Gun Digest April 2020

As I write this from the well-armed confines of my work-from-home desk, the number of confirmed corona virus cases in the United States sits at approximately 100 people. By the time these words hit the printer, those stats will be obsolete. And, by the time you read this Gun Digest issue? Well, that’s anyone’s guess … and that’s exactly why this home-defense issue is so perfectly timed. Oddly enough, it’s times of large-scale “scare” that make people think smaller than normal, redirecting global focus inward toward the four walls we call “home,” along with the invaluable people who reside within them. The bare Costco shelves that once held toilet paper and bulk rice prove that people are thinking small right now. As I talked with my wife a few evenings…

HISTORICAL NOTES The .32 Smith & Wesson Long cartridge was developed for the Smith & Wesson First Model solid-framed, hand-ejector revolver, which was introduced in 1903. The same cartridge, loaded with a flat-nose bullet, is called the .32 Colt New Police. Colt, Harrington & Richardson, Iver Johnson and Smith & Wesson were the principal companies making revolvers in this chambering in the United States. Many Spanish and other European revolvers, such as the Bayard and Pickert, chambered the round. In Europe, it had not been as widely used as the shorter .32 S&W until some ISU centerfire target-shooters discovered the .32 S&W Long. Now, there are several high-class European target auto-loaders for the wadcutter loading of this cartridge. GENERAL COMMENTS The .32 S&W Long was the smallest revolver cartridge deemed…

Would You .22? I just read the online article, “.22 LR for Self-Defense: Good, Bad or Crazy?” I have two 9mm pistols and a .45 ACP. I also have a Taurus TX .22 LR. With four mags of 16 rounds each, I can easily carry 64 rounds—which is very light compared to 64 rounds of 9mm! While I normally carry one of the 9mms, at self-defense distance, 16 rounds loaded ain’t no joke. I don’t advocate the .22 LR for a personal EDC, but if I shoot you with one—if nothing else—I’ll get your attention! Stan Robertson, online comment Stan, it’s hard to argue against anyone’s ability to carry a whole lot of .22 LR ammo with very little discomfort. But, as you already know, terminal performance of the .22…

Everything You Want to Know About Every Glock! Whether you’re an experienced “Glockophile” or shopping for your first Glock pistol, this revised and expanded second edition of Robb Manning’s Glock Reference Guide is essential reading. This edition covers every model and milestone in the development of Gaston Glock’s iconic handgun since its introduction in 1983. Inside, you’ll find complete coverage and testing information for all Glock models, including Gen5 updates, law enforcement-/military-only variants, custom Glocks and models never offered in the United States. It’s all here! Every model, every caliber, every variant and every generation—from the first prototype through developments that took place in 2019. *The history of, and a commentary about, every *Glock model *How they’re made and how they work *How to disassemble, clean and troubleshoot *Coverage of…

Production, semi-production, custom shop. We have several choices when it comes to purchasing a firearm. Most of the time, I speak about production- or semi-production-class rifles—products you’ll find on the shelf locally. Shooters like to be hands on, so buying rifles sight unseen can be a daunting task. I’ve been very fortunate in my shooting career to work with some of the very best custom gunsmiths. The custom rifles in my collection have a lot of personality and some deep connections behind them. GAIN-TWIST BARRELS Today, I still start with a barreled action—it’s the heart of every rifle. My first step is to decide what caliber I want. Then, I look to Bartlein barrels to customize the twist rate. Today, I’m entirely sold on this company’s gain-twist barrels. Bartlein, because…

I’ll admit that I quite often utilize Mexican carry. In case you don’t know what “Mexican carry” is, please don’t speculate that it’s a racist term conjured up by someone with “TDS” (Trump Derangement Syndrome) to describe carrying illegals back across the border. Mexican carry refers to the practice of carrying a handgun in your waistband without a holster. When Mexican citizens were stripped of their right to carry firearms, they began to carry handguns without the aid of gun belts and holsters. If approached by any federales, they could ditch their pistols, and there were no holsters to signify they’d ever had one. The practice is very similar to the OSS string holster, for which operatives in France during World War II would take a loop of string—or a…