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2010 SHOT Show wrap-up, courtesy of the intertubes.

Monday, January 25, 2010 Filed in: Shooting industry, Revolvers, Accessories

A LITTLE BIRDIE TOLD ME - Frankly, I've never found much of a use for Twitter - until last week, when I started following tweets related to the SHOT Show. It was one of those 140-character messages that lead me to these:

They're from a company in Turkey called, appropriately enough, handmadegrips.com. The grips are of ebony, while the designs are inlaid metal and mother-of-pearl. While they may not be something you'd want to carry on a daily basis, you have to admire the superb craftsmanship. They'd be great for a presentation piece, or perhaps to commemorate an important milestone. Prices are incredibly reasonable, bordering on a steal.

MORE ABOUT THE CHIAPPA RHINO REVOLVER - First is this take from "Richard" at Guns, Holsters, and Gear. Then there's this counterpoint from Massad Ayoob. Since I haven't handled one I'll sit on the sidelines, but the stark difference in opinion is intriguing.

HUH?? - I'm not quite sure what to make of these. (Now it could be that I've been married too long, but if my memory is correct and my supposition of the target market is accurate, they should have a fur lining...)

NOW THIS I CAN GET BEHIND - I don't own any Magpul products, but their new iPhone case may be my first. Unfortunately it only fits the 3g/3GS, not my Original iPhone, but I've been meaning to upgrade anyhow. As Caleb over at Gun Nuts Media says, "now that there’s an iPhone case that makes hippies cry, I’m all in."

LAUNCH PARTY - The Personal Defense Network held an official launch party at SHOT, and from what I'm hearing the industry response was terrific. If you haven't seen it yet, head on over and check it out. (Hey, join in the new forums while you're there!)

SOMETHING YOU WON'T SEE ANYWHERE ELSE - I conned Gila Hayes into visiting the Chiappa booth, and she managed to get this great shot of the Rhino's open cylinder:



This gives a much better perspective on the cylinder's shape. Note the crane lock sticking down from the topstrap, where the barrel would be on a normal revolver. Also note the unusual design of the ratchet.

(The Chiappa folks wouldn't let Gila dry fire or even handle the gun; the female person holding it is a Chiappa employee. One is left to wonder why an anonymous blogger got to play with it, while a well-known trainer and author - a person who's held highly visible positions in the industry for years - got the cold shoulder?)

-=[ Grant ]=-

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I need your help.

Monday, September 21, 2009 Filed in: Revolvers, Gunsmithing

I'm currently working on a special project based on a Ruger GP100. One of the client's desires is for custom grips made to his specifications. This is where I'm hitting a dead end!

I've spent countless hours looking, with no results, for a custom gripmaker who will work with the GP100. This is why I'm asking my readers, who are some of the most savvy gun enthusiasts around, for help.

The client wants true customs with top notch fit and finish. This automatically disqualifies all of the mass producers, as well as places like Eagle and Ahrends. Since he wants grips made to his desires, the "pattern makers" like Spegel are out, as well.

Are you aware of a custom gripmaker who is not widely known, and perhaps isn't even on anyone's radar? The ideal candidate MUST:

1) Produce first-class work - nothing less.
2) Be able to make grips for the GP100.
3) Understand the unique needs of concealment ("combat") grips.
4) Be able to produce a grip to fit the client's desires/hands.

Beyond that, someone who works in non-traditional materials (micarta, stabilized spalted wood, etc.) would be most welcome. The client isn't set on any specific material; as long as it complements the gun, he'll consider it.

Price is not a concern, as long as it isn't significantly out of line for work of the caliber required. The client knows what first tier work is (this is not his first custom gun), and is willing to pay appropriately.

Now, understand that I've been looking for a while; if the person appears in the first 10 or 15 pages of a Google search for "custom revolver grips", I've probably already contacted him/her. Yes, I've heard of the smaller custom shops like Herrett's, and have contacted countless makers who list Rugers - just to find that they only do grips for Cowboy shooters using guns such as the Vaquero. So, before you send that email, please re-read the criteria above and be sure that your candidate can meet all of them.

As an incentive, the person who supplies information leading me to the right maker will get his/her choice of any shirt in my CafePress store collection! For the gripmaker, in addition to becoming a customer I'll do my best to get his/her name in front of a much larger audience. It's a win for me, the client, the gripmaker, and you!

-=[ Grant ]=-

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A gripping story

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Filed in: Revolvers, Accessories
So, you've got snazzy new grips on your 'heater'! Have you checked them to make sure that they won't get in the way of the operation of the gun?

It's surprising how many revolver grips, even from respected manufacturers, interfere with the use of speedloaders. Sometimes they even obstruct the ejection of fired cases!

Check your grips with your preferred loaders; make sure that they don't bind or affect the release of the rounds into the chambers. If they do, you can usually take some material off the grips with sandpaper or a sanding drum on a Dremel. If you don't want to go that route, you'll need to look for grips that don't have the problem.

Either way, check speedloader use with your grips - it's an important part of being revolver-savvy!

-=[ Grant ]=-

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