Click here to download the catalog as a PDF file. To view this site you need Adobe Flash Player and your browser must allow javaScripts. Go here to get the latest Flash Player. Massad Ayoob Most Saleable Defense Handguns From SHOT bout the time former Federal Re- $330 range. The LCP offers a number of serve Chief Alan Greenspan was desirable features that will appeal to the telling reporters he thought there more gun-educated customers who want a was a 50-50 chance the nation would slip really small carry gun. into a recession, America’s retail firearms The LCP has a robust extractor, and a industry was seeing a massive turnout slide lock lever like a full-size service pisat its primary industry trade show. This despite the SHOT Show taking place in Las Vegas right in the middle of the Super Bowl. Apparently, at least one corner of our economy has high hopes. In times of recession, afflicted citizens cut back on things they want, but still find money for things they need. Personal defense and family safety tend to be perceived as needs, not wants. The new home-defense shotgun or AR15, or the newer, more efficient concealed carry pistol, are more likely to find The very small Ruger LCP drew a lot of attention from their way to the top of the cus- SHOT Show. tomer’s list of priorities, even tol. Some small pocket pistols don’t have a when money is tight. With a recession looming, it is good mechanism for locking the slide back, reto know the current crop of desirable new quired at some safety classes and shooting defensive firearms is good, particularly on ranges. The LCP nicely handles that. Only 0.82" thick, weighing under 10 ounces the handgun side. unloaded and capable of carrying six .380 Munificent Mousegun rounds in the magazine and a seventh in Of the self-defense handguns presented the chamber, the LCP struck a responsive at SHOT, Ruger had the most potentially chord with buyers in Vegas, with reports profitable pistol. Think “volume” more that Ruger quickly revised its full-year than “margin.” The new .380 caliber LCP production schedule for the pistol. (Light Compact Pistol) has a MSRP in the In addition to a mousegun that prom- A ises to sell faster to gun owners than cheese to, well, mice, there are two other recent, relevant offerings from Ruger. Introduced in October, the SR9 pistol, an 18-shot 9mm, is selling well, according to dealers. It’s geared to compete directly with the super-popular Glock 17 at a lower pricepoint. Reliable from the beginning, the SR9 started out with a not-so-great trigger, but there are indications Ruger has already tweaked that problem. Finally, first announced in November, is the .327 Magnum cartridge, produced by Federal and available in a six-shot version of Ruger’s sturdy little SP101 revolver. A lengthened version of the .32 Magnum, a .327 will fire that cartridge, buyers at the its own and any old stock .32 Long and .32 S&W you have lying on a dusty display shelf. With the 85-grain jacketed hollow point, the only loading available at press time, recoil was particularly mild and accuracy was almost as good as Federal’s legendary .32 long match wadcutter. Promised velocity of 1,330 foot seconds was dramatically exceeded on our chronograph, with mid-1,400 foot second velocity registered. Recoil is soft, and hotter loads coming from Federal and Speer may make the .327 a particularly desirable concealment/ defense revolver for the recoil sensitive. Suave-Selling Smiths S mith & Wesson’s new Night Guard series combines the big, highly visible, heavy-duty fixed rear sight designed by Bill Laughridge at Cylinder & Slide with a giant front sight and humongous XS tritium front ball. Short barrel and sharp front sight combine for a gun that will be extremely hard for an intruder to wrench from a home-defender’s hand. With the proper explanation by the salesman, this simple, lightweight doubleaction series will appeal to a broad spectrum of home-defense motivated buyers. Caliber choices 16 APRIL 2008 include .38 S&W Special+P, .357 Magnum, .45 ACP (with moon clips), .44 Special and even .44 Magnum. Scandium construction makes them light, but also a bit pricey. For the first time in over a decade, The Smith & Wesson Model 386 Night Guard, in .357 Magnum, is one of six midsize revolvers in the Night Guard Series. www.shootingindustry.com