American Handgunner articles from September 2006

American Handgunner archives from September 2006

ATF hysteria.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I just finished reading the article on ATF raids on gunsmiths who work on custom guns (Insider, July/Aug 2006). I'm now waiting to hear exactly when will the IRS start busting all those guys who customize (manufacture?) and rebuild cars,...

More ATF hysteria.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Just finished Huntington's note about the ATF raiding custom gunsmiths. When will it end? Here we have honest fellows, conducting an honest business, with most having an employee or two, and the ATF decides they are criminals? I hope the NRA...

Lock hysteria.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Well this is further proof of the ongoing concerted effort of the gun magazines and gun makers to foist the whole gun safety mandate on gun buyers. Petty's article about S&W locks ("Much Ado About Nothing," July/Aug 2005) is the final straw....

Filthy Connor.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I am writing in regard to the Guncrank Diaries (Nov/Dec 2005 and May/June 2006 issues). I am the mother of four wonderful daughters and two young granddaughters. We are a hunting sports family, and have always proudly displayed yours and many...

Cancel that sub!(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I received a subscription to your great magazine and another "gun" magazine for Father's Day last year. I've already asked my wife to cancel the one and renew American Handgunner! Let's just say those other guys can't even begin to compare in...

Humorless old grouch.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... Let me say upfront that I am a humorless old grouch. I do not read Pat McManus' columns, and I never bought an Ed Zern book. Gun magazines are serious business, and I have never quite understood letters to "His Editorship" claiming they laughed...

Ladies for Connor.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... As a lady cop in Ohio, I applaud Connor's respect and admiration for his wife, and her own acceptance of both her femininity and the sense of personal responsibility she has for her own safety and that of her family. My own husband is not a...

Wheelgun wonderfulness.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I've just gotten through thoroughly digesting the March/April edition. It is a breath of fresh air to see a comeback for some of the all time classic wheelguns. It has been the writers and editors who, through their pestering manufacturers and...

Iraqi cop training.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I appreciate all of the soldiers here in Iraq. I work and live with them every day and have for over 14 months. I have seen my wife twice in those 14 months. I will see her for two weeks during the next 14 months, and then I am done. I am...

Pistol dynamics.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the editor)
September 1, 2006... I would like to thank you, Ichi, Charlie Petty and the entire staff of American Handgunner for the tremendous job you did in showcasing our pistols ("Dynamic Duo", July/Aug 2006). Ichi's pictures are stunning as usual and I truly appreciated...

How'd we get here?(WINNING EDGE: SOLID ADVICE TO KEEP YOU AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION)
September 1, 2006... In 1976 three events changed the handgunning world. The sport of practical shooting was formally organized as the International Practical Shooting Confederation (IPSC). Bigbore and handgun hunting enthusiasts formed the International Handgun...

A revolution.(WINNING EDGE: SOLID ADVICE TO KEEP YOU AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION)
September 1, 2006... When I shot my first IPSC match in 1980 we had a lot to learn about making guns reliable. Commenting on the early days. Mike Plaxco said, "If your gun worked all the time, and you hit the target most of the time, you'd likely win the match." We...

'70s silliness.(PISTOL SMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
September 1, 2006... Way back in 1968 I got my first FFL and thought that was the real "cat's meow." I was building .45s and .22s for myself and others, gaining experience with each one. By the early '70s I got into shooting front-stuffers and was having a blast,...

Stinky shooting.(PISTOL SMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
September 1, 2006... For you sick-freak muzzle loaders like me who smell like a Civil War battlefield, a little description of the two Ten-Ring Precision match grade pistols is in order here. The flintlock model (Dueller) shot a .440 ball with a .013 pillow-ticking...

Heaven-sent?(PISTOL SMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
September 1, 2006... When American Handgunner came along in the mid '70s I thought I had died and gone to heaven. Here was a magazine dedicated to my first love, handguns. A couple of writers contacted me to see if I would be interested in having them do an article...

Hippo headaches.(HANDGUN HUNTING: TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND POLITICAL-INCORRECTNESS)
September 1, 2006... A few weeks ago I watched Tracks Across Africa which is sponsored by SureFire. This is one of the few hunting shows I watch; so far it s the real thing. On this particular occasion about half of the show was devoted to hunting Hippo. The size...

Bad news JD?(HANDGUN HUNTING: TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND POLITICAL-INCORRECTNESS)
September 1, 2006... In the mid-1980s I spent some time with a number of Hippo on land and in the water. If I had written much about it then I would have been accused of killing everything from a big helpless Bambi to babies. I shot them with the .375 JDJ and a...

Tomato guards.(HANDGUN HUNTING: TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND POLITICAL-INCORRECTNESS)
September 1, 2006... Another time one surfaced right in front of me and I simply raised the .45-70 and gave him a 500-grainer in the back of the head. More bad news--you can't kill them from that angle. He floated too. One night we were going after them at night...

Twins: the fightin' sixgun is reborn!(TAFFIN TESTS: THE SIXGUNNER HIMSELF: GUNS, GEAR AND MORE)
September 1, 2006... Shortly after I got my driver's license and my step-dad saw a way out of his weekly chore, he was happy to hand me the keys to his car so I could take my mom the grocery store on Saturday morning. Believe me, there was a long list of things I...

30 years of AH: the view of the blue.(COP TALK: OPINION AND FACTS FROM THE MEAN STREETS)
September 1, 2006... The law enforcement side of things was part of American Handgunner's focus from the beginning. Law enforcement has always been a huge demographic in this publication's readership. The police side of weaponry has also been regularly addressed by...

Telling the truth.(COP TALK: OPINION AND FACTS FROM THE MEAN STREETS)
September 1, 2006... Back in the '70s, it was American Handgunner that broke the story that the early iterations of the S&W Model 66, the stainless steel version of the .357 Combat Magnum, was locking up in the field when fired intensively with hot Magnum ammo. An...

Hammerhead holster happiness.(HANDGUN LEATHER: FROM CLASSICS TO CUTTING EDGE IN CARRY METHODS)
September 1, 2006... If you're into the highly popular cowboy shooting community the name Eddie Janis should be familiar to you; especially if you're a purist and think carrying anything but a Colt is blasphemy. Eddie's entire business revolves around the Colt...

Big fish story.(HANDGUN LEATHER: FROM CLASSICS TO CUTTING EDGE IN CARRY METHODS)
September 1, 2006... Eddie calls the new rig the Hammerhead--because it's made from shark hide. Catchy, eh? It's available only in black, only for right-hand carry and only for Colts and clones. You'll be able to wear it strong side or cant it down for cross draw...

Philistines.(HANDGUN LEATHER: FROM CLASSICS TO CUTTING EDGE IN CARRY METHODS)
September 1, 2006... However, I know there are those of you out there who would never entertain the thought of carrying this dated technology as a CCW gun. It's okay--really. We all understand it takes years of dedication to the martial arts of firearms to even...

Tenured opinions.(HANDLOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
September 1, 2006... While I can't claim to be a plank owner I do have some tenure. The first article I ever sold was right here in 1980 and a few years later I began to write the Handloading column. And in those years the handgun world has spun around a few times...

Correcting wrongs.(HANDLOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
September 1, 2006... In the arena of ammunition a very bad thing--the Miami firefight of April 11, 1986--shook the law enforcement community to its very core. Handgunner documented that event and as a result we witnessed the birth of a new field of forensic...

Stand by our kind.(HANDLOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
September 1, 2006... But there is one issue that truly set Handgunner apart from all the other magazines. We took a very unpopular editorial stand. When S&W management signed that incredibly bad "agreement" with the Clinton administration we defended them. Not...

Things I've learned.(BETTER SHOOTING)
September 1, 2006... Early in 1993 I suggested a regular feature on shooting skills and the first Better Shooting article was published in July/August 1993. Although my background is primarily competitive, my objective remains--to this day--to provide information...

Changing direction.(BETTER SHOOTING)
September 1, 2006... A couple of years ago I felt I was starting to repeat myself, and although some repetition is all right for new readers, too much is unfair to long-time supporters. I wanted to make the column more visual, and also to tap the vast knowledge of...

Distilled details.(BETTER SHOOTING)
September 1, 2006... The more I learn about shooting the less certain I am. Here are a few things I'm fairly sure about though: * All guns are always considered to be loaded. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not prepared to see destroyed. Finger off...

Slay the monster, flay the hero: the Billy Anders case.(The Ayoob Files)
September 1, 2006... Situation: You shoot a mass murderer and cop-killer. Instead of a medal, the System reaches for knives to skin you alive. Lesson: Investigators and prosecutors sometimes jump to conclusions. That doesn't mean you should take the plea they...

Stupid is.(REALITY CHECK[TM]: FIRST-PERSON THOUGHTS ON SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD)
September 1, 2006... Choosing what to write about in my column is pretty much left to me. That said, I'd like to promote a subject very important to me. Let's take a few minutes to seriously consider the issue of firearms safety. We're all familiar with the four...

The four rules.(REALITY CHECK[TM]: FIRST-PERSON THOUGHTS ON SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD)
September 1, 2006... 1 All guns are always loaded. 2 Don't point the muzzle at anything you are not willing to destroy. 3 Keep your finger off the trigger until your sights are on the target and you are willing to shoot. 4 Be sure of your target and...

Dopey death?(REALITY CHECK[TM]: FIRST-PERSON THOUGHTS ON SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD)
September 1, 2006... Let's consider an environment where the firearms instructor lines his students up across from one another and has them point guns at each other. Then, he has them drop the magazine in the gun, reload another, and rack the action--all the while...

Stones, style and door stops.(GUNCRANK DIARIES[TM]: EXCUSES, ALIBIS, PITHY OBSERVATIONS & GENERAL EPHUS)
September 1, 2006... Opening my e-mail these days is a double-edged sword, folks. It's great so many of you are comfortable writing and askin' me just about anything. On the other hand, the sheer numbers are gettin' staggering, and all you guys want to know is...

Ain't exactly "writing".(GUNCRANK DIARIES[TM]: EXCUSES, ALIBIS, PITHY OBSERVATIONS & GENERAL EPHUS)
September 1, 2006... Which sorta leads to my "writing style"--or lack of it. Yeah, I know some people are offended when I drop a "g," invent a contraction Webster never heard of, or dangle a participle. But I don't "write articles and columns." I just talk to you...

Simple magic: cast hollow points.(THE SIXGUNNER)
September 1, 2006... This is one of those good news/bad news stories taking place nearly 40 years ago. The good news was my wife had purchased around 75 ceramic molds for a ridiculously low price; the bad news was they were in the basement of an old house. The good...

The Quest.(SHOOTING IRON[TM]: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
September 1, 2006... A friend once said, "You're the luckiest fellow I know in finding good used handguns. I d like to follow you around and just get a chance at your leavings." Examples of the guns he was talking about were things like my 1931 vintage S&W Heavy...

Eyes of Superman.(SHOOTING IRON[TM]: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
September 1, 2006... To truly be good at "The Quest" you have to develop a keen eye for detail. For instance, the day I found the S&W Heavy Duty .38-44, I was scanning the handgun cases at Capitol Sports in Helena, Montana. At that time "The Quest" was for any sort...

Quest detestors.(SHOOTING IRON[TM]: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
September 1, 2006... Sometimes when you're very lucky the results of "The Quest" can be almost overwhelming. A few years back I went to a tiny Montana gun show questing only for military issue World War II handguns. At the end of the day, I walked out with my gun...

Three decades of gun rights: a well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.(GUN RIGHTS)
September 1, 2006... I'm interrupting my series on nonviolence to celebrate American Handgunner's 30th anniversary with a retrospective of 30 years of gun rights battles. This is perhaps the most significant period in the history of the Second Amendment since the...

The way we were?(MACHO ...)
September 1, 2006... There are some things you just don't want to see--and these are some of them. In spite of pleas to the contrary, I dug deep into the back issues and found some photos that, well, some people simply wished we would have forgotten forever. But...

Favorite revolvers: sixgun secrets from an auto-guy.
September 1, 2006... In 20 years of contributing to Handgunner, I've seldom written about revolvers. Much of my shooting has been in bullseye and practical pistol competition, both dominated by autopistols. The interest in autopistols for police, military and...

Antelope medicine: S&W's .460 magnum.
September 1, 2006... A shallow depression on a prairie hillside in southern Wyoming was just deep enough to give cover as a little band of antelope slowly fed their way closer. A daypack on the lip of the depression served as a rest for the big Smith & Wesson .460...

The classic Swenson: elegant and understated, Armand's pistols paved the way for the rest.
September 1, 2006... Anyone who has read enough gunzines or has been around custom 1911s at any length has undoubtedly seen countless references to Armand Swenson--and with good reason. Swenson was one of the most important 1911 'smiths since Browning himself. Not...

The edged legend: the knives of living legend Bob Loveless.
September 1, 2006... Legends in any field don't come along very often, and all too often they are not even recognized as such until long after their time. Look around the custom knife industry and it's easy to find a fresh crop of innovative knife-makers every...

Race bred: STI's grandmaster wondergun.(Cover story)
September 1, 2006... Time flies when you're having fun. Way back in January 1991 hordes of competitive shooters were crowding around a small booth at the SHOT Show, trying to get a glimpse of a handgun prototype incorporating the 1911 action, a synthetic grip...

Schofields come and Schofields go: when a Schofield ... isn't.
September 1, 2006... Schofields come and Schofields go and for over 130 years now they have come and gone. You just can't help but wonder why. Not many of the Schofield versions have been long-lived. The original S&W ones were only made for about five years, and...

Wham! Bam! Uh, sorry ma'am.(Our Man's Embarrassment At His First Accidental Discharge.)
September 1, 2006... "Honey?" I began, ears ringing like a thousand ice cream trucks. "Didn't you once say you'd love me no matter what I did?" "Riiiight," she replied, slowly, from the other end of the line. "But why are you asking?" "No matter how...

30 very fast years.(LOOKING BACK)
September 1, 2006... For most of us life is not a long boring straight line, but rather a series of ups and downs, hopefully with a lot more ups than downs, and a mental attitude that allows us to cling to the ups and forget the downs. The first day in school, the...

Practical art from Gemini Customs.
September 1, 2006... Almost from their invention firearms have been objects of embellishment. Skilled artisans have engraved and inlaid them with metals and stones and spectacular WOODS have been sought for their stocks and grips. They have been called, "a canvas...

Do-it-yourself sixgun slick-up!(SIMPLE SURGERY)
September 1, 2006... She was easy on the eyes--perhaps a little past her prime and a bit out of style--yet she was still beautiful in a quiet, dignified way. I couldn't help but imagine the old girl in her younger years, undoubtedly spent in the company of some...

Insight Technology light/laser.(GUNNYSACK)
September 1, 2006... As we become more and more tactical we have discovered the need for more and more accessories to hang on our pistols. We've got lasers and lights, so it's entirely reasonable to combine the two and that is exactly what Insight Technology has...

Leupold Yosemite 6x30 binoculars.(GUNNYSACK)
September 1, 2006... I guess we'll always associate the name of Leupold with rifle scopes, but the fact is they have a very full line of glass goodies and effectively compete at both ends of the optical spectrum. At the high end they have improved to effectively...

Shootin' size box.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Magtech Magtech Ammunition, Inc. a manufacturer and distributor of quality ammunition products, introduces their new Shootin' Size Box, packing 250 rounds of convenience for the recreational format of plinking. The Shootin' Size Box of...

High grade binoculars series.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Minox/USA As the latest in a growing line of top-quality sport optics, Minox/USA has announced their new HG (High Grade) series of four binoculars. The newly developed Minox optical system provides extremely high light transmission--92...

Strike-hold.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... MPH System Specialties Strike-Hold is a cleaner, dry lubricant and protectant originally designed in 2002 to clean and maintain weapons used by our Military forces both overseas and here at home. Developed by a veteran of the 82nd ABN,...

Elite professional.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Wilson Combat The Elite Professional improves on the very popular Wilson Professional Model Pistol. It combines the very best of several models end features a hand-fitted heavy tapered cone barrel. Exclusive to the Elite Professional is a...

Sidewinder.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Grassburr Leather Works Grassbur and DeSantis have teamed up to offer the Sidewinder. These gun-specific, form-fitted ballistic nylon holsters are assembled with a brass mounting bracket which allows the holster to be mounted horizontally....

The Scorpion.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Northwest Custom Projectile Northwest Custom Projectil introduces the new .452" Scorpion hollowpoint bullet (260 grain). This all new rebated boat-tail hollowpoint features a tapered hexagonal HP while using a pain shaft in the cantor for...

Specialty grips.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Texas Custom Grips At Texas Custom Grips, personalizing your gun is their specialty. Owner Terry Font crafts each set of pistol or handgun grips by hand to ensure a custom fit to your gun. Choose from genuine elephant ivory, giraffe bone,...

Exotic leather.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Wilson Combat The folks at Wilson Combat are coming out with new stuff so fast they got two spots of Spotlight this lime. For this one, Wilson Combat announces the availability of beautiful exotic leather holsters, meg pouches and belts....

P220 Carry.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Sigarms Sigarms introduces the P220 Carry with e new stainless steel slide replacing the older two-piece carbon steel slide, and a choice of three trigger options. The P220 Carry features a shorter slide and a 3.9" barrel, plus the trigger...

Corbon.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... DPX Bullets CorBon has combined high energy and deep penetration in the new DPX line of ammunition. DPX offers impressive expansion and deeper penetration from solid core Barnes X Bullets and retains 100 percent of its weight even when...

Truglo.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Red Dot Sight The Red-Dot Xtreme Dual Color/Multi-reticle sight is available for shotguns, handguns and rifles. It offers a 25mm multi-reticle and 2x30mm multi-reticle options. Other features include, four different reticle designs, red or...

Elite midweight gloves.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Woolrich Elite Series These new gloves from the Woolrich Elite Series feature water resistant goatskin leather palms for maximum dexterity and grip. The 3-layer construction is ideal for year round use and uses WINDSTOPPER N2S thermal...

XD Sub-Compact sights.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... LaserMax LaserMax introduces the LMS-3XD designed to fit the Springfield XD Sub-Compact pistol. The LMS-3XD is user-installed and housed within the spring guide. Activation is ambidextrous, and as simple as pressing in on a button...

Revolver front sight.(SPOTLIGHT)
September 1, 2006... Alpha Precision Alpha Precision's new front sight for SAA revolvers looks like it's been silver-soldered on but is actually an easy-to-install screw-in base. Three hidden cap screws go on easily and the sight offers interchangeable sight...

Add it up.(INSIDER)
September 1, 2006... +59.8% Rapes per 100K 1995-2003 in Britain -13.5% Rapes per 100K 1995-2003 in U.S. 123 Bicycle deaths (age 0-14)in 1999 in U.S. 927 Drowning deaths in same period 120 Death by falls in same period 16...

It's baaaack!(INSIDER)
September 1, 2006... The latest edition of American Handgunner TV is here! This time it's two episodes on one DVD! We look at DMT and their diamond sharpening technology and Crimson Trace's cutting edge laser sight systems. The behind-the-scenes look at DMT's...

Tussey machine gun shoot.
September 1, 2006... Well, it went off like gang-busters and we had to show you a picture or two. After Terry's untimely bicycle accident put him into a wheelchair, he wanted to organize a scholarship fund to help future gunsmiths. So, Jon Jewett organized a...

Workman holster.(cool stuff)
September 1, 2006... Dave Workman is a noted journalist in the firearms community, an old friend and unknown to many, a talented leathermaker Doing business as "D&D Gunleather", Dave makes a handy model called the "US" which stands for Under Shirt since that's...

Diamond edge.(cool stuff)
September 1, 2006... After taking that tour of DMT and getting to know both their products and the people there, I came away very impressed with the diamond sharpening technology. Like anything, if you have the right tools you can do just about anything better, and...

Blade-Tech Barrel.(cool stuff)
September 1, 2006... What an elegant solution, and it's typical of the kind of "Gee, why didn't I think of that" solutions that come from the shop at Blade-Tech. The Blade-Tech Training Barrel simply drops in to replace the "real" barrel in a Glock 19/23 and in an...

Compact handfull.(cool stuff)
September 1, 2006... Bushnell's Sentry 12-36 x50 is so small you almost can't believe it will work, but it does, and with the built-in window clap is about one of the handiest little spotting scopes I've ever seen and used. Our test unit also did double-duty as a...

H.A.K.(cool stuff)
September 1, 2006... After featuring the astounding little knives from HideAway Knife in a past issue of Handgunner I got to know both the knives and the very cool lady who invented the idea. Both are examples of class-acts, and I'm pleased to announce an even more...

And the winner is ...(INSIDER)
September 1, 2006... Looks like we did it. With our new copzine American COP only ten months old (at the time of the award) we won a Maggie! Just to set the record straight, a Maggie is sorta' like winning an Oscar for a movie. We entered in the "Public Safety"...

Life lessons: or how a bit of etiquette can do wonders.(THE INSIDER)
September 1, 2006... Not long ago I was browsing in a book store and found a little volume simply called: "A Father's Legacy." It was essentially a book made up of lined pages with questions at the top of each page. The goal was to answer the questions, in your own...