December 17, 2010
I recently picked up a brand new pistol. The gun was the new Taurus 709 SLIM and it appeared to be the latest in a seemingly unending string of polymer receiver autos with simple DAO lockwork. This is a highly successful system, used by many makers and available in all the popular calibers. Most models follow the example set by Glock, where the slide's movement to the rear partially cocks the internal striker while trigger pressure completes the cocking action before releasing the striker to fire. The new Taurus model appeared to be another DAO, but I should have seen that it was not. This was particularly true when I couldn't get the pistol to fire and blamed the good folks at Taurus for sending me a broke gun.
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December 15, 2010
*Boom! A ruckus woke a woman and her two young children. Her first thought was that an earthquake had occurred, and she quickly called her husband at work to confirm it. No earthquake had been reported. The woman worried that the source of the sound could be something more sinister, so she retrieved her handgun and walked down the hallway.
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December 13, 2010
A lot of what I hear and read on the subject of defensive handguns shows evidence of confusion on terminology. There is a world of difference between a concealed-carry handgun and a home-defense handgun. Since we don't usually carry our handguns openly as we go about our daily lives in public view, we need to carry them concealed. I must emphasize that this can only be done where it is legally permissible and usually only when we have obtained the necessary governmental license to do so.
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December 13, 2010
I personally believe in carrying a concealed handgun at all times; however, there are times when I can’t for either legal or calculated reasons. There are also people who, for whatever reason, desire a means of protection that isn’t a gun.
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December 09, 2010
One way to protect yourself and your family is by avoiding confrontations through awareness and attitude.
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December 09, 2010
I'm not sure where this underlug business really got its start, but I was around when it really got rolling. A term that relates most commonly to DA/SA revolvers, underlug refers to an integral extension of metal that runs along the bottom side of the barrel. Although underlug-like fixtures are found on some of the Frontier-era S&W break tops, I think the first gun to have one (in the modern sense) was the Triple Lock of 1908. It was necessary for the complex locking system of that magnificent old gun, but it came to be highly regarded because it protected (or shrouded) the revolver's ejector rod. These shrouds are still a regular feature on most of S&W's N-frame revolver models. However, not until the 1950s did we see a shroud on the barrel of a K frame. It was on the Model 19, developed at the instigation of the late Bill Jordan. Bill was a real humorist at times; I can remember him chuckling over the use of an ejector rod shroud like it was a Holy Grail. He called it a “stroud,” solemnly assuring his listeners that every gun needed a good “stroud.”
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November 29, 2010
Marketing executives at our major gun companies are aware that they need to offer their customers many choices in every gun style. That's true not only for optional features such as sights, grips and lasers, but also for pricing . The overwhelmingly most popular type of handgun today is the high capacity, DAO auto in 9 mm or .40 S&W, usually with a receiver made of molded polymer. This style of gun is available at a wide array of prices. Current industry jargon for the suggested retail price is the “price point.” The point I am making is simply that big makers would like to have a gun of this type available at several different price points—literally several different guns. Obviously, this is done to attract as big a percentage of the potential buyers as possible.
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November 23, 2010
With so many people going out at night during this time of year, I want to remind everyone of a simple habit that could save your life—checking the backseat before getting into your car.
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November 22, 2010
With the holiday shopping season upon us, I want to concentrate on some simple, overlooked ways to keep our families safe.
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November 19, 2010
As Walt Kelly’s cartoon character Pogo so famously said, “We have met the enemy and he is us.” Wrapping up this three-part series on the business of the gun business (which has focused on why the shooting industry is so hard to analyze compared to other industries), we come face to face with one of the most complicating factors that distorts what little data there is on firearms sales—used guns.
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