This is my Job

S&W Bodyguard Series

Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:00 GMT

Back in February my buddy Steve at thefirearmblog.com posted some info on S&W’s new Bodyguard series of handguns. Well, we just received the Bodyguard 380 and the Bodyguard 38 that come with “built-in lasers” made by Insight.

To be completely honest, I’m not a fan of these lasers. I’m not the tallest guy in the world, in fact, some may say that I’m short. When I bring up the 380 I can’t reach the on/off button, and it seems even more difficult to activate the laser without taking the gun off target. The 38 requires you to wrap your thumb around the right side of the sights to turn on the laser. Some shooters may take to this style a bit quicker; I'm just more accustomed to a different type of laser grip and it might take more time for me to get used to the Insight design.

But there are plenty of features I like about these guns. For starters, they're both tiny and light. The revolver has a fantastic trigger pull and it comes up smooth. The lasers have constant-on and pulse modes, and they feature a five-minute auto-off timer to prevent lose of battery life. The 380 has a great DOA trigger and is one of the most comfortable polymer concealed carry guns that I've handled.

Retail for the Bodyguard 38 is $625, and the 380 sells for $575.

Comment on this post

Savage 110 BA

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

A few years ago, you might not have mentioned Savage’s name when talking about higher-end rifles. But now, Savage is becoming known for producing some of the most accurate rifles around. They have a gun for every type of shooter and every budget.

Savage’s new 110 BA is designed and chambered for long-range shooting. Not only does it look great, but it shoots just as good as it looks. This gun will be the cover story in American Rifleman in March.

Here are a few specs on the gun:

1. 110 BA is chambered .338 Lapua Mag and 300 Win. Mag.

2. Magazine capacity is five rounds in .338 Lapua and six in .300.

3. 110 BA uses a Magpul PRS2 stock

4. Weighs 15.75 pounds.

5. Overall Length is 50.5 inches

The best part about working here is that we've had the 110 BA, and were shooting it, long before most knew it existed. American Rifleman Managing Editor Aaron Carter shot it last fall in Oregon. He’s taken a few deer with it this year and said it’s one of his favorite rifles. OK, maybe the best thing about working here is shooting the guns. Here's a quick video of me shooting the 110 BA with TheFirearmsBlog.com's blogger Steve and Shooting Illustrated's Ed Friedman.

Keep checking back for more. With SHOT right around the corner, I know we’ll have some great products coming in soon.

Comment on this post

Ruger SR9c

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 GMT

I’ve been holding back Ruger’s secret for two weeks now, and let me tell you, it’s been tough. I’ve seen other blog posts about them, but they’ve all been speculative. I wanted to let everyone know, but I couldn’t.

You might know that Ruger just introduced a few new handguns. Two are previously released guns in a new caliber, while the other is a new gun altogether—that’s the one I’m excited about.

The Ruger SR9c is a much improved SR9. The trigger is unexpectedly good. In fact, it’s so good that one of the editors joked around with our Ruger rep and asked who made the trigger for them. The new trigger is going to be put into all SR9’s from here on out. Unfortunately, you can’t retro fit your old SR9 with this new trigger.

The gun comes with a 10-round magazine with a flat buttplate and a finger grip extension floorplate if your hands are a little bigger. It also includes a 17-round magazine with a grip adapter, which increases the grip to the same size as a standard SR9. It has new serrations on the front of the slide, a 3.5-inch barrel and an accessory rail to accommodate most lights and lasers.

All in all, the new SR9C is pretty impressive and it holds its own with many of the other concealed-carry handguns we have in our vault.

Click here for Wiley Clapp's Review of the Ruger SR9 and Ruger SR9C

Comment on this post

Stoeger Double Defense

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

Personal defense handguns are always a hot topic around the NRA, but lately shotguns have really been getting some notice, both inside and outside the office.

Why? Well, there’s no substitute for a shotgun in a personal defense situation. Just the sound of someone racking the slide of an 870 can send shivers down an intruder’s spine.

Stoeger has taken a little different approach when it comes to personal defense shotguns. Stoeger seems to think side-by-sides are the way to go, and after seeing the Double Defense shotgun, I may have to give them some thought. Side-by-side shotguns swing great and you can get two shots off faster than using a pump.

Here are a few specs about the Double Defense:

1. Black hardwood stock
2. Available in 12 or 20 gauge
3. 20-inch barrels
4. Both barrels are ported with fixed improved cylinder chokes
5. Two tac-rails to mount accessories

The gun looks like it means business, and I'm betting it can get the job done.

Comment on this post

Springfield XDM 3.8

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 GMT

I just received a gun that’s been the talk of the town—the Springfield XDM 3.8. There are two notable differences in the standard XDM’s and the XDM 3.8.

Obviously, the barrel was shortened from 4.5 inches to 3.8 inches on this model. The main purpose was for carry, but the way I see it if you change the medium to the small backstrap you have a standard XD, slightly customized.

The serrations on the frame are also different than the standard XDM. These have more of a kink to them as our friend Steve from thefirearmsblog.com describes. They look better, and from what I can tell, it does provide better purchase on the slide.

I've yet to test this one in the range, so I’ll try to get some videos up on our YouTube page soon. Keep checking back.

Comment on this post

Ares-22RCU

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 GMT

It never fails, when I'm least expecting it something interesting comes across my desk. When I worked in retail, one of the best selling semi-auto handguns in .22LR was the Ruger MK series. They’re reliable, and they look and shoot great.

Ever hear of a company called Ares Defense Systems? Yeah, I hadn’t either until today, but after seeing one of their products I'm definitely going to get to know them. They make an upper receiver assembly for your Ruger MK-1, MK-II, MK-III or 22/45 pistols. Basically, it turns your handgun into a sweet little carbine, the Ares-22RCU, with a full tac-rail and comfortable grip. This thing is a neat little plinker. Watch me prove my point here.

I went on their Web site and looked for more info on the gun, but the only thing I came up with were big red bold letters saying, “Coming Soon.” I’m not sure what the retail price is, but the fun you can have with this gun is priceless. When I get some more information about the company and the conversion kit, I’ll let you know.

This is my Job

Comment on this post