Don’t give up if a replacement firing pin is unavailable from your catalog suppliers. Instead, use these tips to solve the problem.

One of the things some gun owners—engineers or fairly well-educated hobbyists who have a good grasp of mechanical things—ask about is how to handle the different kinds of pins in their guns. Particularly, they often want to know if their punches are the right ones, or if they can use a slightly different one without damaging their pins.

“Shouldn't an army base be the last place where a terrorist should be able to shoot at people uninterrupted for 10 minutes? After all, an army base is filled with soldiers who carry guns, right? Unfortunately, that is not the case. Beginning in March 1993, under the Clinton administration, the army forbids military personnel from carrying their own personal firearms and mandates that 'a credible and specific threat against [Department of the Army] personnel [exist] in that region' before military personnel 'may be authorized to carry firearms for personal protection.'

From MonroeRising.com: Recently, a friend and I were lamenting the steady dissolution of our Constitution. It seemed to us that the further our politicians have strayed from the spirit, meaning and intent of the Constitution, the more enervated, disunited and dispirited our nation and its people have become. Discussing how best to remedy the nation’s decline and to restore Constitutional governance, we briefly alluded to the discredited doctrine of nullification about which neither of us knew very much at all. So, I decided to briefly revisit the subject to see what I could learn. In a nutshell, this is it. I hope it will be of some interest to you.

Exclusive community benefits are yours, free!

All Special Reports

Replacing Missing Firing Pins

Don’t give up if a replacement firing pin is unavailable from your catalog suppliers. Instead, use these tips to solve the problem.

Working with Pins and Punches

One of the things some gun owners—engineers or fairly well-educated hobbyists who have a good grasp of mechanical things—ask about is how to handle the different kinds of pins in their guns. Particularly, they often want to know if their punches are the right ones, or if they can use a slightly different one without damaging their pins.

Hand-Sharpening Small Drill Bits

Hold that dull bit up to the light, then head for the grinder. Your eyes can detect problems as well as any gauge.

The Gunsmith’s Reference Library

We have yet to meet a gunsmith who knows all there is to know about repairing, improving and servicing all kinds of firearms. Nor have we ever met one who’s discomfort level fails to rise when a gun he’s never worked on, or hasn’t seen in years, comes in. Unless you specialize—rifles only, pistols only, shotguns only, stocks, engraving—you can ill afford to turn down work unfamiliar to you, yet you can’t afford not to if performing it could create a dangerous situation. That’s why books take up much space in the best shops. They’re our safety net, and they have proven their value many times by showing a way to fill a customer’s needs.

Choosing Milling and Drilling Machines

If you’re looking to move to the next level in your gunsmithing, a milling machine might give you the versatility you need.

Civilian Ownership of Suppressors & Silencers: Steps in the Process

Silencers, like machine-guns, are regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA) of 1934, and are regulated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. The procedure for owning a silencer may seem daunting at first, but actually requires less paperwork than buying an automobile.

Building a Stock-Finishing Rotisserie

A shopping trip to the mall inspired this gunsmith to make a better finishing set up in his shop. Here’s how he did it.

Comparing Checkering Tools

Checkering a stock is an art unto itself, and it requires hands-on experience to learn it. But we can show you some tools to use.

Gun Vises for Almost Nothing

Every gunsmith needs a good vise, but not everyone has the money to buy one. Here are two you can build yourself.

Employing Precision Measuring Instruments

Gunsmiths need two types of measuring instruments, direct and indirect (or comparison). The indirect, or comparison, instruments include tools found in the caliper family, such as inside, outside, and hermaphrodite calipers, and dividers. Direct measuring devices include the rule, various micrometers, and dial-faced measuring tools.

Super Abrasives for Gunsmiths

Diamond-abrasive hand files and hones easily cut hard materials when other metalworking implements can’t do the job.

Judging the Judge: Is the Taurus Wheelgun a Viable Self-Defense Revolver?

The Judge is catalogued in the Taurus line as the Model 4510, and there are several versions. Some are blued steel, others are stainless, and there are versions that accept longer 3-inch 410-bore shotshells. There are also Judges with 6.5-inch barrels. In this review, we try out an Ultra-Lite 4510UL with a 3-inch barrel, No. 2-441031UL to be exact. Here’s what we found.

Choosing‚ And Using‚ Abrasive Stones

Smoothing metal with abrasive stones is one of the most important operations a gunsmith can perform. It also has ranked right up there with dental surgery on my list of favorite entertainments.

Using the Henrob Dillon Type III Torch

Welding often presents a dilemma for the gunsmith. A torch that utilizes big enough tips for fairly heavy work, such as welding on bolt handles, is usually large, heavy and cumbersome. But if the unit is small and handy in size, the largest tip that it will take is usually too small for the bolt-handle type of work. I recently ran across a product that may be a good answer to this dilemma. Called the Dillon Type III, this unit is put out by Henrob Corp. The torch unit is a compact outfit built into a pistol grip that is very easy to handle.

Making Homemade Barrel Adapters

Take a moment before hauling that trash to the dumpster—you may find something useful, such as .22 barrels.

Handgun Security Devices You Can Make

The child-proofing of guns is not just desirable, it’s the law. Here are some effective, but inexpensive, locks you can make in your shop.

Understanding the Not-So-Simple Drill Bit

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

Manufacturing an In-Shop Shooting Drum

In the course of a typical day’s gunsmithing, I test fire at least three weapons for such things as inconsistent primer ignition, failure to feed properly, and sear disengagement. With the cost of commercial bullet traps somewhere in the stratosphere, I had no choice but to make my own to keep costs down. My indoor trap, which I use for pistols and rimfire rifles, cost less than $25 to build. Even if you use brand new materials, it should cost less than $100.

Chamber Identification With Cerrosafe

There will always be a need to identify chamberings of firearms that have been inherited or bought at yard sales. The lure of buying for bottom dollar and discovering a real jewel is ingrained in most of us, so a little thing like no chambering marks on a rifle or handgun is no deterrent to a gun fancier.

Special Tools That Make Life Easier

Because I was always taught to look for an easier, quicker, safer way of doing something, the need for some special tooling to work the two-screw (pin) Ruger single-action became apparent. These tools are remarkably simple, but you will need a metal lathe unless you have tubing and pin stock of the appropriate diameter.

Choosing and Using Polishing Tools

A good polishing job can save a gun from the junk heap, but a bad job can send it there. Here’s how the professional does it.

Tricks of the Gunsmithing Trade

Every gunsmith has secrets he would never share with a competitor. Here are a few you can claim as your own (but don’t tell anyone else).

Thoughts on Accurizing the M1 Garand

This rifle needs little introduction, but a gas-operated semi-automatic military rifle is always a bit more challenging to work with than most sporting rifles. The Garand uses an en bloc clip rather than a box magazine, and is very reliable with proper loads. But like many rifles, the Garand was produced quickly on a wartime footing, and variations are to be expected in the original WW II production. The tolerances are designed to allow mass production more than precise accuracy. Just the same, the Garand is a wonderful rifle and a good shooter, and deserves the respect it’s earned as part of our American heritage.

Requirements for Transporting Firearms, Firearm Parts and Ammunition on Commercial Aircraft

I. Passengers are prohibited from carrying firearms, firearm parts and ammunition Federal regulations administered by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) prohibit the carriage of firearms and guns, as well as parts of firearms and guns (such as magazines or clips, bolts, firing pins, and other components), in the traveler's possession or in carry-on luggage on commercial aircraft. …

Botched Bedding Jobs: How to Spot Common Mistakes

In my years working on guns, I have seen a large number of totally botched bedding jobs. In fact, you would be shocked to see what people do to their guns’ bedding to increase the accuracy of a rifle. But do you know how to spot the most common mistakes in bedding, thereby giving you a leg up in improving a gun’s accuracy, or avoiding it altogether? Following are the most common problems shooters should watch for:

Custom Lever Guns on a Budget

THINKING IT WOULD BE fun to get involved in Cowboy Action Shooting, and maybe do a little hunting with lever guns, I started on a quest for the appropriate hardware. For me, the commonly available calibers were too boring.

Building a 10/17 Mach 2 Rifle

Part III, Finishing Up: The next step is to assemble the bolt in the receiver. The Volquartsen .17 Mach 2 heavy bolt consists of the bolt body, bolt handle, and a recoil rod with a spring that slips over it.

The Llama 1911: Common Problems and Simple Solutions

The company name is often mispronounced as Lah-mah, though the proper pronunciation is Yah-mah, which means “fire” in Spanish. Various “Spanish Ruby” pistols, purchased by the French army during the first World War at a rate of up to 30,000 per month, gave the company its beginning. The pistol was modest, but the total number produced was impressive. When the company was prosperous, its main source of prosperity was a line of pistols resembling the Colt 1911A1. Most were chambered for the 9mm Luger or 9mm Largo cartridge, but those intended for sale in the U.S. were chambered for the .38 Super or .45 ACP. Over the years, the Llama was produced in some variations that appeared to be nearly identical to the 1911 Government Model, but differed maddeningly and significantly.

Insight Technology Inc., Tech-Gear M6X Laser/Illuminator: An Enlightening Experience

While we agree that lasers are no substitute for proper shooting techniques, we also believe that they can be a valuable tool in low light confrontations. Their continued popularity among our Law Enforcement and Military communities is also a testament to their effectiveness.

Part II from "How to Shoot The U.S. Army Rifle" handbook, circa 1943

Here’s another installment from 'How to Shoot The U.S. Army Rifle' handbook, published in 1943. Chapters: SIX STEPS TO PERFECT MARKSMANSHIP; IN SIGHTING AND AIMING, THERE'S NO SUCH THING AS ‘ALMOST RIGHT,'; FIRST SIGHTING AND AIMING EXERCISE; CLEAN AND BLACKEN YOUR SIGHTS.

The Return of the Dan Wesson Model 15

The Dan Wesson revolver never really disappeared. Its production just passed from one owner to another and another. To the credit of these manufacturers, including the newest, there’s been no messing around with the design of the gun. True, CZ-USA offers a choice between a fluted and a non-fluted cylinder, they reshaped the barrel shroud, and we understand their American-made Dan Wesson will be available in stainless only, but mechanically it’s the same as the Model 15-2 pictured here.

An Early 1873 Winchester

In the course of preparing our report on the .45LC lever rifles, we also examined an original Winchester 1873 rifle, made in 1884, chambered in .38/40 caliber. This rifle was in excellent condition, though minus most of the finish on its receiver. It was fitted with a folding Lyman #1A aperture sight from the period in which the rifle was built, and also had a four-piece original cleaning rod in the trap in its butt stock. We compared the Cimarron version with it, and were pleased to find the new rifle was a close copy f the original, at least to casual observation.

Correcting Feeding Problems in Marlin Lever-Action Rimfire Rifles

Before we get into the causes and cures of feeding problems on the tube-fed Marlin rimfires, I should start with a few cautions. First, with any exposed-hammer-style rifle, whether it’s cocked on action-opening or by thumb, careful practice must be followed in letting the hammer down to the safe position on a loaded chamber. Second, although it’s commonly assumed that jacking the finger lever repeatedly will empty all the cartridges from these rifles, cartridges can hang up during working of the lever and feeding operation. Therefore, the mag tube might not be empty even if the lever is worked several times after seeing what is assumed to be the last cartridge being ejected from the side ejection port.

BATFE Rules on Manufacturing of Firearms Points

Below are examples of operations performed on firearms and guidance as to whether or not such operations would be considered manufacturing under the Gun Control Act (GCA).

The Long and Short Of Shotgun Chambers

I see a regular stream of older shotguns brought in for work. In many cases, they are suffering from what appears to be moderate abuse, with symptoms like loose lockup, worn hinge pins, and broken locking blocks. Many of the owners of these old shotguns are convinced that they are somehow inferior or defective, since they don’t seem to hold up, even with relatively light loads. Others don’t understand how their fathers and grandfathers fired these old scatterguns as much as they did, considering the recoil they produce. Well, in most cases, these old guns are finely made, and they definitely didn’t beat up the user then as much as they do now.

Buffalo Bore 158-Grain Roundnose Bullet

Buffalo Bore now offers a round that was designed to be similar to the old FBI-standard round that featured a soft-lead 158-grain bullet at very good velocity.

Working the Colt Single Action Army Model 1873

First introduced by Colt in 1873, nicknames associated with the legendary Single Action Army revolver include Peacemaker, Frontier Six-Shooter, Model P, and the Hog-Leg. The design was rapidly adopted by the U.S. Army and used extensively during the Indian Wars period. Colt’s SAA was also used by lawmen, outlaws, cowboys, and other famous characters who helped to shape the legend of the American West. There were three manufacturing time periods for the Single Action Army or Model P as the factory called it. The original production, known as the First Generation, was manufactured from 1873 through 1940. This run totaled 357,859 revolvers (including the Bisley and SAA Target models). After a lull of 16 years, in 1956, the Second Generation SAA was introduced. This run continued until 1978, when engineering changes, denoted by the letters “SA” after the serial number, gave us the Third Generation SAA, which is still being produced.

FNP-9 Recoil Spring Solution

Matching the proper weight recoil spring with your ammunition can be a key element to producing consistent slide movement and smooth reliable cycling. With little else to go on, it was fair to assume that the recoil spring installed in this FNP-9 was too heavy.

Glock Mods: An M1911 Man Branches Out

I’ve worked with the 1911 for many years, and sometimes that experience has been helpful with other pistols, such as the Browning Hi-Power, for example. Sometimes the differences between pistols are hard to spot, and other times we find similarities between handguns that at first seem very different. Another example: If you can work on the Savage 1910, you can work on the Astra 400, and you won’t be confused by the H&K P7M8. But the Glock? Ah, the Glock is an altogether different creature. Sometimes my 1911-based reasoning produces positive results with the Glock, and other times it does not. With the Glock so popular with law-enforcement and now proving itself in competition—winning the first top-class award at IPSC—we’re going to see more and more Glocks turned in for improvement. And at the very least, we should be familiar with the similarities and the differences between the Glock and “old Slabsides.”

New Shooter Learns by Competing

We’ve all seen some fast and fancy shooting, sometimes at a County fair, sometimes on television. You sit or stand in the gallery and wonder how these fellows and gals got to be so fast and accurate. Do they have special guns or trick loads?

Fitted vs. ‘Drop-In’ M1911 Barrels

Over the years, I’ve replaced a dozen or so 1911 pistol barrels for various reasons. When military pistols were more common, wear and corrosion was a consideration. Later, the increased accuracy afforded by custom match-grade barrels from Bar Sto Precision was a leading factor. Today, some pistols come from the factory with match-grade barrels, but, of course, these are expensive high-end pistols. At the other end of the spectrum, service-grade pistols often come with a cost-cutting two-piece barrel. These pistols use a barrel that is brazed together, with one half meeting the other about at the chamber and barrel-lug line. While serviceable, these barrels are less than ideal.

Carry Solutions: Crossdraw, Muzzleback Cant, Appendix

It’s not necessarily which gun but which system. For example, if you can shoot a revolver like a demon then you are probably better off with the five or six shots available from a wheelgun than the highest capacity semi-auto.

Time Capsule: “How to Shoot The U.S. Army Rifle” handbook, circa 1943

I recently ran across a fascinating copy of the U.S. Army’s “How to Shoot The U.S. Army Rifle” handbook, published in 1943. This book, subtitled The Infantry Journal, was prepared by First Lieutenant Arthur Goodfriend, creator of the Army's graphic portfolio on rifle marksmanship. The acknowledgements suggest how important the topic of shooting well was back then.

BAR history from The Browning Insider

Much of the fame of today's sporting BAR began through the fame of the original military BAR designed by John M. Browning near the end of World War I. This rifle, called the BAR M1918, was commissioned by the U.S. Army in an effort to break the stalemate of trench warfare in the battlefields of France and Belgium. It took John M. Browning three months to design it. Browning took this project so seriously that his son Val personally did testing and training of the American troops.

Thoughts on Concealed Carry

For more years than I'd care to recall I've had a gun secluded on my person somewhere. No, I didn't always have a CCW permit. During all those years I've never had to present the gun to stop a fight, but many times along the way I was mighty glad I was armed.

BATFE Q&A: How the Child Safety Lock Act Works For Dealers and Customers

Here's more BATFE answers to questions concerning who must provide gun locks and why, possession of guns, loaning guns for demonstrations, transferring guns to military members, when to report a missing gun from inventory, and other issues.

Working the Smith & Wesson .45 Model No. 3 Schofield Revolvers

In 1870, the U.S. Army contracted with Smith & Wesson to deliver 1,000 of their revolutionary new top-break Model No. 3 revolvers in .44 S&W caliber. The delivery to Springfield Armory of the 800 blued and 200 nickel-plated revolvers took place in 1871. After issuing the new revolvers to the cavalry for a period of field trials, the Army came to the conclusion that the S&W was too complicated and delicate for service use, and decided not to purchase additional revolvers.

Seven Common Misconceptions That Can Get You Killed: From Front Sight

With thousands upon thousands of law abiding citizens, law enforcement officers and military personnel traveling across the country to attend courses at Front Sight, we are astutely aware of what people think— prior to their Front Sight Experience — about firearms, training, and their personal safety. Fortunately, they made it to our course before any of their misconceptions cost them time, money, or worse—their lives. In the interest of helping you learn from others’ mistakes, allow me to share with you Seven Common Misconceptions That Can Get You Killed!

The Color Code of Mental Awareness

This is by far the most important information that we can give you in this course. The reason why it's the most important information is because you can be the most accurate shooter on the range. You can be the fastest out of the holster. You can know all of the high-speed, low-drag tactics that there are to know ... but if you're not aware enough of your environment to see the fight coming, a common street punk can have your car keys, your wallet or your life before you even know what's happening. This information is also the most important information we can share with you because if you adopt this as your own, you're less likely to ever have to use the deadly skills that we're teaching you this weekend because criminals will see that you're aware of your environment and they'll let you walk right on by and attack someone else— who's less aware.

Issues involving the Use of Deadly Force From Front Sight

On issues involving the Use of Deadly Force, we have laws to guide us, but ultimately the standard of conduct is set by the courts and juries through their decisions in criminal and civil trials. Their decisions filter down and impact the policies of the District Attorney’s Office, your local law enforcement agencies, and civil litigation attorneys. Our own, individual decisions on the Use of Deadly Force may or may not conform to the accepted standard of conduct of the collective group of people we interact with.

The Color Code of Mental Awareness, Part II: From Front Sight

Condition Orange is the next level of mental awareness. Condition Orange is best described as a specific, potential threat. Let's say you are in Condition Yellow and you're aware of what's going on around you and you see something out of the ordinary—you immediately ramp up to Condition Orange. In Condition Orange, you need to do Two Things: First, you must make some evasive maneuver which forces your opponent to show his hand. Second, you must start formulating that tactical plan in the event that this is a real threat. The evasive maneuver forces your opponent to show whether his actions are just a coincidence OR he's actually after you!

Gun Storage Tips

I recommend that you have a gun safe to place your guns in. I do know people who have guns stashed all over the house in desk drawers, closets, under the bed, between the mattress and boxspring, in the garage, up in the attic, down in the basement, in the medicine cabinet, etc. Although this provides you with easy access to a gun anywhere in the house, THIS IS CRAZY.

Disassembly/Reassembly Of the Ruger KP345 .45 ACP Pistol

First introduced in 1987, the Ruger P-Series pistols were the first firearms to be manufactured at Sturm, Ruger’s new Prescott, Arizona, plant. The P-Series was the result of a development program to build a state-of-the-art pistol with features designed by practical shooters, that would offer excellent reliability under harsh conditions. Since the P-Series pistols were introduced, they’ve seen extensive use by law enforcement, government agencies, and sportsmen all over the world, and have gained a good reputation for their rugged durability. As we have come to expect from Ruger, the pistols are also being steadily improved and the new KP345 is one outgrowth of that.

Disassembly/Reassembly Of the Whitney Wolverine

During World War II, Robert L. Hillberg worked for Republic Aviation, the manufacturer of the P-47 Thunderbolt. A fighter-bomber nicknamed “Jug” by its pilots, the rugged plane could take quite a pounding and still return safely to base. The P-47 packed eight Browning 50-caliber machine guns, four mounted on each side of its somewhat elliptical wing. Hillberg was given the responsibility for fitting the big guns plus their ammo into the limited space available. He learned a great deal about lightweight aluminum alloys in the process. When he left Republic after the war, he joined High Standard Manufacturing as head of research and development. Shortly thereafter, High Standard became the first firearm company to employ aluminum alloys commercially.

Four 9mm Heavy Hollowpoints: We Would Buy Speer’s Gold Dot

When we tested 9mm Luger cartridges from Remington, Winchester, Federal, and Speer, the Gold Dots offered the best combination of accuracy, expansion, and suitable penetration.

Shooting Tips: How To Hit More Incoming Doves

Unlike crossing birds where swing through and shooting well in front of the doves is necessary, an incomer requires a touch of finesse.

Fixing the Ruger LCP

I recently tested the Ruger LCP and later discovered it had some problems I hadn’t addressed. My associate Joe Syczylo found that the Ruger's spent cases all had a tear in the rim. He also learned the cases were being ejected some twenty feet or more, straight back.

Becoming A Master of Rascally Rabbits

Because the targets are flatter and thicker than standard clays in order to withstand rolling on the ground without shattering, the clays often require a little harder hit before shooters can prove they are masters of “rascally rabbits.”

Jerry Barnhart's Burner Series Videotapes

…The Burner Series, $230, is a ten-VHS-tape set covering virtually every aspect of the popular run and gun sport of Practical Shooting. This collection is so named because the lessons are designed and performed by one of the most prolific champions of all time, Jerry “The Burner” Barnhart.

Servicing the Remington 11-87 Premier Trap Shotgun

Gunsmiths are likely to see far more of this shotgun than those from the high-end offshore makers. Here’s what both owners and gunsmiths need to know about how it works and how to keep it working.

Wild Bunch Holster Brings Practical Shooting Full Circle

Whether you enjoy competing as an athlete in IPSC, a SASS cowboy, or an IDPA tactician, the versatility of the Mernickle Wild Bunch holster can serve your needs. And if anyone asks about your rig, you can tell them about the good old days of slapping leather when a quick draw was the only game in town.

Designing the Browning Cynergy -- Ten Long Years

Its roots lie with the original B-25 Superposed, designed by John M. Browning in 1928 and finished for production using a single trigger with barrel selector by his son Val Browning by 1939. As the story goes, production costs hurt the Superposed in the marketplace during the late 1960s, so the design was taken to Browning's partner, the Miroku Company in Japan, and in 1971 the Citori over and under joined the Browning lineup.

Ruger Super Redhawk Grip Upgrade

The results of my tests showed that the Ruger Super Redhawk was a fine piece. But, I wasn’t impressed with the supplied grip in terms of soaking up recoil.

Shooting with Insight Technology’s Integral Sighting Module-Visible Red-Dot Red-Laser Sight

We recently had the opportunity to test a sighting device from Insight Technology that allows you consolidate multiple sighting options in a single, lightweight package. The ISM-V (Integral Sighting Module- Visible) is designed particularly for close quarter, dynamic shooting situations.

Disassembly and Reassembly Of the Savage Milano Shotgun

This new Savage over/under is made in Brescia, Italy. This northern area of the country is known for the manufacture of fine quality shotguns, and this one is no exception. Produced to meet Savage's exacting specifications, the weight distribution of the Milano is perfect. Its 12-, 20-, 28-, and .410-gauge actions are precisely scaled to their gauge, and each one wears a handsome Turkish walnut stock finished off with satin lacquer. Among its standard features…

Disassembly and Reassembly of the Browning Cynergy Shotgun

To paraphrase a line from the book John M. Browning, American Gunmaker, the story of Browning's genius is the story of the evolution of modern firearms. John M. Browning was issued 128 patents on at least 80 models in nearly every caliber from .22 Short up to the 37mm cannon shell. Those patents covered automatic, semi-automatic, lever, and pump actions.

Taking Down the AK-47

Mikhail Timofeevich Kalashnikov is an impressive name for a Russian peasant who never went beyond the 9th grade. After leaving school, he went to work for the Turkistan-Siberian railway. After being drafted into the Red Army in 1938, he completed the Tank Mechanical School near Kiev. Combined with Kalasnikov’s innate intelligence, the experience he gained there enabled him to devise several improvements for armored warfare. These included a counter for the number of rounds fired from a tank’s main battery as well as a meter that recorded a tank’s running time. His inventiveness caught the attention of C.I.C. General Georgi H. Zhukov, and Kalashnikov was ordered to Leningrad where his inventions were put into practice.

Disassembly/Reassembly of the Remington Model 105 CTi Shotgun

According to reports I’ve received, the 105 CTi is still a work in progress. By that, I don’t mean that any major overhaul is being considered—only that Remington may still be doing a little tweaking here and there that won’t dramatically alter the design. That tweaking is to be expected on a design that differs so markedly from other Remington gas-operated shotguns. For one thing, 105 CTi ejects spent hulls downward from the titanium receiver rather than sideways. Another not-so-noticeable difference is an object identified as a “rate controller,” hidden within the stock. The closest thing to this part on the familiar Model 1100 or 1187 would be the action spring. The rate controller serves as a seat for the tail of the bolt-slide assembly, and does everything an action spring does. Plus, I’m told, it soaks up some recoil. In addition, felt recoil is reduced by the combination of a new optimized gas system, an over-bored barrel, a lengthened forcing cone, and a new convex recoil pad. Taken together, this makes 105 CTi the lightest, softest-shooting 12 gauge that Remington has ever produced.

Working the Savage Model 1899 Rifle

Savage Arms Company introduced the now-famous Model 1899 lever-action rifle in—not surprisingly—1899. The new rifle was based on the invention of Arthur W. Savage of Utica, New York. Mr. Savage had previously designed lever-action rifles, one for military trials in 1892 and another, a commercial version in 1895, which was produced for Savage by the Marlin Firearms Company in New Haven, Connecticut. Some 6,000 of the 1895 model were manufactured between 1895 and 1899. Savage Arms Company was formed in 1897, and began producing the rifle themselves in 1899. The Model 1899 is an outstanding and unique design in many ways. It offered an internal rotary magazine that held five shots, along with a very strong and simple lever-action operation. The Model 1899 also incorporated an unusual and thoughtful cartridge-counter feature; the shooter could see the number of cartridges remaining in the magazine by viewing the cartridge counter through a small window on the left side of the receiver. In addition, the new rifle was equipped with a hammer-cocked indicator on the top of the receiver. Another innovative feature was the sliding safety that locked the trigger while at the same time locking the lever in the closed position.

Disassembly/Reassembly Of the Kahr P45 Pistol

It took better than a year for me to get my hands on a Kahr P45 for this article. That’s because, since its announcement, this eagerly awaited big-bore cousin of the Kahr 9 had a very long list of buyers standing by with their wallets and checkbooks open. It’s been quite a while since the first Kahr was covered here (May 95). Since reprints of that article are no longer available and much of what was written then does not apply to the P45, I decided another look at the Kahr was in order. First, however, let me say that I was pleased to see that none of the precision found in the K9 is missing in the P45. It remains masterfully made from outstanding materials. Though mechanically locked and unlocked in the style of John M. Browning, it is far more than a mere knock-off of the great man’s design. The Kahr emerged from the fertile mind of Justin Moon, and is covered by no less than six individual patents.

Other Garand Topics

We also had access to a carefully built, match-grade Garand. It easily and consistently put eight shots (not just three) of the mil-surplus ammo into groups smaller than 2.5 inches. With military-surplus match ammo, we put six into a group that measured 1.7 inches, on a bad-light day. The most obvious differences about this rifle were its excellent trigger (5.25 pounds) and smooth-as-glass bolt operation. The rear sight had been bushed to give a smaller…

Scope-Ring Alignment: A Critical Accuracy Factor

As the owner of a firearm test range, I mount dozens of scopes each year. I get to see first hand how they perform, as well as the performance of scopes mounted by others. The two main complaints I hear about scopes usually center around those that fail to remain sighted in or group poorly on target. These complaints are usually very well founded. Most complaints about scope mounting are the direct result of poor scope-ring alignment and the accuracy-robbing stresses inherent between metal parts. These stresses pull and twist, causing the scope to move and to become misaligned. The scope never really settles down as bullet point-of-impact changes over time or even as a target group is being fired.

The ‘No-Machining’ 1911 Project

Recently, I was approached by a young soldier who wished to upgrade his 1911 pistol. The pistol in question is a Springfield Stainless 1911A1. The pistol was in good shape and had proven reliable and accurate in thousands of rounds of ammunition, but the owner felt limited by the small sights—and he’s among the few shooters genuinely good enough to feel limited by a pistol. I checked the pistol and found it to be a good solid piece well worth an upgrade. Trigger compression was a crisp and clean 4 pounds, overall an above average factory trigger. The pistol fed hollowpoints and exhibited no glaring faults, despite the embryonic sights of the 1911 GI pistol. These sights simply don’t make the grade in a modern-combat/general-purpose pistol.

Disassembly/Reassembly Of the Stevens Model 310

Don’t think this little lightweight is skimpy on quality. No, it doesn’t have an AccuTrigger or a stainless barrel, and yes, it does have a polymer stock. But otherwise, it’s just as well made as the higher-end Savage Model 93 that we featured in the November 06 issue. The Stevens Model 310, chambered for the .17 HMR, is one of a series of four rimfire rifles. Of the other three, the Model 300 and the 315 are both chambered for the .22 LR, while the Model 305 is for the .22 WMR. All four disassemble in the same manner, but each rifle’s bolt has been factory fitted to the action. If you ever have more than one 300-Series model in for service at the same time, be sure you keep the bolts separated, temporarily marked with the gun’s serial number, and be sure the right bolt goes back in the right rifle.

The Purse for Concealed Carry

In the last ten years I have had four purses. Each one taught me something new about carrying a gun along with the dozens of items we women must keep handy.

Working the Newer Marlin Lever-Actions

The glory days for Marlin were from the early 1880s up to about the turn of the century, a time when they manufactured an impressive line of high-quality lever-action rifles and carbines. Marlin's lever-actions were also offered in a wide range of calibers and sizes. These ranged from large rifles to handle big-game calibers to medium-framed rifles in pistol calibers (such as the .44-40 Winchester) down to small .22-caliber rimfire versions. The original Marlins were…

Working the Smith & Wesson .38 Double-Action Perfected Model

Smith & Wesson’s Perfected .38 double-action model was a top-break revolver with a distinctly 1880s look. It used the action of the more modern Hand Ejector revolvers, however, making it an odd mix of the old and new. This model was introduced in 1909 and was the last new top-break revolver design that S&W introduced. The story goes that a policeman was injured when the perp he was struggling with reached over and unlatched the barrel of his .38 Double Action top-break, leaving the cop with an open and unusable revolver.

Browning Gun Safe Q&A

Recently GunReports.com had a chance to talk to Dale Weathers, product manager for the Browning ProSteel line of gun safes. Weathers is charged with selling Browning ProSteel safes. Here's what he had to say about choosing a safe, a topic we get a lot of questions about:

Working Colt’s Model 1877 Double-Action Revolvers

Colt’s first double-action revolver was their model of 1877, a six-shot, rod-ejector pistol capable of both double- and singe-action operation. The revolver was designed in 1876 by a well known Colt employee, William Mason. The 1877 pistols were built on a medium frame, and used a small birds-head-shaped grip. They were initially chambered only in the .38 Long Colt caliber, though the .41 Colt caliber was added later. Small numbers were also manufactured in .32 Colt caliber. “Lightning” was the nickname given to the .38-caliber versions, while .41-caliber revolvers came to be known as the “Thunderer.” These revolvers were made both with and without an ejector and in barrel lengths that ranged from 2 to 7 inches.

Working Colt’s All American 2000

Designed by Reed Knight, the Colt All American 2000 utilizes a recoil-operated, rotating-barrel breech-locking system. Unlocking is delayed by the bullet’s inertia; the barrel is rotated with a cam operated by a slot in the trigger group in a manner similar to the AR-15/M16. It was introduced in 1991 and marketed primarily as a police sidearm. Although it was not especially popular with police or the public and was discontinued in 1993, there are enough in circulation that one will eventually come across your bench. A recall was issued shortly after the AA 2000’s introduction, replacing the original solid trigger with an articulated unit designed to reduce accidental discharges associated with a foreign object in the trigger guard when re-holstering the pistol. The pistol has a long-stroke double-action-only (DAO) trigger mechanism, unusual in that the trigger moves linearly in the guard instead of pivoting on a pin. Bearing surfaces of the trigger assembly have rollers on them to smooth the draw. Firing the pistol is very similar to firing a revolver in the double-action mode.

Galco Underwraps Bellyband

The Galco Underwraps BellyBand is an elastic garment that can be worn low, just above the waistband, or high underneath the armpit. It resembles a heavyweight Ace bandage that secures with Velcro.

Revisiting the Walther PPK

As the story goes, James Bond’s Beretta failed to fire during one of his cloak-and-dagger adventures. As a result, he was given a Walther PPK before undertaking his next crusade against a master criminal out to ransom the world. Thanks to the Ian Fleming books, the PPK, along with the vodka martini (shaken, not stirred), attracted a great deal of public interest. This interest was enough to encourage the gun-control wackos to lobby against the PPK’s importation.

Working the Marlin Model 1891 .22 Lever-Action

Marlin’s Model 1891 lever-action repeater was manufactured from 1891 through about 1897, with nearly 19,000 rifles manufactured in all. This handy, small-framed model was offered in both .22 and the then-popular .32 rimfire calibers.

Tightening The Armalite AR-24’s Slide PDF

Opinions differ on the importance of slide-to-frame-rail fit, but it can improve accuracy without compromising reliability.

Tightening The Armalite AR-24’s Slide

Opinions differ on the importance of slide-to-frame-rail fit, but it can improve accuracy without compromising reliability.

Get the Lead Out!

Chances are that the label on your favorite bore cleaner says something about “removing lead.” Being the curious guy that I am, I began to wonder just exactly how bore cleaners manage to accomplish this trick. Lead is a pretty inert metal, and there isn’t much that can actually dissolve it. So just how does bore cleaner get rid of lead fouling in a barrel? If we think about it, there are only a few ways to remove lead from a barrel. We could melt it out with a torch, but no one would want to take a torch to a favorite firearm. The three other ways to remove the offending metal are: (1) to penetrate under the lead to separate its bond with the barrel so that it can be pushed out, (2) use an abrasive to actually scour it away, or (3) to somehow break it down chemically. Some old-timers have also told me that pouring mercury in the bore would remove lead, but since mercury is poisonous and can drive those who are overexposed to it insane, I think we can skip that method.

Uberti’s Cattleman Mistimed

Uberti’s Cattleman with a 3.5-inch barrel differs little from what other manufacturers refer to as a Sheriff’s model. In fact, without a good look at the bore, you can’t tell it apart from Cimarron’s New Sheriff. Moreover, the guns are closely related in areas other than configuration and caliber. The box our Cimarron Thunderer came in had an Aldo Uberti sticker on it covered unabashedly by a Cimarron sticker. We have heard that the parts for many of today’s cowboy guns are made in Italy by Uberti and assembled by differ- ent companies.

Disassembly and Reassembly Of the Springfield EMP

In any case, the available calibers are not the only things I like about the EMP from Springfield, Inc. It’s no larger than a compact 9mm. It’s a Series-70 M1911A1, so it’s not cluttered internally with a collection of additional parts dreamed up to put a firing-pin block in a pistol that can’t fire unless it is gripped firmly in the hand. As this is written, the EMP is being produced in 9mm using a hard-coat aluminum-alloy frame. When it comes out in .40 S&W and .45 GAP, the frame will be of steel. Those initials behind the “.45” stand for Glock Automatic Pistol, a round developed in cooperation between the Austrian pistol maker and Speer.

Disassembly/Reassembly of the Remington Model 5 Rimfire Rifle

The first Remington Number 5 bears no resemblance to the new Remington Model 5. The two rifles differ as much as cats and dogs do. The old Number 5 was a rolling-block sporting and target rifle adapted to use smokeless powder ammunition. It was introduced in 1898, initially chambered for .30-30 Winchester, 7mm Mauser, .30-40 Krag, with .303 British added a few years later. The rifle flopped. Only 198 were sold before it went out of production in 1903. That was too bad for Remington but a good deal for anyone who owns a Number 5, as it would be a mighty nice collector’s piece today. I don’t think the new Remington Model 5 will suffer the same fate as the old Number 5. Right now, it’s a clip-fed bolt-action available in .22 LR and .22 WMR. I have few doubts that in the future it will be able to handle one or more of the .17-caliber rounds gaining popularity. While it wears “Remington” on its box and at the rear of the receiver, you’ll find “Zastava-Serbia” above and forward of the magazine housing. Zastava is the town; Serbia a former kingdom of the Balkans and presently part of Yugoslavia.