Charter Arms is bringing a new revolver to market: the Charter Arms On Duty revolver. The On Duty revolver features a semi-shrouded hammer, a first for Charter Arms.
The 2″ barreled revolver is chambered in .38 Special and is “+P” rated. It has an aluminum frame and a stainless steel barrel and cylinder. The shrouded hammer allows the user to shoot double action, or to cock the hammer for a lighter, single action shot. The five shot On Duty revolver weighs in at 12 ounces unloaded. Read More…
A Georgia man is suing the Atlanta transit system, MARTA, after he was detained for carrying a concealed firearm in a train station. Christopher Raissi was apparently detained by MARTA police on October 14, 2008 when he carried a concealed firearm onto MARTA property. Georgia law allows licensed citizens to carry concealed or exposed firearms on mass transit.
Backed by GeorgiaCarry.org, Raissi’s lawsuit states he was escorted to another building and detained for about 30 minutes before being released. According to the US Supreme Court, Read More…
In Oregon, records of who has been issued a concealed weapon permit are generally available under public records. However, past abuses by the media and others have prompted some Oregon sheriff’s and lawmakers to push for a change in the law, providing a level of privacy and security for permit holders.
House Bill 2727, backed by 45 legislators, would prohibit the public release of concealed weapon permit holder information, except by court order or for criminal justice purposes. This bill has about half of the legislators, both Democrats and Republicans, signed on as co-sponsors.
Oregon residents: contact your state legislators and let them know they need to support this bill. Also, visit the Oregon Firearms Federation for statewide efforts to protect your Second Amendment rights!
Illinois is one of only two states that prohibits all manner of concealed carry of firearms by citizens. But there is legislation moving through the Illinois General Assembly to change that.
House Bills 245 and 462 would allow Illinois residents to obtain a license to carry a concealed firearm outside of their home. HB 245 would have the Illinois State Police issue the permits, while HB 462 would place the task with the county sheriff.
Both bills were approved 11-1 in committee and sent to the floor of the General Assembly. Both bills had the support of Democrats and Republicans alike in committee. Rep. Julie Hamos, a Democrat, was the lone voice against self-defense and personal liberty.
Illinois is notorious for its anti-gun laws, but most of that comes from the politically powerful in Chicago. Outside of Chicago, most folks in Illinois are pretty sane. In fact, a lot of people would like to see concealed carry be legalized. Don’t believe me? Steve Chapman wrote a opinion piece for the Chicago Tribune encouraging the state to legalize concealed carry. The Illinois Sheriff’s Association is on-board too.
If you live in Illinois, please contact your representatives in the General Assembly. Let them know that these bills are important to you, and that you will be watching how they vote.
Also, consider joining the Illinois State Rifle Association. The ISRA is your state-wide voice on Second Amendment issues.
Several months ago, I purchased a kydex paddle holster from Uncle Mike’s for my Sig Sauer P226.
The Uncle Mike’s holster is an open top, but models with a thumb break strap can be purchased as well. I found that the holster held the Sig very securely, but was not so tight as to prevent a smooth draw. There are two screws on the front of the holster that you can use to adjust the tension of the holster, but I found the tension to be “just right” as it was, so I did not adjust them at all. Read More…
From the NRA:
U.S. Representatives Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) and Rick Boucher (D-Va.), recently introduced H.R. 197– the “National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009″–a bill that would provide national recognition for valid state Right-to-Carry licensees.
The bill would allow any person with a valid carry permit or license issued by a state, to carry a concealed firearm in any other state if the permit holder meets certain criteria. In states that issue permits, a state’s laws governing where concealed firearms may be carried would apply within its borders. In states that do not issue carry permits, a federal standard would apply. The bill would not create a federal licensing system; it would simply require the states to recognize each other’s carry permits, just as they recognize drivers’ licenses.
Senator John Thune (R-S.D.) is expected to introduce the Senate companion bill in the near future. Rep. Stearns has introduced such legislation since 1995.
Please be sure to contact your U.S. Representative at (202) 225-3121, and urge him or her to cosponsor and support H.R. 197!
If you are not already a member, please join the NRA today!
I posted a review of the Streamlight Strion flashlight over at BlueSheepdog.com. The Strion is a compact rechargeable flashlight that is a perfect for concealed carry.
The Taurus 709 pistols, also known as the Taurus SLIM, is a series of single stack 9mm pistols designed for concealed carry. They are polymer framed, and offer a choice in slides: blued. stainless steel, and titanium. The blued and stainless models weight 19 ounces unloaded, and the titanium model shaves another two ounces off of that number.
All three models have a 3.2″ barrel and come with a 7-round, flush magazine and a 9-round extended magazine. The pistols have the Taurus SA/DA trigger system, meaning once you chamber a round, the trigger pull is a “short, crisp” SA pull. Should the gun fail to fire, the next trigger pull (second shot capability) is a longer double action shot. Assuming the gun fires each time, the trigger pulls will all be single action.
Sights are a low profile, but very usable, three-dot system.
Taurus announced the 709 series of single stack 9mm pistols last year, but never shipped them. During the past year, the Taurus SLIM has undergone several changes.
There are several cosmetic changes, such as the grips:
and recess around the take down:
The most significant design change has been the addition of a trigger safety. The original 709 did not have a trigger safety, but the shipping models of the Taurus SLIM will have one.
I had the chance to handle the blued and titanium models at SHOT. The SA trigger pull was light and felt pretty good for a polymer gun. The DA pull was much longer, but relatively smooth.
These guns fit in my medium-sized hand pretty well, but someone with large hands may not like the size as much. These guns should conceal easily in a IWB or belt scabbard. While not as concealable as a Taurus TCP or Ruger LCP, they do offer the added benefit of a more serious caliber, better sights, more grip surface, and up to 10 rounds on tap before a reload.
I hope Taurus gets these to the dealers soon. The single stack 9mm is a good choice for concealed carry and if they work well on the range, Taurus may sell a bunch of these.
Taurus introduced three versions of the TCP, or Taurus Compact Pistol, at the 2009 SHOT Show. The TCP, also known as the model 738, is a .380 ACP pistol clearly aimed at taking market share from the Ruger LCP.
The TCP is a very small, very thin, very light polymer pocket gun. The sights are described by Taurus as “low-profile,” but I would describe them as almost non-existent.
The Taurus TCP has a slide lock, ambidextrous magazine release, and a loaded chamber indicator. It holds six in the magazine, with an additional eight round magazine available. The TCP has a 3.3″ barrel and an overall length of 5.19″.
It is a double action only (DAO) pistol. The trigger pull was long and moderately heavy. I would have liked it a lot more with a shorter trigger pull with the same weight.
The TCP is the lightest gun that Taurus offers weighing only 10.2 ounces with a blued or stainless steel slide, and a mere nine ounces (!) with a titanium slide. The titanium slide version is so light, you might actually forget you are carrying it.
The Taurus TCP will be manufactured here in the United States. The Taurus rep on the show floor said pricing would be “around $300″ with the titanium model “about $100 more.”
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.
