Even regular readers of The Shooter’s Log can’t read or respond to all of the comments, so we have started a new weekly feature that will recap a sampling of the most active, interesting, or on occasion, randomly selected comments from the previous weeks. Feel free to respond with your two cents at the bottom of this article or by clicking the story link and adding it directly to the discussion.
Reader Comments From Previous Weeks
By the Numbers: America’s Top 5 Revolvers
I’m not surprised at the top five although disappointed that Charter Arms isn’t represented. They have , like Tarus, received undeserved bad publicity although in my experience they will do their job as long as YOU, the owner/user do your share.
Of those you listed I have and use the Ruger Blackhawk in .41 mag, .44 mag and also their .357/38 convertible with 9 mm cylinder. I also own the Tarus 85 but it’s the older all steel model and it has always shot to point of aim from day one with its rudimentary sights. I opted for the Chiapas SAA 17-10 rather than the Heritage as I wanted a .17 HMR revolver and only had a choice between it or another Ruger and the Chiapa felt better in the hand. I’ve put just short of two bricks through it and my only regret is that Chiappa didn’t offer it with a convertible cylinder for shooting the neglected .17 HM2 (or the .17 Aguila or High Standard all being interchangeable).
Anyone with a “penchant for cheap revolvers” should treat themselves to a Chiappa. (And NO, I don’t work for Chiappa, I’ve been retired from the military for over 27 years and while I wouldn’t turn down paid endorsements of firearms or ammo that I like, I haven’t been offered any so I suggest rather than endorse ????
~Edward O’Daniel
By the Numbers: America’s Top 5 Revolvers
I have owned a Ruger blued .357 Mag Blackhawk for over 50 years. Mine has a 6.5″ barrel, unlike the one listed here in this article.6.5. The longer barrel gives two advantages: (1) less kick with high powered ammo, and more power than the shorter barreled guns, especially vs. the 4.62″ gun. But you want to quickdraw, then the shorter barrel would be a bit nicer. I use to quickdrwaw with my 6.5″ gun, and I was able to be quite fast anyway.
But on a slightly different note, I liked the RUGER Blackhawk so much, I purchased a .45 LC/.45 ACP Ruger stainless 5.5″ Blackhawk This would be nice for quickdrawing as well. But my .357 Mag Ruger Blackhawk shows a little wear at the inside tip of the barrel due to quickdrawing, and this would not be the case with a stainless model, so keep that in mind when looking to buy a Ruger Blackhawk.
What is nice about the Ruger Blackhawks is that they can handle any just about any power level of ammo. The .357 ammo can go as high as 07 ft. lbs. of muzzle energy, The .45 LC ammo goes up to around 1,340 ft. lbs. of ME, but I have limited my shooting to just 1,219 ft. lbs. of ME since it very hard to shoot at this power level already, and I have to limit the number of rounds fired greatly because my hand gets sore!
I have a very nice ballistics file that gives online purchase info as well as ballistics info on 30 handgun calibers, and 18 rifle ones. Just post here that you are interested for my free ballistics file ad I will respond with my email address.
Vincent (11-09-2017)
~Vincent LaVallee
Pistols 101: Pistol Actions and Triggers Versus Performance
I most often carry either a Beretta 92F or a Sig P220 SAS. Both are DA first shot, but neither can be carried safely with the hammer cocked. I carry the 92F with the safety off, and the P220 has no safety, so both are draw and pull. I also have a classic Colt 1911, but dislike the grip safety and having to flip the slide safety off during draw. Presently, I carry the Sig. Your article on the different designs is excellent.
~Tony Z
Pistols 101: Pistol Actions and Triggers Versus Performance
Finally, someone acknowledges the Canik TP9SA. I can’t say enough about how perfect the trigger is, or how accurate it is, so I wont take up your time trying.
One small bone of contention. You stated it must be carried “safety on”, when in fact, it has no actual safety. It has a double bladed trigger safety and a decocker.
Mine is my EDC, always one in the pipe and cocked. I have, with blank rounds, thrown it to the ground, both in its serpa style holster and out. Quite literally tried to have a malfunction or accidental fire. Its rock solid. The decocker, which so many grumble about, is great for unloading for maintenance. When decocked with a round chambered, a slight 3/8″ bump on the slide to the rear, puts it right back to ready.
Since I purchased the Canik, I’ve sold both my Glocks. I never liked the triggers on them and think they are way overrated, in all aspects in comparison.
Thank you for a well written, concise description of pistol actions. I am sure most will learn something.
~70’s Operator
Call to Action: National Right to Carry Needs Your Help
I guess maybe I’m lucky. I’ve been actively carrying, both open and concealed since my ETS from the Army in ’77. I’ve never been challenged by a LEO, nor have I ever had to draw my weapon for defense purposes.
I understand the need for reciprocity, but I do however believe there are other issues that deserve higher priority. For instance, my best friend caught a felony weed charge back in ’81. He since has been a law abiding citizen with a military background. Meaning he is “trained” with weapons. 36 years later, and he STILL can’t possess a firearm to protect his family. THAT NEEDS TO CHANGE. Criminals dont care about the law, they’re going to get and carry guns regardless. It seems to me that a non-violent, victimless conviction, should have perhaps a penalty period of 10 or so years in which your 2nd amendment rights are SUSPENDED, not irreversibly revoked. He’s been clean twice as long as some criminals are old. That should count for something.
~70’s Operator
Call to Action: National Right to Carry Needs Your Help
Well, @70’s Operator, I’ll bet that there is more to your friend’s story than what was posted here….
1) There already is a process for restoration of civil rights for felons with a clean record. The process varies from state to state (for state felonies) and it is a lot more common in some states than in others, but if your friend is such an upstanding citizen, he should be a good candidate for restoration – which would allow him to vote and to own a gun.
2) Even “back in ’81” simple possession of weed was a misdemeanor almost everywhere. For your friend to have a felony conviction for weed, either he was caught trafficking or he was caught holding so large a quantity that they made a “possession with intent to sell” charge stick.
3) Simply having been in the military does not really equate to being “trained with weapons” — Only the Army and the Marine Corps even make an attempt to train everyone on _a_ weapon, and even the Army doesn’t require everyone to successfully pass what little training they do get. Some jobs do require successful weapons training but for the vast majority of positions in the military weapons training is one of those if-we-have-time-for-it tasks that most units don’t take seriously (Google 507th Maintenance Company for one example).
~TomC
Five Not-So-Obvious Reasons for Owning a Rifle-Caliber AR-15 Pistol
I bought a virgin stripped lower, a Rock River LPK – complete at that, cool, a 10.5″ completed upper and viola… sweet AR15 PISTOL… receiver was sold as ‘other’, so it’s just a firearm… good stuff, easy to assemble, next build, rifle kit and all the tools, vise block, etc. – LQQK FORWARD TO IT.
… it’s Barbie for Men! : )P
~saintluger
Range Report: Springfield Saint AR-15
They aren’t “rapid fire” weapons. They’re semi-automatic, meaning that one pull of the trigger only fires one round of ammunition at a time. The AR15 only LOOKS like the military’s M4 battle rifle, it however, does NOT have the same rate of fire capability. The military’s rifle has the ability to fire MORE than one round per pull of the trigger, again, the civilian AR15 does NOT. The AR15 is no different in function than any other semi-automatic rifle or handgun on the civilian market, such as a simple, wooden stocked, small caliber .22lr used for plinking targets or small game. Only the uninformed anti-gun persons have an issue with the AR15 because it LOOK “scary.”
Please become more knowledgeable before making uninformed comments about a rifle or operating system.
~James
Range Report: Springfield Saint AR-15
Hi Vicki. I’m sure some of your concern stems from the wake of the Vegas shooting; but as others have stated, these are “semi-automatic” rifles. This simple means that only a single bullet is fired each time that the trigger is pulled. This is no different than most pistols/handguns or even the majority of other guns on the market.
“Assault-style” weapons is just a buzz word that the mass media has misused to strike fear into those that are uneducated on firearms. Automatic guns, or what you consider “rapid fire,” are illegal to purchase here in the United States as a civilian.
I appreciate you coming to this forum and I hope that you become educated to understand that the look of a rifle has very little influence on its performance.
If you have any questions, please reply and we can open up a discussion on this, because I’m sick and tired of the major news outlets using fear to drive political agendas.
Blessings,
Steve
~CleanCaveman
Tough on Crime, Not Guns — Not in California
Well if this new law doesn’t just squeeze your head until your brains come out your ears I don’t know what will. Several things come to mind that could have caused this law: 1. The state budget could not support the additional expenses of the convicts for the additional 10 years, money was needed for Welfare, Education, etc for the POOR OF THE STATE. 2. Governor Brown wanted to APPEASE THE GANGS, ILLEGALS, UTOPIAN LIBERALS, FRINGE ELEMENTS IN THE STATE. 3. A legacy notion of the Governor for the CRIMINALS in the state. 4. To show that MINIMUM SENTENCES ARE JUST A WASTE OF THE STATES TIME and so Judges could have less restricted Judgments for crimes committed against the good people of California. Well the above has just about worn out my brain thinking of reasons for this new law, I’ll let others comment.
~MR. CHARLES