Dave Markowitz
November 24, 2003, 09:46 PM
Tonight I went over to French Creek Outfitters in Phoenixville, PA, where my brother Josh works in the gun department. I got the chance to check out several guns of interest.
Perhaps most notable due to its newness was a Beretta CX4 Storm. This is a 9mmP semiauto carbine which can accept Beretta 92 (M9) magazines. It is very futuristic looking and has generated a lot of advance hype. My impression? What a POS! The sights are mediocre, the trigger is atrocious, and it feels like a plastic toy gun (and I like EBRs). The bolt release in particular felt really chincy. FCO's price was on the North side of $600. For that, I could get a nice AR-180B.
They had several neat S&W wheelguns in stock. I got to handle one of the new .500s for the first time. It must've been defective, because I couldn't find the wheels on it anywhere. Good grief it's huge.
Josh handed me a Smith Model 329PD. This is their flyweight .44 Magnum. Due to the size in comparison with the weight, it feels like a toy. The wood grips fit my hand well, but NO WAY would I shoot .44 Mags in a gun that light. .44 Specials, OK, but probably not too many of them either.
IMO, the coolest wheelgun on hand was a Model 1905 .38 Hand Ejector, s/n 83xxx, placing year of manufacture at about 1905-06, I believe. The overal condition was good and the gun checked out solid -- no end shake, good timing, no push-off. The bore looks nice and the action is s m o o t h. It also came with an contemporary Mexican loop holster. Too bad I had to put new tires on my Expedition today. :-(
Aside from the revolvers, he had a GI bring-back Mauser HSc, Beretta Modelo 1934, and a Sauer & Sohn 38H, all in very nice shape.
So, after seeing all these cool toys, I bought a 9mm nylon bore brush.
Perhaps most notable due to its newness was a Beretta CX4 Storm. This is a 9mmP semiauto carbine which can accept Beretta 92 (M9) magazines. It is very futuristic looking and has generated a lot of advance hype. My impression? What a POS! The sights are mediocre, the trigger is atrocious, and it feels like a plastic toy gun (and I like EBRs). The bolt release in particular felt really chincy. FCO's price was on the North side of $600. For that, I could get a nice AR-180B.
They had several neat S&W wheelguns in stock. I got to handle one of the new .500s for the first time. It must've been defective, because I couldn't find the wheels on it anywhere. Good grief it's huge.
Josh handed me a Smith Model 329PD. This is their flyweight .44 Magnum. Due to the size in comparison with the weight, it feels like a toy. The wood grips fit my hand well, but NO WAY would I shoot .44 Mags in a gun that light. .44 Specials, OK, but probably not too many of them either.
IMO, the coolest wheelgun on hand was a Model 1905 .38 Hand Ejector, s/n 83xxx, placing year of manufacture at about 1905-06, I believe. The overal condition was good and the gun checked out solid -- no end shake, good timing, no push-off. The bore looks nice and the action is s m o o t h. It also came with an contemporary Mexican loop holster. Too bad I had to put new tires on my Expedition today. :-(
Aside from the revolvers, he had a GI bring-back Mauser HSc, Beretta Modelo 1934, and a Sauer & Sohn 38H, all in very nice shape.
So, after seeing all these cool toys, I bought a 9mm nylon bore brush.