“Tag: wiley clapp”

Ed McGivern was fast and accurate with a revolver.

No matter what its features, some handguns just don't sell.

Built to protect the shooter's hand.

Keep a small handgun ready without printing.

Built as a 1911 competitor, it didn't quite make the grade.

The word "prawl" means a bump, knob or projecting corner on the frame of a revolver. As best as I can determine, the term prawl originated during the 19th century. This is when repeating handguns first became common.

Reader “MJ” sent an e-mail in which he voices his confusion over the proper use of the terms “blowback” and “recoil operated.” He went on to say that he had completely failed to understand why the barrel on his new Ruger LCP was flopping around. Enough similar questions have come my way that I think it's probably time to revisit this business of how semi-automatic pistols work.

Magazines and clips are not the same thing. They're different. But there is probably no more common misuse of terms in the handgun world than calling a magazine a clip. A magazine is (usually) a sheet steel box that holds cartridges in position for feeding in the magazine well of an autoloading pistol. I say “usually...sheet steel” because we are seeing polymer magazines more frequently these days.

Over 20 years ago, I was just beginning to get rolling as a gunwriter. I had a couple of years behind me working for one of the smaller magazines and had just been called up to the show at one of the big books.