Richard Johnson is an American author, editor and entrepreneur.
A former police officer and trainer, he left public service and founded Tac6 Media, LLC.
Richard is a prolific writer with hundreds of articles related to firearms and law enforcement published by Harris Publications, Athlon Outdoors, NRA, Police & Security News, The Firearm Blog, Human Events and more.
He currently consults with clients who need online publication management, editorial services, content production and organic traffic acquisition through search engine optimization.
Ruger announced two new SP101 revolvers. Both SP101 revolvers are larger, target-sized revolvers featuring longer barrels and fiber optic sights when compared to the standard SP101 handguns.
The two new Ruger revolvers are very similar in appearance and demensions. The first is chambered in the classic .357 Magnum cartridge, while the second new model is chambered in the ubiquitous .22 LR. Capacity on the Magnum is five rounds, while the rimfire will hold eight cartridges.
Rolling out in 2012 is the Winchester Razorback XT line of ammunition designed for hog hunting. Initially, the Razorback XT will be loaded in .223 and .308. The .223 will use a 64 grain bullet with a muzzle velocity of 3020 fps. The .308 load will use a 150 grain bullet with a velocity of 2810 fps.
Two thoughts. First, hunting wild pigs is really catching on, and it is nice to see the industry keeping up with the needs of their customers. The Razorback XT might be the first line specifically developed for hogs, but I don’t think it will be the last. Hog hunting is becoming hugely popular, and I can say it is both an enjoyable and needed activity. Feral hogs are really causing problems in many areas of the country, and turning them into ham and bacon is a great way to spend the day. Feed your family with these pests!
If I recall correctly, I got to see a .32 NAA version of the Diamondback pistol at the 2011 Media Day at the Range. Diamondback published this video of a barrel conversion for the DB380.
If you aren’t familiar with the .32 NAA, it is a bottle neck pistol cartridge that uses a necked-down .380 ACP case. Generally, the .32 NAA cartridges will use the same .380 magazines, so a simple barrel change is all one needs to run the new ammo in the gun. It works a lot like the .357 SIG/.40 S&W barrel swaps.
Introducing the Kahr CM40: a compact, and affordable, new pistol chambered in .40 S&W. According to Kahr, the CM40 is an extension of the CM-series of pistols that was introduced in 2011.
The Kahr CM40 has a 3″ barrel and weighs less than 18 ounces with the magazine. The pistols are thin: only 0.94″ wide.
The magazines have flush fitting floorplates, and hold five rounds for a total capacity of six. I would expect that Kahr will introduce an extended magazine that will hold six rounds (for a total of seven) later in the year, but that is pure speculation on my part.
The sights use the dot/bar configuration and are large enough for real use.
The SIG SAUER P290 will have a new trigger system soon, according to Jeff Creamer, the company’s Director of Product Management. Talking to Tom Gresham on the nationally syndicated radio show, GunTalk, Creamer said the new P290 trigger system will be a “true” double-action-only (DAO) system with a “second strike” capability.
The current generation of SIG P290 uses a trigger that is pre-cocked DAO instead of a traditional DAO. According to Creamer, another benefit to the new trigger system is a lighter pull-weight: 7.5 pounds instead of about 9 pounds. Nice.
The “second strike” capability allows the shooter to pull the trigger a second (or third, fourth or fifth) time if the gun fails to fire. With many semi-auto firearms, pulling the trigger a second time will never fire the weapon, because the gun did not cycle causing the firing system to reset. With a trigger system like what will be in the new P290, pulling the trigger resets the firing system and allows the firing pin another whack at the ammunition.