Archive for January, 2009
Taurus Judge: Public Defender
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Taurus introduced the “Public Defender” revolver, another in the line of the Judge revolvers, at the 2009 SHOT Show.
Chambering the same .45 Colt and .410 shotshells as the other handguns in the Judge line, the Public Defender is built on a smaller frame (the 85 series frame), and is clearly designed for concealed carry. The Public Defender still chambers five rounds, yet is smaller and lighter, weighing only 28.2 ounces for the stainless or blued versions, and 26 ounces for the blued steel/titanium cylinder model.
The Public Defender has a three inch barrel topped with a red fiber optic sight. The rear sight is a fixed notch. The hammer has been reduced, meaning it is less likely to catch on clothing during a draw, but it can still be cocked for a single action, precision shot. The Public Defender wears a set of the Taurus Ribber grips.
The Public Defender felt a touch front-heavy, but that is probably a good thing for helping to manage recoil. While this gun is nowhere near the size of a J-frame snubbie, it is noticeably smaller than the previous Judge models. If you want to carry a .410/.45 Colt, this is the best package to do it concealed.
I spoke with a sales rep on day one of SHOT who said the pricing on the Public Defender would be around $500 for the blued and stainless models. The titanium model will be about $600. A Taurus rep on day two of SHOT also quoted me the same general numbers.
Glock RTF2 Finish on the Glock 22: Thousands of Polymer Spikes
Posted by: | CommentsAt the 2009 SHOT Show, Glock introduced a new texture called “RTF2.” Claiming to be the “the new standard for operators working in the harshest conditions imaginable,” the RTF2 features a new style of texturing on the grip frame, and a new serration pattern on the rear of the slide.
The new RTF2 texturing on the Glock 22 is described in the Glock literature as “thousands of polymer spikes.” I couldn’t agree more. The RTF2 texture was not comfortable to hold. In fact, it was downright unpleasant. Yes, the RTF2 texture does seem to increase the bond between hand and gun, but at what cost to the hand? I would not want to shoot one of these, but I suspect I will have to in the near future.
Glock states the “crescent shaped grasping grooves” on the slide “offer a new stylish demension to the term efficient improvement.” Uh…right. I’m not sure what efficient improvement was gained, and neither was the Glock representative I spoke with.
Fortunately, the Glock representative told me that the RTF2 was limited to the Glock 22 at this time. Additionally, the G22 can still be purchased with the normal third generation frame. If the RTF2 proves to be popular, the Glock 17 will be the next firearm to receive the treatment, followed by others in the line.
Smith and Wesson Model 632 in .327 Magnum: First Impressions
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I was hoping that Smith and Wesson would introduce a six-shot revolver chambered in .327 Magnum this year. They did, but this is not what I had in mind. However, I found myself liking the gun more that I thought I would.
The S&W 632 is a small framed revolver chambered in the hot new .32 introduced by Ruger and ATK last year. It has a 3″ ported barrel, is blued steel, and has the same rubber Uncle Mike’s grips on it that have been standard on many other small frame Smith’s.
The first thing that struck me is the cylinder seemed much thinner than what I was expecting. I thought I would pick up the gun and see a cylinder roughly the same size as a Model 10 in .38 Special. Not so. The cylinder is definitely less bulky, and it still puts six of the magnum rounds at your disposal.
It had a decent trigger, good sight picture, and felt good in my hand.
Two major problems I have with it. First, like most Smith and Wesson revolvers, it has the internal lock. Sorry, guys, but I won’t buy one of your revolvers with those things installed.
The other problem, for me anyway, is the ported barrel. Yes, porting can help with recoil, but having gasses shoot out of the top of my revolver in a low-light, self-defense shooting is not my idea of enhancing my odds.
If S&W made this (without the lock) in a plain 2″ or 3″ barrel with the internal hammer, they would not be able to keep the dealers in stock. In this configuration, I am less optimistic.
Colt Delta Elite: More Information and Photos
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Frustratingly, there were few Colt sales people at their SHOT Show exhibit. So, I didn’t get one for long, and what information I got was not terribly helpful.
The re-introduction of the Colt Delta Elite is a special run only. It is in the 2009 catalog, but only as a special run item. Colt is not planning on them being a permanent addition to the line-up. So, if you want one, don’t wait. It sounds like “when they’re gone, they’re gone!”
The Colt rep did not know when they were shipping or what the MSRP was going to be. In fact, they weren’t even sure how many would be produced.
Mostly it seemed like Colt was pushing the black rifles, and the handguns were an afterthought.
Regardless, there was a Delta Elite on the display rack (I had to hunt for it.) I do not have one of the originals, though I have had the chance to play with them in the past. The floor model seemed to be the same as the original, which is to say, it is a 1911 platform firing a 10mm cartridge. It is a well balanced gun, and the trigger on the example I held was great.
The one problem that I spotted immediately was a cosmetic issue with the front sight. The front sight had white paint smeared all over it. It looked as if someone added the white paint to the front sight for the “dot” and then dragged their finger through the paint and onto the sight.
While the paint on the sight doesn’t alter how well the gun works, I have to wonder about Colt’s quality control. Something that obvious should be caught before the gun leaves the assembly plant. Surely someone should be checking these guns before they put them on the floor at the SHOT Show?
Hopefully, Colt will issue additional information about shipping dates, MSRP, etc. soon.
RKBA Holsters Now Shipping Pocket Holsters for Ruger LCP with Crimson Trace Laserguard
Posted by: | CommentsRKBA Holsters make great leather pocket holsters at very reasonable prices. I carry my Smith and Wesson 642 in a RKBA pocket holster every day.
Now, RKBA Holsters is offering a pocket holster for the Ruger LCP with the Crimson Trace Laserguard. The pocket holster offers the same great quality as the original LCP holster with the same low price: $32 shipped!
I am a big fan of these holsters ever since I ordered my first one. Read my original review on the RKBA pocket holster here. Stephen McElroy runs the company and makes the holsters by hand. He is a good guy and responds quickly to requests.
2009 SHOT Show Update: Day 2
Posted by: | CommentsI’ve just left day 2 of the 2009 SHOT Show. I’ve got more photos, product announcements, and information. As soon as I get back to my home office, I will start getting things posted.
5.11 Casual Belt: Quality Gun Belt at Reasonable Price
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Looking for a quality gun belt for concealed carry, but don’t want to spend a fortune? 5.11 may have jsut what you are looking for.
Available in brown and black, the 5.11 Leather Casual Belt offers a sturdy platforn to attach your holster to, while keeping a casual or dress-down appearance. The 5.11 belt has a simple, yet attractive buckle, and the leather looks good. Most importantly, it has a stiff, reinforced piece that runs on the inside of the entire belt that makes this an excellent belt for concealed carry. Read More→
Smith and Wesson 1911 PSc Compact Pistol
Posted by: | CommentsI got a chance to spend some time in the Smith and Wesson booth, playing with all of the new handguns and AR-15′s they are introducing this year. One of the new pistols I liked the best is the S&W1911 PSc.
The PSc is a compact .45 ACP 1911. It feels really good in the hand. Like most 1911′s, the balance is nice and it points well. The gun’s finish is pleasing to look at, and the assembly seems to be very well done.
This pistol is certainly on my short list of compact 1911′s to consider if I was looking to purchase one.
Sig P238: More Information
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The Sig P238 is sized to attack the Ruger LCP market, but it is a completely different animal.
The P238 is a single action, .380 ACP gun. I got to work the trigger doing some dry firing at the Sig exhibit today. The trigger was nice! A light, crisp pull and break. I was actually surprised how much I liked the trigger. I guess I had been dry firing too many DAO pocket guns during the day, so when I made my way to the P238 late in the afternoon, I was expecting a poor trigger. Nope…the trigger on the floor model was quite nice.
The thumb safety worked well. It clicked on and off in a decisive manner: not too hard, but not too easy either. When obtaining a grip on the gun, the thumb can easily sweep the safety off. The safety is obviously much smaller than on a full-sized 1911, but it is usable.
The sights are nice! SIGLITE night sights were on the demonstration model, and they were far better than anything on a LCP, Kel-Tec, or Taurus TCP. You can actually use these sights.
Overall, I like the gun. The only negative thing that jumps out at me are the grip panels. There is something about the vertical grooves that make me dislike the look. If I replaced those with something more aesthetically pleasing, I’m sure it would make all the difference to me. Then again, I’m the guy matching plaids and stripes, so you better not listen to me on what looks good!
The Most Interesting Thing at the Glock Exhibit
Posted by: | CommentsR. Lee Ermey’s appearance was the most interesting thing I found at the Glock exhibit.
I am an unabashed fan of the Glock pistol. I have carried one (or two) virtually every day since 1996. If I had to pick up one handgun and walk into combat, it would be my Glock 19. Glocks just work. But…
A ‘short frame’ version of the 10mm and a new texture (RTF2) is the only thing they’ve got? For years, people have clamoured for a Glock carbine and a real update to the Glock pistol (interchangeable backstraps, etc.). Nada.
If Glock is to stay on top of the law enforcement market, they better start on something new. The M&P is really making headway in re-capturing the police market again. And Kel-Tec has sold more than a few of the Sub-2000 carbines (that take Glock magazines…) Even the KRISS Super V takes Glock 21 magazines and it is an honest-to-goodness subgun.
(Note: I flubbed my camera settings when I took some pictures of the new Glock finish. I’ll try again on Friday. Sorry!)
Hornady: Get Loaded! Stay Loaded!
Posted by: | CommentsHornady has extended their popular promotion of sending you free bullets when you purchase certain reloading products from them. Free bullets range in sizes from .224 to .45 and in quantity of 100-1000 depending on what you buy. More information is on the Hornady web site.
It’s BAAAACK: The Colt Delta Elite in 10mm Announced at the 2009 SHOT Show
Posted by: | CommentsProbably one of the most requested items I have encountered is the 10mm Colt Delta Elite pistol. Well, Colt has finally brought it back in a limited run.
The Colt Delta Elite is scheduled to ship later this year. The Colt rep was cagey about the price, so don’t expect it to be cheap!
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UPDATE: More information about the re-introduction of the Colt Delta Elite is posted here.
