Innholdsfortegnelse for April/May 2019 i Ballistic

The mainstream media thrives on demonizing firearms enthusiasts these days. That should come as no shock to you, as someone who just picked up this issue of Ballistic. Today, Second Amendment supporters are labeled guns nuts, would-be mass murderers, hillbilly fools, trigger-happy extremists, etc. But let’s be honest. We’ll never shake those titles as long as we’re dealing with people who don’t understand guns and won’t have serious debates or discussions about our rights as citizens to protect ourselves and our loved ones. And I’m willing to bet the farm that if there’s a gun-rights-grabbing activist watching you read this magazine right now, their eyes are probably popping out of their heads at the cover shot of Pop Evil’s Matt DiRito. Their breath is trembling. They’re thinking, “Oh my God,…

From the moment you step through the door of Bykowski Tailor & Garb—an unassuming store just off 6th Street in Austin, Texas—it feels like a time warp. You are instantly transported to a time that has long been forgotten, when attention to detail and pride in “made in America” actually existed. You arrive at a fine clothier’s shop circa 1900 in New York, when store owners took time to ensure quality, a proper fit and the best customer service possible. FORGING AHEAD Christopher and Wendy Bykowski wanted something different, a style that had not existed for the past century. Together, they scoured thrift stores for pieces that would fit the Edwardian-meets-Prohibition style they desired. They took pieces and had them tailored, but that process still did not quite fit their…

Fifty years ago, Mario Puzo wrote a best-selling novel that ignited a revolution in filmmaking and a cultural phenomenon of massive proportions. The Godfather made household names of both Puzo and director Francis Ford Coppola. The first Godfather movie flowered into a cinematic trilogy that ranks high among the world’s most classic films. Whether you’re a die-hard Godfather fan or just curious as to what the fuss is all about, you’ll find plenty to discover in Parade’s The Godfather 50th Anniversary Celebration, which is on newsstands now or available online at amglifestylestore.com. The Godfather saga has a special resonance for me. My surname, di Perna, is Sicilian. And, just like the young Vito Corleone in The Godfather, my grandparents emigrated from Sicily to New York City at the beginning of…

In just four short years, Tyler Gun Works has left an indelible mark on the firearms industry. Best known for its remarkable color casehardening and exquisite nitre bluing, the metal refinishing company is now working with 17 different firearms manufacturers to offer customers factory-new guns boasting these colorful finishes. For founder Bobby Tyler, the road hasn’t always been an easy one. A failed business and accompanying debt were but speed bumps for the man who believes that hard work and strong faith can solve nearly any problem. Running his business from a small shop on his rural property in Friona, Texas, the 38-year-old father of three was determined to start Tyler Gun Works debt free. Initially, he ran the company from a small tornado-damaged building until he accumulated enough business…

Sometimes, really great things are hidden in plain sight and often overlooked. Such is the case with the Kimber K6s series of revolvers. I admit to paying these guns little attention until I was assigned the revolver review for the 2018 issue of Ballistic’s Best magazine, which is available online at outdoorgroupstore.com. After an extensive review, the 3-inch-barreled K6s took best in class in a head-to-head shootout with several other new wheelguns. I was sold on the K6s, especially the 3-inch-barreled version, and I wasn’t the only one. Several fellow lawmen who carried wheelguns back in the day also spoke highly of the gun. The K6s is perhaps the best-kept secret in the current revolver world. Having been mighty pleased with the 3-inch-barreled K6s, I requested one of Kimber’s 2-inch-barreled…

The anti-gun crowd remains ever convinced that disarming the world would make everyone safer, without any clue that they will only disarm law-abiding citizens. I love to debate, and I am passionate about this topic. But don’t lose sight of the goal: educating others about their right to protect themselves from unjust people and unjust government. A debate is dead when your opponent is spewing rhetoric, interrupting and refusing to let you speak. Walk away. You are metaphorically teaching a pig to dance. You will never teach them, and after a while, you’ll realize that the pig is enjoying it. Never raise your voice, and never engage in name calling. It only makes our side look irrational. Remain calm and look the opponent in the eye. If they pause, you…

“The first time I was shot at, I was 14 or 15 years old. I had ventured out to try and catch a glimpse of one of my favorite bands playing at a venue in Detroit called Harpos. Anyone who knows this venue knows that you really don’t want to venture anywhere off the property. The surrounding area is extremely dangerous. It helped give Detroit the stigma that has surrounded it for years. And back in the early 2000s, I remember the venue having two jeeps with guys wielding ARs doing laps around the perimeter. “Being under age and unable to get into the show, my friends and I hung out in the parking lot hoping to overhear the concert or see the band walk in or out of the…

Las Vegas is known for its casinos, ranging from the luxurious to the downright seedy, but it’s hard not to think of organized crime when considering what built this city in the desert. This is why it is fitting that the National Museum of Organized Crime & Law Enforcement, also known as The Mob Museum, calls Las Vegas home. Opened on February 14, 2012, a momentous anniversary in mob history, the museum is dedicated to telling the history of organized crime in the United States as well as the actions and initiatives by law enforcement to stop it, through various artifacts and exhibits. Located in downtown Las Vegas, two blocks north of Fremont Street, which serves as the main artery of the downtown casino district, the museum is far enough…

Unlike the classic gangster films of the 1930s or recent mob stories (with Gangster Squad being the most notable example), which featured intense cinematic shootouts, The Godfather series has been far more low key with less “action”—with the exception of a few scenes in Part III, however. Instead, the use of firearms is far more impactful to the story, whether it’s Michael getting vengeance against a crooked cop or, more notably, Sonny meeting his grisly end at a tollbooth. While many in organized crime may consider themselves “soldiers,” The Godfather reminds us that these individuals were actually just businessmen, albeit armed businessmen who used guns as the tools of their trade.…

Since World War I, the wristwatch has increasingly become a tactical tool and a symbol of masculinity. Soldiers wore wristwatches on the battlefield, and aviators wore them in the sky. As troops in the trenches strapped pocket watches to their wrists, new advancements in watchmaking produced water-resistant wristwatches equipped with luminous markers and unbreakable glass. It was during this dark period in history that wristwatches became standard issue, enabling soldiers to master time and command tactical precision. Today that notion continues, as the modern wristwatch is often regarded as a symbol of stature, success and style. From a 1917 military-issue Hamilton to Cartier’s 1919 Tank watch, to the modern smartwatch of tomorrow, the tactical application of the wristwatch has always remained, inspired by the legacy of warfare and often complemented…

For movie fans, the story of James Bond and the Walther PPK goes back to Dr. No, when M asks 007 to hand over his gun. “Yes, just what I thought,” he says angrily, “This damned Beretta again. I’ve told you about this before.” He then hands the pistol to Q, who rolls it over in his hand and quips, “It’s nice and light—in a lady’s handbag. No stopping power.” M looks at Bond and says, “You’ll carry the Walther. Show him, Q.” Q then loads the magazine, slaps it into the gun and hands it to 007, saying, “Walther PPK, 7.65mm with a delivery like a brick through a plate-glass window. Takes a brush silencer with very little reduction in muzzle velocity. The American CIA swears by them.” (The…

My first thought when handling the Omni Hybrid .410 shotgun from American Tactical was that it has a lot of potential for home defense or as a survivalist’s bug-out gun. Its light weight and recoil make it easy to handle, even for shooters of the smallest stature. Combining semi-auto speed with a five or 15-round detachable magazine allows the defender to make a very compelling argument for home invaders to withdraw posthaste. From the survivalist’s standpoint, the little .410, used within its limitations, has turned lots of birds and small beasts into food. A 12-gauge, 2¾-inch shell with a game load of 1.13 ounces of No. 7½ shot weighs 1.6 ounces, compared to 0.7 ounces for a 2½-inch .410 shell’s 0.5-ounce shot load. The smaller load is less likely to…

What hunter doesn’t dream of hunting other game in other places? I believe a thirst for adventure resides in the heart of every true hunter. Such aspirations needn’t be unrealistic. Take the guy who’s hunted nothing but whitetails all his life and just once would like to get out West and chase pronghorns, or maybe do a horseback hunt for elk in the high country. Expensive? Well, compared to a local deer hunt, yes, but certainly not out of reach for most of us if the desire is there. But then again, there are bold dreamers like me who, as a boy and young man, were determined to hunt all over the world. I didn’t know how I was going to do it—what with being married and the father of…

Arguing with someone who is opposed to your views can be arduous and futile. It can be Sisyphean. Staunch opponents of anything “right” of center cannot be reasoned with. Their ideology runs through their sissy blue veins so deep that changing their level of reason would be nearly impossible—until something horrible happens to them. A common sticking point of Second Amendment opponents is that the Constitution is antiquated, and that our Founding Fathers intended and encouraged gun ownership way back when to discourage and dissuade a tyrant government from taking over. They say that it was meant for muskets, not ARs and high-capaciStock ity pistols. They do this while defending and exercising their First Amendment right. One may argue that the Founding Fathers also did not intend the First Amendment…

Ubiquitous. During a three-decade professional career writing about the firearms industry, I’ve used that word a number of times to describe handguns, but 1911s and Glocks come to mind immediately when I think of that descriptor. For Glocks to be included in this list is fairly impressive given that the first G17 appeared in the United States not long before my writing career began. During Glock’s tenure here, fans seem to migrate into three camps: those who must change everything mostly just because; those who won’t change a thing; and those who work quite well with a stock, out-of-the-box Glock but recognize that some modifications do improve its use in serious social applications. HOWE IT’S DONE Retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant Paul Howe is a man with opinions—and the longevity,…

JERRY LEWIS received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Comedy Awards in 1998. He was similarly recognized internationally. In 1984, he was inducted into the French Legion of Honor by presidential decree for demonstrating extraordinary public service and was made a commander in the Order of Arts and Letters, recognized by French Minister of Culture Jack Lang for his “human qualities and generosity” and as “a child’s friend and a model for adults.” He was also awarded the Golden Lion in 1999 by the Venice International Film Festival for lifetime achievement in motion pictures. In 1995, he appeared in his first of 186 performances as the star of Damn Yankees at the Marquis Theatre on Broadway, fulfilling a lifelong dream. The second year of the show’s international tour broke…

BLUE: This style has a 100-percent red center and a seared outside. Each side is cooked for 1 minute. The internal temperature will be below 115 degrees Fahrenheit. RARE: The outside is seared, and the cool center is 75-percent red. each side is cooked for 2.5 minutes. The internal temperature should be around 115 degrees. MEDIUM RARE: The warm center is 50-percent red, and each side is seared for 3 to 4 minutes. The temperature inside should be 125 degrees Fahrenheit. MEDIUM: Each side is seared 4 minutes, and the center is only 25-percent red. The internal temperature is 135 degrees. MEDIUM WELL: Past the point of no return for most, the center is only slightly pinkt. Each side is cooked for 5 minutes. The internal temperature is about 140…

When a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity presents itself, sometimes you have to take drastic measures. That’s what Sydnee Falkner, just 19 at the time, did when the state of Alaska drew her grizzly tag. “It was the first time I’d put in for a bear tag, and I got it the first year. It’s the most coveted of tags, and my dad and his friends have waited up to 20 years and never gotten one,” Sydnee said. Because of this, she sat out a semester of college just to complete the hunt. “I shot it with a SAKO .375 H&H that we borrowed from a friend. My dad is a longbow hunter and makes his own bows and arrows, so that’s why I had to borrow the gun,” she said. The .375…

You don’t really need an ultralight AR-style rifle if it’s just going to sit in a case, a gun safe or the trunk of your car until it’s carted to a range bench. But if you have to carry your gun all the time, or run it while practicing entry drills as part of a SWAT team, weight makes a huge difference. Holding that rifle “in the pocket” as you clear rooms gets tiresome fast. And that’s before you add night-vision optics, lights, lasers and the like. You could always start with a lighter AR in the first place. Then your gun won’t get too heavy when you add accessories. It’ll also be easier to maneuver around obstacles and shoot with just one hand if needed, which is a serious…

The John Wick JOHN WICK’S FIREPOWER movies are fast. If you love watching and critiquing gunplay, they hold up to multiple viewings, even on super slo-mo. Yes, there are mistakes, but spotting them is half the fun. Second to the gunplay are the guns themselves. Let’s take a quick look at some of the sexiest guns John Wick has wielded. In the first two movies, Glocks like the G17, G26 and G34 show up regularly, and Wick’s standard sidearm is the Heckler & Koch P30L, complete with a paddle-style magazine release. You’ll also see a few different 1911s, including those from Kimber and Smith & Wesson, at different points. Several cool submachine guns show up, too, but the highlight for me is a long scene in John Wick 2 where Wick…

First and foremost, with dignity and respect. If this person actually wants to have a conversation, I am always open to share my thoughts on the importance of gun rights. But I would say that, for the most part, an individual who would openly challenge a stranger in public has a mindset that is not open for debate. They want a fight. They want confrontation. All this person will get from me is a smile as I walk away.…

I’D love to tell you that reading these 10 facts will somehow improve your shooting skills. Or that they’ll provide tidbits of wisdom enabling you to make better life choices, but, well, I can’t. What I can tell you is that by filling your head with nuggets of needless gun facts such as these, you’ll be entertained and then have several stories to retell. This could possibly make you the life of the party or the most interesting date someone’s ever had. OK, the latter may be a bit of a reach. But even if you decide to keep these eclectic short snippets of trivia to yourself, for the next several minutes, you will almost certainly be amused or bewildered. 1. ANGEL’S GLOW Imagine being wounded and stranded in the…