TMCOLT COMEBACKContinued from page 552 Pack For$8.49Plus S/HFREE ShippingOn Orders of3 Packs Or MoreOur TUFF Orange QuickStripsstand out, even in low light, havethe edge when you need it most!See US at ShOT ShOw BOOTh #7006New 5 Round .38 & .44 Cal..17hMR .38/.357 .45 ACP.<strong>22</strong> Rim Fire S&w .40 .475 Linebaugh.<strong>22</strong>3 .41 Magnum .480 Ruger.30.06 .410 Shot Gun .500 Linebaugh.30-30 .44/.45/.460 .500 S&w.308 .45 Auto Rim 9mm.32/.327New 20 & 12 Gauge$19.99Plus s/HAvailable inOrange orBlack2 Pack for$12.49Plus s/HQuickStrip TM PouchWraps around beltsup to 1 3 /4”and isdesigned for use withone or two QuickStrips.Available in 4 sizes to fityour QuickStrips.Black or Coyote BrownOrder Online: www.tuffproducts.comOr Call: 877-883-37761060 Colorado Ave. Ste A. Chula Vista, CA 91911Tuff 2.5 x 7 ad 2 color.indd 1 12/2/09 7:50:39 AMbeing parkerized. However the backstraphas the original 1911 straightmainspring housing matched up withthe long trigger I prefer, and also hasthe flat-bottomed magazine with no padattached. I’m sure pads have their placein competition but I prefer this old style.One major change, and what I considermandatory, are the improved sights.The original 1911 sights are very tinyand hard to see; on this 21st-century versionthey are larger with a square notchrear sight matched up with a sloping postfront sight. These sights are also of thewhite dot style with one dot inlaid intothe front sight and one on each side ofthe rear sight. The rear blade is set in adovetail and is adjustable for windage,however as it came from the factorythis 1911 is basically dead on with mostloads I tried, and matches perfectly withmy eyes and hold.Trigger pull on this stainless steel1911 measured out at 45/8 pounds onthe RCBS Trigger Pull Scale, with nodiscernible creep. The fit of the slideto the frame is tight with just a veryslight side-to-side movement. Verticalserrations on the back of the slide aid incocking, and there are also vertical serrationson the flat mainspring housing.Grip panels are checkered hard rubberwith the rampant Colt logo.As expected, shooting this .45 ACPwas pure pleasure, and the results oftest-firing 10 factory loads are in theaccompanying chart. The average for 10different loads from 185 to 230 grainswas 15/8" for five shots at 20 yards. Bestresults were with the Black Hills 230JHP +P which clocked at 971 fps witha 1" group, and the Federal 230 Hydra-Shok for 884 fps and just slightly over1". This Colt comes with two sevenroundmagazines and a padded case.Government XSE .45 ACP RailModel: The first Colt is basically plain-Jane, however this one has all kinds ofextras. It has the same brushed stainlesssteel finish as well as the flat mainspringhousing and long trigger and of coursethe same interior features and .45 ACPchambering, however all similarity endsat this point. This pistol is designed forserious self defense with all the desirablefeatures many shooters want. Slideto frame fit is absolutely perfect withno movement whatsoever, yet the slidemoves very smoothly on the rails.Sights are fixed combat style of thethree white dot variety with both beingset in dovetails. The rear sight has alocking set-screw, is set low to the slide,and is melted so there are no sharpedges to catch on clothing. The slidehas deep diagonal serrations both frontand rear for easy cocking. Two eightroundmagazines are provided.Intensive personalized training in all aspects ofpractical shooting. Each course is designed toaccommodate all levels; beginners, intermediate oradvanced shooters wishing to increase their skillspeed shooting.Each course will be taught by World Class GrandMaster Shooting Instructors. The academy is locatedin the heart of central Florida near Walt DisneyWorld. Courses limited to eight students per class.Classes available all year:Web site: www.universalshootingacademy.comNOWYou can add PIZZAZZ to yourGOVERNMENT 1911TAURUS PT 1911 andBOBTAIL 1911 pistols too!The Perfect Gift for the Holidayswww.riograndecustomgrips.com303-330-2812Cylinder Base PinsRuger, Colt, and ReplicasBelt Mtn. Enterprises, Inc.P T 59714Phone & Fax 1-406-388-1396NEW! Big Game “PUNCH” Bulletswww.beltmountain.com100 WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM • MARCH/APRIL 2010
The thumb safety is ambidextrous,the aluminum trigger has three weightlighteningholes bored through and ismatched with an enhanced Commanderstylehammer. The grip safety is a beavertail,hollowed at the top to allowit to ride high and not interfere withthe hammer. Grips are double diamondcheckered exotic wood, which appearsto be rosewood. An extra added featureis the machined-in rail found in front ofthe trigger guard to accept a flashlight.For our test I mounted the InsightTech-Gear XTI Procyon flashlightwhich slides easily onto the rail. Thislight has two switches allowing it to beeasily operated with either hand withoutchanging the grip. Pushing either switchup or down activates the light, but if theswitch is pushed down twice it becomesa strobe light. If you’ve ever experiencedthe wrong end of a strobe lightyou know how discomforting and disorientingit can be.To state it simply this is a realshooting machine! Even with the triggerpull of 51/2 pounds it shoots superbly.With the same 10 factory rounds as usedin the standard .45 Government Model,this pistol averaged 11/4" for the 10 differentloads with weights varying from185 to 230 grains. Groups under 1" wereaccomplished with both the Cor-Bon200 grain JHP +P at 1,055 fps and theFederal Hydra-Shok 230 JHP at 890 fps.Custom Government .38 Super:I’ve been a fan of the 1911 Colt sinceI bought my first WWII surplus GovernmentModel in 1957. I like them all,however none of them make the stringsof my heart sing like this one. Regularreaders know of my affinity for the .44Special in double action and single actionsixguns; it’s the cartridge of true connoisseurs.For me, the .38 Super is to semiautoswhat the .44 Special is to sixguns.Those who have the same feelingswill understand; those who don’t probablynever will. I think my fascinationwith the .38 Super started 50 years agowhen Jeff Cooper, who always pushedthe .45 ACP, published a picture of acustom .38 Super 1911 and stated as atrailgun it would shoot rings around any1911 chambered in .45 ACP, especiallyfor targets such as crows and coyotes.I have several .38 Supers from differentmanufacturers and custom gunsmiths,but I have always wanted,please don’t ask me to explain why, anickel-plated Colt .38 Super fitted withreal mother-of-pearl grips. I know whatyou’re thinking, so just stop it! This .38Super is not nickel-plated but ratherhigh polished stainless steel making iteven better, as stainless steel will neverflake and if it becomes scratched it iseasily re-polished. This gun will nevergo back and I have already orderedtwo sets of mother of pearl stocks fromEagle Grips. I got the real thing (pearl)for everyday use or as a Texas BarbequeGun, and an imitation set for heavydutywork if I’m ever so inclined, whichisn’t likely at this stage of my life.Other than the high polished stainlesssteel finish and .38 Super chamberingthis Colt pistol, which is markedCOLT CUSTOM on the left side ofthe slide, is the same basic semiauto asthe Government Model .45 ACP. Theslide to frame fit is as tight as the railmounted1911 and is also very smoothin operation The trigger pull measures51/4 pounds, and the grip panels are thesame exotic wood as found on the railmountedGovernment Model. Two nineroundmagazines are provided.Seven different factory loads rangingin weight from 100 to 130 grains weretest-fired in this beautiful .38 Super,with the average being just over 11/2" forfive shots at 20 yards The best shootingloads all came from Cor-Bon, with the125 DPX +P clocking 1,313 fps andgrouping in 13/8"; 115 JHP+P, 1,504 fpsand 11/2"; and the 100 Pow’RBall at1,651 fps and also 11/2".Colt is definitely back!*For more info: www.americanhandgunner.com/productindex.htmlDiscover the value ofreloading your ownammunition withStarline brass.Whether you shoot a lot or a little, youcan save some money by reloading.And it all starts with a durable, qualitymade case from Starline. Our brass ismade to use again and again, so whenyou reload, you can take advantage ofthis money saving benefit.Start reloading today with Starlinebrass because a great shot starts withStarline.NEW UNPRIMED BRASSCALIBER10 MM45 AUTO+P30 LUGER45 AUTO RIM30 MAUSER45 COLT Call or32 S&W LONG 45 GAPcheck32 H&R MAG 45 LONG COLT BLANK32-2045 S&W web SCH<strong>OF</strong>IELD site357 MAG45 SUPERfor357 SIG454 CASULL38 LONG COLT 45-70prices.38 SHORT COLT 45-90 (2.4)38 S&W45-100 (2.6)38 SUPER460 MAG38 SUPER +P 460 ROWLAND38 SUPER COMP 475 WILDEY MAG38 TJ475 LINEBAUGH380 AUTO50 AE38-4050 ALASKAN38-55 (2.080) 50-70 GOV’T38-55 LONG (2.125) 50-90 SHARPS40 S&W50-110 WIN40 SUPER500 LINEBAUGH40-65500 S&W MAG (R)41 COLT56-50 SPENCER (TAYLOR’S)41 MAG7.62X25 TOKAREV44 COLT9X2144 MAG9 MM LARGO44 RUSSIAN9 MM MAKAROV44 SPECIAL9 SUPER COMP (9X23)44-409 MM WIN MAG45 AUTOThis is a partial list.Call or check web site for acomplete list of products.ORDERFactory Directwww.starlinebrass.comor call 1-800-280-6660© 2010 Starline BrassWWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM 101