Viewpoints

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.

Readers Scorza and Wisniewski think a review of costly aftermarket handgun sights is worth a few pages. We agree. Reader Phil wants more wheelgun reviews. Okay with us.

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.

Readers Schick, Marcus, and Katz ask about the status of this evaluation. Reader Gerstner opines about the reliability of pistols versus revolvers. And what did Campbell mean by rail gun?

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.

Reader Petty wonders how Rugers new concealable handgun will fare when pitted against a small Springfield 9mm. Were working on it. And reader pros and cons on the Phoenix HP22A.

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.

Several readers have contacted us about the review of the Remington R51 pistol in the August issue, most of them criticizing our grading the pistol as an A. Because Remington began offering an exchange program for dissatisfied owners after our review was printed, we can no longer recommend that our readers buy the R51, and weve amended our online content to change the grade to an Incomplete. Even though our pistol didnt have the function problems many other R51s have shown, we have returned our test gun to Remington as part of the exchange program offered by the company (see adjacent text), and well do a follow-up review once the R51 has been exchanged. Remington told our dealer that the new guns wont be available until October.

Several readers have contacted us about the review of the Remington R51 pistol in the August issue, most of them criticizing our grading the pistol as an A. Because Remington began offering an exchange program for dissatisfied owners after our review was printed, we can no longer recommend that our readers buy the R51, and weve amended our online content to change the grade to an Incomplete. Even though our pistol didnt have the function problems many other R51s have shown, we have returned our test gun to Remington as part of the exchange program offered by the company (see adjacent text), and well do a follow-up review once the R51 has been exchanged. Remington told our dealer that the new guns wont be available until October.

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.

Reader Wilkins beat us to the punch on this new pistol. Hes not pleased. Reader Urias would like to see a test of AR sights. Reader DeBoer experiences what could be a fatal malfunction.

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.