May 2008

As stated in my biographical and demographical information, I am an African American male, in my mid twenties.  Because of this, some of my friends have questioned whether it is wise of me to go to gun stores and ranges.  These friends were concerned that, due to my race, I would face discrimination or violence [...]

Pump action shotguns and rifles are well suited to home defense, due to their reliability. An added benefit of pump action is that it makes storing the firearm in a relatively safe yet ready to use fashion easier. While this practice is likely obvious to those experienced with pump action firearms, it may [...]

The Curry County Reporter, which is located in Oregon, reports that a man from Bookins, OR drew his gun in self defense and successfully stopped his attackers without firing a shot:
Police arrived at a McDonald’s to find Kerry Von Pohle pointing a revolver towards Kevin Eber and Jacob Shelton. An investigation revealed Von Pohle had [...]

Porting, which refers to the addition of holes near the end of a shotgun’s barrel, can be a good addition to your home defense or sporting shotgun.  There are some drawbacks as well, and this article addresses both.

The porting of the FN Herstal pump action tactical police shotgun can be seen near the end of [...]

Violent crime in Chicago is up 6 percent in the first four months of  2008, compared to the first 4 months in 2007, as the Chicago Tribune reports.  Murder is also up by 9%:
“A total of 134 homicides were tallied over the first four months of the year, compared with 123 in that same period [...]

The Ruger 10/22 is a great gun for target practice. It is inexpensive but of high quality, and the ammunition it fires, .22 long rifle (.22LR), is just a few cents per cartridge. My review of the Ruger 10/22 is below.

Basics
The Ruger 10/22 is a semiautomatic rifle chambered for the .22 long rifle [...]

The Crimson Trace LaserGrip is a great addition to any pistol or revolver (and is actually available for a staggeringly high number of handguns). Although my favorite laser sight system is the LaserMax, the Crimson Trace LaserGrip is a solid product, and the price savings over the LaserMax make it a great choice. [...]

Oak Park, Illinois’ local newspaper reports that the series of armed robberies which hit Oak Park is continuing.  This is despite Oak Park’s longstanding handgun ban.  I suppose the armed robbers are unaware of the handgun ban, since the $1,000 fine for violating the handgun ban would clearly deter someone bent on armed robbery.  Or [...]

SB-1007, which is being considered in Illinois, would ban a variety of gun that have been around since the 1800’s – hardly the guns which criminals prefer or would even be caught dead with.
As the ISRA notes, Proponents of SB-1007 don’t want to admit it’s a gun ban. From the 1873 Winchester John Wayne made [...]

LaserMax makes a laser sight system for most pistols. What is different about LaserMax is where the laser is located, and I have found this difference to be a great thing. Below is my review of the LaserMax weapon sight system.

Unlike most laser sights which attach to the accessory rail underneath the gun, [...]

I purchased a Remington 870 XCS Marine Magnum about a year ago, and have put about 3,000 shells through it so far. It has been broken down and cleaned about 30 times. Pictures of my Remington 870 XCS Marine Magnum can be seen here. I thought I would write a review of [...]

There are a lot of misperceptions, bias, and misinformation out there about guns.  This can make even reasonable and intelligent people, who don’t have first hand experience with guns, believe that guns are somehow evil or are the cause of crime.   One great way to dispel these myths and let your anti-gun friends decide for [...]

As I mentioned previously, a ban on standard capacity magazines is being considered.  The anti gun groups that incorrectly call such ban “reasonable restrictions” are now actively spreading misinformation, in a last ditch attempt at influencing the Illinois state legislature.
Specifically, the anti-gun groups are now saying that there is a “loophole” in Illinois that allows [...]

I recently read an excellent letter to editor of the Tifton Gazette by a gentleman by the name of Keith Perry.  Mr. Perry addresses the falicy of gun control, “gun free” zones, and the assault weapon bans.  That letter to the editor was written in response to a call by one Mr. Wetherington for a [...]

For a defensive shotgun, simplicity and reliability are paramount. That said, there are several shotgun accessories which can provide the law abiding citizen with an advantage in a home defense situation, without adversely effecting the simplicity and reliability of the shotgun.

Ghost Right Sights
Ghost ring sights make it easier to quickly acquire a target, which [...]

In response to the shootings of over 30 people in a 48 hour period, Chicago’s Mayor Daley will arm the police with M4 Carbines.  These machine guns’ rate of fire is upwards of 700 round per minute in 3 round bursts.
Note that Chicago has had a handgun ban for decades, yet the overwhelming number of [...]

I received an email from a reader of this site, telling me about the Taurus Judge, which is a revolver that can fire either the .45 Long Colt, or a .410 shotgun shell (often loaded with birdshot).  By chance I happen to have handled a Taurus Judge right before I read that email.  Below is [...]