Guns & Ammo - March 2017

108 Pages·2017·16.13 MB·English

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GUNS & AMMO
MARCH 2017|VOLUME 61, NUMBER 3|PUBLISHED MONTHLY
CONTENTS
Guns & Ammo’s
subscriber cover
features the
new-for-2017
Super Black Eagle
3 from Benelli.
p. 54
MBY ERIC& R. POOPLE M2POINT 0h!
AFTER MORE THAN 10 YEARS, SMITH & WESSON
UPDATES ITS POPULAR DUTY-READY STRIKER.
COVER PHOTOS: MICHAEL ANSCHUETZ
54 68 76
CODE NAME: RETRIEVER TRACT OPTICS COLT’S ‘OTHER’ MILITARY SINGLE ACTION
Benelli soars in Alaska as G&A heads north What happens when you cut out Examining the Artillery Model variant of Colt’s legendary
with the new Super Black Eagle 3. the middleman? Single Action Army revolver.

by skip knowles by tom beckstrand by garry james
Reader Blowback� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �6 Rifles & Glass by Tom Beckstrand � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �29
Editorial by Eric R� Poole� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �11 Lock, Stock & Barrel by SGM Kyle Lamb [ret�] � � � � � � � � � � � �37
Gun Room by Garry James � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �13 Proofhouse TriStar T-120 9mm� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �90
Handgunning by Patrick Sweeney� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �19 Proofhouse Ruger Mini-14 Tactical �300 Blackout� � � � � � � � � �96
The Carry Rig JM Custom Kydex Holster � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �23 Spent Cases Colt 1847 “Whitneyville” Walker � � � � � � � � � � �104
Gun Tech by Chris Mudgett� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �26
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PUBLIShEr Chris Agnes
EDITORIAL ENDEMIC AD SALES
EDITOr Eric R. Poole NaTIONaL ENDEmIc SaLES maNaGEr
maNaGING EDITOr Chris Mudgett Jim McConville [phone]
aSSOcIaTE EDITOr Laura Kovarik WESTErN rEGION Hutch Looney [phone]
aSSOcIaTE EDITOr Katie McCarthy mIDWEST rEGION Rob Walker [phone]
arT DIrEcTOr Michael Ulrich EaST rEGION Pat Bentzel [phone]
STaFF PhOTOGraPhEr Michael Anschuetz WhErE-TO-GO/marKETPLacE
GrOUP arT DIrEcTOr David Kleckner Mark Thiffault [phone]
SENIOr EDITOr Garry James CORPORATE AD SALES
SENIOr FIELD EDITOr Craig Boddington EaST cOaST accOUNT EXEcUTIVE
haNDGUNS EDITOr Patrick Sweeney Kathy Gross [phone]
CONTRIBUTORS mIDWEST accOUNT DIrEcTOr
Tom Beckstrand, Jeremy Cantrell, Mark Fingar, Kevin Donley [phone]
Brad Fitzpatrick, Robert W. Hunnicutt, Kyle Lamb, WEST cOaST, mIDWEST & mOUNTaIN
Lukas Lamb, Dana Loesch, Richard Nance, Alfredo Rico, accOUNT EXEcUTIVE
Jeremy Stafford, Sean Utley, Len Waldron, Keith Wood Carl Benson [phone]
DIrEcT rESPONSE aDVErTISING/NON-ENDEmIc
PrODUcTION cOOrDINaTOr Al Ziegler
Anthony Smyth [phone]
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chIEF EXEcUTIVE OFFIcEr Jeff Paro
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G&A March 2017
READER
BLOWBACK WRITE US! “Letters,” Guns & Ammo, 2 News Plaza, 3rd Floor, Peoria, IL 61614, or email us at [email protected].
Please include your city and state of residence. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity.
AUGUST ’82
“I might as well be up-front,
per means annealed and is
as well as discriminating,”
wrote former G&A editor never referred to as a heat-
Howard French. “[American]
treated “T” temper. All alloy
shooters are going to have
systems will not develop
to be well-heeled. The Korth
starts in the neighborhood -T6 properties on natural
of $1,495 good old yankee
aging; a high-temperature
dollars at a time when you
solution heat treatment
can buy a premium U.S.-made
sixgun for a thousand dollars prior to aging at moderate
less.”
temperatures (250-350 F) is
During a trip to Europe,
required for -T6, and then
French visited Korth in West
Germany and managed to only the 2000 (Al-Cu), 6000
secure an opportunity to test
(Al-Mg-Si) and 7000 (Al-Zn)
two combo guns, one with
systems are candidates.
the ability to interchange
between .357 and 9mm, and a Only the 2000 series of
REMINGTON’S RECENT HISTORY
second that changed between
alloys are used in the fully
.22LR and .22 Magnum.
I really enjoyed Eric Poole’s story on Remington; the history naturally aged (-T4) temper
Though not a household
of the company and how they diversified was very interest- name, “it is probably the (high fatigue strength for
finest double-action revolver
ing. However, I believe he left out one important element: aircraft wing sheets). In
ever made,” he concluded.
He mentioned the factory in Alabama, but neglected the the other heat-treatable
reasons it was built there. One reason? The Safe Act in New systems (6000, 7000), the
York. No self-respecting gun manufacturer would continue naturally aged tempers are
building in New York. The second is the union in New York, considered to be unsta-
— more likely the lfick of a union in Alabama’s factory. ble, as they strengthen
John R. Carrington over a very long time and
Binghamton, New York never reach -T6 strength.
Finally, the -T9 temper is a
Thfifififiticlfififittfifiptfidfitofi tofiothfifififitfitfifififithfifiIlionfi rarely employed, special-
fipotlightfithfifi200fiyfififififi ffictofiyfififififiinfificfiiticfilfitofi ized temper developed
offihifitofiyfifiufifioundingfi thfificofipfiny’fifipfioductionfi by cold-working an alloy
Rfifiington’fififfictofiyfiinfiIlionfifi offiitfififiofitfipopulfifififififififififififi that has already been fully
NfiwfiYofik.fiYfifififiRfifiingtonfi includingfithfifiModfilfi870fifi artificially aged (-T6); high
cufififintlyfiopfififitfififififiv- Modfilfi700fifindfiMfifilinfilfivfififi strength but low ductility
fififilfiffictofiifififiinfithfifiU.S.fifi fictionfififijufitfitofinfififififififfiw.fi neous as to prove that he results. Texts describing alu-
tofiincludfifiitfifilfitfifitfiplfintfi —fiE.fiPoolfi completely misunderstands minum metallurgy are avail-
infiHuntfivillfififiAlfibfififi.fi the subject; his letter should able from The Aluminum
THE TRUTH ABOUT
ThoughfiNfiwfiYofik’fifiwfill- be completely ignored. Association; I suggest that
ALUMINUM ALLOYS
knownfipoliticfilfipfifififiufifififi I have a Ph.D. in metal- interested people consult
fifikfifiitfidifficultfifofifiRfifiing- In the Reader Blowback sec- lurgical engineering and them to prevent “metallur-
tonfitofifixpfindfiitfifibufiinfifififi tion of the Dec. 2016 issue, have worked professionally gical misunderstanding.”
thfififififiI’vfifibfifinfitoldfithfitfi Wayne Davis contributed a in aluminum alloy develop- Ed Westerman
BigfiGfififinfiwillficontinufifitofi letter entitled, “Misunder- ment on all alloy systems for San Ramon, California
fiuppofitfiitfifiunionfififiploy- standing Metallurgy.” It is 40 years, and I can identify
SHARING YOUR
fifififithfififififififiitfihfifififofififiofififi clear that Mr. Davis’ com- a few of Mr. Davis’ errors
GUN MAGAZINE
thfinfifificfintufiy.fiThoughfi ments on the metallurgy of for you. There is no “TO”
opfififitionfifihfivfififixpfindfidfi aluminum alloys are so erro- aluminum temper. “O” tem- My sister was required to
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8 G&A March 2017 | reAder blowbAck
stay in the hospital for an I, too, have just discovered laser pistol training
extended time, and I was — about half a century too late to do me much
soon out of unread fire- good. At a recent gun show in the Seattle area,
arm and outdoor-related I was introduced to a SIRT laser pistol from Next
literature. A quick glance Level Training. A local retired cop has started
at the gift shop’s offering a training business, and he rented a section of
of periodicals revealed a the show for a demo booth. I’d been scouring
dearth of gun mags and an the internet for months, looking at all the laser
over abundance of People pistols out there but not ready to buy. After
and Home & Garden-type just five minutes of hands-on with this thing, I
rags. One morning as we was hooked. What an eye-opener! I’m a pistol
were walking through the instructor myself and immediately bought a SIRT
lobby, I glanced down and 107 model for my own practice. I bring it to
— lo and behold — I spied classes to test students’ trigger control and sight
the familiar Guns & Ammo alignment. Mike Hughes at Next Level Training
logo! The address corner has made a bunch of great training videos avail-
had been cut off, so I knew able for free on the NLT website. His most useful
that some Good Samari- tip for me? Improving weak-hand shooting mys-
tan had dropped them off teriously improves all your shooting! Thanks for
overnight. After five days, sharing this really useful training concept with
we went home but returned your readers. I’m using the heck out of my laser
to the hospital the next pistol, and, like you, I see results.
day with 10 to 15 various Phil erickson
gun magazines, which I email
promptly scattered about.
I REMEMBER!
Not only will individuals
already familiar with them Just finished reading Patrick Sweeney’s column,
welcome these magazines, “Korth by way of Nighthawk,” in my Decem-
but others may be exposed ber issue. I’ve been a subscriber to G&A for
to the wonderful world of more than 40 years, so I went to my archives
shooting. The real payoff and took a photo of the August 1982 cover. It
is the smile I received from featured the first presentation of the Korth as
my wife as I disposed of a “The World’s Most Expensive Revolver.” Good
few ancient reads. memories. Keep up the good work!
John Tullos Mike costa
Springfield, Missouri wharton, New Jersey
U.S. VERSUS GERMAN GUNSMITHS
In the December 2016 issue, Mr. Sweeney com-
ments, “ ... making a proof firearm from scratch
... “ is a precondition for becoming a licensed
gunsmith in Germany. My question is just how
“scratch” is scratch? I seriously doubt that the
candidate goes to the local metal shop and
buys 25cm length with 2cm diameter of this or
that alloy for a barrel and then other bits of raw
metal to create the rest of a gun.
charles brumbelow
email
SIRT LASER PISTOLS
In discussing this with my German friends, it is
Mr. Poole, it’s always a my understanding that to achieve the highest
pleasure reading your level of gunsmith one would have to do just that
observations in Guns & — create a firearm from scratch. When I was vis-
Ammo. Your latest, how- iting the proofhouse at Ulm, I had the pleasure
ever, really grabbed me. of handling a proof gauge set for a 9.3x62 rifle,