By request, I stopped by the Tisas Booth while I was there. They make very inexpensive 1911's. I would tell you more but the staff had no interest in talking to anyone. Literally no one.
So, the pistols seemed OK. They were a little rough but looked like they would be functional after a good break in. Reminded me of a Norinco, but something about them seemed cheap. I don't know if it was the steel or the finish or maybe the parts it just didn't feel as good as, say a RIA.
Now, don't call me jaded just yet. I was trying to be objective. In fact, another Turkish Brand Sarsilmaz just a day early left me super impressed. So much that I will be getting one down the road.
The Tisas line? Not so much. The 1911 is an intricate design. It is n expensive design compared to modern standards. It is not something that you can skimp on.
Click on pic to enlarge.
I must of missed this because I boycotted the booth of a certain American revolver company with an & in the name. I do have pictures of me walking by the booth LOL.
But, I just saw that the 4" model 66* medium frame (think Koff or Kilo)! is returning. That is awesome! The 19 has long been a favorite of mine and I wouldn't mind a stainless. It is a nice brushed matte finish.
I would post a link or a picture, however I don't want to get sued.
* possibly a registered trademark of the company that registered it as a registered trademark.
is now available thanks to Tate!!
We got hit pretty hard by malicious hackers and our host took us offline. Sorry for being down, but we are back now!
Mexican farmers with rifles (a local militia?) retake their town from drug lords!
Written by reg mathuszThey (the anti-gunners) claim that men with rifles can't do anything and are actually powerless despite the fact that events like the Battle of the Bulge prove them wrong. Here is a story from Mexico that shows that the modern rifleman is still critical to the modern world.
Here is a group of Mexican farmers formed 'self-defense group' (which the article calls 'vigilantes') with rifles that have retaken their town from drug lords. I love how the article calls them VIGILANTES while their occupiers, I assume, are probably just squatters?
Imagine if it was YOUR town, YOUR house, YOUR family? Still think that you are the vigilante? Some alarming things to point out....
1. Notice how the police arrested some of the vigilantes for using "assault weapons" - "...noting that they used unlawful assault rifles that gangs usually own." But, it is ok for the gangs to have?
2. "They were followed by a contingent of federal police who did not try to stop them" - but also did not help them or do anything themselves against the cartel!
3. "The government says it is making inroads in its crackdown against the cartel" -Apparently the farmers didn't believe that.
Does the word "militia" have a little more meaning now?
Here is the article: http://news.yahoo.com/federal-forces-regain-ground-troubled-michoacan-225225938.html
La Huerta (México) (AFP) - Self-defense groups made up of Mexican farmers and other local people have taken over another town that had been overrun by drug traffickers in the restive state of Michoacan.
About 80 men armed with high-powered rifles Friday moved into the village of Huerta, population of about 500, in a convoy of trucks, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
They were followed by a contingent of federal police who did not try to stop them, despite government efforts in recent days to get civilian vigilante groups in the region to stand down.
The vigilantes also captured two suspected cartel members and confiscated weapons, jackets, radios and other goods and equipment.
Federal forces in recent days have moved into Michoacan, in western Mexico, and tried to disarm the local vigilante groups and flush out the Knights Templar drug trafficking gang, which has seized control of large swathes of Michoacan.
The militias so far have stood their ground, saying they want to see drug kingpins arrested before they back down.
Mexican federal police check men in the streets of Apatzingan, Michoacan State, Mexico, on January 1 …Civilians first took up arms in February 2013 to oust the Knights Templar from the region, saying local police were either colluding with gangs or unable to stop the group's violence, kidnapping and extortion rackets.
Officials have alleged that at least some of the civilian vigilante groups are backed by rival cartels, with critics noting that they used unlawful assault rifles that gangs usually own.
The issue is even on the radar of Washington, where Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday expressed concern, and said the US government is prepared to offer assistance if needed.
"We're concerned," Kerry told reporters shortly before meeting with his Mexican counterpart Jose Antonio Meade in the US capital.
"Afraid, no. Concerned, yes, and we will work with the government and we're prepared to try to be helpful if we can," Kerry said.
The foreign minister, meanwhile, told Mexican radio later Friday that his government has the situation under control.
"Mexico has all the elements needed to work toward and create the conditions needed for institutional governance sought by Michoacan's citizenry," Meade told Radio Formula.
Michoacan has become the most pressing security issue facing Mexico's President Enrique Pena Nieto, who inherited a bloody war on drugs from his predecessor in 2012 that has left more than 77,000 people dead since it was launched in 2006.
The government says it is making inroads in its crackdown against the cartel, announcing the arrest Thursday of two senior Knights Templar members.
Also on Thursday, vigilante militia members announced that they had returned to villagers several hundred acres of land that had been once been seized by the cartel.
SHOT Show 2014 - Highlight #9 - STI's (2) 10mms & superb 1911s
Written by reg mathuszI have seen an STI or two. But I have never seen their entire line. They have a lot to offer other than the Spartan (entry level 1911 which is most commonly seen at gun shops in my neighborhood).
I was pleasantly surprised to see that they offer (2) 10mm's! This is nice considering that a few years back they offered none.
Additionally, I was duly impressed by their 1911 line. Their variety is amazing. Build quality phenomenal. They build superb 1911s. I am a huge fan of their wide-body pistols. If I buy another 1911 (and you know I will) my next one will be an STI.
Click on pic to enlarge.
First the 10's
A few others that I liked
More...
SHOT Show - Highlight #8 - Sarsilmaz! (Turkish CZ clone) aka SARArms aka EAA SAR
Written by reg mathusz
I stopped by the Sarsilmaz booth Media Day because it didn't look too busy. What I saw pleasantly surprised me. They have a pretty good line of pistols, mainly looking like CZ's, USPs, and Walther P99s.
They reminded me of entry-level Tanfoglio pistols, but nicer. They were well put together and the triggers were very nice.
I shot the one in the bottom picture, it was a polymer frame 9mm. Very pleasant to shoot an accurate. It does not have a decocker if it is important to you. There was a line of people waiting to shoot one after I was done. Nothing like the sound of a functioning pistol to pique folks' interest.
I wouldn't mind owning one. I would choose it over an entry-level Tanfoglio like the EAA Witness.
Click on pic to enlarge.
SHOT Show - Highlight #7 - the BrenTen lives, according to VLTOR
Written by reg mathuszIt wasn't at their booth. I looked. So, I cornered one of the reps and asked them about it. Mainly I wanted to know why they would spend so much $ on the project and abandon it (original designs, re-design, prototype, secure the rights to the BrenTen name, etc).
To my surprise he replied that it wasn't dead. In fact, he said that they had just released a blog post update about it. I couldn't find it. That was disappointing. Maybe it is buried somewhere, but the fact that they didn't even have the prototypes that they had from years ago wasn't encouraging.
He reiterated the previous blog posts that there were problems with the original castings. Fair enough, but we have been hearing this for a while. But, I remain hopeful. After all, he could just have said that the project was DOA and ended the conversation quickly.
SHOT Show - Highlight #6 - the legendary Sphinx!
Written by reg mathuszI have heard about these for YEARS but never seen one. Even the rep. referred to it as a mythical unicorn of pistols. I stumbled across them locked in a plastic container. The rep was kind enough to unlock it and let me handle one. They were not available to shoot. He told me that the final U.S. version would come with a polymer frame. The aluminum frame will still be an option (and is not SN'd).
This pistol feels great. 100% ergonomic in the hand - the only thing that feels as comfortable to me is a Browning HiPower. The tolerances on the pistol are amazing. It is smoother and tighter than any other CZ-pattern pistol I have felt. That includes CZ-Custom and Tanfoglio Customs.
I didn't ask about price or availability. Unicorns are rarely inexpensive.
Click on pic to enlarge.
SHOT Show 2014 - Highlight #5 - Jamming the new Ruger GP100 Match Champion
Written by reg mathuszThis was a really nice pistol and I was glad to see Ruger come out with a competition GP100. I am a huge fan of the GP100 line in general. Except it jammed. Repeated attempts of clearing I could not get it to function. Check out the picture though. It was really dirty. Weird thing is that it had been firing Hornady Critical Duty (or was it Defense).
They took it off the line and gave me another one. Ah, much better! Weight and balance is great. Trigger? Better than a stock GP100 but they have some catching up to do against the other company's SSR (tm - owned by that company). Grips much better than the giant Hogues they put on the GP normally, but again not quite up to par. I don't know what MSRP is in comparison though.
LCR with hammer in the pic? Winner!
Click on pic to enlarge.