Viewpoints

I read with great interest your review of three .380 caliber pistols, in particular your critique of the Walther PPK. In the May 2008 issue, you positively gushed over the Walther PPK 32 ACP. After reading your May 2008 issue I ran (not walked) to my local gun store and bought a Walther PPK/S chambered in .380 instead of the 32 ACP because I wanted more power in a concealable. My brother has the 32 ACP PPK/S model. Everything we both read was that the 32 and 380 were 'virtually indistinguishable' except for the caliber. Imagine my surprise when the June 2008 issue was far less complimentary about the 380 than the 32 despite their being nearly physically identical. True, my right hand-thumb metacarpal ached (see photo at right) from the recoil as you describe in the June 2008 review. I also had to adjust my typical 45 ACP 'Ayoob' grip by lowering my hand and hooking my pinky finger under the thumbrest on the magazine to avoid two things: (1) my right thumb interfering with the decocker; (2) 'biting' me between the thumb and forefinger. On the other hand (no pun intended), I find this classic pistol to be as accurate as you describe and have already pumped over 500 rounds through it using three different Walther original magazines (note to users: break in the magazines, they tend to 'double feed' when new). I appreciate the craftsmanship and fit/finish probably more than your testers do. I am aware of the serrations on the decocker, but mine aren’t nearly as abrasive as the ones you describe on the PPK.

I read with great interest your review of three .380 caliber pistols, in particular your critique of the Walther PPK. In the May 2008 issue, you positively gushed over the Walther PPK 32 ACP. After reading your May 2008 issue I ran (not walked) to my local gun store and bought a Walther PPK/S chambered in .380 instead of the 32 ACP because I wanted more power in a concealable. My brother has the 32 ACP PPK/S model. Everything we both read was that the 32 and 380 were 'virtually indistinguishable' except for the caliber. Imagine my surprise when the June 2008 issue was far less complimentary about the 380 than the 32 despite their being nearly physically identical. True, my right hand-thumb metacarpal ached (see photo at right) from the recoil as you describe in the June 2008 review. I also had to adjust my typical 45 ACP 'Ayoob' grip by lowering my hand and hooking my pinky finger under the thumbrest on the magazine to avoid two things: (1) my right thumb interfering with the decocker; (2) 'biting' me between the thumb and forefinger. On the other hand (no pun intended), I find this classic pistol to be as accurate as you describe and have already pumped over 500 rounds through it using three different Walther original magazines (note to users: break in the magazines, they tend to 'double feed' when new). I appreciate the craftsmanship and fit/finish probably more than your testers do. I am aware of the serrations on the decocker, but mine aren’t nearly as abrasive as the ones you describe on the PPK.

Florida’s 'guns at work' law is set to take effect July 1 unless a suit by the Florida Chamber of Commerce and the Florida Retail Federation stops the legislation, which allows Floridians to keep a gun in their locked cars on work premises if they have a concealed weapons permit.

Writing in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, gun-rights advocates Alan Gottlieb and Joe Waldron wrote that “Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, behaving like the would-be ruler of a ‘city state,’ has decided to ignore Washington's longstanding firearms statute regarding the legal carry of concealed handguns by licensed private citizens on city property.”

As the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of Washington, D.C.’s ban on handguns, a majority of Americans (59%) say they would oppose a law that banned the sale of handguns, according to the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, which conducted the survey April 23-27 among 1,502 Americans. Public attitudes about gun control and a handgun ban are divided along political, gender and racial lines. Nearly three-quarters of Republicans (73%) oppose a ban on handgun sales, a view shared by 59% of independents and just half of Democrats. Democrats differ over a law to ban handgun sales. A majority of the party’s conservatives and moderates (53%) oppose such a ban; among liberal Democrats, 43% are opposed, while half favor a ban on handgun sales.

As the Supreme Court considers the constitutionality of Washington, D.C.’s ban on handguns, a majority of Americans (59%) say they would oppose a law that banned the sale of handguns, according to the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, which conducted the survey April 23-27 among 1,502 Americans. Public attitudes about gun control and a handgun ban are divided along political, gender and racial lines. Nearly three-quarters of Republicans (73%) oppose a ban on handgun sales, a view shared by 59% of independents and just half of Democrats. Democrats differ over a law to ban handgun sales. A majority of the party’s conservatives and moderates (53%) oppose such a ban; among liberal Democrats, 43% are opposed, while half favor a ban on handgun sales.

…Last week, the New Jersey Assembly Judiciary Committee approved legislation that would ban the purchase, transfer, and inheritance of many popular hunting guns, historical American firearms, and large-bore target firearms

Writing on the Buckeye Firearms Association website, Chad D. Baus takes a well-aimed rhetorical shot at presidential candidate John McCain.

As the mini-movement of open carry gains steam, handgun owners who might consider carrying their handguns openly can expect to hear a lot of hooey about how open carry will ruin the world, as the following shows.

With the Supreme Court poised to hand down a potentially landmark decision in the case, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence fully expects to lose.

In equipment categories with sales of more than $1 billion in 2007, the greatest percentage growth in this category came from air guns, which showed a 15% increase to $283.7 million.

A Pennsylvania court sided with NRA and issued a permanent restraining order against two of the city of Philadelphia’s municipal gun control measures enacted in April.