I’ve shot a lot of hard kicking rifles and shotguns before. But one stands out in my mind as being the coolest, and the most brutal. But like spicy food, I really loved it.
It was a bubbafied Mosin Nagant, that I bought from a co-worker when I worked at Basin Sports. It was shortened, and the foreend was bobbed… I don’t have a photo of it, but it looked something like this:
10 rounds – you would feel it for 5 days. And I’m a guy that can shoot shotgun slugs all day long… .300 Ultra Mag, no problem. But this little beast made me remember it. It made my shoulder remember it. But it was a great little carbine. Very accurate as far as Mosins go, and light enough to pack it around. Great hiking gun. Great hunting gun. I gave it to my brother in law as a Christmas present because he needed a hunting rifle and that little Mosin would do great in his area of operation.
I was hanging out at a certain gun store the last couple days, and they have a .223 caliber pistol in stock. I had to examine this thing closely. I’ve avoided liking these because I fee the ATF will reverse it’s decision on these things and they well be deemed to be SBR’s at the flick of a Bic pen and then the ATF will ask for all the records of all those that bought these things. I felt like they were a potential trap.
I made the mistake of handling the bloody thing again and thinking “why not?” It might legally be a pistol, but it’s a little rifle in all reality. The fact that you can take this “pistol” and shoulder it and fire it as easily as any SBR, but without dealing with all the SBR red tape is very attractive to me. Now I’m wanting one. DANG IT.
Shotguns remain the very best weapon ever devised for static defense situations. Meaning Home Defense or Security. But we’ve seen a trend that has people moving away from the Shotgun in other situations. Such as your Truck Gun or Cruiser Gun. Police have turned to Rifles, and SBR’s are becoming the gun of choice for Truck Guns. And depending on where you are – this might not be a good thing.
The popularity of the AR-15 is unquestioned. It’s become “America’s Rifle”, and by Right, it should be. The AR-15 in it’s Militant Form has been serving the Nation as our Military’s main battle rifle for over 40 years. It’s cool to have an AR-15 and it’s cool to deck out that rifle with all sorts of add-on expensive parts and upgrades and components… and to make it so it doesn’t actually look like an AR anymore. That’s for the Cool Guys… but is it for you? Is a 3,000 dollar rifle what you need to defend the castle? Really? Do you need to reach out to 600 Meters with a glorified .22 magnum? Maybe you do.
When I lived in Vernal, Utah I most certainly could use that range and precision accuracy for defensive use. Maybe. In some Red Dawn Zombie Fantasy. In reality… my actual defensive needs were maybe 50 yards max. That’s 00 Buck range. If I had to extend – realistically I’d only need 200 yards. That’s Slug range. I’m talking Defensive Use… I’m not talking precision sniper Hostage Rescue use. That’s for Police. For my buddies in the Sheriff’s Department with the well zeroed heavy rifles. I can’t justify defensive use 200 yards away.
Reality dictates I need to stop a threat that’s trying to come into my home. And that’s where Joe Biden’s suggestion is actually a good one. Just buy a Shotgun. He was absolutely right. And then he threw that out the window with the two blasts in the air and the shooting through doors thing. But he was right about buying a shotgun.
Remington 870. Mossberg 500. One of those. 18.5″ Barrel. Or if you get one that’s registered as a pistol you can get a 14 barrel for it, like in the photo above. You don’t need a $2,000 Benelli M4… By all means, if you can get one, do it… but the mission is quite resolved with a 400 Pump Action. Avoid the pumps made in Turkey by otherwise well known brands… Don’t cheap out on that brand new $299 pump.
I’d rather buy a well used Remington 870 than anything else… that’s just me.
Get some good 3″ hunting loads for it… not the super cheap #7 or #8 Shot loads… those suck. Get some good loads. And test the shotgun for reliability. If it cycles good, and isn’t knocking you on your tush… you’ve got the weapon you need. NOW the fun part comes in. Now you get to go find all the different 00 Buck Loads you can find. A box or two of each. And find maybe 3 or 4 different Slug Loads. Now go out and find some big boxes like appliances come in. Draw a circle or Tape a paper plate on the box…. several of them. And get to testing.
Patterning your Shotgun is like Zeroing your Rifle. Find the load that your Shotgun likes the best – not the load You like the best. There’s a difference. If your load is giving you a pattern that is empty in the center – that is not your load. You want a nice spread across your impact zone. For the slugs, you want point of aim, point of impact accuracy and consistency. Once you find the loads that your gun likes the best – That’s the ammo you go stock up on.
It’s unbelievable to me that guys will buy a brand new shotgun and then buy a couple cases of the cheap birdshot ammo… and that’s it. If you are buying a gun to go break clays with – fine. But for a shotgun you are going to defend lives with? That’s irresponsible. Take everything you do for gun safety and professionalism – and throw it out the window. Your gun is untested and unzeroed = that’s a NO GO. Yet you do that with your shotgun? That’s a Fail. You need to know how your gun performs with the ammo you are going to use for defense. And seriously #7.5 loads that have Clay Pigeons on the box is NOT your defensive ammo. Or else it shouldnt be. Ever. The smallest you should use for defense in any situation is BB Shot. Even in an Apartment or close packed trailer park. And even then, I’d suggest #4 Buck. The shell should also be “High Brass”. Trap loads have aluminum bases with very short heads… During firing in some guns, that little bit of aluminum will expand out and create a lock ring in your chamber making ejection very difficult or it could jam the gun, requiring some serious pounding to get it unstuck. I’ve seen that in many shotguns using that cheap ammo. You want big pellets and high brass. And quite frankly, the bigger the better. Police agencies across the nation and around the world who use shotguns, use 00 Buck for a reason. Go ask your local Sheriff’s what they recommend for shotguns or what they use. Some may use Regular or #4 Buck… I know some that used to use 000 Buck before switching to rifles. But the great majority use 00 Buck.
When it comes to slugs, you want to use a Brenneke or Foster type slug. Brenneke slugs have a drag device on the back of them… an attached wadding or plastic tail to stabilize the slug. A Foster will generally be rifled and have a hollow base. Either one is suitable for your smooth bore, and will be shockingly accurate if you do your part.
The Slug type to avoid in a smoothbore gun is a SABOT. Oh, I know they look cool as hell. But they require a Rifled Bore. If that’s what you have – by all means… but we’re talking defensive smoothbores here and with those, a SABOT is useless. They will be less stable, less accurate and they are going to tumble in the air before they strike the target and wont perform like a giant hollowpoint bullet. You are wasting your money on those. From all the testing I’ve done with common slug shells… overall the Brenneke type slugs are consistently the most accurate. Especially in the 3″ loads. Your shoulders may want something else. 2 3/4″ Foster type slugs from Winchester or Remington are common and do quite well. Reduced Recoil Tactical Slugs kick a lot less and are just fine out to 100 yards. But buy some different types and try them out.
The shotgun is much more capable than most guys think.
I’ve not always been a fan of Beretta. I’ll admit that. When I was first told to turn in my 1911 to be issued an M9, I was not a happy camper, and that caused a burning hatred of the 92 series pistol that lasted for a good many years. Two decades later and I find myself to be a rabid 92 series fanatic. It took a long time to come around… but the gun garnered my favor the hard way. It earned it. Working at the gun counter for almost a 9 years, I had sold a great many Beretta products. And I do not remember a single one that ever came back with an issue. Say what you will about Beretta, I know they have their share of detractors out there… But I love Beretta. But I also know they are far from perfect. Let’s hit the high notes:
The 92FS:
I hate to admit it, but this gun is a dinosaur. I love mine, and I think these are the best looking automatics ever built… But the design is dated and need revision. Oh, wait… You did revise it. And you called it the 92A1:
You added a rail.. which is a good… but better yet you gave it a dovetailed front sight post which was desperately needed, and you improved the internals… All of this is good, fine and well… Making this gun the best 92 you can buy. But then you changed the trigger guard to differentiate it from the M9A1. What I don’t understand though is why do you have these two very different pistols? Because a holster for an M9A1 wont work with a 92A1, not even close. I do not see the roles that these two different pistols fill. This pistol just leaves me scratching my head. So here’s what you need to do. Kill the 92A1.
Wait, what? I just said it improved everything an was the best 92 you can buy! Yes, I did. But it still needs to die. Namely because it doesn’t stand out in the 92 series line. Same with the 96A1. I would build the 96A1 within the same frame as the M9A1, same trigger guard. Giving the 96A1 the Civilian frame with the rounded trigger guards makes no sense. It’s a tactical gun and needs to be better compatible with the lights. I think this will fill that 96 nitch much better. Now, back to the 92A1… Yes, kill it. And fill the hole in the line up with with a reintroduction of the 90-TWO, renaming it simply as the 2092:
This gun looks amazing, feels amazing, and shoots as good as it looks. The reshaped safety levers are an improvement. This gun moves the Beretta family forward. It only failed because someone gave it a stupid name and your Marketing effort was completely lacking.
This was the stupidest name ever in the firearms industry. It was a failure from the start. But the pistol was awesome. It needs second chance. So rename the bloody thing and bring it back. Also, make a 2092 INOX. And just for fun, maybe INOX slides on the blackened frames and barrels… and vice versa… because two tone guns are sexy. There should also be a COMPACT version of the 2092 as well.
Here’s another gun that needs to make a comeback:
The Billennium. But instead of it being blinged out… Just make it Black and Inox. Here’s why. It answers the #1 Complaint that people hate on the 92 for – the Slide Mounted Safety. The Billennium’s Frame Mounted Safety – Especially if you matched that up with the old Vertec Frame – would be a WINNER.
You guys actually had it… and like the 90-Two… you failed to market it correctly. In fact, I didn’t even know this thing existed. All steel though – so it was a heavy pig. Nice idea, bad execution. Make THAT but with an alloy frame and your current rear sight… Beretta… I’m telling ya… WIN. How come this hasn’t been done already?
The NEOS. I like the pistol. But it’s skinny grip and extreme angle is ridiculous. Have you looked at a Ruger MKIII or Browning Buckmark? Well look again. Because I don’t have hands like an adolescent E.T.
This is why I’ve never bought one. I can’t even hold on to the thing. However I’ve sold it to people with smaller paws than mine, and they have loved it. Never have I sold one to a guy with bigger hands though. Look at Ruger… They have the option of a .45 like grip frame. Do that, but with maybe your Storm. A Storm like grip frame. Seriously Beretta, as much as you guys may like this thing as it is – at American Gun Counters, it turns off far more people than it impresses.
The Storm Series:
I love the Storm Pistols. Two things though… the Sub Compact with the tilting barrel… Get rid of it. It does nothing the Compact can’t do and it’s using a different action so it’s not really a sub compact version. The SD as shown. Where are the 9mm and .40 cal versions and where is the Compact version? Remember when the Navy bought a lot of HK pistols recently? They bought the compact version of the HK45, and not the full sized. Huge handguns are good… but sometimes those Operators who operate operationally need something a bit smaller so they can conceal them. And US Citizens like do something called EDC with guns with many of these features. That Midsized handgun is the sweet spot, and you need to maximize that.
This Thing:
I could write a 2,000 word report on everything wrong with this thing alone… But I don’t have time. So I’m going to quickly outline what it needs to fix it. It needs a major work-over. The pyramid iron sights… Kill it. Run a full rail across the top end to end. Let customers use AR style irons of their choice. No one likes these sights that doesn’t work for Beretta and have to say they do. Extend the the body out till only an inch from the muzzle. Thread the barrel. Give it a thread cap. Threads should be a common type. Supply a flashhider/muzzle brake with it. I like the lack of rails on the side and bottom, but put mounting hardware in there so rails can be added where needed. The bottom of the pistol grip makes fast reloads a challenge. Shape it like a normal pistol grip. The Bolt Release needs to be a Safety. On both sides, make it ambi. Push the bolt handle out front and give it an HK style bolt catch and release. That stock. Get rid of it. Put on a SCAR style Folding/Adjustable stock. Done. Now just rename it. Your other rifles are the ARX series… call this one the ARX9 or ARX40 or ARX45 per caliber and you have a WINNER. You’ll sell more than you ever had before.
I’m only going to touch on 1 shotgun.
I want a pistol grip version and I want the feed tube to run out to the end of the barrel. Make these options. I also want mounting points at the front end so I can attach a short rail section to add a tactical light. That’s it. Simple.
There are a lot of stuff that bugs true Gunnies in TV and Movies… But the number one thing that bugs me?
1. Pistols Akimbo
I’m not talking about just Dual Wielding… but pointing two different guns in two different directions. We see this in far too many otherwise decent movies. Note to Directors: STOP IT. Doing this can actually ruin what could otherwise be a decent movie. I’ve actually turned off movies I was watching when this stuff started happening. Worst offender:
2. Tea Cups.
It’s one thing if James Bond does it. He’s British and they are into Tea Cups and Saucers like no one’s business… But still. Bond is supposed to be the consumate professional with a license not just to carry a gun, but to use it at his discretion. I mean you wouldn’t see Jack… Oh come on… Jack Bauer too? He’s killed more terrorists than a dorm full of Call of Duty players. And he’s not even just Tea Cupping – but taking it to the extreme from of using his finger tip to brace the trigger guard. That’s some hard core tea-cupping there. Still… I’m looking forward to the new series of the Bam-Bam-Bauer-Power-Hour. But this photo right here makes me wonder why.
3. Crossed Thumbs.
This just makes the Trainer in me get all twitchy in my right eye. I hate seeing this. That image is from the movie HEAT. A movie that actually does very well in the gun handling department… until That Guy. That Guy is supposed to be a veteran detective, a pro. You see this all the time on TV and it grates my nerves. But in a movie with a director like Michael Mann? It’s distracting. Not only that, but…
It’s going to be painful… watch the 3rd shot. Try not to cringe.
4. Glock Safeties and Cocking.
That was almost enough to make me stop watching The Walking Dead. But we’ve seen this in countless shows… Phantom Safety Syndrome and Ghost Cocking sounds. Why do Directors insist that they actors do something that is mechanically not possible? What are they trying to accomplish? It’s worse than the Dramatic Cocking.
5. The Walking Dead. The Chickenwinging, no rear sight, laying his head down like he’s making out with it, Evil Governor. Who also does this:
Right Hand shouldering… to the blind eye. Let’s just point out that this doesn’t work.
And then there is RICK. Who can’t hold up the barrel of his Python.
I hate Rick… almost as much as I hated his wife. Most every episode of The Walking Dead is a parade of bad decision making and bad gun handling… The show gives me a headache every time I watch it. It’s morbid curiosity that I keep watching.
BTW, the only guy that has his wits about him is Glenn.: Glenn has the sense to at least put on some body armor. He also scored the Hot Chick as his Main Squeeze. And for a traveling companion here, a cute chick with luscious Ta-Ta’s. Glenn Wins.
I remain terribly jaded about new guns and I feel like I get more and more guarded the more new and more improved something claims to be. However there are two new rifles out that have raised my critical eyebrow.
#2. The Beretta ARX100.
This is the third choice to the SCAR or ACR question. This is the Dodge to the Ford vs Chevy debate. It brings to the table some new concepts, while keeping within the confines of the tradition auto-rifle layout that is familiar to most American Shooters. But it does so with a wicked truly modular approach reminiscent of H&K.
#1. The IWI TAVOR (TAR-21)
This rifle is special. In my opinion it’s the best new developed combat purposed arm since the AK-47. It’s the promise of the Bullpup Rifle Concept, finally fulfilled. And it’s been the one rifle that I’ve been wanting for over a decade now. Now that it’s out and people have been trying it out – it’s not disappointed. It really is that good. It gets the #1 Position for a many of reasons. First, it’s a Bullpup. Which means you don’t have to SBR it to make it short and maneuverable for CQB or Vehicle purposes. You don’t have to get it as a pistol and put on an Arm Brace to skirt the $200 Tax Stamp and months and months of waiting for the Approval to come back. You can cross most state lines with it (Just stay away from New England) without having to ask permission or document notification or other red tape BS. It gives you rifle length ballistics instead of SBR ballistics. This is a huge advantage with 5.56mm. And unlike most Bullpups, you can fire it off the left or rifle shoulder, or convert it to left or rifle as you wish. Best yet… It’s not Vapor Ware. I can go to two local shops and find one available. And when I do eventually get one – I’m getting one, just a matter of timing – I’ll be able to trust it with confidence. The Israelis have engineered this rifle extremely well… because it had to be. While it’s still quite new in the history of small arms, it’s been proven constantly in conflicts since it’s come out. You can buy it in different flavors… one, like the IDF’s version (but semi-auto of course) and the others with all full length Picatinny rail on top for all your Optics mounting needs. Black or Tan, and with 16″ or 18″ barrels. I think I’d take a black, 16″, flat-top version.
Before I go on – let me but this out there. Marlin lever action rifles are my favorite Lever Action Rifles. More over, they are my favorite rifles that are not auto-loading. Of all the Manual Loading Rifles, Marlins are my first choice. I can’t help but to love the Marlins. But Marlin has some issues going on and they need some serious help. Many people have lost faith in the Brand. And it’s understandable. So here’s my plan…
If Remington were to hire me to be the Brand Manager for Marlin, I’d have a list of changes to make.
First off, everyone that is charge of Quality Control that’s been there since 2007… Those guys are fired or demoted to push broom control. All the current executives since 2007 would all be fired as well. What they have done to the Marlin Brand is unforgivable.
They brought out the X7 series of rifles. Cheap Bolt Action rifles, which on the surface is just fine. But this isn’t keeping in with the Marlin Brand; the Marlin Image. Marlin should be a recognizable brand like Jeep is. But the X7 is like Jeep building a cheap little Sports Car. Sure it’s rather interesting, but it’s not keeping with the Brand. That makes it wrong. I know a couple guys that quite like their X7 rifles. Bully for them. But I’d most likely kill the line. Marlin is owned by Remington and Remington already has cheap bolt actions, so there is no need come compete within the company family. Of course, Marlin’s not had to have a Recall on these that I am aware of or remember, so I don’t know for sure… I’d have to look at the numbers. What do know though, is that I hate the X7. The stock feels cheap and flimsy and I just hate it. I’d perhaps ask Hogue to make a strong OEM stock for it, or look at a Laminate Wood option. This will of course raise the cost – but it would be a huge improvement. So I’d either have other stocks or I’d kill the line. Simple as that on the X7. Done.
The XLR series of rifles… Marlin’s longer range lever guns. You can get them in .308MX, .338MX, or .30-30. There is a note on the web page that says it’s also coming (in 2007) in .35 Remington. But I’ve yet to see that. I’d also like to see a .45-70 and .444 Marlin versions as well. These need the 24/7 rail, like what comes on the 1895 SBL. This rail should be on the XLR’s since everyone who buys them puts a scope on them. The longer 24/7 scope rail would allow more and better scope options for the rifle. It only makes sense to include it.
That brings us to the 1895 SBL. This is one of my favorite guns. The only problem is that it’s Stainless. Or I should say, that it’s ONLY in Stainless. There should be the option for one in Blue. Don’t you think?
Since Marlin doesn’t make one, I made one. This was the 1895GBL. But the GBL doesn’t come with that 24/7 Rail like the SBL has. This is an oversight that. I’m not all about railing up all the guns – but this rail for the 1895’s just makes too much sense. You can then use what ever scope up want and mount it where you like. These SBL and GBL rifles should also be available in .444 Marlin and .35 Remington. Again, it only makes sense to offer these guns in more calibers. Not everyone wants .45-70.
Marlin used to offer a 16″ version… And I shot one.
This was my GBL with the 24/7 Rail. It was fantastic.
I called it a “Guide Gun”, which is wrong… It had another name but I forget. But it was factory direct like that. That option needs to come back.
I would like to see an even bigger version of the Guide Gun. In .50 Caliber. The best .50 round that could work is the .500 S&W Magnum. This would require some resizing of the action – Something you are not wanting to do, but it needs to be done. Slightly larger and a lot stronger. Every option in the 1895 line should be available here. Including SBL’s and GBL’s. The guns would chamber both the .500 S&W Magnum and the .460 Magnum. Right now people who want one bad enough are shelling out over 2400 bucks to have one custom made – This is money Marlin could be making. If some company no one ever heard of is doing this – Marlin could be doing it too. Excuses are too late. This is why I had all the prior execs fired. Don’t tell me it can’t be done. Do it. Just Fricken Make It Happen, you lazy, slackwits. People will buy it. Because for 9 years people were constantly asking for it. So what if it would costs 1400 bucks per rifle – People would buy it.
This brings us to the 336 family. Again, the 24/7 Rail and Big Loop combo should be offered. There should also be a 16″ Barreled version. Before, there was a 16, in the 336Y model, which I can’t find anymore. The 20″ barrel is fine, but some people like them to be shorter. Basically I want the same options in the 1895 line as in the 336 line. .30-30, .308MX, .338MX, and .35 Remington should all have homes in all versions of the 336.
The Cowboy series has 2 guns. One in .30-30, and one in .45-70. Where are the other calibers? And why is the .30-30 so short? Where’s the long barreled option? It needs to 26″. The .45-70 option is a bit disappointing. Where is the classic tang mounted aperture sight? The Cowboy Gun needs a stepped up version for the Cowboy Action competitions. Those guys take their shooting seriously and to attract them in greater numbers, let’s do a 30″ barreled version, with Brass buttplate and end caps. A “Quigley” variant, if you will.
The 39A is a Classic. But it’s long and heavy and from spending 9 years behind a gun counter, selling these to young fathers for their young boys and girls… It’s a bit too heavy. Shortening the barrel down to 16 inches and offering it with a lighter weight synthetic stock as an option would really help that. So a light and short youth version is required. The 39Y. And since some guys like me like Carbines, a 39C, with a 16″ barrel. Now, let’s also offer a Stainless Steel version of the A and C guns, and call them simply the AS and CS.
The 39 series also needs to have a Magnum version. Call it the 49 series, with all the options as in the 39. .22 Magnum and .17HMR. Don’t tell me it can’t be done. Henry, Winchester, and Browning made them. Henry still does. And let’s do a special edition 49 Cowboy. Because that would just be amazing.
The 1894 line. First off… There needs to be the SBL version that was in the 2011 Catalog but never really made. It’s time to make it. Also, like as I said with the 336 line, the 1894 Line needs to have all calibers available in all versions. Where is the .45 Colt option? Over there in the Cowboy version. That’s it? What jackoff said that it can only be in the Cowboy? He better have his desk cleared off. .38/.357, .44 Mag/Special, .45 Colt/Casull.
I want this, in blued steel and walnut.
(Forgive my sloppy PhotoChop) Legacy, Rossi and Henry are doing Mare’s Legs. Where is Marlin’s? 12 to 13 inches. Also, as a factory option, offer the Mare’s Leg with a full sized rifle stock for the guys that want to turn them into a Short Barreled Rifle. Hell, we’d just throw the stock in the box with it. We’d have to come up with a different name… Bounty Hunter and Mare’s Leg are both taken. Maybe call it the “Outlaw”, or “Rustler”. And of course, make it available in all caliber options. Top it with that 24/7 Rail and a Red Dot, I’d call mine the Borderland Pistol, or the Jacob Pistol. Stainless and Grey or Blued and Laminate Brown Wood.
The internals on all the Levers I’ve seen have been HIDEOUS. I’ve had to disassemble every Marlin I’ve ever owned and hand finished and polished the internals as best as I could. Every time. Why? This should be done on every gun before it leaves the factory. Reason? Because the Marlin name is on every rifle that leaves the factory. I’ve had gouges and burrs on Internal Operating parts. On the levers. Ive had bolt’s so rough I thought they were threaded. The inside areas of these 1895’s, 336’s, and 39’s have all been drastically unfinished. It’s as if you were digging the metal out like you were carving a canoe out of a log. It’s tragic. It’s a failure. It needs to be addressed. For the love of all that is holy – Can’t you jackwagon’s just deburr the inside of the loading ports? I’ve cut myself on them more than once.
And where is a Centerfire Takedown Lever Action? Taylors and Wild West Guns can make them – Where’s Marlin’s Take Down? The 39A takes down… Come on now, let’s get with the program.
What do you say Remington? Pay me 200 grand a year and give me a bull horn and a Chainsaw… I’ll have people lining up to buy Marlins.
Also known as a Volley Gun. There was one on display at the NRA Convention last weekend that has attracted much attention.
We’ve been seeing photos of this gun popping up all over the place. It’s a cool gun. It fires all seven barrels at the same time. Like a shotgun, but more effective since each Ball was fired at much higher velocity than the shotguns of the time. You can read some more about this gun here.
Many have said that these guns would be cumbersome.
That is not so.
The Nock Gun was fairly short. And while not a light weight, was certainly not too heavy to be cumbersome.
The series of films “Sharpe’s Rifles” feature a Sargent that uses one to good and dramatic effect, dropping several foes in one grand blast.
You can watch the movies here… There are 14 films, Rifles is the fist.
The 1911. It’s a fantastic shooting platform. I had gotten away from it for some years and now I’m back to it for the time being. As an instructor I’ve made many observations on the guns and the shooters and I think I’ve come up with some conclusions.
1. The 1911 demands loyalty. You can’t cheat on it and have it be faithful back to you. If you are going to carry a 1911, you need to marry it. Here’s why… In most every class I’ve taught that had a 1911 shooter in it, I’ll catch a guy draw his weapon, push out from the high compressed position, and then crush his trigger to no effect because he forgot to sweep the safety off. Most of the guys that do that, do so because their other guns are not 1911’s. They are Glocks or XD’s or M&P’s or something altogether not 1911’s. Don’t cheat on the 1911. Because that’s going to lead some issues.
2. Don’t go shorter than 4 inches. 1911’s that are shorter than a “Commander” start to give up reliability. You give up other things as well to the point that you are detracting from the fantastic qualities that make the 1911 the 1911 in the first place. The long sight radius, the accuracy, the pointability… These things make a 1911 what it is. Chopping them down to 3 inches… you’ve ruined it. You no longer have the pointing, the accuracy, the very things we love the 1911 for. And I’ve never seen a compact 1911 of any sort complete one of my handgun courses without turning into a hot mess of problems. The Commander is 4.25 inches. Many 1911 makers are doing a 4″ version, and they seem to be running just about as well as any good full sized 5″ “Government” model. Shorter than 4, it’s effecting the geometry and the timing and it’s just not worth the risk in reliability for the perception of greater concealment.
3. The 1911 needs to be well lubricated. Some guys like oil, some grease, and others a combo of both in different places. However you like it – that’s fine. As long as you oil it. Most every 1911 I’ve seen with issues that wasn’t shorter than 4″, was a pistol that was bone dry. Just like an AR-15, it can be hot, and dirty… but it can’t be dry. The 1911 likes to be wet.
4. The 1911 is a traditional type of pistol so it needs a traditional type of holsters – leather. Good leather. Most 1911’s are north of $1,000 dollars, so don’t even think about it letting it ride in a cheap rig. And remember what I said about marrying the 1911? That means showing it the respect that it deserves… let it ride in something nice. Let it know you care. Here’s the other reason… The 1911 is not for the Duffers. It’s a pistol for the experts. It’s for the experienced shooters. It should show some miles on it. Let it get some holster wear, let that holster break in… And you do that by #5…
5. You Must Train with it. Practice your draw. Practice your re-holstering. Practice getting that one thing that the 1911 excels at – that fast and precise first round heavy hit. All gunfights have one thing in common. That first shot. Make it count.
Remington was once known as Big Green. They were huge and they were moving. Winchester had dropped the Model 70 and Savage wasn’t even an option… Brownings and Sakos were for the rich and famous. The Model 700 was dominant as the bolt action for the Every Day Man. The only shotgun worth having was the 870 for serious field use. Remington rifles were known for accuracy and quality. The shotgun for rugged durability. There was no question about this. These were Remington’s halcyon days.
Now we’ve had yet another recall on Remington 700 and 7 triggers. Remington only original pistol design the 51 was brought back and it’s looking like a major flop. Remington’s acquisition of Marlin has been regarded as a death knell for Marlin as a brand as the quality control of those storied lever action rifles has fallen through the floor. The ACR rifle which was the great promise of freeing us all from the doldrums of AR-15’ness has fallen flat on it’s face from a lack of the Barrel Conversions as promised to change lengths and calibers. We were supposed to have had them a long time ago, and here we are in 2014 and we still don’t have what what promised. You know, the whole major selling point of the ACR other than “it’s not an AR-15”. I’ve even seen and heard other guys talk about the Remington 1911 in tones of disappointment and regret. Even Remington brand ammunition is pretty much my least favorite ammo out there. In fact, I’d rather shoot steel cased Wolf stuff through my guns. A common theme in the remarks about any Remington product is “I’ll never buy another Remington again”.
It would seem that Remington is caught in a Huey Tuck of unfortunate failures, and doesn’t have the altitude to pull out of it. What can Remington do to prevent the impending doom of crashing through the tree tops?
First off, Remington needs to concentrate on quality control. Every gun that goes out there door needs to be individually inspected by a Gun Smith, not just a packaging clerk in the shipping department. And that needs it’s own QC there too. The actions, triggers, extraction and ejection, everything. If it’s not perfect – don’t just ship the bloody thing!
Second. There is no valid reason that there are not a plethora of barrel kit options for the ACR platform. None. Zero. Any reason you think you have, is just as excuse. Get them out there and get it out at a decent price. Have barrel options for 12 to 20 inches in all applicable calibers. Just do it. You have a whole mess of people waiting for those and a whole lot of other people that would be buying the ACR if they were actually available. ACR Barrel Kits are now Vaporware on the same level as the fabled Glock Carbine.
Thirdly. Just drop the R51 pistol. Continual production and sales of this lemon is putting Remington at risk. A gun that can fire out of battery is a gun that is waiting to Frag its owner and cause serious bodily harm. That’s a mountain of liability that you do not need right now. Someone is going to get hurt and they are going to go after you tooth and nail for producing this thing. And with all the videos on YouTube showing that this is a known and documented issue – you guys are already in trouble on this. It’s just a matter of time before someone files. It should be recalled and discontinued. Or recall it and do a radical redesign. I’m sure there are people at Remington that know how to make the R51 work. You need to listen to them. And fire whoever is keeping them quiet.
Fourth. Get rid of the Corporate Yes-Men and start telling people in the upstairs offices “No”. Because not all the ideas have been good ones. Like the 887 Shotgun. That’s a terrible gun. It’s no improvement over the 870, and it feels cheap and wrong. What’s the advantage? No, don’t answer that, I don’t need to hear the propaganda. That was just a bad idea.
Fifth. Marlin. You guys really stomped all over the Marlin name. The quality control has been the worst I’ve ever seen. In the production and in the Warranty department. Absolutely the worse. Quality Control there was an absolute joke. We had new guns come in that we couldn’t even get the actions to cycle and we would have returns come back from warranty service missing parts in areas that were unrelated to what they were sent in for. I don’t know how they managed to fail so hard. Who is working in the Marlin department? Chimps? I know things have gotten better. But that’s a low hurdle to mark down as an achievement. When Rossi is making a better Lever Action – that’s just sad.
Take a look at Taylor’s and Wild West Guns and look at how they are making some guns that people are wanting… How come you do not have anything like that? Where is your take down? What year is this now? Where are your winged and adjustable aperture sights?
I don’t know guys… Can Remington be redeemed? Or have they fallen too far now?
