Concerns about carry guns

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON


I was unable to write additional commentaries this week because I had visitors from out of town. I am back on track now and will try and write information now that will help you in your selection process of a carry handgun.


I have a great many concerns about current production handguns that are being used for carry handguns at this point in time. I have decided to speak about this topic thanks to my friend Jonathan Bellamy in Kentucky.
As most of you know I always carry a Glock 27 in 40 caliber which is very hard on the Glocks. I personally believe the very best Glock pistols are the 9mm models such as the 26, 17, 19 , I have found them to be indestructible if taken care of and totally reliable if kept clean. As per my lengthy conversations with my friend MARC at ISMI gunsprings 800 773 1940 we both believe that it is essential to use a stronger recoil spring in the 40 caliber Glocks to prevent slide and frame battering. I have installed his flat recoil spring made of Chrome Silicon wire with his guide rod in my Glock 19 using a heavier rated spring. I had Virgil Tripp hard chrome my Glock 19 slide and its all matte. www.trippresearch.com
He did a superb job and I am just waiting for Lou Alessi to finish my new holster so that I can carry my 19, Lou's phone number is 716 691 5615.


Its very difficult when you are a one man shop and have gained a reputation as a pro that does superb work. This takes many years of true dedication and there is no short cut to become the very best at what you do. You can not get to the top of the mountain by helicopter and BS, it takes 20 years of genuine hard work and you must prove your ability to the rest of the people in the business and your customers. Posting in the Rubber Ducky Chat Rooms as a self proclaimed expert is total BS and these people always peter out in 2 or 3 years when they realize they are getting no where because they are in a revolving door with "NO EXIT".... They basically have 100% of nothing.


I am unable to do near the quantity of works as I used to because of my declining health but I still do a little. Having said that I can now express my concerns about some of the handguns you are carrying. In a conversation I had very recentely with a major wholesaler he told me that he received a letter from SIG SAUER that they will no longer be selling to wholesalers. I do not understand what is taking place between Sig Sauer and the gun distributors at this point in time as I have not seen the correspondence. I will find out and let you know. Sig makes a very good handgun but in my personal opinion the best Sig pistol is the 239. I do not like the reset spring design that Sig uses and they do not break often but when this fragile reset spring does break you are out of business. HK used to use this same reset spring design but they were smart enough to stop using it once they saw the problems associated with it. The reason I like the 239 is that it uses a totally different reset spring design that is not prone to break, in fact I have never seen the reset spring in a 239 break or cause a problem. For those of you that carry a Sig pistol I suggest you call the factory and order extra reset springs in case you have to replace it in an emergency. I will be glad to guide you through the replacement process anytime.


If you carry a Beretta 92fs you have a handgun that is a solid performer if kept clean. You must remove the extractor once in a while and clean it and if you use +P or +P+ ammunition I suggest you go up 2 lbs in your recoil spring rating. The factory rated recoil spring is 13 lbs and I would use a 15 lb recoil spring at the very least. If you go up any higher you will have to install stronger magazine springs so that your slide is not out of sync with your magazine spring.
If you own a model 96 which is in 40 caliber it comes with about a 14 lb. recoil spring, I would go up to 18 lbs. because of the destruction to the frame and slide.
If I remember right the Border Patrol has about 20,000 model 96 Berettas that have caused major problems after 5000 rounds and by going to this heavier recoil spring it will help a great deal. You can even use the Wolff conversion trigger return unit spring that converts the wire spring to a coil spring.


I have worked on a number of Springfield Armory "XD" pistols and they are giving the Glock a run for their money. The "XD" is really a very good solid performer but the thing that really worries me is that it is not easy to change the extractor. To me that is a major design problem and that keeps me from buying or carrying one of these pistols. Extractors (in general) do not break often but they do break and a person must be able to change one quickly, in this "XD" design that is not possible. Other than that, this pistol that is made in Croatia is a top seller and you can achieve a superior trigger pull. It wholesales for about $380.00 and up depending on the model you buy. This pistol is no doubt cutting into sales of its competition. Unless they revise their extractor removal procedure I will not buy one. The more I study its design, the better like it, but I see no reason for a grip safety. They must have lawyers on their staff.


I still like the SW line of 3rd generation pistols as I know they are reliable and can be refined. Sadly they have cheapened the internals and even use a plastic disconnector. Of course they will tell you how great the plastic is but I do not buy it. The SW 3913 is still one of the very best small carry pistols in 9mm. Most of them are 14 lbs on the DA and the SA is 7 lbs but that can be made to 9 lbs on the DA and 5 lbs on the SA. They are a super reliable handgun and I would not hesitate to carry one for protection of life and property. By recutting the crown the accuracy can be improved a great deal. This is still one of my favorite handguns to carry.


HK is top of the line and its very sad to know that they no longer make the P7 M8 or M13 as these are the rolls royce of 9mm pistols on this planet. It is not for everyone as the front strap cocking procedure takes quite a bit of practice. For a lefty like me there is nothing better. Prices are escalating daily for these P7 pistols as they are now worth their weight in gold. It has a cult following that is justified and it is one of the most accurate handguns I own. You must keep the gas port clean and it will not fail you with good factory ammunition.
As for the HK USP, it is used by many serious law enforcement people because it is so reliable. If it was not so bulky I would carry one daily. Its just to thick for me to be comfortable with on a daily basis, but it works very well and is offered in many models and many calibers. The USP is a major player in the top few handguns to choose from.


In this commentary I am not going to talk much about 1911 pistols. The very best 1911 to buy regardless of the BS you are reading from the wannabbeee know it alls is the SPRINGFIELD ARMORY MIL-SPEC FOR ABOUT $400.00
You can not even buy a high dollar 1911 frame and slide for that amount of money. For those that want to learn more about this pistol go to Stephen Camps website and read his excellent and honest articles, www.hipowersandhandguns.com


For a small pocket semi auto the NAA Guardian is the best out there. The thing you must remember is that North American Arms is owned by a man that cares a great deal about his product and he will stand behind any problem. His factory workers are dedicated in helping you at all times and at this point in time that is very hard to find. Most factory workers in any field do not have the dedication of the past generations. My friend MARC at ISMI gunsprings is working on improving three major springs of the Guardian with a different design and he is going to use Chrome Silicon wire. If you want to express an interest in upgrading your springs call MARC at 800 773 1940.


I am not a great lover of Kahr pistols. The Elite 98 is the best they make and if I was going to buy one that is the very model I would choose. I have worked on Kahr pistols for years and they have their good points and they feel very good in your hand. Many people like them, it is what you like and not what I like that will determine what you decide to purchase and what to carry.


I think a Browning Hi Power is a superb 9mm pistol that is hard to beat. The only reason I never carried one is because its heavy. This BHP is a true classic and you can read a great deal about it on Stephen Camps website, www.hipowersandhandguns.com
I worked with a man for years that always carried his fully loaded BHP in a paper bag so no one would ever give it a second look.


A Makarov regardless of the country of origin is a first class weapon. Do not be fooled at the lower cost and the fact that is has about 30 parts. The Russian designers were brilliant in making this direct blowback pistol in 9x18mm russian caliber. If you want a super accurate reliable pistol at a reasonable price this is the pistol for you. You can buy good american ammunition for this pistol most anywhere. I would first try www.ammoman.com
I have refined a lot of these pistols and the more I worked on them the more I liked them. I would stake my life on a Makarov any day.


I am not going to get into revolvers today but I am going to mention a few tactical knives you can purchase at a very reasonable price. I would highly recommend the Cold Steel Voyager. I also think that the Benchmade Graptilion is excellent. SOG makes a very good knife for the money. I suggest you stay away from the liner locks and I have much more faith in a frame lock or the Benchmade Axis lock or the SOG Arc lock. If you have any questions please email me at tjacobson@houston.rr.com
If you want me to write more about tatical knives please let me know. Before you buy a tactical folder check the laws in your state for legal size. In Texas we can carry up to a 5.5 inch folding knife but they do not allow a double edge blade.
Spyderco and CRKT make superb tactical folders and the very best buy in a knife is CRKT.


This commentary and all my previous commentaries are my personal opinion and my personal viewpoint only based on my experience since 1970.


Teddy