The Rabbi

Well, calling Tam a woman is a stretch. In fact a lot of women do fine with semis. The Glocks and their design descendents don't have a lot of "buttons and levers" and operate sort of like a revolver, kinda, a little. The disadvantage for the revolver for women (or men with smaller hands) is the inability to deal with the heavy trigger pull required. I have seen plenty of women who simply couldn't manage it. About any semi will solve that problem. The issues connected with a semi will tend to go away after about 2 hours of practice.

Heck, it doesn't matter. The GOP is skrewed. They're running around talking about programs and the Dems are talking vision. The GOP has totally forgotten how to win elections. You set out a broad vision of gov't that people can agree on: -Gov't is not the solution to the problem. In many cases Gov't IS the problem. -Taxes are too high and the tax code too complicated. -Muslim terrorists are a threat to our way of life, much as the communists were from 1920-1990. We must fight them wherever and whenever we can. That's it. Three easy to say sound bites that would propel the GOP to victory. Instead we've got Fred supporting ethanol mandates (he lost me there). We've got all these other clowns trying to be Republicans. Ron Paul is unelectable. If a Republican like me (I voted for Reagan twice and would do so again) won't support him, then who except RonZombies will?

"I'm not interested in repeat offenders. I'm interested in dead offenders." -Ted Nugent.

Unfair Taxation Of The Rich, by Barak Obama What I Believe, by Hillary Clinton. The Future Of Democracy in Russia, by Vladimir Putin My American Love Song, by Jacques Chirac, with forward by Dominique de Villepin Your Gun Rights, by Rod Blagojevich and Richard Daley jr Years of Achievement At The U.N. by Kofi Annan

There is a thread like this on every gun board I've seen. It is usually the opportunity for keyboard kommandos to sound off about: -how gutless Americans are today. -how our rights are being destroyed. -how when "they" come for my guns I'm gonna do whatever it takes (wink-wink). I guess such threads make people feel virtuous. Really a little historical perspective would be in order. What can you not do today you could have done 20 years ago? 30 years ago? 40 years ago? 100 years ago? Yeah, yeah National Firearms Act and Gun Control Act. Okay. Name more. People have more freedom and more opportunity to express it today than ever in my lifetime (starting early 1960s). I can remember when many books were banned. People smuggled Lady Chatterly's Lover in from England and Canada. Today you can say and do pretty much anything and broadcast the whole mess on YouTube or whatever. Gimmeabreak.

Every firearm I am familiar with that someone would carry has a hammer block somewhere in there to prevent exactly that. That includes some really old Smiths. I don't see it as a problem. Just an hour wearing a holster at home should tell you whether it will hold the gun or not. I think Emily Post once had a letter on proper etiquette if your handgun falls out on the floor during a party.

Fred has been a disappointment is putting it mildly. I didnt see the debate. No surprise about Rudy and Mitt. They are the front-runners. Huckabee is definitely appealing just in terms of being funny. If his name were Jones he'd have a better chance.

A new cylinder from Brownell's will cost about $100. No guarantees on matching the blueing. Reblueing the whole gun will cost about the same.

Before you start lecturing someone you ought to look at the facts. The fact is that while I certainly have opinions and voice them I also recognize the legitimacy of other approaches to a problem. I may point out their shortfalls and difficulties but I have never told someone they have to do something my way. Yeah, not everyone is as open minded about guns and training as I am. Your sarcasm is ill-placed. When I see someone who is supposed to be a teacher dismiss out of hand a method because "that ain't the way I do it" I have to question how effective that person is going to be. We've already had a thread on one teacher who epitomizes the "my way or the highway" approach. That isn't helpful. It won't encourage people to take up shooting and it won't increase the knowledge and skills of people already in it. An attitude like that only demonstrates what an a-hole the person is. Certainly not anyone I'd recommend.

It will all depend on what you want out of it. If you want a pristine finish like it was when new then you'll have to refinish the whole firearm. If you want it just to be not very noticeable you might even be able to get by and put steel wool to it and use cold blue. Refinishing the cylinder alone will be OK but still noticeable. Hard chroming the cylinder will make it look kewl but not factory. fwiw, I sent a gun (Model 19) to Smith for re-blueing and repair. They did an OK job, certainly not what the original finish from 1970 must have looked like.

Ignorant and foolish about covers it. Ignorant because you've gone away from seeing this without learning anything as a result. Foolish because you've failed to see the genius in the method. Doubtless you will never find yourself in the situation of being given an unfamiliar pistol and told to put it into action right away. None of us will. But if you did you would be clueless what to do. This man to my knowledge has never shot a SIG P229 in his life. (He tells me in Israel they used the FN) He hasn't shot any pistol in 10 years he told me. But he was able to draw and fire this gun in a credibly rapid and accurate way. As I say (and have said repeatedly) this method won't work well for the private citizen who can choose his firearm carefully and practice with it. It wasn't developed for that. Judging it on that standard is a mistake. But every method has an advantage and a smart person can learn something from all of them.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

Yes. The 6-designation is for stainless. The 3-designation is for scandium/airweight.

While the method doesn't do much for me, calling it "stupid" is incredibly ignorant and foolish. You are dealing with people who have had on-going combat for close to 50 years. I do not know what the rationale is for any of it. I imagine somewhere there is a consideration of what if someone grabs the gun away. This way you have a chance to recover it without getting killed first.

The internet is dangerous in the hands of someone untrained in its use. The 1911 uses a "short recoil" system. This system was neither designed nor "perfected" by Browning. He did use it both in the 1911 and in the Hi Power. Browning's short recoil system uses a moveable link. This feature is not found on modern firearms, that I am aware of. OTOH, the Walther P38/P1 uses a system described as: Carry the weapon loaded with hammer down. Hmm, what does that sound like? If you said every pistol since WW2 that has an external hammer, you'd be right. Talking about short recoil is sure a looonnnngg way from: As we've established, not only does "most of the free world" (assuming we define free world as beyond FBI's HRT and the 1911 Forum) not use a 1911 or a variant, but also that the statement: is demonstrably false. Further, the statement: is simply ignorant.So enjoy your 1911. But quit posting nonsense.

I had a chance to shoot with a fellow who tells me he trained with the IDF. Here is my friend Gil demonstrating the draw with Israeli carry, i.e. empty chamber. Note the exaggerated stance with knees bent. This makes one a smaller target and allows quick movement. The gun is charged as it is drawn, turned right side up: It is then thrust forward to aim: Second hand goes to steady aim: It was impressive to watch and always interesting to see a method that isn't commonly taught in U.S. schools. Personally I don't have much use for it. I like mine ready to fire. I am a proponent of the Sykes/Fairbairn one handed method. But YMMV. Enjoy.

True. But there are lots of guns like that. I personally have considered being buried with an AK, some spare parts and magazines, and a spam can of ammo. When the resurrection comes I know there'll be more than a few SOBs who'll need to be taken out.

Nothing that I can think of. It is a great rifle and widely used. But that isn't enough. There isn't an application where someone would say, "almost everyone uses an SKS for this and they've sold boatloads of the gun just for that purpose."

And the 1911 once again proves itself, showing why anything else is the choice of people looking for carry guns.....

I'm a huge SIG fan. But I had a customer order a P220c and I had a chance to eyeball it. I didn't like it. They shortened the grip more than the slide and to me it looks unbalanced. I also don't like the exaggerated beaver tail. Maybe I'm just a purist or something but the gun didnt do anything for me. It does get great reviews and obviously people who shoot them like them. If I wanted compact I'd get the P239 in 9mm (I have one) or if I wanted more calibre, the same gun in .40.

When you say "tarnished" what do you mean, exactly? Rust? Discoloration? It is entirely possible to remove the cylinder and re-blue it. However the blue will not match the existing blue for a variety of reasons (age, oxidation etc). You could reblue the whole firearm. Without looking at it it would be hard to tell. If you want something really cool, you can hard chrome the cylinder and create a contrast effect.

You'll just need to buy one, Mikey, and find out for yourself. I happen to know a screaming bargain available.....

I'll take 'em. I also have a Model 19 (2 1/2 inch). I find the 125gr loads to kick way too much. I use the heavier bullets and never have issues. I like the Blazer 158gr Gold Dots and have carried them. I suspect the 125gr load was deemed superior because it had less penetration. I personally will gladly trade less penetration for better shoot-ability (is that a word??). The k-frame .357 was developed only post war and mainly with the urging of Bill Jordan who pointed out officers don't shoot their guns often enough for the stress to be a problem. Prior to that the only .357s came in N-frames (like the Highway Patrolman). And no one wanted to lug that thing around. Now Smith has discontinued the .357 k-frame and they are all L-frame guns.

Depts that switched from the Model 10 typically went to other S&W products. Nashville went to the Model 64, same thing in stainless. Once the wheel gun era was over those same depts went to either the Smith&Wesson 9mm 3- and 4-digit series or to the Glock. Some have gone to SIGs, some to Berettas. A couple to H&K. But not one I'm aware of (maybe there's one in Washington state) to ole slabsides.

OK. You've named 2 departments. What other LE departments issue the 1911? Since you;re sure you shouldn't have too much problem naming a bunch. Which brand of 1911 do departments in Illinois issue?