Letters

Guns Magazine, April, 1999

A Purely Theoretical Compliment

Just wanted to compliment you on the great article about the Remington R&D center in your Feb. issue. ("A Realm Of Pure Theory") While it's clear that Remington is continuing to make technical breakthroughs with products like the new carbon-fiber Model 700, even more meaningful is the research being done into the realities of shooting and ballistics. It's great to see a company doing research which will benefit all shooters, not just the ones who buy their products.

My hat is off to Remington as well as to GUNS Magazine.

Derek Valmont

Salt Lake City, Utah

One Step Beyond

I would like to share an experience I just had with Springfield Armory. I recently was in the market for an out-oft-he-box "custom" 45. After reading every article I could get my hands on and talking with other shooters, I purchased a Springfield Armory Trophy Match.

I went to the range soon thereafter and put the pistol to the test using a variety of ammo. I was extremely pleased! After shooting about 350 to 400 rounds out of it, I noticed that the rear pin in the front sight had broken off resulting in my sight pointing up at a 45 degree angle.

Obviously discouraged, I took the pistol home, and called Springfield Inc. Starting with the first person I talked to, I received nothing but courteous and professional service. The person told me how to return the pistol to them and even gave me the name of the person who was going to work on it (Thanks Randy!).

I sent the pistol back to them about six days before Thanksgiving (not expecting to see it for several weeks or at least a week after the holiday) with a letter describing the problem and requesting a catalog of aftermarket grips they offer because I was looking for a darker set.

Much to my surprise and pleasure, I received the pistol the day after Thanksgiving. Not only did they fix the sight, they also throated the barrel, repolished the entire pistol, and put on a beautiful set of cocobolo grips. I couldn't be happier with the service.

I will continue to buy from Springfield Inc., not only because of the quality of their pistols, but because they take pride in their product and they stand behind it 100 percent. They have made a customer for life! Thanks.

Brian Jones

Falls Church, Va.

Wigglin' My Toes In The Magnums

At the range recently, I discovered it wasn't gravel crunching under my feet. It was a pile of .22 magnum cartridges. I picked a total of 43 unfired rounds out of the dirt. All of them had light firing pin indentations. Some fool (slob?) had probably left them as "duds," when the problem may have been as simple as a fouled bolt or breechblock assembly.

Maybe in a future column you could remind your readers that every firearm needs to be cleaned, no matter how "rugged" the manufacturer wants you to think it is.

You might also give us some tips in proper disposal of damaged, defective or suspect ammunition. I don't know if a rimfire cartridge can be detonated by stepping on it, but it sounds possible. I enjoy taking my kids to the range, but that's not the sort of etiquette I'd like them to learn.

John Snover

Cape Cod, Mass.

All In The Family

I have two serious magazines coming to my home and I love the way GUNS and American Handgunner keep me informed. I appreciate it. They are more than just magazines. They are an opportunity to socialize with a family of people in this country who have common interests. I love the editorial page and wish you would enlarge it.

I can't believe that I just noticed the excellent work of Ichiro Nagata. I must have been sleep-walking for three years. The Le Mat layout (Jan '99) grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I bow to the master of photography.

Don Franklin

Odessa, Texas

The Hollywood Report

With all the hoopla lately about various movie stars and other entertainers being blatantly anti-gun and anti-NRA, maybe now is the time to do something about it rather than turning the other cheek. So many companies are donating money to the gun grabbers and most Americans never know this.

If we knew who they are we could boycott their product or movies and maybe in the long run, make a difference. If we don't know who they are, we end up giving them our money and then finding out what they really stand for.

As a "for instance," the latest Lethal Weapon movie within 10 minutes turned viciously anti-gun and anti-NRA. I had already paid my hardearned money before finding out about the slam. Many of us know about some of the people and companies trying to take our guns, such as McDonalds, Burger King, Levi Jeans, and several others.

We know about many entertainers that are working hard to disarm us, such as Michael Douglas, Barbra Streisand, Reba McIntyre and many others. The main point is that there are many more that we don't know about. I didn't know about Mel Gibson 'til I spent my money on the movie, and I think there are many others like me.

We need someone like you to keep us posted on who is for us and who is against us. I will not buy a product or see a movie or buy a CD from someone who is trying to take away my guns, but I don't know who they all are. Magazines like yours can keep us posted and if we boycott these people, maybe it will make a difference. Lack of knowledge is killing us.