I have to admit to a bit of gun prejudice. Blue steel and walnut, chrome and cocobolo are what catch my eye. I do own and use a few black polymer handguns and find them useful, but when it comes to pride of ownership there is nothing like a 1911, High Power or CZ 75. This brings us to the subject of this review.

The differences in concealed carry for men and women are profound.

Not long ago I took my younger daughter and a cousin on a trip to a kid’s resort in the mountains. As usual, I loaded the truck with a top-notch first aid kit, spare clothes and the tool kit. I also loaded a Remington 870 shotgun. (The TriStar Raptor has since replaced it.)

I have used Columbia River Knife and Tool products for well over a decade, always with satisfaction.

Advances in firearms are often slower and incremental in nature. Society changes but slowly and so do society’s tools. When the 1911 pistol was adopted for U.S. military use and then a generation later improved into the 1911A1, few could foresee the tremendous popularity of the type. The 1911 went from a fight-winning pistol to a handgun used in competition and which won every competition it entered.

Among the best buys and most effective compact pistols on the market is the Russian designed Makarov pistol.

Fans of Rock Island Armory’s 1911 handguns affectionately refer to their pistol of choice as ‘The Rock.’  This nickname is

When deciding upon a certain mission for a rifle, the lucky ones choose the caliber and then the rifle. If I wished to fire .223 Remington ammunition, I would do so in my beautifully accurate Howa rifle. I would not be concerned with powder burn rates, lubrication, and perhaps even barrel twist. But such is not the case. My rifle is the AR-15 and I like it very much. And this rifle is chambered for the .223 Remington. While no single tool is ideal for everything, the AR is my basic go anywhere do anything rifle. I fire it a lot. The expenditure of two hundred rounds in an evening is not out of the question. Only the most ardent bolt gun shooter, craving repetition, would approach that weight of brass with a bolt-action rifle.

Today there are many opportunities to own a great rifle. There are even high dollar celebrity branded rifles that allow you to pay a premium to get the other guy’s name on your gun. No kidding. And then there are the basic claptrap rifles that work most of the time and are OK for plinking. They are a little loose and tie up on occasion, but hey, we are only shooting rats at the dump, right?

Those three little words can make or break your day. When the one you love lets you down it isn’t a good feeling. However, just the same—you need to do your maintenance!