Todd Jarrett is one of the world’s best handgun shooters. A multi-time World Champion, Todd knows a thing or two about semi-auto pistols, particularly 1911s and 1911-based raceguns. Jarrett holds four World titles, nine National titles and has won more than 50 Area championships, as well as many other action shooting events. Jarrett is the only USPSA Triple Crown Winner and he holds four USPSA National titles: Open, Limited, Production, and Limited-10. Jarrett revealed in an interview that between 1988 and 2001 he shot about 1.7 million rounds during practice: “I had a gun in my hand for two hours every day for 10 years to develop my skill level”.
In the video below, Todd explains how to get the proper grip on your handgun, and how to employ a proper stance. We’ve watched many videos on pistol shooting. This is one of the best handgun instructional videos we’ve seen. Todd explains, in easy-to-understand terms, the key elements of grip and stance. One very important point he demonstrates is how to align the grip in your hand so that the gun points naturally — something very important when rapid aiming is required. If you watch this video, you’ll learn valuable lessons — whether you shoot competitively or just want to have better control and accuracy when using your handgun defensively.
Related Article: Thumbs-Forward Shooting Grip for 1911s
“Shooting semiautomatic pistols using the thumbs-forward method really becomes useful … where speed and accuracy are both needed. By positioning the thumbs-forward along the slide (or slightly off of the slide) you are in essence creating a second sighting device: wherever your shooting thumb is pointing is where the pistol is pointing. This makes it incredibly fast to draw the pistol, get your proper grip, and press forward to the target without needing to hunt around for the front sight.” — Cheaper Than Dirt Blog.
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These three videos show how the classic Model 1911 pistol works. This pistol requires the hammer to be cocked in order to fire. Watch the video to see the operation of the trigger, hammer, firing pin, and slide. After the round is fired the slide retracts and the cartridge ejects. Then, a new round rises in the magazine and chambers as the slide moves forward back into battery. With the hammer cocked when the slide came back, the m1911 is ready for the next shot.
Striker-Fired Glock Pistol — Modern Design
For comparison with the Model 1911 shown above, this video shows the Glock 19 (Gen 4) pistol with 3D animation. This modern, polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol has constant trigger pull for all shots. Some folks call this a DAO (double-action-only) trigger but that’s not really correct. Unlike the Model 1911, on a Glock there is no external safety on the frame or slide. The trigger “shoe” (the part that contacts finger) includes a central blade. This prevents the gun from firing unless the trigger is depresses normally. Glock calls this the “safe action”.
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Here’s a very cool 3D Animation showing pistol rounds being fired. Computer-generated graphics provide a look inside the cartridge at the moment of ignition as the primer fires and the flame front moves through the ignited powder. It’s really kind of mesmerizing. If you’ve every wondered just what happens inside your cartridges the moment that firing pin strikes, then watch this video…
Watch Video to See Handgun Ammo Being Chambered and Fired:
Mute Enabled — Click Speaker Icon to Hear Audio. Firing Sequence Starts at 1:28.
This animated video from German ammo-maker GECO (part of the Swiss RUAG group of companies) reveals the inside of a pistol cartridge, showing jacket, lead core, case, powder and primer. Employing advanced 3D rendering and computer graphics, the video shows an X-ray view of ammo being loaded in a handgun, feeding from a magazine.
Then it really gets interesting. At 1:28 – 1:50 you’ll see the firing pin strike the primer cup, the primer’s hot jet streaming through the flash-hole, and the powder igniting. Finally you can see the bullet as it moves down the barrel and spins its way to a target. This is a very nicely-produced video. If you’ve ever wondered what happens inside a cartridge when you pull the trigger, this video shows all. They say “a picture’s worth a thousand words”… well a 3D video is even better.
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About Jerry Miculek… The Man, The Myth, The Legend
The video above begins: “My name is Jerry Miculek. Guns are what I do.” Jerry Miculek is a true legend in the firearms community. Acknowledged as the best wheelgun speed-shooter in history, Jerry is also an accomplished rifle and shotgun shooter with many class victories in 3-Gun competition. He also has been a prolific YouTube Video creator. For this Saturday at the Movies story, we are featuring five notable Jerry Miculek videos. You will find over 200 more informative and entertaining videos on the Jerry Miculek Pro Shooter YouTube channel>
Here Jerry shoots two, double-barrel .45 ACP 1911 pistols (AF2011) at the same time, one in each hand. Jerry was the first-ever person to accomplished this 4-barrel feat with twin handguns. Employing the dual double-barreled pistols, Jerry send 20 rounds downrange in under 1.5 seconds. This amazing sequence is captured with hi-speed cameras for vivid slow-motion playback. There are some spectacular close-ups as the bullets leave the muzzles. Worth watching!
2. Take-Down and Full Cleaning of AR-15
If you want to keep your black rifle running smoothly and reliably, you must clean it regularly and follow the correct maintenance procedures. In this video, Jerry Miculek takes down and cleans an AR-platform rifle belonging to his daughter Lena. This is a good video because Lena’s rifle was “run hard and packed up dirty” so you can see where carbon and grease build up. This 35-minute video is very thorough. Jerry is one of the nation’s top action carbine shooters, so listen carefully to his advice on cleaning and lubrication.
3. Jerry Reviews Magnetospeed T1000 Target Impact Indicator
MagnetoSpeed makes more than barrel-mounted chronographs. The T1000 is a target hit indicator that illuminates a super-bright red light when you hit a steel target. The T1000 was designed to be mounted to the back side of AR500 steel targets. In this video Jerry tests the MagnetoSpeed T1000 indicator light system. We like the T1000, especially for longer ranges where impacts on plates may not be easily visible. And you never have to paint your steel targets again to show impacts!
4. Shooting 240 Yards with 85-Year-Old K-22 Rimfire Revolver
Jerry Miculek is probably the greatest (certainly speediest) revolver shooter in history. He has set multiple world records with Smith & Wesson wheelguns. Here he tests a true classic — an 85-year-old S&W model K-22 revolver chambered for the .22 LR rimfire cartridge. Jerry uses this handsome classic blued revolver to hit targets at 240 yards!
5. 80,000 Philippine M1 Garands in One Place
Last year Jerry Miculek recently the CMP where he looked at the vast inventory of military rifles, including 80,000+ M1 Garands recently received from the Philippines. CMP tech staff showed Jerry some rare Garands that had never been issued. If you’re interested in classic military arms, you should definitely watch Jerry’s video. Gina Johnson, CMP’s general manager, told Guns.com that: “We have roughly 86,000 rifles from the Philippines and roughly 13,000 rifles from Turkey in our possession”.
Along with the 80,000+ Philippines Garands, the CMP received 13,000 from Turkey. The arrival of these 99,000 M1 Garands is great news for rifle collectors. Garands have been in short supply in recent years. Garands were getting harder to acquire from the CMP. In fact, over the past two years, many common Garand varients have been “sold out” on the CMP site.
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Jerry Miculek is the best action revolver shooter who has ever lived. Miculek is also a true master with rifle and shotgun. This guy shoots hundreds of thousands of rounds every year in all types of firearms. Through that process, he has discovered common mistakes many shooters make. Those mistakes can harm the guns, or threaten the safety of the operator. Here Jerry offers some vital gun handling and safety advice in his “Never Do This” video series.
Jerry Miculek has won multiple revolvers championships, and has set amazing records for revolver speed shooting (with reloads). Yes Jerry, “Mr. Revolver”, knows a thing or two about wheelguns. In this video, Jerry explains how you can damage your revolver by using the wrong methods to open and close the cylinder and extract ammo. Jerry shows what NOT to do, and then he very carefully explains the proper procedure to release the cylinder, and swing it out of the frame. In addition, Jerry shows how best to swing a loaded cyclinder back into place. If you own a revolver, ANY revolver, you should definitely watch this video.
In this second video, Jerry explains common mistakes people make when handling and shooting three classic, semi-auto firearm types — the M1 Garand, the SKS carbine, and the M1911 pistol. Jerry shows handling faults that can cause out-of-battery detonation or early primer strikes, or cause jams in the Garand and SKS. Then Jerry explains why you should never release the slide on a M1911 pistol with a round already in the chamber. This is a must-watch video for Garand owners.
Here Jerry demonstrates of the most common jams that can happen with AR-platform rifles. Miculek reveals the cause of the issue and then shows how to prevent it. Jerry notes: “This is one of those malfunctions that you won’t see coming! I’ve seen it … on the range and it can be devastating to your time in a match. All ammo used in the video were dummy rounds and intentionally loaded for training without powder or primers.”
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One Pistol, Two Barrels, Two Playing Cards — here’s a trick shot we just had to share. The talented Kirsten Joy Weiss does something we’ve never seen before, splitting TWO (2) playing cards with a unique, twin-barreled 1911-style pistol. Watch the video to see Kirsten pull off this double-barreled doozy of a trick, firing two bullets at the same time.
It took a few tries, but Kirsten makes the shot at the 3:14 time-mark:
Kirsten was enthusiastic about this unique trick: “Splitting two cards with two bullets fired at once? The double-barreled 1911 was just begging for a trick shot application. Arsenal Firearm’s 2011 A1 twin-barrel, 1911-style pistol is a heavy monster to wrangle, but a lot of fun to shoot!”
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This one-of-a-kind .50-caliber rifle was crafted by the late J.T. Smith. Along with the lever-actuated falling block, it has a massive swing-out breech block — like an artillery piece.
Beautiful and Historic Firearms
We’ve collected some of the most eye-catching firearms featured on AccurateShooter.com over the past decade. There are famous pistols, a shotgun owned by a princess, the fanciest Savage ever made, and some beautiful examples of engraving and stock-making. Enjoy this collection of firearms eye candy.
Centennial 1911 from Colt — Marking 100 Years
In 2011, to celebrate the 100th birthday of the 1911 hangun, Colt created a spectacular, fully-engraved “Anniversary Edition” pistol. J.M. Browning’s 1911 pistol was officially adopted by the U.S. Army on March 29th, 1911. {The U.S. Marine Corps and U.S. Navy adopted the 1911 pistol roughly two years later). This Centennial 1911 is pimped to the max, complete with gold inlay and genuine ivory grips.
Savage President’s Engraved Savage 99 Rifle
When you run the company, you get some pretty nice stuff — in this case you get what may be the most elegant Savage ever made. This rifle was created for Joseph V. Falcon, who served as President of Savage Arms. This highly embellished Savage 99 lever-action rifle is chambered for the .300 Savage. It features deluxe checkering and gold inlays.
World’s Most Perfect Colt Paterson — Worth Nearly $1 Million
This 1836 Colt Paterson Revolver sold in 2011 for $977,500 at auction. That set a world record (at the time) for the sale of an American firearm. The very rare, ivory-gripped Texas Paterson Revolver, with a 9-inch barrel and attached loading lever, is the finest known surviving example of Samuel Colt’s first revolver, produced in Paterson, New Jersey.
Stunning Engraved Trio — Colt, Mauser, and Luger
Here is a matching set of three three beautifully engraved pistols by the late Indiana engraving wizard Ben Shostle — a Luger, a Mauser, and a diminutive Colt. By themselves, these three matching pistols would make a prized handgun collection. Photo courtesy Amoskeag Auction Company.
Princess Diana’s Westley Richards Shotgun
This stunning Westley Richards & Co. shotgun was made for the 1981 nuptials of Lady Diana Spencer and HRH Prince Charles. It is rare, has a unique history of ownership, and is also elaborately decorated.
Butch Cassidy’s Colt Wheelgun
This revolver isn’t so pretty, but it has an impressive heritage — it belonged to Butch Cassidy. Butch Cassidy’s famous “Amnesty Colt” Revolver sold to a foreign museum for $175,000. The handgun was offered as part of a collection of Western guns and memorabilia auctioned in Casitas Springs, California.
The Right Stuff — Chuck Yeager’s Gold-Plated Beretta
Here’s another pistol with a famous owner “The Right Stuff” Pilot, Chuck Yeager, the first human to break the sound barrier. This Beretta has extra value because it was owned by pilot Chuck Yeager. Photo NRA Museum.
Stunning Mauser Custom — Master-grade Wood and Steel
Forum member Kurz posted a dream gun owned by a friend in England. Kurz included a quote from a book created by the rifle’s owner: “There, with my father’s words ringing in my ears, I shall take that ‘step forward’ and order a perfect machine based on the Mauser ’98 action, built from metal and wood by master craftsmen who truly understand that ‘reliable’ and ‘mechanical integrity’ have as much relevance today as they did all those years ago.”
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When covering SHOT Show 2019 our reporters focused primarily on rifles, optics, and reloading equipment, because this website is dedicated to rifle accuracy. However we know many of our readers are interested in pistols and revolvers, and we bet the majority of our Forum members own handguns. This Editor used to compete in IDPA and other pistol disciplines and I still love my semi-autos and wheelguns.
For you pistoleros, here are five videos covering some of the best new handgun options for 2019. The first video in the list covers multiple handguns — four recommended 1911-type pistols. Enjoy.
Top Four 1911 Pistols from SHOT Show 2019
Pistols Round-Up — Top New Handguns 2019
TOP Five Sub-Compact Handguns Under $500
New COLT Revolvers and 1911s
SIG Sauer P320X Compact
HANDGUN SKILLS — Pistol Training Target
This 12″ Bullseye Pistol Diagnostic Target helps improve handgun marksmanship. The target diagnoses common problems based on shot impact zones. While this target is designed for righties, left-handed shooters can use the target too. Just observe the opposite tips.
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You probably know by now that the CMP has been authorized to distribute U.S. Army surplus 1911 pistols. These were the actual .45 ACP handguns issued to American troops for most of the 20th Century. The first 8,000 pistols have been released from the U.S. Army to the CMP. The very best examples will be auctioned, while the rest will sold in three classes: Service Grade ($1050); Field Grade ($950); and Rack Grade ($850). Interest has been high in these historic 1911 service pistols, with demand expected to exceed supply. Now the CMP has set up the purchase procedure and pricing.
NOTE: The CMP 1911 Order Form Packet can be downloaded from TheCMP.org starting June 4, 2018. Only ONE CMP 1911 Order Form Packet per customer may be submitted.
IMPORTANT: To purchase one of these pistols, you must submit a “hard copy” application, and pass two NICS background tests. Potential purchasers must provide the CMP with a set of documents including: 1) proof of U.S. Citizenship; 2) proof of membership in a CMP-affiliated club; 3) proof of participation in a marksmanship activity; 4) a completed 1911 order form, including a notarized form 2A; 5) a signed copy of the 01, or 02, or 07 Federal Firearms License to which the 1911 will be transferred. All qualifying documents must be included in your order packet.
Designed by J.M. Browning, the M1911 is a single-action, semi-automatic, magazine-fed, recoil-operated pistol chambered for the .45 ACP cartridge. It served as the standard-issue sidearm for the United States Armed Forces from 1911 to 1986. It was widely used in World War I, World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
CMP 1911 Pistol Purchasing Procedure
While the National Defense Authorization Act granted transfer of a maximum of 10,000 1911s per year to the CMP, the Secretary of the Army allowed only 8,000 1911s to be transferred to the CMP for sale and distribution this fiscal year. Some of those are anticipated to be unusual and worthy of being auctioned. The remaining number will be sold based on a computerized Random Number Generator.
Order Packet Availability: CMP 1911 Order Form Packet will be posted on the CMP website on June 4, 2018. Only ONE CMP 1911 order form packet per customer may be submitted. Hand delivered, emailed, and faxed orders will not be accepted. CMP 1911 order form packet must be mailed to the following address: CMP 1911, 1800 Roberts Drive, Anniston, AL 36207.
One-Month Order Window: Orders must be postmarked NOT PRIOR TO 4 September 2018 and NOT AFTER 4 October 2018. Any orders received postmarked prior to September 4 will not be accepted. Hand delivered, emailed, and faxed orders will not be accepted.
CMP 1911 Pistol Pricing
CMP has priced the 1911 type pistols at fair market value in accordance with CMP’s enabling legislation. The shipping cost is included in the price.
Service Grade $1050. Pistol may exhibit minor pitting and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips are complete with no cracks. Pistol is in issuable condition.
Field Grade $950. Pistol may exhibit minor rust, pitting, and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips are complete with no cracks. Pistol is in issuable condition.
Rack Grade $850. Pistol will exhibit rust, pitting, and wear on exterior surfaces and friction surfaces. Grips may be incomplete and exhibit cracks. Pistol requires minor work to return to issuable condition.
Auction Grade. The condition of the auction pistol will be described when posted for auction. Note: If you have already purchased a 1911 from CMP you will NOT be allowed to purchase an auction 1911. If you purchase an auction 1911, your name will be pulled from the sequenced list. No repeat purchasers are allowed until all orders received have been filled.
Brownells now offers free firearms maintenance videos on the Brownells.com website and the Brownells YouTube channel. Brownells President/COO, Matt Buckingham says: “These videos are great for any firearm owner, regardless of skill or experience level. If you’re a new owner, they’ll be extremely helpful; if you’re a longtime gun owner, they’re a great refresher.”
These how-to videos guide viewers through the steps of proper disassembly, cleaning, lubrication, reassembly, and function testing of some of today’s most popular firearms. For each firearm type, a series of FOUR video segments are offered. These are professionally filmed, with multiple camera angles and detailed close-up shots.
Watch m1911 Pistol Disassembly Video (Part 1 of 4-part m1911 series)
Watch Remington 870 Shotgun Disassembly Video (Part 1 of 4-part Rem 870 Series)
Founded in 1939, Brownells is an Iowa-based, family-owned company that sells more than 75,000 firearms parts, gunsmithing tools, accessories, and reloading components. Brownells offers a lifetime guarantee on EVERY product sold. To place an order, or for more information, call 800-741-0015 or visit Brownells.com.
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We know that a large percentage of our readers own 1911-style pistols. The 1911 platform is the favored choice for bullseye pistol competition, and it remains an excellent choice for IDPA comps, action pistol events, and personal defense.
One of the first accessories many 1911 owners install on their pistols is a funnel-type magwell base, such as a Smith & Alexander Mag Guide. A magwell base allows you to change mags more quickly and securely. Unfortunately, adding a metal funnel is an expensive proposition that normally requires gunsmithing.
Now you can get the benefits of an expensive magwell base with a polymer, two-piece 1911 grip system from MAKO Security that incorporates a speed funnel at the bottom. Instead of buying an expensive ($70.00+) magazine extension and having to drill into your 1911, simply replace your existing grips with MAKO’s WG1911 grip system.
According to Addy Sandler, MAKO’s CEO: “The WG1911 makes it much, much easier to put a magazine in a 1911 handgun. There is nothing that provides all the features and benefits of the WG1911 on the market today at this price point.” MSRP for the WG1911 grip is $27.20, but you can buy it from Trading Post Supply for just $19.74.