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What is an ASP? Among other things, it is an exotic custom-made 9 mm pistol developed by the mysterious Paris Theodore, who was reportedly an undercover agent for the U.S. government. It is documented that Theodore, a New Yorker, was the driving force behind Seventrees, a maker of custom holsters of legendary quality. Primarily designed for the concealed carry market of the ‘60s and ‘70s, Seventrees made innovative designs with unusual fasteners and materials. Theodore was also involved with ASP (Armament Systems and Procedures), a specialized equipment company that pioneered restraints, collapsible batons, lighting and other law enforcement equipment. The firm's first products, however, were highly specialized custom handguns that bore the “ASP” designation (with obvious reference to the deadly little snake of biblical lore). One such gun was a five-shot conversion of a Ruger Speed Six to .44 Spl., but relatively few of these were made. A much more common pistol was the ASP 9 mm.
April 01, 2011
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Among Smith & Wesson fans, there is still some confusion surrounding the use of the terms “three-screw, four-screw and five-screw.” If you are one of the many younger students of the great products of the legendary Massachusetts gunmaker, you may have been puzzled by what seems to be insider use of these terms. To get everyone on the same page, a brief history lesson and explanation should help out.
March 25, 2011
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Here's the definition, right out of the NRA Firearms Sourcebook. It is “...the minor interior diameter of a barrel that is the diameter of a circle formed by the tops of the lands.” That is the bore diameter, but groove diameter is “...the diameter of a circle circumscribed by the bottom of the grooves...”
March 15, 2011
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If there is a pervasive trend in the development of modern handgun ammunition, it is the development of more effective personal-defense ammunition. Much of this effort can be traced to the early years of the Wondernine Wars, when various makers struggled for supremacy in building double-action 9 mm pistols. To match the guns, ammo makers focused great attention on effective 9 mm ammo that would reliably stop criminal attacks. They developed some great loads and the effort to improve continues. Eventually, these techniques were expanded to apply to all kinds of handgun bullets in many calibers. The result is handgun ammo that really does what we want it to, both in terms of penetration and expansion. This is a matter of great interest to this handgunner and I have watched over the years as handgun ammo became better for real-world effectiveness. Today's police ammunition is far better than the 200-grain lead round-nosed stuff I was issued as a rookie cop in the ‘60s.
March 08, 2011
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I recall a very pleasant day at my gun club, shooting a handsome old Smith & Wesson revolver that had somehow turned out to be a commercial dud. This was sometime in the early 1980s and the gun in question—called the Model 53—had been officially discontinued in 1974. In fact, it was dead long before that, with leftover specimens languishing on dealer's shelves at pricetags that had to make you wonder. The gun was also called the .22 Centerfire Magnum, a model intended for the handgunning outdoorsman who wanted to engage small-game animals and varmints at ranges well beyond those normally associated with pistols and revolvers. It was, in short, a varminting revolver, useful at distances out to 100 yards or a little more. The thing that made this happen was a hot cartridge called the .22 Remington Jet.
March 07, 2011
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Colt’s currently produced Series 70 .45 pistol is very close to duplicating the guns that came from the old factory under the blue dome in 1924.
February 25, 2011
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It's pretty much a given that savvy police officers often carry a second handgun to back up their primary service auto. I believe that the second gun needs to be very similar to the primary in its handling and operation. In my day, this requirement was most commonly manifested with a Model 19 (or 15) in the holster with a 2-inch Model 36 (or 42) in hiding. Under stress, the similar loading, handling and firing was very comforting. But now that the police service revolver is pursuing the Dodo bird, this practice seems to be falling into disuse. It doesn't need to. In fact, there is more reason than ever to pair up the service handgun with a hideout pistol of the same make and/or similar handling.
February 23, 2011
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In the golden era of bullseye shooting—1950s and '60s—the great 2700 aggregate matches were fired on ranges all over this country. A 2700 was actually three different 900 aggregates fired with three different guns—a .45, a centerfire of some kind and a .22 Long Rifle.
February 16, 2011
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I have always been interested in handgun sights and, in the past few years, have been fortunate enough to get to experiment with a variety of different types. It's really amazing what was once factory-installed as a so-called “target” sight. I believe that iron sights intended for target shooting should be large enough to be seen in the changing light conditions of a long and arduous day at the range.
February 14, 2011
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Several friends have asked me to find out why Colt no longer makes the CCO, which stands for Concealed Carry Officer's Model. I have to wonder if any readers are also interested. This little 1911 variant is one of the slickest 1911 iterations I have ever seen. Colt made a number of them in the 90s, then followed up with a short run of Gunsite CCOs. They were very popular and are approaching cult favorite status. Basically, this gun was an Officer's ACP frame with a Commander slide fitted thereto. This gave the gun the length of a Commander and the height of a Defender.
February 03, 2011
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There are a lot of cops in this country and every one of them carries a modern handgun of some kind. Most of these guns are seldom fired, but carried habitually, and these guns are updated with new models every few years.
January 26, 2011
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We are now in the centennial year of the magnificent Government Model Colt 1911, arguably the greatest handgun of all time. Just a few months from now, we will reach March 29th, 2011—exactly 100 years from the day that Colonel Thompson wrote the letter that advised Colt Firearms of the official adoption of the M1911 pistol. We are going to be very 1911-oriented this year. Everybody is sure to focus on the gun and the many new variations that are sure to appear. Several makers are advertising a (presumably desirable) return to something called a Series 70 Firing Pin Safety System. This is puzzling, because there is no such thing.
January 24, 2011
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Thanks to its shorter frame, the XD(M)-9 Compact 3.8 makes an excellent discreet-carry gun.
January 18, 2011
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There is still a great demand for custom holsters and accessories, made one at a time from leather, though I am well aware that Kydex and other forms of synthetic materials are on their way to dominating the gun-carrying business. That's progress, I guess and I have to confess that I often use such holsters when attending various shooting schools. There are many advantages to synthetics, not the least of them being the reduced cost of materials. But, having carried various pistols and revolvers in my military and law enforcement years, I am inclined to fondly recall the leather holsters that were then the norm. “Leather” was even the policeman's slang for the entire ensemble of belt, holster and all the various other pouches and pockets that went along with it. It was cool stuff and the best of leather gear displayed exceptional quality.
January 14, 2011
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The R1 is Remington’s first semi-automatic pistol since the 1920s.
January 13, 2011
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