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Category: All About Guns
I love steel frame guns, one of my all-time favorites being the P226. I love the way a metal grip feels in my hand and how it conforms and greets me. It’s cold, unflinching, and I see why people resisted the change to polymer guns for so long. Striker-fired guns have become the norm, and they almost universally feature polymer frames. Every so often, a metal-framed, striker-fired pistol comes to be. Color me surprised when SIG released the SIG P320 AXG Scorpion and granted a metal frame to the P320 lineup.
AXG stands for Alloy XSeries Grip and infuses the P320 with a little metal frame madness. Scorpion is a moniker SIG uses for a certain series of custom pistols. Essentially it means the gun is FDE and features Scorpion grips, among a bevy of other small improvements. SIG has recently opened up a Custom Works shop, and the P320 AXG is the first gun to come out of that custom shop.
From the start, the gun just oozes quality. SIG provides a very nice, Italian-made negrini case. Inside is the gun, three magazines, a challenge coin, all nestled in custom-cut foam. The package is absolutely gorgeous. The foam allows you to remove sections to accommodate the gun with an optic and muzzle device as well. It’s a nice package for a very nice gun.
P320 AXG – Features
The SIG P320 AXG Scorpion might be SIG”s first Custom Works gun, but I can already say it won’t be their last. You don’t make a gun this nice and call it quits. Outside of the new AXG grip module, we get a very nice pistol complete with all the bells and whistles you expect. The slide is optic cut with SIG’s latest design to accommodate SIG optics, Trijicon pattern optics, and the Leupold Delta Point series.
The trigger is a flat-faced, lightened, and refined Legion trigger that’s absolutely wonderful. SIG incorporates an ambidextrous slide lock and reversible magazine release. The weapon comes in the ‘Carry’ configuration. SIG’s Carry configuration is a compact slide nestled on a full-sized grip module.
That grip module packs a Picatinny rail for all your accessory needs. Like all P320s, the FCU can be removed, and users can swap grip modules. I have an S300 and an X Series compact grip module. I’ve moved the gun to and fro when I feel like it. I also come back to the AXG grip due to the metal design and supreme comfort it provides.
If you’ve ever handled a P226, you know what to expect here. The grip fits wonderfully with a single undercut to the trigger guard. In the rear, we see an extended beavertail. Assuming a nice high grip on the gun provides good control, and these two features allow for that. The G10 grip panels are highly textured, as are the front and rear of the grip.
Love At First Pew
Do I believe in love at first sight? No, not necessarily, but I do believe in love at first pew. I instantly fell in love with the SIG P320 AXG at the range. From the first short and light trigger pull to the last. It reminded me of why I fell in love with metal frames and continues to reinforce that love.
Let’s start with accuracy cause that’s what tickled me the most. Starting at 25 yards, I worked gongs from 4 to 8 inches in size without a miss. The XRAY3 iron sights are very easy to see and focus on. This makes tracking them between shots simple. I just look for that big green insert and get back on target.
I did quickly add a red dot from SIG to the gun, the ROMEO1PRO, and saw my range increase even more. At 50 yards, I had no issues hitting a ten-inch gong and effectively removing life force from my steel IPSC target. Hearing all those dings with a pistol at 50 yards brought joy to my heart. The sights help, the grip helps, but the trigger is the workhorse here.
It’s short, light, and sweet. I can keep my sight picture throughout the entire trigger pull without issue.
Controlled Chaos
Hitting your target quickly and more than once is a keen capability to have in a fighting pistol. The big full-sized grip of the P320 AXG made controlling the weapon easy. The extra ounces and unrelenting steel make the gun very easy to control, and 9mm recoil isn’t known for its snap anyway.
The trigger has a short reset, so getting set up for the next break is intuitive and makes those double taps addicting and good fun. The P320 AXG conforms well to my hand and lets me choke up nice and high on the gun. Keeping the gun on target while feeding it a healthy dose of lead isn’t going to be a challenge. I shot the 10-10-10 drill clean in seven seconds with the P320 AXG and felt quite proud of myself.
A quick shift of the thumb finds the big round magazine release and lets you dump an old mag for a fresh one without complaint. The magazine has very a slight bevel to it, and slamming that new mag home feels easy. As usual, the SIG slide lock continually gets caught under my thumb and renders it useless, so I’ve learned to rack with every reload.
Metal Frame Madness
I’m a fan of the P320 AXG. It eats whatever I feed it and sends those little 9mm pills downrange exactly where I want them. The gun barks and bites with ease and looks good doing it. The metal frame certainly adds some ounces, so it becomes a little less carry-friendly, but a good belt and a good holster will help that.
SIG’s first Custom Works gun is a winner, and I hope to see them keep producing high-quality guns out of their latest little shop. The P320 remains one of the most customizable platforms on the market, so it’s an easy pick for custom guns. In a couple of weeks, the steel challenge match is on, and I can’t wait to see how the P320 AXG holds up in competition.
Now it seems that California is continuing to close venues to gun shows, even those that bring in revenue to the sites on which they are held.
here is a popular saying “As California goes, so goes the nation.” While it certainly doesn’t always hold true—especially where the Second Amendment is involved, the Golden State could be one step closer to banning gun shows. This week, California’s Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom signed into a law a suite of gun safety bills.
Among these was a bill that makes it illegal to sell guns or ammunition on property run by the 32nd District Agricultural Association, notably Costa Mesa’s Orange County (O.C.) Fair & Event Center. SB 264 as originally introduced by state Sen. Dave Min (D-Irvine) had called for banning firearm sales on all state-owned properties, but it was later amended to only apply to the O.C. fairgrounds. However, it still ends all gun shows at the site. Since 1995, those gun shows have brought in $7 million in revenue for the fairgrounds.
On Monday, Min called the bill’s passage a major “first step” in reducing gun violence in Orange County. Min and his team were reportedly “caught off guard” when SB 264 was amended by the Assembly Appropriations Committee to apply only to the O.C. fairgrounds, but the state senator vowed to revisit a statewide ban in the future.
“The state should not be profiting off of what is essentially blood money,” Min told The Los Angeles Times, and also suggested that legal gun shows are places where alleged under-the-table deals and the purchase of parts for unlicensed ghost guns have taken place. “I think that’s an important moral line to draw in the sand right now.”
The End of California Gun Shows?
Gov. Newsom, who recently fended off a highly-contested and high-profile recall vote, had previously signed into law measures that ended gun sales at the Del Mar Fairgrounds in San Diego County and San Mateo County’s Cow Palace. Gun control advocates have said Newsom favors a statewide ban.
The efforts to ban gun shows in California aren’t exactly new and actually began in the late 1990s when Los Angeles County adopted a law that banned the sale of firearms and ammunition on its property, specifically the Fairplex, the county fairgrounds in Pomona, California, about 60 miles east of downtown Los Angeles.
Now it seems that California is continuing to close venues to gun shows, even those that bring in revenue to the sites. However, Min said other events could fill the void, such as a “Sustainability Decathlon,” which could bring in fresh proceeds to the fairgrounds.
“I think there are plenty of ways to make up revenue,” Min also told The Los Angeles Times. “But, then again, that’s not my job. My job is to make laws, and I believe a vast majority of people in the district I represent do not want gun shows at the O.C. fairgrounds.”
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer who has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers and websites. He regularly writes about military small arms, and is the author of several books on military headgear including A Gallery of Military Headdress, which is available on Amazon.com.
————————————————————————————— Its seems to be the mantra of California – ” Somewhere, some how, somebody is having fun and we gotta stop it!” Or “A New Business? Lets destroy it by taxing it & regulating it to death. Unless it is one of our favored interests” Grumpy
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RE-BORN RE-VOLVER BY DAVE ANDERSON
Dave’s “barn-find” S&W Model 13 was rough on the outside but minty inside, where it counts.
The revolver had been gathering dust on the display shelf, unwanted and unappreciated. It was one of a group of police trade-ins purchased by my local gun shop, the Sportsman’s Loft. It was a S&W Model 13 .357 with 3″ barrel and round butt. The 13 and its stainless steel version, Model 65, appeared some 40 years ago. They served a generation of plainclothes law enforcement officers, and were the choice of agencies such as the FBI.
They were replaced not by better revolvers, but by auto pistols. The 13/65 revolvers were the last of their type, and arguably the best — elegantly simple, reliable, an ideal balance of size, weight, accuracy, controllable recoil and power.
So, why was this example languishing on the shelf? It looked terrible, with worn finish, surface rust, even some pitting. Most potential buyers took one look, shuddered and moved on to something prettier. I was about to do the same when I noticed the side plate screws were in perfect condition. Whatever else it had suffered, at least no one had attacked it with an ill-fitting screwdriver.
When Chris handed it to me, inspection showed the chambers and bore were immaculate, with not a trace of rust or pitting. The holes in the frame for the firing pin and cylinder-locking bolt were unworn and perfectly round. The cylinder stop notches showed no indication of peening. There was no indication of flame cutting. With the cylinder closed there was barely detectable rotational play and no perceptible fore-and-aft play. Both single and double action, the cylinder carried up properly. I was holding a practically new revolver; it was just uglier than a flat tire in a mud hole. I told Chris to start the paperwork.
After a visit to Robar for restoration work, custom grips from Ahrends and a holster
from Haugen, the 13 looks snappy and works as well as it looks. Elegant, we say.
Robarizing
Initially, the plan was to ship it to S&W for refinishing. A trip to the range altered my plans. It shot .357 Magnum Black Hills 125-gr. JHPs (at a chronographed 1,350 fps) into 2″ groups almost exactly to point of aim at 25 yards. It balanced and handled beautifully. For a bit over $300 with tax, it was close to an ideal carry gun. All it needed was a tough, rust-resistant finish. I rethought about it all.
Robar Industries specializes in metal finishes. Many Robar customers make medical, automotive and aeronautical products and Robar uses their space-age finishing ability to coat their products with a variety of finishes. Robar owner Robbie Barkmann mentioned recently that firearms work is about 11 percent of the business. It’s an important 11 percent, though, because Robbie is one of a shooter, an enthusiast and us. When he emigrated here from South Africa long ago, it was as one of the first instructors working with Jeff Cooper at the new Gunsite facility. Robbie knows guns and he can really shoot.
Robar offers several finishes, of which my favorite is NP3. This ingenious finish combines electroless nickel with a slippery compound called PTFE, commercially known by the trademark Teflon. It is tough, rust-resistant, provides natural lubricity, cleans up easily and looks good. I requested a recent variation called NP3 Plus, providing increased rust resistance.
Robar also provides a wide range of firearm services, such as sight installation, frame stippling, fitting match barrels and full-house handgun, rifle and shotgun packages. For a modest additional charge ($85/hour, and they do a lot in an hour) Robar can polish a worn-looking gun. They can’t accomplish miracles, and a really neglected gun may have rust pits too deep to polish out. On my gun the transformation was absolutely astounding. I could hardly believe it was the same revolver.
A Tidy Package
The revolver really needed high quality accessories to match the Robar workmanship. I ordered a set of his frame-length Boot Grips from Kim Ahrends. From the wood page I selected the silver-black “Dymondwood” laminate to go with the new finish. The grips proved to be exactly what I wanted. They fit the frame perfectly, provide a secure and comfortable hold, conceal well under a light jacket and look terrific. Ahrends is well known for his superb line of 1911-style grips. S&W fans should know of his excellent revolver grips, both the Tactical and Retro lines. Ahrends provides many wood choices and truly exceptional workmanship.
The work of Jerry Evans of Haugen Handgun Leather is no stranger to Handgunner’s pages. Jerry supplied a pancake-style concealment holster in black leather, with lining, adding a thumb break and an embossed floral pattern. It’s beautifully made and very comfortable.
Robbie’s before and after photos show the transformation better than any words. The slick NP3 Plus finish on internal parts makes an already good action even smoother. The smooth finish makes cleaning a breeze too.
Clint Smith is fond of saying: “Wheelguns are real guns.” He’s right, you know.
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Johnson LMG: History & Disassembly
At their most basic level, guns are tools for hunters. Like tools in a tool box, some guns are better at various hunting tasks than others. Depending on the animals you plan on pursuing and the location where you hunt, it is often necessary to own several different guns to ethically and legally hunt the animals you are after.
Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be a needlessly complicated undertaking. By owning the guns on this list, you can hunt virtually any animal anywhere in the world. Read on to learn about the six guns every hunter should have.
Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be a needlessly complicated undertaking. By owning the guns on this list, you can hunt virtually any animal anywhere in the world. Read on to learn about the six guns every hunter should have.
.22 rifle
First on this list is a .22 rifle. There are a number of different .22 rifles available these days, ranging from single-shot bolt action rifles to the ubiquitous Ruger 10/22. Some models are better than others, but they are all generally inexpensive, lightweight and great choices for hunting small game.
12 gauge shotgun
A good 12 gauge shotgun is perhaps the most versatile of the guns every hunter should own. A hunter who owns a high quality 3″ 12 gauge shotgun with interchangeable choke tubes — such as a Remington 870 or a Mossberg 500 — can hunt virtually any type of small game or bird, including squirrels, rabbits, quail, dove, grouse, ducks, geese and turkey.
The same shotgun can be used with buckshot to hunt big-game animals, like deer, hogs and bear, at close range in thick cover. Mount a slug barrel with good sights or a scope and the shotgun can now be used to hunt big game at longer ranges.
Because it is so adaptable, no hunter’s gun collection is complete without a 12 gauge shotgun of some kind.
Varmint rifle
If varmint hunting is something you plan on doing, then you should consider a purchasing a dedicated varmint rifle. While any rifle and cartridge will work if you don’t care about salvaging the animal’s pelt, small-bore rifles are the most popular among varmint hunters.
Bolt-action rifles chambered in .223 or .22-250 are probably the most common — but by no means the only — choice for varmint hunters. However, AR-style rifles are becoming extremely popular among all hunters, particularly varmint hunters. These rifles really come into their own when conditions allow multiple shots on several different animals (mainly coyotes) in rapid succession.
In either case, it is essential that a dedicated varmint rifle be accurate, reliable, and be chambered in a flat shooting cartridge.
Brush or woods rifle
The majority of hunters in the United States do most of their big-game hunting in relatively thick conditions where shots past 100 yards are uncommon. When hunting in heavily wooded areas, shots are not only usually taken at short range, but the hunter may only have a few seconds to take the shot. Because of this, a good brush or woods gun must be handy and quick-pointing with sights that enable rapid target acquisition by the hunter.
At short range, cartridges like the .30-30 Winchester and .35 Remington really excel and countless deer, feral hogs, and bear have fallen to them over the years. The Winchester Model 1894, Marlin 336, and rifles like them, are ideally suited for hunting under these conditions and are another gun every hunter should own.
Long-range rifle
Sometimes, due to terrain or some other factor, you won’t be able to close the distance and will have to take a long-range shot. This is especially common when hunting in the western portions of North America for animals like mule deer, pronghorn, elk or sheep. In this case, you need a rifle that is up to the task, so a long-range rifle is another essential gun for every hunter.
This usually calls for a bolt-action rifle sporting a good quality scope. Luckily, there are many good ones available on the market that are up to the task, like the Remington Model 700, the Ruger 77 and the Weatherby Mark V, just to name a few. Cartridges such as the .270 Winchester, 7mm Remington Magnum, .30-06 Springfield and .300 Winchester Magnum are all high-quality flat shooting cartridges that are common choices by hunters to fit the bill here.
Big-bore rifle
A big-bore rifle is the final entry on this list. For the purposes of this article, we’ll include cartridges such as the 9.3x62mm Mauser and the .375 H&H Magnum in this category, along with more typical big-bore cartridges like the .416 Rigby and the .458 Winchester Magnum. A hunter armed with a good big-bore rifle is capable of taking the biggest and toughest animals in the world, like moose, brown bear and even cape buffalo or elephant.
This allows the hunter to safely and ethically hunt large, thick-skinned animals in circumstances far beyond the capabilities of smaller cartridges like the .30-06 Springfield or .338 Winchester Magnum. Most hunters won’t need a big-bore rifle many times in their life, but when you need one, you really need one.
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have a French 8mm Brun-Latrige Model 1900 double-action pocket pistol. This one despite its unique looks was a tough one to track any information down on. They are double-action striker-fired pistols with a folding trigger. The internal magazine holds several rounds of an unknown 8mm ammunition. Upon pulling the trigger a few things happen. The barrel/chamber actually moves to the rear and engulfs the cartridge which is set off by the striker that winds back and plunges forward.
These pistols had a slightly older brother introduced a few years earlier with a ring trigger that was chambered for a 5mm cartridge. These Brun-Latrige Model 1900 pistols probably were completely glossed over by consumers when the FN Model 1899 and 1900 came onto the scene with a new sliding action and much more modern features; the beginning of what handguns were supposed to be.
“Developed from patents originally registered in the 1860s, the Brun Latrige is a double action self-loading pistol, but is not truly semi-automatic in a conventional sense, using neither gas nor recoil to chamber and extract. The long folding trigger controls the barrel and a spring-loaded striker, and when pulled the barrel slides back towards the fixed magazine, where a cartridge is already resting against the breech face.
When the trigger is released, a combination ejector and extractor holds the casing in place and then throws it out when the barrel is forward. Fitted with a brass bead sight, with “Brun-Latrige-St. Etienne” on the left side of the barrel shroud, “Modele 1900″ on the right, and fine floral scroll engraving on the frame and butt. The trigger and sliding dust cover both double as safeties.”
Lot 1423: French Pocket Pistol 7.65 mm. (n.d.). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved February 24, 2022, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/67/1423/french-pocket-pistol-765-mm.
