american handgunner personal defense preview

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VOL. 3

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SPRING/SUMMER 2010

FOCUS:• CONCEALED CARRY• MOSSBERG 590A1

• TAURUS PT 709• LESS LETHAL OPTIONS

BLADE GEOMETRYHOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BLADE

.22 FOR SELF DEFENSE?LET’S TAKE A LOOK

HOW TOUGH IS YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD?

STRONGHOLD: ONE MAN’S FAMILY PROTECTION PLAN

HIDEOUT HANDGUNSHOW LOW CAN YOU GO?

BUYER'S GUIDE 201070 PAGES OF PISTOLS, RIFLES,KNIVES, LIGHTS, LASERS & MORE!

RETAILER: DISPLAY UNTIL AUGUST 15, 2010

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PERSONAL DEFENSE • 2010 SPECIAL EDITION4

37 WEB SITE SHOWCASE GREAT WEB SITES FOR NEW GEAR

68 NEW PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT HOT NEW PRODUCTS YOU MUST HAVE!

74 ADVERTISER’S INDEX LOOK TO THESE COMPANIES FOR YOUR PURCHASES

75 BUYER’S GUIDE 2010 CATALOG OF GUNS, KNIVES, LASERS AND LIGHTS

AMERICAN HANDGUNNER® (ISSN 0145-4250) is published monthly, except April and October, when it is published bi-monthly, by Publishers’ Development Corporation, 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128. Contributors submitting manuscripts, photographs or drawings do so at their own risk. Materials cannot be returned unless accompanied by suffi cient postage. PAYMENT is for all world rights and will be made at rates current at time of publication and will cover reproduction in any or all AMERICAN HANDGUNNER® editions or promotions. The act of mailing a manuscript constitutes the author’s certifi cation of originality of material. ADVERTISING RATES furnished on request. Reproduction or use of any portion of this magazine in any manner, without written permission is prohibited. The opinions and recommendations expressed by individual authors within this magazine are not necessarily those of Publishers’ Development Corporation. Copyright© 2010 by Publishers’ Development Corporation. All rights reserved. SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS: For immediate action, write Subscription Department, 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to AMERICAN HANDGUNNER®, 12345 World Trade Drive, San Diego, CA 92128

8 MOSSBERG’S 590A1 A MULTIPURPOSE SHOTGUN JOHN TAFFIN

12 LAND GUNS IT’S MORE THAN JUST BAD GUYS ROY HUNTINGTON

20 BLADE GEOMETRY 101 HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT BLADE PAT COVERT

24 STRONGHOLD ONE MAN’S PLAN TO PROTECT HIS FAMILY GARY LEWIS

28 TOUGH NEIGHBORHOODS SOME ARE TOUGHER THAN OTHERS BOB PILGRIM

32 SO YOU WANT TO CARRY? CONCEALED CARRY OPTIONS RICHARD MANN

38 LESS LETHAL OPTIONS PERSONAL PROTECTION WITHOUT THE BANG RICHARD MANN

42 COWBOY GUNS FOR HOME THAT’S WHAT THEY WERE DESIGNED FOR MIKE “DUKE” VENTURINO

48 WILL TWO–TWO DO? A SERIOUS LOOK BOB PILGRIM

52 TAURUS PT 709 POTENT PINT SIZED PISTOL BOB PILGRIM

56 HANDGUN RETENTION BECAUSE YOU JUST MIGHT HAVE TO MIKE JANICH

62 HIDEOUT HANDGUNS HOW LOW CAN YOU GO? MIKE BOYLE

70 ALMOSTS... GREAT GUNS THAT NEVER WERE J.B. WOOD

COVE

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FEATURES

2010 SPECIAL EDITION

RESOURCES

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38LESS LETHAL OPTIONSPERSONAL PROTECTION WITHOUT THE BANG

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©2009 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

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I am not a great friend of progress but I have to admit e-mail, digital cameras, and especially a computer which allows me to dictate my articles, all combine

to make my life as a gun writer possible, or at least a lot easier. Another great aid to me is caller ID. I know at a glance if it’s a welcome call from friend, family,

or someone from the industry, or one of those dreaded solicitor calls I can ignore. I especially like to see the words “Buckhorn Gun” appear on the little screen as it normally means one of two things. The boys of Buckhorn, Matt, Mike, Tom, and Tory are even more important to me as a writer than this computer I am now talking to.

They keep my guns operating when there is a problem, modify them when desired, and most importantly Buckhorn is the FFL holder receiving test guns for me.

Some pretty neat stuff comes through from both manufacturers and custom gunmakers, and the Buckhorn boys always get to see it fi rst. It’s always neat to hear the

excitement in their voices when something out of the ordinary comes through. This time it was Tory calling and he said something which at fi rst seemed very strange: “John we have a

John Taffi n

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My wife and I rank among the blessed ones these days. After

literally 20 years of dreaming, we fi nally moved out of the rat-race of Southern California onto 20-some wooded acres in

Southwest Missouri. We have big, booming oaks and other hardwoods, and lots of pastured land. Our driveway is a bit more than a third of a mile long, and our nearest neighbor is about the same distance away.

RURAL PROTECTION A N D TOOL-SENSE

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a 1911. I wasn’t sure what was out there, so I wanted to be armed. We popped up to the north of our forest and ended up right in the back

yard area of our nearest neighbor. It turns out he and his family were having a barbecue.

I stopped the ATV and Suzi and I

We can shoot on our property, and enjoy all the benefi ts of country living. The views are stunning, our neighbors are great, the animals are constant companions and there’s the work too. Oddly enough, Suzi and I fi nd the hard, physical labor needed to keep SUMARO House fulfi lling and healthy. Yup, we named the place. It’s based on the fi rst two initials of our family member names, SUzi, MAdison and ROy. Always wanted a house with a name.

Tools are a critical part of the equation in the country. Our John Deere 3320 tractor (with loader, thank you very much) is the backbone, and various mowing machines, welders, chain saws, axes and the hundred other tools needed to keep the place going are all pretty much in constant use. Around here it’s a “do-it-yourself” proposition, and I always enjoy watching my wife Suzi (city girl from South California) fi re-up the tractor, run the ATV with a rough-cut mower, or knock down a tree with a chainsaw, rarely asking for help unless the job is too big for one set of hands.

At the end of the day, a shower, a glass of wine and family-visiting in the kitchen as we make dinner with fresh vegetables from the garden — and venison harvested from a doe last season in our Walnut grove — always makes us smile. We wouldn’t trade it for the world. And neither should you.

Dangers?Some wonder how dangerous it is

to “live in the sticks like you do” as they often say, especially if they’re from California or some other urban-sprawl area. And the answer is easy — it’s vastly more dangerous for them when it comes to the two-footed predators. Out here our neighbors know one another and a stranger sticks out like a piece of blaze orange on a hunter’s jacket. And nobody around here is the least bit hesitant to confront people and demand to know what they’re up to if they don’t recognize them. “Who are you and what are you doing on Roy’s property?” would easily come out of the mouth of any of my neighbors.

One other thing is important too; everybody out here is armed at some level. It may be an ancient single shot break open 20 gauge or .22 rifl e, or an up-to-speed AR-15 with a light system. But everyone has a little — or big — “something” tucked away.

When we fi rst arrived we were exploring some woods to the east of our home and I had on an old “Tanker” type shoulder holster for

Roy Huntington, Editor American Handgunner Magazine

IT’S MORETHAN JUSTBAD GUYS

Okay, maybe the boots and shorts may border on, as his daughter says, “dorkish,” but the boots are to keep snakes and ticks off. The chest rig holds the Model 25 for snakes, rats, feral dogs and whatever. The funny tool Roy’s holding harvests walnuts off the ground, there in the walnut grove. Work or play? We haven’t decided yet.

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Pat Covert

Choosing a knife is no different from picking the right fi rearm for your needs. Knives are as

diverse as guns and none of us wants to get stuck with something we can’t use. All too often someone will buy a knife based on its cool look only to fi nd out later, often at the wrong time, it fails to perform the purpose intended. This isn’t surprising considering how hot and competitive the cutlery market has become since the turn of the millennium. The knife world we once found easy to navigate has become a jungle with more twists and turns than a good Clive Cussler novel.

The Kit Carson CRKT M series have been best sellers. Top: M21-04 with a re-curved drop point blade. Bottom: the M16-14 with a par-tially serrated tanto.

High-tech and ready for combat, the BLACKHAWK! CQD Mark I (top) features a sleek spear point blade, the Mantis Chaos II an industrial strength tanto.

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There were five of them. One stood to his feet and drifted right, another fellow slid out to the left. Yet another made a move for the door. Flanked. One man in his early forties, 5' 10", 160 lbs., with brown hair and cold blue eyes met my gaze. “Who’s asking?”

I was aware of his hands — one on the table, the other in a pocket. The car wasn’t for sale. I gave him my number, “In case you change your mind,” and backed out with a nod to the fellow at the door. I decided it would be safer to shop in the Classifieds.

As a high school senior, I had a class called Current World Problems.

Gary Lewis with a Glock 19 equipped with lasergrips.

Twenty-some years ago, I was 17 years old and in the market for a ’66 or ’67 Ford Fairlane GT. One night, cruising past a burger stand, I spotted one — a ’67 GT with a V8 and four on the floor. I approached

a group of men at a corner table. “Who’s driving the Fairlane?”

Gary Lewis

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It’s been said, you can spot the tenderfoot by the size of his knife and I might direct that criticism toward Joe Citizen who packs a .44 Magnum for self-defense, but a Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan .454 Casull wheel gun? No problem. Around Greg’s and other Alaskan residences those and larger calibers sensibly complete a local resident’s outdoor ensemble, because they can be tough neighborhoods.

Aggressive BruinsHunting season was approaching

in the Last Frontier state and Greg, owner of EZ Limit Guide Service, was out exercising his dogs on a borough road near his home. He and his family had experienced numerous aggressive brown bear incursions. On his property Ursus Arctos destroyed equipment, confronted his wife near outside house steps, chased his dogs and arrogantly rubbed their backs against the house right under his daughter’s window. He keeps his property clear of any garbage or food that would attract

these denizens that, unlike bruins in more remote areas, have lost much of their fear of humans. Repeated calls to state Fish and Game offi cials for assistance have essentially fallen on deaf ears. The bears are not a protected or endangered species, but are under hunted because of game laws specifi c to the Kenai Peninsula and without natural predator pressure their population has signifi cantly increased. More bears mixed with more people equal more DLP (Defense of Life and Property) shootings that actually exceed the number of animals harvested from scheduled hunting.

Ruger Redhawk .454 Casull Alaskan

Greg is a gun guy. He owns rifl es and shotguns and traded in his .44 Magnum revolver for the stainless steel, 2.5" Ruger, specifi cally

BOB PILGRIM

Bob PilgrimBob Pilgrim

Some of us live in pretty tough neighborhoods and prudently go armed when out and about. However, I don’t always strap on the hardware

when it’s time to walk the dog around the block. But, after talking to 46-year-old Alaskan Fishing Guide Greg Brush, maybe I should, especially when visiting suburban Alaskan neighborhoods.

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for compact protection against neighborhood bears and while bow hunting. He wanted double action and a short barrel for speed of deployment and fast shot delivery. Little did he know that these preferred attributes would save his life. Publicized alternatives to deadly force like bear spray, running or playing dead won’t cut it when a predatory Brownie has you in its cross hairs. He also feels that the .44 Magnum isn’t enough to stop one of these furry behemoths and advised that before you can kill a bear, you have to “roll it — break it down,” so it can’t complete its attack. And, large, heavy and deep penetrating calibers are the most reliable way to accomplish this with a handgun. Complementing the Ruger was a supply of 370 gr. ammunition that was hand loaded locally. Practice consisted of only one session, which involved putting 50 rounds of .45 Long Colt and four Casulls through it. After shaking off the somewhat jarring affects of the 454’s heavy recoil he commented to a friend, “I hope I never have to fi re that gun again.”

Ultimate HorrorAlmost as an afterthought that

morning, he decided to take the handy Ruger with him and belted its Uncle Mike’s nylon holster on his right hip. It was about 11:15 a.m. and two of his three dogs were frollicking around 50 yards ahead of him on the neighborhood road. However, the smallest pup stubbornly lingered between his feet. Avoiding a position of risk, he was intentionally making a lot of noise, shuffl ing his feet along the road’s crown and loudly talking to his dogs. While trying to fi gure out what was wrong with his daughter’s clinging Chihuahua, he heard a large twig snap and a low and guttural exhaling of breath behind him. Spinning around to his right, he was momentarily shocked by the horrifying sight of a 10' and almost half ton brown bear boar boring in at him at fl ank speed from its off road lair only 20 yards away. He had a lot of bear hunting experience in the wild, but half his mind was saying, “You’ve got to be kidding.”

There was no warning of any kind, no rising up, jaw snapping or false charges. The bear’s head was down with its ears back. Everything was evolving so rapidly he didn’t have the time to be scared. With adrenalin- fueled warp speed, he ripped his Ruger through the holster’s retention strap, established a two hand hold on the piece and shoved it out just below eye level at the dark silhouette that

This bear was old. Note the broken and abscessed teeth.

Resting place of stopped Brown Bear. Note skid marks and toppled sign.

This bear’s paw and claws are as big as Greg Brush’s head.

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One of the fi rst questions I ask anyone interested in carrying a handgun for personal protection is if they are willing to change their wardrobe to accommodate the concealment of a fi rearm. Depending on the person and how they generally dress, attempting to carry concealed handgun can throw a monkey wrench in their fashion statement. There are numerous ways to carry a handgun but to do it covertly, certain clothing is required.

Holster options are endless. There are belt mounted hip holsters, paddle holsters, inside-the-pants holsters, shoulder holsters, ankle holsters, pocket holsters and a number of hybrid holsters like belly bands and even pocket books specifi cally designed for carrying handguns.

Waist CarryProbably the most common holster

is a belt mounted hip holster. They are available for just about every model of handgun and cost can range from 20 to several hundred bucks. They are also made from a variety of materials to include exotic leathers. The best and most secure are form fi t — molded to the handgun — regardless of the material used for construction. Hip holsters are also the hardest to conceal for most folks because they require a cover up garment and unless you live in a perpetually cold environment, most people don’t like to always wear a coat or un-tucked shirt.

If this is the route you choose you should fi rst start with a good, stiff belt. A good, stiff belt used to mean a wide, double layer, leather belt. That’s not the only option. Most holster manufacturers offer good leather belts but several offer belts lined with a thin strip of polymer or other rigid material. One of my favorites is the CQC Pistol Belt

from BLACKHAWK!. These belts not only provide a good foundation for a holster they look good enough to wear with your Sunday go-to-meeting clothes.

You will now need to decide if you want to carry the handgun inside or outside your trousers. Inside-the-pants holsters are the easiest to conceal and popular with savvy concealed carry

SO YOU WANT TO CARRY AHANDGUN?

PERSONAL DEFENSE • 2010 SPECIAL EDITION

CONCEALED CARRY OPTIONS

Richard Mann

Most entering the world of concealed carry start with buying a handgun and then begin worrying about how they’re going to carry it

around. This is actually a backwards approach. The fi rst things you should consider and decide are how you intend to carry a handgun, how you will properly conceal it and most importantly, if you will be comfortable with the carry method you choose. Why? If you are uncomfortable carrying a handgun, soon you won’t be carrying one at all!

DeSantis Mini-Scabbard with Thumb Break — Belt Holster.

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getting use to and for optimum comfort you will need to purchase trousers about 1" too large in the waist or those that have an elastic, expandable waistband. BLACKHAWK! and EOTAC have both addressed the trouser issue with their Tactical/Non-Tactical or Discreet Pants which look good enough to wear on a day to day basis but have several features, to include an expandable waistband, for those with a street survival mindset.

To properly conceal a handgun carried in an IWB holster you will also

need a cover garment that extends about 6" below your belt line. This means you will need to go around with your shirt untucked or wearing a jacket any time you are carrying.

A holster worn outside the pants like a common hip holster, pancake holster or paddle holster will require a longer cover garment extending at least 8" and possibly further below your belt line, depending on barrel length and whether the holster is of the low or high ride design. Low ride holsters are usually more comfortable unless you spend a lot

afi cionados but generally don’t fi t women comfortably. For a long time the only source for a good inside-the-pants holster was from a custom maker like Milt Sparks who still makes some of the best holsters of this style. Today, a number of manufacturers offer more affordable, inside-the-pants or waistband (IWB) holsters as standard items. An example would be the DeSantis Cozy Partner, which is one I often use.

Bigger BritchesIWB holsters also take some

Handguns with under-barrel ac-cessory rails are becoming very popular and they are convenient for mounting lights and lasers but concealment holsters for this combination can be diffi cult to fi nd. Gould & Goodrich is one of the few companies that offer a conceal-ment holster for a 1911 with a rail.

For inside-the-waistband (IWB) carry, pants that have an expandable or elas-tic waistline are much more comfortable. Both BLACKHAWK! and EOTAC offer pants specifi cally designed for this type of concealed carry.

The handgun is just a part of a personal protection concealed carry plan. Acces-sories include ammunition, lights and a holster. The holster might just be the most important because if your carry method is not comfortable you won’t carry at all.

When it comes to selecting a defensive handgun, a good place to start is considering the way you intend to carry it. Your carry method and how comfortable it is will have a great deal of infl uence on selecting a suitable handgun.

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Sometimes I carry a less lethal device in addition to a handgun and sometimes as my only means of protection. My family just returned from vacation in a hot, humid part of the country. I like to think of myself

as tough and as the defender of the family but 95 degrees and 95 percent humidity is my kryptonite. I was in shorts and a tee shirt almost the entire time. My gun was in the car but in my pocket I had something else.

Pepper spray — oleoresin capsicum (OC) — is my most common less lethal tool. My wife and I spent our honeymoon in New Orleans. At that time I was a cop and could legally carry off-duty, except inside establishments serving alcohol. (Dude, in New Orleans I think you can buy alcohol at fast food restaurants.) My wife and I both carried pepper spray everywhere we went and I was glad of it one night when a drunk ambushed us in the French Quarter.

Gun loonies are often quick to discount less lethal devices as gimmicks or gadgets proving less protection. Most of this mindset have no or very limited experience with less lethal devices. I know from my law enforcement experience that

few things will bring a goblin to his knees faster than pepper spray. And here is the thing about all less lethal devices: bad guys know that regardless of who you are (cop, soccer mom or computer geek) you are much more likely to spray them or hit them with something than you are to shoot them.

From a practical standpoint you know you can’t carry a handgun all the time so what are your options? Basically you have four: electricity, sprays, light and impact weapons. Here are some suggestions for each you might want to consider.

Oleoresin Capsicum (OC) When my department � nally issued

pepper spray as a less lethal option I was not sure of its effectiveness. Even after the training class, during which we were required to be sprayed with the evil stuff, I was less than convinced. It hurt like the dickens but I was expecting the pain and

Don’t shoot the messenger but, sometimes a gun isn’t the best personal protection option and

sometimes it isn’t an option at all. Guns are cool but so is staying alive. It’s not legal to carry a handgun everywhere and depending on the

way you’re dressed, it’s not always practical. I enjoy guns but I really enjoy breathing oxygen. It’s my most favorite thing to do. Since I like it so much I plan to keep on doing it. That’s why I carry a handgun for personal protection. It’s also the reason I carry other things.

DDon’t shoot the messenger but, sometimes a gun isn’t the best

SECTION 1.indd 38 1/15/10 12:55 PM


A very unique pepper spray delivery systems is the JPX gun. The JPX looks like a gun (kinda) but contains two powerful doses of pepper spray with an effective range of around 23'. I don’t consider this an everyday carry option that would compliment a � rearm because it would be like carrying two guns. However, in a local where a handgun isn’t an option, the JPX deserves consideration. The JPX has a built in laser sight and training cartridges can be purchased to allow you to familiarize yourself with the effectiveness of the unit.

The Kimber Pepper Blaster is a much smaller unit about the size of a thick cell phone. It also offers two shots but at a reduced range of around 13'. The Pepper Blaster will easily � t in a purse, shirt or pants pocket. Training units are available and they are a great idea for anyone who routinely carries a Pepper Blaster. If nothing else, buy one for

your wife and daughter with a couple of training units and let them spray you for practice — and fun.

Unlike conventional oleoresin capsicum (OC) delivery systems, both the Kimber JPX and Pepper Blaster use a pyrotechnic charge to launch the irritant which gives them the range and power to overcome wind so the stuff ends up on the bad guy and not you. Because they don’t rely on aerosol propulsion you do not have to worry about them bleeding off and becoming useless over time.

Another of my favorite OC delivery systems is the Palm and Key Ring Defenders from ASP. Even though they use the more conventional aerosol delivery method, the convenience they offer by attaching to your key chain is unmatched by anything else I have tried. This also means they are generally very close at hand. They have a safety release so they will not accidentally discharge and you can shove the kubaton styled

was in a controlled setting with EMS personnel standing by.

On the street things are different and a lot of the goblins you might have to face have likely experienced pepper spray � rst hand. One thing is for sure, if you have been sprayed once you are not eager to get sprayed again and you also know that if you are, you will be unlikely to continue what you were doing. That is unless what you were doing was lying on the ground, curled up and crying like a baby for someone to please help you because you can’t breathe or see.

I’m a big fan of pepper spray and used it a lot as a cop. It kept me and the bad guy from serious injury and I have never seen it fail to stop a threat. That said, there is the potential with some of the aerosol type sprays to blow back in your face. Obviously, this can be a very bad thing, especially if your assailant doesn’t get his share of the burning kiss you so eagerly blew his way.

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Cowboy guns are often seen solely as a recreational, extremely enjoyable fun type for matches and aren’t considered “serious” guns. Brothers and sisters let me tell you — they are extremely serious guns. Just because a firearm is archaic doesn’t mean it isn’t just as deadly as the day it was first designed. Some cowboy action shooters who haven’t taken their firearms seriously enough have learned that lesson in a hard — and

sometimes fatal — manner. Think about it this way: if you

already own a brace of single action revolvers and you fire thousands of rounds a year in them in practice and competition, would you be better served to buy some high capacity autoloading pistol “just” for home defense? Or would it be more logical to use the type of guns with which you are most familiar and likely most competent? I think of the matter

thusly; I would rather be protected by someone with a Brown Bess musket than by someone with the most modern AR if the former someone was an expert with the brown bess and the latter person were a complete novice with the AR.

King Of Cowboy GunsFirst let’s consider the “king” of

the cowboy guns, the Colt Single Action Army. For 20 years it was the standard sidearm of the US Cavalry

Never have I tried to portray myself as an expert on self-defense or home-defense matters. In fact, when attending classes at Thunder Ranch I am just as much a student as anyone else in

the class. Be that as it may I’m still asked my opinions about what would make good home defense guns. And quite often such queries have come from people already experienced in shooting three types of fine home defense guns: Rifles, shotguns and pistols/revolvers.

SECTION 1.indd 42 1/15/10 11:41 AM


Mike “Duke” VenturinoPhotos: Yvonne Venturino

You have trouble buying that statement? Well, here’s how it goes. Using a PACT MK IV timer I fired five rounds from a Colt 1911 .45 ACP at a torso size target at 10'. Not counting reaction time it took me 1.75 seconds to hit the hunk of steel five times. Then I switched to a Colt SAA .45 and did the same drill. Those five shots were fired in 1.75 seconds. Neither of those times were especially fast but remember I was shooting at least carefully enough to ding the target five for five with each handgun. Is a fast reload needed? Well, that’s the rub and that’s something everyone needs to consider for themself.

How Big Is Big Enough?Ok, now that that’s settled, what

about the cartridges for which

cowboy-type sixguns are chambered? Notice that I wrote “chambered” and not “the loads they are used with in competition.” In my opinion one of the unfortunate paths that many have taken in the cowboy action sport is that they are shooting big bore guns with loads that might equal a mouse’s fart for muzzle energy. I’ve actually had people ask me, “How can I handload my .45 Colt loads so they only give .38 Special recoil?” The simple answer is, “In a safe manner, you can’t. So why not just get a .38?”

Let’s say a cowboy competitor wants to keep his single action sixgun in the home for defense. Whether it be a Colt SAA, Colt SAA clone, Ruger Vaquero, Blackhawk, or Bisley, or even one of the many other types of “old west” handguns being used

service, and carried daily by more lawmen and outlaws than anyone could ever count. Even George Patton, as a young Lieutenant, carried his famous ivory stocked, engraved .45 Peacemaker for serious use during the Mexican border excursion in 1916. As a general officer it may have been his showy and unused trademark three decades later in World War II but it started out as a serious sidearm.

How effective would the big Colt .45 single action be as a home-defense weapon? Just fine — at least for the first five or six rounds. Its problem is a quick reload, but for that initial cylinder full it can be fired practically as fast as any “modern” semiautomatic pistol. That’s especially true if the sights are used at all.

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2010 BUYer’s GUIdecataloG oF currently aVailaBle

HanDGuns, riFles, sHotGuns, KniVes & liGHts!Prices shown are for comparison purposes only. Actual retail prices may vary.

automatics ............................76

reVolVers .............................101

miscellaneous ......................107

riFles ..................................110

sHotGuns .............................120

KniVes .................................125

liGHts ..................................140

less letHal ...........................144

laser GriPs ...........................146

speCIal edITIon

section 2.indd 75 1/15/10 12:08 PM



armalite ar-24

caliBer: 9mmcaPacity: 13Barrel lenGtH: 4.671"WeiGHt: 34.9 ozGriPs: Rubber ergonomic gripssiGHts: Fixed or adjustableWeB: www.ArmaLite.comPrice: $550 - $631

accu-teK at-380

caliBer: .380caPacity: 5 Barrel lenGtH: 3"WeiGHt: 20 oz to 26 ozGriPs: Black combatsiGHts: Windage adjustableWeB: www.accu-tekfi rearms.comPrice: $221

automatics

Baer Bullseye WaDcutter

caliBer: .45 ACP, others on requestcaPacity: 7Barrel lenGtH: n/aWeiGHt: n/aGriPs: Baer premium checkered cocobolo gripssiGHts: n/aWeB: www.lesbaer.comPrice: $1,890

Baer Premier ii 5" moDel

caliBer: .45 ACP, .38 Super w/supported chamber, .400 COR-BONcaPacity: 8Barrel lenGtH: 5"WeiGHt: n/aGriPs: Baer premium checkered cocobolo gripssiGHts: Low-mount LCB adjustable w/hidden rear leaf, dovetail front sightWeB: www.lesbaer.comPrice: $1,790 - $2,095

armalite ar-24 comPact

caliBer: 9mmcaPacity: 15Barrel lenGtH: 3.89"WeiGHt: 33.4 ozGriPs: Rubber ergonomic gripssiGHts: Fixed or adjustableWeB: www.ArmaLite.comPrice: $550 - $631

section 2.indd 76 1/15/10 12:08 PM


BlacKHaWK! Be-WHarneD

Price: $99.99tyPe: Manual folderoVerall lenGtH: 7.85"BlaDe lenGtH: 3.4"WeiGHt: 4.2 ozHanDle: Textured G10 w/stainless steel linersBlaDe steel: AUS8A stainless steelsHeatH/cliP: Four-position pocket clipWeB: www.blackhawk.com

BencHmaDe 585 mini-BarraGe

Price: $120tyPe: AXIS-ASSIST locking mechanismoVerall lenGtH: 6.91"BlaDe lenGtH: 2.91"WeiGHt: 3.4 ozHanDle: Valox, double 420J stainless steel linersBlaDe steel: 154CM stainless steel (58-61HRC)sHeatH/cliP: Reversible Bright Split Arrow clipWeB: www.benchmade.com

BencHmaDe 10700 naGara

Price: $100tyPe: Nak-Lok locking mechanismoVerall lenGtH: 7.5"BlaDe lenGtH: 3.25"WeiGHt: 3.3 ozHanDle: Anodized blue titanium, polished linersBlaDe steel: 9CR13 stainless steel (58-60HRC)sHeatH/cliP: Reversible tip-up clipWeB: www.benchmade.com

BencHmaDe 890 torrent

Price: $150tyPe: Locking-liner with nitrous assistoVerall lenGtH: 8.2"BlaDe lenGtH: 3.6"WeiGHt: 3.5 ozHanDle: Black G10 scalesBlaDe steel: 154CM stainless steel (58-61HRC)sHeatH/cliP: Tip-down carry clipWeB: www.benchmade.com

BencHmaDe 760BK lFti

Price: $270tyPe: Monolock, Tanto bladeoVerall lenGtH: 9"BlaDe lenGtH: 4"WeiGHt: 5 ozHanDle: Dual titanium handles, sandblasted finishBlaDe steel: CPM-M4 tool steel (60-62HRC)sHeatH/cliP: Fixed location, tip-down carry clipWeB: www.benchmade.com

KniVesBencHmaDe 10350 aPHiD

Price: $70tyPe: Locking-liner with optimiser assistoVerall lenGtH: 5.63"BlaDe lenGtH: 2.38"WeiGHt: 1.65 ozHanDle: Valox, texturedBlaDe steel: 440C stainless steel (58-60HRC)sHeatH/cliP: Reversible tip-down clipWeB: www.benchmade.com

section 2.indd 125 1/15/10 12:10 PM


BlacKHaWK! XiPHos nt

Price: $199.99outPut: 90 lumensruntime: 2.5 hrsWeiGHt: 2.6 oz (w/battery)Battery: CR123A x 1Volts: 3VWeB: www.blackhawk.com

BlacKHaWK! GlaDius maX

Price: $249.99outPut: 120 lumensruntime: 90 minWeiGHt: 5.55 oz (w/battery)Battery: CR123A x 2Volts: 6VWeB: www.blackhawk.com

BlacKHaWK! leGacy X6-P

Price: $49.99outPut: 65 lumensruntime: 1 hrWeiGHt: 4.3 oz (w/battery)Battery: CR123A x 2Volts: 6VWeB: www.blackhawk.com

BlacKHaWK! Falcata

Price: $114.99outPut: 95 lumensruntime: 1 hrWeiGHt: 5.9 oz (w/battery)Battery: CR123A x 2Volts: 6VWeB: www.blackhawk.com

ae liGHt liFeliGHt 30

Price: $185outPut: 275 lumensruntime: 3 hrs (high) WeiGHt: 3.5 ozBattery: 3 AAAVolts: 1.5VWeB: www.AElight.com

asP triaD Baton liGHt

Price: $75outPut: 70 lumensruntime: 1.5 hrs (high)WeiGHt: 2.8 oz (w/battery)Battery: Lithium CR123AVolts: 3VWeB: www.asp-usa.com

liGHtsae liGHt toP Gun mK1

Price: $265outPut: 200 lumensruntime: 5 hrs (high)WeiGHt: 16 ozBattery: Lithium ionVolts: 7VWeB: www.AElight.com

5.11 tactical uc3 400

Price: $169.99outPut: 270 lumensruntime: Up to 120 min WeiGHt: 16 ozBattery: 3 ultra capacitorsVolts: n/aWeB: www.511tactical.com

ae liGHt toP Gun P.i.

Price: $150outPut: 200 lumensruntime: 4 hrs (high)WeiGHt: 3 ozBattery: LithiumVolts: 3.7VWeB: www.AElight.com

section 2.indd 140 1/15/10 12:11 PM


crimson trace lG-411

Price: $299 Beam intensity: 5mw peakDot size: .5" diameter @ 50'PoWer: 2 - 2032 Lithium

actiVation: FrontaDJustments: Windage and elevationFits: Ruger LCRWeB: www.crimsontrace.com



actiVation: FrontaDJustments: Windage and elevationFits: Glock (See Mfr. for models)WeB: www.crimsontrace.com



actiVation: FrontaDJustments: Windage and elevationFits: Taurus Judge & TrackerWeB: www.crimsontrace.com

crimson trace mVF-515


actiVation: Dual-side switchesaDJustments: Windage and elevation Fits: Picatinny 1913 or similar railsWeB: www.crimsontrace.com

crimson trace mVF-515


actiVation: Dual-side switchesaDJustments: Windage and elevation Fits: Picatinny 1913 or similar railsWeB: www.crimsontrace.com

laser GriPs

actiVation: Momentary pressure switchaDJustments: n/aFits: Picatinny rail mountWeB: www.lasermax.com

lasermaX uni-maX

Price: $189Beam intensity: 5mw peakDot size: n/aPoWer: 357 Silver Oxide

actiVation: n/aaDJustments: Elevation & windageFits: S&W J-Frame revolversWeB: www.lasermax.com

lasermaX J-maX

Price: n/aBeam intensity: 5mw peakDot size: n/a PoWer: 357 Silver Oxide

lasermaX GuiDe roD lasers

Price: $339 to $399Beam intensity: 5mw peakDot size: .75" @ 75'PoWer: Silver Oxide

actiVation: n/aaDJustments: n/aFits: Glock, Springfi eld XD, Beretta/Taurus, SIG & 1911 styleWeB: www.lasermax.com

section 2.indd 146 1/15/10 12:11 PM


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