Mike

Ruger has been making guns since 1949, and they apparently do it very well. From Bill Ruger’s first .22 pistol to Red Label O/U shotguns to No. 1 rifles to the 10/22 to … well, you get it. They make all sorts of guns that historically have been very well received and have grown to … Read more

OK, so I make a little funny here – I figure it’s my gun so I can make fun of it a bit if I want. The thing that isn’t funny about this gun, though, is how it shoots – it does that job in a very serious manner. I like my little humpback whale … Read more

Walther is a company that has earned one whale of a reputation in the firearms industry. This German-based company is responsible for some of the world’s great guns. To select just one example, the Walther P-38 semi-auto 9mm was the first widely accepted double-action/single-action (DA/SA) pistol to be adopted for military service. I’ve shot one … Read more

Oh boy…a “pistol” in 5.56! What a cool gun, I thought as I picked it up to look it over. Loaned to me by a good friend and former county deputy, I couldn’t wait to get some rounds downrange through it. I had always wondered about the need for a short-barreled, buttstock-free 5.56 gun, but … Read more

So…you’ve decided that you want to carry a gun. Depending on what state you live in, this may not be the easiest decision you’ve made. Different states have different laws, as we know. Some states make it easier than others to get a concealed carry permit. Now that Illinois has joined the club, all fifty … Read more

I’ve always had a weakness for .22 handguns. Revolver or semi-auto, it doesn’t matter to me. The thought of having a gun that can go pretty much anywhere you go, on your belt or in a pocket appeals to me. I call them “walking-around guns.” As I wander our woods, I appreciate having something that … Read more

I have a habit, whether right or wrong, of looking at something I’ve seen before and making the borderline-snide comment “nothing new to see here, folks, move along…”. I admit I’ve used that, or similar, statements in some of my gun reviews. A more polite way of putting it might be “not much new here … Read more

A good while ago I owned a Springfield XDS with the short 3-inch-plus barrel in .45 ACP. Now, that was a handful. I’m no stranger to smalller-framed .45s… back in the late 1970s I owned a Star PD, the Spanish-made 6-round .45 that was loosely modeled on the 1911. I liked that gun. But, like … Read more

Let’s just cut right to the chase: if you are looking for a rifle that pretty much does it all, check out a Ruger Precision. This gun is really something. Whether you’re a hunter, long-range shooter or whatever else you use a rifle for, this one is good to go. What do I mean? If … Read more

Some guys must be living right. I mean, how else would you explain how an ordinary guy who puts his pants on one leg at a time could go to a local National Wildlife Turkey Federation dinner and walk away with two new rifles, given as prizes? Well, OK, he’s done a lot of work … Read more

Last time, we looked at a Hi-Point model 995 9mm carbine. This time, we’ll look at the Ruger version of the 9mm carbine (also available in .40 S&W). In terms of variations, there are 20 different models listed on Ruger’s website, counting the various distributor guns and different stock finishes available. Now, let’s take a … Read more

I recently received two 9mm carbines for testing. One is made by Hi-Point and the other one by Ruger. I will do a two-part review using these two carbines – this style of firearms is really hot right now. So, let’s look first at the Hi-Point, then next time we’ll examine the Ruger. These are … Read more

Those of you who read my reviews and articles know that I am by and large a handgun guy. I cut my shooting teeth on that type of firearm. I guess growing up in a state that did not allow “regular” rifle calibers for deer hunting (only pistol calibers were legal) until fairly recently may … Read more

I was minding my own business one day when I got a call from my media contact at Taurus. He said Taurus was coming out with something new, a new 9mm. It would ship with either three 10- or 12-round magazines and was based on the four-inch-barreled G3 full-size 9mm pistol that Taurus came out … Read more

Raise your hand if you’ve always wanted a neat little .22 revolver that didn’t take up much room and didn’t cost an arm and a leg. Add in accurate and reliable, and we have a winnah! The Taurus 942 is just such a critter. Why Would I Want One? I had requested this gun from … Read more

The new Ruger-57 is one popular gun. When Beth from Ruger said that my requested test gun was being shipped, I became excited – this is one gun that has a waiting list of buyers, at least around here. My good friend Duane, who has owned and operated his sporting goods store since 1986, said … Read more

I like snub-nose revolvers. I admit it. If that makes me a Luddite, so be it. I started shooting more seriously and frequently at a time when the only double-stack semi-auto pistol available at your local gun store was the Browning Hi-Power, with its “enormous” 13-round capacity. In 1978 most cops/armored car drivers/security personnel/etc. carried … Read more

“Why in the world would someone want a REVOLVER, of all things, in 9mm?” I hear you ask. To which I reply, “Because! Why not?” With 9mm being the most popular concealed carry caliber now, why not? Not everyone who carries a concealed gun carries a semi-auto…there are still two or three of us out … Read more

With the recent pandemic-related buying frenzy, all of a sudden we see bare gun cases and and empty ammo shelves. I haven’t seen anything like this since the Obama “scare” several years ago, and people who pay attention to such things say that the most recent buying frenzy sold many more guns than were sold … Read more

1920. That was the year, exactly a hundred years ago, that O. F. Mossberg & Sons produced their first pistol. It was a four-barreled .22 semiautomatic whose firing pin rotated with each trigger pull. It used a latch to keep the action locked. When opened, you used the piece of bent sheet metal provided with … Read more

OK…time for a quick poll. All you shooters who have never shot a .22 single action revolver, raise both hands. Now, if you’ve shot any .22 revolver – single or double action – put one hand down. Look around the room – hands went down, right? (Oh, yeah – I forgot. I’m writing this during … Read more

OK, boys and girls…set your Way-Back machine for 1985. Point it to Southport, Connecticut – the Ruger factory there. As you enter the Ruger administrative offices, you may notice several men and women “high-five-ing” each other. Why? They had just introduced a new line of pistols, to compete in the marketplace against other “wondernines” and … Read more

Glock – the polarizing gun company. A lot of shooters really, really like their pistols, while others can’t even hear the name “Glock” without wanting to throw up a little. Why is that, you ask? Well, I guess it’s because that so many shooters have (over)sung the praises of the gun so often that others … Read more

Another 1911 review. Yup, here we go again. Why? Well, why not? The old 1911 is experiencing a resurgence the likes of which it has not ever seen before. I daresay the 1911 is more popular now than ever. Not bad for a 109-year-old design, eh? Why is it so popular? Here are a couple … Read more

What, you say…more holsters? Yessiree. With the plethora of carry guns we have today, we really can’t have too many holsters, can we? (Especially those that ride on the western hemisphere of my body, unlike all you right-handed eastern hemisphere shooters!) There are never enough lefty holsters out there, so it was great excitement that … Read more