My “go-to” AR-15 upper is an Adams Arms piston piece, and not even one of their fancy ones. Just a Magpul MOE handguard and no other frills or add-ons of which to speak. I’ve had great success with the reliability and durability of the system — with good accuracy to boot — so I was happy to see them at Media Day to find out what’s new. The piston .308 felt great, and the kidney-shaped ejector is a novel idea. There’s one item I’m particularly interested in, but what’s this about GLOCK parts?. . .

VooDoo Innovations is closely related to Adams Arms (not sure if they’re the same company, if VI is a subsidiary of AA, etc), so I’m including the following here:

What you see above is also all of the information I have about what might be happening here. I’m thinking VooDoo is planning to release its own GLOCK slide like PWS recently did? Maybe barrels?

Getting back to black guns, the ejector in Adams Arms’ .308 bolt is kidney-shaped to put a similar smile on the reloader’s face (it doesn’t dent your brass):

The product I may be picking up for myself is AA’s new XLP Gas Block & Selector, which is a low profile option that fits under most standard handguards. Not only does that mean I could easily swap out that MOE piece for whatever suits my fancy, but that I can now run an extended handguard since the gas selector is adjustable from the front and even comes with an extension tool to reach down under your handguard for doing so. Additionally, it’s 5-way adjustable (100%, 75%, 50%, 25%, and 0%) whereas the standard gas block is 3-way (standard, suppressed, off). Although, as mentioned, the current system has been serving me very well for a few years, that doesn’t mean it can’t get even better.

The post SHOT Show: Adams Arms at Range Day appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

You need to get from the airport to a business meeting. Take a cab! It’s quick, it’s easy and it beats the hell out of public transportation. Alternatively, at least in theory, you could have a driver pick you up. It’s even quicker and easier (no waiting in a cold taxi queue) and it’s better. The car’s quieter, cleaner and more comfortable. It smells good. The driver’s nicer (in a reserved and dignified way). The limo’s more prestigious, should such things matter. Now, remind me again why it’s not OK to spend $6k+ on a 1911? The way I see it . . .

Just as a bruised and battered taxi does the same job as a chauffeur-driven Mercedes S-Class, a garden-variety 1911 does the same job as a Cabot 1911. Both cars gets you where you where you want to go. Both guns fire .45 caliber bullets with great accuracy and reasonable reliability (see: JWT’s article to follow).

By the same token, racking the slide on a Cabot 1911 accomplishes the same task as racking the side on a Para-Remington 1911. The gun chambers or ejects a round, or does nothing whatsoever. The difference in feel is unimaginable – unless you’ve racked the slide on a Cabot 1911. The Pennsylvania pistol’s supernaturally silky. The rail moves like a MAGLEV train gliding on a magnetic track. It is nothing – I repeat – nothing like any other 1911 you can buy.

I won’t bore you with the amount of OCD engineering that goes into a Cabot 1911. Suffice it to say, there’s no cure for the pleasure a slide-racked Cabot induces. “Do you mind if I take this into the bathroom?” I asked a roomful of company ‘smiths. They all laughed because they get it. On some level, manipulating a pistol shouldn’t trigger that much pleasure.

Is that pleasure worth a $5000 premium? Oh hell yes. If only because Cabot’s using customers cash to make racking their gun’s slide sound distinctive. Sexy. Satisfying. And then patent the result, just like Harley-Davidson patents their bikes’ sonic signature.

Again, really? Really. There are people on this planet who would pay – have paid, will pay – insane amounts of money just to listen to a Ducati Monster or a Ford GT fire-up. Or, be still my beating heart, racing down the road with the engine at full chat. Is spending the better part of ten grand on a 1911 for the way the slide sounds that crazy?

Of course it is! Lucky for you, you’re under no obligation to fund this seemingly psychotic concept (unlike, say, paying for the war in Afghanistan). Even if you aren’t a slave to haptic and auditory pleasure, a Cabot 1911 tempts naysayers with obvious aesthetic excellence. Their guns are physically flawless, groomed to perfection. OK, sure, some of the designs make me wonder if owners don’t secretly lust after a diamond-encrusted grill. You know: for their mouth. Or maybe the patio too, come to think of it . . .

No matter what you think of gold guns (which aren’t really gold) or grip panels fashioned from mammoth tusks and meteorites, Cabot’s craftsmanship is otherworldly. Tool marks? We’re WAY beyond looking for tool marks. We’re talking about guns whose luster is so deep and rich the damn things nearly glow in the dark. Guns with engravings that would make an 18th century scrimshaw artist throw himself into the belly of a whale.

Bling’s not my thing. I’m a form-follows-function kinda guy; a man who celebrates the Oreo cookie for its quintessence. But there’s no denying that a Cabot 1911 is a work of art. The money spent on buying a one keeps superb artisans – from hugely skilled machinists to a guy for whom metal polishing is a calling – employed. It preserves their talents, passion and epic OCD. Cabot buyers aren’t just customers, they’re patrons. Enablers? Whatever.

Jonathan and I journeyed to Cabot’s PA digs to check up on the repairs to the FTF fest TTAG tested. I won’t spoil his post(s) for you. Let’s just say that JWT’s report on the gun’s mechanical genesis and performance may at least partially please those of you who judge a hugely expensive gun, indeed any gun, not just on its looks and provenance, but also on its ability to do what it was designed to do: fire bits of lead downrange accurately and reliably.

I say that because some people can’t be pleased. As Oscar Wilde famously kvetched,”Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.” That said, there’s always a relationship between price and value. Not to coin a phrase, you get what you pay for. In Cabot’s case, people pay stacks of Grovers for world-class craftsmanship in a fully functioning firearm. Or not. You don’t have to buy one. But before you diss Cabot buyers please consider this: sometimes showing off is the right thing to do. For all concerned.

The post In Defense of Cabot Guns appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

Ralph loves him some Deagle. Our resident self-confessed Smith & Wesson weenie’s Magnum Research IWI Desert Eagle Mark XIX .50AE review concluded “Shooting a Desert Eagle is like taking a honeymoon in Las Vegas. There’s no justification for it, except for having a raucous good time and burning through all those cash wedding gifts when your spouse isn’t looking.” When Ralph saw the above, $1793 limited edition Cheetah print Desert Eagle – only available while supplies last – he emailed the link with “Redefining Ugliness, One Spot at a Time” In the subject bar. ‘Nuff said? Press release and 2015 promo video after the jump . . .

Pomona, NY – For 30 years, the iconic Desert Eagle has been referred to as a “beast”. Now, more than ever, it looks like one too. Whether you prefer stainless steel, titanium, gold, chrome, nickel or bronze, the Desert Eagle has a finish for everyone. Now, for a limited time, the Desert Eagle can be purchased in a Cheetah print.

“We always have had a tremendous amount of interest among fans of the Desert Eagle every time we introduce a new pattern or finish” stated Frank Harris, VP of Sales of Marketing. “The introduction of the Cheetah print was something our dealers thought would appeal to collectors and also those people who just want a more wild finish on their DE.”

The new Cheetah finish on the Desert Eagle .50 AE and .44 Mag, utilizes a water transfer method. It has been extensively tested for durability and has proven to be very tough; even cleaning solvents and acetone will not soften or damage the finish.

The Desert Eagle .50 AE is a gas-operated, semi-automatic pistol with a 7-round capacity in .50 AE and 8-round capacity in .44 Magnum. Both guns measure 10.75” in length with a 6” barrel, or 14.75” in a 10” barrel. Slide width is 1.25”, height 6.25” and the weight with an empty magazine is approximately 4 lbs. 5.8 oz. in .50 AE, and 4 lbs. 6.6 oz. in the .44 Mag. It has a trigger reach of 2.75” and a sight radius of 8.5” with the 6” barrel.

The construction of the Desert Eagle utilizes the latest CNC machine technology providing exacting specifications with tight tolerances creating a work of art in a precision firearm. The grip is anatomically formed and provides an ideal hand seating angle for two-handed shooting allowing for comfortable, rapid and accurate firing. The Weaver style accessory rail easily allows for aftermarket optics and scope rings.

The limited edition Cheetah print Desert Eagle is only available while supplies last. Please visit your favorite dealer today to purchase it in either .50 AE or .44 Magnum.

The MSRP on the Cheetah print Desert Eagle is $1793 for either the .50 AE or the .44 Magnum. For more information about Magnum Research products, visit www.magnumresearch.com..

The post New from Magnum Research: Limited Edition Desert Eagle Cheetah appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

My go-to FFL, Best Buy Surplus, has always had a steady supply of LE trade-in GLOCKs. Suffice it to say, they’re fans of the genre. Last month they received a shipment of over 300 of these pistols — mostly G22s (.40 S&W), but also a lot of G21s (.45 ACP) — and asked me if I wanted to pick one at random and check it out. What can one expect from a used, ex-LEO GLOCK? Let’s find out . . .

Best Buy (the FFL, not the electronics store) is selling the G22s for $369 and the G21s for $359. Mid-to-high $300’s is right in the ballpark for LE trade-in GLOCKs, which means we’re looking at about $130+ under normal retail for a new Gen3. This isn’t meant to be an advert, and LE trade-ins are fairly commonplace at local gun stores nation-wide, but in the event that you’re in the market I’d suggest calling (509.535.5375) Best Buy rather than going through the website and, yes, they do ship.

Stating the obvious, these are used guns. They were owned and issued by police departments and carried by officers, then usually sold back to a distributor when the department updated or switched sidearms. Maybe they decided to go from GLOCK to SIG or from .40 cal to 9mm, which is actually quite a popular transition these days. So the condition of the guns will vary, as will modifications and extras, if any.

In general, it’s assumed that these service pistols received excellent professional maintenance and, typically, were carried a lot, but shot very little. I have heard rumors that GLOCK gives them some special treatment such as increased inspection of internal parts and more careful assembly and testing QA, but I really can’t verify that one way or the other.

In The Box
I checked out a handful of the trade-in G22s and they all looked basically identical, so I just chose the one pictured here at random. My FFL said this shipment is probably slightly above average in aesthetic condition compared to what he’s used to seeing.

It is not guaranteed, but it’s extremely common for an LE trade-in GLOCK to come with an extra magazine(s) — typically three mags with a Gen3. They usually come with two had you purchased a new one through regular retail channels. Indeed, all of those I looked at in this shipment had three mags.

In my case, two of the magazines appeared to be as good as brand new, and were “Gen4″ mags with the ambi mag catch notches. One magazine was marked “Restricted LE/Govt Use Only” so I assume it was manufactured during the 1990’s Assault Weapons Ban. Nonetheless, it looked only lightly used.

Adding significant value to the purchase is a set of steel — rather than the OEM GLOCK plastic sights you’d get otherwise — tritium night sights. Again, you can’t count on it, but more likely than not LE trade-in pistols will have quality night sights on them. In this case the sights are GLOCK-branded. No manufacture date marked on them that I can see (I didn’t remove them), but they still glow brightly.

So what we have here is a Gen3 GLOCK 22 with an extra magazine and quality night sights. These extras are worth somewhere around $125, but the price is a good $125 less than new. But, what kind of condition is it in?

Condition
Good. Really, really good.

On the inside, this pistol looked new. There were no wear marks or even polishing from use on the rails, cruciform, striker lug, etc. Almost no visible finish wear on the barrel, even on the hood or around the front where it ‘locks’ up into the muzzle of the slide. There was one little scuff inside the frame from inserting magazines. Everything else was totally spic and span.

The polymer frame was flawless and looked new. I couldn’t find any scuffs, scratches, or indications of wear anywhere on the outside of the frame or on the trigger.

The slide has almost no holster wear on the muzzle. A thinning of the melonite is visible on one corner only under certain lighting. In front of the breech, on the left and right edges of the top of the slide, there’s about a half inch of finish wear that shows as a slight silvery sheen in good light. This wear is obvious enough if you’re looking at the gun closely, and is pretty much the sole visible indication that it’s anything other than a brand new GLOCK.

Well, other than the steel sights, which had the most obvious finish wear on the pistol.

I’d say, yeah, it was carried a decent amount and shot hardly at all.

On The Range
It’s a GLOCK. It shot like a new G22, except I definitely shoot 3-dot sights like these better than I do the factory GLOCK configuration with the white U-notch in the rear.

That’s about it. Not much else to say. In every last way it was everything you’d expect from a new GLOCK. Or a used GLOCK, for that matter. Well, with the addition of good sights.

The photos you see here were actually taken after my first range session where I shot close to 200 rounds. The carbon on the muzzle, the oil schmears on the rails, etc., is all me.

Conclusion
LE trade-in means a big savings on price and, in many cases, more value in the form of included extras and upgrades. A GLOCK that’s professionally maintained, yet in most cases actually fired very little, is going to serve you well. I gotta say, unless a factory warranty is an extremely important concern, I’m not sure I could be convinced to purchase a factory new GLOCK now. Well, at least not a model that can be found as an LE trade-in (G22s are most common, followed by an approximate tie between G21s, G17s, then G19s. Actually, sub-compact versions like G27s can come up often enough as well.).

Specifications:
It’s a GLOCK 22 with tritium night sights.

Ratings (Out of Five Stars):

GLOCK-ness: * * * * *
The sights made it preferable to me over a consumer GLOCK brand GLOCK, but it otherwise achieved perfect GLOCK perfectness.

Value: * * * * *
So you’re telling me I save $150 and get $125 in extras? And it comes pre-distressed with some holster wear that makes it looks like I’m a “beware the man with only one gun” operational Operator? Where do I sign up?

Overall: * * * * *
If you like GLOCKs, you just might like LE Trade-In GLOCKs even more.

The post Gun Review: Law Enforcement Trade-In GLOCK 22 appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

“‘Beretta unveiled its first striker-fired pistol at the IDEX 2015 show in Abu Dhabi, saying it incorporates the latest developments in tactical handguns and will have an ‘aggressive price vs performance ratio’. The APX is currently in the pre-series testing phase and the company aims to complete full qualification early in the second quarter of 2015.” So reports janes.com from the Middle East. At first blush, the new wundergun sounds like Beretta’s answer to the SIG P320 . . .

“The design is modular with all of the components used in the different calibre weapons identical apart from the barrel, slide and magazine well. The APX is built around a serialised stainless steel chassis that hosts all the mechanical components.”

With the M9A3 in then out then in then…well, could this be the Army’s new pistol?

[h/t Richard A.]

The post New From Beretta: APX Striker-Fired Modular Pistol – Is This The Army’s New Sidearm? appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

“[Alaska State] Troopers say the family was leaving a pickup when the woman’s .357-caliber handgun fell out of its holster, struck the pavement on its hammer and fired,” cbsnews.com reports. “The shot hit the 4-year-old just above the knee. The bullet went through the boy’s leg and lodged in a building.” Holy caliber wars Batman! I’m surprised there’s much leg left. I’m also highly skeptical . . .

that a .357 revolver would discharge if it was dropped on its hammer, even if the hammer was somehow cocked. And I wonder how this handgun “fell” out of its holster. Maybe the woman was playing catch a falling gun.

One thing’s for sure: the gun-ignorant (or disinterested) reporter needs to attend former Mayor Bloomberg’s upcoming media class on firearms. Or not. Oh, and that’s the UK Daily Mail’s accompanying photograph to illustrate the story.

The post Passively Constructed Negligent Discharge of the Day: 4-Year-Old Shot By Falling .357 [Not Shown] Edition appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

Many historians have speculated have about the classic hand in the jacket pose for Civil War photographs. The most likely theory: the subjects were mimicking Napoleon’s trademark pose, immortalized in Jacques-Louis David’s famous portrait Napoleon in his Study. Where’d that come from? According to napoleon-series-org, “in 1738, Francois Nivelon published A Book Of Genteel Behavior describing the ‘hand-in-waistcoat’ posture as signifying ‘manly boldness tempered with modesty.'” So where did the French get it? One theory . . .

Long before Napoleonic France, the pose was popular with Romans wearing tunics. Considering what happened to Caesar, perhaps the Roman tunic was a handy place to hide a dagger. So maybe Civil War officers posed with their hand in their jacket because they were keeping it close to a concealed weapon.

Is that the bulge of a Smith & Wesson #1 under the left arm of the officer in the picture above? It is about the right size. The number one was one of the first easily concealable cartridge pistols. It was first produced in 1857 and was in great demand by officers in the Civil War.

As a .22 short, we might not think of it as having much stopping power. But considering the extreme reliability and convenience of the cartridge compared to the percussion arms of the era, seven quick shots would have been very attractive. As they say, what goes around comes around.

[Note: RF and JWT are traveling to Texas’ Bond Arms later this week, to sample some modern-day derringers. If you have any questions you’d like asked, please email them to thetruthaboutguns@gmail.com]

>©2015 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.

Gun Watch

The post Napoleonic Imitation or Concealed Carry? appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

We would all be lucky to have a reputation as stellar as Dan Wesson revolvers do. Unfortunately, hope as gun owners did, DW didn’t manufacture any for many years. Except for only a few special runs, newly-manufactured Dan Wesson revolvers have been as rare as a unicorn since about 1998. And, I believe, altogether non-existent since about 2005. Thankfully CZ-USA, which has owned DW for a decade now, has decided to expand its product line and get back into the wheel gun game. The first revolver out of the gate is. . .

…the 715, a stainless steel six gun chambered for .357 Magnum.

Dan Wesson revolvers were always unique in that their barrels were easily swappable without the services of a gunsmith. One frame could suit multiple uses, snubby to 10″ compensated hunting barrel with rail. The first question on many folks’ minds will be whether or not these new guns perform the same trick. Opening up the case answers that question:

Not only can the new 715 change out newly-made shoes (or hats, or whatever part the barrel equates to), but it will accept your entire collection of old DW barrels. It comes with the tools necessary to do the swap correctly — a barrel nut wrench and a shim, which you use like a spark plug gap gauge to set the proper space between forcing cone and cylinder.

Proper gappage, incidentally, looks like this:

Part of the Dan Wesson revolver’s solid reputation was superb accuracy. In addition to the normal things like tight tolerances and precise machining, this unique barrel system is supposed to lead to improved accuracy as well. The barrel is “tensioned” by the shroud — torquing that nut down pulls the barrel forwards, keeping it under tension and really locking it solid.

Cylinder alignment is important as well and, once again, in addition to the usual features like tight locking mechanisms and precisely fit parts, Dan Wesson adds some unique touches. The cylinder release latch is on the frame in front of the cylinder, rather than behind it. They claim that allows for a tighter lockup. Plus, that location keeps it out of the way of your thumb while shooting.

The detent is less like a little ball bearing and more like a stainless steel slab of a locking block.

Machining is crisp and flawless everywhere.

Cylinder…

Hammer…

Frame, shroud…

Roll marks on good ol’ #28 here…

Clockwork…

Gas pedal…

Clean casting and machining isn’t the end of the story, as the trigger is pretty nice from a functional perspective as well. The double action pull starts with a bit of take-up, and then it’s an extremely smooth and consistent 12.75 lbs. of pull all the way to the break. A set screw is located at the top, rear of the trigger guard allowing for tuning out overtravel. It was set just right from the factory.

As you can see in the photo above, in single action mode there isn’t much room for the trigger to move rearwards. It doesn’t need it. There is no take-up whatsoever and no perceptible creep. Pull with 4.5 lbs. of pressure and you’re rewarded with a clean, crisp break and the absolute bare minimum of overtravel. While it measured 4.5 lbs. on my trigger pull gauge, I would have guessed less, it’s so crisp and creep-free.

A transfer bar safety is employed to ensure that the hammer can’t contact the firing pin unless the trigger is pulled. This allows for safe, hammer-down carry with all six rounds loaded.

The standard front sight is a serrated black blade. It’s very easily swapped out for dozens of alternatives in varying heights, colors, fiber optics, etc. While it looks to be pinned in place in the photo below, it actually uses a dovetail on the rear of the sight blade to index over that pin, and is retained via a set screw in the front of the shroud (see muzzle photo above). A hex wrench for this is included in the case.

The large, target style rear sight is adjustable for both windage and elevation. It is a nice slab of black steel.

A black rear sight like that is my preference, but I like the front to be visible with either a nice dot or a fiber optic. I’m not exactly old, but the black/black combo isn’t my best friend. Regardless, I was clanging my steel FBI Q target from 50 yards offhand with boring reliability. My first six attempts at it are in the video above, and all six found steel.

I mention all of this because, while significantly above average, my 25-yard groups would have been tighter with a different front sight.

My guess is that the blob of three holes would have been a blob of five holes, but I didn’t have the kit necessary to mount a scope or a laser to the 715 so I couldn’t really take my eyeball’s fudge factor out of the equation.

On The Range

Just a few days before I got my hands on the 715 here, I was shooting my late step grandfather’s S&W .38 Spl. Airweight. Newton probably would have guessed as much, but size and weight really do make a difference in felt recoil and controllability.

The 715, weighing in at 2 lbs., 14.8 oz., with a decent amount of that owing to the slab-sided barrel shroud, is a pussycat to shoot. Standard .357 Magnum loads felt like 9mm and, compared to the brutal little Airweight, shooting standard pressure .38 Spl. felt like an airsoft gun. They made some noise, but hardly moved the revolver.

The 715 was smooth, comfortable, and exceedingly accurate. Despite my issues with the black/black sights, I didn’t do a lot of missing with this thing. The excellent trigger and soft recoil made it easy to stay on target whether shooting single action or double action, two hands or one. The quality and attention paid to machining, fit, and finish are all apparent from behind the gun. Every aspect of its operation is smooth and easy, yet tight and solid at the same time.

Although much of the heyday of Dan Wesson revolvers was before my time — at least in terms of purchasing my own firearms — I’ve always had my eye on them based on little more than reputation, looks, and those swappable barrels. Over the last decade I spent many an hour trolling GunBroker looking for a Dan Wesson boxed set; revolver + a few barrels.

I’m happy to see that the 2015 revolvers are likely to continue DW’s good name. If the owner’s manual is anything to go by, the new line may not be limited to the 715 in .357/.38, either (and this is only the “small frame” manual):

Specifications: Dan Wesson 715

Caliber: .357 Magnum, .38 Special
Capacity: 6 rounds
Barrel Length: 6″
Overall Length: 11.65″ (As measured. The stat is not on the CZ-USA website yet.)
Height: 5.75″ (as measured)
Width At Cylinder: 1.49″ (as measured)
Weight: 46.8 oz (as measured)
MSRP: $1,168

Ratings (Out of Five Stars): 

Accuracy: * * * * *
Definitely more capable than I am. A solid choice for handgun hunting or home defense.

Ergonomics: * * * * *
I’m guessing the grip is made for Dan Wesson by Hogue. It’s nice.

Reliability: * * * * *
I didn’t exactly roll it in mud or drop it off my roof, but the 715 exudes quality, smoothness, and solidity. It ran flawlessly right out of the box.

Trigger: * * * * 
This is a truly top-notch trigger, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t some room for improvement. It’s definitely tuned for overtravel, but it isn’t a custom revolver where everything is stoned and polished and the springs are tuned for light action, etc. The healthy hammer spring, though, should guarantee reliable ignition for hunting and defensive use no matter the primer.

Customization: * * * * *
Hard to find better in a revolver. Swapping grips is a given, but the 715 allows for easy barrel swaps and easy sight changes as well.

Overall: * * * * *
New boss, same as the old boss. In this case, that’s a good thing.

The post Gun Review: Dan Wesson 715 .357 Revolver appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

Dan and I got a tour of the new-for-2015 products from S&W and Thompson/Center. Details in the video above, and a few photos follow. . .

Standard M&P full size & compact in FDE:

Special edition 460XVR™ Bone Collector®:

M&P Performance Center Ported:

The post SHOT Show 2015: Smith & Wesson New Products Booth Tour appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

Matt Cox over at Military Times’ KitUp blog apparently has the inside scoop on Beretta’s attempt to get the Army to choose their new M9A3 handgun as the service pistol of the future. Like a last-ditch promise to your girlfriend that stinks of desperation, Beretta’s proposed new handgun has been rejected outright and the breakup between the star-crossed lovers now appears all but official. For those who aren’t in the know about the current state of affairs in military handguns, let me bring you up to speed . . .

The Beretta M9 has been the standard issue handgun of the U.S. Army since 1985. It saw combat primarily in the sands of the Middle East, and after decades of hard use the Army has found the gun to be lacking in some aspects. The biggest issue was the lack of customization — the gun came in one shape and size, and if you didn’t like that, then tough cookies.

In an effort to find a handgun that could be issued not only as a full-size gun to front-line troops but also in a compact version to investigators and undercover operators (not to mention taking advantage of the tech advances that have happened in the last 30 years) the Army started putting out feelers for a “modular handgun” to replace the M9. The result was the SIG SAUER P320, which is the current favorite to win the new Army contract (especially after the P226 barely lost to the M9 last time around).

Seeing the writing on the wall, Beretta tried to get the Army to stick with them by releasing the M9A3, which sports some minor configuration changes like an added rail section. But it apparently has proved to be too little too late, and now Beretta is acknowledging that their M9A3 is not to be. From the Military Times article:

Beretta USA said the U.S. Army has rejected the gun-maker’s request that the service reconsider its M9A3 pistol as an alternative to the Modular Handgun System (MHS) program.

Beretta officials sent the Jan. 30 request in response to the Army’s formal rejection of the M9A3 Engineering Change Proposal to the current M9 contract.

“Needless to say, we are disappointed,” Gabriele de Plano, vice president of Beretta Defense Technologies (BDT) Marketing Operations, said in March 2 email.

It appears that the “official” reason for the denial was that the changes made to the M9 were too drastic to be considered under the current contract, but that sounds like a convenient excuse to go shopping for something new and shiny. And probably partly made of plastic.

The post Army Refuses to Reconsider Beretta’s M9A3 appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

You’ll no doubt remember Cody Wilson as the “inventor” of the world’s first plastic 3D printed gun. To take his process to the next level, Cody’s company Defense Distributed pre-ordered an $8k carbon fiber 3D printer from MarkForged. wired.com reports that the Massachusetts manufacturer’s bailed on Defense Distributed’s order of their Mark One printer. “In a statement to WIRED, MarkForged cited terms of service that “limit experimentation with ordnance to the United States Government and its authorized contractors.” Yes, well, that wasn’t on their terms of service. Anyway, MarkForged also said . . .

“Our website automatically took Mr. Wilson’s pre-order, and we certainly regret that we did not catch this sooner,” MarkForged’s statement continues. “We are expediting his refund with interest.”

Those of us interested in Defense Distributed’s work are not surprised that its founder is undaunted. And how.

“Anyone who’s got access to one, any reseller, any individual or business or entity that can deliver it to me, I will give them fifteen grand,” says Wilson, who has also released a YouTube video advertising his offer [above]. “I’m going to get this printer. I’m going to make a gun with it. And I’m going to make sure everyone knows it was made with a MarkForged printer.”

Watch this space.

The post Defense Distributed Offers $15k Bounty for Carbon Fiber 3D Printer appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

Although I’ve never seen or held one, I’ve always had an affinity for the [now] retro-futuristic, Art Deco looks of the original, 1950’s Whitney Wolverine. It was pretty good looking with the blued finish, but particularly amazing in the relatively rare nickel chrome. For the last decade, Olympic Arms has manufactured a modern remake of the Wolverine that’s pretty faithful to the original design but for one large change; it’s polymer instead of aluminum. Although the gloss of the finishes is lost in the polymer versions, and the feel in the hand is obviously going to be different . . .

it still looks like a fun plinker and has that retro space age ray gun aesthetic. The trigger was significantly nicer than I expected. If the MSRP were $100 lower, I probably would have made an impulse purchase by now. At its $295 MSRP, I’m going to have to take one for a test drive first.

What do y’all think? Is there interest in a review?

The post SHOT Show 2015: Whitney Wolverine by Olympic Arms appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

By Joel Kolander [via rockislandauction.blogspot.com]

Rock Island Auction Company has been extremely privileged during our last few Premiere auctions to host the Gene Smith Military Collection. Mr. Smith’s massive, encyclopedic grouping of German military arms has been featured in our sales since mid-2014, bringing high condition, rare, historic, and significant German firearms to the collecting community who can’t snatch them up quickly enough . . .

Mr. Shattuck’s passion for firearms has resulted in a “dream collection” that many aspire to match and very few ever do. His assemblage of Lugers, Mausers, and Borchardts is unparalleled, and a multitude of other nations are represented as well. Here, for the first time, is a glimpse at the host of rare and attractive firearms that comprise this lifetime of dedication.

Before we begin, many of the firearms pictured here by Rock Island Auction Company can already be found with descriptions in the book Lugers at Random by Charles Kenyon, Jr. Long considered to be an important reference since its release in 1969, the book contains numerous photos and descriptions of important Lugers from Mr. Shattuck’s collection.

Also, Mr. Shattuck, acknowledged as the “Dean of Lugers,” has a book published on his collection aptly titled “Lugers of Ralph Shattuck,” which can be easily found on Amazon for those who would like a more in-depth view of his collection. There was even an a CD made of high-resolution photos of the guns in his collection.  People just couldn’t get enough of these rare, unusual, beautiful, and high condition Lugers.

Ralph Shattuck and his wife Nancy.

Ralph Shattuck was born in Cleveland, Ohio on July 28, 1929 mere months preceding the Great Depression, but would go on to become one of the pioneers and giants of the Luger collecting community. Even as a child Shattuck would ride around on his bicycle and purchase whatever pistols he could with the intention of selling them to make some money.

His home, both his first residence in Michigan and his later one in Arizona, was open to many collectors throughout the years and was nearly considered a pilgrimage site for Luger enthusiasts – containing hundreds of Lugers in his personal collection and even more in “inventory.” Ralph and his bright red suit jacket were a staple of many gun shows for decades, resulting in endless stories of his generosity, character, and genuine love of the hobby.

Ralph passed away on his birthday at the age of 81, but not before helping build one of the most zealous and educated genres in gun collecting. Rock Island Auction Company is honored to offer such a prestigious collection from such a collecting icon and trailblazer.

Outstanding Ultra Rare DWM Model 1902 U.S. Army “Cartridge Counter” American Eagle Test Luger

This completely original and totally unaltered version of the “Cartridge Counter” Luger is one of the most desirable Lugers for both German and military collectors. Made at the behest of the U.S. Ordnance Board in 1902, exactly 50 of these pistols with the “Powell Indicating Device” (and grip safety) were manufactured for testing the following year. The device was simple and accurate, but ultimately deemed to fragile by the Ordnance Board, and rightly so. The left grip would first have a slot cut into it, and then have a delicate metal strip and feeble 3 1/4″ celluloid strip covering the newly created slot.

The concept itself was quite simple. To work, the gun required a special magazine, which involved a pin poking out the left side of the magazine. This pin was attached to the magazine follower, so that every time a cartridge was fired and the follower rose, the pin would also. That pin also moved an indicator corresponding to the numerals visible to the user.  In a bit of a perhaps unintended redundancy, when loaded, the bullets of the cartridges were also visible through the celluloid window.

Extremely Rare Original DWM Model 1900 “GL” Marked Prototype Luger Pistol with Unique Reversed Toggle Mechanism

The photos are worth a million words in the case of this gun. With its numerous unique and potentially one-of-a-kind design variations, not only is the gun a bit difficult to describe through text alone, but the purpose of the prototype changes is not fully known.

Note the reversed toggle “hinge” on this pistol as compared to the photo of the top of the previous Luger.  The rear portion extends into the front, instead of the other way around.

 

There’s also this unusual undercut front sight and muzzle with dimples on each side. Were they for an attached suppressor or muzzle break? Do these tie in with the reversed toggle?

 

“GL” Georg Luger marked prototype.

Outstanding Rare DWM Model 1908 Bulgarian Contract Luger Pistol

Authentic Cyrililic text appearing in place of the “GESICHERT” (“secured”) marking, is always a good sign for a Luger collector. Exactly 10,000 of these pistols were ordered by Bulgaria between 1908 and 1910, in two separate blocks of serial numbers. The gun shown here comes from the rarer “first” block of numbers and correctly lacks a letter prefix. That limited number of 10,000 was depleted even further after they saw heavy use prior to WWI and through WWII, with many samples being captured by Russians.

Another unusual feature of this Luger might not appear unusual at first glance. Note the placement of the “DWM” monogram and the Bulgarian crest. On many Lugers, this placement is standard, but on these guns one would much more commonly find the markings reversed, making this “normal” looking Luger even more rare and desirable.
So by now, you know our April Premiere Auction will have two colossal German collections contained within in it.  Did you also know that amazing single pieces have come in as well, creating a perfect storm for German and foreign military collectors?  Here are additional highlights for collectors sure to be wringing their hands with anticipation.

Rare, Documented DWM Prototype 1900 Luger Carbine, Serial Number 58

OK, we fibbed.  One more from the Shattuck Collection, and this one presents a mystery to collectors. This gun was featured in the aforementioned book Lugers At Random and since 1969 it has stymied Luger collectors. The source of conflict comes primarily in determining whether this 1900 Carbine  was manufactured for commercial sales or as a prototype.  Lugers At Random is quoted in describing the gun by stating,

“The uniqueness of this variation makes it difficult to determine the proper designation for this weapon and there is support for both theories (commercial or prototype) among collectors.  The unique five position rear sight lends support to the Prototype theory, but the serial number range is of the 1900 era. VERY VERY RARE. Only one example is known to collectors.” (Emphasis theirs)

Extraordinary, Historic Pre-World War II Walther Factory Engraved Gold Plated Model PP Presentation Pistol For King Carol II of Romania

Obviously this gun has some extensive ornamentation going for it, making it a prize for any collector who appreciates such craftsmanship, but this gun also bears some special provenance. Just looking at it, one might be able to guess that it is a presentation gun, however, a presentation for whom is not as evident. This spectacular Walther PP was commissioned by the Nazis for King Carol II of Romania during his second reign. It was around 1937-38 when Nazi Germany was pulling out all the stops so that Romania and its “the playboy king” would ally itself with the Third Reich. The fact that the Romanians were sitting on the oil fields at Ploiesit didn’t hurt either. This pistol was part of the efforts to woo the King.

As if one could look past the impressive provenance, the gun alone is capable of generating high interest among collectors.  First off, this is the earliest known factory engraved Walther Mod. PP pistol.  With a serial number of 751249, that makes this the 1,249th Walther PP! The engraving itself is also masterfully done by the Zella-Mehlis Guild/Walther engravers and features a dense, floral scroll work mixed with an abundance of edelweiss blossoms. The gold plating speaks for itself and the grips have an inset on the left side that shows the Romanian crown over the initials “CC” (standing for Carol Caraiman, the full name of King Carol II).

Exceptionally Rare, Early Production Mauser Model 1896 20 Shot Flatside Cone Hammer Broomhandle Semi-Automatic Pistol Serial Number 91 with Matching Shoulder Stock

Everybody can recognize a “broomhandle” pistol.  The C96 has a look that people still find attractive today and a quite a following among military enthusiasts. This particular Mauser Model 1896 is one that should be paid special attention for a number of reasons. What is immediately most noticeable is that it is a desirable 20-shot version. Soldiers may have griped about the difficulty in reloading the gun with two 10-round clips, but today they stand out from a gun that was produced for over 60 years and imitated by many.

Why the number “91”?  it is yet another interesting fact about the pistol that cannot be gathered solely by its appearance. As if all the other features mentioned here did not make this iconic little pistol rare enough, only an estimated 90-100 of this variant were ever produced with most of them being shipped to South America. Since few things that are shipped out ever seem to find their way back home, that makes this pistol a rare bird, and its late number of “91” means it was one of the very lastBroomhandles produced for those South American shipments.

Exceptional Rare Original Early Gabbet Fairfax MARS Semi-Automatic Pistol

This rare and monstrous handgun once had bragging rights as “the most powerful handgun in the world.” Considering it was only produced from 1898-1907 and would not lose that title until the 1970s, that’s quite an accomplishment. That small production time, of course, resulted in a very limited run of these guns. Approximately 80 were ever produced in all their proprietary configurations (8.5mm, .36 (9mm), .45 Long, and .45 Short). The example shown above is an extremely early version (c. 1898-1900) and stamped with the serial number 4. It also has the fine blued finish and wonderful checkered walnut grips.  It remains in its all-original and unaltered condition.

The pistols were very well-made with all hand-fitted parts, and extremely powerful, but ultimately they were not to be. Why? A few reasons existed and they all had to deal with the gun’s rather complex design. First of all, complex designs historically tend to not render themselves well to life in military service. Complex devices have more parts to foul and are difficult to repair/clean in the field.

Second, this complex device, utilizing a long-action recoil, had such horrendous recoil that it was prone to feeding problems. The recoil was partially due to the powerful cartridges, but also because of the long travel of the moving parts. It also suffered from a heavy trigger pull. All these gripes led to the MARS being passed over for military contracts, the sole hope of its designer, HughGabbert-Fairfax. There were never any issues with its “man-stopping” ability, but its recoil was its ultimate undoing. Fortunately, it left us with some rather entertaining quotes such as, “No one who fired once with the pistol wished to shoot it again,” and “singularly unpleasant and alarming.”Even without military contracts or commercial sales, this rare curio remains a supremely desirable collectible.

German collectors, do we have your attention yet? These two collections combine to form a spectacular selection, the contents of which have the potential to turn good collections into great ones, and great collections legendary. The guns mentioned here are a fine, yet small, sampling of a cornucopia of European arms. Not only are there German arms, but the Shattuck Collection also contains such gems as an uncommon Japanese Pedersen, a rare Czech ZH29, a Heinrich Himmler inscribed Jacquemart double barrel shotgun, a 1908 Mondragon semi-automatic rifle, and many more.

Not to mention the Dr. Joel Glovsky Collection, which holds the most complete and advanced array of 7.65mm pistols ever made available – the fruits of 60 years of dedicated labor. This collection includes most of the 7.65mm pistols from the estate of the late Sid Aberman. It is a smorgasbord of rarity, prototypes, experimental variations, and high condition, which will be covered in a blog of its own before our 2015 April Premiere Firearms Auction.

Who will be the lucky, dedicated collectors that will not rest until these firearms reside safely in their gun rooms? If that collector is reading this, we wish you best of luck on your bids for these incredible firearms.

The post A Lifetime of Luger-Mania appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

I love a machine shop, I love guns, and I love me some Texas. So it was a lot of fun for me to visit STI, the manufacturer of exceptional 1911 and 2011 pistols in Georgetown, Texas. I’ve reviewed STI’s guns quite a bit here, although not formally. My recent post on everyday carry reliability was written after firing 2,000 rounds without lube and without cleaning through my daily carry pistol, an STI Duty One 4.0. It didn’t hiccup a bit, and still shot better groups than I could. STI prides themselves on making guns that run right, right out of the box. That has certainly been my experience, and why I carry one . . .

STI has long been a staple of the competitive shooting circuit. For years they defined the term “race gun”, and still make great race guns today, although the sports that cater to that type of shooting seem to be losing popularity to other kinds of competition these days.

Today they sell, as a percentage, fewer race guns and more guns that are appropriate for 3-Gun competition, IDPA, and home defense. STI’s “The Edge” is currently their top-selling gun, but Jens Krogh, director of sales and marketing for STI, believes that may soon move to the Hex Tac series.

STI, an employee-owned company, has been in business for 39 years and has about 75 employees, about 50 of them directly involved in gun making. This is the company that invented the 2011 platform, as well as EDM hammers. STI has an internal series of production checks where each employee tests the last employee’s work. Since they are an ESOP, that means that you check your coworker’s product, because if that worker screws up, they are taking money out of your pocket. Quality is a team effort.

Any time I talk to a manufacturer, which was a big part of my job in economic development, I always ask about the number of employees that actually use the company’s product. That question is especially important for firearms manufacturers. For STI, Krogh told me that 75% of their employees purchased their guns during their last employee sale, and about 20% are “hard-core shooters” in their words.

Currently, STI makes about 10,000 guns per year. They hope to double that over the next year, and the market certainly can handle it. Demand is still strong for handguns, but to achieve that kind of increase, a lot has to change. First off, they have changed their marketing pretty drastically. A new website and a new catalog is out, and their booth at SHOT Show was entirely different.

Their older material included some pretty awesome art, much of it done in-house by Rabbit Boyett. But that advertising was focused on the top of the market, higher end competitors. Their new focus is on home defense and daily carry, as well as 3-Gun and law enforcement.

Another change is that they have reduced the number of models they offer by about 30%. Right now STI claims that if you order a gun from one of their dealers such as Dawson Precision, you should be able to pick it up within four days, as long as your state and federal overlords approve.

As far as making the guns, there’s nothing too shocking in the process itself. The stock metal for the parts, frame and slides comes in and is flattened then machined down. Mostly HAAS machines take the guns down, bit by bit, to within about 1,000th of an inch larger than they need to be.

With the exception of the grips, all of the small parts are done in-house by wire EDM. There’s no MIM here. Although I think it’s come a long way, especially the MIM parts that Ruger is turning out, MIM’s still not up to the quality of EDM. 2011 double stack magazines are made and tested completely by hand. Again, that ESOP team quality really shows here. Especially if you screw something up once it’s a serialized firearm. An error after that scraps the gun, and everyone loses.

Once frame and slide are machined down, the magic happens. Parts are then hand-fit to feel. Mr. Krogh told me there is about eight hours of hand-fitting that goes into every gun. Someone sits there with parts and lapping compound and works them until they feel right. That’s takes patience and experience.

Since STI says they don’t intend to hire a lot more people in their ramp up, it’s hard to see how this much hand fitting is going to continue, but they insist it will. The plan is to consider outsourcing some small parts to qualified manufacturers if necessary, and to re-prioritize some machines for efficiency. They’ve been at this almost as long as I’ve been alive, so I’ll trust them to get that right until proven otherwise.

Finally, every single gun is shot in-house. Krogh says that each gun gets at least two magazines shot through it, and they run a mix of budget ammo. They take the attitude that “if it will run this ammo, it will run anything.” So far, that’s been my experience with their guns. They also have a full-on smith shop here where they can customize any finish or add-on you can think of. Although it will add cost and time, if you can dream it, they can build it.

The post Deep in the Heart of Texas: TTAG Tours STI appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

The Skorpion vz. 61 is one of my favorite firearms of all time. The gun is an absolute pleasure to shoot, but alas there aren’t many semi-auto versions available for those of us without tons of cash to spend on buying and licensing a full-auto gun. Thankfully, with the advent of 3D printing, we no longer need to re-engineer and mill our own lower receiver for the gun — we just need to download the appropriate files and print one out ourselves! That’s just what someone has done to the old vz. 61, and the option is now available for anyone who wants it. Make the jump for the test fire . . .

It used to be that you needed some special work to re-weld a demilled receiver and make a functioning cold war era Soviet firearm here in the United States. Thanks to 3D printing, though, that’s no longer the case. Print it out, paint it black, and you’re good to go.

I love technology!

[h/t 3DPF]

The post 3D Printed Škorpion vz. 61 appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

Franklin County couple injured after woman’s Glock goes off in purse roanoke.com announces. See? We told you off-body carry was a no-no. That’s doubly true when a GLOCK has jealousy issues. “Lt. Phillip Young said the woman’s Glock went off while the couple sat in a vehicle outside a residence in the 1400 block of Virgil H. Goode Highway in Bassett about 3:30 p.m. The man, who was in the driver’s seat, put a drink can in the woman’s purse before putting his hand on her leg.” Ba-BAM! The bullet got them both . . .

“[The bullet] went through his hand, through one of her legs near the knee area and then hit her other knee,” Young said. “Her pocketbook was full of stuff. It’s hard to say what made it go off.”

I’m thinking something depressed the GLOCK “Safe Action”® System trigger. Unless the report is bogus from start to finish, I’d also bet dollars to Krispy Kremes the gun inside the lady’s purse wasn’t in a holster, enabling the aforementioned trigger movement.

Holster-up, people. Holster-up.

The post Passively Constructed Negligent Discharge of the Day: Revenge of the GLOCK Edition appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

Submitted for your consideration: two revolvers manufactured by the firm of Smith & Wesson. The Performance Center 460XVR loads three different calibers of ammunition (.45 Colt, .454 Casull and .460 S&W). Smith’s Model 629 loads .44 Magnum and .44 S&W Special cartridges. The $1609 XVR weighs-in at a hefty 59.5 ounces. The $1079 Model 629 tips the scales at a relatively light 39.6 ounces. Balance that against the fact that the XVR’s weight and three-finger rubber grip ameliorates even the .460 S&W’s stout recoil, whereas the 629’s two-finger wooden grips make it the more punishing firearm to bring to bear (no larger aftermarket grips available). Speaking of bears, if you were hiking in ursine country, which gun would you grab? (I grabbed both, but can only carry one . Barely.)

The post Which Gun Would You Grab: Hiking in Bear Country Edition appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

Heizer Defense is taking the derringer thing to next level with their PAK1 “Pocket AK Pistol.” Set to debut at the NRA Show in Tennessee (no photos ’til then), the 7.62×39 PAK1 is the company’s fourth caliber handgun, joining the PS1 “Pocket Shotgun” (chambered in .45 Long Colt and .410) and the PAR1 “Pocket AR” (chambered in .223). The company’s presser (after the jump) promises more calibers to come (9.3x74r?). Owners can buy and change-out barrels to explore the joys of stout recoil diversity. No word on whether the ATF will use this gun as an excuse to ban 7.62X30 ammo . . .

Pevely, Missouri – -(Ammoland.com)- At the upcoming NRA Show in Nashville, TN, Heizer Defense is debuting the new PAK1 “Pocket AK Pistol” in 7.62×39.

Booth #3215. The pistol is the next caliber offering in the Heizer Defense Pocket Pistol Family. The Pocket Pistol Family currently consists of the PS1 “Pocket Shotgun”, chambered in 45LC/410, the PAR1 “Pocket AR”, chambered in .223, and the Hedy Jane Empowered line, geared for women.

The pistols are multi-caliber with interchangeable barrels. Accessory barrels will be shipping along with the PAK1 “Pocket AK” very soon. Consumers can purchase any Heizer Defense Pistol and now have 2 additional calibers to choose from, and additional calibers will be offered throughout 2015.

Heizer Defense Pocket Pistols are proudly distributed by its partners AcuSport, AmChar Wholesale, Bangers, Big Rock Sports, Bill Hick’s, Sports South, Williams Shooting Supply and Zanders Sporting Goods.

For more information on the Heizer Defense products, visit www.heizerdefense.com

Heizer Defense is a state-of-the-art, high technology Firearm Company based in Pevely, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis.

Heizer Defense is an affiliated company of Heizer Aerospace. Founded in 1962, it manufactures fracture critical components for aerospace companies, NASA and the military.

Heizer Defense Engineers apply the same military technology to create high quality firearms.

For additional information, visit: www.heizerdefense.com
Or visit us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Heizer-Defense/370042029747761
For direct contact, email us at: sales@heizerdefense.com

The post New from Heizer Defense: PAK1 “Pocket AK Pistol” in 7.62×39 appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

OK, hold on. Previous rumors of the advent of the long-awaited single stack 9mm GLOCK have ended in many tears and much gnashing of teeth. But once again, the interwires are abuzz with hints, photos and speculation. Smyrna clearly has something up their sleeve if the countdown clock is any indication and media members, including those of us at TTAG, have been invited to an event the night before the NRA show opens in Nashville. Is the wait finally over?

The post Is the Long Wait for a GLOCK Single Stack 9mm About to End? appeared first on The Truth About Guns.

By Brandon via concealednation.org

Well folks, it’s finally here. Glock has answered the calls for a single stack 9mm, and she’s a beauty. Just a hair bigger than it’s little brother, the Glock 42, the new Glock 43 is sure to be a crowd pleaser. Check out the G43 Specs below . . .

More information is on the horizon, such as pricing and availability, but we’ll be sure to keep up to date on this information. And of course, we hope to get our hands on one to give it a solid review for you all. So, let’s hear it. Are you thrilled as much as we are?

The post BREAKING: Introducing the GLOCK 43, GLOCK’s Very First Single Stack 9mm appeared first on The Truth About Guns.