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Although I often shoot and write about airguns, you may have noticed that my testing has focused on a few different SIG Sauer models recently. That's because I believe SIG is on to something, making airguns modeled after their "real" guns, including the use of comparable controls and full-blowback metal slides on the handguns. Not long ago, everyone suggested practicing with a .22, what with the caliberÂ’s light recoil and lower ammo cost. That may have been sound advice, but with the astronomical jump in the price of .22 ammo, it is no longer that much of a savings, even...

The Glock 19 is now the only and official sidearm for Marine special operators as officials ditched the classic .45-caliber Colt 1911, the Marine Corps Times reported last week. “We put our money behind the 9mm round fired by an extremely well-trained marksman carrying a Glock 19,” said Maj. Nick Mannweiler, a spokesman for Marine Corps Forces Special Operations Command. He added the 9mm Glock is the only pistol Marine special operators are allowed to take into battle. Since last year, MARSOC has purchased and fielded 1,654 Glock 19s because Raiders needed a reliable secondary weapon “that could be...

Some of our readers and those from 1911 forum were taliking about whether the Sig 1911 is less reliable than Colt or Springfield. Here's some of the conversation taking place: 3RidersApproaching: SIG offers some very appealing 1911s in terms of features (front strap checkering, rounded butts, etc.) And their pricing is attractive. Relatively few models from Colt and Springfield come with front strap checkering (something that I have, over time, come to really appreciate after having bought a number of 1911’s that DON’T have it.) I’ve caught some drift here and there that SIG quality (perhaps regarding their non-1911 models?)...

That's Rubber BandsWhat happens if you wrap a Ruger SR1911 pistol with Rubber Bands? How many rubber bands will it take to cause the 1911 pistol to malfunction? Is one rubber band powerful enough to stop the slide from functioning properly? Will this create an over pressure situation and kaboom the 1911 pistol? This has been suggested by viewers on multiple occasions and seemed like a fun video to do! This is a wacky function test. Here's a short video transcript We’re gonna see how many rubber bands it takes to disable this glock. So put in a comment below...

The never ending debate of which is better for every day carry and personal protection continues. Here are some folks had to say from Glocks and 1911 forums: Vintage68: I don't think anyone would say the Glock is a bad pistol because it's not. They're incredibly reliable, if ugly, tools. I think most people, at least on a 1911 forum, will say that that the feel of a 1911 in the hand and the trigger will beat the snot out of a Glock any day of the week. McMagic: 1911 is a much nicer platform. Glocks are notoriously hard to...

On Wednesday, 25 November, 2015, President Barack Hussein Obama signed the National Defense Authorization act.  He had vetoed the first version of the bill to reach his desk on 22 October, 2015, about a month ago.  In the latest version, S. 1356, there is a section, 1087, which re-authorizes the Civilian Marksmanship Program to sell surplus 1911 and 1911A1 pistols and their parts and accessories to the public.  The sales are limited to 10,000 per year.  There are about 100,000 of these pistols available that are surplus, so they should be available for a several years.From the bill(pdf):''(h) AUTHORIZED TRANSFERS.-(1)...

Jerry Miculek demonstrates rapid firing a pair of quad double barrel 1911 .45 ACP by Arsenal Firearms. Jerry fires off 20 rounds in less than 1.5 seconds. Here's an excerpt from what Jerry was saying while shooting the quad 1911. It's the original- Twiceshooter guys. 45ACP or it might be a 90ACP 2 of 'em both together, uh, maybe not. [chuckles] It's the original double-stack, as you can see, you put two single-stack mags in it, uh, the trigger works both hammers, so either side that you grab it it's gonna shoot, so; you've got a lotta horsepower here, you've...

Daniel Shaw, retired US Marine Infantryman and Combat Weapons Master Instructor, explains why the 1911 is not the defensive gun he chooses to carry. Shaw gives us four reasons why he opts to go with something aside from John Browning's classic handgun: limited magazine capacitysafety leverreliabilitymagazine compatibility The former Marine is careful to note that this is his opinion, based on his experience, and acknowledges that everyone is free to pick the platform that’s right for them. With that in mind, what are your thoughts on the 1911? Do you trust your 1911 with your life? Do you have four...

In yet another move which may send shivers down the spines of law enforcement agencies around the world, while at the same time exciting techies and firearm advocates, Solid Concepts has revealed yet another 3D printed metal gun. Just under a year ago, the company, which has since been acquired by 3D printing giant Stratasys, revealed the world’s very first 3D printed metal handgun, the 1911. Although there had been a number of interesting plastic firearms 3D printed up until that time, this metal firearm was the first capable of shooting several rounds of ammunition flawlessly. In fact the original...

The U.S. Army is moving forward to replace the Cold War-era M9 9mm pistol with a more powerful handgun that also meets the needs of the other services. As the lead agent for small arms, the Army will hold an industry day July 29 to talk to gun makers about the joint, Modular Handgun System or MHS. The MHS would replace the Army's inventory of more than 200,000 outdated M9 pistols and several thousand M11 9mm pistols with one that has greater accuracy, lethality, reliability and durability, according to Daryl Easlick, a project officer with the Army's Maneuver Center of...

This is no cheap surplus pistol. The Zastava M70A is a new production handgun of a very proven design. It is produced on modern CNC machinery in Serbia by skilled craftsman. What results is an amazingly high value gun that shoots better than some guns five times it's price. Cranking off many rounds through 'The Nutnfancy Project purchased M70A proved the pistol to be worthy of its acclaim, much of which was garnered through war time use. Advancing the Tokarev TT 33 design, this iteration incorporates a manual safety, better slide milling, better sights, firing pin safety, and one more...

Circa 1911: Cat drinking from a bottle and looking through a telescope

(image courtesy of solidconcepts.com) Let me start out by saying one, very important thing: This is not about desktop 3D Printers. Solid Concepts is a world leader of 3D Printing services, and our ability to 3D Print the world’s first metal gun solidifies our standing. The gun is a classic 1911, a model that is at once timeless and public domain. It functions beautifully: Our resident gun expert has fired 50 successful rounds and hit a few bull’s eyes at over 30 yards. The gun is composed of 30+ 3D Printed components with 17-4 Stainless Steel and Inconel 625...

Knowing how to safely field strip a 1911 pistol is a must for any new shooter. American Handgunner's Roy Huntington breaks this down into a simple step-by-step process.

1911: Chester E. McDuffee’s patented diving suit The suit of Chester E. Macduffee is a fantastic suit to see. Although Macduffee patented 4 inventions and pictures of the actual diving suit are still available it is very strange nothing could be found about the inventor. In the book from Hermann Stelzner there are some references to Macduffee. The name of the inventor is often written in different ways. Stelzner calls him Macduff. He is also called McDuffie – MacDuffie – MacDuffy – Macduffie but the true name of the man was Macduffee. Stelzner wrote: Macduffs ADS was tested in 1915...

Want to buys 1911 SW.

Double-barrel 1911 lands ATF approval, importation to begin next year The ATF has given Arsenal the green light to import their double-barreled, double-everything 1911. Arsenal turned a lot of heads a few months back when they announced their truly unique handgun, the AF2011-A1, but many assumed that the gun would never wind up for sale in the U.S., because it fires two cartridges with one pull of the trigger, making it a machine gun according to federal law. Arsenal maintained that their double trigger design, and matching pair of sears and hammers, would not raise the hackles of the gatekeepers...

Just stirring stuff up on a Sunday morning...

HARTFORD, Conn. — The newest Colt .45-caliber pistol is touted for its durability and design. It is tested to make sure it can be dropped in water, covered in mud, immersed in sand or ice, or left in a dust storm — and still be able to blast off a round when you pull the trigger. "Virtually, it's indestructible," said Casimir Pawlowski, who works in international sales and technical sevices for Colt Defense LLC. "You can drive over these things with a Humvee and they're still gonna work. It's like a brick that shoots bullets." An order last month of...

It’s been called the greatest handgun ever made, and it has barely changed sine 1911, when the legendary John Browning designed it especially for the U.S. Military. And now, the Colt .45 M1911 is making a big comeback, now that the U.S. Marines have placed a $22.5 million order for the Connecticut-made pistols. The gun, which has been wielded on film by John Wayne and in real life by Sgt. Alvin York and Maj. Audie Murphy, was the standard-issue sidearm in the military for decades, until it was replaced by the Beretta M9 in 1985. "It just became an iconic...