In the last few months, a grass-roots, federalist revolt against Washington, D.C. has begun to spread through states that are home to politically active gun owners. Montana and Tennessee have enacted state laws saying that federal rules do not apply to firearms manufactured entirely within the state, and similar bills are pending in Texas, Alaska, Minnesota, and South Carolina.
Yet the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and Explosives now claims that that not only is such a state law invalid, but “because the act conflicts with federal firearms laws and regulations, federal law supersedes the act.”
Tennessee's law already has taken effect. The BATF's letter on July 16 to firearms manufacturers and dealers in the state says “federal law requires a license to engage in the business of manufacturing firearms or ammunition, or to deal in firearms, even if the firearms or ammunition remain within the same state.”
A similar letter was sent to manufacturers and dealers in Montana, where the made-in-the-state law takes effect on October 1, 2009. Neither law permits certain large caliber weapons or machine guns, and both would bypass federal regulations including background checks for buyers and record-keeping requirements for sellers.
While this federalism-inspired revolt has coalesced around gun rights, the broader goal is to dust off a section of the Bill of Rights that most Americans probably have paid scant attention to: the Tenth Amendment. It says that “powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Read literally, the Tenth Amendment seems to suggest that the federal government's powers are limited only to what it has been “delegated,” and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1918 confirmed that the amendment “carefully reserved” some authority “to the states.” That view is echoed by statements made at the time the Constitution was adopted; New Hampshire explicitly said that states kept “all powers not expressly and particularly delegated” to the federal government. Read more
Three of the best pants pocket holsters, in the author’s opinion. Left, Ky-Tac ambidextrous with Glock 27 40. Center, right-hand Greg Kramer with 357 Glock 33. Right, left-hand Safariland pocket holster with Eagle-gripped S&W Model 442.
People have been carrying guns in their pockets ever since firearms became small enough to fit there.
Wild Bill Hickok carried one or more derringers in his pockets to back up his famous pair of 36-caliber cap ’n ball Navy Colts. Wyatt Earp testified under oath in re the deaths of Frank McLaury, William Clanton, and Thomas McLaury that he began the OK Corral shootout with his hand on the butt of a Colt Single Action Army 45 revolver in the pocket of his overcoat.
The author’s preference is a lightweight J-frame 38 in front trouser pocket on non-dominant hand side, for backup, so either hand can access a weapon.
Colt’s in-house gun shark J.H. Fitzgerald made up a pair of heavy frame New Service 45 revolvers with stubbed barrels, and wore a pair of them in leather-lined side pockets in his trousers. He made up one of those guns for Col. Rex Applegate, who packed one in a hip pocket when he bodyguarded Franklin D. Roosevelt. Legendary Border Patrol gunslick Bill Jordan was partial to a bobbed-hammer Smith & Wesson Model 37 Airweight Chief Special 38 in a hip pocket for backup and sometimes off-duty wear.
On duty or off, famed NYPD Stakeout Squad gunfighter Jim Cirillo carried a hammer-shrouded 38 Colt Cobra snubby in a trouser pocket.
Today, in the 21st Century, we don’t have the baggy pants of the Depression Years that allowed “Fitz” to carry a big-frame 45 in each pocket. But, thanks to the caprices of the fashion world, we have billowy Dockers-style trousers and BDUs. We have light, powerful handguns only dreamt of in Fitzgerald’s time. And, perhaps most important, we have the finest pocket holsters that have ever existed.
The Pocket Itself
In the olden days, the pocket was the holster. The history of the Old West tells us that Luke Short carried his Colt Thunderer double-action 41 in a leather-lined hip pocket, and used that combination to outdraw and kill a gunman deemed much more dangerous than he, “Long-Haired Jim” Courtright. Famed lawman Dallas Stoudenmire carried a pair of short-barrel Smith & Wesson single action, top-break 44s in special pants, whose hip pockets he had likewise had lined with leather by an obliging tailor.
Today, the leather-lined pocket has gone the way of the dodo bird. However, reinforced pockets designed expressly for handguns remain. A company called Betz started the trend to jackets with hidden, built-in holsters. A Betz coat can carry a full-size service auto inside next to the breast.
It’s drawn in a fashion similar to what you’d use with a shoulder holster. The Royal Robbins 5.11 Tactical vest has built-in gun pockets of similar style. Our nation’s largest sheriff’s department, comprised of several thousand uniformed deputies, orders all their uniform jackets with a special inside pocket of this kind, cut for the J-frame S&W snub-nose 38 most of their sworn personnel carry for backup. Concealed Carry Clothiers has reinforced side pockets for small handguns in their line of vests made especially for CCW carriers.
Nor have pants pockets been neglected. For decades, the troopers of a certain state have been issued two handguns, one full size and one small. The full-size gun, of course, went in a uniform belt holster. The smaller was carried in a side trouser pocket: mandatory, no exceptions. The pants were ordered with one reinforced pocket from the uniform manufacturer.
Over the years, many a trooper in that state was saved by this little pants pocket hideout. Sometimes, it happened when someone got the primary gun away and the trooper had to resort to “Plan B.” Sometimes, it was just easier to approach a stopped car with the hand inconspicuously in the pocket and wrapped around the little 38.
When danger threatened, this made for a lightning fast draw and return of fire. Over the years that department went from the 38 Special as a primary service revolver, to the 357 Magnum, to the 9mm auto, to their currently issued 40-caliber service automatic. The backup has stayed pretty much the same: a small-frame Smith & Wesson revolver with short barrel. The current issue is the Model 640-1 “hammerless” 357 Magnum, loaded with +P+ Hydra-Shok 38 Special ammunition.
“Civilians” have not been neglected. Blackie Collins created special jeans for pistol-packers, appropriately called Toters. Both hip pockets and both side pockets are specially reinforced for carrying handguns. Since this is the very same Blackie Collins who first became famous as a knife designer, there’s also a special quick-access pocket for a tactical folder.
Pocket Holsters
To allow for tight pockets and spurred hammers, thumb takes this position. It dramatically reduces hand’s thickness profile, thus reducing chances of a snag. It also turns the thumb into a hammer shroud for conventional-hammer revolvers.
Even by the time of the Old West gunfighters, it had become apparent that regular pockets by themselves weren’t enough to sustain the carrying of a defensive handgun. The pistol’s weight, and sometimes its sharp edges, would tear through pocket linings. A small handgun could change its orientation due to body movement through the day, and perhaps turn upside down in the pocket. The shape of the gun was likely to “print” through the fabric, betraying the “concealed” element of concealed carry.
The first pocket holsters were simply leather squares or rectangles with gun pouches sewn on, sometimes crudely. In modern times, the art and design of the pocket holster have been refined dramatically. In addition to leather, we now see them crafted of Kydex, nylon, and assorted other synthetics. Greg Kramer popularized a leather model with a flat Kydex square on the outside, which broke up the outline of the gun. With tight pants, someone might be able to see that you had something in your pocket, but they wouldn’t be able to tell that it was a firearm.
There are numerous fine pocket holsters available today. Manufacturers of same include Jerry Ahern, Lou Alessi, Gene DeSantis, Galco, Greg Kramer, Ky-Tac, Mach-2, Bob Mika, Milt Sparks, Mitch Rosen, Thad Rybka, Safariland, Uncle Mike’s, and more. I’ve used most of the above, with good success.
Personal favorites, for my own specific needs, have come down to three. With a snub-nose J-frame revolver, I’ve had the best luck with the Safariland. Designed by Bill Rogers, it’s made of synthetic Porvair on the inside and faux suede on the outside. The outer surface makes it stick to the pocket lining and yield the gun instead of coming out with it, no matter what the angle of draw; the smooth Porvair on the inside reduces friction and speeds the draw. Unfortunately, it seems to be made only for J-frame snubs at this writing. (Seems to wear hell out of the gun’s finish, too.)
For the baby Glock, I use either the Mach-2 or the Ky-Tac. Both are made of Kydex and are so close in design and function that they’re hard to tell apart. An almost curlicue flange at the top catches the upper edge of the pocket as you clear the square-shaped auto pistol, and a similar protrusion at the rear of the holster catches the bottom edge if you prefer to draw horizontally out of the pocket.
For most anything else – for instance, the neat little Kahr PM9 polymer-framed 9mm, a favorite pocket auto, or the 380 size Colt Pocket Nine – I prefer Greg Kramer’s classic pocket rig. Mike Dillon, who makes a point of putting only the best of everything in his Blue Press catalog, lists the Kramer pocket holster in those pages. It’s a hell of an endorsement, and when you work with a Kramer pocket rig, an understandable one.
Gunfights happen quickly and will be over before you know it. So, you need something that fulfills those two requirements. You won’t have time to go get your gun once the fight starts and, if your gun is too big, too bulky or too heavy, you won’t carry it all the time.
Of course, the one time you don’t carry it will certainly be the time you need it.
Accuracy withthe NAA .380 was not bad for a gun with a 2.49-inch barrel.
Which gun fills both those needs? How about the lowly .380 auto? My friend Mas Ayoob calls them “mouse guns” but readily admits he would rather have a mouse gun than no gun at all. We should all think so clearly.
And if the market shows us anything, it may be that many gun buyers are starting to think as clearly. These days there are plenty of .380 automatics on the market; too many for us to review all of them here. But we can look at a couple that will fill the bill.
Both are stainless steel pistols designed for deep concealment and completely easy carry. They are simple in operation, plain in design and robust in construction. They are the North American Arms Guardian and the Magnum Research Micro Desert Eagle. In short these are the type of tools you would want to have when a fight starts.
North American Arms Guardian
The tried and true North American Arms Guardian is not a new design, but as a classic should not be left out of the discussion when talking about a .380 for personal defense. This six-plus-one auto sports a stainless slide and frame and the standard fixed-barrel design that works so well with a tiny auto-loading pistol.
The Guardian 380’s design is based on the popular Guardian 32 ACP, which was introduced in 1997. Introduced in 2001, the Guardian 380 ACP is popular with law enforcement and for concealed carry. Over the years, NAA has made many subtle improvements to the design, based in part on the many suggestions received from customers. The result is an extremely high quality gun that’s convenient, reliable, and very effective. It is also backed with a lifetime warranty.
The gun is comfortable, easy to shoot and the controls are all in the right places. Forget about the sights, you will not be using them as anything more than a reference point. This is a CQB pistol. If you have to take a 25-yard shot across a street, you are using the gun for something other than its designed purpose. Ideally, you want to be using this gun at 20 feet or less.
The Guardian is easy to carry in a pocket or purse and with any number of good pocket holsters on the market, the pistol will disappear until it is needed and can be brought into action quickly.
For those who feel they need it, North American Arms has introduced the Guardian 380S with an Integral Locking System (ILS) safety. The part number for this gun is NAA-380Guard S. You’ll need to check with your local dealer to order this version of the Guardian 380 ACP. You can also get Crimson Trace Lasergrips for the Guardian. That’s a nice feature.
On the range, the Guardian performs admirably. Firing offhand at 15 feet, the pistol puts all six rounds within an 8-inch bull’s eye rather easily. The trigger pull is long and stout, but very comfortable and controllable. The sights are too small to be anything but a reference point. Still, they work well for that and will not snag on the draw. The finger rest extension on the magazine is a nice touch that adds comfort without sacrificing the ability to conceal the pistol. Overall this is a good solid performer.
As a side note, Guardians are no longer available in California, which seems like a good reason to move out of California.
Micro Desert Eagle
Some people might call this .380 Micro Desert Eagle a “lady’s gun,” but these pint-sized pistols pack a punch and fulfill the first rule of a gunfight.
The Micro Desert Eagle pistol from Magnum Research is also chambered in .380 ACP. And while the measurements show this to be a true compact personal protection pistol, it offers a much different profile than the Guardian.
Weighing in at less than 14 ounces, the Micro Desert Eagle is comfortable in a pocket or in a purse, easy to deploy and features the Magnum Research gas-assisted blowback system for ultimate reliability and amazing accuracy in such a small package. Again, don’t count on the sights to give you match-grade accuracy. This is an “up-close-and-personal” gun.
While I don’t have data on the official trigger pull weight, I can say the trigger pull on the Micro Desert Eagle is “different.” It took me a bit to get used to this trigger. To fire the pistol requires a long heavy trigger stroke and there is considerable stacking as you reach the point where the sear releases. In short you really have to want to make this gun go off. Pull hard and pull long.
On the range the Micro Desert Eagle proved every bit as accurate as the NAA Guardian and both guns functioned well considering the job they are expected to do. Shooting comfort was simply a matter of shooter preference. The ergonomics are right for both guns, though the Micro Desert Eagle looks like it has more mass in the slide. It looks top-heavy, but that didn’t interfere with its shooting performance.
As far as carry and concealment; both are great. They can be slipped into a pants pocket or a purse with no trouble. Though a good quality pocket holster or CCW-type purse would help to keep the gun under control.
These are not target pistols. They are not comfortable to shoot for long range-time sessions, but with the right ammo, like Extreme Shock, (www.extremeshockammo.net) you will have all the power you need in a package you can hide just about anywhere. Everybody needs at least one small gun and the know-how to use it correctly. Either of these two will fill the bill nicely.
According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), “There is a very high likelihood of a Senate floor vote on this important and timely pro-gun reform on Monday or Tuesday.”
With 40 states allowing at least some form of concealed carry, practicing carry across state lines would be possible for tens of thousands of permit holders˜IF the right federal law was place.
As the NRA noted, “Under the Thune-Vitter amendment, an individual who has met the requirements for a carry permit, or who is otherwise allowed by his home state's state law to carry a firearm, would be authorized to carry a firearm for protection in any other state that issues such permits, subject to the laws of the state in which the firearm is carried.”
“The Thune-Vitter amendment recognizes that competent, responsible, law-abiding Americans still deserve our trust and confidence when they cross state lines. Passing interstate Right-to-Carry legislation will help further reduce crime by deterring criminals, and˜most important of all˜will protect the right of honest Americans to protect themselves when deterrence fails.”
The NRA urged gun owners to contact their senators as soon as possible, to respectfully ask for their support of the Thune-Vitter Amendment.
A line was drawn in the sand last week – a response by the Federal Government to the State of Tennessee and their assertion of sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the US Constitution.
(Editor’s note: A similar response was sent to Montana Firearms licenses on 07-16-09 as well)
Part of a series of moves by states seeking to utilize the Tenth Amendment as a limit on Federal Power, the Tennessee State Senate approved Senate Bill 1610 (SB1610), the Tennesse Firearms Freedom Act, by a vote of 22-7. The House companion bill, HB1796 previously passed the House by a vote of 87-1.
Governor Breseden allowed the bill to become law without signing.
The law states that “federal laws and regulations do not apply to personal firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition that is manufactured in Tennessee and remains in Tennessee. The limitation on federal law and regulation stated in this bill applies to a firearm, a firearm accessory, or ammunition that is manufactured using basic materials and that can be manufactured without the inclusion of any significant parts imported into this state.”
At the time of passage through the TN House and Senate, Judiciary Chairman Mae Beavers had this to say-
“Be it the federal government mandating changes in order for states to receive federal funds or the federal government telling us how to regulate commerce contained completely within this state – enough is enough. Our founders fought too hard to ensure states’ sovereignty and I am sick and tired of activist federal officials and judges sticking their noses where they don’t belong.”
The Federal Government, by way of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms expressed its own view of the Tenth Amendment this week when it issued an open letter to ‘all Tennessee Federal Firearms Licensees’ in which it denounced the opinion of Beavers and the Tennessee legislature. ATF assistant director Carson W. Carroll wrote that ‘Federal law supersedes the Act’, and thus the ATF considers it meaningless. Read more
Below is the full text of the letter sent last week by the ATF:
U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
Assistant Director
OPEN LETTER TO ALL TENNESSEE FEDERAL FIREARMS LICENSEES
The purpose of this letter is to provide guidance on your obligations as a Federal firearms licensee (”FFL”). The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (”ATF”) is dedicated to your success in meeting your requirements as a Federal firearms licensee. The following guidance is intended to assist you in accomplishing this goal.
The passage of the Tennessee Firearms Freedom Act, H.B. 1796, 106th Leg. (Tenn. 2009) 1796 (”Act”), effective June 19, 2009, has generated questions from industry members as to how this State law may affect them while engaged in a firearms business activity. The Act purports to exempt personal firearms, firearms accessories, and ammunition manufactured in the State, and which remain in the State, from most Federal firearms laws and regulations. However, because the Act conflicts with Federal firearms laws and regulations, Federal law supersedes the Act, and all provisions of the Gun Control Act and the National Firearms Act, and their corresponding regulations, continue to apply.
As you may know, Federal law requires a license to engage in the business of manufacturing firearms or ammunition, or to deal in firearms, even if the firearms or ammunition remain within the same state. All firearms manufactured by a licensee must be properly marked. Additionally, each licensee must record the type, model, caliber or gauge, and serial number of each firearm manufactured or otherwise acquired, and the date such manufacture or other acquisition was made. The information required must be recorded in the licensee’s records not later than the seventh day following the date such manufacture or other acquisition was made. Firearms transaction records and NICS background checks must be conducted prior to disposition of firearms to unlicensed persons. These, as well as other Federal requirements and prohibitions, apply whether or not the firearms or ammunition have crossed state lines.
If you have any questions regarding the Federal firearms laws and regulations, please contact your local ATF office. ATF works closely with the firearms industry and appreciates the important role the industry plays in combating violent crime. A listing of ATF office phone numbers can be found at https://www.atf.gov/contact/field.htm. Carson W. Carroll, Assistant Director (Enforcement Programs and Services)”
Shooting traditional handgun cartridges at long range takes practice and careful loading. You have to do a lot of things right to make it work, starting with the handgun load.
This week’s column deals with long-range handgun loads for revolvers and semi-auto pistols in 9mm, .357, .41, .44 and .45 calibers (not for “hand rifles” and their associated rifle calibers; I have nothing against the hand-held long shooter, such as the Remington XP and its clones, but loading for them and their longer barrels is a science unto itself).
I have been an avid handgunner since my teenage years but didn’t really get hooked until I bought my first revolver, a Smith & Wesson Model 28, in 1973. This is the Highway Patrolman model, same exactly as the N-frame Model 27 except for finish.
With its 6-inch barrel and my near-maximum handloads, that first 28 took several deer and various varmints to over 200 yards. This was made possible due largely to the fact that I was shooting it every day. My brother-in-law owned the exact same model and, for a period of several years, neither of us was ever without a Smith.
Anyone interested in long-range handgunning should secure a copy of Sixguns by Keith, the standard reference work by Elmer Keith. Through descriptions of his various experiences written in that wonderful bygone “Keith” style, he draws a good picture of just what can be accomplished with a good handgun and a healthy dose of practice. This book was largely responsible for my entry into the world of handgun hunting; I still enjoy re-reading it today. Truly, the man that is well-practiced with a good handgun has no trouble bringing home the game.
The revolver is usually the subject when long-range handgunning is discussed. Ed McGivern, that wizard of fast and fancy revolver shooting, once said that armed with a good 6-inch .357 magnum revolver he felt he was the match of any man with a 94 Winchester to 600 yards. While I might not entirely agree with that statement, I feel completely comfortable carrying the 6-inch Smith during deer season as my only gun.
In my Model 28 Smith and my two Ruger single action guns — one a Bisley with 7 ½-inch barrel and the other a Blackhawk with 4 5/8-inch barrel — I use 14.5 grains of #2400 with the 158-grain Hornady or Nosler jacketed hollowpoint. This one load has proven very accurate and stiff enough to kill our large-bodied mountain whitetails to 200 yards, usually completely penetrating them.
While I have owned and shot just about all the “normal” handgun calibers I still like the .357 best of all, for killing power, trajectory and “shootability”, the ability to keep all of the shots in the X ring. By the way, since these loads are for a revolver, a good strong crimp is necessary to keep the bullets from backing out in the cylinders when you let one go!
The .41 magnum is a wonderful cartridge for long-range shooting and in a fairly heavy revolver with a 6” barrel it can be mastered by most shooters. My favorite load in the Model 57 Smith & Wesson is 21.8 grains of H110 with the 210-grain Hornady flat point. This load will flatten the biggest whitetail with a solid shoulder hit — at least that’s what it’s done for the 10 years I have shot with it.
There may be a difference in performance between the 240-grain, .44 Magnum load and this .41 load, but I can’t see it in live, deer-sized game. It’s very flat shooting for ranges between 100 and 200 yards.
The .44 Remington Magnum has been done and redone in print, so I won’t rehash all the BS and hype. It’s a very good long range handgun cartridge. Some say the best. But I disagree because it’s not for the majority of shooters. In a handgun with a barrel length between 6 and 10 inches, it can still be too much for most people to shoot accurately.
For shooting beyond 100 yards, I’ve always liked the Ruger Super Blackhawk shooting 20 grains of #2400 behind the 250-grain Keith-type cast bullet. This is a great load for accuracy at long range. In my Ruger, it’s the best I’ve tried with this bullet. My second favorite is 21 grains of #2400 under the Hornady 240-grain jacketed flat point. Either will penetrate a motor block.
The .45 Colt is a great old cartridge, newly re-discovered by the cowboy action clan. My favorite load, however, is not for them. Using 7.5 grains of Unique with the 250-grain jacketed bullet from any maker in a good, strong 6 1/2-inch Ruger revolver with good sights, I can keep all my shots within 6 inches at 100 yards. This one kicks, but not as bad as the .41 and .44.
For a cast-bullet long-range load, try 15 grains of #2400 and a 250-grain Keith-style flat point, but only in a good, strong revolver.
While Keith spent the lion’s share of his time with the revolver, some semi-auto handguns can be remarkable performers at long range. My son Wade and I have done some good work with the Beretta 92FS and 5.5 grains of Blue Dot under the 147-grain Speer hollowpoint. From a steady rest we can repeatedly hit a coffee can at 150 yards, not bad for the “anemic” 9mm Luger cartridge and a semi-auto, fixed-sight pistol. This is not a deer load, but if pressed it would do to this range, if it were necessary.
The old .45 ACP can also turn in some respectable long-range groups, in the right gun, in the right hands. We shoot a lot of .45 ammo. My favorite load for game is also a great self-defense load, and is pretty darn accurate in Wade’s Colt Government 1911. It is 6 grains of Unique with the 230-grain hollowpoint from Speer.
Some say it’s not powerful enough for long-range shooting, but I don’t think I’d want to be hit by it, at any range. I’ve seen Wade, with his 25-year-old eyes, keep a full magazine of shots on a 5-gallon bucket at 200 yards and inside of 5 inches at 100. (Damn kid.)
As usual, take these loads as maximum and work up carefully to them. As I have no control over your load technique or system, I can assume no liability for your use of them.
Collecting Winchesters is fun, profitable and easier than you may think.
If you’re going to collect the early lever actions, competition exists everywhere. If you’re going to collect some of the later models, little or moderate competition is what you will find.
In addition, Winchester prices have a great deal to do with condition and factory originality, not always rarity. For example, a Winchester model 255 is quite rare, but no one seems to care. On the other hand, a standard early Winchester model 1886 is much more common than the model 255, but everyone seems to care about 1886s.
An extremely nice 1886, with just a few value-adding features, can cost as much as a brand new sports car. A mint condition model 255 Winchester usually costs less than a one-night stay at a fancy hotel.
Over the years, I have come to view some of the dichotomies in Winchester collecting – e.g., the difference in prices between Winchester Model 1886s and Winchester Model 71s -– to be very interesting.
The Winchester model 71 was created in the early 1930s using model 1886 Winchester receiver designs, with improvements, so that the rifle could handle an improved cartridge, the .348. With a little looking around, a deluxe Winchester model 71 in very nice condition can be purchased for the very modest price of under $2500. A deluxe Winchester Model 1886, depending on value-adding features to be found on the weapon, can cost 25 to 50 times more. These are the types of interesting paradoxes one finds in the world of the Winchester collector.
Even though there are some very real differences between these two rifles, I see many more deluxe Winchester model 1886s for sale than I see deluxe Winchester model 71s for sale.
Mechanically speaking, and except for a couple of the 1886s calibers, it’s much easier to find ammunition for the Model 71 than for the 1886, and in terms of hunting, the Model 71 has it hands down over the model 1886. However, this is what makes collecting Winchesters so fascinating, and so compelling.
The brass-framed Henry Rifle.
Every serious Winchester collector dreams of that moment when the phone rings, and on the line is a neighbor, or someone at work, telling him that a relative has passed away and that they found a Winchester Model 1886 in the closet. They then ask him if he would like to buy the weapon for $1000, because that’s what a neighbor told him it was worth. The Winchester collector’s heart rate will increase by a minimum of 20 beats a minute then and there. If, upon inspection, the rifle’s receiver shows bright case color, the telltale band of a take-down rifle is there, the wood on the rifle is checkered, and the caliber is one of the more rare ones, the collector just might be in danger of having a heart attack.
Such is the collector’s dream – except for the heart attack part – and it happens in real life with more regularity than most people might suspect.
Model 94 1 of 1000. Closeup of left receiver. Photo courtesy of U.S. Repeating Arms Company.
In the mid-1980s, I purchased seven mint model 1876 rifles, of which all are different, and all were deluxe models, one being a 1 of 100 model and one being a 1 of a 1000 model. I paid a total of $5000 for the seven rifles. When I think back to those glorious moments, even today, I get excited.
I still have these rifles, and they give me great pleasure and satisfaction, and I realize how lucky I was then, and how fortunate I am now.
Winchester, or U.S. Repeating Arms, closed its doors in New Haven, Connecticut effective March 31, 2006. Collectors and dealers alike, have already started to accumulate recently manufactured examples of that Model 94 rifles and carbines.
Many of these later weapons have been selling for as much as 50% over retail value. This may represent an opportunity for investment, or for collecting weapons that exist in the marketplace in rather large numbers, but, for the most part, are still very affordable.
Beware, production of these rifles may, at some point in time, recur – and if it does, it’s likely that prices will recede to approximate recent levels.
This new defensive handgun ammunition, adopted by the FBI, is available for handgunners everywhere.
Terminal performance. It’s what every savvy handgunner expects out of the ammunition he or she carries for personal protection, and a new cartridge from Winchester promises to deliver the goods.
Early in 2009, during a demonstration for me and several other gun writers, Winchester showed what this stuff could do, and it was impressive. We’re talking deep penetration, very good expansion and velocity that packs a punch.
Winchester’s bonded PDX1 ammunition is available in four calibers and six different loadings (two each in 9mm and .40 S&W). If you own a handgun in 9mm, .40 S&W, .38 Special or .45 ACP and want a load that will stop an attacker, this may be what you’re looking for, as it certainly stacks up to other personal defense ammunition, or better.
Now that is penetration! The Winchester Bonded PDX traveled 12 inches into the gel block.
Why am I devoting much of a column to this stuff? Winchester did not provide me with a bunch of free ammunition, I don’t own stock in the company, nor is this treatise linked to any advertising. The stuff just plain got my attention, and if the FBI is loading its guns with this round, there’s a reason.
At the range, we watched as .40-caliber, 180-grain loads were fired into blocks of ballistic gelatin. The bullets consistently penetrated to about 11.5-12 inches, which is ample to punch deep into, if not through, most humans. En route, it raises hell with whatever is in the way by expanding dramatically. If that’s not the recipe for stopping a fight immediately, it is pretty darned close!
Velocities were right up there at 990 to 1,000 fps, which is what one should expect out of a .40-caliber projectile fired from the typical defensive handgun built for that cartridge, with a 4- to 4.5-inch barrel.
Here are the options: In 9mm, there’s a Plus-P load with a 124-grain JHP, and a standard load with a 147-grain JHP. For you .40-caliber fans, in addition to the 180-grainer mentioned above, there is a 165-grain JHP. Those packing .38 Special revolvers ought to warm right up to the 130-grain JHP load, while those of us who carry a .45 ACP pistol have a 230-grain JHP to load in our magazines.
Winchester developed the bonded PDX1 with a proprietary process that joins the lead core to the jacket for controlled expansion and weight retention. Expansion is the result of a good hollow point cavity that works in combination with the carefully notched jacket that is made from a copper alloy and divided into six segments.
Winchester Centerfire Products Manager Glen Weeks told me that the PDX1 had been under development for about two years. The project was aimed at providing a round the FBI would adopt, and this meant it had to perform on penetration tests against steel car doors and windshields.
“Glass is hands down the toughest thing you have to go through,” Weeks observed. “There are .38s that will bounce off windshield glass.”
The vast majority of armed citizens load their defensive handguns with factory ammunition. On the street in my .45 ACP, I go with factory loads, while in the backcountry — where I suspect any defensive encounters would most likely be against four-legged predators — I load up my .357 Magnum or .41 Magnum with handloads using reliable data from my reloading manuals and projectiles developed for maximum tissue damage; the same loads I use for handgun hunting.
If I were limited to factory ammunition only — that is, if I didn’t reload ammunition for hunting and long-range target shooting — there is little doubt that high on my list of ammunition choices would be the new Winchester Bonded PDX1. Available in 20-round boxes, this is a cartridge that promises to have a distinguished career.
Sotomayor started with her usual answer that judges don't make law. And she noted that the federal government and many states have laws restricting guns, such as possession of firearms by felons. Then the sparing got more interesting.
“Do I have a right to personal self-defense?” Coburn asked.
Sotomayor: “That's an abstract question.” Read more
The 223 Remington is nearly identical to the 222 Remington Magnum, the only difference being that the 223 has a slightly shorter case.
Historical Notes The 223 Remington first appeared in 1957 as an experimental military cartridge for the Armalite AR-15 assault rile. In 1964, it was officially adopted by the U.S. Army as the 5.56mmBall cartridge M193. It is used in the selective-fire M16 rile which is based on the original AR-15 design. The cartridge was the work of Robert Hutton, who was technical editor of Guns & Ammo magazine and had a rifle range in Topanga Canyon, California.
One of the requirements for the cartridge was that the projectile have are tainted velocity in excess of the speed of sound (about 1,080 fps atsea level) at 500 yards, something you could not achieve with the 222 Remington. Working with Gene Stoner of Armalite, Bob Hutton designed a case slightly longer than the 222 and had Sierra make a 55-grain boat tail bullet. This combination met the design requirements. All this was documented in the 1971 issue of the Guns & Ammo Annual. Originally an alternative military cartridge, the 223 (5.56x45mm) is now the official U.S. and NATO military round.
We should note here that NATO forces, including theUnited States, have standardized a new 5.56x45mm round with aheavy bullet and the M193 is no longer standard. Shortly after the military adopted this cartridge, Remington brought out the sporting version, which has largely replaced both the 222 Remington and Remington Magnum in popularity. Practically every manufacturer of bolt-action rifles has at least one model chambered for the 223. In addition, there are a large number of military-type semi-auto rifles available in this caliber. At one time, the Remington Model 760 pump-action was available in 223.
General Comments
The 223 Remington is nearly identical to the 222 Remington Magnum, the only difference being that the 223 has a slightly shorter case. The two are not interchangeable, although the 223 will chamber in a 222 Magnum rifle. The result, though, is to create a gross headspace condition, and the 223 case can rupture if fired in the 222 Magnum chamber.
The 223 has proven to be an effective military cartridge for fighting in jungle or forested areas and for close-in fire support, and has been improved lately by NATO with heavier (SS109 designed by FN of Belgium) bullets fired through fast-twist (1 in 7-inch) barrels. As a sporting round, it is just as accurate as any of the other long-range, centerfire 22s. Military brass cases are sometimes heavier than commercial cases, so maximum loads should be reduced by at least 10 percent and approached cautiously. That is because the reduced case capacity results in a higher loading density and increased pressure with the same powder charge. The 223 Remington can be classed as an excellent medium-range varmint cartridge at ranges out to 250 yards.
In 1979, SAAMI cautioned shooters that 5.56x45mm military chambers and throats differ from 223 Remington sporting rifle chambers. Therefore military ball ammo may produce high chamber pressures in sporting rifles.
The U.S. Senate must vote NO on Judge Sonia Sotomayor!
In defending her decision that the states could enact any form of gun control they wished — with absolutely no regard to the Second Amendment — Judge Sonya Sotomayor has developed a new love for Nineteenth Century court opinions.
Demonstrating that she was programmed in her responses, Sotomayor defended one of her earlier legal opinions by citing “footnote 23” of Justice Antonin Scalia's opinion in the DC v. Heller case last year.
But, when pressed by questioner Orrin Hatch yesterday, Sotomayor could not recite the contents of that footnote or the holdings of the cases which it cited. As it turns out, the footnote on which Sotomayor claims to rely, cited — without approval — two Nineteenth Century cases which rejected the notion that the Second Amendment was ‘incorporated' to apply to the states.
But those were also the days when the Supreme Court held that the rights protected in the First Amendment did not apply to the states.
Apparently, Sotomayor wants to base her anti-gun philosophy on antiquated decisions from an era when the U.S. Supreme Court was spitting out racist decisions.
Her answers got even worse today when Republican Senator Tom Coburn of Oklahoma asked her, point blank, “Is there a constitutional right to self-defense?” Sotomayor said that was an “abstract question” and that she couldn't think of a Supreme Court case that addressed that issue.
Coburn said he didn't want a legal treatise on what Supreme Court holdings have said, rather, he wanted her own personal opinion. Sotomayor would not answer the question, although when pressed, she equated self-defense with vigilantism!
Folks, do you see how important it is to stop this nomination? GOA mailed its members postcards opposing Sotomayor not too long ago.
Please make sure you have mailed those in. We need a multi-pronged offensive right now where our Senators are receiving snail mail, email and phone calls.
And, we need ALL PRO-GUN ORGANIZATIONS to take a stance AGAINST this nominee.
Organizational spokesmen can talk a good game and say they have serious “concerns” about Sotomayor. That's all well and good. But unless those organizations (big and small) rate each Senator's vote on Sotomayor — when she's clearly anti-gun — then those supposed “concerns” are just meaningless.
Senators have to hear from ALL the pro-gun organizations — big and small — that they are going to rate this vote during the 2010 election. Otherwise, those organizations are just Paper Tigers.
We can't let this anti-gun judge infiltrate U.S. Supreme Court! She is dangerous on so many levels — but, especially, on Second Amendment rights.
GOA considers her nomination to be of the most important gun votes in the HISTORY of the US Senate. We can't think of any other nominee in recent history who has taken such a horrid stand on the basic right of self-defense.
She says that she will follow the precedent in the DC v. Heller (2008) case. But even if she does, that only means that she will vote to apply the Second Amendment in Washington, DC. She has already ruled this year in Maloney v. Cuomo that the amendment doesn't apply to where you live.
Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert 8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151 Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408 https://www.gunowners.org
“I will be talking [to Judge Sotomayor] about the question of foreign law and the question of [her] commitment to the Second Amendment, the right to keep and bear arms…. President Obama, who nominated Judge Sotomayor, has a rather limited view of what the Second Amendment guarantees.” — Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), June 2009
Monday, July 13, 2009
In many ways, Sotomayor's views are out-of-step with our American heritage and with the views of Americans in general. For example, Sotomayor believes that our fundamental law is constantly evolving and that rights are constantly changing with the times.
But should we be surprised? The President who nominated her holds some of the most radical views ever held by a resident of the White House. His take on the Constitution — and the Second Amendment in particular — has stationed him to the far left on the political spectrum.
Consider just a small snapshot of his record over the years:
* As President, Obama has nationalized much of the car and banking industry and is now looking to do the same with health care. Even the Marxist President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez, joked on live television last month that he and Fidel Castro need to be careful or else “we are going to end up to [Obama's] right.”
* As a U.S. Senator, Obama was ranked by the National Journal in 2007 as the most liberal legislator in that chamber. Realize that such a ranking put Obama to the left of 99 other Senators — including an open, self-avowed socialist, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
* Like many socialists, Obama has supported some of the most extreme positions on gun control: supporting a ban on handguns, opposing the repeal of the draconian DC gun ban, opposing the right of self-defense for residents in the Chicago suburbs, and much more.
Obama's brand of far-left politics sees the Constitution as moldable as a ball of wax. In a 2001 interview, he criticized earlier Supreme Courts for “never ventur[ing] into the issues of redistribution of wealth…. It didn't break free from the essential constraints that were placed by the Founding Fathers in the Constitution.”
Sotomayor appears to have the same view of our highest document, as she stated in 1996 that law is not “static and predictable,” but “constantly overhaul[ed] and adapt[ed] [by lawyers and courts] to the realities of ever-changing social, industrial and political conditions.”
ACTION: Please urge your two Senators to vote AGAINST the Sotomayor nomination. Tell them to cast a pro-gun vote on EVERY vote related to Judge Sonia Sotomayor (whether it's a vote on sustaining a filibuster or a vote on final passage).
Please use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center at https://www.gunowners.org/activism.htm to send your legislators the pre-written e-mail message below.
—– Pre-written letter —–
Dear Senator:
Judge Sonia Sotomayor's views are out-of-step with our American heritage and with the views of Americans in general. Not surprisingly, the Rasmussen polling firm reported on July 1 that more Americans oppose her nomination than support her.
Sotomayor believes that our fundamental law is constantly evolving and that rights are constantly changing with the times. But a majority of Americans disagree. Multiple polls have found that almost three-fourths of all Americans believe that the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the rights of “individuals” to own guns. Not so for Judge Sotomayor:
* She ruled in United States v. Sanchez-Villar (2004) that “the right to possess a gun is clearly not a fundamental right.”
* And earlier this year, Sotomayor was part of a three-judge panel which ruled in Maloney v. Cuomo that the Second Amendment does not apply to the states. This makes her more liberal than the Ninth Circuit, which stated in the Nordyke case in April that the Second Amendment does apply to the states.
Please cast a pro-gun vote on EVERY vote related to Judge Sonia Sotomayor (whether it's a vote on sustaining a filibuster or a vote on final passage).
I would like to hear back from you on this. Although rest assured, Gun Owners of America will keep me up to date on any further developments.
From November 2008 to May 2009, gun dealers in Sacramento County sold nearly 5,000 more guns than they did in the same period last year, an increase of 40 percent, statistics from the state Bureau of Firearms show.
The state increase in gun sales averaged 32 percent.
Sacramento County gun owners, advocates and store owners largely attribute the boom to fear.
Initially, they said, buyers were concerned that the Obama administration would support further gun controls. More recently, Sacramento County Sheriff John McGinness announced layoffs of 202 sworn deputies and 40 non-sworn personnel because of budget cuts to his department – further spurring local gun sales.
“I've noticed a tremendous change,” said Ron Herbertson, 47, a Sacramento insurance specialist and gun owner. “I was just in a gun store today – you can't find ammunition, and guns are flying off the shelves. It's hard for them to keep them in stock.”
Herbertson would not say how many guns he has bought in recent months, but he described himself as “well-equipped.”
Between November 2008 and May 2009, 15,993 handguns and long guns were sold in Sacramento County, and 314,201 were sold statewide.
“There has definitely been a dramatic increase in consumer desire for firearms and ammunition,” said Chuck Michel, attorney for the California Rifle and Pistol Association, a 45,000-member organization that promotes firearm safety and gun rights. “It is motivated primarily by a fear of what ill-conceived gun laws the Obama administration might propose, but it's also attributable to a fear of a rise in crime from a bad economy and less money for police.” Read more »
The clean, flat receiver of the Mossberg Model 464, showing the beefed-up receiver rings.
Yep, I said second try. Back in the mid-1970s, Mossberg introduced their Model 472 lever-action. Chambered in .30-30 Winchester or .35 Remington, the Model 472 was available in a number of configurations until being phased out altogether in 1983 with a final 5000-piece run of Roy Rogers commemoratives. Often encountered under the “Western Field” brand name, the Model 472 is remembered today mostly as a competent, respectable little carbine more than a little reminiscent of Marlin's similar Model 336.
Like the Model 472, the Model 646 is a competent, respectable little carbine. Mossberg insists that their new lever gun was already well under development when Winchester discontinued the sainted Model 94 in early 2006, but it's inevitable that the Model 464 will be seen as the Model 94's successor. In that role it succeeds rather well.
Let me make clear that I'm talking about the post-1964 Winchester Model 94. Mossberg stresses “affordability” as one of the key features of the Model 464, so if you're looking for bluing so deep you can swim around in it and Grade AA Fancy claro walnut, you're going to have to keep waiting or buy a high-end pre-1964 Winchester. Like most Mossbergs, the 464 is a working gun, and if you're looking for more than that you may be living in the wrong decade, if not the wrong century.
After spending a few afternoons on the range with the new Model 464, all I can tell you is that it performs as advertised, which is an increasingly rare characteristic for any new product, firearm or otherwise. For the beginner, the once- or twice-a-year deer hunter, the woods bum or the recreational shooter who wants something with more oomph than a .22 for plinking or competition, the Model 464 is an admirable little gun.
First, the basics: the Model 464 is chambered only in .30-30 Winchester, at least as of this writing. It has a 20-inch round barrel and iron sights, though its receiver is drilled and tapped for scope mounts — not side mounts but top mounts. Unlike Marlin's competing Model 336, the 464 has a straight-grip stock, which has always seemed (to me, anyway) to be more accommodating to various body types than stocks with pistol grips. As to the wood, well, it's that classic “hardwood” we've all come to know so well, and it serves its purpose.
One nice touch is the soft, serrated rubber recoil pad that gives the rifle a snug, non-slip feel.
Mossberg’s new Model 464 .30-30 is an excellent choice for a youngster’s first deer rifle.
Magazine capacity of the Model 464 is 6+1 rounds and, unlike some lever-actions I've fired recently, you don't have to be Charles Atlas to force cartridges into the loading gate.
There is no half-cock hammer safety; the only manual safety is an unobtrusive tang slider that lies naturally under the thumb. Some lever fans are going to complain about the safety, just as they did when Marlin introduced the crossbolt safety on its 336-series rifles way back in 1984. To me, a tang safety is much handier than a receiver-mounted crossbolt, and it looks better, too.
It's a hammer-block safety, so the trigger will pull and the rebounding hammer will fall even when the safety is engaged. There's also an automatic disconnector safety where the lever meets the lower tang, which is pretty much standard for modern lever-actions. We can all debate the need for a manual safety on a lever rifle, but the way I read the situation, one motivated tort lawyer swings more weight than 1000 mildly displeased consumers.
In some respects, the new Mossberg looks like a cross between a Marlin Model 336 and a late-model Winchester 94. The sliding round bolt resembles that of a Marlin, while the open-top receiver resembles that of a Winchester. Unlike the Winchester, however, the bolt is enclosed by two massive integral fore-and-aft rings that are forged in one piece with the receiver proper. The ejection port is similar to that of the Winchester Model 94 Angle Eject, and empties exit it with considerable force at nearly a perfect 45-degree angle, well clear of any scope you'd care to mount. The 464 weighs in at an advertised 6.7 lbs., a few ounces less than the walnut-stocked Model 336, with an overall length of 38.5 inches.
When you work the lever of the Model 464, the bottom of the receiver falls away to decrease the arc of the lever throw, which is short for a fairly long cartridge like the .30-30. Some may object to this “dropped-pants arrangement,” as gunwriter Henry Stebbins described it half a century ago, but it does eliminate the need for a lever lug on the bottom of the receiver. As a result, the flat bottom of the Model 464's receiver makes it easy to carry in one hand. This may seem like a minor point, but it's the kind of thing you'd notice while slogging your way back to camp in a freezing rain after spending sight hours in a deer blind with exactly one more long, hard mile to go.
So how's the Model 464 shoot? Not bad. Its action was smooth and slick — nothing wrong there. My only serious objection is its rear sight. It's a tiny sliding blade with an equally tiny set screw, much as you find on the older Henry .22 lever-actions.
The Model 464’s less-than-adequate sliding leaf rear sight.
As an old iron-sight man, I prefer the Marlin-style buckhorn with sliding ramp. At 50 yards, I simply could not lower the 464's rear sight enough to zero it at 50 yards, which is approximately the distance at which I took my last two Michigan deer. In fact, at 50 yards the gun shot a two-inch group that was dead on the bull but six inches high with Federal Power-Shok 170-grain softpoints. Faced with a situation like that, you can either wear yourself out cussing the rear sight, or you can just slap a scope on the thing.
I'm not enamored of scopes on lever guns, but I realize I'm in a distinct minority on that point. As for the front sight, it's a dovetailed, unhooded brass bead that shows up well enough in broad daylight. In the woods at twilight, it might be a different story — another potential reason to mount a scope.
On the Mossberg website, the company is running a poll that asks visitors what the next chambering for the Model 464 should be. I hope the Internet Police don't swoop down and arrest me, but I must confess that I voted multiple times. I'm not proud of it, but there it is. At first, I thought I'd like to see the gun in .444 Marlin, but then I changed my mind and thought how fun it would be to have a 464 chambered in .357 Magnum/.38 Special.
Then I contradicted myself again and voted for the .308 Marlin Express.
I consider Browning's BLR to be the Rolls-Royce of lever-actions. However, the MSRP of the Model 464 is only $493, with street price substantially less. So for five big bills you get the rifle, a swell Mossberg cable lock and a two-year limited warranty. That's pretty reasonable for a new gun, especially one that's so well-suited to the newbie hunter or the part-timer. I'd have been pleased as punch as find a Model 464 under the tree when I was just starting out.
Mossberg has also announced plans for a Model 464 chambered in .22 Long Rifle. This would fill the niche vacated by the late Winchester 9422 and would make an interesting understudy to the centerfire Model 464, which has plenty to recommend it in its own right.
Last week Gun Owners of America reported that NRA's Past President Sandy Froman was calling on all NRA members to vigorously oppose the nomination of Judge Sotomayor to the Supreme Court.
She did this in response to the “wait and see” approach that the NRA's upper management has taken in regard to the Sotomayor nomination — an approach that may well allow her to wiggle through and be confirmed.
Yesterday, Sandy Froman struck again. But this time she was joined with another past president of the NRA and several current Board members, as well.
“Judge Sotomayor's record on the Second Amendment causes us grave concern over her treatment of this enumerated right [to keep and bear arms],” the coalition stated.
“As Second Amendment leaders deeply concerned about preserving all fundamental rights for current and future generations of Americans, we strongly oppose this nominee, and urge the Senate not to confirm Judge Sotomayor.”
In related news, the NRA sent a letter yesterday to the Senate Judiciary committee expressing “very serious concerns” over the Sotomayor nomination, but said that the leadership “has not announced an official position” out of respect for the confirmation process. The letter indicated the NRA's management would be watching the upcoming hearings very carefully.
One of the concerns about the hearing process, however, is that Sotomayor will act exactly the same way Obama has. You will remember that Obama tried to play himself off as a supporter of gun rights during the presidential campaign, but then once he took office, began showing his true colors.
Obama has nominated far-left gun banners to key positions of power — including Attorney General Eric Holder, State Department counsel Harold Koh and Judge Sonia Sotomayor.
It's not uncommon to see politicians tout the Bill of Rights when trying to get elected or confirmed, but then act like a modern day Benedict Arnold once they are safely entrenched.
If Judge Sotomayor is anything like the man who nominated her, she will tell Senators what they want to hear during the Senate proceedings, but then stab us in the back once she has secured a lifetime appointment to the bench.
Folks, this is a huge battle. And that's why it's important to have every single gun organization firing all of its political ammunition. This is a battle that we can win. So even though we already asked you to contact the NRA's management last week, it is imperative that they hear from you again.
ACTION: Please urge the NRA's upper management to tell Senators that a vote to confirm Judge Sotomayor is an anti-gun vote. You can use the text message below — addressed to NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre and NRA Executive Director Chris Cox — to help direct your comments to the NRA.
I was so excited to see that past NRA President Sandy Froman — in coalition with several other past and present NRA leaders — came out in opposition the nomination of Judge Sotomayor.
In a letter dated July 7, the coalition stated that “we strongly oppose this nominee, and urge the Senate not to confirm Judge Sotomayor.”
This is Froman's second communication in this regard, as she stepped up to the plate on June 24 with a call to arms for all NRA members to vigorously oppose the Sotomayor nomination.
“Gun owners, and especially the members of the National Rifle Association,” Froman said, “must aggressively oppose Judge Sotomayor's confirmation to the Supreme Court.”
I couldn't agree more with Mrs. Froman.
I hope that the NRA will officially tell Senators now — and not wait until after the hearings — that a vote to confirm Judge Sotomayor is an anti-gun vote. Please let me know what you intend to do.
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.
