Have you ever thought how would you draw and fire from the ground? If not, you should. The first time you fire a gun while lying on your back should not be in a self-defense situation. Think about it. When you’re standing with your arms stretched out holding your handgun, you don’t have to worry about hitting any other part of your body. When you’re on the ground, who knows what might get in the way. And what if you’re lying on your gun and can’t reach it from that position?

One of the earliest automatic pistols enjoyed a pretty healthy service life. Mauser's exotic C96 is often called the Broomhandle because of the distinctively shape of the butt. It is a very strong, recoil-operated auto that is laid out a lot differently that most other autos. The integral box magazine is forward of the trigger guard, so the butt doesn't have to be shaped to accept a detachable magazine. On most C96s, the shooter uses stripper clips to load an integral magazine well. The magazine follower and spring are a part of the gun, not the magazine. This is not true of the Schnellfurer (full-auto) version made in the 1930s, which has a detachable magazine. Made in many variations, the Mauser-made broomhandle was produced until 1937.

When I reminisced about Smith & Wesson's grand magnum—the Model 29—a heck of a lot of readers chimed in with their recollections and impressions. I wish I knew how many of these guns have made their way from Springfield and into the holsters, hands and, I guess, hearts of American shooters. Controversial at the time of its introduction, the .44 Mag. has enjoyed steady sales for over half a century. Lots of readers commented on their favorites and preferences seemed to be equally divided between 4- and 6-inch guns. Oddly enough, no one mentioned the special edition gun that has its own cult following.

Sometimes even the busiest days are pretty fun. We are finishing the July issue of American Rifleman after coming off an intense week of filming the third quarter of “American Rifleman Television.” We on the magazine staff already have full-time jobs, but we put in some pretty intense weeks on television production. But sometimes there is a lot of fun buried in that intensity.

Various systems exist by which handgun barrels have holes cut into them that run from the top outside surface all the way through to the rifled bore. It’s called porting and it’s done for specific reasons. In the process of firing a shot, some of the propellant gas that is working so hard to drive the bullet down the barrel takes a shortcut through the ports, flowing upwards and in so doing, tends to drive the gun down. This partially reduces the tendency of the handgun to twist back and up in your hand, which is distracting and sometimes uncomfortable. Porting is most commonly used on high-speed “race” guns used in action shooting games. It is common to hear people say that the ports reduce recoil. Close, but no cigar.