A Centennial Celebration

A Short hiStory of hunting ScopeS

M1911100 YEARS

M1911100 YEARS

A CentennialCelebration

MAGAZINE

A M E R I C A N R I F L E M A N

Trials Of The .45

M1911 reliabiliTy

Wiley Clapp’s COlT

Official Journal of the National Rifle Association

D I G I T A L

Super Carry .45 ACP pistols raise the bar for 1911 features and performance. Made in the Kimber® Custom Shop,™ they have a round heel frame for unequaled concealability and comfortable carry, plus unidirectional serrations for fast and positive operation. A Carry Melt™ treatment rounds and blends edges. An ambidextrous thumb safety and match grade barrel are standard. A Kimber fi rst, the new Super Carry Ultra+™ combines a 3-inch barrel with a full-length grip. Super Carry pistols deliver performance to the extreme.

©2011 Kimber Mfg., Inc. All rights reserved. Kimber names, logos and other trademarks may not be

used without permission. Names of other companies, products and services may be the property of

their respective owners. Kimber firearms are shipped with an instruction manual and California-approved

cable lock. Copy of instruction manual available by request.

Kimber, One Lawton Street, Yonkers, NY 10705 (800) 880-2418

The new Super Carry Ultra+™ (left) and Super Carry Custom HD™ establish a new standard of personal defense. Seven Super Carry models are offered, all chambered in .45 ACP.

Super Carry pistols have specialized features like night sights with cocking shoulder, round heel frame and unidirectional serrations.

T H E C H O I C E O F A M E R I C A ’ S B E S T

kimberamerica.com

The Kimber Super Carry. Well-rounded Performance.

The Super Carry Pro™ .45 ACP is one of four models with a light weight aluminum frame for easy carry.

The Super Carry Pro HD™ .45 ACP is one of three new models with a stainless steel frame for hard use.

The camo-finished Prairie Panther AR-style rifle. Hunting will never be the same.The first camo-finished modern sporting rifle from DPMS. Available in Mossy Oak Brush® and King’s Desert® Shadow and equipped with a 20-inch 1x8 twist; stainless steel, fluted, Teflon®-coated heavy barrel; a carbon-fiber free-float tube; an A3 flattop; skeletonized stock; DPMS 2-stage trigger; and a Magpul® Enhanced Trigger Guard.™ Resist convention. Resist the norm. Be the first to own the attractive yet stealthy camo-finished Prairie Panther AR-style rifle from DPMS. Visit dpmsinc.com to learn more.

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S I G N U P F O R A M E R I C A N R I F L E M A N D I G I T A L

S U P P O R T N R AD I G I T A L

Volume 159, No. 6, 125th Year of Publication

June 2011

features

The Trials Of The M191182Walt KuleckThe .45 ACP U.S. Model of 1911 was the result of the Army’s desire for a semi-automatic pistol, the development of a suitable cartridge, a lengthy trials process, and the partnership between Colt’s Mfg. and John Moses Browning.

Siren Song: The Truth About The President’s Call For Consensus28Chris CoxNow, President Obama has joined in the debate and is playing the role of Siren with a call for “consensus” on gun control. But don’t be fooled; the result of heeding that call would be the same for our Second Amendment rights as it was for those sailors of Greek myth.

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EXPERTSIN THEFIELD

OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE NATIONAL RIFLE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICAThe NRA, the foremost guardian of the traditional American right to “keep and bear arms,” believes every law-abiding citizen is entitled to the ownership and legal use of firearms, and that every reputable gun owner should be an NRA Member. —Wayne R. LaPierre, Executive Vice President

A Centennial Celebration: M1911s In 201196Cameron HopkinsIn a tribute to the nation’s most popular handgun design, M1911 manufacturers of all stripes are offering commemorative editions of the gun that has served American soldiers and shooters for a century.

A Modern-Day Classic: The Colt’s/TALO 21st Century Commander120Stanton L. Wormley, Jr.When renowned handgun authority and American Rifleman Field Editor Wiley Clapp joined forces with Colt and TALO to design the perfect carry gun, the end result was nothing short of a modern-day classic.

The World War II M1911 & M1911A1: A Photographic Essay134Tom LaemleinDuring World War II, the .45 ACP M1911 and M1911A1 pistols were popular with American troops, and here we present some imagery of those who trained and fought with “old slabsides.”

Phot

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Han

nele

Lah

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U.S. Marine Corps photo

C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S

THE COVER: The M1911 and its descendents are doing better than ever, with more makers producing more models than at any other time in the history of John M. Browning’s landmark pistol design. On this month’s cover is an ornately engraved and gold-inlaid pistol bearing scrimshaw stocks created by Colt’s Custom Shop for NRA in commemoration of a century of the pistol’s adoption. Photo by Hannele Lahti. Design by David J. Labrozzi.

D I G I T A L

features

EXPERTSIN THEFIELD

Twenty-Gauge Super Slugs: Shrinking The Status Quo

166Bryce M. Towsley

Although advancing technology has improved 12-ga. slugs primarily, it has

also enhanced the performance of 20-ga. loads. The newest 20-ga. slugs now bring

200-yd. quarry within range.

A Short History Of Hunting Scopes

154John Barsness

Although we take the riflescope for granted these days, in the big picture the

scope is a fairly new invention. Here’s a crash course on its development.

Tuning The M1911 For Reliability140Stanton L. Wormley, Jr.The 100-year-old M1911 pistol was intended to function with hardball. Here a pistolsmith lines out his five-point checklist for making the M1911 reliable with modern ammunition.


June 2011

Left side features banners that read,“Centennial Anniversary” and “Honoring

Military Service To America.” At the centerof the artwork is a medallion featuring the

familiar profile of the Colt 1911 pistol, encircled bythe legend “100 Years Defending Freedom.” Bookmarking the medallion are the years “1911”–“2011” – in honor of a century of distinguished service.

Name

Address

City/State/Zip

Daytime Telephone No. ( )

Please enter my reservation for the “Colt® Centennial AnniversaryTribute Pistol,” selected below. Each is a working Colt .45 pistol, at theintroductory issue price of $1,995.* My deposit of $195 per Tribute isenclosed. I wish to pay the balance at the rate of $100 per month, nointerest or carrying charges. Certificate of Authenticity included. Thirty-day return privilege.Service Branch Honored:■ U.S. Army ■ U.S. Air Force ■ U.S. Marine Corps ■ U.S. Navy ■ Patriotic

■ Check enclosed for $______________ .■ Charge payment of $ ______________ to:

■ VISA ■ MasterCard ■ AMEX ■ Discover

No. Exp.

Display Case❏ I wish to reserve the optional, luxuriously lined, custom-made display

case with locking glass lid. My payment of $149* is enclosed or add to credit card.

©AHL, Inc.

Display CaseAvailableAn optional luxuriouslylined, custom-built,wooden display case isavailable for purchase.

Right side commemorates the featured U.S. military service branch (U.S. Marine Corps Tribute shown), with elegant,flowing banners and clusters of stars decorated in richly-plated 24-karat gold. Each pistol in the edition will showcasethe name of the service branch honored, its motto and the date it was founded. (Army, Navy, Air Force also available.)

Model: Colt® Government Model® Pistol • Caliber: .45 ACP • Edition Limit: 500 per Service Branch

®

COLT, , and RAMPANTCOLT are registered trademarks of New Colt Holding Corp. and are used by America Remembers under license. All rights reserved.

®

A 100th Anniversary Officially Licensed Colt® Government Model® Pistol Issued Exclusively by America Remembers®

Honoring 100 Years of Service

to the UnitedStates Armed

Forces

The Centennial ANNIVERSARY Tribute Pistol

America Remembers®

10226 Timber Ridge Drive, Ashland, Virginia 23005www.americaremembers.com

To place your reservation toll-free call 1-800-682-2291

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During the last century of military warfare, America’s Armed Forces have triumphed over incredibleodds in conflicts across the globe. During this time, one firearm comes to mind that best embodies the spiritof all those who served in the 20th century. It’s the classic Colt M1911A1 .45 pistol. No firearm in historycan boast a more impressive record of American military service than the Colt Model 1911. The .45 caliberpistol served as the official sidearm for our country's Armed Forces from 1911 to 1985, longer than anyother small military arm in the world.

Now, on the 100th Anniversary of the Colt Model 1911 pistol, Colt and America Remembers areproud to issue Official Colt Collectibles honoring the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Navy and U.S.Air Force – each separate edition is issued in a strictly limited edition of 500 pistols per service branch.In addition, there is a 100th Anniversary edition of 500 Patriotic Colt .45 Pistols, featuring an AmericanEagle and the phrase “Land of the Free, Home of the Brave.” Craftsmen specifically commissioned byAmerica Remembers decorate each Tribute in stunning 24-karat gold artwork over a blue steel canvas. Inevery phase of its conception, design and execution, and in every detail of its finish, we have held fast tothe goal of creating a powerful, museum-quality tribute to history's greatest military sidearm.

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps Available NowFor the veterans of America’s Armed Forces who carried a Colt .45 pistol, the classic military sidearm

has special significance. It was a constant companion that offered superior stopping power against allenemies. To put it simply, the Colt .45 pistol was a lifesaver. The Colt was utterly reliable, virtuallyindestructible and awesome in its stopping power. In the hands of courageous American warriors, it wouldbecome a military and firearms legend. For decades, wherever Americans fought for freedom, the Colt .45was there. Those who pulled the trigger will never forget, and neither should we.

reserve nowReservations will be accepted in the order they are received. You can mail us your order, or to

prioritize your order and confirm availability, call us toll-free at 1-800-682-2291. We will arrange delivery through the licensed firearms dealer of your choice. And, as always, if you are not completelysatisfied, you may return your Tribute to us in original, unfired condition within 30 days for a completeand courteous refund.

The Colt name is legendary for firearm enthusiasts, as well as for military veterans and their families.This exclusive Tribute stands as a monumental salute to all who served our country and carried the iconicpistol in defense of freedom. As a nation we must never forget the courage and sacrifice of those whoserved and continue to serve today. Secure your Colt® Centennial Anniversary Military Tribute Pistol todayand keep it forever as the ultimate symbol of fine firearms craftsmanship, American military history andservice in defense of freedom.

“The nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten.” ~ Calvin Coolidge

*All orders are subject to acceptance and credit verification prior to shipment. Shippingand handling will be added to each order. Virginia residents please add 5% sales tax.

Armed Citizen . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 16 Special ReportsStanding Guard .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 20President’s Column . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 24Political Report .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..186ILA Report .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 190Regional Report/Member Info & Benefits. .. .. . 196Programs & Services . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 198

C O M M E N T

H O W T O : D I G I T A L

official journal

D I G I T A L

NRA PUBLICATIONSJoe H. Graham, Executive DirectorLourdes F. Kite, Deputy Executive DirectorEvelyn Q. Kessler Publications Services Manager Tyler C. Kreis Firearms Inventory ManagerTerri A. Wolfe, Executive Assistant

EDITORIAL John R. Zent Editorial DirectorMark A. Keefe, IV Editor In ChiefBrian C. Sheetz Senior Executive EditorGlenn M. Gilbert Shooting EditorAaron Carter Managing Editor Angus K. McClellan Assistant EditorLaura K. Cromwell Editorial AssistantGina Schmidt Editor At LargeJohn Barsness, Phil Bourjaily, Bruce N. Canfield, Wiley Clapp, Bryce M. Towsley, Stanton L. Wormley, Jr. Field Editors

ARTHarry Lloyd Jaecks Art DirectorSusan K. Kilday Managing Art DirectorDavid J. Labrozzi Senior Graphic DesignerLloyd Hill Photography DirectorHannele Lahti PhotographerAlex Sutherland Associate Photographer

American Rifleman (ISSN 0003-083X) is published monthly by the National Rifle Association of America, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-9400, (703) 267-1000, for the benefit of its members. Membership dues (U.S. and posses-sions) $35 a year, $85 for 3 years, $125 for 5 years. $3.75 per year is designated for a magazine subscription. For foreign postage add $5 a year in Canada and $10 elsewhere. For membership inquiries only, call (877) 672-2000. Copyright 2011, the National Rifle Association of Amer-ica. All rights reserved except where expressly waived. Periodicals Postage paid at Fairfax, VA, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to American Rifleman, c/o Na-tional Rifle Association, P.O. Box 420648, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0648.

TO CHANGE YOUR ADDRESS or to re-port a damaged or undelivered magazine, write: American Rifleman, c/o National Rifle Association, P.O. Box 420648, Palm Coast, FL 32142-0648. Do not return dam-aged copies. Change of address should include both new address and a mailing label bearing the old one. In case of dupli-cation send both labels.

correspondence

lock, stock & barrel

News, Notes and Ephemera. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 40 Opening Shot, Random Shots, Rapid Fire,

Product Previews, Books In Brief, On Screen and Where Can I Get ... ?

Editor’s Letter .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 12Readers Write . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 36Favorite Firearms .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 72


June 2011

Uniquely distinctive in both appearance and performance, the new SW1911 E-Series pistols feature engineering advantages as well as premium design details. Among the enhancements are aggressive texturing, a precision-fi t trigger, a high strength titanium fi ring pin and hammer-forged frame. See the new line of Smith & Wesson SW1911 E-Series online or at your favorite dealer. Elite. Elegant. Enhanced. The next century starts here.

LIFETIME SERVICE POLICY

D I G I T A L

technical

WARNING: All technical data in this publica-tion, especially for handloading, reflect the limited experience of individuals using specific tools, products, equipment and components under specific conditions and circumstances not necessarily reported in the article and over which the National Rifle Association (NRA) has no control. The data have not otherwise been tested or verified by the NRA. The NRA, its agents, officers and employees accept no responsibility for the results obtained by persons using such data and disclaim all liability for any consequential injuries or damages. See asterisked (*).

* NO ADVERTISED ITEM IS INTENDED FOR SALE IN THOSE STATES, OR IN THOSE AR-EAS WHERE LOCAL RESTRICTIONS MAY LIMIT OR PROHIBIT THE PURCHASE, CAR-RYING OR USE OF CERTAIN ITEMS. CHECK LOCAL LAWS BEFORE PURCHASING. MENTION OF A PRODUCT OR SERVICE IN ADVERTISEMENTS OR TEXT DOES NOT NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT HAS BEEN TESTED OR APPROVED BY THE NRA.

OFFICIAL NRA POSITIONS ARE EX-PRESSED ONLY IN STATEMENTS BYLINED BY NRA OFFICERS OR IN ARTICLES IDEN-TIFIED AS SUCH.

THE EDITORS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSOLICITED MANUSCRIPTS OR PHOTOGRAPHS.

NRA PUBLICATIONSPRODUCTION & ADVERTISING OPERATIONS

Michael J. Sanford Director Michelle E. Kuntz Manager James C. Handlon Marketing Manager Lori Boss, Debra Oliveri Production AssistantsSamantha Brown Senior Coordinator, Ad ServicesTiffany Ngu Coordinator, Ad ServicesE-MEDIAJohn R. Zent Editorial DirectorAnn Y. Smith Editor In ChiefPaul Rackley Associate Online Shooting Editor Benjamin P. O’Brien Assistant Online Hunting EditorDaniel McCullough Web SEO/SEM SpecialistTom Rickwalder Lead DeveloperSteve Dulco Senior Web Designer Lia Dangelico Editorial Assistant

ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIONRoss Media Group Corporate Office

3902 Sandshell DriveFort Worth, TX 76137(817) 232-5556

President Ross RileyChief Operating Officer Gayle UzobuifeSr. Vice President/National Sales Mgr., Gerry Cliff Northeast Tony Morrison, (860) 767-9801 Southeast, South Central Stan Yates, (850) 619-8148 Midwest Gerry Cliff, (817) 232-5556Direct Advertising Sales Debbie O’Connell, (805) 582-9856 Lillian Cliff, (817) 741-0320 Richard Hoffarth, (763) 323-9277Electronic Media Richard Hoffarth, (763) 323-9277Detroit & Chicago Metro Ross Riley, (817) 232-5556

Questions & Answers .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 64 Pistol Bayonets

From The Loading Bench . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 76 The Adaptable .22-250 Rem.

Dope Bag: Data & Comment .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 176 Springfield Range Officer M1911A1 .45 ACP Pistol Vortex Razor HD Spotting Scope

I Have This Old Gun .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . 206 Ballard No. 1½ Hunter’s Rifle

C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S


June 2011

64 76

176 206

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G O : A M E R I C A N R I F L E M A N . O R G

Video

Stories

D I G I T A L

A Look Back At The M1911: Stories And GalleriesJohn Browning’s masterpiece is as popular and practical today as it was 100 years ago—if not more so. Dave Campbell takes a look back at the history of the M1911. Also, we’ve posted dozens of stories and some photo galleries that can be easily found at www.americanrifleman.org by looking for “Trending Topics” and clicking on “M1911.”

Friends OF NRA Centennial ColtOne centennial Colt M1911 left out of “A Centennial Celebration: M1911s in 2011” (p. 96) is the 2011 Friends of NRA “Gun Of The Year,” which, of course, is a Colt M1911A1 produced exclusively for sale at Friends of NRA banquets. The engraved and gold-inlaid pistol sports a 5" barrel and rosewood stocks with the NRA medallion. The run of pistols is serialized from 1911NRA0000 through 1911NRA1150. We’ve posted an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the guns.


June 2011

www.americanrifleman.org

Exclusive

Blogs Also OnClapp On HandgunsField Editor Wiley Clapp shares more than a half-century of experience and knowledge in the technical and historical aspects of handgunning. Industry Insider Cameron Hopkins goes inside to bring you the latest information about the firearm, shooting and hunting industries. The RackAttackOur own www.americanrifleman.org blogger Paul Rackley is an NRA Pistol and Personal Protection Instructor and a proponent of being prepared for anything. Here he shares tips and tactics for training and self-defense. The Armed Citizen BlogCan’t get enough “Armed Citizen” from the magazine? Read additional accounts of Americans using their Second Amendment rights to defend home and family.

Lewis And Clark’s Air RifleNational Firearms Museum Senior Curator Philip Schreier—also a field editor for “American Rifleman Television”—became a YouTube sensation with his video on the Girandoni air rifle used by Meriwether Lewis on the Corps of Discovery’s incredible journey. We have posted Schreier’s article on the Girandoni air rifle, as well as a segment from the show where we shoot an exact replica of the original airgun.

“If I read one more article about M1911s, I’m going to be sick,” wrote one NRA member concerning our coverage of the M1911 since the beginning of the

year. Well, I’m afraid for that particular member, this month’s issue is accompanied by a complimentary airsick bag from my last oversold airline flight. Maybe I’d better make it five, as that’s how many stories we have in this issue covering the centennial of John Moses Browning’s most enduring pistol design. But that level of coverage is warranted. To have any design remain so little changed from the William Howard Taft administration is a remarkable feat, and to have

American Rifleman Jun 2011 S I G N U P F O R A M E R I C A N R I F L E M A N D I G I T A L

G E T I N V O L V E D

Mark A. Keefe, IVEditor In Chief

EDITOR’S LETTER

its popularity actually surging a century after introduction is unprecedented.

Although much attention is given to the Colt’s chief competitor, the Savage, that firm never seriously got into the .45 pistol business, and its .32 and .380 ACPs were discontinued in 1928. (For more on the “The Trials Of The M1911,” turn to Walt Kuleck’s article.) Of the pistols that competed in the U.S. Army Ordnance Dept. trials for a practical, reliable service semi-automatic stretching from 1899 to 1911, including the Webley-Fosbery, the Grant Hammond, the Mauser, the Borchardt, the Bergmann and others, only

one is still in production. The pistol that had the closest production run to the M1911 is the Luger.

Although made off-and-on since World War II—including brief runs here in the United States in the 1990s by Don Mitchell and Stoeger—nowhere in the world is the Luger still factory-produced. Up until last year you could custom order one from Germany’s Krieghoff, but no more. Even Colt’s New Service revolver, which was the “control” at times in trials, is unavailable new since the Hartford firm no longer makes large-frame, double-action revolvers of any sort. The M1911, in its many guises and variations, stands alone.

And the M1911 field just became a little more crowded. An advertisement on p. 27 carries the biggest news in the century-old design. I wrote

C O R R E S P O N D E N C E

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the following passage for this column for the March issue—but had to delete it at the last minute as the firm decided to wait before formally introducing the gun: “Each year for the last decade or so, one of the juiciest rumors among the firearms journalism community has been, ‘Did you hear? Ruger is making an M1911.’ This year, the SR1911—an M1911 emblazoned with ‘Ruger’ on the slide and an eagle on its stock escutcheons—will grace dealers’ shelves, not just overactive gunwriters’ imaginations.”

Ruger has been working on its own M1911 for some

time, and late last year it hosted an event at Gunsite Training Center in Paulden, Ariz. Senior Executive Editor Brian C. Sheetz and Field Editor Jim Wilson attended and shot the pre-production guns. Both Sheetz and Wilson gave Ruger’s rendition high marks. Our production SR1911 sample arrived on the day we finished this issue. By taking its time and delaying introduction, the company founded by Bill Ruger has done justice to Browning’s design, delivering a solid interpretation of an American classic. When Sheriff Jim finishes his evaluation of the stainless SR1911, you’ll see it here.

It looks like I’ll owe a certain NRA member from Minnesota yet another airsick bag.

Sincerely,

American Rifleman Jun 2011

“EACH YEAR FOR THE LAST DECADE OR SO, ONE OF THE JUICIEST RUMORS AMONG THE FIREARMS JOURNALISM COMMUNITY HAS BEEN, ‘DID YOU HEAR? RUGER IS MAKING AN M1911.’ …”

EDITOR’S LETTER

C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S

O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l American Rifleman | Jun 2011IN THE NEWS

the armed citizen

Professional Firefighter Craig Moore was returning home when he noticed a pair of snow-covered boots that

didn’t belong to him. Fearing an intruder was inside, he readied his handgun and began a room-by-room inspection. As he entered an upstairs bedroom, he came face-to-face with a man hiding under a comforter at the foot of the bed. To Moore’s further shock, he recognized the man as his neighbor. Moore yelled at him, demanded to know what he was doing in the house and asked if he’d stolen anything. The neighbor cowered and begged Moore not to shoot. As Moore phoned police, the neighbor leapt from a two-story window, ran back inside to retrieve his boots and fled. Police arrested the neighbor, who was out on bail for several other burglaries, and took him to the hospital for treatment of a broken ankle. (The Record Enterprise, Meredith, N.H., 02/17/11)

C O M M E N T


Two people had just pulled up to a bank’s drive-through automated teller machine when a man approached them on the driver’s side of the vehicle. The man drew a gun and demanded that the driver

withdraw $600 and give it to him. The driver told him the bank wouldn’t allow him to withdraw that amount, but the passenger told the driver to go ahead and withdraw it. Secretly, the passenger just wanted a diversion to allow him to draw his handgun. As the suspect watched the driver withdraw money, the passenger saw his opening. “He reaches over and pushes the suspect’s gun out of the driver’s face and shoots him twice,” said Jackson, Miss., Commander Wendell Watts. The suspect returned fire and the passenger shot him an additional four or five times. The suspect survived, but lost a kidney and his freedom. (The Northside Sun, Jackson, Miss., 02/24/11)

Four young men loitering near a dumpster approached a Wing Zone takeout driver while he was making a delivery. According to witnesses, the suspects demanded money and one of them

flashed an illegally possessed gun. The driver, a concealed-carry permit holder, didn’t hesitate. He drew his handgun and fired four shots while attempting to run. One of the suspects was shot and fell to the ground. He was arrested at the hospital. His accomplices fled. Two were arrested, and one remains at large. Police said there had been several pizza delivery robberies in that area during a six-month period. (WLEX-TV, Lexington, KY., 03/12/11)

“Don’t move!” a homeowner recalled telling a burglar after he heard a noise, grabbed his gun and found the unwanted visitor running through his home. The burglar did not comply, forcing

the homeowner to fire a shot, wounding him. The burglar fell to the ground and the homeowner commenced holding him at gunpoint. To the homeowner’s astonishment, the burglar handed him a cell phone and asked him to call 9-1-1. Unfortunately, when the homeowner unlocked the door for police, the burglar made a break for it. “He was moving,” the homeowner said. “He hit the fence pretty hard. You could hear him.” The suspect is still being sought by police. (KTRK-TV, Houston, Texas, 03/26/11)

O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l American Rifleman | Jun 2011IN THE NEWS

Ajewelry store manager was behind the desk when two men dressed in wigs and women’s

clothing burst through the door. The men, later reported to be illegal aliens from Honduras and Guatemala, carried guns and duct tape. This bizarre tale wraps up quickly: The manager drew the .357-cal. pistol that was holstered on his hip and promptly shot both men, killing one and critically injuring the other. Two weeks before, one of the men attempted to rob the same store. Resale shop owner Pam McCrory said what happened shocked her, considering her business is not far away. “I will be getting me a gun,” she said. (WLBT-TV, Pearl, Miss., 03/23/11)

Studies prove that Americans experience fewer “hot” burglaries—which occur when homeowners

are present and therefore carry a greater risk of violence—because criminals in the United States fear being shot by homeowners. The notion was reaffirmed recently when a Portland, Ore., 9-1-1 dispatcher received a wacky call. The caller informed the dispatcher that he had broken into a home and decided to take a shower when, in the midst of bathing, the homeowner returned. Terrified that the homeowner might have a gun, the intruder locked himself in the bathroom and placed the emergency call. The homeowner also phoned police, who arrested the intruder. (CNN, 03/08/11)

the armed citizen

C O M M E N T

U S E Y O U R P O W E R

Studies indicate that firearms are used more than 2 million times a year for personal protection, and that the presence of a firearm, without a shot being fired, prevents crime in many instances. Shooting usually can be justified only where crime constitutes an immediate, imminent threat to life, limb, or, in some cases, property. Anyone is free to quote or reproduce these accounts. Send clippings via e-mail to [email protected], or by mail to “The Armed Citizen,” 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-9400. For bonus online features, visit “The Armed Citizen Blog” at www.americanrifleman.org.

If you have a firsthand “Armed Citizen” experience, call NRA-ILA PR/Communications at (703) 267-1193.

Terrified that the homeowner might have a gun, the intruder locked himself in the bathroom and placed the emergency call. The homeowner also phoned police, who arrested the intruder.

O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l American Rifleman | Jun 2011SPECIAL REPORT

standing guardBy Wayne LaPierre, Executive Vice President

Clearing The Fog On Gun Smuggling

With the growing evidence of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ participation in a massive

illegal gun smuggling operation into Mexico, BATFE’s leadership and their media enablers have cranked up a fog machine to cover the federal government’s reported complicity in the murders of countless Mexican citizens and in a shootout that left one federal agent dead.

The smoke screen begins with the absurd notion that BATFE is hampered by “paltry resources.”

There is nothing “paltry” about the $80 million to cover the BATFE’s “Project Gunrunner,” a border operation believed to employ more than 220 full-time agents and perhaps as many inspectors and support personnel.

Using all of those “paltry resources,” BATFE produced virtually nothing of any value in terms of criminal prosecutions, according to two scathing Justice Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) reports.

As a result, BATFE created a panic response project, appropriately called “Fast and Furious,” to disprove the OIG’s conclusions.

The BATFE recklessly ignored alerts from conscientious gun dealers of massive suspicious purchases, and instead “monitored” that criminal

C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S

The truth is—as you and I know—there are

no such thing as “weak laws” when it comes

to criminal use and commerce in firearms.

activity—allowing guns to “walk” across the border. All of this was kept secret from Mexican authorities and from the BATFE’s own attaché in Mexico City, for fear the operation would come under harsh criticism.

The only way the BATFE could learn the whereabouts of those firearms is when the Mexican government or domestic authorities seized them—often after use in violent crimes.

The media generally bought the BATFE’s spin about U.S. gun stores being the source of drug cartel firepower—until one of the “walked” guns ended up at the scene of the Arizona murder of border patrol agent Brian Terry in December 2010. Terry’s murder sparked a series of remarkable reports by CBS correspondent Sharyl Attkisson.

And that gets us back to the BATFE/Justice Department fog machine.

The professional apologists are also falsely criticizing what they claim are the nation’s “weak laws,” instead of citing the agencies’ abject failure in prosecuting criminal violations of existing federal laws.

The truth is—as you and I know—there are no such thing as “weak laws” when it comes to criminal use and commerce in firearms.

With respect to the activities that the BATFE “monitored” at cooperating gun stores, “straw purchases” cover multiple felonies with tough penalties.

It is a felony to obtain a firearm for a prohibited person; to obtain a firearm intended to be used in a crime; to make “a false oral statement”; to provide false identification; or to lie on the Form 4473.

As for individual smugglers who purchased large quantities of firearms—virtually all of which were reported to the BATFE by dealers as suspicious potential criminal activities—there is a felony offense of “engaging in the business without a license.” If drugs are involved, there are additional harsh penalties.

But among the gun control ruling elite, there is a new, big lie—that the BATFE “Fast and Furious” debacle happened because there are no laws against international gun trafficking.

First of all, there is another fact totally overlooked in this whole steaming mess: When it comes to smuggling across international borders, U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has jurisdiction, not BATFE.


Try this very clear mission statement:

“ICE investigates cases involving the illegal export of munitions, small arms and weapon sanctions violations. It also has primary jurisdiction over investigations related to smuggling firearms across our border. ...”

As for “weak smuggling laws,” the same mission statement says:

ICE “... possesses some of the broadest authorities of any U.S. government agency.”

So all of this business about “weak laws” is just cover for widespread BATFE-sanctioned gun smuggling.

As a result, and with the urging of NRA, investigations have been opened in both the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives.

Efforts by U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif.,

and the Oversight and Government Reform Committee have been met with stonewalling and obfuscation. BATFE and U.S. Justice Department officials have refused to answer Congressional written inquiries. Furthermore, BATFE’s acting director has initially refused to testify, leading Rep. Issa to issue subpoenas to get to the bottom of what he terms “a deadly serious matter.”

The Justice Department is claiming that this congressional oversight is harming internal investigations, and you and I can guess the results—the words whitewash and cover-up come to mind.

As the Obama administration’s stonewalling intensifies, Sen. Grassley and Rep. Issa will need your help. Contact your members of Congress and demand support for the investigations. Getting at the truth and dealing with it is critical to the future of our Second Amendment rights and freedom.

The Justice Department is claiming that this congressional oversight is harming internal investigations, and you and I can guess the results—the words whitewash and cover-up come to mind.

standing guard

C O M M E N T



president’s columnBy Ronald L. Schmeits, President

I’m Honored To Have Served You

By the time you read this column, my two-year run as president of the National Rifle Association will have come to an end. It’s

been one of my life’s highest honors and a truly humbling experience. Fifty-nine people served in this position before me, each one raising future expectations with their success. I pray I’ve lived up to those expectations.

We’re the world’s largest and oldest civil rights organization for a reason. As NRA president, I have gained a new understanding of your deep passion and conviction for the Second Amendment and all of our other freedoms. It’s that conviction that makes us, as far as I’m concerned, the world’s most successful civil rights organization, too.

When I became president in 2009, I wasn’t planning on making any major changes—we had a dedicated leadership team that was committed to and capable of protecting and expanding our freedoms. Their efforts were extremely effective prior to my term, and I have no doubt they’ll continue to be effective.

C O M M E N T


I would particularly like to thank my friends David Keene and Jim Porter, whose support and hard work have been invaluable to me. We’re stronger now than ever.

While I’m proud of our experienced and accomplished leadership, it’s clear to me where the unique strength of our organization lies: in our millions of selfless, united members from coast to coast. Over the past two years, I’ve watched your energy win victory after victory.

McDonald v. Chicago made clear to our opponents what we already knew: that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual, nationwide Right to Keep and Bear Arms. And last November, we sent a message that reverberated throughout the halls in Washington. Thanks to our unparalleled grassroots network, NRA-supported candidates enjoyed tremendous success while enemies of freedom were swiftly removed from public office.

It’s my sincere hope that the momentum we’ve spent years building will continue to grow in the face of new challenges.

When power-hungry politicians try to blame our freedoms for crime, we must aggressively push for strict enforcement of existing laws and prosecution of those who violate them. Should they try to pick and choose the laws they want to follow, it’s our duty to swiftly replace them with people who respect all of our freedoms. And we must always ensure that our leaders adhere to the Constitution and the will of the American people—not the whims of foreign governments and gun-ban extremists.

A strong NRA is a good thing for American gun owners and non-gun owners alike. We must continue to expand our reach. There are too many people who still don’t understand how critical we are to the continuation of freedoms they may take for granted. We’ve accomplished an incredible amount—be proud of it! NRA membership is an investment in freedom.

As NRA president, I have gained a new understanding of your deep passion and conviction for the Second Amendment and all of our other freedoms.


Finally, I’ve often used this space to urge you to participate in our organization’s numerous programs, and I’d be remiss if I didn’t do that one last time. We’re the most powerful force in Washington because votes are America’s greatest currency. An NRA member is a guaranteed vote for freedom, and an active, visible NRA will attract more members. Grassroots participation is the lifeblood of our association, and our cause is too important to sit on the sidelines.

These past two years, I’ve met members from all corners of the country and all walks of life, and yet I’m struck by the singular vision we all share. Freedom is our most cherished possession, and we will not allow it to be taken from

us—or any future generation. Were it not for members like you, our

Second Amendment, taken for granted by millions of Americans, would have been gutted or erased long ago. Thank you.

I grew up out in the country, and I’ve spent countless hours hunting and enjoying the outdoors. I’ve spent many more sitting in offices and conference rooms dreaming about doing so. I suppose I’ll have a little more time now to do what I love—but it’s thanks to your endless dedication that I’m comfortable knowing my right to do so is in good hands.

It’s been an honor serving as your president.

For news about legislation and your NRA, visit: www.nraila.org, www.nranews.com and www.nra.org.

president’s column

C O M M E N T


Were it not for members like you, our Second Amendment, taken for granted by millions of Americans, would have been gutted or erased long ago.

©2011 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.WWW.RUGER.COM/SR1911 040411

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American Rifleman | Jun 2011 S p e c i a l F e a t u r e

ILA STORY

C O M M E N T


n Greek mythology, a siren was an alluring creature that used its

intoxicating song to lure sailors to their doom on hidden rocks.

In the days and weeks following January’s horrific mass murder in Tucson, the chorus of voices calling for new gun laws was as predictable as the sun rising in the east.

Now, President Obama has joined in and is playing the role of siren with a call for “consensus” on gun control. But don’t be fooled; the result of heeding that call would be the same for our Second Amendment rights as it was for those sailors of Greek myth.

Groups like the Brady Campaign and Mayors Against Illegal Guns (MAIG), along with all the usual anti-gun politicians, almost immediately called for new restrictions on our Second Amendment rights. The anti-gun crowd, frustrated by

two years of inaction, saw the Tucson tragedy as an opportunity to move their agenda forward.

As they called for the president to address the issue, groups like MAIG released multi-part, anti-gun proposals. Meanwhile, anti-gun politicians such as U.S. Rep. Carolyn McCarthy, D-N.Y., and U.S. Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J., introduced legislation in the hopes that Obama would endorse their anti-gun ideas.

On March 13, President Obama finally broke his silence—not in the national speech once promised by the White House, but in an op-ed published in the Arizona Daily Star, Tucson’s leading daily newspaper.

Just like the siren’s call, the president’s tone was soothing and conciliatory, nothing like the hard-line rhetoric we hear from anti-gun leaders in Congress. “Now, like the majority of Americans,” Obama

The Truth About The President’sCall For “Consensus”

March 14, 2011

President Barack ObamaThe White House1600 Pennsylvania AvenueWashington, D.C. 20500

Dear Mr. President:

We read your editorial submission to the Arizona Star. However, to focus a

national dialogue on guns—and not criminals or mental health issues—misses

the point entirely. Americans are not afraid of gun ownership. To the contrary,

they overwhelmingly support the fundamental, individual right to keep and

bear arms. The primary reason why tens of millions of Americans own firearms

is that they fear violent criminals roaming the streets undeterred.We agree with your assertion that “Americans by and large rightly

refrained from finger-pointing” in light of the shooting in Tucson. In truth, the

professional corps of gun control lobbyists moved with lightning speed to

exploit the tragedy. These included the Violence Policy Center (“In the wake

of these kind of incidents, the trick is to move quickly”), the Brady Campaign

(“Gabrielle Giffords Shooting ‘Inevitable’”) and Mayors Against Illegal Guns-

MAIG (“Bloomberg, Mayors Outline Steps to Help Prevent Another Tucson

Shooting”). Your article contains talking points nearly identical to the ones

circulated by MAIG for weeks in pursuit of its longstanding gun control

agenda. In contrast, it was the National Rifle Association that avoided “playing

politics with other people’s pain” with our consistent response that only

thoughts and prayers for the victims and their families were appropriate in

the immediate aftermath. We also agree with your statement that the Second Amendment guarantees

an individual right to bear arms. Your record as a public official, however, is

anything but supportive of the rights of law-abiding gun owners. In fact, when

Congress had an opportunity to voice its support for the basic right of lawful

By Chris W. CoxNRA-ILA

Executive Director

(Continued on next spread)

American Rifleman | Jun 2011

stated in the op-ed, “I believe that the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms.”

But there’s always a catch: “However,” he continued, “I believe that if common sense prevails, we can get beyond wedge issues and stale political debates to find a sensible, intelligent way to make the United States of America a safer, stronger place.”

That might sound great—until you consider what anti-gun groups and longtime anti-gun politicians like Obama consider “sensible” and “intelligent.” Among the measures they often call “common sense laws” are things like gun and magazine bans, or banning all private sales of firearms, even to close friends or family.

Obama’s words rang particularly hollow when his administration’s first move after the article came out was a meeting with the leading opponents of gun owners’ rights in America. They ring even hollower when you consider the administration’s other actions, such as the proposals by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to collect multiple sales

reports on millions of common rifles, or to ban the importation of an entire class of shotguns.

The next day, Wayne LaPierre and I responded to President Obama. Our full letter speaks for itself, and you can read it here.

Our message was simple: We are willing to work with everyone who truly respects the Second Amendment. However, that does not include a president who has surrounded himself with anti-gun advisors, or who has nominated two Supreme Court justices with clear records of hostility to the Second Amendment. Nor does it include the man who wants gun owners to sit down and search for “consensus” with anti-gun radicals. There will be no “beer summit” to compromise our freedoms.

The 2012 campaign is now officially under way, for the president as well as for the NRA. President Obama will again claim to be pro-Second Amendment. His actions, however, prove that his words have no more substance than a siren’s song.

S p e c i a l F e a t u r e

ILA STORY

C O M M E N T


There will be no “beer summit” to compromise our freedoms.

Americans to own firearms, you refused to join a bipartisan majority of more

than 300 of your colleagues in signing the congressional amicus brief to the

Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller. In addition, you previously

stated (and have never retracted) your support for both Washington, D.C.’s

and Chicago’s handgun and self-defense bans that the Court rightfully struck

down in Heller and McDonald v. Chicago. Further, you surrounded yourself

with advisors who have advocated against the Second Amendment for years

(Eric Holder, Hillary Clinton and Rahm Emanuel, to name just a few) and you

nominated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court,

one of whom has already attempted to eliminate the Second Amendment

right entirely. More recently, you selected Andrew Traver to head the BATFE,

despite his long-standing association with groups that support onerous new

restrictions on our rights.

If you do in fact believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual

right, we suggest you demonstrate that in your policies and those of your

administration, which you have not done to date. Simply saying that you

support the right to keep and bear arms is mere lip service if not put

into action. The government owes its citizens its most vigorous efforts to enforce

penalties against those who violate our existing laws. The NRA has members

proudly serving in law enforcement agencies at every level. Rank and file law

enforcement want to arrest bad people—not harass law-abiding gun owners

and retailers.As for enforcing the laws on the books, we strongly suggest you enforce

those that actually take violent criminals off the streets. To start, we urge you

to contact every U.S. Attorney and ask them to bring at least ten cases per

month against drug dealers, gang members and other violent felons caught

illegally possessing firearms. By prosecuting these criminals in federal court—

rather than state court—strong sentencing guidelines would apply and

charges would not be plea-bargained or dismissed, nor would criminals be

released after serving only a fraction of their sentences. This simple directive

would result in roughly 12,000 violent criminals being taken off the streets

every year. Surely you agree that this would be a good first step.

Unfortunately, your administration is currently under a cloud for allegedly

encouraging violations of federal law. We suggest that you bring an

immediate stop to BATFE’s “Fast and Furious” operation, in which an unknown

American Rifleman | Jun 2011 S p e c i a l F e a t u r e

ILA STORY

Sincerely,

Wayne La Pierre Chris W. CoxExecutive Vice President, National Rifle Association Executive Director, nra-ila

number of illegal firearm transactions were detected—and then encouraged to fruition by your BATFE, which allegedly decided to let thousands of firearms “walk” across the border and into the hands of murderous drug cartels. One federal officer has recently been killed and no one can predict what mayhem will still ensue. Despite the protests of gun dealers who wished to terminate these transactions, your administration reportedly encouraged violations of federal firearms laws—and undermined the firearm industry’s concerted efforts to deter straw purchases through the “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy” program. We hope you agree with our belief that this burgeoning scandal merits a full and independent investigation.There are additional steps you can take to prevent tragic events such as the Tucson shooting from occurring in the future. One of these is to call on the national news media to refrain from giving deranged criminals minute-by-minute coverage of their heinous acts, which only serves to encourage copycat behavior. If media outlets won’t show a fan running onto the field during a baseball game because they don’t want to encourage that behavior by others—surely they can listen to law enforcement experts and refuse to air the photographs, video messages, or Facebook postings of madmen and murderers.

Another step is to encourage people to report red flags when they see them. In the case of Tucson, a man clearly bent on violence was not reported to the proper authorities by those who had good reason to believe he had serious mental problems. That’s not a deficiency in our gun laws, it’s a deficiency in our mental health system—and should be treated as such.In closing, we agree that gun owners in America are highly responsible. This is in large part due to the NRA’s 140 years of dedication to promoting safe and responsible gun ownership, an effort on which we take a back seat to no one. We welcome any serious discussion on policies that focus on prosecuting criminals and fixing deficiencies in the mental health system. Any proposals to the contrary are not a legitimate approach to the issue.

C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S

Americans to own firearms, you refused to join a bipartisan majority of more

than 300 of your colleagues in signing the congressional amicus brief to the

Supreme Court in District of Columbia v. Heller. In addition, you previously

stated (and have never retracted) your support for both Washington, D.C.’s

and Chicago’s handgun and self-defense bans that the Court rightfully struck

down in Heller and McDonald v. Chicago. Further, you surrounded yourself

with advisors who have advocated against the Second Amendment for years

(Eric Holder, Hillary Clinton and Rahm Emanuel, to name just a few) and you

nominated Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court,

one of whom has already attempted to eliminate the Second Amendment

right entirely. More recently, you selected Andrew Traver to head the BATFE,

despite his long-standing association with groups that support onerous new

restrictions on our rights.

If you do in fact believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual

right, we suggest you demonstrate that in your policies and those of your

administration, which you have not done to date. Simply saying that you

support the right to keep and bear arms is mere lip service if not put

into action. The government owes its citizens its most vigorous efforts to enforce

penalties against those who violate our existing laws. The NRA has members

proudly serving in law enforcement agencies at every level. Rank and file law

enforcement want to arrest bad people—not harass law-abiding gun owners

and retailers.As for enforcing the laws on the books, we strongly suggest you enforce

those that actually take violent criminals off the streets. To start, we urge you

to contact every U.S. Attorney and ask them to bring at least ten cases per

month against drug dealers, gang members and other violent felons caught

illegally possessing firearms. By prosecuting these criminals in federal court—

rather than state court—strong sentencing guidelines would apply and

charges would not be plea-bargained or dismissed, nor would criminals be

released after serving only a fraction of their sentences. This simple directive

would result in roughly 12,000 violent criminals being taken off the streets

every year. Surely you agree that this would be a good first step.

Unfortunately, your administration is currently under a cloud for allegedly

encouraging violations of federal law. We suggest that you bring an

immediate stop to BATFE’s “Fast and Furious” operation, in which an unknown

(Continued on next spread)

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READERS WRITE

Armand Swenson … Really

American Rifleman Jun 2011 C O M M E N T

S U P P O R T N R A

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C O R R E S P O N D E N C E

It was with pleasure that I read Cameron Hopkins’ article on “The Evolution Of The Combat Custom .45”

(March 2011). I bought my .45 from the NRA/CMP surplus program in the early 1960s and was lucky enough to get a brand new one. Armand Swenson had his shop around the corner from my house at the time, and I heard he did .45 accuracy jobs, so I had him do mine. When I got it back he had squared the trigger guard and checkered the frontstrap. The trigger pull was so smooth that I was seldom out of the black when shooting in target matches. He also replaced the sights but left the burn marks on the Parkerized slide. When I show this gun to fellow shooters and tell them it was done by Swenson, they say they have never heard of him. Thanks to you, now they know.

Jim LaDow, California

Armand Swenson … ReallyTHE TRIGGER PULL WAS SO SMOOTH THAT I WAS SELDOM OUT OF THE BLACK WHEN SHOOTING IN TARGET MATCHES.

Thanks to Larry Didas, who worked for Swensen and wrote to us last month, we are able to show the legendary gunsmith at work in his shop.—The Eds.

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READERS WRITE

“Readers Write” affords members an opportunity to comment on material published in American Rifleman. Single-topic letters are preferred and may be edited for brevity. Send letters to: Readers Write, NRA Publications, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-9400 or e-mail us at [email protected].

More on Lewis And Clark’s Air Rifle

We watched a short video of NRA’s Philip Schreier on the Internet regarding the

Girandoni air rifle as used by Lewis and Clark during their discovery journey to the West coast and back. American Rifleman may have published an article on the Girandoni air rifle in the past, but we—and probably many others—missed it. It would be greatly appreciated if you published an article on this air rifle and its impact on the history of this great nation.

American Rifleman is the one magazine that we read from cover to cover. Please extend our appreciation to all the authors and individuals who contribute to the creation of an excellent product every month.

Henry and Estela Rose, Florida

More on the Web

www.americanrifleman.org/LewisAndClark

On www.americanrifleman.org we not only have Phil Schreier’s article from October 2006, “The Airgun Of Meriwether Lewis And The Corps Of Discovery,” but also a video of “Lewis And Clark Air Rifle” from “American Rifleman Television,” in which we cover the history of the gun … and shoot an exact replica.

—The Eds.


G O : N R A N E W S

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There's no other .308 semi-auto rifle in the same class as Les Baer's new.308 Ultimate Match. It's a true custom rifle that's hand built for a perfect fit,unmatched accuracy and unchallenged reliability. It starts with a precisionmachined upper and lower receiver made from premium billet material, andthat same focus on premium materials and workmanship continues from the

muzzle to the buttstock. The first time you take it to the range, Les Baer's obsession with quality and attention to detail willbecome immediately apparent, due in large part to the LBC bench rest 416R stainless steel barrel with cut rifling, and you'llsee why Les Baer is able to guarantee that every one of these .308 rifles will shoot lights out.We guarantee two 5-shot groups at 1/2 MOA or under with match grade ammunition.

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LOCK, STOCK & BARREL

OPENING SHOT


R E N E W / U P G R A D E


Stock Options Old-school shooters can often be heard praising their M1911s on the

range while deriding the latest polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol. “The gun has no soul” is a fairly common, if sentimental, criticism

that is not totally unfounded. Many of these modern designs match or exceed some older models in durability and reliability; however, the uniform nature of their factory and aftermarket parts can cause them to fall short of being the one-of-a-kind, personal sidearms that many seek. Something as simple as hand-tailored, custom stocks, for example, can turn a factory M1911 into a gun made for one man, and one man only. And that is where Eagle Grips has stepped in.

As its name implies, the company makes grips. More accurately, it produces an impressive array of custom stocks for classic revolvers and pistols. Its M1911 versions vary from hand-checkered, walnut double-diamond patterns to genuine, hand-cut American elk and aged, seasoned elephant ivory. The company has been refining its techniques since the early 1970s, and today it produces more than 20 varieties for America’s most iconic pistol.

Many of the samples we received required some filing on the interior edges of the screw holes. This is intentional. Eagle Grips allows this extra material to ensure a secure fit to the frame—precisely mounting them yourself adds a personal touch, as well. And because most of these stocks are made of natural materials, each set is unique.

As polymer-frame pistols are more popular than ever, especially with many of today’s younger shooters, some argue that the aging M1911 is going out of style. We disagree. A host of companies make M1911s for every shooting discipline, from concealed-carry to competition, from home-protection to backyard recreation. Any one of them can be personalized with an Eagle Grip—even the low-end models. As an American Rifleman colleague recently commented, “Even an affordable gun can use a touch of class.”

For more information on Eagle Grips call (800) 323-6144 or visit www.eaglegrips.com.

—Angus K. McClellan, Assistant Editor

Photo by Hannele Lahti

C O M M E N T


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There is a new player entering the field in the semi-custom M1911 wars. Maximus Arms of Gallatin, Tenn., is building its M1911 pistols completely in-house, from the foundry process

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Examining the CQC/S, the outside-the-waistband model’s quality and utility become obvious when noticing the double rows of stitching and the detailed boning for specific firearm fit. The belt-snaps lock securely for easy on/off installation of the holster, and the slight forward tilt places the handgun in a position for easy accessibility from concealed carry. An additional layer of leather reinforces the holster mouth for one-hand re-holstering.

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April 2008

(Page 32)

Proving Critics Wrong,

Michigan Celebrates

Six Successful Years of Right-To-Carry ... and

Lower Crime Rates, Too.

www.nranews.com October 2009

Love You!

www.nranews.com October 2009

David Gregory embraces Michael Bloomberg and embarrasses “Meet the Press.”

Proving Critics Wrong,

Michigan Celebrates Six Successful Years of Right-To-Carry ... and

Lower Crime Rates, Too.

Love Love You!

David Gregory

VICTORY IN

CHICAGO

Close Range, p24; Social Networking, p28; The “Serenity” Gun, p38; and even more “More Guns, Less Crime,” p42

In McDonald v. Chicago, the U.S. Supreme Court rules that the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, guaranteed by the Second Amendment, extends to every city and state in America. Page 32

Chicago resident and victorious plaintiff Otis McDonald

www.nranews.com September 2010

You!You!the Second Amendment, extends to every city and state in America. Page 32

C O M M E N T


BOOKS IN BRIEF

American Engravers: The 21st Century

During the 1950s and ’60s, firearm hand-engraving in the United States was a dying art. But a growing number of engravers, patrons and collectors led

to a renaissance during the late 1970s and ’80s, so that now “the work of American engravers is a

standard on which high quality engraving can be judged,” according to Rex

Pedersen, president of the Firearms Engravers Guild of America

(FEGA). His introduction accompanies American Engravers: The 21st Century, written by Roger Bleile and edited by S.P. Fjestad, which

highlights choice works by more than 35 of the most advanced

hand engravers now practicing in America. As there are more than 600 engravers in the FEGA alone,

these select artists present some of the finest pieces in existence today.

Along with lengthy articles on the history and current state of American hand engraving, brief summaries of the artists’ lives and work accompany a mass of detailed, high-resolution images of mostly firearms, but also of knives and other pieces, in the 9"x12", 359-pp. volume. It is difficult to describe in words what these masterpieces have contributed to the world of firearms. Most are simply breathtaking. Aspiring artists, collectors, engraving enthusiasts, or anyone simply looking for an unusual addition to their coffee table would find this book delightful. Price: $75.

Contact: Blue Book Publications, Inc. (Dept. AR), 8009 34th Ave. S., Suite 175, Minneapolis, MN 55425; (800) 877-4867; www.bluebookinc.com.



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Traveler’s Guide To Firearm Laws

T he Traveler’s Guide to the Firearm Laws of the Fifty States is now updated for 2011. Laws regarding travel with firearms in common

modes of transportation—both within particular states and throughout the country—are all covered in the 8½"x11" paperbound volume. If the reader cannot find information on a firearm law in the guide, there are phone numbers for relevant agencies listed in the back pages. Price: $14. Contact: Traveler’s Guide (Dept. AR), P.O. Box 2156, Covington, KY 41012; (859) 491-6400; www.gunlawguide.com.




BOOKS IN BRIEF

The Art Of Modern GunfightingThe Pistol: Volume 1

The training that Int’l Tactical’s Scott Reitz details in his 216-pp. book can serve as a primer for a beginner, but forms a complete and advanced doctrine to be followed

by those who carry a handgun daily.The author clearly explains techniques such as stance, grip,

sight alignment, trigger press and reloading in a step-by-step format with photos of each step. He also devotes 14 pages to exploring combat mind-sets.

Purchased online for $35, the book comes with a $50 gift card for any training course at Int’l Tactical. Contact: Int’l Tactical (Dept. AR), Los Angeles, CA 90049; (310) 471 2029; www.internationaltactical.com.

—Adam Heggenstaller, Executive Editor, Shooting Illustrated


SEAL DocBy Lt. Cmdr. D.R. Davis (Ret.)iUniverse (Dept. AR)1663 Liberty DriveBloomington, IN 47403(800) 288-4677www.iuniverse.com

Maritime Sniper ManualBy Fredrik C. JonssonPaladin Press (Dept. AR)7077 Winchester CircleBoulder, CO 80301(303) 443-7250www.paladin-press.com

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Unleash the power and performance of your AR-style rifle with the new AR Die Series from RCBS®. Engineered for the popular AR platform and other semi-auto rifles, these new dies are a “must-have” for any reloader who thrives on high volume AR shooting. With a Small Base sizing die that guarantees rechambering of cartridges and a Taper Crimp seating die that keeps the bullet locked in place during feeding through the action, our new AR Dies turn your progressive press into a custom AR reloading machine. When used with cannelured bullets, the AR Taper Crimp also virtually eliminates case neck crimp bulges and buckled shoulders due to uneven case lengths—making your time at the bench more enjoyable and more productive. PRECISIONEERED SHOOTING PRODUCTS

Maritime Sniper ManualBy Fredrik C. JonssonPaladin Press (Dept. AR)7077 Winchester CircleBoulder, CO 80301(303) 443-7250www.paladin-press.com

C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S

SHOOTER’S TIP WHERE CAN I GET IT ... ?

The Judge RulesTaurus’ Judge revolver created an entirely new category of firearm—a .45 Colt revolver that can also shoot .410-bore shotshells. Smith & Wesson has expanded its rifle line to include the M&P15-22, a rifle that looks like an AR, but shoots economical .22 Long Rifle ammunition. The adoption of the Colt M1911 wasn’t a sure thing, as the gun Browning designed had to beat the .45 ACP Savage pistol for the U.S. Army trials. Tune in each Wednesday evening on the Outdoor Channel for the best firearm show on television.

Wednesday, May 18Feature .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Dr. Gatling’s Gun Part IIRifleman Review . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..SIG Sauer Rifle I Have This Old Gun .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . Colt Officers ACP

Wednesday, May 25Feature .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Boy Scouts And ClaysRifleman Review . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .Ohio Ordnance M240-SLRI Have This Old Gun .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Star Models A & B

Wednesday, June 1Feature .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . Taurus: Made In The USARifleman Review . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .Uberti 1876 CentennialI Have This Old Gun .. ..Sportsman’s Guide Chilean Mauser

Wednesday, June 8Feature .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. . Taurus Judge FamilyRifleman Review . .. .. .. .. .. .. .. Smith & Wesson M&P15-22I Have This Old Gun .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ..Savage .45 Pistol


SHOOTER’S TIP WHERE CAN I GET IT ... ?

Over-under shotgun cases with woodframes, canvas covers and wool lining

Browning (Dept. AR)One Browning PlaceMorgan, UT 84050(800) 333-3288www.browning.com

Firearm manuals with assembly/disassembly and maintenance instructions

JEM Enterprises (Dept. AR)7 Richmond RoadAssonet, MA 02702(508) 965-5100www.gjkm.com

300-gr., lead boattail hollow-point projectiles with sabots for .50-cal. muzzleloaders

Lightfield Ammunition Corp. (Dept. AR)P.O. Box 162Adelphia, NJ 07710(570) 784-6557www.lightfield-ammo.com

Custom-Loaded Ammunition

An up-and-coming company, Setpoint Ammunition assembles ammunition using customer-

supplied load data; however, still being in its infancy, the company currently offers only .308 Win. It uses 0.308"-diameter Barnes 150-gr. TTSX, Sierra 155-gr. HPBT Palma MatchKing, and Sierra 175-gr. HPBT MatchKing bullets, Hodgdon Varget propellant, Federal Gold Medal 210 Match primers, and either Lapua or Winchester cases. The customer can specify cartridge overall length, which is held to 0.001" tolerance. Propellant charge consistency is within 0.1 gr. Ammunition is sold in 20-count packages, and price is dependent on the components selected. Contact: Setpoint Ammunition (Dept. AR), 2835 Commerce Way, Ogden, UT 84401; (866) 532-6856; www.setpointammo.com.

—Aaron Carter, Managing Editor

Pistol BayonetsQUESTIONS & ANSWERS

The Elgin Cutlass pistol is likely the best known American blade-pistol combination.



AQ

The concept of putting a blade on a handgun is not new. Early in the development of firearms, it was unclear which was the superior defensive arm—the wheel-lock single-shot pistol or the sword. The earliest hand firearms combined with blades in the 16th century would be more rightly swords or daggers with guns attached, but these were permanently affixed. For long guns, adding a blade to a musket allowed it to be used as a pike. The bayonet, in plug form, itself wasn’t recorded until 1571 according to Rodolphe Schmidt’s Les Arms a Feu Portatives. Schmidt dates the detachable bayonet to 1641-42.

At gun shows I have seen pistol bayonets that attach to accessory rails on handguns. What is the deal with those things? They seem a little silly, but cool, nonetheless. Is this a new idea?

EARLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIREARMS, IT WAS UNCLEAR WHICH WAS THE SUPERIOR DEFENSIVE ARM—THE WHEEL-LOCK SINGLE-SHOT PISTOL OR THE SWORD.

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In handguns, the English gunmaker John Waters of Birmingham was granted a patent in 1781 for “Pistols with a Bayonet” for single-shot flintlock pistols, and they could be “connected by a spring, slide, hinge or otherwise.” Commonly the blade was hinged at the front and then swung forward upon being released, much like a Chinese SKS bayonet. These were generally pocket guns carried with the spike folded until needed. The efficacy of the single-shot pistol was theoretically enhanced by the inclusion of such a device.

George Elgin gets the credit for the first major American handgun/blade device patent in 1837 for “a new and useful instrument called the Pistol-Knife or Pistol-Cutlass,” and it emerged during the young nation’s fascination with Bowie knives. The single-shot Elgin Cutlass Pistol was made by

The CZ Model 01 pistol can be fitted with a Tactical Block that accepts a blade.


G O : N R A N E W S

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

GEORGE ELGIN GETS THE CREDIT FOR THE FIRST MAJOR AMERICAN HANDGUN/BLADE DEVICE PATENT IN 1837 FOR “A NEW AND USEFUL INSTRUMENT CALLED THE PISTOL-KNIFE OR PISTOL-CUTLASS,” AND IT EMERGED DURING THE YOUNG NATION’S FASCINATION WITH BOWIE KNIVES.

Morrill, Mosman and Blair of Amherst, Mass., and by C.B. Allen of Springfield, Mass. The latter is said to have used blades fabricated by another famous Massachusetts firm, the Ames Mfg. Co. The U.S. Navy procured 150 of the .54-cal. single-shot version with 11" blades for the South Sea Exploring Expedition. This was, interestingly, the first U.S.-issue percussion handgun.

Colt, too, dabbled with the idea of a cutlass revolver, reportedly in 1836—the same year Samuel Colt received his revolving cylinder patent—with a knuckle guard, straight blade, and interestingly, a bobbed hammer and double-action mechanism. In Lewis Wainant’s Firearms Curiosa, a photo depicts renowned collector Charles Noe Daly wearing a cuirass with 19 pistols and holding what appears to be a pinfire of the Lefacheaux pattern, again with a wicked-looking, Bowie-style blade.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS



LaserlyteMiniTacTool

The pistol bayonet had a rebirth in the trenches the World War I with the Webley-Pritchard bayonet attachment fitted to the Webley Mk VI revolver, often in concert with a detachable shoulder stock (remember that the mace even made a comeback in the close quarters of the trenches). The triangular Webley-Pritchard, fashioned from cut-down French Gras bayonets, was made by W.W. Greener and slid over the front of the revolver. International Military Antiques has been offering reproductions with the scabbard and frog, and its reproduction has far outstripped the original manufacturing run.

As the rapidity of loading increased the effectiveness of the handgun sans bayonet, such devices fell into the novelty category. The introduction of a standardized Picatinny open rail on the front dustcover of many of today’s handguns opened the door for all manner of accessories to be mounted, primarily lights and lasers, but it also facilitated the addition of an under-barrel bayonet.

That’s why you’ll never see us use statements like “Deal of the Week” or “Lowest Price Ever”. That’s why we prefer to use our ads to point out the features that make Lewis Machine & Tool weapons different from the rest and help you to retain a higher long-term value in your firearm investment.

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AS THE RAPIDITY OF LOADING INCREASED THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE HANDGUN SANS BAYONET, SUCH DEVICES FELL INTO THE NOVELTY CATEGORY.

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

In 2005 Ceska Zbrojovka (CZ) reintroduced the concept on the CZ-75 based Model 01 handgun. According to CZ USA’s Jason Morton, the blade was an afterthought. The concept was to mount an impact device for glass breakage and to allow the pistol to operate with muzzle contact (depressing the slide front moves the pistol out of battery) on a surface, organic or otherwise. It took the form of an underside rail with a false muzzle that could attach to the dustcover. When the concept was sent to the firm’s engineers in the Czech Republic, they added a removable blade.

More recently, Laserlyte updated the concept with a pistol bayonet that features a 2¾" Ka-Bar serrated blade mounted in a nylon-reinforced polymer handle that makes the “instrument” look like a modern military bayonet in miniature. Retention is via two latches at the top rear. This year, Laserlyte has added the Mini Tac Tool that has a squared, serrated and beveled blade with a web cutter on its top surface.

Modern handguns can be rapidly reloaded, so the practical use for such a device is further diminished. Several accomplished defensive trainers suggested a fixed bladed knife is preferable to an unloaded pistol with a bayonet affixed. Regardless of their utility in a close-quarters situation, I agree they are undoubtedly cool.

—Mark A. Keefe, IV

SEVERAL ACCOMPLISHED DEFENSIVE TRAINERS SUGGESTED A FIXED BLADED KNIFE IS PREFERABLE TO AN UNLOADED PISTOL WITH A BAYONET AFFIXED.



From the thousands of questions and letters on guns, ammunition and their use that American Rifleman receives every year, it publishes the most interesting here. Receiving answers to technical and historical questions is a privilege reserved to NRA members.

Questions must be in the form of letters addressed to: Dope Bag, NRA Publications, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-9400; must contain the member’s code line from an American Rifleman or American Hunter mailing label or membership card; must be accompanied by a stamped, self-addressed, legal-size envelope; and must be limited to one specific question per letter. Non-members may submit a question with a membership application. We cannot answer technical or historical questions by telephone, e-mail or fax, and we cannot place even an approximate value on guns or other equipment. Please allow eight to 10 weeks for replies.

“Questions & Answers” is compiled by staff and Contributing Editors: Hugh C. Birnbaum, Bruce N. Canfield, O. Reid Coffield, Charles M. Fagg, David Fischer, Angus Laidlaw, Charles E. Petty, Jon R. Sundra, John M. Taylor and John Treakle.

Mitchell Sales HPV4c TAR 0611.indd 1 4/1/11 8:58 AM


G O : N R A N E W S

FAVORITE FIREARMS

My father was C.P.O. Louis GrosJean. He was 30 years old with a wife and two boys when

he enlisted right after Pearl Harbor. The Navy assigned him to the SeaBees and sent him to the South Pacific.

My favorite gun entered my life in 1944. I was 6 years old and living with my mother and baby brother in Big Flats, N.Y. We were waiting for dad to come home from “the war.”

Our milkman showed up one morning with an absolutely beautiful Colt Model 1911 .45 ACP pistol. The gun and holster were new, freshly oiled, and the touch and smell fascinated me. Of course mom immediately locked it in the china cabinet, and no amount of pleading would convince her that I needed to handle it.

A few days later while I was in school, my mom field stripped it and mailed it to dad’s APO address in several envelopes.

The old Colt was dad’s constant companion throughout the Pacific Campaign. He saw action on Saipan, Tincon, Entiwetok and, finally, Iwo Jima.

His unit was charged with building a usable airfield while the battle raged around them. He carried the Colt in a

shoulder holster, which could be done while driving a truck or bulldozer.

While awaiting discharge after Japan’s surrender, dad engraved the gun with his personal history of World War II and a rough drawing of the island of Iwo Jima. He could not have gotten a job engraving Fox shotguns, but the rough printing will always remind me of him and that time in history:

GrosJean, EL U.S.N.Hawaii, Saipan, Tincon, Entiwetok, Honolulu, Marshalls

Duane GrosJean,Tennessee

A SeaBee Sidearm

Member photos

Member photo

MY FAVORITE GUN ENTERED MY LIFE IN 1944. I WAS 6 YEARS OLD AND LIVING WITH MY MOTHER AND BABY BROTHER IN BIG FLATS, N.Y. WE WERE WAITING FOR DAD TO COME HOME FROM “THE WAR.”

My First .22

I always wanted a .22, so when I finally got one for my 10th Christmas, I rejoiced. My parents waited to give me the last present, which was wrapped in a very odd way, and I eagerly

ripped open the box. My jaw dropped open in awe. It was exactly what I wanted for what seemed like years. Growing up in a pro-gun family, this was my only wish. It is a Chipmunk .22, related to the popular Cricket rifle.

Because my grandpa bought this gun and passed away before I was born, it makes me feel like I know him. I try to go out and use it whenever I can. When I come back in from shooting, I clean it with Hoppe’s and make sure it shines. And there it will rest in my room until I can do what I enjoy best, shooting!

William Briscoe,Oregon


S U P P O R T N R A

FAVORITE FIREARMS

MY JAW DROPPED OPEN IN AWE. IT WAS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED FOR WHAT SEEMED LIKE YEARS. GROWING UP IN A PRO-GUN FAMILY, THIS WAS MY ONLY WISH.

Nearly every shooter has a favorite firearm. If you have one you wouldn’t part with and would like to share the experience of owning it with other American Rifleman readers, send a sharp color photograph of the gun, accompanied by its story in fewer than 400 words, with your name, address and daytime telephone number to: Favorite Firearms, American Rifleman, National Rifle Association, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-9400. Photos and submissions cannot be returned and may be edited for clarity and brevity.



LOADING BENCH

The Adaptable .22-.250 Rem.BY JOHN HAVILAND

Photos by author

Unless hunting large furbearers or shooting at longer ranges, full-power .22-.250 Rem. loads are

often unnecessary. Fortunately, the cartridge is easily loaded to reduced velocities.

With a little creative hand-loading, shooters and hunters can turn the .22-.250 Rem. into the most versatile of all the .22-cal. center-fire

cartridges. A hunter out for coyotes or marmots can load his .22-.250 Rem. to be fast, flat and accurate. All that sizzle, though, is wasted when pursuing small game, such as prairie dogs and ground squirrels. As such, the .22-.250 Rem. can be loaded to duplicate the .223 Rem., or further reduced in velocity to the level of the .22 Hornet or the .22 WMR.

Propellant selection is key to achieving this range of velocities while maintaining good accuracy. For a slower velocity in the .22-.250 Rem., select a faster-burning propellant, as the accompanying the table reflects on the different types used in my Cooper Firearms Model 22 chambered in .22-.250 Rem.

Nigh Onto The SwiftThe .22-.250’s velocity approaches that

of the legendary .220 Swift. Sierra Bullets’ reloading manual lists 3900 f.p.s. as the top velocity attainable with 55-gr. bullets in the Swift; the highest velocity from the .22-.250 Rem. with its 55-gr. BlitzKing bullet—using 38.0 grs. of N550—is 3700 f.p.s. That load chronographed 3454 f.p.s. from a 24" barrel.

The fastest velocity listed on the Hodgdon Powder website is 3786 f.p.s. with 55-gr. bullets teamed with 39.0 grs. of IMR 4007 SSC. I tried 38.5 grs. of IMR 4007 SSC with the Sierra 55-gr. bullet, and it averaged 3481 f.p.s.

My records show the highest velocity achieved with 55-gr. bullets in the .22-.250 Rem. was 3668 f.p.s. using Norma Oryx bullets and 37.0 grs. of Reloder 15. The Sierra 55-gr. BlitzKing bullets were close behind at 3610 f.p.s. with 34.0 grs. of IMR 3031. In a 24" barrel, the average velocity of the load was 3654 f.p.s., and it exhibited outstanding accuracy. However, that speed fails to equal the highest velocity at which 55-gr. bullets leave the 26" barrel of my Winchester Model 70 Varmint .220 Swift, which is 3730 f.p.s. But, with both rifles zeroed 1" high at 100 yds., the Swift drops a scant half-inch less at 300 yds. and 1" less at 400 yds. compared to the .22-.250 Rem.

Sensible SpeedsThe .22-.250’s zip is unnecessary

for shooting from kneeling and sitting positions to hit a tiny target such as

a ground squirrel out to 200 yds. For those distances, the bullet speeds generated by a .223 Rem. or .22 Hornet are plenty.

Duplicating the .223 Rem. is easy in the .22-.250 Rem. A minimum charge of the same propellant used for high-end loads in the .22-.250 Rem. matches the .223’s maximum velocities. For instance, in the .22-.250 Rem., 33.0 grs. of Hodgdon Varget propels a 55-gr. bullet to 3273 f.p.s., and 32.5 grs. of IMR 4064 produces 3187 f.p.s. Or you can switch to a faster-burning propellant. Instead of Ramshot Big Game for peak velocities in the .22-.250 Rem., using a minimum charge of relatively faster-burning Ramshot TAC replicates the top speed of 50-gr. bullets in the .223 Rem.

To further reduce the velocity of .22-.250 Rem. loads Speer Bullets’ Reloading Manual No. 14 lists IMR SR4759 and the Lyman 48th Edition Reloading Handbook suggests IMR SR4759 and Accurate 5744 as propellant options. Accurate 5744 is the propellant Remington uses in its low-velocity, Managed-Recoil center-fire loads. With 17.0 grs. of 5744 and a 40-gr. bullet the .22-.250 Rem. fairly well imitates the .22 WMR. Extreme spread of velocity was somewhat high at 81 f.p.s. for 10 shots, but accuracy was still great.

H4198 is another good propellant for decreased-velocity loads. Loaded with 25.0 grs. of H4198 and a 40-gr. bullet, the .22-.250 Rem. mimics the .22 Hornet. That light propellant charge

C O M M E N T

S U P P O R T N R A

LOADING BENCH


The .22-.250 Rem. (r.) can be loaded to closely approximate (from l.): .22 WMR, .22 Hornet, .223 Rem. and .220 Swift.

fills about two-thirds of .22-.250’s case, yet extreme spread was only 31 f.p.s. for 10 shots.

It is prudent to note that these reduced-velocity loads somewhat shorten cases at the shoulder. When measured by a Hornady Lock-N-Load Headspace Gauge, cases fired with reduced loads shortened 0.002" at the shoulder. Cases fired with maximum loads expanded 0.002" to 0.003".

Some claim this reduction at the shoulder is caused by the blow of the firing pin. But what happens is reduced-velocity loads develop enough pressure to expand the thin case walls (and shorten the case) but not enough to swell the shoulder. Sizing the cases returns

them nearly to their original dimension, but not quite. So keeping reduced-load cases segregated is a good idea.

Case LifeAt longer distances you need the

.22-.250’s speed and accuracy. Since I purchased my Cooper rifle, Hodgdon

MY RECORDS SHOW THE HIGHEST VELOCITY ACHIEVED WITH 55-GR. BULLETS IN THE .22-.250 REM. WAS 3668 F.P.S. ...



LOADING BENCH

Benchmark propellant and Nosler 55-gr. Ballistic Tip bullets are my go-to choices. That load provides fairly long case life.

After firing cases about 12 times, a few in a box of 50 will split around the web. Such case life is the result of minimal sizing on the web after they have expanded on firing. One way to accomplish this is to position a full-length sizing die up a few turns from touching the shell holder. That setting sizes only the neck and ever so slightly narrows the case body. Every time a case is fired, though, it springs back a bit less at the shoulder. After firing neck-sized cases three times or so, chambering them requires some pressure on the bolt handle, and bullets fly wide of the group.

Partial full-length sizing provides a glove-fit every time. To set a sizing die to partial full-length size, I use a Hornady Lock-N-Load Headspace Gauge to measure how much sizing is required

WITH ITS WIDE VARIETY OF LOADS, THE CARTRIDGE CAN COVER ANY AND ALL SHOOTING SITUATIONS FROM LONG-RANGE VARMINTS TO CASUAL PLINKING.

Options for the .22-.250 Rem. include (l. to. r.): Berger 40-gr. FB Varmint, Hornady 40-gr. V-Max, Berger 50-gr. FB Target, Berger 52-gr. FB Target, Nosler 55-gr. Ballistic Tip and Sierra 55-gr. BlitzKing.

to set back the shoulders of fired cases 0.002" and then lock the die ring.

The .22-.250 Rem. is indeed versatile. With its wide variety of loads, the cartridge can cover any and all shooting situations from long-range varmints to casual plinking. But let me close by stating that this is not a suggestion for anyone to buy and shoot only one rifle.


SELECTED .22-.250 REM. LOADSBullet Bullet

Weight(grs.)

Propellant/Charge(grs.)

Velocity@9’

(f.p.s)

100-Yd. Group (Inches)

Berger FB Varmint 40 AA5744/17.0 2438 0.76

Hornady V-Max 40 H4198/25.0 3030 0.80

Berger FB Target 50 TAC/31.5 3267 0.76

Berger FB Target 52 Varget/37.0 3681 0.33

Nosler Ballistic Tip 55 Bench-mark/33.5

3556 0.48

Sierra BlitzKing 55 IMR 3031/34.0 3654 0.37

Accuracy for four consecutive, five-shot groups at 100 yds. All loads featured Nosler cases and Winchester Large Rifle (WLR) primers. Loads were tested in a Cooper Firearms Model 22 with a 24" barrel and topped with a Sightron SII Big Sky 4-16X 42 mm riflescope (set on 16X). Velocities are the average of 10 shots. Abbreviations: FB (flat base).

WARNING: Technical data and information contained herein are intended to provide information based upon the limited experience of individuals under specific conditions and circumstances. They do not detail the comprehensive training, procedures, techniques and safety precautions that are absolutely necessary to properly carry on similar activity. READ THE NOTICE AND DISCLAIMER ON THE CONTENTS PAGE OF THIS MAGAZINE. ALWAYS CONSULT COMPREHENSIVE REFERENCE MANUALS AND BULLETINS OF PROPER TRAINING REQUIREMENTS, PROCEDURES, TECHNIQUES AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS BEFORE ATTEMPTING ANY SIMILAR ACTIVITIES.

he development of the Model of 1911 began with the U.S. Army’s quest for an effective, reliable “automatic” pistol replacement for the cavalryman’s

revolver. After a brief examination by an Army board of the Bergmann, Borchardt, Mannlicher and Mauser pistols, accompanied by the first Colt prototype automatic pistol, a more

The .45 ACP U.S. Model of 1911 wasn’t created overnight. It was the result of the U.S. Army’s desire for a semi-automatic pistol, the development of a suitable cartridge, a lengthy trials process and the partnership between Colt’s Mfg. and John Moses Browning.

BY WALT KULECK



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National Archives photo

More on the Web

www.americanrifleman.org/1911



TRIALS OF THE M1911

Army continued to explore the use of semi-automatic pistols. Beginning in 1900, the Army began to acquire test quantities of commercial pistols for field testing and evaluation. A thousand Lugers in 7.65 mm and 475 Colt “Model 1900” pistols were acquired and issued to the U.S. Cavalry for field testing, while the Navy, not to be outdone, ordered 250 Colts. The results of these field trials were to shape the outline of

the pistol that was to become the Model of 1911 and to establish the Colt/Browning design as the front-runner.

At each step along the way from 1898 to 1911, the posture taken by Colt appears to have been that whatever the Army wanted, the Army was going to get. Not only did Colt demonstrate that attitude,

but John M. Browning also seems to have thought along those lines. As deficiencies were identified, whether by the Army or by Colt, Browning worked with Colt to refine his design to overcome them. The Army needed a slide stop. Browning designed one. An “automatic” safety. Colt incorporated a grip safety lever that required that the

comprehensive evaluation of the Colt, Mannlicher and Mauser pistols was performed in 1899. The Colt created a very favorable impression; the others seemed clumsy, awkward, and chambered for inadequate cartridges.

Coincident with the Army’s investigations into semi-automatic pistols was the beginning of the Philippine Insurrection at the end of the Spanish-American War, in which

the .38 Colt-chambered revolvers then in service were found to be deficient in stopping power. For this and all later evaluations of pistol candidates, a caliber greater than .41 was to become a prime requirement.

However, rather than wait for pistol designers and manufacturers to create the “perfect” handgun, the

AT EACH STEP ALONG THE WAY FROM 1898 TO 1911, THE POSTURE TAKEN BY COLT APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN THAT WHATEVER THE ARMY WANTED, THE ARMY WAS GOING TO GET.

pistol be gripped before it could be fired. A magazine catch on the side of the frame. Sure! A manual safety. Done.

But what were the major obstacles to the adoption of an automatic

pistol by the U.S. Army? After the experience of dealing with the Moros of the Philippine Insurrection, the Army required a .41-cal. or greater bore in a pistol that was “trooper-proof.” In 1904 Col. John T. Thompson of the Ordnance Dept. and Maj. Louis A. LaGarde of the Medical Corps were given the assignment to establish the validity of the big-bore hypothesis. Firing tests with human cadavers and live animals led Thompson and LaGarde to conclude that the bigger the bullet as it passed through the target medium, the better the stopping power. Since international agreements forbade the use of expanding bullets in anti-

personnel ammunition, the size of the bullet was limited by the size of the bore. Thus, thanks in large part to the Thompson-LaGarde report, 0.45" was ensconced for the next 60 years as the military handgun caliber of choice. No matter how good the .38 pistol might be, it wasn’t a .45.

Additionally, although the original Colt pistol was somewhat of a commercial success and the clear favorite of the 1899 and 1900 evaluators, the troop trials of 1900 and 1902 proved the Model 1900 and Model 1902 lacked certain desired characteristics, including a small caliber, to satisfy the Army. When an experimental pistol in .41 caliber on the .38 Model 1900 frame was created by Colt to explore the potential of the Browning design in a bigger bore, the pistol was unsuccessful. What was it about the Browning design that made it difficult to successfully scale up?

The answer to the “scale-up” question appears to have been inherent in the M1900/ M1902’s design: the two-link, parallel-ruler design. In this design the links not only “pulled down” the barrel out of lock, but also pushed the barrel back up into lock. For full locking lug engagement, the length of the link must

The “calibre .45 rimless smokeless” Colt Model 1905 and Model 1907 used a parallel-link recoil system.

a small-arm of this class of large

caliber intended to fire powerful

charges of powder the additional strength required

in the barrel in its connections with and attachment to the frame, and especially in the parts of the barrel and frame by which the movements of the one upon the other are arrested, is so much greater in

proportion to the weight of these parts that the constructions heretofore used in arms of this class of smaller caliber [the .38 ACP Model 1900/1902] cannot be relied upon as perfectly safe.”

During the 1902 to 1905 period, Colt and Browning continued to move forward. Rather than allowing themselves to be discouraged by the Army’s ongoing criticism of the Colt pistol—though it was constructive—Colt and Browning used the lessons from Army field trials and evaluations as guides for their development process; they also remained in contact with those Army officers concerned with revolver and pistol evaluation and

be “just so”— too short and the lugs won’t fully engage, which eventually resulted in deformation and destruction of the lug or lug pin, and a broken pistol. If the link were too long, it would have to withstand a huge compressive force, which would quickly break the link and/or its pin, also rendering the pistol inoperative. In .38 caliber, the design was satisfactory for the relatively light use, but in larger calibers the two-link design required very careful implementation indeed. While Colt did introduce a .45-cal. parallel-link pistol, the Model 1905 (patent No. 708,794), and offered it for Army trials in a somewhat refined form as the Model 1907, evidence found in Browning’s patent No. 808,003 of Dec. 19, 1905, suggests that Browning was dissatisfied with the two-link design principle for large-bore pistols.

In his patent No. 808,003, Browning stated, “… experience has shown that in


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The Savage trials pistols —the chief competitor to what would become the Colt M1911—were plagued with breakages, and they had to be repaired even before being issued for field testing in 1909.

acquisition. Colt and Browning even took the next step by designing a .45-cal. “rimless smokeless” cartridge; Colt introduced both the cartridge and a .45 pistol along the lines of the Model 1900/1902 commercially in 1905 as the Model 1905.

During this period, Browning continued to patent evolving improvements to his basic short-recoil concept, including several approaches to replace the two-link design with a more robust pattern, particularly in patent No. 808,003 and later in patent No. 984,519. Patent No. 808,003 also

describes a set of teeth on the bottom of the barrel much like ratchet teeth. These teeth engaged mating notches in the frame to provide a positive stop for the unlocked barrel, taking the strain of stopping the barrel’s movement away from the barrel links.

In 1909 the fruits of Browning’s efforts became public with Colt’s prototype “1909” .45 pistol. In this pistol we see for the first time the tilting barrel with one link, which “pulls down” but does not “push up.” Locking the barrel into engagement with the slide was now performed by a pair of very solid cams we now call barrel “feet” or barrel “lugs.” Not only is this design far more robust than the two-link design, but the barrel cams are far more forgiving of

manufacturing tolerances. At first glance, the 1909 pistol seems

quite familiar to those accustomed to the M1911; the most obvious difference is the grip angle. The 1909 grip is nearly vertical at 85 degrees. The Army officers working with Colt suggested emulating the Luger grip angle of 55 degrees. Colt

IN 1909 THE FRUITS OF BROWNING’S EFFORTS BECAME PUBLIC WITH COLT’S PROTOTYPE “1909” .45 PISTOL. IN THIS PISTOL WE SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME THE TILTING BARREL WITH ONE LINK, WHICH “PULLS DOWN” BUT DOES NOT “PUSH UP.”

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but it was already well behind Colt in the competition for the new service sidearm. In the very month Savage was showing its first prototype, Colt was producing the pilot models of the Colt Military Model of 1905. Production Model 1905s began shipping just two

months later, on the day after Christmas. Savage was facing an uphill battle.

Early on, the Luger started out relatively strong; 1,000 were purchased and subjected to an extensive field trial starting in 1902. The results of the trial were promising enough that the Army asked for the Luger in .45. Georg Luger obliged, producing three .45 Luger prototypes in time

for the next round of formal competitive testing by a Board of Officers convened on Jan. 15, 1907.

At the 1907 trials, Colt offered a slightly improved Model 1905 with a grip safety designed by Carl Ehbets of Colt, while Savage and Luger had their prototype .45s. When the smoke cleared, on March 28 the Board recommended that 200 each of Colt and Savage pistols be ordered for field

and Browning felt that the Luger grip was a little too steep, offering the angle of 74 degrees we see today. The next step in the M1911 family tree was the prototype design of 1910. Once the thumb safety was added to the Model 1910, the Model 1911 had arrived.

The evolution of the M1911 did not take place in a vacuum. There were many competitors: some serious, some not so serious, and some that proved to be vaporware. Most pistols that were actually submitted for evaluation fell short in one way or another. Colt’s competitors eventually narrowed to two: the Luger and the Savage. In October 1905, Savage first showed its .45 pistol to the Ordnance Dept.,

MOST PISTOLS THAT WERE ACTUALLY SUBMITTED FOR EVALUATION FELL SHORT IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER. COLT’S COMPETITORS EVENTUALLY NARROWED TO TWO: THE LUGER AND THE SAVAGE.

uite a few books have emerged in this centennial year of the M1911 pistol, but one that puts almost all the information a typical M1911 owner needs

into one compact package is Walt Kuleck’s The M1911 Complete Owner’s Guide, from which the accompanying article is excerpted.

The author covers the history, operation, maintenance and use of the M1911 pistol, and in this he succeeds admirably. The book starts with the development and evolution of the M1911 and its commercial cousin, the Government Model, then moves on to Col. Jeff Cooper’s profound impact on the employment and renaissance of the M1911 as a defensive handgun.

In his chapter on the “Principles of Operation,” the author succinctly and clearly explains how M1911s actually work, and his insights in “Selection” include a well-reasoned checklist on how to pick an M1911 based upon the intended use of the gun. The disassembly and assembly chapters are well-illustrated with clear photographs of the entire processes, and give not only the instructions but “pitfalls” for each step in the process.

Other areas receiving treatment include cleaning and maintenance, diagnosing and troubleshooting problems, holster and ammunition selection, and a very useful treatment of upgrading individual components, again with both pluses and minuses. Kuleck’s discussion of shooting includes the basics on aiming, stance, and the various methods and schools of thought on holding the M1911. Also of note are the tables of Colt M1911 model and serial numbers, as are the brief descriptions of shooting schools. As with Kuleck’s previous books on M1 Garands, AR-15s and M1As, The M1911 Complete Owner’s Guide is extremely useful and informative, and it is highly recommended.

The 6"x9", 290-pp. softbound book includes 304 photos or illustrations and is available from Scott Duff Publications (Dept. AR), P.O. Box 414, Export, PA 15632; (724) 327-8246; www.scott-duff.com.

—Mark A. Keefe, IV, Editor In Chief

The M1911 Complete Owner’s Guide

http://www.scott-duff.com

as fast as they arrived. Consequently, it was not until January 1909 that the first Savage pistols would be issued to troops for field testing. While the Colt pistols proved to have systemic faults, particularly sears that quickly wore out or even broke, the Savage pistols posted a starkly dismal record. Not only did the Savages require repair before they were even issued, after a relatively brief time in the field the pistols were already being returned for a second round of repairs.

In contrast, Browning was already working with Colt to produce an even more advanced pistol than the Model 1905: the Model 1909. The Model 1909 emerged as a recognizable “grandfather” of what was to be known as the Model of 1911. Browning applied his 1905 single-link patent concept, created a frontward slide-removing design (the two-link system dismounted the slide to the rear, which meant that a catastrophic slide failure could, and did, result in facial injuries to the shooter), and improved the fire-control system. The result was both a revelation and an evolution. With the 1909, Colt began to decisively pull away from its competition, never to look back.

tests. Orders were accordingly placed with Colt and Savage. On May 18, Colt enthusiastically accepted its order, while Savage demurred. Consequently, the Board turned to the third-place finisher, Luger, placing a 200-pistol order with DWM, the Luger’s manufacturer. The ensuing price negotiations resulted in Ordnance finally accepting Luger’s price structure on Oct. 28, 1907.

Meanwhile, Savage was persuaded to bid, coming to terms with Ordnance also on Oct. 28. Thus, it appeared that there would be three contenders duking it out in the field. In the event, however, for whatever reason, Georg Luger “with regrets” returned the Luger order on April 16, 1908. Thus, the three prototype .45 Lugers were the only “big-bore” variants of the Pistole Parabellum ever built in Germany.

Colt’s determination to be the supplier of the next U.S. service pistol is demonstrated by the delivery of the first of the 200 field trial pistols on March 17, 1908. In contrast, the first Savage pistols were shipped to Springfield Armory in November 1908—only to be found defective and returned to Savage for repair literally




TRIALS OF THE M1911

It began an intensive series of testing, improvement, and retesting. Informal demonstrative testing in January 1910 by Browning of the Model 1909 at Fort Myer outside Washington was followed by a formal Board of Officers test in August. The positive reaction of the August Board resulted in Colt receiving permission for a March 1910 “road show” of the 1909, from Springfield Armory in Massachusetts, to the Presidio at Monterrey, Calif., with stops at Rock Island, Ill., and Fort Leavenworth and Fort Riley in Kansas. The response to the Model 1909 by the several boards of officers convened to test the pistol was generally positive, with the caveat by the Infantry (Fort Leavenworth) and Cavalry (Fort Riley) Boards that automatic pistols could not be as safe and “soldier-proof” as revolvers.

While Colt was presenting the Model 1909 across the country to increase “buy-in” by the various branches (Continued after next spread)

BROWNING APPLIED HIS 1905 SINGLE-LINK PATENT CONCEPT, CREATED A FRONTWARD SLIDE-REMOVING DESIGN (THE TWO-LINK SYSTEM DISMOUNTED THE SLIDE TO THE REAR, WHICH MEANT THAT A CATASTROPHIC SLIDE FAILURE COULD, AND DID, RESULT IN FACIAL INJURIES TO THE SHOOTER) … .

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TRIALS OF THE M1911

John Moses Browning’s first large, semi-automatic pistol for Colt, the “calibre .38 rimless smokeless” Model 1900, was based on patents dating to 1897. It was viewed favorably by an Army Ordnance Board in 1899.

of 1910 was repeatedly demonstrated to Ordnance. Among the incremental improvements made during this process was the “safety lock” (thumb safety), shown in August to Ordnance and evaluated on Model of 1909 serial No. 6 at Springfield Armory.

The time was ripe for the Army to come to a decision. Despite the apparent superiority of the Colt over its Savage competitor, a final round of direct competition was ordered by Ordnance. In November 1910, a grueling 6,000-round test of both the Colt and the Savage was completed. While the Colt gave a somewhat better performance, with fewer stoppages and broken parts,

the conclusion of the Board was that neither design was ready for adoption. The major shortcomings of the Colt were barrel and frame cracks.

Colt dug in and quickly refined the Model 1910 in response to the problems revealed in the November test. The barrel was strengthened by machining the barrel locking lugs less deeply and into the top of the barrel

(Continued) of the Army and to continue to find and work out bugs in the design, Browning was working on taking the lessons from the testing of the Models 1905 and 1909 to create the Model 1910. The visual difference between the 1909 and 1910 was the more slanted angle of the 1910’s grip, from 85 to

74 degrees. The many changes that could not be seen, from the smaller, simpler “main spring cap” (recoil spring plug) to the one-piece sear/trigger/grip safety spring, were intended to improve reliability and function. While the Model 1909 road show was proceeding, Browning was showing the Model 1910 to Lt.-Col. Thompson at Fort Myer. From February through Oct. 1910, the Model

IN JUST SEVEN YEARS, FROM 1904 TO 1911, BROWNING AND COLT HAD DONE IT: CREATED THE FIRST BIG-BORE, SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOL TO BE ADOPTED FOR MILITARY SERVICE ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.




TRIALS OF THE M1911

only, not all ’round as had been done with the 1909 and original 1910. The lugs had been carried around the full circumference of the barrel, presumably so that the lugs could be formed by simply chucking the barrel in a lathe, rather than on a mill with a more complex setup. The frame cutouts under the grips were less generous, again leaving more material where cracks had occurred during the test. Other less significant changes were made, such as larger escutcheon-less grip screws to avoid the loosening found in the test and spring-tempering the magazine to avoid distortion. Colt met each failure during the test head-on with a focused improvement.

The result? In the rematch between Colt and Savage in what was to be the ultimate contest, the March 1911 automatic pistol test, the Colt decisively defeated the Savage. The Colt put in a perfect performance: 6,000 rounds without a failure, while the Savage repeated its pattern of breakage and stoppages. In just seven years, from 1904 to 1911, Browning and Colt had done it: created the first big-bore, semi-automatic pistol to be adopted for military service anywhere in the world. The newly designated “Pistol, Calibre .45, Model of 1911” was to be the last big-bore semi-automatic pistol adopted for military service anywhere in the world. After declaring a victor, the Army immediately placed an order for 31,344 pistols. The “Model of 1911” was on its way to becoming an immortal classic.

RN11

M1911s In 2011

In a tribute to the nation’s most popular handgun design, M1911 manufacturers of all stripes are offering commemorative editions of the gun that has served American soldiers and shooters for a century.

BY CAMERON HOPKINS

A Centennial Celebration

Kimber Centennial Edition


More on the Web

www.americanrifleman.org/GOY



A Centennial Celebration

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he official date of adoption of John M. Browning’s Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45, Model of 1911 was Wednesday, March 29, in the

same month that the first U.S. troops were sent to the Mexican border to quell mayhem and violence caused by Pancho Villa and other cut-throat gangsters running amok. Eventually, a force of 107,000 soldiers under Gen. John J. Pershing sallied forth to clean up gangs of murderous outlaws cut from the same cloth as today’s drug cartels.

Indeed, a lot of history has passed during the M1911’s watch. A “century of service” sounds flippant, a sound bite in a cacophony of marketing racket. But the M1911 has undergone a number of changes during its five-score years of service, becoming the M1911A1, the Commander, the Officers ACP and dozens of other permutations: wider, thinner, smaller, bigger. Its trademark .45 Automatic Colt Pistol (ACP) cartridge has been joined by everything from .22 Long Rifle to a wildcat called the .50 GI.

It may not be made of polymer, and it may hold a measly seven rounds, but the M1911 is unquestionably the most adaptable and customizable handgun ever made.

To mark the centenary of Browning’s timeless design, manufacturers of M1911 pistols are issuing limited-

edition pistols in a variety of commemorative configurations. It might seem presumptuous for any but Colt’s Mfg. Co., the original developer of Browning’s design, to mark 100 years of production, but perhaps the most flattering tribute to the M1911 is that so many different companies are celebrating the pistol’s history. Coincidentally, 2011 also marks the 175th anniversary of the founding of Colt’s Mfg. Co., so it’s a double dose of anniversaries for the Hartford, Conn., gunmaker.

Some of the M1911 celebrants are truly unique. Certainly Colt’s own commemoratives would win a “Most Collectible” prize because of their limited production and because the rampant horse logo has measurable value. Suffice it to say that members of the Colt Collectors Ass’n routinely pay five or six figures for a particularly exquisite and historic M1911. One of Colt’s centennial pistols, a special one-of-a-kind Government Model donated by Colt to benefit NRA—pictured on this month’s cover—will fetch the most money, probably well north of $100,000.

Another commemorative of note is an M1911 from Bill Laughridge of Cylinder & Slide Shop in Nebraska. Precisely made to the specifications of a pre-500 serial number Colt, the pistol is machined entirely from bar stock

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steel, just like the first production run in Hartford, including the original magazine and magazine release button that Colt changed immediately after they turned out to be a nightmare to assemble.

A great example of how the M1911 can evolve is a pair of commemorative models from Browning Arms Co. One is a Government Model of the A1 configuration and the other is an exact miniature at 85 percent scale in .22 Long Rifle. The

Lilliputian Government Model is also offered in a standard production version, new for 2011.

Many of the limited-edition models included in this round-up are already sold out—and have been since they were first announced in 2010. Colt’s models were snapped up instantly; Wilson Combat’s are all gone, too; however, check with your local gun shop because some of the models on the following pages may still be in the distribution pipeline.

Other than the M1911, no service arm has survived 100 years of U.S. military service. Today’s elite Special Forces troops, created in World War II as the Office Of Strategic Services, can pick any handgun in any chambering, yet many of our Tier One operators continue to sharpen the tip of America’s spear with a 100-year-old pistol design. Happy birthday, old slabsides, long may you rule!

OTHER THAN THE M1911, NO SERVICE ARM HAS SURVIVED 100 YEARS OF U.S. MILITARY SERVICE.

Nighthawk Custom High Grade

M1911100 YEARS

M1911100 YEARS


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America RemembersThe only officially licensed Colt commemorative M1911 is available from the

foremost manufacturer of collectible firearms, America Remembers. There are four editions of this highly embellished Colt Government Model .45 ACP, each comprising only 500 pieces with special U.S. military roll marks for the Army, Navy, Marines and Air Force.

The pistols feature richly plated 24-karat gold accents on the hammer, thumb safety, magazine release and stock screws. Additionally, the slides are inlaid with gold banners stating “Centennial Anniversary Honoring America’s Military Service” on the left side and a branch-specific banner on the right.

The America Remembers editions retail for $1,995 each and can be mounted in an optional walnut presentation case. Financing is available for $195 down plus $100 a month. www.americaremembers.com

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Browning Arms Co.When your company is named after the gun’s

inventor, it behooves you to pull out all the stops. The Utah-based gunmaker did just that with a matched set of gold-inlaid M1911 pistols, one a classic .45 ACP Government Model (made by Browning’s sister company, FN Manufacturing of South Carolina) and the other a miniature M1911 in .22 Long Rifle.

The only way to purchase a Browning Arms M1911 .45 ACP is in a cased set with the new .22 Long Rifle M1911. Both pistols are gold-inlaid with roll-marked engraving and come in a glass-topped presentation case. There are only 200 such sets, which are all sold out at a suggested retail price of $3,499.

There is also a set of a commemorative Ka-Bar knife and a .22 Long Rifle miniature M1911 in a glass-topped presentation case, both gold-inlaid with roll-marked engraving. That set sells for $999.

Check with your local authorized Browning dealer to see if either set is still available through Browning distributors. www.browning.com

Browning ArmsM1911 .22 LR


M1911 CENTENNIAL

Browning ArmsM1911 .45 ACP

Browning ArmsM1911 .22 LR

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Ed Brown ProductsMissouri pistolsmith and custom gun manufacturer Ed

Brown is producing two M1911 models, an Executive Elite-Centennial Edition and an over-the-top Classic Custom-Centennial Edition that features beautiful hand-relief engraving. These limited editions will be offered for the year 2011 only.

The Classic Custom-Centennial Edition includes handcut engraving as well as a rib on the top of the slide, Tru-Ivory stocks, a jeweled barrel hood and special serial numbers starting with a JMB prefix. This model retails for $6,995.

The Executive Elite-Centennial Edition includes laser engraving, Tru-Ivory stocks, a solid trigger, a jeweled barrel hood and special serial numbers starting with a JMB prefix. The price is $2,495. www.edbrown.com

More on the Web

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M1911100 YEARS

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Colt’s Mfg. Co.Colt produced two limited-edition production pistols known as

Tier 2 and Tier 3 commemorative M1911s, a limited-edition Custom Shop pistol and two special Custom Shop pistols donated to NRA and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) for auction. The NRA and NSSF pistols are ornately engraved with gold inlays and scrimshawed ivory stocks. The NRA pistol features Sam Colt’s likeness scrimshawed on the left stock and a bust of John Browning inlaid in gold on the right side of the slide. This pistol should bring more than $100,000 to boost NRA’s ongoing fight for our rights. The NSSF pistol is less ornate, but is nonetheless a remarkable example of the best master engraving from Colt’s Custom Shop. It sold at auction in January for $107,550.

Colt is offering two production commemoratives. The Tier 2 Anniversary Model 1911 has gold inlays and engraving, and is limited to 750 units serial numbered 19110001 to 19110750. Retailing for $2,495, the Anniversary Model comes in a glass-topped walnut presentation case. This model is already sold out. Check with your gun shop to see if the proprietor can order one from a Colt-authorized distributor.

The Tier 3 Model 1918 is a reproduction of a Colt Model 1918 with “U.S. Property” markings like those on the original guns that were made for the government. The slide is marked “Model of 1911-2011,” comes with double-diamond stocks and retails for $1,150. Colt will make as many as are ordered prior to Nov. 30, 2011.

The Colt Custom Shop issued its own centennial edition of 100 hand-crafted pistols with “C” engraving and marked “1911-2011”; however, all are sold. As noted earlier, Colt collectors are nothing if not responsive! www.coltsmfg.com

M1911100 YEARS

M1911100 YEARS



Cylinder & Slide ShopMaster pistolsmith Bill Laughridge has created a truly unique

limited-edition pistol to commemorate the M1911’s century of service. The pistol is made entirely from billet steel, each and every piece machined individually just as the first Colt-production guns were made. The pistols are marked exactly like pre-500 serial numbered Colts, including the original “U.S. Property” marking. “I built these pistols not to commemorate the 100th anniversary, but to honor the men who built them—all by hand,” said Laughridge.

Features of the Cylinder & Slide commemorative include an original Type 1 hammer, an original magazine release (with

no removal slot) and, as Laughridge describes them, “itty-bitty sights” that are period-correct. Identical in every respect, there will be 100 marked “U.S. Army,” and “up to” 100 marked “U.S. Navy” and “USMC.” Laughridge acknowledged that no Colt M1911 has ever been marked with the USMC name; however, he will pay tribute to the Marines with his limited edition. All pistols are bone-charcoal blued.

The price is $5,000 including one period-correct magazine with a lanyard loop floorplate tack-welded to the bottom of a steel magazine tube. www.cylinder-slide.com


M1911 CENTENNIAL

Kimber Mfg. Co.Kimber got a fast start out of the commemorative gate last year by introducing a

limited run of 250 Centennial Edition pistols, which have already sold out at a suggested retail of $4,352. Check with your local Kimber Master Dealer to see if perhaps one of these stunning commemorative Kimbers is still available. The gun features a color-case-hardened frame and gold inlays with engraving on the slides. It’s adorned with genuine ivory grips.

Kimber also produced five special-edition Centennial pistols that have been donated to five prominent organizations in the industry: the USA Shooting Team, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Safari Club Int’l and, finally, the NRA. The only one of the five to have already been sold at auction brought $10,000. www.kimberamerica.com

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Nighthawk CustomBuilt on Nighthawk’s proprietary frames and

slides, two special-edition versions of the M1911 are being made by the Arkansas-based gunsmithing company. Only the High Grade version is limited in quantity. The Standard Grade features “We The People” machine engraved on the left side of the slide and “100 Years Serving America” on the right side. The pistol comes with two sets of stocks, a U.S. Army-marked set and a walnut set. The price is $2,895.

The High Grade includes gold inlay and machined engraving, and it is “U.S. Property”-marked with the U.S. crest inlaid in gold. The same special slide markings as the Standard Grade are included along with an optional presentation case. Limited to 100 pistols, the Nighthawk Custom High Grade Commemorative retails for $3,695. www.nighthawkcustom.com



M1911 CENTENNIAL

Para USAMatched in a wood presentation box

are two commemorative pistols from Para USA. The first is a traditional M1911. The second is Para’s signature design, a high-capacity, double-stack M1911. This special Model 14-45 has an integral light rail frame checkered at 25 lines per inch, an adjustable rear sight, a fiber-optic front sight, an ambidextrous slide lock safety, Para’s unique Power Extractor, a competition hammer and trigger, a ramped match barrel, and a distinctive black-over-stainless finish with laser engraving commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the M1911. Certificates of authenticity accompany this limited run of 100 boxed sets. The price is $2,399 for both pistols in a presentation case. www.para-usa.com

M1911100 YEARS

M1911100 YEARS


G O : N R A N E W S

Pistol DynamicsPaul Liebenberg, custom pistolsmith extraordinaire,

is offering a limited number of handbuilt M1911 pistols from his Pistol Dynamics workshop with a bit of a twist—customers can choose between .38 Super or .45 ACP. (Period-correct, the former chambering is marked “Super 38” on the slide.)

The former director of the Pachmayr Custom Shop is personally handcrafting each and every one of the 26 limited-edition pistols, one for every letter of the alphabet. They are serial numbered 1911-A-2011 to 1911-Z-2011.

The pistols are based on Pistol Dynamics frames and slides with the best features that have set Liebenberg-crafted pistols into a league of their own, such as the interchangeable sight system (ISS), a tombstone bushing and a handmade grip safety.

Carbonia-charcoal blue from Turnbull Mfg. Co. and IonBond coating are offered as finishes. Ivory stocks are optional. A portion of the retail price from each sale is being donated to the Wounded Warrior program. www.pistoldynamics.com


M1911 CENTENNIAL

M1911100 YEARS

M1911100 YEARS

C O M M E N T


1911 COMMEMORATIVE PISTOLS BY PRICE*Manufacturer Model Edition Price

America Remembers Centennial Military Service 500 (4) $1,995

Browning Arms Centennial Matched Set 200 $3,499

Browning Arms Centennial Knife/Gun limited $999

Colt Tier 2 Anniversary 750 $2,495

Colt Tier 3 Anniversary open $1,150

Cylinder & Slide 100th Anniversary 115+ $5,000

Ed Brown Products Classic Custom-Centennial open $6,995

Ed Brown Products Executive Elite-Centennial open $2,495

Kimber Centennial Edition 100 $4,352

Nighthawk Custom Anniversary High Grade 100 $3,695

Nighthawk Custom Anniversary Standard Grade

open $2,895

Para USA Anniversary Boxed Set 100 $2,399

SIG Sauer Traditional Two-Tone open $1,099

Turnbull U.S. 1913 limited $3,895

Wilson Combat Centennial Classic 100 $3,995

*Factory production pistols only. One-of-a-kind custom pistols not included.

Smith & WessonBased on a blackened stainless steel M1911 with a 5" barrel,

Smith & Wesson honors John Browning’s greatest achievement with a limited edition of 500 pistols from the Smith & Wesson Custom Shop. The pistol is machine-engraved so that the stainless steel stands out distinctively from the engraving cuts. Check with your local Smith & Wesson dealer for current pricing and availability. www.smith-wesson.com


M1911 CENTENNIAL

Turnbull Mfg. Co.Best known for its immaculate restorations

of period firearms, including of course various Colt M1911s, Turnbull Mfg. Co. is building a limited edition of 100 pistols true to the original Browning design. Technically an exact copy of a pre-1913 Colt 1913 (because no M1911s were actually made in 1911), the Turnbull pistol is machined from a forged receiver and billet slide.

The internals are all exactly as Colt made them, including a one-piece trigger. The sights are of the proper size and shape, and the thumb safety is the thin style, again period-correct. Needless to say, the finish is also period-correct with carbonia-charcoal bluing—Turnbull’s specialty.

Early 1913 patent markings and “U.S. Property” adorn the limited-edition pistols. The buyer has a choice of “U.S. Army,” “U.S. Navy” or “U.S. Marine Corps” roll marks, handmade like the originals. The retail price is $3,895. www.turnbullmfg.com

M1911100 YEARS

M1911100 YEARS

SIG SauerThe Granite State manufacturer commemorates one of the

oldest and most proven designs with its M1911 Traditional Models in a commemorative series. The Reverse Two-Tone, seen here, features a round-top slide (unlike SIG’s usual squared slide profile) and special engraving. It’s a 5"-barreled .45 ACP and comes with frontstrap checkering, a beavertail grip safety, two-tone finish, high-profile fixed sights, a match trigger and front cocking serrations. www.sigsauer.com




M1911 CENTENNIAL

Wilson CombatUsing the same materials Colt used in

John Browning’s era—forged and billet carbon steels, select walnut for stocks, and hand-finished bone-charcoal blue—Wilson Combat built 100 specially serial-numbered pieces of the new Contemporary Classic. The pistol is hand-crafted with turn-of-the-century materials and finish, but to suit the modern shooter the company augmented the gun with many Wilson custom options, such as fine checkering fore and aft, a gold bead insert front blade, and better ergonomic controls like a beavertail grip safety. A fine presentation case is included. All of the 100 Wilson Combat centennial commemoratives are already sold out, but were priced at $3,995. www.wilsoncombat.com

M1911100 YEARS

M1911100 YEARS



Day ClassicModern-

A

t has been said that for people to accept anything new, it has to be at least 50 percent old. If that is true, the gun-buying public should readily

embrace one of Colt’s newest offerings, the 21st Century Commander, designed by noted handgun expert, gunwriter

and American Rifleman Field Editor Wiley Clapp, and marketed by TALO Distributors, Inc. Although the pistol is not a radical departure from the proven, 100-year-old O-frame design, it does incorporate a number of features that define a state-of-the-art carry M1911.

Day ClassicThe Colt’s/TALO

21st Century Commander

Modern-When renowned handgun authority and American Rifleman Field Editor Wiley Clapp joined forces with Colt and TALO to design the perfect carry gun, the platform of choice was a Commander-size O-frame—but the end result was nothing short of a modern-day classic.

BY STANTON L. WORMLEY, JR., Field Editor

I

More on the Web

www.americanrifleman.org/ColtHistory

Photos by Hannele Lahti

C O M M E N T



WILEY CLAPP’S COLT

The Commander LegacyFirst, a little history. Colt’s Commander model originated in

the years after World War II in response to the U.S. military’s interest in a smaller, lighter alternative to the M1911A1 intended to be carried by officers. The specifications for this new pistol, issued in 1949, included a maximum length of 7" and a maximum weight of 25 ozs. Along with Colt’s prototype, samples were submitted from Inglis, FN and Smith & Wesson. Although none of the submissions was selected, Colt wisely chose to go into commercial production with its design. Introduced in 1950, the 4.25"-barreled Commander, as it was then known, was notable in two ways: It was the firm’s first full-size pistol with an aluminum-alloy frame, and it was also Colt’s first M1911 chambered in 9 mm Luger. Both .38 Super and .45 ACP versions were also produced. In 1970 the steel-frame Combat Commander was released, and the designation of the aluminum-frame gun was changed to Lightweight Commander. Among the fans of the Lightweight Commander was modern pistolcraft guru, Gunsite founder and NRA Board Member the late Jeff Cooper.

Even with the proliferation of accurate, reliable carry pistols, most with aluminum or polymer frames, the M1911 is still considered by many to be the ultimate fighting

The stock panels are fatter on the rear, tapering inward toward the frontstrap (above). Other features include a dovetailed brass bead front sight post and a Novak Lo-Mount rear sight.


G O : N R A N E W S



handgun. Arguably no other pistol provides a better combination of ergonomics, ruggedness and superb trigger quality, and it can be had in a plethora of calibers and factory variations, with barrels from 3" to 6". Moreover, the M1911 is unparalleled in its potential for customization and accurization. True, older or unmodified Government Models sometimes have trouble digesting modern hollow-points; however, in my years as a gunsmith with legendary pistolsmith Austin Behlert and his son-in-law, Art Leckie, I learned that with simple reliability work, the M1911 can be made as dependable as any other semi-automatic handgun (click here).

A New Classic EmergesThe 21st Century Commander was

created as the result of a conversation a couple of years ago between Clapp and Bob Coyle, his friend and executive director of TALO Distributors. TALO, which was formed in 1965 by hunting and fishing wholesalers in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana and Oklahoma (hence the TALO name), is a wholesale

buying cooperative of major firearms distributors. TALO’s collective buying power has enabled it to originate special-edition and custom-designed firearms, and to make them available to the shooting public.

As is often the case with pistol buffs, Clapp and Coyle’s conversation turned to the ideal carry M1911. Clapp’s long and diverse firearm experience (see sidebar) gave him some pretty firm opinions on what works and what doesn’t, and his concept gun so impressed Coyle and other TALO members that the group asked Colt to produce a Lightweight Commander model made to his specifications.

TRUE, OLDER OR UNMODIFIED GOVERNMENT MODELS SOMETIMES HAVE TROUBLE DIGESTING MODERN HOLLOW-POINTS … .

TALO 21ST CENTURY COMMANDERManufacturer: Colt’s Mfg. Co.

(Dept. AR), Box 1868, Hartford, CT 06144-1868; (800) 962-2658; www.coltsmfg.com

Distributor: TALO Distributors, Inc., www.taloinc.com

Caliber: .45 ACP Action Type: recoil-operated,

single-action semi-automatic pistol

Frame: forged aluminum alloyBarrel: stainless steel, 4.25" Rifling: six-groove, 1:16" LH twistMagazine: detachable steel box,

seven-round capacitySights: Novak ramped front post

with 0.077" brass bead; Novak Lo-Mount rear fixed, drift-adjustable for windage, with 0.170" notch

Trigger Pull: 4 lbs.Stocks: Dymondwood, Tactical

Oval design with fingerprint checkering

Overall Length: 77⁄8"Width: 15⁄16"Height: 57⁄16"Weight: 29.4 ozs.Accessories: hard plastic case,

gun lock, empty chamber indicator, owner’s manual

Suggested Retail Price: $1,379

Colt agreed, and the 21st Century Commander was born, with production guns hitting dealer shelves around mid-2011.

The governing principle behind the design of the 21st Century Commander was, “Everything you need, nothing you don’t.” The gun that resulted from this philosophy was neither austere nor lavish, but was supplied with all the features needed for everyday carry.

As with Colt’s standard Lightweight Commander, the new TALO pistol features a forged, carbon steel round-top slide and a forged, aluminum alloy frame, which, for all practical purposes, is just as serviceable as a steel frame. I have seen numerous aluminum-frame Commanders with 20,000 or more rounds through them that showed no more frame wear than minor peening where the recoil spring guide head seats (which is also observed on steel frames). However, owners of aluminum-frame guns should be aware that some magazine followers (such as the steel followers in Devel magazines) can gouge the feed ramp.

The slide has a polished, black-

C O M M E N T




oxide finish on the flats and a matte-black finish on the top and rear. It features angled front and rear cocking serrations and a fluted and cleared ejection port that is moderately lowered to a height of 0.470". The frame and frame components all have a matte-black finish, although the steel parts—slide stop, thumb safety, magazine release and grip safety—have more of a satin-black appearance. The slide stop, magazine and thumb safety follow the original M1911A1 pattern, while the grip safety is a Colt

beavertail design with a raised palm pad for positive activation.

Missing from this gun—and for many shooters, thankfully so—is the Series 80-style passive firing pin safety mechanism incorporated into Colt O-frames since 1983. The 21st Century Commander’s Series 70 mechanism is mechanically simpler and is considered by some authorities to offer a slightly crisper trigger pull.

The flat Smith & Alexander mainspring housing is steel and is checkered in a 20-l.p.i. pattern. A moderate bevel is machined into the mouth of the magazine well to facilitate magazine insertion. The frontstrap is machine-checkered at 25 l.p.i., and the radius where it meets the trigger guard appears to be somewhat reduced, allowing a higher hand position. The machine checkering is particularly well-executed, being sharp but not painful and terminating symmetrically on both sides of the frontstrap, parallel with the

front edge of each of the stock panels.

Of special interest are the gun’s Dymondwood Tactical Oval stocks,

designed by Clapp and produced by Altamont of Thomasboro, Ill. Both stock panels have “fingerprint checkering,” a pattern in which checkered areas are located only where finger contact is made. More subtly, the panels have an asymmetrical rounded cross-section that is fatter in the rear and tapers inward to the frontstrap in the front.

Also noteworthy are the sights. The 0.125"-wide Novak front post is

INTERNALLY, THE 21ST CENTURY COMMANDER IS CLASSIC COLT.

SHOOTING RESULTS (25 YDS.).45 ACPCartridge

Vel. @ 15'(f.p.s.)

Energy(ft.-lbs.)

Group Size In InchesSmallest Largest Average

Federal No. GM45B185-gr. FMJ SWC

749 Avg.22 Sd

231 2.41 3.35 2.89

Hornady No. 91128200-gr. JHP

1009 Avg.10 Sd

452 2.96 4.14 3.71

Rem. No. GS45APA185-gr. BJHP

1010 Avg.12 Sd

419 2.01 3.11 2.52

Speer No. 23966230-gr. GDHP

847 Avg.16 Sd

366 3.69 5.13 4.28

Win. No.USA45JHP230-gr. JHP

819 Avg.17 Sd

343 2.34 3.27 2.72

Average Extreme Spread 3.22Measured average velocity for 10 rounds from a 4.25" barrel. Range temperature: 64° F. Humidity: 55%. Accuracy for three consecutive, five-shot groups at 25 yds. from sandbags. Abbreviations: BJHP (brass-jacketed hollow-point), FMJ (full metal jacket), GDHP (Gold Dot hollow-point), JHP (jacketed hollow-point), Rem. (Remington), SWC (semi-wadcutter), Win. (Winchester), Sd (standard deviation).

mounted via a transverse dovetail, and its slightly ramped face sports a 0.077"-diameter brass bead. In the rear is a plain Novak Lo-Mount fixed sight, unremarkable except for the 0.170"-wide notch specified by Clapp. Not only does this wider notch afford more rapid sight acquisition and alignment for fast defensive or combat shooting, but it also promotes sight visibility and sight alignment in low-light situations.

Internally, the 21st Century Commander is classic Colt. The stainless 4.25" barrel is rifled in the standard 1:16" left-hand twist, with

thorough throating around the entrance to the chamber and a shallow trough at the bottom of the throat to promote feeding. Also located in the slide are a conventional Commander-length bushing; a short recoil spring guide, plug and single coil recoil spring; a conventional firing pin, firing pin spring and firing pin stop; and an extractor with a beveled and relieved claw. Inside the frame is the conventional M1911 ignition system, consisting of Colt hammer, sear, disconnector, sear spring and mainspring, as well as a (Continued after next spread)





To handgun aficionados, few if any contemporary gun writers are as well-known or well-respected as Wiley Clapp.

Unlike some scribes, who write on just about every firearm topic but are masters of none, Wiley has carved out a special niche as an authority on handguns in general and defensive and combat handguns in particular. Millions of readers regard the “Wiley Clapp” byline as an assurance of a fair, accurate and comprehensive gun review.

Clapp was born in Fort Sheridan, Ill., and grew up in Pomona, Calif. His father, a retired Army field artilleryman, had a job as a live-in custodian at a U.S. National Guard armory. Because the family lived in the armory building, young Wiley had access to the smallbore range in the basement, something he took advantage of as often as possible. During his school years he hunted and competed in smallbore rifle matches, and the first seeds of a lifelong interest in guns were sown. After high school he attended college at the Virginia Military Institute, and upon graduation in 1957 was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps.

As a Marine, Clapp saw action in Vietnam, serving with the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, as a rifle company commander and S2 officer. After 20 months in the Republic of Vietnam,

Clapp returned stateside to Camp Pendleton.After his military service, Clapp became a

deputy sheriff with the Orange County, Calif., police department, performing street patrols and, later, becoming part of the department’s high-risk prisoner transport team. Although he enjoyed this work, he was forced to leave the department in 1986 after suffering a back injury.

Clapp had always been interested in gun writing, and while recovering from his injury he started doing freelance work, with his articles appearing in Rifle and Handloader. He had a natural aptitude for writing, and soon got a position with Gun World magazine. Subsequently he was engaged to write handgun articles for Guns & Ammo magazine. In 1991 he left G&A and went to PJS Publications. Currently his byline can be seen in a variety of gun magazines, and he is a field editor and a frequent contributor to NRA’s American Rifleman and Shooting Illustrated publications.

With more than a half-century of experience using firearms both recreationally and professionally, Clapp has developed some pretty firm opinions. Although he appreciates the new breed of defensive and combat pistols, he still considers the M1911 an excellent choice for the shooter willing to put in the practice time to master cocked-

Wiley Clapp: An American Classic

and-locked carry and presentation. He prefers the “classic Weaver” over the modified Weaver or isosceles stances, and he is partial to Milt Sparks’ 55 BN and 60 TK gunleather, as well as Matt Del Fatti’s SSP holsters. Colt, Wilson and McCormick magazines are all found in his guns, though he uses seven-round units rather than eight-rounders, as he believes the latter can put excessive upward pressure on the slide. Regarding load selection, he recommends any of the premium defensive ammunition, provided it functions flawlessly. His own preference is for .45 ACP loads with 230-gr. hollow-point bullets, such as those offered by Black Hills and by Winchester in its Black Talon (now Ranger T-Series) loads. And as far as Clapp’s M1911 preferences, well, they’re pretty much evident in the 21st Century Commander.

Without doubt, Clapp’s longevity and reputation qualify him as a classic among American gun writers. And, like any true classic, he has not become outmoded or gone out of style, but has managed to remain current, fresh and relevant.

—Stanton L. Wormley, Jr.

C O M M E N T

S U P P O R T N R A



TALO’s 21st Century Commander, produced by Colt, was designed by noted handgun authority Wiley Clapp on the principle of “Everything you need, nothing you don’t.” The stainless steel barrel is fully throated and features a shallow trough (arrow) in the throat to enhance feeding.

(Continued) long, solid aluminum trigger with a black finish. Pinned to the top of the frame is a long ejector. Each 21st Century Commander is serialized with a unique number that contains the letters “WC” for Wiley Clapp.

In The HandMy first impressions of the 21st

Century Commander were wholly positive. The trigger broke cleanly at a flat 4 lbs., the sights provided a good flash sight picture, and the combination of 25-l.p.i. frontstrap checkering and the Tactical Oval stocks gave a surprisingly comfortable and controllable grip on the gun. Overall, the Commander seemed a bit better fitted than most factory pistols, with just a bit of slide-to-frame play and about 0.006" gap between the sides of the barrel hood and its recess in the slide. For a carry pistol, a little bit of slop is not bad, as it may keep things running under dirty or grimy conditions that would jam a more tightly fitted gun.

At the range, I ran several kinds of .45 ACP defensive ammunition through the Commander: Hornady’s 200-gr. TAP FPD +P load; Remington’s 185-gr. Golden Saber load; Speer’s 230-gr. Gold Dot load; and a Winchester Personal Protection load featuring a 230-gr. hollow-point bullet. I also tried some Federal Gold Medal Match ammunition with a 185-gr. FMJ semi-wadcutter bullet,

primarily to see if the pistol would feed and cycle the short, light recoiling round. Accuracy testing was performed at 25 yds. off sandbags, with additional defensive-style shooting at three, seven and 15 yds.

Compared to a full-size Government Model, or even a steel-frame Commander, recoil was more pronounced, particularly with the more energetic Hornady and Speer loads. Controllability, however, was good, thanks to the frontstrap checkering and the Tactical Oval stocks. Reliability—the prime requisite of any gun that may be used for defensive purposes—was flawless, with not even the hint of a stoppage of any kind during more than 120 rounds of testing. As expected, all controls worked as designed, and the supplied Colt magazine dropped freely.

COMPARED TO A FULL-SIZE GOVERNMENT MODEL, OR EVEN A STEEL-FRAME COMMANDER, RECOIL WAS MORE PRONOUNCED, PARTICULARLY WITH THE MORE ENERGETIC HORNADY AND SPEER LOADS.





Wilson, McCormick and even no-name and G.I. surplus magazines functioned without a hitch.

The Commander shot very close to point of aim, except with the Hornady TAP ammunition, which grouped slightly high and to the right. Accuracy was excellent for a lightweight, short-barreled factory M1911, with the best-performing loads, from Federal, Remington and Winchester, all grouping

into less than 3" at 25 yds. Even the worst-performing load still averaged a respectable 4.28", which is more than adequate for home defense or concealed carry. Keep in mind that a gun that does no better than a paltry 6" at 25 yds. still keeps all its shots touching a silver dollar at the more realistic defensive distance of 7 yds. Aiding accuracy was the brass front bead, which was surprisingly visible under a variety of light conditions.

Drawn from Blade-Tech and Milt Sparks holsters, the Commander presented and tracked to the target smoothly. I found

that the Tactical Oval stocks helped me establish a consistent initial grip and contributed to that kinesthetic sense or “feel” that allows one, with practice, to draw and bring the gun up with the sights already in near-perfect alignment.

Final CommentsThere is little doubt that Wiley

Clapp’s 21st Century Commander fulfills the objective of “Everything you

need, nothing you don’t.” Although I might prefer a tactical thumb safety or an arched mainspring housing, and would have liked the sharp

edges on the gun dehorned, overall I would not hesitate to carry the gun as-is into the most hostile or dangerous environment. This is as strong an endorsement as I can give any gun, and it is a testament to the soundness of Wiley Clapp’s vision. By combining the virtues of the 62-year-old Commander design with a select group of modern enhancements, Wiley Clapp, Colt and TALO have produced a handgun that is both old and new, innovative and traditional, and which truly deserves the name of “21st Century Classic.”

… WILEY CLAPP’S 21ST CENTURY COMMANDER FULFILLS THE OBJECTIVE OF “EVERYTHING YOU NEED, NOTHING YOU DON’T.”

The TALO Commander is a true Series 70-style gun, lacking the passive firing pin block in the underside of the slide that is seen on Series 80 Colts.



During World War II, the .45 ACP M1911 and M1911A1 pistols were popular with American troops, and here we present some imagery of those who trained and fought with “old slabsides.”

BY TOM LAEMLEIN

A Photographic Essay

The World War II U.S. M1911 & M1911A1

National Archives photos

More on the Web

www.americanrifleman.org/GI45

The World War II U.S. M1911 & M1911A1

A Marine armed with the M1911A1 pistol advances on Okinawa (l.). A Marine tanker armed with an M1911A1 takes cover outside his disabled Sherman tank on Iwo Jima (far l.). The M1911A1 pistol was standard-issue for tank crews. In a photo taken on March 14, 1945, a Marine combat cinematographer is armed with an original M1911 in the black volcanic ash of Iwo Jima (below, l.).

C O M M E N T



THE G.I. .45

he American military has long had an affinity for handguns, and during World War II the United States issued more pistols and revolvers to its troops than any other combatant nation. Handguns were normally

issued to officers, non-commissioned officers and specialist troops (such tank crewmen). Many frontline American troops, however, found a way to equip themselves with a handgun—usually a .45—in spite of issuance regulations, with many bartered for, borrowed or outright stolen.

The most common American handguns during World War II were the M1911 and M1911A1 .45-cal. semi-automatic pistols. The M1911 was designed by John M. Browning, produced by Colt and adopted on March 29, 1911. The M1911 was manufactured by Colt, Springfield Armory and Remington-UMC. And the gun proved itself to American troops during World War I.

A few small changes were made to the frame, trigger, hammer and grip, and in 1926 the M1911 became the M1911A1. During World War II, more than 1.7 million M1911A1s were manufactured by Colt, Singer (500 guns under an educational contract), Ithaca, Remington-Rand and Union Switch & Signal, and the M1911A1 remained standard issue until the 1980s.

T

Despite being a posed photo, these two Marine radio reporters on Iwo Jima in March 1945 were smart to keep their M1911A1s at hand as there was always a danger of enemy activity almost anywhere on that terrible little island.


G O : N R A N E W S


THE G.I. .45

With a rack of Springfields behind him, an armorer inspects a brand-new M1911A1 (above). The crew of “The Pay Off,” a U.S. Marine M3 Stuart tank (above r.), pose with their personal arms on Bougainville. Included are three M1911s, an M1 Thompson submachine gun, and one mean-looking machete. An Army G.I. (right) inspects a Japanese coconut log and coral rock bunker on Munda, New Georgia during October 1943. These positions proved remarkably strong.

U.S. Small Arms In World War II

General George S. Patton once wrote, “Wars may be fought with weapons but they are won by men,” and author Tom Laemlein’s new book, U.S. Small

Arms In World War II, from which this article is excerpted, presents hundreds of those men with the handguns, rifles,

submachine guns, machine guns and shotguns they used during the war.

Laemlein is the author of a numerous books on arms and armor (the kind with tracks) and the editor of World War II Ordnance Illustrated magazine. For U.S.

Small Arms of World War II he laboriously poured through public collections, such as the National Archives, as well as private collections, in search of interesting photographs that tell the story of American’s soldiers and Marines—and their tools of the trade—during World War II. The book is organized by arm type, and there are chapters on handguns, Thompsons, M3 “grease” guns, M1 carbines, M1 Garands, M1903 Springfields, M1917 Enfields, BARs, shotguns and the Browning .30- and .50-cal. machine guns. Of particular interest are the chapters on the Reising submachine gun, the Johnson Light Machine Gun and the Marlin UD42 submachine gun, which include the best imagery of these guns I have seen.

The book’s photographic reproduction is excellent, and many unusual and previously unpublished photos are included from training, to rear areas to combat photos from the front line. The detail in the imagery extends far beyond merely telling the story of the guns, and Laemlein’s eye for the dramatic and interesting makes for an excellent photographic synopsis of American troops and their arms from World War II.

The hardbound 24-pp., 8 ½"x11" book costs $35 plus shipping and is available from Osprey Publishing; (866) 620-6941; www.ospreypublishing.com.

—Mark A. Keefe, IV, Editor In Chief

http://www.ospreypublishing.com



TUNING THE M1911 FOR RELIABILITYThe M1911 pistol was designed to work with hardball ammunition, but the fixes outlined here will ensure that today’s M1911 functions flawlessly with modern self-defense loads.

BY STANTON L. WORMLEY, JR.

ack in the early ’90s, when I was a gunsmith at Behlert Precision in Pipersville, Pa., I performed quite a few

reliability upgrades on M1911 pistols. Although the Government Model was (and arguably still is) a top contender for the title of “best combat pistol,” the reliability of the original mil-spec design was less than stellar. Originally designed for a 230-gr. FMJ bullet, the M1911 had difficulties feeding the hollow-points

B

Photos by author

TUNING THE M1911 FOR RELIABILITY

There should be a gap of about 0.030" between the bottom edge of the barrel throat and the top of the feed ramp in the frame (arrow). A Dremel tool can be used to carefully throat an M1911 barrel (above, l.). Polishing the frame feed ramp is often best accomplished simply with 600-grit or finer sandpaper wrapped around a wooden dowel (above, r.).

C O M M E N T



M1911 RELIABILITY

popular with police and defensive shooters. Compounding the problem was the abundance of different chamberings and barrel lengths, as well as the proliferation of aftermarket M1911 parts and magazines made to varying tolerances.

Fortunately, the M1911 design is endlessly adaptable and is easily tuned for virtually faultless functioning. The skilled ’smiths in our custom shop, under the tutelage of famed pistolsmith Austin Behlert, developed a comprehensive M1911 reliability checklist. The following is a summarized version of that checklist, covering some of the major causes of—and fixes for—M1911 reliability problems. Generally, any of these problems should be corrected by a qualified M1911 pistolsmith, although some are not beyond the scope of an experienced home gunsmith. Feeding

Ensuring feeding reliability usually begins with throating the barrel and polishing the feed ramp in the frame. If

you lack confidence in your own skills, leave this to a gunsmith lest you ruin these expensive components.

Original factory barrels have a minimal bevel leading into the chamber, sufficient for 230-gr. ball loads but often unreliable with other bullet shapes. This bevel or throat should be extended all the way around the chamber mouth. This can be done with a Dremel tool, performing the initial shaping with a grinding bit, smoothing the contour with a grit-impregnated rubber Cratex bit and hand-polishing to a mirror finish with fine (600- to 1,200-grit) abrasive paper.

The throat must be ground flat at the same 35 degree angle all the way around. To keep from cutting it too deeply into the chamber, it should not be funneled. Trim an empty case until its rim is even with the original bevel, insert the case into the chamber and scribe a faint line around the case rim at the chamber mouth. This creates a reference mark not to be crossed when grinding the throat.

To complete the job, the corner of the barrel throat leading into the chamber

Ejection reliability of a gun with the high G.I. ejection port (top) is enhanced by lowering the port (above) and flaring it at the rear (arrow).

“Don’t overdo it: Too much of a chamfer reduces case head support.”must be very slightly chamfered. Without this chamfer, the cartridge may partially enter the chamber but fail to go fully into battery. Don’t overdo it: Too much of a chamfer reduces case head support. Polishing the feed ramp in the frame is equally important. It is not necessary to remove all the machine marks in the ramp; all that’s needed is to smooth the overall surface. Run a 1/2" wooden dowel wrapped with a

piece of abrasive paper along the ramp, maintaining the original 31-degree ramp angle, and avoid creating a funnel. I usually start with 600- or 800-grit paper and use successively finer grits until the desired polish is attained.

Feed ramps differ depending on chambering and frame manufacturer. A mismatch of caliber and feed ramp can produce a nosedive jam, in which the bullet nose hangs up on the feed ramp


G O : N R A N E W S


M1911 RELIABILITY

instead of sliding into the chamber.When the barrel is placed in the

frame and pushed all the way rearward, there should be a gap of about 0.030" between the feed ramp and the barrel. The absence of such a gap can produce feeding problems and must be remedied by a professional pistolsmith.

Feeding is also facilitated by polishing the chamber, accomplished by chucking a 3/16"-1/4" wood dowel in an electric drill, wrapping the free end of the dowel in a strip of very fine (1,200- to 2,000-grit) abrasive paper, and running it in the chamber at low to moderate speed for a few seconds. The abrasive paper roll should be snug in the chamber, and it should be inserted only until the shoulder at the chamber mouth is felt.

The breechface on the slide should also be polished, and the upper edge of the firing pin hole slightly relieved with a needle file, to keep case rims from hanging up on it as they slide up the breechface.

Proper extractor tension and shape is also critical, to allow the cartridge case rim to easily slide under the

Frames for different calibers have different feed ramps. Shown here are frames for the .45 ACP (l.) and 9 mm Luger. Guide rod heads, particularly of aftermarket, full-length guide rods, may contact the lower barrel lugs and should be relieved for clearance (top).

C O M M E N T



M1911 RELIABILITY

extractor claw as the case travels up the breechface during feeding. The entrance to the claw should be beveled and slightly flared, and the extractor carefully bent so that about 5 lbs. of pressure is needed to push a case rim under the claw. Excessive tension can cause the rim to hang up as it slides up the breechface.

Other contributors to feeding problems include a weak recoil spring, improper breechface dimensions, insufficient taper crimp on the ammunition, and magazines that rub on the underside of the slide. A weak

magazine spring or old-style follower may allow the top round to nosedive into the feed ramp. Original G.I. magazines should be replaced with modern designs having parallel feed lips, strong springs and improved followers.

Extraction And EjectionInsufficient extractor tension can

prevent reliable extraction from the chamber. Ejection port dimensions are also critical. The bottom edge of the port—located about 0.615" above the slide rails in the original specifications—should be lowered to

around 0.500" (some gunsmiths go lower, particularly when a red-dot sight is installed) with a milling machine, or by using files or a Dremel tool. If the job is done by hand, it’s useful to scribe a faint reference line on the slide at the desired port height. Again, be careful or defer to a gunsmith.

The inside bottom edge of the ejection port should be beveled using a small file, and the rear face of the port should be fluted with a 3/8" stone in a Dremel tool to help the case spin out of the gun. The flute should be deep enough to nearly contact the extractor

tunnel in the slide. A flute that is too shallow leaves a wall at the rear of the port that can cause a momentary stutter in ejection, potentially contributing to a smokestack jam, in which the empty case projects from the ejection port.

On full-length M1911s in .45 ACP, replace the stock short ejector with a longer Commander-type ejector to initiate the ejection process earlier. Ensure that any such replacement ejector has adequate clearance with the slide and is not so long that it prevents ejection of live ball ammunition.

Ejection problems may also be

In addition to fluting the rear of the ejection port, a gunsmith will also clear or bevel the inside edge of the port (far l.) to enhance ejection reliability. Beveling and flaring the extractor claw (middle) helps the case rim slide under the claw. A shallow detent or dimple in the slide stop face (l.) can prevent the slide stop from inadvertently rising and causing the slide to lock back prematurely.




M1911 RELIABILITY

caused by a too-strong recoil spring, easily diagnosed when cases barely dribble out of the ejection port instead of landing together about seven to nine feet to the right rear of the gun. Determining proper recoil spring tension is a bit of an art: The spring should be strong enough to ensure positive feeding, but should also allow strong ejection. The choice of the proper spring varies with slide length, caliber and load power; the recommendations from Wolff Springs (www.gunsprings.com) are excellent starting points. Recoil spring reliability may be aided by the installation of a full-length guide rod, which can prevent the spring from kinking. The head of such a guide rod may have

to be relieved at the top to prevent contact with the barrel’s lower lugs.

FiringFiring malfunctions usually fall into

one of two categories: doubling or failure to release the hammer. Doubling, machine gunning or hammer follow (the hammer dropping to the half-cock notch when a round is chambered) can be caused by a defective disconnector, or a hammer and sear that are worn or improperly modified to obtain a lighter trigger pull. Insufficient sear spring tension also may cause doubling, particularly on modified guns with light triggers. Bending the sear spring forward to increase its tension may eliminate this.

“Light hits or misfires can be caused by: gunk in the firing pin tunnel; a reduced-power mainspring (sometimes installed to lighten the trigger pull); or a timing problem with the Series-80-style passive firing pin safety. “

http://www.gunsprings.com

Failure to drop the hammer can occur when the overtravel screw on a custom trigger is turned in too far, preventing the trigger from moving far enough rearward to trip the sear. The overtravel screw should be adjusted to allow a generous amount of overtravel; too tight an adjustment may result in the sear blade nicking the half-cock notch on the hammer as the hammer falls. Full rearward trigger movement may also be blocked by an improperly fitted grip safety (see the “Safety” section on next spread).

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PRODUCT SAFETY NOTICE — WARNING

DO NOT USE REMINGTON 22 HORNET 45 GR PSP AMMUNITION WITH LOT NOS. J29EAI,

J29EBI, J30EAI, J30EBI OR K01JDI.Remington has determined that fi ve Lots of its 22 Hornet 45 Gr PSP ammunition may have improper powder charge weights. The five Lot Numbers are identified above. Improper powder charge weights may result in a malfunction of the cartridge when the fi rearm is fi red. This malfunction may result in a bullet being lodged in the barrel creating an obstruction. If another round is fi red with an obstruction in the barrel, a barrel burst may occur. A barrel burst could result in property damage, serious personal injury or death.To identify if you have one of these Lots of ammunition: • If you have a case of 22 Hornet 45 Gr PSP ammunition, the Lot Number is stenciled on the outside

of the case; and, • If you have a box of 22 Hornet 45 Gr PSP ammunition, the Lot Number is stamped on the inside fl ap

of the box. If you have any of this Remington 22 Hornet 45 Gr PSP ammunition, as identifi ed above, immediately discontinue use of this ammunition and contact Remington at the below telephone number. Remington will arrange for the return shipment of your ammunition and, upon receipt will send you replacement ammunition at no cost to you. If you are unsure whether or not you have one or more of these Lots of ammunition or if you have mixed boxes of ammunition; please immediately discontinue the use of the ammunition and contact Remington at the telephone number below – we will replace this ammunition for you.For any consumer questions or instructions on how to return of your Remington 22 Hornet 45 Gr PSP ammunition with one of the following Lot Numbers J29EAI, J29EBI, J30EAI, J30EBI or K01JDI, please contact the Remington Consumer Service Department at 1-800-243-9700, prompt #4.The only Remington 22 Hornet 45 Gr PSP ammunition affected by this recall has one of the following Lot Numbers J29EAI, J29EBI, J30EAI, J30EBI or K01JDI. No other Lots of ammunition are affected.We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Safety First:Always observe the Ten Commandments of Firearm Safety and wear approved eye and ear protection anytime you are shooting.

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C O M M E N T

S U P P O R T N R A


M1911 RELIABILITY

Light hits or misfires can be caused by: gunk in the firing pin tunnel; a reduced-power mainspring (sometimes installed to lighten the trigger pull); or a timing problem with the Series 80-style passive firing pin safety. In the Series 80 mechanism, pulling the trigger activates a linkage that raises a wasp-waisted plunger in the slide just enough to allow full firing pin movement. If the timing of the linkage is off, contact may occur between the firing pin and the plunger, diagnosed by dings on the plunger.

Finally, the trigger must be able to move freely in its track in the frame. The bow should be deburred or reshaped if it drags in the frame or binds on the gun’s magazine.

SafetyFunctioning of the M1911 thumb

safety must be checked whenever a new sear, hammer or safety is installed. First, with the pistol cleared, cock the

hammer, rotate the safety to the “safe” position, and pull the trigger. You should feel no trigger movement of any sort. Next, with the trigger finger off the trigger, move the safety to the “fire” position. The hammer should not fall. If the thumb safety passes these two tests, it should be working properly. If any doubts persist, have a pistolsmith examine the gun.

For reliable grip safety function, the trigger stop part of the safety must be shaped to allow trigger movement when the safety is pressed, and block the trigger when it is not. The safety must also rotate freely and not rub on the mainspring housing or the frame. Moreover, excessive pressure of the right-hand finger of the sear spring on the grip safety can cause the safety to bind the trigger bow, preventing proper trigger return.

Finally, as noted above, malfunctioning Series 80-style safety mechanisms can be diagnosed through dings on the

… any other safety problem with an M1911 pistol, should be left to a gunsmith.

safety plunger. Correcting this problem, or any other safety problem with an M1911 pistol, should be left to a gunsmith. Miscellaneous

Occasionally, the slide stop may pop up and lock the slide back before the magazine is empty. The fix is to put a tiny dimple in the face of the slide stop that is engaged by the frame-mounted plunger when the stop is in the lowered position.

Easy magazine insertion may be impaired by an overtight or gritty magazine catch, and it is rectified by polishing the underside of the engagement ledge and deburring the magazine

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All contents © 2011, NRA. All rights reserved.

UNI_NR_L19_OOA_CGA_REV.indd 1 1/19/11 10:37 AM

DO NOT USE REMINGTON .223 62 GR (MATCH) HOLLOW POINT AMMUNITION WITHLOT NOS. H03RAI, H04RDI, H16NAI OR H17NDI.

Remington has determined that four (4) Lot Numbers of its .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition may have been improperly loaded. The four (4) Lot Numbers are identified above. Improper loading may cause a malfunction of the cartridge when the firearm is fired resulting in higher than normal pressures. This malfunction may result in damage to the firearm, serious personal injury or death.

The only Remington .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition affected by this recall has one of the following Lot Numbers H03RAI, H04RDI, H16NAI OR H17NDI . No other Lots or ammunition is affected.

To identify if you have one of these Lots of ammunition:

• Ifyouhaveacaseof.223Remington62GrHollowPoint(Match)AmmunitiontheLotNumberisstenciledontheoutside of the case; and,

• Ifyouhaveaboxof.223Remington62GrHollowPoint(Match)AmmunitiontheLotNumberisstampedontheinsideflapofthebox.

If you have any of this .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition, as identified above, immediately discontinue use of this ammunition and contact Remington at the below telephone number. Remington will arrange for the return shipment of your ammunition and upon receipt will send you replacement ammunition at no cost to you. If you are unsure whether or not you have one or more of these Lots of ammunition or if you have mixedboxesofammunition;pleaseimmediatelydiscontinuetheuseoftheammunitionandcontactRemingtonat the below telephone number – we will replace this ammunition for you.

For any consumer questions or instructions on how to return your .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition with one of the following Lot Numbers H03RAI, H04RDI, H16NAI OR H17NDI, please contact the Remington Consumer Service Department at 1-800-243-9700, Prompt #4.

We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Safety First. Always observe the ten commandments of safe gun handling and wear approved eye and ear protection anytime you are shooting.

Product Safety Notice

WarNiNg

300-008 223AmmoRecall_AmRifleman.indd 1 3/31/11 11:47 AM




M1911 RELIABILITY

catch opening in the frame. The magazine may also bind on overlong grip screw bushings that protrude into the magazine well. A little careful filing usually corrects this.

With a custom M1911, reliability issues can arise from a too-tight slide-to-frame fit, an insufficiently relieved barrel bushing (causing vertical barrel springing), or binding of a custom-fitted barrel’s hood or upper and lower lugs. The close tolerances in such guns may cause the slide to drag on the frame when the gun gets dirty or dry, and even produce galling, particularly with all-stainless-steel guns.

General reliability may also be enhanced by extra-tough disconnectors, extractors, firing pins and hammers that exceed original specifications for strength and longevity and are offered by many aftermarket manufacturers. Correspondingly, function may be compromised when no-name, economy-grade parts of unknown origin are used.

Of course, no matter what reliability work has been done, the M1911 must be kept clean and well-lubricated. Regular maintenance is also required,

such as replacing recoil springs at regular intervals.

Finally, note that not all M1911 slides, frames and other parts adhere to original military specifications. Feed ramps with improper angle or depth, breechfaces that are offset or of the wrong width, barrels with incorrectly cut throats or chambers, and many other dimensional discrepancies can cause reliability issues that are difficult to both diagnose and address.

The above does not by any means exhaust the list of M1911 reliability issues that may be encountered. For more information on M1911 function, maintenance and modification, consult The U.S. M1911/M1911A1 Pistols: A Shop Manual, Vols. I & II, by Jerry Kuhnhausen; the Wilson Combat 1911 Auto Maintenance Manual; and the M1911 DVDs from American Gunsmithing Institute, Wilson Combat, Ed Brown and others. Such books and DVDs are usually carried by Brownells (www.brownells.com) and MidwayUSA (www.midwayusa). Be aware, however, that no article, book or DVD can substitute for the experience and training of a skilled pistolsmith.

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“Of course, no matter what reliability work has been done, the M1911 must be kept clean and well-lubricated.”

t doesn’t take much imagination to hear Galileo, shortly after inventing the telescope, exclaim, “With the right reticle this would work great

on my deer rifle!”That’s a trick sentence, of course,

because although Galileo di Vincenzo Bonaiuti de’ Galilei could have owned a deer rifle, he didn’t invent the telescope. Galileo built his first telescope in 1609, at least a century after the rifle was developed in what is now Germany and Austria, but several people had previously built low-magnification telescopes. Galileo

improved on their work, eventually building telescopes of up to 30X.

The invention of the telescope is often credited to a spectacle-maker named Hans Lippershey in 1608, but several other Dutch opticians claimed the same invention, and probably did come up with a sort of telescope at about the same time. The history of technology is filled with near-simultaneous, incremental progressions, though our imagination prefers great leaps, such as the Wright brothers taking to the air at Kitty Hawk.

The story of the hunting scope is

A Short History Of Hunting ScopesAlthough we take the riflescope for granted these days, in the big picture it is a fairly new invention. Here’s a crash course on its development.

BY JOHN BARSNESS, Field Editor

I



A Short History Of Hunting Scopesfilled with tiny steps, each necessary to the climb. Sir Isaac Newton is usually credited with being the first to fit a telescopic sight to a firearm, sometime in the early 1700s. This makes sense, because Newton did a lot of research in both optics and firearm ballistics.

Another century passed, however, before telescopic sights started being manufactured on a regular basis. A number of companies in both Europe and America made telescopic rifle sights in the decades just before the American Civil War, and sharpshooters used scopes during the conflict. The

More on the Web

www.americanrifleman.org/Coatings

C O M M E N T



A HISTORY OF HUNTING SCOPES

timing is roughly coincidental with the advent of percussion caps, the advancement that made near-instant powder ignition possible. It was only natural to combine the quicker lock-time of a percussion rifle with the precise aiming provided by a telescope.

Among the better-known American manufacturers was William Malcolm, a New Yorker who started building scopes in Syracuse in 1855. At first Malcolm ground the lenses himself, but

later imported lenses from France. (It isn’t recorded whether some shooters became upset at this “outsourcing,” as some are today when American scope companies buy their lenses from Japan and China, though the same shooters seem less upset when German optics manufacturers have some lenses made in the Czech Republic.)

Malcolm’s scopes were quite

sophisticated. Even today some optics companies imply that achromatic lenses (that don’t scatter the colors of the spectrum) are cutting-edge, but Malcolm used achromatic lenses in his scopes. They also featured a moveable plate to focus the reticle, and hence correct parallax.

Early scopes weren’t all that practical for hunting, though a few of the hide traders who almost killed off the American bison used them on their

single-shot rifles. The optical glass of the day wasn’t capable of bending light sufficiently to make short scopes possible, so early scopes were quite long, sometimes longer than 3 ft. To make them reasonably portable, the manufacturers made the lenses and tubes small, usually 1/2" to 3/4" in diameter. Such long, thin scopes were fragile. (Zeiss tried to solve this

MANY OF THE EARLIEST SCOPES FEATURED A REAR MOUNT ADJUSTABLE FOR ELEVATION, AND THE FRONT MOUNT WAS MOVED SIDE-TO-SIDE IN A DOVETAIL FOR WINDAGE, JUST LIKE A FRONT SIGHT.

Zeiss Zielklein Scope, circa 1929

problem in 1904 by making a prismatic scope. It was indeed considerably shorter, but also top-heavy. It didn’t solve the problem, and the design disappeared during World War I.)

Many of the earliest scopes featured a rear mount adjustable for elevation, and the front mount was moved side-to-side in a dovetail for windage, just like a front sight. By the late 1800s most rear mounts were adjustable for both windage and elevation, but even then many scope makers recognized that internal adjustments might be an improvement.

Among the first American internally adjustable scopes was one called the Duplex (sounds familiar, somehow), introduced by Lawson C. Cummins in 1887, with adjustment thumbscrews. One version of the Duplex might today be called the “Scout” model, with long eye relief so it could be mounted ahead of the ejection port on lever-actions. The Duplex failed to take over the shooting world.

Many early scopes were adjustable only for elevation, with windage adjusted by the mount. In the 1920s most of the scopes made by the German firm Hensoldt came with internal elevation adjustments, but windage adjustments could be had for another $6. Swarovski started making riflescopes in 1959 and exporting them to the United States in 1976, but even then one model was adjustable only for elevation. A remaining vestige of this system is the popular Redfield-type scope mount, with opposing windage screws on the rear base. The original Redfield mount was made in 1916, precisely because so many scopes lacked internal windage.

The relatively few hunters who used scopes before World War II, however, often demanded mounts that were easily detachable, or they placed the scope high enough so that iron sights could also be used. Scopes were considered delicate and often fogged internally


G O : N R A N E W S



anytime temperatures dropped below the dew point. Even hunting stories I read in the 1960s included tales such as this: “The big bull rose from his bed, but when I raised the rifle the scope was hopelessly fogged. I quickly dropped my eye to the trusty iron sights and, placing the bead on the bull’s shoulder, dropped the monarch of the mountains where he stood.”

Some hunters preferred non-adjustable scopes, which many considered tougher than internally adjustable scopes. Bausch & Lomb made an adjustable mount practical for big-game rifles, consisting of opposing cones. Dials on the side of the cones adjusted windage and elevation. The scope could be unclamped and

removed from the rifle, then re-clamped precisely, or even used on another rifle fitted with the same mount.

Rudolph Noske introduced the first commercially successful, internally adjustable American scope in 1930, and Zeiss had internally adjustable scopes on the market even earlier, though they weren’t imported to America until 1935. Both Noske and Zeiss scopes were very expensive, however. Add a detachable mount and a gunsmith’s services to put the scope on a rifle, and the total cost ran to $50 or more. At today’s wages this would be equivalent to around $1,500. While some Americans do spend that much on scopes, most prefer to spend quite a bit less.

Hensoldt Zielklein Scope, circa 1929

Bill Weaver began mass-producing scopes in 1930, combining the year and the scope’s magnification to come up with the Model 3-30, priced at $19 with the mount (July 2010, p. 62). In 1935, when Zeiss scopes first reached America, Weaver came out with the 3-29, with both scope and mount selling for $5—the equivalent of about $150 today. Many hunters could now afford a

scope sight (except, of course, the 20 percent who were unemployed).

None of these first Weavers were marvels of optical engineering. For a few years in the 1990s I owned a Remington Model 30 with a Weaver 3-30 scope, apparently available as a Remington factory option in the late 1930s. Of course, the rifle also had a ramp front sight and a Lyman 48 receiver sight. The 3/4"-tubed 3-30 was still in fine shape, but the view through the uncoated lenses was dimmer than

that through the hole in the Lyman 48.During the 1930s optics took

another step forward with the first anti-reflection coatings being applied to lens surfaces. Considerable light was reflected from the surfaces of even the best optical glass, resulting in a relatively dim image (like that in the Weaver 3-30) from so little light arriving at the hunter’s eye.

Anti-reflection coatings are incredibly thin layers of various elements that prevent most of this loss through reflection. Many references give the credit for this “discovery” to A. Smakula of Zeiss, who obtained a German patent in 1936, but Smakula’s patent was just one step among many. Sir Isaac Newton’s work in optics in the early 1700s included some experiments related to thin films on glass surfaces. By the late 1800s, several physicists were experimenting with accelerated “aging”

DURING THE 1930S OPTICS TOOK ANOTHER STEP FORWARD WITH THE FIRST ANTI-REFLECTION COATINGS BEING APPLIED TO LENS SURFACES.

C O M M E N T




of glass, resulting in a very thin layer of some anti-reflective substance inherent in the glass.

Development of applied lens coatings accelerated in the years before World War II. Barr & Stroud in Scotland and Bausch & Lomb in America both applied anti-reflection coatings to glass before the war, improving the performance of submarine periscopes and naval binoculars, and a German named Geffcken developed multiple-layer coatings.

Anti-reflection coatings didn’t make their way onto the lenses of hunting scopes until after the end of World War II, and top companies such as Bausch & Lomb and Carl Zeiss applied them by 1950. They were also leaders in multi-coating. Weaver scopes, however, weren’t coated at all until later, and Leupold scopes were only single-coated until around 1990.

The same wartime acceleration also resulted in another major step: internal fog-proofing. Even the popular Lyman Alaskan “All Weather” scope could fog. The adjustment screws of early Alaskans were exposed; the “All Weather” Lymans merely had threaded caps covering the screws. The air inside still contained

Lyman 5A advertisement, circa 1929

moisture, which could appear on the insides of the lens in cold weather.

Before the war the Leupold & Stevens company’s only involvement with optics was in the manufacture of surveying transits, but shortly after the war Marcus Leupold went on a hunting trip and his scope fogged. Reportedly he said, “Hell, I could build a better scope than this!”

The big trick to creating a non-fogging scope was making sure the inside was free of atmospheric moisture. During the war engineers had developed a method

PRODUCT SAFETY NOTICE — WARNING

DO NOT USE YOUR BUSHMASTER ACR™ RIFLE

Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, has become aware of a possible fi rearms performance issue that may develop with a small number of ACR rifl es, and we are requesting that you discontinue the use of this rifl e immediately and contact us at your earliest convenience so that we can make the necessary arrangements to have the rifl e returned to us for inspection and update if necessary.

All Bushmaster-produced ACR rifl es are impacted by this notifi cation.

During routine testing, Bushmaster discovered a design fl aw, which could result in multiple rounds fi ring continuously when the trigger is pulled. This unexpected fi ring of multiple rounds creates a potentially dangerous situation.

If you have a Bushmaster ACR rifl e, immediately discontinue the use of the rifl e and contact Bushmaster at 1-800-883-6229. Please have the serial number of your fi rearm(s) available when you call. We will provide you with return shipping instructions and issue you an RMA number (Return Merchandise Authorization). This will assist us in the processing and updating of your firearm and returning it to you as expeditiously as possible. This process will be accomplished at no cost to you.

No other fi rearms are affected.

SAFETY IS FIRST

Bushmaster Firearms International, LLC, wants to make sure you enjoy years of safe and dependable service from your Bushmaster ACR rifle. If you have any further questions concerning this request, please call us on the above-noted toll-free number between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. EST, Monday–Friday.


Safety First:Always observe the Ten Commandments of Firearm Safety and wear approved eye and ear protection anytime you are shooting.

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01/07/11 13:30

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REQ

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of purging the air inside optics with pure nitrogen, thus eliminating moisture. Leupold introduced nitrogen-purged scopes in 1947.

The adjustments of early Leupold scopes were sealed with heavy grease,

but in 1960 the Austrian firm of Kahles started using rubber O-rings to seal the adjustment turrets in its scopes. Oddly, some other Austrian and German companies lagged far behind in sealing the insides of their scopes against moisture, trusting the threaded caps covering the adjustment turrets to keep air out. Many Swarovski and Zeiss scopes didn’t feature O-rings in their adjustments until the early 1990s, something Kahles and most American companies had been doing for 30 years.

Variable-magnification riflescopes appeared fairly early in the 20th century. Zeiss had its Zeilmulti 1-4X model on the

market by the 1920s, but the practicality of early variables was hampered by their first-focal-plane reticle in front of the magnification-changing mechanism. This had the advantage of eliminating point-of-impact changes at different

magnifications, but it also made the reticle appear coarse at higher magnifications. The reticle didn’t really “grow” (as some shooters still incorrectly claim, since the reticle stays the

same size relative to the target), but many American hunters wanted a more precise aiming point when they cranked up their scope’s magnification.

One solution was a reticle with thick outer posts and thin inner crosshairs. Here the Europeans were well-ahead, since such reticles wouldn’t appear in America until Bausch & Lomb introduced a tapered, etched reticle in the 1950s, and Leupold introduced the Duplex reticle in 1962. Before then most American scopes featured simple crosshairs, though one of the early Weaver variables (an externally adjustable 2.5-8X) used a

DURING THE WAR ENGINEERS HAD DEVELOPED A METHOD OF PURGING THE AIR INSIDE OPTICS WITH PURE NITROGEN, THUS ELIMINATING MOISTURE.

Savage Stevens rimfire with Lyman 5A scope, circa 1931

reticle with three parallel crosshairs, both horizontal and vertical. At low magnification the three crosshairs supposedly appeared like one thick crosshair; at higher powers the shooter aimed with the middle crosshair.

In the 1960s the Redfield company figured out how to precisely mass-produce variable-power scopes with the reticle in the second focal-plane, so magnification could be changed without shifting the point of impact. (Well, most of the time, anyway.) This caused the reticle to shrink in comparison to the image, allowing finer aiming at higher magnifications.

Most companies also started using constantly centered reticles. Before 1960 or so, most reticles wandered across the field of view as the scope was adjusted, because the field of view extended to the edges of the main tube. The solution turned out to be really simple: eliminate the very edges of the field of view. This is why the view through some of today’s high-magnification variables has a vaguely “tunnel” effect.

As scopes became brighter optically, hunters could aim in dimmer light. This resulted in illuminated reticles. Today these aren’t just electronic: Trijicon’s scopes feature a combination

C O M M E N T

S U P P O R T N R A



of tritium and fiber-optic that glows by itself, and Bushnell’s Firefly uses a phosphorescent paint that can be charged with a flashlight.

The next step in scope development actually started outside scopes. Eye-safe civilian laser rangefinders appeared in the 1990s, and though it was obvious that lasers would eventually be inside scope sights (something Swarovski introduced in 1997), they first had a major influence on scopes themselves.

The ability to measure the precise range to a target resulted in a demand for reticles with multiple aiming points and scopes with more precise adjustments. Most 1"-tube scopes didn’t allow enough adjustment range for shooting at longer distances, and 30-mm scope tubes became more

popular, along with well-marked “tactical” adjustment turrets. Some hunters began using hand-held computers, or even a cutting-edge

cell phone, to make field calculations for longer-range shots.

The next logical step involved computerizing the scope itself. A system called the BORS (Barrett Optical Ranging System) has been around for several years now. Attached to Leupold

Mark 4 scopes, it lasers the range and takes the required atmospheric and angle readings, then resets the scope’s adjustments. However, things are quickly becoming even simpler—yet more complex. I’ve recently been testing Burris’s new Eliminator Laser Scope, with a built in-laser rangefinder and LED reticle. The scope not only adjusts the reticle to the range but also the up-or-down angle of the shot. It can be easily programmed for any bullet’s ballistic coefficient and muzzle velocity—and we got there only five centuries after the invention of the deer rifle.

THE NEXT LOGICAL STEP INVOLVED COMPUTERIZING THE SCOPE ITSELF. A SYSTEM CALLED THE BORS (BARRETT OPTICAL RANGING SYSTEM) HAS BEEN AROUND FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW.

Do not use Remington 17 HmR ammunition in semi-automatic fiReaRms. Do not use tHe Remington moDel 597 17 HmR semi-automatic Rifle.Remington has been notified by its supplier of 17 HMR ammunition that 17 HMR ammunition is not suitable for use in semi-automatic firearms. The use of this ammunition in a semi-automatic firearm could result in property damage or serious personal injury.

If you have a semi-automatic firearm chambered for 17 HMR ammunition, immediately discontinue use of Remington 17 HMR ammunition. If you have any Remington 17 HMR ammunition that you wish to return to Remington, contact Remington Consumer Service at the number below. Do not return the ammunition to the dealer. Remington will provide you with a $10.00 mail-in coupon for each complete box of 50 rounds of Remington-branded 17 HMR ammunition you return to Remington. This coupon will be good for the purchase of any Remington ammunition at your local dealer.

In light of the ammunition manufacturer’s notice, it is very important that you immediately stop using your Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle. If you own a Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle and wish to return it to Remington, please contact the below Remington Consumer Service number. In return for your Remington Model 597 17 HMR synthetic stock semi-automatic rifle, Remington will provide you with a mail-in coupon valued at $200.00 good for the purchase of a replacement, new Remington firearm. If you have a laminate stock Remington Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle, Remington will provide you with a mail-in coupon valued at $250.00 good for the purchase of a new Remington firearm. Remington will also provide free shipping labels for the return of your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle to Remington.

Please allow up to 6 weeks after Remington receives your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle or your Remington-branded 17 HMR ammunition for the appropriate coupons to arrive. Instructions for redemption of the coupons will be contained on the coupon.

For any consumer questions or instructions on how to return your Model 597 17 HMR semi-automatic rifle or your Remington-branded 17 HMR ammunition, please contact the Remington Consumer Service Department at 1-800-243-9700, prompt #3.


safety first. Always observe the ten commandments of safe gun handling and wear approved eye and ear protection anytime you are shooting.

Product Safety Notice

WarNiNg

Bibliography:Barsness, John, Optics for the Hunter,

Huntington Beach, CA, Safari Press, 1999

Bausch & Lomb, Inc., Facts About Telescopic Sights, 9th Edition, Rochester, NY, Bausch & Lomb, 1968

Gun Digest, 1944-2009McLeod, Angus, “The Early Days of

Optical Coatings,”Journal of Optics A, Pure and Applied Optics, Volume 1, 1999

Petzal, David E., The Encyclopedia of Sporting Firearms, New York, Facts On File, Inc., 1991

Stroebel, Nick, Old Rifle Scopes, Iola, WI, Krause Publications, 2000.

Zak, David, “Galileo’s Vision,” Smithsonian, August 2009

Van Zwoll, Wayne, Leupold & Stevens …The First Century, New York, NY, Primedia, Inc., 2007



Photos by author

20ntil recently conventional wisdom held that using a 20-ga. shotgun for deer hunting was a bad idea. The 20 gauge was something ladies and

kids used only for its reduced recoil, and the Foster-style slug was the only option. The 20-ga. Foster slug has a ballistic coefficient of around .060, which is about as low as a conical lead projectile can get. Even though it leaves the shotgun with more than 1,600 ft.-lbs. of energy, by the time the slug passes the 100-yd. mark it is down to about 625 ft.-lbs. And it drops like a brick—not exactly the performance of deer-hunting legends.

Things have changed, though, and it could be argued that there are some very good reasons to use a 20-ga. slug gun for deer hunting. I put that theory to the test at Greystone Castle in Texas with my friend Joe Coogan and the rest of the “Benelli On Assignment” television crew. When I had a good, 100-yd. broadside shot at a buck with tall, almost straight-up antlers, I eased the Benelli M2 shotgun into position. I sent a

Twenty-GaugeSuper SlugsAlthough advancing technology has improved 12-ga. slugs primarily, it has also enhanced the performance of 20-ga. loads. The newest 20-ga. slugs now bring 200-yd.-distant quarry within range.

BY BRYCE M. TOWSLEY, Field Editor

Shrinking The Status Quo

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C O M M E N T



20-GA. SLUGS

5/8-oz. piece of technology through its ribs. If you saw the show (www.benellionassignment.com), you might remember that you can actually see the slug flying though the air and hitting the deer. It is pretty dramatic footage.

The Federal 20-ga. shotshell was loaded with the Barnes Tipped Expander slug. Federal lists the muzzle velocity at

an impressive 1900 f.p.s. from a 30" test barrel. From my Benelli’s shorter, 24" barrel, it comes surprisingly close with 1809 f.p.s. at the muzzle. That means the slug hit that buck with 1,337 ft.-lbs. of energy, which is more than some 20-ga. Foster slugs have at the muzzle, and it’s about double the energy the Foster carries at 100 yds. The buck simply toppled over.

Although the old Foster slugs often

struggled for “minute of backstop” accuracy past 50 yds., when I was sighting in, this Benelli M2, which had a rifled barrel, was shooting groups with the Federal ammunition that had some of the rifle guys looking twice. In fact, this setup has the accuracy and external ballistic performance to make it a 200-yd. deer gun. Sighted 2" high at 100 yds., it strikes 9" low at 200 yds. and

still has 1,000 ft.-lbs. of energy. That kind of performance was unheard of from a 20-ga. slug just a few short years ago. It has all trickled down from the big dog, the 12 gauge, and has completely changed the rules about shooting 20-ga. slug guns for deer.

Many of the newest slugs use polymer tips for higher

ballistic coefficients. They are streamlined, lighter in weight, have a higher velocity than the 20-ga. slugs of old and, as a result, mean that the “Twenty-Bore” is no longer a deer hunting compromise. Today’s 20-ga. slug is an efficient and powerful deer hunting tool. Let’s take a look at a few of the recent innovations in 20-ga. slug ammunition from the big-name companies.

IN FACT, THIS SETUP HAS THE ACCURACY AND EXTERNAL BALLISTIC PERFORMANCE TO MAKE IT A 200-YD. DEER GUN.

20-GA. SLUG SHOOTING RESULTS (100 YDS.)20-Ga. Slug Shotshell

Vel. @ 10'(f.p.s.)

Energy(ft.-lbs.)


Federal 3" No. P209XT15/8-oz. BTE

1809 Avg.40 Sd

1,987 1.60 5.70 3.48

Hornady 2¾" No. 86232250-gr. SST

1728 Avg.56 Sd

1,658 4.81 7.85 7.51

Remington 3" No. 20496260-gr. AT

1624 Avg.46 Sd

1,523 0.90 2.90 1.90

Winchester 3" No. SSDB20260-gr. DB

1729 Avg.58 Sd

1,726 2.50 4.03 2.93

Measured Velocity for 15 rounds from a 24" Barrel. Test firearm was a Benelli M2 20-ga. shotgun with a 24", 1:28" RH-twist barrel and a Burris 2-7X riflescope. Accuracy results are based on one five consecutive, three-shot groups at 100 yds. Temperature 24° F. There was no wind on the day of testing. Abbreviations: AT (AccuTip), BTE (Barnes Tipped Expander), DB (Dual Bond), SST (Super Shock Tipped), Sd (Standard deviation).


G O : N R A N E W S


20-GA. SLUGS

Federal was an early innovator with the all-copper Barnes Expander slug in 12 gauge back in 1998. The Barnes Expander slug uses the proven performance of the Barnes muzzleloader bullet, which further modernized muzzleloader hunting. The larger version of the Barnes Expander

used in a sabot slug configuration has proven to be extremely accurate. But its best feature is the outstanding terminal performance. The Barnes slug expands to almost double its diameter with six petals. Considering that even the 20-ga. version is already a half-inch in

diameter, the slug makes a very big hole in a deer.

Make no mistake, big holes are what shooting deer with slugs is all about. The relatively low velocity of any shotgun slug will not cause the massive hydrostatic shock that a high-velocity rifle bullet can. Slugs, even the new slugs, kill deer the old-fashioned way: by punching big holes through vital areas. The Barnes punches a very big hole and almost always exits out the other side. I like that in a deer slug.

The current technological leader, the Tipped Barnes Expander, was introduced in 12 gauge in 2007, and Federal expedited the trickle-down process to the 20 gauge in the same year. The main reason for the tip is to improve external ballistics over the hollow-point Barnes Expander. The ballistic coefficient of the 20-ga., tipped slug is .205, yet the Barnes hollow point is .185. What that means in the real world, using Federal’s published velocity for the 3" load, is 75 more

Federal

THE BARNES PUNCHES A VERY BIG HOLE AND ALMOST ALWAYS EXITS OUT THE OTHER SIDE. I LIKE THAT IN A DEER SLUG.

ft.-lbs. of energy at 150 yds. and slightly less bullet drop (under an inch). It is not a big difference, but every foot-pound counts. Compared to the Foster load, there is almost 11" less bullet drop with the tipped slug and 556 ft.-lbs. greater energy at 150 yds. The tipped slug actually has almost double the Foster slugs’ retained energy at that distance, 1,212 ft.-lbs. versus 656 ft.-lbs. That’s assuming, of course, that the Foster slugs even get there, as they tend to destabilize and “go to ground” after

they fly much past 100 yds. The polymer tip also helps the slug expand

reliably at long range. The polymer tip fills the hollow point to initiate expansion without the need for tissue to fill the cavity. This ensures more reliable expansion by eliminating the variables of an open hollow point.

The Barnes Tipped Expander slug’s all-copper construction (sans polymer tip) means it maintains its weight for deep penetration.

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20-GA. SLUGS

Winchester

The DualBond is unique in that it features two jackets. The outer jacket is “mechanically bonded” to the inner jacket, which itself is bonded to the core.

Winchester was one of the early pioneers in the concept of sabot slugs. Back in 1991, it was the first big-name company to offer a wasp-waisted 50-cal. slug encased in a two-piece sabot. The design is still offered in 20 gauge. The company continued the trend as an early innovator using premium slugs in its shotgun loads. I was lucky enough to participate in some of the field testing when Winchester introduced the Nosler Partition Gold (NPG) slug in 1999. It was a 12-ga.-only product then and proved to be an outstanding deer load.

Today Winchester offers it in a 20-ga. load featuring a 265-gr. NPG slug.

The newest Winchester DualBond slug uses technology developed for handgun bullets; it is a double-jacket, bonded-

core bullet that uses the reverse-taper jacket technology that is all the rage in defensive handgun bullets. As Winchester explains, “The outer jacket is designed for rapid and maximum upset and opens up to six dramatic segments. The inner jacket works with the bonded lead core and forms six additional segments at a controlled rate, resulting in a mushroom that is 1.5 times larger than the original bullet diameter. The heavy outer jacket is mechanically bonded to the inner bullet. The inner bullet utilizes a proprietary bonding process which welds the lead core to a second jacket, which results in a design that provides nearly 100 percent weight retention.”

The 3" load turned in 1729 f.p.s. from the Benelli’s 24" barrel and an accuracy average for five, three-shot groups was just under 3" at 100 yds. Very impressive.

Remington

To ensure high weight retention, the brass jacket of Remington’s unconventional-looking AccuTip slug is bonded to the lead core.

Remington’s flagship slug is the Premiere AccuTip. This slug looks like it should be fired from a Starship Phaser instead of a shotgun. The slug’s jacket is made from the distinctively colored cartridge brass rather than the more common gilding metal or copper, and the lead core is bonded to that jacket. It doesn’t just have a plastic tip; it’s more like a plastic hat. The bullet is cylindrical and the plastic tip covers the entire diameter. This futuristic-looking plastic nosepiece has a series of holes around the circumference.

According to Greg Dennison, the Remington engineer who developed the slug, the holes are there to add

drag. He discussed the bullet’s “center of

pressure” and the benefits of adding drag, despite the more common approach of trying to eliminate it. The bottom line is that it is supposed to make the slug more accurate. Apparently it works, as this 3" slug load shot the best of the four loads I tested in the Benelli, with the average for five, three-shot groups under 2". One very impressive group measured 0.90".

THIS SLUG LOOKS LIKE IT SHOULD BE FIRED FROM A STARSHIP PHASER INSTEAD OF A SHOTGUN.




20-GA. SLUGS

The Hornady 2¾", 20-ga. SST Sabot Slug ammunition uses the same .50-cal., 300-gr. SST bullet loaded in the firm’s .500 S&W Mag. factory loads. It is a lead-alloy core wrapped in a thin, gilding-metal jacket and

topped with a soft, flexible tip. This sleek bullet exits with a catalog-listed muzzle velocity of 1800 f.p.s. With a fairly

high ballistic coefficient of .200, it retains significant energy for long-range shots.

These high-tech, 20-ga. slugs may have resulted from trickle-down technology, but as they say, a rising tide floats all boats. They have changed the definition of 20-ga. shotgun slugs from “compromise” to the “leading edge of slug gun performance.”

Hornady

Hornady’s polymer-tipped SST Sabot Slug features a gilding metal jacket and a lead-alloy core.

Terminal Performance

I tested the four slugs for terminal performance in both water and Perma-Gel at close range. The slugs impacted with nearly their full

muzzle velocity. Both of those testing mediums are a little tougher than the standard ballistic gelatin, yet somewhat softer than big game with its bones and other variables. Expanded diameter was measured twice, 90 degrees to each other, and then averaged. Following are the results as recorded in my notes.

Federal 3” Barnes Tipped ExpanderWater: The bullet was deformed on one

side from hitting the bottom of the large plastic container. It actually punched a small hole in the bottom and there was some plastic imbedded in the bullet. No doubt that if the container had not been sitting on stone the bullet would have exited. It had impressive penetration through 28" of water and still enough energy to hit the bottom very hard. Retained weigh was 274.4 grs. with

the very small plastic piece trapped in the petals. The measured weight of the unfired slug with tip was 278.9 grs. With the weight of the lost plastic tip, this was 100 percent weight retention. The expanded diameter was 0.83". However, this was skewed a bit by the distortion of the bullet hitting the bottom.

Perma-Gel: At 23", this bullet penetrated the deepest. It exhibited textbook expansion, and the expanded diameter was 0.875". Its retained weight was 274.9 grs.

Remington 3” AccuTipWater: The slug was found on the bottom of

the water container, so it was difficult to tell how much penetration was achieved. It was flattened out like a big washer with the diameter twice as wide as the bullet was long. The retained weight was 216.8 grs., and the expanded diameter was 0.77". The measured weight of an unfired bullet with tip was 259.8 grs.

Perma-Gel: The slug penetrated 21". Again, the slug was flattened out so it was wider than it was long. Retained weight was 252.2 grs., and the expanded diameter was 0.82".

Hornady 2¾” SSTWater: The slug exited the side of the

container 3" from the bottom. This was likely due to an aiming error. It struck the rocks outside the container hard enough to slightly deform the bullet. After penetrating 25" of water, that was an impressive amount of energy left. Retained weight was 216.7 grs. The expanded diameter was 0.675". The expanded diameter was slightly skewed due to the bullet striking the rocks. Measuring only the undamaged portion, the bullet was 0.684". The measured weight of an unfired bullet with tip was 250.8 grs.

Perma-Gel: Penetration was 21", and the retained weight was 240.6 grs. The expanded diameter was 0.752". The bullet’s leading

edge was tilted at an angle to the axis, but it penetrated straight.

Winchester 3” DualBondWater: The jacket and core separated. The

outer jacket was shredded with the largest piece weighing 88.3 grs. The largest piece of the lead core was 87.3 grs. The rest was in small pieces.

Perma-Gel: Penetration was 19", and the two jackets separated but were found very close to each other. The outer jacket weighed 102.8 grs. and had an expanded diameter of 0.822", while the inner core and jacket were 0.725" in length. The expanded diameter was 0.60". Its inner core’s retained weight was 157.3 grs. The measured weight of an unfired bullet was 259.2 grs. I repeated the test in Perma-Gel with almost identical results.

Winchester sent me a recovered slug its engineers fired into 10 percent ballistic gelatin at 87 yds. According to my calculations that would have an impact velocity of about 1415 f.p.s., which is about 314 f.p.s slower than the impact velocity of my tests. This bullet remained intact. The retained weight is 259.9 grs. The expanded diameter is 0.875", not counting the points of the bottom jacket. The points measured 0.980".

—Bryce M. Towsley

Winchester informed us that the optimum upset window for the 20-ga. DualBond is from to 40 to 140 yds., and the velocity of the author’s impact into material harder than ballistic gelatin and tissue was faster than the designed performance window. According to the company, it has only seen jacket separation at close yardages due to the upset jacket rolling back beyond the mechanical bonding point after the bullet has opened up and transferred maximum energy. –The Eds.

DOPE BAG



Competitive pistol shooting can be an expensive endeavor. High-end guns account for

the bulk of initial costs, which is a reason why many people do not get involved—despite their interest in the sport. Springfield Armory recognized that void in the market and created the Range Officer: a .45 ACP M1911 made with the same materials, fit and quality as its higher-end Tactical Response Pistol (TRP), but lacking some amenities found on the TRP and other, more expensive guns in Springfield’s

line. The Range Officer (RO) is a pistol designed primarily for amateur competitors who want a reliable, well-fit base-model M1911, at a reasonable price, that is ready for competition.

The slide and the frame are Parkerized, hammer-forged 4140 steel. The 5" barrel and barrel bushing are stainless steel. All internal parts are steel except the titanium firing pin and the aluminum trigger, which is skeletonized and features an overtravel adjustment screw. Torx screws hold the cocobolo hardwood


stocks to the frame. The Integral Locking System (ILS), a standard feature on all Springfield M1911s, is activated with an included key on the rear of the mainspring housing. Turning it locks the mainspring, preventing the hammer from being cocked and the slide from retracting.

The RO’s controls and mechanics are standard M1911. There is no Series 80-type firing pin block. The mainspring is especially strong, requiring a concerted effort to cock the skeletonized hammer, but it easily provides the force needed for

reliable ignition. Also, the recoil spring is about 1" longer than that in some lower-priced Springfield M1911s, adding to the force needed to rack the slide and allowing the gun to better-handle higher-velocity loads. It has a standard-length guide rod.

The flat mainspring housing has 20-l.p.i. checkering, and there are serrations on the slide stop, the extended safety lock, the magazine release, the trigger, the hammer and the rear sides of the slide. Machine cuts include a flared, lowered ejection

port and a slightly beveled magazine well. The sights are dovetailed into the slide, which required an additional cut on the top rear, and the Bo-Mar-style rear sight is adjustable for windage and elevation. The deep, sharp, angled serrations on the slide provided exceptional purchase; the operation of the thumb safety was smooth and positive; and the beveling on the magazine well, although minimal, noticeably aided quick magazine

changes. An additional cut in the barrel hood functions as a loaded-chamber indicator.

We found the fit of the barrel, the slide, the frame and the internal parts to be favorable. Play between the frame and slide was almost indiscernible, even with the slide slightly retracted, but it was not as tight as some higher-end M1911s. The barrel link, barrel lugs and barrel-lug recesses were sharp and

DOPE BAG

C O M M E N T


SHOOTING RESULTS (25 YDS.).45 ACPCartridge

Vel. @ 15'(f.p.s.)

Energy(ft.-lbs.)


Hornady No. 9112200-gr. XTP

912 Avg.9 Sd

369 2.20 3.98 2.96

Winchester No. S45PDB 230-gr. JHP PDX1

941 Avg.13 Sd

452 2.90 4.30 3.64

DoubleTap230-gr. JHP

919 Avg.8 Sd

431 1.81 3.48 2.70

Average Extreme Spread 3.10

Measured average velocity from a 5" barrel measured with an RCBS AmmoMaster chronograph. Range temperature: 68° F. Humidity: 45%. Accuracy for five consecutive, five-shot groups at 25 yds. from a sandbag. Abbreviations: XTP (eXtreme Terminal Performance), JHP (jacketed hollow-point), PD (personal defense), Sd (standard deviation).


The barrel is throated for reliable feeding of various ammunition. To reduce barrel/bushing wear, the last 1/2" of the barrel is slightly larger to match the bushing’s constriction.

The slide top is machined in two places to accommodate the Bo-Mar-style rear sight. Deep, angled serrations noticeably helped with racking the slide.

DOPE BAG

well-fit, adding to the overall positive lock-up. We found no burrs anywhere, and the edges were softened on the front of the dustcover, as well as along the front, rear and sides of the slide.

There was a slight take-up with the trigger, followed by a sharp break with a trigger pull measuring 5 lbs., 12 ozs. Staff members who prefer Springfield’s High Hand beavertail grip safety, palm pad and flat mainspring housing found them comfortable. Overall we had a positive view on the gun’s form and function.

We fired about 80 rounds, and then cleaned and oiled the gun before accuracy testing. During about 250 rounds of testing, there was only one failure to chamber. Shooting from a sandbag with post-and-notch sights may not reveal a gun’s full accuracy potential, but nonetheless the gun

exhibited acceptable accuracy for amateur competition. A five-shot, 1.81" group at 25 yds. is commendable, so with the right ammunition in the right conditions the gun is on par with higher-end competition pistols.

With competition in mind, in our opinion the trigger should be lightened and checkering should be added to the frontstrap. Going more toward a practical role, welcome options would include fast-acquisition sights and an arched mainspring housing. With its ability to accept these changes and a host of aftermarket upgrades through the Springfield Custom Shop, however, it is difficult to criticize the gun outside of its inconformity with mere personal preferences. It is an excellent model for recreation, IDPA matches and other such competitive endeavors.



SHOOTING FROM A SANDBAG WITH POST-AND-NOTCH SIGHTS MAY NOT REVEAL A GUN’S FULL ACCURACY POTENTIAL, BUT NONETHELESS THE GUN EXHIBITED ACCEPTABLE ACCURACY FOR AMATEUR COMPETITION.


SPRINGFIELD RANGE OFFICERManufacturer: Springfield Armory

(Dept. AR); 420 W. Main St., Geneseo, IL 61254; (800) 680-6866; www.springfield-armory.com

Caliber: .45 ACPAction: recoil-operated, single-action,

center-fire semi-automatic pistolFrame: hammer-forged 4140 steelBarrel: stainless steelRifling: six-groove, 1:16" LH twistMagazine: blued steel detachable

box, seven rounds Sights: dovetailed, adjustable

Bo-Mar-style post-and-notchTrigger Pull: single-action;

5 lbs., 12 ozs.Stocks: cocobolo hardwoodOverall Length: 8½"Width: 15⁄16"Height: 5½"Weight: 2 lbs., 8 ozs.Accessories: extra magazine, lock,

owner’s manualSuggested Retail Price: $939

The American Rifleman has used the phrase “Dope Bag” since at least 1921, when Col. Townsend Whelen first titled his column with it. Even then, it had been in use for years, referring to a sack used by target shooters to hold ammunition and accessories on the firing line. “Sight dope” also was a traditional marksman’s term for sight-adjustment information, while judging wind speed and direction was called “doping the wind.”

WARNING: Technical data and information contained herein are intended to provide information based on the limited experience of individuals under specific conditions and circumstances. They do not detail the comprehensive training procedures, techniques and safety precautions absolutely necessary to properly carry on similar activity. Read the notice and disclaimer on the contents page. Always consult comprehensive reference manuals and bulletins for details of proper training requirements, procedures, techniques and safety precautions before attempting any similar activity.

DOPE BAG

C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S

VORTEX RAZOR HD SPOTTING SCOPE

In addition to its riflescopes and binoculars, Vortex Optics offers a complete line of spotting scopes,

ranging from the economical Nomad series to the top-tier Razor HDs, with options for nearly all applications and budgets. Within the feature-filled, but costlier, Razor HD line are angled and straight versions of the same 20-60X 85 mm scope configuration. The former is evaluated here.

The Razor HD porro-prism spotting scope uses extra-low-dispersion, high-density (HD) glass for optimal resolution and color fidelity, and the company’s XR lens coatings—the lenses are fully

multi-coated on all air-to-glass

surfaces—increase light transmission.

The unit’s triplet apochromatic lens

system minimizes chromatic aberration, or the color fringe of objects’ edges, across the entire field of view. ArmorTek, a treatment that protects against corrosive salts (from finger prints), scratches, stains, oil and dirt, is chemically bonded to the exterior lenses. The Razor HD is purged with argon gas to prevent internal fogging and corrosion, and it is sealed with O-rings to ensure it is waterproof.

The 20-60X eyepiece is removable, and the company offers wide-angle and tactical 30X versions for purchase separately. To enhance grip, the magnification band features a rubber, 7/8"-wide strip with molded-in checkering, and a twist-up eyecup accommodates eyeglass wearers and non-wearers alike. Alongside the


VORTEX RAZOR HD SPOTTING SCOPE

eyepiece, on the right side, is the helpful “sightfinder”—essentially a hollow tube that coordinates to the scope’s field of view, enabling users to find objects more quickly. With the eyepiece off, the sightfinder is easily removed.

Attaching the eyepiece requires only

aligning the orange/red line with the same-color dot on the scope body, then rotating the eyepiece clockwise until it locks into place. To remove, depress the spring-loaded lock located on the rear of the body below the eyepiece and turn the eyepiece counterclockwise.

Focusing is via dual dials. The rearmost dial is for coarse adjustment, and the front knob enables detail sharpening. Movement of the ribbed, rubber dials

is smooth, but resistance is adequate to prevent unintentional changes.

Due in part to its gray, die-cast, magnesium-alloy body, which has functional and aesthetically pleasing green rubber inlays, the Razor HD is a bit heavy—4 lbs., 1.3 ozs. That said, the

material was selected because of its strength-to-weight ratio, being lighter than aluminum and stronger than polycarbonate.

To evaluate the Japanese-made Razor HD, we tested it side-by-side with a top-tier, European-made 80 mm spotting scope fitted with a 20-60X eyepiece in widely varying light conditions—with heavy emphasis placed on low light—as well as at varying ranges, from 50 yds.

THE RAZOR HD PORRO-PRISM SPOTTING SCOPE USES EXTRA-LOW-DISPERSION, HIGH-DENSITY (HD) GLASS FOR OPTIMAL RESOLUTION AND COLOR FIDELITY … .

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VORTEX RAZOR HDImporter: Vortex Optics (Dept. AR),

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Model: 20-60X 85 mm Razor HDFinish: gray with green rubber

inlaysField of View (@1,000 yds.): 117

ft. (20X), 60 ft. (60X)Eye Relief: 18-20 mmExit Pupil: 4.25-1.42 mmLength: 15.25"Weight: 4 lbs., 1.3 ozs.Features: premium HD glass,

XR lens coatings, removable eyepiece, coarse and fine adjustment dials, integral sunshade, viewing from multiple angles

Accessories: objective lens cover, eyepiece cap, view-through carrying case, owner’s manual

Suggested Retail Price: $2,000

to two-plus miles. Overall, the Razor HD compared favorably, especially considering it costs significantly less. In most lighting conditions, and on identical magnification settings, it offered similar sharpness, clarity, contrast, and brightness; however, in extreme low light—nearing darkness—the competitor provided approximately five to seven minutes of extra viewing time.

Other noteworthy differences included the Razor HD’s 9.2-oz. heavier weight and dual focus adjustment dials. Concerning the former, neither optic—the competitor weighed 3 lbs., 8.1 ozs.—is ideal for backcountry use; however, for range work and most hunting, they would excel. Although performing the same task, the single focus band on the competitor’s model was more intuitive.

The optic was placed in the freezer for six-plus hours and, after returning to room temperature, it exhibited no internal fogging. The scope was then placed in water for 15 minutes, and once again suffered no ill effects. It comes with Vortex’s VIP unconditional lifetime warranty.

With a suggested retail price of $2,000, the Razor HD is a significant expenditure; however, when comparing its features and performance to well-known, European-made spotting scopes, its true value is realized.

The Fifth C?

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Perfection from the laboratory.We named our brilliant cut stonesDiamondAura, because, “they dazzle just like natural diamonds but withoutthe outrageous cost.” We will not boreyou with the incredible details of the

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DiamondAura offers, “Thebest diamond simulation todate, and even some jewelershave mistaken these stones formined diamonds.”

The 4 C’s. OurDiamondAura 3-StoneClassique Ring retains everyjeweler’s specification: color,clarity, cut, and carat weight.The transparent color andclarity of DiamondAura

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Political report

by Chris W. Cox, NRA-ILA Executive Director

One On One With Chuck Canterbury, National President, Fraternal Order Of Police

On Capitol Hill, the battle to protect the Second Amendment can be a lonely one. In the 1980s, anti-gun groups tried to make it even lonelier

by launching a major effort to split rank-and-file law enforcement officers away from the NRA by manufacturing bogus issues such as “plastic guns” and “cop-killer bullets”—both ultimately resolved with NRA-drafted legislation.

NRA and the nation’s largest police group, the Fraternal Order of Police, have worked together on numerous issues, and thanks to the leadership of FOP National President Chuck Canterbury our working relationship is now stronger than ever.

Chuck is a 25-year veteran of law enforcement, including serving as the firearm instructor for his department in Horry County, S.C. He chartered the Local Coastal Carolina FOP lodge in 1984 and rose through the fop ranks to become national president in 2003. Canterbury’s son is following in his footsteps by serving with the Horry County Police Department. They also share a passion for waterfowl hunting in the Myrtle Beach area, where they both live.

O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l American Rifleman | Jun 2011INSIDE NRA

C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S

I was pleased to catch up with Chuck when he visited Washington recently.

Cox: “Chuck, it’s great to visit with you. The NRA has been honored to work directly with you and the fop on issues like the Tiahrt Amendment, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, microstamping and countless others. Our members very much appreciate your support.”

Canterbury: “Chris, it’s not only a pleasure; it’s a duty for us at FOP to support policies that protect our nation’s law enforcement officers—but also protect the rights of law-abiding citizens.”

Cox: “On the Tiahrt Amendment, you showed particular courage. Michael Bloomberg organized his anti-gun mayors to pressure their police chiefs into supporting the release of sensitive firearms trace data. Many big city police chiefs gave in to that. But you spoke up forcefully, explaining that releasing the data would jeopardize investigations and endanger undercover officers. Bloomberg called the FOP a ‘fringe group’ for telling the truth about that.“

Canterbury: “If standing up for officer safety makes the FOP a fringe group, then so be it. The real fringe group is the reckless politicians who interfere with law enforcement. I can’t just stand by while politicians grandstand over our issues without understanding the real-world implications.”

Cox: “You’ve also spent a lot of time reminding members of Congress that FOP members are gun owners who support the Second Amendment. In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee, you said ‘I take a back seat to no one in my reverence for the Second Amendment.’”

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“Chris, it’s not only a pleasure; it’s a duty for us at FOP to support policies that protect our nation’s law enforcement officers—but also protect the rights of law-abiding citizens.”

Political report

Canterbury: “That’s correct. I meant it then and I mean it now. Our members and your members share many of the same beliefs about guns and crime. Many department chiefs are political, and they go with the anti-gun line, especially in the big cities. But our members in the rank and file know the reality on the streets.”

Cox: “That’s exactly what NRA members in law enforcement are always telling me. And that’s why our legislative agendas often come together.”

Canterbury: “Yes. And we also appreciate that the NRA cares about law enforcement concerns. When the media began reporting on massive layoffs of police officers in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the NRA weighed in, reminding the mayor that fewer cops mean more criminals on the streets. The NRA also supported FOP on passing the Law Enforcement Officers’ Safety Act, and your support was critical to its passage.”

Cox: “I know our members appreciate what your members do to keep our communities safe. And I’m proud of the relationship we have on legislative issues.”

Canterbury: “It’s a great relationship, and I hope to maintain it for a long time. This Congress is already debating issues that would have an impact on both our memberships, and I look forward to seeing you on Capitol Hill so we can continue working together.”

NRA OFFICERS Ronald L. Schmeits, PRESIDENT

David A. Keene, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT James W. Porter II, SECOND VICE PRESIDENT

Wayne LaPierre, EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT

Edward J. Land Jr., SECRETARY

Wilson H. Phillips Jr., TREASURER

Kayne Robinson, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, GENERAL OPERATIONS

Christopher W. Cox, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION

IL A Grassroots : (800) 392-8683 • NR A-IL A: (703) 267-1170 • NR A-IL A website: www.nra i la .org


C O M M E N T


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The “Fix Gun Checks Act of 2011” proposes that all private transfers of firearms be subject to national instant criminal background checks, regardless of where they occur.

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On March 2, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.—who in the early 1990s was the House sponsor of the Brady Act and the federal “assault weapons” and

“large” magazine ban, as well as the ill-fated, everything-but-the-kitchen-sink “Brady II” bill—introduced S. 436, the “Fix Gun Checks Act of 2011.” Its simplistic and misleading title aside, this bill dispels any doubt about the goal gun control supporters have had in mind ever since they began harping about “closing the gun show loophole” more than a decade ago.

Schumer Bill Includes Steps Toward Federal Gun Registration … And More

The term “gun show” appears nowhere in Schumer’s bill, which proposes that virtually all private transfers, regardless of location, be subject to National Instant Criminal Background Check System checks. The exceptions would be extremely narrow; even lending someone a firearm for target shooting on private property would be subject to federal regulation.

Near-universal NICS checks for firearm transfers, if coupled with allowing the FBI to retain records on approved firearm-related NICS checks, as proposed by the Brady Campaign, would achieve near-universal federal firearm transfer registration. That would move gun control supporters one step closer to their goal of registering all firearms and firearm owners.

S. 436 is not just about “gun checks,” either. Schumer claims it would also improve the background check system. Most gun owners agree that process can be improved—primarily by improving the accuracy of the records it uses, both to ensure that gun sales to dangerous people are blocked and to ensure that qualified, law-abiding Americans can buy firearms without needless delays or denials.

Yet S. 436 would also greatly increase the number of people who are prohibited from possessing any firearm, with little regard for every American’s right to due process before being stripped of a fundamental civil right.

In one provision so severe that even Brady Center president Paul Helmke says he has “concerns” about it, S. 436 would

redefine the term “unlawful user or addicted to any controlled substance” —a term used to prohibit gun possession or purchase by habitual users of illegal drugs.

Currently, the courts and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives interpret that phrase to include only current or recent drug use. To prove drug use, BATFE regulations require a pattern of convictions or arrests, especially within the most recent 12 months. This reflects what most people understand: that a person can break a pattern of destructive behavior and turn his back on drugs permanently.

S. 436, on the other hand, would allow an “inference” that a person is an unlawful drug user or addict if the person has been convicted or arrested (regardless of outcome) for a drug offense within the past five years; has had a positive drug test within the past five years; or has admitted (to anyone, apparently) using or possessing a controlled substance unlawfully within the past five years.

In practical terms, this means that if a person was arrested four years ago for possessing drugs, but the charges were dropped (maybe because the police made a mistake and the person didn’t possess any drugs at all), S. 436 would still allow an “inference” that the person is an “unlawful user”—requiring agencies to report the arrest record to NICS, and even creating a threat of prosecution. For once, the Brady Center’s Helmke got it right when he commented, “[There is] the whole innocent-until-proven guilty concept coming into play here.”

ILA report: Latest legislative news from inside the NRA Institute for Legislative Action

Lesson From Egypt: “The Right To Bear Arms Is Not A Bad Idea”

Just as the 1992 L.A. riots and Hurricanes Andrew and Katrina proved to many Americans that government cannot be counted on to offer protection in times of crisis, the

tumultuous days of this winter’s Egyptian revolution led throngs of Egyptians to embrace their human right to self-defense and arm themselves—with or without state sanction.

The Daily News Egypt reports that on Jan. 28, after the police withdrew from the streets, Egyptians were left to protect themselves against looters. Residents banded together in neighborhood militias, arming themselves with makeshift weapons and any firearms they could acquire.

With the government still in disarray several weeks after the transfer of power, navigating the already onerous licensing process required to own a firearm in Egypt has become nearly impossible. One Egyptian who has taken to carrying a pistol remarked, “I now carry it without a license because they are not issuing any licenses at the moment but I need to protect myself and my family … [the state is] refusing to give us the means to protect ourselves when they are actually not even protecting us.”

An Egyptian woman, prompted by the unrest to acquire firearm training, shared a similar sentiment, stating, “I refuse to give in to fear … so I’m taking precautionary measures to protect myself.”

IL A Grassroots : (800) 392-8683 • NR A-IL A: (703) 267-1170 • NR A-IL A website: www.nra i la .org


C O M M E N T

G O : N R A N E W S


Remembering A Second Amendment ChampionLeading Pennsylvania gun rights attorney C. Scott Shields died March 27

in a skydiving accident. He was 45.Representing NRA and its members in Philadelphia, Mr. Shields led the efforts

to stop Philadelphia’s attempt to enact illegal gun control legislation. Though well known for his plain-spoken comments, he was well respected on both sides of the gun control debate as he vigorously defended the Second Amendment without making his opponents his enemies.

While we rarely publish obituaries on this page, Scott Shields’ untimely death serves to remind us all that life is fleeting, and that any time spent defending freedom is time well spent.

The dire situation sparked at least one anti-gun to pro-gun conversion, chronicled by Princeton University graduate and Egyptian citizen Ahmed Ozalp in his university’s alumni weekly. Among the lessons Ozalp learned from his front-row seat for the revolution: “The right to bear arms is not a bad idea.”

Ozalp described how the absence of police protection prompted him and

his neighbors to arm themselves with golf clubs, baseball bats and homemade spears, along with a few handguns and rifles. As Ozalp summed it up: “I always have been amused by America’s fascination with the right to bear arms, dismissing it as national zealotry. After living through the necessity of forming a neighborhood militia, I now recognize the protection it affords.”

An Egyptian woman, prompted by the unrest to acquire firearm training, shared a similar sentiment, stating, “I refuse to give in to fear … so I’m taking precautionary measures to protect myself.”

Trigger The Vote Ad With Chuck Norris Wins Award

The 2010 campaign revolved around one central message that only Chuck Norris could pull off—that if you wanted to be tough like Chuck, you had to register to vote.


C O M M E N T



Trigger The Vote Ad With Chuck Norris Wins Award

IN MEMORY NRA-ILA CONTRIBUTIONS (March 1-31, 2011)Bernie Reed, Blanding, UT (from Sylvia Ann Reed); Ray Lewis, Dallas, OR (from Betty Lewis); Jerrell Goldston, Petersburg, TX (from Zelma Goldston); Don Thornton, Hamilton, OH (from Virginia Thornton); Kenneth Feeney, La Salle, IL (from Adeline Feeney); Roswell Simmons, Ancram, NY (from Sharon Simmons); Paul Jones, Escondido, CA (from Marjorie Jones); Albert Tavener, Pontiac, IL (from Mary Ann Tavener); Robert Buchanan, Kent, WA (from Eugene Bremner); Robert Swiek (from Theodore Siwek); Milburn (Bubba) Roco, Dickinson, TX (from J. M. Belew); Robert Biermann, O’Fallon, MO (from Nancy Allen); Jesse Earl Atkins, Aberdeen, WA (from Everett & Robyn Baldwin); Harland (Skip) Foster (from Springwater Rod & Gun Club, Inc.); Donn DiBiasio, Smithfield, RI (from Wincheck Gun Club, Inc.)

NRA-ILA CONTRIBUTIONS (The following contributed $1,000 or more to the NRA Institute for Legislative Action during March 1-31, 2011.)David Bush, Big Prairie, OH; Alexander Istomin, Old Westbury, NY; Lynn Stewart, Mesa, AZ; Judi White, Tucson, AZ; Edward White, Tuscon, AZ; Farris Wilks, Cisco, TX; William Dunn, Stuart, FL; Sara Williams, Southport, CT; Deborah Voyles, Richmond, TX; Elliott Bassichis, Grapevine, TX; Daniel Bright, Palm Coast, FL; Andrei Kukushkin, Pittsburgh, PA; Richard Wall, Houstin, TX; Darrell Aulds, Hilton Head Island, SC; Angela Barrett, Murfreesboro, TN; Robert Sebia, Laflin, PA; Horton Spitzer, Wilson, WY; Thomas Quinn, Windham, NH; Joe Murphy, Park, TX; J. Jerome Moiso, McArthur, CA; Ellett Brothers, LLC, Chapin, SC; Brownells, Inc., Montezuma, IA

Trigger the Vote, the voter registration program funded by NRA’s Freedom Action Foundation, has garnered top honors from the American Association of Political Consultants.

Featuring Chuck Norris as honorary chairman, the program launched its first national voter registration campaign in 2010 and helped to register tens of thousands of new voters before the critical 2010 midterm elections.

The 2010 campaign revolved around one central message that only Chuck Norris could pull off—that if you wanted to be tough like Chuck, you had to register to vote. A comedic web video that centered on this theme was the centerpiece of the 2010 campaign, and it has now won the AAPC’s prestigious “Pollie” award for the Best Public Affairs Campaign for TV and Radio. Visit www.TriggerTheVote.org to view the video, and then you can use the site’s built-in tools to send it to friends, family and fellow shooters—particularly any who aren’t already registered to vote. Share a laugh and do your part to help Trigger the Vote today!

N O R T H C E N T R A L S O U T H E A S TS O U T H C E N T R A LW E S T

2 0 1 2 N R A A N N UA L M E E T I N G SA P R I L 1 2 - 1 5 , S T. LO U I S , M OFor hotel accommodations at the NRA Annual Meetings, visit www.nraam.org

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NevadaOregonUtahWashingtonWyoming

ArkansasColoradoKansasLouisiana

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IllinoisIndianaIowaMichiganMinnesota

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C O M M E N T

S T . L O U I S U P D A T E < C L I C K Y O U R R E G I O N >

American Rifleman | Jun 2011

regional report

N O R T H E A S TS O U T H E A S T

The “NRA Regional Report,” a service for NRA members, appears in every issue of American Rifleman,

American Hunter and America’s 1st Freedom. The Regional Report is an up-to-date listing of NRA

conducted and/or sponsored events scheduled in your region for the current month. Call to verify event dates

and locations before traveling.

MEMBER INFORMATION & BENEFITS

MEMBER SERVICENRAstore.com

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programs & services

NRA InSights Goes All Digital


Our new generation of hunters and shooters is tech savvy and expects to be able to access everything they need to know online.

by Wendy LaFever, Managing Editor, NRA InSights

NRA InSights Goes All Digital

Junior hunters and shooters are carrying on a proud American tradition that goes back hundreds

of years, but they don’t do everything the way their forefathers did. The world has changed since NRA InSights, NRA’s publication for Junior members, was first published 30 years ago. Our new generation of hunters and shooters is tech savvy and expects to be able to access everything they need to know online. So, to best serve NRA’s Junior members, we’re making a change: Beginning with the January 2012 issue, NRA InSights is switching from print to digital format.

Starting with the October 2011 issue, each month our Junior members will receive an e-mail to let them know that the latest issue is online and ready to read—it’s that simple! (We will continue to mail print copies of NRA InSights—in addition to the digital edition—for the October through December 2011 issues.) The digital edition of NRA InSights will offer an intuitive, magazine-like design

that allows the reader to zoom in on photos, follow links to other related stories and websites, and even view short video clips. Readers will find it easier than ever to share article content by forwarding the articles via e-mail.

Do you know a young shooter or hunter who’d like to stay in the loop with the latest how-tos, guns, gear and safety information? To make sure your youngster doesn’t miss a thing, we’ll need a valid e-mail address so we can let him or her know when the latest issue is ready to be enjoyed.

A parent or legal guardian must call (877) NRA-2000, or visit www.nramemberservices.org, to provide this information and fill out a consent form. The consent form is part of your NRA’s commitment to protecting your child’s online privacy in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

If your youngster isn’t already a Junior member, you can enroll him or her today by visiting www.nra.org.

American Rifleman | Jun 2011 O f f i c i a l J o u r n a l INSIDE NRA

C O M M E N T


Blaser Supports Friends Of NRA

Friends of NRA—the community-based program that has raised more than $165 million to support

shooting sports education and activities since its inception in 1992—has been given a tremendous boost this year through a generous donation of 100 new Blaser R93 rifles. The innovative and handsome R93s are being offered through the Blaser Friends of NRA Sponsor level, thereby giving banquet committees across the country the opportunity to offer this premium to sponsors who pledge $5,000 to local Friends’ fundraisers.

“The response has been outstanding,” reported John DaSilva, national manager, NRA Field Operations. “[As this issue went to press] all but 35 of the Blasers have been spoken for. Both individuals and businesses alike took pride in being among the first to become Blaser sponsors, and some then donate the rifles back to be auctioned at the local event.”

The German-made R93 utilizes a straight-pull bolt action and features an interchangeable barrel system that affords instant versatility. The rifle has been lauded for fine craftsmanship,

O ffice of Advancement: 877 NRA- GIVE (672-4483) • Advancement website: www.nragive.com

along with exceptional accuracy and safety features. Wrote Field Editor Bryce Towsley in the November 2010 American Rifleman: “This unique and innovative rifle is a marvel of engineering and design. Is it the perfect modern hunting rifle? Many believe it is.”

Friends sponsors will be getting the R93 Prestige grade-3 Turkish walnut and scroll engraving on the sideplates, and they will have three caliber options: .243 Win., .25-06 Rem. and .300 Win. Mag.

“Blaser is extremely proud of our support for the Friends of NRA,” said Bernhard Knobel, Blaser president and CEO. “There is no other way to safeguard the future of the shooting sports than to get involved. This is the one organization that touches every American, at both the state and federal levels, with the most powerful tool there is—education.”

For further details on tax-deductible Friends of NRA sponsor opportunities, visit www.friendsofnra.org.

“This unique and innovative rifle is a marvel of engineering and design. Is it the perfect modern hunting rifle? Many believe it is.”

Blaser R93 Rifle


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Read I Have This Old GunNEXT PAGE

n 1861, the year the patent for theBallard rimfire rifles was granted,America was beginning a Civil War

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A lthough today’s shooters associate the Ballard name with Marlin rifling, the Marlin-Ballard link actually began on Nov. 5, 1861,

when a patent for a single-shot, breechloading rimfire rifle was granted to a Massachusetts machinist named Charles Henry Ballard. His falling-block action contained only five moving parts. A curved finger lever opened the action, ejected the shell and brought the hammer to half-cock when the action was closed.

Initially Ballard’s .32-, .38-, .44-, and .54-cal. rimfire rifles were produced by his employer, Ball & Williams of Worcester, Mass. The cast-iron breechblocks were blued, with casehardened extractors and hammers. The first Ballard advertisement appeared in Leslie’s Weekly on March 29, 1862. With the Civil War raging, by 1864 almost 16,000 Ballard rifles and carbines had been sold to Union soldiers and civilians alike. But with the end of the Great Rebellion and the emergence of repeating rifles, Ballard sales suffered. Manufacturing moved to Merrimack Arms Co. of Newburyport, Mass., and then to Brown Mfg. Co., also of Newburyport. Finally,

Photos by author

Gun: Ballard No. 1½ Hunter’s RifleSerial No. : 13XXXCaliber: .45-70 Gov’tCondition: 60 percent (NRA Very Good - Antique Firearm Condition)Manufactured: between 1875 and 1881; exact year unknown Value: $2,500

Ballard No. 1½ Hunter’s Rifle



I HAVE THIS OLD GUN …

pistol maker John Mahlon Marlin agreed to manufacture the Ballard, which enabled him to enter the lucrative rifle market.

“The New Ballard” premiered in 1875. It featured an improved action, and, although rimfire and rimfire-center-fire chamberings remained, center-fire cartridges were the focus. In addition, the rifles boasted “Ballard Rifling”: deeply cut lands and grooves for increased accuracy. The revitalized Ballard soared in popularity among hunters and competitive shooters.

Models included Gallery, Mid-Range, and Union Hill rifles with Winchester-style finger levers, and the Pacific Rifle, with its single finger-loop lever. Options included nickel plating, engraving, wiping rods, set triggers and sights. More than 20 different rifle styles were produced until 1891, when the last Ballard was shipped.

This No. 1½ Hunter’s Rifle sports a 30"

round barrel and is chambered in .45-70 Gov’t (a 32" barrel and .40-65 and .40-63 Ballard calibers were also offered for this model). The original “Rocky Mountain” rear sight has been replaced with an early peep. No. 1½ Hunter’s Models were not factory-equipped with tang sights. The receiver exhibits non-factory period engraving and is devoid of finish, although edges and stampings are sharp.

Ballard serial number records are incomplete, but the “J. M. Marlin” stamping indicates manufacture between 1875 and 1881; after that, receivers were stamped “Marlin Fire Arms Co.” A chip in the stock heel has been repaired, and the rebrowned barrel exhibits sharp rifling. Overall condition, plus a desirable caliber, makes this 60 percent rifle, which originally sold for $22.50, easily worth $2,500.

—Rick Hacker

Gun: Ballard No. 1½ Hunter’s RifleSerial No. : 13XXXCaliber: .45-70 Gov’tCondition: 60 percent (NRA Very Good - Antique Firearm Condition)Manufactured: between 1875 and 1881; exact year unknown Value: $2,500

Ballard No. 1½ Hunter’s Rifle

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the blood at the same levels HGH existed in the blood when we were 25 years old.

There is a receptor site in almost every cell in the human body for HGH, so its regenerative and healing effects are very comprehensive.

Growth Hormone first synthesized in 1985 under the Reagan Orphan drug act, to treat dwarfism, was quickly recognized to stop aging in its tracks and reverse it to a remark-able degree. Since then, only the lucky and the rich have had access to it at the cost of $10,000 US per year.

The next big breakthrough was to come in 1997 when a group of doctors and scientists, developed an all-natural source product which would cause your own natural HGH to be released again and do all the remarkable things it did for you in your 20’s. Now available to every adult for about the price of a coffee and donut a day.

GHR now available in America, just in time for the aging Baby Boomers and everyone else from age 30 to 90 who doesn’t want to age rapidly but would rather stay young, beautiful and healthy all of the time.

The new HGH releasers are winning converts from the synthetic HGH users as well, since GHR is just as effective, is oral instead of self-injectable and is very affordable.

GHR is a natural releaser, has no known side effects, unlike the synthetic version and has no known drug interactions. Progressive doctors admit that this is the direction medicine is seeking to go, to get the body to heal itself instead of employing drugs. GHR is truly a revolutionary paradigm shift in medicine and, like any modern leap frog advance, many others will be left in the dust holding their limited, or useless drugs and remedies.

It is now thought that HGH is so comprehen-sive in its healing and regenerative powers that it is today, where the computer industry was twenty years ago, that it will displace so many prescription and non-prescription drugs and health remedies that it is staggering to think of.

The president of BIE Health Products stated in a recent interview, I’ve been waiting for these products since the 70’s. We knew they would come, if only we could stay healthy and live long enough to see them! If you want to stay on top of your game, physically and mentally as you age, this product is a boon, especially for the highly skilled professionals who have made large investments in their education, and experience. Also with the failure of Congress to honor our seniors with pharmaceutical coverage policy, it’s more important than ever to take pro-active steps to safeguard your health. Continued use of GHR will make a radical difference in your health, HGH is particularly helpful to the elderly who, given a choice, would rather stay independent in their own home, strong, healthy and alert enough to manage their own affairs, exercise and stay involved in their communities. Frank, age 85, walks two miles a day, plays golf, belongs to a dance club for seniors, had a girl friend again and doesn’t need Viagara, passed his drivers test and is hardly ever home when we call - GHR delivers.

HGH is known to relieve symptoms of Asthma, Angina, Chronic Fatigue, Constipation, Lower back pain and Sciatica, Cataracts and Macular Degeneration, Menopause, Fibromyalgia, Regular and Diabetic Neuropathy, Hepatitis, helps Kidney Dialysis and Heart and Stroke recovery.

For more information or to order call 877-849-4777

www.biehealth.us©copyright 2000

Grow Young with HGHGrow Young with HGHChoose LifeChoose Life

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New! DoctorRecommended The Reverse Aging Miracle

1-877-849-4777

• Improved sleep & emotional stability• Increased energy & exercise endurance• Loss of body fat • Increased bone density• Improved memory & mental alertness• Increased muscle strength & size• Reverse baldness & color restored• Regenerates Immune System

• Strengthened heart muscle• Controlled cholesterol• Normalizes blood pressure• Controlled mood swings• Wrinkle disappearance• Reverse many degenerative disease symptoms• Heightened five senses awareness• Increased skin thickness & texture

From the landmark book Grow Young with HGH comes the most powerful, over-the-counter health supplement in the history of man. Human growth hormone was first discovered in 1920 and has long been thought by the medical community to be necessary only to stimulate the body to full adult size and therefore unnecessary past the age of 20. Recent studies, however, have overturned this notion completely, discovering instead that the natural decline of Human Growth Hormone (HGH), from ages 21 to 61 (the average age at which there is only a trace left in the body) and is the main reason why the the body ages and fails to regenerate itself to its 25 year-old biological age.

Like a picked flower cut from the source, we gradually wilt physically and mentally and become vulnerable to a host of degenerative diseases, that we simply weren’t susceptible to in our early adult years.

Modern medical science now regards aging as a disease that is treatable and prevent-able and that “aging”, the disease, is actually acompilation of various diseases and pathologies, from everything, like a rise in blood glucose and pressure to diabetes, skin wrinkling and so on. All of these aging symptoms can be stopped and rolled back by maintaining Growth Hormone levels in

the blood at the same levels HGH existed in the blood when we were 25 years old.

There is a receptor site in almost every cell in the human body for HGH, so its regenerative and healing effects are very comprehensive.

Growth Hormone first synthesized in 1985 under the Reagan Orphan drug act, to treat dwarfism, was quickly recognized to stop aging in its tracks and reverse it to a remark-able degree. Since then, only the lucky and the rich have had access to it at the cost of $10,000 US per year.

The next big breakthrough was to come in 1997 when a group of doctors and scientists, developed an all-natural source product which would cause your own natural HGH to be released again and do all the remarkable things it did for you in your 20’s. Now available to every adult for about the price of a coffee and donut a day.

GHR now available in America, just in time for the aging Baby Boomers and everyone else from age 30 to 90 who doesn’t want to age rapidly but would rather stay young, beautiful and healthy all of the time.

The new HGH releasers are winning converts from the synthetic HGH users as well, since GHR is just as effective, is oral instead of self-injectable and is very affordable.

GHR is a natural releaser, has no known side effects, unlike the synthetic version and has no known drug interactions. Progressive doctors admit that this is the direction medicine is seeking to go, to get the body to heal itself instead of employing drugs. GHR is truly a revolutionary paradigm shift in medicine and, like any modern leap frog advance, many others will be left in the dust holding their limited, or useless drugs and remedies.

It is now thought that HGH is so comprehen-sive in its healing and regenerative powers that it is today, where the computer industry was twenty years ago, that it will displace so many prescription and non-prescription drugs and health remedies that it is staggering to think of.

The president of BIE Health Products stated in a recent interview, I’ve been waiting for these products since the 70’s. We knew they would come, if only we could stay healthy and live long enough to see them! If you want to stay on top of your game, physically and mentally as you age, this product is a boon, especially for the highly skilled professionals who have made large investments in their education, and experience. Also with the failure of Congress to honor our seniors with pharmaceutical coverage policy, it’s more important than ever to take pro-active steps to safeguard your health. Continued use of GHR will make a radical difference in your health, HGH is particularly helpful to the elderly who, given a choice, would rather stay independent in their own home, strong, healthy and alert enough to manage their own affairs, exercise and stay involved in their communities. Frank, age 85, walks two miles a day, plays golf, belongs to a dance club for seniors, had a girl friend again and doesn’t need Viagara, passed his drivers test and is hardly ever home when we call - GHR delivers.

HGH is known to relieve symptoms of Asthma, Angina, Chronic Fatigue, Constipation, Lower back pain and Sciatica, Cataracts and Macular Degeneration, Menopause, Fibromyalgia, Regular and Diabetic Neuropathy, Hepatitis, helps Kidney Dialysis and Heart and Stroke recovery.

For more information or to order call 877-849-4777

www.biehealth.us©copyright 2000

Grow Young with HGHGrow Young with HGHChoose LifeChoose Life

This program will make a radical difference in your health, appearance and outlook. In fact we are so confident of the

difference GHR can make in your life we offer a 100% refund on unopened containers.

BIE Health Products3840 East Robinson Road

Box 139Amherst, NY14228

All NaturalFormula

RELEASE YOUR OWN GROWTH HORMONE AND ENJOY:

DIV 2037839 ON

www.biehealth.us

ADVERTISEMENT

GHRfo tcudorP A htlaeH labolG stcudorP

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA.

Vault Verification:

UAMRFRG0611EXPIRES 06/15/11

Est. 1994

Dealer of theThe Official Rare Coin & Bullion

online

View our FREE weekly2010 NLG Award-Winning

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DON’T MISS YOUR SHOT!To add the digital edition of American Rifleman or one of our other digital publications to your subscriptions from NRA, call NRA Member Services at (877) NRA-2000 or go to NRAMemberServices.org.

American Rifleman June 2011

Coming in the July issue of American Rifleman:

The Shame Of Project Gunrunner

Self-Defense Pistol 101

Opening Shots: The Guns Of Manassas, 1861

They Led The Way: The .250-3000 & .300 Savage Cartridges

A Centennial Celebration

Documents

Transcript of A Centennial Celebration