Reviews Archives - Page 4 of 17

Kids & Guns – Communication and Common Sense

When is the right time to introduce your kids to the world of firearms?

For the most part, it really depends on the child (we’ll get back to that in a moment) and your willingness to fully communicate the do’s-&-don’ts of gun handling and the potential risks if they are misused. Whether you simply own a handgun for personal protection or are a ‘shooting’ family that hunts or participates in sport shooting, a child’s understanding of guns will be of benefit.

The FM-AR: A Molot VEPR for 2020

In the gun world, Russia is best known for the classic AK-47 rifle, but one of the best rifles ever built comes from the Molot factory in Vyatskiye Polyany, and those rifles are called the VEPR.

Safe Storage Continues To Be A Choice For Most

How safe are your guns?

How safe do they need to be?

Currently, there are more guns in personal possession in the U.S. than there are people. That’s a lot of firepower. Let’s take a look at the numbers:

Less than half of all households claim to own any firearms at all – that means that more gun owners certainly have multiple weapons within their homes
54% of those owners report that they do not take measures to store all of their guns safely
20% of those households have small children in the home
10% of owners indicate that they keep all of their weapons unlocked and loaded

For most people, the concept of gun safety really isn’t an issue. You’re not high-risk, you take care of your firearms and take reasonable steps to make sure that they’re secure after use. That’s probably why government intervention hasn’t really been all that necessary up to now. [Read more…] about Safe Storage Continues To Be A Choice For Most

WEAPON UP

The ongoing pandemic continues to put a stranglehold on international economies. With each passing day, we are witnessing unprecedented events take place, as an invisible virus pummels many nations around the globe, our Union included.

[Read more…] about WEAPON UP

Handgun Stances: Traditional vs. Modern

Everyone wants to shoot quickly and accurately, and the stance that we choose can make a big difference in how we perform.

The right stance can be different for each shooter (and situation), but it’s a major factor in how we control sight alignment, body position, balance and recoil offset.

Think of it this way – you wouldn’t build a new house with a weak foundation, and it’s the same with how you establish your body before you shoot. Also consider any other sport or dynamic activity and how a solid base-of-support sets you up for optimal performance. From boxing to tennis, how you set-up is the first step to success.

Now having said that, there are a number of factors that we have to consider. [Read more…] about Handgun Stances: Traditional vs. Modern

Glock 19: A Marvel of Balance in Glock Perfection

A generation ago, if you walked into a gun shop and asked for a Model 19 you got a Smith and Wesson Combat Magnum. Today, the Model 19 is a 9mm Glock and it is probably more popular than the revolver was. The Glock 19 9mm is easily the best-balanced Glock in my opinion. While the original Glock 17 is a good shooter, reliable, and easy to carry on a uniform belt, the G19 is an ideal concealed carry pistol. [Read more…] about Glock 19: A Marvel of Balance in Glock Perfection

Revolvers: The Joe Friday Gun

Among the first police procedural dramas was Dragnet. Dragnet and Joe Friday were down to earth and presented the facts well. As a child, I enjoyed the series very much. Dragnet still has much to recommend. Professionalism and results are valued. Later, many of the prima donnas and flawed characters in TV shows were less interesting. Few would have lasted a minute in any agency I worked for. [Read more…] about Revolvers: The Joe Friday Gun

Gun Test: Browning Hi Power

Some makers sing the words, but they don’t know the music. A maker that got the steel somatic right is Fabrique Nationale. The Browning Hi Power is a unique design, held in awe by serious handgunners. The Hi Power comes from an era when blue steel and walnut were the norm, and plastic was material for cheap pistol grips. The story of the Hi Power Hi Power has been told many times. However, as a classic, it is always worth one more look. [Read more…] about Gun Test: Browning Hi Power

Colt Single Action Army: The Gunfighters Gun

Gents, Please send me one of your Nickel plated .45 Caliber revolvers. It is for my own use, and for that reason, I would like to have a little Extra pains taken with it. I am willing to pay the Extra for Extra work. Make it very easy on the trigger, and have the front Sight a little higher and thicker than the ordinary pistol of this Kind. Put on a gutta percha handle, and send it as soon as possible. Have the barrel about the same length that the ejecting rod is.

Truly yours,
W.B. Masterson [Read more…] about Colt Single Action Army: The Gunfighters Gun

Gun Test: Arex Rex Delta 9mm Pistol

The Arex Rex Delta is a fresh design in the striker-fired, polymer-frame field. Dr. Dave Dolbee has visited the ultra-modern Arex (pronounced R-X) plant and found it impressive. As for quality and production as well as human resources, the company is an impressive force in the market. [Read more…] about Gun Test: Arex Rex Delta 9mm Pistol

My Favorite .45 ACP Big Bore Revolver

The focus of this report is more the cartridge than the handgun, but the revolvers that chamber the cartridge are linked to the .45 ACP’s popularity. The Smith and Wesson 1917 .45 ACP revolver was a legendary handgun to a young man reading everything he could about handguns, but an ordinary handgun in the shops during the 1970s. The 1917 isn’t rare today, but it is no longer as cheap as it once was either. My first .45 ACP revolver was purchased for less than $100. [Read more…] about My Favorite .45 ACP Big Bore Revolver

Review: Charles Daly Honcho Shotgun

The American-designed, pump-action shotgun is the most recommended home defense shotgun. It isn’t always made in America, but it defends the turf well. Recently, a new type of shotgun has been offered for home defense. While the Charles Daly Honcho is a different bird and requires attention to detail, the 14-inch barrel pump-action shotgun just may be a viable home defense shotgun for some and the ideal piece for a few. [Read more…] about Review: Charles Daly Honcho Shotgun

Ruger SR-762: Ruger’s Badass 7.62×51 .308 Win.

A few years ago, Sturm, Ruger & Company leaped into the crowded AR15 rifle market with a piston driven AR15 variant. The SR-556 isn’t inexpensive. However, as a result, it is a very good rifle. Later, Ruger offered what I regarded as a sensational rifle, the SR-762, a 7.62×51 NATO variant. I suppose this might qualify as an AR10, but in most ways, it is a modern design. This isn’t a gas-impingement operation but rather a piston-operated rifle with a four-position gas valve or regulator. [Read more…] about Ruger SR-762: Ruger’s Badass 7.62×51 .308 Win.

Glock 44: Glock Imperfection in a Rimfire?

The Glock 44 rimfire was met with some derision by those wishing to own a single-column magazine 10mm or perhaps the long-awaited Glock carbine. I don’t know if Glock is seriously considering these firearms, but it listens. [Read more…] about Glock 44: Glock Imperfection in a Rimfire?

Colt Python: Reintroduced, but Is It Worthy of the Name?

There has been considerable interest in the new Colt Python 2020. Likewise, there have been quite a few comments coming from those who have not handled the Python— the new or old version. It just would not do for Colt to deliver a cheapened version, and the new pistol has no such allusion. As a Colt fan, I will say the Colt Python 2020 is a better piece than the original. [Read more…] about Colt Python: Reintroduced, but Is It Worthy of the Name?

Gun Test: Springfield XD-S 4.0

The Springfield XD-S 4.0 is a variation on the Springfield XD—a popular and proven firearm. The XD-S is a good concealed carry handgun with the same action and features as the popular XD but enough differences to give the XD-S a distinctive character. The grip treatment is much different and offers plenty of abrasion. The XD-S .45 ACP version may sting the hand a bit, but it offers real power in a compact package. The XD-S 9mm version is more controllable and offers more rounds in the same compact package. [Read more…] about Gun Test: Springfield XD-S 4.0

Review: Taurus G3 9mm Pistol

The majority of new introductions in the handgun world—and on the shelf in gun shops—are polymer frame 9mms. When it comes to service and personal defense, the polymer frame is by far the most popular. All are not inexpensive, but most are affordable. The polymer frame is not only inexpensive to manufacture the material is tough, long lasting, and easy to shape into a useable firearm. Among the newest introductions that has enthusiasts’ attention is the Taurus G3. [Read more…] about Review: Taurus G3 9mm Pistol

Chose the Handgun Over a Rifle or Shotgun for Defense!

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was driving on Interstate 95 in Massachusetts, listening as the attacks unfolded on the radio, heading toward Boston to teach a three-hour seminar. When I got to the office where the class was being held, it was only the sobbing receptionist that broke the deafening silence to greeted me. We decided to press on with the training program. During the class breaks, we watched the towers burn on television. To describe it as surreal would be an understatement. When I got home early that afternoon—already wearing my handgun, as normal—I took a rifle, and shotgun out of the quick-action safe and put one on each side of the house. [Read more…] about Chose the Handgun Over a Rifle or Shotgun for Defense!

The 10mm — When It’s Time to Go to Plan B

I have long been a fan of large calibers. This is based on my research and personal experience. Depending on the need, I favor the 1911 in .45 ACP or 10mm, or magnum caliber revolvers. I have been concerned with animal defense for years. Among the many things I wish I had not seen was a photo that my Sgt., later Chief, showed me of a pretty youngster (perhaps four) with most of her scalp and face gone above the nose. She had been killed by a large dog. [Read more…] about The 10mm — When It’s Time to Go to Plan B

Review: Beretta APX Carry 9mm

Today’s market may be crowded, but an advantage to the consumer is a wide choice of arms from prominent makers. The Beretta APX Carry is Beretta’s offering in the lucrative single-column magazine, 9mm compact market. Pistols like the Glock 43 and Smith and Wesson Shield are the most popular concealed carry choices. They offer a good balance of power and weight and are controllable and accurate enough to give the concealed carry handgun user real confidence. [Read more…] about Review: Beretta APX Carry 9mm