American Handgunner articles from November 2001

American Handgunner archives from November 2001

SPEAK OUT.
November 1, 2001... MAIL CALL Oh Say Can You See? I was using granny glasses for several years until I finally got tired of taking them on and off. I opted for the off-the-shelf bifocals available at most discount stores. Of course this did not help my...

INSIDE THE PRESSURE COOKER.
November 1, 2001... Gunsmiths are some of the worlds most knowledgeable craftsmen in many fields. And it would be hard to find any craft that requires as much skill and knowledge in so as many areas as gunsmithing does today. The gunsmiths of a century ago had...

The Handgun As Claymore.
November 1, 2001... Now here is the most important part of the equation. Ruger and other manufacturers spend hundreds of thousands of dollars giving you what you want--big, high pressure cartridges. I have never understood why shooters want these tendon-snapping,...

HUMBERTO RAPOSO'S DESIGNER STEEL.
November 1, 2001... The tough stainless steels used in modern firearms, such as 410 or 416, does not hove the characteristics and safety margin necessary to contain the massive pressure of a handgun cartridge like the .454 Casull. Instead of looking for solutions...

MR. POPULAR COMES To AMERICA.
November 1, 2001... When American Handgunner began publishing in 1976, the overwhelming double-action majority of U.S. police carried a service revolver in .38 Special or .357 Magnum; of which the lion's share was the K-frame Smith & Wesson. There has been a lot...

THE BEST OF BACK-UPS.
November 1, 2001... The Glock is an ergonomic pistol that is extremely simple to operate. It may be the single easiest type of handgun to teach a rookie to use, from ground level "this is your weapon" indoctrination to competent performance in a complicated police...

ONE SIZE FITS ALL.
November 1, 2001... A big selling point for the G22 is that when it's purchased for uniformed troops, the agency can buy the slightly more compact 14-shot 023 for smaller-statured officers and plainclothesmen, although some prefer to conceal the G22 itself. There...

BULLETS FOR THE SERIOUS LOADER.
November 1, 2001... When Elmer Keith first started experimenting with sixgun bullets in the '20s, he soon found that the available designs left much to be desired in both killing power and long-range accuracy. His first step in the right direction resulted in...

Practicing With The Practical.
November 1, 2001... Holsters from Wilson Combat are extremely well-made and represent exceptionally good values. There are no "race" or trick holsters, just proven, practical designs. The holster shown here is the Practical[TM] model in black sharkskin....

Ghost Busters.
November 1, 2001... For practical shooting competitors, the ideal holster is one that holds the handgun perfectly positioned so that the shooting grip can be immediately acquired; holds the gun securely even during strenuous movement; and permits a smooth,...

Less is More: The IPSC Power Factor.
November 1, 2001... Diligentia, Vis, Celeritas-- accuracy, power, speed. This is the motto of the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC), encapsulating the three vital aspects of practical shooting. Speed and accuracy are skills present in the...

MORE PRACTICE, LESS FUSS.
November 1, 2001... Consider the most likely circumstances that you might face when using a handgun to defend yourself. Let's see... range less than 10 meters, one or more threats, limited or low light, focus on your threat, fine motor skills difficult to utilize....

Express Yourself.
November 1, 2001... My friend John Benner, of the Tactical Defense Institue (2174 Bethany Ridge Rd., West Union, OH 45693), told me of his preference for Ashley express sights fitted to his choice of sidearm. John is a serious trainer and has little time for...

DRIVING THE KAHR.
November 1, 2001... Like many of you, I am always looking for an excuse to procure another handgun. Recently, I added a new one to my pile, a Kahr P9. For use with a fanny pack, I have favored either a S&W Model 3913 or Glock G19. Sometimes my Wilson Compact CQB...

"SAFETY" IS NOT EVEN WORTHY OF OUR CONSIDERATION AS AN ISSUE.
November 1, 2001... On April 18, the Violence Policy Center released a report, "Where'd They Get Their Guns?: An Analysis of the Firearms Used in High-Profile Shootings, 1963-2001" (vpc.org/graphics/where.pdf). The report surveys firearm information (including...

How To Get The Most Out Of A Progressive Press.
November 1, 2001... Life without progressive reloading presses, believe it or not, did occur. Granted, IPSC and the other "action" or "defensive" shooting games demand not only a bunch of ammo for matches but also many times more for the training needed to get...

POWDER MEASURES FOR DUMMIES.
November 1, 2001... Following the correct steps to adjust the three dies, we should have succeeded in making a dummy round. Before we go to town and adjust the powder measure, first chamber-check the dummy to see if it fits in your pistol's chamber. Don't assume...

THE .22 MAGNUM AS A REVOLVER CARTRIDGE.
November 1, 2001... Since its introduction in 1959 and in subsequent load development, the .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) has been seen primarily as a rifle cartridge. Nevertheless, with the early introduction of WMR chambered revolvers, a large percentage,...

THE GOLDEN JOYS.
November 1, 2001... Africa! The Dark Continent. Shrouded in mystery, mystique and often a great deal of excitement. Jim Hebert is a hunter of some repute himself, a hunting consultant as well as friend of many years. His description of Mablapholane in South Africa...

USE ENOUGH GUNS.
November 1, 2001... An impressive array of hardware and ammo came with us to Africa. Everything from a .300 Whisper to a 6.5 JDJ to a 6.5 Mini Dreadnought, a .338-'06 JDJ, .375 JDJ, .454 Casull, .475 JDJ and a few other calibers were represented. Everyone had a...

The AYOOB FILES.
November 1, 2001... REFLEXIVE DRAW: A GUNFIGHT IN NASHVILLE Situation: Attacked by a grinning felon, your only choice is draw or die. Lesson: When survival is at the razor's edge, swift reactions save your life. There are four levels of' physical...

THEY USED THEIR 38s, BUT NO FIREARMS.
November 1, 2001... Those poor businessmen in Bogota. First, they have to launder all that drug money--poor babies-- and now they're getting ripped off by a vicious gang of robbers who don't even use guns to pull their heists. Colombian police are doing their...

The Germans Didn't Have A "Croc Squad".
November 1, 2001... But they do now, sorta. In Eltville, Germany, the call has gone out for blue-suit sharpshooters, especially if they own their own rifles and aren't afraid of getting wet-- or maybe eaten. See, they weren't really prepared to deal with...

The World Of Anti-Ballistic High Fashion.
November 1, 2001... Hey, you know how fashion-conscious we are here at American Handgunner. You know, obsessing over stuff like matching the finish on the slide of our autopistol to our belt buckle. Stuff like that. Haute couture, that's us. And now we have a...

EXCUSES, EXCUSES.
November 1, 2001... It's a natural human trait to want to think well of ourselves. One way to achieve that is to be successful in every endeavor we attempt. Conversely, if we try something and fail, our self-respect and sense of self-worth is diminished. We feel...

Success Is The Best Medicine.
November 1, 2001... Preparing excuses in advance can promote a losing attitude and lead to lack of focus, lack of effort and dissipation of energy. Still, if excuses help people get off the sidelines and into the game and feel better about themselves, they may...

The Advantage Of Crappy Guns.
November 1, 2001... A more subtle defense mechanism is to handicap oneself with inadequate equipment. When I began shooting IPSC matches long ago, the winning ticket was a 1911 .45 ACP lightly customized with better sights, trigger and safety. At that time there...

A VULCAN MIND-MELD HOLSTER.
November 1, 2001... Since 1973, Richard Heinie, gunsmith extraordinaire, has been building some of the finest 1911-based pistols around--and that's a simple fact. You may not know that he also formed an alliance with Lou Alessi of Alessi Holsters to make a...

A Topless Spanky From Down Under.
November 1, 2001... It's hard not to like a company that names it's holsters along the lines of "The Topless," "Spanky" and "Down Under," of which we had better only say that it has something to do with inside-the-pants holsters. At the risk of being redundant, I...

HOYT HOLSTERS HANGS IT UP.
November 1, 2001... That fine old maker of holsters, Hoyt, legendary from the moment they opened their doors, is calling it quits. After 75 years, sales have simply been in a decline mode for too long and the company is going to give up the fight. Carol Lee, at...

Smith & Wesson Model 27.
November 1, 2001... Many bellwether handgun designs achieve classic status by virtue of a significant advance in firearm technology. More often than not, such an arm takes its place in the public consciousness because of its association with important historic...

abbreviated BROWNINGS.
November 1, 2001... Whenever anyone asks about custom gunsmithing on the Browning Hi-Power, they are sure to be told of Bill Laugh ridge's shop, Cylinder & Slide. The folks at Cylinder & Slide are best known for working on Hi-Powers and 1911 Government Model...

THE RISE OF THE HOUSE OF KAHR.
November 1, 2001... KAHR ARMS CAME OUT OF NOWHERE TO DOMINATE THE ULTRA-COMPACT PISTOL MARKET. WHY DID THE KAHR DESIGN FLOURISH WHERE OTHERS HAVE FAILED? They had a small booth in an out-of-the-way corner of the massive firearms trade exhibit known as the SHOT...

BLOOD OF THE CUT: THE MENTAL ASPECTS OF KNIFE FIGHTING.
November 1, 2001... SO YOU WHEY A COMBAT FOLDER. A BENCHMADE OR MAYBE EVEN AN EMERSON. GOOD FOR YOU. DOW FOR THE TOUGH PERT- WHET IF YOU ACTUALLY HAVE TO USE IT? Arlington County Sheriff's Deputies arrived at the scene of an incident where a young man had...

Poet In Steel.
November 1, 2001... Howard Viele's Dynamic Tactical Folders Redefine The Genre. In the rarified air of top custom knifemakers, Howard Viele breathes easily. His knives cut through that air with no visible effort, and leave no vapor behind. He's a poet in...

S&W's Newest Hand Elector.
November 1, 2001... The Performance Center Brings Back A Legendary Double-Action Revolver. When Smith & Wesson introduced the swing-out cylinder around the end of the 19th century, the guns were colloquially known as the Hand Ejectors. That nickname really...

POWDER POSITION: A SPECIAL REPORT ON INTERNAL BALLISTICS.
November 1, 2001... WHERE IN THE CARTRIDEE CASE THE POWDER LIES CAN DRAMATICALLY AFFECT VELOCITY OF CERTAIN LOADS. Sometimes we forget lessons learned long ago until we receive a pointed reminder. I was given such a reminder recently. All of the interest in...

GRIPS GALORE!
November 1, 2001... * AUTHENTIC-COPY TIFFANY GRIPS * HERRETT'S DAN WESSON GRIPS * BUFFALO BROTHERS SYNTHETICS In the 1850s and '60s it was quite common for Sam Colt to offer presentation pieces of his sixguns to heads-of-state and various monarchs....

NATION OF COWARDS: Essays on the Ethics of Gun Control.
November 1, 2001... By Jeff Snyder Accurate Press, P.O. Box 86, Lonedell, MO 63060 Phone: (800) 374-4049 Softcover: $14.95 + $3.00 S/H; Hardcover: $24.95 + $3.00 S/H 174 pages A seminal treatise on liberty in the tradition of Madison and...

YOU CAN WIN A CUSTOM RUGER VAQUERO.
November 1, 2001... Alex Hamilton, former president of the American Pistolsmiths Guild, is the guiding light of Ten Ring Precision, a full-service pistoismithing shop in historic San Antonio, Texas. Hamilton cut his teeth on a checkering file, his schooling as a...

AHRENDS REVOLVER STOCKS.
November 1, 2001... The first Kim Ahrends stocks I saw was a beautiful pair of rosewood panels on a custom Browning. Shortly thereafter, a pair of his "Tactical" style went Onto my pet Commander. They are there to this day. Now Ahrends has expanded his line to...

COLD STEEL KNIVES.
November 1, 2001... Cold Steel! What a great name for a knife maker! This California-based cutlery house has a reputation for tough, sharp knives. We'll look at two from different ends of the spectrum--and as to sharpness, I can testify. As I unpacked one, I was...

JR'S HEARING MUFF SWEATS.
November 1, 2001... A couple of years ago, I reviewed these gadgets and thought they were a great idea. You know how miserable it can be to wear earmuffs in hot weather? The Sweats are a simple cloth bag with an elastic band to keep them in place. Well, now there...

UNCLE MIKE'S KYDEX GEAR.
November 1, 2001... Kydex is a neat material. Technically, it's a thermoplastic polymer. This property means that it can be molded into complex shapes. Kydex has become very popular as a pan of tactical gear because it is incredibly durable and impervious to...

Smith & Wesson Under New Ownership.
November 1, 2001... If you have not yet heard the good news, Smith & Wesson has been purchased by a consortium of investors, and is once again in American hands. This is greatly encouraging to all who wish to see a repudiation of "The Deal." Smith & Wesson...

THE NEVER ENDING PARADE OF 1911s.
November 1, 2001... Nothing seems to slow the introduction of new versions of the venerable 1911 pistol. At the recent NRA Show we ran across several new ones. Dan Wesson, newly reorganized after a series of false starts, is debuting a model called the Point...

Vintage Firearms Art.
November 1, 2001... Conjuring images of the rough and tumble days of America's westward expansion, a new series of classic Winchester posters captures the essence of our firearms heritage. For the first time, reproductions of these images are available in...

Mama Mia!
November 1, 2001... The founder of the Million Mom March has been revealed to be an acquaintance of Sen. Hillary Rodham-Clinton and a former public relations executive with CBS News. Donna Dees-Thomases was characterized as a "typical mom" when she started the...

RUGER WINS HANDGUN OF THE YEAR.
November 1, 2001... The Ruger Super Redhawk in .480 Ruger was voted Handgun of the Year for 2001 by the nearly 500 members of the Shooting Industry Academy Of Excellence. Considered the most prestigious of all firearms industry awards, the Academy Of Excellence is...

The Squeeze Me" Gun.
November 1, 2001... Brazilian handgun maker Taurus International has joined with the New Jersey Institute of Technology to develop a personalized weapons system, otherwise known as a "smart" gun. The research is focusing on a sensor system that works off the...

STEYR GETS EVICTED.
November 1, 2001... The BMW motor company has bought the land on which the Steyr-Mannlicher factory is located. The German luxury car giant has given the Austrian gunmaker until the first of the year to vacate the premises. GSI, importers of Steyr products in...

Handguns Lead Declining U.S. Gun Production.
November 1, 2001... Firearms production figures for 1999, the latest year available from ATF, reveal that the American gun business continues to decline. In 1980, U.S. manufacturers produced over 5.6 million guns compared to barely 4 million firearms in 1999 ...

THE ONE BRIGHT SPOT.
November 1, 2001... Despite a bleak overall outlook for U.S. firearms companies, one bright spot shines through the gloom. Sturm, Ruger & Co. continues to provide American shooters with quality, innovation, value and timely new products. The Ruger Vaquero has...