Revolver

Patriot Gun Polishing

Written by: Tony Simon

My BBQ Gun by Patriot Gun Polishing

    I remember being enthralled as a kid reading a gun magazine article about BBQ guns. What is a BBQ gun? Only the hottest looking revolvers I’d ever seen! There were nickel and gold plated Colt Single Action Army revolvers, Colt Pythons and Smith and Wesson revolvers with awesome scroll engraving work with beautiful grips made of everything from ivory, pearl and exotic woods. They were all wrapped in highly customized holsters made from leather that were open carried to BBQs for everyone to gaze upon. I lusted after one throughout my childhood but I assumed that I was over it when I became an adult. I was wrong.

   I owned a Smith and Wesson 686 that I use to teach new shooters how to use a handgun and for The 2nd is For Everyone: Diversity Shoot. I am always looking for ways to get people introduced to firearms and I figured a BBQ gun would be just the ticket to get new shooters over being intimidated by a firearm. Pretty guns can’t be scary, right?  I looked around to have BBQ gun work done on my Smith and Wesson 686.. I saw really cool stuff from some top gunsmiths but the sticker price was out of this world. The cost of doing this work was in the thousands of dollar range, so I was out.

   I stumbled across Patriot Gun Polishing’s Instagram page and had my mind blown. The quality of the mirror polishing was amazing and soon I was at Gun For Hire range in Woodland Park NJ having them send my revolver to Patriot Gun Polishing in Florida.

  Robert, the owner of PGP, sent me a written description of all of the surface scratches that were on my revolver after he looked it over so we were both aware of what he had to work around. The wait for the work was a few weeks and it was killing me! Every day he post pictures of firearms that he is working and they looked great, I was going nuts waiting for my firearm. I received my revolver back in the hard black pistol case that I sent out. When I opened it I felt like the characters in the movie “Pulp Fiction” opening Marsellus Wallace’s suitcase, it positively glowed. Most parts of it was polished to a mirror finish, there was no hint of the scratches that were on the revolver. The end of the barrel and the top strap was left sandblasted,the trigger and hammer were left original.The mirror polishing along with the trigger and action job I’d had done when I purchased the 686 made this BBQ gun THE BOMB!

 I took this to the very next “The 2nd is For Everyone : Diversity Shoot” to see if new shooters would be impressed by the beautiful revolver. It made an impression on the new shooters but they had nothing to compare it to since it was their first time shooting any firearm. It was more of a big deal to experienced shooters that owned stainless steel firearms. They came over one after the other to look at and shoot my BBQ gun. I know this isn’t an expensive super customized BBQ gun from my childhood but it sure feels like it. I did not to change the grips because this is a training firearm, I want it to be as soft shooting and recoil friendly as possible so I kept original Hogue rubber grips.

   Clean up seems easier than before, I clean it the same as before I had the work done. I wipe it down with the same micro fiber cloth that PGP sent my revolver wrapped around to keep fingerprints off. The prices for most revolvers are $375, full sized pistols are $575, Commander size pistols are $525 and compact models are $375-$450. All prices include shipping. Robert was good enough to donate his services to 2A4E Diversity Shoots and for that I am very thankful. I have taken many photos of the revolver and used them to spread the word of our 2nd Amendment events. This firearm is very photogenic and tens of thousands of people have seen this firearm on social media.

 

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:

Gun polishing

Target Market:

Anyone wanting a customized revolver

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • Looks really cool

  • Easier Cleanup

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

Shiny or Shinier

What others are saying?:

Sam K. on Yelp

If you want to turn your pistol or revolver into a piece of art then send it off to Robert at Patriot Gun Polishing. Robert is a trustworthy and first class firearms expert. Turn around time was good. Communication was professional. A first class operation! Wow!

 

Kurt-Patriot Gun Polishing on Facebook

Top notch service. Master of his trade. I carefully looked my Coonan over for any rounded off edges that aren't supposed to be rounded off. Couldn't find any. Some would say polishing is a bit pricey. It is (no matter who does it) So why pay the same and get less? I know a guy that had his 1911 polished by a competitor. The picatinny rail was rounded off. It looked like waves crashing on a beach. YOU WILL NOT GET THAT HERE! A true craftsman.

 

Price point:

MSRP = $375-575

I need it now! Availability:

Patriot Gun Polishing

Our Rating:

Pros:

  • The gun looks great

  • Cleanup seems to be quicker

Cons:

  • It seems expensive until you compare it to having a custom finish painted on a handgun

Score: 9.0 Amazing

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Ruger Super Redhawk Review

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Ruger Super Redhawk BOOM! It was time for me to step up to a classic big bore revolver cartridge, and a Ruger Super Redhawk in 44 Magnum has been on my most wanted list for a couple years. Available with multiple barrel lengths, the Super Redhawk carries all the advantages of the standard Redhawk line but with a few key improved features. The frame is the most obvious change, being extended to improve durability and stoutness, as well as reliefs machined in the frame for scope rings (included with all but Alaskan short-barreled models)

The Super Redhawk comes in two duel chamberings. The 44 magnum models can be loaded with 44 special cartridges, and the 454 Casull model can accept 45 Colt cartridges. This makes plinking a bit less expensive and gives a chance for novice or recoil sensitive shooters to experience the revolver without breaking the bank or a wrist.

The Super Redhawk also now boasts a hammer-forged barrel which provides enhanced accuracy and rigidity. To help manage the recoil associated with 454 Casull and even hot 44 Magnum loads, a Hogue Tamer Monogrip with an internal recoil cushion comes standard. If you find yourself not accustomed to the monogrip you have access to a vast selection of aftermarket wooden grips compatible with the Super Redhawk's peg-style grip frame. All the other features that made the Redhawk so popular are still present including Ruger's patented transfer bar mechanism (prevents accidental discharge), a corrosion-resistant stainless steel finish, and the classic plastic Ruger hard plastic case.

I picked my KSRH-7 model, 7 inch 44 magnum SRH up at a local gunshop for under $790 sticker price.  It's been a blast to shoot especially as a reloader. Even as a handloading novice, the straight-walled 44 magnum case and it's little brother the 44 special lend themselves well to beginners. The price for factory loads in both magnum and special is expensive, and the cost savings from rolling your own will be tremendous. I've tested some warm magnum loads using 300 grain Uni-Cor projectiles from Speer and Hodgdon H110 powder with very good results, as well as some lighter 44 Special loads using Hornady 200 grain XTP projectiles and Unique powder. Its a very fun caliber to work up loads with different charge/bullet combinations, from hard cast Grizzly-stoppers, to Big Game Hunting loads, and even light/cheaper plinking rounds.

My biggest negative to the SRH is the front sight. Some SRH's come with a ramped base with a dovetail for the blade, however mine and the other's I've seen on shelves as of late have a one piece base/ramp/orange plastic blade that is not conducive to accuracy at all. How it mounts to the barrel also poses the issue of no aftermarket alternatives that I could find.  It used three screws and the barrel / sight base are mated by a machined relief. I am having a gunsmith fabricate a new front sight that matches the footprint but with a dovetail interface that will allow using a different front sight, specifically a brass bead. I plan to then replace the square-notch rear sight with a V-notch, giving me a better sight picture for 100 yard groups and hopefully an unsuspecting buck one of these days.

Of course the included scope rings would be ideal for most shooters hoping to sling lead at that range, but I would like to be able to holster the Super Redhawk and be able to shoot in the low-light hours of the day, two factors that a handgun scope somewhat limits for my intent.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame:  Ruger® Super Redhawk® revolvers have all of the advantages of the Ruger Redhawk® plus additional features that give it potent strength and power!

Target Market:  Hunters & Outdoorsman, Revolver enthusiasts and people who plink with extreme prejudice!

FNBs (Features & Benefits of this product):

  • FRAME INTEGRAL SCOPE SYSTEM with scope mounts machined directly into the frame and FREE Ruger scope rings for accurate and reliable sighting.
  •  STRONG EXTENDED FRAME with extra metal in top strap, sidewalls and barrel mounting areas to handle powerful big game loads.
  • TRIPLE-LOCKING CYLINDER is locked into the frame at the front, rear, and bottom for more positive alignment and dependable operation shot after shot.
  • RECOIL CUSHIONING HOGUE® TAMER™ MONOGRIP® with an internal recoil cushion positioned under the web of the hand helps reduce the impact of powerful loads, while peg-style grip frame easily accommodates custom grips.
  • DUAL CHAMBERING for 44 Magnum models, which also accept all factory 44 Special cartridges and 454 Casull models, which also accept all factory 45 Colt cartridges.
  • PATENTED RUGER TRANSFER BAR MECHANISM provides an unparalleled measure of security against accidental discharge.

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?: All Stainless, but barrel lengths vary from 9.5", 7.5", 5" (TALO edition) and 2.5" (Alaskan Model)

What others are saying?: “Ruger's Super Redhawk is an impressively strong framed revolver; that the same frame and action has been used for the .480 Ruger and the .454 Casull is testimony to that. To be sure, this is no wimpy wheel gun. The build quality clearly exceeds that of many of the other .44 Mags that I've owned, including a few M44 Taurus examples. Having hunted hogs and similar successfully with .357's, there is little question that whatever a .357 can do, a .44 Mag. just makes them "deader better."

The Ruger Super Redhawk is the most accurate hunting pistol I've ever owned, with its heft and weight helping to make it controllable to shoot. Hotter rounds such as the .454 Casull have been too much in the hand-slapper department for me to enjoy shooting them, much less do so accurately. Some folks do, of course, but for me the .44 Rem. Mag. is the upper limit of what I enjoy shooting out of a handgun.

I've never had a Ruger revolver that was less than well made, including their GP100 .357, and their single action Blackhawk models. As far as I'm concerned, the Ruger Super Redhawk is the class of the field, and one of the best hunting revolvers you can buy. It's a testimony to the quality of Ruger's investment casting prowess.

You might want a trigger job, though in my case just a spring kit did the trick. In .44 Rem. Mag. configuration it is a reliable combination of power, accuracy, and manageability that is hard to beat. It remains my favorite hunting handgun. I can't recommend the Ruger Super Redhawk highly enough."  - Randy Wakeman via Chuckhawks.com

 

Price Point:

I need it now! Availability: BudsgunShop, Slickguns, or check local dealers

Our Rating: + Included scope rings are quality, lockup is nice and tight and haven't come loose under recoil (yet) + Rubber Grip helps tame recoil and is all-weather + Added weight from beefed up frame adds to recoil control + Different barrel lengths for intended use (accuracy, hunting, or self defense)

- Front sight post is my biggest beef. Its wide, ugly and will hinder accuracy at 100 yards compared to a bead or fiber optic rod - No aftermarket support for front sight (my SRH has one-piece 3 screw orange blade sight) - Trigger isn't as good as equivalent S&W revolvers but not terrible either

Score: 8.5 Great85

 

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A-Zoom Snapcaps

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Snap Caps main

I don’t know about you, but for me these little guys were one of those items that just kept being pushed to the wayside. These beauties can be had for $16-$18 and I always would look and say, “hmm .. I'd rather buy a box of ammo”.  To me, their value as a training aid never seemed great enough to warrant the expenditure. However after buying my first wheelgun that can utilize a speed-loader, changed this for me.  I wanted the ability to practice reloading with a speed-loader while at home and decided that snap caps would be a great safety measure to ­­­­take.  My entry into using these with speed-loaders have piqued my interest in utilizing them in regular magazines while training with semi automatic pistols as well.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key PointsSnap Caps 1

Claim to Fame:  Functionality.

Target Market:  Anyone involved in shooting sports.

FNB's:

Key Features

  • Precision CNC Machined
  • Made in the U.S.
  • Patented “Dead Cap” provides limitless dry firing
  • Hard anodized

Key Benefits

  • Facilitates a safer training and or working environment

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?:  This product is available in over 100 other calibers. My experience has been with .38 special and 12 gauge and I have had nothing but great results.   A-Zoom

What others are saying?: One review I found was very critical about the quality of the A-Zoom snap caps.

Price Point: I purchased mine on Amazon for under $16 shipped, seems this is the cheapest route.

I need it now! Availability: These can be found online such as on Amazon or the manufacturer. They are also typically at your local gun store in common calibers.

 Our Rating:

+ Solid Contstruction + Great fit

- Anodizing will rub off

Score: 880

 

Sam’s Links

 njgunblog.com

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Smith and Wesson Model 638 Airweight 1.875"

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Whatever model it may be, the Smith and Wesson J-Frame has been a go to carry option for decades. I’m going to break this one down short and sweet. This is a slick, incredibly well made, and sharp 638-3looking revolver. I could choose to write more but it need not be said. This wheel gun is S&W quality, J-Frame concealability,  and .38 Special +p sensibility all wrapped up into a package that one can either enjoy at the range or carry with confidence.

Firearms Insider Reviews - 8 Key Points

Claim to Fame: S&W quality, Concealed Carry, 638-4

Target Market: Concealed Carry, Collectors

FNBs:

Key Features

  • Aluminum Alloy Frame
  • Stainless Steel Cyinder
  • Syntheitc Grip
  • Shrouded Hammer

Key Benefits

  • Concealability of an internal/bobbed hammer while still maintaining the ability of single action operation.
  • Lightweight

What other aesthetic options or finishes are available?

While I was unable to find it on the Smith and Wesson Website a Guns & Ammo review also lists a 2 ½” barrel option. A crimson trace model is also available. But check out the Smith and Wesson website as there is great variety within the S&W J-Frame line.

What others are saying?

Steve Gash from Guns & Ammo

Youtube Review- TheFireArmGuy

Price point:

Gunbroker = Over MSRP Gunbroker Search

I need it now! Availability

During my recent handgun search only one store was flush with a variety of J-Frame models.  I did not see this gun anywhere else and I looked at 4 different stores.

Our Rating

+Superior S&W quality +Lightweight +Concealability +Cool factor of a “snub-nose” +Versatility of the shrouded hammer design

I find it difficult to spot negatives in design or construction. Engineering a firearm is a give and take. With this type of firearm you sacrifice comfort of shooting and magazine size for a highly concealable and reliable firearm that borders on pocket gun stature. I can't note these things as negatives as they are simply the nature of the beast.

Score 8.5

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Featured FFL A frequent stop for my firearms, ammo, and accessory needs I picked this baby up at The Bullet Hole in Belleville, NJ. The Bullet Hole

My Blog  NJ Gun Blog

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