American Handgunner back issues from January 2006:
Dave snores?(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... "Finally, some honesty in the gun-press! The picture of Dave Douglas ("Who Uses What") snoring at his desk made me laugh out loud and I realized you guys were for real, ...
Gun'riter guns.(SPEAK OUT: YOUR FORUM TO PONTIFICATE, PONDER AND PROBE)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... The article, ("Who Uses What" Nov/Dec 2005), is the most insightful article you've run in a long time. After reading all those product reviews, gun evaluations and tips, it's especially refreshing to see what you actually do for yourselves. I was pleased to see many of you use the guns you ...
Do a good deed.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... You may have already heard about the plight of Lane Pearce, of Pearce Grips, but this will bring most of you up to date. Lane was diagnosed with acute leukemia on August 3, 2005 and he began intense treatment immediately. His spirits are high but like anyone in his position, he could ...
American COP tops.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... I received the premier issue of American COP magazine yesterday and all I can say is WOW! Ernest Emerson's article, "Anatomy of a Knife Assault" is probably the best written and researched article on knife attacks I have read. Much to my wife's dismay, I was up most of the night reading ...
Words o' wizdem.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... The boys dressed as Pooh and Tigger with the AR's on page 129 (Insider, Nov/Dec) made me laugh so hard I nearly wet myself. And, if Conner's wife (Guncrank Diaries) looks anything like the drawing of her and he doesn't want her anymore, well you get the idea. Most of all I'd ...
Teachers shun red.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Typical of the conservative mindset, your editorial about teachers choosing not to use red ink to correct student's papers (Insider, Nov/Dec 2005) misses the point entirely. A teacher's job is to encourage, build and amplify a young student's self-image. If they falter, have trouble or ...
Keep Connor in Africa.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... I would like to pledge $100 to "The Fund To Keep Conner In Africa" or wherever he is. And you can pay Memsaab to continue writing Guncrank Daries. Please send my thank you to Helena for a very entertaining dialog. Gary Morris Via e-mail Hellfire and ...
Baby Mikayla Welsh.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... We just received the Nov/Dec issue of American Handgunner and want to thank you for being gracious enough to print our granddaughter's picture in Speak Out. It's been a hit in ...
Magnificent mag release.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Recently, Dave Anderson wrote about a right side magazine release made by Mitchell Custom (Winning Edge, March/April 2005). This was the first I had ever heard of a right side mag release and my first thoughts were, "This is a great idea." I'm shooting a single stack open gun in local ...
Liar, liar.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... I thought Roy Huntington was an honest writer. That was until his article about Dwight VanBrunt's daughter Keni (Insider, Nov/Dec 2005). Although she may be a great shot, and as a Kimber owner myself I agree on the gun's ability, but 1 do question the honesty of her killing a 57" Kudu, ...
Tiny big guns.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Sure the SEMMERLING was an odd and interesting rarity, but does it really deserve all the pissing and moaning over its demise? What about the AMT Backup in .45 ACP? Another tiny pocket pistol, in a serious caliber, stainless, DAO, six-shot capacity, and sadly now unavailable. I was smart ...
Maxpedition hard use gear.(HANDGUN LEATHER: FROM CLASSICS TO CUTTING-EDGE IN CARRY METHODS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Carrying a gun everyday can be a pain in the r especially in combination with a couple extra magazines, a good folding knife, a decent flashlight, your wallet, car keys with requisite remote control, a PDA, small camera, pictures of your kids, GPS, a rabbit's foot, your Saint Christopher ...
It's not a purse.(HANDGUN LEATHER: FROM CLASSICS TO CUTTING-EDGE IN CARRY METHODS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Maxpedition's FatBoy, FatBoy S-Type and the new Jumbo FatBoy Versipacks come to the rescue. The Fatboy Versipack family is a more than durable, ergonomic shoulder sling pack--not a purse. The standard FatBoy is a gear organizer providing secure containment and rapid ...
Fat boys galore.(HANDGUN LEATHER: FROM CLASSICS TO CUTTING-EDGE IN CARRY METHODS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Maxpedition is one of those rare companies that actually listen to its customers. When the left-handed among us chimed in requesting something built for them, the company came up with the S-Type FatBoy. The standard right-handers and the S-Type is a mirror image for the lefties. Keeping ...
The gray ghost of Africa.(HANDGUN HUNTING: TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND POLITICAL-INCORRECTNESS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... If you've read much about African hunting you've seen that title many times. The term "majestic" and "elk of Africa" is also used to describe the Kudu. This terminology is about worn out but is still appropriate to the Kudu. Actually there are several different Kudu. The greater, the ...
Opportunity knocks.(HANDGUN HUNTING: TIPS, TECHNIQUES AND POLITICAL-INCORRECTNESS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... When my opportunity for a great Kudu bull came it was in a quite dark area near the river, populated with huge gray-trunked heavily-leafed trees interspersed with bright sunlight creating a situation of amazing contrast. Suddenly my huge Gray Ghost appeared, broadside, at 80 yards. No ...
How much is too much?(COP TALK: OPINION AND FACTS FROM THE MEAN STREETS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... The round count goes with the times and the assignment. Does a small town cop need less than a big city cop? Not when you consider his backup is farther away and he's likely to have to fight on his own longer ....
What was then.(COP TALK: OPINION AND FACTS FROM THE MEAN STREETS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... For most of the 20th Century, American police wore a six-shot revolver on their uniform belts, with 12 spare cartridges in dump pouches or loop carriers. As time wore on, two speedloaders became the norm. Some went with less. I can remember Arizona Highway Patrol troopers carrying S&W ...
What is now.(COP TALK: OPINION AND FACTS FROM THE MEAN STREETS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... The .40 S&W Glock 22 pistol is currently the single most popular issue duty gun in American law enforcement. With two full 15-round magazines on the belt, one more in the gun, and a 16th cartridge in the firing chamber, the lawman so equipped has 46 rounds at his disposal. The ...
Trigger stops.(PISTOLSMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
Jan 01, 2006; ... If you could do just one thing to improve the action and feel of any S/A and D/A revolver, semiauto or rifle what do you think you would do? Everybody will have their own answer like better sights, nonslip grip, high-rise beavertail, match barrel and on and on. As for me and my miniscule ...
Over-travel = bad.(PISTOLSMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
Jan 01, 2006; ... If your $3,000 hog leg moves while the bullet is still in lie bore, you have just shot a flyer. One way to keep your Roscoe :steady while the bullet is making its millisecond journey down the spiral tube is to have a trigger stop installed to stop the trigger from coming back after it has ...
Adjusting the flow.(PISTOLSMITHING: THE INSIDE SCOOP ON PISTOLSMITHING TECHNIQUES)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Adjusting the stop is the same with any pistol or revolver and involves either turning the screw in or out or filing the welded stop until the hammer will fall and there is enough room for the hammer to cock without interference. On a 1911 you turn the screw in until the trigger will no ...
IMR trail boss.(HANDLOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
Jan 01, 2006; ... A new powder from IMR is taking the cowboy world by storm. It's an incredibly bulky double-base extruded powder with just a small-amount of nitroglycerin and lots of space between those tiny little molecules. It's intended for cast bullets only, but can be used in everything from .32 S&W ...
Big and bulky.(HANDLOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Trail Boss really does look very different from the powders we're used to. It's a greenish-gray color more closely resembling nitrocellulose. Grains are about 0.095" in diameter with a small hole in the middle. With a powder this bulky it's reasonable to wonder about how it will work in ...
Un-monster magnums.(HANDLOADING: SAGE ADVICE FROM THE HANDLOADING GURU)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Recently, I got an e-mail from a friend at IMR/Hodgdon with some data they had worked up for the .500 S&W monster-magnum. The problem with the .500 has never been making it go fast, it has been toning it down. That tidbit prompted me to try to do the same with the .460 S&W and as a result ...
100 rounds.(REALITY CHECK[TM]: FIRST-PERSON THOUGHTS ON SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD)
Jan 01, 2006; ... The number 100 seems to have a nice ring to it. like 100 bucks in your pocket, 100 points on the score board 100 mph on the radar screen, and you can fill in your own favorites. I have another idea to put that 100 to. "What drills should I practice when l go home," is a question ...
The drill.(REALITY CHECK[TM]: FIRST-PERSON THOUGHTS ON SURVIVING IN THE REAL WORLD)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Targets I would be absolutely elated if my students could hit a standard white paper plate to 15 yards on all exercises. If you get better than that make the plate smaller--or move farther away. Timers I'm not opposed to timers, I've just never seen one in ...
THE (unwritten] range rules.(GUNCRANK DIARIES: EXCUSES, ALIBIS, PITHY OBSERVATIONS & GENERAL EPHUS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... "Dangull-ektrix!" the RangeMonster bellowed, squinting at a twisty-wisp of black smoke curling upward from the rocker switch on his plywood control console. "Loo-KEY! Yahl FAHR-opp attair gice jinni naow, hyahr?" Others less dialectically gifted than I may not have understood ...
QPR's switch-gun sixgun.(TAFFIN TESTS: THE SIXGUNNER HIMSELF, GUNS, GEAR AND MORE)
Jan 01, 2006; ... In the heyday of television westerns in the late 1950s, the most successful programs had a gimmick; it may have been the location, the character, or the firearms used. Johnny Ringo (Don Durant) carried a nine-shot LeMat in a spring clip holster from which he could always outdraw the bad ...
Try, try again.(TAFFIN TESTS: THE SIXGUNNER HIMSELF, GUNS, GEAR AND MORE)
Jan 01, 2006; ... I vaguely remember another outfit, Centaur Systems in Northern Idaho I believe, at least planned to offer interchangeable barrels and cylinders on a Ruger New Model Blackhawk, however I don't think they ever got very far. What they could not do Milt Morrison of Qualite Pistol and Revolver ...
Success achieved.(TAFFIN TESTS)
Jan 01, 2006; ... The latest from Milt is something he has been working on for several years and is now ready to market. He calls it "The Chameleon," a name his wife picked out and one he doesn't particularly like, so we will see who wins the contest. At least for now, The Chameleon is built on a customer's ...
Julie Goloski on: better practice skills.(BETTER SHOOTING)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Julie Goloski won her first women's sectional title in 1991 at age 14. In 1994 her talent was recognized by the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU). After army recruitment and basic training she spent eight years with the AMU. Currently she's a member of Team Glock. Listing all ...
Be honest.(BETTER SHOOTING)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Most shooters follow an approach to matches about like this: Before the match even begins, they make excuses to anyone who will listen. "I've been too busy at work to practice. I'm trying a new (gun, holster, shooting stance, brand of shorts), oh yeah, I forgot my lucky cap too." ...
Practice smart.(BETTER SHOOTING)
Jan 01, 2006; ... A complaint (sometimes an excuse) heard from many shooters is: "If I only had time to practice more." Actually it may be a case of practicing smarter. Some of the superstars don't have all that much practice time either, but every session has a defined, measurable goal. ...
Log it.(BETTER SHOOTING)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Are you a better shooter today than you were six months ago, or a year ago? How much better, and how do you know? According to Julie, the only way to know is to write it down. "Track your progress with a log. Record times for specific drills to see how you improve. Make notes of ...
The U.S. Cavalry's other handguns.(SHOOTING IRON[TM]: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
Jan 01, 2006; ... My feature for this issue is on the Colt SAA revolver as used by the U.S. Cavalry and my life-long search for the same. However, that model only served officially between 1873 and 1892, which begs the question of what other handguns served American horse soldiers before and after those ...
1911 horse soldiers.(SHOOTING IRON[TM]: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
Jan 01, 2006; ... In 1909 the army decided to return to a .45 caliber revolver, knowing full well it was a stopgap measure because they already were set on soon adopting an autoloader. The Model 1909 was simply the Colt New Service revolver chambered for .45 Colt again. However, to make sure extraction was ...
Tough Moros.(SHOOTING IRON[TM]: THUMB BUSTIN' MUSINGS FROM THE DUKE)
Jan 01, 2006; ... It's a little known fact the U.S. Cavalry also toyed with a single shot, cartridge-firing handgun in the early 1870s. This was the .50 caliber Remington Model 1871 using their rolling block form of action. It seems extremely odd the army issued such a handgun when revolvers had been common ...
The legacy lives on Gary Reeder's Keith No. 5.(THE SIXGUNNER)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Let's go back in time. "Even in 1928 when Harold Croft of Philadelphia visited me for a month at my little ranch in Durkee, Oregon, he told me frankly, when I met him at the station, that everyone he knew in the revolver clubs in the East had asked him to find out if the long-range sixgun ...
CZ & competition.(WINNING EDGE: SOLID ADVICE TO KEEP YOU AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Angus Hobdell is a Brit by birth. He earned IPSC Grand Master status in his native land. Britain's confiscatory gun laws caused him to immigrate to the United States. Hobdell has won the STI/American Handgunner World Shootoff Championship three times in Open division. A fine ...
Minor majors.(WINNING EDGE: SOLID ADVICE TO KEEP YOU AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION)
Jan 01, 2006; ... In the late 1980s IPSC shooters were experimenting with optics and high-capacity designs. The IPSC major power factor (175 at the time) couldn't be reached with 9mm loads except at high pressures, and the .38 Super cartridge was on the long side for CZ-75 magazines. By chambering to 9x21 ...
Ghosting along.(WINNING EDGE: SOLID ADVICE TO KEEP YOU AHEAD OF THE COMPETITION)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Angus uses the most recent version of the popular Ghost holster. Earlier versions used a pin to retain the pistol, requiting a small hole to be drilled in the front of the triggerguard. The current Ghost ...
For want of a cavalry Colt: one man's quest for a dream-gun.
Jan 01, 2006; ... For some unfathomable reason I've always had a deep interest in the history of the United States horse soldier, especially from the Indian Wars era of 1866 to 1890. In 1968 there were a few weeks between the end of my summer job and the beginning of my second year in college. While most of ...
Louder than words 2: the LTW gang continues to give--and you can win one of these guns!
Jan 01, 2006; ... With the advent of the Internet many things in life have changed, some for better some for worse. One of the things that has been a benefit to shooters is the appearance of Internet discussion forums. Nowadays you're just a "mouse click" away from any number of discussion forums to ...
New kids on the block: a solid, reliable duo from Nighthawk Custom.
Jan 01, 2006; ... There's a new name in the custom 1911 business. It's Nighthawk Custom located in Berryville, Arkansas. You may recognize the town as the home of another well-known company and many of the employees at Nighthwak got their start there. This is hardly precedent setting, for many good ...
Ed Brown: executive target: a classic design lives up to its reputation.(Cover Story)
Jan 01, 2006; ... To many people, the review of a handgun may seem like a fun game, a chance to play a bit, shoot a handsome, sometimes pricey toy, then pontificate about it and inflate your own ego some in the process. And in many cases, unfortunately, they'd be right. But at Handgunner, we think about it ...
STI's tactical and duty one autos: competition's demands equals tough defensive pistols!
Jan 01, 2006; ... The seemingly insatiable demand for 1911 autopistols is amazing. When I began reading gun magazines around 1960, the GI .45 automatic was already half-a-century old and considered obsolescent by many experts. Future handgun designs would be double-action automatics on the pattern of the ...
Timers and scales and more, oh my! PACT's impact on us.
Jan 01, 2006; ... PACT is an acronym for Practical Applied Computer Technology. It's a Texas company that makes timers, chronographs and electronic scales that enrich the lives of guys like us. But most of all PACT is Ronin Colman, 45, a guy with little formal education but with a Ph.D. in knowing what we ...
Sizzlin' siblings! Heckler & Koch adds knives to their stellar weapons family.
Jan 01, 2006; ... Many gun manufacturers have offered knives alongside their firearms far over the years and some, like those made by Remington, are highly prized and collectible today. It just makes good sense for a gunmaker to offer knives to complement their shooting arms because a knife is the ideal ...
Michigan hunt sparks blind hunter program: Crimson Trace makes it happen for a happy hunter!
Jan 01, 2006; ... When I think of things that complement each other there are many things that stick out in my mind: milk and cookies, chocolate and peanut butter, Bill Clinton and Monica. I'll stop there; but you get the point. There are also things that when you first think of them, they don't go together ...
Goodies for your grunt overseas.(The GUNNER'S GIFT GUIDE)
Jan 01, 2006; ... It's mid-July, and I'm sweatin' like a chestnut-stuffed, giblet-jammed, butter-basted, oven-roasted tom turkey. A gangster thunderstorm of apocalyptic dimensions just pulled a roll-by lightning barrage, frying two circuits and smoking my wheezing air conditioner. Maybe it was a mercy ...
Scattershot scoop for sending stuff to the sandbox.(The GUNNER'S GIFT GUIDE)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Marine Major Howard Hall is our number-one American Handgunner in Fallujah. He's embedded in an Iraq Security Forces brigade, so his info on hipping isn't accurate for all units, but it iS: US Postal Service Priority Mail seems to be the fastest and most certain. running around 10 days ...
Beyond the shooting itself: the Robert Tessitore incident.(The Ayoob Files)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Situation: A justifiable homicide goes downhill when a panicked citizen flees the scene and disposes of the pistol. Lesson: Don't leave the scene, never dispose of evidence, make sure you have a permit, and it's not enough to just get training ... you have to follow the ...
Ayoob files.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Thank you for running a realistic account of military and law enforcement experience following shootings. Professionals do not respond like actors who kill ...
Snyder's honesty.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... I would once again like to thank Handgunner for running Jeff Snyder's columns because he tells us what we don't want to hear. Randy M. Paso Robles, Calif. Jeff Snyder's series on gun rights relative to civil disobedience or, as he puts it more precisely, ...
More American COP.(SPEAK OUT)(Letter to the Editor)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Great job! I got my premier issue today and finished it in one sitting. I don't know what you're paying John Morrison, but give him a raise. His "Why we carry on" article was right on the money--and that's it: it's not about the money. I also commend his article, "Never apologize for being ...
CZ 75 Tactical Sports pistol.(SPOTLIGHT)
Jan 01, 2006 ... CZ-USA CZ-USA is pleased to announce the new CZ 75 Tactical Sports in 9ram Luger and .40 S&W. It's a competition-ready pistol designed for IPSC standard division (USPSA limited division). The weight and balance is optimized for the rapid, accurate style of shooting necessary for ...
Light speed rail system.(SPOTLIGHT)
Jan 01, 2006 ... Dawson Precision Dawson Precision has introduced o new slim design, low profile light speed rail system. At only .500" wide, the system fits most holsters without the light installed. The system is now in use by U.S. Special Forces. You can retro fit a 1911, Baretta, Sig 220 or ...
Master Knifemakers Video Vol. 1.(SPOTLIGHT)
Jan 01, 2006 ... Master Knifemakers Collection Master Knifemakers Video Collection is very proud to present the first in a long series of knifemaker profile I videos that showcase internationally renowned knifemakers. Each profile gives the viewer u "never before seen" look at their ...
GL-940 Magazine Speed Loader.(SPOTLIGHT)
Jan 01, 2006 ... HKS Products Inc. The HKS Products GL-940 Magazine Speed Loader is now capable of loading the Glock 9ram and the .40 sub-compact magazines. HKS has ten ...
Gearslinger.(SPOTLIGHT)
Jan 01, 2006 ... Maxpedition Hard Use Gear The Muxpedition GearSlinger series is a premium line of single shoulder packs that bridge the gap between the classic double shoulder backpack and the innovative Versipacks. The single shoulder design allows faster on and off, particularly over LBV and ...
Concealed Carry Coat.(SPOTLIGHT)
Jan 01, 2006 ... SigTac Tactical Wear SigTac, the Sigarms Tactical Apparel Company, uncovers their Black Concealed Carry Coat. With the help of low enforcement, military officers, and Special Ops, SigTac has tailored this garment to offer high performance and meet ...
Digital compass binoculars.(SPOTLIGHT)
Jan 01, 2006 ... Carson Optical Carson Optical has taken that important extra step and added a built-in digital compass to their Trail-Finder 10x25mm compact binocular. This is a perfect companion for backpackers, hikers or hunters. This lightweight model weighs in at just 12 ...
Liger tactical belt.(SPOTLIGHT)
Jan 01, 2006 ... Liger Products Liger's best-selling tactical belt is now available in a dark chocolate brown version made from Ligerthane material. Customers can order the brown variant with either the standard Liger silver buckle or the Nightfall edition with black buckle and black rivets ....
Ed Brown 1911 "perfection" trigger parts.(GUNNYSACK)
Jan 01, 2006; ... Even though factory trigger pulls on 1911 pistols are generally now than ever before, it's still something of a crap shoot whether or not you get one you can live with or whether it needs some help. We can't teach everyone how to do great trigger jobs but if you can detail strip the pistol ...