The “Frankengun.” I call it beautiful — and slick, sleek and seductive, a perfect packin’ piece, with plenty of personality. Did I mention it’s...

When I turned eight, I got a Harrington & Richardson Plainsman bolt-action .22 rifle for my birthday. Now I had a means for big adventure. What started out...

Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington takes us back in time to the beginning of WWII with not enough 1911's to go around. S&W stepped up with a special...

Interesting things start happening after completing our 50th ride around the sun, especially among hardcore gunmen and women.

The “Buds” as they were fondly called, had all the features and benefits of something like a bigger S&W auto of the time, but were shrunk for shirt...

Terry Murbach was a lovable ol’ cuss! He’s been gone a few years now and I miss him, as do a lot of other folks.

As shooters, we’re fortunate to be living in a time when the most talented gunsmiths, grip makers and leather workers are plying their trades.

The new single-action holster from Mitch Rosen Extraordinary Gunleather is the perfect holster for concealed carry.

Taurus's new revolver is the next-generation, big-bore revolver that's built to last! Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington shows how fun it is to shoot...

Manufactured from approximately 1990 to 2003, the massive Colt Anaconda came late to the DA .44 Magnum revolver market, and at a time when Colt was phasing...

My first single-action sixgun was a 7.5" stainless Ruger Blackhawk, chambered in .45 Colt.

In this First Look, Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington shares his secrets on how to shoot a compact revolver smoothly, quickly and accurately.

As I get older, I’ve discovered the increasing importance of size, shape and diameter when it comes to shooting big bore sixguns.

Benefitting the Happy Trails Children's Foundation for abused children, this year's Silver Screen Legend XXIV drawing for a Colt .45 and Winchester Model 94...

Hands down, the .45 Colt is my favorite handgun cartridge. You know this! Sure, I love other cartridges too, fickle as I am, but .45 caliber cartridges just...

Firepower of Old West revolvers is one of the most misrepresented historical aspects of that era.

It was a Tuesday night in December 1954. I specifically remember the day as every Tuesday I took the bus to town to pay my paper bill. My paper route had...

Some may think my love for single-action (SA) revolvers odd, or short-sighted, but this would be their problem, not mine.

The 1950s were a great time for sixgunners. During those few short years, Colt resurrected the Single Action Army and introduced the .357 Magnum and the...

I recently acquired this old Smith & Wesson Model 28 Highway Patrolman. It rode in the holster of a sheriff’s deputy for years and has got a lot of shiny...

A man connected to important people, places and events of the Wild West, Cimarron Firearms has released a special edition revolver honoring Bat Masterson...

Some of the most innovative products are not the original concept, but rather the iteration of the original. Such is the case of the Remington Model 1858,...

No, while all these guns tell a story, none are in my collection. Sigh … But I do know the stories of all but one, and strangely I did own it at one time.

It wouldn’t be fair to say Ruger was built on the single action, but it wouldn’t be entirely inaccurate either.

Appearing in the Jan/Feb 1990 issue of American Handgunner, Smith & Wesson played up the differences between men’s and women’s hand sizes in an ad for...

For those not averse to color or who simply want to make a statement on the range, the popular rimfire single-action Ruger Wrangler is now available in a...

With names like Roughneck, Rowdy and Grizzly, you just know it’s built tough and durable.

Most shooters, especially if they began at a young age, started by shooting .22s.

It’s odd how some things stick in your mind and others fly away as in a stiff wind.

If you’re going to make a revolver chambered for a “rimless” auto pistol cartridge, you need to leave room for a modern version of the old...

Since 2017, Colt has been resurrecting its legendary Snake Gun series of revolvers. New for 2021, the 6-shot .44 Magnum Colt Anaconda has been redesigned...

The fourth of seven serpents in its legendary Snake Gun series, Colt has just announced the return of the large-frame, big-bore Anaconda revolver.

Each year, the ATF publishes the Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report (AFMER). Last year, we examined the top revolver manufacturers of 2018. One...

A handgun market still dominated by revolvers, Ruger took aim at Smith & Wesson with an ad run in the Sept/Oct 1988 issue of American Handgunner, calling...

Each year, the ATF publishes the Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report, providing detailed production and export numbers for a given year....

The folks at Ruger, in conjunction with Lipsey’s, a large firearm distributor, have announced the release of a limited run of 500 memorial guns honoring...

I don’t make it a habit to give my cars, firearms or anything else for that matter a ‘name,’ but if I had to give one to this Python it would be...

Was GLOCK the first firearms manufacturer to invent the trigger safety? Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington dug into his collection to find a revolver...

When it comes to sixguns, the 1950s were not just magnificent, they also seem to be magical. In the beginning of the 1950s S&W introduced the first J-Frame,

Handgun hunting has become all the rage in recent years as hunters seek new and challenging ways to put wild game on the table. Paralleling this rise in...

If once is nice, logic says twice is better, right? Launched in 2019, the dual-barrel and trigger Standard Manufacturing S333 Thunderstruck revolver has...

“A great day in the history of Webley & Scott. The first production model Mk IV to come off the production line in decades, and all made in India.”

Since 1968, Dan Wesson has been known for quality, durability, ingenuity and revolvers. Striving to develop the world’s finest revolvers, “You don’t...

What's a "Snagmag?" Roy Huntington explains how he carries an extra magazine holster concealed, but easy to access.

Would you trust your life to a 120-year-old revolver? Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington shoots his Smith & Wesson Safety Hammerless revolvers and...

Do you know what a revolver speed loader is and how it is it used?

Going out of sheer boredom, I didn't expect to find anything of interest, let alone buy anything. That was until I saw a used .357 Magnum Ruger Security...

Sooner or later, we all develop opinions in what we want in a revolver. “If only they’d build it like this, I’d buy one in a second,” we think to...

Paying homage to Old West legends, Uberti USA continues to expand its Outlaws & Lawmen series with new revolvers honoring Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt and...

Continuing to expand its line of wheelguns, Rock Island Armory Imports has introduced the new AL22 Series of rimfire revolvers, featuring stainless and...

Introduced in 2017 as an offering to IPSC/ICORE shooters featuring a 6” barrel, tuned hammer and lightened trigger, Chiappa has released an upgraded...

Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington explains how to safely load a single-action revolver for field carry — known as The Gunfighter Load — in this...

Inspired by the short-barrel Colt Single Action Army “Storekeeper,” the new Heritage Mfg. Barkeep is a pint-sized revolver with Old West flair available...

Nighthawk Custom’s collaboration with the German makers of the astounding Korth revolver series has helped serve to rewrite expectations on what a...

The 500 S&W Magnum made its first appearance at the 2003 SHOT show. Designed by Cor-Bon in partnership with S&W for their Model 500 X-Frame revolver,

Ruger recently joined forces with DeSantis Gunhide, for a TALO (Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma) Distributor Exclusive featuring the Ruger Wrangler and...

I recently read about a sanctimonious mall Santa who thought it appropriate to push his views on a little boy. which made me reminisce about the first...

EJ was working in the gun store when an individual came in with intention of carrying out a robbery. Being under the gun, EJ complied with his demands, and...

At the recommendation of my very good friend, Bob, I traded for a Ruger New Model Blackhawk .45 Long Colt with 4-5/8” barrel on a whim. He promised that I...

RIAC Premier Firearms Auctions are held three times per year and offer collectors a special chance to bid on more than 2,000 rare, historic and unusual gun...

Lipsey’s S&W 642 Deluxe Airweight .38 Special personifies the perfect packing pistol for persons who perpetually carry concealed.

In 2017, I was privileged to spend the better part of a week with the revolver grip guru, the late Roy Fishpaw. I knew I liked him already, but I think I...

When the .357 SuperMag from Dan Wesson first appeared on the scene, more than one wildcatter was waiting with reamers in hand to do one thing: Turn it into...

Special Assignments Editor Roy Huntington has a First Look at the Nighthawk Custom/Korth Mongoose that combines engineering excellence and artistic style to...

Recently a fellow asked me when I became interested in guns. My reply was … I was born with it.

One of the oldest names in the gun industry and maker of some of the most famous firearms in the world, Webley & Scott is now operating in India and...

Last week, I shared the story of assisting an older gentleman interested in a multi-purpose .357 Magnum revolver — and boy, did I strike a chord! I...

Historically, revolvers have proven to be one of the most versatile types of firearms. Simple, rugged and effective, revolvers continue to be a popular...

Your revolver's grips will determine a number of crucial features - from the speed of your follow-up shot to the amount of recoil you feel. We look back at...

With inventory low at most brick-and-mortar retailers, firearm seekers are having to turn to online dealers like GunBroker.com to find guns. Publishing...

As the resident reprobate writing for FMG Publications, I’ll admit it’s changed me. I was happy being the stock-box kind of gun guy — then it happened!

Premier manufacturers of fine firearms, Nighthawk Custom and Germany’s Korth Arms partnered in 2016 to bring a new level of revolvers to the American...

Lipsey’s, a large Ruger distributor, is proud to announce the release of their blued SP101 half-lug 3" revolver, making this 5-shot .357 Magnum

Recently on an Internet website a fellow asked me, “Do you have a barbeque Colt?” I replied, “Um, No, I don’t think so.”

Are you a wheelgunner? While upgrades and accessories are not quite as readily available as parts and gear for modular semi-automatic handguns, there are...

Of course, I was extremely naïve to bring a gun to university and perhaps more so, to a philosophy class. The world, my world, has changed a lot since then.

A modern version of a tried and true gun/load combination, Elmer Keith's .41 Magnum scratches the nostalgic itch we all get from time to time and is as...

Occasionally I run across someone discussing their ultimate “Grail” gun. I often wondered what factors other handgunners considered in their criteria.

Sam Colt started it all. In 1836 his Colt Paterson became the first truly workable revolver. Chambered in both .36 and .40, it was a smallish, somewhat...

Since I was from Kentucky, I had been taught any problem that could not be solved by a bigger hammer could be solved by a big gun, and well, I had a big...

I’ve always believed you should dance with the one that brought you. Strangely, I never felt the least bit under-gunned armed with my Smith & Wesson Model 66.

I honestly, really, completely wanted to dislike this gun. I mean, just look at it. It’s everything silly you can think up. It looks like a hose nozzle...

It amazes me how many shooters — young and old — talk about their .44 Specials or .44 Magnums without having a clue as to their ancestry.

If we don’t know where we’ve been, it’s harder to tell where we’re going. In 2020 Colt re-introduced their top-of-the-line Python revolver.

But, having started altering the gun, I also caught “the bug” in the process. In search of more suggestions, I went to the best resource for handguns...

It’s easy to casually toss terms like “elegance” or “grace” into a conversation. “A Bentley’s innate elegance showcases a classic British...

Recently I got my greedy little mitts on a stunning pair of special-edition mini-revolvers. Dubbed Anti Venoms, they’re the result of a partnership...

It was a time when everyone was enamored with the .44 Magnum S&W Model 29, the Dirty Harry gun for which so many would add their names to waiting lists,...

Okay, they’re not as “pretty” as the regular derringers from Bond Arms, but they have the same high-quality materials and the same careful fitting inside.

I initially had some misgivings about altering the gun, as the 624 was an elegant and rare revolver in its original configuration, but I wanted to make it...

Ruger’s release of the new TALO exclusive, the CarryHawk, is proof of their ability to please the masses by understanding their customer base.

A buddy of mine had this old Taurus .38 Special that fit the bill and the price was right, so I bought it. It lived in the closet for a while, out of sight,...

Back in the 1990s, Milt and Karen Morrison were visiting us and after supper I pulled out a few sixguns. I had the idea of coming up with a different kind...

I came into possession of my blued 6” Smith & Wesson Model 14 K-38 Target Masterpiece .38 Special revolver in November 1986. I hadn’t planned anything...

Today we think of .38 Special mostly as a self-defense round for snub nose revolvers, But, before .500, .480, .475 and .460 revolvers, before .357, .41 and...

There’s no easier way to dress up your sixgun than putting on fancy stocks. A proper grip is the foundation to good shooting and doing the work yourself...

Pole barn rats beware!

I'm actually a Ruger revolver lover at heart. You can also see my custom Speed vice-Six I built because I couldn't stand not having a 3" round butt...

It was circa-1955. Bullseye shooting, where you stood on your hind legs and shot one-handed is king. Cops’ holsters are filled with either a Colt or S&W...

Finding a Colt Buntline from first year production still with its original albeit nearly destroyed box definitely tripped my trigger.

I’ve loved revolvers from the very first day I laid hands on a Colt .38 Detective Special. Little did I know that one day in the near future I would find,...

I found a homeless Airweight Bodyguard at a local pawn shop and arranged a payment schedule to make it mine on a rookie’s salary. In the humid North...

One question often arising from handloaders has to do with the use of short brass and long chambers. Cartridges like the .38 Special in .357 Magnum and .44...

I arrived in Vietnam in March of 1968 and received a letter from my father, a combat veteran of both WWII and Korea, telling me he was sending a gift. A...

In 2018, a total of 664,835 revolvers were produced — 99.8% by 10 firearm manufacturers. We review the ATF Annual Firearms Manufacturing and Export Report...

Essentially a classic 856 small-frame model with some enhancements, the Defender stands out with the VZ grips and 3" barrel.

With my writing career nearing 50 years (full time since 1981) with over 2,000 printed features and columns I’m bound to have made mistakes.

The greatest sixgunsmiths who ever lived are alive and practicing their art today.

Since their inception, and later introduction to the U.S. market in 1968, Taurus has led the way in affordable, reliable firearms.

Got your attention I’ll bet, but we’re not talking about “that” left here. Left-handed people in many ways are better off today than in the past.

A neat little revolver, using full-moon clips, and chambered for the .380 Auto cartridge? At this point, a gun-cynic might ask why?

A perusal of revolvers developed around the world in the last 150 years cannot help but give you some insight about the human mind.

Let’s think about the .38-40 and the .41 Long Colt. Two totally different cartridges. The first is a tapered or bottleneck cartridge beginning life in the...

In the spring of 1984 I was preparing to fly to Southern California to participate in my very first End Of Trail cowboy action match. I had only one misgiving.

The first pocket-sized, 5-shot .38 Special arrived in 1950 when it was unveiled as the Smith & Wesson Chief’s Special at a national gathering of chiefs of...

As with all boys from time immemorial, the young lad was curious while at the same time somewhat bored with nothing to do. Going into his father’s office...

In these pages I’ve previously made it clear I am not the .45 Colt’s greatest fan. That said, there is one area where it shines above all other revolver...

It had been a long hot summer, in fact the last of three painful summers. Summers are meant for shooting, camping, hiking, outdoor activities with the family.

I gotta be me.” That’s good. We all should do that. Don’t just say it — do it! But know your “do it” attitude might not be someone else’s cup...

Well, the new .44 Magnum is now arriving regularly at local dealers both in the original S&W .44 Magnum and the Ruger Blackhawk.

In December 1996 I was invited to participate in a unique class conducted at Thunder Ranch, then located in Texas.

Several years (decades?) ago I coined the phrase Perfect Packin’ Pistol, or as it has come to be known by many readers, PPP.

There was a time when elephants roamed North America. Mastodons had tusks up to 15' in length and were found in Africa, Europe and both North and South...

A while back I wrote a piece titled “The .44 Special Ain’t So Special”. Some might be surprised I received as many “atta-boys” for that piece as I...

The mighty X-frame revolvers and the gorgeous handguns of their Performance Center notwithstanding, the single most popular handgun Smith & Wesson makes...

In the 1950s I discovered Elmer Keith and his writings, which often covered customized sixguns. He had about a half-dozen highly customized .44 Special...

So I shot the gun at the normal combat range of seven yards,” reads all too many lines, in all too many gun articles I see.

Every now and again, a tool comes along that will revolutionize a process, however obscure or seemingly unimportant.

The elements of style can be mystifying. Just as there are billions of people in the world, we might safely say there are billions of ideas of what...

How do I carry the revolver? Most often in a pants pocket, but I do use a holster. Here's why ...

The last place to learn safe gun handling is at the movies or the TV screen and it’s a rare film that ever depicts recoil in any shape or fashion....

Yeah, I know, we all have one or more of them, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In experienced hands — and I mean near-expert hands — they are...

Here’s a holster quiz for ya, trivia fans: Back in 1978, the late great Elmer Keith described somebody’s leather as “… the most comfortable holster...

The concept of bigbore, snub-nosed revolvers isn’t new. In fact it’s just about as old as revolvers themselves.

Like the proverbial Phoenix rising from the ashes, I’m seeing more and more fine old Colt revolvers coming out of drawers, gun cabinets, estates and other...

There’s a reason Karla Van Horne’s cowboy shooting alias is “Purdy Gear,” it’s because she makes, well … purdy gear.

Skeeter Skelton’s earliest articles appeared in the pages of our sister publication, GUNS, in the late 1950s when he was still known as Charles A....

What’s the best-ever big-bore revolver cartridge? I’m not talking about something chambered in a bazooka-length revolver fitted with a bipod.

The era of The American gunfighter of fact and legend didn’t begin until 1850. That was when Samuel Colt introduced his first “Belt Pistol” meaning...

What would the state of the sixgunning world be without dreamers? Those who looked at what was and saw what could be.

An exclusive look at the first engraved new-production Colt Python, beautifully hand scroll-engraved by Dale Bass of Tyler Gun Works.

Shooters buy firearms for many reasons including self-defense, hunting, target shooting and just plain old plinking.

Handguns are purchased for a variety of reasons, with self-defense and general outdoor use right at the top.

Just days away from the 2020 SHOT Show, we can't help but drool thinking about all the new guns we'll get to shoot, handle and see throughout the week.

Priced at workingman wages since their inception over 70 years ago, Ruger has provided us with a slew of rugged and reliable guns.

As a guy who makes his living evaluating and writing about guns, I get a lot of “What’s the best …” questions from folks.

We like shotguns and rifles for home defense, but we really like handguns, too. Full-size handguns are legit options for home defense, but so are...

Four Colt revolvers were recently added to the California “certified for sale” roster approved by the state’s Department of Justice.

Several years ago, I was at a local gun show helping my shooting buddies offload a bunch of guns from departed friends. There were some pricey items, but at...

It’s confession time. For many years I’ve neglected the .357 Magnum. When hunting big game with straight-walled pistol cartridges, I generally reach for...

A few months ago I stumbled across a couple of S&W 657 models in .41 Mag. One was a 6.5" version while the other wore a 7.5" barrel.

The term PPC has several historical variations on a theme. Practical Pistol Course, Police Practical Course and Police Pistol Combat are all cited.

Colt Patent Firearms had an 8-year head start when it came to solid-frame revolvers with swing-out cylinders.

Colt dropped the single action from production prior to World War II and announced it would never be produced again.

Back in 1973 a friend and I got it in our heads we should take a couple saddle horses and my trusty steed “Duke” as a pack horse and head south.

Heading up the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I set my sights on mi amigo, Doc Barranti’s adobe in Pittsburgh, 3.5 hours away. From there, we head north for 5...

If you’re looking for a double-action revolver built for hunting and chambered in one of the most powerful cartridges around, the Taurus Raging Hunter is...

In my experience handgun shooters don’t obsess about accuracy the way rifle shooters do. Back in the late ’60s and early ’70s when I was getting into...

Back in the first years of this century a fellow contacted me saying he was putting a replica of the Remington Model 1875 revolver into production and he...