G PER CKHAWI ar 806· McGrew 05 o I 73595 67522 00 YOU own a 6E ® Blackhawk or Single·SiX®revolver like Ihis1 RUger 'Old MOdeI' Single-ACtion RevOlver Manufactured 1953-1912 so, Ruger wants to give YOU, and Install FREE, aunique new Improvement .'.. 11th the lonollna parts removed: This conversion Will nol: • Alter the frame or other components of your revolver. • Affect the external appearance of your revolver. • Detract in any way from the basic simplicity and utility of these classic single-action 1. revolvers. I ThiS conversion will: r:i lUI • Give you many of the convenience, durability, and safety features of the patented Ruger t New Model single·action revolvers made since 1973. • Help prevent accidental discharges caused by a blow to the hammer if the user has failed "OLD MODEL" RU8ER SIN8LE·ACTION PARTS to take the basic safety precaution of keeping an empty chamber under the hammer. We honestly believe this to be one of the most important firearms inventions ever offered by our company. While we are proud of the over one and one quarter million "old model" Ruger Single-Six, Blackhawk, and Super Blackhawk revolvers produced from 1953 to 1972, we want to see them equipped with this valuable improvement and offer to perform this simple conversion for our customers at no' cost. \,-. To ensure correct fitting, this system must be installed at our factory. To re­ ceive this free Conversion, write to us at the address below. We will provide you 11111 with a shipping container and instructions. You pay only initial shipping charges to our factory-the Conversion is free and we will pay return shipping costs. Do not IUIEI SINILE·ACTION CONY£ISION PARTS send your "(lId model" Ruger single-action revolver until you receive specific ship­ (Patent Appllld for) ping instructions. This offer may be withdrawn at our discretion by December, 1983 copyright 1982 by Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. RUGER, SINGLE·SIX, and BLACKHAWK are U.S. registered trademarks FREE CATALOGS AND INSTRUCTION MANUALS WHICH CONTAIN APPROPRIATE WARNINGS AND ADVICE FOR THE USE OF ALL MODELS OF RUGER FIREARMS ARE AVAILABLE FROM THE FACTORY ON REQUEST STURM~ RUGER & ~ompany~ Ine. ! Lacey Place, Dept. OM Southport, Connecticut 06490 U. S. A. ALL RUGER FIREARMS ARE DESIGNED AND MANUFACTURED IN RUGER FACTORIES IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA MAY/JUNE, 1982, Vol. 7, No. 34 FlATU Brand New! MASTER TIPS, Jon Winokur ............... 19 COVER: Coroville's D.A. unit for the .45 aulo and some of their Shooting tips to make you a winner accessories. Photo by Nick Karras ELECTRO-FILM, Karl Bosselmann .. 30 New and old combine for a new gun finish FBI MODEL 13 S&W, Dick Aaron ; 32 STAFF Heavy barrel 3-inch'er is a hit GEORGE E. VON ROSEN, Publisher GUNMAKING IN LLAMA-LAND, J.D. Jones :. .. 34 JEROME RAKUSAN, Editorial Director New auto pistols and revolvers SYDNEY BARKER, Art Director BREN TEN, AH Staff 36 JOE ROSS, Art Assistant RICHARD DOWDY, Art Assistant on Betting Cooper's baby TOM HOLLANDER, Circulation Director REPEATING UNLIMITED, J. Rader 37 STEVE LIPSKY, Advertising Sales An XP with a magazine BOB CUSICK. Advertising sales LASER SIGHTS, 'Massad Ayoob 38 latest in low enforcement tools NATIONAL ADV. OFFICE: Bob Cusick, Adver­ CUSTOM GUN OF THE MONTH 40 tising Sales Manager, 591 Camino de la Reina, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92108 (714) by Bob Win this custom Ruger Blackhawk McGrew 297-8520 COLT NEW SERVICE TARGET, Bob Murphy 42 WEST COAST REPS.: Media sales Associates, Bill Hague, Rick Ayer, 26944 Camino de big guns The history behind these Estrella, Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 (714) INFLATION & THE HANDLOADER, Claud Hamilton 45 661-2423 EAST COAST ADV. REPS.: Buchmayr Associ­ lower the high cost of shooting ates, 19 Birch Rd., Darien, CT 06820 (203) THE EAGLE, AH Staff . ... 49 655-1639. Preview of a new auto pistol AMERICAN HANDGUNNER (ISN 0145-4250) is published bi-monthly by Publishers Development Corp., 591 Camino de CARAVILLE ARMS, Greg Moats .. 50 la Reina. San Diego, CA 92108. Second class postage paid at D.A. for San Diego. CA 92108, and at additional mailing offices. Sub­ Drop-in kit the 1911 scriptions: One year (6 issues) $9.95. Single monthly copies $2.00. Change Of Address: Four weeks' notice required on J MICHAEL PLAXCO, Ken Hackathorn 54 all changes. Send old address as well as new. Contributors sUbmitting manuscripts. photographs or drawings do so at Profile of a pistolsmith their own risk. Material cannot be returned unless accom­ panied by sufficient postage. Payment will be made at rates current at time of publication and will cover reproduction in any or all AMERICAN HANDGUNNER Magazine editions. Advertising rates furnished on request. Reproduction or use of any portion of this magazine in any manner, without written permission, is prohibited. All rights reserved. Title to this pub­ DEPARTMENTS lication passes to subscriber only on delivery to his address. SUBSCRIPTION PROBLEMS: For Immediate action write to AMERICAN HANDGUNNER. Attention Donna Maass-591 Camino de la Reina, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92108 or ell (714) 297-8524. Ask for Donna Maass or Tom Hollander. COP TALK, Massad Ayoob .................................. .. 6 INDUSTRY INSIDER, J. Rakusan 10 PISTOLSMITHING, John G. Lawson 12 HANDGUN RELOADING, Dan Cotterman 14 SILUETAS, Philip Briggs 16 HANDGUN HUNTING, J.D. Jones 20 SIGHT SETTINGS, Lucy Chambliss. ................... 22 COMBAT COURSE, Stanley Trzoniec 24 SPEAK OUT 57 WHAT'S NEW 62 HANDGUN MARKET 72 4 AMERICAN HANDGUNNER . MAY / JUNE 1982 vision, P.O. Box 122, Concord, NH 03301) five different flashlight techniques. These coprAUC include the FBI Method, the Cirillo Method, the Chapman Method, the Har­ ries (IPSC) Method, and my own tech­ MASSAD AYOOB nique. As you might suspect, I favor the Ayoob technique. In the Ayoob Method, the gun is thrust forward in one hand and the flashlight in QUESTIONS FROM OUR READERS AND the other; hands meet at base of thumb and are in a symmetrical position. This STRAIGHTFORWARD ANSWERS FROM••• somewhat reduces recoil, but mainly, it points the flashlight slightly upward, auto­ matically directing the beam into the eyes of a man within fifteen to seven yards, fficer Survival remains an important celes) position. In this stance, the body be­ blinding him. The spillover of the beam O issue today, and it engenders a lot of comes a gun turret that rotates at the hips. onto the chest area is more than sufficient questions. Here are some of the latest Both arms are locked straight out in front to silhouette the sights for a "flash sight we've received that are of general law en­ of the officer, forming an isosceles triangle picture" if the officer chooses not to fire forcement interest. with his chest. It'is important to teach the from a "point" position. NIGHT SHOOTING METHODS officer to lock his entire upper body, Night sights, typified by the Santiago Our department hasjust given us author­ including the neck. Day-Nite Site and the T-Sight, are excel­ ization to put together a night shooting pro­ When the officer hears a sound in the lent for accurate fire in the dark. However, gram. Sinceyou get aroundpretty much and dark (ie, a gunshot fired at him), it is they do not replace the flashlight, which al­ see a lot ofthe techniques, what do youfavor human instinct for him to turn toward that lows you to positively identify your target for (1) best training method ofnight shoot­ sound. If his neck is locked with his torso, before you pull the trigger. ing without illumination, and (2) firing tech­ and his arms are locked in the turret posi­ niques with the flashlight? A Iso, how good tion, his eyes will lock in on the sound, and SAFE CARRY OF POLICE are the self-illuminating nightsights on the his gun will now be pointed in the exact ASSAULT RIFLE street? same place. This hold is devastatingly ac­ I'm a rural police officer, and the more I Southern Range Officer curate within seven to fifteen yards. look at it, the more a .223 assault rifle makes Taking your questions in order, you'll Flashlights? I teach students in my sense instead ofa 12-gauge shotgun. In the get the best results in night-firing without a Lethal Threat Management courses (open open spaces where I work, the distance be­ light source ifyou teach your officers to fire to police only, through the Defensive Tac­ tween me and an ambusher would probably from the McGee Turret (Fairbairn isos- tics Institute, Police Firearms Training Di- COlltillued 011 page 28 9-SHOT WESTERNS ward off rust and all-around These superior side loading and ejecting abuse. 22LR western-style rim fires look as If you are looking for one of the though they are old classic hog legs toughest. most durable rim fire re­ straight out of the pages of our frontier volvers in the style of the old West. history, In reality they are one of H&R's the Model 949 and Model 950 are most modern, up-to-date single and dou­ your best bets, because for ble action revolvers with all the advan­ over a hundred years tages of today's technology that American crafts­ includes our dependable, virtually un­ men at breakable. coil spring construction-plus H&R have the advantages of a 9-shot cylinder. Our 9-shots have 51jz" barrels. western-type big blade front sights and windage adjustable rear sights. com­ fortable 2-piece frontier-style walnut finished hardwood grips and your choice of. blue or nickel finishes. The Model 949's barrel. cylinder, ejector rod hous- For complete, ing and trigger guard is H&R Crown Lus- detailed full color tre blue-the frame, satin blue, The been designing and building firearms of catalog on all H&R Model 950 is finished in our tough H&R exceptional quality and accuracy for products-and the Hard-Guard electro-less nickel process American sportsmen at affordable famous orange and black H&R that penetrates the pores of the prices-and, you can get them at your woven jacket patch, send $2 to metal, adds hardness and helps dealer's today! Dept.