They may be familiar to some, but not every gunsmith knows the ins and outs of drill bits. Here are the basics.

The graceful, light, and distinctive L.C. Smith Hammerless Double sidelock is a favorite of American shotgunners. Here’s how to fix its most common problems. If you own a Smith and want to make it suitable to shoot again, or if you are presented a Smith to repair, here’s what you need to know about the shotgun.

In June 2010, Kahr Arms purchased Minnesota-based firearms manufacturer, Magnum Research, Inc., maker of the Desert Eagle Pistol and BFR Revolvers in .44 Magnum, .45 LC/.410 or .45/70. Kahr Arms offers a selection of other niche-type firearms, such as the “Tommy Gun” and Auto-Ordnance line of M1 .30 caliber carbines. In this video, Gun Tests Contributing Editor Roger Eckstine shows off two of the company’s big-hole BFR wheelguns.

Beretta USA introduced the BU-9 Nano as its entry into the pocket 9mm pistol category last September. Initial shipments of the American-made pistol left the Accokeek, Maryland factory beginning in November 2011, with a suggested retail price of $475. In this video, Gun Tests’ Contributing Editor Roger Eckstine gets a detailed explanation of how easy the Nano is to break down for maintenance. The Nano's modularity provides for simple disassembly and easy cleaning. Safely disassemble the pistol by first engaging the striker deactivator, a patent pending safety mechanism that eliminates the need to pull the trigger prior to disassembly.

Gun Reports - News

More than 15 huge advertisements promoting the 25th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference are up at prominent transit locations around San Francisco.

San Francisco Flips Transit Policy; Ad Promotes Gun Rights Conference

(GunReports.com) -- More than 15 huge advertisements promoting the 25th annual Gun Rights Policy Conference are up at prominent transit locations around the City of San Francisco, amounting to something of a coup for the Second Amendment Foundation.

"We suspect the MTA is allowing our ads in San Francisco despite their policy because they believed we were prepared to file a lawsuit on First and Second Amendment grounds if, for any reason, the city didn't take them,"SAF Executive Vice President Alan M. Gottlieb said. "Knowing we were responsible for the McDonald victory over Chicago and the defeat of their own 2005 gun ban proposition, and probably aware of our litigation in New York, Maryland, North Carolina, Illinois and California, they did not want to lock horns with us again."

What is remarkable about the advertisement is that it appears the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has violated its own guidelines, which prohibit advertising that "appears to promote the use of firearms." The MTA recently caused a flap by doctoring movie posters for a Will Farrell-Mark Wahlberg movie called "The Other Guys," removing handguns from the actors' hands and replacing them with a can of mace, a badge or just bare fists.

The Sept. 24-26 conference will be held at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco Airport.

"We take this annual conference around the country," Gottlieb said, "to areas where our rights might be threatened. We're holding it in San Francisco this year because SAF was successful in overturning the city's 2005 handgun ban. Next year, we're holding it in Chicago, where SAF's lawsuit in McDonald v. City of Chicago led to the Supreme Court's ruling in June that applies the Second Amendment to the states."

Reader Comments

Could one of California's liberal epicenters be considering their inability to pay the legal bills incurred by their arrogance? Where's the lawsuit from the producers of The Other Guys for infringing on their First Amendment rights by changing the movie ads?

Comment by: P V B | September 2, 2010

This is the only way to change peoples' mindset regarding the legal possession of guns. They have been brainwashed for far too long that the mere sight of a gun is evil; simply because naivete of guns in general promotes fear and anxiety. Only through education and training, just like so many things, will this fear diminish. I applaud Alan Gottlieb for his determination in pushing his agenda forward in San.Fran. I hope he comes to NYC since this mindset I mentioned is enormous here and needs to be seriously confronted.

Comment by: chico 1956 | September 2, 2010

PVB you're probably right. It seems that the only thing a politico is interested in is money--either receiving it in the form of a bribe (oops, I meant "campaign donation") or what it is likely to cost them personally. The threatened suit was probably going to go after individuals in addition to agencies. If it just went after the agency, who cares? It's just taxpayer money they would be spending.

By the way, I was pleasantly, but truly shocked to see that a gun show is scheduled to be held at the Cow Palace in San Francisco later this month. Could it actually be that someone in the People's Republic up there is getting the idea?

Comment by: Visigoth52 | September 2, 2010

Vis - perhaps the economy sucks so bad and the city revenues are so low as a result they are capitalizing on their otherwise distasteful "other" amendment....

Don't they call that "situational ethics" in your profession?

Comment by: P V B | September 2, 2010

I just cannot fathom taking your business to enemy territory and letting San Fran fill their coffers with the taxes of gun rights advocates.Maybe some of it will be used for propaganda in one of their next idiotic anti gun schemes

Comment by: ANTON D | September 2, 2010

I wonder. Was the city afraid of the SAF, or does the convention represent too much money for them to turn down in these troubled times? Maybe they're just whoring out their so-called 'values'. Cynic? Yeah, I am.

Comment by: david b | September 3, 2010

I think david b hits an accurate point. No matter what the source of money might be, a city like San Francisco just can't resist the opportunity to make some money.....even if it has to come from Second Amendment adherents. It appears that ideological prostitution is alive and well in California.....But then so is it also in Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, etc.....all of whom have firearm manufacturers located within their borders.

Comment by: canovack | September 3, 2010