If you ask a room full of gun guys and gals what the first assault rifle was, you’ll get chimes of “STG 44.” You might also hear a minority shout, “Fedorov Avtomat.” You can sit back and watch them argue. If you want to give them something to think about, bring up the Ribeyrolles 1918, which is arguably the first true assault rifle if we use the current definition we established for assault rifles.
That definition is a select-fire rifle with a detachable magazine that fires an intermediate cartridge. The Fedorov Avtomat was a select-fire infantry rifle, but it chambered the 6.5x50mmSR Arisaka cartridge, which is not quite intermediate. The STG 44 fits the bill, but as the name implies, it was created in 1944. Now, the Ribeyrolles 1918 also fits the bill and came almost two decades prior.
Arguably, the STG 44 won the first successful assault rifle category and gave birth to the modern world of assault rifles we now know. However, it wasn’t an original idea.
The Origin of the Ribeyrolles 1918
The Ribeyrolles 1918 was the brainchild of Paul Ribeyrolles, a Frenchman who was the plant manager of the Clement-Gladiator motor vehicle and bicycle factory. During World War I, France’s wartime economy necessitated the conversion of everyday factories into weapons production centers.
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Clement-Gladiator had already produced the infamous automatic rifle, the Chauchat, for the French Army. Ribeyrolles helped produce the Chauchat and later helped develop the gas-operated semi-automatic Fusil Automatique Modèle 1917 for the French forces at the tail end of the war. Paul Ribeyrolles defined the idea of forward thinking. He was a trailblazer and a well-known one at that.
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World War I and trench warfare established that easily controllable, rapid-firing weapons were necessary for close-range combat. The big bolt-action guns weren’t great for clearing rooms. This led to the development of submachine guns, and the Ribeyrolles 1918 aimed to fall between the submachine gun and the battle rifle.
What We Know About the Ribeyrolles 1918
There is very little information on this Ribeyrolles 1918. We only have one photo of it, and it doesn’t seem like any surviving examples exist. Maybe some French attic has one stored unknown to the occupants, but that seems unlikely. What we know about the Ribeyrolles 1918 is that the rifle was a select fire design. It has a three-position safety: the rearmost position is semi-auto, the middle position is safe, and the forward position is full-auto.
The rifle operated on a straight blowback principle and fired a 8x33mm cartridge. This would have scored on the intermediate scale. Ribeyrolles scaled down the .351 Winchester Self-Loading cartridge to create the 8x33mm cartridge. The bullet was from an 8mm Lebel. The magazine held twenty-five rounds and was detachable.
Forgotten Weapons
The blowback action promised lots of recoil and forced the weapon to be exceptionally heavy. Blowback guns require hefty bolts to keep the action closed until the bullet leaves the barrel. Trying to use a blowback action with a rifle cartridge is tough.
It works for handguns but doesn’t do well with the power generated from a rifle. At 11.25 pounds, it weighed as much as the Fusil Automatique Modèle 1917 but fired an intermediate cartridge rather than a full-powered battle rifle cartridge. The gun measured out to about 43 inches in total.
Testing the Carabine Mitrailleuse 1918
The Ribeyrolles 1918 was presented to the French twice. Once before the war and once after the war. In both presentations, the rifle had severe reliability issues, and it often jammed and failed to operate. Additionally, the world really wasn’t ready for an assault rifle. It was a weapon without a purpose. The French saw it as too unwieldy and cumbersome to be a submachine gun, and the 8x33m cartridge only reached out to 400 yards.
In this era, the full-powered rifle rounds dominated, and the French watched the range they provided. The Ribeyrolles 1918 simply didn’t fit into their idea of how to arm a military force. Plus, this introduced another logistical concern. They’d have to issue cartridges for handguns and submachine guns, full-power battle rifles, and the Ribeyrolles 1918. Thus, the weapon has entered the realm of obscurity.
It’s most certainly a fascinating idea and was way ahead of its time, but sadly, its use is regulated to Battlefield 1
As far as training with firearms is concerned, shot timers are essential tools in the repertoire of both the serious student and trainer. Much like the whistle hanging around the neck of any field sports coach, the shot timer might as well be the whistle in the world of firearms. These days, shot timers are evolving with the latest technology and can connect via blue-tooth and talk to apps on cell phones or tablets for score keeping and time management. Hell, today, the latest and greatest devices can even recharge exactly like a modern phone.
However, we mustn’t forget about the two classic workhorses in this arena: the Competition Electronics Pocket Pro 2 and the PACT Club Timer III. Both of these shot timers are fast approaching the threshold of becoming old school, but in reality, they’re still perfectly viable and useful. I use both on a regular basis, and I like them for different reasons.
Competition Electronics Pocket Pro 2 Shot Timer
Though now discontinued, the Pocket Pro 2 is one of the most popular “classic” shot timers. Even today, it’s not hard to find them in the range bags of many shooters. The Pocket Pro 2 was the updated model that succeeded Competition Electronic’s original Pocket Pro (which ironically can still be purchased brand new).
Pocket Pro 2s remind me of my childhood when many toys and games ran off 9-volt alkaline batteries. These devices still have that quartz display screen and late 1990s chunky aesthetic of the era. There’s a spring-loaded belt clip on the back of the device so that one can hang the Pocket Pro 2 off their belt or pocket while training alone.
Using the Pocket Pro 2
Navigating through the settings and controls is also reminiscent of sending text messages on pre-smartphone devices. Likewise, there’s a bit of a learning curve to get the hang of it. But it’s not too bad once the user understands its rhythm. The black/green display itself is also reminiscent of the Texas Instruments Ti-34 calculator I used to bring to school.
Settings for timer start delays and par times are easily adjustable along with the device’s shot sensitivity, loudness, and brightness. I figured out early on that it’s best to run the display as dark as possible to conserve battery life. And honestly, when shooting outside during normal daylight hours, it has never been an issue.
The ability to adjust the loudness of the beep is much appreciated, especially when working and dry-firing inside the house, where normal shot timer beeps can be deafeningly loud (especially without hearing protection).
Durability-wise, my Pocket Pro 2 has generally held up okay, and I’ve never been exceedingly rough on mine. But at some point, I did have a failure in which the soldering between the battery terminal pad and the wire that powered the electronics gave out. A good friend of mine was nice enough to re-solder the connection and bolster it. I haven’t had any issues with it since he repaired it.
The Pocket Pro 2 has now been succeeded by the Competition Electronics Pro Timer and the Pro Timer BT (Bluetooth). Mine works fine, and I have no plans to retire it anytime soon.
PACT Club Timer III
The PACT Club Timer III is probably the most direct competitor to the Pocket Pro 2. And this shot timer works almost the same as its rival, save for some subtle differences. For example, the Club Timer III also uses the basic low-tech “calculator screen” display and runs off a 9-volt battery. Its external shell is also fairly voluminous, and it has a clunky body, although it’s more rotund and “aerodynamic.”
This device also comes with a handy spring-loaded clip, which makes it easier to hang off a belt or pocket for self-directed training sessions. Anyone who can successfully navigate the Pocket Pro 2 timer should also be able to navigate the Club Timer III settings just as easily.
Pocket Pro 2 vs Club Timer III: The Differences
General display screens of the Pocket Pro 2 (top) and the Club Timer III (bottom). While I do think the Club Timer III’s main display is cleaner, users do have the choice of showing only the total time and nothing else with the Pocket Pro 2 (makes the most sense in competition).
In many ways, comparing these shot timers is no different than making a classic Coke-vs-Pepsi comparison because both are so similar in form and function. But there are some differences that should be taken into account. The most obvious one is that the settings on the Pocket Pro 2 are far more user-adjustable than the settings on the Club Timer III.
For example, users can adjust the “beep’s” sound level on the Pocket Pro 2 from very soft to quite loud, while the “beep” on the Club Timer III is immutable—and loud. Without hearing protection, the Club Timer III’s beep can be as loud as a smoke alarm and honestly unpleasant to work with indoors.
Similarly, the Club Timer III’s “delayed start” time is fixed at 3 seconds, while the user can adjust it to whatever time they want with the Pocket Pro 2. I work with the Club Timer III on a regular basis, and the fixed three-second delay time has never been a hindrance.
Build
Externally, the Pocket Pro 2 resembles a 1990s boxy Mercedez (or a giant pager), while the curvier Club Timer III resembles a Volkswagen Beetle. Both have the same footprint, but the Pocket Pro 2 isn’t as wide.
The Club Timer III edges out the Pocket Pro 2 with its bigger display. Not only is it physically larger, but it’s also easier to see pertinent information like “DTFS” (draw to first shot), number of shots fired, and splits than it is with the Pocket Pro 2.
Sure, the latter will also show this information on its main screen. But I think the Club Timer III’s presentation is simply cleaner.
Price
The honest truth is that, currently, the PACT Club Timer III is probably the best deal overall, objectively—especially when it comes to dollars and cents. Competition Electronics has discontinued the Pocket Pro 2 and replaced it with its successor, the Pro Timer. However, the newer Pro-Timer retails for nearly $170, while the Club Timer III seems to retail for nearly $40 less.
These days, the best way to find a deal on a Pocket Pro 2 is to look out for a used one. But just because they stopped making them doesn’t mean people stopped shooting with them.
The Takeaway
Frankly, a shooter can’t go wrong with either shot timer as far as basic units for shooting, training, and practicing are concerned—even in 2024. Sure, the market offers more expensive and sophisticated shot timers today. But even these older designs, like the PACT Club Timer III or the Competition Electronics Pocket Pro 2, still perform the basic functions of any shot timer just fine and provide the shooter with the information they need.
Moreover, 9-volt batteries can still be found in almost any type of retail/grocery store today. So, their fuel source isn’t hard to find either.
The use of neither will restrain anyone from having a productive training session overall. Personally, these days I’ve been keeping my Pocket Pro 2 indoors for dry-fire since I can control the volume and I leave the Club Timer III in the range bag for live-fire.
I really love teaching new people how to shoot guns. I went through the entire NRA course to learn how to be an instructor. As much as people make fun of the NRA courses, their basic ones are pretty good. I find it super rewarding to see new shooters start to hit targets, have fun, and be safe. That’s why we do it. I can’t be the only one who enjoys teaching new shooters, and I think new shooters are how we maintain the Second Amendment. With that in mind, I wanted to share a tip I’ve learned for teaching new shooters and how to get through to people who don’t have a background. I call it Push the Mower, and it’s an idea that helps normal people understand basic shooting fundamentals by relating it to everyday things.
The Push the Mower
My kids go in and out of shooting phases. My son asked me to teach him to shoot, but his smaller stature made it tough to get him a rifle. I promptly purchased a Savage Rascal, and we got to shooting.
We started with a bench-rested rifle, but when he transitioned to standing off the bench, he had this bad habit of leaning super far backward. I taught him to lean forward just a bit, but he kept leaning back like he was trying to do the limbo. I couldn’t seem to get him to lean forward; there seemed to be a disconnect between what I was saying and what he was hearing.
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There was a failure to communicate between us and the failure frustrated me more than his limbo technique. Why couldn’t I get something so simple across to him? I’ve always heard that boys learn best by doing things and not by being told. How do I get him to lean forward…. Then I spotted my old push mower.
A quick adjustment of the handle was made for his smaller stature, and I had him push the mower. It was off, but maybe I should have gotten some free lawn mowing out of this. Anyway, I had him push the mower a few laps back and forth. We went back to the rifle, and I told him to lean forward like he was pushing the mower. It clicked, and he leaned forward, a little too far at first, but that was self-correcting.
This gave birth to the push the mower idea.
It’s Not All About the Mower
While I call it Push the Mower, the idea relates to any way you can simplify a concept for a new shooter. When it comes to stance, most people have an idea of how a boxer stands. Shooters stand a lot like boxers. When it comes to sight focus, explain it by holding up a finger and alternating focus from the finger to a fixed point.
As gun guys and gals, we often get stuck in our own language and nomenclature. We get stuck on knowing how to do something so easily that it becomes somewhat difficult to relate to a beginner. Finding ways to illustrate concepts through everyday activities and common knowledge simplifies things. It helps new shooters learn more efficiently and effectively.
One of the worst things for new shooters is frustration. New shooters should be excited to learn, and to have fun. Getting frustrated due to a failure to communicate can be massively detrimental. When you and a new shooter get stuck on some basic fundamental marksmanship skill, take a moment. Find a way to relate it to something simple and nongun-related. Find your mower and push it!
My Gear for the Cornerstone Performance LPVO Course
Because the emphasis of Cornerstone Performance’s LPVO course is on marksmanship and scoped-in shooting, the list of required gear isn’t extensive. Similarly, the round count wasn’t very high either for a 2-day carbine course. All one needed was at least 500 rounds of ammunition along with three rifle magazines, their properly mounted LPVO, and their carbine, of course (with a modern 2-point adjustable sling). Avoid bringing green-tip ammo to class; there’s simply too much steel to shoot.
In my case, the only new piece of gear that I brought was the fairly new Primary Arms PLxC 1-8 LPVO with the ACSS Griffin reticle. Although this scope was launched last year, I’m currently shooting with it in order to do a full review at a later date.
The PLxC got my attention because of its relatively short length and lighter weight (that directly rivals the Nightforce NX8 LPVO). Also this particular scope famously landed Primary Arms a contract with the Department of Energy—a huge milestone for this Texas-based company.
A close-in of the relatively new Primary Arms Optics PLxC 1-8 FFP LPVO mounted atop my current go-to carbine put together by Ft. Worth based Lone Star Armory. In this picture it sits on Primary Arms GLx 1.5″ mount, but by TD2 I put the scope on a taller ADM mount.
Lone Star Armory Carbine
Besides the new-to-me LPVO, which I’m generally liking so far, I did my shooting with the same carbine I shot at Bill Blowers’ class and for more than half of the Green Ops LPVO course. It is the 14.5” P/W midlength carbine I had Lone Star Armory build for me as a dedicated gun to run the Law Tactical ARIC carrier.
At this point, this carbine probably has at least 1,500 rounds through it, and I haven’t had any real issues other than some growing pains with the original ARIC T&E unit that I’ve been using. Perhaps the only thing I don’t love about this gun is its Schmid nickel-coated USGI trigger. Even for a standard single-stage AR trigger, this one, in particular, feels heavier. It’s not the end of the world, but I do think a scoped carbine deserves a little better.
Interestingly enough, one of the comments Wise made during the first day of the class was that a shooter was better off first upgrading their trigger instead of rebarreling their rifle. I ironically saw his point over both of these training days.
The Primary Arms PLxC 1-8 LPVO on my carbine sitting over a bag on a barricade on Training Day 2.
Insights And Takeaways
Even though Cornerstone Performance’s LPVO course isn’t labeled as an “advanced” carbine class, I don’t think I’d recommend it for brand-new shooters who aren’t comfortable shooting and handling the AR-15. It was easy to notice how basically everyone in the group of students was already familiarized and comfortable with the safe handling and operation of AR-15 pattern firearms. This includes the use of the modern 2-point sling.
To get the most out of their training dollar, the prospective student is ideally already comfortable with the AR-15 and its basic marksmanship protocols. At least, I think so.
Since I started writing about firearms and shooting, I’ve now taken three different carbine courses overall. Two were LPVO-specific courses, while the course I took with Bill Blowers was optics-agnostic. Nonetheless, I’ve shot all three courses with LPVOs regardless because I’m so interested in them.
On the evening after the first day of the Cornerstone class, I actually switched mounts from a standard 1.5” mount to a taller 1.93” mount that another scope had been occupying. On the morning of the second day, I re-zeroed the scope in its new mount and carried on.
Now having some time behind standard 1.5” mounts and a taller 1.93”, I’m finding that I much prefer having the taller mount which seems to help bring the scope to eye-level better.
Author shooting his carbine on Training Day 1 off a barricade.
Final Thoughts
As a lifelong student and proponent of the LPVO, it’s been very fun going around and learning about shooting carbines with LPVOs from different sources. Cornerstone Performance’s course certainly won’t be the last LPVO course I take. However, I appreciated having a chance to hear about the LPVO from the context of an experienced police officer.
In this particular class, a good portion of the students were also local police officers. So, a lot of the discussions and conversations from the class had to do with cops and their patrol rifles. Contextually this was something fantastic to pick up on and add to my knowledge bank.
In addition, it was nice that we did the majority of our shooting at steel targets between the 275 and 300-yard lines from barricades. Shooting at distances further than 100 yards isn’t a normal occurrence—at least for me, as a regular guy, it isn’t. Not only was popping steel at varying distances quite fun but it afforded every student in class multiple chances to get comfortable with shooting their targets a little further away.
Although Eric Wise did touch on height-over-bore concerns when it came to making careful, close-distance shots, the course didn’t really delve into CQB-style shooting much at all. Its focus was geared more towards using the optic at further ranges and those more deliberate shots.
Oh yeah, before I forget, I also had a lot of fun taking this class.
It was 2012. Zombies were everywhere. For the entirety of the 2000s, there was this buildup of zombies. In 2003, we got the Zombie Survival Guide; in 2004, we got the Dawn of the Dead remake, Land of the Dead in 2005; and, of course, the highlight of the zombie universe, the 2010 premiere of The Walking Dead. The gun industry got into the zombie theme, and it was fun for a while, but eventually, they ran it into the ground, and it got a bit cringe. In 2012, Mossberg released a series called the ZMB series. This consisted of a few shotguns and a very interesting version, the Mossberg Model 464.
Everyone laughed at the Model 464 ZMB. It was seen as the gun that helped jump the shark for the zombie theme. How dare someone take a lever gun and make it tactical. They laughed at it! I can’t lie, I loved it. I thought it was a really neat idea, but I hid this shamefully. I will admit the bright green ZMB markings were kind of lame. However, the idea of the Model 464 as a tactical gun was new for the time. Lever guns were never supposed to be tactical and were firmly planted in the realm of Fudd.
Those Model 464 ZMB models, see you now. They see your 200-dollar Midwest rails and your 400-dollar Chisel stock on your Marlin 336. It sees you pre ordering the Magpul ELG furniture. It sees your Surefire Scouts, your LPVOs, and even your MAWLs, and it remembers!
The Model 464 ZMB – Too Soon?
SHOT Show 2024 made it apparent that the tactical lever gun was here to stay. Everyone had one and had a variety of different options widely available. Henry has an AR mag fed 5.56/.330 Blackout rifle option. POF has the Tombstone. Bond Arms has an AR lever gun. Fightlite has one, and so does Aero! They are everywhere.
As mentioned companies like Magpul, Midwest, Chisel, and more have produced rails and stocks to tacticalize your chosen lever gun platform. You can accessorize a lever gun to almost AR-like levels. It’s never been easier to create a tactical lever gun, but these really aren’t new. Mossberg’s 464 ZMB had the same idea. We should also mention that Mossberg made a 464 SPX, which ditched the ZMB markings but kept the factory tactical look.
It bears mentioning that in 2012, M-LOK and Keymod weren’t the hot thing. It was all about strapping rails everywhere you could. The hot AR15s of the time had quad rails. The Model 464 ZMB and SPX took that route and outfitted the gun with a tri-rail system on the handguard. Later on, the SPX series featured a scope rail for long eye relief optics or red dots. The top ejection of the 464 made traditional scope mounts impossible.
The gun did have high-visibility open tights. At the end of the barrel, we had an A2-style flashhider. The most interesting feature was the stock setup. The stock was lever gun-like and lacked a pistol grip, but it still had an AR-type adjustable stock. It looks weird and feels a little weird, but it worked.
Inside the 464
The Model 464 is a Winchester 1894-like rifle. It’s not really an 1894, but features a similar open-top design, guts out the bottom system, and tube magazine. The bolt is different from the 1894, and so is the ejection system. The Model 464 was famously an affordable, American-made lever gun.
It had that Mossberg slop that we shotgunners are familiar with. It’s not a bad gun, but it wasn’t a tuned-up lever gun. It also costs nowhere near that of a tuned-up lever gun. Even the SPX and ZMB models were fairly affordable. Accuracy was okay, and for short-range use, it was more than adequate.
These guns were .30-30s and held six rounds in their magazine. The Model 464 was nothing revolutionary, but the ZMB and SPX models were way ahead of their time. In 2012 it was often joked about, but in 2024 it would just be another tactical lever gun. But don’t worry the Model 464 ZMB remembers and so do I!
I’ve always been fascinated by firearms and shooting; I’m even fortunate to write about them regularly. But one thing I don’t do is hunt. I don’t have a hunting background at all. My grandfather was supposed to take me decades ago, but unfortunately, the wickedness of cancer stole that opportunity—and him—from us. For over two years now, I’ve been writing about guns and shooting. The most peculiar aspect of this wordsmithing adventure is how it led me to try hunting.
My First Hunting Trip
I’m not completely ignorant about hunting. I carry a basic understanding of the gear and topics, from ecology to cartridge selection and maximum point-blank range. Something cool and ironic happened last autumn around the start of the 2023 hunting season. By chance, I worked on reviewing this Bergara rifle. Out of the few long guns I’ve officially reviewed, that’s the sole bolt-action rifle on record and pretty much the only hunting firearm.
In order to write that article properly, I had to delve into the topic of hunting like never before. With the timing of this project revolving around hunting season, football, and the cool crisp autumn air, the melange of these North American traditions led me to plunge into the world of hunting and develop a brand new fascination.
While I didn’t have the chance to pursue hoofed game, my schedule just happened to align with the chance to hunt both ducks and ribeye-in-the-sky (Sand Hill Crane) in north Texas. I made it happen. I was, after all, supposed to hunt ducks with my grandfather. So, I couldn’t agree more on ducks for my first-ever outing.
Hunting in Childress County, Texas
I linked up with Straight Flush Outfitters in early December 2023 for a weekend that involved Sand Hill Crane on a Saturday and ducks on a Sunday in Childress County. Childress sits adjacent to the Texas panhandle, the Red River, and Oklahoma. Highway US-287 also flows through here, connecting Dallas-Ft. Worth to I-40 and Amarillo, Texas.
With Childress County being rural and right under a major migratory flyway for wintering fowl, there are plenty of fields and ponds to sustain southbound flocks. If you’ve seen Steven Rinella’s Meat-Eaterepisode about Sand Hill Crane hunting, the location where they filmed that episode is only a few hours away and shares the same climate and terrain.
Getting Outfitted for My Hunt
For the uninitiated, the Texas panhandle can be shockingly frigid during the winter months, especially during early morning before the sun rises and legal shooting hours begin. I won’t lie in that I took advantage of Black Friday discounts ahead of time to score some deals on high-end technical gear from some Gucci hunting apparel brands. After a lifetime of working for a living, mostly outside, I don’t believe in skimping on proper gear and footwear.
Interestingly, during this shopping spree, I learned why nearly every piece of kit is heavily camouflaged: because these birds have surprisingly keen sight. Please don’t hold it against me as a non-hunter. The only times I had seen ducks otherwise were in a pond or a Chinese restaurant.
Author in blind during the Crane Hunt alongside Beretta 1301 Competition shotgun.
Shotgun-wise, I grabbed my Beretta 1301 24-inch Competition shotgun out of the safe. I’ve fired scores of shells for training and fun through this shotgun, and I consider it my workhorse. Function-wise, it’s no different than the Beretta A400 Xtreme guns that are marketed to waterfowlers, save for the lack of a 3 ½ inch chamber and a barrel four inches longer. Twenty-four inches of shotgun barrel is still plenty to shoot and kill fowl with, after all.
Dan Was a Spectacle to Behold
Perhaps the most exciting aspect of getting outfitted for my first hunt wasn’t any shotgun or piece of kit. It was Dan. Dan, a highly trained Labrador retriever, belongs to Jim, my guide and good friend.
Since Dan was a puppy he’s undergone bird retrieving training to the tune of thousands of dollars. And so far he’s also accompanied Jim on his first season of duck and crane hunts in the Texas panhandle. In fact, as I write these words, Dan is wrapping up another three-month stint of advanced bird-dog training in Alabama during the off-season.
Even being new to hunting, seeing a dog like Dan in action all over a duck pond and in his blind is a sight to behold. Seeing him patiently waiting for commands in his little dog blind, with a steadfast sense of duty. Then observing him spring into action after that signal from Jim, with his wet and matted fur that caused moisture to steam off him. And the contortion of his muscles like tightly wound springs underneath all that.
Dan is a mass of deep orange ochre fur that springs into action. For the uninitiated, it truly is a spectacle to behold.
Stay tuned for Part 2 where I cover my actual experiences, thoughts and emotions during my first-ever hunts.
Henry’s surprise of SHOT 2024 was a lever action rifle that came in 5.56 or .300 Blackout and takes AR mags. The surprise of last year might fall in that gun’s shadow. However, the Henry Homesteader stands out with its unique features. Unlike the traditional Henry lever guns, the Homesteader is a 9mm PCC that fully rejects the tactical nature of most modern semi-auto carbines.
It was a wood and Monte Carlo stocked rifle. The gun didn’t even have an optics rail. (Although it’s drilled and tapped if you want to add one.) Admittedly, the Homesteader stood out among a sea of M-LOK and black, and I was a fan. I’m a weirdo who likes PCCs, and the Homesteader scratched an itch I didn’t know I had.
Heading Homesteader
At first glance, the Henry Homesteader could be mistaken for a fudd take on the Ruger PCC. They both share a classic layout and simple design. The big difference is the wood stock and forend equipped to the Homesteader. The Homesteader even uses a modular magwell. Every Homesteader comes set up for Henry’s own proprietary, ban state-friendly five and ten-round magazines, but you can swap the magwell with a Glock, SIG P320, or S&W M&P model.
The Henry Homesteader delivers a solid performance. It uses a direct blowback system with a reciprocating mass to help reduce recoil. This system—while keeping the gun affordable—can result in harsh recoil for a pistol caliber. However, Henry has addressed this issue by installing a reciprocating mass that slows down cycling and cuts recoil, enhancing the shooting experience.
The Homesteader comes with iron sights that focus on speed more than precision. The rear sight sits on the barrel and is a wide peep sight. The front sight is blacked out and massive. I’m fine with this setup, but if speed is the key, it would make sense to have an open sight. A rear open sight would be slick and fast, and a higher-visibility front sight wouldn’t be a bad idea.
The Homesteader – Home Run Ergonomics?
One of the standout features of the Henry Homesteader is its ergonomic design. The charging handle can be easily swapped to either side, making it more comfortable for any shooter. Despite the reciprocating action with each shot, I haven’t found it to be a hindrance.
Henry went with a tang-style safety that gives off Mossberg 500 vibes. It’s naturally ambidextrous and textured for easy engagement. It clicks nicely and delivers tactile and audible feedback.
If you shoot with the Homesteader mags, the mag release is a somewhat awkwardly placed ambidextrous option. It’s a lever that needs to be pulled forward to release the magazine. If you’re like me and have swapped to Glock, SIG, or S&W mags, you have a standard push-button release on the left-hand side. It’s perfectly placed for a support hand release.
The Homesteader’s furniture has some nice texturing. It looks good, and it feels nice in your hand. The gun comes outfitted with a thick recoil pad, which is not necessary but not a downside either. Henry saved shooters from needing a workout by making the rifle a handy 6.6 pounds. What I don’t like about the rifle is the unnecessary 14-inch long length of pull. It could be much shorter and more comfortable for smaller shooters.
To The Range!
The one thing I wanted to find out was if the Homesteader’s recoil system worked. Would it be a violent, snappy thing? Luckily, the Henry system worked quite well. The recoil delivers a slow push-like impulse that’s soft and comfortable. You can run through a Bill Drill without your group moving more than an inch from shot one to shot six.
Recoil isn’t bad, but how’s accuracy? The sights are big and designed for speed, but they make some odd decisions. I’d still prefer a rear open sight if I’m going for speed rather than a long eye relief peep sight. The front sight is huge, but it’s all black, and a little white paint would make it easier to see and use.
The sights work best within 50 yards. At 50 yards, that big front sight covers a lot of the target, but it’s doable. For a pistol round, it’s not bad, but I do think a red dot would extend that range a little. At 25 yards, you can easily turn an IPSC target’s A-zone into Swiss cheese. For a defensive weapon, or even a working rifle, the accuracy is good enough to relieve a coyote of the burden of their mortal coil at 50 yards.
The gun’s super fun to shoot. Its low recoil and decent accuracy make it fun to run and gun with. With a red dot, I could see it as a fun PCC competitor. Maybe not at the pro level, but it’d be fun to draw some eyes at a local match. The little rifle eats and eats without complaint. I used a variety of Glock mags and had no problems.
Protecting the Homestead
Henry delivered with its first semi-auto PCC. It’s a very fun, low-recoiling, and stylish rifle. The ergonomics are interesting and mostly spot-on. I’d like to see a shorter length of pull, and I’d sacrifice the recoil pad to do so. I like that the company went with a modular magazine well, and I like using mags I already have on hand.
The Homesteader delivers in more ways than one. It’s a handy little carbine that breaks from the norm and delivers old-school appeal on a modern platform.
A few days ago, I serendipitously lucked into an open spot at Cornerstone Performance’s 2-Day LPVO class in Hutto, Texas. This opening was donated by someone who couldn’t make the class at the last minute, and I was able to take this spot (if you’re reading this, thank you for your kindness).
I’ll preface the rest of this write-up by disclosing that I am very much in favor of the LPVO as the main sighting system on a general-purpose carbine.
In spite of my bias, I still strive to learn as much as I can about their nuances, shortcomings and subtleties with regards to employing them effectively. After having the privilege of participating in the Green Ops LPVO course, I was honored to train with a different outfit and listen to a different perspective on these versatile optics.
Cornerstone Performance is a small training company based in central Texas and headed by Eric Wise. In addition to running Cornerstone Performance, Eric is also an accomplished shooter, competitor, and professional instructor for a large central Texas police agency. I didn’t meet him until this class, but his name sounded familiar, and I’m pretty sure we’ve shot some of the same local matches.
Cornerstone Performance’s Philosophy On LPVOs
Wise’s outlook on the role of the LPVO atop a modern carbine is informed by his many years of police service with a patrol rifle. During the course of this two-day class, he often reminded us, students, that he didn’t see the LPVO as anything more than a “fancy” red dot that could zoom in better [than an off-set magnifier].
Furthermore, he often drove home the point that LPVOs aren’t precision sniper scopes, nor should they be treated as such. This point in particular, that LPVOs are not to be treated as sniper scopes, was something that I specifically recall the Green Ops instructors also emphasizing when I took their class last autumn.
Beyond that, I enjoyed getting a veteran street cop’s perspective on the LPVO and how it worked for him in the context of his job around a major metro area and its surrounding suburbs. The same type of environment that the majority of civilian defenders would have to contend with should they ever need a scoped defensive carbine.
With Wise’s idea of framing the LPVO as a more elaborate red dot, he also contextualizes the carbine being a three-minute weapon (as a firearm capable of producing solid 3 MOA composite groups at 100 yards with duty ammo). This 3 MOA benchmark refers to a composite group with a statistically significant amount of shots, call it at least 20 rounds. So, those 3-round sub-MOA groups that both gunmakers and people on the Internet love to brag about don’t count.
A 300-Yard Tool
From my own experiences, I do agree that a 3 MOA benchmark is more than reasonable for most modern carbines and LPVOs using the appropriate type of duty ammo. Following this three-minute benchmark, Wise also emphasized that a carbine equipped with an LPVO was a 300-yard tool in his world and the context of a street cop with a patrol rifle.
Running into Big Tex Ordnance’s very own Ike Stephens at the class was a pleasant surprise. He and BTO as a whole have been very supportive of my writing (not to mention emotionally) so you should buy your stuff from them.
These concepts of carbines being 300-yard weapons with a real-world 3-MOA performance envelope are important for two main reasons.
Parts of a System—Not Isolated Variables
The first is that Wise wants his students to understand that the LPVO and the carbine, along with its cartridges, are parts of a system and not isolated variables. If any of these “variables” is tweaked it affects the system as a whole. I’m glad he points this out because I think it’s easy for modern shooters to get “lost in the sauce” and conceptualize a rifle’s raw accuracy potential as its own independent variable.
In other words, I think many erroneously focus on a rifle’s “pure” group sizes alone, absent of any other context. Even the finest single-cut precision rifle barrel with the finest scope will be hamstrung if it’s shooting bulk ammunition with varying muzzle velocities and prints 4 MOA 20-shot groups on average, for example.
Eliminating Guesswork
Second, and perhaps the more salient reason for highlighting this, is that by having an understanding of how the rifle actually performs in real life, the shooter is able to eliminate a lot of the guesswork in how a given rifle with a given cartridge will perform accuracy-wise. Being armed with this knowledge makes it easier to understand impacts and call shots without needing to wonder how or where rounds will print.
For example, if someone had a 3-MOA carbine but had to shoot an 8-inch steel going (8-MOA target) at 300 yards, they’d understand that their rifle was capable of grouping shots within a nine-inch cone of fire at that distance. So, there would be a statistical chance that some shots would completely miss the 8-MOA target.
Now, take this same example and apply it to a police officer involved in a standoff with a suspect. One can easily connect the dots between the officer knowing his or her equipment and whether they can safely and legally take their shot. The curriculum for Cornerstone’s Performance LPVO courses is formed with both of these concepts in mind.
Cornerstone Performance LPVO Course Overview
Eric Wise going over the finer points in properly mounting an optic to its base and the carbine during our working lunch on Training Day 1.
Training Day 1
As an instructor, one of Wise’s teaching styles is to put the power of demonstration in the students’ own hands so they can see concepts for themselves.
For example, the first day of this class primarily focused on the fundamentals of rifle marksmanship at distance. So, students fired several well-aimed groups at distances of 100 to 300 yards. Some of these groups were to establish a proper zero.
Like any good class, Wise made sure all students’ rifles were properly zeroed before covering the rest of the material. There was no shame to students who showed up to class with unzeroed optics, as I did. In fact, zeroing was so important that we also kicked off the second day by confirming zero at 100 yards all over again.
By spending a good portion of the first day covering these marksmanship topics, Wise was able to show his students everything from those aforementioned composite groups and real-world accuracy potential to how ammunition points of impact shifted over distance. As a gun-nerd, I was quite happy when he touched on the concept of “mean-radius” without having to actually use the term or obfuscate his explanation in the middle of a rifle range out in the Texas heat.
Furthermore, he had us shoot careful groups from the prone at both 200 and 300 yards. As a result, we collectively had a chance to intelligently collect “DOPE” (data on previous engagements) in real time for each of our carbines, reticles, and ammo selection without having to fuss over a chronograph and a ballistics-app.
Sure, this quick and dirty method isn’t as refined but it’s suitable for a 300-yard, 3-MOA defensive carbine.
Scope Mounting Protocols
During our “working lunch” on the first day, Wise lectured the class on proper scope mounting protocols and did a live demo. This type of information is invaluable because when it comes to mounting optics, any optic, the devil is always in the details. Glossing over key parts can lead to optics failures or worse—the critical loss of accuracy.
The last part of the first training day actually had some shots taken at closer distances. This showcased the relationship between the LPVO and the shooter closer in, like the important height over bore phenomenon. With this said, CQB-style close-in shooting was beyond the scope (pun intended) of this LPVO course.
Training Day 2
We performed another round of zero confirmation (or re-zeroing for those who needed to) on the morning of the second day. Then, we carried out the Burpee Drill for fun. We then spent the rest of the day shooting from barricades in various positions at the 275-yard line at both 8-inch gongs and C-zone steel that was laid out at varying distances.
A good portion of the second day was also spent on the vital nature of target selection or discrimination. We even paired up to shoot at pass/fail targets towards the end of the day.
One of the lessons driven home during this portion was to prove how invaluable the LPVO’s magnification abilities are for providing positive target identification. In short, one should buy the best optic they can afford because it will generally have more magnification power while also having better quality glass. This is not necessarily for shooting further away but rather for seeing the target better.
This probably applies more to police officers than defensive-minded civilians, but it’s still a good takeaway regardless. After all, one of the safety rules in shooting is “be sure of your target and what lies beyond.”
The Burpee Drill
My burpee drill target. Frankly, I’m glad that I got 24 shots inside the 8-ring. That was better than I expected because this drill can be intense.
The Burpee Drill was a voluntary bonus drill that was carried out on the morning of the second day. I wanted to touch on it because it was equal parts fun, neat, agonizing, informative, and challenging.
It’s an easy drill to conduct. Par time is set for five minutes, and the goal of the drill is to have the shooter fire 30 rounds at 100 yards from the prone at an NRA B-8 target and ideally land all 30 rounds inside of the 10-ring.
The only catch is one has to jump up and then sprawl back down into the prone in between shots (thus 30 complete modified burpees with carbine in hand). Even for those who are physically fit, the drill starts to get challenging after the first 15-20 rounds.
Besides the physicality and challenge of the drill itself, its lesson is that accuracy with an LPVO at 100 yards does not degrade as bad as people expect even with an elevated heart rate and while trying to beat the pressure of the clock.
It’s fun and worth trying once. But forget the 10-ring. Even landing all 30 rounds inside the 8-ring would be a worthy achievement.
People think that “dressing well” and “dressing up” are the same thing. Because of this, many think that the mere fact they’re wearing a tie or collared shirt is sufficient. The truth is that it looks like very little care or effort was put forward. However, when you are intentional about your wardrobe choices, it makes a statement.
Being Intentional About Your Wardrobe
It can be a very in-depth topic, and there are numerous books written on the subject. My goal with this video is for it to serve as a primer, highlighting the distinction between the two concepts.
Dressing Up has two common implications. We dress up for special occasions (like weddings, graduations, etc.) or for Halloween—masquerading as someone we’re not.
All too often, people look like they’re wearing costumes or at least look out of place. This is specifically because they’re so unfamiliar with how to dress correctly that their wardrobe exudes this.
However, the well-dressed individual can look presentable almost regardless of what they’re wearing because they understand the underlying principles and can apply them to a wide range of situations.
At its core, being well-dressed is as simple as having your clothing fit in a flattering manner. The colors jive with your complexion, and you are in control of the message that the image portrays.
Simple things like switching from graphic tees to solids, baggy clothes to ones that fit closer to the body, avoiding jarring color contrasts, and wearing appropriate footwear and accessories can have a huge impact.
Kydex, Bolatron, and other thermoplastics rule the holster market. The idea seems kind of new. By new, I mean it really took over in the last twenty years or so. It seems like one of those GWOT inventions from which we all benefitted. In reality, it dates all the way back to 1972. It was 1972 when FBI Agent Bill Rogers created the first Kydex holster. The story of Kydex holsters and their rise to dominance is interesting and proves that certain attitudes never change.
The First Kydex Holster
Bill Rogers found himself in a wrestling match with a bad guy. In this melee, his gun escaped his Hank Sloan holster and bounced off a wall before it finally came to rest on the ground. The Hank Sloan holster is another interesting story. The FBI adopted the Hank Sloan holster for their S&W Model 10 revolvers. Hank Sloan was an FBI agent who served from 1935 to 1971.
The Classic Hank Sloan holster (FBI)
Hank’s rig was an all-leather design with an open-top holster. It was a gun bucket, which was more or less standard for the time. Bill Rogers wanted to create a more modern holster, and he had a history of working with fiberglass and started there. That didn’t pan out due to the fragility of the material.
He then turned to a material known as Noryl. Noryl worked but had a very high forming temperature, so it was difficult to mold. This new material called Kydex sprung into the world and was first used in the interior of aircraft. The material was tough, chemical resistant, and, best of all, had a forming point of 350 degrees. Mr. Rogers formed the first Kydex holster in 1972 and had an almost instant buyer.
The FBI and Kydex
An armorer working at the FBI liked the holster and experimented with one for a bit and came to Bill and offered to purchase 400 of them—but there was a catch. The hard internal thermoplastic ate the finish off of the Model 10s, and the FBI couldn’t have that. How do we fix that? How about gluing leather to the panel prior to forming it over the gun?
Well, it’s an idea, but the 350 degrees needed to mold the holster melted the glue, and it just didn’t work. It was a bit of fate that Rogers would work a case regarding interstate property theft that involved a trucking company in some way. While investigating, he witnessed the shop recap tires and asked how it worked.
He learned that a mix of nitrile with some other chemicals created a heat-resistant adhesive. He began using this adhesive to secure shoulder leather inside the holster but found out that it didn’t work well. Experimentation resulted in learning that belly leather wasn’t only cheaper but more pliable and worked better with heat because it moved as the holster molded to the gun.
Rogers solved the problem, and the FBI kept their word and ordered 400 of the original Rogers Holsters. Bill Rogers filed for a patent in 1972 and received the patent in 1975.
Familiar Attitudes
The original holsters were sold to the FBI, but they weren’t that popular elsewhere at first. People didn’t want a plastic holster, and like the M16, it was compared to something made by Mattel. It’s a similar attitude we’ve seen over and over again with the gun industry. The resistance to kydex holster is no different than the initial resistance to semi-auto handguns, polymer frame pistols, the M16, and intermediate calibers.
That didn’t stop Rogers Holsters. The company moved to layering leather on the outside of the holster. This created a kydex rig that was completely covered with leather. It looked like a leather holster but still had the benefits of kydex. This includes better retention, a faster draw, and greater durability.
Other companies tried to create similar designs, and holsters with metal cores would bend under pressure and often lock the gun in the holster. Kydex’s little give and flexibility prevented it from permanently bending and breaking as easily as other options.
This led to Rogers working with the SEAL teams. In fact, he and a SEAL worked together to develop a waterproof holster. Testing involved open-water swimming in the ocean, and Roger’s holsters succeeded and were adopted. Major police forces purchased his holsters across the world.
Rogers Today
Years later, Rogers designed a holster for Safariland, the Model 070, and eventually, Safariland purchased Rogers Holster Company. Bill Rogers still develops new products, trains new shooters, and is a force for the betterment of defensive handgun use.
Some folks noticed the Clipdraw on my P32 and asked my thoughts on it. Honestly, I’m not a fan. There are a ton of drawbacks to holsterless carry.
Even setting aside the potential concern that comes from an uncovered trigger (which is less of an issue on DA guns), my biggest issue is with the ride height.
Combine that with the insufficient standoff from the beltline, and you can’t get the type of deep concealment draw that Rhett talks about in his video.
Smith & Wesson has a rich history of producing beloved revolvers. Their semi-custom guns from the Performance Center are highly sought after, and many companies use S&W revolvers as their base. S&W also collaborates with select shops to create unique semi-custom designs, such as the new UC series. However, if we delve into the past, we discover the Wyatt Deep Cover S&W J-Frame revolvers, a decade-old gem with its own distinct features.
I only recently discovered these guns when I attended a local auction, and one hit the block. While I wasn’t personally interested in the gun, I wrote the name down out of curiosity. I like somewhat obscure limited lines of guns and would forget it by the end of the day. I found a fascinating story in researching the Wyatt Deep Cover line of S&W J-frames.
What’s a Wyatt Deep Cover 637
The Wyatt Deep Cover J-Frames were semi-custom guns produced with a partnership between Richard Wyatt and S&W. Richard Wyatt told S&W he could take one of their J-frames and modify it in under half an hour to create a super smooth and slick double action trigger. S&W invited him to their business to do just that, and sure enough, he could. In less than half an hour, he conducted a trigger job on an S&W 637 that resulted in a trigger reportedly better than the Performance Center Triggers. It reduced the pull weight from 15 pounds to 11 pounds.
Centurion Auctions
S&W purchased Mr. Wyatt’s idea and created a line of Wyatt Deep Cover Revolvers. These guns were quite a hit. They offered a silky double-action trigger without costing much more than a standard 637. Manufacturing the gun only added a half hour, so it was a win for both S&W and the customer.
Centurion Auctions
Outside of the trigger work, the guns also wore Desantis Clip Grips. These are hard plastic grips with a clip built in to allow you to carry the gun in your waistband sans holster. It’s not my method of carry, but with a trigger guard device it could be perfectly safe. This line of Wyatt Deep Cover guns seemed to be quite small, and I doubt many folks outside of S&W collectors have ever heard of them. I’m curious if S&W still uses the technique Wyatt taught them in any of its guns.
Wyatt, Gunsmoke, and the Discovery Channel
One of the most striking features of the gun on the auction block was the Gunsmoke logo emblazoned across the barrel. Gunsmoke, a name synonymous with the classic Western television show, was also the name of a gun store owned by Richard Wyatt. While his name may not ring a bell, Richard Wyatt and his family were no strangers to the limelight. They had a show on the Discovery Channel called American Guns, which I remember watching during its run.
I probably watched more than a couple of episodes during its run, and it was a contemporary of Sons of Guns. I can’t recall much about the show, but after doing a little research, I can easily see why neither series lasted long. Will Hayden and Richard Wyatt were both convicted of felonies, albeit Rich’s was way less heinous than Will’s.
(Richard Wyatt)
Richard Wyatt lost his Federal Firearms License in 2012 for numerous infractions. It seems like he was making deals and sales outside of his shop or a regularly recognized gun show. From what I understand, FFL holders can only conduct business at their shop or at an established gun show.
That was right in the middle of the American Guns show run. Rich couldn’t sell guns anymore, but, not wanting to lose his show, he pulled a sneaky. Folks would come into his gun store and browse but were directed to another FFL holder to complete their purchase. Rich wasn’t a fan of paying taxes.
It turns out that when you run a show about selling guns, you should probably have an FFL. If you’re going to break federal firearm laws, you should probably pay your taxes. I live by the advice of only breaking one law at a time.
The Fate of the Wyatt Deep Cover Specials
These guns still pop up here and there. Prices vary, and they aren’t considered highly collectible but are admittedly rare. You’ll probably spend more than a J-Frame, but not much more. The Wyatt Deep Cover guns are neat little pieces of history. Understandably, S&W didn’t seem to want to keep them around after Wyatt was sentenced to six years in prison.
How often do you practice self care? How often do you do something special or a little indulgent because it’s something you enjoy? Do you value yourself enough to make your life worth defending?
Make it a Life Worth Defending
I’m not suggesting that you actually assign your life a dollar value, or that you have to spend tons of money on expensive luxuries in order for this to apply. Merely that showing yourself some love and kindness every so often is a good practice, and can also serve as reminder of what you’re trying to protect.
My hobbies are pursuits outside of the defense & applied violence realm and exist for two reasons:
1) They give me balance. If I find myself burning out on the punchy shooty stuff I have several completely unrelated rabbit holes that I can geek out on for a while.
2) They bring me pleasure. Some of it is sensual, but it’s also my preferred form of artistic expression. I’ve never been much for drawing, painting, or sculpting, and playing music is only fun for me when in a group. However, creating a beautiful cocktail, a well-plated meal, or a perfect cup of coffee is something I find immensely satisfying. And it’s an experience I can easily share with others, which allows me to spread that pleasure and joy.
The same applies to style. Aesthetics for the sake of aesthetics can be enjoyable.
Appreciate the Little Things in Life
A lot of this boils down to being able to appreciate the little things, to take pause and just appreciate the fact that you’re even drawing breath right now.
We all have that thing stashed away that we’re saving for a “special occasion.” Screw that! Any day has the ability to be special, and that’s something to be celebrated.
We get so bogged down either in the drudgery of our day to day routine or the fixation on a statistically insignificant sentinel event that it becomes very easy to lose sight of the “why” behind it all.
That is why I encourage everyone to pause from time to time and find an excuse to celebrate—to indulge a little.
Spend an extra $20 on that next bottle of booze if that’s your thing. Maybe pick up one nice versatile custom dress shirt that you’ll get some mileage out of. Even something as simple as taking your car through the carwash so it frees up some time for you over the weekend (unless washing your car is a zen thing for you, then go to town!).
Remind yourself that you have value. That you’re worth it. Small acts can help cement that mentality.
So what’s your self-love language? ….I really need to find a better term for that.
Who remembers the days of 89-dollar Mosin Nagant rifles? What about Nagant revolvers and CZ 52s for less than a hundred dollars and ammo costing almost nothing for bulk-packed corrosive stuff? Those days are long gone, and it might feel like you can’t find any old guns for a decent price. I can see why you think that, but it’s not entirely true. Admittedly, the military surplus market has mostly exploded, but you can still find old guns at great prices, including the S&W Model 1903 revolver.
The old S&W I frames, often overlooked, have a unique charm. It’s true, they have an awkward size frame, smaller than the J-frame and almost awkwardly small. Guns like the S&W Model 1903 Hand Ejector are too big to be pocket pistols with long barrels and elongated frames. The size of the S&W 1903 guns is somewhat awkward, but they hold a significant place in history. The I Frame was the first S&W hand ejector design, a pioneer that introduced the swing-out cylinder and an ejector rod, features we see on 99% of double-action revolvers produced today.
These were produced in 1896, too late to be picked up by cowboys and too soon to be the guns of private detectives. They didn’t get a pop culture push or famed users to make these guns collectible or desirable. That’s a good thing if you like old guns and want an affordable model. I’ve picked up two of these guns this year and spent less than $150 on each. That’s a Hi-Point and a half for a S&W revolver.
What’s the Catch With the S&W 1903?
There isn’t a catch unless you want a Model 1903 for defensive use. I would say the safety features are a bit out of date. Okay, if I had to come up with a downside, it would be the caliber. The gun fires the .32 S&W Long cartridge. This little cartridge isn’t bad per se, but it’s expensive and somewhat tough to find. However, the round has seen a slight revival with the advent of the S&W 432 UC. I’ve been able to find .32 S&W long quite easily at my local gun store and even Academy.
It’s still 60 cents a round, but I can find it. The .32 S&W Long delivers crazy good accuracy. How accurate? Do you know those high-end Italian super pistols designed for competition? Due to its absurd accuracy, it’s one of the rounds that often finds its way into those pistols. You can easily find wadcutters designed specifically for these guns that also work well in revolvers.
Old Gun – Old Charm
The blued finish of these guns is gorgeous. It’s a beautiful gun, and that shiny reflexive finish holds a ton of charm. The S&W Model 1903 is downright charming. The little gun is simple with its thin wood grips, or should I say stocks, and front blade sight. The ejection rod remains unshrouded and has that big circular knob that makes it easy to punch out empties. Speaking of, the gun holds six rounds. It’s deceptively small for a six-shooter, but the smaller size of the .32 S&W Long makes it easy.
These guns have that old-school turn-of-the-century revolver design that just eeks charm. They are beautiful enough to be display pieces. The barrels are round without flats, the grips and the frame have humps and lines we don’t often see. The S&W Model 1903 is the definition of a cool old gun.
These Model 1903s were popular options for city law enforcement. The little .32 wasn’t seen as a poodle shooter like it is today. A lot of metropolitan police were largely unarmed, so when the first firearms were adopted, they went with lightweight, somewhat compact frames.
To The Range
The Model 1903 hand ejectors are fun little shooters, and they are, in most cases, safe to shoot. Obviously, if the gun was beaten up, abused, and rusted out, then consult a knowledgeable gunsmith. In most cases, the low-pressure .32 S&W Long wasn’t abusive on these guns, and they are safe and easy to shoot.
If you like low recoil, then you’ll love the S&W Model 1903. Even for their small size, the recoil is downright pleasant and enjoyable. It’s a step above a .22 Magnum, but not by much. You get plenty of smoke from the old cartridge but not much more. What’s also fun is the accuracy. You quickly learn why high-end bull’s eye competition shooters utilize the cartridge. The gun is very accurate, even with a tiny rear trench sight and the thin front blade.
The long, heavy double-action trigger pulls are often smoothed by time, and the single-action triggers are super light. Pair a good trigger with an accurate round, and you can send rounds into a quarter-sized group at 7 yards. At 50 the little round can ding a 10-inch gong easily and consistently.
The .32 S&W Long is a solid small game cartridge. The S&W Model 1903 can be used to hunt rabbits and similar-sized game. That’s probably one of the few roles this gun could be used for in the modern era. It can be a good option for dealing with all sorts of pests, too, but it’s a pricey way to replace a .22LR.
Cool Old Guns
Old guns are rarely affordable these days. It’s smart to snatch one up when you find one because cool old guns rarely remain affordable. The S&W Model 1903 series is one of the few old guns that remains affordable, relatively easy to find, and a ton of fun to shoot.
