Decoding S&W Frame Sizes

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July 11, 2024

J-Frame, K-Frame, LMNOP frames, what does it mean? Smith & Wesson has standardized its various frame sizes under different alphabetical initials. This standardized naming method has become almost universal amongst revolver enthusiasts. Colt, Taurus, Ruger, and the like won’t ever call their revolvers K-Frames or J-Frames, but the enthusiasts will. These frame sizes constantly reference revolver sizes, but what do they mean? Are you up to date on S&W frame sizes? If not, you come to the right spot.

M-Frame

The M-Frame series is one of S&W’s forgotten frame sizes. This tiny frame design was their smallest hand-ejector model produced from 1902 to 1922. They sold this seven-shot .22 S&W Long rimfire revolver as the LadySmith. This was the only M frame produced, but the Ladysmith title lived on and has graced both semi-autos and J-frame revolvers.

I-Frame

I-Frames were the earliest frame sizes. In fact, I-frame guns existed before they were called I-Frames. This frame size is bigger than an M and smaller than a J. This was the first hand ejector produced by S&W from 1896 to 1960. These revolvers chambered cartridges like .32 S&W, .38 S&W, and .22 long rifle.

J-Frame

J-frames dominate the concealed carry market for revolvers. They are slightly larger than I-frames, were introduced in 1950, and remain in production. The little J-frame has seen its fair share of calibers, with the most common being .38 Special. This frame size has numerous variants with different materials ranging from steel to polymer. It’s likely the most popular frame size produced these days.

C-Frame

Another forgotten frame size is the C-frame. This experimental revolver size was designed to compete directly with the Colt Detective special. It had a six-shot capacity and used a J-frame combined with a K-frame cylinder to provide a compact, six-shot revolver. This frame size was produced in 1973 as the Model 73, and only 5,000 were produced. Due to safety concerns, they were destroyed, and only roughly 20 are left.

K-Frame

The K-Frame is the famous medium-frame revolver size. These guns began production in 1899 as the M&P guns. The K-frame became the duty-sized revolvers for generations of police officers. The most popular chambering is the .38 Special. Calibers like .22 LR and .22 Magnum are also popular, and target models in .32 S&W Long were created. S&W produced .357 K-frames, but they weren’t designed for long-term use with the powerful magnum cartridge.

L-Frame

L-frame revolvers were developed due to law enforcement’s demand for a more stout and sturdy duty revolver that could handle a full diet of .357 Magnum cartridges. The L-frame is larger than the K-frame but still falls into the medium-sized frame designation. These beefed-up frames accommodate powerful .357 magnum loads, and their slightly larger design allows for seven shot cylinders for .357 Magnum and are strong enough to handle .44 Magnum.

N-Frame

S&W produced the N-frame size to accommodate larger bore .44 and .45 calibers. This frame size was introduced in 1935 and remains in production. The big guns could handle six shots of .44 Magnum and .45 Colt and were the first guns to handle the .357 Magnum. They are known for their large grips and heavy design but also for being stout and durable. Their large frame sizes allow for up to 8 rounds of .357 Magnum or six rounds of big bore cartridges like .44 Magnum.

X-Frame

X Frame is where big got even bigger. When S&W got into the .460 S&W Magnum and .500 S&W Magnum cartridges, they had to build an even bigger frame. These were introduced in 2003 and are absolutely massive guns that chamber massive rounds. The X-Frame series are some of the largest production revolvers in the world. They are used almost exclusively for hunting and causing lifelong wrist pain.

Z-Frame

The Z-frame is a weirdo. The only Z-frame is the S&W Governor, a 410 revolver. It features the grip from a K-frame but a massive frame to accommodate 3-inch .410 shotgun shells. It’s a six-shot revolver and stands out due to its length, which is more than its overall frame size.

Getting In Frame

Why each letter is used and why they aren’t in alphabetical order is lost to me. It admittedly does seem somewhat random. Now you know which letter means what, and hopefully, you’ve even picked up a little S&W history along the way. Personally, if you can, pick up an I frame in .32. They are joyous guns to shoot. What’s your favorite frame size?

IS YOUR TRAINING KEEPING YOU FROM IMPROVING? Maintaining Balance In Your Training & Your Daily Life

By

The Suited Shootist

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July 10, 2024

Is your training preventing you from actually getting better? I guess that would depend on what you mean by “better.” Are you finding balance in your training?

If you’re chasing the sub-2-second Bill Drill but haven’t had a medical class or read up on deadly force law in the last couple of years, is that really the best use of your time?

If you’ve got a match coming up, then maybe. If, however, you’re just the average citizen defender, it may benefit you to broaden your capabilities a bit.

It’s easy to fixate on the measurable performance metrics. Measurability provides both instant feedback and quantifiable growth. It’s far more difficult to gauge your proficiency with your verbal agility or social dexterity. There’s no score or par time for those things.

It’s also so easy to rabbit-hole on the defensive practices as a whole that you inadvertently neglect other aspects of your life. Dedication and commitment are admirable, but don’t let the defensive lifestyle monopolize your life to the point that you forget to be a friend, spouse, parent, etc.

All of this should enable us to live life to the fullest. We should not live in such a risk-averse bubble that we prioritize control and security over experiences.

Investing In Gun Stocks – A New Way To Fight For Gun Rights?

By

Travis Pike

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July 10, 2024

Let’s start this by saying this is not investment advice. You should never take investment advice from a website that writes about guns—especially from me. I know very little about investing, and my portfolio is all about slowly getting rich through the S&P 500, a good IRA, and CDs while interest rates are high. However, today, I want to propose the idea of investing in gun stocks not as necessarily a means to make money but as a way to significantly contribute to the fight for gun rights.

As far as gun rights go, things are looking good. Like DJ Khaled, all we do is win. This winning in courts and even public opinion is due to the folks at gun rights groups like the GOA, SAF, and even the NRA. Believe it or not, the NRA helped fund a chunk of the brace ban litigation and, last time I checked, paid for half of it. We fight in the courts and even in the court of public opinion, but are we losing ground elsewhere?

The other side, the anti-civil rights side, has been losing left and right. But when you lose, you tend to either give up or get creative. On the other side, they certainly haven’t given up. They’re still in the fight. They’ve gotten creative. They attack firearms from different angles. They attack advertising, use zoning regulations, and use the ATF to kill FFLs for minor paperwork issues. These groups even use organized efforts to attack firearm companies monetarily.

Gun Stocks and The Campaign To Unload

An organization called the Campaign to Unload is a scheme that encourages people and organizations of all sizes to divest from firearms and ammo companies. In fact, it encourages people to divest from any company that has anything to do with firearms. Here is what they say:

Campaign to Unload seeks to end gun violence with a bold new strategy. United with social justice activists and more than 50 organizations, we are hitting back at irresponsible gunmakers where it hurts: their sources of funding. With the help of student activists, the faith community, and civil rights leaders, we continue to grow our movement and fight for safer communities.

This new approach has caught the attention of MSNBC, Huffington Post, New Republic, Boston Globe, and many others, who have called the movement “the new front in the war on gun violence.”

They are fighting on a front I haven’t seen anyone on the firearm side even consider. If we want to preserve our civil rights, we have to fight the anti-civil rights groups at every front. This brings us back to gun stocks. Is purchasing shares of the few public ammo and gun companies a worthwhile way to combat things like Campaign to Unload?

Campaign to Unload has scored some wins. They got the California State Teachers Retirement System to divest from guns, as well as other pension funds in New York and Philly.

Beyond the Campaign to Unload

The Campaign to Unload is focused on divesting, but the Northwest Coalition for Responsible Investment is a group that’s taken a different approach. They work to purchase firearm stocks in large numbers so they can have a say in how firearm companies are run.

They push shareholder initiatives to get gun companies to change how they do business. So far, they haven’t been successful. Another group, the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, aims to do the same thing: purchase gun stocks to achieve some manner of control over how the business is run.

That doesn’t mean there haven’t been some successes. The largest shareholder of S&W, the ominous and somewhat terrifying Blackrock Inc., demanded that the company answer for the risk that its products cause. Admittedly, a company as large as Blackrock can own 9% of S&W and seem tough to conquer.

Luckily, S&W does own the majority of its company. Still, if every person purchased one share every time they purchased a S&W weapon, it could ideally make a difference.

American Gun Stocks

There aren’t a lot of companies that are public. I’m not a huge stock guy, so there might be more, but in searching, I found that S&W, Ruger, Olin, Vista Outdoor, and Ammo Inc. are all public. The price varies, but currently, S&W stock is trending pretty low.

At 15ish dollars a share (subject to change), it’s not a hefty investment. I purchased some, but this isn’t an investment advice. I don’t think my few shares will ever make me rich, but I see it as a small way to stand up to anti-gun groups looking to wage war on our civil rights via financial means. In an era where we fight for braces, 80 percent lowers, against AWbs, and more, we have to consider the financial side of this fight.

Then again, maybe buying ammo is a better investment.

YOUR SUITS SHOULD COST AS MUCH AS YOUR GUNS: Price Parallels Between Guns & Suits. Cost vs. Quality

By

The Suited Shootist

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July 9, 2024

CAVEAT:
This was originally filmed in 2022, before I was aware of Taurus’ increase in QC and production methods. As such, I no longer view them as a bottom-tier firearm.

Understanding the Rule When Buying Guns & Suits

There’s all sorts of buying rules:

Live on X% of your income.

The ring should cost two month’s salary.

Spend as much on the scope as you do on the rifle.

Every hobby has its guidelines on how people should spend their money.

I found that clothing is one arena where people don’t necessarily understand WHY certain things cost more or less. Most of the time, you hear the excuse, “Well you’re just paying for the label”

Sometimes that’s true. ESPECIALLY with well-known fashion brands that people want to show off. I’m looking at you, Gucci, Prada, YSL, and Armani.

With that said, there’s differences in material and build quality between cheap department store suits & a well made garment from a tailor just the same way as there’s differences between Hi Point and Heckler & Koch.

I break it down into a few simple categories, to try and contextualize what you’re really getting for your money, and keep things relevant and relatable.

The EPS Carry – The Future of Micro-Sized Optics

By

Travis Pike

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July 9, 2024

Optics and handguns are like peanut butter and chocolate. They just go together. Small handguns, big handguns, competition guns, self-defense guns, every handgun is improved by a red dot. On small, concealable handguns, the Shield RMSc footprint rules, but until very recently, we were limited to open emitter optics. Open emitters are mostly fine, but an enclosed design delivers more reliability, and Holosun has finally checked that box with the EPS Carry.

The EPS Carry uses a creative design to allow an enclosed emitter optic to fit a Shield RMSc footprint. The design places the rear window directly in front of the points where the bolts secure the optic to the gun. It’s clever, and Holosun found a creative way to cram an enclosed red dot into a very small space. I mounted mine to my favorite automatic carry gun, a SIG P365XL.

The Holosun EPS – More Than One

Holosun, much like SIG, offers a range of options with the EPS Carry. The EPS Carry is slightly smaller than the larger EPS and comes in various models. There’s the MRS model with multiple reticles and a solar panel, models with 2 MOA reticles, and models with 6 MOA reticles. I opted for the EPS Carry Green 6, a green reticle with a 6 MOA dot. This model doesn’t have a solar panel, making it a simpler, more affordable option.

The Holosun EPS Carry comes with some of Holosun’s most desirable features. These include a side-loading battery and large adjustment buttons for easy use. The turrets are placed in a location identical to the 407K series. The system boasts an impressive battery life of 50K hours, and Holosun’s shake-awake design automatically shuts the optic off after ten minutes of no movement.

Once the optic detects movement, it springs back to life at the last setting used. The shake-awake design is programmable. It can be turned off, set up to 12 hours, and user-programmable. Ten minutes is fine. The EPS Carry series features the Holosun Super LED design, which makes the brights brighter and dimmer for NVG use.

Through the Looking Glass

The Holosun EPS Carry provides a clear set of glass. Holosun has redesigned its glass to provide an overall clearer design and uses aspherical glass lenses with zero distortion. That’s what they claim, and my eyes can’t detect any specific level of distortion. The dot is most certainly a step up from my old 407K.

It’s crisper and clearer. The dot is a perfectly round 6 MOA design. I was downright impressed by the dot. I typically use a smaller dot, but the 6 MOA design was eye-catching and easy to see in various lighting conditions. According to Holosun, the EPS Carry sits low enough to work with most stock iron sights. Being able to cowitness is valuable, but sadly, that doesn’t work with the P365. However, it does seem to work with the Hellcat series of pistols.

Throwing Lead With the Holosun EPS

With the optic mounted, secured, and ready to rock and roll, I hit the range. I use a 25-yard zero with my handguns. I start at 15 yards, zero, then back up to 25 yards and rezero. In my two zeroes, I got a feel for the turrets. They provide both tactile and audible feedback. I can feel those little clicks, and the feedback makes it easy to know what each click does.

I zeroed in quickly and got A-zone hits at 25 yards rapidly and easily. At 25 yards, the dot was like cheating. I could ring a ten-inch gong, and with the right timing, I could make the gong swing and stop. If I trotted my butt back to 50 yards, I could hit a steel IPSC target over and over. It’s addictive to hear the ding.

To get my steps in, I trotted back to close range and tried my hand at a Bill drill from concealment. The dot was easy and quick to find. The window is small, but if you can master your presentation, you won’t have a problem finding the dot. Tracking the dot between shots was also very easy; I could keep it moving easily.

I fired the weapon and optic in various positions and situations. I took it behind cover, in the prone position, with one hand, and more. There wasn’t a weak spot I could find with the EPS Carry. A 6 MOA dot is big, but it’s not big enough to obscure the target, especially at self-defense ranges. The Holosun EPS is a worthy successor to the 407K on my P365.

The New Standard

In the past, Holosun was considered an optics company that clones other designs. The EPS shows they are growing, changing, and adapting to new needs. The EPS Carry is the best micro-sized optic on the market.

TUCKED VS. UNTUCKED SHIRT CONCEALED DRAW: Featuring the PHLster Enigma. Draw to First Shot

By

The Suited Shootist

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July 8, 2024

Six months ago, I did a dry run of my concealed draw to first shot times with the PHLster Enigma from under a tucked-in concealment garment.

Concealed Draw to First Shot

Given that I was wearing my Duluth joggers in that video, some people were concerned that actual pants would have a more restrictive waistband that would significantly impact the draw times.

So I ventured out to Big Tex Ordnance’s new range facility to put it on the clock and see for myself.

And the results were….

The same. There’s no appreciable difference between draw to first shot with a tucked shirt vs. untucked.

The only thing that had a major impact on things was when I added the additional layer of the jacket.

The Surgeon General – Florida Won’t Comply

By

Travis Pike

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July 8, 2024

Florida’s Governor, Ron DeSantis, recently spoke out against a public health advisory issued by the Surgeon General. In a Twitter post, he called the move unconstitutional and wrote, “We will not comply. Florida will always reject the Biden Administration’s unconstitutional power grabs.”

Surgeon General Vivek Murthy declared firearm violence a public health crisis on Tuesday, June 25th, which incited a quick backlash by gun rights advocates. NRA Director Randy Kozuch released a statement, “This is an extension of the Biden Administration’s war on law-abiding gun owners.”

Governor DeSantis issued his statement on June 27th. In the Surgeon General’s announcement, he stated, “Firearm violence is a public health crisis. Our failure to address it is a moral crisis.”

The Surgeon General’s advisory called for universal background checks, required secure firearm storage, and a ban on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines for civilian use. There was a call to “create safer conditions in public places related to firearm use and carry.”

The Surgeon General Report – More Than Words?

It’s worth noting that a public health advisory is not a law and does not create any administrative policies regarding firearms. It’s not binding in any way. In reality, it’s nothing more than the Surgeon General taking a political stance against American Civil Rights.

What is worth noting is that current gun control efforts are focused on administrative means to strip citizens of their gun rights. Lawmakers are not creating gun control laws but using dictates and executive orders to enforce gun control. The administrative war on firearms isn’t new, but in recent years, the use of administrative policies has increased drastically.

Green Ops Defensive Kalashnikov Class AK — (Photo by P.E. Fitch)

One of the most brazen uses of this administrative war on gun rights was President Trump’s bumpstock ban. Since then, the Biden administration has attempted to use administrative efforts to ban 80% frames and lowers, pistol braces, and to prevent private gun sales. This represents a terrifying use of administrative power that circumvents Congress.

While the statement from the Surgeon General isn’t binding, it could potentially help set the stage for future administrative gun control efforts. This time, the focus could be on using public health laws to create administrative rules that greatly affect gun owners. While political pundits may see Gov. DeSantis’s rejection of the advisory as unnecessary, I believe things like this should be fought from the very beginning.

It’s like a fire. You do not allow it to grow into an uncontrollable blaze; you use your resources to stomp it out before it can cause any damage.

Reading Into the Advisory

The Advisory from the Surgeon General is chock full of anti-gun talking points and language. It uses terms like “assault weapons” to mislead to the extent that it’s a downright lie. In reality, rifles like the AR-15 are very rarely used in crime. According to FBI statistics, hands and feet are used more often than rifles of any kind.

The Doubletap load and the Federal 150-grain TSJ Action Pistol rounds proved accurate and fed and functioned fine through the gun.

Terms like large-capacity magazines are also strategically used to deceive and mislead. What’s a standard capacity magazine? The term large-capacity, when used by anti-gun advocates like the surgeon general, simply means standard capacity. They don’t specify a standard capacity, so they can always lower the capacity.

If they get ten, they’ll go for seven. They’ll ask for five if they get a restriction to seven rounds. The language used is purposeful, and anti-civil rights advocates have mastered the art of deceitful language. More state and local governments should take a stand against anti-firearms administrative rulings, assignments, boards, rules, etc. Put the fire out early and ensure their constituents are able to retain their constitutional rights.

The Court Artist Of The Tactical Community

By

P.E. Fitch

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July 7, 2024

DrawnFire Art Lorin Michki — S&W Triple Lock: A colored pencil drawing of the historic Smith & Wesson Triple Lock N-Frame revolver.

Lorin Michki is a talented artist, printmaker, and illustrator who’s been making a name for himself over the past few years as the unofficial-official “court artist” of the tactical community. I specifically use that moniker because the majority of his works chronicle many of today’s influential firearms trends, like double-stack 1911/2011 pistols, the Beretta 1301 shotgun, or AR-15s with modern accouterments. Likewise, he’s created many works that feature fictional characters in cult-classic films typically enjoyed by most “gun-guys.”

Michki also does an excellent job honoring the classics, as many of his compositions consist of classic firearms like the original 1911 pistol, the P.08 Luger, or classic Smith & Wesson/Colt revolvers. Other works have a more humorous nature and are rooted in Internet meme culture, while some can be more serious. As a classically trained artist, Michki is skilled in portraiture and has experience working with other mediums like oil paints. He accepts commissions for both firearms art and art beyond firearms.

The Rise Of DrawnFire Art

Michki’s background in art stems from his high school days, where he spent time in his father’s tattoo shop, improving his drawing skills. After graduating from high school, he enrolled in college, where he earned an art degree. Much of his time during his college years was also spent teaching art and drawing to other students as an adjunct instructor.

Around this time frame, Michki bought his first handgun, a .357 Magnum Ruger Blackhawk revolver, at the age of 21. Slowly, he grew more into his newfound hobby and interest. Like many of us, this also meant spending his free time watching firearms videos on YouTube and posting about them in assorted Facebook groups.

It wasn’t long before he began drawing and sketching gun-related artwork and sharing it for fun online.

Lorin Michki’s Debuting Works

The first two prints Michki sold in the mid 2010s after serendipitously sharing them on social media by chance.

Through chance, after posting two drawings in a group, another member of that group messaged him and offered Michki cash to purchase them. This first transaction would turn out to be the catalyst that set things in motion for Michki and his company, DrawnFire. The first patron turned into a second, then a third, and so on, until Michki began creating his works of art in his spare time away from his day jobs.

During the early days, he was able to turn his talents into a side hustle. Through his excellent work, the amount of patrons requesting commissions kept growing. These days, he works full time as an artist and makes his living through his commission work and the sale of his prints online.

The name DrawnFire is a combination of his original name, “Draw and Fire,“ which references his artistic ability to draw and his love of shooting. This name was eventually shortened to DrawnFire. It still carries its original meaning but is also a play on the act of drawing and shooting [a handgun from a holster].

Artistic Tools And Style

Michki is talented with several artistic mediums, including ink and pen, colored pencils, watercolor, and even oil paints. He favors the Japanese Sakura Micron black ink pen and Prismacolor colored pencils.

For much of his works, his go-to is the high-end BFK Rives paper of French origin. The best way to describe BFK Rives paper to a gun-centric audience is by likening it to a rifle powder like Varget. The way Varget is the powder of choice across the board for rifle cartridge reloaders, the same holds true of BFK Rives paper for artists and printmakers.

The majority of the work he sells is made mostly with colored pencils or pen and ink. As mentioned previously, Michki’s subject matter includes firearms, the characters depicted in classic “gun-guy” movies, historical figures, mythical figures, grim figures, and even memetic figures. There are even some thematically appropriate surrealist pieces amongst his work.

In addition, much of his works depict American military and law enforcement personnel. These works, especially, are reminiscent of the artwork of the late Dick Kramer. During a phone call with Michki, I asked him if Kramer was a direct influence, as it wouldn’t be an unreasonable assumption to make. It turns out that while Kramer’s work wasn’t a direct influence on Michki’s work, they became friends until Kramer’s passing in 2022.

Selected Works And Gallery

Below are a few selected works created by Michki that highlight a range of drawing styles with his preferred mediums like pen and ink, colored pencil, and watercolor. Frankly, the selected works below are only a few and cannot showcase the entire spectrum of his talent. They’re here primarily to exemplify the diversity of his work, maybe not thematically but certainly from a technical perspective.

From top to bottom:

G-Men: A testament to Michki’s skills with a pen. To show the entire spectrum of light and shadow in this noir-themed composition, he uses an important pen and ink technique called stippling. The shadows on the rounds of the slide and frame of that Colt Model Of 1911 are exquisite.
Hamer Of Justice: In this portrait of legendary lawman Frank Hamer, Michki similarly demonstrates mastery of another pen-and-ink technique called hatching [and cross-hatching]. Whereas stippling makes for a “smoother” image, hatching comes off as grainier and gritty, which perfectly captures the look and feel of Hamer on horseback as an old-school Texas Ranger.
100 Years: In colored pencil, 100 Years depicts the original Colt 1911 pistol—the first model to enter military service—next to the USMC Colt M45A1—the last 1911 version to serve in the US Military.
Roland Special Variation 2: Another monochrome work that predominantly uses pen and ink stippling to illustrate the Roland Special Glock 19—a modified 9mm Glock 19 with an aftermarket KKM Precision barrel and compensator and a Trijicon RMR reflex sight. The Roland Special was a forerunner in the category of compensated tactical pistols with slide-mounted optics.
Jack: Lorin Michki painted this watercolor portrait of Jack Clemons upon learning of his passing. The proceeds from the sale of these portraits are earmarked directly for Jack’s family.
Enduring Toward Morning: This Lorin Michki original was inspired by End Of The Trail, a sculpture of a weary Native American man and his tired horse. Instead of the threadbare blanket and spear, the Native American man in Michki’s version holds a scoped Barrett MK22 MRAD rifle.

The Takeaway

Lorin Michki is an American artist whose work is important to the world of American firearms. Much of his work depicts historically significant and classic firearms or historical events alike. This strikes a chord with me as a writer because being aware of and respecting the history of our gun culture is important. It not only helps us understand how and where we came from, but where we’re going in the future.

Similarly, Michki’s work captures many enigmatic aspects of today’s contemporary gun culture. You can find it in his works of modern Glocks and 2011 pistols adorned with modern tactical lights and slide-mounted reflex optics. Ditto for any of his features with modern AR-15 carbines and bolt-action rifles with the latest in riflescopes and bipods.

In a sense, Lorin Michki reminds me of noted Western artist Frederic Remington. Remington was born in 1861 and is best known for his work that captures the American West with depictions of cattle, horses, cowboys, bandits and Native Americans. Remington was alive during this raucous period of American history and was able to capture it in his work as it happened.

This is exactly how I feel about Michki’s work with those contemporary firearms themes as well. One day, time will pass us, too, and take everything. Only our art, photography, videos, and writings will remain. Tempus Fugit.

Support the Arts

Michki plys his craft as an artist to make a living from the sales of his prints, and the works his patrons commission him to carry out. He normally stays in contact with his fans and patrons through his social media channels, on Facebook and Instagram. His Etsy shop is probably the best place to view his artwork and purchase it, of course.

The best way to reach him to commission a work of art is via his email (drawnfireart@gmail.com).

Unbeatable Aesthetics – Five Just For Looks Features I Love

By

Travis Pike

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July 7, 2024

Looks are a big part of guns. We like guns that look nice. It’s the reason why we love stainless steel or two-tone guns. Looks play a role in our firearms selection to a certain extent. Sure, the most popular gun on the market is the plain Jane Glock series, so looks aren’t as important as function but looks matter. Today, I will dig into my five favorite unbeatable aesthetics in the world of firearms.

Unfluted Cylinders

Revolvers, in my opinion, always look nice or mostly look nice. Some of those cheap German guns were hot garbage. In fact, lots of European revolvers are hot garbage in the looks department. America rules! One of my favorite looks when it comes to firearms is revolvers with unfluted cylinders. The smooth, unfluted cylinders not only look fantastic but also give a stainless revolver a striking appearance that sets it apart from the rest.

It’s slightly cheaper for gun manufacturers to produce guns with unfluted cylinders because there is less manufacturing.

Unfluted cylinders used to be a sign of a cheap revolver, but fluting has been so standardized that it’s the norm, so unfluted smooth cylinders are uncommon and unusual.

They look fantastic and combine well with classic revolver aesthetics. Unfluted cylinders also add weight to the gun, which helps with recoil, providing a slight benefit. Companies like Taurus produce unfluted cylinders for guns like the 692 to distinguish the 9mm cylinder from the .357 Magnum cylinders.

Carry Handles

Oh boy, the carry handles have come back hard. In fact, they’ve become popular enough to get a little cringy. Most people associate carry handles with the AR and retro firearms, but I love carry handles on all sorts of firearms. FALs with carry handles? Yes, please. The same goes for carry handles on Barretts, the KS7, machine guns, and more.

In most cases, they harken back to the days of retro guns, but they’ve evolved. Guns like the Hellion from Springfield Armory have a carry handle-like apparatus, but it’s not a carry handle per se. Most modern ‘carry handles’ come with optics rails and are never designed to be used to carry the gun. They still give the gun that retro look that’s tough to beat.

Carry handles can be one of the more useful aesthetics. They can be used to carry the gun, but often house sighting systems as well as position optics at a surprisingly nice height. Carry handles can carry on for as far as I’m concerned.

Wood Furniture Where It Doesn’t Belong

I like wood furniture on all guns. To be clear, I think wood looks fantastic on military surplus rifles, classic hunting rifles, and shotguns. However, when it comes to wood, the unbeatable aesthetics apply to wood where it doesn’t belong. I’m talking wood on modern tactical weapons.

I’m talking wood furniture on AR-15s, Benelli M4s, handguns wearing optics, and Surefire Uboats. When you combine the classic appeal of wood with a modern tactical weapon, I fall in love. This includes pretty much all of Woox’s products, the Mossberg Retrograde series, and similar guns.

There is something about combining old with new that creates a new era of unbeatable aesthetics. If someone produces a wood-wearing bullpup rifle, I would spend an uncomfortable amount of money.

Shrouded Heatshields

I grew up as a child of the 1990s. In the 1980s and 1990s, there were tons and tons of shrouded handguards. They had this WW2-era look that terrified gun grabbers. Remember, barrel shrouds are the ‘shoulder thing that goes up.’ In reality, they covered the barrel to prevent you from burning your hand.

These were handguards at best. They were often made from stamped steel, round and full of holes to provide airflow to allow barrels to cool. One of the most famous examples is the TEC-9, but the concept goes all the way back to the Winchester 1897 Trench guns. The shrouded heatshields and handguards have this grim industrial look to them.

Maybe that’s why anti-gunners hate them so much. They are one of those unbeatable aesthetics that tend to be a little scary-looking, but they are not different than the handguards on any other gun. Some of these heatshields provided one of the earliest modular attachment points. Before M-LOK, you could use the holes in your barrel shroud to attach grips to your TEC-9.

Art Deco Gun Design

Last but not least, I want to look at an entire generation of firearms that is long lost. I call these art deco guns. These were mostly early semi-auto pistols produced from 1900 to 1950. Art Deco guns were the product of time, and they came to be before the world had a solid concept of the best way to produce handguns.

Art Deco guns include the Savage M1907, the Whitney Wolverine, the Remington Model 51, and other similar designs. These guns are full of swoops, curves, and lines that don’t make a whole lot of sense. They certainly weren’t the most efficient guns ever produced, but they look good and represent an early era of firearms design.

These days, producing some form of art deco pistol would be prohibitively expensive. You’d be paying for the unbeatable aesthetics of an Art Deco pistol rather than any functional features. Still, Remington did try with the R51, but we all saw how that went.

Looking Good

Aesthetics aren’t everything. Still, if you’re spending several hundred to thousand dollars on a gun, you should, at the very least, like what it looks like. Guns and their styles evolve over time, and I’m sure we all have our own favorites, but now you know mine.

Gunday Brunch 152: Dropping Guns is Bad, M’Kay?

By

Keith Finch

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July 7, 2024

Caleb’s back from Africa, and in this episode we have a real grab bag of topics as we get a little bit of Africa, a little bit about dropping guns, and some other fun ADHD content

AIWB SUIT CARRY: Special Considerations When Carrying Appendix Under A Jacket

By

The Suited Shootist

-

July 6, 2024

When most people think about carrying a handgun under a jacket, they default to either shoulder holsters or behind the hip. For those of us who carry appendix inside the waistband (AIWB), there are some unique considerations when an open-front cover garment, like a suit, is introduced.

AIWB Concealed Carry in a Suit

If you’ve only ever worn a closed-front cover garment like a hoodie or a t-shirt, it’s easy to overlook the challenges of how open-front clothing behaves.

This is where the “old guard” has one up on us. Whether it’s OG IDPA shooters or FBI carriers, they’re accustomed to contending with a vest or jacket.

The first time I tried this at the range, I used my regular drawstroke and quickly discovered that it was inconsistent and had a high potential for failure.

In this video, I discuss my discoveries and explain why I prefer to draw an appendix-carried handgun when wearing a jacket over everything.

The SureFire LPC Model 310

By

Travis Pike

-

July 6, 2024

Surefire’s story goes back further than the name Surefire. Surefire started in 1979, but it wasn’t called Surefire. The original company, Laser Products Corporation, focused on producing laser aiming tools. I covered their famed contribution to the Terminator film. However, there was a fortuitous shift in 1985 with the creation of the LPC Model 310.

Today, Surefire’s laser technology is exclusively integrated into its weapon lights. While Surefire also produces suppressors, iron sights, handheld lights, batteries, and more, its weapon-mounted lights have become its signature. The journey to this point began with the LPC Model 310, a significant milestone in the company’s history.

The LPC Model 310 wasn’t the first weapon-mounted light—that credit likely goes to the Wespi searchlight. However, it was arguably the first modern design and laid the groundwork for handgun weapon lights and weapon-mounted lights in general. Historically, soldiers have always found ways to make due, sometimes involving duct tape and hose clamps. Surefire made it possible to attach lights before pic rails were cool.

Introducing the LPC Model 310

The success of Surefire can be attributed in large part to the ingenuity of Ed Reynolds, a key figure in the company’s creation. Reynolds, the mastermind behind the laser used in the Terminator film, also conceptualized the LPC Model 310. His vision for a weapon-mounted light for handguns was brought to life with the support of Dr. John Mathews, the President of Surefire, who immediately recognized its potential and approved its production.

Much like the Terminator laser, this was due to a customer need. This time, it was for real-life badasses, not pretend movie ones. A Newport Beach SWAT team member came to Ed in need of a light mounted to a handgun. Today, we’d slap a light on a pic rail and call it a day, but this was way before pic rails made their way to handgun dustcovers.

Creating a weapon light for a handgun was a serious challenge, especially for a company that didn’t make lights. Ed took up the challenge and began producing prototypes. He started with a wood mockup and later created investment-grade cast bodies. This allowed him to create a specific footprint to attach a light to a 1911 without a rail.

They faced several logistical issues, including securing light heads, bodies, etc. Safety concerns with batteries inside a recoiling weapon also existed. This led Dr. Mathews to create a solution and hand it over to a battery manufacturer. This battery became known as the CR123A.

Laser Products created various working prototypes and eventually settled on a finished production model for the 310. It’s worth noting that LPC Model 310 wasn’t Surefire’s primary project; it was secondary to the various laser aiming systems the company produced.

To The Market

The Model 310, also known as the Model 310 Sure Fire, hit the market in 1985. The packaging used the term Sure Fire Tactical Light with a clever design to show how the light mounted to the gun. The LPC Model 310 was also used for the M1911 and Beretta 92FS pistols. Picking the Beretta was smart since 1985 was the same year the M9 was adopted for military service.

The light looks hefty, and at six ounces, it’s not quite lightweight. Still, for the era, it wasn’t a boat anchor. Prepare to be blown away! The 310 packed a mighty 15 lumens! All that power came from a single 3-volt lithium battery. The light is attached via the slide stop. Users have to remove and replace the slide stop with the Laser Products Slide Stop and pin to hold the body to the light.

Once installed, there wasn’t a reason to remove it. It was maintenance-free, and batteries were swapped out at the front of the light. The LPC 310 provided a set of ambidextrous controls: ambidextrous sliding levers. Pressure had to be maintained on the switch to keep the light on. The light essentially had a momentary only design. Two hands were required to operate the light and to fire the weapon.

Lighting Up the Future

The LPC Model 310 became a huge seller. It was a massive success for Laser Products Corporation. The next project became an integrated light for the Remington 870, then another for the MP5, and that created a shift. Laser Products Corporation became SureFire. The weapon-mounted light was a side project of a company that produced laser aiming systems, but that changed their prerogative.

The Proforce M17 can fit all the standard lights. Here with an X300U and will index compatible holsters

Weapon-mounted lights were no longer a side project. They became a primary goal for SureFire. These days, the company produces its own lamps, which led to handheld lights, headlamps, and more. In 30 years, the 15-lumen LPC 310 became the SureFire X300U, which packs 1,000 lumens of power. These days, Surefire remains the dominant weapon light company with extensive police and military users as well as a ton of civilian users.

It all started with one little light.

DRESSING WELL CAN SAVE YOUR LIFE! Looking Like “The Good Guy” Can Buy You Time W Responding Officers

By

The Suited Shootist

-

July 5, 2024

One of the risks we discuss as concealed carriers is being misidentified by responding officers after a defensive gun use. As it turns out, how you dress can impact how you’re perceived when it comes to IFF. Specifically, looking like “the good guy” can alter the perception of others, like responding officers.

Increase Your Odds by Looking Like “the Good Guy”

I’d theorized this back in one of my early articles, and it was confirmed when I attended John Hearne’s lecture at Tac-Con 2021.

In this video, I do a high-level overview of the study and how it relates to our lifestyle. John went into some depth on the Aveni study, and I found it immensely useful. Take this class as soon as you get the chance.

For more information, please visit TwoPillarsTraining.com.

Excerpt from the HPD OIS Report:

“The other important factors are demeanor, social class, and intoxication. In a video simulation study (Aveni, 2008), the researcher found that police are more likely to shoot when the suspect is younger. In terms of dress, the officer was less likely to shoot when the suspect was in business clothes as opposed to “punk dress” or street clothes such as hooded sweatshirts, blue jeans, or leather jackets.” pg 24-25]”

Tom Aveni Study:
A Critical Analysis of Police Shootings Under Ambiguous Circumstances

Force Science Institute Articles:
New Study May Radically Alter How Police Deadly Force is Viewed Part 1
What the Study of Shootings of Unarmed Suspects Means to You Part 2

Weird Military Sidearms Throughout History

By

Travis Pike

-

July 5, 2024

If you take a glance at most modern military firearms, you’re bound to come across a few themes. Most military handguns are 9mm semi-automatics. There is currently a mix of hammer-fired DA/SA designs and striker-fired designs in the space, but that’s about the biggest variance. That wasn’t always the case. There are plenty of weird military sidearms that defy expectations.

Today, we will go through history and pull out five weird military sidearms. There are lots and lots of weird guns out there, so I kept it to firearms I can confirm to have been carried by military forces in one way or another. These represent either interesting ideas, innovative options, or specialty weapons that were very niche.

1 – Duck’s Foot Pistol

The Duck’s Foot Pistol design came from Henry Nock. Mr. Nock liked multiple-barrel firearms, and he created the multibarrel Nock gun, which he’s most famous for. The Duck’s Foot pistol was a multi-barreled handgun named for the orientation of the barrels. They were splayed out at a variety of angles that made the gun look like a Duck’s foot.

The Duck’s foot originated in the 1700s and was produced until the early 1800s. The gun featured four rifled barrels that often unscrewed from the gun for loading, much like Queen Anne pistols.

Numerous manufacturers produced Duck’s foot pistols, but they were mostly percussion pistols with some flintlock designs.

These weird military sidearms were issued to British Naval Officers. The intent seemed to be to deal with mutinies and pirates. The four splayed barrels made it easy to fire four rounds at once, potentially striking men in a tightly packed crowd. On a ship it’s all close quarters so while weird it might have been useful.

2 – LeMat Revolver

The LeMat revolver comes from our friends in France. The revolver was weird for several reasons but also innovative. The gun came in .42 and .36 caliber variants, offering nine rounds per cylinder. For the 1860s, that was three more rounds than normal. This nine-round cylinder made the gun quite large, and so did the shotgun barrel. Oh, did I forget to mention the shotgun barrel?

Underneath the main barrel sits a 16- or 20-gauge shotgun barrel. The muzzle-loaded shotgun offered a single shot of close-range devastation. Users just had to flip a lever on the hammer to swap from cylinder to shotgun.

This gave you a total of ten rounds in one revolver. That makes this gun qualified for the weird military sidearms list.

American Confederate forces used the LeMat during the U.S. Civil War, and the French used it in the Franco-Prussian War. The percussion cap design quickly went out of service after the Civil War with the advent of the metallic cartridge. Pinfire LeMats exist, but they were never popular.

3 – Remington Rolling Block Pistol

Lots and lots of people recognize the Rolling Block rifles. But would you be surprised to know they produced handguns? There was a big scramble to obtain cartridge-based firearms after the Civil War. So, why would Remington not try their hand at producing rifles and pistols? The Remington Rolling Block pistols were massive guns, and Remington simply shortened their rifles and used less powerful cartridges.

The Remington Rolling Block pistols were cartridge-based firearms, but as expected, they were only single-shot pistols. Revolvers of the era offered six shots, even if they were percussion cap pistols.

Sure, the Rolling Block pistols were cartridge-based firearms, but single-shot guns aren’t great for close-range combat.

That didn’t stop the US Navy from purchasing 5,000 .50 caliber rimfire Rolling Block pistols. The Army purchased small numbers of the pistols, but the main sale went to the US Navy. Revolvers fairly quickly replaced these guns as centerfire cartridge revolvers became the norm.

4 – Gyrojet Pistol

The Gyrojet rifles and pistols might be the most fascinating firearm designs ever. These guns were produced by two men, Robert Mainhardt and Art Biehl. They formed a company to produce rifles and pistol designs that didn’t fire normal bullets but Gyrojets. Gyrojet weapons fire micro-sized rockets called Microjets.

These Microjets left the gun at a low speed but picked up speed as they left the barrel. They were rocket-powered, and the acceleration continued as long as there was fuel to burn. The design has problems, lots and lots of problems.

First, the pistol’s accuracy is about 17 MOA at 25 yards. That’s absurd. Second, humidity could affect the rocket’s fuel and the gun’s reliability.

The guns made their way to Vietnam. A Marine Recon officer carried one of these weird military sidearms, and the guys at MACVSOG had at least one in country. As you’d expect, the guns weren’t popular, and they faded away. The Gyrojet guns are rare and somewhat obscure these days. A single round of ammo can cost up to 200 dollars if you can find one.

5 – HK P11

Our last weird military sidearm is the HK P11 series. The Cold War was an interesting time, and there seemed to be this idea that frogmen would have small-arm fights underwater. Both the US and Russian forces produced underwater projectile weapons. The United States’ underwater option was the HK P11. The HK P11 is a large handgun designed to arm SEALs in case they run into Russian frogmen.

The HK P11 provided a five-barreled pistol, each holding one round. Each round was a 7.62x36mm long miniature rocket with fins. The guns were fired electrically via an internal battery.

The HK P11 could only be fired five times, and after five shots, the gun had to be sent back to HK to be reloaded.

I’ve already mentioned this, and as you’d assume, it was issued to the US Navy but also spread throughout NATO. Germany, France, Denmark, Norway, the UK, and a few more allied nations. The HK P11 is the most successful gun on this list, and it’s not clear if anyone still uses it or if we’ve gotten away from the idea of close-range frogman fights.

The World of Weird Military Sidearms

I love weird guns, and it always fascinates me when a weird gun makes its way to military forces. Sidearms in the military aren’t used often and tend to be the least important firearm in the arsenal. This gives them room to be weird and not always the most practical option. Sometimes, it gets weird, and weird can be interesting and dynamic.

FIRED FOR CARRYING AT WORK: What You Risk When You Carry A Gun In Places You Shouldn’t

By

The Suited Shootist

-

July 4, 2024

Unfortunately, this is the thing for which I am most well-known—being fired for carrying at work. Online people are quick to profess that “concealed means concealed” and “I don’t care what the rules say; unless there’s a metal detector, I’m carrying my gun!” Anytime you bring up the possible consequences of being discovered, they’re quick to say, “Well, I’d rather be unemployed than dead!” or “I’ll just get a new job!.”

Carrying at Work Can Get You Fired

I really didn’t want to make this video, but I felt that I had to because nobody talks about these types of negative outcomes. There’s no first-hand account to hold up as an example of the things that can go wrong. Since people are so quick to dismiss theoretical situations, I feel obligated to share my story.

Once you watch this you’ll understand why those flippant responses are so rage-inducing for me.

My hope is that people learn from my experience and have a better appreciation for everything they’re putting on the line if they choose to ignore the rules.

I’m not about to tell anyone what to do. I merely present this as a cautionary tale so that people can make the most educated decision possible.

Everyone is so eager to prepare for the worst-case scenario that they completely ignore the much more probable and almost equally severe consequences of situations in between.

Sorry for the lack of background. I was filming this with natural light, and once this ball got rolling, there wasn’t any stopping it. As you’d imagine, I didn’t really care to relive these events more than once. So, this is the first and only cut.