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HOW TO BUY YOUR FIRST HANDGUN
In these troubled times, a man should be armed. The best solution for achieving peaceful living is avoiding trouble, having good locks on your doors, and owning firearms. The specific needs (and wants) a person has for a firearm will vary from person to person, and, while no single gun will be the magic bullet to take care of them all, a good handgun will address most of them. If you’re in the market for a handgun, especially for your first one, there are a few things you should remember.
No gun will do it all
You need to decide what you want from the gun. Do you want to carry it for mobile self-defense? Do you want to leave it at home (or in your vehicle) for defense of home invasion or carjacking? Do you want to hunt, or do competition shooting? Will it be a backup gun for something else or the primary weapon? What are the laws in your state or province?
All of these questions should dictate towards what you choose. Larger handguns tend to hold more rounds, recoil less, have more neat features to aid in shooting, have better sights with a longer sight radius (distance between the front and back sights; longer is better) and tend to be easier to hold on to and shoot more accurately and faster.
Smaller handguns hold fewer rounds, recoil more than their larger brothers chambered for the same cartridge, are typically a little more Spartan in their features, and have more rudimentary sights that are closer together. Shooting a smaller handgun results in more recoil, longer times to get back on target, and a less forgiving weapon that makes you work more for accuracy.
A bunch of Glocks. Carry pistols have shorter barrels, shorter grips (and magazines), and recoil more, but they’re easier to hump around all day.
Home defense, car guns, and competition handguns are usually a semi-automatic, large pistol of a decently powered cartridge. Carry weapons are usually small semi-automatic pistols, or small revolvers, both shooting cartridges on the smaller end of the power range, while hunting handguns are usually large revolvers or semi-auto pistols shooting magnum cartridges.
What is good for you may not be good for others
Even if you’re a one-man army and don’t have to worry about getting a handgun your girl can use, any time anyone recommends any firearm to you, they are speaking from their own experience and not yours. What suits my hands and my eyes might not suit yours, and what feels good to me may not match you. The absolute best thing you can do is shoot a bunch of handguns before you buy one, and the best way to do that is have a friend with guns that will take you to the range for an afternoon. And, dudes, if you are that friend with the guns, it’s practically your duty to help your brother out so that he may learn and teach those who need his help in his turn.
Can you rack the slide on a given semi-auto pistol? Can you break it down for cleaning? Will you have the discipline to get multiple magazines and swap them occasionally so they are not left loaded forever? Would you rather have a gun that you can lightly oil, load, and put in a drawer and not touch for a year? How do you take recoil? How good is your vision and do you want night sights, a light, or a laser sight? Do you want a safety? What kind of trigger pull? All of these are good questions to ask yourself, and anyone else that will be routinely using the handgun, before you buy.
Revolvers And Semi-Automatic Pistols
A handgun is a firearm held in the hand. A revolver is a manual action handgun with a revolving cylinder of multiple firing chambers, and a semi-automatic (or autoloading) pistol is a firearm that holds multiple rounds in a magazine in the grip and uses the recoil or some of the propellant gas to operate the action. Some people use the term “pistol” to mean any handgun and others use it to mean semi-automatic handgun only.
Pick your poison; both will do the job.
Revolvers come in varying sizes and can have a barrel of moderate length all the way down to a 2-inch “snub nose.” The length of the barrel and the sight radius help in accurate shooting (longer is better), but the revolver is lighter and easier to conceal with a short barrel set-up. Smaller framed revolvers have 5 shots, larger frames have 6, and some magnum frames have 8.
The most commonly used revolver ammunition out there today is the 38 special and the 357 magnum. Despite the number difference (both are actually .357 inch diameter (or caliber) bullets), the two cartridges shoot the same bullets, and a revolver chambered in 357 magnum can shoot the less powerful (and less expensive) 38 special round. The magnum round is longer than the other, and prevents it from being chambered in a pistol not set up for it. Never attempt to shoot any magnum ammo from a handgun not rated for it; it can and will blow up in your hand.
Revolvers come in three action types: single action only, double action only, and single/double action. Single action only requires you to cock the hammer each time, and has a nice, short, crisp trigger pull. Double action has a long trigger pull, but cocks the hammer for you. Single/double allows you to choose either and is the most solid choice.
Semi-automatic pistols come in large and small sizes as well. Smaller sized semi’s come in variants of 5 to 8 shots, and the larger frame semi’s of up to 18 or so. Longer barrels and better sights with longer sight radii again translate to better shooting. Semi-autos typically come in single/double action variants like above, and striker fired, which is an internal action cocked by the slide movement.
There is an absolute plethora of semi-automatic pistol ammo out there. The four most common are the .380, the 9mm Luger, the 40S&W, and the 45 ACP. The .380 (also called 9mm short) became popular in the US relatively recently with the advent of pocket sized semi-automatics like the Ruger LCP. The 9mm Luger, also called 9mm Parabellum, has decent power in standard form, can be loaded hotter, is relatively cheap, doesn’t recoil much, and you can pack a lot in a magazine due to its narrow caliber.
45 ACP or 45 AUTO is a bigger bullet than the 9mm and is a solid, good shooting choice which only limits itself by taking up more room in the magazine and reducing the round count. 40 S&W (Smith and Wesson) is a bridge between the power of the 45 and the ammo capacity of the 9mm.
Get the biggest caliber that you can shoot comfortably and well from the size and type of handgun you want. If you do not like shooting your handgun, you will not practice, and you will not take it with you when you could need it. A .380 that is there beats a .44 magnum that you left home.
Brands
Firearm brands vary in quality and price range. I typically view brands in four categories, and I’ll briefly describe them below and list the common brands I see as fitting in them.
JUNK
Saturday night special old brands like Lorcin and Jennings fit in here, along with the modern brand of Hi-Point. These things have a high chance of malfunction. I would not buy these, not accept them as gifts, and not go near them.
A blown up Hi-Point. You don’t have to buy the most expensive gun out there; so don’t feel like you have to buy the cheapest.
BUDGET
These are pistols on the low end of the price spectrum which, while they compromise on fit and finish, will go bang and can be relied upon. They make good training guns, truck guns, and other uses that you wouldn’t want a high priced investment doing. I put Taurus, Rossi, Bersa, Kel-Tec, Chiappa, Rock Island Armory and similarly priced brands here. If you’re tight on money, buy something in this range.
MID-RANGE
These guns have good quality, solid mechanics, and shoot well. They’re a good measure of what a handgun should be, always work, and are fun to shoot. If you’re going to get one handgun, and call it good, get something from this price bracket. I consider modern Colt, modern Smith and Wesson, Ruger, Glock, Walther, Kahr, Springfield Armory, Steyr, Para Ordinance, and CZ here.
PREMIUM
These are the best, and are only beaten by custom guns. I put H&K, Sig Sauer, Browning/FNH, Kimber, old Colt and S&W revolvers, and Beretta here.
Closing
Hopefully, by now you’ve got a good idea of what you need a handgun to do, the features you need, an idea of a caliber choice or two, and some brands to keep an eye out for. Remember to always try before you buy, read the damn instruction manual, use good ammo, and, if you can’t make up your mind between two of them, buy both.
A 1903 Springfield, bayonet, a helping of the manly caliber of 30-06. Plus a ton of guts behind it all!
Because I will always hold that WWI was the ass pit of hell for the Troops who fought in it. (Gas Warfare, obsolete tactics, poor gear that the Allies gave us, shitty food and so so leadership for the most part)
But the Doughboys did pull it off & so all Glory and Honor to them for having the right stuff. Thanks Guys! Grumpy
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Good Morining! NSFW
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We all need a workhorse, an affordable gun that performs well and looks good doing so. Here The Field highlights the top 12 most affordable shotguns for less than £2,500
There is always room for a workhorse in the gun safe, and a stringent budget makes the addition easy. After some consideration, ours was drawn at £2,500. Some of the guns mentioned are base models where their more decorated, but mechanically similar, stablemates may stray above the stated ceiling. Most of the guns have been shot on several occasions by the writer or are included because of multiple recommendations. Sadly, space limitations mean some perfectly serviceable guns have been left out. For ease, the guns are presented in alphabetical order, while there is no comparative scoring as we feel they all offer value. So without further ado, here are the top 12 most affordable shotguns available.
ATA ARMS SP
The SP is a gun many dealers have enthused about recently that seems to be selling in large numbers. An obvious clone of the 68 series Beretta, it is priced between £625 and £1,499, and is available in 12- or 20-bore with 28in or 30in, 10mm-ribbed barrels. There is also a side-plated gun at £850, and a Supersport 30in or 32in competition gun with extended chokes and engraved receiver at £799. An adjustable-stock version is £899, while a gold-embellished ‘bells and whistles’ model is £999.
The Silverline II side-plate, possibly inspired by the Beretta EELL, is £1,199 and the Avantgarde, with engraving picked out in gold similar to a Guerini, is £1,299. Finally, the SP Deluxe side-plate is £1,499. The guns are offered with a ‘common sense warranty’, which may extend beyond the normal year at the supplier’s discretion. My call would be the basic black action (£625) or the smart, medium scroll engraved, Silverline (£899).
Sportsman Gun Centre, sportsmanguncentre.co.uk
BENELLI M1 SUPER 90
The M1 is Benelli’s most competitively priced, no-frills, workhorse semi-automatic. It’s a rotary-bolt, inertia-action gun with a recommended retail price of £1,100. It’s a clever design (as was the earlier Benelli, which did not have the rotary bolt now also added to some Berettas after Beretta bought Benelli). There are a wide range of Benellis now. The M2 (£1,550), Montefeltro Beccaccia Supreme (£1,750), and Raffaello Black (£1,775) all offer value. Benelli also makes a radically styled, ribless, aluminium-actioned over-and-under – the 828U Field in black – with prices beginning at £2,450. My preference would be the 30in guns as the model is very light. All Benellis are proofed for steel shot.
GMK, gmk.co.uk
BERETTA 686 SILVER PIGEON
For many years, the Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon has been a bestseller – and for good reason. Developed from the old 55 and 56E (the ejector version) models, it is a gun that has proven almost indestructible in use, with tough chrome-moly steel barrels. It has been favoured by shooting schools, as well as the shooting public, since its introduction as the 686 in the 1970s (Silver Pigeon was added in 1995). It benefits from a low action profile made possible by bifurcated barrel lumps, stud-pin hinging and a clever conical bolting system. Recent guns are multi-choked and fleur-de-lys steel shot proofed. Bearing surfaces are easily replaceable. The Silver Pigeons start with the 686 Silver Pigeon I Field at £1,950. I am especially fond of the 30in 20-bores, but the 30in 12-bore remains a ‘do anything’ gun. The 686 continues to be an industry standard and comes with a three-year guarantee (which may be extended to 10 years at a cost of £60). The 68 series is now supplemented by the 69 series guns. Most of these are outside our scope, but the recently launched Ultraleggero lightweight, at £2,550, is just close enough to consider. We should also mention Beretta’s superb semi-autos, which begin with the A300, based on the older but excellent 300 series gas-operated action, at £1,150, and move on to the rotary-bolt, gas-operated A400s from £1,500.
GMK, gmk.co.uk
BROWNING B525
The 525 is the latest evolution of a well-proven series of Japanese-made Brownings built at the BC Miroku factory at Kochi. The basic design is that of John Moses Browning from the 1920s. Notable features include a full-width cross pin and a wide locking bolt beneath the bottom chamber mouth. B525s now begin with the Game I at £1,799 (the excellent 20-bore version is £1,950). There are laminate stock models: the B525 Game Laminate (£1,899) and the Sporter Laminate (£2,390). There are also the 725 models, with a slightly lower profile and a double-seal choke, to consider – the 725 Hunter Premium at £2,540 and the 725 Sport at £2,500. Despite the designation as a clay-buster, the latter is a first-class game gun and I’ve done some of my best shooting with one in 30in form. The 725 also now offers a choice of fore-ends at no additional cost – an improved schnabel or a Trap type. The Browning 525 and 725, like the Beretta Silver Pigeon, set an industry standard.
BWM Arms, browning.eu
EGE ARMS 350
The EGE Arms 350 is an inertia system semi-automatic made in Turkey and imported by ASI of Snape, better known for AyA and Rizzini guns. It was tested in these pages and impressed with remarkable performance considering its price point. It’s too early to comment on longterm reliability, but the operating system is similar to a Benelli. It certainly appears to offer strength and outstanding value. A basic black-stocked version is £499, with a camo model at £585. It comes with three chokes, 28in or 30in barrels and a 10mm ventilated sighting rib. There is a gas-operated model too, but for hide or marsh I would pick the recoil/inertia-operated semi-auto because the mechanical system is particularly efficient and easy to clean. Steel shot proofed.
ASI, a-s-i.co.uk
FABARM ELOS BII
Fabarm makes well-engineered guns at reasonable prices, often with most interesting specifications. Its guns are all steel shot proofed and, unusually, due to their hyperbolic, internally curved choke profile (which is longer than the norm, too), they can use steel shot with full choke – not that there is any advantage to doing this, of course. Its Elos BII Field is available at £1,350 with 28in or 30in barrels equipped with a 6mm sighting rib. The gun is a good weight for a machine-made over-and-under (7¼lb with 30in tubes) and boasts Fabarm’s Tribore taper-bored barrels and Inner HP flush-fitting chokes. This Elos has understated but smart styling with a semi-rounded black action. The grip shape is good as well. There is a new Elos II Elite ‘colour case hardened’ version at £1,950 with gold bird inlays, but the BII offers especially good value and pleasing conservative looks. Fabarm also makes some excellent, particularly strong, side-by-sides (notable for having four barrel lumps rather than the usual Purdey-inspired two). The multi-choked, 28in or 30in, pigeon-ribbed Classis starts at £2,080. It produces semi-autos, too – its soft-recoiling, gas-operated XLR5 semi-auto was superceded last year by the L4S (from £999) with a redesigned fore-end and a slimmer overall feel. My value calls are the BII and Classis.
Anglo Italian Arms, caesargueriniuk.com
HATSAN ESCORT
Hatsan is a well-established Turkish firm best known for budget repeaters. Its gas-operated semi-autos begin at a remarkable £289 in 12- or 20-bore. They are not refined but functionally reliable with 28g loads and above. Barrel options include 24in (FAC), 26in, 28in and 30in, and right- and left-handed stocks are available. The standard model is 3in chambered, but the 3½in-chambered gun is well priced too at £357.99. There are camo versions from £459 and a new .410 model at £369.
Sportsman Gun Centre, sportsmanguncentre.co.uk
KOFS SCEPTRE
KOFS is a relatively new player whose offerings are popular with the gun trade because of their low price point. The KOFS Sceptre alloy action over-and-under starts at £535 and is available in .410, 28-, 20- and 12-bore. There are many configurations too, including juniors, ladies and left-hand models (with the junior versions available in 26in-barrel form). A new steel-actioned Zenith arrived this year with a price of £599. It is only available as a 12-bore, but with 26in to 30in barrel options and, again, multiple configurations. The action combines stud-pin hinging with a Browning-style rear bolt. Five multi-chokes are supplied and it is British fleur-de-lys proofed.
Sportsman Gun Centre, sportsmanguncentre.co.uk
MIROKU MK60
The only sub-£2,000 Miroku now is the MK60 Universal Grade I at £1,799. Sadly, this is only available as a 12-bore; you have to go to a Grade V – around the £3,500 mark – to get a 20-bore (it is an excellent and pretty gun, though). At £2,090, however, there is the MK38 Sporter Grade I – an outstanding ‘no bells and whistles’ gun for clays or game (and well suited to high birds in 30in or 32in form). Some fabulous bargains exist on the second-hand market with late-model Mirokus. Check the barrels inside for rust and make sure they are still tight on the action face with the fore-end removed if you are tempted.
BWM Arms, miroku.eu
RIZZINI BR110
Rizzini’s budget model is notable for its (smart) plain black action. At £1,800, it is offered in .410, 12-,16-, 20- and 28-bore, all with five chokes and the fleur-de-lys proof mark. The stock is made of Grade 2 walnut and has a fairly open pistol grip. The single trigger is selective, and barrels are 28in or 30in. I would go for a 30in 20-bore, but the 16-bore might also be tempting. The Rizzini action, which combines Beretta-style hinging with Browning-style bolting, is ideally scaled as a 20-bore, the profile allowing for almost perfect grip proportions.
ASI, a-s-i.co.uk
YILDIZ SPZ .410 AND PRO
These .410s are ideal for instructional or general use. They are lightweight but strong and durable. There is a youth model with a 13½in stock, an intermediate 14in stock and an adjustable-comb version for £150 extra. The base model non-ejector starts at £525, with the ejector £100 more. Barrel options are 26in, 28in and 30in – I would opt for 28in or 30in. All guns are fleur-de-lys proofed. There are 12- and 20-bores too but my favourite is the .410. The Perazzi-inspired Yildiz Pro 12- and 20-bore impressed in both bore sizes and offer remarkable value for money – perhaps the best buy on the UK market in the case of the 20-bore. In essence, the Pro is a clone of a Perazzi, with trunnion hinging and Boss-style bolting supplemented by draws and wedges amidships as on the MX8 and MX12. They are well made from good materials and finely finished with well-figured stocks. The 32in 20-bore is particularly good, as noted, and handles exceptionally well. Prices start at £1,502 for the Grade 3 Pro Black 12-bore. The Grade 4 20-bore (the entry point in 20-bore) begins at £1,945. There is a newly offered colour case hardened CCH model, too, and an adjustable-comb gun. Anyone who buys the 32in 20-bore won’t be disappointed.
Raytrade, raytradeuk.co.uk
WINCHESTER SX4
Winchester over-and-unders are no longer offered in the UK, but its excellent semi-autos are. The fast-cycling SX3 has always been a favourite and this is now superseded by the similar SX4 (starting at £843), offered with 26in, 28in and 30in barrels in three-shot or five-shot (FAC) form. The new model, still made in Portugal, has lost the useful shims previously provided for gunfit adjustment but gains a bigger trigger-guard for use with gloves, a larger bolt release and a bigger cocking handle as well as a new recoil pad. Wood and plastic stock versions are available. From the neighbouring stable (but also made in Portugal) is the Browning Maxus II, starting at £1,435 for a composite-stocked gun. A new fore-end allows for a magazine extension if required on an FAC gun, and there are rubberised surfaces on grip and fore-end. The Maxus is an excellent gun and does offer a shim kit for height and cast as well as length spacers.
BWM Arms, winchester.eu
I was looking in particular for .22LR pistols and revolvers for use in training disabled shooters. I try to keep at least half a dozen on hand at any one time. That’s sometimes difficult, because I’m always coming across people who (on a disability income) simply can’t afford to buy their own guns. I must have given away somewhere between two and three dozen firearms over the past decade or so. I’m glad to be able to help – it’s one way I can ‘give back’ to my community – but it means I have to replenish my training battery every so often.
I got lucky. An older gentleman was wandering around with a blue Beretta gun box containing a U22 Neos identical to this one:
It looks like something out of a science fiction movie, doesn’t it? I’d heard good reports about the Neos from reviewers and other shooters, so I was interested. The slide felt gritty when operated, and the gun clearly hadn’t been properly cleaned for a long time; but the seller was asking a reasonable price (about 70% of retail). I walked away with it. After a thorough cleaning last night, with the help of our housemate (who enjoys cleaning guns much more than I do!), it’s now very slick and smooth in operation, and I’m looking forward to trying it out at the range this week.
I noticed a few things at once.
- The sights are adequate, but clearly meant for slow fire – the fat front sight almost completely fills the gap in the rear sight, making ‘snap’ or fast sight alignment very difficult. That’s fine for target practice, but not so good for practical pistol training. I think I’ll either have to file away some material from the sides of the front sight, or widen the rear sight aperture slightly, to allow faster acquisition of a sight picture.
- The scope rail running along the top of the gun is an excellent feature. I’ll try installing a red dot sight to see how it performs.
- The trigger is on the heavy side (I’d estimate 10-12 pounds), but crisp. I think it’ll be a good ‘training trigger’, requiring one to keep one’s aim very steady while one takes up the pressure. For that reason I won’t attempt to adjust it, but I might detail-strip it and apply a little Slipstream oil or grease (my favorite lubricant for most firearms – that stuff is magic!) to its operating surfaces. That should lighten the weight of pull somewhat.
- The grip at first feels a bit small for large hands like mine, but after a few minutes spent snapping the gun up and into position it begins to feel as natural as breathing. Allied with its loaded weight of just over 36 ounces and its slightly nose-heavy 6″ barrel, I think this is going to be a very controllable and easy-to-shoot pistol, with negligible recoil. I daresay it’ll do very well for novice shooters. On the other hand, it is a little heavy compared to some of its competitors. Shooters with limited arm and/or upper body strength and/or mobility may find it difficult to use for extended periods.
- It’s clearly too large and heavy for easy concealed carry – it’s more for range use and in circumstances where concealment is not necessary.
- Disassembly and reassembly is very different from any other pistol I’ve encountered, with a ratchet screw holding the barrel and sight rail to the frame. However, once one reads the manual it’s a very simple procedure to follow, and certainly much easier than some of its competitors. I’m intrigued by the details of the design.
The Beretta U22 Neos is a .22 Long Rifle semi-automatic, single-action pistol using a slide blow-back system, that has been manufactured in the United States since 2002 by Beretta USA.[2] The pistol will accept interchangeable 4.5, 6 or 7.5 in (110, 150 or 190 mm) barrels in blued or stainless steel finishes. Each barrel incorporates a built-in Weaver-style rail to accommodate optics or accessories.[1] Beretta markets the Neos as a modern, reasonably priced pistol suitable for a beginner, yet is customizable to suit the experienced marksman.[6]
In addition to the United States and Canada,[7] the U22 Neos is listed for sale by Beretta distributors in Australia,[8] France[9][10] and some other European countries.[11][12][13][14]
History[edit]
The U22 Neos was launched in 2002 with a cover story in American Rifleman magazine.[15] A deluxe model, the U22 Neos DLX with both cosmetic and performance improvements was added in 2003. Beretta released the U22 Neos Carbine Kit (to convert the pistol into a long gun) in 2004.[16] The last year of production for the DLX model was 2007.[5]
In September 2010 Beretta instituted a recall of some U22 Neos models because of the remote possibility that the pistol could fire with the safety on. California certification for sale for all Neos models expired in March, 2011, therefore gun dealers may no longer sell them in California.[17] Beretta USA announced in July, 2014 that firearms production in Accokeek, Maryland (where the Neos is manufactured) would be moved to Gallatin, Tennessee.[18]
Design[edit]
The U22 Neos is a semi-automatic firearm using simple blowback operation. The pistol does not have a full-length slide (i.e., the barrel is uncovered) and it functions by cycling the rear portion of the action. The breech does not lock upon closing, but is held closed by a recoil spring. When the last cartridge case is ejected the slide is held open by a slide stop.[1] This configuration is similar to the Colt Woodsman and its successors.[19]
The U22 Neos is designed for field stripping without tools into basic modules (barrel with sight rail, receiver, slide and firing pin) for cleaning. The Weaver-style rail incorporates a fully adjustable rear sight and a removable front sight. The grip and trigger guard assembly, made from fiberglass-reinforced “technopolymer”, is attached to the receiver with a single bolt and can easily be removed and replaced with an accessory grip.[1] Unusual for a pistol (but unremarkable in a rifle) the magazine release is above the trigger guard and is operated by a right-handed shooter’s trigger finger.[19] The magazine holds ten rounds, giving the Neos a total 10+1 capacity.[6]
The origin of the pistol’s sleek shape and ergonomics was a collaboration between Beretta engineers and Giugiaro Design stylists.[20] Anticipated buyers for the U22 pistol were a new generation of Beretta enthusiasts, hence the moniker Neos (Greek for new).[6] Blued steel models are sold with a barrel either 4.5 or 6 inches long; the Inox models differ only in that the barrel and slide are made from stainless steel.[21]
Safety features[edit]
The U22 Neos has an ambidextrous manual safety lever mounted on the frame. There is no discrete loaded chamber indicator, but the slide can be opened slightly to check if there is a round in the chamber. The end of the firing pin is clearly visible at the rear of the receiver when cocked, indicating that the pistol is ready to fire (if the manual safety is off).[22] There is no magazine disconnect to prevent the pistol from firing if there is a round in the chamber when the magazine is removed, and for that reason the Neos accommodates single-shot operation with direct chamber loading.
Deluxe model[edit]
In 2003 new features were added to the U22 Neos product line, in the form of DLX models which can be identified by a special U22 NEOS logo is engraved on the slide. As with the standard models, the U22 Neos DLX was made with blue or stainless steel finish. DLX barrel length was 6 inches (150 mm) or 7.5 inches (190 mm) (no 4.5 in (110 mm) DLX model). DLX triggers are adjustable for pre- and overtravel. Front and rear sights have user-replaceable blades in different colors. DLX models have rubber inlays in the pistol grip; these inlays are textured to improve the shooter’s grip and are colored for a distinctive appearance.[1]
Following the discontinuation of DLX models in 2007, Beretta has occasionally produced standard Neos pistols with colored grip inlays as dealer exclusive models.[22][23][24]
Carbine conversion kit[edit]
Expanding on the modularity of the U22 Neos pistol, in 2004 Beretta introduced a U22 Neos Carbine Kit that transforms the pistol into a light rifle. The kit includes a skeletonized butt stock that takes the place of the grip on the pistol and a separate fore-end assembly that replaces the pistol barrel. A fiber-optic front sight is mounted on the barrel and the integral Weaver-style rail includes an aperture rear sight.[25] This Neos carbine configuration appears quite similar to the Buck Mark Sporter Rifle, but Browning Buck Mark pistols and rifles are purpose-built and major components cannot be interchanged.[16]
Recall[edit]
On 15 September 2010, Beretta announced a recall of the U22 Neos because some pistols may fire even if the safety is on, or when the safety is moved to the on position.[26] This recall only applies to some earlier Neos models, and Beretta has posted instructions on determining if a pistol needs service on their Neos support page.[27] Beretta’s Accokeek factory performs this service at no cost to the customer. The firing pin and other components are replaced and tested.[28]
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Gun Mishaps & Negligent Discharges
U.S.A. — A stunning survey that revealed more than half of Protestant churches across the country rely on “armed congregants as part of their security plan” has just recently been reported by Lifeway Research, even though the poll was taken last September.
The revelation comes 3 ½ years after a gunman opened fire at the West Freeway Church of Christ in White Settlement, Texas, only to be shot dead by armed parishioner Jack Wilson just a few seconds later. The shooting, which was live streamed at the time—the video warped across social media—shows at least a half-dozen armed citizens in the church sanctuary with drawn guns after Wilson fired the single shot that stopped killer Keith Thomas Kinnunen before he could wreak more havoc.
At the time, Alan Gottlieb, chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, ripped into anti-gunners.
“The gun control crowd has been predictably silent,” Gottlieb said following the December 2019 incident, “because the use of firearms by private citizens in defense of themselves and others—especially a large crowd of worshippers in a church—just doesn’t fit the extremist gun control narrative.”
He even had some blistering remarks for then-presidential candidate Joe Biden and fellow Democrats for their “deafening silence.”
However, Biden had been critical of Texas gun laws in September of that year, which earned the Delaware Democrat plenty of scorn from gun rights advocates, including Gottlieb. At the time, Biden contended the relaxed Texas gun law was “irrational.” The December shooting demonstrated otherwise as Wilson and other armed churchgoers were able to immediately react.
But the Lifeway Research report, now coming to light nearly nine months after it was conducted, has some other revelations that might elicit silence from the gun control crowd.
As noted by Fox News, “Approximately 81% of churches — or four in five pastors — said they have at least one security measure to prevent potential attacks.”
“Fifty-seven percent of pastors claimed to have ‘an intentional plan for an active shooter situation,’ which was the most popular option,” Fox News reported. “The second most-cited option had armed church members. Radio communications among security personnel and a no-firearms policy in church facilities were the next most popular security options, at 26% and 21%, respectively.”
The Lifeway Research report notes, “When asked about their protocols when they gather for worship, around 4 in 5 U.S. Protestant pastors (81%) say their church has some type of security measure in place.”
Fifty-seven percent have “an intentional plan for an active shooter situation.” They understandably do not provide specific details, but the mention of armed church members is significant.
The survey also revealed that security measures increase in churches with more worshippers in attendance. “The larger the church, the more likely it is to have armed private security personnel on site and radio communication among security personnel,” the Lifeway Research report acknowledged. “Churches with 250 or more in attendance are the most likely to have armed church members (74%) and uniformed police officers on site (27%). Those large congregations are also among the most likely to have an intentional plan for an active shooter situation (74%).”
Having armed security at a church is not such a new idea. Back in December 2007, following a fatal shooting at a mission in Arvada, 24-year-old Matthew John Murray showed up at the New Life Church in Colorado Springs. He killed two sisters and wounded their father in the church parking lot before entering the building, where he was confronted by Jeanne Assam, who was part of that church’s security team. She opened fire, wounding Murray, who then took his own life.
According to the Lifeway Research report, approximately 1 in 5 pastors have a “no firearm” policy in their church, while almost the same number have armed private security. Only one percent apparently have metal detectors at church entrances.
An attack on the Covenant School in Nashville in March showed such shooting incidents are not confined to church sanctuaries. In that shooting, killer Audrey Hale entered the building by shooting her way through glass doors before fatally shooting three adults and three children. Nashville police responded immediately and, as shown by body cam video, entered the building, rushed to find the shooter and brought the incident to a halt within four minutes.
The Nashville Tennessean is reporting that Hale, a transgender person, died of multiple gunshot wounds to the head and torso, according to an autopsy report issued Monday. She was hit in the torso and left arm, in the head and in the right thigh.
CCRKBA’s Gottlieb praised the rapid response by Nashville officers in a prepared statement, in which he also criticized anti-gunners for opposing armed school security, while pushing more laws to disarm law-abiding citizens.
“Those on the left do not want school resources officers on the job,” he said. “They argue for reducing police manpower overall while dangerous, violent people wait to prey on our most vulnerable citizens; school children and older Americans. And then they demand honest people give up their guns.
“The reason most Americans own firearms is to protect themselves against mentally unstable, violent people and evil, dangerous criminals,” Gottlieb said at the time.
The Lifeway Research report offers a reminder that armed private citizens continue to play a key role in what amounts to public safety, even in places of worship.
About Dave Workman
Dave Workman is a senior editor at TheGunMag.com and Liberty Park Press, author of multiple books on the Right to Keep & Bear Arms, and formerly an NRA-certified firearms instructor.
———————————————————————————- To me at least this just goes to show how far that this country has gome down the tube of moral decline. That & you just know that it is just going to get worse before there is any improvement! So be careful out there as The Devil is mighty busy right now. Grumpy
