California “1-in-30″ Firearm Ban Struck Down in Ninth Circuit Decision
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled that a California law restricting gun purchases to just one every 30 days is absolutely unconstitutional. With a unanimous 3-0 decision, a Ninth Circuit panel held that California’s “one-gun-per-month” gun ban law clearly violates the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. The full Ninth Circuit ruling in Nguyen v. Bonta can be viewed at firearmspolicy.org/nguyen.
“California has a ‘one-gun-a-month’ law that prohibits most people from buying more than one firearm in a 30-day period. The district court held that this law violates the Second Amendment. We affirm. California’s law is facially unconstitutional because possession of multiple firearms and the ability to acquire firearms through purchase without meaningful constraints are protected by the Second Amendment and California’s law is not supported by our nation’s tradition of firearms regulation”, wrote Ninth Circuit Judge Forrest. At the end of the 24-page decision, Judge Forest added: “The Second Amendment expressly protects the right to possess multiple arms. It also protects against meaningful constraints on the right to acquire arms because otherwise the right to ‘keep and bear’ would be hollow.”
Plaintiffs in the case included two FFL gun dealers, the Firearms Policy Coalition (FPC), the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), San Diego County Gun Owners PAC, and six private citizens including Michelle Nguyen, for whom the case is named.
The Nguyen v. Bonta lawsuit challenged the California statute that only allows for the purchase of one handgun or semi-automatic centerfire rifle, from a licensed dealer within a 30-day period. Plaintiffs secured a summary judgment win at the District Court, which California then appealed to the Ninth Circuit. The Ninth Circuit affirmed the District Court decision, striking down the gun rationing law as impermissible under the Second Amendment.
Firearms Policy Coalition Praises Result
“As this decision shows, the right to keep and bear arms cannot be limited by an arbitrary cap on the number of guns that can be acquired at one time”, explained FPC President Brandon Combs. “We have a right to buy more than one gun at a time just as we have a right to buy more than one bible at a time. FPC is proud to have secured the rights of peaceable people and will continue to fight forward until we eliminate immoral laws like this everywhere.”
Second Amendment Foundation Predicts Progress in Fighting California Gun Laws
“Today’s decision claws back a portion of Second Amendment rights stolen by California’s government”, said SAF Exec. Director Adam Kraut. “California’s one-gun-per-month law was in clear violation of the Second Amendment, as affirmed by the unanimous decision in the Ninth Circuit. This ruling is one step closer to liberating the people of the state from the totalitarian ideals of those in power who believe the right to keep and bear arms is a second-class right.”
“There was no doubt the one-gun-per-month restriction was put in place to circumvent the ability of citizens to exercise their full Second Amendment rights,” said SAF founder and Exec. V.P. Alan M. Gottlieb. “This ruling is a victory for all who believe in the fundamental right to keep and bear arms[.]”
One of the most fun things you can do with a firearm is to shoot reactive targets at relatively short ranges. For this kind of shooting, a rimfire gun is the way to go. Recoil is way less so you can transition targets quickly, and the cost of .22 LR ammo is a fraction of the cost of centerfire ammo. Rimfire is a bargain — you can get decent bulk .22 LR ammo for just six cents ($0.06) a round. Even cheap 9mm ammo can cost you twenty-four cents ($0.24) a round or more — that’s four times more expensive than .22 LR!
If you’re looking for a nice .22 LR pistol for gun games, we can recommend the SIG Sauer P322-COMP pistol. Designed for speed, accuracy, and flat shooting (low muzzle flip), this rimfire pistol is ready for competition right out of the box. It comes with a red dot optic, barrel-mounted compensator, slide-mounted racker, good trigger, and high-capacity (20- and 25-rd) magazines. READ P322 Manual.
We think this would be a good choice for fun action pistol matches. One YouTube viewer noted: “I applaud SIG… basically [the P322-COMP is] the first RFPO (Rimfire Pistol Open) factory option for Steel Challenge. Every other gun on the market you have to buy the optic, thumb rest, and compensator.”
SIG P322-COMP — Components and Features Video
NOTE: This 44-second video from SIG Sauer has detailed illustrations of all components with 3D rotation of the pistol so you can see it from all angles.
The SIG SAUER P322-COMP is a competition-ready .22 LR rimfire pistol with class-leading 25+1-round and 20+1-round capacity. It has a threaded barrel equipped with a 2-port compensator and comes with a factory-installed ROMEO Zero Elite Red Dot Optic. The polymer grip features an extended magazine catch, adjustable trigger shoe, sport takedown lever, 1913 rail, and integrated magwell. The Single Action Only hammer-fired action on the P322-COMP is completely enclosed in a two-tone competition alloy slide with a high viz fiber-optic front sight, plus front, rear, and top cocking serrations. The ambidextrous, slide-mounted racker ensures easy slide manipulation. The pistol ships with (1) 20-round magazine and (1) 25-round magazine.
P322-COMP Specs:
Caliber: .22 LR
Capacity: 20+1, 25+1
Barrel length: 4 inches
Sight Radius: 6 inches
Weight (w/magazine): 19.8 oz.
22Plinkster Review of P322-COMP Pistol
Note how fast 22Plinkster can hit multiple targets with this new brake-equipped pistol. No question this rimfire pistol would be fun to shoot on steel targets.
Do you enjoy shooting pistols for sport, or perhaps you carry a handgun for self-defense? If you’re like most of us, you might benefit from a “refresher course” on the fundamentals of handgun shooting. The NRA has created a useful Infographic that covers important basics of handgun marksmanship — key things such as Sight Alignment, Trigger Control, and Handgun Hold.
Here are the first two (2) lessons. Click the link below to see all SIX (6) training topics: Sight Alignment, Sight Focus, Trigger Control, Breath Control, Hold Control, and Follow-Through.
Video Shows Sight Alignment, Grip, Stance, Trigger Control and More
In this USAMU video, SGT Shane Coley talks about the basics of sight alignment and trigger control. But then SGT Coley talks about other important control factors such as grip, arm position, and body stance. For rapid-fire shooting, you need to have a good arm and body positioning to control recoil and get back on target quickly. This video is a valuable complement to the NRA Infographic because it demonstrates all the important pistol fundamentals during live fire, at the range.
The model 1911 pistol, designed by John Moses Browning, is an American classic. Originally manufactured as .45 ACP military pistols, modern 1911s have evolved to be superb competition pistols, and carry pistols. With a Single-Action-Only (SAO) configuration, the 1911 design is different than most modern pistols. You must have the hammer cocked to fire a 1911 — like a single-action revolver. But the positive side of the Single-Action design is than modern 1911 pistols enjoy superb triggers with very positive release and fast reset. There is a reason the 1911 design is the basis for so many modern competition pistols.
In today’s Saturday at the Movies feature, we showcase videos that cover the history, design, and function of 1911-type pistols. We also include videos that explain how to field-strip a 1911 and how to accessorize/upgrade 1911 pistols.
Operation of 1911 Pistol with 3D Animations
Here are two excellent videos that show how a classic 1911-type pistol functions. 3D computer graphics animation offers a X-Ray view inside the pistol, showing how cartridges feed and how the slide cycles during the firing process.
How to Field-Strip and Re-Assemble a 1911 Pistol
There are a few tricks to field-stripping a 1911-type pistols, and it helps to have a couple specialized tools. This helpful TFB-TV (The Firearm Blog) video shows the process of disassembling a 1911 pistol from start to finish, and notes components that require lubrication or special attention.
History of the Classic Model 1911 Pistol
The model of 1911 pistol is an American classic with a long and illustrious history. These two videos cover the interesting origins of the 1911 pistol, and explain how J.M. Browning designed the remarkable 1911 pistol which became the iconic American sidearm of the U.S. Military, the longest-serving pistol in American military history.
A fascinating article by Rock Island Armory covers the complete evolution of the 1911 pistol, including its earlier prototype variants, starting with the model of 1905. SEE: Road to the 1911 Article (with Model 1905, 1907, 1909, and 1910 prototypes).
Over time the 1911 design has evolved into many variants, including the modern “race gun” used in rapid-fire pistol competitions. Here is an STI DVC Open model fitted with a C-More sight, and front compensator.
Pistol Shooting Skills Demonstrated with 1911
How to Grip a 1911 Handgun Properly
World Champion pistol ace (and 18-time Bianchi Cup winner) Doug Koenig demonstrates how to grip a handgun. While the fundamentals are demonstrated on a 1911 pistol they are effective for establishing a proper grip on any handgun.
Trigger Press and Trigger Control
In this video Champion shooter Doug Koenig talks about key techniques that apply to all pistol marksmanship — not just speed shooting “on the clock”. With any handgun, Doug explains, you should focus on consistent trigger control. You want to avoid yanking the trigger or anticipating recoil.
How to Accessorize Your 1911
The Brownells YouTube Channel has a series of videos showing how to accessorize a 1911. The videos show procedures for upgrading the magazine release, slide release, hammer, guide rod, mainspring housing, and grips. There are also good videos on barrel replacement and drop-in trigger group installation. If you want to upgrade your 1911, these videos are worth watching. Below are links to three of these 1911 videos.
Are you feelin’ lucky? Here’s a chance to win a $499 pistol safe. As part of the Gun Storage Check program, which commenced in the first week of June, there are giveaways each week in June with some noteworthy prizes. This week’s Gun Storage Check Giveaway has a nice prize — the Vault Pro Model H-7 Handgun Pro II Safe. Valued at $499.00, the Vault Pro HandgunModel H-7 Pro II Safe has a 7-gauge steel body, military grade PE foam, and digital lock. The safe can be bolted down at home or in a vehicle.
Each week throughout June 2025, you have the chance to win premium firearm storage units and safety gear thanks to Gun Storage Check Week™ sponsors — Regal Products, Vault Pro, and ShotLock.
How it works:
➢ One winner will be selected each week
➢ Sweepstakes resets weekly — enter again for a new chance to win!
➢ Enter now and help promote responsible firearm storage practices in your community.
To ENTER go to GunStorageCheck.org then scroll down the page to see the entry form:
Legendary competitive shooter and Team Vihtavuori member Bruce Piatt has claimed his eighth Bianchi Cup title, securing victory at the 2025 Bianchi Cup with the only perfect score of 1920 in the match. The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) now oversees the Bianchi Cup competition, previously run by the National Rifle Association.
The 2025 Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) Bianchi Cup, known as the gold standard in action pistol shooting, was hosted once again at the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club in Hallsville, Missouri, May 20-23, 2025. Participants from all over the world competed in the Falling Plates, Moving Target, Barricade, and Practical events.
“The 2025 Bianchi Cup is coming home with me for the 8th time!” Piatt said after the match. “Dealing with a nasty cold the entire time and having to switch to my backup gun at the last minute didn’t exactly boost my confidence — but focus and determination paid off.”
Piatt won his impressive 8th Bianchi Cup title running the .38 Super cartridge powered by high-qualty Vihtavuori N320 powder. Beyond his individual triumph, Piatt also accompanied his 4-man team to victory, achieving a team score of 1918-175X. The winning quartet included Piatt, Mark Itzstein, Joey De Leon, and fellow Team Vihtavuori athlete, Doug Koenig.
Editor’s Note: Vihtavuori N320 is our favorite powder for .45 ACP target loads. It is very accurate and burns cleaner, with fewer sparks, than any other brand of powder we have tried for the .45 ACP. We highly recommend N320 and the slightly faster N310.
Our .45 ACP loads showed superb accuracy with coated lead bullets. This combination provided great performance and also had our pistols running very clean, reducing maintenance chores.
Bruce Piatt 3-Gun Skills on Display
Bruce Piatt also competes in 3-Gun Matches. This short video shows Bruce completing a 3-gun stage (shotgun 0.09 time-mark, pistol 0.18, then rifle 0.53) at the Rockcastle 3-Gun Pro-Am event. His speed with the AR-type rifle was very impressive as was his long-range accuracy.
About Vihtavuori
Vihtavuori is renowned its clean burning and temperature stable smokeless powders that have great lot-to-lot consistency. Vihtavuori is imported by Capstone Precision Group, exclusive U.S. distributor for Berger, Lapua, Vihtavuori and SK-Rimfire products. For more information, visit Vihtavuori.com.
At the request of our readers, we provide select “Deals of the Week”. Every Sunday afternoon or Monday morning we offer our Best Bargain selections. Here are some of the best deals on firearms, hardware, reloading components, optics, and shooting accessories. Be aware that sale prices are subject to change, and once clearance inventory is sold, it’s gone for good. You snooze you lose.
NOTE: All listed products are for sale to persons 18 years of age or older. No products are intended for use by minors.
1. Natchez — Weaver Optics Sale
⏺️ » Major savings on Weaver scopes, spotting scopes, binocs and more
Are you putting together a new build and need optics that won’t break the bank? Then check out the Weaver Optics Sale at Natchez. You’ll find competition scopes, hunting scopes, red dots, and binoculars at prices up to 60% off. A 3-9x40mm hunting scope is now just $89.99, and a 6-24x50mm SFP Weaver Classic scope is just $199.99. If you need a new optic, you can save big bucks this week at Natchez.
2. Midsouth — Federal Gold Medal Primers on Sale
⏺️ » Great prices on top-quality primers including 205M.
For quite some time, top-quality American-made primers have been in short supply, or have been extremely expensive. Take heart, you can get great primers at good prices with Midsouth’s Federal Gold Medal Match Primer Sale. Offering optimum ignition and great consistency, Federal Premium Gold Medal primers are the choice of match shooters everywhere. These are some of the best primers on the market at prices lower than we’ve seen in years.
3. Creedmoor Sports — TriggerTech Trigger Sale
⏺️ » Good prices on triggers for bolt-actions and ARs.
If you need to replace a factory trigger in your AR or Rem 700 action-type rifles, TriggerTech Triggers are tough to beat for the price. With a very crisp break and adjustable pull weight, these easy-to-install triggers are an affordable upgrade that can improve your on-target results.
4. Graf & Sons — Shooter’s World Powders In Stock, Good Value
⏺️ » Positive field reports on these powders — good value, good ES/SD
If you need very good propellants at reasonable prices consider Shooters World Powders. Customers report these powders rival top Hodgdon and Alliant brands delivering good accuracy, temp stability, and low ES/SD. With its wide range of powders, Shooters World offers good choices for most popular cartridge types — small to magnum. Best of all, these Shooters World Powders are IN STOCK now at great prices.
5. Palmetto State Armory — Walther PPQ .22 LR, $269.99
⏺️ » Affordable .22 LR pistol with good trigger, great ergonomics.
When developing handgun skills, we recommend starting with a .22 LR pistol. The mild recoil helps with follow-up shots, and ammo is inexpensive. It’s also fun to shoot a .22 LR at reactive targets. If you’re shopping for a rimfire pistol, check out the Walther PPQ .22 LR 4″ PISTOL on sale now for just $269.99. The PPQ .22 delivers advanced design and ergonomics with the cost savings of .22 rimfire. The sculpted grip is comfortable and the trigger is very good — crisp and reasonably light.
6. Amazon — RCBS Auto Priming Tool, $129.99
⏺️ » Excellent benchmounted tool with primer dispensing tube
Are your hands tired of hand priming and you’d like an alternative? Consider the RCBS Automatic Priming Tool. This bench-mounted Automatic Priming Tool is fast, accurate and highly sensitive due to its single-stage lever system. Primers feed through the auto primer feed tube one by one, preventing potential contamination by oily fingers. Two primer rod assemblies and two primer feed tubes are included.
7. Amazon — Caldwell Wind Wizard II, $35.99
⏺️ » Good, reliable and affordable wind gauge
To calculate precision ballistics you need the current wind speed and ambient temperature. The Caldwell Wind Wizard II can provide that key information (wind speed and temp) at a very modest $35.99 price. The Caldwell Wind Wizard II Wind Meter may well be the best value wind meter on the market. It reads wind speed quickly and accurately, with various unit options (e.g. Mph, km/hr). A easy-to-grip rubber sleeve helps protect the unit and ensure a firm grip.
8. Amazon — Lyman Case Prep Tool, $26.99
⏺️ » Handy double-ended tool with internal parts storage
Do you need a simple but effective tool to help with case prep? We like the Lyman Case Prep Multi-Tool which has essential case prep accessories in one compact, double-ended tool. This handy tool can perform key case prep tasks (e.g. neck chamfering/deburring) on rifle and pistol brass from .17-.45 caliber. Both handle ends of the handle are threaded so two tool heads can be used simultaneously. In addition the Case Prep multi-Tool can be used with any other standard case prep tools and brushes.
9. Amazon — Rifle Storage Rods, Assorted Packages
⏺️ » Handy rods help organize in-safe storage
Need to fit more long guns in your safe? Want them to be secure and not lean on each other? Gun Storage Solutions Rifle Rodscan help you store more long guns more securely. A 5-rod set is just $21.95 (orange) and $20.70 (black). There are also rod sets with 10, 20, 30, or 40 rods. These Rifle Rods utilize a hook & loop (Velcro-type) system to stabilize long guns in the upright position. These rod sets work great with a variety of gun safes and come complete with the nylon loop fabric placed on the underside of shelves.
As an Amazon affiliate, this site can earn revenues through sales commissions.
If you’re looking for a space-saving handgun storage system, consider the Easy Use Gun Hangers from AmeriGun Club. These vinyl-coated, wire hangers organize handguns below the shelves in your gunsafe, freeing up storage space above the shelves. To use the handgun hangers, simply slide each hanger on the shelf and then slip your pistol’s barrel over the lower rod. Handgun Hangers are intended for guns with an overall length of 10 inches or shorter. They will fit shelves that are at least 11 inches deep and 5/8-1 inch in thickness. Handgun Hangers will hold handguns .22 caliber and up, though the fit is a bit snug on .22s. A four-pack of AmeriGun Club Handgun Hangers costs $9.99.
WARNING — ALWAYS Make Sure Handgun is UNLOADED when using Handgun Hangers!!
Boomstick also offers Over-Under Hangers that hold two handguns — one above the shelf, and one below. A two-pack of Over-Under Hangers (capable of holding four handguns) costs $9.99 on Amazon. This may be a good solution for you. This Editor personally prefers standard hangers which place pistols BELOW the shelf. That way I can use the upper surface of the shelf to hold odd-shaped items such as cameras, binoculars, and miscellaneous valuables.
Over the years, the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) published a series of reloading articles on its Facebook Page. In this article, the second in a 3-part series, the USAMU covers the process of loading competition pistol ammunition. The authors focus on two key elements — the taper crimp and the quality/uniformity of the original brass. If you shoot pistol competitively, or just want to maximize the accuracy of your handguns, read this article. The taper crimp tips are very important.
Loading Accurate Competition Pistol Ammunition — Part 2 of 3
One often-overlooked aspect of handloading highly-accurate pistol ammunition is the amount of taper crimp used, and its effect on accuracy. (NOTE: this article pertains to loading for semi-autos — revolver crimp techniques involve some quite different issues.) Briefly, different amounts of taper crimp are used with various handloads to obtain best accuracy. The amount is based on bullet weight, powder burn rate and charge, plus other factors such as case neck tension. During machine-rest testing of experimental Service Pistol ammunition, many variables are examined. Among these, our Shop often varies a load’s crimp in degrees of 0.001″ when re-testing for finest accuracy.
How to Measure Taper Crimp on Pistol Cartridges
One question that often arises is, “How do I measure the taper crimp I’m putting on my cartridges?” Using the narrow part of one’s dial caliper jaws, carefully measure the case diameter at the exact edge of the case mouth on a loaded cartridge. It’s important to take several measurements to ensure consistency. Also, be sure to measure at several places around the case mouth, as case wall thickness can vary. After measuring 2-3 cartridges with a given crimp setting, one can be confident of the true dimension and that it can be repeated later, if needed.
However, for good results, one must use brass from one maker due to variances in case wall thickness. For example, the same degree of crimp that imparts a measurement of 0.471″ with Brand X brass may result in 0.469″ with Brand Y. Thus, for best accuracy, using brass from the same manufacturer is important — particularly for 50-yard Slow Fire. In a perfect world, it is better still to use brass from one lot number if possible. With the popularity of progressive presses using interchangeable tool heads, keeping separate tool heads adjusted for each load helps maximize uniformity between ammunition lots.
Brass Uniformity and Accuracy
Brass is important to pistol accuracy. While accurate ammunition can be loaded using brass of mixed parentage, that is not conducive to finest results, particularly at 50 yards. It is important for the serious competitor to pay attention to his brass – even if only for the 50-yard “Slow Fire” portions of “Bullseye” matches and practice. By segregating brass as described above, and additionally keeping track of the number of times a given batch of cases has been fired, one can ensure case neck tension and case length are at their most uniform.
Given the large volumes of ammunition consumed by active pistol competitors, using inexpensive, mixed surplus brass for practice, particularly at the “short line” (25 yards), is understandable. In NRA Outdoor Pistol (“Bullseye”), the 10-ring is relatively generous — especially for a well-trained shooter with an accurate pistol and load. However, for the “long line” (50 yards), purchasing and segregating a lot of high-quality brass to be used strictly for slow-fire is a wise idea. To keep track of your brass on the line, use a unique headstamp marking with 1 or 2 colors of marking pen ink.
Uniform Cartridge Overall Length is Important
Cartridge case Overall Length (OAL) uniformity as it comes from the factory is important to achieving utmost accuracy. More uniform case lengths (best measured after sizing) contribute to greater consistency of crimp, neck tension, ignition/burn of powder charge, headspace (rimless cartridges), etc. Cartridge case-length consistency varies noticeably by maker and, with lesser manufacturers, also from lot to lot. Some manufacturers are more consistent in their dimensions than others, and also in the hardness/ductility of their brass. Similarly, pay attention to primer brands, powder lot numbers, etc.
Consider Using a Lock-Out Die with Progressive Presses
When reloading pistol ammo with a Progressive press, we strongly recommend the use of a lock-out die, or other system that can detect double charges or low charges. If your progressive is manually advanced, the possibility of a double charge is very real — and that can have disastrous consequences.
On UltimateReloader.com website you’ll find an excellent two-part series on the function and set-up of the RCBS Lock-Out Die. This die prevents loading if a high or low powder charge is detected. The video below shows setup of the RCBS Lock-Out Die on the Dillon XL-650 progressive press.
Could you hit an 18″ x 24″ target at a distance of 400 meters (437 yards)? Sure, you’re thinking, that would be easy with a good rifle fired from the bench or prone position. OK, now think about making that shot, OFF-HAND with a pistol. That’s something entirely different. We doubt many marksman would wager they could hit a plate 400 meters away with a handgun.
That’s exactly the challenge legendary shooter Jerry Miculek undertakes in this interesting video. Shooting a Smith & Wesson 9mm M&P pistol with a red-dot optic, Jerry makes the 400m shot look easy, hitting the steel plate with his first shot. This takes good eyes, a solid grip, perfect trigger control (and a bit of luck). Jerry was shooting 115gr Hornady HAP® ammunition.
25 Feet Hold-over to Make Shot at 437 yards!
The shot wasn’t dead center, but Miculek still hit the steel plate on the first try. This is doubly impressive because Miculek had to hold well over the target. In fact Jerry figured he was aiming “25 feet over [the target]”. The lesson to be learned here is that a good pistol, in the hands of a master, may be capable of astonishing long-range accuracy — as long as you work out the ballistics in advance. Jerry knew that he had to hold high to arc the bullet into the target.
Legendary competitive shooter and Team Vihtavuori member Bruce Piatt has claimed his eighth Bianchi Cup title, securing victory at the 2025 Bianchi Cup with the only perfect score of 1920 in the match. The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) now oversees the Bianchi Cup competition, previously run by the National Rifle Association.
Editor’s Note: Vihtavuori N320 is our favorite powder for 
The popular AmeriGun Club 
