Firing Line: 12/02
Glock Test Correction
Re October 2002, Compact Polymer .40 S&Ws: Glock, Springfield, and H&K:You folks have the best gun magazine available. I really enjoy reading your opinions, which are not formed by high-paying advertisers.
In your test of compact polymer .40s, you incorrectly stated that the Glock has no chamber-loaded indicator. I refer you to your close-up picture of the Glock extractor printed on page 4, which shows the loaded chamber indicator on the Glock.I am a police officer and have carried a Glock on my hip every day for several years now. Get yourself a Glock, and lose that nickel-plated sissy pistol.
-Tom Martin
Murray, UT
T...
Downrange: 11/02
BATF TO JUSTICE?
Its long been debated that all or part of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, well known by its acronym BATF, should be moved from the Treasury Department to the Justice Department. Those discussions have been renewed as part of the Bush administrations overall realigning of the federal governments law-enforcement operations. Over the years, various administrations have considered reassigning ATF to other agencies. Much of the debate has historically focused on how best to handle the Bureaus two branches: its criminal law-enforcement arm, responsible for enforcing the nations firearms and explosives laws, and its regulatory division responsible for...
Firing Line: 11/02
CZ-52 Pistol
Re September 2002, Pistol Showdown: CZ and Tokarevs Match Up In Bargain Test:
I liked your article on the CZ-52, 7.62x25 pistol. I couldnt agree more. A tech at Sierra put me onto the CZ-52 several years ago. I thought you might be interested in a little-known item.
Before these pistols left the factory way back when, they were test fired for accuracy. Those found to be very accurate were given a single (small) punch mark on the site rib. Less accurate pistols were given two punch marks. There were some given three punches, and the least accurate but still acceptable for military use was given four punches. Its very difficult to see these indentations unl...
Downrange: 10/02
ROSS CARTER UPDATE
After spending 50 days in the Burn Unit of St. Johns Hospital in Springfield, Missouri, Ross Carter and Diane Hammond have returned home to Harrison, Arkansas, with continuing treatment on an outpatient basis. Carter is a well-respected gunsmith we consult on a regular basis.
One of the ways in which money is being raised to help Carter and Hammond get back on their feet is by donation of custom guns by renowned gunsmiths for raffle. One such gun was a Kimber Gold Match tuned by Richard Heinie. This is a special-edition model that was originally donated for raffle at the first Factory Gun Nationals run by Dick Metcalf of PASA Park. The raffle winner, Rog...
Firing Line: 10/02
Wheres the FEG?
Re: August 2002 issue, Buy the Real Thing! Hi-Power 9mm Clones Come Up Short:I enjoyed the evaluation of the 9mm Hi-Power versus its clones. I was disappointed, however, that you left out the FEG PJK-9HP and the Israeli Kareem.
I havent seen a Kareem, but I own and shoot an FEG. Except for the muzzle end of the slide, its a faithful knock-off of the Hi-Power. It shoots well and I have never had a mechanical malfunction or failure of any kind. I do get occasional hammer bite at the thumb web. I have also owned a Belgian Hi-Power, which I lost to a divorce lawyers fees. The FEG is not that nice, but it does have very good fit and finish. At less than $30...
Downrange: 09/02
BILL RUGER DIES. William Batterman Ruger, founder and Chairman Emeritus of Sturm, Ruger & Company, the largest firearms manufacturer in the United States, died Saturday, July 6, 2002, at age 86.
Ruger had a hand in the original design and time-honored styling of every firearm his company has produced, and continued to work on new creations up until his death. The company has produced more than 20,000,000 firearms for hunting, target shooting, collecting, self-defense, law enforcement and government agencies.Ruger teamed with Alexander McCormick Sturm and established Sturm, Ruger & Company in 1949. Rugers first firearm introduction in 1949 was a stylish .22-caliber target pisto...
Firing Line: 09/02
Valtro
Re July 2002 issue, Full-Size Fighting .45 ACPS: The Valtro .45 ACP was very impressive. Is there a dealership where I can purchase the Valtro .45 ACP in the Dallas area, or is there an address and phone number where a dealership can order this auto .45 for its customers?
-Alfred Smith
DeSoto, TX
The only way to obtain these pistols is to order them directly from Valtro USA. The Valtro 1911 pistol can be sent to the federal firearms dealer of your choice. You can contact John Jardine with Valtro USA at 510-489-8477 or visit the company website at www.valtrousa.com. You can order a pistol like the one we test...
Downrange: 08/02
LOCKED AND UNLOADED. Knight-Ridder newspapers have reported that armed National Guard troopers deployed to airports for security following September 11 did not always carry ammunition in their pistols or M16 rifles, though they may have had access to magazines loaded with live rounds. National Guardsmen called up for security remained under the control of their states governor, who determined policy on firearms. According to Guardsmen who served at Philadelphias airport for seven months following the terrorist attacks, the armed soldiers at 16 airports around Pennsylvania were forbidden from patrolling with loaded firearms. The newspapers report that New York Guardsmen were also...
Firing Line: 08/02
Integrity
Re July 2002 issue: I wanted to write you and say I am a big fan of your publication. I read other gun magazines, and they have steadily gotten worse and worse. It is more or less a kind of payola. I am sure this is not news to you. I still read them, because I love to read and I love guns, but its hard not to notice the lack of journalistic integrity. (I am a former journalist - worked at the NY Daily News and a lot of papers in Maine). I have always been a big fan of Consumer Reports, and when they polled readers lately for ideas, I suggested they do what you do, but said you sure do it well enough right now!
When you see a review and then an ad right alongside...
Downrange: 07/02
EXPLOSION INJURES CARTER. Ross Carter, a master gunsmith who has advised the Gun Tests staff on handgun and combat-shooting issues, and his companion Diane Hammond, were the victims of an explosion and fire at their North Arkansas home in early June. They were flown to the burn unit at St. Johns Hospital in Springfield, Missouri. At the time of this writing, Carter was in critical condition with third-degree burns over 50% of his body. Hammond was undergoing skin grafts. We consider ourselves lucky to know Carter, and have depended on him for honest, clear assessments of complicated issues regarding firearms design and application. We hope youll remember them in your thoughts and...
Firing Line: 07/02
Hi Interest
Re February 2002, 9mm Carbine Semiauto Rifles: Hi-Point 995 Outshoots Ruger PC9:You give great praise to the 995, and give it your coveted Best Buy rating. You mention, though, that you had troubles with the original testing you did on this model in 1997 and that Hi-Point has seemingly overcome these problems in this model. So, why dont you tell me how to tell the difference between the new and the old 995s? I have a local dealer that has two 995s sitting on his shelf, but Im not sure I want to take the chance on them if theyre the old version.
-Scott R. Bishop
@cqrit.com
The chances of a five-year-old gun being sold as new is pretty...
Downrange: 06/02
Ohio Court Says Concealed Gun Ban Unconstitutional. A three-judge panel of an Ohio appellate court has unanimously ruled that a state law barring the carrying of concealed firearms violates its citizens constitutional right to protect themselves. The 1st Ohio District Court of Appeals ruled April 10 that the 75-year-old law was vague and subjective, and effectively prohibits law-abiding citizens from bearing weapons. Ohios Constitution provides that the people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security. The plaintiffs in the case had argued that the state law prevented them from exercising that right. The appeals court decision upholds a ruling earlier this ye...
