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In European countries, it is not unusual for police to work with a dog on a leash. That is one reason why many Euro-pistols favor single-hand operation.

The XD9 is a simple pistol. It has a polymer frame with an accessory rail in front of the trigger guard and button magazine release available from both sides of the pistol. There was no active mechanical safety that switches the gun off or on, but there was a lever located in the center of the backstrap that must be compressed for the gun to fire.

There is also a lever inside the face of the trigger that must be compressed to clear the striker. The slide was topped with three-dot sights dovetailed into place front and rear. Cocking serrations adorn the slide fore and aft. Field-stripping begins with removing the magazine and locking the back the slide. This all but guarantees the chamber is empty. A latch on the left side of the frame is rotated clockwise 90 degrees. The slide can now be released, but before the slide can be completely removed, the trigger (with the grip safety compressed) must be pulled to the rear. Under the slide we found a dual-spring plunger-style guide rod and the barrel.

Louisville, KY—McCain: Gun rights are an important issue, and I wanted to share with you some highlights of the speech I delivered today at the National Rifle Association annual meeting. I think they will give you some good insight into my strong belief in the Second Amendment.

Gun Reports will submit a list of 10 firearms-related questions to the campaigns of John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama to discern who's the best gun-rights candidate.

The trial concerns a civil lawsuit trial beginning May 27 against Georgia gun dealer Jay Wallace, proprietor at Adventure Outdoors. The city alleges Adventure Outdoors is responsible for a disproportionate number of the firearms recovered from criminals in New York City.

The National Rifle Association's Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program will be celebrating its 20th anniversary in Louisville, Kentucky, this week.

Designed for legal conceal-carry, Charter Arms' 327 Fed Mag Patriot features 6-shot capacity and a 2.2-inch barrel, slick target front ramp and groove channel fixed sights.

…Southwick Associates has announced the brands and products that hunters and shooters preferred most in 2007. This list has been compiled from the 19,288 surveys that hunters and target shooters returned from HunterSurvey.com and TargetshootingSurvey.com last year.

Browning has announced sizable rebates on two of its top-selling shotgun lines. The company will rebate $100 on any new 12 or 20 ga. Browning Gold Shotgun purchased between December 1, 2007 and November 30, 2008. The offer excludes 10 gauge models, Silver Hunter shotguns, and any shotguns won at fund-raising banquets or similar events. …

FinalCall.com is reporting that New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin kicked off a series of closed-door sessions in Baton Rouge to encourage state legislators, in part, to curb access to what he called 'assault weapons.' Banning assault weapons is one of his legislative priorities for sessions that began April 2 and could last until late June. …

ANOKA, Minn. – Federal Premium has partnered with Ruger to introduce a new personal defense revolver cartridge designed to deliver 357 Magnum ballistics out of a 32-caliber diameter platform—and with 20-percent less recoil.

April 9, 2008—Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. has recalled Ruger SR9 pistols manufactured between October 2007 and April 2008. Problem: Under certain conditions, the pistols can fire if dropped with their manual safeties in the 'off' or 'fire' position and a round in the chamber. The pistols will not fire if the manual safety is in the 'on' or 'safe' position. …

Wal-Mart has agreed to adopt a 10-point retailing system pushed by the anti-gun group Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Wal-Mart, the largest seller of firearms in the nation, cooperated in the drafting of and adopted what the Mayors Against Illegal Guns group calls the Responsible Firearms Retailer Partnership. …