3 Guns from SHOT Show

Last week was the annual Shooting, Hunting, and Outdoor Trade (SHOT) Show. To give you an idea of what it’s like, just imagine a chocolate lover getting to spend the week in Willy Wonka’s factory.

Over 1,600 companies exhibited this year and there were over 65,000 attendees. I divided my time between work and checking out new products, especially the new guns.

Like everyone at SHOT, I checked out the new Glock 42, which is chambered in .380. I’m a huge Glock fan and own multiple Glocks. One of the guns I carry most often is a Glock 19. However, I’m not impressed with the Glock 42 and wished they would have made it smaller, more along the lines of the Ruger LCP.

Like many folks have said, if I wanted to carry a gun that size I’d just carry a 9mm. But despite what I think, I’m sure the gun will sell like crazy and hopefully Glock will come out with a smaller version in the future.

I was more impressed with the Beretta Pico, which is also a .380.  

The Beretta Pico has been on the cover of almost every gun magazine known to man, but is still not available for sale. I’ve been told the Pico will be available to the public around April.

What I like about the Pico is that it’s about the same size as the LCP and it comes with real sights. It felt great in my hand and I look forward to shooing one when I get the chance. If all goes well, the Pico may replace my LCP as my new favorite pocket gun.

Another gun that impressed me during SHOT was the Beretta ARX100. This is Beretta’s new version of the modern sporting rifle. In other words, it’s trying to replace the AR-15 as the rifle of the future.

The first thing I noticed when I picked up the ARX100 was how much lighter it is than my AR. Most of the ARX100 is polymer, which is why it was light and why it would be more comfortable to carry in the field or at a multiple day rifle course.

With the ARX100, you have the ability to change barrels to multiple calibers. Eventually, you’ll be able to swap out barrels and be able shoot 5.56, .308, and .300 Blackout.

And if you happen to be a lefty, you’ll love the fact that the charging handle on the gun can be moved from one side to the other very easily. The Beretta salesman showed me how to move it in about 10 seconds.

Unfortunately, like the Pico, the ARX100 isn’t available yet. I was told it should also be ready around the April timeframe and this may be the next rifle I add to my arsenal.

Of course, there were dozens more guns released this year, but these were three of the most popular. If you have the chance to attend next year’s SHOT Show, I highly recommend it. But, do yourself a favor before you go inside and give yourself a limit on how much money you’ll spend (trust me on this one.)

No More Gun Rentals?

The other day, a friend of mine called me and said, “guess what just happened to me at the gun store?”

Apparently, he went to a store in Utah to rent a few guns before deciding on a new gun to purchase. I think this is a great idea and I always recommend renting a bunch of guns to make sure you end up buying one that feels good in your hand and one you’ll actually carry.

Well, when my friend got to the counter to rent the guns, the clerk asked him if anyone could vouch for his mental capacity within the last 24 hours. My friend thought the guy was joking, but the clerk made him call someone and verify he hadn’t been drinking, doing drugs, and wasn’t suicidal.

After the clerk had spoken to someone, he ended up renting my friend the guns. Obviously, this screening method is nonsense because my friend could have called anyone up to “vouch” for him. But it sounds like the store owner has been talking to a lawyer who probably advised him on this tactic to limit his liability.

In Florida, several gun stores have taken it a step further and have stopped renting guns altogether. One Florida store owner will still rent guns to people, except white males…

 “We don’t rent to any white male Florida resident who comes in alone. In the past 30 years, we’ve never had a suicide that wasn't a white male Florida resident who came in alone. They don’t want to mess up their families’ homes, so they do it here.”

The fact is, the vast majority of new shooters end up renting guns while learning about the sport. This saves them a lot of money during the time they’re deciding which gun they want. If more gun stores around the nation stop renting guns, forcing everyone who wants to try shooting to bring their own gun with them, then fewer people will be able to try shooting and realize how enjoyable it is.

I realize that store owners don’t want suicides in their ranges and I certainly can’t blame them, but there has to be a better way to prevent this. I don’t think discontinuing gun rentals is the answer because, as I just mentioned, there will be untold amounts of people who will never learn how to responsibly use firearms and how to protect themselves with a firearm.

Also, based on the statistics I read, the amount of suicides at ranges across the country is miniscule. However, it seems some store owners have overreacted based on this small percentage of people.

I don’t know what the solution to this predicament is but I am sure it’s not to stop renting guns altogether. The last thing we want to do is to stop encouraging people to learn how to protect themselves and to support the Second Amendment.

Double action or double/single action gun?

One of my favorite times of year will be here soon – the annual SHOT Show in Las Vegas. This year, like every other, there will be firearm manufacturers releasing dozens of new guns and I’ll walk through their booths wishing I were a billionaire, just like I do every year.

Some of these guns will be double action only (AKA striker-fired, safe action), while others will be double/single action. I know that a lot of folks, especially new shooters, aren’t exactly sure what the difference is so I’d like to try and make it a little clearer today.

The two guns that I use often for concealed carry are a Glock 19 and Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm. Both of these guns are double action only. This means there’s no exposed hammer and that the trigger pull is the same every single time you pull the trigger. Double action only is rather simplistic, as you can see.

An example of a double/single action gun is the Beretta 92FS.

The first time you fire the gun, the hammer is down so you’ll be firing the gun in double action mode. This means you will have a longer trigger pull for the first shot. Once you fire this first shot, the gun cycles, which causes the hammer to remain in the cocked position instead of going down again. So, when you fire your second shot you will have a much lighter and shorter trigger pull because the hammer is already cocked the majority of the way.

The critical thing to remember with double/single action guns is that every time you’re done firing and are getting ready to put the gun back in the holster, you need to use the decocking lever. This decocker lowers the hammer back down into double action mode. In other words, for safety purposes, you don’t want to have the gun in your holster in single action mode.

When it comes to the two types of guns, the huge debate between shooters centers around the trigger pull. You see, some shooters want to have their trigger pull be exactly the same every time, while other shooters don’t care that their first shot is a longer trigger pull because then they get to single action mode and a shorter trigger pull.

There is, of course, no right or wrong answer when it comes to which type of action is best. It all comes down to personal preference. If you do decide to carry a double/single, remember to practice shooting the gun the way you carry it. I know a lot of shooters who “cheat” and only fire in single action mode when they’re practicing. But you need to practice coming out of the holster and firing the first shot double action and the rest in single action, just as it would be in a real gunfight.

And again, be safe if you carry a double/single action gun and don’t forget to lower your decocking lever before you holster or when you’re done firing a string of shots.

If all this talk has you totally confused don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it seems. Simply try both double and double/single action guns to see which one you prefer. You just might surprise yourself.