Ordnance

127 posts

The Ring of Fire lives on

The Ring of Fire is a phrase coined to describe a group of now (mostly) defunct gun manufacturers in California. The original companies were Bryco, Jennings, Lorcin, Raven and Phoenix. They specialized in cheap, poorly made pistols in sub-service (less than 9mm) calibers.

The idea was (ostensibly) to make small, easily concealed pistols that could be sold in the $100-175 price range. They were marketed as “affordable,” but the quality was such that nobody versed in firearms would even consider trusting one for self-defense.

The New Vaquero

I’ve been longing for a nice single-action wheelgun for quite some time. Why? I couldn’t tell you. Part of it would be the simplicity and romance of it. It’s a design that’s endured since the 19th century, and it’s got a certain charisma to it.

Сделайте моим Макаров

Sometimes fate just slaps you in the face like a cold, wet fish. I was at the range last week, and just as I was leaving, a guy came in with this and asked what it was worth:

The honest answer was, “not much.” It was dirty, only had one magazine, and it lacked case or papers. Selling a used gun is always a losing proposition, even when it’s in mint condition. Selling one like this, well…don’t bother.

That is, unless there’s a guy in the room who’s been looking for one of these for a couple of years.

I wasn’t sure what to offer, and the shopkeeper quoted the official worth, which was alot lower than what I was prepared to pay.

So, for roughly the price of a tank of gas and a couple of packs of smokes, I’ve finally got a Bulgarian Makarov. I took it home and cleaned it up.

Continued...

“I’m the only one in this room professional enough…”

Famous last words, especially when you’re a Federal Agent lecturing students on gun safety, and you shoot yourself after saying this. In case you’re not familiar with the sad case of Lee Paige, here goes.

Paige was lecturing a group of students and parents of the Orlando Minority Golf Association in April of 2004. He gave a very condescending lecture, during which he held up his duty weapon and said, “I’m the only one in this room, that I know of, professional enough to carry this Glock 40.” He then pointed the gun at his foot and discharged a round into his leg.

The best part? It was all captured on tape. In March of 2005, the video was leaked to the internet, and was received with a mixture of shock, bemusement and (quite justified) mockery. Paige was suspended from his duties, and the above quote became folklore.

At 1:40, he draws his weapon and hands it to his assistant, who assures him it’s unloaded.

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Guns don’t kill people…

…the Vice-President does!

Oh my God, it’s just too easy. Anyone who knows my cynical/whimsical take on the world knows that I was put on this Earth for moments like this. C’mon, it’s Rule #4: never fire until you are sure of your target and its periphery.

Since nobody was killed or seriously hurt, I feel that it is my right, NO, my OBLIGATION as an American (and therefore a smartass) to pick on this to no end. Unlike CNN, I have a sense of humor, though.

So let’s get some slogans. I’ll start: “You can have my gun when the Secret Service guys pry it from my cold, dead, hands,” or

“First we kill all the lawyers…wait, Dick Cheney got there first!” Feel free to chime in with your own

Oh, and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, here’s a Google cache of the story. What’s most perplexing is the fact that the media are fuming that they weren’t notified immediately when it happened.

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Sig Sauer rumors confirmed

Turns out Sig is revamping their whole lineup this year. Coming from both Erhardt and my Sig rep, this is pretty reliable.

  • Everything’s going to have a rail except the P239.
  • Production will cease completely on the P225, P210, Trailside and even the P228. There’s a nickel-slide GOM available, and that’s the last of them.
  • Next year will introduce a single-action P220R and the P240, which is a P245 slide on a P220 frame (think Commander P220)
  • All new GSRs will be the Revolution platform, as Sig has moved all manufacture to in-house facilities.

Very sad news to see so many classic (in the truest sense) models go, and I’m no fan of light-rails. All they do is accelerate holster-wear, and whatever gets swept by the light, gets swept by the muzzle, which I find unacceptable. But hey, I guess that’s what people want.

The details surrounding the GSRs are the most interesting, though.

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Weapon or furniture?

Just thought I’d post a couple of shots of my new Nill Grips. If you don’t have any experience with their work, you’re missing out. They make their grips from quality walnut, then finish them in an oil they call Rhomlas. Finish is gorgeous, and the checkering is aggressive but not grating. Here they are on my P7 and P225:

They’re precision-fitted to the frame, and they match the dimensions of the factory grips almost exactly, except for the ones on the P7, which have just enough of a swell in the palm to make them far more ergonomic than the factory H&K grips.

There’s not much you can do towards “tricking out” old West German service pistols, but the Nills go a long way towards changing them from grim-looking but utilitarian devices to true showpieces.