Some recent releases and ads have shown me that we’re not only moving forward, but we’ve not forgotten how we got here.
For example, Smith & Wesson has teamed with Davidson’s for a distributor’s exclusive – an old-looking revolver that’s in an upgraded caliber: The Model 20 (formerly the Heavy Duty, meant to handle the 38/44 heavy loaded 38 Special rounds in the 1930s), now in 357 Magnum.
Top image from Davidson’s. Below, the ‘revolver rescue’ S&W Heavy Duty pre-M20, refurbished by the S&W Performance Center.
With fixed sights, a six-inch barrel and premium rosewood stocks, this slender-barreled cannon weighs in at a feathery 39 ounces – for an N-frame revolver. My HD has a pre-1953 serial number and was rescued with a bulged barrel. Fellow gun crank Mike Rafferty saw that Numrich/Gun Parts Corp. had “in-the-white” 38/44 HD barrels. Tony Miele, then at the S&W Performance Center, saw the neat factor and I now have a “new” 38/44 Heavy Duty revolver. It’d be fun to compare the two, but I’m just glad that Davidson’s and S&W got together on this.
Precision-shooting types have always sought any advantage in their goal to plug the X-ring. One of the good-news/bad-news aspects of match shooting is the sun. You can’t find, identify and hit the target in the dark but the sun in the wrong spot relative to the eye-target line is no friend either.
David Wilson, a member of the Black Coyote Rifle Team, was fighting sun glare at Camp Perry in 2019. In desperation, he put a sweat rag on the brim of his hat. That began the development of the Black Coyote Sunshade, now available from White Oak Armament.
White Oak Armament image.
This is a sun shade that attaches to the brim of the cap, made of quilted fabric. Self-fastening straps secure around the user’s head to block glare and “peripheral distractions.” The sun shade doesn’t interfere with ear pro and can be folded and stowed in a pocket when not needed.
For match shooters, it’s worth the $29.95 price.
Dutch Harbor Brands image.
Cleanliness is a good idea; good for the artillery and good for health. I recently saw a release from Dutch Harbor Brands about a “single-step, military-inspired tactical line of wipes.” The Israeli-American Dutch Harbor Brandsannounced their EREZ Tactical Firearm Wipes.
With lint-free fabric permeated in “MIL-SPEC MIL-PRF-32033 (NATO-O190) Lubricating Oil,” a wipe coats and protects working firearms. The textured cloth is made to get into tight spots and the lube protects metal from moisture damage.
The company announced the pending launch of EREZ Tactical Lead Removing Body Wipes, a smart idea to get dirt, lead residue and metal dust off your skin without the use of harsh chemicals.
Our friends at Fix It Sticks haven’t slowed down – they’re offering some new handgun tools.
Fix It Sticks image.
If you have GLOCK pistols that still have the plastic sights and you need to do field adjustments (not sight installations) at the range for various shooters, the Fix It Sticks Field Pistol Sight Tool is a good choice. It helps make sight adjustments in the field to help a shooter or to correct misalignment after a bump or a drop. There’s a laser engraved scale to help fine tune the adjustments. The tool collapses for storage in the range bag.
Add to this, the new custom bits for GLOCK pistols. The front sight bit is a 3/16" Hex thin wall nut driver. An integrated magnet helps hold the sight screw in place while replacing the front sight. It fits any standard ¼” bit driver. Using it with Fix It’s 6 in-lb torque limiter is a smart move.
The other bit is a 3/32” metal pin punch bit. Like the front sight bit, it works with ¼” bit drivers.
A recent call from an industry insider wandered away from the caller’s intent – it happens with old friends – and his take on current firearms trends was interesting.
He’s finding, as many of us have, that the AR-15/AK boom, post-Sunset (of the 1994 “Bill’s Crime” prohibition on ugly guns) is well past its zenith. What’s on the way up? – In his experience, lever-guns, single shot rifles and revolvers.
There are some who’d disagree, but I’ve seen anecdotal indications that there’s currently more movement into those areas.
The precision bolt action rifle is getting more consumer attention too, it seems.
We’ll see.
— Rich Grassi
