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It's clear that Smith & Wesson figures there's still a viable market for the snubnose 38, because it came out with a new revolver in 2010 called the Bodyguard 38, usurping the name of the previous Bodyguard with shrouded hammer. The new Bodyguard 38 comes with an 'integral' laser sight, and the gun vies with the Centennial Airweight for looks, charm, effectiveness, concealability, and price.

We acquired a new Bodyguard 38 No. 103038, $625. The gun was a S&W five-shot 38 Special, and had a 1.9-inch barrel. Our prime interest was to see if the newer, more expensive Bodyguard was worth the money when proven, perfectly servicable older guns are readily available at gun stores, pawn shops, and gun shows.

I see a regular stream of older shotguns brought in for work. In many cases, they are suffering from what appears to be moderate abuse, with symptoms like loose lockup, worn hinge pins, and broken locking blocks. Many of the owners of these old shotguns are convinced that they are somehow inferior or defective, since they don't seem to hold up, even with relatively light loads. Others don't understand how their fathers and grandfathers fired these old scatterguns as much as they did, considering the recoil they produce. Well, in most cases, these old guns are finely made, and they definitely didn't beat up the user then as much as they do now.

The call for stricter gun control in this game-changing environment after Newtown is inevitable. These discussions will go on for some time and we will pay careful attention to the arguments on both sides. But for now, Gun Tests magazine chooses to focus on the immediate and the practical.

Last week, the California State Teachers Retirement System (CalSTRS), which has $751.4 million invested in Cerberus, pushed the private equity giant and parent firm of Freedom Group into selling its holdings in the gunmaking company.

The National Rifle Association broke its silence on last week's shooting rampage at a Connecticut elementary school that left 26 children and staff dead. NRA Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre addressed the media on Friday. Here is the full transcript:

Whether you enjoy competing as an athlete in IPSC, a SASS cowboy, or an IDPA tactician, the versatility of the Mernickle Wild Bunch holster can serve your needs. And if anyone asks about your rig, you can tell them about the good old days of slapping leather when a quick draw was the only game in town.

Charter Arms recently moved into an expanded office and production facility. The company’s new location increases production space from 8,000 to 28,000 square feet providing a major increase in manufacturing finished goods capacity.<

The National Rifle Association released this statement regarding the Newtown, Connecticut, shootings on Tuesday:

Last week, a gunman shot and killed 20 children and six adults in Newtown, Connecticut. The Connecticut State Police have released the names and dates of birth for 26 people who died on Friday, Dec. 14, 2012, during and after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Please use the comment thread below to remember the deceased and to express support for their families. Following is a list of the deceased, including names and dates of birth, supplied by state police. If police update this information, those updates will be reflected here.

Writing at National Review Online, John Fund says there are a few things you won’t hear about from the saturation coverage of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre:

Changes to Michigan’s concealed weapons law passed the state House last week, allowing gun owners who take additional training classes and who shoot and pass additional qualifying courses to carry their weapons in places such as schools, day care centers, stadiums and churches.

The Gun Owners of America warns that the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) could impact all Americans, including gun owners, by allowing them to be indefinitely detained without trial, based on simple membership in certain pro-gun groups or because of particular firearm-related activities.