Viewpoints

Reader Bill Vogel recently had a question that periodically requires explanation. He said:

I have just subscribed and received my first issue. I have a question. I understand what Dont Buy means. But what is the difference between Buy It, Buy, and Conditional Buy?

Buy It and Buy are two ways of saying the same thing. Most often, our rankings take the imperative verb form of a recommendation, such as on page 24 in this issue. There, we write, Springfield Armory MilSpec 1911A1, $682. Buy It. But we could have just as easily have written, Springfield Armory MilSpec 1911A1, $682. We would Buy this gun....

Conditional Buy means there is some condition...

Mak Roundup
I am concerned mainly about the Makarov testing. I have never owned a Bulgarian Makarov, but I have heard excellent reports of their dependability. I know you have tested these twice and you say the safety/decocker came loose on both. Did anyone on your staff disassemble then re-assemble these Makarovs? I have owned an East German surplus Makarov for several years. It is my main ccw carry gun.

My East German Mak has at least 4,000 rounds through it with absolutely no malfunctions, no jams, no problems of any kind.

-Don Boyd
Port Richey, FL

We inspected the gun without disassembly and oiled it as best we could. -Roger Eckstine

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ARMING PILOTS
Youll have to hurry to make a deadline set by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) requesting public comments on the issue of airline pilots carrying firearms and flight deck crewmembers carrying less-than-lethal weapons on board commercial aircraft.

Provisions of the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA) would authorize the arming of pilots if certain approvals are granted.The deadline for comments is February 14, 2002, and comments must be identified by Docket No. FAA-2001-111229. Comments can be faxed to the Department of Transportation at (202) 267-5075, or can be filed by e-mail through the FAAs Web site at w...

Correction
In the January 2002 issue, text was missing from the review of .22 lever action rifles. The missing material is as follows:

To assess their accuracy across a range of ammo quality, we shot the guns with rimfire lots from PMC Zapper, Fiocchi Super Match, Eley Tenex, Federals Gold Metal Ultra Match, Federal Classic, and American Eagle. Heres how each product performed:

Browning BL 22
The Browning Model BL 22, catalog number 12064, carries a suggested retail price of $345.95. Our test sample came with a Western-style straight-grain walnut stock with no checkering and a high gloss polyurethane finish. Wood-to-metal fit was excellent on the guns two-pi...

At Gun Tests, we place a great premium on reader feedback. Because were subscription-driven, and not supported by advertising revenue, our readers are our lifeblood, so its important for me to stay plugged in to how our articles are perceived and received.

Thus, it helps me when a reader like Dan Dawley of Stockbridge, Vermont, writes in to comment on how he thinks were delivering the tough, critical product evaluations the GT brands stands for. Heres what he said:

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Greetings. To start off, I would like to thank you for producing a magazine that is one of each months most-looked-forward-to mail deliveries. For years now, I have read [other gun magazines] and will continue...

Kel-Tec Misfires
I think one important point missed on the shooting qualities of the Kel-Tec P-32 (October 2001) is the fact that if one experiences a misfire, no attempt can be made to try and re-fire the round, because, unlike the other Kel-Tec pistols, the hammer is disconnected from the trigger after the initial pull. In an emergency, one must immediately pull the slide to the rear to eject the misfire and jack a new round in the chamber.

-Bob Caulkins
Brunswick, GA

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I am glad you had good luck with the Kel-Tec P32 you tested. I and several people I know have not had such good experiences. My P32 would not go two magazines without a jam.

The gunsmi...

MCCAIN TO RENEW EFFORT FOR GUN SHOW BILL
U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) has announced his intentions to force a Senate vote early next year on legislation that would require criminal background checks on all firearms sold at gun shows. The effort is driven by allegations by gun-control advocates claiming that foreign terrorists can easily obtain firearms from private sellers who are not required under federal law to conduct the checks.McCain, with the backing of Senators Mike DeWine (R-OH), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), and Charles Schumer (D-NY), will likely attach a gun show bill as an amendment to another piece of legislation, probably a homeland security measure, when the Senate con...

Head To Head Works
I was reading my December 2001 issue of Gun Tests and came upon the item regarding the test guns for sale. I would appreciate it if you would email me a copy of this list. Also, if it would not be too much trouble, Id like info on how a purchase can be arranged, monies paid, etc.

I enjoy your articles very much, because they are very informative. I mostly shoot target and combat pistol, but find myself reading articles about guns that normally do not interest me. Thats due to your test comparisons. You and your staff compare them to other guns in the same category. Your articles are easy to read and spoken in plain language. I receive two other magazines...

In a landmark ruling, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans held October 16 that the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the right of individuals to keep and bear arms. The court rejected the arguments of the Clinton administrations Justice Department that the Second Amendment does not apply to individuals but merely recognizes the right of the state to arm its militia.

The case, United States v. Emerson, arose out of a Texas divorce suit in which a restraining order had been issued against the husband, Dr. Timothy Joe Emerson, who was subsequently charged with violating a federal law that prohibits the possession of firearms while under such a...

.348 Winchester Followup
I was thoroughly enjoying the May 2001 issue of Gun Tests, when I read the following quote in your article on Monster Handguns: The .500 was based on the .348 Winchester case, supplies of which were drying up a few years back. However, with Buffalo Bore churning out good loads in good brass for the .500, and with several new rifles chambered in .348 Winchester on the market, the brass supply problem is gone.

This last line cause me to stop in my tracks! Ive been shopping for a reasonably priced Winchester or Browning model 71 for years. Most of the good Winchesters are priced beyond my means, and Ive have never laid eyes on a Browning of recent...

The events of September 11 are still fresh, and they sting, and even infuriate me. Every day seems to bring a new insult, either the mounting confirmed death toll (which seems to have settled around 6,000), or a new videotaped message from Osama bin Laden.

Beyond the daily irritations, however, more serious factors are at work. For instance, there is a new emphasis on security that Americans will have to live with, primarily at airports. I dont have a problem with that, except that I wont be able to carry my 3-inch Spyderco pocketknife on board airplanes any more. Thats a shame; it was handy for opening packages of crackers.

Since Ill have to put up with inconveniences small and la...

.32 ACP Cover Photo
I hope I am not the only one who noticed, but the person holding the Beretta on the cover (and on page 10) of the October 2001 issue has her thumbs crossed in the old revolver style hold. Hope she has good health insurance for all the stitching shell need on that left thumb when the slide comes racing back. -

-Fred Dahnke
from ix.netcom.com

No, youre not the only one who noticed, and youre right. I missed this technical flaw when I photographed the image and in the editing process. Mea culpa.

-Todd Woodard

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.32 ACP Bias
Thanks for the review of the .32 caliber guns. Your disd...