There have been some pretty shocked politicians in Hartford and Albany the past couple weeks. The source of their befuddlement? The noncompliance of gun owners.
Apparently the gun and magazine restrictions Connecticut and New York recently enacted have struck a sour note with the citizenry.
Only a smattering of gun owners have lined up to register their “assault weapons” and “high capacity magazines” in Connecticut. Things do not appear much better for the applicable firearms in New York, though it is hard to tell for certain given the state refuses to divulge compliance numbers.
These acts of civil disobedience have left some politicians downright slack-jawed. But should they really be surprised with the citizens' reaction to what have been perceived as unjust laws? Not at all. The history of gun registrations and restrictions more than readily predicted the present outcome.
J.D. Tuccille detailed the subject just before the most recent rounds of gun-control laws were hustled through the state legislatures. His lengthy piece is worth dedicating some time too, the Reason.com editor does a comprehensive job dissecting the history and failure of gun registrations and restrictions, here and abroad. And the results he details are dismal. How dismal? Well, consider what was perhaps the most successful gun-control push in America:
The high water mark of American compliance with gun control laws may have come with Illinois’s handgun registration law in the 1970s. About 25 percent of handgun owners actually complied, according to Don B. Kates, a criminologist and civil liberties attorney, writing in the December 1977 issue of Inquiry.
That's gun-crazy America for you. Or is it? When you plumb the data concerning gun registrations and restrictions around the globe you come to find the United States is hardly a solitary figure when it comes to noncompliance. Tuccille touches on exactly how distasteful gun-control policies have been off American soil, combing through the Small Arms Survey:
[T]he United Kingdom, with just shy of 1.8 million legal firearms, has about four million illegal guns. Belgium, with about 458,000 legal firearms, has roughly two million illegal guns. In Germany, the number is 7.2 million legal guns and between 17 and 20 million off-the-books examples of things that go “bang” (a figure with which the German Police Union very publicly agrees). France, says the Survey, has 15-17 million unlawful firearms in a nation where 2.8 million weapons are held in compliance with the law.
Some back-of-the-envelope math from the numbers supplied from the Small Arms Survey puts the European Union's overall registration compliance rate at around 36 percent. But the Europeans' rebellious streak is hardly the most damning example Tuccille presents in the article. Instead, the most disturbing aspect of the report — in context to recent events — deals with New York. The state has had strict firearms registration laws since the Sullivan Act was passed in 1911. And the city of New York has among the strictest laws anywhere in the country regarding firearm ownership. But these rules and regulations have done little to get citizens to snap in line:
In a city that, as I write [Dec. 22, 2013], has roughly 37,000 licensed handgun owners and about 21,000 rifle and shotgun licenses, the running guesstimate of illegal firearms stands at two million, give or take a bit. That’s the number the U.S. Department of Justice has used in its official publications in recent years.
Gun registrations and restrictions historically has done little but breed rebellion.
That works out to around a 3-percent compliance rate in the Big Apple, but citizens can hardly be blamed for their reluctance to be counted. Registrations have lead to confiscation, which has been attributed as a factor of worse governmental-sanctioned atrocities throughout history. Not to mention, the policy's stated goal of violence reduction is dubious (this and this offer a couple more perspectives on this subject).
So domestically and globally, it is no surprise rebellion appears to be the norm when it comes to gun registrations and restrictions. What is shocking, given these unfeasible policies' history, are elected officials trying them again, but this time anticipating they will work. Theoretical physicist Albert Einstein had a name for something attempted over and over again with the expectation of different results — insanity.
Think you're quick breaking clays? Hate to break it to you, but you most likely don't hold a candle to John Yeiser IV. The high-speed shooter set the Guinness World Record as the world's fastest trap shooter Nov. 7, 2013, when he set the 16-yard line on fire. Yeiser broke 25 clays in 64.14 seconds — following American Trap Association rules — at the Green Head Gun Club in San Diego. Just watch the video to see his record-setting performance. The man is a relentless shell-shucking, pigeon-busting machine. Yeiser was armed with a 12-gauge Fabarm XLR5 Velocity, outfitted with IC choke, 92 millimeters in length. He was firing off 2 3/4 Winchester AA Tracker shells, loaded with No. 8 shot.
The Federal Champion .22 Long Rifle Fresh Fire Pack has 325 36-grain copper-plated hollow-point cartridges in a nitrogen-sealed can that prevents corrosion and keeps powders and primers dry. Once opened, it has a resealable plastic lid to keep the ammo protected. $20.(federalpremium.com)
Let me make my case for the .22 Long Rifle as the ultimate survival choice in terms of rifle cartridges. What does the .22LR have that would make someone even consider it as a survival choice, let alone the best all-round?
I was able to find a chart on the Internet that compared the weights of various pistol and rifle (both rimfire and centerfire) cartridges in bulk. I did a bit of checking on my own using a postal scale, and found it took 143 rounds of .22LR to equal 16 ounces.
Digging a bit deeper, I learned that one pound equals:
•10 rounds of 12-gauge shells • 21 rounds of 30-30 cartridges • 23 rounds of .243 cartridges • 17 rounds of .30-06 cartridges
My point? Though very much concerned with pinpoint accuracy, I am also a believer in the mantra: Peace (or Continued Existence) through Superior Firepower.
That said, I would opt for 143 effective, though admittedly circumstantially limited, cartridges over 17 or 21 or 23 bigger, more powerful rounds. The bottom line is the .22LR offers the option to carry an absolutely ridiculous number of rounds easily; the others, not so much.
Even in the most out-of-the-way country grocery store, there’s almost a 100-percent chance they’re going to have a box—or several boxes—of some sort of .22LR ammunition lying around.
Inside 100 yards, you should be able to hit what you are shooting at easily with a .22LR. If it’s a meal you’re in need of, there’s really no cause to look further than a .22LR. Whether it’s red squirrel or cottontail rabbit or sitting duck, the .22LR works with precision shot placement.
A thoughtful and balanced video review of Handgun Training for Personal Protection. Find out why this book, by author Richard Mann, is essential reading for anyone interested in concealed carry or handgun training for home defense.
Possibly the most famous of all .380 ACP pistols is the Walther PPK and PPK/S, a great pocket pistol and backup gun, and a favorite of James Bond fans!
When an earlier story on carry calibers wrongly omitted the .380, Gun Digest readers sounded off. We heard you loud and clear.
On the left, a .380 ACP with a 95-grain FMJ bullet, and on the right, a 9mm.
Perhaps one of the best scenes in the classic “Casablanca” was right near the end, when Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine squared off with Conrad Veidt’s sinister German Major Heinrich Strasser.
The goose-stepping villain was armed with a Luger, but Bogey’s gun was a Colt Model 1908, a flat, hammerless, semiautomatic pistol chambered for the .380 ACP cartridge. Leave it to the movies to show that a snarling Nazi schweinehund (pig-dog) was no match for a sarcastic Yank armed with one of the finest pocket pistols on the planet.
No guessing is necessary. Hitler’s tin soldier took a lead siesta as the local coppers rounded up the usual suspects, and the audience probably cheered all the way to the refreshment stand. It was 1942 after all, and nobody on American soil liked the Third Reich unless they were raving lunatics.
Proof positive that tough guys and .380-caliber pistols have an unfair advantage, especially when they’re letting Ingrid Bergman fly off to safety with another man.
But let’s get past the nostalgia and note for the record that a while back, when I discussed in these pages the top choices for personal protection, several Gun Digest readers were miffed that I had inadvertently left out the .380 ACP.
Well, I admit, it’s certainly not my first choice for defensive work, but when the chips are down and you need something to go “BANG!” with positive results, you could do a lot worse than the .355-caliber round that has also been called the 9mm Kurz or 9mm Corto.
The ammo has seen use in such classics as the Walther PPK, Beretta Model 1934, the aforementioned Colt and similarly-sized Browning Model 1910 pistol made by FN, the Colt Mustang, Sig Sauer P238, Ruger LCP, KelTec P-3AT, Kahr and so many other compact handguns it’s impossible to identify them all.
General George Patton may have carried a Colt .380 in his waistband as a hideout gun. And who can forget the scene in the film biography, “Patton,” starring George C. Scott, when he jumped off a balcony, onto a truck, and then down to a street in some desert town to fire that little pistol at a strafing German aircraft?
.380 Pistols and a Likable Round
Workman at the range with a Colt Mustang Pocketlite in .380 ACP. That target was set at 15 yards from the firing line.
Few people say they hate the little round, especially after it was written about in the Nosler Reloading Guide No. 7 (Page 620).
Over the years, I’ve run across people who even handload the .380, a task for which I probably wouldn’t have the patience. When it comes to small cartridges, I’m pretty much all thumbs at the loading bench.
Back in the day, when this cartridge was first introduced, it was available only with a 95-grain FMJ bullet. At close range, that round could ruin somebody’s day, but leap ahead four generations—the cartridge was introduced in 1908—and the crafty ammunition developers at Federal, Winchester, Remington, Speer and other companies have cooked up some remarkably effective loads in that caliber.
Chalk the better loads up to new bullet designs and the development of better propellants.
CorBon produces a 90-grain hollowpoint +P load with an advertised muzzle velocity of 1,050 feet per second (fps), while JHP loads from Federal, Winchester, Hornady and CCI/Speer can warp out of a barrel at 1,000 fps.
Federal’s load features a 90-grain Hydra Shok and Hornady’s is topped with a 90-grain XTP. The CCI load has an 88-grain JHP, and Winchester loads an 85-grain Silvertip. You do not want to be on the receiving end of any of these rounds.
That’s probably why the .380 ACP (which stands for Automatic Colt Pistol) just refuses to die. Truth be told, I’ve shopped around for a decent Model 1908 for some time now, and haven’t been able to find one that is affordable.
I’ve run across some beaters—guns that have most of the bluing worn away or with visible pitting from corrosive years of neglect—which the owners must have thought were new in the box for the prices they were asking. I’ve seen a few really decent specimens as well, but would have had to refinance my house to pay for them.
In Pursuit of a PPK
Sig Sauer’s P238 is a single-action .380 ACP that author tested a while back and found to be totally reliable. It is shown with a CRKT folder.
I also pursued a decent PPK for a while, and admit to having had quick, emotional affairs with the Sig, Ruger and Colt Mustang models. Depending upon the individual pistol model, I’ve gotten some remarkable ballistics from the .380 ACP over the years in different gun tests.
Nobody could seriously compare the .380 ACP with the .40 S&W, .45 ACP or .357 Magnum as a fight stopper, but if it’s all you have when you need a gun, you’ve got a lot more than you might think.
For one thing, I’ve discovered on repeated occasions that in subdued light this round produces a muzzle flash and muzzle blast out of a short barrel that is rather impressive. Another thing I’ve discovered is that out to 50 yards and maybe a bit beyond, this is a fairly flat-shooting round.
Some years ago, I built an inside-the-waistband (IWB) rig for my pal David Gross, a Minnesota attorney and gun rights activist, who has carried his Model 1910 Browning frequently because he needed a flat, reliable pistol that could vanish under a casual jacket.
I knocked together a belt holster for another pal’s vintage Llama pistol that was about the same size as the Colt Mustang.
Perhaps that is the real advantage of this cartridge. The guns for which it is designed are all rather compact little numbers that can be carried in a pocket or ankle holster, a small IWB or shoulder holster, and nobody is any the wiser.
There is still a lot of life in the .380 ACP, and don’t be surprised if 2014 sees one or two more new pistols chambered for the cartridge.
With more than eight million people licensed to carry across the United States by some estimates, there is a lot of demand for quality, concealed handguns. It may not stop a grizzly, but it can stop a fight or an assault, and that’s really the bottom line.
Smith & Wesson Model 1940 Light Rifle. Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction Company.
From the M1 Garand to the Luger pistol, World War II produced its share of iconic firearms. The conflict also was the birthplace of many unusual weapons. The 1940 Smith & Wesson Light Rifle definitely falls under this category.
The carbine was Smith & Wesson's attempt to create a pistol caliber rifle (9mm Luger) for the British in the early part of the war. For a number of reasons documented in the video below from ForgottenWeapons.com, the rifle was deemed unacceptable. Most were destroyed, but according to the Standard Catalog of Military Firearms, 7th Edition a small lot of the rifles were found in their original crates in the 1970s at the company's Springfield, Mass., factory.
This weird turn of events has made the rifle desirable in the world of gun collecting. The Model 1940 in the video was filmed at a Rock Island Auction Company event, where it sold for a final bid of $5,175.00. Gun collectors have paid in the thousands of dollars for other specimens as well.
Even if you don't have that kind of scratch to pony up for an antique gun, the video is still worth the watch. It gives a pretty solid rundown on one of World War II's more unusual weapons and why it fell into obscurity.
The effective use of cover seems quite simple but it is both a science and an art. Good cover should provide the most protection to your body but also offer a good field of view so you can see what is happening around you. Try to note potential cover and defensive positions when in a new area before trouble starts.
While everyone hopes the only gunfight they’ll be in is on the Xbox, if you carry for self-defense, you have to be prepared for the real thing.
Defeating a dangerous threat through fighting is problem solving at high speed. You’re presented a problem. Normally, you have a short amount of time to come up with a solution and apply the actions necessary to defeat the threat(s). The exact details are unpredictable; each encounter is unique. But, we do know these fundamental skills will determine the outcome of the fight: movement, communication, the use of cover, shooting (if necessary) and the ability to think.
Move
In almost all violent confrontations your number one priority is movement. If possible you move before the actual confrontation begins. You move to create distance from the threat or escape to a safer location. Moving to cover provides you with protection.
It may be necessary to move in order to obtain a clear angle of fire on the threat without endangering bystanders. Another advantage of moving is that it puts your opponent(s) in a reactive mode. A threat armed with a knife charges you.
You start stepping to the right. Now he must evaluate, make decision and react. Forcing the threat to react to you is always a good principle to apply. Moving is an important, fundamental skill.
Programming movement into our threat response is difficult. Once we decide to fight, our natural instinct—which is programmed for fighting with our hands, feet, teeth, clubs and impact weapons or knives we use as claws—is to root to the ground. The beauty of firearms is that we can be moving and still respond to the threat.
Communicate
Yes, communication is an essential fighting skill. You communicate with the threat, issuing verbal commands, telling them what to do. There are literally millions of documented examples when the presence of a firearm and strong verbal commands diffused a situation.
You’re with family or friends. Through communication you check on their status, tell them what to do or where to go. There are bystanders without a clue. You have to step up, directing them toward an exit or safe area.
Communication is mandatory to coordinate your actions with armed partners or teammates. I use the acronym I.C.E. for communication—Inform, Confirm, and Execute. I inform my partner I want to move left.
“Moving left!” I’m asking for permission to move. My partner confirms my intent by repeating the command, “Move left!” This is communication, an exchange of information back and forth between the two of us.
Once I get confirmation I execute my action, announcing, “Moving!” There is also nonverbal communication, for example body language, paying attention to cues the threat may be exhibiting, or using hand signals to communicate with a partner.
Communication is an essential element to fighting and requires practice. If you don’t work on it you’ll get lockjaw under stress. You can always choose not to communicate, some situations may not demand it, but without practice it’s really difficult to remember to communicate.
Use Cover
Cover provides protection between the threat and their weapons. The attacker has a knife. Putting a car between him and you reduces the effectiveness of that weapon.
That’s a pretty simple concept. Using cover for protection against a firearm is more subjective. An object that provides protection against handgun rounds may not hold up against high-velocity rifle rounds. Among rifle calibers there is a significant difference in penetration.
A round of 5.56mm ball ammunition penetrates about 11⁄2 inches of concrete. A .30-06 armor piercing round penetrates five times that. Even a handgun round can punch a hole through a standard concrete block with three to four shots.
Most objects in our environments are bullet resistant as opposed to being completely bullet proof. While paying attention to what the people around you are doing, looking for possible trouble, you’re also taking note of where cover is located. At the first sign of trouble you’re moving to cover.
There are a few principles to apply when using cover. For example, creating distance between you and cover is a good idea.
This distance greatly reduces the danger of being injured by fragmentation and debris created by any incoming rounds hitting your cover.
Distance can create a larger area of protection created by your cover object, opening up your field of view so you can see more of what’s going on around you.
Whenever possible work around the side of cover, exposing less of your body than if you were working over the top of cover. To properly use cover requires plenty of practice.
Shoot If Necessary
There are two ways to stop an attacker. One, you change their mind about what they thought they were going to do.
You move to cover while issuing verbal commands and drawing your pistol. The threat decides it’s not worth it, breaking off the attack. The other option is to use your firearm to inflict the physical damage necessary to stop the attacker.
The key is you need to be able to shoot while moving, communicating, using cover or maybe from an unusual position, on your back from the ground. For example, you can move smoothly and shoot accurately, or you can move quickly and not shoot, at least not accurately.
The situation determines the best solution. It may be a lot better to move quickly, get behind cover for protection, and then if necessary put hits on the threat.
Or, the situation may require you to shoot while moving at a moving target. Shots to the chest don’t stop the threat. Where do you hit him next? The pelvic girdle is a good choice. Again, this is a trained, learned response.
We drill this into students at my school, Shootrite Firearms Academy. On the range, students make three or four shots to the chest and then hit the pelvic girdle.
But then when things get complicated—the target is moving, the shooter is moving, communicating and using cover—the shooter will place hit after hit into the chest, even though it’s not providing results.
In real life it rarely plays out like we think it should. You have to constantly be evaluating what you’re doing, and what you’re going to do next.
Practice shooting at the chest area or center mass of an attacker’s body. Follow up with a shot to the pelvic girdle. When taking cover, understand that there are more materials in the world that are bullet resistant rather than bullet proof. Even cinder blocks can be pentrated by certain calibers and catridges, so choose defensive cover wisely.
Thinking
Violent confrontations—attacks—are sudden, dynamic and unpredictable. Remember, high-speed problem solving. When and where will your fight take place?
Answer that and you could avoid it completely, or prepare to face your opponents with overwhelming force. We don’t know how many threats will be involved. Statistics say there will be more than one; they’ll be at close range and moving.
Over 70 percent of fights occur in low-light environments. What will we do to win? Whatever it takes.
If you’re not thinking about solving the problem then all you’re doing is reacting to what’s being done to you.
Reacting means you’re always behind, a really difficult place from which to win a fight. In order to focus on your problem, the fundamentals—moving, communicating, using cover and shooting—have to be applied at a subconscious level.
These skills are the result of training, where you are introduced to the techniques, practice and learn through repetition.
Your weapon runs empty. You reload efficiently, getting the weapon back into the fight without delay. There’s no time to think about how to reload. It just has to happen. Ditto for clearing malfunctions if they occur, and they will, moving, using cover and shooting accurately.
These skills must be practiced until they can be performed at a subconscious level. Functioning at the subconscious level frees the conscious mind to think about the fight.
After the threat is down you still have to mentally stay plugged in. One threat is down. There may be others. You still want to get to a safer place or move your “team” towards an exit. The fight isn’t over until everything is locked down, secured and there’s no chance of anything else occurring. Then you’re facing a completely new set of problems to solve.
Make a Strategy
Start the fight with plan A, but when it doesn’t go like you think, have plan B and C ready. Plan X is for the unexpected.
No two fights are the same, so remain flexible and adapt as the fight unfolds. Fighting is part science, like the geometry involved in using cover, and part art. Sometimes something completely unorthodox is exactly the right solution.
To be truly prepared you must train, practice and learn to apply the fundamentals on demand. It’s great to read about it and become better informed, but until your response is ingrained in your nature, it’s only untested theory that will likely fail you should you ever face a true dangerous encounter. Don’t leave your survival to chance.
Tiger McKee is director of Shootrite Firearms Academy, located in northern Alabama and found on the web at shootrite.org. He is the author of The Book of Two Guns, writes for several firearms/tactical publications and is featured on GunTalk’s DVD, Fighting With The 1911.
The Official Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices 2014, the definitive gun pricing guide, is back and completely updated for the new year.
The Official Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices 2014, now in its 9th edition, is a favorite of gun enthusiasts and firearms collectors for its easy-to-reference format and thoroughly researched pricing information. The book, which features more than 15,000 firearms listings arranged alphabetically by manufacturer, is a must-have resource for anyone buying, selling or trading firearms at gun shows, auctions or online.
In addition to hundreds of pricing changes and new model additions for non-military cartridge firearms from editor Jerry Lee, the book also draws on industry experts, auction house data and sales from gun shows and retail shops across the country to provide the most up-to-date pricing information across six condition grades. Buyers, sellers and gun owners who are simply curious about the values of their firearms will all benefit from perusing through the pages of The Official Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices 2014.
Get to know the firearms market in 2014 by picking up a copy of The Official Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices 2014online at gundigeststore.com. The reference guide is also available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and at other major bookstores.
The Official Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices 2014 by Jerry Lee, Gun Digest Books ISBN-13: 978-1-4402-3913-7 ∙ Price: $25.99 ∙ Paperback: 5.5 x 8.44 ∙ 1320 Pages
About the Author Jerry Lee has been editor of several leading magazines in the firearms industry, and is the current editor of both Standard Catalog of Firearms and the annual Gun Digest volume, in addition to editing The Official Gun Digest Book of Guns & Prices for the past several years.
About Gun Digest Gun Digest is the world’s foremost authority on guns in print and online. In addition to Gun Digest the Magazine, the brand’s portfolio includes the Gun Digest Books line, Standard Catalog of Firearms, the GunDigest.com online community, and ecommerce specialty store, www.gundigeststore.com. For more information, visit gundigest.com, the Gun Digest Facebook page, www.facebook.com/gundigest, or follow on Twitter @gundigest. Gun Digest is an imprint of Gun Digest Media.
Gun Digestthe Magazine is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. With a subscription to Gun Digest the Magazine, readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews, how-to instructions and Second Amendment issues.
Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 9th Edition
Reloading ammo is a discipline as old as firearms and shooting themselves. But one of the top bullet and reloading supply manufacturers has moved the timeworn pastime decidedly into the future.
Hornady announced recently that the Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 9th Edition is now available for download on a number of digital platforms. The move to digitize one of the most important tools of ammunition reloading is a sweeping act, putting the company ahead of the curve. A quick survey of some of the most popular digital retailers shows Hornady is one of the first major reloading supply manufacturers to make the jump to a digital reference.
Presently, the reloading manual is available as a download for Apple devices — such as the iPad and iPhone — via iTunes. It is also available at Amazon as a Kindle edition. The Kindle version not only makes the reloading manual compatible with Amazon's proprietary devices, but also on Android systems with the Kindle app.
Hornady's latest iteration of its reloading guide might have changed its format, but the manual still remains an important reference for handloaders.
The 900-page manual retains its heart and soul — the data that is key to reloading ammo with Hornady bullets. Like its hardbound forebear, the digital reloading guide includes the velocity/powder charts for applicable Hornady bullets that makes building an accurate round a snap. And the 9th edition of the reloading manual has been enlarged to include expanded data on 20 favorite calibers and also a variety of new propellants.
The manual isn't just for those who are an old hand at reloading ammo, it also includes important sections for first-time handloaders. The reloading guide has step-by-step instructions on reloading metallic cartridges, taking handloaders from case prep to producing a shootable cartridge. It also has a section explaining the finer points of internal, external and terminal ballistics. This has been a cornerstone of the reloading manual's for years and has raised the ballistic IQ of more than one bullet-head.
Hornady still prints its hardbound edition of the reloading guide and plans to in the future. But the digital version of the manual does have one edge on its hard copy counterpart — price. Retailing at $18.99, the digital reloading guide is more than half the price of the print edition. That's no small change these days, given the money saved is more than enough to buy a bit more powder, box of bullets or a bag of brass.
This accurate 1911 9mm pistol from Springfield Armory is ideal for concealed carry, practice or home defense and scores a “10” right out of the box.
In 1985, Springfield released their 1911, the 1911-A1. Early guns were exact copies of standard issue 1911s from earlier years. Other models soon followed, and eventually the Range Officer was released in 2010.
Almost everyone I’ve talked to who bought a Range Officer back in 2010 has been impressed with the value and quality of the pistol.
Don’t forget that it comes with a serviceable holster, a double magazine pouch, an extra magazine and a really good hard-exterior carrying case that provides great protection to it when traveling.
Obviously, there are features that come on more expensive guns that aren’t found on the Range Officer, but the list of standard features is impressive. With a very affordable MSRP of $977 and actually selling for around $800, the Range Officer is designed for competitive shooting and features many of the bells and whistles on guns with a much higher price tag.
In a move that will surely extend the Range Officer’s popularity, the company is now offering the model in 9mm Luger, which makes sense because so many competitive shooters use 9mm.
The cost of shooting a 9mm over a .45 is considerably less, particularly with many matches having round counts that come in somewhere north of 100 rounds.
Magazine capacities are greater in the 9mm, and most importantly, recoil is more manageable with the smaller caliber, yet still effective, handgun. Even if the shooter eventually plans to get into serious competition later, beginning with a nine is a good idea.
The most serious impediment to fast and accurate shooting is poor trigger management and anticipation of recoil. Beginning with a 9mm can help a beginning shooter to better manage the trigger while avoiding a flinching habit.
Cleaning the half scale B34 target at 10 yards was an easy task. One notable advantage to a Model 1911 chambered in 9mm is much less recoil than a .45-caliber model.
Everything a Beginner Needs
As a shooting instructor, I see a lot of new shooters who choose to start with a .40 or .45 and develop serious issues with recoil anticipation.
Those issues can have such a disastrous effect on accuracy as to discourage the new shooter, and sometimes they become habits that are almost impossible to break. The Range Officer in 9mm has everything the beginning competitor needs to get started at a reasonable cost, and provides more than enough accuracy for all but the more advanced competitors in action shooting.
Of course, the Range Officer as it comes out of the box isn’t going to win the Bianchi Cup, but it’s a good starting point. Obviously, it could be the basis for a very serious race gun. The 24-time USPSA National champion, Rob Leatham, has had a little more than his share of success using Springfield Armory guns, and he continues to do so.
On the Ransom rest, the Springfield Armory Range Officer 1911 stayed around the two-inch mark at 25 yards, just as I had hoped.
While the exterior finish of the Range Officer is below the level of the pre-70 Gold Cup, the slide and frame fit are as good or better.
The barrel bushing fit on the Range Officer is definitely better. I really like the trigger design, and it works well enough for accurate shooting, though a little finesse from a good gunsmith to lighten it and make it crisper would help.
The Gold Cup’s trigger is a little better, but remember, it was the finest 1911 commercially available in 1969.
When shooting the Range Officer, the first thing I noticed was the sights. They are reminiscent of the wonderful BoMar sights that were probably the most popular addition to early 1911s.
The front is a partridge with no adorning dots, something I like. Dot sights are wonderful for novice shooters and defensive work, but they do little for speed and accuracy in competition.
The rear sight has solid and tactile clicks, and screw heads big enough for regular screwdrivers. While such sights may be a poor choice for concealment, they’re a boon on the range.
The Range Officer is loaded with features found on guns twice the price. There’s a large, extended beavertail on the grip safety and a healthy bump on the bottom for guys like me with sparse palms. I sometimes have a problem with the 1911’s grip safety, but this one is big enough to ensure engagement.
The mainspring housing is the flat pre-A1 style and well stippled, another feature I like. I would have liked the same stippling on the front of the grip frame as well, but it’s smooth. Grips are cocobolo with good checkering and the familiar Springfield Armory logo.
The Range Officer was fun to shoot and capable of winning matches at a club level right out of the box.
Ergonomic Features
The hammer is skeletonized and large enough to easily disengage, in spite of the big rear sight, and there’s an extended safety lever.
The trigger is a long one with an Allen screw over-travel adjustment. The magazines are stainless steel and have witness holes. Almost every ergonomic feature you’d ask for on a 1911 target pistol is already there.
Inside, the Ranger Officer is old school. The barrel is stainless steel and is slightly larger at the muzzle end, but otherwise there are no new tricks. The Range Officer is well finished inside and out, and I actually like the old style short recoil spring guide.
Lots of ergonomic features can be found on the outside of the Ranger Officer, accompanied with basic 1911 interior parts. This Springfield gun is well finished inside and out.
Apparently, the old school internals didn’t have an adverse effect on accuracy. My first 10-shot string at 25 yards off the Ransom rest produced a right side flyer, a left side shot and put seven of the next eight shots in one hole.
I suspect the first shot was the gun settling into the grip adapter. Subsequent groups displayed about the same group size without the flyer, but none produced seven shots in one hole. Groups averaged around 2 inches with Remington 115 metal case ammunition, quite respectable for an entry-level priced pistol.
Standing at 10 yards, it was easy to stay within 11⁄2 inches. On plates, the Range Officer was really easy to shoot.
I like 1911s and it felt like an old friend in my hand. Recoil was soft, the sights were easy to see and the adjustable sights allowed choosing the sight picture I like to see.
At my level of competitiveness, I don’t believe the Range Officer would put me at any real disadvantage over a pistol twice or even three times the price.
It’s certainly accurate enough to clean all yards on a plate rack and wouldn’t give up much on the 50-yard shots in the practical stage of the Bianchi.
I do have friends who are much better action pistol shooters than I, and they were as impressed with the 9mm Range Officer as I was. After shooting a little over 100 rounds through it, one of them said, “I like it. I give it a 10.”
“A 10?” I asked. “That would mean it’s as good as your worked over STI.”
“I give it a 10 when you consider everything, including the price,” he said smiling. “My STI is a 10 when you don’t consider the price. When you consider the cost, this one’s a 10 right out of the box.”
Springfield Armory 9mm Range Officer Caliber: 9mm Luger Capacity: 9 + 1 Magazines: Two stainless with witness holes Barrel: 5” stainless steel Sights: BoMar-type adjustable rear, partridge front Frame: Forged steel Slide: Forged Steel Length: 8.5” Height: 5.5” Weight: 40 oz. with empty magazine Options: N/A SRP: $977 Website: springfield-armory.com
Dick Jones is a shooting instructor and competitive shooter. He operates Lewis Creek Shooting School in North Carolina.
The author’s .38 Smith & Wesson Airweight in a Mika’s Pocket Holster.
A handcrafted pocket holster that keeps your handgun always at the ready and rock-steady when drawn.
There are some practical considerations involved when you decide to place a concealed weapon on your body.
First, it must be accessible. Second, it must be concealed (duh!). Third, it must be comfortable. For me, a pocket carry is just fine.
I looked around and found several cheap designs and tried them, but they all came up lacking. Either they would wear out quickly, slide around in my pocket or cause difficulty in getting the firearm out of the pocket. Obviously, none of these are desirable.
A friend introduced me to Mika’s Pocket Holsters. Robert Mika, in Readstown, Wis., hand makes every holster and when finished, he signs and dates the interior leather. As a 20-year veteran of the LAPD, he’s had plenty of experience with open and concealed carry.
When you order, he gets the make and model information from you so he can match the holster to the gun. If he has any questions, he will call you and make sure he understands your concerns before he fashions the holster.
After wearing the holster several days, I appreciated the way it was stable in the pocket and, if the gun was drawn, it came out and the holster did not.
Robert told me the holster is manufactured so it is also easy to get the gun back in the holster—not a feature on most pocket holsters. The leather is soft and supple, and he attached a strip of gripping material around the middle to provide some friction against the pocket so it will stay right in place as the handgun is drawn.
Occasionally, I leave the gun in my locked vehicle, and it would be nice if there were a removable strap to secure the gun to the holster while not on the body.
I’m sure he could make one if asked. Mika has many different products on his website and will customize any holster. The cost is under $30, and the quality is excellent. It’s a pleasure to find a product made in the USA that is high quality and has a money-back warranty as well. (Visit frontiernet.net/~akim/index.html).
This engraved Iver Johnson Model 1879 Swing Cylinder Revolver sold for $4,312. Photo Courtesy Rock Island Auction Company.
Rock Island Auction Company's February Regional Firearms Auction contained a vast assortment of collectables and antiques, from engraved Henry rifles, World War II firearms, and militaria, to modern gems such as new in the box shotguns, rifles, and pistols.
2014 started with a bang for Rock Island Auction Company with a record number of sealed bids — totaling around 17,000 — with many items exceeding their already high estimates.
This New Haven Arms Henry lever action rifle brought in a sale price of $25,875. Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction Company. Click for larger view.
The February 2014 Regional Firearms Auction exceeded expectations by posting $4.4 million dollars in sales. It boasted a 99% sell through rate for the three day auction, which contained nearly 6,500 firearms and 2,736 lots.
The auction featured a vast assortment of collectables and antiques — from engraved Henry rifles, World War II firearms, and militaria, to modern gems such as new in the box shotguns, rifles, and pistols.
A lot of interest was shown in the Tom Knapp “Shooting Star” Collection when two lots sold for $8,050 and $8,625 respectively. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a piece of history from the man recognized as the greatest exhibition shooter of modern times.
The Charles Best Collection of Iver Johnson firearms was also quite a hit with collectors. These often unfairly maligned firearms saw a lot of bid activity and also some very attractive prices. An Engraved Iver Johnson Model 1879 Swing Cylinder Revolver sold for $4,312, while a Collector's Lot of Three Iver Johnson Air Pistols sold for a surprising $3,737.
Four Harrington & Richardson Revolvers from the Jim Hauff collection commanded $2,300. All three collections performed tremendously on the auction block.
Winchester and Henry firearms are always a staple in any RIAC auction and nearly 400 were auctioned off including a New Haven Arms Henry lever action rifle that brought a sale price of $25,875.
A desirable Winchester Model 1866 lever action saddle ring carbine also found a new owner, selling for $6,900.
This Colt Model 1862 Police percussion revolver with holster and inscription on the back strap exceeded the estimate by selling for $8,625. Photo courtesy Rock Island Auction Company. Click for enlarged view.
A Winchester Model 12 slide action trench shotgun with U.S. Marked Receiver, sold for $3,737.50, yet another indicator of the hot trench shotgun market.
There is a sleeper in every auction, and this Regional Auction’s was a Collector's Lot of U.S. bayonets and knives. It was an intense back and forth battle, achieving a sale price of $6,900.
Military arms were well represented with a U.S. Springfield Model 1903 bolt action sniper rifle with Winchester A5 Scope that commanded $4,600. Not to be outdone, four Enfield bolt action rifles left our doors for $4,025.
The ever-popular creations of Samuel Colt played a big role with an engraved gold and silver plated Colt Model 1860 Army percussion revolver featuring ornate cast grip that brought in an astounding $11,500.
A Colt Model 1862 Police percussion revolver with holster and inscription on the back strap exceeded the estimate by selling for $8,625.
Eyebrows — and bidder cards — shot skyward as 39 individual bidders vied for the chance to own an extensively engraved, antique, First Generation Colt Single Action Army revolver with factory letter. It went for $4,600. A Colt Model 1855 Revolving Rifle crossed the block for $4,312.
Other notable highlights included a scarce Smith & Wesson Model 320 Revolving Rifle with Stock and Case that sold for $11,500, exceeding the estimate. And a Tower Flintlock Carbine that went for $5,642. Two U.S. Bolt Action Rifles sold for $4,887.
Rock Island Auction Company holds five live auctions per year, two of which are Regional Auctions and are geared towards beginner collectables as well as modern sporting pistols, rifles and shotguns. The remaining three are Premiere Auctions and are built around important, rare, high condition, historic firearms and militaria. RIAC Premiere Firearms Auctions are considered by many around the world to be the crown jewel of collector firearms auctions. Its next auction is a Premiere Firearms Auction scheduled for May 2nd, 3rd & 4th, 2014.
For more information regarding this sale or interest in selling with RIAC, please visit www.rockislandauction.com or call 1-800-238-8022.
Mossberg has won its share of fans with the versatility of its firearms. The handy Mossberg FLEX system makes it a snap to custom-fit a gun and its now being introduced to a line of .22 rifles.
If Mossberg has its way, everything in the world will be FLEX-ed — which might not be a bad thing.
The multi-platform system has become extremely popular with shooters, giving them the ability to custom fit their guns in the blink of an eye. The system doesn't even require tools to reconfigure the buttpads, stocks and forends of Mossberg FLEX guns.
The Connecticut manufacturer introduced two new FLEX models at the 2014 SHOT Show, the 20-gauge 500 FLEX and 500 JIC FLEX pump-action shotguns. And the company hasn't slowed down from there, recently following up with a whole new FLEX line — one that should get .22 rifle fans' hearts collectively thumping.
Mossberg has introduced its first .22 rifles outfitted with the FLEX system. And the two new autoloaders offer a little something for any age group. For big kids, there is an adjustable tactical stock version with a 25-round magazine. And for the burgeoning sharp shots, there is an easy-to-handle Youth model with compact stock and 10-round magazine.
The .22 rifles are based on the Mossberg's line of 22LR autoloaders, the 702 Plinkster and 715T. Like their popular forebears, the FLEX .22 rifles come standard with free-floating barrels, rifled with a 1:16 twist rate. The .22 rifles have fully-adjustable front and rear fiber optics sights, adjustable for windage and elevation. And each are lightweight, with the synthetic stocked guns tipping the scales at 5.5 pounds each.
The FLEX-22 Youth Model.
The 25-round model features the six-position FLEX tactical stock, with an integrated lever that adjusts the length-of-pull from 11 to 14 inches. The rifle has a shorter 16.5-inch barrel, allowing for practical maneuverability. And while recoil is rarely a concern with .22 rifles, the gun has a A2-style muzzlebrake, reduces its muzzle jump, allowing for faster follow-up shots.
The .22 rifle is outfitted with a top-mounted, removable Picatinny rail allowing the gun to be topped off with optics of the shooter's choice. It also comes with a handy magazine loading cap, giving shooters more time behind the trigger and less spent juicing magazines.
The Youth version is tailored for the smaller frame of beginning shooters, featuring the FLEX compact 12.5-inch fixed LOP stock 3/4-inch recoil pad. Married to an 18-inch barrel, the gun measures in at just over 30-inches, making it manageable and accurate in a beginner's hands. The receiver is dovetailed and accepts 3/8-inch scope mounts allowing the the rifle an optics upgrade.
The prices the .22 rifles falls right in line with what is on the market. The Youth model MSRP is $210, the 25-round model $275.
Shooting scenarios are an excellent way to build real-world skills.
SWAT teams, Special Forces groups and other operators are constantly training when not on a mission or active call. Civilian shooters should obtain this same mindset when it comes to self-defense training. Here are three skill sets with shooting drills that are certain to improve a shooter's capabilities when it matters most.
Failure Drill
Also known as the Mozambique drill, the failure drill was designed as a way to stop advancing threats when body shots weren’t enough. Mike Rousseau first used the method during the Mozambican War of Independence. Armed with a Browning Hi-Power, Rousseau encountered an assailant armed with an AK-47 and put two rounds into the attacker’s body. When the attacker continued to advance, Rousseau aimed at the head and put the man down.
Drill:
Set a silhouette target at seven yards (21 feet) and from either a low-ready position or holstered position, fire two fast shots into the center mass of the target. Then, assess the situation, determine the attacker is still advancing and fire a carefully placed shot at the head. Variations can be added by including lateral movement, or by firing from cover or the ground. The possibilities are only limited by imagination and the potential ways from which a shooter might need to fire.
Pressure Drills
The hardest factor to train for in a self-defense situation is pressure. During a life and death struggle a person’s heart rate rises, breathing becomes erratic and fine motor skills break down. This is why firearm instructors stress motor skills in shooting drills, as well as repetition to ensure that needed handgun skills. A person must be able to perform these actions when the body is in flight-or-fight mode. One way to bring out a level of stress on the range is by elevating heart rate and breathing through exercise.
Getting ready to run a shooting course.
Drills:
Shooters should perform push-ups, sit-ups or side-straddle hops, or sprint a set distance and back to increase heart rate and breathing before each shooting scenario. Shooters can also include a stopwatch to compete against a partner or try to beat their own times to increase the pressure.
Shooters might opt to implement exercise into a shooting scenarios. A three-stage scenario works well, with targets set up 40 yards apart. Start at position one, draw and fire two rounds before sprinting to position two and on to position three and back to the beginning. Variations can be implemented by adding magazine changes, setting up barriers for shooting from cover and rotating station numbers. Use a stopwatch to produce competitive results against friends that will show progress.
Malfunction Drills
Whether it’s an empty chamber, a stovepipe or a double feed, a handgun malfunction at a critical time is more than just a problem; it can get a person killed. That’s why shooters should always perform proper maintenance on firearms, but most especially on carry guns. The handgun that is carried daily should be broken in to handle all types of ammunition, cleaned and lubricated after every shooting session and inspected regularly to ensure no foreign objects have worked down into the mechanism during carry. Magazines should also be rotated to maintain spring pressure, as magazines are one of the leading causes of semi-auto handgun malfunctions.
Double feed. Drills:
The Tap & Rack, it should be conducted if a semi-auto handgun fails to fire, as it will fix most malfunctions. The Tap & Rack consists of a hard tap on the bottom of the magazine along with a hard rack of the slide. This procedure returns a gun back to the ready condition for unseated magazines and failure to eject malfunctions.
Clearing double feeds malfunctions. If the Tap & Rack doesn’t work, drop the magazine and cycle the slide at least two times. Then, reinsert the magazine and rack the slide. If these two procedures fail to clear the handgun, then it is most likely jammed and will require tools for proper repair.
The last drill requires a partner who creates a malfunction and hands the gun to the shooter without revealing the type of malfunction. The shooter takes the gun, aims at a target and pulls the trigger. When the gun fails to fire, the shooter must assess the situation, clear the firearm and finish the scenario with two rounds in center mass on the target. Variations include not causing a malfunction, loading only one round to force a reload and inserting an empty magazine. The only constant is that the shooter should not know the condition of the gun during the situation.
Firearm skills are finite and need to be constantly renewed to ensure proper use. Drills help maintain muscle memory, but must be performed regularly or the skills will not be there when they are needed.
Editor's Note: This article appeared in the November 18, 2013 edition of Gun Digest the Magazine.
From 9mm to 460 magnum, Smith & Wesson has a bunch of new handguns for 2014 plus AR-style rifles available for shooters of all kinds. Jerry Miculek gives a tour at this year's SHOT Show.
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.
There have been some pretty shocked politicians in Hartford and Albany the past couple weeks. The source of their befuddlement? The noncompliance of gun owners.
