Clik here to view.
Playin’ Favorites: 9mm
9MM Semi-Auto Pistols. In the 1950s, when I first really became interested in handguns, it did not take me long to notice a reoccurring theme of “9mm vs. .45 ACP.” The debate never seemed to end but my...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A Tale of Two .45s
The Internet is a most interesting place. If we know where to look we can find reliable information. However it’s definitely the place where the buyer should be extremely aware. The Internet is also...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A True Sixgunner’s Dream
Classic Carved Grips Found! There was a time in my life — in the first half of the 1960’s — I mostly lived on dreams. When I wasn’t working, sleeping or attending classes, I often dreamed of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Culina Custom Grips
Affordable Quality When my kids were preschool age and even several years later, money was really tight. Twice a year, I managed to squeeze out enough money at both Easter and Christmas to buy my two...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Classic Snub Guns
Twenty years ago it was very difficult in many areas to get a concealed weapon permit. Thanks to the hard work of many individuals and organizations I believe every state now has legislation in place...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Custom .22’s
21st Century No matter how large or small one’s gun collection — actually … “accumulation” — there are two, possibly three, absolutely basic firearms. Many years ago Skeeter Skelton did a Dobe Grant...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Downsizing The .45ACP Part 1
after WWII the US military decided it was time to come up with a smaller, lighter 1911, and also one chambered in 9mm to match our NATO allies. Colt went to work on the Government Model shortening the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Downsizing The .45 ACP Part 2
The Star PD. Colt’s Commander is basically the same size as the Colt 1911 Government Model except for the barrel and slide being 3/4″ shorter. The first real attempt to actually downsize the 1911 .45...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The First Perfect Packin’ Pistol
Too many decades ago, I coined the phrase “Perfect Packin’ Pistol”. Over the years many dedicated sixgunners have taken up this phrase, often shortened to PPP, to indicate what may be the most useful...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wilson’s 92G – And Ultra Light Carry 1911
Brigadier Tactical. In 1985 many shooters were shocked, apoplectic and dismayed or worse, to see the United States military put the beloved and almost mythical .45 ACP 1911 out to pasture, replacing it...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Two New Rugers For The Trail
I’ve been shooting Ruger .22’s and .357 Magnums since 1956-1957. Ruger first started producing .22 pistols in 1949 with the Standard Model Red Eagle semi-automatic. This little pistol was destined to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Fixed-Sight Fixes
Why can’t they just sight these guns in at the factory?” is a refrain I hear often. Let’s say, someone has saved up the money to buy a traditional fixed-sighted single action sixgun. It could be a...
View ArticleClik here to view.
New 1911’s From Iver Johnson
Eagles In 9mm and .45 ACP The Iver Johnson Eagle 1911 in our test is chambered in 9mm. Why the recent move toward 9mm 1911’s? Easy, they’re fun to shoot, offer little recoil, are accurate and ammo is...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ruger “Convertible” Redhawk .45 Colt/.45 ACP
By John Taffin First, some history. In 1992 I was on assignment touring gun factories in the North East, and as such I found myself in Bill Ruger’s office to conduct an interview for GUNS magazine....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Ruger’s Big-Bore Bisleys
Ruger brought out their first Bisley Models in the mid-1980’s chambered in .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 Colt. All of these had 6-shot cylinders. Custom gunsmith John Linebaugh converted...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Springfield Armory Range Officers
Comforting — And Comfortable! By John Taffin Springfield Armory is one of the top producers of semi-automatics on the 1911 pattern, and the arrival of the Range Officer was greeted enthusiastically....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cimarron’s .45 Colt Sixguns
By John Taffin Those of us who have a little, or a lot, of gray in our beards well remember the poor quality of both Spaghetti Westerns and Italian replica sixguns of 50 years ago. It took two men,...
View ArticleClik here to view.
SIG Sauer Ammo
Lots Of Calibers — Plenty Of Accuracy! By John Taffin I first encountered the name “SIG” in Jeff Cooper’s first book, Fighting Handguns way back in 1958. Cooper was really just getting started and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hearing Protection Hints
By John Taffin I live in a mostly silent world. The man who said silence is golden was right, most of the time. Silence is very pleasant when sitting in a deer stand or at the edge of the woods in the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A New Trio From Ruger
By John Taffin Usually when manufacturers bring out something new and improved it’s anything but, so it’s a very special occasion when it’s actually accomplished. And this is exactly what Ruger has...
View Article