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While you are at the NRA Annual Meetings in Houston, Texas, I encourage you to take a break from the show floor and attend two special events. Noted sniping authority Maj. John L. Plaster, U.S. Army (Ret.), and historian Martin K.A. Morgan are onboard for two American Rifleman Special Sessions of tremendous interest to NRA members. On Saturday, Plaster will be the speaker at “Civil War Sharpshooters,” discussing the sharpshooters and their arms from America’s bloodiest conflict 150 years ago. The author of the practical The Ultimate Sniper, Plaster is a fantastic and dynamic speaker and is also one of the leading historians on the subject and the author of The History of Sniping & Sharpshooting.
February 28, 2013
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Sub-compact pistols continue to be hot items at gun shop, especially those available in larger, more powerful calibers. SIG's P290RS, a sub-compact 9mm, was designed to meet all the demands of concealed-carry practitioners, and is an improvement on the company's P290 design.
February 25, 2013
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Several months ago, I invited the readership of this column to participate in what amounts to a debate. The subject was the status of the two most popular service pistol calibers—9 mm and .40 S&W—and how they compare, why they are chosen. The response was overwhelming and not only in numbers of participants, but also in the quality of their contributions. We heard from many shooters with a variety of carefully reasoned and clearly written comments on their feelings about these two rounds. I truly appreciate the effort that went into this and I hope that all readers who responded would be willing to do so again and on other topics. So, what did we learn?
February 22, 2013
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Self-defense is about fighting, not shooting, even though fighting might lead to the need to fire your gun. But there are, in fact, many situations where a gun can’t, or shouldn’t, be used.
February 22, 2013
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The ideal solution to a bad situation is to be aware and get out of the area. The next best is to be aware and face the situation on both feet, with your gun in your hand. But even the best laid plans can fall to the wayside during a life and death struggle.
February 21, 2013
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To a handgun specialist, the 1911 is a familiar pattern. For Americans, the handgun of the 20th century is Colt’s Model of 1911, caliber .45. The majority of competitive handgun manufacturers offer some variation of this classic design, so gun reviewers deal with the terminology frequently. Not surprisingly, they have become a little sloppy about differentiating between the 1911 pistol and the 1911A1 variant thereof. So let’s review this classic handgun information once again for those who came in late.
February 20, 2013
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Photo Courtesy of the Theodore Roosevelt Collection, Harvard College Library
February 19, 2013
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Autoloaders have been around for over 100 years. For most people, they’re faster and easier with follow-up shots. Surely an auto trumps any pump on the range or in the field, right? Well, that all depends on who you ask—and more importantly—the gun in question.
February 19, 2013
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While I doubt many fathers would be unwilling to make this sacrifice, I can’t help but think that if this man would have had a gun and some training, he could have prevailed over the aggressors. It’s obvious that this Miami father had the courage, he fought with two armed assailants, but he didn’t have the tools.
February 13, 2013
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It seems obvious that the muzzle end of a handgun barrel should be cut square with the bore. But some shooters seem to be unaware of how critical a proper crown is to the overall performance of a gun. As a bullet leaves the cartridge and heads down the barrel of the gun, it picks up speed very quickly, because the powder charge is burning at a high-flame temperature and producing violently expanding gas. The gas exerts pressure on the base of the bullet, which drives it forward. It is a really hostile world in a handgun barrel as all of this happens. The bullet is a snug fit in the barrel and spiral grooves (rifling) cut in the bore cause the bullet to rotate. Then the moving bullet, which has been stabilized in the barrel, comes to the end and launches free into space.
February 13, 2013
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Colt has once again placed one of its 1911s at the side of America's armed forces, this time with the Colt Marine Pistol. The Colt Rail Gun was selected to be the latest sidearm of the United States Marine Corps—marking the first time a Colt 1911 has been shipped to the United States Government since the end of World War II.
February 11, 2013
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So many self-defense advocates feel they up to the task of defending their homes in a home invasion, believing that they can handle the situation with cool determination. However, many forget how much stress levels increase in an unfamiliar situation.
February 06, 2013
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