First Impressions 2009
Written by Randy Mays
There were some doubt a year ago I'd be
around to write this, but while I still have several tumors to deal
with, the cancer doesn't appear to have gottten out of hand, so every
day is a gift. It's winter here in eastern Idaho so that limits
the opportunities to go shooting, but does not prevent buying or
writing about guns. In years past I would have been writing about
going to the SHOT Show, but I missed the SHOT Show this year and last
year. Last year I was getting out of surgery in Salt Lake City,
and this year the SHOT Show was in Orlando, Florida - too far to
travel. One thing I learned about the SHOT Show is that I often
miss things as I walk around, but there are others who attend who are
far more careful not to miss anything AND they are articulate in terms
of photography at least in describing new guns. My favorite Web
site for SHOT Show news is www.gunblast.com.
This year there were pages from the SHOT Show "media" day and for four
days of the show itself. Be sure to check out this Web page, and
return here when you're done.
In terms of guns I want to get after the SHOT Show, based on preliminary reports, the top of the list includes two revolvers. One is the new S&W Model 632. This is a J frame 6 shot .327 Federal Magnum with a 3" barrel. In terms of capabilities, it's not a lot different from the existing Model 60 3", but does hold one more round. The other revolver, a "must have" based on what I know so far is the new Ruger LCR. It has a polymer and aluminum frame, a first that I know of for pocket revolvers, and it can be equipped with a Crimson Trace laser grip - always a handy feature in a gun that size.
So, what are the two pictures shown above? The first is the Ruger .380 LCP. Right now it's back at Ruger for a safety modification. It will be returned with an extended magazine finger rest, a welcome addition. I added some bicycle inner tube rubber to the grip, because when I saw a strong young many firing the gun on "Shooting USA," he was shifting his grip on the gun after every shot. The second picture looks a little bit like my new "carry gun." Although the picture shows a .45, I have a Model 33 Glock (.357 SIG compact) with a Lone Wolf compensated barrel. The .357 SIG is a handful in a small gun, and that ported barrel will help. The Model 33 has night sights and an extended trip - and a new "appendix" holster, something I'm trying out these days.
We learn as we learn an evolve and while I like 1911 style guns, I have memories of watching friends in competition forget to take off the thumb safety. I've decided in my old age that if I have a handgun for personal protection, it will always fire just by pressing the trigger. I, like other who write about these things, can come up with scenarios where an external safety would be handy, but that's just for the sake of argument. In the real world, simple is not only good it is essential. To be honest, I love the little 9 mm 1911 type guns, but have decided not to carry one.
Read the First Impressions from 2008.
Return to the World Famous Randy Mays home page.
In terms of guns I want to get after the SHOT Show, based on preliminary reports, the top of the list includes two revolvers. One is the new S&W Model 632. This is a J frame 6 shot .327 Federal Magnum with a 3" barrel. In terms of capabilities, it's not a lot different from the existing Model 60 3", but does hold one more round. The other revolver, a "must have" based on what I know so far is the new Ruger LCR. It has a polymer and aluminum frame, a first that I know of for pocket revolvers, and it can be equipped with a Crimson Trace laser grip - always a handy feature in a gun that size.
So, what are the two pictures shown above? The first is the Ruger .380 LCP. Right now it's back at Ruger for a safety modification. It will be returned with an extended magazine finger rest, a welcome addition. I added some bicycle inner tube rubber to the grip, because when I saw a strong young many firing the gun on "Shooting USA," he was shifting his grip on the gun after every shot. The second picture looks a little bit like my new "carry gun." Although the picture shows a .45, I have a Model 33 Glock (.357 SIG compact) with a Lone Wolf compensated barrel. The .357 SIG is a handful in a small gun, and that ported barrel will help. The Model 33 has night sights and an extended trip - and a new "appendix" holster, something I'm trying out these days.
We learn as we learn an evolve and while I like 1911 style guns, I have memories of watching friends in competition forget to take off the thumb safety. I've decided in my old age that if I have a handgun for personal protection, it will always fire just by pressing the trigger. I, like other who write about these things, can come up with scenarios where an external safety would be handy, but that's just for the sake of argument. In the real world, simple is not only good it is essential. To be honest, I love the little 9 mm 1911 type guns, but have decided not to carry one.
Read the First Impressions from 2008.
Return to the World Famous Randy Mays home page.