THE SIXGUNNER

One of the neatest things about single-action sixguns chambered in .45 Colt is how easily they become .45 ACP sixguns with the addition of an extra cylinder.

My first “pair and a spare” was carried out with the S&W .357 Combat Magnum. For the past 20 years, something very important has spurred me on to gather...

Ken Wegman, a Handgunner reader, asked about using black powder and substitutes in modern pistols, comparing their characteristics in velocity, energy,...

The Very Special Specials, .38 and .44, both arrived in the first decade of the 20th century before WWI. The S&W revolver was originally designed to fire...

Eddie Janis of Peacemaker Specialist, has long been known for producing exquisitely tuned Colt Single Actions as well as beautiful restorations. Eddie...

In 1814 we took a little trip along with Col. Jackson down the mighty Mississipp”; so sang Johnny Horton in his hit recording of “The Battle of New...

Ruger has added to their growing family of modestly priced Wranglers for .22 long rifle shooters by adding the new Super Wrangler.

I received a phone call from a young man who said he was a revolversmith living outside of Cody Wyoming. His name was John Linebaugh and I had never heard...

Tom Beaudette leads Trapper’s Guns, not to be confused with Trapper Guns — quite prominent in the 1970s and 1980s and operated by Lin “Trapper”...

If I had to pick the one bestest, most favoritist handgun ever, it would be that big bore sixgun I have had the longest

Elmer Keith may be gone, however the legacy of the No. 5 SAA lives on. Gary Reeder reached back in time to offer a thoroughly modern No. 5 Improved.

Power notwithstanding, Colt Walkers and Dragoons were much too large, heavy, and cumbersome to be carried in a holster on the belt, so eventually, Colt went...

October was made for hunting and the day was perfect. The oppressive heat of summer had given way to frozen mornings and warm afternoons, while the green...

With all the choices we have for defensive handguns today, some might feel this was a waste of time, money, effort and a good sixgun. For those who...

Sandwiches give me much foot-long eating enjoyment; however, they are second to the pleasure I receive from foot-long sixguns.

The first sixgun John Gallagher ever built for me was several years ago and it’s my Big Little Sixgun — actually a big sixgun shooting a small...

Had Dick Casull listened to the “experts” of the time the .454 Casull would never have arrived.

As we look back at sixgun history we can see a decades-long race between Colt and S&W to be the “firstest with the mostest.”

A good sixgunsmith is an artist; and every artist signs his work either deliberately or creatively. There are at least a dozen gunsmiths whose work I...

The .44 Special was my first true sixgun love and as I have gotten older I find myself returning to it more and more. Ben Forkin certainly helped fuel my...

Then as now, the .357 Blackhawk is two sixguns depending upon one’s perspective. First, a Blackhawk, or any other Ruger for that matter, can be purchased...

Sometimes when we can’t find what we’re looking for we have to have the aid of a good gunsmith. I sent a 7 1⁄2" .44 Special off to David Clements to...

A Perfect Packin’ Pistol — Beater Gun style.

In 1836 Sam Colt came up with the first truly practical and workable revolver, the Colt Paterson. This revolver was a five-shot affair with a revolving...

With such a long career it’s easy to categorize John Wayne’s Western films in many ways. One of the easiest divisions is made by looking at the Colt...

With all the grand handguns currently offered, why would anyone want to spend the money to build a custom sixgun?

Hamilton is as responsible as anyone for bringing custom revolvers to a high art form. In fact many of his creations would be right at home in an art museum.

Tom Beaudette leads Trapper’s Guns, not to be confused with Trapper Guns — quite prominent in the 1970s and 1980s and operated by Lin “Trapper”...

It is no secret that my passion is big bore sixguns. For most sixgun applications we can get by quite well with the old-time, pleasant shooting .45 Colt or...

The original 1911, just as my 1914 Commercial version, had very small sights, at least for my eyes, a hammer that would quite often bite the area of the...