A Colt single-action Sheriff’s Model revolver sold for $92,000 and highlighted Cowan’s Auctions May 2007 Historic Firearms and Early Militaria sale. The auction, which attracted more than 1,400 absentee bids, generated total sales of $1.52 million from 1,256 lots.
The Sheriff’s Model is a .45 caliber, with a 3.5-inch barrel, serial No. 172734, with the two-line address on top. The left side of the barrel bears caliber markings in a banner, and the left side of the frame carries the two-line patent dates. The frame is a black-powder version with the ejector-release screw in the front under the cylinder pin. The revolver is factory-engraved, with a silver finish and carved bull’s-head pearl grips. The backstrap was marked with the factory inscription “Johnnie Johnson.” An inscription on the bottom of the butt reads “Mrs. Roberto.” The original factory letter accompanied the revolver, which was shipped to H. Woodhaus & Son on Sept. 15, 1897.
In addition to the Colt, the sale focused on some great Winchester items, including lever-action rifles and memorabilia.
“It was the best collection of Winchester-made items to come to light in many years,” said Jack Lewis Jr., head of Cowan’s Historic Firearms and Early Militaria Department.
Highlighting the first day of the sale was the Hunter Winchester collection, an assortment of accouterments sold from the estate of Clarence R. Hunter. The collection brought more than $375,000. The Hunter lots included two Winchester baseball bats and a fielder’s glove that sold for a total of $1,035. Four- and six-lot Winchester gun-oil cans brought $977.50 each, and Winchester gun grease tubes sold for $862.50. A Winchester lawnmower sold for $747.50.
Winchester advertising from the Hunter collection was also auctioned. A Winchester window two-sided display panel sold for $2,300. Two lots of three Winchester display signs sold for $1,092.50 and $1,840, respectively. A Winchester .22-caliber cartridge smokeless-powder sign brought $1,150, and two sets of Winchester display cards sold for $2,530and $3,450.
Cartridge boxes were in demand, reflecting the increasing popularity of these items, especially from the 1920s and 1930s. Proving that nostalgia in its original state provokes any collector, a group of 13 .22-caliber cartridge boxes advertised as Copperhead sold for $1,495. Further, 11 Peter’s cartridge boxes sold for $977.50, and 10 Savage cartridge boxes sold for $632.50.
Local Cincinnati items were also featured, including a Peter’s league paper shotshell empty box that sold for $2,185. Peter’s Cartridge Co. was located in King Mills, Ohio, and made ammunition for years. Peter’s Cartridge was eventually bought by Remington Arms in 1934.
Surprises included a leather hunting pouch from the 1800s. The item, in great condition and accompanied by the original accouterments (a measure and powder horn), sold for $12,650. Four Winchester paint cans brought $1,150. Also, a Revolutionary War-era saber made by Louis Prahl sold for $4,312.50. Cowan’s next Historic Firearms and Early Militaria auction is slated for November 2007. For information, contact Jack Lewis Jr. at (513) 871-1670 or firearms@cowans.com.
Armalite chambers the .50 caliber in a 34-pound rifle that really impressed me with its comfort, accuracy and ease of operation. Morelli looks at the Armalite AR-50.
When I look at development of firearms, one thing stands out. Designers spent lots of time working to cartridges powerful and capable of precisely hitting targets at great distances.
The .50 BMG cartridge seems to be the culmination of those aspirations. It was designed for the Browning M-2 Machine Gun in the first decade of the 20th century. It first saw service in 1921. Also called the 12.7×99 NATO, it was based on an upscaled version of the .30-06 case. It has always been known for accuracy. In fact, I found a picture of World War II soldiers scoping a machine gun. It’s a great long-range and sniper round, and the only round capable of consistent shot placement at more than 1,000 yards.
The .50 caliber is not listed as a destructive device, so it’s popular with long-range shooters. To illustrate the power of this cartridge, let’s compare it with the .30-06 Springfield. The .30-06 produces 2,000 to 3,000 foot pounds of energy. The .50 can produce 10,000 to 13,000 foot pounds. More recently, the .50 has served our troops well in Afghanistan, as evidenced in clips showing its performance on small targets at incredible distances.
There’s also much controversy about the .50. Some folks claim it will be used by criminals and terrorists. But in truth, the .50 is too massive and heavy to conceal for criminal use. Further, we should focus more on catching terrorists and keeping them out of the country rather than worrying about what weapon they might use.
One Big Gun
Armalite chambers the .50 caliber in a 34-pound rifle that really impressed me with its comfort, accuracy and ease of operation. I wouldn’t want to pack the gun around much, but I could shoot it all day.
The gun comes with a package of Tylenol, which made me chuckle but then made me think. Was this some kind of warning? Armalite has gone to great lengths to make this rifle comfortable to shoot. As my wife, Lu, and I found out, one of the recoil reducers makes the rifle very loud. I didn’t notice as much behind the gun, but Lu was taking pictures while I shot and said she could feel the concussion, even though she was behind me and to the side. We were wearing double ear protection.
The AR-50 is a solid, well-built rifle. The massive receiver is octagonal and houses a huge bolt with a triple-locking lug. It’s equipped with a Sako-style extractor and Schillen standard single-stage trigger. The massive, tapered barrel is 31 inches long. Inside the pipe are eight grooves with an right-hand 1-15 twist. The muzzle is fitted with a cylindrical multi-flute brake (thus the Tylenol). I have never been a fan of brakes on rifles such as .338 or .300magnums, but I believe it’s necessary on this caliber.
The adjustable buttplate and stock brings the rifle to 59.5 inches long, and the AR-style hand grip really gives the gun a familiar feel. It’s attached to an aluminum stock, and the barrel is floated from the receiver out. There’s a lot of space between the barrel and forend of the stock. The buttplate is fitted with a robust recoil pad that’s adjustable, making it easier to repeat a solid shouldering.
Armalite recommends shooting high-quality ammo in the AR-50, so I went to The Hunting Shack and got some match-grade ammo. The Hunting Shack is one of the largest ammo manufacturers in the country, and it loads .50-caliber ammo one cartridge at a time. Its quality ammo matches the rifle’s capability for accuracy. The Hunting Shack sent me some 750-grain bullets that leave the muzzle at about 2,650 feet per second.
The bullet has an aluminum V-max-type tip that causes massive fragmentation when it hits the backstop. That was right where I wanted that bullet to terminate. I collected some of the fragments from the backstop, and the bullet terminated as it was designed to.
There are many loads for the long-range .50, and trajectories will vary with each. In general, the .50 sends a big pill very fast, flat and accurately at long range.
At the (Long) Range
I shot the rifle with two scopes: a Shepherd V1 6-18X, which has drop compensator for the BMG round, and a Leupold Vari-X 2-10X. I sighted in a 500-yard zero. The scopes held up to the big .50’s recoil without a hitch. We only shot the rifle at about 500 yards, but at longer ranges, the 18X Shepherd would be an asset. With the expense of ammo for these guns, the one-shot zero of the Shepherd was also appreciated. After the gun was sighted in, it made softball-sized rocks on the 500-yard hillside disappear.
The weight and massive muzzle brake do their jobs, reducing recoil to a pleasant push. I shot a couple of boxes of ammo comfortably, with no black shoulder. I didn’t shoot the rifle in the prone position, but even though the prone transfers a bit more recoil to the shooter, I don’t believe it will be a concern. It didn’t beat me up. Armalite’s manual said it’s best for onlookers to be directly behind the rifle when it’s fired, and I agree. The bark is truly worse than the bite.
Before going afield with the gun, I checked the trigger so I had no surprises in live fire. The Schillen single-stage was crisp and clean with no creep. It weighed just less than 5 pounds with my scale. The trigger is very precise, as you’d expect with a rifle capable of such long-range accuracy. It felt lighter than 5 pounds, which usually indicates a well-tuned trigger.
This rifle must be shot from a rest — not because of recoil but because of weight. I could not shoulder the rifle long enough for Lu to snap a picture. Armalite offers a Prince bipod option, which is a strong, well-made support designed for the rifle. Not having one, I used a Harris Bipod I borrowed from my .300 Win. Mag. The one I used with the .50 had a tilt feature, and it kept the 34-pound rifle on target.
Since my experience as a SWAT sniper, I’ve been addicted to precision long-range shooting. The .50 BMG opens up a new experience with long-range shooting. Just because the rifle can send a projectile past 1,000 yards doesn’t mean anyone can make it fulfill its potential. However, I think it’s possible to develop the skills to make one-mile hits with the Armalite AR-50, and I think that’s a much better addiction than the tobacco habit I recently kicked.
— Dave Morelli is an all-around gun nut from Idaho.
The Nighthawk Custom 1911 Dominator is a professionally made custom pistol that would satisfy professionals and serious shooters.
Typically, I like shooting almost anything that goes boom. I have opportunities to shoot many types and styles of firearms, but when a 1911 comes along, it finds a soft spot in my heart.
The Nighthawk Custom 1911 Dominator is a great example of such guns.
Loaded with Features
When I removed the 1911 Dominator from its case, I was immediately struck by the laser-engraved cocobolo grips. They are beautifully done. Matched with a Black Perma-Coat slide on a hard-chromed frame, they give the pistol a great look and tough finish that will resist the normal wear of a carry gun.
The gun also has Nighthawk Custom fully adjustable sights that fit a Bo-Mar dovetail, with yellow tritium inserts in the rear and green in front. All the inserts have white rings for daytime gunfights. The 5-inch match-grade barrel is crowned and beveled flush with the bushing.
There are 25-lines-per-inch serrations on the slide-stop, rear of the slide and checkered on the front and backstrap. They give the pistol a firm, comfortable grip. The serrations on the slide keep glare from being a problem in critical sighting situations. The checkering grabs your hand, but the pistol does not grab your clothing because it’s dehorned for concealed carry.
When I get smooth frames in my shop, I always recommend checkering, and most folks love the difference in feel. When buying a custom gun, I look for this feature because it’s so important for a good grip. This is especially true in damp conditions or quick-presentation drills. During the stress of a defensive situation, the feel of checkering adds confidence you need to survive.
The front-sight blade is pyramid-shaped so it doesn’t grab on the way out of a concealed holster. The slidehas front and rear cocking serrations. I don’t know why everybody doesn’t put front cocking serrations on 1911s. I do a press check every time the pistol goes in my holster for sentry duty, and although that can be done without front serrations, they make it much easier. (A press check involves inspecting the chamber for a live round by pushing the slide back a bit to get a visual on the round and then letting it close.)
On older Colts that didn’t have front serrations, the thumb or edge of your second finger pushed back below the barrel on the guide rod. Those guns didn’t have a full-length guide rod — as most do now — and putting the thumb or any body part in front of the muzzle isn’t safe. The serrations let you grip the frame from underneath and pull the slide back. The Dominator I shot did not have one-piece guide rod, so it could be done either way. However, I prefer to grab the slide from behind the muzzle.
The magazine well on the 1911 Dominator is deep and extended. It’s easily hit with a fresh magazine when recharging the gun in quick-load fashion. The gun comes with quality eight-round magazines. Some folks think the extended magazine well is too large for concealed carry. I don’t have much of a problem with that, as a full-sized 1911 is easily concealed under a vest or coat in the strong-side position, and the half-inch of the magazine well that sticks out doesn’t present a problem. I would rather have the right tool for the job when I need it, even if it violates fashion rules.
Like all 1911s, my Dominator feels great in the hand, and its lines and slimness look great. My pistol had a strong-side thumb safety that was slightly extended but rounded off at the corners to make it snag-free. It’s extended enough so my thumb easily engages it.
NightHawk Custom offers an optional ambidextrous safety. Some folks differ about these, but I prefer them on a carry gun. I often shoot weak-handed. The safety doesn’t weigh much, and I like having it there.
At the Range
As always, I did some dry-fire drills before hitting the range, and I was pleased with the way the gun felt in my hand. There’s no substitute for a custom feel. I replaced my normal carry gun with the Dominator and went to work.
The sights lined up and were easy to see, even with my blurry close-range vision. The magazines fed easily and dropped out like they knew where they were going. The magazine release has serrations for positive thumb contact. The slide frame fit was excellent. The trigger was everything I would expect in a custom gun: crisp, clean and no creep. The trigger pull was slightly more than 3 pounds, and it fires right after a brief takeup. The grip safety has a well-defined beavertail and disengages nicely when gripped properly.
The gun fired flawlessly with ball and hollow-point bullets. It was a pleasure to shoot a group right at the point of aim out of the box. The gun comes in .45 Auto, which fits the criteria of a defensive pistol. (That is, the caliber starts with four and ends with five.) I shot MagTech ball ammo and Speer Gold Dot carry stuff, each in 230-grain weights. They shot accurately and reliably. Drawing and firing the gun felt familiar, but the checkered front strap and mainspring housing gave it a positive feel at the range.
My wife, Lu, took a break from picture-taking to give the Dominator a lash. She isn’t a 1911 fan — yet — but she really liked the feel of the pistol and kept a group together on the target. She always has been a good pistol shot, but she told me the Dominator is easy to shoot.
Conclusion
The Nighthawk Custom comes in a convenient soft case that holds the included spare magazine and many more. It has room for other possibles you might need, such as the Wilson Combat Versa-Tool or other maintenance stuff. The case is adequately padded to protect the pistol’s exquisite finish.
The Dominator is a professionally made custom pistol that would satisfy professionals or serious shooters. It’s definitely a beauty-and-the-beast thing: very pretty, but when the beast comes out, it’s a rhino.
If you’re seeking a custom 1911, I’d recommend a visit to www.nighthawkcustom.com.
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.
A Colt single-action Sheriff’s Model revolver sold for $92,000 and highlighted Cowan’s Auctions May 2007 Historic Firearms and Early Militaria sale. The auction, which attracted more than 1,400 absentee bids, generated total sales of $1.52 million from 1,256 lots.
