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Category Archives: Firearms
Smith & Wesson Announces New M&P Shield Pistol
This week, Smith & Wesson unveiled their new M&P Shield semi-automatic pistol. Made to compete in the single-stack concealed carry arena, the Shield is a slimmed down version of their popular striker-fired polymer pistol offerings. By my calculations it is .25″ thinner than an M&P9, weighs 2.7 ounces less, and is .6″ shorter on the slide topline. It is available in 9mm or .40 S&W cal. I think with the law enforcement popularity of the full-sized M&P guns, the Shield will be a nice compliment to those who want a smaller version of their everyday duty pistol for secondary weapon or off-duty carry. It is a training advantage to carry … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty
Tagged back-up gun, Concealed Carry, M&P Shield, M&P9, off-duty gun, Shield Pistol, Smith & Wesson
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Diamondback DB9 Long Term Test and Review
In January of 2011, I was walking through the static vendor booths at SHOT Show’s Media Day at the Range and saw a familiar pistol that somehow looked off-kilter. It was a stretched Diamondback Firearms DB380 pistol. No. It was something new. Diamondback Firearms makes striker-fired polymer framed pistols and (soon) shotguns AR -15’s in Cocoa, Florida. After successfully marketing a micro-compact .380 ACP pistol, the company began producing a 9mm version. This was the gun I saw on the table. I handled the unloaded gun in the booth. It looked very promising, however, for its diminutive size, I worried about how it would actually handle in the hand when … Continue reading
New Charter Arms Pitbull .40 S&W Revolver Review
…Updated below… BlueSheepdog Richard and I went to the range a couple of months ago to get some trigger time with a mixed bag of pistols and revolvers. One of the wheelguns he brought was the unique Charter Arms Pitbull. The Pitbull is a .40 S&W cal. revolver, which was formerly called the CARR, for Charter Arms Rimless Revolver. The Pitbull was made to fire a rimless auto-pistol cartridge without the use of full or half moon clips. Integral to their design is a dual coil spring loaded extractor, which engages the case rim and ejects the spent rounds. Originally, Charter Arms’ idea was to provide a revolver that was … Continue reading
Heckler and Koch’s New HK45 Compact Tactical
Heckler and Koch’s Jeff Swisher was kind enough to walk us through the features of their new HK45 Compact Tactical (CT) pistol at Media Day at the Range, SHOT Show 2012. This new variant of the HK45 series is a recoil operated pistol with a modified Browning locking system. The action is either DA/SA or their Law Enforcement Modification DAO. The HK45CT was derived from the HK45 series to give civilians a taste of the Special Operations pistol made for the now-defunct U.S. Military Joint Combat Pistol and Combat Pistol programs from several years ago. This gun has a threaded barrel, replaceable grip panels, a 10 round extended magazine, ambidextrous … Continue reading
Update to LAPD Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 Review
I wrote a review for BlueSheepdog.com of the new LAPD-approved Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380 pistol in September of last year. I thought I would give you an update as to my continuing experience with the gun. This being Florida, I would say that firearm choices for concealed carry are sometimes dictated by the hot weather clothing. For many of us, it is difficult to conceal even a medium-sized pistol or revolver when the temperatures soar into the high 90’s with the oppressive humidity. Shorts and a t-shirt only help with the heat a little. The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 380, which was officially approved for on duty back-up and … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty
Tagged .380 ACP, Bodyguard 380, Pistol, Review, Smith & Wesson, Update
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New SRM Arms Model 1216 Shotgun Shipping
The new SRM Arms model 1216 12 gauge shotgun is shipping. GSA Direct’s Sam Hoge sent me this video of the SRM in action. The SRM 1216 is a totally new design with features not found on any other scattergun. I was able to handle a 1216 on the SHOT Show floor last month. The toggle for rotating the magazine is large and easy to use. This shows in the video, as you can see how fast the “drum” is turned to access each successive tube of ammo. It would warm my heart to have all these shotshells on tap in a critical incident. According to SRM Arms, the 1216 … Continue reading
Review of the New Kahr Arms CM40
I had the pleasure to shoot the new Kahr Arms CM40 at SHOT Show 2012 Media Day at the Range. The CM40 is the .40 cal. version of Kahr’s sub-compact polymer framed pistol. At an MSRP of $517.00, the CM40’s price point is over $250.00 less than a comparable Kahr PM40. I think the new gun is a winner for powerful concealed carry. Kahr’s new CM series differs from the PM series in that the barrel on the CM has conventional rifling and not the match grade polygonal rifled barrel of a PM. In addition, to save on cost the CM series has simple engraving on the slide, a pinned … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, SHOT Show
Tagged Kahr Arms, Kahr CM40, Kahr PM9, Review, SHOT Show
6 Comments
Some Tips on Safe Concealed Firearms Carry
I carry a gun when I am off duty. A person who is trained in firearms handling and basic tactics, has studied the legal use of lethal force, and possesses a concealed firearms carry permit should as well. There have been too many incidents, especially over the last few years, where an armed citizen or off duty police officer could have stopped the killing in an active shooter situation. There are many more examples of this than I can mention. Read the news. I can say that this use of force must be held judiciously and only as a last resort, but it can be the final defense in an … Continue reading
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty, Officer Safety
Tagged Concealed Carry, Firearms, Off Duty
2 Comments
New Sig Sauer P224 Review
I did a range review of the new Sig Sauer P224 Extreme from SHOT Show 2012 over at GunsHolstersandGear.com. Click here for the link: P224. I thought this was a sweet shooting gun in .40 cal. I have Hogue G-10 grips on my personal Sig P226. If you dig the Sig platform, which I do, you will like this gun. Listen for the pings on the steel target at 15
Posted in Concealed Carry, Firearms, SHOT Show
Tagged Extreme, P224, SHOT Show 2012, Sig Sauer
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SHOT Show 2012 Media Day at the Range
Last Monday was Range Day for the Media. Over 2500 media personnel attended the SHOT Show this year. We were driven by bus out into the Nevada desert for a day of shooting the latest products from a wide range of manufacturers. I was lucky to travel with the crews of BlueSheepdog.com and GunsHolstersandGear.com. Check out those sites for more in-depth coverage! I’ll post more photos as the week goes on… Randall