Hey Jeff,
First off I want too say that I am a huge fan,, when I need a review on a firearm your website is the first place I look, your always informative and too the point on what you test. My question is about the
CrossBreed Super Tuck holster you tried with your M&P. I also carry OWB for everything but thought about trying a CrossBreed and your review seemed you liked it also. Now here is my
problem...being a Good Ol' Boy from Kentucky I love my beans, cornbread, sweet tea and banana puddin' a little too much if you get my drift and slightly on the plump side. How do you reckon it would work for a hillbilly with a few extra pounds? I want something for my Glock 33. All of my holsters I currently own are from
Simply Rugged and Rob suggested I go with his new Barracuda instead of the Silver Dollar Pancakes I normally purchase. What is your thought/honest opinion on this please? Do you ever use the CrossBreed any more? Thanks Mike
August 15, 2010
I have not tried that Barracuda, but Rob is built like you, and knows his stuff. Also, if you don't like it, he will replace it. While the Cross Breed is the most comfortable inside holster that I have tried, you will probably need looser pants and suspenders, if you have much of a belly. Also, depending upon if you wear your pants over or under the belly, the pistol might poke into your side meat when sitting.
Jeff
Hello,
I want to install a gun safe in my bedroom. I want it to meet the following criteria:
1. Can easily hold one large gun (e. g. a large frame revolver, a full-size semi-auto pistol, etc.).
2. Provides quick access (i. e. should not take more than a few seconds to open, even at night).
3. Cannot be easily breached or stolen by a burglar. (Some of those cable-locks look pretty vulnerable.)
4. Not horribly expensive (i. e. would be great if it was $100-200, no more than $300).
5. Is outfitted with foam so the gun is not scratched.
6. OPTIONAL: Would be great if it could do double-duty at home and on traveling (e. g. road trips).
There are so many from which to choose. What do you recommend?
Thanks!
David
August 11, 2010
There are several good brands on the market. I do not trust any of them for access to be quick enough when you are jolted from a deep sleep. A few seconds is way too long. Remember, you are asleep and expecting nothing. The intruder is wide awake, and has been planning his every move. You must have instant access to the weapon, and even then, you are at a
disadvantage. A key is hard to find and operate quickly in the dark. The combination locks are time-consuming, and the biometric locks can also be fumbled. What I do is when going to bed, I open mine and situate the grip of the gun for easy access. When I get out of bed in the morning, I lock it up. Just get one that meets your needs and fits your weapon. The idea is to keep it away from children. A thief will just steal the whole thing.
Jeff
Several sources I have found on the internet comment on the how the ballistic properties of a 9mm Luger round fired from a carbine (e. g. the
Hi-Point 995TS) are vastly superior to those from a pistol. What I can not find is information regarding how the 9mm Luger ballistic properties improve with increased barrel length. Such information would influence whether I buy a 9mm or .40 caliber pistol. I don't find it likely, or practical, to purchase a pistol with a barrel length greater than 5-inches. I am not interested in revolvers and the pistol I purchase would be for home defense.
Your thoughts?
- Peedee
August 11, 2010
That principle applies to every cartridge. Some cartridges max out at about a 14 to 16 inch barrel, but others take 26 inches or more to reach full potential. Any handgun is a compromise. You must weigh ballistic performance with handiness and weight. Both the 9mm and the 40 benefit from a longer barrel. You must decide what you need from a pistol, and balance that with the need for portability.
Jeff
Jeff, What magazine loader do you recommend for the Thureon Defense 9mm magazines?
Thanks!
Doug
August 2, 2010
The LULA loader for the UZI is the best available.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
Have enjoyed reading your reviews but I have a question RE: Reviews and Savage Rifles. From personal experience I have found that not all Savages are quite as accurate as reviewed.
I read a review on the Model 14 in 308 that shot 1/2" groups and I bought one and shot the same ammo through it and it wouldn't shoot better than
1 1/2" with any ammo from sandbags and I'm a firearms instructor of 28 years. When I called Savage and asked them about the "very" average performance of the rifle a very curt woman told me that they don't
guarantee any better than 1 1/2" groups from their sporting rifles. That's far from the tack drivers I routinely read about.
After having read your latest review of the Savage Edge that shot tiny groups. I have to ask would you consider buying one off of the shelf at Dick's or
WalMart and review an off the shelf gun? I personally think Savage is sending out ringers for review purposes so that they only receive rave reviews. Why don't you give this a try so that the average Joe will have a real idea of what he is going to get when he lays down his hard earned $300.00 because for some guys that is what they can afford. I don't think that you'll find out that 1/2" groups will be the norm from the average off the shelf Savage. Would you consider trying an off the shelf Edge test in 243 Win to see if the average gun is as good as the one Savage provided to you? Being a cop, I smell a ringer.
Bob
July 22, 2010
I have often done that. Many of my Savage rifles have come through my local dealer, ordered from a wholesaler. However, guns are individuals. Using the same ammo used in another gun, you cannot always expect the same accuracy. You might try another brand that would do even better. That is why I always try as many brands as I can get my hands on. You have to experiment a bit. That is where handloaders have an advantage. Altering the powder charge or bullet seating depth slightly can make a dramatic change, and two rifles built on the same day will usually prefer different loads. Besides all this, there are also differences in scopes and mounts. Many times a rifle is blamed for lacking in accuracy, when a scope has a slight internal movement. It has happened to me often. I think that, although 1.5 inch accuracy is not bad, with a little experimenting, you can cut that in half with your rifle. Gather up a variety of quality ammunition, keep the bore clean, use a quality scope, and see what she will do. Keep me posted.
Jeff
Jeff - you've advised of the need to use holsters for certain pocket pistols (e. g., my Glock 26 - I certainly understand your warning), but have mentioned carrying certain "hammerless" revolvers in the pocket without the need for the holster. I'm a neophyte - please explain - is it because of the heavier pull on the revolver, or is there another reason?
Jeffrey
July 16, 2010
Yes, the long heavy pull on a revolver makes it much harder to accidentally discharge than the relatively light, short pull on a Glock 26.
Jeff
Hello, I read one of your articles about
being ready for a disaster and having all of your gear ready to
go. So I was wandering what your opinion be for a good
backpack?
Isaac
June 20, 2010
I have not tried a backpack. I use a military LC-1 harness with a web belt. It holds a lot of stuff, but I think that a good backpack might be better.
Jeff
Hey Jeff,
My Name is Mike I was wondering what do you think about Obama and the second amendment. Do you think he will ban guns all together? Or will our gun founded nation stand up and fight against it? My right to bear arms I know will not go down without a fight! What about you? Hey and by the way I like your beard It give you and Old Texas Style look! Pretty cool! Thanks,
Mike
June 7, 2010
Obama has stated in public that he wants to ban all semi-auto weapons. He cannot do it without help from Congress, and right now, he has a lot of problems already. If re-elected, I think he will try to get the ban on semi-auto weapons.
Jeff
Dear Jeff,
I love your site, extremely informative, and though its tough to find a truly bad review from you guys, I've yet to find a gun that I hated shooting either. I do wonder sometimes at the politics that you allow to enter your writing. For the most part, I understand entirely, I'm a white male that is either extremely radically political, or middle of the road, it depends on who you ask. My primary question for you is fairly subtle. You make no bones about your lack of support for a national "choice" option for health care, yet are a Christian man. Do you
really believe that Jesus would have let Blue Cross explain why the five thousand couldn't be fed? We are, by and large a Christian nation, and I think that's a good thing, yet, we are the last industrialized nation not to offer a national health care choice. Do you believe those ideals are
commensurate with one another? I don't remember Jesus doing a credit check before giving to the poor.
Either way, great site, keep the articles coming, and a review of the new Nikon scope system would be awesome.
Aric
May 27, 2010
I am not sure what Jesus would do. Many in our culture confuse health care with health care
insurance. No one has to buy health care insurance
(although they will under the new law). It is the insurance that Blue Cross sells, not health care. I am free to pay my doctor for
his/her services out of my own pocket. Folks pay companies like Blue Cross to assume the financial risk for them, just as we pay companies like Allstate to assume the financial risk of having an auto accident. Many in our culture feel "entitled" to other people's money, that we should take from those who work to pay for things for those who do not. I think that Jesus would be pleased if I took my money and gave it to some poor family, but how does it please our Lord for the government to steal my money and give it to some poor family? God has the power to give as much as He wants to whomever He wants. Jesus
said: "The poor you have with you always". If I steal from Bill Gates to buy something that I want, that is a crime, but if the government steals it for me, that is called compassion. The government is us, all of us. If it is not right for me to steal, it is not right for us to steal. I live in a country where I am free to work and earn money to buy what I need and want. So are you. If you choose to spend your money on a bigger house than mine, or a better car, then why should I have to buy your health insurance? If I choose to spend all of my money on guns, why should I demand that the government steal your money to buy health insurance for me? How about this idea: Each free man and woman works for
their money, and spends it as they choose? As you stated, there are many places in which to live that the government will tax you heavily, and then provide you with "free" government health care. Why screw up the best health care system in the world, just to be like everyone else? Health care here is expensive, because it is what we want. If our leg itches, we want someone to look inside with a multi-million dollar machine, but to not charge us for the service. We want drug companies to spend billions of dollars and years of research to make us the latest feel-good drug, but then call them evil for wanting to make a profit on that huge investment. We want the evil oil companies to spend millions of dollars every day to provide us a reliable source of power for our cars, but scream loudly that they make nine cents per gallon on gas, then say nothing about our government making 42 cents on that same gallon of gas, without ever lifting a finger nor investing a penny. They reach and take a larger share, but we curse the man who makes the product for us. Be patient, Sir. We are quickly becoming just like all the other nations on Earth. We are more socialized every day. Personally, I think that Jesus must be both hurt and disgusted at us. We steal from our
brethren, kill our babies, and pay subsidies for slothfulness and unwed reproduction. We pay people to not work. The major source of income for women in our inner cities is a check paid for each fatherless child. We pay farmers to not grow food. We pay women to murder their unborn children. We spend more on dog food than on feeding our neighbors. Then, when a man or a company tries to make a product and turn a profit, we demand that his product be given to us for free, for that is our right. I appreciate your comments, and really do not know what Jesus would do. There is an excellent chance that you are right and I am wrong. Thankfully, Jesus does not ask my opinion, nor
condemn me for my faults. His grace is beyond understanding, and His
forgiveness of the things which Man does to his fellow-man is never-ending.
Jeff
Jeff..... I note in your recent posting that Rossi will now offer a very reasonably priced, .45 colt Mare's Leg, built on the 1892 model.
Because the Mare's Legs on the market were all in the $1.200.00 range, I bought a Rossi Model R92-57006, in .45 Colt, a few months ago, for about $500. I'm very happy with the gun. My question... if I found a gun smith to cut off the stock to the length of a Mare's Leg, would it be legal? Will the stock withstand being cut off? Thanks.
Chuck
May 26, 2010
It will violate the NFA of 1934, and can get you five years in a Federal prison. Don't do it.
Jeff
Hi Jeff, I am having a tough time trying to make a decision on getting a Ruger P90 or the
P345, if you have any experience with these two guns what's your opinion on them, and how do they compare.
Mike
May 26, 2010
Both are excellent weapons. If carrying
concealed, the P345 is more compact and lighter weight. The P90 is
an excellent 45, one of the strongest available, but it is pretty
bulky for concealed carry.
Jeff
Some forums say the Glock
36 is a "Girl Gun" What do you say to that? I disagree as it's nowhere near the "girl gun" a LCP is but millions of MEN carry that(including me).
What's your opinion on the Glock 39? It's the same size as the 26,27, and 33. Which is smaller than the 30 and 36. And has .45 power, but only 6 rounds. I'd really like one of each pocket Glock but that would cost too much. I want something concealable but would stop the "bad guy" in one shot.
Mark
May 26, 2010
There is no such thing as a girl gun. That is
just BS spouted by armchair commandos who want to appear to be
more masculine. Shoot and carry what you want.
There is no handgun that can be concealed and
guarantee a one-shot stop. The 39 is a good weapon, but the future
looks dim for the 45 GAP cartridge. My choice of those three would
be the 26, loaded with Cor-Bon DPX ammo.
Jeff
Your thoughts on what you feel is a good CCW for a female? Thanks for your input.
Elaine
May 3, 2010
Same as for a male. It must first of all be small enough and light enough that it will ALWAYS be with you. A 45 is nice, but if you can't reach it, it is of no use to you. Something that seems to work well for everyone is a small, lightweight 38 Special revolver, like a S&W 642, a Charter Undercover, or a
Ruger LCR. Whatever you get, make sure it is what YOU want. Do not be intimidated by some gun store commando who knows everything. Any handgun is a compromise. If you know you are heading for a fight, carry a 12 gauge shotgun. The handgun is what we carry because it is convenient. We can have it with us as we go about our daily lives. Get what is comfortable for you, practice with it, keep it within reach, and keep me posted on your progress.
Jeff
Hi Jeff,
I really enjoy your website. Lots of terrific information. I know you're busy so I won't take much of your time and my question is this. I was given two boxes of CorBon ammunition in 40 S&W. It's the 135 grain cartridge and my question to you: is this round too light? I know the muzzle velocity and energy are pretty high, but I wonder and worry about getting enough penetration. My concealed carry gun is a SIG P229 with a 3.9 inch barrel. According to SIG anyway. I realize you probably don't like to give advice on what cartridge or bullet weight to carry, but I truly would appreciate your input.
Thank you for your time, and have a terrific day.
Best wishes,
Michael
March 14, 2010
That ammo is an excellent choice for self defense.
Jeff
Hello Jeff, I am looking for a new or used revolver. Biggest stumbling block in choosing is caliber choice. I am looking at .357 and .44 Rem mag as options. I currently carry a
Glock 22 and 27 as weapons for work and personal carry but this will be my first revolver to own. I have shot numerous other revolvers: .22LR, .38, .357 and a 44mag
Redhawk. The purpose of the revolver is for hiking and hunting and the locale for my expeditions is Wyoming. I am looking for a revolver with a 3-6" barrel for the lighter weight paired with more accuracy than a stub nose offers. Also, this gun will be carried in cold weather and I will likely wear gloves while carrying it so the small framed guns are inappropriate
choices. I have looked at the SW 327PD in .357 and like the fit and capacity of 8 rounds. I also like the SW 629 Classic in 44mag. but am unsure if I really need to sacrifice the capacity for a larger capacity. A .25 inch hole where you want it, is going to be better than a half inch hole over a bears shoulder... I am a fan of Speer Gold Dot hollowpoints and will likely use them as my primary ammo. Is there a need for the larger caliber, or will .357 suffice? I imagine the maximum ranger I will need the gun is at 50 yards. Oh yeah, I am young, fit, 5'11", 170 pounds, and have XL hands, so the large revolvers
aren't a problem for fit. What caliber do you recommend, and what model or make?
Thank you,
Jeremy
March 10, 2010
There are many good choices available, and the .357 will do most anything that needs doing with a revolver. However,
for a large bear, the .44 is better. The S&W Mountain Gun is just about ideal for what you need. If large bears will be in the area, I would carry it loaded with some good hard cast or tough jacketed bullets. Even the
Belt Mountain Punch Bullet would be very useful, and guarantee the deepest penetration. You can buy the Punch factory loaded by
Grizzly Cartridge Company.
Jeff
I carry a concealed pistol in an inside-the-waistband holster just to the right of my belt buckle, with my shirttail out and covering it. Small .380s, a
Rohrbaugh 9mm, and a S & W Model 36 w/ 3" barrel work fine in this manner. I am interested in a Kimber .45 ACP Ultra Carry II. Do you believe this little 1911-style .45 would be too big for this type of carry?
Thanks much,
Gary
February 19, 2010
Depends upon your body. It seems to me that sitting down would be a problem. Also, I would not want a .45 pointing in the direction of my wedding tackle. Hurts to even think about it.
Jeff
Jeff, I noticed your advice to a guy wanting to arm his gal -- find a gun that she's pleased with and can handle -- and just wanted to add my two cents.
I'll turn 60 this year and my wife and I will celebrate our 31st anniversary. I've taken her shooting many times, outings she's enjoyed, but she's a machine-hostile person who has issues even with can openers and is quite uncomfortable handling firearms alone, forgetting even the basics of safe handling. Did I mention that she's a teacher?
While I love her dearly, she does not have a firearm, but does have some pepper spray, although I leave the room whenever I see her move that
canister from one purse to another. Her relative defenseless situation concerns me because I do spend much of my time out-of-state, but, fortunately, my daughter and son did not inherit this gene and are capable, competent, and prepared when it comes to home and personal defense.
For about a decade I've been a gun-booster; I encourage folks to take up shooting by giving a basic gun-handling lesson in conjunction with trips to the
local NRA range. It's a great range because one must pass a written test before shooting there for the first time, and the range personnel are first-rate: attentive and pro-active.
I've been successful: of the 20 co-workers I've taken shooting, all but one have gone on to purchase their own firearms, and three females have gone on to get their CWPs.
What I've learned is that handgun choice is quite personal. When I take folks to the range, I bring along a .40 S&W semiautomatic pistol, .38 Spl snubby, a .357 revolver with 4" barrel, and a Bushmaster 5.56 carbine for variety. The gals generally are not big fans of the pistol and carbine, they complain about the auto ejection. Two who went on to get CWPs ended up with S&W .38 Spl concealed hammer snubbies in black (despite Charter Arms and Taurus marketers offering a range of shades, both independently said that "black goes with everything") with Crimson Trace and trigger jobs.
But the hoot was the one co-worker, a mid-fifties big gal, daughter of cop who'd previously only fired long guns. She liked the heft of the .357 quite a bit more than the concealability of the .38 snubby two years ago when I first took her shooting. So when I got my
Taurus Judge (blued with 3" cylinder and 3" barrel) last summer, I took her to the range one Friday at lunchtime to try it out. (The NRA range allows only .45 LC, not shot shells). She loved it so much she called around and bought one the next day (at Loudon Guns, in Leesburg, VA), a Saturday. She encountered a bit of resistance from the sales guy who asked, for good reason, I suppose, if she was sure that was what she really wanted. Her response was such that he promptly got the gun, the case, and a variety of ammunition along with cleaning supplies faster than, as you might say, a Bud disappears at a biker rally. Soon after she got her CWP and has become a member of a range near her home.
The Lord moves in mysterious ways, no?
One final point: while I consider the .38 Spl the smallest round capable of doing the job with one shot, I do find that my S&W Airweight snubby with Crimson Trace grip a bit too large to carry under some circumstances and am considering a semiauto .380 ACP. I have tried a friend's Ruger LCP and do like it except, for some strange reason, in my hands the magazine pops out after two or three rapid shots, even after trying several variations in holding the durn thing while someone else watches what I'm doing. (I consumed a precious 50-round box in trying to avoid this problem.) Somehow I'm hitting the magazine release. So I'm still looking...
I thoroughly enjoy your well-reasoned opinions, perceptive reviews, and perspicacious outlook on life. May you continue to enlighten and enrage for many decades more!
Mike - Columbia, SC
January 23, 2010
Thanks for that insightful feedback. I have trimmed down the height (the amount of protrusion) of the mag release on my LCP and my Kel-Tecs for that reason, leaving just enough of a "bump" to drop the magazine when I deliberately want to do so. I never had the problem of releasing during shooting, but sometimes the mag would be released in my pocket, when I bumped up against something.
Jeff
I have looked at the Judge 410/45 for my wife for protection in the house but I think it is to big for her to handle do you think it is. I saw A small 3 shot revolver would you know what that might be and would that be better for her?
Randy
January 9, 2010
Not knowing your wife, that is hard to say. Keep in mind that a larger, heavier handgun has less felt recoil. Take her to a gun store and let her handle a few, to find the gun with which SHE is the most comfortable. It needs to have adequate power, and be something in which she has total confidence. The Judge is a good choice, properly loaded, but if she prefers an all-steel .38 or .357, that will also be a good choice.
Jeff
I am a father of five kids and am getting back into fire arms and hunting because some of my children are showing an interest (the girls, not the two older boys). I have always used hand loads when I use to shoot and have recently been reading postings alluding to legal liability in regard to using hand loads. What do they mean specifically? To me it is as important to teach a kid to make their own hand loads as to hunt or shoot.
Billy in PA
January 8, 2010
I handload just about everything that I shoot. I would not worry about the legal liability. That opinion is voiced by some, in the event that you have to shoot a person in defense, that a jury could be talked into believing that you assembled some ammo with "extra killing power".
Jeff
I have an XD45 and read your page before I purchased. It fires all the 230 gr. I have tried, but I have had no luck with Laser Cast 200 gr. LSWC. I have double checked that I am not crimping the loads, and the seating depth is correct.
When firing this bullet, I have experienced "stove piping"; failure of the slide to go all the way forward to where I need to hit the back of the slide with my palm to be able to fire. I have even experienced the case not being extracted from the chamber.
My local gun dealer says because of the design of the barrel tipping up on extraction then the follow on round will catch the shoulder on the previous round.
You stated in your article that the most accurate load was your hand load using the 200 gr LSWC.
Do you have any suggestions? I figure I will just fire 230 gr round nose or factory loads.
Thanks for your time.
Mark
December 28, 2009
Yes. I learned this many, many years ago. You need a taper crimp die, done in a
separate step after bullet seating. Not a Lee "factory crimp", not a roll crimp, a genuine taper crimp die. It will fix the problem of the slide not going completely into battery. It will fix the problem of the empty case catching on the next cartridge in the magazine. I had these same problems. The taper crimp die is the answer.
Jeff
I am new to your forum.
I have recently acquired a very basic, inexpensive Winchester .22 single shot rifle the Model 67A. I know its not normally the type of arm your Q/A focus on but I'd appreciate the advice. The gun is 100% original from what I can tell, the metal is all in good shape but the bluing on the barrel/action is about 70%. It's all more brown than blue. No scratches, no rust, bright shiny bore. Trigger guard, fore-stock screw and "bolt" cocking device are about 98% blue. The stock is 100% and is actually an interestingly figured stock for the quality/model of gun. Nicer than I've ever seen on a 67 which is why I bought it. I paid slightly less than it's worth in today's market, and I didn't have one in my collection yet. My question is, given the uniqueness of the stock and overall condition of the gun, is it worthwhile to have the barrel re-blued by a professional using a method/color period-correct for Winchester, which would make the gun look perfect or would you suggest I keep it 100% original. Having a nice example of this model for my collection is more important to me than having a shooter, and I don't want to put more $$ in it than it's worth. Finding a perfect 67 single shot in 100% is difficult, and those I have seen are going for about $200 more than what I have into this one.
Thanks
Jay
November 9, 2009
If it was mine, I would put the money into ammunition to run down that perfect bore, and leave the exterior as is. I like a gun with a little character.
Jeff
On the review of the LG-431 laser sight for the Ruger
LCP, you show a leather pocket holster from Simply Rugged. I went to that site and they show a holster for the LCP, but do not give any information about different sizes that will fir the LCP with the laser sight installed.
Can you please tell me the model number of the holster shown in the picture so I can order one?
Ross
November 8, 2009
There is no model number for it, but email or call, and tell them that you want one for the LCP with laser, just like they built for me. Rob Leahy builds each one by hand, and can make anything that you need.
Jeff
Hello Boge,
I recently purchased a Walther PPS 40 and I'm wanting to purchase an IWB holster for it. You're built about like me judging from your website. I'm 6'5" & 300lbs. What is your favorite IWB holster for a small semi-auto like the Walther?
Soli Deo Gloria,
John
October 28, 2009
John,
I rarely use IWB holsters myself, as there's too much of me already in there and I don't have room for a weapon (GRIN). I like a
Simply Rugged pancake, which can be purchased with "inside-out" straps as shown in the article that allow the holster to be used as an IWB holster. The Simply Rugged holster can even be used with their
"Chesty Puller" chest holster,
as shown here. A VERY versatile rig, and an excellent value for the dollar. Plus
Rob Leahy, owner of Simply Rugged, is a good guy.
Jeff also likes the Cross Breed SuperTuck IWB
holster. It looks like a comfortable and stable rig, but I haven't tried it myself.
Boge
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Any loading data indicated were arrived at using specialized equipment under
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