HANDBOOK: ANKLE-HOLSTER CARRY TECHNIQUES

JUNE 2022

Revolver Revival
Modern Wheelguns
for Self-Defense

Survival Blades
Tools for Living
on the Edge

Tested
Colt Python
3-Inch

Savage
Stance
Hundred-Year Handgun Official Journal of the National Rifle Association
ShootingIllustrated.com
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 CONTENTS
Volume 21 • Number 6 June 2022
COVER: PETER FOUNTAIN

18
36
Features
18 Biden-Harris Administration Targets Gun
Owners by Way of Gun Dealers
For ordinary, law-abiding gun owners, federal gun control is
frustrating, to say the least.
By Jason Ouimet 42
36 Fighting Stance
Nearly a century after launching its last handgun, Savage has
introduced the Stance, a micro 9 mm concealed-carry pistol.
Though branded Savage, it arrives well refined.
By Tamara Keel

42 The Revolver Renaissance

Just as it seemed the semi-automatic pistol ruled supreme and
the wheelgun was on its way to obsolescence and obscurity,

48
the revolver is enjoying renewed interest.
By Dick Williams

48 Surviving on the Edge

As a species armed only with a large brain and opposable
thumbs, it was edged tools that enabled us to survive and
eventually thrive. And, like us, they’ve evolved and improved.
By Bryce M. Towsley

Handbook
54 Get a Leg Up
More than just a last-ditch, deep-cover carry method, an ankle
rig can be a practical means of going armed that provides
some distinct advantages.
By Jeff Gonzales
54

Official Journal of the National Rifle Association of America

The NRA, the foremost guardian of the traditional American right to “keep and bear arms,” believes every law-abiding citizen is
entitled to the ownership and legal use of firearms, and that every reputable gun owner should be an NRA member.

2 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

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 CONTENTS
Publishing
Doug Hamlin
Executive Director
Michael J. Sanford
30 Deputy Executive Director

Departments
Marshall J. Flemion
Managing Director, Integrated Marketing
Terri A. Wolfe
Senior Executive Assistant
Rachel Carr
8 Letters Publications Operations Manager
Larry Quandahl

24 Shots Fired Senior Firearms Inventory Manager

Targeting Online Scammers Editorial

New Kid in Town Mark A. Keefe, IV
Editorial Director
Everyday I’m Shovelin’
Ed Friedman
Editor in Chief
26 Skills Check Daniel T. McElrath
Sharp As a Tac Senior Executive Editor

32 Jay Grazio

27 Pro Shop Executive Editor

Kevin Creighton
24/7/P365 Managing Editor, Digital

Official Journal Bob Boyd

28 Tech Wisdom Senior Associate Editor

In the Buff 10 Armed Citizen Sheriff Jim Wilson

Senior Field Editor

30 Rifles 12 Standing Guard Steve Adelmann

Rifle Editor
Steered Straight Richard Mann
14 President’s Column Ammo Editor
32 Handguns Tamara Keel

Tension Attention 16 Political Report Handgun Editor

Jeff Johnston
Shotgun Editor
34 Shotguns 66 ILA Report Wiley Clapp, George Harris, Ed Head,
The Point of Aiming Guy J. Sagi, Philip Schreier, Steve Tarani,
68 Regional Report Bryce M. Towsley, Dick Williams
Field Editors
58 Ammo Member Info & Benefits
True Velocity’s Truth Art
69 Programs & Services Mark Weaver

60 Straight Talk Creative Director

John T. Claman
Stripped Gear Art Director
Peter Fountain
62 The Classics Photography Director
Forrest MacCormack
Mauser HSc and
Senior Photographer
Heckler & Koch Model 4
Shooting Illustrated (ISSN1544-3000 Vol. 21 No. 6) is published
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72
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4
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 ShootingIllustrated.com
Publishing Operations
Michelle E. Kuntz
Training and Practice With A
OLEG VOLK

Sr. Director Publishing Operations

Kel-Tec P17 James C. Handlon
The Kel-Tec P17 mimics most of the features of Director, Marketing & Advertising
larger-caliber pistols, but is chambered for the Debra Oliveri
Senior Production Coordinator
easy-to-shoot (and easy on your wallet) .22 LR
cartridge. New shooters can get up to speed Adam Wilson
Senior Production Coordinator
quickly with this gun, and experienced gun
Cheryl Doden
owners can practice more often. Accounts Receivable Staff Accountant
Autumn Daniels
Accounts Receivable Coordinator

MEMBERSHIP INQUIRIES: (877) 672-2000

Advertising Sales
Spring Cleaning
ED HEAD

Tony Morrison (860) 767-9801

Cleaning up around the house also means Director, Eastern Sales

cleaning up your concealed-carry gear. Batter- Stan Yates (850) 619-8148

ies need changing, guns and accessories need
maintenance—the list goes on and on. Make
a fresh start as the weather changes with
these tips from Gunsite instructor and our
Field Editor, Ed Head.
I Carry: Mossberg MC2sc Pistol in
Southeast Sales Executive
Rachelle Trout (910) 262-0913
Eastern Sales Executive
Courtney Olson (703) 267-1300
Director, Western Sales
James O’Neill (530) 401-8607
Western Sales Executive
Ken Glowacki (313) 779-8504
Midwest Sales Executive
Debbie O’Connell (805) 501-9138
Western Direct Sales Executive

a DeSantis Holster ADVERTISING INQUIRIES: (703) 267-1300

www.nramediakit.com
Mossberg made waves in 2020 when it re- Digital Operations
entered the pistol market with the MC1 micro
Michael Pedersen
compact. The new MC2sc makes a good pistol Managing Director
even better, and teaming it up with a quality Troy Kelly
holster from DeSantis gives you a great option Art Director
for concealed carry. Tom Rickwalder
Senior Digital Producer
Steve Dulco
Digital Producer

Some of the photographs in this magazine illustrate specific

shooting stances or positions in which it was occasionally
necessary to position the camera in front of the muzzle for
News Guns Gear instructional purposes. At no time was a loaded, functioning
firearm used in these photographs; special, deactivated guns or
FN Announces Safety Recall Trigger Interactive solid plastic gun simulators were employed. In some cases the
for the FN 502 Tactical Target System image was taken using a remotely triggered camera.
WARNING: All technical data in this publication, especially for
handloading, reflect the limited experience of individuals using
specific tools, products, equipment and components under
specific conditions and circumstances not necessarily reported
SIG Sauer P322 in the article and over which the National Rifle Association
Pistol EDC Flashlights Under $100 (NRA) has no control. The data have not otherwise been tested
or verified by the NRA. The NRA, its agents, officers and
employees accept no responsibility for the results obtained by
persons using such data and disclaim all liability for any
consequential injuries or damages. See asterisked (*).
Springfield Armory/ * NO ADVERTISED ITEM IS INTENDED FOR SALE IN THOSE STATES,
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PROHIBIT THE PURCHASE, CARRYING OR USE OF CERTAIN ITEMS.
Concealed Mossberg 940 Pro Tactical CHECK LOCAL LAWS BEFORE PURCHASING. MENTION OF A
Carry Clothing Shotgun PRODUCT OR SERVICE IN ADVERTISEMENTS OR TEXT DOES NOT
NECESSARILY MEAN THAT IT HAS BEEN TESTED OR APPROVED BY
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OFFICIAL NRA POSITIONS ARE EXPRESSED ONLY IN STATEMENTS
BYLINED BY NRA OFFICERS OR IN ARTICLES IDENTIFIED AS SUCH.
THE EDITORS ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR UNSOLICITED
MANUSCRIPTS OR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Connect with Us Printed in the United States of America.

6
 NO
NOBODY
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AN AR-15
The KelTec™ RDB™ is not your grandpa’s bullpup. It’s completely ambidextrous,
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©2022 Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Inc
LETTERS Readers Forum

Not So Super? Needed Nostalgia

I enjoyed Tamara Keel’s article, “Dear 9 mm
1911, I You,” in the April issue, in particular
I must comment on the review of the new 30 Super Carry in the April the love/enjoyment of firearms from one’s
issue. I don’t understand why Federal would put resources toward a past. In 1971, I joined the ranks of the
cartridge that has to compete with, as the first sentence of the article Philadelphia PD. The issued sidearm at that
states, “the most popular handgun cartridge in the world.” time was the Smith & Wesson model 10-6 in
Federal should focus keeping up with the shortages we are seeing in .38 Spl., which had a 4-inch heavy barrel with
both loaded ammo and components, primers in particular. Companies target hammer spur and trigger. I carried the
keep trying, with little success, to come up with the next new handgun Smith through most of my 23-year career,
cartridge. The .40 S&W used to be all the rage to replace that “under- except for 8 years as a detective when I was
powered” 9 mm. Today, law enforcement agencies are going back to issued a 2-inch Colt Detective Special. Upon
the 9 mm. I’m sure if the 30 Super Carry can even match the success of being promoted to sergeant, I asked for a
the .40 S&W, it will eventually be replaced by the 9 mm as well. 10-6 to be reissued, even though the depart-
John Darby ment had started the migration to semi-
via e-mail automatics in 9 mm. Upon my retirement I
was offered the opportunity to purchase the
Maybe I’m missing something, but how does Federal expect us to Smith from the city, but declined.
get excited about its new 30 Super Carry when we can’t obtain Federal For many years I entertained thought of
primers to load what we already shoot? buying a used one, mostly for nostalgic
Bruce T. Bugland reasons. I did so about three months ago. It is
Hurricane, UT a little holster-worn, but still harkens me back
to the ’70s. Every indication is it was a duty
We received many e-mails echoing these pistol in my era of law enforcement. The
concerns about both the viability of the action is buttery smooth, and I find myself
30 Super Carry and about Federal’s decision putting more than one round in the same
to launch this new cartridge at the tail end slightly enlarged hole.
of the most significant ammunition-demand Bob Addlesberger
spike in history. To the first, we would say—as Warminster, PA
with any new product—the jury is still out. As
Richard Mann described in his May “Ammo” column, Americans had TEAMS!
similar attitudes about the 9 mm until maybe 25 to 30 years ago. I loved Steve Adelmann’s satire column,
Furthermore, success stories like the 6.5 Creedmoor took years to “Social Mayhem,” in the April issue. Funny and
become the standard by which other calibers in its class are judged. Will true stuff he talked about. He dealt with the
that happen with the 30 Super Carry? It is far too early to tell. social media image needed to succeed, but all
As for the 30 Super Carry impacting ammo availability, Federal wisely of this and more applies to print ads as well. I
chose to launch it as the unprecedented demand spike waned substan- was surprised that he did not mention the
tially. That’s not to say demand has returned to pre-2020 levels, but it has “need” to display lots of facial hair, and of
slackened significantly from its peak, freeing up resources to load course the gnarly, grimy hands and forearms
cartridges other than 9 mm, .223 Rem., .45 ACP and the like, including frequently seen in these ads. Baby oil and ash,
new products that, while unproven, offer something different. as he mentioned, seem to be the hot selling
—Ed Friedman points. A suggestion for a future article:
Discuss all of the “tactical” items that are
Richard Mann’s article on the 30 Super Carry was interesting. Only stuffed down our throats, like tactical
time will tell if it is up to the hype, but one thing is certain: It is a sunglasses, toothpaste, socks, watches, pens,
small-capacity case loaded to higher-than-normal pressures, and T-shirts and, of course, hemorrhoid cream.
common practices like loading and unloading the firearm utilizing Where will it end?
the same round multiple times can produce bullet setback. When the Doug Snyder
bullet sets back in the case, it can cause the already high pressures Boise, ID
to go much higher. Bullet setback is already a suspected culprit
in catastrophic failures with lower-pressure pistol rounds, so care Correspondence is welcomed and encouraged
should be taken with this new, higher-pressure round to avoid this Write to: Shooting Illustrated I NRA
potential safety concern. 11250 Waples Mill Road,
M. Dwight Hughes Fairfax, VA 22030-9400
via e-mail e-mail: shootingillustrated@nrahq.org

8 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

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ARMED CITIZEN

A
man in Blacksburg, S.C., was at home with his mother the night of Feb. 2
when a 29-year-old intruder burst through the home’s front door and
began assaulting him with a blunt object. During the struggle, the
man was fortunately able to reach his firearm and shoot his attacker once in
the chest. The wounded assailant then left in a vehicle that had been waiting
nearby and was taken to a hospital, where he later died from his wounds. The
homeowner was also taken to the hospital for his injuries and was later released.
(wspa.com, Spartanburg, S.C., 2/2/22 and wyff4.com, Greenville, S.C., 2/2/22)

O n Saturday, Feb. 5, a person in

IF YOU HAVE
A FIRSTHAND
“ARMED CITIZEN”
EXPERIENCE,
EMAIL NRA PUBLIC
AFFAIRS TEAM AT
MEDIA@NRAHQ.ORG.
Studies indicate that firearms
are used more than 2 million
times a year for personal
protection, and that the
presence of a firearm, without
a shot being fired, prevents
crime in many instances.
Shooting usually can be
Snellville, Ga., called police to say
they had found a person lying dead in the
street. Investigating officials were able to
determine that the person had been shot
after allegedly initiating an assault on a
person in a parked vehicle. According to
reports, a man was sitting alone in his car in
a parking lot when he was approached by
the other man who was armed and began
assaulting him. The individual sitting in the
car was also armed, however, and was able
to defend himself, shooting the attacker.
As of press time, no charges had been filed
in the investigation. Officers noted that
Georgia is a stand-your-ground state and
allows for the use of force, including deadly
force, in self-defense. (news.monroelocal.org,
Monroe, Ga., 2/6/22)
is expected to live. The dropped firearm
was determined to be a pellet gun. Once
released, the suspect was to be charged
with assault with a deadly weapon and
brandishing an imitation firearm. The
caller was interviewed and released
without charges. (kget.com, Bakersfield,
Calif., 2/11/22)
A southwest Houston, Texas, homeowner
was asleep on the second floor of
his home the night of March 3 when he
heard the sound of glass breaking. He
armed himself before investigating. An
intruder was allegedly making his way
up the stairs when the homeowner saw
him and fired a shot, striking him in
the neck. The intruder ran out and started
knocking on nearby doors, yelling that he
had been shot. He collapsed a few doors

justified only where crime
constitutes an immediate,
imminent threat to life, limb,
or, in some cases, property.
Anyone is free to quote or
reproduce these accounts.
Send clippings via email to
armedcitizen@nrahq.org,
or by mail to “The Armed
Citizen,” 11250 Waples Mill
Road, Fairfax, VA 22030-
9400. For bonus features,
visit “The Armed Citizen Blog”
at americanrifleman.org.
Share this column online at
nrapublications.org.
A
gas-station clerk in Chicago, Ill., was
lucky to have a concealed-carry holder
in line the night of Feb. 10, when a 31-year-
old customer initiated an argument and
then pulled a gun from his waistband to
threaten the clerk. The armed citizen,
who was also an off-duty security guard,
saw the gun, drew his own firearm and
shot the alleged assailant in the shoulder.
The wounded suspect fled the scene and
drove himself to a nearby hospital where
he was listed in fair condition. Upon
release, he was taken into police custody.
(fox32chicago.com, Chicago, Ill., 2/10/22)
O n the evening of Feb. 10, Bakersfield,
Calif., police were called out to an
unusual scene. A 911 caller was reporting
a brush fire when a man allegedly started
throwing bottles of beer at him and then
pointed a gun at him. The caller was also
armed, however, and shot the attacker in
the leg, causing him to run away and drop
his gun. When the police arrived, the caller
identified himself and told officers that he
had just shot the man who had threatened
him. Officers found the wounded man
nearby with a gunshot wound to the leg.
He was taken to a local hospital where he
down and was later pronounced dead at
the scene, according to police. Neighbors
reported that the intruder had been trying
to gain access to other homes before the
incident, as well, and had caused some
property damage. The homeowner was not
expected to face any charges. (khou.com,
Houston, Texas, 3/3/22)
O n the evening of March 4, a female
homeowner in Longview, Texas, called
911 to report having shot a burglar. Upon
their arrival, the woman told deputies she
ordered the man to leave her home, but
he refused. Fearing for her safety, she
shot the alleged burglar. The wounded
invader was taken to a nearby hospital and
charged with burglary of a habitation with
intent to commit assault. Sheriff Brandon
Fletcher of the Harrison County Sheriff’s
Office credited the homeowner for her
actions: “This entire incident is an excellent
example of the importance of our Second
Amendment. I am thankful the homeowner
was unharmed but also thankful the
suspect in this episode will now face his
consequences through the judicial system;
it could have ended a lot worse.” (ketk.com,
Tyler, Texas, 3/7/22)

10 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

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STANDING GUARD
By Wayne LaPierre
Executive Vice President
nraam.org
Like us on Facebook at the
National Rifle Association.
For related articles, go to
nrapublications.org.
12
151 Years Strong!
B
eing a part of this group, you know
that good organizations don’t
just happen. They take root in a
body of shared beliefs. They grow strong
from leadership with vision, initiative and
determination to reach great goals. And
what you’ve accomplished speaks for itself …
NRA’s getting stronger every day.”
Those words, spoken by President
Ronald Reagan at our NRA Annual Meeting
nearly 40 years ago, perfectly encapsulate
everything that makes our proud
Association the most-successful civil-rights
organization in American history.
In fact, it’s no understatement to say
that the vision, initiative and determination
shared by you, me and millions of our
fellow members has fueled the greatest
restoration of freedom this nation has
ever seen. Just think about it. There
are precious few freedoms over the
past several decades that haven’t been
negatively impacted, or entirely eliminated,
by government’s ever-constricting
regulatory and legal chokehold.
And no freedom during that time
has been subject to a more vicious,
coordinated and well-funded daily assault
than the Second Amendment.
Yet, our right to keep and bear arms is
stronger and more secure today than it was
40 years ago! And for one reason only: the
dogged determination, consistent courage,
and unbreakable spirit of the men and
women of the National Rifle Association.
Forty years ago, you couldn’t legally
travel throughout the U.S. with your
firearms due to crippling laws and
regulations. Today, you can, thanks to NRA.
Forty years ago, the Gun Control Act
still hovered over our rights like the sword
of Damocles. But today the threat has been
mitigated, thanks to NRA members helping
to rewrite the act in favor of our freedom.
Forty years ago, government officials
assumed the power to confiscate guns in
a state of emergency, like they did after
Hurricane Katrina, and leave gun owners
defenseless at a time when we need our
firearms the most. Today, they can’t, thanks
to NRA members who led the way to pass
emergency power laws.
Forty years ago, the American firearms
industry was threatened with extinction
from predatory, frivolous, anti-gun lawsuits.
Today, that’s no longer the case, thanks to
the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms
Act—made possible by NRA members.
Forty years ago, fewer than a handful
of states legally recognized their citizens’
right to carry a firearm for self-defense.
Today, all 50 states and the District of
Columbia have provisions for concealed
carry and more than 40 have “shall-issue”
laws. And, most recently, 25 states have
now passed constitutional-carry laws, so
law-abiding gun owners don’t need to seek
any government permission to exercise
their fundamental right to carry a firearm for
self-defense. Every one of these victories
was made possible by the men and women
of the NRA.
Forty years ago, anti-gun politicians and
their lap dogs in the media were hell-bent
on gutting the Second Amendment—
claiming that it did not confer an individual
right to own and carry firearms. Through the
landmark Heller and McDonald Supreme
Court decisions, we crushed that lie, and
affirmed what our Founding Fathers wrote
plainly in the Second Amendment: Our right
to keep and bear arms is a guaranteed,
natural and individual right that no
government can take away from us!
I could go on. There are too many
monumental legislative, judicial and
electoral victories to list.
As many of us look forward to gathering
in Houston, Texas, for our big Annual
Meeting and celebration just weeks from
now, I know that every NRA member
won’t be able to join us. I won’t be able to
personally shake all your hands and thank
you for everything you’ve done to change
the course of history for our Second
Amendment freedom.
But please know this. I hope you’ll never
forget it: As an NRA member, you, more
than anyone else in this country—more
than any member of a political party or
other group or association—it’s you who
keeps freedom alive. You are the reason
America is still the great hope of the world.
It’s in the way you live your lives. The
way you raise your families. The way you
persevere in your work and sacrifice your
time for NRA and the noble cause we share.
It’s you who have the bold, clear vision of
enduring freedom, who take the initiative to
fight for it, and who maintain the courage
and determination, no matter what the
odds, to see every fight to a victorious end.
Because of you, we have much to
celebrate in Houston. More than that, we
have an opportunity—with all eyes of the
nation upon us—to show America that the
path to freedom runs through a strong and
unified NRA!
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
PRESIDENT’S COLUMN
By Charles L. Cotton
President
NRA OFFICERS
Charles L. Cotton
President
Willes K. Lee
First Vice President
David Coy
Second Vice President
Wayne LaPierre
Executive Vice President
John Frazer
Secretary
Sonya Rowling
Treasurer and
Chief Financial Officer
Jason Ouimet
Executive Director,
NRA-ILA
Joseph P. DeBergalis, Jr.
Executive Director,
General Operations
For news about your NRA,
visit: nra.org and nraila.org.
Share this column online at
nrapublications.org.
14
Ukraine’s Example
F
or anyone who ever needed proof
of how crucial gun rights are to our
survival and our safety, I have just two
words of advice: Remember Ukraine!
You saw the pictures and video from that
war zone. Thousands of men and women
from every walk of life lined up to get the
firearms they needed to defend themselves
and their country from Russian invaders.
Let’s be clear: The highest purpose of
your Second Amendment right to keep
and bear arms is to protect innocent
life from any and every aggressor. The
simple fact is that invading armies, foreign
dictators, domestic tyrants, angry mobs
and would-be rapists and killers all share
one Achilles’ heel: The possibility that their
victims might be armed. It’s the one thing
they fear the most. Because it’s the one
thing that can stop them.
Even some longtime anti-gun media
pundits have seen the light, admitting that
for the helpless citizens of Ukraine, firearms
are the one thing that can give them a
fighting chance.
Yet even as Ukraine restores the gun
rights of its citizens, President Joe Biden
and his anti-gun allies seek to diminish that
life-saving freedom right here at home.
Last year, Biden ridiculed the idea of
armed citizens using small arms to defeat
tyranny. “You need F-15s and maybe some
nuclear weapons,” he said. But Ukrainian
civilians didn’t need “F-15s and nuclear
weapons” to bog down the Russian army
in March. As London’s The Sunday Times
headline put it, “Ukraine’s citizen warriors
with hunting rifles beat 40 Russian tanks,”
by blowing up a bridge, and then pouring
fire down upon the column. Sure, the U.S.
and other countries have provided shoulder-
fired anti-armor/anti-aircraft weapons to
Ukraine. But rifles, handguns and shotguns
in the hands of Ukrainian citizens have also
played a critical role in protecting their
country, themselves and their loved ones.
The Russian army might be one of
the strongest in the world. But when the
Americans defeated King George in the
late 1700s, Great Britain was one of the
strongest military superpowers in the
world. Attacking guerrilla forces in their
own back yards is no walk in the park. As
Japan’s Admiral Yamamoto reportedly said
during World War II, “You cannot invade
mainland United States. There would
be a rifle behind each blade of grass.”
Some dispute that quotation, claiming it’s
unsubstantiated. But that doesn’t mean the
proposition isn’t true. It is.
The specter of tyranny is one reason
why we have the Second Amendment right
to keep and bear arms. It’s why England’s
King George sent Gen. Gage to seize
the colonists’ firearms at Lexington and
Concord in 1775, sparking the American
Revolution. It’s why the Nazis, when they
invaded France in 1940, warned that
anyone who didn’t hand over their firearms
within 24 hours would be executed. And
it’s why, during the August 1991 coup
attempt in the Soviet Union, the first
decree of the communist insurrectionists’
State of Emergency Committee demanded
that “Citizens shall hand in without delay all
types of firearms.” The right to keep and
bear arms makes attackers think twice.
When evil strikes, whether in geopolitical
situations or walking down the street, you
can’t always count on others—the police,
your government, your national allies or
anyone else—to protect you. Those in law
enforcement will do their best to protect
us. They will also be the first to admit that
they cannot be everywhere at once. In the
end, all you have is your God-given right to
protect yourself, your family, your freedom
and your country. As Wayne LaPierre has
often said, “The only thing that stops a
bad guy with a gun, is a good guy with a
gun.” That’s why, as former NRA President
Charlton Heston put it, “The Second
Amendment is our first freedom—the one
right the allows ‘rights’ to exist at all.”
Yet while Ukrainian authorities restored
that right to save the lives of their citizens,
President Biden and other anti-gun politi-
cians try to gut it. On April 3, while Ukrainian
authorities reportedly uncovered mass
graves containing the bodies of hundreds
of civilians murdered by Russian troops in
what Ukraine President Zelenskyy called
“genocide,” President Joe Biden called on
Congress to “ban ghost guns ... Ban assault
weapons and high-capacity magazines.”
Make no mistake: Regardless of what
happens in Ukraine in the coming months,
nothing is more important to your Second
Amendment right to defend yourself,
your family and your country from every
aggressor than casting your vote to protect
that freedom on Election Day, Nov. 8.
In the coming months, I’ll tell you how
you can make a decisive difference in that
crucial battle.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
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For related articles, go to
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16
Freedom’s Biggest Movement:
Constitutional Carry
I
am immensely proud to join with Second
Amendment supporters across America
in celebrating a major milestone reached
in April, when Georgia became the 25th
constitutional-carry state. Law-abiding gun
owners living in the Peach State no longer face
the burden of acquiring a government-issued
permit before they can carry concealed. As I
write this column, half the nation recognizes
the right to bear arms without government
permission. And that’s just half of the actual
states. More than half of the country, by both
population and geography, is now under the
constitutional-carry ideal originally envisioned
by our Founding Fathers when they incorpo-
rated the Second Amendment as one of our
nation’s fundamental doctrines nearly two-and-
a-half centuries ago.
Thirty-five years ago, only a handful of
states had any legal means for concealed
carry, and 20 years ago, only Vermont
didn’t require a permit or license to carry a
concealed handgun.
America did not achieve this milestone by
accident or happenstance. NRA members,
gun owners and other volunteers and
activists did what they always do; They
showed up. They showed up at town halls.
They showed up at committee meetings
and for floor votes. And, when change was
necessary, they showed up on election day.
This victory was made possible by thousands
upon thousands of hours of hard work put
in by those who value our fundamental right
to keep and bear arms. In fact, no state
immediately jumped from no concealed carry
to concealed carry with no permit required—
that rarely happens with any long-term,
legislative goal. It required intervening steps,
in virtually every instance getting “shall-
issue” legislation passed before being able to
tackle constitutional carry.
Shall-issue laws make it possible for
anyone who doesn’t meet a list of objective
disqualifications to receive a permit to carry.
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, these laws became the
norm in America, as we moved away from
more restrictive “may-issue” laws. By the
early 2000s, NRA began pursuing laws that
eliminated the need for a permit entirely,
beginning with Alaska in 2003. These state-
by-state efforts methodically changed the
way the nation understood, viewed and
respected the Second Amendment and carry.
And, bit-by-bit, American support for carry
outside of the home grew exponentially.
By 2013, every state in America had
adopted concealed-carry legislation of some
kind. Forty-two states had some type of
law that made it possible for law-abiding
adults to carry a concealed handgun for
personal protection, but eight were still
“may issue,” where government bureaucrats
are given the authority to arbitrarily deny
permit applicants. In 2021, the Supreme
Court of the United States agreed to
hear an NRA-backed and supported
case, NYSRPA v. Bruen, challenging the
constitutionality of New York’s “may-issue”
regime. This summer, the Court will issue
a ruling that we hope will declare “may
issue” unconstitutional in New York. If they
do, it will be the beginning of the end of
“may issue” in the remaining seven states
and further enshrine the concealed-carry
movement in the firmament of all of our
nation’s proud civil-rights campaigns.
There is no denying the success of the
carry movement in America. And that’s what
it is: a movement. The NRA has focused
its legislative efforts on restoring the right
to bear arms for the last 35 years, but we
didn’t get here alone. This is the result of
motivated Americans, for decades, cast
millions of votes in thousands of elections
that brought us to today.
And the COVID pandemic turbocharged
the movement. In the last two years,
Americans have watched as law-enforcement
numbers dwindled, dangerous felons
received furloughs and crime surged due
to soft-on-crime prosecutors in some of
America’s largest cities. At the same time,
millions of Americans purchased their first
firearm, as legitimate concerns over violent
crime impacting them or their families began
to take hold. Many more Americans applied
for their first permit to carry—understanding
that criminals don’t only target victims in
their homes—only to find that permitting
offices were closed or had huge backlogs.
That failure made it all the more
obvious that a system of government
preauthorization is incompatible with the
exercise of a fundamental right.
For the last 35 years, the NRA has been
fighting for the right of every law-abiding
American to defend themselves and their
families, and I am profoundly honored
to have been allowed to take part in this
movement for the last
two decades. Today, we
celebrate a milestone of
25 constitutional carry
states. Tomorrow, we
work toward number 26.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
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C L O SE D

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F
18 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION
TARGETS GUN OWNERS
F
BY WAY OF GUN DEALERS
For ordinary, law-abiding
gun owners, federal gun
control is frustrating, to
say the least.
Gun owners are tasked with comporting their behavior
to a web of shifting federal statutes, regulations and
agency rulings, all the while understanding that none of
this has any impact on a decent person’s decisions not to
misuse a firearm or on a criminal’s choice to harm others.
This frustration is even more acute for those who help to
provide gun owners the tools necessary to exercise their
Second Amendment rights—Federal Firearms Licensees
(FFLs or gun dealers).
In a July 12, 2016, speech, President Barack Obama
claimed “it is easier for a teenager to buy a Glock than get his
hands on a computer or even a book.” Labeled false even by
the likes of The Washington Post and Politifact, the ridiculous
statement proved that the head of the executive branch had
never bothered to crack open the ATF’s “Federal Firearms
Regulations Reference Guide” or the agency’s “Federal
Firearms Licensee Quick Reference and Best Practices
Guide.” Had Obama tried to familiarize himself with either
document, he may have come away with new appreciation
for the regulatory burden already placed on FFLs.
While ordinary Americans view gun dealers as our
friends, neighbors and oftentimes small businessmen who
benefit their communities, the federal government views
gun-dealer licensing as a key component of its gun-control
apparatus. In the battle over the Gun Control Act of 1968,
gun owners successfully prevented the development of
a centralized firearm registry. However, the legislation
instead tasked individual gun dealers with maintaining
initial sales records on the firearms that passed through
their businesses. As Sen. James McClure (R-Idaho)
SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022
By Jason Ouimet
Executive Director,
NRA-ILA
explained in 1985, “The central compromise of the Gun
Control Act of 1968—the sine qua non for the entry of the
Federal Government into any form of firearms regulation
was this: Records concerning gun ownership would be
maintained by dealers, not by the Federal government and
not by state and local governments.”
Specifically, 18 U.S.C. 923(g)(1)(A) demands that each
“licensed dealer shall maintain such records of importation,
production, shipment, receipt, sale or other disposition of
firearms at his place of business for such period, and in such
form, as the Attorney General may by regulations prescribe.”
As prescribed by federal regulation, this takes the form of
an FFL’s “bound book” that records the acquisition and
disposition of firearms and a compilation of customers’ Form
4473s—which non-licensees are required to fill out with
personally identifying information upon the purchase of a
firearm from an FFL.
FFLs are also tasked with filing paperwork with ATF on
multiple-handgun sales, or in the case of the Southwestern
U.S., multiple-handgun or semi-automatic-rifle sales, to
a single customer within five consecutive business days.
Moreover, gun dealers must use the FBI’s National Instant
Criminal Background Check System to conduct background
checks on most prospective purchasers and are tasked with
responding to ATF firearm-trace requests in a timely manner.
All of this is enforced by an army of ATF industry
operations investigators, who are empowered by federal law
to “enter the premises of any … licensed dealer … for the
purpose of examining or inspecting any record or document
required by” law.
This government-mandated paperwork is on top of the
significant amount of recordkeeping that any business must
contend with just to operate. Inventory, taxes, payroll and
then a massive federal gun-control regime—it all adds up.
Just like any other regulated industry, with this mountain of
compliance, paperwork mistakes can and do happen even to
the most competent and well-meaning licensees.
Perhaps understanding the inevitability of some amount
of paperwork mistakes, on June 23, 2021, the Biden-Harris
19
administration announced a “zero tolerance” policy for what
they termed “rogue gun dealers.” The policy noted, “[a]
bsent extraordinary circumstances that would need to be
justified to the Director, ATF will seek to revoke the licenses
of dealers the first time that they violate federal law ...” for
certain specified violations.
Then, last December, ATF updated its “Federal
Firearms Licensee Quick Reference and Best Practices
Guide.” The updated guide makes clear that “ATF will,
absent extraordinary circumstances, initiate proceedings
to revoke the license of any dealer that has committed a
willful regulatory violation of the Gun Control Act (GCA) for
specified violations.”
Violations subject to the zero-tolerance policy include
“[f]ailing to conduct a required background check,”
“[f]alsifying records, such as a firearms transaction form”
and “[f]ailing to respond to a trace request.” While some
of these may be serious violations that warrant revocation,
many will be simple paperwork errors. Notably, “falsifying
records” is a very broad category that can include making
simple errors on the Form 4473, and “failing to respond
to a trace request” could result from simply missing
an attempted contact by ATF. Moreover, it is NRA’s
understanding that even FFLs which have self-reported
compliance mistakes in good faith have become the targets
for license revocation.
Despite the Biden-Harris administration’s colorful
rhetoric, this enforcement effort appears aimed at reducing
the number of FFLs rather than curtailing so-called
“rogue” dealers. Attacking FFLs in this manner serves the
administration’s broader goal of making it more difficult
and expensive for law-abiding Americans to exercise their
Second Amendment rights.
This tactic is particularly nefarious given the
administration’s other gun-control policy aims. President
Biden has been a vocal supporter of legislation to
criminalize the private transfer of firearms—often
inaccurately described as “universal background check”
legislation. Most iterations of this policy would force
almost all firearm transfers to take place through an FFL.
Therefore, the Biden-Harris administration is attempting
to curb access to FFLs at the same time they are pushing
legislation mandating their use for private transfers. It
would appear that the administration’s goal is to inhibit
lawful firearm transfers.
The Biden-Harris assault on gun dealers is bad on
its own, but the measure takes on a ridiculous light
when examined in the context of recent the Democratic
presidential administrations’ war on gun owners.
In the early 1990s, it was an article of faith among
gun-control proponents that there were just too many
gun dealers in the country. Back in the pre-District of
Columbia v. Heller days, gun-control supporters were more
honest about their goals and anything that made guns
more obtainable, like a healthy supply of gun dealers, was
something they openly opposed.
In December 1992, handgun-prohibition outfit the
Violence Policy Center published a report titled, “More
Gun Dealers Than Gas Stations.” The authors whined
that there was a “bloated, unmanageable universe of
illegitimate FFL holders.” VPC took particular aim at small-
scale FFLs they termed “kitchen-table” gun dealers.
20
Less than a year later, Clinton targeted these small
businesses.
On Aug. 11, 1993, Clinton issued a memorandum for
the Secretary of the Treasury on gun-dealer licensing. The
memo directed the secretary to take “whatever steps are
necessary” to reduce the number of gun dealers. Clinton
complained, “30 percent of licensees engage in a limited
level of business, typically out of private residences.” At
Clinton’s behest, ATF implemented regulatory restrictions
that sought to create a minimum threshold of business
activity for FFL eligibility.
Clinton’s attack on small-scale FFLs proved
effective, with the number of gun dealers dropping
80 percent between 1994 and 2007. In 2006, the
Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence’s Director
Dennis Henigan called Clinton’s assault on firearm
commerce “a major policy success.”
Calling into question Henigan’s dubious characteriza-
tion, in January 2016, Obama reversed course on the
Clinton-era policy.
By that year, so-called “universal” background checks
were gun-control proponents’ obsession. Having failed
to curb private firearm transfers in April 2013 with the
Manchin-Toomey amendment, gun controllers were eager
to stretch federal law to require background checks on a
wider array of gun sales.
Under federal law, those “engaged in the business”
of selling firearms must obtain an FFL and conduct
background checks on prospective buyers. Those who
sell guns out of a personal collection without doing
so “with the principal objective of livelihood and
profit” do not need to be licensed with the federal
government and are not required by federal law to
conduct background checks.
Understanding that the Gun Control Act of 1968
and the Firearm Owners Protection Act of 1986 limited
the federal government’s ability to regulate the private
transfer of firearms, the Obama administration released
a document clarifying the circumstances under which a
person must obtain an FFL. Titled, “Do I need a license
to buy and sell firearms?” the guidance explained the
relevant federal statutes and regulations concerning
firearm dealing and summarized the administration’s view
of the controlling case law.
In a “fact sheet” accompanying the guidance, the
Obama administration made clear that their goal
was to get more individuals into the federal licensing
scheme, and thus increase the number of firearm
transfers subject to a background check. The
document described the goal of the administration’s
efforts as “ensur[ing] that anyone who is ‘engaged
in the business’ of selling firearms is licensed and
conducts background checks on their customers.”
So, now with the Biden-Harris administration’s actions,
consecutive Democratic presidents have perpetrated a
dramatic political flip-flop-flip on gun-dealer licensing.
While this series of policy reversals can be viewed as
schizophrenic, some will see a pattern: A willingness by
gun-control-supporting politicians to frustrate law-abiding
gun owners and dealers by whatever means the law and
politics of the moment allows, with the ultimate goal of
eliminating any legal way to buy a gun.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
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SHOTS FIRED News I Notes I Miscellaneous
Internet Imposters
There are more than a few reasons to
be skeptical of things you see online.
American consumers lost $392 million to online-shopping scams in
2021, according to the latest report from the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC). That figure is up nearly $150 million from the previous year.
Unfortunately, the firearm industry hasn’t escaped the criminal activity.
Major firearm brands have quietly launched a variety of efforts to
prevent loyal fans from being victimized. Several companies provided
Shooting Illustrated with a glimpse of their proactive measures, nearly all
of them invisible to the consumer.
Marlin’s return to the market generated viral interest. As models came
out of Ruger’s Mayodan, NC, factory, fans were eager to score items
wearing the historic label. Imposters took advantage of that demand.
Rob Werkmeister, vice president of marketing at Ruger, said, “…one
example that was pretty bad in their attempt to steal money from
unknowing customers was marlinfirearm.com—our actual domain is
marlinfirearms.com—one letter missing and a nightmare for customers.”
SIG Sauer enthusiasts were also targets. When asked about stopping
the criminal trend, Tom Taylor, chief marketing officer and executive
vice president of commercial sales for the company summarized,
“Currently, this is very challenging.  Some do a good job of truly ‘fooling’
the consumer, so it’s tough. We did put a drop down that came up as
soon as you landed on our site to warn consumers about URLs we
found. Also, we are exploring a ‘TrustedSite’ banner or something
similar, but no easy answer here.”
Visit the Canik USA website and the home page warns, “It has come
to our attention that multiple fraudulent internet sites are misusing the
Century and Canik names, trademarks, images and products in what
we assume is a scheme to defraud unsuspecting firearm and accessory
24
purchasers. We have advised appropriate
law enforcement agencies about this matter.”
Walther Arms issued a similar alert late
last year.
“Like many other firearms manufacturers,
Savage Arms is seeing fraudulent websites,”
said Beth Shimanski, director of marketing for
Savage Arms. “These websites confuse, harm
or otherwise disrupt our business with our
fans, followers and customers.”
The difference between the legitimate and
scam website is often one letter or word in the
URL—deliberately. Web browsers can go their
when an enthusiast is in a hurry or inadver-
tently enters a typo.
“We do try to buy as many related domains
as we can, primarily to prevent just this… but
we don’t get them all, especially with the
Marlin acquisition, we received what they had
already owned,” Werkmeister said. “We did go
out and buy ‘shopmarlin.com’—this was a
defensive/protective move for our customer
base who was well versed in our Sportswear
and Accessory store being ‘shopruger.com.’
That is one example of a protective buy.”
“It’s a scam and we have to rely on our legal
team and law enforcement to try to shut it
down,” Taylor said, adding the Department of
Homeland Security is investigating sites that
have been uncovered. “I guess it’s the blessing
and curse of having an aspirational brand.” 
At Savage, “We are actively monitoring for
new, malicious sites and working quickly to
have them taken down,” Shimanski said.
“Despite this, we do remind people that
Savage Arms does not accept credit card
payments for the sale of firearms and we only
sell through authorized dealers.”
All agree the criminal activity heightened
during the pandemic, but how can enthusiasts
avoid being victimized?
With stolen images, graphics and an
identical look, it can be tough to determine if
you’re about to be scammed. Beware if they
have any of the following features:
• Accepting only PayPal, wire transfers or
cryptocurrency;
• Phone number with all zeros or FAQs
exclusively in a foreign language;
• Typos aplenty;
• Retailers with physical locations impossible
to confirm or area codes in the phone
numbers that don’t match the region;
• Seemingly once-in-a-lifetime deals and
high-pressure sales pitch.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

The Team Expands
PHOTO: KEVIN CREIGHTON
Kevin Creighton has been named Managing
Editor, Digital for Shooting Illustrated and will
be overseeing the brand’s digital and social
media properties in this role.
Prior to joining Shooting Illustrated,
Creighton was the executive editor of the
“School of Guns” blog at ammoman.com. He
has provided numerous contributions to
ShootingIllustrated.com and other NRA
Publications, as well as being a well-known
blogger in his own right.
In many ways, he epitomizes the changing
face of the American gun owner. During his
youth, he enjoyed shooting guns in the rural
areas of Western Canada, but it is the harsh
reality of modern life and the need for diligent
personal protection that drives his current
interest in firearms.
“We are extremely excited to welcome Kevin
Creighton to the Shooting Illustrated team,”
Shooting Off
“Unlike states who are doing every-
thing in their power to make it harder
for law-abiding citizens, Alabama is
reaffirming our commitment to defend-
ing our Second Amendment rights. I
have always stood up for the rights
of law-abiding gun owners, and I am
proud to do that again today.”
—Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey (R) told reporters when
she signed a constitutional-carry measure into
law earlier this year.
SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022
said Editor-in-Chief Ed Friedman. “His love for Quick Shots
and knowledge about firearms are exceeded
only by his digital-publishing skills, and we American Outdoor
look forward to the significant growth he will Brands entered into
bring to our already industry-leading website, an agreement to
ShootingIllustrated.com.” acquire Grilla Grills
Creighton brings more than 20 years of in March. Privately
writing, editing and photography experience, owned Grilla special-
as well as hundreds of hours of firearm izes in high-quality,
training from top-level instructors all over barbecue grills, wood
the country. Along with writing about guns pellet grills, smokers
and accessories, he also teaches firearm- and accessories.
training classes in his home state of Florida.
“NRA Publications is delighted to have Beretta Holding
Kevin Creighton join the Shooting Illustrated announced it has
editorial team,” said NRA Publications Editorial signed a binding
Director Mark Keefe. “His background, exten- agreement to acquire
sive knowledge of analytics, experience 100 percent of
and work ethic will make him an invaluable RUAG Ammotec, a
member of the NRA Publications digital team.” European manufac-
“I am thrilled beyond measure to join turer of small-arms
Shooting Illustrated and work with some of the ammunition and
best minds in firearm journalism,” Creighton owner of Norma,
said. “Working at the National Rifle Association RWS and others.
means working at the highest level, and I am Beretta Holding will
honored to be a part of the legacy of this assume all operations
proud organization.” going forward.
Lifestyle I NDUR Survival Shovel
Whether you’re hard at work on your bomb shelter or looking
for a discreet location for post-doomsday supplies, a good shovel
is a handy friend. It’s also indispensable for camp outs and long
backpacking trips, but toting and storing any long-handled,
leverage-enhancing tool isn’t always practical.
NDUR has an unusual solution in its Survival Shovel. It breaks
down into five aluminum and stainless steel pieces, that—when
assembled—measure 29x7x1 inches. Yet, it stows compactly at
9x6.5x1.5 inches. The shovel tips the scales at only 38 ounces and
the blade rotates and locks to 90 or 180 degrees for headache-free
digging and scraping. It even has a glass breaker, two saws, two
knives, screwdrivers and more cleverly hidden in its primary tubes.
It’s the kind of multitool that’ll streamline every prepper’s kit but,
more importantly, fill most outdoor-enthusiast needs without taking
up too much space. Visit ndurusa.com to order. MSRP is $74.99.
25
SKILLS CHECK Ed Head
Two by Two
Not all reloads need to be lightning fast.
W
In order to practice hat’s the difference between a
a reload on the tactical reload and a speed, or
range, loading emergency, reload? We teach
your magazines both at Gunsite and, while I hope you never
with only two
have to perform a speed load in a gunfight,
I’m pretty sure you’re going to do tac loads
rounds will both
routinely as part of your regular practice or
speed up the even day-to-day carry.
process and help You perform a speed reload anytime the
ensure safety. pistol (could be a magazine-fed rifle as well)
has run out of ammunition—or you think it’s
about to—and the fight is still on. The idea
is to get the gun back up to full capacity as
quickly as possible. The process is simple:
eject the magazine and replace it with a
full one.
Can you speed load a revolver? Sure, dump
what’s in the cylinder and reload it, probably
with a speedloader.
When you do a tactical reload, time is on
your side and there is no urgent need to
reload. Rather than dump the magazine, you
retain it and replace it with a full one. For
revolvers, you open the cylinder, remove the
fired cases and replace them with rounds
26
carried loose in a pocket, in cartridge loops
or speedstrips.
While competitive shooters are concerned
with developing a lightning-fast speed load,
the likelihood of an armed citizen finding
him- or herself in a gunfight requiring a speed
load to prevail is extremely remote—the fight
is almost always going to be concluded with
the ammunition in the gun. That said, if you’re
in a fight, as soon as you’re able you should
perform a tactical reload to get the gun back
to full capacity. Keep your head up and scan
for additional threats, as you never know
what’s going to happen next.
On the other hand, you should perform a
tactical reload every time you prepare your
pistol for carrying. Why is that? Well, after
loading the pistol with a full magazine and
running the slide to chamber a round, you’re
essentially performing a tactical reload to top
the gun off to full capacity by inserting a full
magazine. Why start your day with capacity
down one round? Used this way, the tactical
reload becomes an administrative load with
nothing tactical about it.
You can use this drill to practice a smooth
tac load while getting in a little shooting.
Keep in mind, this is a drill to develop a skill,
not a solution to ending a threat, so there’s no
time limit. You can shoot it on a bullseye or
silhouette target at just about any distance
from the target, but you might want to step
back out of your comfort zone to get some
marksmanship practice while you’re at it.
Here’s the Drill
Two shots Perform a tactical reload,
shoot two more.
That’s it. Practicing 12 times will consume a
little less than a box of practice ammunition.
If you want to work on some other skills, try
taking a step to the side after the first two
shots or practice on two targets, with two
shots fired on each one.
Smooth, efficient movement is the key, and
the more you practice, the smoother you
will become.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
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MSRP: $75 to $95; henryholsters.com
27
TECH WISDOM George Harris
This Camp 9
Ain’t Doing So Fine
Our family has a Marlin Camp Carbine in 9 mm for personal
protection, target shooting and general use around our camp.
This afternoon, my boys were out with it target shooting, when it
stopped working. The bolt was locked partially open and there
was some white particulate material leaking out of the action and
from around the trigger.
The boys were shooting standard 9 mm FMJ factory ammunition
in Smith & Wesson Model 59 factory magazines. We clean and
lubricate our firearms religiously, so it is unlikely that maintenance
or ammunition is the problem.
I know this gun is out of production
and parts may be scarce, but I’d like to
get it fixed, if possible.
Any help in getting our Marlin back
in working order would be welcome and
greatly appreciated.
Gene Danmore
Denver, CO
The Marlin Model 9 Camp Carbine was
designed to fill a need similar to what you
and the boys have put it in service to fulfill.
I have found them to be good for the uses
By engaging in regular you mention, as well as the next step up
maintenance and from a rimfire rifle. They are accurate with
periodically replacing low recoil and, with selected ammo,
the Marlin Camp Carbine’s possess the ability to take small game for
buffer, owners can ensure the pot and to dispatch small to medium-
their firearm functions size predators.
optimally for decades. The service life for these rifles is gener-
ally considered to be in the neighborhood
of 5,000 rounds before some parts need replacing and an overall
inspection and function check should be performed to ensure its
continued operation.
The type of ammunition used in the Camp Carbine has a direct effect
on general maintenance and intervals for parts replacement. The
Model 9 has a blowback-operated action, which means there is no
mechanical lockup in the gun to control the pressure of the cartridge as
it fires. Only the weight of the bolt and the strength of the recoil spring
are present to contain the pressure in the chamber until it subsides
sufficiently to allow safe extraction and ejection of the fired
cartridge case.
Although the gun will chamber and fire any 9 mm cartridge, I
recommend firing only standard-pressure-rated ammunition through it
to extend the longevity of operation for the rifle.
The one Achilles’ Heel for the Marlin Camp Carbine is the buffer in
the upper receiver. Its job is to cushion the impact of the bolt against
the receiver so there is no metal-on-metal contact every time the bolt
cycles during firing. Over time, the continuous impact of the bolt
28
against the plastic buffer causes it to crack
and eventually break apart in pieces small
enough to stop the bolt from cycling and the
gun from working.
It sounds like your buffer has fractured and
failed, causing the problem you describe.
This is a relatively easy problem to remedy
if you are familiar with how to fieldstrip the
gun for maintenance as recommended in the
owner’s manual.
The buffer (or what’s left of it) will be
located in a round hole at the back of the
receiver. All of the pieces of the buffer must
be removed from inside the gun before
installation of the replacement buffer, which
is commonly available from Brownells,
MidwayUSA or other gunsmithing and parts
suppliers. In addition, replacing the recoil
spring would help to ensure the longevity of
the buffer as well.
After removing all of the buffer particles
and further cleaning the inside of the receiver,
lubricate all of the bearing surfaces with a
lubricant that will stay on the parts until the
next cleaning. The factory recommends
cleaning every 250 rounds or after every
shooting session.
The new buffer is shaped so it is unlikely to
be installed incorrectly. It will fit, with light
pressure, in the hole at the rear of the
carbine’s receiver.
Once the buffer is in place, insert the bolt,
recoil spring and rod back into the receiver
while joining the charging handle through
the ejection port and locking the bolt to
the rear.
Reposition the bolt stop with the trigger
group, then connect the trigger group to the
upper receiver with the action assembly pins
in the reverse of how they were removed.
Position the barreled action in the stock
and tighten the screws to hold the action
firmly in place.
Finally, finish with a function check to
ensure the bolt is working smoothly, the
safeties are working properly and the trigger
operates as expected.
Your Marlin Model 9 Camp Carbine should
be working as good as new.
Correspondence is welcomed and encouraged
Write to: Shooting Illustrated I NRA
11250 Waples Mill Road,
Fairfax, VA 22030-9400
e-mail: shootingillustrated@nrahq.org
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
 .com

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RIFLES Steve Adelmann
Reviving the
Fundamentals
Whether driving an off-road racer or
shooting long-range, remember three
simple rules to help ensure success.
O
When performing nce upon a time, I had a really cool
a critical task, job. My teammates, who were like
whether it be brothers to me, watched over my
lining up the family while I was away training and walked
perfect long-range
through fire alongside me in battle. I could go
into work on any given day, lay hands on all
shot or driving an
manner of modern small arms and head to
off-road vehicle at the range for some trigger time. As fun as that
speed, remember was, the wide range of skills we had to master
the basics. made the training far more interesting than
U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY the equipment. One of my team’s specialties
SFC WILLIAM HOWARD was having the ability to drive or ride any-
thing that moved over land faster and more
efficiently than anyone else, particularly
during pursuit-and-evasion scenarios in
hostile places. And by anything, I mean
anything from dirt bikes to main battle tanks.
Off-road performance driving was among
the most enjoyable training activities, and
Off-Road Motorsports Hall-of-Famer Rod Hall
figured prominently in that training. At the
time of Hall’s passing in June, 2019, he was
reported to be the winningest desert racer in
history. It was under Hall’s tutelage that I not
only picked up some wheel-based nuggets of
30
wisdom that I still use today, but also a piece
of advice that would come to help my rifle
shooting in later years.
This particular gem was passed to me
somewhere in the Nevada desert back in the
mid-1990s. While I was struggling to control a
very fast race Hummer, Hall politely critiqued
everything from my route choice to the
movement of my eyes and placement of my
hands. With his typically calm demeanor, he
chose the moment to share a simple acronym:
CPR. It had nothing to do with a heart attack
and everything to do with three words that
he felt were essential to successfully moving
through terrain quickly while keeping the
vehicle intact: Control, Place and Relax. He
told me to continually assess whether or not I
was in control of the vehicle, could place it
where I wanted and if I was relaxed. Anything
not answered in the affirmative had to be
remedied on the fly.
While simple in word, it was a continual
process that served me very well in places
and situations where the price for failure was
far greater than losing a race. Here is where I
found a parallel in rifle shooting: The same
three-word mantra that Hall taught me and
my teammates during off-road training is
applicable to the process of consistently
sending projectiles into one’s intended
point(s)-of-aim.
Control
In performance driving, control focuses on
keeping the vehicle upright and moving
rapidly in the correct direction, regardless of
what the track, road or ground surface throws
your way. In rifle terms, proper body position
is the key to control. This is fairly easy to
achieve in static situations, provided you stick
to the fundamentals. Examples include
avoiding bone-to-bone contact (elbows on
kneecaps, for example) and being solidly
behind the rifle in order to manage recoil. In
dynamic situations, checking all the body-
position boxes is impractical. Nonetheless,
simply ensuring a firm firing-hand grip and
solidly supporting the rifle’s weight—either
with the weak hand or some form of rest—
can carry one through just about any crummy
position. You may not be able to hold it long,
but controlling the rifle through the full
sequence of aiming, firing and following
through is the basis for hitting your target. It
sounds simple because it is.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
Place
In the context of vehicular opera-
tions, placement requires focus on
where you want to go, not things you
want to avoid. The same is true for
shooting, which is why it pays to forget
the not-so-great shot you just made
and only concentrate on the one you
are about to take. When time permits, I
focus my brain on perfectly centering
my sights or reticle on my intended
point-of-aim to the degree that I am
unable to think of much else, save
pulling the trigger. In so doing, my
shots usually break before I have a
chance to overthink what I’m doing
and mess things up.
When time is of the essence, I accept
the slop and just concentrate on
breaking the shot when my reticle or
sights pass through the intended
point-of-impact. So long as one’s
sighting system is properly aligned
with the intended point-of-impact
through the full act of firing, the target
can be hit. Your eye relief can be
sub-optimal, the target could be
partially obscured by shadows or your
aiming point may appear darker or
fuzzier than you prefer, but if your
[zeroed] sights are on target when the
primer ignites—and assuming wind
and distance have been accounted
for—the hit is yours to make.
Relax
The last principle is often counter-
intuitive. In the performance-driving
realm, I can attest to the fact that it is
difficult to relax when you are 3 feet
off the bumper of the car in front of
you at 150 mph. However, when you
are managing the control and place-
ment aspects correctly, it is still
possible to relax enough to maintain
use of fine motor skills. The same is
true in rifle shooting. A relaxed posture
comes easy when you are sitting at a
range bench with nothing but time
and the cost of ammo to lose.
But, in a situation where a missed
shot will waste a long-awaited elk tag
or worse, place you in someone else’s
sights, stress comes on hard and fast.
The more relaxed your major muscle
groups are, the less likely they will be
to cause a blown shot through shaky
or jerky movements. Lastly, do not
forget to breathe. That may seem to be
common sense, but it is easy to get
fixated and deprive your system of the
oxygen that is vital for clear vision and
small muscle control.
This may all seem like old hat to you,
but Hall’s advice helped my team keep
our vehicles functional in urban hot
spots. I did not immediately make the
correlation between CPR’s driving
utility and shooting, but somewhere
along the way it dawned on me that
these principles also worked for
practical sniping. CPR has served as a
simple checklist that helped me make
difficult shots under pressure, what-
ever the situation.

M A D E I N U TA H , H E A R D N OW H E R E
A SCO15 Upper Receiver, B SCO15 Lower Receiver,
C Gas Defeating Charging Handle (GDCH), D Omega 36M
HANDGUNS Tamara Keel
The Spring’s the Thing
You can avoid tension headaches by staying
with the correct spring poundage.
T
Using either a he urge to modify our stuff to make it
heavier or lighter work better is a very natural one. From
spring may be OK cars to computers, whole aftermarket
for competition, industries have sprung up around selling
but for personal
gizmos for the DIY tinkerer to use in making
their existing hardware faster, more powerful,
protection it’s best
more—well, more better. Handguns are
to stay with the certainly no exception to this rule.
factory-provided In fact, a novice handgun buyer could be
version or a spring forgiven if they were to get home from the
of the same rating. neighborhood gun store, sit down at the
computer to search out a firearm-specific
forum and immediately feel like their shiny
new purchase is somehow incomplete unless
they immediately set about modifying it.
Fortunately, unless they happen to have a
Dremel tool ready at hand, there aren’t many
modifications they could perform right then
and there that would permanently harm the
blaster. Nonetheless, not even modest
modifications without such drastic potential
for bad results are entirely without their
potential downsides. Some of the most
frequently suggested and easily performed
modifications involve springs, and while their
purported benefits can be easy for the novice
32
to see, their downsides can be a whole lot
less apparent.
As a for-instance, take the issue of recoil
springs in semi-automatics. In more potent
chamberings, 10 mm and that sort, the
novice may find themselves counseled to buy
a “heavier” recoil spring (one that requires
greater force to compress) in order to avail
themselves of higher-power ammunition
from boutique manufacturers or hot hand-
loads. These heavier springs provide greater
force resisting the rearward motion of the
slide and theoretically reduce the amount of
battering the frame suffers in recoil.
The thing is, the term “recoil spring” is not
a perfect descriptor of the primary function
of the spring in question. Yes, it absorbs the
energy of the slide as it travels rearward in
recoil, but the reason it does this is because
it then uses that stored energy to force the
slide back into battery, stripping the next
cartridge from the magazine in the process.
This, of course, is what makes a “semi-
automatic” firearm semi-automatic.
That heavier spring may spare the frame a
jarring shock as the slide bottoms out
moving to the rear, but it’s now subjecting
the locking surfaces of the barrel and slide
to greater forces as it slams the slide closed
with more authority. As the aphorism goes,
TANSTAAFL: There Ain’t No Such Thing As A
Free Lunch.
If the shadetree gun mechanics of the
internet seem to encourage fiddling with
recoil springs on semi-autos, it’s nothing
compared with the temptations faced by
the new owner of a double-action revolver.
You’d think that revolver manufacturers had
no idea what springs they should put in
their guns. Part of this is caused by the
weight of the trigger pull on a double-action
wheelgun. Of necessity, this is going to be
heavier than a double-action semi-auto for
a simple reason: With the semi-auto, the
shooter’s trigger finger is providing the force
to cock the hammer and load the spring that
will allow the trigger to return forward. With
the DA revolver, not only is the shooter’s
trigger finger performing these functions,
but it is also providing the force required to
rotate the cylinder far enough to position
the next chamber under the hammer.
While very little can be done by the end
user to reduce the force required to turn
the cylinder, various manufacturers sell
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
reduced-power mainsprings, as well PERFORMANCE COUNTS
as lighter replacements for the spring
that resets the trigger (this answers
to several names, like “trigger guard
latch spring” on Rugers and “rebound
spring” on Smith & Wessons).
While the effect on reducing the
effort required to pull the trigger will
be noticeable to any novice shooter,
the potential lurking downsides to
fiddling with these springs are much
less so.
With the mainspring lightened,
what suffers will be ignition reliability.
The primers on commercial ammuni-
tion come in an array of hardnesses,
ranging from fairly soft commercial
Federal primers to those made by
some overseas manufacturers who
don’t distinguish between primers
intended for commercial or military
use, and therefore make them all
harder than woodpecker lips.
This is no big deal if you can
guarantee you’ll always have ammo THE OPERATOR IS BACK
with soft primers ready in hand. In
an ammo drought, however—where CALIBERS OP1000BT (.308) OP1500 (.223)
you’re reduced to buying steel-
16" CHROME LINED,
case fodder from Kyrgyzstan or BARREL
1:10 TWIST
16" LIGHTWEIGHT CHROME LINED

someplace—that light trigger pull

WEIGHT
won’t do much good if your wheel-
8.2 LBS 6.4 LBS

gun can’t reliably bust a cap. LENGTH 34.5" RETRACTED 33" RETRACTED
The problem with lightening the
trigger return or rebound spring is
that once the shooter learns to fire
at anything faster than a snail’s pace,
they’ll quickly find that their trigger
finger can “outrun” the trigger. In
other words, they’re ready to fire
the next shot and are pulling the
trigger before the trigger has fully
reset, binding up the action. Some
competitors even opt for extra-power
rebound springs to prevent this.
It’s not like there’s no valid purpose
for aftermarket springs in handguns;
reputable companies wouldn’t be
making and selling them if there
weren’t. A handgun, however, is a
more complex machine than it might
appear at first glance; before the
consumer goes tinkering with it, it’s
important to understand what the
modifications do, and whether they’re
necessary for the job at hand.

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 33

SHOTGUNS Jeff Johnston
To Aim or To Point?
When it comes to shotguns, there are
two ways to hit your target. Which is
right for you?
C
In competition, ompetitive shotgunners and expert
using the pointing wingshooters insist shotguns should
method shaves be pointed to maximize their effective-
valuable seconds ness on moving targets. Indeed, they say
off a participant’s
aiming a shotgun in the traditional sense of
the word is futile. Yet, defensive experts and
time. However,
tactical shotgun shooters insist shotguns
this takes copious should be aimed much like a rifle to avoid
practice and missing. In terms of home defense, who’s
dedicated training. right? The answer may be more complicated
than you think.
“Aiming” Defined
The term “aim,” when used regarding a
firearm, is typically defined as using a front
and rear sight—or an optic—to align the
bore precisely with a target. This widely
accepted definition bears much of the
blame for the confusion when it comes to
shotgun shooting.  the gun’s motion was stopped so it could be
34
Much like a professional dart thrower aims
a dart using only hand-eye coordination
and repetitive motion to hit the bullseye,
competitive shotgunners always aim at the
target, only this style of aiming doesn’t
involve conventional sights. So, when
a shotgunner says they’re “pointing” at a
target, they’re actually aiming, but via a
different, less mechanical technique than
a rifle shooter uses. Why?
Wingshooters must shoot this way if they
are to consistently hit targets that fly faster
than a gun can be mechanically and con-
sciously aimed. Great wingshooters can hit
targets of unknown distance, angle and
speed by allowing their eyes to glean data,
which is subconsciously computed in a
split-second via the brain that then directs
the hands where to move the gun’s barrel
in relation to the target. Mastery can only
be accomplished via practice. 
Shotgunners can forgo a rear sight
apparatus for several reasons: First, the
English-style shotgun stocks that dominate
the market are designed to fit the shooter
such that the gun can become an extension
of the body; the head is designed to fit
firmly on the buttstock so that the eye, in
essence, becomes the rear sight. Then,
after copious practice and repetition, the
shooter learns where the shotgun’s pattern
will impact based on a given sight picture
and barrel movement. 
Shooters who have mastered wingshoot-
ing can hit flying targets with 90-plus
percent probability. Hitting a close or
stationary target is almost automatic, like
Tom Brady tossing a 10-yard pass to a
standing, wide-open receiver. In other
words, if an expert trap or skeet shooter
was tasked with hitting a stationary target—
let’s say a silhouette target at 10 yards—
100 times in a row, you’d be foolish not to
bet on them doing it. 
But, aiming a shotgun at stationary
targets is even more reliable. So, what’s
the downside? Speed. 
A top 3-gun shotgun shooter can strike
all six plates on a plate rack in around
2.5 seconds. The only way this time can be
accomplished is for the shooter to focus at
the next target in line, not the sights, and
anticipate when to pull the trigger while the
gun moves toward it. On the other hand, if
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
manually aimed at each plate, the
same plate rack would take 5 to
6 seconds to clear. 
CARRY WITH
But of course, even professionals !yIX(0y!0
miss the plates when they go too ²ÀªXj0ªّIXª0(
fast. Non-professionals miss them
often and are generally surprised at
how easy it is to miss, even with a
shotgun, when under the mere 4” BARREL
INTERCHANGEABLE

pressure of a stopwatch. After all,

BACKSTRAPS

the pattern from a cylinder bore at

5 yards is only a couple of inches
wide. And, we know the pressure of
competition is little compared
to the overwhelming stress of a true
life-or-death situation. 

… when a shotgunner
SWAPPABLE
MAGAZINE
RELEASE

says they’re “pointing” at CZ ERGONOMICS 15+1

a target, they’re actually

MAGAZINE
CAPACITY

aiming, but via a differ-

ent, less mechanical
technique than a rifle
shooter uses.
The question then is: Is the speed CZ P-10 C
Somethings, things just feel right.
of pointing a shotgun—even in the That’s the consensus of the CZ P-10 C. It
shotgun sense of the word—worth incorporates the famed ergonomics of the
the slight increased chance of missing CZ 75 into a lightweight, compact, polymer
frame. A mild palm swell, deep beavertail and
during a true home-defense sce- CZ 75 grip angle, makes it a far cry from the
nario? Unless you are Jerry Miculek, typical ‘brick-in-the-hand’ feeling that has plagued
the answer is no. many in the striker-fired genre. Combined, with three
interchangeable backstraps, the P-10 C provides a
In reality, there aren’t going to be custom shooting experience.
six intruders lined up like a plate rack
Experience CZ.
in your home. Your primary concern
should be making an aimed shot to cz-usa.com
neutralize the immediate threat.
Certainly, if you master a shotgun via
years of situational practice, making
that shot will become easier, faster
and less conscious. But even so, I
believe it’s best to take a fraction Put Hundreds of Dollars
of a second longer to make sure
your head is down, to paste the in Your Wallet with
front bead on the exact spot on NRA 5-Star Benefits
your target you wish to hit and to Your NRA membership gives you deals
consciously squeeze the trigger.  and discounts on gear, goods and
services. Access your benefits today and
After all, if a practiced shotgunner
save more than you pay in dues. Plus your
actually aims a shotgun, even a purchases help NRA fight for freedom.
dumb criminal will understand
that the chances of survival are START SAVING TODAY— Benefits.NRA.org
dismal, indeed.

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 35

 FEATURE

Fighting
Stance
After a long absence,
Savage is taking its
place in the carry-
W
hat do the following events have in common:
Babe Ruth hits three home runs in a single
World Series game. Robert Goddard launches
the first liquid-fueled rocket. Queen Elizabeth II and
Mel Brooks are both born.
gun market. The answer? All of those events occurred in 1926.
Coincidentally, 1926 was the last year Savage manufactured
a pistol specifically marketed for personal defense to the
private citizen—until now.
That pistol way back then was a Model 1917, the final iter-
ation of an Elbert Searle-designed compact semi-automatic
that Savage had initially started selling as the Model 1907,
way back before the first War to End All Wars.
With a lineup ranging from pocket pistols for self-
defense, centerfire rifles like the famous lever-action
Model 99, shotguns and rimfire rifles sold under the Stevens
name (a company absorbed by Savage in 1920) and even
Lewis light machine guns for the World War I war effort,
Savage was truly a full-spectrum small-arms manufacturer.
By the late 1980s, though, most of these were long dis-
continued and forgotten, and Savage was primarily a man-
ufacturer of bolt-action rifles and odd-duck combination
guns. To use a lesson learned by a manufacturer in a
different industry, Porsche, making too narrow
a range of products can leave one vulner-
able to fickle vagaries of the market.
Just like the German automaker
stayed alive by branching out into SUVs
and sports sedans while retaining its
brand identity, Savage had been filling
out its model lineup, most recently with
the MSR line of AR-pattern rifles and car-
bines and also with the Renegauge line
of semi-automatic shotguns.

By Tamara Keel
Photos by Peter Fountain

37
 Now, in 2022, Savage Arms is back in the
handgun biz—and the concealed-carry, per-
sonal-protection handgun biz, at that—with
the new Savage Stance.
In a twist of historical irony, the Stance has
a surprising number of similarities with that
original Savage 1907 .32 ACP semi-auto,
despite being completely different firearms.
They’re both striker-fired, fed from stag-
gered-box magazines and sport ambidex-
trous magazine releases. Size-wise, they’re
within a fraction of an inch of each other in
every dimension. Empty, the Stance is less
At the range, there than 3 ounces heavier than the 1907.
were no surprises, That’s where the similarities end, though,
because the Stance is a thoroughly modern
which is kind of 21st century concealed-carry pistol.
what one hopes It operates on the tilting-barrel, short-
for with this recoil principle, using the SIG-style, modi-
fied-Browning lockup, whereby the shoulder
sort of pistol. above the chamber locks into the front edge
Reliability and of the ejection port. Thanks to the ability of
compact, locked-breech pistols to handle
practical accuracy
higher cartridge pressures, the Stance’s
are boring, and magazine sports a capacity of seven rounds
boring is good. of 9 mm, as opposed to the 10 rounds of
SAVAGE I Stance
SHOOTING RESULTS
Load Velocity Group Size
Smallest Largest Average
American Eagle 115-grain FMJ 1,074 2.10 3.00
Igman 124-grain NATO FMJ 941 2.55 3.40
Remington UMC 147-grain FMJ 853 2.05 3.15
Velocity measured in fps 9 feet from the muzzle for 10 consecutive shots with an Shooting Chrony
Beta chronograph. Temperature: 48 degrees Fahrenheit. Accuracy measured in inches for five
consecutive, five-shot groups at 15 yards from a rest.
38
.32 ACP in the 1907. The stance also ships
with an eight-round magazine with an
extension to support the firer’s pinky finger.
The frame of the Stance is modern, light-
weight polymer, and is available in black,
gray or the Flat Dark Earth color of our test
example. There are molded-in textured areas
that wrap around the grip frame and extend
forward above the trigger guard on both
sides. The backstrap is interchangeable by
driving out a roll pin and sliding the insert
down and off the frame, and two backstraps
are included with the pistol; one flat and
one arched.
Just aft of the trigger guard is the maga-
zine release, which is teardrop-shaped, finely
checkered for texture and fully ambidex-
trous. While it’s easily activated by either
the thumb or trigger finger of the firing hand
for righties or southpaws, it’s low-profile
enough to avoid being inadvertently acti-
vated under recoil while shooting or being
carried in a holster.
The trigger is smooth, with a curved face.
Trigger pull on the test gun had a short,
weightless takeup before hitting a wall that
SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Savage Arms; (800) 370-0708,
savagearms.com
Action Type: Striker-fired, semi-automatic
Caliber: 9 mm
Capacity: 8 rounds
Frame: Polymer
Slide: Black-nitrided stainless steel
Barrel Length: 3.2 inches
Sights: Dovetailed U-notch with two dots rear,
white-dot post front
Trigger Pull Weight: 6 pounds, 2 ounces
2.54 Length: 6.2 inches
2.94 Weight: 22 ounces
2.51 Accessories: Two magazines (one 7-round, one
8-round), two differently sized backstrap inserts,
hard case, manual
MSRP: $479
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
 FEATURE
broke abruptly (and consistently) at a bit
more than 6 pounds. There’s also a non-
adjustable overtravel stop aft of the trigger;
it’s just a big bump molded into the plastic
of the frame, so there’s nothing to break,
misadjust or fall off the gun.
The slide stop is ambidextrous and
extremely low-profile. If you’re used to using
your thumb to drop the slide after a reload,
you will be in for a rude awakening with the
Stance, because it ain’t happening here.
Between the almost-recessed, rounded
shape of the stop and how positively it
engages the slide, it’s just not going to get
activated by the thumb of a normal human.
This pistol’s designers obviously believe that
a robust, over-the-top-of-the-slide,
whole-hand-power stroke is the tactically
sound way to reload, and the company has
mechanically enforced that method for its
intended customers.
On the other hand, you can easily push up
on the slide stop while the magazine is out
of the gun and the slide held to the rear, and
it will lock the slide open for administrative
handling and field stripping. The latter is
accomplished by clearing the pistol and lock-
ing the slide to the rear as mentioned above,
and then rotating the serrated takedown
lever, which is large and located above the
trigger guard on the left-hand side, down
through 90 degrees. Pivoting the takedown
lever deactivates the sear, and you can now
release the slide to pull it forward off the
frame, being careful to make sure to keep
the recoil-spring assembly from going flying.
This last bit is important, because unlike The barrel has a along with an
the majority of firearms of its type, the recessed crown to extended eight-
Stance does not use a captive recoil-spring protect the rifling, round variant •
assembly; you’ll want to use caution when while the front of the Looking down on the
pulling it out of the slide for disassembly, slide is bevelled to Stance from the top
and especially when putting the top end of ease reholstering • shows just how sleek
the pistol back together for reassembly. If With a dovetail the pistol is, with no
these verbal directions aren’t clear, fear not, rear-sight cut the controls protruding
for the Stance is shipped with a lavishly illus- same as that of a from the sides • The
trated, full-color instruction manual. Glock G43, any sights trigger is both wide
When you’ve got the thing put back made for that pistol and smoothly
together, it’s time to take it to the range. will fit the Stance • rounded, befitting a
Manipulation of the slide is made easy Three-dot sights are personal-protection
by two sets of grasping grooves, one at the standard, and tritium pistol. Trigger pull
rear and the other up front. The six angled night sights are an weight is moderate,
grooves at the rear of the slide offer good option from the and the trigger’s reset
purchase for the shooter’s support hand to factory • A seven- is short.
run the slide. The five angled grooves up round, flush-fitting
front probably do, too, but your humble magazine is included,

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 39

 correspondent is a little leery of sticking her
digits that close to the loud end of a stubby
3.2-inch barrel. Forward cocking serrations
seem a bit much on a tiny subcompact, but
at least on the Stance they extend upward
to form five gill-like “speed holes” that con-
trast the stainless barrel nicely against the
black-nitride finish of the slide. It’s very
sporty looking.
The nose of the slide is nicely beveled for
easier holstering and the whole thing has a
sort of stepped, beveled look to it, reminis-
cent of classic SIG Sauer slide contours, with
a little angled upkick at the rear. Someone
got paid to make the gun look sharp. How
well they succeeded is in the eye of the
beholder, of course. Some people get fret-
ted over the cuts in the slide, but this is a
In a twist of CCW gun, not a service pistol; unless you
have to wade through a swamp up to your
historical irony, neck on your way to your job on a lint ranch
the Stance has in the middle of a dust bowl, you’re gonna
a surprising be OK.
The top of the slide features a set of TruGlo
number of simi- night sights, at least on the test gun. These
larities with that are an option that bumps the MSRP from the
original Savage $479 of the base version to $549. In exchange
for the extra dough, you get three tritium
1907 .32 ACP vials, the front one surrounded by a fatter
semi-auto, green ring than the aft ones for faster acqui-
despite being sition. If you don’t like the factory sights,
they look to be replaceable by any set
completely differ- intended for the Glock G43. (Please,
ent firearms. pistol manufacturers, keep up this trend.
40
The faster you guys settle on two or three
basic sight cuts, the better it will be for
your consumers.)
The space between the front and rear
sight is flat and untextured, unbroken save
for the witness hole at the rear of the cham-
ber hood serving as a convenient loaded-
chamber indicator.
At the range, there were no surprises,
which is kind of what one hopes for with this
sort of pistol. Reliability and practical accu-
racy are boring, and boring is good. The
Stance is, in size and general design, in the
same class as the Smith & Wesson Shield,
Glock G43 and FN 503, and the shooting
experience is much the same: Pleasant
enough to shoot with 115-grain FMJ range
fodder, the experience can be a little spicy
for more recoil-sensitive shooters if one
steps up to hotter loads. The short sight
radius means a little more care must be
taken when shooting smaller targets or at
longer distances, but ringing the 8-inch
plates at my home range from the 20-yard
line was easy enough as long as I didn’t try
to go too fast.
It wasn’t that long ago that I’d want to
hold off on forming an opinion on a pistol
until I’d put a few cases of ammo through
it, but this is 2022 and so a 600-round test
will have to do. Truthfully, a mere 600
rounds—provided one tries a variety of
ammunition, shooting under a variety
of circumstances—will probably tell you
Trendy slide ports may allow for
barrel cooling, but their real
function is to look good—and they
do • The rear cocking serrations
reinforce the pistol’s aesthetic, but
not at the cost of functionality •
The slide lock is ambidextrous, as is
the magazine release (and the
manual thumb safety, for those
who prefer the model with that
option), making the Stance a good
choice for southpaws • Though it
may take awhile to get used to
the Savage marque on a modern,
leading-edge pistol, the handgun
itself was not entirely unfamiliar.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

everything you need to know
about a blaster outside of how
well the given gun will hold up
under longer-term usage.
In the case of the Stance, the
only malfunction suffered was a
failure to fire on a round of
TulAmmo steel-case, 115-grain
FMJ. At first, I thought it might
have been because the pistol
had been riding around all day
locked in the trunk of the car on
a 15-degree Fahrenheit day
before being taken to the firing
line and maybe some congealed
lube had found its way into the
striker channel, but since it took
three licks at that primer before
it went off and the problem
never reappeared, we can prob-
ably chalk that one up to the
Russian primer.
The gun ran fine and it felt
familiar. I asked my contact
with Savage about the pistol’s
FEATURE
similarity to the now-defunct
Honor Guard 9, which I re-
viewed in these pages some
years back. Savage played coy
and would only reply that they
had (and I quote) “been talk-
ing publicly for more than a year
that about how the company
will grow organically and/or by
acquisition. This is true in all cat-
egories. Savage is excited to
officially be back in the hand-
gun space.”
You may take the disappear-
ance of the HG9 from the mar- As a micro 9 mm, the
ket, shortly followed by the Stance conceals easily
appearance of this new pistol as and carries well •
you wish. Heavy stippling
Honestly, buying an existing promises good
design rather than trying to rein- purchase, while
vent the wheel from scratch is included, differently
just good sense. It looks like the sized, 18-degree
Stance has Savage started off on backstrap inserts
the right foot for getting back will fit the hands of
into the handgun market. most shooters.
 The Revolver
Renaissance
Don’t call it a comeback. Revolvers
remain an extremely popular and effec-
tive choice for self-defense, and manu-
facturers, trainers and consumers
are reacting to that fact.

A
couple of months ago, when I was renewing my
California CCW permit, I heard an interesting com-
ment made by one of the folks present. It was
something like, “I’d never trust the defense of my life to a
revolver.” Wow. Talk about a strong opinion. I didn’t know if
he was one of the instructors or a citizen going through the
qualification tests for license renewal. I didn’t pursue it for
several reasons, but I have spent some time thinking
about it in the ensuing weeks.
I have three handguns listed on my CCW permit—the
same three that have been listed for more than a
decade—and I have to requalify with all three guns every
two years to renew my license in compliance with
California’s onerous infringements on our Second
Amendment-guaranteed rights. They include a
Wilson Combat CQB 1911 chambered in .45 ACP, a
Glock G19 in 9 mm and a Smith & Wesson J-frame in
.357 Mag./.38 Spl. Which one I choose to carry on any given
day isn’t based on a personal preference for a particular gun
or caliber, but rather on an evaluation of circumstances rela-
tive to my travel and what gun would prove most useful for the
situations in which I might find myself. Without going into the
details of my daily life, the vast majority of the time it’s the small
revolver in a pocket holster that gets selected.

By Dick Williams

42
 FEATURE

PETER FOUNTAIN
 Over the last several years writing for Shooting Illustrated, I have
reviewed quite a few revolvers. These were not just “passion pieces”
with nostalgic overtones covering historic, classic wheelguns. All of
these reviews maintained the publication’s focus on self-defense. On
different occasions, both Smith & Wesson and Taurus provided new
models of small-frame revolvers for review. The last Smith was a tita-
nium J-frame chambered in .357 Mag., while the Taurus was rated for
Charter Arms Pit Bull .38 Spl. +P loads. On both guns, I had a chance to work with a local
.45 ACP police officer on active duty who still carries a 2-inch-barreled
revolver on and off duty. Even when working with his SWAT team
and fully equipped with the latest hardware, he carries his small
revolver as a backup gun. He commented that when you reach for
that compact wheelgun, you are down to your last option, which
means you better believe in it.
Colt has upgraded its entire line of “Snake” guns in the last few
years. While the 6- and 8-inch Anacondas and Pythons might be
regarded more as recreational firearms, all of Colt’s new small- and
large-frame revolvers (except the Anaconda) are being offered
Colt Anaconda with barrels between 2 and 4 inches. These are serious self-defense
.44 Mag./.44 Spl. handguns, several of which are of interest to those wishing to carry
discreetly because they are both simple to operate and can be con-
cealed. The decision to produce these guns in the 21st century is not
just a kindly gesture for those who have been loyal customers of Colt
over the years. These guns are all being manufactured because Colt
knows how immensely effective revolvers can be (and have been) in
keeping people safe, but more importantly, the company knows
consumers still want such handguns.
Ruger’s LCR is a purpose-built firearm based on market research.
Ruger thought it would sell, even in this new millennium dominated
Colt Python by semi-automatic handguns. To me, and apparently to a lot of
.357 Mag./.38 Spl. shooters, the LCR has two outstanding features. First, it has the most
user-friendly “out of the box” double-action trigger I’ve encountered.

PHOTOS: DICK WILLIAMS

The late, legendary firearm trainer Pat Rogers was the inspiration for the event the
author attended at Gunsite Academy, which simultaneously demonstrated that
revolvers remain a viable and popular option for self-defense • Among the skills taught
at the Pat Rogers Memorial Revolver Shoot was one-handed shooting and firearm
manipulation. Keeping the support hand clear of the muzzle is paramount in such
a situation.

44 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

 FEATURE
Second, it’s available in calibers ranging from .22 LR up through
.327 Fed. Mag. and all the way to the proven .357 Mag., and every
model feels the same to the user through its trigger pull. Obviously,
when a live round is fired, he or she will know what round it is. Pick
the most powerful chambering you can control well.
Kimber, long known for its 1911s, entered the revolver market
with its K6 line, which now contains multiple models of outstanding,
concealable pistols. Its decision to make a type of firearm with which Colt Cobra
it had no prior experience speaks to the continued and growing .38 Spl.
popularity of revolvers. The fact the company makes some pretty
nice wheelguns is merely a bonus.
Then, there’s Nighthawk Custom’s decision to import the ultra-
high-end Korth line from Germany, and Beretta’s similar recent move
to bring in the outstanding Manurhin revolvers from France. Given
that all of these guns retail for more than $3,000, one must assume
the companies importing them did their research and discovered a
market large enough to support offering such revolvers for sale. That
being the case, we can see an overall revolver market that runs the
gamut from affordable EDC models through products that cost as Kimber K6
much as multiple mortgage payments, which is a sign of healthy .357 Mag./.38 Spl.
demand for wheelguns.
To further demonstrate that we are in the midst of a revolver
renaissance, I’ve attended a number of events at Gunsite and
Thunder Ranch where revolvers have been allowed at basic
defensive-pistol classes, even when the majority of shooters are
using semi-automatics. On multiple occasions during the year,
Gunsite offers a class specifically for revolver shooters, and there’s
no shortage of attendees. It was more than 10 years ago when I
attended my first all-revolver shoot at Thunder Ranch, which suggests
the resurgent interest in wheelguns isn’t just a recent or passing fad.
You could perhaps make an argument that my revolver interest is just Kimber K6s
an old love affair finding a new outlet, but that’s not the case with .357 Mag./.38 Spl.
other event attendees; they were all paying customers looking to
enhance their survival skills. I freely admit that I’m motivated by the
great beauty of old revolvers, but when I’m attending an event at
either Gunsite or Thunder Ranch, we run through training drills that
are all focused on building survival skills for use in self-defense sce-
narios. By the end of the course, no one has ever said they felt in any
way unable to protect themselves and their family with a revolver.
Perhaps the most recent confirmation that a revolver renaissance is
underway occurred last November, when I attended the Pat Rogers
Memorial Revolver Shoot at Gunsite. Rogers was a former Marine Korth Mongoose
who spent a career with the New York City Police Department. He .357 Mag./.38 Spl./9 mm
was a well-known and immensely respected firearm trainer—
Rogers was arguably the most colorful instructor in the business,
and the training business is known for its colorful characters. Shortly
after his passing in 2016, a few other instructors and ex-cops who
had worked with him and experienced the wheelgun era as police
officers created the annual revolver event in Rogers’ honor.
At first, it was a “road show” with the organizers and guest instruc-
tors using rented/borrowed indoor ranges for their venue. As atten-
dance immediately outgrew available facilities, it was obvious that
not everyone thought revolvers were obsolete tools. People paid to Ruger LCR
attend and share memories and lessons learned from these .22 LR to .357 Mag.
respected veterans who had carried revolvers for 30 years.

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 45

 Given its diversity of ranges and overall size, Gunsite Academy is a
perfect location for the Pat Rogers event. And the rewards were
instantaneous; with very little advance notice of the new location, 71
paid attendees showed up for the three-day shoot. Unlike the normal
Gunsite class where the student follows the same instructors through
a prescribed series of training events, the Memorial has a cadre of
guest instructors, each of whom covers a specific session which
Smith & Wesson Model 360 might be a classroom lecture or “hands-on” range time. I began last
.357 Mag./.38 Spl. year’s gathering with Darryl Bolke’s classroom presentation entitled
“The Revolver Option.” His format was to use the “Five W’s” approach
to better enable each student to evaluate the merits of using a
revolver for self-defense. The “W’s” are:
Who should consider the Revolver?
What types of revolvers are a good fit for various users?
When is the revolver a great choice?
What are the environments in which a revolver excels?
Why is the revolver superior to other choices for specific missions
or tasks?
It wasn’t all theoretical, though. A class on Revolver Manipulation
Taurus 327 dealt with revolver-handling techniques including the use of acces-
.327 Fed. Mag./.32 H&R Mag./ sories. Loading and reloading was done using inert dummy rounds
.32 S&W and empty (fired) cases rather than live ammo. It is the slow loading
and reloading of revolvers that generates much of the disdain for
wheelguns exhibited by many of today’s semi-automatic aficiona-
dos, and this class demonstrated that while the semi-auto has an
undeniable advantage on this score, it is not quite as decisive as
one might imagine.
There was ample trigger time, including a segment on the
critical fundamentals of revolver marksmanship and another on
retention. As you might have guessed from the word “retention,”
we’re talking about close-quarters fighting, which means you
should first master the basic fundamental skills of revolver manipu-
lation and shooting.

PHOTOS: DICK WILLIAMS

Above and below: Beyond their efficacy for
concealed carry, revolvers also make excellent
home-defense handguns, as demonstrated in
shoot-house drills • Right: By testing popular
defensive loads in gelatin (seen here with a layer
of denim to simulate clothing) one can see that
traditional revolver chamberings perform as well
or better than semi-automatic offerings.

46 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM


The segment called “Pocket Rockets” got
my special attention since I frequently carry
my J-frame Smith & Wesson. This stage
included defining the roles of a pocket gun,
such as whether it should be your primary or
backup. It dealt with the pros and cons of
pocket carry, clothing selection, types of
pocket holsters and tactics. Drills here
included shooting with the support hand
from something less than an otherwise
optimum stance.
Perhaps the final reality check was the
Ballistic Gel Shoot. Various loads were fired
into ballistic gelatin covered with denim to
see how various defensive-revolver rounds
performed. If you’ve not seen this done, it’s
both vivid and informative. To increase the
value of the event, students were encour-
aged to bring one of their standard self-
defense rounds to test in the gelatin.
The Memorial Event was a serious look at
the no-nonsense applications of revolvers in
self-defense situations by a no-nonsense
group of veterans who spent their careers
trusting their lives to revolvers. The event in
FEATURE
DICK WILLIAMS
no way condemned semi-automatic pistols
for self-defense, nor recommended that
you should choose revolvers as the better
option, but it did show the latter’s efficacy
for self-defense and concealed carry, while
dispelling the myth that revolvers are inad-
equate for self-defense.
Admittedly, my passion for revolvers is not
totally objective. While I own and carry
semi- automatics, I’ve admired and lived
with wheelguns for quite a while. Regardless
of what we would like to think, everybody Small revolvers can
has biases, sometimes without knowing make excellent
why. But, what I witnessed at the Pat Rogers pocket pistols when
Memorial event was an objective evaluation paired with a quality
by proven experts of what revolvers can do holster. Models that
and can do well. My relationship with wheel- include space for a
guns has been based upon recreational speedstrip-ready
interests, but these guys have spent an reload provide a
entire career “walking the walk;” they didn’t welcome benefit
just read a book or watch a video. Even at without adding
this point in my long shooting career, I significant bulk.
learned quite a bit, and as a result I believe
wholeheartedly that we are experiencing a
revolver renaissance.
The WOOX Rock 62 knife is a good choice
for an EDC belt knife.
 FEATURE

Surviving
on the
becomes more difficult than civilization has
made it. That’s what this article is about.
Anybody interested in survival should
make a plan and ensure they have a few nec-
essary and basic blades on hand—now. The
great thing about this is we have so much
from which to choose today. Never in history
have there been so many options for bladed
tools. Here are some that can help you live
and survive, even thrive, in hard times.

Whether spending
time away from civilization or in the
event civilization decides to spend
some time away from you, having the
right bladed tools to survive is vital.
Story and Photos by
Fixed-Blade Knives
Knives are the most important blades you
will own.
Let’s start with your primary knife, the one
you will have on your belt every day and all
day. I think a fixed blade is the only way to go.
For starters, they are much stronger than fold-
ing knives. Remember, if it breaks, replace-
ments are going to be virtually impossible to
find in a situation where society is not func-
tioning. Also, when you draw a fixed blade it’s
ready to use; no dangerous flicking or flop-
Bryce M. Towsley ping necessary to access the blade. Finally, a
fixed blade is much easier to keep clean.
The healthcare system may not be avail-

S
urvival in any sense of the word always involves blades, but not, able, so you must focus on staying healthy.
as pop culture would suggest, for fighting off the zombie Your primary knife may be called upon for
hordes. The idea that you can survive the apocalypse with a everything from draining an oozing abscess
really cool katana is just going to get you killed. We have guns with to cutting your steak at dinner, so it’s impor-
which to fight, and bringing a sword to a gunfight is well—you know, tant that you can wash and sanitize it easily.
kinda dumb. Folders need not apply, as they have too
Survival blades are for the everyday chores needed to get by, many nooks and crannies to trap nasty stuff
whether you’re camping or society has collapsed. Your needs will all that could make you sick.
change when you enter survival mode, however. The $500 santoku I believe the best option for a primary belt
knife you used to prepare a gluten-free, plant-based, free-range, knife is what is commonly called a “Bushcraft”
sous vide Cornish hen to impress your
dinner-party friends will become far
less important than the $50 folding
knife in your pocket.
Survival means getting through
what comes next. It also means mak-
ing do with what’s available, since
finding new things will be quite dif-
ficult. If you find yourself living deep
in the mountains, sleeping in a hollow
log, wearing rotting animal skins and
living on bugs and grubs—buddy,
you screwed up. A smart survival The blade on a bushcraft-type knife that will work well for survival should be a
strategy is to plan to live well ever little bit thicker than the average hunting knife • These two Bowie knives from
after. Think in terms of the blades Jantz Supply may have a place in a survival strategy, but are too cumbersome and
needed to survive when survival bulky to serve as primary-carry knives.

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 49

 knife today, although that requires a bit of Swedish FireKnife; this Mora knife has a ferro
definition, as the line on just what a bushcraft stick in the handle. I used to get annoyed at
knife is has gotten pretty blurred. The term companies that put ferro sticks in every-darn-
likely started with the 1988 book titled thing. Then I got thinking—matches and Bic
“Bushcraft” by Mors Kochanski. In that book, lighters might be hard to find, post-disaster or
he described his ideal knife. His focus was on apocalypse. Having multiple fire starters at
making stuff like axe handles, canoe paddles, hand is not such a bad idea after all.
Anybody inter-
etc. He liked to whittle holes in pieces of “Bushcraft” as a knife term, though,
ested in survival wood and make things like spoons and bowls. morphed and changed, and today a bush-
should make a His ideal knife was the Swedish Mora design. craft knife is usually a much different critter.
This led to that knife becoming a popular tool They are bigger and tougher-built than the
plan and ensure for bushcraft. It also introduced the Scandi- Mora design. Some are starting to edge into
they have a few grind so beloved in the bushcraft world. what we used to call a survival knife or “a big-
necessary and I have several Mora-style knives, and they ole hunting knife.” For the record, today’s
are very useful, but I would not want to have survival knife is often a big, ugly beast with a
basic blades on one as my one-and-only knife until the end of long, heavy blade. They can be useful, but as
hand—now. time. If you are shopping, check out the a secondary choice—a backup to the more
general-use knives.
To my thinking, a bushcraft knife is an
Two Swedish FireKnifes flank a all-around fixed-blade knife that can handle
Cold Steel FinnHawk. These day-to-day requirements. That means it
inexpensive knives represent can slice potatoes, butcher a steer, carve
solid “Bushcraft” models that are a wooden peg and even stab a lethal threat
equally handy outdoors or in the if needed. I typically use a 3- to 3.5-inch
kitchen • The author made this fixed blade for hunting and outdoor work.
custom Damascus-blade hunting That type of knife can serve very well here.
knife from materials from Jantz A good fixed-blade hunting knife is never a
Supply. While a good option for bad choice. But, for a carry knife in a survival
carry in the field, he recommends situation I prefer a blade an inch or so longer
other choices for survival • and perhaps a little thicker and heavier.
Although the knives below look Something that can handle the rough stuff,
similar, two have serrated blades but still is not too big for skinning or other
and heavy handles. Despite work. I prefer a drop-point blade with a full
being marketed as “tactical,” the tang. The blade should be thick and strong,
author prefers the two non- but the knife needs to be light enough to
serrated offerings for survival carry all the time.
because of their blade styles and Recently, I have been using a WOOX
ease of carry. Rock 62 knife. It is made of Sleipner steel
with a Rockwell hardness of 62, which holds
an edge very well. I use a diamond stone to
sharpen it and finished with ceramic, and I
can shave with the resulting edge. I’m not
going to—but I could.
A survival knife blade should not be ser-
rated. If I were a yacht captain or a lasso
fighter, serrated blades might be useful.
After all, have you ever read anything about a
serrated blade that didn’t mention cutting
rope? Serrations are hard to sharpen and
maintain. You may be living with this knife for
years, even decades. Going through the
tedious process of sharpening the serrations
every time the knife is dull will make you want
to cheer for end times to hurry up and get
here. For long-term use, serrated blades are

50 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

 FEATURE
nothing but trouble. In my never-humble
opinion, knife blades should be smooth and
sharp, and don’t get me started on gut hooks.
Another thing you will see almost every
time you read about a bushcraft or survival
knife is batoning. That is to beat the knife
with a blunt object to force it through a piece
of wood. OK, I guess, if you are lost and alone
on a deserted island with nothing but a knife
and a volleyball. But, in the real world, we
have hatchets and axes to split wood. Don’t
abuse your knife like that.
Everybody who is anybody in the knife-
making world offers or offered at least one
model of knife to fit this description, so it
should be easy to find one you like. Some are
often sold as tactical or survival knives and
use a similar blade, but they have bigger han-
dles, sometimes adorned with a lot of useless
junk you will never use. Those knives tend to Pocketknives like
be bigger and heavier. That matters when it’s those seen here are
on your belt all day. excellent choices for a
I am not saying that you should not have a second knife to carry.
survival or tactical knife; just have them in They are compact
addition to your belt knife. You simply can’t and, in two cases,
have too many knives. provide additional
blades or tools • In a
Pocketknives prolonged emer-
While I am a huge fan of single-blade gency, you must
folding knives, I would not trust one as my consider having
primary blade in a long-term survival situa- knives to process
tion, as anything with moving parts will, meat. Outdoor Edge’s
sooner or later, wear out or break. That said, Game Pro kit is a
a backup folding blade clipped into your good starter pack
pocket is not a bad idea. You may want to that includes most of
use it for those chores that are hard on a what you’ll need to
knife blade, so you can preserve the edge turn your hunting or
on your belt knife. There are thousands of scavenging into
options. I would go for a rugged knife with meals • Leatherman
a drop-point or a clip-point blade about tools were game-
3 inches long. changers when they
A pocket “jackknife” is a must have. I carry were introduced and
a Swiss Army Super Tinker in my pocket any remain a great choice
time I have pants on. I have a great talent for for a jack-of-all-trades
misplacing that particular style knife and knife/multitool you
quickly become impatient without one. If it’s can stow in a pocket.
not found quickly, I buy another. Of course,
that means I find the lost one right away, so I
have half a dozen or more at any given
moment. The scissors are the tool I probably
use most, for everything from cutting my
fingernails to snipping fish line.
The three-blade, stockman-style pocket-
knife is also a great choice for everyday
chores. My wife gave me mine way back

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 51

 when we were very young and perpetually Whacking Blades
broke. It’s survived my trapping years and Tools you swing and hit things with
skinned a lot of muskrats. I still carry it often.
Axes and Hatchets
Butchering Nothing is more basic and essential for sur-
Survival is going to mean processing your vival than an axe. They’ve been around for
own protein. Butchering deer, elk, pigs or about 1.5 million years, so they must do
cattle will require some specialty knives. something right.
Outdoor Edge has a good starter pack with A shorter handled “camp” axe is probably
most of the tools you will need contained in the one you will use the most. The WOOX
one box for a very affordable price. It’s pretty Forte is said to be a hybrid of American and
handy, too, during normal times, to have in Italian thinking. It has a clever head design
deer camp. It even has a fillet/boning knife, that works well to both cut and split wood,
so you can process fish. which makes it a great all-around choice. It
comes with a leather sheath, which is a must
Multitools have with any sharp tool. This is a high-quality
I am not saying When Tim Leatherman’s Fiat broke down axe that will be passed down for generations.
during a trip to Europe, it gave him an idea The Hudson Bay style of axe is an out-
that you should that launched a revolution. His Leatherman doorsman’s staple since the time when bea-
not have a survival plier tool changed the knife industry. The vers were being persecuted by the British.
or tactical knife; newer Signal model is designed for survival Cold Steel has a Hudson Bay axe with a
use. It has a long list of tools including, of unique head-attachment system that clamps
just have them in course, a ferro rod. Also, check out the com- on tight and allows easy switching on its
addition to your pany’s Free line of knives (sadly, it’s the prod- 27-inch handle.
uct’s name, not its retail price). These are A hatchet is simply a must have for every-
belt knife. You
pocket knives with a bunch of tools in the thing from butchering game to trimming tree
simply can’t have handle. I have the Free K4, which is handy branches. I can’t imagine life without one. Just
too many knives. and very well made. yesterday I used a hatchet to pound in a nail
to hang a target, trim brush in the way of the
target, chop the tail of a dead squirrel to use
The Woodsman’s Pal for tying flies and to split some kindling for
is an well-made my woodstove. That was just in the morning.
option for clearing
brush and cutting Woodsman’s Pal
smaller tree limbs • The Woodsman’s Pal has been around
Axes are essential since troops were issued it in World War II. It
survival tools, since even comes with a booklet the Army wrote
you will need to have on fighting with the blade, so I guess it would
firewood handy in a be a good choice for whacking zombies if
situation where you can’t find that super-cool katana. Me?
utilities fail or are Back in my martial arts days, I spent a lot of
interrupted. An axe time learning to defend against blades. The
will help you obtain one true lesson I took away is that in a knife
that firewood, which fight, the winner is usually the guy who
will be needed to bleeds to death last—that’s why I carry a gun.
cook and keep cold The best use for this tool is clearing brush,
temperatures at bay. trimming limbs and any place you would use
a machete. My experience with most of the
mainstream machetes available today is that
they are junk. The soft blades bend and chip
easily and will not hold an edge. In contrast,
the Woodsman’s Pal, is a high-quality tool
made of good steel that will last a lifetime. I
used mine recently while setting up a pest-
control trap line. It was perfect for cutting

52 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

 FEATURE

A Woodsman’s Pal can be used to turn a

sapling into a tool or kindling.

brush to hide the traps as well as

clearing the location and even for dig-
ging a bed for the trap itself. This
thing multi-tasks effortlessly. I would
not hesitate to use it for butchering
game or livestock. It’s one of those
tools that just works for endless tasks.
It’s available with wood handles
and, for a limited time, in a retro-
grade reproduction of the original,
which has a stacked-leather-washer
grip. That one also has a guard to pro-
tect the hand just in case you do
decide use it in a sword fight after all.
When I started outlining what I
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hope it will plant the seed and maybe
motivate you to buy the tools you will
need before you need them.
You will find that you will use
most of them in everyday life and
wonder how you got by without
them. Whether hunting, camping or
fishing—or simply if you live in a rural
area—these are handy tools. Even city
dwellers need to cut stuff from time
to time, or so I am told. This is gear
you didn’t know you needed, but will
discover you do. So, even if society
never collapses, you’ll be glad to have
these tools around.

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 53


Get A
Leg Up
Ankle carry has much to
offer in the way of conceal-
ment, but it does require
some extra consideration.
T
hose who know me know I’m a huge fan
of carrying a firearm in an ankle holster.
Sometimes it is my primary carry method,
and other times I use it for carrying my backup
gun. It is an excellent method for carrying con-
cealed, as long as you adhere to a few simple
conditions. If you can, then you quickly realize
why it has continued to be very popular within
certain circles. I’ve learned to exploit the pros
when carrying on my ankle, and over the years I
have reduced the cons’ interference on my over-
all skill significantly. The dirty secret no one likes
to talk about is how it is a viable carry option, as
long as you select an appropriate firearm, a
secure holster and practice regularly.
I cannot recall the exact date I first carried a
firearm in an ankle holster. What I remember was
it felt weird. Then again, the first time I carried a
firearm concealed it felt weird. The newness of
carrying in this location seemed to exaggerate all
the nuances. After a while, I would often forget I
was carrying in an ankle holster until I took it off
at the end of the day. There weren’t a lot of qual-
ity holster options back then, in fact there were
only two options as I recall. Nor were there a lot
of firearm options ideally suited for ankle carry.
That didn’t stop me from carrying on my ankle. If
anything, I took to it like a duck to water.
The primary reason I was interested in this
method of carry was as an option for carrying a
Photos By Peter Fountain
HANDBOOK
backup gun. I wanted something other
than pocket carry or weak-side carry for
the times I opted to carry a backup. I was
quite happy with these options, but I
found myself gravitating toward ankle
carry because it also fit a niche I had dis-
covered: carrying in formal or business
attire. When circumstances and environ-
mental conditions required to dress in a
suit or tuxedo, I found it challenging to
carry a firearm using traditional methods.
It’s not impossible to carry strong side
adhering to this type of dress code, but it
was sometimes very dependent on what
type of uniform I was required to wear.
Regardless of the belt width, belt loop
locations or the material of the trousers,
carrying on the ankle seemed to circum-
vent those obstacles.
While we will get into the pros, I want to
first discuss the cons. There are three main
negatives that I have observed over the
years. Two of them can be overcome with
better selection of a holster and the fire-
arm. The last is something you just have to
adapt to over time.
During light physical activity it is
possible—if you have selected the wrong
holster—to lose retention of the firearm.
While I have tried to duplicate this with
my collection of ankle holsters, I have not
been successful, but it is a possibility.
Next, when you sit down, you can inad-
vertently expose the bottom portion of
the holster. If you opt for a slightly longer
inseam and cuffed hems, you can mitigate
these instances, along with awareness of
what’s going on with your pant leg.
The biggest con for ankle carry is the
drawstroke speed. Because you have to
physically travel farther to obtain a firing
grip, it will always be slower than just
about any method that places the holster
on your waistline. While there is no real
way to make up the time in a side-by-side
comparison, you can draw sooner by being
alert to your surroundings and paying
attention. Then again, in situations you
cannot carry on your waistline based on
the environment and wardrobe condi-
tions, it will be the fastest because it is all
you are carrying.
By Jeff Gonzales
55

There is a large
number of ankle When you are considering carrying in an
holsters on the ankle holster, the first question you have to
market, and finding ask is: “Do I have a firearm ideally suited to
the one that works be carried in this position?” Not every hand-
best for you—just gun is going to fulfill this role well. The first
like with a belt consideration is going to be size. My recom-
holster—may require mendation is a barrel length shorter than
some trial-and-error. 3.5 inches and longer than 1.8 inches. The
barrel size has a great deal to do with the
overall size of the firearm. You can consider
overall length, but if you stick to this param-
eter, you should be good.
Weight is less of an issue and something
you get accustomed to over time when you
adhere to the suggested barrel size. Even
then, you want to keep the weight below
20 ounces unloaded. Once loaded, you can
expect it to get heavier, but this is your start-
Realistically, drawing ing point. What you will discover is most
from an ankle holster small-frame, five-shot revolvers will easily
is similar to drawing fulfill this role within these parameters. I
from a belt holster. started out carrying a snubby revolver and
Clear the cover found it to be one of the lightest firearms to
garment, acquire a carry in the ankle holster, so if weight is a
firing grip, defeat concern, this is probably a good option.
retention, clear the As I mentioned, after a while you get use
holster and face the to carrying with the weight, and with a
threat. The only quality holster it becomes more comfort-
additional step is able over time. My one complaint with the
kneeling to get to revolver is I had five rounds and then a
the firearm.
56
reload. If you are willing to move up to a
semi-automatic subcompact to micro-
compact size, you can find some really
good options without sacrificing much in
terms of overall size and weight.
Things changed dynamically when I
started carrying a semi-automatic. Because
the manual-of-arms is more closely associ-
ated with my primary-carry handgun, it was
easier to shoot and reload. I would practice
shooting with these smaller firearms more
regularly than with my snubby revolvers, so
my accuracy was much improved, as was my
speed or shot-to-shot recovery time. There
were even some magazine-compatibility
bonuses. Sometimes, my reload magazine
would not only feed my primary, but also
my backup. While I haven’t permanently
retired my wheelgun, I don’t often carry it in
an ankle holster much anymore.
So, what semi-automatic makes and mod-
els are we talking about here ideal for ankle
carry? SIG Sauer’s P365 standard model as
well as the Glock G26 and G43 models are
perfect, as is the Springfield Armory Hellcat.
The last piece to the ankle-carry-firearm
puzzle is its height. The height of the pistol
needs to be less than 4.5 inches, and the
shorter the better. What this equates to is
ease of concealment and a smoother draw-
stroke. The taller the firearm, the longer the
magazine, which can make it more likely to
print. The longer magazine can also snag on
your pant leg’s hem, making it more chal-
lenging to draw under pressure.
When it comes to practicing, we need to
break it down into two parts; drawing and
shooting. Because the typical firearm ide-
ally suited for ankle carry is small, it often
doesn’t get the same level of practice as our
compact or full-size firearms. Drawing is not
without its complications. And, it can be a
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

pain to re-holster, since some holsters
don’t have rigid mouths. A thin mouth
means you might have to remove the
holster, insert and secure the firearm,
then reattach it to your ankle. Again, it
can be a pain. Before you attempt any
live fire, you need to invest several hours
dry firing and practicing your draw-
stroke with a for-sure unloaded gun to
make sure you are safe.
When it comes to clearing your cover
garment you have three main options;
you can bend over, you can take a knee
and shoot or you can take a knee then
stand back up to shoot. All of these
options are not without their drawbacks.
Bending over, while faster, means you
lose sight of the threat. Taking a knee
and shooting from that position means
you are immobile. Taking a knee then
recovering to the standing just takes
more time. One solution is to practice
them all and let the situation dictate the
best method. An advantage that often
gets overlooked is how accessible a fire-
arm is from a seated position when it’s
carried on the ankle. Whichever method
you select, it will require practice.
The act of drawing from the ankle will
require you to move to the firearm, clear
the pant hem, acquire your firing grip,
then clear the holster, move the firearm
to the threat, aim and fire. Slowing down
is the first step. You will want to take it
slow and make sure you perform each of
these steps as flawlessly as possible.
Once you’ve moved to the firearm,
grasp your pant hem with both hands.
Clear the pant hem by pulling straight up
until the firearm is accessible. Grip the
firearm and defeat any retention devices.
Remove the firearm by pulling it straight
up to clear the holster, then orient the
muzzle towards the threat as you obtain
a two-handed grip. Finish by bringing
the firearm up to your sight line to con-
firm your sights, then manipulate the
trigger to deliver an accurate shot. Again,
take it slow and practice dry with an
unloaded gun before going to the range.
You can separate this process and
practice shooting your micro-compact
firearm on a more regular basis. These
smaller firearms are harder to shoot, and
I’ve written several articles for this very
SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022
HANDBOOK
magazine on how to master them, so I
will keep this short. Focus on getting the
best grip possible. They are small, so you
may not get your full hand on the grip.
No big deal, get as much as you can and
focus instead on applying a firm grip
with both hands, almost crushing. Be as
precise with your aiming as possible.
Small errors with these shorter barrels
can translate to large misses. The triggers
in many of these modern micro-compact
firearms are vastly superior to their pre-
decessors, but they still take deep con-
centration. Practice properly placing To avoid problems, carefully
your trigger finger on the trigger, then holster the firearm in the ankle
practice moving the trigger smoothly to holster while it is off-body,
the rear. A little bit of effort on improving then put the entire rig in place.
your shooting with your chosen firearm
will pay dividends should you actually
need to protect yourself.
Ankle holsters are a viable option for
many, whether as a primary due to envi-
ronmental and occupational conditions
or serving as a backup. Should you
decide to pursue this method of carry,
you will want to pay close attention to
the firearm you choose. The micro-
compact semi-automatic handguns or
five-shot snubby revolvers are the most
common, as these options are easy to
carry and conceal on your ankle. Once
you have the ideal firearm, choosing a
quality holster will require considering
the duration and frequency you choose
to carry in this location.
Selecting a holster with good reten-
tion is important, but so is selecting a
holster that allows you to regularly prac-
tice your drawstroke without having to
remove it to reholster. Practicing your
drawstroke and the different methods of
drawing will ensure you have the best
chance at getting the firearm into the
fight, but when you do, you want to be
accurate and fast enough. Practicing on
the range with your micro-compact fire-
arm should be an integral part of your
training. If you don’t put the effort into
shooting them well, then carrying in this
manner—or any other way, for that
matter—makes these gun little more
than a talisman. There is a reason ankle Retention versus draw speed
carry has been around for so long and is a balance that must be
continues to enjoy widespread use—it’s struck carefully and after
a solid and discreet option. copious practice.
57
AMMO Richard Mann

True Facts about True Velocity ammunition, the case head—

the part of the cartridge that fits against the

Composite Ammunition breech face and where the primer is

inserted—is made of stainless steel. The
polymer-case body is then fused to this
steel-case head. Polymer is lighter than brass;
What’s the deal with True Velocity’s full- a .308 Win. polymer cartridge will weigh
power rifle ammunition in a composite case? about 27 percent less than a brass one. That
amounts to 108 grains. That percentage is a
big difference, but 108 grains is not a lot of
weight. That is, until you’re shipping or
carrying a lot of ammunition.
If you’re transporting a million rounds
across the continent or to another country,
like the military often does, that difference of
108 grains per cartridge equates to almost
8 tons. If you’re a Soldier carrying 200 rounds
of ammunition, that 108-grain difference
equates to 3 pounds. That means a Soldier
could carry 272 rounds of polymer-case
ammo .308 Win. ammo for the same burden
as 200 rounds of brass-case ammo. That’s a
36-percent increase in available ammunition
for the individual Soldier.
Also, according to True Velocity, a polymer

W
True Velocity is hen the Glock was introduced, it case serves as a heat insulator as opposed to a
offering centerfire was met with skepticism. Most heat conductor like brass. This helps keep the
ammunition that shooters wondered what kind of temperatures inside firearms lower. Lowering
utilizes a poly- fool would make a gun out of plastic. Now, the operating temperature of a firearm is a
mer as opposed
most new handguns are manufactured with good thing, no matter the situation, but it is
a polymer grip frame. What everyone knows especially important in military applications.
to a brass car-
now, but didn’t then, was that the important In combat and even in training, military
tridge case. parts of the Glock are steel. A new Texas- firearms can be exposed to excessively
PHOTO: RICHARD MANN
based company called True Velocity is high-round counts over a very short period.
applying Glock’s visionary handgun design Less internal heat helps maintain stoppage-
to centerfire ammunition. Just as many free operation, reduces potential for breakage
wondered about the Glock back in the 1980s, and increases the life of the firearm.
you’re probably now wondering why anyone None of this matters if polymer-case
would want to make plastic ammo? Well, there ammunition is not reliable or cannot deliver
are a couple of reasons. on-target precision. True Velocity provided
True Velocity manufactures ammunition some .308 Win. ammunition loaded with
that uses a polymer case. Like with the Glock 168-grain Nosler HPBT Custom Competition
pistol, the important parts are steel. With and 165-grain Nosler AccuBond bullets. I
tested these loads in a Steyr Scout rifle with a
SHOOTING RESULTS 19-inch barrel, in a custom-configured AR-10
with a 16-inch barrel and in a Remington 700
Load ADVEL VEL SD MD PRC ST with a 24-inch barrel that had 5R rifling and
SIG Sauer 165-grain Elite Hunter Tipped 2,840 2,784 14 28 2.05 1 was outfitted with a suppressor. With the help
Federal 168-grain Sierra MatchKing 2,650 2,601 13 31 1.74 0 of a friend who’s a sniper on a local SWAT
True Velocity 165-grain Nosler AccuBond 2,650 2,541 23 58 1.95 0
team, we compared the performance of the
True Velocity 168-grain Nosler HPBT 2,650 2,642 16 41 2.11 2
True Velocity ammo against the nickel-plated,
Average muzzle velocity (VEL), average standard velocity deviation (SD) and average maximum
velocity deviation (MD) measured in fps 10 feet from the muzzle for 45 shots (15 shots with each brass-case SIG Sauer 165-grain Elite Hunter
load out of each of the three rifles) with a Caldwell G2 chronograph. Temperature: 52 degrees Tipped load and the brass-case Federal
Fahrenheit. Average precision (PRC) measured in inches for nine, five-shot groups (three, five-shot
groups with each of the three rifles) from a sandbag rest at 100 yards. Advertised muzzle velocity 168-grain Gold Medal Sierra MatchKing load.
(ADVEL) measured in fps. Stoppages (ST) reflects the number of failures to fire with each load. We fired three, five-shot groups from a

58 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM


sandbag rest at 100 yards with every
load, and out of each rifle.
We fired a total of 180 rounds and
experienced three malfunctions. One
round of the SIG Sauer 165-grain Elite
Hunter Tipped ammunition caused a
class-three stoppage in the AR-10. The
other two malfunctions involved the
True Velocity 168-grain HPBT load.
Two of those rounds failed to fire.
One failed in the Steyr Scout rifle
and the other in the Remington 700.
We attempted to fire both rounds
two additional times. They simply
never went bang.
The True Velocity 168-grain load
produced velocities closer to adver-
tised than any of the other loads
tested. It showed a variation of only
8 fps between the advertised and
the average actual velocities we
recorded. The True Velocity 165-grain
TRAVELER’S
likes and dislikes when it comes to GUIDE TO THE
ammunition. Except for the two
failures to fire (in two different rifles)
FIREARM LAWS
with the one True Velocity load, I OF THE
would not give a practical perfor-
mance advantage to either ammuni- FIFTY STATES
PLUS Canada and Mexico
tion type. I would also add that my
assistant and I both felt the polymer-
case ammunition cycled smoother
than the brass-case loads. This was
not something we could measure;
it was only a feeling.
Based on this test, I see little A state-by-state guide to the gun
practical advantage for True Velocity laws most useful to the traveler
polymer-case ammunition in the WRITTEN BY AN N ATTORNEY
N
civilian world. It currently performs no
better than conventional brass-case
ammo. It’s also—at least on the In our
commercial market—42 percent more 26th
year!
expensive, and the fired cases cannot
be reloaded. However, this technol-
ogy, which by any measure is rather 2022 researched and written by

load showed the largest variation, at amazing, is in its infancy. We can only
J. Scott Kappas, Esq.

109 fps. The average standard velocity
deviation for all True Velocity loads,
in all three rifles, was 19.5 fps. The
average for the two brass cased loads
was 13.5 fps. As for maximum velocity
deviation, the average for the two
polymer-case loads was 49.5 fps and
the average for the two brass-cased
loads was 29.5 fps.
Of all the loads tested, the Federal
168-grain Sierra MatchKing delivered
the smallest average group size at
1.74-inches for nine, five-shot groups
out of the three different rifles. The
second-best performing load was
the True Velocity 165-grain Nosler
AccuBond, which averaged 1.95 inches
out of all three rifles. Overall, the
brass-case loads averaged 1.89 inches
and the True Velocity loads averaged
2.03 inches. That’s a difference of only
.14 inch, which is negligible and could
have been induced by human error.
The firing of 90 rounds of an
ammunition type through three
very different rifles does not consti-
tute a definitive conclusion. From the
standpoint of velocity and precision,
I would consider the performance
of the True Velocity ammo equal to
that of the brass-case loads, especially
considering that every rifle has its
expect quality to improve, especially if
the military gets on board, and the
military application is where this stuff
has a lot of appeal. It substantially
reduces transport cost, greatly
increases the amount of ammunition
the individual soldier can carry and it
should also extend the service life of
military small arms. I imagine, with the
potential to make the polymer cases
in a variety of colors, it would also
offer a unique way to easily differenti-
ate between different types of loads
for the same cartridge, both on and
off the battlefield.
Does the future of the civilian sport
shooter include polymer-case
ammunition? I think at some point it
will be a viable option, and maybe
even a better one. We could possibly
even see firearms specifically
designed to fire nothing but polymer-
case ammunition. Additionally,
because of the way this ammunition
is made, the potential exists to create
more precise cartridge cases, and
even cases that could increase
ballistic performance. The future of
firearms is indeed in the ammunition
we shoot, and the technology
True Velocity is using is possibly a
glimpse of what’s to come.
• Concealed carry reciprocity
• Vehicle carry (loaded gun O.K.?)
• Carry in state & national parks
• Carry in restaurants & hotels
• Prohibited areas- gun-free zones
• Open carry on your person
• Self-defense rules for travelers
• How to handle a trafÀFVtop
• RV and motorcycle carry
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SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 59

STRAIGHT TALK Sheriff Jim Wilson
The Gear Dilemma
There’s nothing wrong with owning the latest
and greatest products, but your skill level is the
real game-changer.
Bill Jordan positively influenced
product design, but the gear you
adopt is no substitute for training.
I
learned this lesson many years ago as a young, brand-new police
officer. Trying to learn enough to stay alive in the law enforcement
business, Bill Jordan became my hero. Now, for those of you who
are new to the game, Bill Jordan was a career Border Patrolman, a
World War II combat Marine and just about the fastest person I had
ever seen with a sixgun. Jordan helped design the Smith & Wesson
Model 19 revolver—back then the company called it the “Combat
Magnum.” He traveled the country putting on shooting exhibitions,
first for the Border Patrol and later for the NRA. He was documented as
drawing and hitting a target in .27 second.
So, naturally, paycheck in hand, I set out and bought me a 4-inch
Smith & Wesson Model 19. With what money I had left, I bought a
Jordan duty rig from Don Hume Leather Company. Then, I got a set of
Jordan revolver stocks from Herrett’s.
And, then I practiced. And I practiced some more. In fact, after all
these years I am still practicing. Well, I still ain’t no Bill Jordan.
Nowadays, I see a lot of comments on the gun forums and social
media that suggest if you don’t have the latest, greatest gear, you just
need to go ahead and plan your funeral. Some of those folks would
have you believe that you are lost if you rely on an old 1911 and you are
absolutely hopeless if you are still packing a double-action revolver.
Here at Shooting Illustrated, one of our jobs is to make you aware of
the new guns, ammo and gear that become available. That should not
be construed to mean that you have to have it or you can’t survive
without it. We also spend a lot of ink suggesting ways to become
proficient with whatever gear you happen to have.
When we talk about personal defense, it’s not about what you have,
it’s all about what you can do with it. The goal of the defensive shooter
should be to become skillful in handling the defensive firearm. That
includes the presentation, speed loading, tac loading and dealing with
60
whatever malfunctions might be common to
the gun being used.
In the same vein, we work to continually
improve our marksmanship. A quick draw and
center hit, working on multiple targets,
drawing and shooting from awkward
positions, etc. are all things focused more on
developing skills than on particular gear. In
short, the “latest and greatest” gear cannot
make up for poor gun handling and bad
marksmanship. It’s not what you carry, it’s
what you can do with it.
By the same token, fancy gear will not make
up for poor tactics. Gun handling and
marksmanship are one thing; being able to
win a fight with the firearm is a whole
different endeavor.
I was once involved in one of those exciting
adventures where guns got drawn. One of our
group was, without a doubt, the best shot
among us. He had good gear and sure knew
how to use it; a fact that he regularly proved
on the pistol range. However, when the
trouble started, he was the only one who
didn’t draw his gun, didn’t take cover and
didn’t engage in any way. In fact, he just
stood there, flat footed and vapor locked.
Fortunately, the situation was resolved
without any of the good guys being injured.
Being able to spot trouble as early as
possible, identifying cover and exits and
having a plan for dealing with the situation
are all more important than what we are
carrying. Those who are serious about
personal defense are continually studying the
criminal mind, reading up on actual shootings
and gaining information from those who have
survived violent criminal attacks. It is one
thing to know how to shoot; it is another
thing entirely to know when to shoot. And, it
is even more important to know how to
survive without having to shoot.
So, please don’t think that I am down on all
the new stuff. Most of it is really good, often
provides marked improvements over older
gear and I enjoy testing and evaluating it as
much as anyone else. Good gear will enhance
one’s ability, but it won’t make up for the lack
of ability. One might be well advised to take
some of the money that would be spent on
new gear—just some of it, mind you—and
spend it instead on a good training school.
So, no, I’m not the next Bill Jordan, but I’m still
trying. After all these years, goodness knows,
I’m still trying. And you should be, too.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
FIGHTIN’ IRON CONTINUED FROM PAGE 72
Trim and Mow the EASY Way!
However, lever actions in general
broadened their appeal. Winchester
introduced a long-action version of
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the ’73 in 1876 and John Browning
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in the mid-1880s. It was that legend- and perimeters
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“lever-action” virtually synonymous grass & weeds
with “Winchester.” Browning came up
with two lever-action shotguns and • 5X the power of
four lever-action repeating rifles, as handheld trimmers
well as a single shot. The first two • Self-propelled models
rifles (1886 and 1892) were marvels of • Gas- or battery-powered
smooth handling, and the third (1894)
was and remains an American icon.
The ’94 was made into the millions.
The 1895 departed from the tubular USA
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While the most historic and widely
sold lever-action rifles were the
various Winchesters, that does not
make for a universal endorsement. In
the early 1880s, the Marlin company
began producing a series of lever-
action rifles that resembled the
Winchesters. They were firearms of
very high quality and exhibited
several unique features like a solid
top and side ejection. Marlin has a
history that is almost as long as
Winchester’s. There is also the elegant
Savage 99, with a concealed hammer,
advanced rotary magazine and
several limited-production variants.
It is interesting to note that no other
country with a history of gun making
designed any great quantity of lever-
actions. It is an American gun—one
that came along when the country
had frontiers to be conquered. The
design had origins in necessity, stayed
as tradition and always persisted by
performance. Why else would a newer
major gunmaker (Ruger) buy the
assets of Marlin and keep the frontier-
era maker of classic lever actions alive?
Because Americans want them, and
Americans know their fightin’ iron.

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 61

THE CLASSICS Philip Schreier
The Best of the Blowbacks
Mauser HSc and the
Heckler & Koch Model 4
There’s a reason these two pistols from
different companies are similar.
Mauser’s HSc (top) and Heckler & Koch’s Model 4
(bottom) share many of the same design features,
mainly because they also shared a designer,
although there were several decades between the
two pistols’ developments.
I
n the April 2022 issue of Shooting Illustrated, this column looked at
my all-time favorite carry gun, the Colt Model M or 1903/1908. This
month we look at my favorite European semi-automatic, the
Mauser HSc and its cousin, the Heckler & Koch Model 4.
Although Hugo Borchardt is widely credited with introducing the
world to the semi-automatic pistol—called self-loading pistol at
the time—with his C93 in 1893, that pistol was eclipsed by the C96
“Broomhandle” of Paul Mauser. Only 3,000 of Borchardt’s C93s were
made during the model’s 10 years of production. Mauser’s pistol was
produced from 1896 to 1937 and had more than one million manufac-
tured and hundreds of thousands more copied by unlicensed makers.
It wasn’t long before firearm luminaries such as John Moses Browning,
Georg Luger and Fritz Walther were designing and producing semi-
automatics for personal defense.
By the 1930s, Germany had two powerhouses competing for
the commercial handgun market: Walther and Mauser. Mauser had
drawn first blood with its C96, but that was not considered a personal-
protection weapon at the time—it was mostly sold for military use.
Fritz Walther started designing and marketing .32 ACP pistols in 1908,
and Mauser started with the .25 ACP Model 1910 and upgraded it to
.32 caliber in 1914.
Walther introduced the PP in 1929 and the PPK in 1931, and seemed
to have a dominant position, as Mauser’s only contribution during
that timeframe was an updated version of the Model 1914 called the
62
Model 1934. But, just as World War II was
beginning to rage across Europe in 1939,
Mauser introduced the HSc in .32 ACP,
perhaps the sleekest and finest of all of the
European semi-autos of the age.
The Mauser HSc was a simple double-
action, blowback design with a partially
concealed hammer. It had dignified lines and
held a natural point-of-aim that makes it one
of the handsomest handguns designed in the
post-percussion-pistol era. The Mauser HSc is
so named as Mauser’s Hahn Selbstspanner
(self-cocking hammer) and the small “c”
indicated that it was the third variant or
production model.
More than 300,000 of the stunningly
beautiful HSc models were produced during
its short production run between 1940 and
1945. Contracts with the German Army, Navy
and police units accounted for most of the
production, with a smaller number available
for commercial sales. Following the war, the
French military, using Mauser machinery from
Oberndorf, produced some 14,000 additional
HScs, and the Norwegian military acquired a
few thousand, marked them with its crest and
used them for years after the war.
I’ve always liked the lines of the HSc over
those of the PP and PPK and had thoroughly
wished Ian Fleming had felt similarly when he
wrote about his master spy, James Bond. But
alas, Fleming gave Bond a Walther PP and he
has used one ever since. (Although in 1983’s
“Never Say Never Again,” 007 uses a silenced
HSc while testing it in Q’s indoor gun range.)
Both the Mauser HSc and Walther’s PP and
PPK were manufactured by their post-war,
reorganized companies and imported into
the U.S. via Interarms, and saw widespread
appreciation by the American gun-buying
public for decades.
A few years ago, Heckler & Koch-USA
CEO Francisco Hidalgo gave me the opportu-
nity to visit the company’s famous “Grey
Room” in Oberndorf, Germany. He gave NRA
Publications Executive Director Doug Hamlin
and me a tour of HK’s museum collection and
the history behind the company. Located on
a hill just above the old Mauser factory, the
Grey Room housed all of HK’s treasures,
including the first handgun that it produced
in 1967, the HK 4 or Model 4.I was immedi-
ately drawn to its sheer beauty that gave
me the same feeling that I had when I first
laid eyes on an HSc.
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
 Now, I must confess that my
primary interest in firearms used to
abruptly end with anything produced
now you can have it all
after V-J Day. I was happy to be in
FAST KILLS, DEVASTATING TRAUMA, AND DEEP PENETRATION
Oberndorf for the first time, but I Why settle for rapid expansion OR deep penetration when you
secretly wished there was a Mauser can have a state of the art bullet that delivers both without
museum comparable to HK’s Grey compromise? Once the Lehigh Controlled Chaos bullet enters
Room to visit. Hidalgo was quick to fill
me in on some background history directions, creating a devastating wound channel while the
that I am ashamed to admit I didn’t solid base continues on for deep penetration.
know the first thing about before I
had arrived.
The story of HK and its Model 4
began in 1949, when HK was formed
by three former Mauser engineers. We
all know HK stands for Heckler & Koch,
but there were three founding
partners—the third was Alex Seidel.
He had joined former colleagues
2425 fps muzzle velocity .30
Edmund Heckler and Theodor Koch to cal 125 gr CC shot from 200
form HK as an equal partner. While yds out of a 300 HAM’R
Seidel’s name isn’t reflected in the
corporate logo, he was nonetheless
one of its most valued assets. Famed
Learn more about Lehigh at www.lehighdefense.com
for the design and development of W E W I L L N E V E R S TO P I N N O VAT I N G ®

the G3 rifle in 1959, HK was given

permission from the West German
government to produce handguns in
1967. The reason the HK Model 4
bears so many similarities to the
Mauser HSc is that Seidel designed
them both—almost 30 years apart.
The HK 4 is innovative in that it was
available in four chamberings: .22 LR,
.25 ACP, .32 ACP and .380 ACP, each
interchangeable with the same slide
and frame. You could buy all four
barrels and magazines and just
switch them with the same slide/
frame or just buy the one caliber that
suited you best. In excess of 50,000
were produced by HK between 1967
and the end of production in 1984.
Harrington & Richardson imported
many of these models for sale to the
U.S. market.
So, as Paul Harvey used to say, now
you know the rest of the story. Seidel
outlived his more famous firearm
manufacturing partners by decades
and his contributions to both Mauser
and Heckler & Koch live on. His name
might not be as well-known as those
of his contemporaries, but we
certainly know his inventions.

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 63

GUN LOCKER Ed Head

Colt Python 3-inch “Whoa!” said I. “What you should do is

produce a 3-inch Python. After all, it is the
rarest and most collectible version of the
Python and the barrel length most in demand
Colt’s latest variant of its Python may by savvy revolver shooters. And, besides, I
have a shorter barrel, but it has a lot to want one.”
Whether my pleading, cajoling and
offer practitioners of personal defense. begging resulted in this newest Python or

I
s it my fault? Maybe. You see, two years ago when Colt introduced not, it is here now and in my sweaty paws.
its new Python revolvers at a Gunsite media event, I was let in on a My precious …
secret. After signing my life away in a non-disclosure agreement, I Backing up a bit, I was impressed with the
was told the next revolver would be an Anaconda chambered in new Python. Offered in a 4.25- and a 6-inch
.44 Mag. (it was) and, following that, a 2.5-inch-barreled Python. version, these revolvers have a smooth,
double-action trigger stroke due to an
improved action. Unlike the Pythons of old,
the new revolvers won’t go out of time and,
while they look almost identical, are beefed
up in critical areas. The ones we tested at
Gunsite shot great, right out of the box, with
no need for tweaking or action tuning. The
Gunsite staff was impressed, and many of us
obtained one. For the past two years we have
observed “Python Fridays,” sporting our
Pythons while teaching or wandering around
the ranch.
Two versions of 3-inch-barreled, blued
Pythons were produced during the 1980s,
one by Colt as a small run for Lew Horton
Distributors called the Combat Python, and
another by a distributor that purchased
8-inch, .38 Spl. Target model Pythons from
Colt, then converted them to 3-inch
SPECIFICATIONS magnums. This latter revolver was marked
Manufacturer: Colt: (800) 962-2658, Trigger Pull Weight: 9 pounds, 8 ounces California Combat. Since then, any of the
colt.com (double action), 6 pounds ultra-scarce 3-inch Pythons are generally
Action Type: DA/SA revolver (single action) referred to as California Pythons, with the
Caliber: .357 Mag./.38 Spl. Length: 8.5 inches factory Lew Horton models being the most
Cylinder Capacity: 6 rounds Width: 1.55 inches valuable to collectors.
Grips: Walnut Height: 5.5 inches Aside from their scarcity, other reasons
Frame: Stainless steel Weight: 38 ounces
revolver shooters covet 3-inch guns are their
Barrel Length: 3 inches Accessories: Hard case, manual
seeming supernatural ability to balance and
Sights: Colored-insert front, fully MSRP: $1,499
point great, and the 3-inch barrel allows for a
adjustable rear
full-length extractor rod. The shorter rods on
SHOOTING RESULTS 2- and 2.5-inch revolvers are not long enough
Group Size to positively extract empty cases, and having
Load Velocity Smallest Largest Average a 3-inch barrel solves this issue.
Super Vel .38 Spl. 90-grain JHP Super Snub 1,527 1.6 1.8 1.6 The new Pythons are stainless steel and
Federal .38 Spl. 148-grain WC 727 .8 2.4 1.5 nicely polished, almost looking like a nickel
Hornady .357 Mag. 125-grain JHP 1,378 1.0 1.4 1.2 finish. The stocks are target style, feel good in
Velocity measured in fps 10 feet from the muzzle for 10 consecutive shots with a Shooting Chrony the hand and do a good job of soaking up the
chronograph. Temperature: 46 degrees Fahrenheit. Accuracy measured in inches for five consecutive,
five-shot groups at 7 yards from a rest. energy of a hot .357 Mag. round, however
they interfere with the use of some speed-
ON TARGET OFF TARGET loaders. The front-sight blade is replaceable
The revolver Python enthusiasts have Mediocre trigger; grips interfere with by means of a setscrew, and a bright-orange
been waiting for certain speedloaders ramp, night-sight or a gold-bead blade can be

64 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

obtained from Colt. Look for the ones
for the Cobra models, as they’re the
same. The rear sight is adjustable for
windage and elevation and is a little
strange, to my mind, having a tiny
setscrew that needs to be loosened
before windage adjustments can be
made. It works fine and the sight stays
bit of creep and breaks at 6 pounds.
I’m thinking I’ll turn the revolver over
to Gunsite’s gunsmith extraordinaire,
Dave Fink, to have the trigger
smoothed and the action tuned.
Taking the shorty Python to the
range, I first ran it through the Gunsite
School Drill, from 3 to 15 yards, with

put, but it’s unconventional.
At their essence, Pythons are target
revolvers, and despite the abbreviated
barrel, this one still has the large
target hammer and sharply serrated
trigger. While I can live with the
hammer, for fast double-action work
the trigger face should actually be
smooth, allowing the finger to roll
over the trigger.
The double-action trigger pull on
my sample is good, if a bit heavy at
9.5 pounds on my electronic trigger
scale. The single-action pull has a tiny
R3D
.38 Spl. ammunition, all shots fired
double action, working from the
holster. Following that, I fired double-
action groups at 7 yards, standing,
firing offhand with several brands of
.38 Spl. and .357 Mag. ammunition.
This is quite a nice revolver. I’m very
Night Sights
pleased the executives at Colt listened Available in Orange or Green
to me (um … I mean listened to its
customers) and made the Python for
which we’ve (I’ve) longed. Come next
Python Friday, I’ll have the dilemma ORANGE
of which Python to wear. It’s a nice
BRIGHT LIGHT
problem to have.

LOW LIGHT

GREEN
BRIGHT LIGHT

Retaining its iconic ventilated rib, the barrel ends with a recessed muzzle crown • Fully
adjustable for windage and elevation, the rear sight features 45-degree corners for snag
resistance • The bright-orange insert in the front-sight post enhances visibility • Thanks to
modern CNC machining, components like the cylinder and forcing cone have been strength-
LOW LIGHT
ened • This latest Python variant boasts a serrated hammer spur and knurling on the ejector
rod • Though the author prefers a smooth trigger, serrations on the face of the Python’s
trigger are not a deal breaker • Checkered-walnut target grips fit the new Python perfectly
and add a handsome touch. xssights.com | 888-744-4880

SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022 65

INSIDE NRA ILA REPORT
Constitutional Carry Hits 50% Benchmark!
LATEST
T
he constitutional-carry movement
continues to surge across the country,
LEGISLATIVE and we’ve now hit the amazing
milestone of half of the states passing
NEWS FROM legislative recognition of the right to carry
INSIDE THE a firearm for personal protection without
government interference. This is how our
NRA INSTITUTE Founding Fathers originally envisaged the
FOR LEGISLATIVE right to keep and bear arms when they
enshrined it in the Second Amendment nearly
ACTION two-and-a-half centuries ago.
OHIO MAKES 23
On March 14, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R)
signed Senate Bill 215 into law, making
the Buckeye State the 23rd state to codify
constitutional carry.
“Any right requiring a fee or government
permission slip isn’t much of a right at all.
That’s why the NRA worked tirelessly with
state leaders and legislators to pass this
landmark legislation in Ohio,” said Jason
Ouimet, NRA-ILA executive director. “The
NRA commends Gov. DeWine for signing this
important piece of legislation that protects
the Second Amendment rights of all law-
abiding Buckeyes.”
ILA Grassroots: Constitutional carry allows anyone who
(800) 392-8683 is not prohibited from possessing a firearm
to carry one concealed without a permit
NRA-ILA: (703) 267-1170 from the state. It does not expand access
to firearms or allow any new categories
NRA-ILA website: nraila.org of people to carry. It was already legal for
66
law-abiding citizens to carry a firearm if
Photo by Diego Delso, delso.photo, License CC-BY-SA/Wikimedia Commons
the firearm was visible. Now those same
citizens can carry that firearm under a
jacket or in a purse.
The NRA thanks the governor and the
bill’s prime sponsor, Sen. Terry Johnson
(R-14), for their leadership in advancing the
right of self-defense of all Ohioans.
INDIANA BECOMES 24
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb (R) signed House
Bill 1296, NRA-backed legislation that allows
law-abiding gun owners to carry a firearm
without a permit from the state, on March 21.
“The government should not mandate
that law-abiding citizens get permission
before exercising their fundamental,
constitutional right to self-defense,” Ouimet
said. “We thank Governor Holcomb, bill
author Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-52), legislative
leaders and every lawmaker who supported
this landmark legislation.”
“By signing this bill, Governor Holcomb
has demonstrated a commitment to restoring
and protecting our Second Amendment
freedoms,” Ouimet concluded.
GEORGIA BRINGS US TO 50%
A more-than-30-year effort by the National Rifle
Association reached a milestone on April 1,
as the Georgia legislature became the 25th
state in the nation to pass constitutional
carry. On that day, the Senate voted 34-22
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
to concur with the House’s amendments to Senate Bill
319, the constitutional-carry bill.
“This is a monumental moment for the Second
Photo by Annie Noelker
Amendment, NRA members and gun owners
nationwide,” Ouimet said. “Half the country now
rightfully recognizes the fundamental right to
carry a firearm for self-defense as enshrined in our
Constitution—as opposed to a government privilege
that citizens must ask permission to exercise. Passing
this essential legislation has been a priority for the
NRA for many years, and we’re thrilled to celebrate
this huge success.”
Before signing the bill into law April 12, Georgia
Gov. Brian Kemp (R) tweeted, “I look forward to
signing the Georgia Constitutional Carry Act of
2021 into law soon and fulfilling another promise I
made to the voters of this state.”
NRA thanks Rep. Mandi Ballinger (R-23),
Sen. Jason Anavitarte (R-31), Speaker David Ralston
(R-7), Reps Alan Powell (R-32), Rick Jasperse (R-11),
and J. Collins (R-68), Senate President Pro Tempore
Butch Miller (R-49), Sen. Brian Strickland (R-17), all
the co-sponsors in each chamber and GA2A for their
hard work making this victory possible.
COULD NEBRASKA BE NEXT?
Half of the states is certainly a laudable achievement,
but we will not be satisfied until every law-abiding
American is able to exercise their right to self-
defense without first seeking permission from the
government. At this time, the next state that could
pass constitutional carry is Nebraska.
The Cornhusker State could lead the charge for
the second half of the states to enact constitutional
carry. However, there has been an attempt to add
language—Amendment 2106—to Legislative Bill 773,
the constitutional-carry bill, that would codify Omaha’s
firearm-registration regime, stigmatize firearms by
increasing penalties for non-violent offenses where
firearms are involved and makes “failure to inform”
one is carrying a concealed firearm a felony. The point
of constitutional carry is to make it easy and affordable
for everyone to exercise their right to self-defense.
Amendment 2106 is a discriminatory attempt to place
Omaha’s extreme firearm-registration requirement
into state law, only affecting Nebraskans in Omaha.
Your NRA-ILA stands staunchly in opposition to these
additions to LB 773.
IN MEMORY NRA-ILA CONTRIBUTIONS
March 1-31, 2022
David Read, Cottonwood, AZ (from: Joyce Read);
Robert DeZwarte, Plymouth, WI (from: Riverside Rifle & Pistol
Club); Loren & Roberta Strait, Niangua, MO (from: Monte Strait);
Jerry Wall, Sr., Taberg, NY (from: Diane Wall and Wendy
Bartlett); Richard Walker, North Charleston, SC (from: Palmetto
Gun Club); David Dreffer, Huron, OH (from: Carole Dreffer);
John Tonello, Gowanda, NY (from: the family of John Tonello);
Dr. Frank Colombo, Jr., Sandwich, MA (from: Robert & Cary
Avila); Odean Solberg, Pierre, SD (from: Dwight Solberg).
SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM JUNE 2022
The Nashvillains
Are
C
omprised of three incredibly talented
singer/songwriters, The Nashvillains
are catching people’s attention in
Music City and beyond. And, while the band may not be a household
name quite yet, we can guarantee you’re familiar with the work and
accomplishments of Troy Johnson, Brett Boyett and Scott Lindsey.
During Johnson’s 20+ years in Nashville, he’s written songs for other
artists including Keith Urban, Trace Adkins and Montgomery Gentry.
Boyett was the executive music producer and composer on the highly
acclaimed feature “Forever My Girl,” and his music has been placed
on various NBC, ABC and CBS television shows. And don’t forget the
third member, Lindsey, who has had songs recorded by the likes of
the Bellamy Brothers, Kevin Costner & Modern West and Blackstone
Cherry. Together, the three musicians’ harmonies grab your attention
and make you want to get to know them better. NRA Country’s
Lisa Supernaugh took a moment to do just that: learn more about
The Nashvillains by asking them each a few questions.
LS: Was there anyone who shared their love of the great out-
doors with you growing up?
SL: My dad would take me fishing every chance he got at the old
Peabody Coal Mines strip pits. I still love fishing to this day and
sneak off to fish every chance I get.
LS: Do you have a favorite personal firearm?
BB: I love my Stag Arms AR-15, and also my Glock 19 Gen4, Glock
43X, Remington 700 and Smith & Wesson Shield 2.0.
LS: You’ve obviously met fans performing all over the country.
When you think about the places you’ve been and the people
you’ve met, what makes you proud to be an American?
TJ: Freedom, freedom, freedom … to paraphrase Ben Franklin,
I just hope we can keep it.
Be sure to check out the Nashvillains website, NashvillainsBand.com,
and all their social media sites to learn more about the band and
hear music from their recently released album, “Tumbling Down.”
The album is a country concept album that tells a very personal
story about how one wrong decision can have a reverberating
ripple effect throughout one’s life. Critically acclaimed, the song-
writing and production on the album is as good as anything you’ll
find in country music these days.
NRA Country is a lifestyle and a bond between the country music
community and hard-working Americans everywhere. It’s powered
by pride, freedom, love of country, respect for the military and the
responsibilities of protecting the great American life. For more
information visit nracountry.com, follow on Twitter @NRACountry,
and NRA_Country on Instagram.
67
 Online Regional Report
nrapublications.org/regional-report
To search for
events in your Member Information & Benefits
area, go to

Visit the links below to find gun shows, programs, clubs,

events and training in your area.
NRA.ORG
MEMBERSHIP ACCOUNT
INFORMATION: (877) 672-2000
NRA Headquarters: (703) 267-1000
MEMBER SERVICE (877) 672-2000
NRASTORE.COM (888) 607-6007

5-STAR MEMBER BENEFITS

NRA Wine Club (800) 331-9754
ManageYOURiD (888) 759-7866

LAW ENFORCEMENT FRIENDS OF NRA Medical Concierge Network (800) 352-6094

le.nra.org friendsofnra.org Global Rescue (800) 381-9754

NRA Travel Center NRA.HotelPlanner.com
li and i ate offi e s inte ested in Friends of NRA events celebrate American
e o ing la enfo e ent fi ea inst to s values with fun, fellowship and fundraising for INSTITUTE FOR LEGISLATIVE ACTION
should attend one of NRA’s Law Enforcement The NRA Foundation. To learn more about Grassroots/Legislative Hotline (800) 392-8683
Firearms Instructor Development Schools. events in your area, visit friendsofnra.org, OFFICE OF ADVANCEMENT/
NRA Police Pistol Combat competition is onta t o lo al field e esentati e o send GIFT PLANNING (877) NRA-GIVE
intended to be used as an extension of an email to friends@nrahq.org. THE NRA FOUNDATION (800) 423-6894
an offi e s t aining NRA INSTRUCTOR/
COACH FIREARM TRAINING (703) 267-1500
EDDIE EAGLE GUNSAFE PROGRAM (800) 231-0752
REFUSE TO BE A VICTIM (800) 861-1166
RECREATIONAL SHOOTING (800) 672-7435
NRA AFFILIATED CLUBS (800) 672-2582
RANGE SERVICES (877) 672-7264
COMPETITIVE SHOOTING (877) 672-6282
LAW ENFORCEMENT (703) 267-1640
FRIENDS OF NRA (703) 267-1342
NRA MUSEUMS/
GUN SHOWS TRAINING GUN COLLECTOR PROGRAMS (703) 267-1600
SHOWS & EXHIBITS
gunshows.nra.org refuse.nra.org | nrainstructors.org (877) 672-7632
MEDIA RELATIONS (703) 267-1595
Dates and locations of gun shows are subject The NRA’s Refuse To Be A Victim® program
HUNTER SERVICES (844) 672-6883
to change. Please contact the show before provides information on crime prevention
The “NRA Regional Report,” a service for NRA members,
traveling. Discounted NRA memberships and personal safety. To learn more about is an up-to-date listing of NRA conducted and/or sponsored
are sold through NRA recruiters. Some shows the program, visit refuse.nra.org. The most events scheduled in your region for the current month.
Call to verify event dates and locations before traveling.
may offer free admission to people who sign up-to-date seminar and instructor training
up for new memberships or renewals. schedule is available on the Internet by visiting
To become an NRA Recruiter contact NRA nrainstructors.org, or online training is available
Recruiting Programs at recruiter@nrahq.org. at nraonlinetraining.org. Questions? Email to
refuse@nrahq.org or by calling (800) 861-1166.

APRIL 14-16, 2023

For hotel accommodations at the
NRA Annual Meetings, visit nraam.org
nraam.org.

AREA SHOOTS STATE ASSOCIATIONS

ssusa.org/coming-events stateassociations.nra.org
For more information, send an email to Joining NRA-affiliated state asso iations
Shelly Kramer at mkramer@nrahq.org supports NRA’s mission in your state.
or call (703) 267-1459. See clubs.nra.org for more information.

68 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

PROGRAMS & SERVICES

2022 NRA Annual Meetings

And Exhibits In Houston, Texas
I
’m looking forward to seeing many of
you over Memorial Day weekend at the
151st NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits
in Houston, Texas. From entertainment to
special events, it’s all happening in the Lone
Star State, where NRA members will gather
at the George R. Brown Convention Center
May 27-29 to celebrate freedom and honor
those who have served our country.
The NRA Annual Meeting is the largest
gathering of NRA members and Second
Amendment supporters in the United States.
By Joseph P. The Exhibit Hall, spanning more than 14 acres
this year, will showcase the latest guns and
DeBergalis, Jr. gear from your favorite brands. Be sure

Executive Director,
General Operations
nraam.org
Joining NRA-affiliated state
associations supports NRA’s
mission in your state.
GET INVOLVED TODAY!
GO VISIT
stateassociations.nra.org
to wear your best walking shoes, because
with all that exhibit space, you can spend all
three days exploring products from the most
popular firearm companies in the country
and still not see everything. You can book the
hunt of a lifetime in our exclusive outfitter
section, view priceless collections of firearms
in the gun collector area, and observe an
amazing array of knives, wildlife art, shooting
accessories, hunting gear, ATVs and more.
On Friday, May 27 is the NRA-ILA
Leadership Forum—one of the most politi-
cally significant events around. Hear from
our nation’s top Second Amendment leaders
about what is at stake in the upcoming mid-
term elections. Additionally, NRA leadership
will address the Association membership—
along with recognizing the youngest and
oldest among us—at the Annual Meeting of
Members on Saturday, May 28.
The NRA Annual Meeting is one of
my favorite events each year because
it’s a celebration of patriotic values and
the Second Amendment. With musical
heavyweights Don McLean and Lee
Greenwood headlining, the NRA Grand Ole
Night of Freedom Concert on Saturday night
is a must-attend event. Plus, you can support
the NRA Institute for Legislative Action’s
Photos by NRA
lobbying efforts at the 14th Annual NRA-ILA
Dinner and Auction on May 27.
One of the most talked about events each
year, on May 27, the NRA Women’s Leadership
Forum Luncheon and Auction will once again
connect philanthropic women and provide
different avenues to defend our cherished
Second Amendment rights. There’s also the
NRA Women’s New Energy Breakfast on
Sunday, May 29, with coffee and conversation
for like-minded female NRA members.
In addition, I want to encourage everyone
attending to check out the many seminars
that are available in Houston this year, such
as the NRA Foundation’s National Firearms
Law Seminar on May 27, which will cover
important firearms law topics drawn from
around the nation.
As you can see, this is a jam-packed
weekend you will not want to
miss! Admission to the NRA
Annual Meetings and Exhibits
for NRA members and their
immediate families is free. Learn
more at nraam.org.

69
 PROGRAMS & SERVICES

Shooting Sports USA,

NRA’s Competitive-Shooting Journal
O
ver the past four decades, Shooting Sports USA, the
NRA’s competitive-shooting journal, has been on the
firing line bringing news, match results and more to our
readers. Since its beginning in 1988 as a print magazine offered
for $10 a year to non-classified shooters to replace NRA’s
Tournament News, Shooting Sports USA has evolved with the
times, re-inventing itself into multiple formats before settling
into the free-to-subscribe online magazine and companion
website available today.
The modern-day digital edition of Shooting Sports USA is
published every month, and it is completely free to subscribe.
Supporting the NRA’s mission of fostering the shooting sports at
every level, Shooting Sports USA covers all shooting disciplines,
features both big-name and local club shooters, highlights what
the winners are using and strategies for excellence on the firing
line, and promotes the competitive-shooting sports by listing
thousands of upcoming matches nationwide. Each issue also
features reports from NRA-sanctioned matches and local club
shoots, as well as product reviews.
Since the first issue was published in 1988, Shooting
Sports USA has been on the scene bringing you coverage
from major competitive-shooting events such as the National
Matches, the NRA Silhouette Nationals and the NRA National
Police Championships, the Olympic Games and other inter-
national shoots, ISSF World Cups, the Bianchi Cup Action
Pistol Championship, the Grand American World Trapshooting
Tournament, the NCAA Rifle Championships and other big
Photo by John Parker
collegiate matches, the recently
revitalized NRA National
Championships at Camp Atterbury
and countless other competitions.
The Shooting Sports USA
website at SSUSA.org is updated
daily with the latest news and events
from the competitive-shooting world.
On the website, you’ll also find
reviews of rifles, pistols, shotguns
and other competitive-shooting
gear, videos covering advanced
shooting techniques and, perhaps most
importantly, our Reporter’s Worksheet, a PDF form you can
download and use to submit local match reports for publication
in our Score Sheets department.
In addition to the great features posted daily at SSUSA.org,
the monthly digital edition of Shooting Sports USA is a prime
source of free competitive-shooting content that every NRA
member should take advantage of. For example, you can find
exclusive sections not always featured on the website, such as
Shooters’ News, Score Sheets and Page from History.
Every month, our Coming Events section provides a list of
NRA-sanctioned competitions that are held throughout the country.
Listings in Coming Events are divided into discipline categories
and include location and contact information for every match.
Product Focus is another monthly department you won’t
want to miss, with reviews, roundups, and in-depth features for
guns, gear and ammunition.
History is another focus for Shooting Sports USA, with
articles going deep into the rich past of the shooting sports,
some even stretching back to the beginning of the National
Rifle Association in 1871. There’s also plenty of classic coverage
from the “Golden Age” of competitive shooting in the
U.S. during the mid-20th century, including some familiar
names such as Col. Walter Walsh, R. Adm. Morton Mumma,
Maj. Edward J. “Jim” Land and top Olympic rifleman

Lones Wigger competing at the NRA Bullseye Pistol, Smallbore

Rifle and High Power Rifle Championships.
Plus, our weekly newsletter is a great way to stay on top of
the latest news, reviews, videos, how-to guides and more from
Shooting Sports USA. Subscribe for FREE at ssusa.org/subscribe.

NRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Joe M. Allbaugh, Oklahoma; Thomas P. Arvas, New Mexico; Paul D. Babaz, Georgia; Scott L. Bach, New Jersey; William A. Bachenberg, Pennsylvania; Bob Barr, Georgia;
Ronnie G. Barrett, Tennessee; Clel Baudler, Iowa; J. Kenneth Black well, Ohio; Matt Blunt, Virginia; Donald J. Bradway, Idaho; Dave Butz, Illinois; Dean Cain, California;
J. William Carter, Kentucky; Ted W. Carter, Florida; James Chapman, California; Patricia A. Clark, Connecticut; Anthony P. Colandro, New Jersey; Allan D. Cors, Florida;
Charles L. Cotton, Texas; David G. Coy, Michigan; Larry E. Craig, Idaho; Todd R. Ellis, Pennsylvania; Richard S. Figueroa, Texas; Edie P. Fleeman, North Carolina; Carol Frampton,
South Carolina; Joel Friedman, Nevada; Sandra S. Froman, Arizona; Mark Geist, Colorado; Marion P. Hammer, Florida; Maria Heil, Pennsylvania; Antonio Hernández, Puerto Rico;
Graham Hill, Virginia; Niger Innis, Nevada; Curtis S. Jenkins, Georgia; Phillip B. Journey, Kansas; David A. Keene, Maryland; Tom King, New York; Herbert A. Lanford, Jr., South
Carolina; Willes K. Lee, Virginia; Carrie Lightfoot, Arizona; Karl A. Malone, Louisiana; Robert E. Mansell, Arizona; Carolyn D. Meadows, Georgia; Bill Miller, West Virginia;
Owen Buz Mills, Arizona; Oliver L. North, Virginia; Johnny Nugent, Indiana; Janet D. Nyce, Pennsylvania; James W. Porter II, Alabama; Jay Printz, Montana; Kim Rhode, California;
Mark Robinson, North Carolina; Wayne Anthony Ross, Alaska; Carl T. Rowan, Jr., Washington, D.C.; Barbara Rumpel, Florida; Don Saba, Arizona; Ronald L. Schmeits, New Mexico;
Steven C. Schreiner, Colorado; John C. Sigler, Delaware; Leroy Sisco, Texas; Bart Skelton, New Mexico; Craig Swartz, Iowa; Jim Tomes, Indiana; Dwight D. Van Horn, Idaho;
Mark E. Vaughan, Oklahoma; Blaine Wade, Tennessee; Linda L. Walker, Ohio; James L. Wallace, Massachusetts; Howard J. Walter, North Carolina; Judi White, Arizona;
Robert J. Wos, Florida; Donald E. Young, Alaska
Communications intended for any member of the NRA Board of Directors should be addressed to: (Name of Board member), NRA Office of the Secretary,
11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030; or nrabod@nrahq.org; or (703) 267-1021. Please include your name, contact information and NRA membership
I.D. number, as only communications from NRA members will be forwarded.

70 JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM

The NEW Ultra Custom Light Bearing Holster fits most under rail and trigger guard
mounted accessories while the optic-cut accommodates most pistol optics.

MOLD AND RE-MOLD YOUR HOLSTER

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FIGHTIN’ IRON Wiley Clapp
Lever Gun
One type of firearm defines both the American spirit and the freedom
associated with its frontier.
Marlin’s new Model 1895SBL is but one example of America’s ever-enduring fondness for lever-action firearms.
A
t the mid-point of the 19th century, the world of
firearms was changing fast. The main service rifle
was still a cumbersome single-shot of .69 caliber.
It worked on cap, ball and powder, delivered a massive
blow and produced clouds of smoke. True, it got the job
done. But, there were clever guys at work on improve-
ments in arms that would change the way we went about
hunting and fighting. Handgunners were initially a bit
ahead of other designs because of several revolving-
cylinder handguns. Most of the time, a greater rate-of-fire
was possible because of the revolving pistols of
Sam Colt, and his many imitators. There were exceptions.
One of them was an exceptional firearm called the
Volcanic pistol. By 1850, there were a number of revolving
handguns in widespread use, most of them from Colt. The
Volcanic was also a repeater, but was completely different.
Its major innovation may have been the early attempt at
fixed ammunition. However, it was another novel idea—
the gun being a lever-action, tubular-magazine-fed
repeater—that was a true milestone in American gunmak-
ing. With an early history of confused ownership, the
ammo was originally called the “Rocketball.” It was a short
lead bullet with a hollow base, in which both primer and
propellent were held in place by a cork sealant. This
system meant nothing to eject, so working a lever on the
gun’s underside moved another bullet from the tubular
magazine to the firing chamber.
Several makers used various features of the Volcanic—
including two guys named Horace Smith and Daniel
Wesson—but the true potential of the system was
unleashed when it was purchased by a shirt manufacturer
named Oliver Winchester. Another Yankee gunmaker
(Tyler Henry) came up with a cartridge system that was
72
much more reliable and was first used on rifles initially
under the Henry and then the Winchester names. The
Civil War began in 1861 and saw quantities of .44 Rimfire-
caliber Henry rifles used to deadly effect. What a carbine
or rifle should look like became part of our expectations:
slim, flat-sided receiver, tubular under-barrel magazine,
exposed spur hammer and a “finger lever” at the wrist of
the buttstock. By the time that Winchester introduced its
1866 Model, shooters got a walnut fore-end and a loading
gate, through which up to 15 cartridges were loaded.
These early lever-action rifles set a standard that
appealed to several generations of American frontiers-
men. The rifles and carbines of the 1860s and 1870s
delivered a major-caliber bullet to a solid 100 yards,
sometimes a bit farther. Both accurate and powerful, the
old lever guns were sleek, and easy to carry and use.
Winchester’s first model, chambered for rimfire ammuni-
tion, was followed closely by the centerfire Model ’73. A
bit more strength was needed for the frame, but
increased power came from several new cartridges.
Winchester introduced .44 WCF, .38 WCF and .32 WCF
calibers (also known, respectively, as .44-40 WCF,
.38-40 WCF and .32-20 WCF) over the early years of the
’73. Around the same time, Colt noticed that Winchester’s
new cartridges were just about perfect in length for
the cylinders of its new Single Action Army revolvers.
Thus, was born the American practice of using the
same ammunition in handgun and rifle. This tactic
continues to the present and is still sound. As long as
the use of pistol-caliber ammunition in a rifle is limited
to 100 yards or so, it makes good sense.
Continued on page 61
JUNE 2022 SHOOTINGILLUSTRATED.COM
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