Crossfire: letters to guns

Guns Magazine, Nov, 2002

GUNS MAGAZINE[TM] welcomes letters to the editor for "Cross fire." Send your letters to: CROSSFIRE, GUNS Magazine, 591 Camino de la Reina, Suite 200, San Diego, CA 92108. Email: ed@gunsmagazine.com

LETTER OF THE MONTH

Please Don't Forget Us

Holt Bodinson's Shotgunner column in the September issue was a real treat. As a woman and a shooter, I have resigned myself to the fact that all the people I see pictured in my favorite gun magazines are men. I'm not happy about this, but I understand. Certainly the majority of sport shooters are men. But don't let this majority permit you to forget the women in this country who are just as passionate about shooting and hunting as are the boys.

The only photos of women I see in most publications are "cheesecake" photos. How nice then to read the September Shotgunner column and see both a nice photograph, and a good review of the "Hunting With The Women Of The NRA" video.

Well done gentlemen!

Karen Anderson

Via e-mail

We've Lost One Of The Family

It was with great sadness today that I read a short obituary on Bill Ruger's passing. I consider him to be a real American hero, as well as a marketing and manufacturing genius. He'll he missed, but his legacy will live forever.

I know. I constantly carry a P-90 .45 concealed. I consider it my "American Express Card" because I never leave home without it. Mr. Ruger, may you rest in peace my friend.

Don Maxie

Jacksonville, Fla.

Clint Tells It True

I have taken at least one course at Thunder Ranch per year since 1994--I've got over 850 hours of instruction there. Clint and his staff teach me something new every time, even in courses I've taken before.

Not having listened well to Clint in my first pistol class, I came to the second pistol class with a 1911-type pistol and a double action of a different caliber and configuration. Halfway through the course, I decided to change guns.

It was then I learned the merit of Clint's rule about, "Find a gun you really like, and buy two of them." Amen.

Thomas E. Lilleberg

Via e-mail

Watermelons, Beware

Taurus Raging "NO" BULL

Great magazine!

Great article!

Great gun!

My son fired his first ever shot, from about 20 yards, at a "hostile" watermelon with my new .454 Casull, 6.5 inch BULL. Ammunition used was the 300 grain JHP. The watermelon never had a chance.

My next purchase will be the .480 BULL. Big bores RULE!

Love your magazine, keep up the great work.

Byron R. Steele

Washington, Ind.

Thanks For The Memories

A couple of comments on the August issue of GUNS, if you please.

First, I must say there was an interesting mix of topics. How nice to see an article dealing with muzzle loading rifles. This was a staple of GUNS Magazine in the past, but has been largely absent in recent years.

It certainly represents the opposite end of the spectrum, but I also enjoyed the rough and tumble test of the DSA rifle. And as someone who has a Nambu pistol, I appreciated the reloading info on that cartridge.

For me however, the best part of the magazine was the photo of Holt Bodinson on page 61. Along with Holt's article, that photo flooded my mind with pleasant memories of a boyhood largely occupied by stalking my father's fields with Daisy Red Rider BB gun in hand. Oh what fun I had!

Holt tells us you can still buy a Red Ryder. I do believe I'm going to have to own one again. Thanks for awaking these pleasant memories.

Victor Carlson

Alexandria, Va.

It's Taurus For Me

I currently own two .454s, one in matte stainless and the other in blue, and I can tell you I wouldn't trade them for anything! Both are 8 3/8 inch, and at 25 yards hold a solid I-inch grouping. I also owned a .45 Colt version of the Taurus, in black, also 8 3/8 inch barrel, but I just didn't like it as well so I swapped it out for a Weatherby .300.

I own two other Taurus pistols, the Millennium model .45 and the PT 945 in stainless and gold trim, also in .45 ACP.

I wouldn't trade any of my Taurus pistols for anything (unless it was another Taurus!).

Steve Ebert

Via e-mail

Praiseworthy Service

Wanted to report on the outstanding customer service recently provided by Shilen Inc.

I had occasion to send two of their competition triggers in for service. One was an older model and I wanted it upgraded to have lock nuts put on the adjustment screws.

The other was a new one that needed tweaking so it would work on one of my rimfire target rifles. Both of them were turned around in record time and at no charge. My thanks to Doug and company for their prompt and courteous service which is unusual in these times.

John Higens

Boerne, Texas