Firing Line 01/99
Taurus PT-111
It appears that, after being reviewed by several publications, including Gun Tests (September 1998 issue), Taurus made a design change to their PT-111 pistol. I have two PT-111s (serial numbers TRE02782 and TRH42035) and there are noticeable differences between them. The newer pistol has a telescopic recoil spring/guide assembly. I like my PT-111s. But, in my opinion, the original version is better. It has a larger disassembly latch that is easier to manipulate, and a better trigger.
Richard Watkins
Kingston, TN
Marlin .45 ACP Carbine
First, I want to say that you produce a great publication. I stumbled on it by accident and have not...
Will Guns Be Banned As Health Risks?
There’s an ongoing push to equate gun criminality with some sort of gun-related “disease,” for lack of a better description. Example: A recent Reuters article, which moved on the wires as “US Health System Fails To Track Gun Violence-Study,” uncritically accepted the conclusions of the Handgun Epidemic Lowering Plan (HELP) Network. The HELP study purported to find an “information gap” that hobbled efforts to combat gun violence in the United States. Translation: The HELP study was searching for some ruse from which to enact more gun laws. Now this oblique attempt to reach in our...
Firing Line 10/00
Confidence in Ruger P97
Thank you for testing the Ruger P97. I think I will buy one soon. My current .45 (Glock 21) has superb accuracy-acually its the most accurate non-1911 .45 I have ever shot. People I know who bought the Ruger P97 say it is just as accurate as the Glock. Your test showed that the ergonomics were great, reliability is topnotch, and the trigger was good (for a Ruger). I assume your accuracy wasnt great because you didnt use ammo the Ruger 97 likes. Again, I really am glad you reviewed it. I now feel confident enough to make the purchase.
Mark Fertig
via AOL
August Pros and Cons
A Glock representative brought a G36 demonstrat...
Firing Line 04/99
Fixing Beretta Trigger Pull
I have been enjoying your Gun Tests for some months now and look forward to the arrival of each new copy. I have a DAO Beretta MD92D, which I like very much except for the long trigger pull. I have recently seen in a gun magazine that European American Armory has made a conversion kit to convert the DAO to single action. Have you done any tests on this kit or have any info on same ? I've tried to locate EAA on the internet without any success. I would appreciate any info you could give. Thanks.
E. J. Lloyd
Las Vegas, NV
We haven't tested the kit. EAA's address is European American Armory Corp., P.O. Box 1299, Sharpes, FL 32959,...
Heston Speaks Out At Harvard
-Todd Woodard
About a year ago I became president of the National Rifle Association, which protects the right to keep and bear arms. I ran...
Firing Line 05/99
Slow Burning Powder Test
I have just finished reading the slow burning rifle powder test (January 1999) more than once, and I cannot find any reference to the specific cartridge being tested. I would conclude from the loading data and projectiles that the cartridge is 7mm Rem. Mag. Is this correct?
James B. Lewis
mll@itrg.com
Since we were dealing with powders and how they respond—in what might be unsafe loads if duplicated—we deliberately left out any reference to the cartridge and bullet used to prevent the data from being used as actual loads. If you don’t have a pressure transducer, we suggest you start with a good handloading manual and work up from t...
Fallout From Littleton
Instead, half-baked policy throwaways are Clinton’s mainstay, especially w...
Firing Line 06/99
.32 Auto Fine Points
The article on .32 ACP pocket autos in the January 1999 issue was very interesting. However, you neglected to mention that the NAA Guardian has an extractor, while the Beretta Tomcat does not. I could not determine from the photographs if the Seecamp LWS-32 is so equipped, nor could I locate a specimen to examine. I suspect that it has an extractor because there appears to be no other way clear the chamber.
The lack of an extractor is a design feature that should be carefully evaluated by anyone considering the Tomcat as a back-up for a larger semi-automatic. The vast majority of semi-autos have extractors. In fact, the only currently produced, larger au...
This Is Who We Are
As a consumer, I have shot many concealable pistols, hunting revolvers, competition shotguns, big-game rifles, and top-end .22s, since those are my favorite pursuits. However, I was never able to spend the time wit...
A Liability Strategy
Of course, that characterization is personally insulting, and the irritation of law-abiding citizens being described that way is only compounded by the accommodation of gun representatives in the political a...
Firing Line 08/99
Glock Rebuttal
I would like to respond to the Firing Line letter in June, “Glock Model 31 Criticism.” I have two Glock pistols and have never had a problem with either pistol. I also respect the SIG line of firearms. But I feel that “Name Withheld” is making an impromptu decision with a problem that in my opinion was not caused by a manufacturer’s flaw but by the improper installation of the rubber grip. I have installed the Hogue Mono-grip on one Glock and to this day have no to problems to report.
John Luebano
via internet
Padlock Solution
I have been using padlocks (June 1999) since my first gun purchase. What I have done is to get surgical tu...
Firing Line 07/99
Ruger 10/22 Still The One
Your publication is excellent. I read a few other mags for entertainment, but I read yours for objective and accurate information. I found your article in the June 1999 issue comparing Remington's 597 and Ruger's 10/22 very interesting. I happen to own two copies of Ruger's 10/22 and consider them excellent little rifles.
I agree with your assessment regarding the rather unwieldy mag release on the Ruger. However, for around $3 to $5, you can purchase an aftermarket mag release that dramatically improves this and makes the Ruger far superior (at least in the mag-release department) to the Remington 597 or any other detachable-mag .22 I know of. Thi...
