Firingline

In your July 2001 issue, you selected the Glock 17 and 26 as the best duos. I agree. These guns have long been my favorites for personal defense weapons. But I was surprised that you failed to tell your readers about two of the main features that make these guns compatible. First, the 17s magazines will fit in the 26, which will includes the pre-ban high-capacity models. They protrude out the bottom of the grip, but that gives you a place for the little finger that you were looking for. This also makes extra magazines available.

Also, both guns can use the same holsters, especially belt slides and the Fobus paddle. These two guns are truly companions that offer tremendous firepower when...

Strong Chamber Walls
Regarding the matter of our .480 Ruger Super Redhawk chamber walls (May 2001), please be advised that no less than four major metallurgical and engineering publications have run feature stories about our breakthrough metallurgy utilized in the new .480 and .454 Ruger Super Redhawk revolver cylinders.

I hope you will inform your readers that your writers concern about chamber-wall thickness was unfounded, and that our pioneering efforts have resulted in new materials and construction which safely permit the use of a six-shot cylinder for all factory loadings of these powerful new cartridges. Extensive research and testing was of course done upon these cy...

Whither The Gun Industry?
A suggestion: You might want to test a Carbon-15 as a continuation of your Lightweight AR-15 test in the June 2001 issue. That gun has been getting a number of positive gun reviews elsewhere, which is very suspect. The gun is being sold at a significant discount by CDNN Investments, which might be an unintended indicator of quality and corporate longevity.

I called the company to ask about reliability (the ultimate test of any AR), and got an unfriendly non-answer, which might be the only test that I need.

This led me to think that it is almost impossible to get an unbiased review of guns these days outside of your magazine. I believe that the...

Cabelas Millennium Six-Shooter
After receiving my April 2001 issue and reading only one test, I think it is the best issue this old man has read in a long time. I will be ordering a pair of Cabelas Millennium six-shooters ASAP. I went to Cabelas web site to see what I had to do to order a pair. No guns advertised for sale there. I am going to try and find their snail-mail paper catalog. Or maybe I will just call Cabelas.

-Forrest L. Pretzer
Fort Worth, Texas

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Wild Cartridge, Or Not?
In the November 2000 Gun Tests, I was pleased to read the article on .416 rifles. Im intending to have a .416 Taylor built out of a Browning Pump Rifle. Star...

Magazine Releases
I read Stanton Bergs letter in the April 2001 Gun Tests and was quite concerned with it. He states that he has investigated 28 cases where a magazine safety would have prevented an accident and collected 45 newspaper articles where accidents would have been avoided. He does not acknowledge the golden rule of firearms safety-Keep the muzzle in a safe direction. If he wants to blame something, it should be improper storage or handling, not magazine safeties. As for the 12 officers who had accidents, I can only speculate that they didnt follow proper firearms handling safety. Being in law enforcement, I have heard multiple first-hand instances of locker homicides...

Hi Power Hijinks
Regarding your evaluation of the .40 S&W Browning Hi Power in the September 2000 issue, while I agree this is a fine pistol, it does have one peculiarity that ought to be mentioned. At the risk of being wimpy here, I must say this pistol has the heaviest recoil spring I have ever seen on a handgun. I could only reassemble it with a lot of grunting, groaning, and swearing. The point is, if the prospective buyer is a woman or perhaps an older man such as myself, whose hand strength is not what it once was, unless you have a Sumo wrestler on hand to put the thing back together, dont buy the gun! I traded mine off on a Sig 229.

You also mentioned that 13-round...

STI Trojan Gets Thumbs Up
I enjoyed reading your article about guns for USPSA Limited 10 in your February 2001 issue. I agree with your assessment that the STI Trojan is a terrific gun. Ive been shooting one for about a year.

For the benefit of others who own the Trojan, perhaps you could relay the information that there is a much easier technique for disassembling the gun than the one listed in your article (where you remove the slide first and then try to capture the spring and guide rod). I realize that is the recommended technique in the manual, but it makes the gun very difficult to break down and assemble. A couple of weeks of removing skin from the inside of my hands...

Benelli Sport 12 Gauge
Enjoyed your article on the Benelli Sport in the October issue, but then I always like reading Gun Tests. I am pleased that you folks have the time and resources to do what the rest of us would like to do when it come down to evaluating a firearm purchase.

I have owned a Sport for the last few years and can affirm that it is truly a pleasure to shoot and own, and you are absolutely right about the recoil of a lighter shotgun.

I purchased my Sport about three years ago at one of the local gun shows from a dealer who was not from my area. I was aware of the interchangeable barrel ribs and asked him about the others, since mine only had one in the bo...

1911 Magazines
Thank you for a fine publication. After 25 years of the rest, your's is the only gun book I pay for besides American Rifleman.

Onward to my reason for this letter. Applause is in order for your December 1997 review of 1911-type pistol magazines. I definitely hope more reviews of this kind are in your magazine's future.

I, as well as many others, am relieved to know that I'm not the only one who has such variable results in my autopistols that is caused solely by faulty magazine design or execution. Even in the same make of magazines, some feed hollow point ammunition and some don't. One of my 1911 aftermarket magazines, a very well-built and smart-looking...

Smith & Wesson Model 457
In response to Mr. Lawrence S. Saval's comments on the Smith & Wesson Model 457 pistol (in the November 1997 issue). I own one and have shot several hundred rounds through it without any jams, stovepipes or failures to eject. It shoots a little low. As a matter of fact, it performs better than some of my more expensive pistols. To those of you who want a lightweight double action .45 ACP, buy a Smith & Wesson Model 457. I carry one every day in my business. I find it reliable, lightweight, snag-free and inexpensive in comparison to other pistols on the market. It's probably the most comfortable double action .45 ACP pistol to carry 8 hours a day.

Da...

Interarms Clarification
In your April, 1998 issue (Volume X, Number 4) on the last page titled ‘Firing Line,' it states that "Interarms imports but does not manufacture this Walther (the PPK/S).

As I told a Gun Tests representative on the telephone, Interarms is licensed by Walther to manufacture the PPK, PPK/S and TPH in the USA. These pistols are made for Interarms by an arms manufacturer in the United States per Walther specifications.

Roy Melcher
Director, Engineering & Technical Services
Interarms

Used Revolvers
This is to thank you for your article in the November, 1997 issue on buying a used revolver. While at a gun show recently,...

Walther PPK/S
For as long as I've been a subscriber, I have always been interested to know what Gun Tests thought of my personal choice of a firearm, the Walther PPK/S. Last month's (December 1997) comparison of .380 double action pistols finally answered that question. I have to admit I was more than a little disappointed in your remarks. The testers commented that the tang was insufficient to prevent slide bite and that "more often that not" the PPK/S, the current test weapon excluded, "either failed to feed or failed to eject." Unfortunately, I also have to admit that every word of it was true.

I purchased my Walther in September of 1996. As a shooter with small hands, t...