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I was going to have another topic today but since Palin is McCain's running mate, I thought we would be too busy discussing that.

It was adopted in 1911 and is probably the longest serving military weapon ever devised. Although the English Webley revolver lasted a few more years of continous service, the Colt 1911A1 was shelved, then returned to service. Some folks just like the caliber, others love the pistol. It was adopted because.38 caliber revolvers failed to stop the Mauro Tribesmen in the Phillippine Insurrection. .30 caliber Krag - Jorgenson rifles also failed to stop the Mauros, most likely because they ate opium, but the United States decided to standardize a larger caliber. They first took up the Colt Model 1911 designed...

Since we posted some great looking firearms, I thought it would be fun to post some of the ugliest guns in history. That's my opinion, of course. Post some of the ones you think just didn't make the grade in the looks department.

What are you packing today? Let's see them.Today, I am carrying a Kahr PM9 in 9mm in a Galco Summer Special with a 6 round reload.This set up is light, wholly concealable and easy to wear all day. The caliber is more than adequate for defensive purposes. Using the 124 gr Hyda-Shoks it is accurate and reliable. JOIN THE FR GUN CLUB PING LIST HERE!!!

This is one of the first installments from Free Republic's Gun Club. It's going to be a daily discussion on subjects covering firearms, Gun Rights and overall firearms experiences. Some years ago, Friday seemed to be the time to post photos of our favorite toys. I volunteered to make it a weekly occurance. One of the things I did learn through the years, though. It's not the gun. It's just a tool in the hands of the person who makes it happen. That rusty and pitted .38 revolver may not look like much but to the owner, it may have...

A Revolution In Cartridge Feeding The Boberg XR9 Introducing the world's most powerful 9mm pocket-sized pistol. Summary Basically, the XR9 is a pocket pistol with a full length barrel, having the magazine located directly under the chamber. The patent-pending feed mechanism grabs a cartridge from the magazine and delivers it straight into the chamber. This allows the chamber clearance to be significantly less, causing less energy and noise to blast out the back. With this combination, kinetic energy is maximized, and in many cases will exceed the energy produced in full-sized pistols. Just an FYI to all of you out...

Jeanne Assam, the heroine of the New Life Church shooting in Colorado Springs, would likely have been unable to carry the Beretta that she stopped the shooting with if she had been a licensed security guard. An AP article published on 12 December noted that licensed security guards in Colorado Springs are restricted to the use of revolvers. As Jeanne Assam was a volunteer parishioner who was performing security guard duties because the church did not want to hire “mercenaries”, she was almost certainly not affected by the regulations, which only apply to government regulated security guards. Fortunately, her lack...

Model R-15 VTR™ Features New semi-automatic AR-15-style rifle developed in conjunction with industry leader in AR platform Free-floating button-rifled 0.680" Muzzle OD ChroMoly barrels with recessed hunting crown for superior accuracy Fluted barrel design reduces weight Clean-breaking single-stage trigger Receiver-length picatinny rail for adding optics Ergonomic pistol grip Fore-end tube drilled and tapped for accessory rails Full Advantage Max-1 HD coverage Includes 5-round magazine Legal for hunting in most states Compatible with aftermarket AR-15/M-16 magazines

This was a hard piece to write, because guns by definition are manly, except for Berettas, gold-plated TEC9s, .25 caliber pistols or anything made by the French. To simplify things, I have limited it to modern cartridge firearms a man might, can, and should collect and shoot. There are certainly other manly weapons, and you may have a different list. As long as the list contains nothing French, gold-plated, .25 or with pearl grips (which Patton correctly observed are the mark of a New Orleans pimp), it is a good list.

Greetings fellow gun buffs, I need help identifying the manufacturer of this weapon: This is what it looks like broken down: The receiver is marked as follows: CHRISTOPHER / ASSOCIATES GLENDALE - CA A005XXX MODEL SAM 180 VOERE AUSTRIA .22LR There is no "CHRISTOPHER / ASSOCIATES" in my Blue Book of Gun Values and a google search fails to turn up anything on this weapon. Has anyone seen one of these before? and can anyone help me find out what I'm dealing with here????? :) This weapon is from Glen's personal collection and I'm trying to help his family determine...

I'm considering buying a Ruger P345 for CC. The written reviews I've read are excellent. However, it has to pass the Freeper peer review board before I buy it. So what do you think?Mike

Tom Maffin, senior gunsmith for Transformational Defense Industries Inc. demonstrates the company's revolutionary Kriss Super V 45 caliber submachine gun at a range on the Blackwater USA campus in Moyock, N.C. Stephen M. Katz photos | The Virginian-Pilot MOYOCK, N.C. His Ford Crown Victoria disabled by hostile fire, driver Tom Maffin scrambled from the car, crouched behind the hood and sprayed a target with automatic gunfire to cover for a passenger. Maffin's weapon: a KRISS Super V .45-caliber submachine gun.If you're military or law enforcement and haven't heard of it, chances are you soon will.Maffin is senior gunsmith for...

Consider the Beretta .32 cal Tomcat as a carry piece. Small size being it's greatest benefit. Does anyone know the effective stopping power? Ads claim that with hollow points it is as effective as a .380. How effective is that? I wonder if this gun could wind up being a lawsuit maker rather than a lifesaver. Any opinions?

My handguns are pretty big. For example, my Ruger Super Redhawk is gentle to shoot but sure throws my cadence off when I wear it in an ankle holster. :) For colder weather, whenever outer clothing is appropriate, I carry a Glock 17 in a CompTac holster. Sometimes I'll carry a Sig 220ST in a similar rig. The Glock is comfortable to carry. The Sig is pretty heavy. More and more I'm carrying a S&W Model 66-1 with 2 1/2 barrel. It's not too bad but it's still a pretty big gun. The overall width (of the cylinder) is 1...

Here's a hypothetical for FReepers to bat around. With the ubiquity of backpacks these days, what is the feasability and advisability of carrying one of the many high capacity, short barreled rifles as a concealed weapon. For our purposes, assume NFA compliance and fees are no object.

Post the best pictures of guns/rifles/ammo that you can find here to celebrate the Fourth of July!

HARTFORD (AP) - Hartford officials have given city lawyers the authority to sue state residents who fail to report their guns have been lost or stolen. The city council Monday approved an ordinance that gives the city the power to sue any Connecticut resident who fails to report a missing gun which is then used in a crime in Hartford. The ordinance requires gun owners to report lost or stolen guns to the police within 72 hours, or face civil penalties. Mayor Eddie Perez first announced the proposal during his state of the city address in March when he spokes...

Though versatile, compact, and reliable, the Thompson/Center Encore is not a gun one would instinctively associate with state-of-the-art technology or truly exceptional accuracy. Well get ready for a paradigm shift. Richard VanH's 6BR Encore raises the accuracy bar for break-open rifles. This rig may be plain on the outside, but it's seriously tricked out on the inside. Richard's Encore features a chamber exactly matched to his loaded ammo--a chamber cut with an electrical spark, not a conventional reamer. With a precisely-machined lug and oversized hinge-pin, lock-up is ultra-tight. Encore/Contender guru Mike Bellm (who knows as much about Encores as anyone...

Smith & Wesson's popular auto pistol has been chopped for concealed carry. Spurred by the liberalization of concealed carry laws in some of our more enlightened states, the quest for the perfect carry gun goes on. There is a slug of pretty good revolvers, autos and derringers out there--just about anything to suit your fancy, really--so one sometimes wonders if the makers can keep coming out with anything that's that much better than what's already available. Perhaps "better" isn't really the operative word here; maybe "innovative" or "ingenious" would be more accurate adjectives to describe some of the new pocket...

FN SCAR / Mk.16 (top) and Mk.17 rifle prototypes (3rd generation, mid 2006) Type Assault rifle Place of origin USA/Belgium Production history Manufacturer FNH USA, U.S. based subsidiary of FN Herstal Variants SCAR-L (Mk.16) for light SCAR-H (Mk.17) for heavy Specifications Weight SCAR L-6.9 pounds unloaded/ SCAR H-7.2 pounds unloaded Cartridge 7.62 × 51 mm NATO (SCAR-H) 5.56 × 45 mm NATO (SCAR-L) Action Gas-operated, Rotating bolt Rate of fire 550 to 600 Rounds per Minute The SCAR ("Special forces Combat Assault Rifle") is a modular rifle made by Fabrique Nationale (FN) for the U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM)...

It's early Saturday morning so indulge me----please! List your favorite home defense handguns & home defense long-gun [that you own]; coolest CC hideaway piece; the one handgun you enjoy target shooting most; the one gun you currently covet most:

September 24, 2006: Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of Defense began a search for a new .45 caliber combat pistol. Now that search has been mysteriously called off. The Department of Defense has announced, without any explanation, that is no longer looking for a new combat pistol. Last January, after two decades of use, the U.S. Department of Defense appeared to be getting rid of its Beretta M9 9mm pistol, and going back to the 11.4mm (.45 caliber) weapon. There have been constant complaints about the lesser (compared to the .45) hitting power of the 9mm, as well as...

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (Nasdaq: SWHC) has secured contracts to supply the Columbus, Ohio Police Department and the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport Police (DFW) with the company's advanced-design polymer pistol, the M&P40. The agreements call for 1,875 M&P40 pistols to be shipped to the Columbus Police Department and 305 M&P40 pistols to be shipped for use by DFW Airport police officers. Tom Taylor, Smith & Wesson's Vice President of Marketing, said, "Since the M&P Pistol Series was first introduced in November 2005, it has quickly changed performance expectations in the duty firearm test and evaluation process. We are proud...

WEEKI WACHEE - Automatic weapons attract all types. At the Hernando Sportsman's Club, you'd expect the camouflaged commandos toting long, mean-looking weapons. But there's also the weekend warrior wearing a polo shirt, khaki shorts and house shoes, firing 100 rounds a minute. Two spots down on the range is the elderly gentleman who adjusts his glasses before popping off shots from a gun that spits fire from the muzzle. Then there's Patty Mitchell. With her ponytail pulled back by pink elastic, the slim 22-year-old shouldered her machine gun and let loose with the best of them. It was her first...

**** Customizing Guns For Home Defense A practical approach to modifying what you've already got into something we hope you'll never need. By Dave Spaulding While it's easy these days to buy a gun that's designed specifically for home defense, it can be just as simple to turn a long gun or handgun that you inherited or bought for another purpose into a terrific home-defense tool. Customizing the gun doesn't have to be expensive or difficult, and in some cases the modifications don't even have to be permanent, allowing you to return the gun quickly to its original condition for...

A BRITISH sniper waging war on the Taliban is so deadly he has earned a chilling nickname — The Man Who Never Misses. The unerring Army sharpshooter has killed 39 rebel fighters single-handedly. His marksmanship is so lethal that rumours have spread like wildfire through insurgents’ camps, causing panic and confusion. The sniper — who The Sun is not naming to prevent him becoming a target himself — is a member of elite 3 Para. Described by sources as “the best shot in the Army” he is responsible for over five per cent of the 700 insurgents killed by Paras...

A worldwide standard The FN HERSTAL MAG™ has continuously proven itself in combat operations and is widely recognized as the world most reliable and versatile general purpose machine gun. It has been adopted by more than 70 countries under various names : MAG 58, GPMG, L7A2, M240. Full transfer of technology achieved on all continents. A true medium support machine gun Dismounted units intensive supporting fire fire against light fortifications and buildings long range interdiction area fire For vehicle mounted applications, the FN HERSTAL MAG™ perfectly meets the requirements of users operating from all types of vehicles, aircrafts and boats...

I'm watching Future Weapons on Discovery Channel and saw this new rifle the Israelis will be issuing soon. I thought it perfect for a Saturday Night Gun Porn Thread. Here's a pic of one of the variants: Here's the blurb from the source URL: The Tavor TAR-21 is a gas operated, selective fire, magazine fed assault rifle of bullpup configuration. It is available in several configurations, which differ in the barrel lengths and accessories. The basic configuration is the TAR-21 assault rifle with the 460mm (18.1 in) barrel. Next are the compact assault rifle, called CTAR-21, with the barrel 380...

Hey - a quick vanity question here. A friend is looking for recommendations on a carry pistol while biking up in the Colorado mountains. I am recommending a shrouded hammer, short-barrelled .44 for him. Unfortunately I am having trouble finding a shrouded hammer, short barrelled 44. Anyone have a suggestion?

There are certain benchmark handguns by which all other handguns are judged. With sixguns it is the Colt Single Action Army dating from 1873 for single action sixguns to equal or surpass while with double action sixguns the measuring stick is the Smith & Wesson K- and N-frames dating back to 1899 and 1907 respectively. For those of us who use single shot handguns for silhouetting or hunting, the rallying point for good discussion is the Thompson/Center Contender, a relative new comer on the handgun stage going back to the 1960's. We have seen a great deal of development of...

Responding to a US Army Special Operations Command (SOCOM) requirement, Sage International developed a chassis-type stock for M14 rifles that transforms the M14 into a 21st century enhanced tactical carbine. This stock is now being used to modify M14 rifles at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane, Indiana. The result is the Mk 14, Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle (EBR), which can be obtained by any force that uses M14 rifles either by purchasing the EBR stock and converting existing M14 type rifles or buying a semi-automatic-only version of the Mk 14, Mod 0 from US company Fulton Armory. The conversion...

NEWARK, N.J. -- A pistol found in the car of a drug suspect arrested recently in Newark was made of plastic, so it might pass through a security scan unnoticed. The unusual find concerned Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura so much that he took the Professional Ordnance Carbon-15 Type-97 pistol to Newark Liberty Airport and saw that in a security scanner, it did not look like a weapon. Only the stainless steel barrel was visible. The rest of the weapon -- including the trigger and stock -- did not appear because it's made of plastic. While weapons like this one...

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Mikhail Kalashnikov, designer of the world's most popular assault rifle, says that U.S. soldiers in Iraq are using his invention in preference to their own weapons, proving that his gun is still the best. "Even after lying in a swamp you can pick up this rifle, aim it and shoot. That's the best job description there is for a gun. Real soldiers know that and understand it," the 86-year-old gunmaker told a weekend news conference in Moscow. "In Vietnam, American soldiers threw away their M-16 rifles and used (Kalashnikov) AK-47s from dead Vietnamese soldiers, with bullets they...

Russian news agency Interfax: The Russian state arms trading agency Rosoboronexport has denied reports by a number of US media alleging that Russia will sell outdated Kalashnikov assault rifles to Venezuela instead of modern ones, as it promised to do earlier. "We would like to express our surprise and even outrage at an April 10 article published in the Washington Times. The allegations it makes are untrue and absolutely absurd," Rosoboronexport spokesman Valery Kartavtsev said at a press conference, Saturday. According to a contract signed in May 2005, Russia will sell 100,000 AK-103 rifles to the Venezuelan army and security...

As violence rises, so does female gun use, advocates say A single mom wanting to protect her children. A mall worker fearing a dark parking lot. A real estate agent meeting strangers in empty homes. They are Charlotte-area women. And they own guns. More women, gun advocates say, are buying, shooting and carrying firearms -- in briefcases, purses or even on their hips. For some, it's sport. But with violent crime up from five years ago and Charlotte-Mecklenburg police actively searching for a serial rapist, many women say it's about self-protection. "Things out there are tough, for men and for...

Substandard Issue: Why can't the military give good guns to our troops? And while we’re on the subject of military rifles, it’s worth mentioning that the U.S. has less than a terrific record on equipping our troops with the latest and best. Consider: The Union Army fought the Civil War with single-shot muzzle-loaders, despite the fact that practical breechloading repeaters were available for almost all of that period. After the war, the Army went with the single-shot Model 1873 .45/70 Springfield, despite the demonstrated superiority of repeaters. General Custer could tell you about this. We stayed with the Model 1873...

<p>NEW YORK - Marjory Fagan stood motionless, slowed her breathing, stared ahead intently and then moved her index finger almost imperceptibly. Bang! Wincing slightly from the .22-caliber rifle's recoil and piercing report, she steadied herself, leveled the rifle and pulled the trigger again.</p>

Alison Storm News Channel 7 Wednesday, February 22, 2006 Advertisement Click here. His goal in life? Run the White House. Andrew Davis' goal for the week? Raise money for the newspaper he edits. "I just did a large expose on parking services." It's a conservative paper on Clemson's campus, pages known as delicious, conservative brain-food. "We make no qualms about being very biased of the right wing," he says. To help pay for printing costs, 20-year-old Andrew organized a raffle for a rifle: an AK-47. "We're hoping with this event to show people the AK-47 is no more dangerous than...

I always enjoy a good gun thread, and I wanted to start one today. I would like to know what kind of experience anyone has had with this new pistol, or any other Springfield Armory pistol for that matter. I've drooled over it on the website before, but today was the first time I was able to lay hands on it. It's one beautiful piece of ugly and I want one, but I have never been around a Springfield product before. Any thoughts would be helpful before I go and lay down some cash for this.

Why do American troops prefer the century old .45 caliber pistol to lighter 9mm models. It’s all about “stopping power.” As far back as 1900, during the fighting against Moslem rebels in the Philippines, there had been complaints of enemy fighters getting shot and continuing to attack. From this experience, the then standard army pistol, a .38 caliber (9.65mm) weapon, was replaced by a .45 caliber (11.4mm) one. In the 1980s, the .45 was in turn replaced by a 9mm pistol. There were a lot of complaints about that, but 90 years of experience demonstrated that you should not depend...

I am going to purchase an AK-47. I was wondering who makes the best one? I am also curious as to what to look for as far as wear and tear.

M60E4 - 850 Rounds Non-Stop http://www.strategypage.com/gallery/articles/military_photos_20061230.asp

I just brought home a Premium Mitchell's Mauser with all the attachments for $400.00... anybody out there own a Mauser???

The U.S. Marine Corps, responding to reports from their troops, are investigating whether they should replace the current 62 grain bullet, used in the 5.56mm round fired by the M-16 and M-4 rifle, with a heavier bullet. Since last Summer, the marines have been making the heavier, 77 grain bullet (normally only issued to Force Recon and commando troops) available to commanders, to use in place of the rounds with the 62 grain bullet. However, only six percent of the 10.6 million 5,56mm rounds of ammo the marines have in Iraq and Afghanistan, are the heavier 77 grain version. The...

The Stoner 63 Weapon System is the brain child of Eugene Stoner, the chief designer of the AR-10, AR-15/M-16 and many other unique weapon designs. The project goal was to develop a family of small arms built around a common receiver and a number of assemblies. The precursor of the Stoner 63 weapon series was the M69W in 7.62X51mm.

Some cartridges just seem to live forever. Thankfully the 45-70 Government is one of them. It began life in the days of black powder and has evolved over time into the cartridge we know today. After owning and shooting several guns chambered for it it’s easy for me to see why. It’s accurate, easy to reload for, and hits like a freight train. From the muzzle to 150-200 yard range this old cartridge is hard to beat. To really see the true performance of this round you do need to hand load for it though. Factory ammunition lacks the true...

The U.S. Army is looking at a Raytheon-made ship-defense system to shoot down mortar rounds that are fired at U.S. troops in Iraq. The Army is studying Raytheon's Phalanx Close-In Weapon System - a radar-guided, ship-mounted version of a multibarreled Gatling gun - among several technologies to counter mortar and small-rocket threats, the company and the Army said. The program is called C-RAM, short for "counter rocket artillery mortar" system. The Phalanx is made by Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems in Louisville, Ky. The Army has received two of the latest Phalanx 1B systems for evaluation under a Navy contract signed...

American troops are testing a 12 gauge automatic shotgun in Iraq. The Auto Assault 12 (AA12) has a rate of fire of 300 rounds per minute and uses either an 8-round box magazine or a 20 round drum magazine. Recoil on the system has been reduced to that of a light rifle, due to a sophisticated recoil system. The low rate of fire makes it possible to easily fire bursts of one, two, or three shots and is capable of using and mixing all types of 12 gauge ammunition, from shot to solid slugs, as well as non-lethal rounds. Allegedly,...

Photos By Ichiro NagataPull the pin and the Kel-Tec SU-16 easily breaks in half for storage or packing New is the keyword of the firearms industry. Prowl around the Shooting Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show, and you’ll notice every booth features a banner or placard heralding that company’s “new” offerings. Often the basic design has been around for years if not decades, and what’s new turns out to be only a different finish, a longer or shorter barrel, an additional chambering, etc. But what you see here does, I think, justify the title of “new.” The Kel-Tec SU-16 is a...

I'm considering buying a new skeet gun. The one I have was my father's and does not fit me as it should. Also, I currently have the selection narrowed down to: Browning, Ruger, and Charles Daly. Any other ideas?