pistol caliber

3 Near Extinct Pistol Calibers, And Their More Popular Counterparts:

April 27, 2018 By Terry Nelson Leave a Comment

3 Near Extinct Pistol Calibers, and their more popular counterparts:

In recent years we have seen a dramatic rise in the popularity of some pistol cartridges. I have had personal experience with these but as is often the case with rifle cartridges, we are now seeing a decline in the demand for some more recently developed pistol calibers.

Before looking at what cartridges may go extinct, let’s confirm those that will most likely be around for the next millennium.

There is little doubt that 9mm (9×19 Parabellum) has been and will continue to be in high demand in the military, law enforcement, and concealed carry markets for many years to come. Many agencies that were utilizing other calibers for a duty pistol have now come full circle and back to the 9mm.

Along the lines of 9mm we cannot overlook the .380 ACP. It has been around for over a century and continues to be used as a backup and concealment cartridge for many and isn’t likely to fall off the map anytime soon, if ever.

The old .45 ACP has been around for what seems like eons. While its use as a duty cartridge or an everyday carry gun has slowed, it will always be a mainstay in the pistol world having been used in every war from WWI to present.

The .40 S&W is still on the shelf, but in the last few years its use in the law enforcement and carry gun markets have slowed, more so year by year it seems. Despite this, the cartridge will most likely be around for a long time to come as it has been in use far and wide since 1990.

Moving on to those cartridges that may not be long for this world:

.357 SIG —

The 357 Sig is essentially a bottlenecked .40S&W, with a narrowing of the case down to fit a .357 bullet. Developed in 1994, the .357 Sig was intended to replicate the performance of a .357 magnum in a semi auto pistol. I have carried this cartridge as a duty pistol during my tenure in law enforcement.

There is little doubt that it is a hot, flat-shooting cartridge. However, due to wear and tear on pistols and the issue of recoil for some shooters, the 357 Sig has lost its appeal for both the public or private sectors.

While this ammo is still readily available there is limited interest by civilians and much less use in the government sector. In several cases I am familiar with, law enforcement has traded their Glock or S&W M&P in the 357 Sig for other models in a different caliber, usually 9mm. Some dealers taking these guns on trade have been stuck with them for months, unable to find interested users.

.45 GAP —

I believe it would be fair to say that the .45 GAP (Glock Automatic Pistol) is nearing extinction. Developed In 2002 specifically for Glock and was a shorter case length than the 45 ACP, the cartridge initially enjoyed some acceptance by the law enforcement community.

It may have also had a following in the concealed carry market because of compact and subcompact models produced by Glock. Most law enforcement agencies using the .45 GAP have replaced it with the 9mm. In the many years I have instructed firearms both on a civilian and government level, only twice have pistols chambered in this caliber shown up on the range.

10mm —

The 10mm was designed in 1983 by Col. Jeff Cooper. For a time in recent years, it seemed the cartridge had was virtually dead and buried. It is however, currently experiencing a resurrection of interest, primarily in the hunting community. The 10mm Auto had a following when it was first introduced in 1983 and was adopted by the FBI Hostage Rescue Team.

But it never gained significant popularity, and there has been minimal demand for the ammunition for at least the past thirty years. As mentioned, it has gained some popularity among handgun hunters recently most likely due to production of the Glock Model 40 long slide chambered in 10mm. But, as a serious carry pistol, the 10mm has few followers. It remains to be seen if this cartridge will stand the test of time.

Most folks who have a pistol, pistol caliber carbine, or revolver for that matter that they enjoy shooting and intend to keep, have taken the necessary steps to have a long term supply of their favorite cartridge. If, however, you are on the road and far away from your precious supply of ammunition, you may want to consider the following:

Longtime instructor John Farnam wrote in one of his recent weekly “Quips” this criterion he considers important when selecting a carry gun: Will it pass the Walmart rule? In other words, when times are hard or you are in an immediate need for ammo, can I walk into a Walmart and find a selection of ammunition (or any at all) in the caliber you carry? If your answer to that question is no, perhaps you may want to give it some thought.

Lawman — **Will your favorite caliber be around for the long haul or in lean times?**

What’s in your gun? Let us know in the comments below.

Also, want to see handgun ballistics for all of the mentioned cartridges here?

6 Commonly Misused Gun Terms

November 3, 2017 By Josh 1 Comment

Here are six commonly misused gun terms, and what to say instead

One thing that nobody ever likes, is to look dumb for not knowing the lingo in any hobby. The gun industry, while generally filled with a nice bunch of people, has a few bad apples with a primary life mission of correcting people who use wrong terminology when it comes to guns.

I’m a firm believer that if you’re going to do something, you may as well do it to the best of your ability, which includes using the right words when talking to others who share your affection for whatever it is you’re talking about.

That being said, if after reading this you still want to use the incorrect words, do whatever floats your boat.

One thing I wanted to do, was compile a list of popular misused gun terms, and the more acceptable words you can use, instead, to help you out a bit. This list is meant for everyone both new to guns, and those of you who have been around for a while.

Is it a clip or magazine?

I volunteer my time at a local gunshop a couple days per week, just to get out of the house and have some adult conversation. Whenever someone comes in and asks me for a clip, I have to admit that I do get a little confused and ask for clarification.

While many people from younger generations will tell you that there is no such thing as a clip, there actually is. It’s just not the part of the gun you think it is.

On modern firearms, the part where the ammo is actually held and fed into the gun is not actually called a “clip.” The proper word for that thing, is called a magazine.

Where it can get a bit confusing, is when you realize that there are gun parts that utilize a clip, and it does have to do with ammo.There are things called “stripper clips,” and some older rifles made use of a clip.

But, your AR-15s, Glocks, 1911s, and almost all other firearms use a magazine of some sort, whether internal or external. “Magazine” is the correct terminology to use when talking about it.

Is it a bullet or cartridge?

Okay, so when you go to the store and buy a box of ammo, each individual thing inside of that box is technically called a cartridge. Calling it a “bullet,” while everyone should know what you’re talking about, is technically wrong.

The cartridge is the whole thing from the primer and the case, to the bullet and the powder.

The bullet, on the other hand, is just the part that shoots out the barrel of the gun. Let’s make it a bit more confusing, by telling you that the word “bullet” can also be interchanged with the word “projectile.”

Again, that’s the part that you hope to hit your target or assailant with, when you put the squeeze on the trigger.

When we speak about ammunition on our humble little website, we actually use the term “self-defense cartridge” or just “cartridge” because that is the proper term for it. There will be many more articles about ammo and self-defense cartridges in the future.

Assault Rifle As An AR-15?

Something misconstrued by many on the left, and those new to the gun world because they listen to them, is the term “assault rifle.” That type of rifle is something used by the military, and is generally not something made available to the public on a mass scale.

The AR-15s found in all gun-owner’s safes are in fact a variant of the first rifle of this type, made by a company called Armalite. In fact, the AR doesn’t stand for “assault rifle” but “Armalite Rifle.”

To expand on this a bit more, an “assault rifle” is something that is usually a selective fire weapon, meaning that it can shoot semi-automatic, or automatic depending on which setting is selected (hence the term, selective fire).

If I were you, I’d just nix that term from my vocab completely, if you use it. Instead, refer to them as “rifles,” AR-15, or AK-47.

Suppressor, Silencer, or Can?

Personally speaking, I hate the word “can.” A “can” is an object that holds food or something else to be used at a later time. A suppressor, on the other hand, is an object used to muffle sound.

However, more people are calling them “cans,” which, even though it drives me nuts, is apparently an acceptable description for a “suppressor.”

What a suppressor does not do, however, is “silence” a firearm. Because there are physics behind the explosion of the gun powder in your cartridge that have nothing to do with the suppressor itself, it cannot silence everything. The action of the firearm, for example, cannot be silenced.

It can be quieted with different ammunition, but never totally silent. Therefore, many folks scoff at the term “silencer” when talking about a suppressor.

Calling it a silencer in some company is unsafe, while calling it a suppressor is always safe.

Is it a pistol, a handgun, or revolver?

This one can be tough, and I find that it really depends upon the age of the person doing the talking. The revolver is obvious, and refers to a “wheel gun” that makes use of a rotating cylinder to fire each round.

A pistol, on the other hand, generally refers to any handgun that is considered to be semi-automatic. (please note that I say “generally,” because there are exceptions to every rule)

A pistol can also be something that looks entirely like a rifle, but qualifies as a pistol from the ATF.

And, once again speaking generally, a handgun can be used to talk about all of the above.

What’s the diff between semi-auto and automatic?

A semi-automatic firearm is one that shoots one round per trigger function. In other words, when a round is in the chamber, and the trigger is pulled to the rearward position, the gun goes “bang.”

On the other end of the spectrum is a firearm which shoots many rounds with one function of the trigger. Or, when there is a round in the chamber and the trigger is pulled to the rearward position, the gun goes “bang bang bang bang bang” until the trigger is released, like the one in the following video:

This is important, because the media and gun-grabbers would love to have you believe that a semi-auto firearm is an automatic death killer ray gun from the future that shoots 47,000 rounds per minute and can zap bolts of lightning from the sky at people on the other side of the planet.

Idiots.

Which of these 6 misused gun terms have you heard before? Are there any that I missed? Which ones have you used in the past? Please fill me in below, in the comments section.

Check out my buddy Eric’s website, Pew Pew Tactical for more information on NFA items.

Gun Review: Definitive Arms AKX-9, Perfect SBR Candidate

December 23, 2016 By Josh Leave a Comment

Gun Review: An in depth look at the Definitive Arms AKX-9, which seems to be the perfect SBR candidate

We all have high hopes that Donald Trump will make good on his promise to not only keep the Second Amendment in tact, but also strengthen it by taking action on some long overdue things, like lifting the idiotic laws on suppressors and short barreled rifles and shotguns.

If that happens, and SBRs become easier to get, I’ve got the perfect candidate for you in the form of the Definitive Arms AKX-9.

Before we get to that, however, let’s take a moment to explain some things. First, a word about myself and why I’m qualified to share my thoughts on this firearm with you.

I’ve been around, and firing, guns most of my life. In fact, I was given my first firearm at the ripe old age of 10 (at the moment I’m typing this up, I’m 36 years old). It was a single-shot 12 gauge shotgun.

I joined the Marines at age 19 where I qualified with an M16A2 Service Rifle, an M9 Beretta pistol, and an M240G Machine Gun. This is the time when I truly fell in love with shooting and couldn’t get to the range enough.

And for the past few years, I’ve worked in the firearms industry.

I’ve written for some of the biggest names in the gun-world, have served as the managing editor for someone else’s website (where I grew a big audience from scratch), and am proud to say that I started this website with a small group of other like minded individuals and veterans.

As a quick aside, I started this project because I was sick of working for “pro-gun” companies who were secretly anti-gun, or at least left-leaning.

Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, what exactly is an SBR? Well, if you didn’t know, the term SBR stands for Short Barreled Rifle. And, SBS stands for Short Barreled Shotgun. Basically, it’s a long gun with a barrel much shorter than what is currently allowed by law.

What is currently allowed? Law states that a rifle needs to have a barrel of at least 16” while a shotgun needs to have a barrel of at least 18 inches before you need to get the government’s “OK” to possess such a gun with a shortened barrel.

Overall length comes into play, too, but we’ll keep it here for now.

That’s a topic for a different day … But if Trump gives the people who voted him into office what we want, SBRs could become an easy reality for many of us. When that happens, I’ve got a good candidate for you:

Enter the Definitive Arms AKX-9

At the range with well-over 1,100 rounds of ammunition passing through the 11.25” barrel, there are zero malfunctions to date. Yes, you read that right, the barrel is just 11.25 inches, but it also comes from the factory with a fixed, five inch extension for an overall length of 16.25 inches, just over the minimum requirement.

As an SBR, the extension may be removed from the 1/2X28 threads, and replaced by a suppressor or hider of your choice. After all, when you’re home with sleeping children and other family members, the loud crack of an un-suppressed anything is the last thing they’d want to hear.

Chambered in 9mm, with Colt 32-round stick mags, there is plenty of firepower to knock down a gang of intruders in your home should anyone be stupid enough to break in while you’re actually there. And, as we’ve found out, that does happen more often than we’d like to think.

The lack of recoil from the parabellum round coming from a nearly 7 lb rifle enables the shooter to get back onto target in quick fashion, as the smooth trigger stands up to all the abuse your finger can throw at it.

In the below video, I demonstrate just how fast I was able to get the trigger moving:

I set targets up at various yardages ranging from 15-50 yards, and can say that I’m happy with its performance. I’m comfortable saying that this little rifle is superbly accurate out to distances much further than where I’ve taken it.

Granted, I’ve never taken this AK out that far, and at longer distances there will be a noticeable drop in terminal performance as it slows down considerably. Still, you won’t likely be engaging targets 150 yards away, while in your house.

The Definitive Arms AKX-9, available from Atlantic Firearms, is a blast to shoot at the range. Plus, the 9mm Luger is the most affordable center-fire cartridge on the market, today. That means you can actually get better because you can afford to shoot it.

While it may seem like it right now, this is definitely not a fluff piece. I don’t work for Definitive Arms or Atlantic Firearms. They did not pay me for this review, and I refuse to ever give any firearm a perfect score.

While currently my favorite rifle, there are some things that I’d likely want to change on it if at all possible. First, while the stick mags do a great job of getting the cheapest available 9mm ammo down range, this is the only part that is not AK-like.

Then again, having a last round bolt hold open feature is not AK-like, either, and I really like that.

Furthermore, I’m just not a fan of plastic furniture on an AK. I, personally, like wood. I get by with it because looks always take a back seat to performance. Need I remind you that this thing performs flawlessly with all types of ammo, and at all rates of fire.

As of this writing, I do believe there to be a Definitive Arms AKX-9 with wood-finished furniture on it. It’s just not the one I have.

Finally, the price tag is hard to deal with. The MSRP on this rifle is just over $1600. They may be found for less than that, but not likely because this isn’t exactly something your neighborhood shop carries on the shelf.

I guess they can command that price, though, because people still buy them, and they run great. I spoke to the guy at Atlantic Firearms, who told me that this entire firearm was blueprinted from muzzle to stock, and designed to work.

I can say with absolute certainty, that after putting so much lead down range, it does work very well.

Overall, this is a great firearm that is a great candidate for an SBR. It’s already short at just 33.5 inches, with part of the barrel left inside the receiver to shorten it up.