Most companies producing America’s iconic pistol adhere pretty faithfully to the way JMB intended it, which is good for us purists and those seeking a classic with modern metallurgy and tooling. Star, Ballester Molina, Detonics and AMT are some that have interpreted old slabsides in their own way, and though each were great in their own right, of those four companies only Detonics has survived (albeit shuttered and reopened) to this day. Similarly, Coonan Arms originally came into being in the 1970's, ran for 20 years or so then wrapped up the early 90's. Then in 2009 Coonan, Inc resurrected the marque under Dan Coonan's erudition: they've been growing steadily ever since thanks to their market awareness, their proprietary take on the 1911 platform, their premium quality and to having cornered the market with their magnum chambering. The 357MAG is a great round for pretty much any application and has been both feared and revered since it’s debut in 1935: though we typically think of it as a revolver caliber, Dan Coonan made it his golden child to be delivered by a bloodline of smooth-sided beauties. Boasting a simpler, stronger external extractor, a more sensory pivoting trigger and an accurizing linkless barrel, Coonan pistols impress their owners to the point of a religious conversion aided in part by the flash of blinding light and smart rap to the palm with each squeeze of its lovely trigger. These are not beginners pistols by the way, nor are they for the feint hearted or recoil-shy, these are six guns for shooters who one hundred and fifty years ago would have worn two single action revolvers on their belt but who today want the speed, accuracy, equal reliability and unequivocal power of one single-action semi-auto to keep up with these fast and furious times. Or for those who just like owning a beautiful, magnum, custom steel pistol that’ll outshoot your friend’s ubiquitous plastic boot of a gun on Sundays at the range. There’s nothing more satisfying than fervently believing American firearm engineers make more aesthetically pleasing pistols than the Europeans no matter how cheap, popular and accessorizable (not sure that’s a word?) Euro pistols are. American steel dominates, and, like Coonan, Inc, is here to stay. I may not always be right, but I’m always sure. Check them out at http://www.coonaninc.com
GOM

In keeping with this weeks topic of the uniquely American 1911, we visit the Green Mountain State (albeit still blanketed in snow). Caspian Arms has been supplying American pistolsmiths with top grade 1911 receivers, slides and parts since 1983. Founded by Cal Foster in Wolcott Vermont, Caspian's facility resembles a barn or ski lodge, not the birthplace of one of America’s most renowned custom 1911 parts-makers. Prior to starting Caspian, Foster operated a machine shop supplying Randall and Detonics but when those outfits closed shop in ’83, Foster risked losing his livelihood and so set up his own company under the Caspian moniker. Caspian’s 1911 components are taken from the original drawings of the Government model 1911 which Caspian claims were last revised in 1936: of course at that time drawings were developed for manual machines not the modern CNC machinery typically used today, so Caspian executed a tolerance study in order to bring the drawing package up to a level better suited for manufacture by CNC while at the same time assuring there would be complete interchangeability between components. After years of experimenting with different processes, they settled on investment casting of their frames and slides. When the investment cast frame comes out of the mold it’s close to its final configuration. Some manufacturers cut out some machining operations, leaving many areas “as cast”, but the specs right out of the mold are not as precise and smooth as machined surfaces. For most manufacturers they are good enough but Caspian is different from other manufacturers - they machine every surface of the frame to give it the final fit and appearance indicative of their outstanding trademark. Foster has passed on now and Gary Smith - sales manager and long-time employee - runs the manufacturing operation. Gary's quiet, gentlemanly demeanor belies Caspian's entitlement to haughtiness, but such is the way of Vermonters. Together with Walt and Ellen, they keep Cal Foster’s founding dream alive and humbly epitomize the definition of a great American gunmaker producing exquisite components for gunsmiths and civilians alike. If you haven't browsed their site you have to check them out, especially if you're looking for a deeply personalized and premium 1911 in any size from an officer's 3.5" all the way up to a longslide using carbon, stainless or Swedish Damascus steel. They also offer cosmetically blemished components under the "Foster" page at half price, so for around the same as a brand-name stock pistol you can experience the profound satisfaction of assembling your very own iteration of America's sweetheart sidearm.​ https://www.caspianarms.com
​GOM

​Limcat Custom makes some of the coolest iterations of the 1911 platform available on the market today. These are high-end assemblages of the best custom components from Caspian, Wilson, Ed Brown, STI etc married with premium parts then accessorized and sculpted to form aggressive-profiled competition pistols for the VERY serious shooter. With frame mounted sighting, slide racker and pronounced compensators, these masterpieces have splendid profiles spawned from the parentage of utility and precision. These are very lustworthy objects that’d be as well placed in a museum of modern art as they are at the IPSC range. As remarkable as these pistols look, and with the variety of available finishes (check out the gold!), one would be forgiven for mistaking these 1911’s as vanity pieces or showcase ornaments: but their purpose explains all and after digesting this we see them in a new light…like a Formula One car. Or an Arabian horse. Or a P-51 Mustang. Some things are created beautiful simply as a byproduct of their absolute, unwavering purpose. It’s an accidental benefit of being pure. Okay, maybe I’m being too romantic, there’s undoubtedly an angle or two hewn for attraction-enhancement alone, but overall the form is a result of necessitating the end purpose. Alas, not all weapons are born this pretty. I once had a disagreement with a weapons engineer who insisted it was not possible to have both a beautiful exterior and a functional interior when it came to guns. This argument was the end of our association because neither of us could agree to differ nor evidently see past our own beliefs. But personally I think the original John Browning 1911 is a thing of minimalist loveliness, born from absolute function and yet crafted by the hands of a man of a different, more artistic era in which aesthetics were something to be admired. In my opinion that all ended in the 1980’s when maximizing profit became the zenith of manufacturing endeavors, accountants began running corporations and we started outsourcing everything to nations wriggling out from beneath the heinous cement block of communism and/or oppression. Cheap is rarely beautiful, which is why when we buy a hand crafted American 1911 that has hundreds of hours of conceptual consideration behind it, we get a memorable heirloom versus a shooting tool that resembles two lengths of 2x4 nailed together and sprayed black. My commendations to Limcat for birthing some handsome offspring and keeping the platform alive. Check them out at https://www.limcat.com 
GOM

​In America Cabot is synonymous with either delicious Vermont cheese, or, fine custom 1911 pistols, but for the latter there is nothing cheesy about anything they produce. I can still remember the day I held my first Cabot 1911 at Shot Show and I audibly gasped at the experience, then sighed in lament that I couldn’t afford it. They are exquisite. As a fan of polished blued steel I was in love with their lustrous blue offering at the time (I forget what they’d named it) but now browsing their website I have to confess to liking The Vintage Classic. It reminds me of a WWII Remington 1911 I found at an auction; gently worn from decades of cleaning by the loving hands of a man who’d trusted his life to the weapon in battle, then returned home with it and no doubt kept it nearby in the unlikely event he’d need to defend his family (or God forbid his country for a second time). That auction pistol had a beating heart, animated by the soul of it’s previous owner and it commanded a respectful adoption (and a high price too). Unfortunately it too was above my pay grade, but I’ll never forget it. I don’t think there’s a single plastic weapon in existence that has commanded such reverence by it’s owner, nor lasted almost eight decades to tell a story of service, and possible heroism, and observed it's owners entire life from the bed stand. I just don’t feel plastic is an heirloom substance - sucked from the ground as oil, processed and injected into a mold, popped out and pressed together with other components to form a gun. I’m so sorry, I’m not feeling it for polymer. Okay it’s lightweight and cheap to produce, but by possessing those very properties it necessarily forfeits legacy. But carbon steel is the stuff of broadswords, pikes and sabers, the stuff of ships and cars and skyscrapers, the substance of great civilizations and none less than America with it's spectacular foundation and industrial might! With blueing and polishing representing the art of the craftsman and the 45ACP the bullet of America’s historical and movie heritage, you put all those stalwart elements together and you have only one supreme leader: the 1911. Real men don’t cry about weight (I say, lose 3lb’s of body fat and carry steel). Marksmen don’t worry about capacity (it only takes one well-placed bullet to fell an adversary). The cool-headed don’t worry about being outgunned (calm delivery of each round and resolve to defeat your enemy without hesitation, prevails). With a 1911 you are a viking carrying your Albion Berserkr and Cabot Guns offers some of the finest you’ll find, and ever hope to own. Take a look at http://cabotgun.com
​GOM.

Chevrolet, apple pie and the 45ACP are as American as it gets. Forget all those puny Euro calibers, if you’re gonna hit the gong, hit it with the hammer of Thor. On the other end of the spectrum, as they say, “22LR was made for practice and squirrel stew, but if push comes to shove, a triple tap will do.” Some of us old schoolers are of the thinking that anything in between a 22LR and a 45ACP in the hands of a red blooded American is sacrilegious, but if the newbies (with their penchant for plastic pistols and iPhones) have their way, 45ACP will soon go the way of the passenger pigeon. Some of us grumpy old men still believe in the good old days and loyalty to the icons of our great nation, all this liberalness is well and good but diluted fealty is the death knell for national pride. Patriots beware, and support our 45ACP. This coming week we’ll profile 5 good old (or young) American gunmakers who are loyal to the 1911 and/or the 45ACP baseball-of-a-round in the manufacturing choices they make. Prepare to be converted. GOM

​Many traditionalist will be happy. Over the past few years it’s been tough to find more than one or two current-production lever action rifles on the Winchester website - which I’m certain has saddened many a cowboy action shooter and old schooler - but now it appears they've finally seen sense and have a nice lineup of 1894’s, 1892’s, 1886’s, 1873’s, 1866’s and an 1885 in 22LR. In my humble opinion these are some of the most beautiful rifles ever designed and Winchester appears to have revived them in a premium fit & finish without forfeiting an ounce of genetic integrity. This from the Winchester site: “These Historical Winchesters are back in production today after being absent from the market for many decades. All were  dropped from production by the original Winchester company over half a century ago. Each of these models was reintroduced by today's Winchester Repeating Arms Company at some point beginning in the 1990s. All are in production today. All are made in our partner factory in Japan.” Readers don’t be downhearted at the current country of physical manufacture, Japan (Miroku) has been making firearms for a long time and have partnered with the likes of Winchester and Browning to provide very handsome rifles at a price point American shooters can (hopefully) afford. The craftsmanship and finishing demanded of these fine old designs can be immensely time consuming/costly and factory setup and staffing would make American-made weapons unaffordable for most. In an economical climate where people like to buy their guns at $499 or under, these are indeed already a specialty item but for those desirous of history, heirloom beauty and fine workmanship then a current-production Winchester will make you and yours proud for decades. I just wish they’d come out with a trapper model 1894 with a standard loop lever (hint)! Ed. 

The new Semprio in-line repeater "Challenges Traditional Thinking – Propelling Hunting Rifles Into a New Era." Krieghoff is indeed a renowned German gunmaker and they've just debuted a pump-action rifle utilizing a proprietary new action that reverses the usual pull-push to reload. Though this may take a while to appeal to traditionalists, Krieghoff's price points don't give their weapons widespread commerciality anyhow so the marque is unlikley to monopolize the pump-action market with this new setup. However, an existing American brand or new gunsmith could take the cue, use a traditional pull-push action and run with it on a complete line of calibers. The sanction of such a high end brand amply demonstrates the validity of the pump-action platform and reiterates the need for more firearms, in more calibers...preferably pistol calibers! Semi-autos are great but we forfeit a certain amount of accuracy for that fast trigger capability. In actual fact very few of us require a semi-auto for any application except home defense or fun at the range - for the majority of hunting or target scenarios accuracy is priority with reload speed being second fiddle. Bolt actions have the disadvantage of necessitating we remove our trigger hand from readiness but if we were to witness the birth of a new generation of quality, affordable pump-action carbines in various barrel lengths and configurations, in calibers from .223 to 50cal, that gunmaker would be rewarded handsomly for their vision. Except for the most demanding sniper or target requirements, bolt-action is old hat. A good pump-action provides strength, speed and accuracy that's above and beyond the call of duty and strikes a utilitarian balance between bolt-action and semi-auto. Here's hoping someone will answer the call and follow the lead of one of the world's finest armorers. Check out the Semprio at https://www.krieghoff.com/hunting-guns/krieghoff-semprio-in-line-repeater/ Ed. 

Living in the Northeast means being locked-in under several months of weather-induced house arrest, along with the hard labor of shovelling, salting and preparing the car each morning for the daily commute etc. Then just when the spring implies it might arrive and one will be freed from the shackles of winter, one has to sit down and do the damned taxes. But if like me you spent some fireside time during the long winter evenings browsing gun magazines, or chatting on forums, or window shopping gun manufacturers websites, then your emancipation from snow and Turbotax brings the necessity to rewards yourself with a new firearm (or plural thereof), accessories, ammo and cool new gear. The beauty of my daily work on the AFD is I get to see so much stuff in my hunt for new and existing companies/product but the downside is I get a head full of things I want - but cannot afford - to buy. However, there always seems to be one or two items that stand out as necessary acquisitions in my perpetual quest for that perfect firearm, and so I make my spring list of 10 or 20 then slowly narrow that down to the essential cannot-live-this-year-without purchase. And in the end, with whatever decision I make, I feel immensely proud of my new man-toy but also of our American gun industry, of our country's firearm innovators and engineers, the resultant jobs and the immense overall contribution to our nation's economy. In this new political era with a pro-Second Amendment president who advocates the growth of American jobs - and seemingly understands that a secure sustainable economy stems from manufacturing not solely consumerism - he would do well to look to the laws and regulations that mandate the domestic manufacturing of guns, and how those same aparent protectionist limitatons have in fact created a very lucrative industry that benefits our country, provides jobs and preserves our national security. So, whatever Spring induces you to buy for your collection this year, know that you are not only getting a piece of great American engineering that you'll enjoy for years, but you are contributing to every level to the regrowth of our economy. Buy American, power America. Ed.

According to the NRA-ILA website this morning, Rumors of the “Trump Slump” in gun sales has been exaggerated. This is great news! I"ll quote them directly because we have no immediate way to corroborate the data, so here's what the site reported:

​"Recent reports point to three consecutive months of declining NICS background checks (a proxy for gun sales, though not all background checks are connected to a purchase and a single purchase may include multiple firearms) as evidence that President Trump’s election marks the end in a period that saw background checks monthly records broken regularly. After eight years of an administration led by the “greatest gun salesman in history,” the shift away from an anti-gun agenda has likely eased the drive to buy guns, right? Not necessarily. First, a record-setting number of background checks were completed on Black Friday 2016 – after Trump won the election. Perhaps more importantly, February 2017 NICS data contradicts the “Trump Slump” claims. Examining the number of background checks completed in just the month of February for the last 18 years reveals that February 2017 was, in fact, the 3rd busiest February ever. Yes, the number of background checks in February 2017 is lower than it was in February 2016 – which happened to be the fourth busiest month of all time for NICS background checks. Comparing current data to the record high points doesn’t prove that sales have plummeted; it does indicate that the number of background checks performed – and so the number of permit applications and/or firearms purchases – is still at near-record levels. February 2017, one of the months cited as proof of the “Trump Slump” was actually one of the 15 busiest months ever for background checks. December 2016 – after Trump and his party won the White House and Congress – was the 3rd busiest month ever. The “Trump Slump” allegation also points to a 17% drop in the number of checks performed in December 2016 from those performed in December 2015. The narrative doesn’t mention that December 2015 featured the most background checks processed in a single month. Ever. While “Trump Slump” is a convenient phrase for a headline, it simply does not apply to background checks or gun sales."

You can see the original NRA-ILA article at: https://www.nraila.org/articles/20170310/trump-slump-proved-false-by-strong-background-check-numbers 

Okay, today it's only a rumor but we hear on good authority that the historical Colt may soon be just that; history. It saddens me to think about this considering the critical place Colt has had in our numerous overseas conflicts, in our movies and TV shows, in blazing the trail for generations of subsequent gunmakers and in establishing our States, our borders and our security within them. But am I surprised? No. At ShotShow 2012 I had a decidedly unpleasant experience at the Colt booth with an curmudgeonly guy (representing the company) who was extremely reluctant to offer assistance on their displayed products and was much more interested in shooting the breeze with someone from a neighboring booth. All well and good but for me he embodied the company's seeming reluctance to evolve with the times (also evident on their website...er...where are their products?) and the demands of the modern market. Even if Colt had simply revived their 6" Python (Walking Dead-generated sales alone would be HUGE), and their classic Agent, and a couple of variants of their most beautiful 1911's they'd at least have gratified the loyalists! But with a marque like theirs they could have R&D'd an entirely new pistol of their own, renovated their customer service and won the hearts of the new, fussier generation of shooters. There may be a thousand new firearms on the market but only a handful have the love of the people, the credibility and the heritage of this iconic brand. So, I hope these rumors are only that, and that someone of financial means is planning to buy-in or inject the funds required to save and revive this beloved moniker with a line of classics, a beautiful new pistol and a new rifle that'll be the next generation's classics, and a revamped Ruger-esque customer service that welcomes novice and experienced buyers alike. Today, Colt has all the kudos and none of requisite imagination; bring in the right team and dinero and it'll be right back on top.  HH

    

The new DNR (Do Not Resuscitate) weapon system from BATTLE-BRO promises to be a revolutionary new modular firearm that can begin as a compact sidearm and quickly transform into a full size pistol (by changing barrel & slide), a longslide pistol (with another barrel & slide change), an SBR (with the snap-on attachment of a folding stock), an SMG (by swapping out the lower receiver for a Mil/LEO-only select-fire lower), or a carbine (with quick-attach pistol to carbine components): all parts and conversion kits being available individually or as a complete kit from the BATTLE-BRO ProShop. The barrel comes threaded as standard and there's a cool stubby "STUMP" suppressor available too. In original form the DNR resembles an officer's sized 1911, albeit with some simple aesthetic modifications that give it a resounding masculine look and feel...this is not a pocketbook gun but unequivocally a serious weapon for the modern urban warrior, LEO or law-abiding civilian anticipating the zombie apocalypse. Despite being striker fired (with optional manual safety) this is a professional device for those who can put in the time required to quickly transform it into any of the required configurations in a matter of seconds. If you buy the  "Ultimate" kit, it comes with everything you need (except the requisite tax stamps of course) all packed neatly into a small black attache case and a nondescript backpack into which the attache perfectly slides into the front pocket with your laptop behind. No price on any of this yet but cost promises to be low for the initial pistol purchase, perhaps as a lost leader to encourage owners to purchase the accessories as they go along. It's actually pretty smart of BATTLE-BRO to seize both the gun and accessory market in one go: it does seem that most firearm manufacturers too often leave it to 3rd party manufacturers to carry the aftermarket, which is where the bulk of profits lie. Brugger & Thomet of course is another company that maintains proprietary control of units and accessories, but such manufacturers are few and far between. Perhaps BATTLE-BRO, an all American manufacturer, will show the way on what a truly versatile, utilitarian, well-packaged weapon system can be, and how to satisfy one's customers from soup-to-nuts. We weren't allowed to photograph anything when we visited yesterday, but they supplied the above image of the longslide iteration, and have promised pics to follow soon...Ed. PS: this is a fake story! BUT, wouldn't it be great if....

​Apparently - according to several reputable 1911 aficionados - Browning did not have a grip safety in his original design of the pistol. This was added at the insistence of the Army who were commissioning the firearm with a view to suppressing the Philippine natives who were proving a tough opponent to US soldiers. Either way, it makes sense to me that a firearm engineer of Browning’s caliber would NOT have intuitively seen the need for the grip safety, and may actually have viewed it’s inclusion as a potential trip-up for some shooters. For my part I’m a single-action fan and the 1911 still leads the pack, but my hands aren’t fleshy enough to consistently disengage the grip safety and I get those frustrating momentary failures-to-fire that could, I suppose, be catastrophic if my life depended on it or if I was trying to win a match. My personal fix has always been a short length of bicycle inner tube pulled up over the grip and safety to keep it down, this works great, but I know Novak offered “The Answer” - a one-piece backstrap that included the mainspring housing and beavertail (pictured above) as one of his custom packages. I can’t see on his site if that’s still available though. And there used to be a machinist out of Montana called KT Ordnance who made 60% competition 1911 frames and a very nice one-piece drop-in backstrap to solve this issue for competitive shooters (I hear purists grinding and nashing their teeth at the mere hellatious thought of removing this item). Except for the vintage 1911 clones by Star, the Argentinian Ballester Molina and Wilson Combat's upcoming EDC X9 there’s nothing to resolve this for pre-existing grip-safety pistols, instead manufacturers all go with oversized safeties to ensure even the boniest hands can depress the safety before firing. So here’s a manufacturing cue for someone: put out a drop-in one-piece backstrap (in both modern beavertail and original A1 configuration) for those of us who love the 1911 as originally intended by Browning prior to Army mandates. Judging by the online threads and discussions on this matter, guaranteed there’s a sturdy market for this item. Ed.