Gun Digest Everyday Carry 2021 SIP #4

Take a minute and think back on all the crap we’ve endured together during the past 24 months. Civil unrest. Global pandemic. Vaccine mandates. A society divided. Hotter tempers and shorter fuses than most of us have ever before seen. It’s almost impossible to drive anywhere these days without receiving the bird at least twice. People are just really pissed. While most of the riot fires have been extinguished and the businesses rebuilt and reopened, things are still incredibly weird … and I’m not talking about “the new normal” we’re all supposed to quickly become accustomed to. I’m talking about the weirdness that perpetually lingers among the general population, and that overwhelming feeling I can’t shake that someone is going to fly off the handle at any minute. So many people are still…

HISTORICAL NOTES The .25 Automatic, or .25 ACP cartridge, was introduced in the United States in 1908 with the Browning-designed, Colt-manufactured .25 Vest Pocket Automatic pistol. It had been introduced in Europe a few years earlier in the FN Baby Browning, which is practically identical to the Colt. The design of these two pistols has been copied by manufacturers all over the world. Dozens of different pistols have used this cartridge. The original Browning is still made (for European consumption), but Colt didn’t resume manufacture of its Vest Pocket model after World War II. American Arms, Beretta, Iver Johnson, Jennings, Lorcin, Phoenix Arms, Sundance, Taurus, Ortgies, Astra, Star, Kel-Tech, Rohrbaugh and Walther have all made pistols in this chambering. GENERAL COMMENTS The .25 Automatic offers surprising velocity for such a small cartridge. However, delivered…

FIVE 25S AND STILL ALIVE Ol’ Joe was sitting at the bar, drinking. The year was 1930, and drinking was illegal. But this bar was in a speakeasy, and no one in there gave a damn about being legal. But one guy did give a damn about his wife, and it had come to his attention that Ol’ Joe had been giving some affection to her. An altercation ensued, and the jealous husband ended up pulling out a .25 Automatic and emptying it into Ol’ Joe’s gut. Grandpa said that Ol’ Joe was a big ol’ boy, and after the shooting was over, he turned and walked out the door. Grandpa knew this because he was there when it happened. Though he never admitted it, I figure Grandpa had recently delivered the…

“Textas Gunman Stoned to Death!” What a tantalizing, attention-getting headline. For those of you who read the entire story in the news a while back, you learned that there was more to the story. Much more. On July 26, 2021, 42-year-old Miguel Chavas, a Fort Worth, Texas, resident, was attending a party when an argument broke out. According to numerous news sources, Chavas then left the party and returned shortly thereafter, re-engaging in the argument and using the handgun to shoot and wound an unidentified partygoer. Chavas then left the party and was chased by several of the partygoers, many of which picked up paving bricks and began throwing them at Chavas. At the same time, Chavas then started shooting his attackers, killing one man and wounding several others. Within moments, Chavas was…

01 Hornady Security RAPiD Vehicle Safe Oft overlooked is how to secure your gun in your car. It needs to be done, and Hornady makes it easier than ever with its new pistol safe. Except there’s more to the RAPiD Vehicle Safe than simply a way to put your handgun under lock and key on the go. Featuring Hornady’s RFID technology, the portable vault also offers immediate access to a self-defense arm with little more than the swipe of a key fob or bracelet. Crafted from 14-gauge steel and attaching to a vehicle with a braided steel cable, Hornady’s 12x6.4x2.2-inch safe is a must-have for any shooter on the go. MSRP: $309.99 02 Adams Arms AA19 Known for their aftermarket Glock and AR-15 components, Adams Arms has decided to expand its wheelhouse to include…

I’m a big fan of the 1911. I not only work on them, but also use them to hunt and compete. I love what the system offers; however, with it being such an old design, attempts are constantly being made to “improve” upon it. A larger discussion can be had as to whether these proprietary designs are even true 1911s at all, but rather something based on it. One such gun, the Dan Wesson Tactical Compact Pistol (TCP), is a unique design and execution. While not a traditional 1911, it offers some major advantages over the legacy guns. EXECUTION AND MATERIALS Although this article is centered on the 32-ounce TCP, a larger discussion must be had on the materials used in its construction. The TCP is an alloy-frame pistol, and a substantial number…