Women are arming themselves — millions of females now have carry permits. What factors should women consider when choosing a handgun for self-defense? What are good choices for a lady’s defensive handgun, suitable for concealed carry? Is a self-loading pistol better than a revolver?
We thought it was best for to hear the ladies’ own perspectives on these questions. After all they are the ones who will be carrying the firearm in a purse or on their person. In this article we include three videos focusing on handgun options for females. The videos cover six key factors: function, size, weight, ergonomics, reliability, and concealability.
Classic Swiss Precision — the Sig P239
The single-stack Sig P239 is an ultra-reliable, compact pistol with a grip suitable for smaller female hands. Weighing 25 oz. in 9mm, it is slightly heavier than polymer-framed handguns, but that may be a good thing. During my handgun training days, this Editor found most women shot the Sig P239 better than Glocks, with more control over recoil. This is a hammer-fired pistol with decocker but no separate safety. There are many other good handgun options for concealed carry — some smaller, thinner and lighter, but the Sig P239 provides a good benchmark for reliability and accuracy. Shown is the .40 S&W model. We prefer the 9mm Luger version. Photo Creative Commons BY-SA 3.0.
Choosing a Self-Defense Handgun — Ladies Explain the Options
Not Just a Guy Thing — 23% of Gun Owners are Women
Here’s an interesting statistic — according to an NSSF survey, the percentage of gun owners who are female has increased dramatically since 2005. Back in 2005, just 13% of U.S. gun owners were women. By 2012 that number had risen to 23% — a huge increase in less than a decade.
The vast majority of first-time female gun buyers acquire a handgun for defensive purposes. However, the statistics also show that many new female gun owners are also getting involved in sport shooting and/or competitive shooting.
In the video below, NRA News host Cam Edwards interviews Celia Bigelow, who has written about the rise of gun ownership among ladies on the Townhall.com website.
Vihtavuori offers free reloading data online, and through a free Mobile App. And now those resources are even better — Vihtavuori has completed a significant enhancement of its reloading information for hand-loaders. First, the Finnish powder company has added the new N565 powder to the data tables. But that’s just for starters.
A massive update has been completed with new bullets added for dozens of popular calibers: “We are happy to announce the addition of more than 130 lines of reloading data, with bullets by Barnes, Brenneke, Lapua, Berger, Sierra, Woodleigh, Hornady, Nosler and LOS”. The updated online information supplements the online Reloading Databases, which has dedicated sections for Rifle Cartridges, Pistol Cartridges, and Cowboy Action.
Headed to SHOT Show in Las Vegas next month? Then you should download the FREE SHOT Show Mobile App. Available for all mobile devices, this App really makes it easier to plan your SHOT Show schedule, and navigate the floor of the Sands Convention Center. The 2018 SHOT Show Mobile App is now available for download on Apple, Android, and Windows smartphones and devices. Apple users will find the app in the App Store, Android users will find their version in the Google Play Store. Windows users can access via the WEB Dashboard. Learn more at SHOTmobile.com.
Handy Interactive Map
The App includes an interactive map that can direct you from your current location to your next destination. Arrange your meetings with a handy scheduling calendar. And you can search for any SHOT exhibitor by name or product category. In addition, the App lists major show events as well as important new products.
GREAT APP FEATURES
— Locate Exhibitor Booths with searchable Vendor Database/Floor Map
— Build a personalized Schedule and bookmark Exhibitors
— Visit bookmarked Exhibitors with Quick Route Feature
— Multi-Device Sync for smartphones, tablets, laptops — all your devices
— Up-to-the-minute Exhibitor, Speaker, and Event information
The Free SHOT Show App lets you do some very cool things with your smartphone. You can contact exhibitors directly through the App to request appointments or callbacks. You can take notes while visiting a vendor’s booth or attending a seminar. Of course you can schedule your agenda, and see an entire day’s events in a glance. But perhaps the best function of all is the “Quick Route”. This allows you to create the most efficient point-to-point route from one booth location to another.
Holiday Greetings to Our Readers
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our readers and especially our 38,000+ Forum Members. This marks our 13th Christmas “in business”, and the site is stronger than ever thanks to our contributing Forum members and industry sponsors. AccurateShooter.com is now accessed by over 500,000 visitors every month, who enjoy our Feature Articles, Daily Bulletin, Shooters’ Forum, and our Facebook Page. Part of the reason for that success is the hard work of our hard-working staff and volunteer helpers.
Unsung Heroes Deserve Recognition
I want to acknowledge those guys who have really helped out the site. Number one is our Systems Admin, Jay Christopherson. Along with being a darn fine shooter, Jay is a computer guru who keeps the servers running smoothly and maintains our Forum. Jay has set up distributed computing and secure firewalls, making the site both speedier and more stable. We must acknowledge Boyd Allen and EdLongRange who tirelessly supply story leads for the Daily Bulletin. Thanks also go to Jeff Williams, our “Answerman” who fields miscellaneous questions from our readers. We have a great place to test rifles thanks to our valued friend (and designated trigger-puller) Joe Friedrich. Special thanks go to: Ed Mobley and Steve Lawrence of 65Guys.com; Bill, Editor of Rifleshooter.com; and Erik Cortina. These folks have worked with us on important product tests and contributed stories and videos. I also want to recognize our regular contributors, including Vince Bottomley, Jason Baney, Mark LaFevers, James Mock, and John Whidden. All these men (and many others) have all contributed much time and effort.
We also want to thank our major sponsors, without whose support the site could not provide the full AccurateShooter.com experience, with an active Forum, an archive of in-depth articles, and fresh content 365 days a year in our Daily Bulletin. We’re grateful to all our sponsors and advertisers. In particular, we want to acknowledge the major online retailers who have been strong supporters of this site for many years: Bullets.com (and Grizzly Industrial), Bruno Shooters Supply, Graf & Sons, EuroOptic, Midsouth Shooters Supply, Powder Valley Inc., and Precision Reloading. Their continuing support helps us keep up the flow of information and serve our readers and Forum members.
SHOT Business, an NSSF publication, has just revealed a host of new-for-2018 rifles. These new rigs will all be on display at SHOT Show in Las Vegas next month. These new rifles run the gamut — from muzzle-loaders to modern-day Tommy Guns. As you’d expect, there are AR-platform rifles, and modular PRS-type rigs. There is also an interesting new rifle from Savage that looks very Tikka-esque.
SHOT Business reports: “For what seems like a long time now, new rifle introductions at the SHOT Show have been dominated by variations on the AR15/AR10 platform. But times are changing, to paraphrase one of Bob Dylan’s most famous lines. For 2018, we continue to see line extensions to accommodate the 6.5 Creedmoor, but we’re also seeing the emergence of a new trend—dedicated long-range precision sport and hunting rifles. Yes, there are still a few new MSRs that will draw intense interest, but for the first time in a decade, the new rifles at SHOT are a balanced lot.”
Among the many new rifles to debut at SHOT Show 2018, here are three that caught our eye. Savage has upgraded its hunting rifle offerings with adjustable, internal-chassis stocks, Bergara continues to build a good reputation, and Mossberg has rolled out a new modular rifle that could provide stiff competition to Ruger’s popular RPR.
Savage — New Stocks for 110 Series
We are impressed with the New Savage 110 line-up featuring higher-quality, user-adjustable stocks. The all-new AccuFit system/stock allows shooters to customize length of pull and comb height. The new AccuStock features a rigid chassis embedded in the stock. Savage has a full line of revamped 110s with these enhanced stocks. For example, the Savage 110 Storm shown here features a detachable-box magazine, a stainless-steel barrel, and a gray synthetic stock. It is available in many chamberings from .223 Remington to .338 Winchester Magnum. MSRP: $849. Visit SavageArms.com.
Bergara — Upgrades to HMR
The HMR Pro is an upgraded version of the HMR, introduced in 2017. The new-for-2018 HMR Pro includes a Cerakoted stainless action and barrel with a threaded muzzle plus a upgraded TriggerTech trigger. All HMR Pros ship with a “proof of accuracy” sub-MOA target. Available chamberings are: .223 Remington ( 1:8″-twist), .22/250 Remington (1:9″-twist), 6mm and 6.5mm Creedmoor (both 1:8 twist, and .308 Winchester with a 1:10 twist. Weight range: 9.2 to 10.10 pounds. MSRP: $1,695. Visit BergaraUSA.com.
Mossberg T&T — Tactical and Traditional
The MVP Precision looks good. It has all-new chassis with a longer fore-end up front and a fully-adjustable LUTH-AR MBA-3 stock in the back. Every rifle comes with an LBA trigger, and 20″ or 24″ threaded and free-floated medium bull barrels are standard. The action features an oversize bolt handle with a Picatinny rail on top. Available chamberings include the 6.5 Creedmoor (no surprise) and 7.62×51 (.308 Win). Mossberg will also offer combo packages fitted with Vortex Viper HS-T riflescope. Visit Mossberg.com.
For fans of traditional wood-stocked rifles, Mossberg has added the 6.5 Creedmoor chambering to the top-of-the-line Revere model. This rifle features a high-grade European walnut stock with rosewood fore-end tip and grip cap. As you can see in the video above, the Mossberg Revere offers a lot of style and performance for the $823 MSRP.
New Rifles tip from EdLongrange. We welcome reader submissions.
Here’s a quick tip for you last minute shooting gear shoppers. Brownells has some serious money-off promo codes that entitle you to free shipping on your orders and up to $50 off your order. Use the codes listed below during check-out to save. These promo codes are good through 11:59 PM on Christmas Day, December 25, 2017. Note, some restrictions apply (read fine print).
Get $10 Off $100 + Free Shipping use Code “NBC”
Get $30 Off $300 + Free Shipping use Code “NBD”
Get $50 Off $500 + Free Shipping use Code “NBE”
Also, there is a separate “LQ9″ promo code for $30 Off $300 with Free Shipping. NOTE: This is good through 12/27/2017 so should work for a couple more days (if you miss the Xmas night deadline).
New Year’s Free Shipping Promo: Also there is a Free Shipping Code M7R that is good through January 2, 2018. This gives you Free Shipping for orders over $49.00.
Here’s a notable firearms manufacturing milestone. Founded in 1997, Henry Repeating Arms has just produced its one-millionth Henry lever action .22 LR rimfire rifle, a special, pimped-out version of the reliable yet affordable Model H001, now sold in over 30 countries worldwide. Selected as the 2018 SHOT Show auction rifle, this one-of-a-kind millionth .22 LR H001 features silver finished receiver, elaborate scroll engraving, inlaid 24-carat gold highlights, and an exhibition-grade walnut stock.
The historic Henry will be sold via a GunBroker.com auction concluding on the final day of the 2018 SHOT Show (1/26/18). The Hunting Heritage Trust hopes to surpass the SHOT Show auction record of $136,014. Henry’s President Anthony Imperato stated: “This is the rifle that put Henry Repeating Arms on the map, energized the lever action market and resurrected the Henry name.”
The first Henry Lever Action .22 rifles were crafted in Brooklyn, New York two decades ago. In 2008, Henry moved production to New Jersey. Over the years, several variations of the H001 were added including a youth model, a carbine with a large loop lever, octagon barreled editions, and additional calibers in .22 Magnum and .17 HMR. Counting ALL the styles and chamberings, Henry has actually sold over TWO million H001 series rifles.
About Henry Repeating Arms
The original Henry rifle played a significant role in the frontier days of the American West and is one of the most legendary American firearms. Founded in 1997, Henry Repeating Arms is now the nation’s leading lever-action rifle manufacturer. To learn more about the company and its products visit HenryUSA.com.
Anthony Imperato, President and owner of Henry Repeating Arms reminisces, “When I attended the SHOT Show in 1996 I displayed the prototype H001 on top of an 8-foot folding table. We didn’t have a big budget booth and it was a no-frills affair. I had no idea that it would go on to be a top seller, a staple of the firearms industry. My goal was to deliver value, quality, a smooth reliable action and of course, made in America.”
Report by NRA-ILA
Last week, President Trump signed into law H.R. 2810, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2018 (NDAA). Included in the law is a provision long sought by collectors of vintage firearms and militaria that would require military surplus M1911/M1911A1 pistols (1911s) to be made available for sale to the American public. The military currently has some 100,000 excess 1911s sitting in storage at taxpayer expense.
A previous version of the NDAA signed into law by then-President Obama in 2015 authorized, but did not require, the Secretary of Defense to transfer up to 10,000 surplus 1911s per year to the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) for sale to the public. Unsurprisingly, no such transfers were ever made while Obama remained in the White House.
The language in the 2018 NDAA effectively establishes a mandatory pilot program under which at least 8,000 (and as many as 10,000) 1911s would be transferred to the CMP for public sale in 2018. The Secretary of Defense must then report to Congress on the outcome of the program. Thereafter, the Secretary would be authorized to continue transferring up to 10,000 [more] surplus 1911s a year to the CMP for further public sales. READ More about CMP Sales of Vintage 1911 Pistols on NRA-ILA.org.
The Process to Acquire a Military 1911 Pistol
Sales of the surplus 1911 handguns will be handled a bit differently than most other CMP firearms transfers for M1 Garands, M1 Carbines and other vintage rifles. All transfers must go through a local FFL in a face-to-face transaction. In addition, there will be two background checks of the purchaser before the gun can be transfered. The first check is done by the CMP prior to shipping the pistol, while a second check is done by the FFL before releasing the pistol to the customer at the FFL’s place of business. Customers will be limited to one 1911 pistol per calendar year.
Additional CMP Requirements
The CMP has a number of “threshhold” requirements for purchase of a surplus 1911. To acquire one of the CMP 1911s, you must be a U.S. citizens, eligible to receive firearms under federal law, and the laws of your city/state. In addition you must belong to a CMP-affiliated club, and able to provide proof of participation in a marksmanship activity.
Ret. Army Lt. Col. Lones W. Wigger, Olympic shooter and international champion, passed away on the evening of December 14, 2017 at his home in Colorado Springs, Colorado of complications from pancreatic cancer. He was 80 years old. By many measures, Wigger could be called the best iron sights, position shooter in history. During his shooting career, Wigger won 111 medals and set or tied 29 world records in international competition, more than any other shooter in the world. He was on the USA Olympic Shooting Team in 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1980.
Kelly McMillan mourns Wigger: “My heart is broken. Sometimes something happens that though you may have been expecting it, when it happens the effect that it has on you is a complete surprise. I feel honored to have attended his [80th] Birthday Celebration in August and was extremely fortunate to have him on my radio show a little over a month ago. I am honored to have known him and to call him my friend… I miss him already.”
A Lifetime of Shooting Excellence
Originally from Fort Benton, Montana, Wigger won three Olympic medals in his career including Golds in 1964 and 1972. His resume also includes 24 World Championship Gold Medals and 29 World Records. The retired Lt. Col. also served his country in the U.S. Army with tours of duty in Vietnam in 1967 and 1971. Wigger was primed for Olympic success in 1980 but never got the chance due to the U.S. boycott.
Wigger is often regarded as the greatest competitive rifle shooter ever to have taken aim for the United States. He won more medals in international shooting competition (111) than any other shooting athlete in the world and is the only athlete to win medals in all three Olympic rifle shooting disciplines. Wigger is the only USA Shooting Team member ever elected to the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Hall of Fame.
Wigger was a USA Olympic shooting team member in 1964, 1968, 1972, and 1980. The 1964 effort resulted in a Gold Medal. He won the gold for the 3-position small-bore rifle. In 1972, Wigger won the Gold Medal for 3-position Free Rifle. Wigger also competed on five Pan American Games teams, where he won five Silver and 13 Gold medals. A retired Army Lt. Colonel, Wigger was a Vietnam Veteran who spent 25 years on active duty, retiring with the rank of Lt. Colonel. While in the Army, Wiggers also competed with the USAMU.
Wisdom from Wigger — The Psychology of Winning
by Lones Wigger, Olympic Medalist
It’s pretty complicated — this subject of dealing with pressure. I’m a precision shooter and have learned to excel in that discipline. You’ve got to learn to shoot the desired scores at home and in training. And once you’re capable of shooting the scores, you may not shoot the same way in the match because of the match pressure. As a result, it takes 3-4 years to learn how to shoot, and another 3-4 years to learn how to win — to deal with the match pressure. It takes several more years to learn how to do it when it counts.
To win, there are several things you have to learn how to do. You have to do it from within. You have to learn how to train just as if you were in a big competition. You work on every shot. You have got to learn to treat it just like a match — to get the maximum value out of every shot.
You have got to use the same technique in practice and in training. A lot of shooters have a problem because they change their technique from practice to the match. In competition, you work your ass off for every shot. You have to approach the training the same way.
A second way to combat pressure is to shoot in every competition you can get into so that you become accustomed to it.
Do Everything Possible to Prepare
The third technique is preparation. Before you are going to shoot in a big competition, train hard to do everything you can to raise your scores. So when you’re in the match, you know that you have done everything humanly possible to get ready for the competition. If you have self-doubt, you will not shoot well. You have to have the will to prepare to win.
When Gary Anderson was a kid, he couldn’t afford a gun or ammunition. He had read about the great Soviet shooters. With his single shot rifle, he would get into position, point that gun and dry fire for hours at a time in the three different positions. He had tremendous desire. He wanted to win and he did whatever he could to get there. When he finally got into competition, he shot fantastic scores from the beginning.
Visualize Winning to Train the Subconscious Mind
A little bit of psychology: You picture in your mind what you want to do. You have to say, OK, I’m going to the Olympics and perform well. Picture yourself shooting a great score and how good it feels. You are training your subconscious mind. Once you get it trained, it takes over. A coach taught me to visualize the outcome, and it worked. Eventually you train your subconscious and it believes you can win. At first I didn’t know about teaching the subconscious to take over, but now I do it all the time. And it certainly worked for me at the 1972 Olympics. What it really takes is training and doing the same thing in training as at a match. If you are “just shooting,” you are wasting your time.
This above text comes from an interview with Lones Wigger by Jock Elliot, part of a three-part series, The Fine Art of Not Cracking Under Pressure. CLICK HERE to READ FULL ARTICLE featuring other interviews with Brian Zins, Bruce Piatt, Carl Bernosky and Ernie Vande Zande.
Image Courtesy NSSF. This story is based on a recent NSSF Article.
‘Tis the season of gift-giving (and Christmas Day is nearly here). As hunters, shooters, collectors or just plain plinkers, it’s a natural instinct to want to share our enjoyment of firearms with others. What better way to do that than to make a gift of a firearm to a family member, close friend or relative?
The first thing to remember if you’re thinking about giving someone a gun is that … it’s a gun! You already know that ownership of a firearm brings with it some serious legal and ethical obligations that other consumer products don’t. So let’s look at some questions you may have about giving a firearm as a gift.
Image Courtesy NSSF
The first question you have to ask is whether the intended recipient can legally own the firearm where he or she lives. With more than 20,000 different gun laws on the books, even the kinds of firearms that law-abiding citizens can own vary from place to place. For example, juveniles (under age 18) generally speaking are precluded by law from possessing a handgun. Check out the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) website for an overview of local laws and, whatever you do, don’t forget that you can never under any circumstances transfer a firearm to someone you know — or have reasonable cause to believe — legally can’t own one. That’s a federal felony, so be careful.
There’s no federal law that prohibits a gift of a firearm to a relative or friend who lives in your home state. Abramski v. United States, a recent Supreme Court decision involving a “straw purchase” of a firearm did not change the law regarding firearms as gifts. The following states (California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington State) and the District of Columbia require you to transfer a firearm through a local firearms retailer so an instant background check will be performed to make sure the recipient is not legally prohibited from owning the gun. Maryland and Pennsylvania require a background check for private party transfer of a handgun. There are exceptions, so it’s important to check the law of your state or ask your local firearms retailer.
Consider a Gift Card Instead of Direct Gift
The ATF recommends that if you want to give someone a new firearm, rather than going to a gun store and buying the gun on your own, consider instead purchasing a gift certificate/card from your favorite gun retailer. Then give that gift card as the present. That way the recipient can choose the exact gun he or she wants, and there’s no question about who is “the actual buyer of the firearm,” which is a question any purchaser must certify on the Federal Form 4473 at the time of purchase. The Gift Card option avoids any “straw purchaser” issues.
Intra-Family Transfers and Antique Arms
What if you want to give “Old Betsy,” your favorite old deer rifle, to your son or daughter as a college graduation gift? Again, in most states, there’s no law that says you can’t, but some states require even intra-family transfers to go through a licensed dealer. Remember, you can never transfer a firearm directly to another person who is a resident of a different state. In that case, you must transfer the firearm through a licensed dealer in the state where the person receiving the gift resides. Using a gift certificate from a firearms retailer near where the recipient lives might be a good solution. Pre-1898 antique firearms are generally exempt from the dealer requirement. [But check with the laws in your jurisdiction]. Be safe and check with your dealer or local law enforcement before you hand over your prized possession.
Regulations on Firearms Shipping to Third Parties
When you intend to transfer a gun, there are important rules on interstate shipping*. Generally speaking, you can only ship a handgun by common carrier (but not U.S. Mail) and a long gun by U.S. Mail or common carrier to a federally licensed dealer, but not to a non-licensed individual. With all carriers, federal law requires you to declare that your package contains an unloaded firearm. To be safe, always consult your carrier in advance about its regulations for shipping firearms. Also check your state laws on transfers.
*Different rules may apply to shipping to parties IN-STATE or shipping firearms to yourself in temporary care of others. Always consult your own state laws, but here are some FAQs copied directly from the ATF.GOV website:
Here’s an interesting statistic — according to an NSSF survey, the percentage of gun owners who are female has increased dramatically since 2005. Back in 2005, just 13% of U.S. gun owners were women. By 2012 that number had risen to 23% — a huge increase in less than a decade.
Holiday Greetings to Our Readers
It’s pretty complicated — this subject of dealing with pressure. I’m a precision shooter and have learned to excel in that discipline. You’ve got to learn to shoot the desired scores at home and in training. And once you’re capable of shooting the scores, you may not shoot the same way in the match because of the match pressure. As a result, it takes 3-4 years to learn how to shoot, and another 3-4 years to learn how to win — to deal with the match pressure. It takes several more years to learn how to do it when it counts.
The first question you have to ask is whether the intended recipient can legally own the firearm where he or she lives. With more than 20,000 different gun laws on the books, even the kinds of firearms that law-abiding citizens can own vary from place to place. For example, juveniles (under age 18) generally speaking are precluded by law from possessing a handgun. Check out the 
Consider a Gift Card Instead of Direct Gift
