Hornady has been slaying it in the ammo department. You'd think they'd take a minute to rest. But this week I tried three new Hornady offerings and each was a winner.

The post Hornady Sub X, Critical Defense Rifle, and Frontier Ammo Reviewed appeared first on GunsAmerica Digest.

On Monday, August 12, the California Legislature returns from the Summer recess and will be considering firearm- and hunting-related bills in both the Senate and Assembly Appropriations Committees. 

Police believe an early morning shooting in Camden during a home invasion was justified. The shooting happened in the 700 block of Maggie Avenue around 4:15 a.m. Friday.

On August 9th, New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu kept his previous promise to not make changes to existing firearm laws by vetoing the three anti-gun bills sent to his desk by the General Court.

The new FN 509 FDE pistol has a suggested retail price of $679.00 and is shipping now (Photo: FN)

SEE FN 509 AT GUNS.COM FROM $549

Complementing the FN 509 Tactical, FN announced Friday they will also be offering the standard 509 in a Flat Dark Earth (FDE) variant as well.

While the Virginia-based company’s staple handgun lines are produced in matte black finishes in their South Carolina plant, full FDE schemes up until this week were offered just on the FN 509 Tactical, FNS-9 Compact, and FNX-45 Tactical. Introduced in 2017, the striker-fired 9mm 509 was designed originally as the company’s entry into the Army’s Modular Handgun System competition.

Overall length is 7.4-inches and the FN 509 tips the scales at 26.9 ounces. (Photo: FN)

Based on their FNS Compact platform, the 17+1 capacity handgun was beefed up to meet rigorous military requirements that saw more than 1 million rounds fired in reliability, ammunition compatibility, and durability testing. Changes to the legacy design, in addition to the improved internals, include enhanced grip textures and cocking serrations, guarded controls and a recessed target crown on the 4-inch barrel.

Since its introduction, the 509 family has been expanded to include Midsize and Tactical offerings as well as the new optics-ready Midsize MRD which was introduced earlier this month.

SEE FN 509 AT GUNS.COM FROM $549

The post FN America Debuts New FN 509 Pistol in Full FDE Finish appeared first on Guns.com.

This cross-section of wheel guns covers five manufacturers across three continents and includes a little bit of everything — but they can all generally be cleaned the same. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

For those with questions on how to clean a revolver, Guns.com has answers to keep that wheel gun ticking like a clock. The neat thing about modern cartridge revolvers that use smokeless powder is that, in general, they can all be cleaned and maintained in roughly the same basic manner. This holds true for both single-action wheel guns and double, centerfire and rimfire, and those with removable, swing-out, or break-top cylinders. With that being said, let’s get started.

First, make sure the revolver is safely and completely unloaded. To be sure you have all the ammunition accounted for, inventory the number of rounds you remove and account for any that are missing. This is important as revolvers can sometimes fail to extract all the rounds from the cylinder — I’ve seen it happen. Remove all brass and ammo from the room in which you are cleaning the revolver to ensure it doesn’t somehow wander its way back into a cylinder before you are ready.

You won’t be needing these while cleaning

Next, visually ensure that there is no brass or ammo in the area you are cleaning the revolver in. Be sure to do your maintenance in a reasonably clean area that is well-ventilated and away from distractions and little wandering animals or humans. A cleaning mat with a non-slip and solvent resistant pad is a good idea but not absolutely required.

Remember, no brass or ammo while cleaning

Speaking of solvent, I’m here to talk to you about guns, not sell you someone’s new Wonder Product and in general, as long as the gun juice you choose is something made and marketed specifically for use on firearms, you are good to go. Steer away from non-gun miracle products. On said product, be sure to read the manufacturer’s guidelines on its use. With that, if it is billed as a solvent, use it as a solvent. If it is billed as a lubricant/protectant, use it as such. If it is a CLP type of product billed as good for both aforementioned applications, hey…

Pick your poison, so to speak, just make sure it is something that is meant to be used on firearms

Once you have your unloaded revolver and solvent/CLP of choice, apply a tad to the barrel bore and cylinder and knock away the fouling and debris with a brush. Repeat this anywhere you find a build-up. Nylon or plastic brushes of all sizes and strength are your friend while some advocate copper or brass. Stay away from steel bristles. Wipe away the accumulation of schmutz with a rag or cloth that is at least less dirty than the gun you are working with. This is why my wife has never had to throw away old socks, t-shirts or drawers of mine so far this century.

Brushes, brushes, brushes. They are cheap so stock up on various sizes and types

A persistent nemesis of revolvers–especially on stainless or chromed guns– are burn rings on the cylinder face of a revolver or the inside frame and the cylinder throat. This is where some solvent such as Hoppe’s No. 9 and a green scrubby pad can come in handy.

When it comes to the barrel, some purists will argue over unwashed and permanently stained coffee cups that many gun owners overclean their barrels, hitting them both too often and too hard. A rule of thumb is that, unless I plan to store the gun and not reuse it any time soon, the barrel can be skipped until next time so long as you can still see rifling when holding it up to the light or if using a bore light. For those who are more fastidious, clean that barrel every time you clean your roscoe. Do this via running a patch soaked with solvent from the muzzle to cylinder, followed by clean patches until they come out clean.

Nylon cleaning rods are safe, although brass rods are also popular

Brass or nylon cleaning jags or brushes of an appropriate bore size can help dislodge extensive lead or carbon build-up in the barrel.

I like to use an $8 stainless medical instrument tray for dirty patches, brushes and the like, so their greasy funky contents don’t pollute the general area or the cleaning mat. You can always go cheaper than that by just using a plastic shopping bag or shop towel.

Be sure to safely dispose of dirty patches and clean your brushes after each use and don’t be too cheap to buy new ones. I’ve seen guys try to use the same worn-out teeth brush (you have more than one tooth, right?) for decades to the point that it is more of a stick with a dirty tuft of plastic than a brush.

Pay close attention to the revolver’s cylinder and make sure you have cleaned out each chamber in turn, paying attention to the clear under the ejector star as well as its rod.

Once you have accomplished the bulk of your cleaning, move on to inspecting the revolver to make sure you don’t have any festering wounds that can ruin your day in the future. This includes checking that the cylinder-to-barrel gap is not exaggerated, or the forcing cone is cracked. While this area doesn’t have to be solid, it should still be tight enough that you would have a hard time sliding even a fortune cookie paper through it.

Your cylinder lockup should be tight and with minimal movement while the gap between the cylinder and barrel should be too narrow to easily slide anything more than a piece of paper through.

Similarly, check the timing of the cylinder to make sure the chambers line up with the barrel properly. If you find that your revolver is shaving lots of lead at the range — you will see little specks of metal all over your arms and clothes — this is a warning sign. If you have lots of revolvers in the same caliber, buying a $20 range rod to ensure this alignment may be a good investment. Check the lock-up of the cylinder when secured in the frame by trying to rotate it and push it back and forth inside the frame. While a tiny amount of play is acceptable, a lot of movement is not.

On swing-out cylinder revolvers, with the cylinder kicked out, spin it slowly while watching to make sure the crane and ejector rod is still straight.

This rod can get warped over time when users “cowboy” or slap the cylinder shut like is often seen in the movies, which is less than ideal.

Finally, check that your plate and grips screws are tight. Avoid the impulse to open the lockwork and start goobering around with springs and sears unless you know what you are doing. This is sailing far past basic cleaning and maintenance and can soup sandwich a perfectly functional revolver fast, requiring a shameful trip to the local gunsmith who is often backed up fixing other failed mods.

With the cleaning and inspection complete, lubricate your revolver. In this, the prospect of “less is more” shines through. Lightly apply the lubricant/CLP strategically to areas you have noticed wear and to dynamic working parts that move a lot with metal-on-metal contact. Stay away from soaking the gun to the extent that you see running or dripping lube.

If storing a gun not in use, do so safely with the revolver unloaded and the action immobilized. Single-action revolvers, where the cylinder is easily removed, can be stored in two parts. If your gun did not come with a lock, check out Project Childsafe to find out how to get one free.

If not loaded and accessible for home or personal defense, or otherwise in use, remember to secure it.

If storing a firearm not in use for an extended period, especially in a safe, avoid the impulse to swaddle them in gun socks, zipper cases, mummy wraps and the like as these can often trap or hold moisture. I’ve seen fine classics proudly produced from the old pleather bags in which they have been stored for decades in the back of humid closets only to be shocked with finishes that were nothing but rust. Talk about avoidable tears.

Speaking of rust, before you store that finely blued revolver, give it one final rub down with a rag to remove any lingering fingerprints. These dirty human oils, if left behind on a gun for months or years, can eat away at the bluing.

Don’t forget to get those last fingerprints off

Once cleaned and put away, be sure to revisit these guns regularly to inspect, check for issues and reapply lubricant as needed.

This old snubby picked up in a trade with a friend had been cleaned and put away in a desk drawer for a decade, where it picked up some creepy crawlies.

In the end, remember that there are plenty of firearms still floating around that are over a century old that are still in excellent working condition. This came from proper care and storage, not by accident. Do your part to maintain your revolver and it can easily do the same.

Since you came this far, be sure to check out our always changing inventory of new and used revolvers in the Guns.com Vault. You never know what kind of deals you may find. 

The post The Art of Revolver Cleaning and Maintenance appeared first on Guns.com.

This Ruger revolver made as a tribute to the late great gun writer Charles “Skeeter” Skelton has a special place in Boge Quinn’s heart. “This six gun means more to me than any gun that I own,” he said.

Quinn explained that Skelton was his favorite writer growing up. “He was a gun writer but he was much more than that. He wrote about life and he wrote about friendship and relationships and he wrote with a lot of humor and a lot of historical accuracy,” he said. “I just can’t overstate the impact that Skeeter Skelton had on me and a lot of people in my generation.”

The old model Ruger Blackhawk was equipped with all the characteristics Skelton desired in a revolver. Particularly, the gun was converted from .357 to .44 Special, a cartridge Skelton had popularized.

Bill Grover, of Texas Longhorn Arms, wanted to produce the gun as a tribute to Skelton while Skelton was still alive, but Skelton died before he completed the job. So, the gun ended up going to Skelton’s son, Bart. In all, Grover made seven Skeeter models.

Quinn acquired serial number six in 2009 as a gift from his friend, Terry Murbach, who later passed. “It’s one of my most prized guns, for both its intrinsic value and for the memory of my great friend Terry Murbach,” Quinn said.

One of only seven ‘Skeeter Skelton’ .44 Special Custom Revolvers. (Photo: Ben Philippi / Guns.com)

One of only seven ‘Skeeter Skelton’ .44 Special Custom Revolvers. (Photo: Ben Philippi / Guns.com)

For great handguns, rifles, and shotguns, check out the Guns.com Vault and collection of Certified Used Firearms. 

The post The ‘Skeeter Skelton’ .44 Special Custom Revolver appeared first on Guns.com.

The Taurus 650 in a Can Can Concealment Garter Holster. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

Every once in a while a girl just wants to shake up her style with a classic retro vibe. Away from the hustle and bustle of smartphones, tablets and tech, I opted for a simple red lip, a Taurus 650 revolver in a Can Can Concealment Garter Holster and a whole lot of attitude.

For this styled shoot, I decked out from head to toe in one of my favorite designers — Kate Spade New York. This fashionable design house creates unique, funky and often retro-looking staples perfect for any girl who likes classic with a twist. With a Kate Spade Blaire Flamingo Dress ($200) and a simple pair of black kitten heels ($20), I dressed the look up with accessories.

(Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

Donning my favorites, the Kate Spade Moon River Earrings in black ($50) and Marietta Cat Eye Sunglasses in gold ($100), I added a wisp of technology in the form of the Scallop Smart Watch ($200). A girl can’t give up all her tech, after all. I finished off the look with a Kate Spade Shea Manor Place Clutch in black with my favorite shade of Urban Decay lipstick, Sheer F-Bomb ($22.50), stowed inside.

Accessories like the Marietta Sunglasses and Scalloped Smart Watch elevate the look. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

Kate Spade Moon River earrings in black and Marietta Cat Eye Sunglasses. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

That wasn’t all I was packing though. I paired my classic look with a classic firearm — a revolver. In this case, I grabbed the Taurus CIA 650 ($539) and slipped it into a Can Can Concealment Garter Holster ($36.40). This holster fits around the thigh and can attach to a Can Can Concealment Garter Belt ($22) to hold it better in place. For dresses and skirts, the Can Can Concealment Garter proves to be the perfect option and a better alternative to purse carry.

Take a look into these self-portraits to see how the look came together.

(Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

The Kate Spade Blaire Flamingo Dress and Can Can Concealment holster work together to provide flawless concealment. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

Soaking up some sun with a Taurus Revolver at the ready. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

Kate Spade New York Shea Manor Place Clutch and Taurus 650. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

Kate Spade Marietta Cat Eye Sunglasses add some glittery flair. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

(Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

Kitten heels and revolvers? Yes, please. (Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

(Photo: Jacki Billings/Guns.com)

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The NRA will work in good faith to pursue real solutions to the epidemic of violence in America.

The Arlington, Tx., Police Department released this week the body cam footage from a recent incident in which an officer accidentally shot and killed a woman while trying to shoot her dog.

The post Watch: Texas Police Officer Accidentally Shoots, Kills Woman While Trying to Shoot Dog appeared first on GunsAmerica Digest.

They're adding two new two-tone models, one with a passive trigger safety and one with a manual cross-bolt safety.

The post Mossberg Updates MC1sc With Two-Tone Options appeared first on GunsAmerica Digest.

We want to express our deepest sympathies to the families and victims in El Paso and Dayton. As always, the NRA will work in good faith to pursue real solutions to the violence we witnessed this past weekend. Real solutions save lives – televised, choreographed spectacles don’t.

"We have a police department... that is making it safer all the time -- that's the best way to protect people,” added the mayor.

The post WATCH: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio Refuses to Acknowledge Citizens Have 2A Rights appeared first on GunsAmerica Digest.

With its low-profile slide, innovative “squeeze-cocker” design, and reliable construction, the HK P7 PSP was a serious handgun for its era. (Photos: Richard Taylor/Guns.com)

SEE AT GUNS.COM FROM $1,900

Developed in the 1970s, Heckler & Koch’s P7 was billed as “the best combat pistol” on the market at the time and today is a solid collectible handgun.

Designed by Helmut Weldle — the same forward-thinking mind that helped craft the world’s first polymer pistol, the VP70, for HK — the semi-auto 9mm used a “squeeze-cocker” on the front of the grip, a concept he had recycled from an earlier handgun design that didn’t reach the market. This device cocked the internal striker of the pistol and gave it an exceptionally light single-action trigger.

The cocking lever is engaged with the natural movement of a shooter’s grip, providing a single-action trigger pull with each shot, and re-engages when released. (Photo: Richard Taylor/Guns.com)

As it was designed for West German police use, it was dubbed the Polizei Selbstlade Pistole, or Police Self-loading Pistol, due to that feature. Falling in line with German police acceptance testing, it earned the P7 designation as it was introduced after the Walther P-1 (P38), P2 (SIG P210-4), P3 (Astra 600), P4 (P-38 IV), Walther P5, and P-6 (SIG P225).

With a fixed cold hammer-forged barrel and polygonal rifling, the all-steel P7 was accurate while the 110-degree grip angle was billed as being very natural. Reliable, the P7 was designed so that an empty case would extract and eject even if the extractor was missing from the handgun. Using a hybrid gas-delayed blowback, recoil was light.

(Photo: Richard Taylor/Guns.com)

The thing is, cops in every country have a budget, even German ones, and the P7, while super neat, was kind of pricey when compared to the competition, a factor that meant it was only bought in small numbers. However, several German counter-terrorist teams (with larger budgets) adopted the HK PSP as did the German Army Special forces (KSK Kommando Spezialkräfte).

Speaking of pricey, when the guns were marketed in the U.S. with a corresponding American-style push-button magazine release rather than the European heel catch, they were marketed as “the most expensive handgun in the world,” with a list of the reasons why the P7 was superior to the more economical options. In the end, the HK squeezebox was only adopted by a few state police agencies, namely New Jersey and Utah.

One model, the P7A13, was even submitted to the U.S. Army’s XM9 9mm pistol trials in the 1980s to replace the M1911. While Beretta’s 92 series got the nod from the Pentagon in that case, HK did take advantage of those R&D Deutschmarks spent in the chase to field new variants of the P7 for the commercial market.

(Photo: Richard Taylor/Guns.com)

The P7, in turn, carved out a niche in with consumers as a handgun that would be chosen by the discerning gentleman, after all, HK at the same time was selling wood-stocked sporting rifles such as the HK 770. For instance, the fictional and independently wealthy detective Lucas Davenport, featured in John Sandford’s Prey series novels, carried a P7M13, the version of the pistol with a 13-round magazine, while fictional German terrorist-turned-crook Hans Gruber in Die Hard sported the same model but in a chrome finish.

This HK P7 PSP with a five-digit serial number is “PW Arms Redmond, WA” import marked and was produced in West Germany in the early 1990s. Currently in the Guns.com Vault, it is looking for a forever home.

This HK P7M8 is a Sterling, Virginia-marked import produced in West Germany in the mid-1990s. Note the difference in the trigger guard which now has a heat shield, the improved rear sight, and grip from the P7 above. The gun also has an ambi magazine release just below the guard and a lanyard loop in place of the original PSP’s heel-mounted release.

Ultimately, the P7 series was retired by HK over a decade ago but you can be sure that the legacy of these patrician pistols will endure as long as Die Hard is considered a Christmas movie.

SEE AT GUNS.COM FROM $1,900

The post The Aristocrat’s Parabellum: Heckler & Koch P7 PSP appeared first on Guns.com.

When I teach folks about firearms, whether it’s understanding a pistol they want to buy or teaching at the range, the biggest concern center on their handgun’s “operating system.” Like Android or Apple on a smartphone, a pistol’s OS refers to the way in which a handgun operates. In the case of firearms, this equates to the amount and types of actions the trigger performs when pulled.

SAO

The Colt 1991 1911 handgun is an example of a SAO handgun.

When society transitioned from canons — fired by fuse or lanyard pull — to hand-held long guns, gun owners needed some sort of mechanism to fire the weapon without having to use a fuse. Originally, gun owners were relegated to flintlocks or black powder weapons which required the hammers cocked and the trigger actuated to release the sear and, subsequently, the hammer to fire the weapon. To begin each firing sequence, the hammer had to be cocked because in these firearms the trigger only does a single action only – in this case, releasing the hammer to fire.

One of the early issues of this single action only, or SAO, was the hammer proved capable of actually bouncing hard enough, either while riding horseback or if sufficiently bumped, to set the primer off and inadvertently firing the pistol. As a result, most cowboys only loaded five rounds into the cylinder instead of six as a way of eliminating that possibility when riding with a revolver.

DAO

The Kahr PM9 is a double action only pistol.

After the Civil War, manufacturers released pistols which could be cocked and fired with a single pull of the trigger. Since SAO refers to just a single action – the trigger pull – these new pistols, which performed two actions, would be called double action only, or DAO. While DAO introduced a longer and heavier trigger pull, this offered an additional safety. In DAO, the hammer spring held the hammer in place so there was a smaller possibility of the hammer bouncing on the primer. The tradeoff, however, was that the trigger was longer and heavier though it was also consistent from shot to shot.

The advent of the autoloading or semi-automatic pistol moved handguns beyond the revolver era, away from slow and somewhat complex reloads that weren’t practical for combat situations against multiple attackers. Semi-automatic pistols such as the 1911 or Browning Hi-Power introduced a revolutionized approach to reloading by allowing magazines to be inserted in the grip. The slide then moves to the rear cocking the hammer. Semi-auto pistols are often carried “cocked and locked” and can be equipped with an external safety such as a thumb safety to keep the hammer from falling and ultimately firing the weapon.

SAO vs DAO

The Beretta Px4 Storm Compact encompasses both traits with its DA/SA design.

SAO pistols bring a clean, crisp and light trigger pull. With the advantage of accuracy. Due to the lighter trigger pull the pistol is less likely to be jerked allowing for more practical accuracy in the hands of a good shooter. The offset to this is that a trigger tuned too lightly can cause negligent discharges, unplanned multiple-taps or even run-away pistols, especially in times of stress. Another disadvantage is disengaging the manual safety when carrying an SAO pistol with a round in the chamber. This safety can be difficult to deactivate when ambushed. Perhaps the biggest issue relates to de-cocking a true SAO pistol. The hammer must be immobilized while also pulling the trigger to disengage the sear and then gently and manually lower the hammer onto the firing pin without setting off the primer and launching a bullet downrange.

Though the DAO trigger pull is longer and harder than SAO on that initial shot, follow-ups tend to be shorter and easier. DA also benefits from allowing the hammer to be decocked and then reactivated with a single pull of the trigger.

Bottom line? For many of a gun owner, there’s a special place in their hearts for a traditional SAO gun which can never be supplanted. At the end of the day, at least for me, it’s hard to beat a true blend of the two mechanisms with a DA/SA pistol for self-defense or home defense for this reason.

Check out all the handguns, rifles, and shotguns listed inside the Guns.com Vault and collection of Certified Used Firearms.

The post What is the Difference Between SAO and DAO Handguns? appeared first on Guns.com.

Can you slap a suppressor on a revolver and make it work? That’s a trick question. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The question of whether you can put a suppressor or silencer on a revolver is a loaded one that has a simple answer as well as a few exceptions to the rule.

The original Maxim Silencer Company, as far back as the 1910s, advertised and sold numerous types of suppressors along with a series of barrel couplings to accommodate a range of rifles and pistols. Left out of the equation at the time were wheel guns as the humble revolver did not lend itself well to having its sound signature moderated. This is because, in general, while a suppressor can help reduce (but not eliminate) the report of a gunshot by slowly dissipating the escaping gasses caught in the suppressor tube at the muzzle, the gap between a revolver’s cylinder and barrel’s forcing cone allows some gas to escape at the other end, thus defeating the purpose.

So, while you can thread the barrel of a revolver and attach a suppressor to it, the barrel-cylinder gap is still going to allow gas, and thus noise, to escape. This, of course, has not stopped Hollywood from extensively showing such fictional contraptions to be “twhip-twhip” silent in movies like The Sting and Desperado. Lee Marvin famously carried a whole series of suppressed roscoes in the 1964 film, The Killers, a crime flick that also featured future President Ronald Regan.

But…

Now that the rule is explained, there are, as with any rule, a few exceptions. With the problem in suppressing a revolver resting in the barrel-cylinder gap, finding a creative way to plug that gap can make a wheel gun a more effective suppressor platform. One such revolver is Emile Nagant’s series of gas-seal revolvers such as the Russian M1895.

This thing — a Nagant revolver. (Photo: Guns.com)

SEE M1895s AT GUNS.COM FROM $475

On the M1895, when the trigger is pulled the cylinder is not only rotated but also moved forward, so it comes very close to the forcing cone. Further, each chamber of the revolver is countersunk to mate with the barrel while the special 7.62x38Rmm ammunition used has a very deep-set bullet design. All this comes together to create a wonky action that cams the cylinder and barrel almost shut, thus nearly eliminating the gap that almost every other revolver has.

While Mr. Nagant engineered his creation this way to produce a mild boost in velocity for the otherwise anemic cartridge, it also had the unintentional side benefit of allowing these fairly common military classics to be suppressed — provided you can mate a suppressor to the barrel after threading it or using a coupler. The Soviets later figured this out and created what was known as the Brambit Device to convert an ordinary M1895 to a suppressed revolver. Moscow liked the concept so much they even used a version of the Brambit for their full-sized M91 rifles but that is a whole ‘nother story.

As a proof of concept, Utah-based SilencerCo has often trotted out a suppressed Nagant to trade shows over the years and has talked about the unique characteristics of the neat-o Russki wheel gun.

Yes, suppressed revolvers do exist. Kinda: A Nagant M1895 with a SilencerCo Omega 9K suppressor. Note how close the cylinder is to the barrel’s forcing cone at the point of firing.  (Photo: SilencerCo)

In more recent times, the Russians have fielded the OTs-38 suppressed revolver, an invention by Igor Stechkin that, like the M1895, uses a gas seal. Utilizing specialty ammo, it is reportedly very effective.

The OTs-38 Stechkin (Photo: Rosoboronexport)

American ingenuity

Not to let the Russians run away with this topic, it should be pointed out that a series of suppressed or otherwise low-noise revolvers have been fielded on this side of the pond for niche purposes. During the Vietnam conflict, tunnel rats needed an effective but muted gun (for obvious safety reasons – they were underground!), that was still short enough to move around Viet Cong tunnels.

In 1966, the Army made a half-dozen experimental tunnel rat kits that included a suppressed Smith & Wesson .38 with downloaded ammunition for use by these underground gladiators. Deemed a Tunnel Exploration Kit, the revolver came with a mouth/teeth bite-switch activated headlamp. However, these kits weren’t liked and weren’t all that silent due to the escaping gas from the cylinder.

Australian combat engineer assisting American forces in Vietnam with tunnel clearing operations Vietnam, Phuoc Tuy Province, 1966. Note S&W Smith Wesson suppressed revolver (Photo: Australian War Memorial)

Another attempted solution was the 1969-era Quiet Special Purpose Revolver, a converted Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 Magnum that was chambered for a very low power special .410-ish Quiet Special Purpose Round filled with 15 tungsten balls in a plastic sabot. Since the ammunition itself had about as much powder as a Fourth of July party popper, the gun was fitted with a short smoothbore barrel and did not need a suppressor. Just 75 were made and, though quickly withdrawn from Army use, were purportedly still utilized by SOG in places that never existed late into the war.

But wait, there’s more!

Back in the early 1990s, C. Reed Knight Jr.’s Knight’s Armament Co (KAC) of Vero Beach, Florida responded to a call from a government agency yet unnamed to produce a small and short-ranged suppressed rifle. Their answer was a unique weapon based upon a Ruger Super Red Hawk.

According to reports, Knight took a commercial Redhawk .44 Magnum and replaced the barrel with a 10-inch .30 caliber 1-in-9-inch right hand twist example that had a gap between the cylinder and the barrel of 0.005 inch. For comparison, a standard U.S. 10-cent piece is 0.053-inches thick. Over the barrel, a 6061 T6 aluminum suppressor tube 18.5-inches long was fitted. Then the whole affair was coated black, a bipod was fitted, and the result was a 36.5-inch long, 8.5-pound integrally suppressed revolver.

What round did it fire? Well, like the Nagant before it, the cartridge was very special. The gun made its first mention in the “gun rags” in the September 1992 issue of Soldier of Fortune magazine. The article went into extreme detail in the method of sealing the cartridge to prevent gas escaping and thus make it quieter:

“Screw-turned with a needle-sharp point, the bullet is encased in an aluminum piston with a black plastic front face seal. Both are loaded into a Federal .44 magnum case. Powered by an undisclosed propellant of undisclosed charge weight and upon ignition, the piston moves forward a small amount and its beveled face interfaces with the rear end of the barrel to seal the front cylinder gap. A rubber O-ring on the piston seals the case from propellant blow by, so that all of the propellant gas is driven into the sound suppressor attached to the barrel.”

KAC of course later went on to develop the suppressor for the SEALs MK25 pistol in 1996, as well as other innovations. And with that, consider the question of if you can suppress a revolver answered with a “No, but also, yes.”

The post Can You Put a Silencer on a Revolver? appeared first on Guns.com.

A Kansas City woman decided earlier this week that she’d had enough of the AR-15 she’s been storing in her home for a friend, so she decided to purchase it and then destroy it.

The post Kansas City Woman Buys AR-15 Just to Destroy It appeared first on GunsAmerica Digest.

In the newest episode of "No Interruption," Fox Nation host Tomi Lahren sat down with NRA Social Media Director Billy McLaughlin to discuss gun violence in America and his commitment to protecting the Second Amendment. Lahren explained that it was McLaughlin's recently published op-ed in the Washington Post that caught her attention.

The NRA is committed to the safe and lawful use of firearms by those exercising their Second Amendment freedoms.

The post NRA Statement on Texas, Ohio Tragedies appeared first on GunsAmerica Digest.

Springfield Armory has just announced a compact carbine variant of their M1A-pattern rifle called the "Tanker" inspired by WWII carbines.

The post Springfield Armory Announces ‘Tanker’ M1A appeared first on GunsAmerica Digest.