American Handgunner articles from September 2005

American Handgunner archives from September 2005

Shameless support.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)
September 1, 2005... Engraved Colts? S&W big-bores? Autos of all kinds, exotic knives, writers who are the real deal, laughter and even tears at times? An editor as insane as I am? Only in American Handgunner! And thanks for supporting us shameless! Sergeant...

Notta' sharp tool.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Okay, I know I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but I need some help here. I subscribe to American Handgunner and GUNS, and the first thing I do is take out the inserts so the pages are easier to flip. I fill them out later as it's hard to...

The fight's over.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Ha! Taffin poked Duke on the nose about that .45 Colt debate ("The .45 Colt is Great!" July/Aug 2005), but then again, I do sorely love my .45 AR! What's a fellow to do anyway? Shake hands boys, the fight's over. Let's keep both calibers! ...

Little Lizzie.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... Once again, Connor has struck a chord with "Why do you carry a gun?" (Guncrank Diaries, July/Aug 2005). I've thought seriously for several days about the article by Mr. Connor. It is definitely his best effort by a long shot and is the...

Survivors.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... The compelling photo of Staff Sergeant Graunke and Pearl Harbor survivor Houston James (Insider, "Embrace Across the Decades," July/Aug 2005) also struck home: Thank You! That picture of the Navy Pearl Harbor survivor and Marine Staff Sgt....

Gun'riter 101.(SHOOTING IRON[TM]: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
September 1, 2005... You'd be amazed at how many times I've been asked: "What's it take to be a gunwriter?" Many magazine readers think it must be the most wonderful life imaginable--getting up every morning with the only problem to consider being what gun you...

big bucks?(SHOOTING IRON: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
September 1, 2005... And I don't mean deer. The way to make a million dollars in this business is to start with two million. Gunwriting doesn't pay big bucks. It doesn't even pay middle-sized bucks. Many of the fellows doing it full-time have side incomes such as...

Free guns?(SHOOTING IRON[TM]: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
September 1, 2005... Yeah, right. I'll admit there've been a few free ones in the past 25 years. Very few. More often you get nagging letters and phone calls from the gun companies because you are overdue on the 90- or 120-day consignment period. Once, someone...

Psst ... it's not your fault.(REALITY CHECK[TM]: FIRST-PERSON THOUGHTS ON SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD)
September 1, 2005... I'm often intrigued by the talk I hear as students conduct "feeling-out" conversation missions on one another at school. The "I'll blow them away" crowd are actually few and far between, as most ordinary, reasonably-sane folks pass on this...

Think what?(REALITY CHECK[TM]: FIRST-PERSON THOUGHTS ON SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD)
September 1, 2005... If I can get Sam and Suzi Homemaker past that point, the next one seems to be "Will I be able to handle this, or will I need a shrink or if I take a bad guy's life while defending myself? Aren't I supposed to feel bad about it?" Hold up...

Not my species.(REALTY CHECK[TM]: FIRST-PERSON THOUGHTS ON SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD)
September 1, 2005... Then again he is not one of my species. In fact, he and I are not anything alike. Trust me--they are different, and the fact I'm not crying over this knot-head doesn't make me dirty, cruel and heartless. In fact, when I shot him it was based on...

Brasshoppers beware.(HAND LOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
September 1, 2005... Brass is the lifeblood of the reloader and people go to extraordinary lengths to get some for nothing. But sometimes the stuff you get for free may be the most expensive brass you've ever had. I'm talking about scrounging at the range. I...

The good news.(HAND LOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
September 1, 2005... We are always told to inspect our brass before reloading. You can almost always tell by looking if a case has been resized due to the marks left. On autopistol cases you can look for marks left by both the extractor and ejector. The extractor...

False economy.(HAND LOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
September 1, 2005... When you've been handloading as long as I have it is easy to forget how far we've come. Today we can load faster and easier than ever before, but do you remember the days when, if you wanted to reload a new cartridge you had to start by...

Laser--to the max.(TAFFIN TESTS: THE SIXGUNNER HIMSELF: GUNS, GEAR AND MORE)
September 1, 2005... Technology is a two-edged sword. It can be our best friend or our worst enemy; it cuts both ways. In 1956, straight out of high school and working for the then minimum wage of 90 cents an hour I spent the munificent sum or $115 for a 7" black...

New tricks.(TAFFIN TESTS: THE SIXGUNNER HIMSELF: GUNS, GEAR AND MORE)
September 1, 2005... Technology is also one of the major driving forces in the firearms industry. New models, accessories, gadgets, reloading equipment, ammunition, holsters, etc. are introduced every year; it keeps the industry vibrant. It was not too many years...

Hunting the Nail.(HANDGUN HUNTING: TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND POLITICAL-INCORRECTNESS)
September 1, 2005... Perhaps you've heard of the Nail Ranch. It has been the key ranch in a lot of deer hunting articles. Maybe now that I've been there it can be called the Rusty Nail. You see, I'm in great demand to hunt places where there is drought. I take my...

Windshield spotting.(HANDGUN HUNTING: TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND POLITICAL-INCORRECTNESS)
September 1, 2005... Arriving at the Nail the temperature was great, just chilly enough to get the big boys moving with a mild breeze. The forecast was good for hunting. Bill Cauble's Chuckwagon was preparing the grub for the hunters this trip, and breakfast was as...

Dumb bucks.(HANDGUN HUNTING: TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND POLITICAL-INCORRECTNESS)
September 1, 2005... Day two: Just as windy with a lot more water. Day three: Wind was only about 20 MPH, but at least it couldn't blow the water any faster than that. Hunting by rattling was useless, although we tried. The only way to hunt was to slowly drive...

.22 WMR rifle ballistic in a handgun?(.224 Zipperer)
September 1, 2005... The .22 Winchester Magnum cartridge is one I've always liked for small game hunting and pest control. At 1,900 to 2,000 fps they're much faster than high speed .22 LRs. The flatter trajectory makes hitting small targets at uncertain ranges much...

Tiny and fast.(.224 Zipperer)
September 1, 2005... At the 2004 STI/Handgunner Shootoff I met gunsmith "Wild Bill" Caldwell. Over an adventurous career Caldwell has been a carpenter, welder, Vietnam combat veteran, honky tonk guitar picker, maker of custom Damascus knives and machinist....

Flat and fun.(.224 Zipperer)
September 1, 2005... Caldwell currently loads the Zipperer with 40-grain Speer bullets. He's tried a number of powders and has been getting the best results from slow burning powders such as H- 110, W-W 296 and IMR-4227. He's gotten as high as 2,300 fps but...

Gramma Grammer and the gunman: the Janet Grammer incident.(The Ayoob Files)
September 1, 2005... Situation: An armed robber terrorizes a senior citizen checkout clerk and opens fire on her. Lesson: Grandmothers always know how to fix what's wrong. In this case, it was literally time to fight fire with fire... return fire, that is....

The luck of the draw.(BETTER SHOOTING)
September 1, 2005... Drawing a handgun from a holster isn't much more difficult than taking your foot out of a boot. Nonetheless, I once heard of a fellow who fell down a flight of stairs and broke his neck while trying to get his boots off, and I've heard of...

The manual safety factor.(COP TALK: OPINION AND FACTS FROM THE MEAN STREETS)
September 1, 2005... March, 2005: A rape suspect on trial overpowers a petite female Fulton County deputy in an Atlanta courthouse, gains control of her sidearm, and uses it to murder his judge, the court reporter, another deputy and later an off-duty Federal...

Drawing speed.(COP TALK: OPINION AND FACTS FROM THE MEAN STREETS)
September 1, 2005... Three of us went to the firing line with a pair of Glock 17s, one in conventional trim and one with the Cominolli safety. To keep other factors from interfering with measurement of comparative speed, we used a simple open-top Kydex holster by...

Safer?(COP TALK: OPINION AND FACTS FROM THE MEAN STREETS)
September 1, 2005... Going back to a 1981 study in Police Chief magazine that has been replicated several times since with similar results, we find it takes the average gun-snatcher one to 1.2 seconds to fire a "point gun, pull trigger" pistol or revolver once it's...

SideArmor "transformer" gear!(HANDGUN LEATHER: FROM CLASSICS TO CUTTING-EDGE IN CARRY METHODS)
September 1, 2005... A couple years back I had the privilege of being invited to Phoenix by Springfield Armory to view their line-up of guns. Rob Leatham was running the range day and product demo. He also set up some time for the writers to use the firearms...

Elbow grease and desire.(PISTOLSMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
September 1, 2005... Lots of old shooters and collectors are croaking--that's dying for you Kerry voters--these days. These fine men of the World War II generation were the leaders in gun collecting, hunting, shooting, gunsmithing and just plain gun loving. Their...

Don't try this at home.(PISTOLSMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
September 1, 2005... Proper restoration of old guns is an expensive, labor-intensive process requiring lots of elbow grease. After completely dissembling the gun (and assuming it functions fine) there are a few basic steps you must follow: First, remove all the old...

The fun part.(PISTOLSMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
September 1, 2005... The first thing I do is remove all the old finish by softly blasting with extra-fine glass beads, getting into all the nooks and crannies to remove rust and ghosts. Round and flat surfaces having deep gouges, scratches or pitting must be...

The .44 Magnum: 50 years young!(THE SIXGUNNER)
September 1, 2005... It may be an old cliche but it is so right. Where does all the time go? It just seems like yesterday when the .44 Magnum appeared and I shot the first one to show up in my area. Hardly seems that was a half century ago! Over the years I've shot...

The wide world of whacky gun laws.(GUNCRANK DIARIES[TM]: EXCUSES, ALIBIS, PITHY OBSERVATIONS & GENERAL EPHUS)
September 1, 2005... Until recent years I haven't had much in interest in gun laws, mostly because they didn't apply to me. The political kind, anyway. My personal gun laws went like: 1. Have guns. 2. Be good with 'era. I was either wearing a badge or otherwise...

Tombstone tactical targets: 'bling-bling': noun, the sound bullets make hitting steel.
September 1, 2005... Let's cut to the chase here. The Tombstone Tactical Auto Resetting target system, or TTAR for short, is the latest, and possibly the best, self-setting target I've ever fielded. If you haven't seen it yet, you will at up-coming matches, and as...

Semmerling LM4: a classic case of too innovative too soon.
September 1, 2005... Today is my lucky day, Taps Coogan agreed to open his vault and provide us with an example of an American masterpiece, the Semmerling LM4. Reaching back into his vault is like reaching back in time, working out to about a decade per foot of...

SIGs X-Five.(SINGLE ACTION INNOVATION)
September 1, 2005... SIGARMS has brought forth a new single action centerfire target pistol, the first SIG-Sauer (as opposed to SIG Neuhausen) in that format. The X-Five (SIG spells out the numeral) is an all-steel P226 with ambidextrous thumb safety, chambered for...

American legends: those fantastic .44s!
September 1, 2005... Those are the lyrics from an old Marty Robbins song titled Mr. Shorty. It shows how intertwined the .44 caliber is with American legend and folklore. Since the beginning of cartridge-firing revolvers the .44 caliber has been in the forefront....

A pair with punch: hot sa/da combo from Para!(Cover Story)
September 1, 2005... Let's start right off the bat with the statement I'm not a big fan of the LDA trigger on some of the Para Ordnance guns. But you [have to remember, opinions are like noses. Most everyone has one and they all smell. But, it's not quite as simple...

Special specials: what, where and why?
September 1, 2005... Interestingly enough, of the three handgun cartridges bearing the title "Special" as part of their name, two of the earliest ones are considered to still be two of the most inherently accurate handgun cartridges ever developed. Now, if you're...

A.G. Russell: the edge aficionado.
September 1, 2005... As enthusiasm for edged tools and weaponry go, you'd have to look pretty hard to find someone with a bigger appetite than A.G. Russell. Not only did this Arkansas native make his first cutting implement at the tender age of nine, he built a...

You can shoot the nationals: get the guts, get the gear and get going!
September 1, 2005... Competitive shooters are lucky. Our sport is just the right size: not too big, not too small. It's big enough that to win, at area, national and world championships you have to be really good. Our national and world champions bring the same...

Violence and nonviolence: Part 1.(GUN RIGHTS)
September 1, 2005... Last column I finished offering my reflections on Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. But there is one incident in that film that I have not talked about yet that is going to be our point of departure for a new series of columns. In the...

Cylinder & slide drop in kits.(GUNNYSACK)
September 1, 2005... Not too long ago I was very reluctant to talk about anything involving trigger jobs because anything having to do with cutting sears and hammers is a bad thing for the untrained. Two things changed that, the UPS decision to require handguns to...

Barska red dot sight.(GUNNYSACK)
September 1, 2005... There was a time when red dot sights were expensive things costing hundreds of dollars. Those days are gone. Oh sure, you can still spend a lot but unless you are really picky--or very hard on stuff--you don't have to. Lately I've been using a...

Herrett custom stocks.(GUNNYSACK)
September 1, 2005... At the SHOT Show this year I was being quizzed about the new Smith & Wesson .460 Magnum and there were lots of questions about recoil. "It's not as bad as the .500," I said, "but with the heavy bullets it's still tough. "I can fix that," said a...

A pair of bucks.(GUNNYSACK)
September 1, 2005... Lights, camera, action, folding knife? Yup. Bucks new Lumina[TM] LED folder is a full-sized outdoor-type knife, with a 3" partially serrated 420 HC steel blade, liner-lock, thumbhole opener and nifty hook/lanyard hole on the butt-end. Oh yeah,...

RecoilMaster Guide Rod System.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... STI International The innovative guys at STI are pleased to announce the new RecoilMaster Guide Rod System. Designed to bring the pistol back to point of aim more quickly than conventional recoil assemblies, the RecoilMaster gives the...

Gunsmith bullet trap.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Savage Range Systems This is a durable and nosy to use standalone unit. The Gunsmith Series bullet traps use the Wet Snail Technology to minimize airborne lead. The patented low angle entrance ramps help deflect the bullet into a patented...

Handgun Rack.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Gun Safe Spotlight always likes to see small businesses get a kick-start so we're proud to bring you the new Gun Safe Handgun Rack. The rack is a handcrafted solid wood design measuring 13 5/8" x 14 1/2" x 8 1/8" and holds six guns. The...

SOG Tech Bowie.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... SOG Knives Spotlight doesn't often feature fixed blades but the new SOG Tech Bowie is so hot it gets the coveted exception. For starters all the metal parts are satin finished stainless steel and coated in SOG's proprietary Hardcased TiAIN...

Gun Care Kit.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Blue Wonder The new Blue Wonder Gun Care Kit combines the best of the Blue Wonder line and includes the new Fast Blast spray cleaner into a single handy unit. The kit contains a four-ounce tube of Gun Cleaner, a one-ounce jar of Armadillo...

Wall Vault.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Secure Logic The Secure Logic Wall Vault uses state of the art fingerprint recognition technology and stainless steel construction. The door instantly opens at the touch of a finger allowing only those you choose to access it. It's capable...

S.A.S. Boot.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Original S.W.A.T. Footwear New by August '05 from Original S.W.A.T. Footwear is the new S.A.S. Air Bool 9" Side Zip. The new style unites the best of all worlds into one boot: the lighter weight and cushioning of bubble technology, the...

Imperial Lubricants.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Redding Reloading Imperial Sizing Die Wax is the most famous product in the Imperial Lubricant line. Because of its superior performance and ease of application end cleanup, this product has been a favorite of reloaders for many years....

Coyote Tan Storm Case.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Hardigg cases Hardigg makes transporting your weapon in a safe, secure case a real pleasure with the new Coyote Tan Storm Case. Following requests from military personnel, Hardigg developed the new storm case to protect sensitive and...

TSA-accepted Pelilock.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Pelican Products Developed to compliment their cases and to be recognized by the Transportation Security Administration, the Pelilock allows travelers the freedom to lock their Pelican cases, but gives TSA inspectors easy access without...

The Ligerthane Belt.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Liger Products The Liger Gun Belt represents a major break-through in gun belt design, using custom components and proprietary processes developed by and available exclusively from Liger Products. The belt material is a 21st century...

X-55 flashlight.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Camillus Cutlery Camillus dives into the tactical flashlight world with the introduction of the X-55 five-waft LED. This compact light is a powerhouse of performance. The X-55 gives off 65 lumens, a bright center and corona and a very...

Devil Dog versapack.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Maxpedition Maxpedition keeps ahead of the pack with the Devil Dog equipped with pouches on both sides for carrying 1L Nalgene baffles. The Devil Dog has a padded belt strap and the main compartment opens to reveal 500 cubic inches of...

IWB model GLC.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2005... Fobus USA The new Fobus Inside the Waistband holster fits the Glock 9mm, .40, and .357 models. It is the first IWB designed by Fobus and is contoured to allow a full range of motion while in use. This unique holster makes the handgun...

Foster Knives--1911 folder: which one of these is not like the other?(CHECK IT OUT)
September 1, 2005... Ah, nothing like a nice S&W 1911 handgun resting in your holster for your own personal protection. The cold steel, the checkered grips, the comfort of knowing that 1911 is going to be there for you... But, wait! What if you live in a state...

Add it up.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... 5,000 Mountain lions in California. 1 Deer eaten weekly by each lion. 80% Deer population drop since 1960. 200% Mountain lion increase since 1977. $3,035,970 Collected since '92 by Midway USA for...

Kahr's .45?(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... Yup, and we held it in our sweaty hands. At around 17 ounces, with the polymer frame, think of it as a "biggish" Kahr and you'll get the drift. Same sort of action and feel to it as the small Guys. Called the KP4543, it's a 7-shooter, with six...

Texan hottie.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... S&W's "re-invigorated" engraving department, under the leadership of Tony Miele, is bringing back the good old days of S&W engraving. Tony sent me this photo of one of their recent projects. Called the "Texas Hold'em" Model 36, it's a very...

CZ 75 Compact.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... CZ-USA announced their much-awaited CZ-75 Compact in .40 S&W and should be available by the time you read this. The steel frame on the new model features an M3 accessory rail, as well as an ambidextrous manual safety. At about 7.32" in length...

Happy duo.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... Speaking of Kimber, young Ryan Busse and his wife Sara were on the rodent shoot in Kansas. We checked out Kimber's new shotguns (fancy) and were given some lessons on how to shoot 'em by Sara. Ryan was recently nominated for the 2005 Shooting...

Limerick time!(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... A reader sent me a little limerick about Colt. Which brought up the idea of a contest. Send me your limerick about Colt--good, bad, funny or otherwise--and I'll pick the best one, maybe in two categories. I'll print the top ten or so and the...

Red neck.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... If you know him, you'll agree Dwight VanBrunt from Kimber is a dapper-dresser. Yet, on a recent prairie dog shoot (and yes, I admit it's shooting, not hunting) I couldn't help but notice Dwight's choice in sartorial-splendor. I commented it...

Scoping it out.(news from the front)
September 1, 2005... I have a terrible weakness for optics so I'll put this in the "there's no reason other than they are very cool" category. I know Handgunner readers have some panache so display it with one of these babies. From Barska, their "Spyscope"...

SideWinder thingy.(news from the front)
September 1, 2005... Handgunner readers are an adventurous group, but not stupid, so they have ways to get help should the need arise. And we're not always talking guns and knives here. A well-placed cell phone can keep you out of hot water and summon the cavalry...

Ruger nails gov't. contract.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc., the nation's largest firearms manufacturer, is proud to announce it has been awarded a contract for 5,000 9mm pistols by the U.S. Army Tank-automotive and Armaments Command, Rock Island Arsenal, IL. The pistols to...

CTC proud family.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... See the group photo. See the smiling faces. Crimson Trace Corporation was so proud of their recent win as the Shooting Industry Academy of Excellence "High-Tech" product of 2005, they posed for this group shot outside their facility in Oregon....

I'm a Retro-Guy.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... In light of all the "retro-this" and "retro-that" it suddenly dawned on me I was a "retro" myself. And, as a matter of fact, so are most of the people I know. With today's on-going diatribe about "feelings," and "feng-shui" (whatever that...

Ultimate big bore.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2005... "El Jeffe Grande" gun company of Jalisco, Mexico is marketing the "Ultimato Pistola Grande" for export to the US. "We theenk you Gringos are stupido-enough to actually shoot this theeng, so we'll sell 'em to you," said Jorge El Commandante,...