Defense Articles

The United States Practical Shooting Association has set a record for membership, with 15,054 enrolled as of June for action pistol matches that USPSA attributes to addition of a Production Division allowing simpler, less expensive carry-style firearms for competition.

An Australian student, David Kang, 24, who fired a starter’s pistol as he rushed at Prince Charles in a park in Sydney last year, was sentenced to 500 hours community service after being convicted of threatening violence.

The new Pistol Vault is especially designed to accommodate the Beretta Model 92 and 96 semi-automatic handguns. The Pistol Vault features sturdy 16-gauge all-steel construction, quick access combination lock, soft foam padded interior and an elegant jet black exterior finish accented with handsome gold trim. Holds two handguns.

Holsters: The issue M12 as well as the old M7 leather shoulder rig are used in small numbers. We have been issued Safariland thigh rigs or nylon rigs. I use a Blackhawk nylon rig since I bought it myself prior to deployment. I can put a variety of guns in it like my personal Beretta, M1911, H&K and so on. Very popular in the wire is a locally produced cheap knockoff of the Jackass rig horizontal shoulder holster. I really hate staring at muzzles when I am in line at the chow hall though. Especially when you consider the level of training of many of the troops.

Many guys also switch from shoulder rig to hip rig when they go out. In a stress situation this could lead to problems. Also, I’ve seen many troops put spare mags on same side of belt/vest or on straps of thigh rig (same side as gun). Don’t know how they expect to reach them with the weak hand if they need them in a hurry. The concept the pistol is an immediate-need piece is totally lost on the majority of troops. If you need the pistol it needs to be carried fully loaded and ready. Many troops don’t bother to chamber a round, and army doctrine states carry with safety on. As far as training, it sucked. They told my unit on a Tuesday night we would qual with pistol the next morning–with some of my troops never having handled a pistol before!

I gave an off-the-cuff class prior to qual. Everyone did qualify but the army standard is 16 hits out of 30 targets on a knockdown range. Peripheral hits counting as much as center hits, so no idea where guys were hitting to correct errors. There was no pre qual, static warmup target to analyze shot group location to teach correction (were short of 9mm ammo, even though at the end of qual we were given a buch of full mags to burn-up to get rid of it!). Just 30 shots for qual and no chance for troops to teach and learn.

With both rifle and pistol we did room clearing and close quarters combat stuff which would have been good training and did help, but were shooting singe shots at targets and were required to put the safety on between shots. The pistol guys shot 85 DA rounds in a day. So that’s it, under 150 rounds of pistol shooting–some for the first time–prior to going to war. We had no further practice in Kuwait (short of ammo you know) and that was it. One of our replacements showed up from Kuwait issued just a single mag of ammo for the trip!

My two cents is like a broken record. More ammo, more training, not new gizmos or technology. I feel the M9 is just as serviceable a 9mm as the next pistol. Would I feel better with a .45? For me, sure. But rather than spend money on a new pistol, lets burn training time and ammo on teaching soldiers the true art of proper employment of the pistol they already have.

The issue of 9mm vs. 45 calibers is relatively unimportant in the military (any military) of today. It is like the US Army worrying itself sick about a saber for the cavalry. Some companies have come up with a lot better solution to the pistol for today’s soldiers and Marines that don’t need or wish to carry an assault rifle. LOAD and LOCK! A couple of thoughts and hopes. 1st-”Don’t count your chickens ’til they’re hatched” We need to write/contact/input the testers and decision makers and let them know WE want the .45 ACP.

Second-For the hundred, no thousand plus time a 9mm bullet is .355 cal, a .45 is BIGGER thus it makes a BIGGER hole in the target. This means more blood loss- which translates to the enemy gets killed and the American hopefully comes home and tells his grandkids about reality land versus the “High-Tech” star wars game players.

3rd-For the devoted 9mm types out there(yes you with the coco-puffs) read the FBI report about the “Miami Shootout”, after which they traded in their 9mm pistols, because of the facts of bullet wound examinations. 4th-Check-out the winners of most all pistol matches: Almost everyone uses a 1911/1911A1 in .45 ACP! Remember folks-We are talking about the ARMED FORCES of the USA…Sight Picture/Sight Alignment!

There is a reason that most of the militaries that have tested it have rejected it. Now, if the military wants a smaller primary weapon, the weapon already exists in the inventory. It is the SOCOM pistol made by HK, which for offensive purposes is a whole lot better than the P90.

Note that this contract is being let by USSOCOM. That means it is for a sidearm, not a primary weapon. And as a sidearm (meaning a secondary weapon carried by someone who also carries a primary weapon, usually a rifle), the M1911 .45 is superior to the P90 and to the HK and definitely to the Beretta. Don’t be surprised if a Glock wins this contract.

I don’t expect Glock to win a US military contract - the American military doesn’t seem to like the idea of a pistol without multiple external safety levers and mechanisms. Glock pistols, great as they may be, use simple, idiot-proof internal safety mechanisms. If the Army did go with a Glock, it would be interesting to see if they would adopt the new 45 GAP cartridge.

Same caliber bullet, even available in the same bullet weights, loaded into a shorter case - to allow for a smaller handgun that takes advantage of modern propellants. I personally don’t like Glock. I have large hands and shoot pistols with a double handed grip. I personally like the Colt 1911A1 series for its balance, weight, and comfort. But that’s me. How about the USP .45? SOFs of course have been using the Mk23 for some time.

Who buys isn’t always who gets. The Army’s Automotive Tank Command has bought pistols for the USAF for example.SOCOM is the buyer; everybody is going to get these. That’s what the “joint” in Joint Combat Pistol means. SOCOM sure does not need up to 645,000 pistols over 10 years. Some things are already set. They spent the last year or so with market surveys, field suitability tests, etc looking at what’s out there, trying stuff, deciding what they wanted.

The Future Handgun System program wanted adjustable grips, accessory rail, threaded bbl, modular/variable trigger operating system (SA to DA to DAO). The SOF Combat Pistol program wanted a 45 ACP and would have settled for another 1911. Those were combined into this Joint Combat Pistol (JCP) program.

They want a 45 ACP, not a 45 GAP. Don’t be surprised if Glock can’t even compete depending on what the details are for the trigger operating system. Some folks think they had the HK USP full size and compact Tactical/P2000 in mind when they wrote the specs. Details will be in the RFP (request for proposals) that comes out next.

“A damn duel over what amounted to little more than a handful of guineas and a property in Kent already mortgaged to the hilt. Vowels left strewn on a battered gaming table in one of London’s grimy hells and none of it worth a man’s life at twenty paces.”

Pistols At Dawn starts with a bang…literarily. Michele Ann Young’s first Regency Romance features a duel, a death, a destitute young lady, and a devilishly handsome Earl, all within chapter one. The tension in this contest winning novel builds from that dramatic beginning.

Michele Ann Young is a fresh new face in an established genre.

So why an English Historical Romance for her first foray into publishing?

The English setting is a natural for Michele. She was born and educated in England. She explains “I spent all of my holidays growing up exploring England and Scotland, old houses, great castles, churches, streets cobbled in the times of Dickens and the wonderful countryside”.

Michele Ann Young is also a history buff. She “discovered the queen of regency romance, Georgette Heyer as a teenager, and from her, went on to read the more recent romances of Laura Kinsale, Jo Beverly, Mary Balogh, Mary Jo Putney, all fabulous authors.”

Her advice for aspiring authors?

“Write as much as possible, read as much as possible, attend workshops and classes, find a good critique partner and make friends with other writers. No one can understand this whole writing thing like another addict. Finish a book and submit it. Don’t be afraid of rejection, most people have several before they sell.”

Her first publishing experience led to some surprises. What surprised her the most?

“The ease of the editing process. I expected lots of changes, comments, criticisms, you know the kind your critique partners do. My editor had very few changes or suggestions and only in one instance did we have what one might call a discussion. However, once I could document my point and clarify the passage so it would not cause a reader to hesitate, we were in perfect agreement.

The second surprise is the business side, promotion, reviews, etc how much there is to learn beyond the craft of writing.”

Writing novels and working a full-time job doesn’t lead to much free time. When she does find a moment, her hobbies are similar to some her heroines might have. “I am very interested in the old needlework arts, tatting, smocking, embroidery, which I do while I watch TV.”

You have several options when it comes to antique firearms appraisal. Your first option is to take your gun to a gun dealer or museum. They will have the expertise and reference materials needed to make an accurate appraisal of your investment piece. A professional gun appraisal should involve evaluating the age, markings, condition and model of the gun. When they deliver your appraisal it should come with the supporting documentation that they used to determine the price. If your appraisal doesn’t come with this information then you probably will need to ask for it. The people that are interested in buying this item from you will want to see your appraisal documentation.

If you can’t afford a professional appraisal, or if you just want a ball park estimate of the value of your antique firearms, then you can use reference guides for gun valuation. One of the most popular gun value appraisal books is the Blue Book of Gun Values. The 26th edition of this manual came out in April of 2005. This guide is periodically updated so keep your eyes open for the latest versions. In this book you will find information about how to evaluate markings and how to price a piece. You will also find helpful valuation and collecting information in this book as well.

Another great book to use as a reference for antique firearms appraisal is the Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values. This book was published in October of 2001 and it contains 669 pages. In this book you will find information organized by American gun manufacturers. Some of the items covered in this guide include: information on telling restored antiques from knockoffs, American single shot pistols, American percussion Pistols, American metallic cartridge pistols and American military weapons. Antique military weapons from the Civil War are also discussed in this book.

Invented years ago, Airsoft guns were simply meant for recreational uses. Making use of a small amount of air, Airsoft pistols and rifles shoot abs plastics, paintballs and lightweight BB pellets at low velocities. They are much less destructive, yet still precise enough to have fun with.

As Airsoft guns grow up, more features have been added and they basically have become replicas of famous civilian and military pistols and rifles.

So how can you tell that a certain gun is an Airsoft gun, not a real firearm?

As a federal requirement, all trustworthy Airsoft manufacturers and dealers must use orange barrels or markings for all Airsoft pistols and rifles. This way you can easily identify Airsoft guns from real firearms.

With more up to date and more detailed designs with great durability, Airsoft guns are very appealing for collectors, hobbyists, shooters and all average people who want to work out with their stable eye-hand coordinations.

They have the combination of reality, flexibility and safety. Not to mention that you can purchase Airsoft pistols and rifles at low cost.

IF PUNK ROCK DIED when the first kid said, “Punk’s not dead!” then reports of the genre’s vitality would appear to be greatly exaggerated. Everyone from pop star Avril Lavigne to Nike CEO Phil Knight has recently avowed the living influence of punk on their respective cultural output. So many and sudden are allusions to the genre that detecting punk’s revivified presence has become the early twenty-first century’s answer to Elvis sightings: It’s the presence of absence that we’re really seeing. All the sneakers and twice-told tales and teen lip-synchstresses are mere memento mori, reminding us how brief punk’s moment was, how gone forever it really is.

Not one to linger in the past, Sex Pistols impresario Malcolm McLaren has settled (for now) in Paris’s haut bourgeois Saint-Germain-des-Pres. Impeccably dressed, his youth magically preserved like the Countess Bathory’s (does he, too, bathe in virgin’s blood?), McLaren takes a seat at the Cafe de Flore and outlines for me his recent travels around the globe, from Zurich to the Parisian working-class suburb Ivry-sur-Seine to the future/past whiplash culture of Beijing to Mexico City in quest of his latest quarry: pop music composed with the Nintendo corporation’s Game Boy unit. “It’s lo-fi, low-bit. It doesn’t play chords, and the timing is not in sync, so every song, every performance, is new,” Malcolm explains over tea, protesting against what he calls the “sameness” of digitally produced, Pro Tools-dependent, multitrack, “high-bit” music.

Malcolm McLaren? Game Boy music? You raise an eyebrow, but consider another post-Pistols McLaren production: the still-influential 1982 concept album Duck Rock. While much of the credit (as usual) is due another–in this case, producer Trevor Horn–McLaren mixed then-nascent East Coast hip-hop, radio-DJ prattle, scratching, Zulu, Brazilian and Caribbean music with layers of classical strings, percolating New Wave synthesizer, the double-Dutch rhymes of Harlem schoolgirls, and Appalachian hillbilly songs. Eminem’s recent sampling of the album’s best-known song, “Buffalo Gals,” was much remarked, but Duck Rock has been sampled by countless artists over the years. In Cut ‘n’ mix, his 1987 book on Caribbean club culture, critic Dick Hebdige credits McLaren’s Duck Rock with nothing less than waging “war on people’s prejudices about modern music.” DJ culture, genre busting, proto “mashups” … Check that date again: 1982.

While lo-bit’s roots can be traced from Lev Termen, the Russian physicist who in 1919 invented the eerie-sounding theremin, to the invention of Robert Moog’s first synthesizer in 1954, most agree that Johan Kotlinski (aka Role Model) is the movement’s Prometheus. In 2000 the Swedish DJ created a custom Game Boy cartridge that turns the device’s internal synthesizer into a musical workstation. He manufactured the cartridges in a small run in Japan and made them available to would-be composers for seventy dollars on the Web. Kotlinski called his invention Little Sound DJ (LSDJ). The same year, German art student Oliver Wittchow designed another custom cartridge, which he called Nanoloop. “I got Nanoloop in 2000,” says Game Boy musician Chris Burke, who performs as Glomag. “A little later I found out about LSDJ, which started around the same time, and I bought one of those as well. I love the direct nature of writing and performing on the Game Boy–I can write music on the subway.” The nomadic life of McLaren and the Game Boy musicians and the mercurial nature of their music and thus far primarily Web-based distribution techniques make for a nascent subcultural current that is (perhaps deliberately) difficult to pin down. But the use of this inexpensive, discarded digital technology (the first Game Boy programmers found their secondhand machines in Paris’s puces) is no doubt meant to challenge that primary symbol of baby-boomer rebellion–the guitar.

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Perhaps it is fitting that a generation with “baby” in their designation would find the process of maturation rough, but Gen Xers like me can testify to the horror of owning many of the same records as our parents. For years we experienced the frustration of not having come up with anything sufficiently hostile or annoying to distinguish ourselves from the generation that preceded us–until the computer. The loudest rock ‘n’ roll elicited not a murmur in the household of my preteen years, but the sound of Pac-Man absolutely drove the folks mad. For decades the art world was unperturbed by all manner of scatology and profanity, but the appearance of digital art got middle-aged critics harrumphing. And if punk rock delivered the first blow to the record industry, it is software engineers in their twenties creating primitive digital production tools and file-sharing technology on their basement computers who are poised to deliver the coup de grace.

When you run an active gun shop you get to see a lot of handguns damaged after having been dropped, shot out of battery, fired with an obstruction in the bore or fired with a big overload of powder. In all of the cases I have seen the shooter has never been injured more than a very minor scratch or two.

If you shoot a lot, you to will have some sort of accident sooner or later since we do make mistakes! Most of the accidents I’ve seen involve a simple bulged barrel due to shooting with an obstruction in the bore. That blockage is normally a bullet fired from a case with only a primer and little or no powder [Read Charley’s Handloading column in this issue for more on the matter Ed]. The shooter is concentrating on marksmanship and is “zoned out,” failing to notice the squib load that has not pushed the bullet out of the barrel. Thinking he just had a failure to extract, the shooter manually ejects the spent case and chambers the next round. Kaboom! You got yourself a new barrel.