Joe Roberts

A Classic Returns, Colt King Cobra Review

May 25, 2019 By Joe Roberts Leave a Comment

Colt King Cobra Review: Some History —

In 1836 Samuel Colt filed a patent for a device to mechanically index the cylinder of a firearm, and thus the modern revolver was born. The Colt Patterson revolver was the first in a long line of revolvers produced for military, police, and civilian use that stretched nearly 170 years.

Models that carved their notch in firearms history and lore include the 1847 Walker Colt, the Colt Dragoon, the 1851 Navy Colt, the 1860 Army Colt, the 1873 Single Action Army (Peacemaker), the Colt Lightning and Thunder models, and the Colt New Service Revolver. In 1950 Colt released the first of what have become to be known as the “Snake Guns,” the Colt Cobra.

For the next 55 years Colt produced models like the Anaconda, Diamondback, Cobra, King Cobra, Viper, Boa, and what has become to be known as quite possibly the finest double-action revolver ever made, the Colt Python. Unfortunately, the last of Colts D/A revolvers, the Python and Anaconda were retired for good in 2003. The only revolver available from Colt since then has been the Single Action Army from the Colt Custom Shop.

Since then Colt D/A revolvers have only been available on the used market and the “Snake Guns” have become so collectible that they have been priced well out of the range of the hoi polloi, with prices of Pythons starting at $2500 and rocketing into the stratosphere from there.

No joke, as I type this, I checked the auctions on Gun-Broker and found a blued Python with an opening bid of $75k. The fact it has zero bids restores my faith that we haven’t all completely lost our minds.

In 2017 Colt finally heard the market and at Shot Show they re-introduced the Colt Cobra, a 6-shot snub-nose D/A revolver (<– they have the Cobra in stock as of this writing) specifically aimed at the civilian concealed carry market. It has an MSRP of $699 but I have found them online for a bit less, putting them in the higher end of the market but not out of reach.

Since then Colt has released a few other models in the Cobra line including the Classic Cobra, the Cobra TT, and the Night Cobra. For Shot Show 2019 Colt, had another addition to its line of revolvers, the newly reintroduced King Cobra.

colt king cobra — The new Colt King Cobra. The stainless finish is attractive and practical.

I was lucky enough to be able to shoot the King Cobra at Industry Day at the Range and was fully impressed with it, enough so that it made my Top 5 list of new products from Industry Day. Colt’s Sr. VP of Commercial Business, Paul Spitale was nice enough to give me a full description of the King Cobra after I shot it and I remember coming away thinking I had to have one of these.+

After searching the inter-web for the last 4 months trying to pin one down, I had given it a rest since the only King Cobras I could find were on auction sites with bids well above the MSRP of $899 (<–they randomly have them in stock at $899). I was in one of my local gun shops looking to waste my lunch hour when I spied something familiar in the display case.

There, tucked away among the Taurus, Ruger, and S&W revolvers was the object of my feverish dreams from Shot Show, the Colt King Cobra and the price was right. I asked the clerk if I could take a look at it and he handed it over. After looking it over for about half a heartbeat I told him I would take it. It was probably the easiest sale he had all week.

And of course, I couldn’t help but tell you all about it in my Colt King Cobra review, as follows:

Colt King Cobra Review:

Once I got it home and unboxed it, it was time for cleaning and inspection. The King Cobra comes in the standard Blue Colt hard case with literature and lock. I took some measurements of the revolver and they are listed below.

Height: 5 inches

Length: 8 inches

Barrel Length: 3 inches

Width: 1.4 inches (Cylinder)

Weight: 28 ounces

It is roughly the same size as my Ruger SP101 with the exception of the 3 inch barrel and according to my scale they both weigh in at 28 ounces empty, which is weird because in the hand the Ruger feels heavier (I had to weigh them twice because I thought I had screwed up the measurement the first time).

The roll-mark on the barrel reminiscent of the original. This is a true “Snake Gun”.

According to my Wheeler Trigger Pull Scale, the single action trigger comes in at an average of 4 lbs 14 oz after 10 pulls. Unfortunately, I cannot accurately tell you where the double action trigger comes in due to the fact my trigger pull scale is maxed out at 8 lbs, so I can tell you it is above 8 lbs.

That said, the trigger on the King Cobra is amazing. The double-action trigger is exceptionally smooth during take-up without any hesitation or grit and just a light stacking right before the break. The break is crisp with almost no over-travel. The single-action trigger has zero creep and breaks like a 1911.

I have owned and currently own several D/A revolvers from Charter, Taurus, Ruger, Colt, and Smith and Wesson and the trigger on the King Cobra smokes them all. It is without a doubt the finest factory trigger I have ever shot in a double action revolver.

The King Cobra has a deeply recessed crown. Notice the hole for the set-screw that retains the front sight blade.

I was told that they have a couple of Pythons in-house at Colt and that when they were designing the LL2 Linear Leaf Mainspring trigger they started with the Python trigger as a starting point and refined it from there to come up with a world-class trigger. If that is indeed how it happened, then kudos to the engineers because it is indeed world-class.

The sights on the King Cobra are fixed with a groove in the top-strap and a black blade up front with a brass bead set on it. The front sight is replaceable with a set-screw that loosens up to remove the front sight from its base. It is the same set-up as on the Colt Cobra and Brownells has a fiber-optic and Tritium front sight available online.

The brass bead on the front sight makes it easy to pick up the sights in a hurry. Tritium and fiber-optic front sights are also available.

The fit and finish on the King Cobra is outstanding. Colt advertises the finish as brushed stainless, but under close examination it appears to be bead blasted. Either way it is a very attractive and durable finish. All of the corners and edges have been broken over so there are no sharp edges and the cylinder crane to frame fit is so nice it is almost seamless.

The next day I loaded up some old carry ammo and some practice rounds I have had lying around for a bit and headed off to my local indoor range, Sportsman’s Lodge. I was pretty excited to find out if the King Cobra shot as well as I remembered it from Shot Show. I was not disappointed.

The fit is exactly what you would expect from a company that invented revolvers.

I shot a mix of ammo in .38 Special and .357 Magnum for my Colt King Cobra review that follows.

Magtech, .357 Mag 158gr FMJ Flat

Federal, .357 Mag 158gr JSP

Hornady, .357 Mag 125gr FTX

Liberty Civil Defense, .357 Mag 50gr Copper HP

Precision One, .38 Special 158gr JSP

Armscor, .38 Special 158gr FMJ

Federal, .38 Special 125gr Hydra-Shok

Speer Gold Dot, .38 Special +P 135gr JHP

I figured that would give me a good idea of how the King Cobra would group with different types of ammo, as well as give me a good idea of what my carry ammo would be in this revolver, since EDC was the main purpose for me buying it.

My first group of defensive drills. Started with Double Taps and moved on to Failure Drills.

Firing at ranges from 7 to 25 yards the revolver did well considering the rudimentary sights. It grouped well at closer ranges, which should be expected. What was surprising was how well it did at the 25-yard line where I only dropped 4 out of 15 rounds out of the body of the target. For me that is pretty good shooting considering the 25-yard line has always been my kryptonite and the reason I never qualified above Sharp-Shooter with a pistol in the Marine Corps.

Once I finished with grouping, I fired several strings of failure drills and the groups with the .38 Special were pretty impressive. They did open up a bit with full house .357 Magnum loads but I was still able to keep them in the vitals.

It should be noted that all of my firing was done double-action since that is precisely how it would be employed in a defensive situation. Also, because I was so impressed with the D/A trigger I wanted to see how well I could shoot it in D/A mode for my Colt King Cobra Review.

The King Cobra is easy to control and get back on target during a failure drill, mainly due to the Hogue Over-molded grips that soak up the majority of felt recoil and even did a good job of taming the 158gr .357 Magnum rounds. For a revolver that only weighs 28 ounces it was surprisingly easy to control and not uncomfortable to shoot.

Failure Drill at 10 yards with Hornady .357 Mag 125gr FTX. This was my best with full power loads.

I must say that I am truly impressed with the way the King Cobra performed with all of the ammunition that I brought with me. Of all the ammo I tested I got the best groups with the .38 Hydra-Shok and the .38 +P Gold Dot ammo. They performed well during the failure drills and gave me the tightest groups from 7 to 15 yards.

My best drill of the day. The King Cobra is really forgiving with the Gold Dot .38 SPL +P.

So, it looks like my carry ammo of choice for the King Cobra will be the Gold Dot 135gr, at least until I can get my hands on some Buffalo Bore .38 Special +P 158gr LSWCHP to try out. By all accounts it is an outstanding load and I will update this once I have tried it on for size.

The spacing on the cylinders is perfect for using speed strips. Not as fast as a speed-loader but, easier to conceal.

Colt has done an outstanding job of diving back into the D/A revolver world, those of us who lament being too young to have experienced the heyday of the “Snake Guns” now have the opportunity to see what we could only read about in magazines.

I would put the King Cobra in the same class as the Ruger SP101 and the Kimber K6. In factory stock condition however, the King Cobra goes straight to the head of the class. This is mainly due to the best factory D/A trigger on the market, that takes this from a really nice gun to a truly outstanding one.

colt king cobra review — If you like wheel-guns, this EDC would be hard to beat. The Colt King Cobra, Galco Combat Master holster, and 2 reloads in Bianchi Speed Strips.

Colt definitely has a winner on their hands with the King Cobra and the reintroduction of “Snake Guns” should make a lot of Colt fans very happy.

While at Shot Show talking with Colt VP Paul Spitale about the King Cobra, I had to ask the obvious question (one I am sure he has been asked a thousand times at this point), “First the Cobra and now the King Cobra, can we expect to see a Python coming any time soon?”

Paul just smiled and started telling me about the engineering that went into the LL2 trigger, which I will point out, wasn’t a “Yes.” But it wasn’t a “No” either, and I for one can’t wait to see what Colt does next.

This wraps up our Colt King Cobra review for now, but we will update it periodically as I shoot it more.

A Classic All-Around Rifle, The Mini 14

May 16, 2019 By Joe Roberts Leave a Comment

A pair of Rugers. Top, Mini 14 Standard 183 series. Bottom, Mini 30 Tactical, 580 series.

Some firearms hold a special place in our hearts due to their service to the country, the M1 Garand, the M1911 service pistol, and the M16 are examples of those. Others are legendary due to their use by lawmen and outlaws in our history, the Colt Peacemaker and Thompson Submachinegun are notable names.

Then there are firearms that were made famous in TV and movies, Dirty Harry’s Smith and Wesson Model 29 and Sonny Crockett’s Bren Ten definitely make the list of famous TV and movie guns.

From 1983 to 1987, every week I would tune in to NBC to watch one of my favorite shows. The A-Team, a show about former Green Berets wrongfully accused of a crime they didn’t commit.

The show starred notable actors George Peppard and Mr. T, but for me the real star of the show was the rifle they used every week to put the bad guys out of business, the Ruger Mini 14.

In the late 1960s Bill Ruger and firearms designer James Sullivan designed the Mini 14 based on the M14 service rifle. It used a short stroke, gas piston and fed from a detachable box magazine.

The Mini 14 Standard was first introduced in 1973 with the Ranch Rifle model coming in 1982. Ruger also produced a select-fire version of the Mini 14 called the AC-556 for military and police use.

Bill Ruger was gambling that with the adoption of the M16 and production of 5.56 NATO ammunition for the Vietnam War, the round would have staying power.

It seems that he was right considering the 5.56 NATO round is currently the second longest serving service rifle round next to the 30-06 Springfield. It has also been stated that Bill Ruger believed that had his timing been different, the Mini 14 might have supplanted the Eugene Stoner designed M16 as the U.S. Military service rifle.

The Mini 14 easily field-strips into 4 main sections for cleaning.

The Mini 14 was marketed in both blued and stainless-steel versions of the Standard and the Ranch Rifle.

The most popular and most collectable version was the Mini 14 GB with its side folding stock in both blued and stainless. The folding stocks sometimes show up on sites like Gunbroker and sell for almost as much as a new Mini 14.

In 1987 Ruger took another shot by releasing the Mini 30, a 7.62x39mm version that capitalized on the cheap surplus ammo that was flooding into the U.S. at the time. The Mini 30 soon became a favorite of hunters that lived in states with caliber restrictions and could not use .223 for hunting large game.

It was not all rainbows and lollipops for the Mini 14 in the early years however, the earliest production models were chambered in .223 Remington and were not suitable for use with 5.56 NATO ammunition due to differences in the chamber pressures between the two cartridges. This was quickly corrected in later rifles.

Also, one of the chief complaints about the Mini 14 was its lack of accuracy, which was mostly due to its pencil thin barrel. Initial grouping would be around 2 MOA, however when the barrel heated up, group size would grow to 4-5 MOA.

Once the thin barrel heated up it was more susceptible to barrel whip which is disastrous to accuracy, but companies like Accu-Strut made rail attachments to stiffen the barrels bringing groups back inside of 2 MOA.

Close up of the thin “pencil barrel” of the early Mini 14. Note the aftermarket flash hider and front sight assembly.

In the early 2000’s Ruger did a re-design on the Mini 14/30 line to improve accuracy and address some of the other issues with the guns. The standard model was dropped all together and the Ranch Rifle became standard, with Tactical and Target versions being added to the line.

Ruger added a heavier tapered barrel in 2007 to further increase accuracy, this feature is found on the 580 series and later rifles.

The heavier barrel on 580 series and later to reduce barrel whip and improve accuracy.

In addition to the .223 and 7.62x39mm offerings, Ruger has offered the rifle in .222 Remington, 6.8 SPC, and .300 Blackout. The .222 was introduced in 1984 and was discontinued a few years later in the late 1980s, the 6.8 SPC was introduced in 2007 and was dropped in 2012.

The .300 Blackout was introduced in 2015 and is currently in the Ruger catalog. All models are available in blued and stainless.

I have been lucky enough to own a few examples of the Mini 14 over the years and can attest to the good and the bad of them. I currently have a 183 series Mini 14 Standard and a 580 series Mini 30 Tactical rifle.

My Mini 14 is one of the most reliable rifles I have ever owned, it runs on any ammunition that I have on hand. I have run 55gr Lake City surplus, 62gr green tip, 55gr Wolf Steel case, and some .223 handloads that a buddy of mine gave me.

I have owned the rifle for about 6 years now and other than punching the bore once in a while and occasionally some lubrication I have done nothing to it. It is as it came from the factory other than the flash hider that a previous owner added.

The trigger on the 183 series Mini 14 has a short take-up that is smooth with a crisp break right at 5 lbs. I would guess this is due to it being well worn in over the years as the newer ones I have shot are no where near this nice.

With open sights the rifle groups around 4-5 inches at 100 yards, which is exactly what I would expect. Not bad for a rifle that is nearly 40 years old with “lord knows” how many rounds through it. Its not a precision rifle but it is definitely “Minute of Bad Guy” and that is what it was meant to be.

3 5-shot groups at 100 yards. 3 different loads. The flyer at 6 o’clock is part of the group at 12 o’clock. It must be a jerk behind the trigger.

The Mini 14 has been in service with several law enforcement agencies and militaries around the world during its lifespan, as a matter of fact the Mini 14 has been in continuous use by the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department since the Norco Shootout in 1980.

My Mini 30 Tactical shoots minute of deer, and has been outfitted with a “GI” type rear sight from Tech Sights because I severely dislike the new factory rear sight.

They are adjustable for windage and elevation without having to loosen and tighten screws like the ones from the factory. It is every bit as reliable as my Mini 14 having been fed a steady diet of the cheapest Soviet ammo I can find.

The trigger on my Mini 30 has a rough, gritty take-up and it breaks at 6 ½ lbs. The break is crisp and the reset is short, but there is a definite difference between it and the older Mini 14.

I would say there is definitely room for improvement on the trigger, but for a rifle that is meant as a scout/patrol rifle it is more than adequate and judging from my Mini 14 it will probably get better over time.

In previous years it was my rifle of choice for stalking deer in the thick woods here in Eastern North Carolina. It is short, light, accurate, and with Hornady Black ammo I have never worried about a deer getting away.

5 shot group at 50 yards from a sandbag rest. My best group of the day, yes that is a 3 shot cloverleaf hole.

Either of these rifles would be outstanding choices for patrol/scout rifles. They are light, easy to maneuver, and accurate enough to engage man-sized targets out to 200 yards.

The Mini 14/30 also has the benefit of being equipped with wood stocks in the Ranch Rifle models, which would keep you off the skyline of your hoplophobic neighbors should you live in a state that is less than 2A friendly.

If I could only own 1 rifle, it would most certainly be a Mini 14. It truly is a rifle for all seasons.

Collector’s Corner: Detonics Combat Master, The Original Compact 1911

April 29, 2019 By Joe Roberts Leave a Comment

In the history of firearms, there are names that are instantly recognizable to most people, whether they are movie fans, historians, or full on gun-nuts like yours truly. The Colt Peacemaker, ’73 Winchester, Smith and Wesson Model 29, and the 1911 or Old Slabsides.

The 1911 or Colt, Government Model is well known to many people, even if they don’t know the proper name for it, they instantly know it when they see it, as it has starred in as many movies and TV shows as Clint Eastwood, Bruce Willis, and Arnold Schwarzenegger combined.

It was the trusty companion of TV and Movie detectives from Humphrey Bogart to Thomas Magnum, and has been wielded by many movie stars in some of their best roles (in my opinion), Sam Elliot in “We Were Soldiers” and Tom Hanks in “Saving Private Ryan.”

I mean who can forget a wounded Tom Hanks taking on a Nazi Panzer in the final battle scene with his trusty M1911A1?

The Government Model has been in continuous production for well over 100 years and shows no signs of slowing down.

It is made by numerous builders and companies in varying configurations and sizes, the most basic being the 5-inch Government Model, the 4 ¼ inch Commander Model, and the 3 ½ inch Officer’s Model. Companies like Springfield and Kimber have shaved these down a bit with their 4 inch and 3-inch barreled models as well.

In today’s world with so many people taking their own personal defense seriously and applying for concealed carry permits the compact sized 1911s are in high demand and several manufacturers have stepped up to the plate, so there is no shortage of compact 1911s to choose from.

detonics military combat mc2 — Detonics Military Combat MC2

50 years ago, that was not the case.

In the late 1960s and 1970s if you wanted to carry a small, powerful handgun for concealment, then you carried a small revolver, say a S&W model 36 in .38 Special. If you wanted big bore then a Charter Arms Bulldog in .44 Special.

As for semi-automatics, it was small caliber pocket pistols or something like a Walther PPK in .32 ACP or .380 ACP.

Of course, there were custom gunsmiths that would cut down full sized revolvers to make them more concealed carry friendly and even a couple of smiths that would chop a full sized 1911 down, but they were all custom jobs that were built to order and priced accordingly.

If you wanted to carry something in .45 ACP then you were either carrying a Government Model, a Commander, or you were going to pay someone like the late master, Armand Swenson to cut down a full sized 1911 to something more concealable.

Detonics Combat Master MK V. Lack of Pat. Pending mark dates this pistol to post 1982 production since the patent was granted in 1982.

In the early 1970s a young explosives engineer named Pat Yates, in the employ of the Explosives Company of America (EXCOA), saw some articles about some of the pistols that Armand Swenson was building and wanted one for himself.

He also figured that since he was an engineer with some welding skills that he could do it for himself. This crazy plan was the beginning of the original production compact 1911, that all others owe their existence to: The Detonics Combat Master.

He started by dusting off some old drawings he had done as an engineering student at the University of Florida in the mid-sixties and chopping one of 3 surplus Government 1911s he had purchased for the sum of $210 at a local gun shop.

After the first attempt failed to reliably feed, he went back to the drawing board, then took the hacksaw and welder to the second 1911.

Detonics MC2 field-stripped. Early models had duplex recoil springs, later a third spring was added for additional recoil buffering.

He tried various different barrel locking/unlocking design ideas until he realized that he was not much smarter than John Moses Browning. Once he came to the realization that the swivel barrel link was the way to go, he started on the recoil buffering system.

Several attempts and trips to the range to test his creation, he finally settled on a working model that would reliably feed, fire, and eject his favorite loads.

The barrel is etched with a serial number matching the pistol.

In 1976 EXCOA was downsizing and some of the former employees had started another company called Detonics Inc. to sell more specialized explosives. One of them, a guy named Sid Woodcock had watched Pat while he made his compact 1911 and thought it would be attractive to a larger market.

He convinced Pat Yates to sell the rights to produce the handgun and after some patent submissions, the Detonics Combat Master was born.

The Detonics Combat Master was the first handgun to come from the factory with features only found on custom guns like a beveled magazine well to facilitate magazine changes and a fully scalloped ejection port to ensure proper ejection of fired cases.

The Combat Master also featured many firsts that would eventually become the industry standard for compact 1911s such as the coned, bushing-less barrel and a captured multi-spring recoil system.

The Combat Master was equipped with a plug to replace the grip safety due to the fact that it was designed to be carried with the hammer down on a loaded chamber and a stiffer firing pin spring to prevent negligent discharge if the pistol was dropped.

MK V field-stripped. Note the captured triplex recoil springs. Captured springs, reverse plug, and full length guide rod were some of the innovations of Detonics.

To say the Detonics Combat Master was ground-breaking is an understatement, unfortunately it was also about 30 years ahead of its time. In the late 1970s, not many people were carrying concealed weapons outside of the law enforcement community and while the Detonics Combat Master was a popular pistol with the people that used them, they never sold enough to be profitable.

Detonics was in business from 1975 to 1987 making Combat Masters in Seattle and Bellevue Washington under the names Detonics and New Detonics Inc.

In 1987 Detonics was sold to a consortium of investors and moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where it was spearheaded by Robbie Barrkman, of ROBAR finishes where it was renamed the New Detonics Corporation. It only lasted for a few years until the spring of 1992 when all assets were sold at auction.

The authors favorite EDC. The Detonics MC2 is easily concealed even wearing shorts and a T-shirt.

From 2004 – 2007 Detonics USA operated out of Pendergrass Georgia with the late author Jerry Ahern at the helm. In 2007, Detonics was sold yet again to Bruce Siddle and Dr. Stave Stahl, where the Combat Master once again was the flagship model.

In addition to the Combat Master, Detonics Defense Technologies partnering with STI entered their STX into the US Army Modular Handgun trials in 2015.

Unfortunately, as of this writing Detonics seems to be completely dormant yet again, but the firearm that started it all, the Combat Master is still relatively easy to find in the used market on sites like Armslist and Gunbroker.

Detonics MC2 in a well worn Galco Combat Master holster.

The Detonics Combat Master is only slightly larger than a Walther PPK/S, with dimensions as follows;

Length: 6 ¾ inches

Height: 4 5/8 inches

Weight: 34 ounces

Barrel Length: 3 ½ inches

Capacity: 6 + 1 with factory magazine, with the ability to use Officer and full-size magazines.

I am lucky enough to have 2 Combat Masters in my collection, a stainless MK V and a Military Combat MC2.

Detonics Combat Master MK V

The Detonics Combat Master MK V is a Seattle gun and has a brushed stainless-steel finish with Pachmayr wrap-around grips that were produced specially for this model with its short-gripped frame.

It is in nearly “Like New in Box” condition with no signs of ever being fired, but it unfortunately has a faint “take-down” mark where a previous owner was not terribly careful when reassembling it. It has the original box, factory literature, and sheepskin lined soft case that looks like has never seen the outside of a safe.

Needless to say, I have never shot this gun since it is in such fine condition.

Detonics Military Combat MC2

The MC2 is a Bellevue gun with New Detonics roll marks and it has a dull no-glare stainless finish that I am told was created by blasting the frame and slide with steel beads. It has been used but shows little signs of wear other than the “take-down” mark and slight holster wear around the edges.

The MC2 is one of my favorite pistols and it is one of my regular carry pistols. It wears a set of handsome wood stocks emblazoned with the “Detonics USA” insignia which tells me they came from one of the later iterations of Detonics (the Pendergrass GA company) and are not original to this gun as the MC2 went out of production in 1984, a full 20 years before Detonics USA came into existence.

Both guns are well built with an outstanding fit and finish, and upon close inspection it is easy to tell that these were meant for concealed carry with a lot of thought and effort going into the assembly of them. All sharp edges have been broken so that there are no sharp corners to snag on an over garment during the draw and presentation.

detonics muzzle — Close-up of the MK V. Note the subtle breaking of the corners, another feature of Detonics pistols.

One of the features that makes these guns easily identifiable is the placement of the rear sight, almost a full inch forward on the slide from where a traditional 1911 rear sight would be, right behind the ejection port. This was done to facilitate the ramping of the rear of the slide from behind the rear sight all the way back to the hammer and it also has a shortened hammer spur that juts upward.

This was done to make cocking the piece easier during the draw stroke, the operator would simply lay the thumb of his/her support hand over the slide behind the rear sight and slide it backward during the draw stroke cocking the hammer and readying the gun for action. While this may sound a bit clumsy, with practice I can tell you that it is nearly as quick as thumbing the safety off during the draw stroke.

The Detonics MC2 from the rear. Note the ramping from the rear sight to the hammer, to facilitate cocking the hammer during the draw and presentation.

You would think that the shorter sight radius would have a noticeable effect on the accuracy of the Combat Master but it doesn’t. While the Combat Master will never take home the gold at Camp Perry it does have outstanding practical accuracy. I have no problems keeping all of my shots in the vital areas of a silhouette target out at 15 yards and that is what this pistol was designed for. Practical accuracy under high stress combat situations.

The recoil is stout, but no more so than other compact 1911s in .45 ACP and it is actually pretty easy to get off accurate pairs to the torso area at 7 and 15 yards. I have put over 1000 rounds through my MC2 since I have owned it and have no FTFs or FTEs with ball and hollow-point ammo, most likely due to the generous factory throating job that I have seen on all Combat Masters that I have had the opportunity to shoot.

Unfortunately, many factors doomed the Combat Master to an early demise; poor marketing strategy, failures of early guns, and a very hefty price tag (MSRP was $689 in 1985 for MK V and a new Colt Govt. Model was around $389) were some of the multitude of reasons the original company went under.

Detonics has been brought back time and again by new owners but never to the prominence of the original company. Who knows though, in this day where concealed carry is driving manufacturers to make firearms smaller and more concealable, the time might just be right for another comeback.

Glock 48 Review: Did I Convert From 1911?

April 1, 2019 By Joe Roberts 1 Comment

Glock 48 Review —

At Shot Show 2019 Glock showcased their newest pistols, the Silver Slimline G48 and G43X and I never even got in line to shoot them. I honestly passed Glock by for 2 reasons. First, I was completely unimpressed by last year’s reveal of the G19X at Shot Show 2018. For all the talk, it was basically a G19 slide on a G17 frame in Coyote tan color.

Sorry guys, but nothing really earth-shattering here. Second, I am really not enamored by anything made by Glock. I know, I know, Glocks are the most safe, reliable, accurate, greatest, bestest pistol ever made and I am a knuckle dragging Neanderthal because I don’t like them.

I know what you’re thinking, “You must be one of those ‘Cult of the 1911’ guys.” Sorry, I just don’t like Glocks and my opinion has been formed by experience with them.

I am a firearms enthusiast and while I have a deep-rooted affinity for the M1911 pistol I also recognize that it is not the only handgun in the world. I have and currently do own several different pistols and revolvers from many different manufacturers.

Since my trade for almost the last 3 decades has been as a diesel mechanic, I believe in using the right tool for the job. Some pistols are better suited for some jobs than others and even though I have the utmost confidence in what I believe to be John Moses Browning’s seminal work, I also have other handguns that make their way into my every day carry rotation.

I have carried 2nd/3rd Generation Smith and Wesson pistols, Walther PPKs, Ruger and Charter Arms revolvers, and yes even Glocks.

I know that it is sacrilegious for fans of the 1911 to even speak the name of Gaston Glock (and vice versa as well) but even the most devoted JMB follower has to concede that Glock has a well-earned reputation for making ultra-reliable, accurate pistols.

The first Glock I ever purchased was a G30 SF model and I carried it on and off for a few years before I ended up selling it. Since then I have owned a 3rd Gen G23, 4th Gen G21, a G42, and my wife currently has a G43.

All of them shot well, were very accurate, and uber reliable in their stock out of the box configuration.

And while all of them were outstanding pistols in their own right, they all have one thing in common (with the exception of my wife’s G43), they are all gone.

For me, a pistol should feel like a natural extension of my body and the Glocks never did. My G30 was ridiculously accurate and reliable and I wanted to love it, but it never felt quite right in my hand and I was never quite comfortable shooting it.

When the Gen 4 came out I thought that the interchangeable backstraps would solve the problem, that I would finally be able to fit the gun to my hand. I was wrong, so from then on, I swore off Glocks.

Last week I was at my local indoor range for a bit of .45 caliber therapy and as I often do, I did some window shopping after I was done with my practice session. As I was looking at the guns in the case a trio of pistols with a 2-tone finish caught my eye.

For some reason I had gravitated to the G48 that I ignored at Shot Show. The clerk was kind enough to pass one over to me for further inspection and after double checking the weapon was clear, I closed the slide and sighted in on a spot on the far wall.

The pistol in my hand felt right.

I handed it back, thanked the clerk and went on about my day. That evening I started thinking again about the G48 and how it felt. I pushed it from my thoughts and called it a night.

The next morning, I was back shortly after the range opened and after some paperwork and a swipe of my card, I walked out with a brand-new Glock 48.

Initial Inspection and Cleaning

Once I got it home I went through my usual routine of disassembly, inspection, and cleaning. In my opinion, this is not as important for Glocks as it is for other manufacturers since I have never come across a new Glock that came from the factory gunked up with a corrosion inhibitor.

In my experience there really is no cleaning required before firing, but I do an inspection and cleaning on every firearm I acquire whether they are new or used.

The Silver Slimline Glocks have an attractive 2-tone finish with a black polymer frame and silver nPVD coated slide, that also has front and rear cocking serrations.

It comes with standard Glock accessories, 2 ten round magazines, magazine loading tool, cleaning rod, nylon bore brush, and safety lock. Basically, what I have come to expect from Glock, everything you need and nothing you don’t.

The changes that Glock has applied to the Gen 5 and the Slimline pistols are so subtle that I didn’t really notice them until after I had fired 200 rounds through the pistol.

First, the grip texture is nowhere near as aggressive as it was on my Gen 4 G21. The grip texture on that pistol was so aggressive that it made the G21 very uncomfortable to shoot for long periods.

Second, and I am embarrassed to state I didn’t notice it upon my initial inspection, the finger grooves that Glock introduced on their Gen 3 pistols and carried over to the Gen 4 were gone … and that made all the difference.

As stated before, my main complaint with Glock was the feel, they never felt right in my hand.

All the Glocks I had owned up to this point had the cursed finger grooves and were double stack pistols (with the G42 being the obvious exception), and being a 1911 guy, I just assumed that it was because I am so accustomed to the feel of the 1911.

The slim profile and lack of finger grooves make a world of difference in the way the G48 feels in the hand, almost like it was made for me.

Range Day

The next day I headed back to Sportsman’s Lodge, my local indoor range to test fire the G48 to see if it would disappoint me like my previous Glocks had.

I took 200 rounds to the range with me, a mix of Federal American Eagle 124gr FMJ, Aguila 115gr FMJ, Federal 115gr JHP, and Magtech 115gr JHP. I wanted to see how it would perform with different ammunition. Because Glock has a reputation for being highly reliable, I was more concerned with how it would group different ammo than whether it would feed reliably.

The reason I parted ways with my earlier Glocks was due to the way they felt when firing, they never felt comfortable to me. I would constantly have to adjust the pistol in my hand every few shots and after about 50 rounds of shooting the middle finger on my shooting hand would feel sore.

This was due to a ridge left over from the frame molding process that would rub the side of my finger where it made contact with the bottom of the trigger guard. To me it seemed that a company that touted themselves as “Glock Perfection” could do a better job cleaning up the molding flash.

So how did the G48 perform? Well I must say that I was impressed. Not necessarily by the fact that it ate all 200 rounds that I took to the range without a single malfunction, I mean let’s face it, it’s a Glock.

No, I was impressed by the fact that it was comfortable to shoot, with no adjusting necessary and more importantly, no rubbing on my finger. It was also absolutely accurate and reliable, just what you would expect from Glock.

I fired from 10 to 25 yards and the G48 basically fires point of aim, point of impact through all ranges as long as the shooter does their job.

Proper sight alignment, sight picture, and trigger control are paramount to accuracy and if the operator applies them properly then the G48 is definitely a capable weapon. I fired the G48 from the 2-handed, 1 hand strong hand, and 1 hand weak hand holds. I fired sustained slow fire at 25 yards, rapid pairs at 15 yards, and Failure drills at 10 yards.

After 200 rounds I came to the realization that I need to shoot more.

The Glock grouped well at all ranges, and the only rounds that I dropped (and there were a few), I called due to poor trigger control on my part. Grouping at 15 yards showed very little difference between the different kinds of ammunition but that could also be due to the jerk behind the trigger.

Sustained slow fire at 25 yards produced some of the best shooting I have ever done from that range with all but 3 rounds finding their way to vital areas of the target.

Shooting defensive drills at 10 and 15 yards respectively, I found the G48 to be very controllable with very little muzzle flip.

It was easy to quickly get back on target for follow-up shots. Felt recoil was minor for a pistol of the G48s size and weight, a testament to the engineers at Glock.

Conclusion

For a guy who never had much use for Glocks, I must say that I am impressed with what Glock has done with the G48. When I purchased it, I figured that I would shoot it, write the review, and then sell it.

But the G48 has changed my mind. It is an attractive, accurate, and reliable pistol that has earned its way into my carry rotation and may have very well displaced my Colt Commander as my go-to for everyday carry.

Its light weight and slim profile make it perfect for concealed carry, which I am guessing was Glock’s intent. I have often stated that I would never own another Glock, to which they apparently said “Challenge Accepted.” Well not only did they accept the challenge, but they hit it out of the park.

Now if I could only get them to come out with a compact .45 …

Stag Arms Review: Left Handed AR-15

March 12, 2019 By Joe Roberts 1 Comment

Stag Arms Review: 15L Tactical

I have what you could call a “passing familiarity” with the M16/AR15 platform. Having been introduced to the weapon at the ripe old age of 17, courtesy of the United States government. I somehow managed to qualify Expert with the M16A2 Service Rifle before I was even old enough to legally purchase its civilian counterpart, the AR-15.

21 years of service complete with numerous deployments carrying the M16A2, M16A4, and the M4 have made me a little jaded when it comes to the AR platform.

I have owned and still own several different makes and models of AR rifles and pistols, from 9mm to 7.62 NATO, direct impingement and gas piston guns from the likes of Adams Arms, Anderson Manufacturing, Bushmaster, Colt, CMMG, New Frontier, and LMT. I love the AR platform, but at this point I find it hard to get excited by another AR-15.

Don’t get me wrong, a lot of companies are putting out some really nice rifles with outstanding features and price points. But there is nothing really earth-shattering going on in the world of Eugene Stoner’s baby.

At SHOT 2018 I got the opportunity to attend Media Day at the Range and was given the chance to take a Stag Arms, Stag 15L for a short test drive.

Stag Arms was founded in 2003 and until I got to meet them and check out their rifles, I always thought of Stag Arms as a pretty standard manufacturer of entry-level to mid-range carbines and rifles. Several years ago, I picked up a Stag 15 complete lower for $115.00 and mated it to a Del-Ton complete upper that I purchased online for $249.00.

The idea being to put together a budget rifle for those without the mechanical know how to assemble one from parts, just find the cheapest upper available and mate it with the cheapest lower and see what she will do.

So, for around $365 before tax and shipping I had a flat-top carbine with an M4 profile barrel. 7 years and 2,000 rounds later I still have that rifle, so I am aware that Stag Arms makes a quality product.

One other thing that makes Stag Arms stand out is that they are also known for being the first company to manufacture a left-handed AR. Yes, you read that right and they don’t just attach an ambi-safety or southpaw friendly controls and call it a lefty.

They are building an AR-15 that is truly left-handed, with a mirror image Bolt Carrier Group, left side ejection port, and a selector switch on the right side. The first thing that went through my brain housing group after firing the Stag 15L at SHOT was “So cool, is this what it feels like to be right-handed?”

So, when the boss reached out to me several months later to ask if I would like to do a Stag Arms Review on the 15L Tactical, my answer went something like, “Does a bear defecate in the woods?”

The manager at my local gun shop was grinning almost as big as me when we unboxed this beauty for an inspection before I took possession of the rifle. Left-handed rifles are somewhat scarce in the part of North Carolina that I live, every one that I own had to be special ordered.

They just aren’t something you see in most dealer’s stock, because let’s face it, south-paws make up a very small portion of the customer base. A left-handed AR-15 is even more of a rarity, right up there with hens’ teeth and four-leaf clovers.

The Stag 15L Tactical uses a standard lower receiver that is nearly indistinguishable from the Stag Arms lower that I purchased back in 2012, but that is where any similarities to a standard AR end.

For an MSRP of $1019.00 the Stag 15L comes equipped with a Magpul MOE pistol grip, Magpul CTR buttstock, and the Stag 15 M-LOK 13.5-inch free-floating handguard with a QD point at each end to allow for use of a 2-point sling.

It also has a single point sling attachment, an enhanced trigger guard for use with gloved fingers, and comes equipped with a 16-inch chrome lined, government profile barrel with a 1/7 twist rate and a mil-spec single stage trigger.

The first thing I did after an initial cleaning was to mount a Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6 x 24 BDC scope with a Vortex cantilever mount, which while not what I would consider a “precision shooting” scope due to the AR – BDC reticle, is definitely one of my favorite all around scopes.

It has very crisp and clear glass and the BDC reticle is easy to pick up quickly when doing quick reaction shooting. I much prefer it to the ACOG that was issued to me on my last trip downrange due to its variable magnification and illuminated reticle that can be turned off when not needed.

Next it was off to the range … sort of. Unfortunately for me, Hurricane Florence decided to grace the Carolinas with her presence and all things had to be put on hold for a bit while cleanup and restoration took place. Finally, I was able to put together a couple of days where it wasn’t raining to get out to the range and see what this rifle was capable of.

I loaded up six magazines full of surplus Lake City 55gr M193 ball ammo that I purchased several years ago to get the Stag dialed in.

It took about 15 rounds at 25yds to BZO the rifle, mainly because I suck at math, which is why I was a diesel mechanic in the Marine Corps and not a sniper. However, once I got it zeroed in it was easy to shoot the center out of the target.

Of course, with a scoped rifle, everyone is a rock-star at 25 yards so I took it down to the 100 yd line to see what I could do. The math at 100yds was a lot easier with ½ MOA clicks and it only took a couple of adjustments for me to find the center of the target and once it was there it stayed there as long as I did my part.

Now everything I have read about 1/7 twist is that it tends to work better with heavier bullets, and since I was shooting some old 55gr surplus ammo I didn’t really have any expectations of pin-point accuracy.

That said my best group of the day was a 3 shot group at 100 yards that I could cover with a quarter and I still have no idea how I managed to do it other than to say the rifle shoots better than I do. It should go without saying that those groups were shot from a sandbag rest.

I finished the day shooting from the offhand at 25, 50, and 100 yards. I fired long strings of controlled pairs at all ranges and had no problems keeping my shots inside the lines of my 12-inch Birchwood Casey targets.

I really can’t overstate how well this rifle can shoot, especially when you consider the fact that it comes from the factory with a mil-spec trigger which is a little heavy for precision shooting but has a very crisp break that is also very consistent.

The M16A2 that I qualified with years ago had a very inconsistent trigger, I was told that was due to the 3 round burst feature. There are no such issues with the trigger on the Stag 15, 10 pulls with my old Wheeler trigger measure averaged out at 7.5 lbs., which seemed a lot heavier than it actually feels on the finger.

Deer season crept up on me this year without so much as a by-your-leave and towards the end, after freezing my butt of in a tree stand watching an empty field for nearly 2 months, it suddenly dawned on me that the deer weren’t walking through open fields during shooting hours.

I also figured that if I was to stalk deer through heavy brush where my longest shot would be around 60 yards that maybe my .308 Winchester rifle wasn’t the best medicine and I figured that if 5.56 was good enough to use on Al Qaeda then it is good enough for an eastern North Carolina whitetail, the deer in ENC being significantly smaller and not as well armed as your average terrorist.

It took a couple of rounds of Federal Gold Medal Match 77gr to adjust the zero on the Strike Eagle, but when I was done the top crosshair was dead on at 50 yards and I figured that if I was able to stumble upon a hearing-impaired deer while wandering around in the brush that the rifle would be capable of easily turning off his switch.

Now, I never did manage to put myself in the same grid square as a deer, but I can tell you that after a few 6-8 hour days of humping the Stag 15 around in the bush that it would serve well as a patrol rifle. It was light enough that it was not at all fatiguing and while slung with a single point sling it was easy to navigate through some of the swampy areas that are found in this part of the country.

As far as reliability goes, I currently have over 400 rounds through the rifle at this point and the only issues I have had were due to my own laziness.

I keep my brass for reloading, but I don’t like chasing brass, so I attached a brass catcher while shooting to minimize the work of recovering it. Unfortunately, the brass catcher is designed for a traditional AR-15 and had to be installed upside down on the left side of the upper receiver. This caused it to not properly eject brass and you know what happens when the weapon can’t eject spent brass. After 3 FTEs I removed that brass catcher and viola … problem solved.

As of this writing, I have shot 77gr Federal Gold Medal Match, 62gr Lake City green tip, 55gr Lake City, and even some 55gr Wolf, all without a cleaning. At this point all I have done is apply a little lube at the beginning of my range day as I am trying to push the Stag 15 as far as I can to see what it will do. This rifle keeps eating everything I feed it like Rosie O’Donnell at a free all-you-can-eat buffet, and I couldn’t be happier.

For this Stag Arms Review, I have shot this rifle from the sandbag and from the offhand, I have fired long sustained strings of fire, fired controlled pairs, engaged double targets, and performed magazine change drills and I can honestly say that it is far nicer to shoot than any rifle I fired while on active duty.

Of course, that may have something to do with the fact that I am no longer getting a face full of gas and lubricant in my face and I no longer have to worry about errant brass occasionally finding its way down my collar. For us left-handed AR shooters the struggle is real.

Stag Arms definitely has a hit on their hands with the Stag 15 Tactical, a rifle that would be equally suited to daily duty in a patrol car, as a hunting rifle, in a 3-Gun match, or on patrol in Afghanistan. The Stag 15 Tactical is a well-balanced, accurate, and reliable rifle available in right-hand and left-hand models.

It’s well-equipped from the factory and ready to run out of the box–just add the optic or back-up irons of your choice. With an MSRP of just over $1,000 and a real retail (based on research of 3 of my local gun shop’s websites) that averages around $800, you can pay more for a rifle of this caliber, but why would you?

Shot Show 2019: Industry Day at the Range Top 5

January 23, 2019 By Joe Roberts Leave a Comment

Ladies and Gentlemen, children of all ages — welcome to the greatest show on earth. That is how the National Shooting Sports Foundation should introduce their annual get-together that is Shot Show.

Every year at this time the shooting world converges on the sleepy little hamlet of Las Vegas to see all that is new in the shooting sports world. That’s right everything from A-Z that can remotely be related to firearms can be found on display at Shot Show.

This is my second Shot Show and this year looks to be even more exciting than last year. So far, the companies that I have spoken to have definitely brought their A-game. Shot Show is a virtual cornucopia of firearms related product from every corner of the globe.

This year, I will be doing some short posts with the top 5 products that get my attention each day. So, without further ado and in no particular order, here is my Top 5 list from day one:

Kel-Tec KS7

If you love bullpup shotguns but think that the double magazine tubes of the UTS 15 and the Kel-Tec KSG are a bit bulky, then do I have news for you. Kel-Tec has done it again with the KS7, a 12GA bullpup shotgun with a single magazine tube that is definitely slim and trim.

Weighing in at 5.9lbs (empty) at 26.1 inches in overall length, with an 18-inch barrel, this shotgun holds 6+1 of 3inch magnum shells.

Those dimensions make it roughly the same size and weight as the Shockwave with an additional shell in the tube. It’s an added bonus that you can actually shoulder this weapon without worrying about having your face rearranged.

It handles well and was surprisingly easy on the shoulder for a 12GA of such light weight. MSRP is listed at $495, but I am sure that you will see them for a bit less in your local gun shop, assuming they are not sold out the day they arrive. Well done Kel-Tec.

Colt King Cobra

In 2017 Colt jumped back into the world of double-action revolvers with the Cobra. This year for the second act of their return to revolvers Colt re-introduced a noted name that hasn’t been seen since the Clinton administration.

That’s right snake-gun fans the King Cobra is back and this time it’s pissed off … Well not really, but it is back and it is badass.

With a heavy-duty stainless-steel frame and a 3-inch barrel, this is just the ticket for those of you who carry wheel-guns on a daily basis.

Now, I am unsure of just what alchemy is going on in the basement at Colt but they claim it weighs in at 28oz, but I swear this six-gun feels a lot lighter in the hand. The double action trigger is something that defies description and is smooth as silk with no stacking, indexing, or grittiness.

I was expecting some stacking as the cylinder came around and instead got a smooth break that was completely unexpected.

As much as I hate to admit it the King Cobra made me want to part ways with my trusty SP101. Colt is on a roll and if they did this well with the King Cobra, I can’t wait for next year … Colt Python, anyone?

Time will tell for sure.

Geissele Automatics Super Duty LE 16”

Geissele Automatics, a well-known name in the world of the AR-15 platform, have spent years solidifying their place in the aftermarket with top-notch accessories. This year they hit the ground running with their Super Duty line of rifles.

That’s right, Geissele now makes rifles and boy what a rifle. The Super Duty is definitely worthy of its name, with a mil-spec upper and lower, low profile Geissele Super gas block, ALG Defense LE Blue Line hard anodized aluminum hand guard, Geissele fixed or flip-up BUS, ALG Advanced Combat Trigger set at 5.5 lbs., and much more at a base price of $750.

The Super Duty LE is specifically intended for Law Enforcement at a price that won’t break the budget. The initial release is strictly limited to LEOs and Law Enforcement Departments, but we were told that Geissele will be releasing Super Duty for the rest of us in the near future.

If you are a fan of Eugene Stoner’s seminal achievement take a look at the Geissele Super Duty.

Mossberg MC1sc

When you think Mossberg, you think shotguns. Most specifically the 500 series shotguns that rank side by side with the Remington 870 as one of the best-selling shotguns of all time.

What most people don’t know is that Mossberg started out by making a 4-shot pistol called the Brownie. Now, about 100 years after the last Mossberg Brownie pistol left the factory in New Haven, Mossberg is back in the handgun world with the MC1sc sub-compact 9mm pistol.

The MC1sc falls right in with the G43 and the S&W Shield, and I think will give them a run for their money. For a base MSRP of $425 you get a 9mm sub-compact with either a 6+1 or a 7+1 capacity, a 3.4-inch stainless steel barrel, fiberglass reinforced polymer frame, and a 22oz weight (loaded) that has one of the best triggers of its class at a very crisp 5-6 lbs.

The felt recoil is nothing at all what I had expected and to say that I was pleased with the way it shot would be an understatement.

Mossberg may have waited a while to get in the concealed carry game, but they have entered in a big way. With the MC1 Mossberg has upped their game, now up yours.

Adams Arms, P3 .224 Valkyrie

Adams Arms has staked their claim over the years by making the first, and to the best of my knowledge, only piston driven retrofit kit for the AR-15 platform. I still have one of their 1^st Gen piston uppers and it is one of the most reliable and accurate ARs I have ever shot.

They now are purveyors of some of the finest piston driven AR-15/AR-10 platforms you can buy.

For Shot Show this year they have a little surprise, a P3 Match Grade in .224 Valkyrie. Now the .224 has really taken off as a popular caliber for precision work, having a trajectory that is ridiculous for what amounts to a long range .22, I mean this thing is stupid accurate and consistent.

Now match that with a proven match grade, piston driven platform from Adams Arms and … What’s that? It’s not listed on the website, you say? I know, right? Apparently, Adams hired all the best from Lockheed’s Skunk-Works, because this has been a better kept secret than the SR-71, the F117 Stealth Fighter, and any “sensitive” information that makes its way into the hands of Congress.

Seriously though, the P3 comes with a very consistent PROOF Research Carbon Wound Barrel, jet comp, free-float rail, and their signature P-Series Micro Block Adjustable gas-piston system. I was consistently vaporizing clay pigeons at 200 yards and to me that in and of itself speaks volumes. This would be my rifle of choice for groundhogs or coyotes out west.

Day one was a complete blast (pun intended), the companies that brought their products out to Industry Day at the Range really made it hard for me to narrow it down to 5. Big shout-out to NSSF and all the people who make Shot Show happen. Stay tuned for Day 2.

38 Super Dan Wesson Guardian 1911 Review

March 21, 2018 By Joe Roberts 3 Comments

Dan Wesson History:

Dan Wesson is a company founded by Daniel B. Wesson II, the great-grandson of one of the founders of Smith and Wesson. In 1963 when Smith & Wesson was purchased by the Bangor-Punta Manufacturing Concern, Dan Wesson left the company with the intent of manufacturing high quality revolvers.

In 1968 Dan Wesson was incorporated. The company is best known for large frame revolvers in .22 Long Rifle, .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum with interchangeable barrels that are used mostly for hunting and IMSA metallic silhouette competition. After Wesson’s death in 1978 the company experienced many financial issues and a couple of bankruptcies until they were purchased by CZ-USA in 2005. Somewhere along the line the company added a series of high quality M1911A1 type pistols in various calibers.

.38 Super +P –

The .38 Super +P is based on its parent cartridge the .38 ACP, which was originally loaded with a 130 grain projectile loaded to 1260 FPS. In its original loading it proved too powerful for the Colt model 1900 that was built to fire it. It was eventually de-tuned to a max loading of 130gr propelled at 1150 FPS. In 1929 the .38 Super was introduced as a chambering for the 1911 pistol.

It was basically the 38 ACP loaded back to its original loading and shared the same loaded dimensions as the parent cartridge. It was designated the .38 Super to discourage use in the earlier Model 1900 pistols.

Unfortunately, two things took place that almost relegated the .38 Super to the dustbin of firearms history.

Colt decided to headspace the cartridge on its rim rather than on the mouth of the case like the .45 ACP. This caused the .38 Super to have dismal accuracy, Colt did eventually correct the head-spacing issue around 1989. About 60 years too late for my taste.
The introduction of the .357 Magnum in 1934 meant that law enforcement officers of the day could have superior ballistics and still keep the revolvers they had been trained with. In fact, it was only due to South American firearms restrictions and competitors in IPSC looking for a leg up on the competition that have kept the .38 Super alive to this day.

First Impression –

The Dan Wesson Guardian is an alloy frame, Commander sized 1911 with a bobbed mainspring housing that is advertised as a pistol built for concealed carry. It comes in a lockable hard case that is molded for the pistol, 2 magazines, bushing wrench, lock and owner’s manual. My first thought upon removing the Guardian was “this thing is all business.”

Dimensions/Description –

Overall Length – 8 inches

Overall Height – 5.5 inches

Width – 1.45 inches

Barrel Length – 4.25 inches

Unloaded Weight – 28.5 ounces

Trigger Pull – 4 lb.

Capacity – 9+1

First off, I am not a huge fan of matte finishes. I understand the utility of them and even though I would have preferred traditional bluing (that is not an option due to the lightweight alloy frame), the finish on the Guardian is first rate. The Dan Wesson website refers to it as the “Duty Finish” and it works well at absorbing light like a black hole.

The grips are an attractive reddish wood with stippling on the front edge that, when combined with the 25LPI checkering on the front strap, provides plenty of traction should you have to handle it with wet mitts.

The sights are Trijicon, snag free with Tritium inserts in case you have to engage during low light situations. All of the sharp edges have been broken so that there are no edges or corners to snag on cover garments. The smoothing up is very subtle not at all like the “carry melt” treatment of other manufacturers, it’s more something you feel rather than see and sometimes less is more.

The barrel is match grade stainless, is cut flush with the bushing and is of the Wilson-Nowlin ramped variety, which I prefer when a pistol has an alloy frame. As a side note: I had a Federal Ordinance Ranger Lightweight that fed ball ammo all day, but when loaded with hollow points it would hang up on every shot due to the copper jacket gouging into the frame. I carried that pistol for years with FMJ because I didn’t trust it to operate with anything else. The fully ramped barrel solves that issue.

The controls are right where you would expect to find them on a 1911 and I especially appreciated the wide flat shelf on the slide release. As a southpaw I activate the slide release with my trigger finger and the flat shelf of the slide release aids in reloads by giving my trigger finger more purchase and leverage when sending the slide back into battery after a magazine change.

Unfortunately, the controls are where I found my first issue with the Guardian.

In the 21st century most manufacturers have come to grips with the fact that not every shooter is right-handed. Apparently, Dan Wesson never got the memo. Now if this was a $400 Armscor 1911 I would expect it to be pretty basic, but with an MSRP over $1600 I sort of expect an ambidextrous thumb safety to be an option at the very least if not standard.

Even some right-handed shooters I know that carry 1911’s insist on one, in case they ever have to engage with their weak hand. However, a quick perusal of Dan Wesson’s website shows no option for ordering the Guardian with an ambidextrous safety.

At the Range –

My wife and I went out for a date at one of our favorite places … the local indoor range. Since the pistol was purchased with her in mind I wanted to get her to assist me in breaking this bad boy in.

Now, over the years I have bought her a couple of 1911 variants, and while she has been appreciative of the gifts, the appreciation vaporized once she shot them.

There have been issues from the pistol ejecting brass directly into her forehead to uncomfortable recoil. So, this time I wanted to make sure she liked it before I stuffed it in her Christmas stocking. So, we loaded up around 300 rounds of various .38 Super ammunition that I had on hand and trucked it down to the range. I wanted to see if this thing would function as well as it looked.

I was not disappointed. We burned through 3 boxes of 130gr FMJ and shot groups with 4 different hollow point defensive loads without a single failure. No failure to feed, no failure to fire. Man, can this thing shoot.

My wife was thoroughly impressed, as was I. The Guardian performed so good I almost forgot about the missing safety and was considering giving my wife a diamond ring for Christmas so I could keep the pistol.

Now, since .38 Super is considered a niche caliber there is not a lot of selection when it comes to ammunition. We shot FMJ from Magtech, Armscor and Fiocchi. The hollow point loads were from Buffalo Bore, Sig Sauer, Double Tap and Winchester. All of our shooting was done from an unsupported standing position. The .38 Super is known as an accurate, flat shooting round and Dan Wesson is known for accurate handguns. They both delivered.

My wife stayed in her comfort zone of 7-10 yards while I moved it out from 15-25 yards and the Dan Wesson Guardian shot point of aim/point of impact the whole way. The only time the Guardian failed to deliver was when we failed to do our job of applying the fundamentals.

My wife only managed to drop 15 of 100 out of the black and even her misses would have been torso hits if we had been shooting silhouettes. I managed to keep all of mine within the 7 ring which is better than I ever did during 12 years of pistol qualification in the Marine Corps with the M9.

Next, we tried out some defensive carry ammo I brought along to see if the Guardian would prefer one manufacturer over another. These groups were fired at 8yds for her and 15yds for me. Again, the Guardian did its job as long as we did ours. The groups were fired from an unsupported offhand and since you only get 1 chance to make a first impression in fights as well as in life, the groups displayed were; for better or worse, fired with that in mind.

First up was Buffalo Bore 124gr JHP, muzzle velocity 1350 fps/muzzle energy 502 ft.lbs. The Buffalo Bore gave the tightest groups of all the defensive ammo we tested. The recoil was comparable to 9mm 115gr FMJ. Buffalo Bores use of low flash powder makes it a good choice for carry in situations where low light is a factor.

Next up was Double Tap 147gr Controlled Expansion JHP, muzzle velocity 1225 fps/muzzle energy 490 ft.lbs. The Double Tap ammo also gave us tight groups, with the exception of the flier. The recoil of the 147gr Double Tap was the stoutest of all the ammunition we tested (which is to be expected due to the heavier projectile moving out of the bore), but is still comparable to a similar loading in 9mm.

Practical accuracy is still impressive as even the dropped rounds would have still been hits to the vital organ areas

Next was Sig Sauer Elite 125gr V-Crown JHP, muzzle velocity 1230 fps/muzzle energy 420 ft.lbs. I am not exactly sure what happened here, but the groups spread a bit. While the felt recoil wasn’t as substantial as the Double Tap, the muzzle flip was the most significant of any of the ammunition we tested.

This may have contributed to a case of flinches, which is my excuse for being bested by my wife …lol. Still; even with loose groups and vertical stringing the Guardian put 3 rounds center mass, which would be enough to ruin anyone’s day.

Last up was the Winchester 125gr Silver Tip JHP, muzzle velocity 1240 fps/muzzle energy 427 ft.lbs. While technology in bullet design has improved significantly since its introduction, the classic Silver Tip is still a viable carry ammo. It has been ending criminal careers for over 40 years now. The recoil of the Winchester ammunition was the mildest of all the defensive ammo we shot, and the grouping speaks for itself.

Overall Impression –

Usually, my preference is for all steel guns, as the extra weight can be helpful in soaking up felt recoil. At 6ft 2in and 225 lbs., I don’t mind the extra ounces that I have to lug around to carry something that I am comfortable and confident in using if I am called upon. That said, the Guardian in .38 Super is hands down one of the more pleasant pistols I have ever shot.

It is also accurate and reliable, and I have no reservations about my wife carrying it as her primary defensive arm. Usually higher end 1911s are made to tighter tolerances and require significant break-in time before they are reliable enough for people to bet their lives on them. The Dan Wesson Guardian apparently does not, as at the time of this writing it has over 300 rounds downrange with zero failures.

Conclusion –

For a company founded to produce quality double action revolvers, Dan Wesson has definitely hit one out of the park with the Guardian 1911. An attractive, reliable and accurate 1911 pistol that has power comparable to a .45 ACP with the recoil and capacity of 9mm, the Guardian in .38 Super is an outstanding example of the quality that is leaving the Dan Wesson factory these days. Now if I could just get them to start using ambi-safeties.

Do you own any of Dan Wesson’s firearms? If so, let us know which one in the comments below.

Concealed Carry Revolver: A Tale of 2 Six Guns For Everyday Carry

October 23, 2017 By Joe Roberts Leave a Comment

When it comes to firearms I have wide and varied tastes. From antiques to the latest tactical lead-slingers, if you can use it to put steel on target then I am in. I have owned many different firearms over the years from single action black-powder Colt replicas to Gen IV Glocks, flintlock Pennsylvania rifles to the Colt M4 and everything in between.

My love affair with big-bore handguns started at age 13 when my step-dad and his cousin thought it would be funny to have me touch off a .44 Rem Mag from a Thompson Contender. The recoil was substantial, the muzzle blast was deafening, and I was hooked. Since then I have owned and shot countless handguns in calibers ranging from .44 S&W Special to the mighty .454 Casull and beyond.

While my everyday carry piece has been a variety of semi-auto pistols for several years now, I have been toying with breaking into the safe and dusting off one of my trusty wheel-guns to do daily duty. Now I have read and heard all the arguments in favor of the semi-auto for defensive carry and for the most part agree wholeheartedly with them. However, there is still an argument to be made for the simplicity and inherent reliability of a double action revolver.

When I started digging through the safe I settled on two of my favorite revolvers, a S&W Model 22-4 Thunder Ranch and a Ruger Redhawk both in .45 ACP. Now choosing a favorite between these two revolvers is like trying to choose a favorite between my kids. So I figured I would do a full comparison of the two on their merits to figure out which would reside in my holster for the foreseeable future.

A little background.

The Smith and Wesson model 22 traces its lineage back to the beginning of the last century in 1908 when S&W introduced the .44 Hand Ejector, First Model “New Century”, better known as the “Triple Lock”. These were the handguns that Elmer Keith used to develop .44 Special loads that eventually gave rise to the .44 Remington Magnum.

The First Model was discontinued in 1915 and was replaced by the Second Model which was adapted to fire .45 ACP by using half-moon clips. Dubbed the M1917 by the Army Ordnance Department it was adopted to supplement the M1911 during World War I and saw service thru the Vietnam War. It was sold commercially as the Model 1950 and was reintroduced as the limited production Thunder Ranch revolver.

The Ruger Redhawk was first introduced in 1979 by Sturm, Ruger and Co., Inc. The Redhawk was initially chambered in .44 Magnum and was produced to compete with the S&W model 29 which were in short supply due to the popularity of the “Dirty Harry” movies of the late seventies.

The Redhawk is a beefier, scaled up version of the Security Six line of revolvers. It was unique in that it used a one piece frame, unlike other double-action revolvers that had removable side plates giving it unsurpassed strength. In 2015 Ruger introduced the Redhawk with a 4 inch barrel and round butt in a .45 Colt/.45 ACP chambering that had the cylinder machined from the factory to accept .45 ACP using full moon clips.

On the bench.

The Thunder Ranch measured out with the following dimensions using my own “scientific” equipment; steel ruler, dial caliper, trigger pull gage, and my wife’s digital kitchen scale.

Overall Length – 9 3/8 inches

Overall height – 5 ¼ inches

Width at cylinder – 1.715 inches

Stock width @ grip screw – 1.2 inches

Single action trigger pull – 4.5 pounds (average of 3 pulls)

Empty weight – 36.7 ounces

The Redhawk measured out to the following dimensions with the aforementioned equipment.

Overall length – 9 3/8 inches

Overall height – 5 ¾ inches

Width at cylinder – 1.78 inches

Stock width @ grip screw – 1.285 inches

Single action trigger pull – 6.5 pounds (average of 3 pulls)

Empty weight – 45 ounces

On the range.

Shooting these revolvers is a blast to say the least. Felt recoil was surprisingly light due to factors like weight and grip design. Both revolvers were fired at ranges of 7 to 25 yards in both double and single action modes. I have 2 sets of aftermarket grips for the S&W, but due to an extremely limited aftermarket for the round-butt Redhawk (read non-existent) I put the factory stocks back on for the comparison to compare apples to apples.

I have owned the Thunder Ranch for a couple of years now and it came used with the Hogue monogrip installed. I have also purchased a Pachmayr gripper grip for it as well. I have shot it extensively with both and have found it to be less than comfortable. Both of the aftermarket grips for the Smith always seemed to direct the recoil right into the meaty part of my hand between my thumb and trigger finger. After a couple of cylinders of hardball I would start to anticipate the pain that I knew was coming, leading to less than satisfactory shot groups.

This was my first time shooting the Thunder Ranch with the factory stocks and I have to say that at first they felt a little funky in my hand while holding the revolver. I am used to grips on a revolver that put my trigger finger a little more in line with the trigger. The factory stocks seem small and my trigger finger at full extension lay across the gap where the bottom of the cylinder and frame meet. I know why the Tyler T-Grip is so popular for these models. However; when it comes to felt recoil, whoever designed these stocks should be given a promotion. The width of the factory stocks spread the recoil out into my hand to the point where after 150 rounds of factory FMJ I had no tenderness in my hand whatsoever.

In addition to what I would call mild recoil, the muzzle flip was controllable to the point that I had no issues getting off double-taps and running a Mozambique drill (two to the chest, one to the head) was also within the realm of reality. The rudimentary sights (grooved top-strap and half-moon blade up front) were quick to line up and surprisingly easy to see. The wide blade up front makes it relatively easy to focus on your front sight when you are putting lead downrange. I was able to keep all but one in the black at 10 yards when I ran several double taps. Having never qualified past sharpshooter with the M9 during my career in the Marine Corps, I was surprised by how accurate this handgun was in my hands.

My first impression upon picking up the Ruger Redhawk was “this thing is a frigging tank”. At 45 ounces empty, it is without a doubt a heavy revolver. It is very well balanced though and points easily. The stocks are also very well designed to do a very good job of spreading out felt recoil. The weight helps soak up a lot of the felt recoil and muzzle flip as well. The double action trigger is a hair smoother than the Smith and I could actually feel the cylinder lock up during a long, deliberate double action pull. That being said it was very easy to shoot rapidly in double action mode.

The adjustable rear sight and red blade up front make it very easy to line up the sights and the quick change front sight will make it easy to swap for a fiber optic front sight in the future. My Redhawk grouped about 1.5 inches to the right of center and unfortunately I didn’t bring a screwdriver with me to the range so I wasn’t able to make any sight adjustments. The Ruger grouped just as nicely with the 230 gr FMJ as the Smith. My 10 yard double taps were surprisingly not as tight as with the Thunder Ranch and I apparently started to anticipate the recoil and push into it. However even with my pushing and jerking it still retained pretty good accuracy for a close range gunfight if it ever (God forbid) comes to that.

Overall impressions.

I was pleasantly surprised by the manners of the Thunder Ranch revolver even though I shouldn’t be. It was, after all designed to be a fighting revolver. The Ruger on the other hand owes its lineage to a revolver designed to soak up full power magnum loads and ask for more. It was designed originally for handgun hunters and was over-engineered in that respect. The fit and finish on both is what you should expect from these companies without a doubt.

The brushed stainless and checkered hardwood stocks on the Redhawk are just plain sexy in my opinion, although I have a built in bias towards stainless firearms as I think they just have a clean, sanitary look. The bluing on the Thunder Ranch however belies its true intent. It is deep and rich, definitely one of the nicer factory bluing jobs I have seen in a while. The Cocobolo wood contrasts nicely with the bluing and really makes this revolver almost more of a collector piece than a fighting handgun for carry.

Of course good looks aren’t everything and as they say in the car world “Chrome don’t get you home”, hits are the only thing that counts in a fight and both handguns are definitely capable of getting you home. The adjustable sights on the Ruger are much better suited for hunting in my opinion. Personally I just prefer fixed sights on a carry gun, as there is less chance of Senor Murphy showing up and screwing up my day. While I may have to try out different ammo to find one that shoots point of aim, once I do, game on.

Since I carry all day every day, weight will be another huge factor and the Thunder Ranch is the obvious winner here at almost 9 ounces lighter than the Redhawk. Remember we are going for concealed everyday carry here. As they say in the Infantry “ounces equal pounds, pounds equal pain” and if I don’t have to carry around an extra half pound strapped to my waist I’m not going to.

I am a Diesel Mechanic by trade and live by the adage of using the right tool for the job. My firearms are no different. If I am out in the woods in bear country the Ruger Redhawk would be my handgun of choice. It has the versatility of using both .45 ACP and .45 Colt and I would not feel under-gunned if I was carrying some Buffalo Bore 325 gr LFN ammo. I would also not be concerned about concealment while hiking or hunting in the woods and would probably be carrying the Redhawk in a hunting shoulder holster.

Since the job here is everyday concealed carry of a fighting handgun, I have to go with the Thunder Ranch for the win. With fixed sights that won’t work themselves out of alignment due to screws coming loose, lighter weight that won’t pull my spine out of alignment after 12 plus hours on my hip and quick reloads of accurate and powerful .45 ACP thanks to the use of full moon clips. The Thunder Ranch is what a fighting handgun is supposed to be: simple, accurate, and reliable enough to bet your life on.

Now I just need to wait for El Paso Saddlery to ship my holster …

Do you carry a revolver for your everyday carry? Let us know in the comments below. Also, if you’re a revolver person, check out this interview with one of Colt’s VPs on their newest .38 wheel gun.

A Good Day With The Wife And Kids At The Gun Range

August 30, 2017 By Joe Roberts 1 Comment

Today was a good day. I got to knock off early and spend some quality time with my wife and kids. I took them to one of my favorite hangouts in town, the local indoor gun range. The girls enjoyed finally getting the chance to put in some range time with the last presents they opened up on Christmas morning (Old Saint Nick is apparently a 2A supporter) and I enjoyed coaching my daughters in the fundamentals of marksmanship.

Looking back to my pre-teen years growing up in SoCal, my mother used to take me out to the local range and rent a 1911 and let me burn up a box of ammo about once a month. Back then I had my heart set on an AMT Hardballer. We used to go to the local gun store and I would always be drawn to the AMT with its brushed stainless finish, adjustable sights, extended slide release, and extended thumb safety. It was my dream gun.

The promise of owning it someday kept me motivated to stay on my daily task of mucking out horse stalls for $0.25 per stall. My step-dad would bring home the sales ad from Big 5 Sporting Goods displaying surplus import AK-47s on sale for ridiculously low prices and I would reply that I was saving up for the AMT.

AMT Hardballer 1911 — Photo Credit: Wikipedia, User: Amthardball

I remember one sales advertisement had the then-new Smith & Wesson 645 for sale and I had already saved up enough to purchase one. But no, I was holding out for a Hardballer (one of my less intelligent moves looking back).

Eventually I fell out of love with the AMT and settled on a good all-around gun.

A used Marlin 1894 in .44 Remington Magnum beckoned to me from the case behind the counter and since I had already saved up enough money it went home with us that day. From then on when we went to the gun range I was shooting my own gun that I had saved up the money for.

At the time 20 rounds of .44 Mag went for roughly the same as a 50 round box of .45 ACP (which was probably a good thing or my shoulder would still resemble a purple squash). A couple of years later we moved to Washington and I spent a lot of time out in the woods with my horse, my dog, and my Marlin. I took it on my first deer hunt and that same day used it to scare away what would have been my first deer. But that is a story for another day …

I used to think my mother was just going along with my love of guns to entertain me, keep me out of trouble and to keep me focused on my chores and schoolwork (keeping up on chores and schoolwork were always a pre-requisite for range time). Now that I have children of my own it has become increasingly important to try and pass down some traditions to my girls.

I retired from the Marine Corps when my oldest was almost 11 years old because I had already missed several birthdays and holidays and I wanted to be there to help guide her and her sister through what is arguably some of the hardest years of life, the teens. Finding things to bond with my pre-teen and teenaged daughters has been a challenge, especially since I don’t know who Pewtie Pie is, nor do I have any interest in catching all (or any) Pokémon’s.

I finally decided that maybe I could introduce my girls to one of my oldest loves … Shooting.

The first time my wife and I took the girls to the gun range they took turns shooting my old Ruger MkII Target model. They really seemed to enjoy it, even though I wouldn’t let them even handle the pistol until they had memorized the four safety rules as I learned them over many years on the U.S. Marine Corps rifle ranges. Even the ride to the range sounded like firing day one of boot camp, with me sounding off each safety rule and my girls repeating them like second phase recruits. That year for her birthday my oldest got a Ruger 10-22 rifle. The next Christmas my youngest got her own 10-22.

We have made several family range days since then and those times are about the only times that they put their phones up without me having to tell them. A few times I have introduced them to some of my larger more powerful firearms and they take to it like a duck to water.

The last time out my oldest tried out my old Bushmaster carbine (the one my lovely wife claimed for herself) and within a couple of shots she was consistently putting steel on target. That was also the trip that she tried my .357 Magnum Rossi R92 Saddle ring carbine. I had brought a couple of boxes of .38 Special ammo along and asked her if she would like to try that rifle out. She said sure and after a unloading the rifle on a couple of Pepsi cans at 30 yards, she asked if she could shoot it some more.

I replied “that’s what we brought it for sweetie”. About 40 minutes later after coaching my youngest with my (now my wife’s) Bushmaster, I decided to take a few shots with an old Taurus .38 revolver I had brought along. When I went looking for the .38 ammo it was gone, both boxes cleaned up.

When I looked at the firing line my oldest was making Pepsi cans dance with the last of the .38 ammo. I asked her if she shot up all of it and got a sheepish “yes” and “I’m sorry Dad” in response. I told her that it was ok and asked if she liked my rifle. She answered “You mean my rifle?” I can’t say no to my princess so I guess I will get myself another Rossi … lol.

Last Christmas the girls got matching Heritage .22 revolvers and I must say that they were the envy of all of their male cousins, fielding questions like “Are they real?” Today they got to take them to the range for the first time and after getting used to firing with the most basic of sights, did pretty well. It was a good day to be a father. Looking back at my youth, whether she intended to or not, range time proved to be some good bonding for me and my mother. I am happy to say that the tradition has been continued for at least one more generation.

The 2nd Amendment is uniquely American; to the best of my knowledge no other country has codified the right to self-defense in their constitution. While the 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with hunting and recreational shooting it is an awesome by-product and a uniquely American tradition.

It allows us to keep in touch with our history, whether it is the citizen soldiers who took on the strongest military in the world and sent them packing or the pioneers who blazed a trail to the Pacific Ocean. While not all of our history and traditions make for cozy fireside stories, the American traditions of self-reliance, rugged individualism and being able to put steel on target, and, if necessary, food on the table is one that I am proud to be continuing.

Yup, today was a good day.

All this talk about the gun range makes me wonder if you’re up to speed on your gun range etiquette. Check it out.

The Importance Of Gun Training At Every Age Cannot Be Overstated

June 16, 2017 By Joe Roberts Leave a Comment

improvised shooting position — Practice with different shooting positions, including improvised ones, for better defensive readiness. (Team HB photo)

We’ve discussed in great length the importance of carrying a self-defense weapon, or having access to one, at all times. The truth is, we never know where tragedy will strike when at home, in the car, on the road in a hotel, etc. Such is the case for an 82 year old man who needed his firearm to defend himself against an intruder who broke in through the window air conditioning unit.

Nothing is sacred; nothing is safe. Criminals intent on hurting you will stop at nothing to make sure that their goals come to fruition, no matter the cost to you. One of the most important things we need to remember, is that if a criminal is brazen enough to break into your home, they are likely willing to eliminate any traces that they were ever there, including your life.

That is one of the main reasons why it is imperative that you’re willing and able to defend yourself against all threats, and understand that you’ll never actually be ready for an attack. And, when I say that you’ll never actually be ready for it, I mean that you won’t know when an attack will come.

Our 82 year old man from a recent Defensive Gun Use was clearly willing to defend himself against an intruder, to which I commend him for. However, after looking at this story in more detail, he wasn’t as able as he could have been.

Of course, we have to take the age of this man into consideration. At the age of 82, fine motor skills aren’t what they once were, and even gross motor skills are likely not tuned up and running in tip-top shape. That, coupled with the fact that even younger, healthier people have a hard time hitting their target when presented with a tremendous amount of stress, we have a recipe for disaster.

Thankfully, he lived. But he didn’t land either of the two shots he fired on his attacker, so it could have turned out very differently.

Getting old is a part of life. Try as we may, we’ll never be able to avoid this basic truth: We are all born, and we will all eventually die. In that process, called life, we get older and witness our bodies deteriorate. Again, nothing we can do about that.

What we can do to ensure our survival against someone who is bigger, stronger, younger, faster, smarter, etc., than we are, is to have the upper hand with a great force equalizer known as a self-defense firearm. The mere owning of a gun is not enough, though.

We cannot just go to the local gun shop, put some cash down on the counter, walk out with our new 9mm pistol, and expect ourselves to be John Wick with it. Now, I’m not saying that this is what our senior citizen did, because I’m all about honesty and I have no clue how much training this man has under his belt.

What we can all learn from this example of a defensive gun use nearly gone wrong, is that no matter our age, no matter our gun training level, no matter our experience or shakiness with our hands, nor how unhealthy we are, we can–and should–all still go to the gun range and practice with our guns on a least a monthly basis.

Period.

Further than that, if we suspect that there is even the slightest chance that we’ll have a break-in occur while we are at our homes, we need to practice maneuvering through our house, unloaded gun in hand, so we know what it’s like should the time ever come when we need to defend our homes from an intruder.

The thing is, while we continue to grow old, we are never old enough to practice our skills to get better. In fact, I’d argue that as you get older, it becomes even more important because your skills may decrease with time, naturally.

I’m much younger than this senior citizen. So, I cannot offer up much in the way of advice for how to train as an elderly person. What I can offer, however, is this: never stop going to the range, and even taking classes from time to time to refresh your skills to make sure you don’t develop any bad habits.

No matter your age, your life is important to someone. Which somehow brings me to my next point …

I cannot highlight how important it is to check your home out for vulnerabilities. I can all but guarantee you that at some point, this man never thought he’d have someone break in through his A/C unit. And yet, it happened to him.

I strongly suggest you check your windows, A/C units, doors, basement, and anything else that someone could exploit to get into your house, because the chance is always there. You may one day end up the victim of a break in if you’re not making sure that everything is secured.

In conclusion, we must never stop our gun training or proficiency in self-defense skills. No amount of training or experience entitles us to grow complacent. Be aware of your surroundings and make sure your house is secure. If your home utilizes window A/C units, secure them in with something. Make sure your doors are locked, and always have a way of defending yourself handy (like a gun) so you may equalize whatever force your are presented with.

If you’d like to read about the old man in greater detail.