There is plenty to think about when choosing a backup gun, especially when cold weather comes into play.
Here's what to look for when choosing a concealed carry backup gun for use in cold weather.
As I write this in early December winter has arrived with heavy snows and blizzard-like conditions across the country. Police officers, who don’t have the luxury of staying indoors when the weather turns bad, begin wearing cold-weather clothing; they also start losing rapid access to their service pistol.
Wearing gloves can further compound the problem. Under these conditions a backup gun stashed in a coat pocket becomes a necessary tool, not another nice-to-have piece of gear.
There are three basic requirements for the police handgun: it must be reliable; it must be of sufficient power to stop the deadly actions of an assailant; and it must be quick into action.
Since a backup gun may be less powerful and will likely hold fewer rounds than a service pistol, these requirements are a bit flexible, but still important. A small handgun in a coat pocket give another option when the weather requires us to wear clothing that may hinder our access to our primary sidearm.
Depending on where we conceal it on our person, the backup gun can be a real lifesaver when seated in our patrol vehicle, on a traffic stop, in a contact and cover or arrest situation that suddenly goes bad.
Tests have shown that by establishing the firing grip on the handgun either in a pocket or in a holster prior to having to draw the weapon, an officer can very quickly present the handgun if the situation escalates or he can simply shoot through the coat pocket if runs out of time and distance.
While having the ability to shoot through the pocket of your winter duty jacket may give you the edge in a lethal force encounter, we need to understand that this technique will probably work best for us at arm’s length or less.
Michael DeBethencourt (more about him in a minute) told me that he runs several exercises in his snubby program that allow the students to shoot through a coat pocket.
Since they have neither a visual nor a tactile index to confirm where the gun is on the target they are routinely disappointed in the results. Consider also this will probably be a technique that we will not practice.
So, for the sake of this article we will not consider shooting through a pocket. Let’s get the gun out and on target.
On the other hand, in the Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry, Massad Ayoob tells us of a test he ran simulating an officer making a traffic stop, standing near the driver’s side door.
He started the test by establishing his grip on the revolver in his front pants pocket. When the PACT timer went off, Ayoob drew and fired a single shot on the target, which stopped the timer. The average time for him to react to the timer, draw and fire was 0.65 of one second.
This is probably something we are likely to practice and is especially useful info for those who carry the small pistol.
What are the handguns officers are most likely to choose as a backup gun, especially for cold weather? I checked with two friends of mine who I knew were likely to be up-to-date on this requirement, Michael DeBethencourt, a working police officer in Massachussetts, who also runs a very popular snubby revolver training program, and Rob Leahy, who makes superb custom holsters, and who was a resident of Alaska until last October.
They both told me the same thing, U.S. police officers have voted with their wallets and are buying the small .38 /.357 five-shot revolver as the backup gun of choice.
They tend to prefer the S&W 340 M&P, the Taurus CIA model and lately the new Ruger LCR, because these models have no exposed hammer to snag when drawing from concealment.
It was of interest to me to learn that even though police agencies have adopted the pistol as their primary handgun, the faithful revolver remains the top choice of most in the role of backup gun.
Kel-Tec PF9 is slim, concealable and affordable. Perfect for a CCW backup gun.
I say “most” because I know that some officers, given the option, might prefer the small pistol over the small revolver.
And there are some agencies that do not authorize the small revolver. In this case officers are likely to select a handgun such as the Kahr P380, the Kel-Tec P-3AT or the little Ruger LCP.
A small, flat pistol has a long history with cops. I can remember officers who carried the “Baby Browning”, a .25 auto, in a spare cuff case. Next came the Seecamp in .32 ACP that was so popular it was often back ordered for up to a year.
Seecamp owners liked to brag that they could hide their pistol in a shirt pocket. And now we have similar offerings from Kahr, Kel-Tec and Ruger in .380. But the small pistol will always be suspect in the reliability area, especially when dealing with heavy winter clothing.
1- By definition, the backup gun will be carried concealed where it will attract lint and moisture. Over time this can cause a problem with the small pistol because it has tight tolerances which can quickly foul.
2- You may need to shoot in close proximity to clothing that could snag on the firearm. The pistol is not as reliable for repeat shots if needed.
3- The small revolver can shoot a heavier bullet which is more likely to punch through winter clothing and insulation than a lighter load.
4- In extreme close quarters situations such as weapon retention, grappling and ground fighting scenarios, a revolver will tend to be more reliable than a pistol.
While we are on the subject of ground fighting, consider this from an officer I know who is the firearms instructor for his agency. His officers may choose a backup gun from a list of department approved revolvers and pistols.
The backup gun is carried in the cargo pocket of their duty pants in a holster that stabilizes the handgun in this pocket. With an empty handgun they practice drawing from the pocket from a variety of positions to include from the ground, left side, on their back and right side.
They have had several instances where the magazine release was activated by the weight of the officer lying on his pistol (still in the cargo pocket) during this drill.
So where should you carry your winter backup gun? For years we have carried it in the jacket pocket, on the side of our non-dominant hand, in the cold, wet and snow of winter.
Some may favor a front pants pocket or the cargo pocket depending on uniform styles. Some may favor a holster in the pocket for the backup gun and some may not.
The importance of the holster is that it keeps the handgun, and most importantly the handgun grip, in the same position without shifting in the pocket. That way there are no surprises when we reach for it.
We need to remind ourselves that if we favor the jacket pocket for the backup gun, if we go into some place warm and take off our jacket, we want to transfer the handgun to a pants pocket. We then reverse the process when we leave. This simple procedure keeps the backup gun with us at all times, on the same side of our body and always available to our non-dominant hand, coat on or coat off.
The jacket pocket might be the most accessible, but this is a very subjective decision. Regardless of where you carry you will need to practice getting your backup gun into play. Repetition is the key to making this a smooth operation. Start slowly and pick up speed.
Make note of anything that causes you trouble during the draw and work to mitigate that trouble. Remember this gun won’t be used often, but when you need it, the need will be immediate and intense. Of all the time spent on the backup gun project, the majority should be spent on getting the gun into action and figuring the best way to complete the draw.
And finally we need to mention the importance of ammunition selection for the backup gun that will be carried and possibly used in cold weather. Heavy cold-weather clothing in combination with the various types of insulation materials that might be encountered can pose a real challenge to handgun bullets.
A jacketed hollow-point that works just fine against lightweight summer clothing may plug up with material in a cold weather scenario and act like a solid bullet. This seriously degrades the performance of the backup gun.
The law enforcement sales representative for the ammunition manufacturer of the brand of ammo you are issued or are interested in, should be able to tell you how the round performs against clothing and should be able to provide you copies of the test.
The current standard is the FBI ammunition testing protocol, which has a test specifically designed for heavy winter clothing. The goal is to get penetration and expansion from the ammo you choose.
Leatherwood Hi-Lux Optics “Wm. Malcom” USMC Sniper Scope Debuts at 2012 CMP Vintage Sniper Match
The Leatherwood-Hi-Lux “Wm. Malcolm” 8x USMC SNIPER scope – a faithful copy of the scope used by U.S. Marine Corps snipers during WWII – walked away with the 2nd, 3rd and 11th place awards, plus placed in several other top spots at this year's Camp Perry Vintage Sniper matches.
That's an impressive showing for the scope, given the fact that it's relatively new. If you're not familiar with optics of this type, the long-tube scope features 8X magnification and external micrometer-click adjustments. The scope tube slides to buffer for recoil, and comes with a recoil spring (which can be removed for competition).
For historical accuracy sake, the scope will ideally be mounted on the 1903 A1 Springfield, which was the variant commonly used with Unertl scopes from World War II through the Vietnam War. Those original optics can still be found at gun shows and online auctions, but prices have skyrocketed — some as high as $5,000-6,000. It would also be very much at home atop a pre-'64 Winchester Model 70 Target.
And while the originals are desirable for their collector value, you usually can't see much through them, plagued as they are with the effects of the unforgiving hand of Father Time. By contrast, the Hi-Lux USMC scope is as clear and crisp to look through as any other optic in this price range.
“It is very bright,” said one shooter who compared the optic to originals. “I had two vintage scopes with me, my Unertl 8X and a Wollensack 4X. The Wollensack is from 1930 and though it was state of the art then, it’s pretty dark. The Unertl looked pretty good until you compare it to the 8x USMC Sniper.”
Jun 1-2 GA, Jefferson. Gun Show. Civic Center, 63 Kissam St.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. T: 200. F: $75.. Eastman's Gun Shows, Inc, PO Box 409, Fitzgerald, GA, 31750. PH: 229- 423-4867 or PH: 229- 425-9881 or www.eastmangunshows.com.
Jun 1-2 LA, Lafayette. Gun & Knife Show. Event Center, 4607 Johnston St.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $8.. F: $70.. Classic Arms Productions, PO Box 654, Mandeville, LA, 70470. PH: 985- 624-8577 or [email protected] or www.capgunshows.com.
Jun 1-2 MA, West Springfield. Gun & Knife Show. Eastern States Exposition, Better Living Ctr.. T: 700. Carole, PH: 914- 248-1000 or www.northeastgunshows.com.
Jun 1-2 NV, Las Vegas. Rocky Mountain Gun Show. South Point Casino. www.rockymountaingunshow.com
Jun 1-2 NC, Fayetteville. Gun Show. Crown Expo Ctr., I-95 to Bus. 95 (US Hwy. 301) 1960 Coliseum Dr.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $8., under 12 free with adult. C&E Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com.
Jun 1-2 OK, Oklahoma City. Gun & Knife Show. State Fairgrounds, Transportation Bldg.. SH: Sat. 8am-6pm, Sun. 9am-5pm. T: 1200. F: $65.. Sooner Gun Shows, PO Box 96918, Oklahoma City, OK, 73143. PH: 405- 612-0223.
Jun 1-2 TX, Lewisville. Premier Gun Shows. Lewisville Event Center, 2460 S. Stemmons Fwy.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. F: $70.. , PO Box 34224, Fort Worth, TX, 76162. PH: 817- 732-1194 or [email protected] or www.premiergunshows.com.
Jun 1-2 TX, Pasadena. Gun & Knife Show. Conv. Ctr.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 300. F: $80.. High Caliber Gun Shows, PO Box 2616, Alvin, TX, 77512. PH: 281- 331-5969 or www.texasgunshows.com.
Jun 7-9 VA, Chantilly. The Nation's Gun Show. Dulles Expo Ctr., 4368 Chantilly Ctr., I-66, Exit 53. SH: Fri. 3pm-8pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. SP: C&E Gun Shows & Showmasters. A: $12., 3 day pass $18., $6. ages 12-17. F: $110. aisle, $115. wall. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or PH: 540- 953-0016 or PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.showmasters.us or www.cegunshows.com.
Jun 7-9 WY, Rock Springs. Gun Show. Sweet Water Cty. Fairgrounds. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Up In Arms Gun Shows, PO Box 918, Soda Springs, ID, 83276. PH: 208- 547-4405 or PH: 208- 241-4005.
Jun 8-9 OK, Oklahoma City. Metcalf Gun Show. Fairgrounds. 3001 Pershing Blvd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 500. F: $40., 9 for $185. Metcalf Gun Show, PH: 918- 272-1119 or [email protected] or www.metcalfgunshows.com.
Jun 8-9 TX, Conroe. Gun & Knife Show. Lone Star Conv. Ctr. . SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 300. F: $70.. High Caliber Gun Shows, PO Box 2616, Alvin, TX, 77512. PH: 281- 331-5969 or www.texasgunshows.com.
Jun 8-9 TX, Hereford. Gun Show. Community Ctr., 100 Avenue C. Bobby Sanders, PH: 806- 231-0336 or PH: 940- 585-8537.
Jun 14-16 WI, Waukesha. Gun Show. Expo Forum. 1000 Northview Rd.. SH: Fri. 3pm-8pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. The Bob & Rocco Shows, 1111 W Delavan Dr., Janesville, WI, 53546. PH: 608- 752-6677 or www.bobandrocco.com/events.html.
Jun 14-16 WY, Cheyenne. Gun Show. Fairgrounds, Archer. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Wyoming Sportsmans Gun Shows, 4389 N 3rd St., Laramie, WY, 82072. PH: 307- 742-5943 or PH: 307- 760-1841.
Jun 15-16 OH, Columbus. Gun Show. Westland Mall, 4273 Westland Mall. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. SP: Showmasters & C&E Gun Shows. A: $8.. F: $60.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com or www.showmasters.us.
Jun 15-16 OK, Tulsa. Metcalf Gun Show. Fairgrounds, 4145 E. 21 St.. Expo Square. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 900. F: $40., 9 for $185. Metcalf Gun Show, PH: 918- 272-1119 or [email protected] or www.metcalfgunshows.com.
Jun 15-16 TX, Lufkin. Gun & Knife Show. Civic Center. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 250. F: $70.. High Caliber Gun Shows, PO Box 2616, Alvin, TX, 77512. PH: 281- 331-5969 or www.texasgunshows.com.
Jun 15-16 UT, Sandy. Rocky Mountain Gun Show. South Towne Exposition Center. 9575 S. State St.. www.rockymountaingunshow.com
Jun 21-23 IN, Evansville. Gun & Knife Show. Nat'l. Guard Armory, 3300 Division St.. corner of Lloyd Expressway & Vann Ave.. SH: Fri. 1pm-5pm, Sat. 8am-4pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6. F: $45.. Tri-State Gun & Knife Shows, PO Box 536, Seymour, IN, 47274. PH: 812- 521-9367.
Jun 22-23 OH, Medina. Gun Show. Community Ctr., Co. Fairgrounds (SR 42) 735 Lafayette Rd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6., under 12 free. F: $50.. Conrad & Dowdell Prods. Inc.. PH: 330- 948-4400 or www.conraddowdell.com.
Jun 22-23 TX, Ft. Worth. Premier Gun Shows, LLC. Amon Carter Exhibit Hall, Will Rogers Ctr., 3301 Burnett Tandy. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. F: $70.. , PO Box 34224, Ft. Worth, TX, 76162. PH: 817- 732-1194 or [email protected] or www.ftworthgunshow.com.
Jun 22-23 TX, Houston. Gun & Knife Show. Brown Conv. Ctr.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 600. F: $80.. High Caliber Gun Shows, PO Box 2616, Alvin, TX, 77512. PH: 281- 331-5969 or www.texasgunshows.com.
Marines with the Air Station's Special Reaction Team train with the M45 1911 A1 pistol. [Image courtesy dvidshub.net]As reported in an earlier post on GunDigest.com, Marine special operations units are set to phase in the use of Colt .45 Close Quarter Battle (CQB) Pistols. In a move toward that transition, the Marine Corps has now initiated the first rounds of training with the CQB firearms.
At Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island in August, “The Provost Marshal's Office (PMO) Special Reaction Team familiarized themselves with the newest addition to their arsenal at the pistol range,” according to Marine Corps Public Affairs. “This exercise marks the beginning of the transition to the M45 1911 A1 pistol.
“We will be the first in PMO to carry them,” said Sgt. Daniel Sloniker, a team leader with the Special Reaction Team, of the CQB pistols. “We'll be training a lot with them, that's what we do-we shoot guns all the time.”
To help with the move to the M45 CQB Pistol, the Marine Corps recently awarded Colt Defense a five-year contract. Full implementation of the CQB Pistol is slated for fall 2012.
“Implementation of the weapon into the special reaction team is critical to their role as a response force. They respond to crisis situations such as: terrorist attacks, hostage situations and VIP protection. The unit has capabilities similar to civilian SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics) teams.
“We're the ones who kick the doors in, save hostages and take out the suspect. We have to be able to employ our weapons and make sure if we shoot, we hit our target.”
Aug 6-7 NC, Fayetteville. Gun Show. Crown Expo Ctr., I-95 to Bus. 95 (US Hwy. 301) 1960 Coliseum Dr.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $8., under 12 free with adult. C&E Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com.
Aug 10-11 CO, Colorado Springs. Gun Show. Event Ctr. At Rustic Hills, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd.. SP: Prospectors Sertoma CO Springs Gun Show. www.prospectorssertomagunshows.org
Aug 10-11 LA, Lafayette. Gun & Knife Show. Event Center, 4607 Johnston St.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $8.. F: $70.. Classic Arms Productions, PO Box 654, Mandeville, LA, 70470. PH: 985- 624-8577 or [email protected] or www.capgunshows.com.
Aug 10-11 NC, Winston-Salem. Gun Show. LJVM Coliseum, 2825 University Pkwy.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $8., under 12 free with adult. C&E Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com.
Aug 16-18 WY, Cheyenne. Gun Show. Fairgrounds, Archer. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Wyoming Sportsmans Gun Shows, 4389 N 3rd St., Laramie, WY, 82072. PH: 307- 742-5943 or PH: 307- 760-1841.
Aug 17-18 IL, New Berlin. Guns, Ammo & Related Items. Fairgrounds, 12 mi. W. of Springfield, IL, on I-72. SH: Sat. 9am-4pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. SP: Central Illinois Gun Collectors Assoc.. A: $3.. F: $30.. , PO Box 462, Chatham, IL, 62629. PH: 217- 416-0618.
Aug 17-18 OK, Tulsa. Gun & Knife Show. Grand National, Upper Level Expo Bldg.. SH: Sat. 8am-6pm, Sun. 9am-5pm. T: 2200. F: $80.. Sooner Gun Shows, PO Box 96918, Oklahoma City, OK, 73143. PH: 405- 612-0223.
Aug 17-18 PA, Monroeville. Gun Show. Conv. Ctr., 101 Mall Blvd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. SP: Showmasters & C&E Gun Shows. A: $8.. F: $50.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com or www.showmasters.us.
Aug 17-18 TX, Stafford. Gun Show. ,. SP: Houston Gun Collectors Assn.. PH: 713- 981-6463 or www.hgca.org.
Aug 23-25 IN, Indianapolis. Gun Show. Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St.. SH: Fri. 2pm-8pm, Sat. 8am-6pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. World Class Gun Shows, PO Box 14194, Oklahoma City, OK, 73113. PH: 405- 340-1333 or www.indy1500.com.
Aug 23-25 WY, Rock Springs. Gun Show. Sweet Water Cty. Fairgrounds. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Up In Arms Gun Shows, PO Box 918, Soda Springs, ID, 83276. PH: 208- 547-4405 or PH: 208- 241-4005.
Aug 24-25 ME, Augusta. Gun Show. Civic Ctr., ME Tpke. Exit 112 S. or 112-A N.. 76 Community Dr.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $8.. F: $65.. DiPrete Promotions Inc.. Patricia DiPrete, PH: 603- 225-3846 or [email protected] or www.dipromo.com.
Aug 24-25 VA, Richmond. Gun Show. Int'l. Raceway, State Fairgrounds, 600 E. Laburnum Ave.. I-295, Exit 38-B W. on Meadowbridge Rd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. A: $8.. F: $60.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, va, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or www.showmasters.us.
Aug 31-Sep 1 NV, Las Vegas. Gun Show. The Sport Center. 121 E. Sunset Rd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. PH: 405- 842-3277 or www.lasvegasgunshow.com.
Aug 31-Sep 1 NH, Concord. Gun Show. Everett Ice Arena, I-93, Exit 14 E. onto 15 Loudon Rd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $8.. F: $65.. DiPrete Promotions Inc.. Patricia DiPrete, PH: 603- 225-3846 or [email protected] or www.dipromo.com.
Aug 31-Sep 1 OH, Columbus. Gun Show. Westland Mall, 4273 Westland Mall. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. SP: Showmasters & C&E Gun Shows. A: $8.. F: $60.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com or www.showmasters.us.
Aug 31-Sep 1 VA, Fishersville. Gun Show. Augusta Expoland. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. SP: Showmasters & C&E Gun Shows. A: $7.. F: $50.. Showmasters Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or www.showmasters.us.
Aug 23-25 IN, Indianapolis. Gun Show. Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St.. SH: Fri. 2pm-8pm, Sat. 8am-6pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. World Class Gun Shows, PO Box 14194, Oklahoma City, OK, 73113. PH: 405- 340-1333 or www.indy1500.com.
Aug 24-25 ME, Augusta. Gun Show. Civic Ctr., ME Tpke. Exit 112 S. or 112-A N.. 76 Community Dr.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $8.. F: $65.. DiPrete Promotions Inc.. Patricia DiPrete, PH: 603- 225-3846 or [email protected] or www.dipromo.com.
Aug 24-25 OK, Oklahoma City. Gun & Knife Show. State Fairgrounds, Transportation Bldg.. SH: Sat. 8am-6pm, Sun. 9am-5pm. T: 1200. F: $65.. Sooner Gun Shows, PO Box 96918, Oklahoma City, OK, 73143. PH: 405- 612-0223.
Sep 6-8 IN, Evansville. Gun & Knife Show. Nat'l. Guard Armory, 3300 Division St.. corner of Lloyd Expressway & Vann Ave.. SH: Fri. 1pm-5pm, Sat. 8am-4pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6. F: $45.. Tri-State Gun & Knife Shows, PO Box 536, Seymour, IN, 47274. PH: 812- 521-9367.
Sep 6-8 WY, Casper. Gun Show. Central WY Fairgrounds. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Up In Arms Gun Shows, PO Box 918, Soda Springs, ID, 83276. PH: 208- 547-4405 or PH: 208- 241-4005.
Sep 7-8 TX, Pampa. Gun Show. MK Brown Center, 1100 W Colorado. Bobby Sanders, PH: 806- 231-0336 or PH: 940- 585-8537.
Sep 13-14 MI, Iron Mountain. United Sportsman's Club Gun & Knife Show. W7689 Sportsmans Club Rd. A: $5.. T: 65. F: $20.. PH: 906- 774-3867 or [email protected] or www.unitedsportsmeninc.com.
Sep 13-15 WY, Gillette. Gun Show. Cam-Plex, 1635 Reata Dr.. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Up In Arms Gun Shows, PO Box 918, Soda Springs, ID, 83276. PH: 208- 547-4282 or PH: 208- 241-4005.
Sep 14-15 CO, Colorado Springs. Gun Show. Event Ctr. At Rustic Hills, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd.. SP: Prospectors Sertoma CO Springs Gun Show. www.prospectorssertomagunshows.org
Sep 14-15 IN, Salem. Gun & Knife Show. Nat'l. Guard Armory, 1100 N. Shelby St.. SH: Sat. 8:30am-4pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6. F: $40.. Tri-State Gun & Knife Shows, PO Box 536, Seymour, IN, 47274. PH: 812- 521-9367.
Sep 14-15 OH, Maumee. Gun Show. Lucas Cty. Rec. Ctr., 2901 Key St.. SP: Maumee Valley Gun Collectors Assn. Inc.. PH: 419- 893-1110 or www.mvgca.com.
Sep 14-15 OK, Tulsa. Metcalf Gun Show. Fairgrounds, 4145 E. 21 St.. Expo Square. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 900. F: $40., 9 for $185. Metcalf Gun Show, PH: 918- 272-1119 or [email protected] or www.metcalfgunshows.com.
Sep 14-15 TX, El Paso. Gun Show. 6331 Alabama St.. El Maida Shrine Auditorium. SH: Sat. 8am-5pm, Sun. 9am-5pm. SP: Paso Del Norte Gun Collectors. A: $5.. F: $40.-$50.. D. Wheeler, PH: 830- 367-2848.
With 55,000 psi under your eye, stout lockup, flawless steel and perfect headspace matter.
Bullet Ballistics: Pressure
When a primer spits fire into the powder charge and burning commences, gases form, increasing pressure inside the case and (because pressure produces heat), accelerating the burn. On a bullet ballistics graph, you’ll see a pressure peak after a short horizontal line showing the delay between primer detonation and powder ignition.
After that peak, which typically happens within a millisecond (1/1,000 second) after the powder starts to burn, the pressure curve arcs back down. This decline is relatively gradual as the bullet moves forward, increasing the bore volume behind it. The faster the powder, the steeper the curve on both sides. The area under this pressure/time curve translates to bullet velocity. Two to three milliseconds after the striker hits the primer, pressure has dropped to zero. The bullet is on its way.
A 180-grain bullet from a .300 Weatherby Magnum exits the muzzle of a 26-inch barrel about 1 1/4 milliseconds after it starts to move. The following bullet ballistics chart shows what happens (data adapted from a pressure/time curve in the excellent text Any Shot You Want, a loading manual by Art Alphin’s A-Square company).
Bullet Ballistics Chart
Time (seconds)
Pressure (psi)
Velocity (fps)
Distance (inches)
0
0
0
0
.0001
12,000
60
.02
.0003
36,000
500
.60
.0005
60,000 (near peak)
1,400
2.80
.0007
42,000
2,350
7.40
.0009
24,000
2,970
13.80
.0011
6,000
3,250
21.30
.0013
100
3,300
26.00
Surgeon rifles start as solid steel billets. Receivers easily endure 60,000-psi – and more.
Bullet Ballistics: Peak Pressure
A few things to note: First, peak pressure comes when the bullet has moved only about 3 inches, even with the slow-burning fuels appropriate for a .300 magnum. Pressure drops off fast, too, losing 90 percent of its vigor in the next 18 inches of barrel. But the bullet continues to accelerate even as pressure behind it diminishes. Between 14 and 21 inches, pressure loss totals 18,000 psi.
But bullet speed increases 300 fps! With very little pressure remaining at the muzzle, the bullet is still accelerating! The value of a long barrel is clear, even if nearly all of it is used to control the tail of the pressure/time curve.
A pressure/distance curve differs from a pressure/time curve in slope, but it has the same general shape: steeper at the start than at the finish. The area under a pressure/distance curve represents the energy available for the bullet. However, the energy generated is not all available downrange. A lot of it is lost in thermal (heat) transmission, expansion of the case into the chamber wall, bullet/rifling friction and bullet rotation.
Plotting a load’s pressure/distance curve helps designers of gas-driven autoloading rifles because these rifles must tap the gas at some point in the bullet’s travel. Too much pressure, and the slamming can damage rifle parts. Too little, and bolt travel is insufficient to clear the fired case.
Thin barrel walls and lightweight receivers make lively shotguns. Pressures are modest.
Bullet Ballistics: Velocity
Measuring gas pressure proved as difficult at first as measuring bullet velocity. Then, in the mid-1800s, Alfred Nobel and an American named Rodman came up with solutions to that problem at the same time. Rodman’s, the crusher system, is still in use.
Cases of rimfire ammunition are thin, limiting pressures. Rifle lock-up: One lug is enough.
It’s a factory procedure not easily or safely performed in a home shop. A small cylindrical piston is slid into a hole in the barrel of a test gun, and a copper or lead pellet is inserted snugly between the top of the piston and a stationary anvil. When the rifle is fired, the piston pushes against the pellet or crusher, shortening it.
The difference in crusher length before and after firing is then converted mathematically to a pressure range, in units of CUP or LUP (copper units of pressure or lead units of pressure).
Copper crushers are generally either .146 in diameter and .400 long to start with, or .225 in diameter and .500 long. Choice depends on application. Copper crushers work best in centerfire rifles and handguns that generate substantial pressures. Lead crushers (.325 x .500) typically register the low-pressure loads in rimfire guns and shotguns (though small-diameter copper crushers can be used too). Crushers are calibrated in a test press.
Pounded by high pressures, crushers don’t register peak pressure accurately because the flow of copper is slower than the change of pressure in the chamber. Also, the moving piston must be brought to a halt, which skews a reading in the opposite direction.
Bullet Ballistics: CUP
Copper units of pressure (CUP) and lead units of pressure are not the same; nor can they be interchanged with another common unit of pressure, pounds per square inch (PSI).
A CUP value may coincide with a PSI value; for example, SAAMI lists 28,000 as maximum average pressure for the .45-70. Both CUP and PSI units apply. But maximum average pressure for the .243 is 52,000 CUP and 60,000 PSI. Most cartridges show similar discrepancies. Sadly, there’s no easy way to convert CUP to PSI or vice versa.
A modern device for pressure measurement in firearms is the piezoelectric gauge. It registers an electric charge delivered through a transducer when a crystal is crushed. Pressure applied to the crystal yields a proportional transducer reading in pounds per square inch.
Conformal transducers are installed in the barrel, just like crusher pistons, and become part of the barrel. External transducers can be mounted on the barrel, then removed for replacement or calibration checks.
Another pressure tester that’s become popular among shooters is the strain gauge. Developed for consumers by chronograph guru Ken Oehler, it’s essentially a length of wire you glue to the outside of the chamber wall. When you fire, the chamber expands and the wire stretches. That stretch translates into pressure. It does not equate with readings from a crusher or a piezoelectric gauge.
The CDC's zombie survival guide PDF is titled, “Preparedness 101: Zombie Pandemic.” Click the cover to download it for free through GunDigest.com.
For starters, the zombie survival guide PDF is in comic form. Not the wording. The format. It's a comic. It tells a story about a zombie outbreak. There are instructions about making survival kits at the end.
That might redeem the comic part if we didn't live in a world full of people who can't separate entertainment from reality. After the Jaws movie came out in 1975, the global shark population took a big hit. This despite the fact I'm more likely to die walking my dog than being killed by a shark. Sure, I live in the Midwest and the only Shark I've seen was fighting a Jet near the park. But that's besides the point. Statistically, everywhere, sharks aren't a problem.
Disasters are big problems. This is why I get my practical survival information from sources like Gun Digest. I focus my “prepping” time on things I'd actually use. Food. Water. Fire. Tools. It's like second-nature. I don't have to think about it.
Still, I have to wonder. If all I did was focus on zombies and ways to kill them, what would be my second-nature response in a disaster?
I'm rational enough to know the answer. Chances are, dear reader, you are, too. It wouldn't involve killing people. But what about the guy who isn't so level-headed? Who invested so much energy on a pop culture fad, only to see it come to life? That could seriously mess with a person's perception of reality.
Picture your typical zombie. Emaciated. Bleeding. Diseased. Now replace the word “zombie” with “disaster survivor.” Has the image in your head changed all that much? No.
Now tell me what Mr. Reality Perception Problem is going to do when the shock of a disaster hits. He's panicked. Confused. Disturbed by the gruesome sights around him. His fight or flight mechanism is kicking in. His logic is gone. And now he sees scores of “zombies.” He reverts to the one scenario he focused on before the disaster, and he acts on it.
Don't tell me this is impossible. People will do irrational things when confronted with death. It doesn't matter if it's disasters or shark attacks. Here's that link again about Jaws and shark populations. It only took one movie – one horror meme similar to the current zombie fad – to turn logic on its head. And sharks are still paying the price.
Now take the Jaws effect and juice it up with the CDC's blessing. It doesn't matter that the zombie survival guide PDF is tongue-in-cheek. If crowds of starving people fill the streets, I can guarantee you someone, somewhere will say, “Hey, this looks like a zombie apocalypse.” And someone, somewhere is going to act on it.
If I seem dramatic, substitute the generic word “disaster” with “bioterrorism.” Or try “chemical emergencies,” “radiation emergencies,” “earthquakes” and “mass casualty events.” Because those are exactly the events listed here the CDC hopes citizens will prepare for as a result of reading its zombie survival guide PDF. Deadly serious stuff. Isn't it patronizing to throw a zombie fad into the mix? It'd be no less disrespectful than if emaciated chemotherapy patients were depicted as zombies in a comic book about cancer awareness.
This zombie survival guide PDF isn't cute. It's not funny. Disasters are serious business. They don't need to be dressed up with zombie stories. However well-intentioned, the CDC's zombie survival guide PDF was at best irresponsible and at worst lethal.
Gun Digest is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. With a subscription to Gun Digest, readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews, how-to instructions and Second Amendment issues.
Oct 5-6 TX, Bowie. Gun Show. Event Center. behind Rodeo Grounds at Trade Days. Bobby Sanders, PH: 806- 231-0336 or PH: 940- 585-8537.
Oct 6 CO, Golden. Militaria Show. Jefferson Cty. Fairgrounds, 15200 W. 6th Ave.. SH: 8am-3pm. Jim Charnesky, PH: 719- 593-2171 or www.colomilitaria.com.
Oct 12-13 AL, Birmingham. Gun Show. BJCC, (Exhibition Hall) 9th Ave. & 21st St No.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. AL Gun Collectors Assoc., PO Box 242277, Montgomery, AL, 36124. PH: 334- 272-1193 or www.algca.org.
Oct 12-13 AZ, Kingman. Gun Show. Mohave Cty. Frgrds.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $5., $8. 2-day pass. , 36 E. Yavapai, Wickenburg, AZ, 85390. PH: 928- 684-2149.
Oct 12-13 LA, Lafayette. Gun & Knife Show. Event Center, 4607 Johnston St.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $8.. F: $70.. Classic Arms Productions, PO Box 654, Mandeville, LA, 70470. PH: 985- 624-8577 or [email protected] or www.capgunshows.com.
Oct 12-13 NH, Manchester. Gun Show. Radisson Hotel, Center of NH, I-293, Exit 5 N. or 6 S.. 700 Elm St.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $8.. F: $65.. DiPrete Promotions Inc.. Patricia DiPrete, PH: 603- 225-3846 or [email protected] or www.dipromo.com.
Oct 12-13 OH, Medina. Gun Show. Community Ctr., Co. Fairgrounds (SR 42) 735 Lafayette Rd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6., under 12 free. F: $50.. Conrad & Dowdell Prods. Inc.. PH: 330- 948-4400 or www.conraddowdell.com.
Oct 12-13 OK, Oklahoma City. Metcalf Gun Show. Fairgrounds. 3001 Pershing Blvd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 500. F: $40., 9 for $185. Metcalf Gun Show, PH: 918- 272-1119 or [email protected] or www.metcalfgunshows.com.
Oct 12-13 PA, Erie. Gun Show. Bayfront Conv. Ctr., 1 Sassafras Pier. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. SP: Showmasters & C&E Gun Shows. F: $60.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com or www.showmasters.us.
Oct 12-13 VA, Harrisonburg. Gun Show. Rockingham Cty. Fairgrounds, 4808 S. Valley Pike. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. SP: Showmasters & C&E Gun Shows. A: $6.. F: $55.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com or www.showmasters.us.
Oct 12-13 WI, Fond Du Lac. Gun Show. Fairgrounds, 160 S Macy St. SH: Sat. 8am-5pm, Sun. 8am-3pm. SP: CWGCA. A: $5.. T: 500. F: $40.. Gene Potter (no collect calls), PH: 262- 617-3779 or www.centralwisconsingun.org.
Oct 18-20 IN, Indianapolis. Gun Show. Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St.. SH: Fri. 2pm-8pm, Sat. 8am-6pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. World Class Gun Shows, PO Box 14194, Oklahoma City, OK, 73113. PH: 405- 340-1333 or www.indy1500.com.
Oct 19-20 OH, Montpelier. Stateline Gun Shows. Gillete Wm. Cty. Fairgrounds, Ohio Tpke. To Exit 13, S. on Rt. 15 R. on 107. SH: Sat. 9am-4pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $3.. F: $20.. , 13530 Co. Rd. S., Pioneer, OH, 43554. PH: 419- 737-2801 or [email protected] or www.statelinegunshow.com.
Oct 19-20 OK, Oklahoma City. Metcalf Gun Show. Fairgrounds. 3001 Pershing Blvd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. T: 500. F: $40., 9 for $185. Metcalf Gun Show, PH: 918- 272-1119 or [email protected] or www.metcalfgunshows.com.
Oct 19-20 PA, Allentown. Antique & Modern Arms Shows. Agricultural Hall, 17th St. & Chew St.. Celebrating 52 years of running popular gun shows. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $7.. F: $60.. Forks of the Delaware, 2060 Northampton St. #1, Easton, PA, 18042. 6pm-9pm, PH: 610- 438-9006 or www.allentownshow.net.
Oct 19-20 VA, Richmond. Gun Show. The Showplace, 3000 Mechanicsville Tpke.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $8., under 12 free with adult. C&E Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com.
Oct 25-27 WY, Sheridan. Gun Show. Fairgrounds. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Wyoming Sportsmans Gun Shows, 4389 N 3rd St, Laramie, WY, 82072. PH: 307- 742-5943 or PH: 307- 760-1841.
Oct 26-27 CO, Colorado Springs. Gun Show. Event Ctr. At Rustic Hills, 3960 Palmer Park Blvd.. SP: Prospectors Sertoma CO Springs Gun Show. www.prospectorssertomagunshows.org
Oct 26-27 IN, Seymour. Gun & Knife Show. Nat'l. Guard Armory, 1925 First Ave.. SH: Sat. 8:30am-4pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. A: $6. F: $40.. Tri-State Gun & Knife Shows, PO Box 536, Seymour, IN, 47274. PH: 812- 521-9367.
Oct 26-27 NC, Winston-Salem. Gun Show. LJVM Coliseum, 2825 University Pkwy.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $8., under 12 free with adult. C&E Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com.
Oct 26-27 OH, Wellington. Gun & Knife Show. Lorain Cty. Fairgrounds, SR 18. 23000 Fairgrounds Rd.. SH: Sat. 9am-4pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. SP: Bill Mar Promotions. A: $5.. T: 100. F: $35. ea, $30. ea for 3 or more. PH: 440- 986-5004.
Oct 26-27 PA, Monroeville. Gun Show. Conv. Ctr., 101 Mall Blvd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-4pm. SP: Showmasters & C&E Gun Shows. A: $8.. F: $50.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com or www.showmasters.us.
Blackhawk Speed Clips: Essential for Gear with MOLLE Straps
If you own anything with MOLLE straps my bet is you rarely if ever change or move the gear attached to your pack or pouch.
The reason? It is such a hassle weaving straps and loops is time-consuming and tedious.
Well, as the old TV pitchmen used to say, “Those days are gone! Blackhawk Speed Clips make rigging your MOLLE gear fast and easy!”
Best of all, this claim is true. Blackhawk Speed Clips are strong, flexible and durable. The carbon-fiber polymer material will never rust, moves easily through the MOLLE loops and can be used with any piece of gear.
If your pouch already has MOLLE straps, you can cut them off or tuck them behind the Blackhawk Speed Clips. Available in 3-, 5-, 7- and 9-inch lengths, the Blackhawk Speed Clips give you the versatility you need to rig your kit the way you want.
Blackhawk Speed Clips Specs
Blackhawk Speed Clips DO NOT RUST!
Contain a lanyard hole for accessories
Free floating for use with other accessories, unlike MOLLE straps
Just like the name, they are FAST!
Color matched to gear
Comes in 3″, 5″, 7″ and 9″ lengths for any size pouches
Can be used with all of Blackhawk's new 38-series pouches
Can be used with any existing MOLLE pouch (just cut the strap off or tuck it behind the Blackhawk Speed Clip)
Versatile: Can be used in other innovative ways to enhance your personal setup
Patent pending
Click here to order Blackhawk Speed Clips from GunDigestStore.com.
Massad Ayoob: Stand Your Ground Laws and Concealed Carry Expert
Massad Ayoob's second edition of the Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry contains detailed information on Stand Your Ground laws and the Castle Doctrine.
If the video above isn't enough to prove Massad Ayoob's expertise on Stand Your Ground laws, his new book, Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry 2nd Edition, should lay any doubt to rest. This updated volume covers the hottest issues surrounding concealed carry today, including so-called Stand Your Ground laws and the Castle Doctrine.
* Comprehensive coverage of the nuances of Castle Doctrine and stand your ground laws, including details from Ayoob’s experience in recent cases.
* An update to where you can (and can’t) carry, including a discussion of reciprocity and recent Supreme Court victories for concealed carry.
* In-depth discussion of spare ammo for concealed carry weapons.
* Insight into the importance of lights for concealed carry, including a review of available options.
* A concealed carry holster update, where Ayoob tests many of the newest holster materials and models, discussing the rising popularity of hybrids (“a mating of leather with Kydex or polymer”), Remora holsters, breakaway pants, holsters for women and the Versacarry.
Why is this the Best Book on Concealed Carry and Stand Your Ground Laws?
“A critical undercurrent throughout is what to expect if you ever have to face a prosecutor or plaintiff's attorney in court after a self-defense shooting.” – Nathan Howk, Amazon reviewer
“Mr. Ayoob opened my eyes to more than just carrying a concealed weapon. His insight to the mentality of carrying a concealed weapon is amazing. While I haven't finished the book, what I have read has changed my thought prosses about carrying. The way you think, the weapon you choose to carry, how you choose to carry it, were just a few of the eye openers that has changed my thinking.” – Randall L. Williams, Amazon reviewer
“This work is absolutely essential reading for anyone who is considering carrying a firearm. Mr. Ayoob is one of the most well-respected firearms instructors in the United States and his years as a law enforcement officer prove useful as he explains every aspect of concealed carry.” – C.A. Curry, Amazon reviewer
Read an Excerpt: Massad Ayoob on Stand Your Ground Laws
The following excerpt about Stand Your Ground Laws is from Massad Ayoob's new book:
I can tell you that the old aphorism from law school is absolutely true: “If the law is on your side, pound on the law…if the facts are on your side, pound on the facts…and if neither the law nor the facts are on your side, pound on the opposing party.” Well, you wouldn’t have shot someone in self-defense if the facts and the law weren’t on your side, so that leaves the clueless or politically motivated prosecutor wrongfully charging you, or the greed-motivated plaintiff’s lawyer suing you, only one avenue by which to attack you. It won’t be honest, it won’t be clean, and it won’t be pretty.
Let’s look first at Castle Doctrine. There are some situations where it doesn’t hold true. If the person you shoot also had a right to be in your home at the time of the shooting, this defense is voided. We see that all the time in domestic violence shootings, when the woman who had to fire was the victim of the abusive husband who attacked her, and with whom she shared the “castle.” Ditto roommates, ditto even originally-invited guests who went crazy once they were there.
Stand Your Ground? If the other guy also had a right to be there, it’s going to come down to who was the murderous, unlawful aggressor and who was the innocent intended victim who wore what the courts call “the mantle of innocence.” For one thing, if the initial attacker tries to break off the assault and flee, and the original innocent victim then shoots him in the back, the “stand your ground” defense for the latter is now off the game board.
Where to Get Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry 2nd Edition
Learn more about Stand Your Ground laws when you order the Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry 2nd Edition. Get the best price at GunDigestStore.com.
Click here to order Massad Ayoob'sGun Digest Book of Concealed Carry 2nd Edition.
Your Turn: What Do You Think About Stand Your Ground Laws?
Do you think Stand Your Ground laws go too far or not far enough? What are these laws like in your area? Leave a comment below.
Gun Digest says: “Stand Your Ground laws are an important part of concealed carry. Without them, those who practice concealed carry would face unreasonable prosecution, subverting rights guaranteed by the Second Amendment.”
Nov 2-3 OH, Columbus. Gun Show. Westland Mall, 4273 Westland Mall. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. SP: Showmasters & C&E Gun Shows. A: $8.. F: $60.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com or www.showmasters.us.
Nov 2-3 OK, Oklahoma City. Gun & Knife Show. State Fairgrounds, Transportation Bldg.. SH: Sat. 8am-6pm, Sun. 9am-5pm. T: 1200. F: $65.. Sooner Gun Shows, PO Box 96918, Oklahoma City, OK, 73143. PH: 405- 612-0223.
Nov 2-3 SC, Myrtle Beach. Gun Show. Convention Ctr., 2101 N. Oak St.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $7., under 12 free with adult. C&E Gun Shows, 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, VA, 24060. PH: 888- 715-0606 or www.cegunshows.com.
Nov 2-3 TX, Hereford. Gun Show. Community Ctr., 100 Avenue C. Bobby Sanders, PH: 806- 231-0336 or PH: 940- 585-8537.
Nov 8-10 WY, Cheyenne. Gun Show. Fairgrounds, Archer. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Wyoming Sportsmans Gun Shows, 4389 N 3rd St., Laramie, WY, 82072. PH: 307- 742-5943 or PH: 307- 760-1841.
Nov 9-10 GA, Columbus. Gun Show. Ironworks Conv. Ctr., 801 Front Ave.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. F: $75.. Eastman's Gun Shows, Inc, PO Box 409, Fitzgerald, GA, 31750. PH: 229- 423-4867 or PH: 229- 425-9881 or www.eastmangunshows.com.
Nov 9-10 LA, Shreveport. Gun & Knife Show. Riverview Hall, 600 Clyde Fant Pkwy.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 10am-5pm. A: $7.. F: $70.. Classic Arms Productions, PO Box 654, Mandeville, LA, 70470. PH: 985- 624-8577 or [email protected] or www.capgunshows.com.
Nov 9-10 OH, Maumee. Gun Show. Lucas Cty. Rec. Ctr., 2901 Key St.. SP: Maumee Valley Gun Collectors Assn. Inc.. PH: 419- 893-1110 or www.mvgca.com.
Nov 9-10 OK, Tulsa. Gun & Knife Show. Expo Square (Tulsa Frgrds), 21st St., btw. Harvard & Yale. exit off I-44 or I-244 on Yale Ave.. SH: Sat. 8am-6pm, Sun. 8am-4pm. A: $10., $3. under 12. F: $140.. Wanenmacher Tulsa Arms Show, Mark, Shirley or Bunny-Tulsa Arms Show, PO Box 33201, Tulsa, OK, 74153. PH: 918- 492-0401 or www.tulsaarmsshow.com.
Nov 9-10 VA, Richmond. Gun Show. Int'l. Raceway, State Fairgrounds, 600 E. Laburnum Ave.. I-295, Exit 38-B W. on Meadowbridge Rd.. SH: Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-4pm. A: $8.. F: $60.. , 4225 Fortress Dr., Blacksburg, va, 24060. PH: 540- 951-1344 or www.showmasters.us.
Nov. 10 WI, Friendship. Central Wisconsin Gun show. 1150 State Road 21, Friendship, WI 53934. Tables: $25. 608-403-1677
Nov 15-17 WY, Gillette. Gun Show. Cam-Plex, 1635 Reata Dr.. SH: Fri. 3pm-7pm, Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-2pm. A: $6., 12 & under free. F: $50. in adv 2 wks before the show, $55. thereafter. Up In Arms Gun Shows, PO Box 918, Soda Springs, ID, 83276. PH: 208- 547-4282 or PH: 208- 241-4005.
It takes a number of steps to craft rifle brass. When it comes to .223 vs. 5.56, the 5.56 gets two stamps onto the head, to harden it more.
.223 vs 5.56: A History
To a whole lot of shooters, ammo is ammo—if it fits, it shoots. These shooters tend to be the guys with seriously tired, worn, or even busted firearms. They also tend to focus on the wrong thing; you know, the guy who scrubs the brass marks off his ejector lump, at least until one day his rifle stops working or breaks into many pieces.
Ammo is not ammo. And when doing a .223 vs 5.56 comparison, while the loads are almost identical, they are not the same. To know why, we have to go back to the beginning.
While it is comforting to read what is marked on the barrel, you can’t always believe the chamber designation. You have to do as Reagan advised—trust, but verify. An important thing to remember when testing .223 vs 5.56.
The early 1960s were an interesting time. The returning GIs from WWII and Korea had a decade to get things the way they liked. Two tastes they acquired during that time were varmint shooting and benchrest. Varmint shooting was simple. Various members of the rodentia clan, going about their usual business in a field or pasture, served as animate targets. They were prolific breeders, there was no limit, no season, no quitting. You could shoot all day if you wished. Well, as much as shooters then and now like to shoot, shooting varmints with a .30-06 was just silly. The recoil would beat you up, the noise was alarming, barrels got really hot really fast, and the cost of ammo, even back then, was just off the charts.
So they went down in caliber until they found that various rifle cartridges using .224-inch bullets did the job nicely.
Benchrest shooting was a refinement and variant of target shooting. Instead of trying to coax all the shots into a 10-ring, the group was the score. The smaller the group, the better the score. Again, smaller was better, and the common .224-inch diameter bullet served well.
The premier cartridge in the early 1950s, when varminting and benchrest got started and began revving up, was the .222 Remington. Introduced, in 1950, in the Remington 722, it was superbly accurate, and the rifle was also a brilliant out-of-the-box shooter. The mild recoil would not cause a benchrest shooter to have aiming problems, and the mild report, efficient powder charges and low bore erosion made it a useful varmint cartridge.
For those who needed more reach in the varmint fields, Remington came out with the .222 Magnum in 1958, offering 2-300 fps more velocity than the little .222.
Now we shift gears from varminting to the on-going soap opera of the U.S. Army rifle situation. Having spent a decade and millions of taxpayers dollars, the U.S. Army Ordnance bureau has brought forth … an improved M1 Garand. And so screwed up is the process that they can’t even produce rifles quickly enough to arm the U.S. Army in any reasonable time frame. I once looked into the numbers and came to the conclusion that, at the rate the Army was buying and building (the U.S. arsenal at Springfield was still open then), the entire U.S. Army would not have been switched over to the M14 before the bicentennial. For those who don’t remember that occasion, the year was 1976.
So, the Army finds, in the mid-1960s, that the Armalite rifle is one that could actually be forced upon them. They pull out all the stops and do everything they can to prevent this. “Real men shoot .30 rifles” was the prevailing ethos of the day (and in some circles, still is).
The cartridge the Armalite rifle was chambered for was the “.222 Special,” a case halfway between the .22 Rem. and the .222 Rem. Mag. It also split the difference between them in velocity. The Army, recognizing an opportunity, first accepted the velocity as sufficient. Then they upped the stakes and insisted on better and better down-range performance. Basically, they kept asking until they had exceeded the pressure limits of the .222 Special. But the problem is that pressure is not simply velocity-dependant. Still, the designers had managed to meet the velocity specs, and the rifle was adopted.
I have now, in less than 700 words, summarized years of work, 100,000 man-hours of engineering, manufacturing and range testing, and we’ve only begun.
A close-up of a pressure barrel in place, ready to start recording the .223 vs 5.56 events of the day.
.223 vs 5.56: Measuring Pressure
Before we get too deep into this, you also have to be aware of a change that happened in our lifetimes (well, the lifetimes of the old farts among us), and that is the change in pressure measuring. If you have an older reloading manual, you’ll see the measuring units denoted in C.U.P., and in some older manuals “CUP” and “PSI” are used interchangeably.
A .223 vs 5.56 chamber comparison.
The old way of measuring pressure was known as the copper crusher method. In it, a test barrel would have a hole drilled through it to a specified set of dimensions. Then, a little copper cylinder was clamped in place over the hole. When the round was fired, the copper cylinder got hit with the pressure and was compressed. By measuring the length of the cylinder before and after, ballisticians could determine the peak pressure. This was known as “copper units of pressure,” or CUP, but was often expressed in pounds per square inch, or PSI. The copper (and lead cylinders, used for lower-pressure calibers) could only tell us what the peak pressure was, however, not how fast its onset was, how long it lasted, etc.
Today, transducers, or strain gauges, are used to measure pressure. Here, the gauge, which is essentially a transistor (it is more complicated than that, but we’re discussing firearms, not electrical engineering) is fastened to the barrel. When the gauge is stressed, the electrical resistance of the gauge changes. The beauty—and the problem—with this method is that it is dependant on a computer or other recording device. Depending on how much you spend, you can record the pressure of the event hundreds, thousands, or more times per second. This caused problems in published loading data.
Let’s construct our own cartridge, just so we can remain theoretical for the moment. The “.30 Zoomer Magnum” has a maximum average pressure (MAP, or the allowed peak) of 50,000 CUP. We use the newfangled transducer to measure the standard reference load (in this case, 42 grains of “XYZ” powder under a 183-grain soft-point) and come up with 57,000 PSI. The “new” MAP for the .30ZM is now 57,000 PSI, where before it had been 50,000 CUP. But the actual pressure has not changed, we are simply using a new yardstick to measure it with.
Then we run into problems. In checking loading data, we find that some of the data wasn’t as “clean” as we thought. An example: using “123” powder under the same 183-grain soft-point, we had found that we could get 100 fps more and still only see 50,000 CUP pressure. With the new transducer and seeing things in thousandth of a second slices, we see that, yes, the main pressure peak is only 57,000 PSI, the allowed max by the new yardstick, but we also see a second, higher, spike from the bullet hitting and stalling in the rifling. That spike comes in at 63,500 PSI, well over the maximum allowed. So, we have to throttle back the load data, and all of a sudden “123” powder loses its 100 fps advantage.
The problem came from the copper cylinder not being sensitive enough to register the second, over-max pressure spike, so, no, we have not “slowed down the load data to satisfy the lawyers.” We didn’t know we were going over-max before. We do now, and we have to adjust the data. (Oh, and just to add to the confusion, where you place the transducer can also have an effect on the pressure you measure.)
The SAAMI-spec pressure ceiling, the MAP allowed for the .223, is 55,000 PSI. No, there is no handy-dandy formula that lets you convert old copper-crusher pressures to PSI. The ballisticians tried, and they tried really hard, to come up with a conversion factor. The trouble they ran into was that every cartridge seemed to have its own factor. It was bad enough converting from CUP to PSI, but trying to tell people (and this is just an estimate, don’t use these as numbers to go by) that where they could use a plus-12 percent CUP-to-PSI factor for the .293, the .34-06 used a plus-15 percent, and the .305 used a plus-nine percent. (And, yes, I deliberately used nonsense calibers. Don’t try to decipher them, there is no pattern, nor any useful info beyond what I just told you.)
There was no way to formulate an equation for a “universal translator” of CUP to PSI. Give it up, forget the conspiracy theories your gun club buddy tells you, just accept the new info for what it is.
The NATO spec for 5.56 has a higher “ceiling,” but it’s also measured slightly differently, and, again, there is no handy-dandy conversion. The SAAMI method measures pressure at the middle of the case. NATO (the European measuring group is known as C.I.P.) measures at the case mouth. A CIP-spec 5.56X45, measured at the case mouth, shows a pressure of 62,000. Measured at the case middle, as SAAMI does, it shows 60,000 units of pressure.
Here we see the chips from a 5.56-marked barrel that obviously wasn’t.
.223 vs 5.56: Things Get Ugly
But the problem isn’t just pressure. That CIP pressure of 62,000 PSI? It is measured in a 5.56 chamber. If we take the same round, which shows 60,000 PSI/SAAMI (still 5,000 PSI over the .223 max) and put it into a .223 chamber, things get ugly. Really ugly, and really quickly. The pressure spike piles onto an already over-pressure round. I’ve talked to professional ballisticians, guys who use million-dollar labs to measure ammo for their ammo manufacturing bosses. (You know, those guys with the computers and transducers than can measure pressure by the thousandth of a second or finer.) They have reported some instances of 5.56 ammo in .223-chambered pressure barrels demonstrating peak pressures at or above 75,000 PSI. That is the pressure of the proof load each rifle gets tested with at the rifle maker’s, before shipping.
On a good .223 barrel, the reamer will only remove steel in the neck and throat area. It stops when it is done.
Proof loads, for those who aren’t remembering, are the deliberate, plus-30 percent loads that each rifle maker fires, once per gun, in their rifles before they ship them. They do so in the full expectation that the rifle will do just fine. Once. More is abusive, stupid and asking for trouble.
At this point, many an advocate of “there is no difference” will say “I’ve shot thousands of rounds through my AR and it hasn’t given me any problems.” I’ve worked in gun shops for too many years to accept round-counts mentioned across the counter at face value. Nothing personal guys, but the true number of rounds fired is typically a quarter to a tenth of the asserted number. I teach law enforcement patrol rifle classes in the summer, and I see how much work (and have done it myself) it takes to run 1,000 rounds through a rifle. If your buddy says “Yea, we went to the range this weekend and put a thousand rounds through each rifle,” he’s exaggerating. And if he isn’t, you do not want to borrow any of his rifles, as a thousand rounds in two days is enough to smoke the barrel.
Also, most shooters haven‘t fired enough real 5.56 ammunition to actually test their rifle. Almost all the “generic” ammo you shoot is not 5.56. Oh, it says “.223 Remington/5.56” on it, but it isn’t really 5.56. The high-volume, low-cost bulk ammunition that most of us use is not loaded right to the red line. I’ve chrono’d enough of it to know that much of it falls 100 to 200 fps short of full-book 5.56 spec. That right there is enough to make it no big deal chamber pressure-wise, because the peak pressure of the .223 load is sufficiently less than that of the 5.56 that the artificially-induced spike still falls below the pressure ceiling.
The extra pressure produces faster wear on your rifle. Since most shooters don’t shoot enough to wear out their rifles in any reasonable time frame, the extra wear is hardly noticed. But you can have a serious problem if the variables stack up against you in a range session. Rifles get hot when you shoot them. They also get hot in the summer, in the heat and the sun.
So there you are on a hot summer day, shooting your supply of real-deal 5.56-spec ammo through your .223-chambered rifle. The summer sun beats down and pressures rise. Black rifles left in the sun can easily reach 140 degrees even before they’re fired. Add to that the temperature increases from shooting, and you have some real heat problems coming on. Let’s make it worse: the particular lot of your 5.56 ammo is at the top of the allowed pressure and at the bottom of the allowed brass hardness. The ammo maker tested it in a 5.56-chambered test barrel and, while it was in the top end of the allowed specs, it is within the safety margin.
You’re having a blast, when all of a sudden your rifle stops working. What happened? Well, the heat increased the already maximum-made-excessive pressure and, on extracting a fired case, the pressure had expanded the case enough for a primer to fall out of the primer pocket and into your rifle. Actually, it probably has been losing primers for the last couple of magazines—pick up and inspect all your brass. You’ll see you’ve been losing ne or two primers per magazine. But it wasn’t until one fell into your action and tied things up that you noticed.
How bad can this get? In a patrol rifle class last year, a police officer was pushing his safety back to Safe (and the selector was resisting), when the rifle suddenly spat out a three-shot burst, then stopped working entirely. He’d blown a primer, and the anvil of the primer had wedged under the trigger in just such a way as to create the burst. Typically, the primer wedges under the trigger in such a way as to keep the rifle from shooting at all. Either way, not good.
Hours in making, days in shipping, months on the shelf, a moment to expend, and perhaps a lifetime hanging on the results. Ammo makers know this and make the best ammo they can.
.223 vs 5.56: Solving the Problem
One solution would be to only use .223-spec ammo. That can be okay, but, if you find a deal on 5.56 ammo, it kind of makes no sense to buy a “deal” you can’t use. Also, some of the best ammo for some applications is 5.56-only. Plus, you can’t control the outside temperature and probably not how much ammo you may need to fire. It would be nice to have a rifle that handled 5.56 with aplomb. But how? To begin with, you have to be able to measure what is there.
The first thing you have to know is this isn’t about headspace. A headspace gauge only tells you the dimensions of the shoulder and case body, not the neck and leade. You need a leade/throat gauge, and for that you need to get a .223/5.56? Gage (yes, the “?” and misspelled “Gage” are the part of the correctly named product), from Michiguns (www.m-guns.com). I have to be up front and tell you that I have known Ned, the inventor, for nearly 30 years. I don’t get anything but thanks from him for recommending his great gizmo, and I think it is useful enough that I’d recommend it if I didn’t know or even like him.
The Gage is simple and ground to just under the maximum specs of a 5.56 leade/throat. Drop it in and, if it drops free, you have a 5.56 leade. If it sticks (it is hardened steel, don’t pound it in), you have a .223 leade. If you’re curious and want to know just where exactly it is catching, you can mark it up with a felt-tip pen and, with a little careful turning (clockwise), you can see where it rubs. If you are really curious, browse through your Brownells catalog—you do have a Brownells catalog, don’t you? You don’t? Get one, before you get severe deductions from your man-card—and order Cerrosafe. Cerrosafe is a special metal alloy with a low melting point. You push a cleaning patch until it is in front of your chamber, heat the Cerrosafe, pour it in the chamber and let it cool. Once cool, you push it out of the chamber, and now you have a cast of the chamber, throat, and leade. You can inspect and measure to your heart’s content.
So, with the Gage or Cerrosafe you find that you have a .223 chamber and you wanted a 5.56. If the rifle is still brand-new, you can send it back. However, the maker probably only has more barrels of the same kind from the same maker, and you may not get a 5.56 no matter how many times you ask. So, you need a specialized reamer. One that cuts the leade and the leade only. (You don’t want your headspace changed.) Ned makes that, also. Now, I can hear some of you saying, “But, I have a chromed barrel, I don’t want to cut the chrome!” Okay, stick with a chromed .223, that’s fine.
But, if you want a 5.56 leade, yes, the reamer will remove chrome. But guess what? The area being cut is the area where the chrome is blasted off first, so if you’ve put more than a few hundred rounds down your barrel, there’s probably not much chrome left there anyway, especially if you did rapid-fire shooting or heated the barrel up to the point where you had to wait for it to cool.
In all fairness, you don’t have to have Ned’s reamer. Other various reamer makers will be happy to supply you with a 5.56-spec finish reamer. You just have to be aware that a finish reamer will also ream the shoulder, if you aren’t careful. So, you may go in attempting solely to make a 5.56 throat and end up creating excessive headspace along the way. Ned’s reamer does not cut on the chamber shoulder at all, therefore, when you feel it stop cutting, you are safely done. It also makes a leade longer even than that of 5.56, though by a small margin.
What’s that, another protest? “But my barrel is marked 5.56, I can’t have a problem.” Alas, that is not the case.
At my latest LEO patrol rifle class, I chamber-gauged the two dozen rifles the officers had brought. All but two were marked “5.56.” One of those was an M16A1 and the other had a completely unmarked barrel. Of the 24 rifles, six failed the .223/5.56? Gage test. Two of those were not just .223-chambered, but clearly on the small side of the dimensions, as I had to use force to remove the Gage.
How can this be? Remember how barrels are made. The manufacturer uses a chambering reamer to turn the chamber out of the back and of the barrel blank. As reamers dull, they are re-sharpened. Each sharpening makes them fractionally smaller. Reamers start at the maximum size and, as they “shrink” from repeated sharpening, the chamber they cut also changes. Once they get to the minimum, they are discarded and a new reamer is employed. Well, some use reamers for a bit too long, and the chamber cut can be at minimum or smaller dimension.
Of those six that failed the Gage, three ended up showing pressure signs later in the class, so we reamed them with the Michiguns reamer and those problems went away. Two of them were the markedly undersized barrels. The other barrels/rifles continued to work, but for how long? They may have been getting fed .223-pressure ammunition, and thus would not show pressure signs.
Having a .223 chamber in your AR is a greater concern than just the social ostracism of having a rifle that is “not Mil-Spec.” However, it is something you can test and fix, if needed. Me, I’ve long-since checked all my rifles, and those that didn’t pass the test have been corrected.
A view of Bob Petersen’s gun room. Cased sets were located in the drawers below the main display counter.
The NRA’s National Firearms Museum, established in 1935, proudly boasts a collection of nearly 6,000 firearms and twice that number of accoutrements and related items. The overwhelming majority of the National Firearms Museum’s holdings have come from the more than generous contributions of members, friends, and industry.
Recently, a gift from the estate of Robert E. Petersen, of Los Angeles, to the National Firearms Museum set a record in philanthropy to the National Rifle Association (NRA), with a nearly $20 million gift, the largest in the 140-year history of the NRA.
The National Firearms Museum’s Robert E. Petersen Gallery is 2,000 square feet and contains 425 of the finest American and European firearms.
Through the generosity of Mr. Petersen’s widow, Margie Petersen, 425 firearms from his lifelong collection of historic, rare, and extraordinary sporting arms were given to the National Firearms Museum, with the only requirement being that anything gifted to the museum must be displayed. The National Firearms Museum staff proudly opened its newest exhibit, The Robert E. Petersen Gallery, to the general public on October 8, 2010. The opening marked the culmination of Petersen’s dream of sharing his extraordinary collection of firearms with the world. The collection is on permanent display at the National Firearms Museum, where it will be preserved for the education and enjoyment of future generations.
Husband, father, veteran, publisher, restaurateur, outdoorsman, automobile enthusiast, philanthropist, and friend are all words that partially describe Robert E. Petersen. Born in 1926, in Barstow, California, he proudly served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. Following his service in the war, he started a hobbyist magazine for car racing enthusiasts titled Hot Rod. From that initial venture he built the Petersen Publishing empire that included 39 monthly periodicals by the time he sold the company, in 1996.
Petersen published a number of iconic American magazines including Hot Rod, Guns & Ammo, Sports Afield, Petersen’s Hunting, and Motor Trend, just to name a few. He hunted on nearly every continent and was credited with being the first person to ever take a polar bear with a .44 Magnum handgun. (Both the revolver and the bear are on exhibit in the National Firearms Museum.) He also served as Commissioner of Shooting Sports for the XXIII Olympiad, held in 1984, in Los Angeles.
This Colt Model 1883 Gatling Gun is marked “U.S. Navy” and is thought to be the only surviving example complete with its original naval deck mount.
Pete, as he was called by his friends and his wife, Margie (1936- 2011), first established a relationship with the NRA’s National Firearms Museum in the early 1990s, when they loaned a substantial part of his antique Colt’s collection for display. Since that time, the National Firearms Museum has always been fortunate to exhibit priceless treasures from Pete’s personal collection.
It was through Margie’s vision and generosity that the National Firearms Museum’s 2,000 square-foot Petersen Gallery was made possible. While every firearm selected for exhibit is exceptional in its own way, notable highlights include:
• Largest collection of fine double rifles on display to the public. • Exceptional collection of high-end double barrel shotguns. • Largest Gatling gun collection on public display (10 Gatlings). • Guns owned and used by noted individuals such as Annie Oakley, John Olin, Robert Stack, Julian Hatcher, John F. Kennedy, Hermann Goering, and Elmer Keith.
While the collection is broad and varied, if there is a pervasive theme, it is that of the finest sporting arms in the world, including those by gun makers such as Beretta, Boss, Holland & Holland, Purdey, Fabbri, Galazan, Westley Richards, Parker, Browning, and Rizzini.
“The Empire Gun” by Holland & Holland is a 28-gauge Holland Royal, featuring gold inlay by Allan M. Brown. It is thought to be the most exquisite Holland & Holland in the Petersen collection.
Of special inclusion in the Petersen gift are the world-renowned Parker Invincibles—considered by many to be the finest and most valuable set of American-made guns in existence—a “baby” Paterson revolver, and the Grover Cleveland 8-gauge Colt’s double-barrel shotgun. The Parkers and the Colt 8-gauge have been on loan to the museum since 2001.
Ken Elliott, a personal friend of the Petersens for over 45 years and an employee for 35 of those years, was Vice President and Executive Publisher of Petersen Publishing’s Outdoor Division at the time the company was sold in 1996. After attending the gala opening of the museum gallery, he remarked that, “The Petersen Gallery is indicative of the man. It is what he was all about, from showing the guns he loved to shoot to the finest guns ever created. The gallery is about the man and his passions.”
The Nock Volley Gun is a .46-caliber seven-barreled English sea service arm used during the age of Admiral Nelson. This original behemoth was used by Richard Widmark in his role as Jim Bowie in the 1960 John Wayne film The Alamo.The Colt New Frontier was named after JFK’s 1961 Presidential Inaugural address. This is one of two Colt New Frontiers that were made as presentation pieces to the thirty-fifth President.
Garry James, another personal family friend and former employee of Petersens, and who now works as the Senior Editor of Guns & Ammo magazine, was a close confidant to Bob Petersen and someone the publisher relied upon for advice and knowledge, when it came to selecting an antique firearm for potential acquisition.
Garry recalled recently, “It was a sincere privilege to work for Mr. Petersen and to be able to help him build his extraordinary collection. From 1971 until his unfortunate and untimely passing in 2007, it was always interesting and a great deal of fun to play a role in assembling what, by many accounts, is certainly one of the most historically significant and remarkable private firearms collections ever assembled.”
He added, “The Petersen Gallery at the National Firearms Museum is a fitting tribute and executed in a manner that would have made both Bob and Margie feel that their legacy is in caring and appreciative hands.”
This Colt Detective Special “Vampire Hunter” revolver was engraved by Leonard Francolini at the Colt factory. Sterling sliver bullets with carved vampire heads complete the ensemble.
The Robert E. Petersen Gallery replaces the National Firearms Museum’s former introduction and orientation space, with a dazzling array of 15 display cases that highlight more than 400 rifles, pistols, and shotguns, as well as his collection of Gatling guns, the famous Colt’s display boards from 1918, and the spectacular Harrington & Richardson 1876 Centennial display board.
This gallery is now a permanent fixture of the museum and is open to the public daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The National Firearms Museum is located at 11250 Waples Mill Road in Fairfax, Virginia. There is no admission fee. For more information about the National Firearms Museum, visit www.NRAmuseum.com.
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While having the ability to shoot through the pocket of your winter duty jacket may give you the edge in a lethal force encounter, we need to understand that this technique will probably work best for us at arm’s length or less.
