American Handgunner articles from January 2001

American Handgunner archives from January 2001

SPEAK OUT MAIL CALL.
January 1, 2001... Errors Galore Hoo boy! What happened to your proofreaders and fact checkers for your Sept/Oct 2000 issue? What massive ignorant mistakes in the Kimber and .380 articles! Was everybody asleep? You got the Kimber CDP size lineup...

SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY.
January 1, 2001... When you're a cop responding to a danger scene, you know that there's at least one loaded handgun present: yours. For a long time, it was a fact of life that one out of every five murdered police officers was killed with a snatched police...

THE GOMER PYLE TEST.
January 1, 2001... To my knowledge, the first study of the "proprietary nature to the user factor" of a semiautomatic pistol with a safety catch was conducted in the early 1980s and published in Police Chief, the journal of the International Association of Chiefs...

A Sheep In Sheep's Clothing.
January 1, 2001... One of the great virtues of a handgun is that it provides the user with the ability to defend himself from a violent attack. Even if the attackers are physically stronger, attack in packs or have lethal weapons in their possession, a handgun is...

REPETITION: The Mother Of All Skill.
January 1, 2001... Understand that under stress the conscious mind does not work well. Only the subconscious mind can perform properly, because it is the non-analytical mind that is influenced through training. It is the subconscious mind that is capable of...

HUMAN OPERATING SYSTEM, NON-UPGRADED.
January 1, 2001... Police firearms training is, for the most part, driven to insure that police officers can fire an acceptable qualification score. How well this training relates to their ability to survive and fight with their sidearm is of little concern,...

IRON, DOT OR SCOPE.
January 1, 2001... Sights, in some form or another, adorn almost all handguns. Hunting handguns usually come with iron sights of varying configuration and quality while others, such as many of the single-shots, do not have any sights, but are drilled and tapped...

Hubbell Notwithstanding, Scopes Are Good.
January 1, 2001... Telescopic sights do the same thing for handguns as they do for rifles-- allow more precise shot placement than either iron or dot sights. Instead of simply shooting at the body of an animal, you should be shooting at a particular spot, as...

DOT THE EYES.
January 1, 2001... Faster and more accurate than iron sights are the "red dot" sights. The Bushnell Holosight exemplifies one type, and the Micro Dot, the other. The Holosight has an upright "screen" and the Micro Dot sports a conventional tube. Some shooters...

LASERS, HOLSTERS AND LOOSE WOMEN.
January 1, 2001... Okay, so this doesn't have anything to do with loose women, but I got you to read on. With the rising popularity of laser sighting systems on handguns I've encountered some timely questions-- I might add even well thought-out questions-- about...

A Winter Wonderland Of Holsters.
January 1, 2001... Rusty Sherrick's advertisement, a humble black and white affair, appeared seemingly out of nowhere in another gun magazine. I wasn't actually reading the magazine, but was tearing the pages out to catch the oil dripping from my aging 1940...

AND ANOTHER THING.
January 1, 2001... I'm only going to say this once. Holster makers put belt loops on their holsters that handle 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" belts for a reason. You shouldn't-- no, you can't-- put a pound and a half of gun into an 8 oz. holster and then expect a skinny...

The Basic Black Holster.
January 1, 2001... Galco's "Cop 3 Slot" is a versatile and attractive concealment holster. Three 1 3/4" belt slots allow the holster to be worn in either the strong side or cross draw positions. Gun retention is provided by both a thumb-break safety strap and by...

The Do-Everything Holster.
January 1, 2001... A police detective friend who's been wearing a Safariland Model 560 "Custom Fit" holster on duty for over a year claims it's the best holster he's ever used. The paddle system is extremely comfortable even after long hours on the job, retains...

THE GRIP, PLUS ONE.
January 1, 2001... Compact, lightweight autopistols with their short grip frames are not the easiest to control. An inexpensive remedy is the finger groove panel offered by Pearce Grip, Inc. The finger grooves have extensions on each side to fit over the stock...

SHOOTING FOR THE AMERICAN WORK ETHIC.
January 1, 2001... Average ability and hard work will beat exceptional skill and slovenly work every time. Hard work, dedication and commitment can make up for a multitude of physical shortcomings. In a John Steinbeck novel, two characters engage in the nature...

ONE, TWO, THREE... LIFT!
January 1, 2001... The two fundamentals of accurate shooting are to hold the gun as motionless as possible and to hold it the same way for every shot. Strong, well-toned arm and hand muscles are a definite asset. One of the most effective exercise devices is...

Brass Maker To The Stars.
January 1, 2001... Starline, the maker of high-quality reloading brass, has continued to expand its offerings to focus on some nearly obsolete calibers that had been lost in the mists of time. For decades, Starline's very existence was known only in the...

How To Adjust A Crimp Die.
January 1, 2001... Since most of the loading I do with Starline brass involves old cartridges and cast bullets, getting a good crimp is an issue. Fortunately, almost all the bullets we use have a built-in guide called the crimp groove. Usually this is a great...

THE COLTS THAT NEVER WERE.
January 1, 2001... Thanks To Cimarron Arms, Several Classic Sixguns From The 1870 To Replica sixguns are very popular today with both the percussion Colts and the Single Action Army being faithfully offered in the original designs. Because of various reasons,...

The Scent Of A Man.
January 1, 2001... One of the best places to be in the whole world is in an old gunsmith shop. The smell of cutting oil, metal shavings, Hoppe's and wood is everything a man could ever want in one small olfactory package. For most of us, even gunsmiths, visiting...

THE KELLER CHECKERING FIXTURE.
January 1, 2001... Neil Keller's checkering fixture is a unique tool you will see in small and large gunshops that aids the gunsmith in doing one of the most difficult jobs, checkering. The fixture is set up to do 20, 25 and 30 lpi checkering when it is installed...

The Weigand Lug Cutter.
January 1, 2001... Jack Weigand's Model 1911 lug cutting tool is used as much as Neil Keller's checkering fixture and is a valuable asset if the lugs on a match barrel are going to be cut precisely so that it will shoot. We even use special carbide steel cutters...

THE BARREL TESTER.
January 1, 2001... Joe Cominolli's new barrel accuracy testing fixture is a tool even the most high-tech gun shops have wished they had, but did not have the time to build. Joe's fixture is a state-of-the-art tool that is a far cry from the old converted...

CAN A "RIGHT" BE MODERATED IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY?
January 1, 2001... Last column, I began an inquiry into whether rights, in order to be rights, must be absolute, or whether they may be subject to "reasonable" regulation in the interest of public safety. I chose for my investigation one of the most...

Gun Grab: The Hit Man Incident.
January 1, 2001... Situation: Sentenced to die, a convicted contract killer has nothing to lose when he snatches a policeman's pistol. Lesson: Carrying an on-safe pistol can be a life-saver if the bad guy gains control of your weapon. August 9, Cheyenne,...

Taffin TESTS.
January 1, 2001... less is more when it comes to bigbore sixguns When the .357 Magnum hit the sixgunning world in 1935, it was billed as "more powerful than any .44 or .45!" Twenty years later it took a very far backseat to the new champion, the .44 Magnum....

THE SIXGUNS OF AMERICAN FRONTIER FIREARMS.
January 1, 2001... Colt and Smith & Wesson started as handgun manufacturers on two entirely different paths in the mid-1800s. Colt dates back to 1836 and the first practical revolver, the Paterson. The five-shot Paterson with its folding trigger was a fragile...

AIMED VS. POINT SHOOTING.
January 1, 2001... The argument over using gun sights versus merely pointing the handgun for defensive use has been one of the most acrimonious in the history of hand-gunning. However rancorously the debate may have raged, actual scientific comparisons are...

Colt model 1849 pocket pistol.
January 1, 2001... By the late 1840s, Samuel Colt's revolvers had demonstrated their utility on the Texas Frontier and in the war with Mexico. Colt's experiences with military contracts had convinced him that his business would have to serve a much larger and...

THERE WERE PISTOLS IN THE PEPPERONI.
January 1, 2001... We think the guards in the Sao Paulo prison are gonna be brown-bagging their dinners in the future--and maybe checking delivery boys a little closer before buzzing them in the gate. Since the guys used to send out for pizza every night, they...

We're Not Quite That Technologically Advanced Yet.
January 1, 2001... People use the phone these days to do just about everything--grocery shopping, paying their bills, even something called "phone sex," although I look at my phone and I just can't imagine how that would work. One thing you can't do on the phone,...

RUGER'S LIGHT WORKING GUN.
January 1, 2001... YOUR BASIC PLAIN VANILLA BLACKHAWK .45 CONVERTIBLE IS THE IDEAL WORKING GUN. During the early '70s, the late Dr. Mel Tappin produced a thought-provoking series of books and articles about survival in the event of short-term or long-term...

WORLD SHOOTOFF 2000.
January 1, 2001... THE THRILL OF VICTORY! A BARKHORSE WITH A STOCK GUN UPSETS THE FIELD OF EXOTIC RACEGUNS WITH A STUNNING PERFORMANCE. A former Golden Gloves boxer won the 2000 American Handguner World Shootoff with a stock gun, outgunning all the exotic...

S&W PERFORMANCE CENTER.
January 1, 2001... Everything you know about the making of a custom handgun goes out the window when you step into the square building several hundred yards behind the main plant at Smith & Wesson's sprawling 86-acre factory site. The square building used to be...

THE .45 CQB.
January 1, 2001... Despite the ongoing brouhaha in gun magazines over the "controversy" of stopping power, the truth is that big bullets blow big holes. The legendary .45 ACP remains the unrivalled king of the bigbores, and many a hand gunner will swear to the...

THE ETHICS OF FIVE GENERATIONS.
January 1, 2001... "Screw Smith & Wesson. I won't be happy until I see them bankrupt and out of business." Dave Licht, American Handgunner reader, 2000 Before we work ourselves into a stew over this issue's cover story on Smith & Wesson's Performance...

BOYCOTT THE BASTARDS.
January 1, 2001... The trouble with a consumer boycott against Smith & Wesson is where to start. Do we lynch S&W president Ed Schultz, who has stated emphatically that he and he alone made the decision? Or do we assume he's lying to cover for his overseers in...

COLLABORATIVE FOLDERS.
January 1, 2001... Several Knife companies are tapping the custom knifemakers to create designs that offer the same sort of quality and excellence of a handmade blade, at affordable prices. For aficionados of tactical folders, these are the best of times....

10-Ring Precision.
January 1, 2001... Pistolsmith Alex Hamilton worships at the alter of accuracy, and his custom handguns prove his devotion. "Dedicated to the Metallic Arts of the Spiral Tube." So reads the logo of 10-Ring Precision, a multi-faceted enterprise that has...

Home Safety And Security.
January 1, 2001... You know the mantra--gun control laws don't work because criminals just steal their guns anyway. Hiding Old Bess under the bed or in the closet might work if you live in a rural area with virtually no residential burglaries, but even at that,...

HUMANOID!
January 1, 2001... SIMPLE AND SOPHISTICATED SILHOUETTES FOR SURVIVAL SHOOTING. Many of today's common silhouette targets can trace their roots to police training and qualification courses. Some of the early examples depict a person with one hand behind his...

MAN OF STEEL.
January 1, 2001... Doug Koenig wins the 2000 World Speed Shooting Championship, capping a stellar year for the Bianchi Cup Champ. Fresh off a victory at the Bianchi Cup, professional shooter Doug Koenig of Team Leupold won the 2000 Steel Challenge with a...

HAWKEYE BORE SCOPE.
January 1, 2001... For several months now I have been learning a lot about barrels. One tool needed for this experience is some way to see inside the barrel. The Hawkeye Bore Scope meets that need very handily. With it you can examine in minute detail the tops of...

DILLON HP1 MUFFS.
January 1, 2001... The use of electronic earmuffs has grown by leaps and bounds over the last few years. Not only have they become smaller and lighter, but the electronic circuitry is being refined as well. The Dillon HP1 muffs are very compact, a nice blue...

BIANCHI RANGER TRIAD ANKLE HOLSTER.
January 1, 2001... Over the years I have tried, and dismissed, a number of ankle holsters. My objection to most was that they didn't want to stay in one place. Either they would wobble around as I walked or slip down and land on my ankle bone. That never felt...

COLUMBIA RIVER KISS CLASSIC, M- 16- 13.
January 1, 2001... The first time I saw the Columbia River Kiss Classic folder I said, "There's no way I'm gonna put that in my pocket." My reason was that I'm a klutz with knives and cut myself much too regularly. The fact that one side of the blade is just "out...

Our Definition Of Heaven: Free Beer After A Good Pistol Match.
January 1, 2001... Beretta USA employee Ernest Langdon won the 2000 JDPA National Championship with a Beretta Model 92 Elite, firing not only the best score in Stock Service Pistol, but also the high overall tally. Perhaps we should clarify that and say that...

SIG Arms Sold To Private Investors.
January 1, 2001... Two German textile magnates, Michael Luke and Thomas Ortmeier, have purchased SIG Arms from the SIG Group, a Swiss corporation whose primary business is manufacturing packaging materials. The sale price was not disclosed. The deal includes...

COLT RECALLS LIGHT RIFLE.
January 1, 2001... Colt's Mfg. Co. had barely begun production of the Light Rifle that it acquired from Ultra Light Arms when a problem with the bolt assembly surfaced, resulting in the beleaguered gunmaker issuing a recall. A Colt spokesman said the problem was...

VEKTOR CLOSES UP SHOP.
January 1, 2001... South African handgun importer Vektor USA has closed up shop on the CP-1 pistol and if you attempt to contact the company, all you will get is a recorded message that says in part: "Due to circumstances beyond our control, Vektor is suspending...

Australia Authorizes Army To Shoot Civilians.
January 1, 2001... Having disarmed its citizens of lawfully owned firearms, the government of Australia has now passed the Defense Legislation Amendment Bill 2000 (Aid To Civilian Authorities) which gives the Australian army the authority to use "reasonable and...

INFORMATIONAL ETHICS.
January 1, 2001... Can you, the reader of a newsstand magazine, be trusted to know sensitive information pertaining to weapons? Is it appropriate to disseminate information to the general public on topics such as the reason behind a double-tap, what the Hatcher...