Category: Weapons

H&R Pardner Protector Shotgun, by Pat Cascio

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The first shotgun I ever owned was a Harrington & Richardson single shot shotgun in 16 gauge, and I’m here to tell you that thing really kicked because it was such a lightweight gun. I was a pretty skinny 16-year-old kid, too. I took it pheasant hunting a number of times, and it never let me down. I don’t recall whatever happened to that shotgun, whether I traded it, sold it, or what. There is a lot of controversy over what type of firearm a person should buy first for survival purposes. Of course, we have to define in our …


Springfield Armory 1911 With Laser, by Pat Cascio

My number one choice, if I could only own one handgun, is still the grand old 1911 in some configuration. Yeah, lots of new gun designs come along, and I’ve tested many different handguns over the past 25 years working as a gun writer, and most are outstanding in their own regard. However, when pressed, I’m going to still pick a 1911 in .45 ACP, of course. Here are some of my thoughts on my choice in a 1911. First of all, there is the proven fight-stopping .45 ACP round. Yes, I’ve read the report put out by the FBI …


Zero Tolerance 0804CF, by Pat Cascio

A famous gun writer once said “only accurate guns are interesting…”, and I certain concur with that statement. If a gun isn’t accurate and reliable, I lose interest and get rid of it. It can similarly be said that “only sharp knives are interesting…”. I have no use for junk knives. If a knife isn’t up to my high standards, I won’t waste my time testing or writing about it. For quite a few years, I collected (and designed) custom-made knives, and I really enjoyed it. Even though it was an expensive hobby, it was still fun. When we moved …


Thoughts On An Often Misunderstood Caliber, by R.R.

I want to share some information regarding an often misunderstood and maligned caliber, which I recently began learning more about after coming across information on the Fort Hood shooting while studying the ballistics of the shooting. The FN 57X28mm What is FN 5.7X28mm? This is a round specifically designed for a class of weapons called PDWs– personal defense weapons. It’s intended for supporting troops to replace their pistols with something half the size of an M16 but with enough capacity and punch to defeat a helmet or soft body armor, and it’s a significant step up from a pistol or …


Ruger’s American Pistol, 9mm Compact, by Pat Cascio

The very first Ruger firearm I ever owned was a rifle in .300 Winchester Magnum. It was in November or December of 1979. My wife and I were working for the Salvation Army back then in The Dalles, Oregon. I was the youth pastor, and my newly pregnant wife was the church secretary. Both jobs were temporary; however we were promised they would be full-time after Christmas. Alas, it didn’t work out that way, and we moved back to our cold, lonely apartment in Portland, Oregon on Christmas Eve with an artificial one-foot tall Christmas tree that we bought at …


Letter Re: What are Your Thoughts on Required AR Registration in California?

Gentlemen, I live in California. After 12/31/2016, no California resident may purchase an “Assault Weapon” (AR-15, AK, et cetera). Those who own them on that date may keep them, but we must register them on the California Department of Justice website by 12/31/2017. I am trying to decide whether to register or dispose of such weapons and buy something like a Mini-14, which is not considered to be an “Assault Weapon’ by the state. If I own such weapons, I will register them. Others may choose a different course, but I would not. I am planning to become a resident …


Letter Re: Ruger P Model

Again, Pat Cisco has covered a handgun that is close to my heart. Thanks, as always. The 9mm Ruger P-89 is actually the first handgun that I went and bought myself back in the late eighties. To this day I love this bulky “Tank” of a gun. I am so comfortable with it that I also bought a P-94 in .40 caliber and a P-90 in .45 caliber. I remember when I bought the P-90 it was a used gun and was listed for just over $300. I offered $300 cash out the door, and that is what I got …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Remington R51

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Most readers probably believe that gun writers get specially picked firearms to test for their articles. I used to believe it myself, until I started writing about firearms. If I ever received a hand picked firearm from a gun maker, I sure didn’t know it. To the best of my knowledge, all my guns came off the shelves at the gun companies without being checked over or hand picked. As a matter of fact, I’ve had more than my share of lemons in the 25 years of writing about guns, and that is probably because I’ve tested so many different …


Pat Cascio’s Product Review: Ruger P-89 9mm

In our ongoing quest to test and review more “metal” semiauto handguns, as requested by many SurvivalBlog readers, I thought it important to review the Ruger P-89, in 9mm. The P-89 is an updated/upgraded version of Ruger’s first centerfire semiauto handgun. The original was the P-85, and Ruger was hoping to get it out in time for the U.S. military trials for a new handgun. Alas, the Beretta 92/M9 won out. There were some early teething problems with the first batch or two of P-85 handguns. There were a few reports of the firing pin slamming forward when the pistol …


Letter Re: Just In Case: Preparing for the Evening and Day After Election 2016

JWR, I took your advice to heart. I’m actually not waiting for election day and am assuming the worst case scenario (a Hillary win). However, one issue I have been worrying about, and I rarely hear anyone discussing it, is the possibility of the government cutting off ammunition and reloading supplies (especially powder). As far as I know, there is only one powder manufacturer in the U.S. The rest are in Canada, Germany, and France. It seems it would be extremely easy for a president to issue an executive order to cut off sales to the commercial market or at …


Letter Re: Just In Case: Preparing for the Evening and Day After Election 2016

JWR, Excellent article regarding ammo and magazine purchase strategies for a worst case scenario outcome of the election. I would urge readers to go ahead and resupply ammo stocks now while the prices are still low and supplies are still relatively plentiful. After reading the article, I immediately checked my inventory and discovered I had dropped below my comfortable minimum for the calibers I shoot. Here is what I found while researching common calibers: Pistol Calibers 9mm, .40, and 45 ACP were readily available through the major online retailers; however, bulk range ammo was available but not in the quantities …


Letter Re: Ammunition Buying OPSEC

Mr. Rawles, In response to Cliff’s e-mail regarding ammunition OPSEC, I just wanted to write in and express my firm belief that the worst thing one can do, unfortunately, is to conduct e-commerce for bulk ammo via any Internet sites. I have nothing against any of the online vendors, but their records are kept and not immune from subpoenas or government seizures. I have had particular luck with bulk ammo sales on Sunday afternoons at gun shows. The fact of the matter is that no vendor wants to carry that weight of unsold inventory back to their trailer after the …


Letter: Stock Up on Magazines!

Dear Editor: The upcoming Presidential election is cause for concern. As an avid daily reader of your awesome blog, I would highly encourage those out there to buy those full capacity, or really any magazines that they need today. Not tomorrow, right now. Now! Stop reading the blog for a few minutes and find what you need. Some sellers are already selling out of AR-style magazines. Ruger factor-made 10/22 BX-25 (25-round) magazines are presently available at one of the major outdoor retailers online for less than $20 each. As an example: HK G3 alloy 20  round magazines (for HK91 rifles …


When and How Do We Fight? That is the Question, by X. Liberal

This message is more on a serious note. Before we get started I want to make an attribution to Lavoy Finicum. My wife and I had the privilege of being present in Utah to pay respects to him and his loved ones as we were driving back from our final Redoubt Property inspection in Montana while traveling home to Nevada. His sacrifice sparks this message: “THEY” say Lavoy Finicum and his cohorts were illegally occupying the Wildlife Refuge in Burns Oregon. THEY say nothing about the Occupy Wall Street Movement illegally occupying City Squares. THEY say that it was unsanitary …


Just In Case: Preparing for the Evening and Day After Election 2016

There is a substantial risk that Hillary “Hitlery” Clinton will become our next President. She is notoriously anti-gun, and has made many promises to her gun-grabbing campaign donors to give “gun control” (read: civilian disarmament) her top priority. Consider the guidance in this article just a contingency. You can simply ignore it, if Donald Trump is elected. (Since he is outspokenly pro-gun.) But if Clinton is indeed elected, then gun, ammunition, and magazine prices will surely start to rise immediately. And by the time she actually takes office, prices might well have already doubled or tripled, and shortages of some …