Editorial

I admit I was miffed when the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) opened a computer case I checked as baggage to Las Vegas for the SHOT Show back in January. The case and contents were a load — a 38-pound Pelican 1730 transport case with a 27-inch iMac in it. I prefer to use a desktop machine to update the Gun Tests Facebook page, YouTube page, website, and new-product files when I'm at SHOT for a week. I've done the jobs with a laptop before, and I admit, it's much easier to carry-on a smaller machine. But once it's set up, the full-size iMac is heaven while we're processing words, photos, and movies for our various media in a hurry. In previous years, I had shipped my back-up iMac 27 in its original box a few days prior, so I hadn't had to wrestle what I lovingly refer to as the Pig Box through airport check in. I call it that because the Pelican is big enough (37.5 x 27.1 x 14.4 inches) to hold a whole pig. Oh yes, extra weight and size charges apply.

Dury's Gun Shop, which supplies FFL services and guns for Gun Tests Contributing Editor Ralph Winingham in San Antonio, has partnered with Tom Gresham of Gun Talk Radio to create a limited run of 1,000 GT20 pistols, which are SIG Sauer P220 10mm handguns. Price is $1400. All GT20s will come with a SIG Sauer hard case and two eight-round magazines. Additional accessories can be purchased from Dury's and shipped directly to you with the purchase of your one-of-a-kind GT20 pistol. Shipping will only be $25 for the GT20 and free for all additional accessories ordered.

A significant court ruling happened in late December 2014, in the case of Tyler v. Hillsdale Co. Sheriffs Dept. The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit determined that a prohibition on firearms possession for persons who have been committed to a mental institution was unconstitutional. In its opinion, the court examined the Gun Control Acts categorical prohibition on firearms possession for persons who have sought or received mental care.

Remington is voluntarily recalling Remington Model 887 shotguns manufactured from December 1, 2013 to November 24, 2014. The company has determined that some Remington Model 887 shotguns manufactured between those dates may have a defect causing the firing pin to bind in the forward position within the bolt, which can result in an unintentional discharge when chambering a live round.
While Remington has the utmost confidence in the design of the 887 shotgun, the company is undertaking this recall in the interest of consumer safety, a statement said.
Remington has also corrected the manufacturing process to eliminate this potential firing-pin problem in shotguns manufactured after November 24, 2014. Shotguns manufactured after November 24, 2014 will also have the distinguishing punch mark on the bolt like models repaired under the recall described below.

I stayed up late on November 4 to watch the election returns come in. In particular, I was watching the Senate races because if the Republicans took control of both houses of Congress, then the chances of national gun-control legislation passing would drop to nil for the next couple of years. Things went very well.

As a result of the NRA's efforts in the 2014 elections, candidates endorsed by the NRA Political Victory Fund won hard-fought victories in Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Iowa, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. The NRA was likewise pivotal in re-electing pro-gun governors in Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Texas and Wisconsin, and in ousting a Bloomberg-backed anti-gun governor in Maryland. In addition, the NRA had great success in races for the U.S. House.

Gun Tests wants to give our readers some background information on changes the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives made to Form 4473 in April 2012. You may have noticed the changes yourself and wondered why the new questions suddenly appeared. On the form, two questions added in 2012 break down the buyers ethnicity and race in parts 10a and 10b. First, in 10.a., buyers must identify themselves as Hispanic or Latino or Not Hispanic or Latino. Then, in 10.b., the buyer is directed to check one or more boxes, with the choices being: American Indian or Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, or White.

The United States District Court for the Eastern District of California issued an opinion in August holding that Californias 10-day waiting period for nearly all firearm sales violates the Second Amendment, at least as applied to individuals who have already purchased firearms.

In early August, the NRAs Institute for Legislative Action released a substantial explanation of how the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) had recently disavowed its list of so-called high risk merchant categories, which had come to light as part of a Department of Justice program called Operation Choke Point. We reported on that effort to restrict financial services for firearms and ammunition business in the July issue.

Beginning next month, online giant Google plans to block firearms, ammunition, and gun-accessory ads. On Googles Dangerous Products or Services page, a company statement reads, This is a preview of the upcoming Policy Center. The policies here will not go into effect until around September and are subject to change. To see the policies in effect until then, visit the current Policy Center.

Ive learned that the Pentagon is set to destroy more than $1 billion worth of excess or surplus ammo. But I have good news! Theres no need to do that: Ill take it. Okay, okay, not all $1 billion. But because Im a helpful guy, Ill take $100 million. That should fill the Gun Tests ammo depot for a year, maybe 18 months if were careful.

You have to have a suitable handgun for personal defense - one that fits your hand, is reliable and effective, and that fits your needs. The same is true of a holster. The primary reason permit holders do not carry on a 24-hour basis is because of comfort. A handgun and the load-bearing holster should be comforting and as comfortable as possible. We tend to go through a number of holsters before finding the right fit. That can get expensive!Recently, a reader took us to task over our extensive coverage of IWB holsters. He said that not everyone can tolerate an inside-the-waistband holster. Despite the advantages in concealed carry, the IWB requires the trousers be purchased an inch larger in size, and most shooters are not willing to revamp their entire wardrobe when obtaining their CWP, he says. Others simply cannot acclimate to the design.The outside-the-waistband holster has many advantages, including speed and security. Some will wear a high-riding OWB and a pulled-out sports shirt and have the same concealment with the OWB as the IWB but with greater comfort. While we believe the IWB has advantages when maximum concealment is needed, there are times when the OWB can be concealed. If you can do that, you are ahead of the game in speed and comfort.In this two-part installment, we cover more than 20 holsters of the OWB type including specialized alternatives to the IWB. As always, we gauged them on a few important attributes. The handgun cannot shift in the holster. The holster cannot sag on the belt, so it must be properly fitted to the belt. The holster must be tight against the body for concealed carry, but it cannot give you a punch in the kidney when you hit a speed bump in the road or step off of a curb. The gun must present the proper grip angle for a rapid presentation from concealment. The trigger guard must be covered. The holster must be well made of good material.While most of our testers prefer a concealment holster without retention straps, we included some with thumb-break retention or other devices. Quite a few experienced raters are adamant about their choices. One deemed the thumb break a suicide strap and another would not use a holster without a thumb break of some type. The majority prefer the open top holster.

In the past we have remarked on these pages that the Ruger No. 1 has a few problems. In fact, it has had no further development since its introduction back in 1967. Bill Ruger copied the graceful Alexander Henry single-shot falling-block design of the 1870s and also the look of the opening lever, and internal hammer of the Farquharson. The Henry stock, of course, was the inspiration for the notch in the forend on Ruger's Tropical No. 1. The new Ruger single shot was a huge success, yet for some reason neither Bill Ruger nor anyone in charge of the company has taken it upon himself to do anything more with the fine No. 1 except to continue producing it, flaws and all, ever since its introduction. There have most likely been production changes along the way to either improve the rifle's strength or its manufacturing ease, but as to its finer points, there has been exactly no progress. Until now.

We decided to wring out a Ruger No. 1 Tropical in 400 Jeffery caliber (aka 450/400 3"), and make whatever improvements we could on it, things that long ago we think Ruger ought to have addressed. We were not able to do all the things we wanted, as you'll see, but we did make some improvements. Here, then, is our report.