Sam Trisler

“Hey folks! Step right on up and see if you are up to the challenge. Hit the targets and win a prize! Everyone is a winner except the losers!” I wish there were still real shooting galleries at state fairs and carnivals. With a little work and this Henry Pump Action .22, you can make your own shooting gallery and let the fun begin.

It is fairly rare for some museums to display guns. Most are associated with cowboys or wars, but aren’t the focus. But the Saunders Museum in Berryville, Arkansas has one of the best collections of guns around. If you like old guns, this should be a destination.

This Kimber Stainless II Classic Engraved 1911 may be the perfect mix of form and function. If you like a bit of decoration on you single actions, but don’t want to give up any of the functional aspects needed for carry, check out Kimber’s engraved pistols.

The Fairbairn-Sykes Fighting Knife is a British blade with a deep history. The blade came with a manual that included bleed-out times for specific wound points. It is an iconic blade, and a design that is almost absent from our current line-up of fighting designs.

When I first came across this little gun I immediately thought of a Colt Vest Pocket without the grip safety. That is how the back half of the pistol looks. After closer inspection I noticed it had a fixed barrel. That is not something the old Colts have. But a Walther PPK does. I have come to the conclusion that this little Galesi could be the product from a marriage between a PPK and a Vest Pocket. Those are some pretty good genes from both sides of the family.

The Ka-Bar is one of the most iconic blades ever made. This mid-century fighting knife was born of necessity. How does it stand up to the standards of today’s war fighters? We will start with a look back at the history and how the knife was designed to kill.

This old Smith Model 30 is made on the J frame and is marked 30-1 on the crane. It dates from about 1970 and shows a bit of wear here and there from its 45 year or so life. This Smith belongs to Jon Hodoway and was his grandmothers revolver. He said she kept it in the towel drawer in her kitchen for defense against 2, 4 and no legged varmints.

So why would we or you want to do something like this? Well, contrary to what a lot of people think stainless does not mean rustless. Stainless steel will, can, and does rust. Now it is not as prone to corrosion as regular steel, but it will happen. Coating a stainless gun might be the equivalent of putting on two condoms, but sometimes its better to be have a little extra protection. See what WMD can do.

So what do you get out of a mid priced 1911 that you don’t from a budget pistol? Mostly fit and finish. I also expect some upgraded features, like checkering on the mainspring housing, nice grips and good sights. That is what this Dan Wesson Heritage delivers. And it looks good, too. Read our review