Firingline

Reader Pearcey knows how to make a danged good revolver. Two readers find S&W oil in quantity. Reader Stone makes a spirited defense of the CM9's simplicity. And, no ‘crazies' here.

I have just read Ray Odorica's review of three takedown 22 rifles, including the Browning SA-22. Ray complained about the need to remove the rear sight in order to mount a scope, as well as the exorbitant cost of a scope base and rings for this rifle. Leupold makes a steel barrel mount base (Product #50014), which mounts over the existing iron sights and uses standard dual dovetail steel rings. Both the barrel mount base as well as the rings are solid steel. The total cost of rings and mount from Midway: $46.95. I do not think Ray will find fault in any Leupold product.

Reader Bob has a ‘10-ring' rattletrap AO pistol that looks like it was beaten on a rock. Still shoots great. Also, we list an online source for the S&W lubricant, but supplies are likely short.

Although the Cabela's 45 groups got smaller, they were not the tiny ones I had seen others achieve via this process. I had seen a fellow writer do far better and also the examples provided by Beartooth had been better. Hence my disappointment. I have since learned there are limits to what can be achieved depending on things like fitting of the cylinder to the gun, etc. Next, I apparently didn't make it sufficiently clear that the felt slugging resistance can come from many things, such as barrel roughness as well as cramping from later machining processes. Also, the tighness can come from lead or metal fouling left in the bore before slugging, and that's why the bore must be absolutely clean before checking it. The Beartooth manual details exactly what and how the lead slugs accomplish removal of metal down the bore, not just at the leade. I suggest you get that manual and read it.

Although the Cabela's 45 groups got smaller, they were not the tiny ones I had seen others achieve via this process. I had seen a fellow writer do far better and also the examples provided by Beartooth had been better. Hence my disappointment. I have since learned there are limits to what can be achieved depending on things like fitting of the cylinder to the gun, etc. Next, I apparently didn't make it sufficiently clear that the felt slugging resistance can come from many things, such as barrel roughness as well as cramping from later machining processes. Also, the tighness can come from lead or metal fouling left in the bore before slugging, and that's why the bore must be absolutely clean before checking it. The Beartooth manual details exactly what and how the lead slugs accomplish removal of metal down the bore, not just at the leade. I suggest you get that manual and read it.

Loved the great article on .410 shotshell loads. You were intrigued by the "defense discs" of the Winchester PDX1 shell and mentioned the Old West folklore of a shotgun load composed of a roll of dimes. There is a great example of this legend in Sam Peckinpah's 1973 film, Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid. In the film, Kris Kristofferson's character (Billy the Kid) uses a double-barrel coach gun loaded with thin dimes to great effect against a brutal enemy. After dispatching his foe he remarks, "Keep the change, BOB." Thank you for the excellent magazine.

I was surprised when I read about the GSG 1911. Mine has become one of my favorite handguns because it has never malfunctioned. It also seems to prefer economy ammo, particularly Winchester Wildcat. Mine came from Acme Gun Store in Seymour, Indiana, for less than $350 and will outshoot several guns that cost a lot more. Also, it is already threaded for a suppressor. I hope your sample comes back and functions as well as mine does. I'm watching for your follow-up on this gun. Your magazine is the only one I subscribe to, and I share it every month with my "coffee-drinking" friends. The management at McDonalds would be surprised if they knew what handguns were examined in their dining room. Keep up the good work on a great magazine.

I looked at all five definitions of "rake" in the dictionary, and I have no idea what you mean here. Later in that paragraph, the writer says to shoot "higher, above the spot the collar would normally ride." Does he mean hit the dog in the neck or in the shoulders? If you have trouble fitting in a little more clarity in passages like this, try cutting out a few bullet box photos and add some text here. The Grizzly ammo box was worth seeing, since it is new. All the rest of those boxes I have seen in your magazine, and I would rather have a little more text on how to kill charging animals than those photos of boxes. The spent bullets are great to see, but the boxes are not needed.

Just a note regarding the test on the GSG M1911 22. I purchased one about a year ago and had the same problem with the slide action. I disassembled the handgun and put a little Flitz metal polish along the rail. I then reassembled and worked the slide back and forth about 20 times. Then disassembled and cleaned both the slide and frame. This little gem now works slick as butter. It never jams no matter what I feed it. Just wanted to share some tips with your readers. Great magazine, by the way.

Just a follow up to this article: While all the test units fared well, I have to tell you and your readers about a quality company, Crimson Trace (CTC). About a year back I was able to purchase a Kimber custom pistol, my first. As many know, retired LEOs don't exactly have money flowing in, so it was many years before I came across a nice quality used pistol for the right price. When I finally did, I jumped at the opportunity to buy it — and it came with CTC laser grips already on it. I'm guessing the Kimber was a couple of years old before I bought it, and now I have had it over a year.

I'm a private security officer. When I was deciding on a duty gun, I considered the Springfield XD45 Tactical, but the lack of a thumb safety concerned me. Does an aftermarket safety exist? For now, I'm carrying a Series 70 Springfield 1911. Is there a duty holster you'd recommend? Also, any recommendation for cold-weather gloves when manipulating the 1911, and do you have a preference for a particular tactical light? Thanks for your great research! - Mr. France's specific questions were outside our areas of expertise, so we turned to Duane Liptak, director of Government Programs and Training for Brownells, to get answers.

You asked in last month's "Downrange" editorial, "Have you added guns and ammo to your safe during the current regime? I'd love to hear how much, and why." I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I will add some observations about family and friends who don't read gun magazines. Yes, I've added to my collection and beefed up my stock of ammunition since Obama looked to be winning the election in 2008. I've bought a dozen rifles and shotguns in the past three years, and the same number of pistols. I also keep about twice the number of ready-to-use rounds on hand that I used to. I've lately taken to stockpiling "universal caliber" ammo for my guns that shoot those calibers, plus buying 7.62x54R by the spam can for my Mosin Nagants.