Gun Digest is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews and practical how-to instructions. With your Subscription, you’ll also learn about threats to your Second Amendment rights. Click here to begin your subscription to Gun Digest.
Inside this issue:
Smith & Wesson Model 327 Performance Center
Performance Handloading for AR-Style Rifles
Your AR as a .50 BMG
Gun Review: Rossi Circuit Judge
Gun shows, auctions, classifieds and more!
Not a subscriber? Make sure you don’t miss another issue! Subscribe now
PHILADELPHIA – A Temple University student and a 15-year-old boy are both in the hospital after the two exchanged gunfire early Monday morning, police said.
Police said the shootings followed a botched robbery attempt by the teen in the 2300 block of North 12th Street, north of Dauphin Street and off-campus.
Police said the 15-year-old tried to rob Michael Eels in front of his house. But when Eels refused to give him money, the teen started shooting.
A gunman wielding an AK-47 opened fire on a table of uniformed National Guard members at an IHOP restaurant on Tuesday, killing four people, including three members of the National Guard. He died after shooting himself.
CARSON CITY, Nev. —
The burst of bullets came suddenly in Nevada's capital.
Just before 9 a.m., the gunman stepped onto an IHOP parking lot from his blue minivan with a yellow “Support Our Troops” sticker on it. He opened fire, then continued into the restaurant and marched resolutely toward a table of uniformed National Guard members before shooting each one of them, and fatally wounding three of them, authorities said.
Eduardo Sencion would kill three people and wound eight others in all before shooting himself in the head in front of a bustling business complex in an unexplained display of violence Tuesday. One of the wounded, a woman and National Guard member, would later die at an area hospital.
“I wish I had shot at him when he was going in the IHOP,” said Swagler, who owns Locals BBQ & Grill. “But when he came at me, when somebody is pointing an automatic weapon at you – you can't believe the firepower, the kind of rounds coming out of that weapon.”
The gunfire prompted Ralph Swagler, the owner of a nearby barbecue restaurant, to grab his weapon. But when Sencion started toward him, Swagler backed away. Read more
On a 4 to 1 vote, commissioners in Sedgwick County, Kansas have approved a resolution to allow concealed carry in most, though not all, county government buildings.
“The people have the right to keep and bear arms and we shouldn't arbitrarily infringe upon that right,” Commissioner Richard Ranzau said during deliberations, as reported by KSN Television.
Some county officials, though, argued against the change, including District Attorney Nola Foulston.
“This is a public safety issue, and one that could cause tragedy,” Foulston said.
Ranzau disagreed.
“Any statement that alleges public safety will be jeopardized and an environment of fear will be created as a result of this resolution is not based on reality nor is it supported by the facts,” Ranzau said. Under the new regulations, “The buildings that will allow [concealed carry]…include 10 fire stations, the historic courthouse, and four county tag offices, but not the main courthouse.”
New York State Senator Patty Ritchie (R-Heuvelton) has sent a letter to officials at Wal Mart, asking why Wal Mart stores in New York apparently require customers to present a state pistol permit when buying handgun ammunition.
As a press release from Ritchie’s office explained, “While New York State and the federal government impose age requirements, neither requires customers to show their pistol permit [when purchasing ammunition]. Ritchie asked the company if it is collecting personal information from gun owners that could jeopardize their privacy and safety if it were to fall into the hands of unscrupulous individuals.”
In her letter, the senator wrote, “Please advise me whether this policy reflects the standard practice in the industry. I would also appreciate any suggestions you may have concerning possible legislation that I may propose to address this issue to ensure that gun owners’ rights are protected.”
Ritchie added, “We in the State Senate have rejected efforts to restrict the sale of ammunition to law abiding gun owners.”
Ritchie represents the 48th Senate District, which includes western St. Lawrence County, and all of Jefferson and Oswego counties.
Police in the Town of Oconomowoc continue to look into a fatal shooting of 39-year-old James Babe. One of their tasks is to determine whether it was a case of self defense or murder. The shooter said his attorney wouldn't let him say much, but described the event as a matter of saving himself and his personal property.
The family of the man shot and killed is in shock. They admit he had past run-ins with the law, but cleaned up and was on the right path.
Police say they responded to a burglary call that turned into a fatal shooting. What prompted the gunfire is a question investigators are looking into. Police say Babe was shot and killed. Read more
The top cluster was a 100-yard benchrest group, while the bottom group was shot off-hand using the leather sling and kneeling position. While the top group indicates this load is not very accurate, note that the off-hand group, other than point of impact being lower, was only slightly larger. The rifle is a custom-made .280 Ackley Improved. The sling is the National Match version from Turner Saddlery.
Hang around the Gun Digest offices long enough and eventually you begin to daydream about obscure topics that surely would strike most normal people as odd. Reading old issues of the Gun Digest only fuels the fire. As such, my thoughts have recently begun to drift toward — what else? — the military leather sling.
There are practical reasons for this, namely the realization that my shooting skills are not up to snuff. I officially blame today's gear — bipods, custom rests, shooting sticks, “lead sleds” and other such things — designed to anchor your firearm in what amounts to a vice, so all you have to do is pull the trigger and watch as rounds pile into a nice, tiny little group. But convenience comes with a price. And while each of these shooting accessories have their place, I have only myself to blame for allowing them to become a crutch.
If you don't believe me, grab your rifle while standing or kneeling and peer through the scope at a 100-yard target. Watch with horror as your crosshairs sway to and fro, on the target and off again. In my case, it's as if they were being guided by a drunk sailor bumbling across the deck of a ship in rough seas. Actually, it's amazing I've ever managed to fill any deer tag. When I recently tried this exercise, the phrase “Minute of Cardboard” (which was an improvement over “Minute of Dump Truck”) came to mind, aptly coined in what ended up being a transparent attempt to add some level of dignity to my gross ineptitude with a rifle.
The military, and the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP), both teach good old-fashioned marksmanship skills, and the leather sling is still a cornerstone in the technique. In the decade or so following World War II, there seems to have been more focus placed on practical rifle shooting skills and the use of the leather sling in particular than there is in today's shooting press. For example, the 1950 4th Edition of the Gun Digest contains an article by C. M. Palmer, Jr. which well-represents this “old school” way of thinking. In How to Shoot a Target Rifle, Palmer writes:
The important function of the sling is that of making the shooter and his rifle an inseparable and unbeatable combination. It ties the two together literally, and holds them together rigidly in the proper shooting positions. Getting into the sling is simple though some people make a mess of it without half trying.
An article in the 1950 edition of Gun Digest illustrates how to use the military leather sling and body position to create a solid off-hand shooting platform.
I wasn't half trying when I made a mess of it; no, I'd put all my heart into it (and a dandy mess it was). Try to imagine a dysfunctional ex-zoo monkey trying to solve a rubix cube dipped in grease from a deep-fryer. It was not pretty. You would think that a sling would be a simple thing to master. But the military leather variety, to the uninitiated, seems like a cruel trick. There are two sections, one loop, two keepers, two metal hooks (known as “frogs,” just to make things interesting), and dozens of sets of holes. To make matters worse, when the sling is new the leather is so stiff the frogs won't “go” into the holes without considerable pushing, pulling and tugging — heaving with eye-popping force the likes of which elicits the most God-awful grunting noises you have ever heard coming from a gun room. If you have close neighbors, it is best to close the windows, and wear safety glasses, when doing this.
After my leather sling arrived from the folks at Turner Saddlery, staring at this wonder of modern engineering left me thinking, “How hard can this possibly be?” The question answered itself. With a little practice, though, some help from M/Sgt. James R. Owens USMC (Ret.) and his swell little pamphlet, The Leather Sling and Shooting Positions, advice from old issues of Gun Digest to stoke the dream and I was off to the range on a wing and a prayer. Even more comical than mastery of the sling itself is the act of getting into the thing and then into one of the four shooting positions — standing, kneeling, sitting and prone — which sounds easy enough but actually requires much practice and patience.
The key is to use the sling and the bone structure of the body, together. Palmer explains:
These positions have been studied carefully after many years of shooting experience. They are scientifically and mechanically correct to give the shooter the greatest possible support with the minimum of muscular effort. They aim to utilize the rigidity of the bones to hold the weapon rather than the uncertainty of the muscles. The best shooting position is that which transforms the shooter into a solid gun mount.
Most shooters spend their entire time shooting from a bench chasing after smaller and smaller groups. Your rifle's actual accuracy (more properly described as precision) will always be better than your field-shooting accuracy, or off-hand ability. Thus, more time spent learning the military leather sling and off-hand shooting positions will reap big rewards in the game fields or tactical environments where fast shooting may be the only option.
So how did it work? At first I felt fortunate to get pie-plate sized groups at 100 yards off-hand. But by locking into the leather sling (technically I was using a variant position known as the “hasty” sling), my groups tigthened right down to around four inches — a marked improvement over shooting without the sling.
The bottom line is this: Rely too much on mechanical gun rests, rather than honing the shooting discipline, and your ability to place rounds on target in real-life scenarios will suffer. Like Clint Smith of Thunder Ranch says, You won't shoot better under stress, you'll shoot worse. So yank that rifle out of its vice, wrap arm in leather, and get to work.
The man who led the controversial Fast and Furious anti-gun-trafficking operation will step down as the interim head of Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Justice Department announced Tuesday as it named a new acting director for the agency.
Kenneth Melson, the bureau’s acting director, on Wednesday will move to the Office of Legal Policy, where he will be a senior adviser on forensic science, the department said without making reference to the failed gun-tracking operation that is alleged to have ultimately put guns into the hands of criminals. Dennis Burke, the U.S. Attorney in Arizona who oversaw prosecutions in that state related to the Fast and Furious operation, is also stepping down, the department said.
Ken brings decades of experience at the department and extensive knowledge in forensic science to his new role, and I know he will be a valuable contributor on these issues,” Attorney General Eric Holder said of Melson in a statement. “As he moves into this new role, I want to thank Ken for his dedication to the department over the last three decades.”
Melson’s replacement is B. Todd Jones, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota. Jones “is a demonstrated leader who brings a wealth of experience to this position,” Holder said. “I have great confidence that he will be a strong and steady influence guiding ATF in fulfilling its mission of combating violent crime by enforcing federal criminal laws and regulations in the firearms and explosives industries.”
Melson took the top spot at the ATF on an interim basis in 2009 and oversaw the execution of Fast and Furious, an effort that was aimed at rooting out gun smugglers selling weapons to Mexican cartels. Ultimately, the ATF lost track of as many as 2,000 guns that were sold during the operation, including two that were found near the scene of the killing of a Border Patrol agent. Read more
Pike County Illinois forced to consider Constitutional Carry.
In Pike County, Illinois, Dan Mefford, a chiropractor from Pittsfield, has begun a movement to get a constitutional carry referendum on the election ballot for March of 2012. If successful, such a ballot referendum, “could lead to the state being forced to recognize this right as well, and to expand it to include the rest of Illinois,” Gather, a community-based news website, has reported.
Illinois, of course, is the only state which prohibits any sort of carry, concealed or otherwise, by its citizens.
“What we're doing is making a statement…we want to put it in front of the people and let people speak,” said Medford. “The time has come to stand up and be counted instead of imploring and begging and pleading with our Chicago Machine Rulers to pass a concealed carry law…”
Time and again, citizens and their representatives from many parts of Illinois have tried to make concealed carry legal in Illinois. Law enforcement has also supported it. All for naught. Whenever the issue has come up in the State Legislature, Democratic politicians from Chicago have invariably killed those efforts.
FORT MYERS — Guns and ammunition no longer would be considered a prohibited “weapon” at Southwest Florida International Airport, if Lee County officials approve a proposed change to a local law.
Lee commissioners are expected Tuesday to decide whether to set a Sept. 27 public hearing to make that change to the airport ordinance and to allow guns and ammunition on airport property.
Under an order Gov. Rick Scott signed in June of this year, Lee commissioners already removed language in local ordinances that had prohibited carrying guns in public parks.
Now, Lee County Attorney Michael Hunt said a change to the airport ordinance is necessary to comply with the new state law, which says no local government can control the carrying of firearms as of Oct. 1.
So although Lee commissioners are over the Lee County Port Authority, which operates Southwest Florida International Airport, they wouldn’t be able to control whether someone can enter the passenger terminal with a permitted firearm.
“After Oct. 1, the state will have to try to figure that out,” Hunt said.
Any official who tries to enact local gun control measures can receive a $5,000 fine and even be removed from office by the governor. Read more
Nevada passes background check exemption legislation, under review by ATF.
Thanks to a letter written by a concerned citizen, Nevada owners of a concealed weapons (CCW) permit may soon be able to purchase more firearms without further background checks and the associated $25 fee.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE, also commonly referred to as ATF) is reviewing legislation passed this last session to determine if Nevada again qualifies for an exemption from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) check. If the legislation meets BATFE requirements, the federal agency will issue an open letter to Nevada federal firearms licensees, or dealers, informing them a CCW permit will now suffice for firearm purchases.
For Nevada gun owners, that means they will forego additional background checks and the associated $25 fee charged by the state, as long as they can produce a valid CCW permit when purchasing a firearm.
A BATFE spokeswoman confirmed that the agency is reviewing the Nevada law, but could not say if or when the exemption would be granted.
“All we’re trying to do is talk to the ATF and make sure they have everything they need,” said Frank Adams, executive director of the Nevada Sheriffs and Chiefs Association (NSCA) in Mesquite. “We’re expecting an answer shortly. I don’t have a crystal ball.”
The NSCA initially said it would contact BATFE via a formal letter, but at its July meeting the group opted to delay action until its September meeting at the request of the sheriffs of Clark and Washoe counties, said Adams.
“They wanted to study the impact because they anticipate a huge influx of new applications,” he said. Read more
If you are a firearms collector or entertain the idea of becoming one, the collecting of Walther manufactured firearms is a very exciting and rewarding venture. With Walthers you have a wide range of firearms that the Walther Company manufactured — or is manufacturing — from which to choose. There are rifles, shotguns, pistols and flare and air guns. All have different models, variations of the models, calibers and gauges. Second, if you become knowledgeable in the field your purchases should increase in value not only allowing you to have the excitement of collecting, but the accumulation of equity in your collection.
The Walther Company, led by its family members, have been manufacturing firearms since 1886 when Carl Walther founded a gun shop in the town of Zella, which was later incorporated into the town of Zella-Mehlis, Germany. At first, Walther produced shotguns and rifles. Later, Fritz Walther, Carl’s oldest son, joined the firm and brought his genius for design to the company and it expanded its production into pistols.
Although the Walther Company has produced many types of pistols from the early 1900s, the Models PP and PPK were latecomers on the automatic pistol scene when compared to such pistol manufacturers such as Mauser, Luger and Colt as they did not make their appearance until 1929. However, shortly thereafter they were being sold in all parts of the world. These beautifully-made guns were the first of the original double-action blowback semi-automatic pistols. They had a successful commercial design with a high polished blue finish that was second to none.
The Walther Model 6.
A few years after the Models PP and PPK appearance on the world’s firearm market, Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist German Workers Party took over the reigns of the German government, the military and the police. It was then that a majority of the Walther production was contracted for by the NSDAP, German army and the national police.
With the emergence of the NSDAP as the power in Germany, the increase in military power was ordered, and the Army High Command-OKH-Heereswaffenamt began placing contracts with the Walther Company for both the Walther Models PP and PPK. Most of the models were contracted in caliber 7.65mm.
There were contracts for a smaller amount of Model PP in caliber 9mm Kurz and even less in the Model PPK in the same caliber. Depending on their serial number range, these pistols showed Crown over N. or Eagle over N. nitro proofing on the right side of the pistol’s slide, barrel and chamber. The military acceptance proofs, Eagle over 359 and Eagle over WaA359 were placed on the left side of the pistol’s slide and frame to the rear of the model designation and to the rear of the trigger on the frame.
The Models PP and PPK with the Waffenamt proofs began with a high polished blue finish on each pistol. But as the years progressed toward the end of World War II and the labor diminished these models showed a milled finish. The following is a short description of the Models PP and PPK bearing the Waffenamt proofs.
The first of the Models PP and PPK with the high polished blue finish had the Eagle over 359 proof on the left side of the slide and frame with an occasional proof on the left rear of the slide at the tang. Grips were black on the Model PP and brown on the Model PPK.
The second series of proofs was the Eagle over WaA359. These too were found on high polished Models PP and PPK except there was no proof on the rear of the slide at the tang. Grips were black and brown respectively.
The third series was the Eagle over WaA359 found on the milled finish models till the end of World War II. On these later pistols the proofs remained in the same location on the pistols with some changes in the pistols themselves. On the Model PP you will find the standard two-piece black grips as well as reddish colored grips.
Walther Model PPK with Party Leader Grips.
Near the end of World War II Walther pressed its wood grips with the Walther Banner. On some of the late PP models there will be an AC proof on the right side of the slide in conjunction with the serial number. Some of the late Waffenamt Model PPs will have no legends or inscriptions on the left side of the slide. These models have flat frames with no step at the trigger guard hinge, and some have no indicator pin. On the Model PPK, the pistol will have the standard brown, one piece wraparound Walther grips and will be found with grayish grips as well as black ones.
The Model PP and PPK in 9mm Kurz are both fairly rare pistols. With Waffenamt proofs they are even rarer. These pistols usually have bottom magazine releases. Their magazines will have the Walther Banner and Cal. 9mm on the left side of the magazine. Many of the 9mm Kurz models had the magazines numbered to the serial number on the pistol. These 9mm Kurz models all had a high polished finish.
There were earlier manufactured Walthers that were used by the military. Walther began to manufacture pistols in 1908 with their production of the Model 1. The Model 4, produced in 1910, was their first really successful pistol. This semiautomatic was the approximate size of the Model PPK that saw use in World War I although there are no records showing that the German military placed a contract with the Walther Company. Most were carried as sidearms by officers of the German Imperial Army. The Model 6 was basically a large Model 4 in caliber 9mm Parabellum.
It was designed for the German Imperial Army in 1915. It was the first pistol that Walther designed and produced for the military and the first Walther in 9mm parabellum. It was produced for a period of two years and there were probably less than 1500 manufactured. After the war, some Model 6s remained at the factory. They were proofed “Made in Germany” and exported, some to the United States. In the United States the Model 6 is quite rare and commands a high price.
The Model 7 was a small version of the Model 6 in 6.35mm. Walther produced these pistols for the military for about six months. They were carried by many German officers. Although in 6.35mm it was the largest 6.35mm pistol produced by Walther at the time.
In 1920 and 1921 Walther produced both the Models 8 and 9 for commercial sales. They were the first of the modern Walthers with many features seen later in the Models PP and PPK. Both these pistols were favorites of German officers in World War II as hide-out pistols. However, the Model 8 was carried by many officers in a holster on their belt.
The military Model PPK is more difficult to find than the Model PP. The high polished pistols in both models are both fairly rare. It will take some time for a collector to put a collection of Waffenamt Models PP and PPK together, but with perseverance one should be quite pleased with his or her collection. One should remember in the collecting of firearms, Walthers or any other maker, condition is everything.
This article appeared in the Standard Catalog of Military Firearms, 6th Edition.
On March 6, 1906, Morris F. Smith of Philadelphia received Patent No. 314,242 for an “automatic gas-operated rifle.” That rifle was the Model G, which had a swell buttplate (left).
The road to progress is not without its occasional pothole. One notable example with firearms is the Cochran Turret Revolver, an early percussion handgun in which the rotating, slab-like cylinder was mounted flat on its side with its chambers pointing outward like the spokes of a wheel. Thus, at any given moment, at least one of the loaded chambers was always pointed backward — toward the shooter. (Oops!)
The Late, Great Model G
Another example is the Standard Model G, America’s first gas-operated semiautomatic sporting rifle. Arguably the most unique American rifle — a combination autoloader and pump repeater — the Model G was a lesson in how even the best concept can go astray. We must pity Morris F. Smith of Philadelphia, Pa., who thought the thing up.
Not much is known of Smith. We know, however, that on March 6, 1906, he was awarded Patent No. 314,242 for an “automatic gas-operated rifle,” illustrated nearby.
Gas-operated arms were nothing new; John Browning had designed a workable gas-operated machine gun, the Colt Potato Digger, nearly a decade earlier. But no one had yet adapted the force of expanding gas to a semiautomatic sporting rifle until Smith did so.
Other types of semiauto sporting rifles were available in 1906. Winchester’s Model 1903 (later the Model 63) .22 Self-Loading Rifle was already a smash hit. Also that year, Browning designed a high-powered semiauto that would still be offered a half-century later: the classic Remington Model 8 (later the M81). Winchester followed the 1903 with the models 1905 and 1907 centerfire semiautos, the latter of which only succumbed to the wheels of progress in 1957. But until the Model G, the only autoloaders that made it into production in America were the Remington and Winchester’s self-loaders.
All those rifles were based on long-recoil (Remington) or straight blowback (Winchester) actions. True, Winchester’s William Mason had begun work on an experimental gas-operated autoloader about 1900, but it never made it past the prototype stage. Nowadays, when almost every centerfire semiauto rifle and shotgun is gas-operated, we should remember that it started with the Standard Model G.
Smith’s patent specification pretty well summed up the idea behind the Model G: “My present invention relates to firearms or guns in which powder-gas pressure developed in firing is utilized for actuating the working parts in reloading after each shot is fired.”
So far, so good. In the next line, however, Mr. Smith entered the realm of fiction: “(The object) is to greatly simplify the mechanism of such a gun and to render it more reliable in action and more durable in use.” “Reliable?” “Durable?” Does the Model G’s “mechanism” in the patent drawing above appear to be simplified to you?
Problems Abound
Nowadays, we can be sure that Smith was the only person who ever used those terms with the Standard Model G. Soon after its introduction in 1910 by the Standard Arms Co. of Wilmington, Del., the Model G acquired a toxic and enduring reputation as a jammer.
All guns jam, of course. It goes with the territory. But the Model G brought a new dimension to the word “jam.” When other guns jam, you spend a few minutes monkeying with a stovepiped shell casing or, at worst, a broken extractor. When a Model G jams, however, your shooting is finished for the day — if not the week.
I’m afraid I speak from experience. I have owned three Model Gs, one in each available chambering (.25, .30 and .35 Remington). Each was a heartbreaking, maddening jammer.
The problem with the Model G was that no steel then in general use could withstanding the ferocious energy of expanding powder gas.
In Smith’s design, the expanding gas bled from the barrel via an adjustable port and traveled backward toward the bolt through a gas tube below the barrel. The gas exited the tube to push against a cup-shaped piston, which was attached with a feeble crosspin to a scissors-like pair of bolt extensions. When all went well, which was too seldom, the piston thrust the bolt extensions backward, initiating the extraction-ejection-reloading cycle.
When all did not go well — usually on the third or fourth shot — the wimpy little crosspin sheared off and locked up the entire works. The shooter was done for the day (unless you count muttered profanity).
It wasn’t supposed to be that way, Standard Arms insisted. The Model G was supposed to be “the neatest looking, handiest to carry, easiest to operate, quickest to reload, best all-round automatic rifle in the world,” according to the Model G owner’s manual sent to me by friend Dan van Vorst of Palominas, Ariz.
True, the Model G had a lot going for it. It incorporated a flush-mounted, bottom-opening integral magazine that permitted the use of pointed bullets. Its gas action mitigated recoil, and its lines were surprisingly modern and businesslike.
But in the guts department, the Model G just wasn’t up to the job.
Perhaps Smith had an inkling of the weakness of his concept because he designed the Model G to function as a manually operated pump rifle, too. By closing the adjustable gas port and pressing in on a small button in the rifle’s forearm, you could rack the action much as you would that of a pump shotgun.
Let’s talk about that forearm. It might be the most beautiful or gaudiest piece of metalwork ever to grace a firearm. Cast of brass alloy, it features a bas-relief moose and assorted Germanic scrollwork. The matching buttplate, shown nearby, is probably the busiest, most intricate of all time.
Still, a pretty forearm and buttplate weren’t enough to save the Model G.
Within several years of the Model G’s introduction, as the skies over America’s hunting grounds turned blue with a chorus of curses directed at the doomed rifle, Standard Arms Co. threw in the towel. They discarded the Model G’s gas system and put their money on the pump-only Model M (as in “manual”), a dumbed-down version of the G. That was to no avail, however. By then, the Remington Model 8 had sold shooters on the virtues of the semiauto. Standard Arms Co. sank from sight without a ripple before 1920.
Attorney General Eric Holder has broken an agreement with Republicans by refusing fully to respond to questions on the growing Fast and Furious scandal, Sen. Charles Grassley alleges in an exclusive Newsmax interview.
Grassley said he allowed the nomination of Deputy Attorney General James Cole to move through the Senate in return for a pledge that questions on the gunrunning scheme would be answered.
But Holder’s Department of Justice has stonewalled since Cole was approved in June, the senior senator from Iowa said.
“We’re getting inadequate answers,” he said. “The inadequacy of the answers is a violation of the agreement that we have with the attorney general that we will get all of our questions and sub-questions answered fully, based upon the deal that we made that I would let the nomination for the deputy attorney general move through the Senate.
“Until they did that, I wasn’t going to let it move and that leveraged them to make this agreement with us and they aren’t even following their own agreement with us.”
Grassley, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, and his House counterpart, Rep. Darrell Issa of California, led the questions on Fast and Furious, a program which allowed about 1,400 weapons to be bought and taken across the Mexican border. Read more
On October 16, 1991, Hennard drove his 1987 Ford Ranger pickup truck through the front window of a Luby's Cafeteria at 1705 East Central Texas Expressway in Killeen, yelled “This is what Bell County has done to me!”, then opened fire on the restaurant's patrons and staff with a Glock 17 pistol and later a Ruger P89. About 80 people were in the restaurant at the time. He stalked, shot, and killed 23 people and wounded another 20 before committing suicide.
During the shooting, he approached Suzanna Gratia Hupp and her parents. Hupp had actually brought a handgun to the Luby's Cafeteria that day, but had left it in her vehicle due to the laws in force at the time, forbidding citizens from carrying firearms. Both of Hupp's parents were murdered that day.
SIG P226R 16-shot 9mm, above, backed up by 5-shot 38 Special S&W Model 442, below.
“Gentlemen, Choose Your Weapons”
There are several different approaches to the selection of backup guns. Predictable danger, wardrobe, training and familiarity already ingrained, and other situational factors will determine what might be the best approach on any given occasion.
On “heavy days” – i.e., high-risk situations – a pair of full-size fighting handguns makes sense. There is lots of historical precedent for this. On the Western Frontier, gun-wise lawmen from Wild Bill Hickok to Wyatt Earp carried a brace of sixguns. That is, a matched pair. Hickok wore twin Navy Colt .36 caliber cap-n’-ball revolvers, and allegedly “freshened” them daily by firing each charge in each chamber every morning in a short practice session, and then reloading with fresh powder, ball, and caps. Earp wore a pair of Colt Single Action Army revolvers, caliber 45 Colt.
Similar practices were seen in more modern times. On the night he and his team took down John Dillinger, FBI Agent Melvin Purvis was said to have been carrying a pair of Smith & Wesson Military & Police 38 Specials. That significantly outgunned the Colt Pocket Model 380 Dillinger was carrying, though it is believed that a 45 ACP bullet from the Colt Government Model of another agent was what actually killed FBI’s “Most Wanted” fugitive that night in Chicago.
Decades later the most famous member of the NYPD Stakeout Squad, Jim Cirillo, went to work each day with essentially the same gear carried by Purvis, though by then that particular Smith & Wesson was known as the Model 10. Each of Jim’s was a four-inch, with a heavy barrel on the strong-side hip and a tapered barrel version worn cross-draw as backup. Jim actually had one more backup gun on each occasion, a Colt Cobra 38 with a hammer shroud and two-inch barrel, carried in a pocket, and usually had a 14-inch barrel Ithaca 12-gauge shotgun handy to start things off.
Because most days aren’t heavy days, a much more common paradigm has long been the full-size, serious-caliber “combat handgun” as primary weapon, with a smaller and sometimes less powerful handgun for backup. Generations of cops have used tiny 25 autos for backup. While they are better than nothing, these guns are infamous for their poor stopping power, and being very tiny, they also tend to be difficult to manipulate under stress. Long before that, it was popular for lawmen to carry a six-shooter as primary, and a two-shot derringer as secondary. The derringer, fortunately, has pretty much passed from the scene.
Today, tiny 32 autos like the Seecamp, the North American Arms Guardian, and the irresistibly slim and light Kel-Tec P32 have found their way into backup position on the bodies of many police officers and armed citizens alike. In common with their predecessors, they are better than nothing, but they are also feeble in terms of the power they can put out. It is significant that when police departments issue backup guns, they normally look for something more powerful.
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.
Inside this issue:
