• Does My Hi Power Have a Forged or Cast Frame?

    None of the classic style Hi Powers has cast frames. None of the Mk II 9mm’s has cast frames. Early 9mm Mk III pistols didn’t have them either. All had forged frames. With the advent of the .40 Hi Power, FN went to cast frames and a different heat treatment that resulted in “harder” frames.

    Read More

  • What is meant by Double-Action and Single-Action?

    This question is frequently asked or seen being incorrectly defined.  I thought that it might be of use to some to explain these terms and provide examples. Traditionally, the term “single-action” refers to a specific handgun action in which the trigger performs but a single function; it drops the hammer which fires the gun. Similarly, “double-action” describes

    Read More

  • 9mm Glock Barrel Support: Adequate or Not?

    Whether a fan of Glock handguns or not, most agree that the Glock “KB” (“Ka Boom”) is a topic that is both enduring and widely-discussed on many firearm boards.  Glock detractors frequent speak of inadequate chamber support, flawed gun design allowing the pistol to be fired with the barrel slightly out of battery to skyrocketing

    Read More

  • Plugging the Glock: Yea or Nay?

    That Mr. Gaston Glock’s handguns are widely-used cannot be in question.  Whether admired or reviled, his pistols fill police and military holsters worldwide and where free men still exist, Glock handguns continue to be popular choices. As is frequently the case with popular handguns, people seek to customize or modify them for various reasons ranging

    Read More

  • Night of the Living “Limp Wrist”

    Almost as “intellectual” as the seemingly endless stream of “zombie threads” infecting some firearm forums is the near-universal answer of “limp wristing” as the cause of nearly all autoloader malfunctions.  IF this is correct, then something must be in the nation’s water supply because limp wristing has become a consistent “answer” for a pistol failing to extract,

    Read More

  • FAQ on Self-Defense Handguns & “Stopping Power”

    Over time I receive numerous questions concerning the “right” handgun for self-protection as well as requests for information on the “best” loads/calibers for “stopping” someone who is bent upon doing one harm. I thought that it might be interesting to compile the most commonly asked questions I receive and answer them in an article, but

    Read More