now and again), I tell them to set a game plan, factor in what they would do in the event of an intruder entry, and memorize the full layout of each entry area to the house, so that they understand the exact distance the shotgun’s payload will need to travel when making contact with a bad guy. What I tell older folks is that even if they are in their late 70s or 80s, they are only five pounds of trigger pressure away from winning the fight.
The Nova tactical shotgun from Benelli is an example of a solid scattergun for home defense.
What they, as well as you, need to do is develop a plan and practice with that shotgun (empty and unloaded with dry runs in the home), if you are going to win the fight, one that’s possibly for your life. All you have to go on is muscle memory when you’re in a fight, because all the rest of the bull will fly out the window. Believe me, I have been there.
Remember this. A gunfight is only seconds long. That’s right, seconds. It is not the big, 15-minute long deal in the movies—at all. Range to the bad guy is often under five feet when the situation actually goes down, and the number of fired rounds is usually less then four total—that means both sides of the deal.
Sure, there are other situations that have occurred. The street gangs that blast away at each other are a different story altogether, for instance, but, in the case of home-defense it will be close and fast. Count on these two factors and train mentally for exactly that situation to unfold before you even have time to think.
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.
John Slagle – KIKO Auctioneers, Canton, Ohio
