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I’ve heard that John Taffin died last night. He mostly wrote for Guns and American Handgunner, and almost always about big bore revolvers. He wrote a few books: The Book of the .44, and The Book of the .45 being the most popular.

I’d sure like to see Kimber expand this line. A K6s in .22LR with a 3” or 4” barrel would be a handy size gun that should shoot great. Steel frame K6s or aluminum frame K6xs; either would work. A 2 or 3” .32 H&R Mag would be a great gun. I’m one of the few who likes 9mm revolvers, and a Kimber 9mm would be in a unique place with a 6-rd 9mm this size. Or enlarge the frame. The same design in a K or L frame size could be really nice. Like S&W L frames, they should be able to do a 7-rd .357, a 5-rd .44 Spl/Mag. Or, maybe a 6-rd 10mm.

They are now getting reasonable enough that today I bid on one on Gunbroker. I didn’t win, but I’m getting close. I still want an Optics Ready model. Yes, I can get one milled, and that’s what I’ll probably do. Its a lock that as soon as I buy one, the OR model will show up.

FWIW, I weighed the Pre-12 with aluminum cylinder. It’s crazy light. If I haven’t touched the gun in a while, the second I pick it up I’m surprised, and I know what to expect. It weighs 14.99 ounces empty. The S&W 442 or 642 J-frame? 14.6 oz.

The Ohio state association has posted info, but I didn’t see anything about coordinating events in that state. https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/headline-gun-owners-sought-fire-another-shot-heard-round-world

April 19 this year marks 250 years since Lexington and Concord kicked off the US Revolutionary War. To mark the event, the California state association has started to coordinate a ceremonial commemorative shot at 8:30am, the time the famous shot was believed fired at Lexington. The idea was to have shots fired at 8:30am across the state of CA. It’s starting to spread across the nation. Some in Wyoming have picked it up, and I just saw a post on Ohio’s state association site. It sounds like details are still being worked out, but at present they are thinking it’s easiest to do it at 8:30am in your time zone. That would be the easiest, but I'm hoping it can be done simultaneously instead. I agree this would take some planning and compromise, because Californians won’t want to do this in the middle of their night, and those in Massachusetts won’t want to wait until hours after 8:30 so they don’t. We will see. I will keep you posted. If this gets wings, I want to push the board of my gun club to open the gates to anyone who wants to have a safe place to participate. CA Rifle and Pistol Association article: https://crpa.org/event/shot-heard-around-the-world/ Much longer article in the (Wyoming) Cowboy State Daily: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/02/10/shot-heard-round-the-world-observance-could-bring-california-wyoming-together/

There’s one! Any more? (Not that Wayne isn’t enough.)

Hello

I happened to see this thread as I was poking around. Over eight years later, and I still like this gun. The simple fact that I’ve kept a .44 magnum that long says that I like it. I got the taller front sight I needed. Then we moved before I could make the swap. I haven’t seen that sight since. I had hoped I’d run across it and held off ordering another. It’s about time I give up, let go of a few nickels, and order one. I have the following holsters that work with it: Galco DAO: A two-position, strong side FBI cant and crossdraw, with a retention strap Ted Blocker 24XD: A crossdraw. This holster was made for the 4” 686, but fits perfect with the 4.25” barrel. Gallagher IWB (unknown model name): This is actually a 4” K frame holster, but since it is a somewhat loose fit on those, I tried the 69 and it fit nicely. None of the (many) other K frame holsters I have fit at all. The Galco is OK. I don’t like the retention strap much, because I don’t think it’s necessary. I wish it was a separate piece that snapped off, but it’s not. The Gallagher is a nicely made holster, but lacks any form of reinforcement on the opening. Being an IWB of pancake construction, the opening closes up as soon as the revolver is drawn, requiring the use of a second hand to hold it open to reholster. This is unacceptable, which is too bad because I think I would like it otherwise. The Blocker 24XD is a left hand holster. Since my mother was not a witch, I am right handed. I wear it as a RH holster in the RH crossdraw position by running the belt over the holster. This actually works pretty well, pulling the holster and gun in close. The holster is great quality like other Ted Blocker products I have. I just don’t need or want to carry crossdraw much at this time.

Just wondering.

Make that two friends now that I’ve nudged into one.

Observations so far. I’ve only shot it once. I only put 100 rounds through it- 60 of my 140 cast SWC handloads, 30 Winchester USA 115 FMJ, and ten Winchester Ranger 127 +P+. It shot like a Glock. There simply isn’t much more to say there. As I said, the grip is a big improvement to me. Besides the shape, there are other details like a huge integral flare to the magwell. I can turn the gun upside down and drop a magazine in. Seriously, I did that. You have to do a sloppy job to fumble it going in. The texture on the grip is hard to describe. It feels like a lot of short stiff hairs grabbing your skin. Grabby yet nearly smooth. You have to try it to understand. On semiautos, I like having some way to pull a magazine out if it gets caught in the gun. A double feed will cause this with a lot of guns, and being able to rip the magazine out is the first step to clearing it, and sometimes that action alone will take care of it. The “toe” on magazines for 1911s and some others works for this. The dished out area on HK USPs is another way of allowing a good grasp. Therefore, something I never liked about Glocks is the difficulty of getting a good grip on the magazine to rip it out against it’s will. I’ve seen some people go as far as cutting half-moon openings in the side of the grip at the bottom to facilitate this. The Magpul-Ruger grip has a bevel/“bobtail” on the lower rear that allows my thumb in. Working in opposition to my forefinger on the front of the magazine, this gives me a good strong grip to pull it out. There are subtle contour changes all over that don’t stand out, but you feel them. This is a well thought-out grip frame. I mentioned the sights being nice, but I guess I didn’t say they are steel. That’s an automatic upgrade to a new Glock for a lot of people, so there is an expense saved. I like the sights so much that if I had a Glock or several, I’d buy these and put them on the Glocks. A friend who is a Glock fan has been asking me questions since I bought it Saturday. I guess he heard enough, because he was at the same shop today when they opened and got one for himself. He had no real need for what is another G19 for him, but like I keep saying: for $399, why not?

They did it! The local gun shop sold their second and I assume last gun in .30 Super Carry! I always check when I’m in there. It left sometime in the last two weeks. The ink on the tag had faded so bad it was getting hard to read, but they got it done.

I looked at one at the local shop a couple weeks ago just because it was out of the case. I wasn’t in the market for one, but I’ve been thinking ever since what a good deal it was. At the $399 they are selling them for, it’s less than what their new Glocks were 30 years ago. It fits the human hand, with an overall better grip shape than Glocks in my opinion. It has a different grip angle; not a lot, but enough to make a difference to me. If it doesn’t fit your hand, I expect a lot of aftermarket grip frames are on the way. There are three or four out there for the Sig P320, and imagine this gun will be a bigger seller. I have almost given up on iron sights on handguns at my age. This RXM is optics ready, but I might be able to use these sights. The rear sight is big with a nice wide notch. The front sight is big and bold, and only has a tritium insert as a distraction. I have had little luck with Ruger centerfire auto pistols, but I have a lot more hope for this one already.

I guess we need to watch next year.

The 2025 SHOT Show starts in just under a week. Not that I’m saying anything, but if I were to say something, I would say to pay attention to the S&W Ultimate Carry (UC) line. And that’s all I’m saying.

Happy Birthday, US Rifle, Cal. .30, M1! 89 years old today!

I restocked with Ranger ammo this week. That’s a good feeling.

I had my annual-for-me lowlight/night shooting class last night. I’ve taken this same class almost every year over the past 17 years and I always learn something. I usually end up changing some method and/or hardware that I thought I was settled on. One thing that is almost guaranteed to happen in a lowlight/night shooting class is people come into it with a good idea of a certain flashlight hold (or weapon-mounted light, WML) they want to use. Almost every time, this changes once they actually shoot with it in the dark. That’s how it started out. Since this class had most of the same people attending each year, we’ve worked through most bad ideas and got sorted out what works. Therefore, the changes haven’t been as regular the last few years. Due to some administrative changes in the way this class is handled, there was a different group of attendees this year. More people with no, or little, time shooting at night. I expected to once again see bubbles being burst all over. It didn’t quite happen that way. A huge change since I first took this class has been the sweeping takeover of red dot sights. Almost everyone used them last night, whereas I’m not sure if anyone had them that first year. People like to say a red dot is like cheating and it’s definitely true at night. Maybe the biggest problem people ran into before was realizing that while they had to illuminate the target, they also had to get some light on their sights. Finding a way to get the right amount of light on the target and at the right angle, PLUS getting the same on the sights was a challenge. One challenge, added to the need to hold onto the light, shoot the gun with a changed (usually weaker) grip, etc. With a red dot, you take half that away. You only have to get the target illuminated. The sights illuminate themselves. The learning curve flattened out a lot last night from the predominant use of red dots. Meanwhile, dinosaurs like me who have done most of their night shooting with iron sights caused our own problems. I was still holding the light the same way, in order to get some light on the sights. Not only is this unnecessary, it causes a huge problem by washing out that helpful glowing red dot. Idiot.

OK, I do have a thought specific to last weekend’s class that keeps nagging at me. People tend to look at shotguns as simple tools. Point it at something and blow it up. Of all firearms training, shotgun classes have always received the least interest by far, and perhaps that’s a big reason why. During this class I got a text from a friend shortly after lunch. A knowledgeable friend. He asked if I was home yet since “how much can there be to teach about shotguns?”. Wow. Buckshot or slugs for this shot? Slug? OK, now I have to switch because I’m loaded with buckshot. With 870s, there is a technique to do this that works better than others. It doesn’t work with Mossbergs. If using a Rem 1100 or 11-87, I do different steps A, B, and C. Bought a Benelli this year? You can do it an easier way…but that means yet another method where you only do A and C, and they aren’t exactly the same either. No problem you say, you’re using a pump because they are simpler. This is where they shine. Simply hit the release latch to release the pump and open the acti… Remington or Mossberg? The release is in a different place. If you own both, get it right. Got it. No problem. I’m not an idiot, Barry. Now you put a slug into the loading port. Or is loading into the tube easier? Can you do this smoothly every time? No fumbling? The shells hitting the ground every class is an answer to that. Wait, where did you get that slug you’re about to load? From a sidesaddle? Or do you use a butt cuff? Chest rig? Belt carrier? Will you have time to put that chest or belt rig on when you really need the shotgun? Oh, you used a sidesaddle? OK, did you carry those rounds up or down? And did you pass the slug over the top or underneath to load? How did you hold the shell? Fine, you got it switched over. Time to take the shot. Are you using sights or bead? Why? Which kind of sights? Why? Or an optic? Why? Do your slugs hit to the same place as the center of your buckshot pattern? Do you really know for sure? OK, it’s a little different. Most are. What direction? Low and left, alright. This shot is twice as far as you are zeroed, so where do you hold? Remember, you are already holding off due to a POI change with slugs anyway. Crap! Maybe I should load all-slugs instead anyway, so I have half as much to keep up with? And down another rabbit hole we go. That’s just from switching to slugs for one shot. One little exercise.

I was in a shotgun class this weekend. As mentioned in the previous post, guns choked to the surprise of their owners. Pumps and autos both. Practice malfunction clearing. I’ve heard people say they have had X number of rounds through their gun so they don’t waste their time. Guess who is going to be most surprised when it happens.

I witnessed some gel testing this weekend. Winchester Ranger 9mm 127 +P+ was the first round tested. Gun used was a Glock 26. It penetrated right to the end of the 18” block, and the bullet could’ve been used in an ad. Federal 9mm 124 HST std pressure did the same. Speer 38 Spl +P 135 Gold Dot from a 2” S&W went maybe 16” and also could’ve been used for a picture. I donated a round of GA Arms full power .38 Wadcutter that has been receiving some attention lately. It penetrated the block and had only a slight riveting. The key with this ammunition is it penetrates well, but also in a pretty straight line. An interesting thing to me was the rounds that penetrated the 18 gel block, JUST penetrated the gel block. The bullets were always found on top of the plastic barrel the block was on, or on the ground next to it. A pair of jeans was used to make the initial denim layers, with the excess draped over the back. Bullets would get through the gel, then have so little left they were stopped by that denim and dropped. The only thing that zipped through and kept going into the berm was some .357 158 XTP.

These classes are held all over the country. Most are free. Check the Stop the Bleed website. Many hospitals, county health departments, fire departments, etc put them on, so check with them. This is not just a “gun thing”. You are perhaps as likely to encounter a serious bleeding situation than a need for CPR. A class is only 60-90 minutes of your time.

I plan for this to be a continuing series of posts, with the plan of sharing one main point or observation from each class taken. Feel free to add, and don’t stop at one item per class. My first observation: Guns (and people) malfunction more in a class than in practice. And in turn, according those who have been there, it happens even more in life or death situations. I had a Close Quarters Pistol class last weekend, and was reminded of this fact. People had a little trouble here and there with guns, including me, that left them saying “That never happened before”. A little stress, a little shooting leading to some light crud or low lubrication as the day wore on, and things happen. I’m guessing most people make sure their guns are clean and lubed before class. But if you someday get caught with a need to use it, I doubt the gun got fresh lube the day before. Malfunctions happen. Be ready. Operator failures happen. Be ready for that also. Expect more problems when it’s all for real.

This Stop The Bleed class teaches you simple actions to stop life-threatening blood loss, enabling you to immediately help save a life. Description The course combines lecture and hands-on skills training. In it, you’ll learn how to: Recognize life-threatening bleeding Apply direct pressure to wounds Pack a wound Apply a tourniquet You don’t need any prior medical knowledge or training to take the course. The one-time course provides you with the knowledge and skills to help save a life. All age groups can attend. Everyone receives a tourniquet, gauze, towel, rubber gloves, Sharpie, and a certificate at the end of the course. Held at the Danville Conservation Club clubhouse, 855 Sycamore Lane, Danville IN, 46123 Thursday, November 7, 2024 Stop The Bleed program website: https://www.stopthebleed.org/about-us/ Signup: https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/904094CA5A82DAAF58-51995439-stop