For today’s Photo Of The Day, we have pictures of the new  Smith & Wesson Model 350 revolver, the first commercially available revolver chambered in .350 Legend. Built on Smith & Wesson’s largest X-Frame, the Model 350 has a 7-round cylinder and utilizes moon clips due to the rimless design of the .350 Legend cartridge case.

When it comes to carrying a concealed firearm, there are a few really popular models that the vast majority of people either have as their personal carry gun or at least have heard of. The most common questions I get when it comes to carry guns are usually the same three questions: capacity, ergonomics, and ease of carrying. As a result, I decided to give you guys a quick rundown on some of the more popular carry choices by each category on a scale of 1-10. Let’s take a closer look at the popular carry gun breakdown.

The Colt Single Action Army revolver is primarily associated with the .45 Colt and .44-40 Winchester cartridges, as these were the cartridges this iconic American wheelgun was predominantly chambered in, with the former being the cartridge the US military adopted the SAA with in 1873 and the latter being probably the most popular chambering for the commercial revolvers. However, over the years, Colt offered the SAA in dozens of different calibers, from .22 to .476. The Colt SAA chambered in .476 Enfield is the largest caliber factory production Colt Single Action Army revolver. In this installment of Wheelgun Wednesday, we’ll take a look at a .476 caliber Colt SAA revolver that is consigned to the upcoming August 2022 Rock Island Premier Firearms Auction.

Welcome back to another installment of Concealed Carry Corner. Last week we talked about the realities of carrying in a vehicle and some of you had some interesting things to say in the comments.  A few people brought up the idea of ankle carry as a self-defense method. While ankle carry has some great applications, it may be tough to grab when you’re under stress in a vehicle. From that conversation, I started thinking about why certain people love the idea of ankle carry while others will admittedly fight against it no matter what. I started making a list in my head and ultimately said why not write an article about it. Let’s take a closer look at the truth about ankle carry.

On this edition of TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday, we’ll take a look at my former everyday carry piece, the Ruger SP101. The .357 Magnum SP101 was introduced a few years after the release of its big brother, the Ruger GP100 in the later half of the 1980s, and has since been chambered for .22LR, .327 Federal Magnum, .38 Special, and 9mm. The Ruger SP101 revolver’s prefix “SP” is generally referred to as “Special Purpose,” compared to the GP100’s “General Purpose,” but doesn’t appear in any current literature on Ruger’s website or advertisements. The Ruger SP101 revolver also saw service with the French police. Let’s take a look at this controversial concealed carry weapon, the Ruger SP101.

Since its introduction in 2019, the straight-walled, hunting oriented, 350 Legend has been adopted by several AR-15 and bolt action manufacturers. Now S&W jumps in the game with their new Model 350 hunting revolver, a 7-shooter based on the massive X-Frame platform.

We’ve all seen the folding Glocks, but a folding revolver? Well, it’s available from Standard Manufacturing. With a barrel length of .88″ and a capacity of five rounds of .22 Magnum, I think the design is extraordinary and makes much more sense than a collapsible piece of polymer. The Standard Manufacturing Switch Gun is machined from stainless steel and there is also a blued version. It comes with a polymer grip and the trigger is single action.

Every now and then you see an image of something and it immediately makes you want it. Guess what, the image above is such an example, for me at least. It’s also a clear picture for TFB’s Photo Of The Day. The Wild Hog Field and Range Holster is ambidextrous and can be worn cross draw or with a forward cant. It’s made of top grain and center cut steer hide, and it has an adjustable tension device.
It is available for a large number of SAA revolvers, large frame DA revolvers, and numerous large autoloaders. It can fit belts up to 1 ¾” wide.

If you look at training courses offered by some of the larger companies, one of the most common courses you see is some sort of vehicle CQB class. I will be the first one to admit that I’ve taken some of these courses and they are typically higher-level shooting classes with a ton of movement and definitely teach you about cover versus concealment. There is nothing wrong with that but not many talk about the true realities of carrying in your vehicle and what that means if you find yourself in a self-defense situation. After some thinking on this topic, I decided to look at it for you guys from a different perspective than most. Let’s take a closer look at the realities of carrying in your car.

The forcing cone of a revolver barrel bears a lot of stress.  They’re not only the first part of the barrel to engage with the bullet coming out of the cylinder, but they’re also largely exposed to all the heat, flame, and gas cutting from the cylinder gap, however infinitesimally small.  This may not be a big deal in a Ruger Wrangler, but it matters a lot more in something like a S&W 629PD, Ruger Super Blackhawk, or S&W 460XVR.

Throughout all the articles I’ve written on TFB, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve written about things you should carry on your person. What isn’t talked about are some of the things that shouldn’t be carried on you when carrying a concealed firearm. There are way more than just a few, but I tried to narrow it down to the top 4 things I see most when it comes to carrying concealed. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top things not to put on your carry gun.

A couple weeks ago, we took a look at Rudukai13’s “Apache Pug” knuckleduster revolver. Well, he was also been working on a modernized Schofield revolver design that he’s now completed and agreed to share with us on TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday. I should note that Rudukai based this project around his reproduction Schofield top break revolver, a Uberti Hardin, which is based on Smith & Wesson’s Model 3. Despite not being an original Schofield, the Uberti Hardin reproduction commands its own special price of $1,699, so Rudukai’s desire to modernize, or desecrate it, should show his dedication to making his firearms work the way he wants them to. He also admits that he’s willing to rustle the feathers of purists at the same time. Let’s see how far the desecration of his top-broke revolver goes.

In one of the previous installments of our Wheelgun Wednesday weekly article series, we took a look at a  Colt 1851 Navy revolver attributed to Wild Bill Hickok that was consigned to May 2022 Rock Island Premier Firearms Auction. Although everything indicated that the revolver belonged to Wild Bill, it was not 100% proven, but apparently, that was enough for the buyer who parted with $616,875 to purchase the revolver, a price that way exceeded the auction house’s estimated high price of $225,000. What we have in today’s edition of Wheelgun Wednesday is another Wild Bill Hickok revolver, a Smith & Wesson Model No. 2 Old Army, which is consigned to the upcoming August 2022 Rock Island Premier Firearms Auction. According to Rock Island Auction Company, this revolver is solidly documented as owned and carried by Wild Bill Hickok.

When looking at self-defense training, the vast majority of people will focus on closer engagements with their carry handgun. This is widely accepted since the most common self-defense shootings are very close quarters for a short amount of time. The recent mall shooting in Indianapolis is an interesting case study that suggests otherwise when it comes to self-defense training. It’s definitely an interesting topic to look at since the most common handguns for concealed carry are relatively small, so taking longer distance shots with those will be incredibly difficult. Let’s take a closer look at what you need to know when it comes to self-defense shooting distances.

Thanks for joining us for another edition of TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday, where all revolvery topics are on the table. This week, we’ll take a look at a custom project submitted by a reader, that he’s dubbed the “Apache Pug” which was derived from the foldable Apache revolver of old that also incorporated knives and knuckle dusters. Rudukai13 set out to explore this interesting topic by creating his own modern version of the Apache revolver, the name of which stems from a violent, French gang “Les Apaches” that chose their name based on the brutal reputation of the American Apache tribe. Les Apaches were also known to carry knuckle duster style revolvers, and the namesake was transposed to the style of revolver designed by Dolne. Let’s take a look.

This past weekend, I had the opportunity to head back down to the Academy training center to take a pistol barricade course from legendary trainer Ric Sutton. After the first day of the course, we ended up all going out to the local Mexican restaurant to just have dinner and chat about the course and shooting in general. We started getting into the difference between defensive shooting and offensive self-defense which doesn’t get talked about much in the mainstream gun community. Let’s take a closer look at offensive vs defensive protection.

Revolvers seem to be a controversial topic in the gun community, people either seem to love them or hate them, and perhaps there is a segment somewhere in the middle that looks at them historically. On this week’s Wheelgun Wednesday, I thought we’d take a peek at what we at TFB love about revolvers, and we certainly want to hear from our readers about what you love about revolvers as well.

In this episode of TFBTV, James Reeves is at the Beretta Museum in Gardone Val Trompia, Italy, looking at one of the rarest Berettas, the Beretta Model 1 revolver. Although Beretta holds several companies that make revolvers, few people know that Beretta made a revolver under its own name: The Beretta Model 1. Designed in Italy and built in South America, this revolver is hard to find and was made in limited numbers due to lack of commercial success. Hear about this unusual and uncommon revolver on today’s TFBTV video.

This week on TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday, we’ll be taking a look at the concept of the revolver reloading aid, Speed Strips, and the Pros & Cons thereof. When we talk about carrying a revolver for our protection, we really can’t leave out the topic of reloading since most concealable wheelguns only carry five or six rounds. Lord willing, five or fewer rounds will be all that one needs to solve a deadly force encounter, but if not, you’re probably going to have to reload. Enter the concept of the Speed Strip, which is a flexible strip of plastic or rubber (or a substance in between) that holds extra cartridges to reload your cylinder from. Since the speed strip holds the rims of the cartridges, two cartridges can be loaded bullet first into two chambers of the cylinder and peeled off from the Speed Strip at a time. Let’s peel this onion.

Welcome everyone to the TFB Armorer’s Bench! As mentioned in the little blurb, this series will focus on a lot of home armorer and gunsmith activities. In this article sponsored by  Wheeler,  Tipton,  Caldwell, and  Frankford Arsenal, I had a chance to take some time with a customer firearm and I figured it would make a fun sort of diagnostic article. The last time we did an article like this was with light strikes on a Chiappa 1887 lever-action shotgun and also investigating the lockup on a reproduction Remington 1858 revolver. Most of the time I don’t have a chance to stop and take pictures for articles when working on stuff for customers or friends. I am not the type of person to stop in the middle of a project for fear of forgetting something. It is always better to give the workpiece my full attention. In this situation, however, it was a simple fix paired with a mystery of sorts. Let’s dive into diagnosing a Smith & Wesson Airweight and its disappearing cylinder!

One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is constantly talking with like-minded individuals about carrying concealed. You wouldn’t believe some of the crazy things that get brought up when it comes to carrying a firearm in public. Whether it’s figuring out the perfect gun and holster combination for a situation or just talking about your favorite carry positions, it’s never a bad day talking about guns. When it comes to new people carrying, I’ve had some crazy questions for certain situations but I think they can apply to a wide variety of tough situations. Let’s take a deeper dive into some tips for carrying in tough situations.

There’s a whole class of revolvers out there that are, in their smaller caliber forms, derided for their poor build quality and questionable ergonomics, yet in their largest forms, revered as some of the most combat-proven multi-shot destructive devices available.  Add to that the dubious honor of being a named firearm on many of the “Assault Weapons” bans of the 1990’s and you have an interesting facet of firearms history.  Today on Wheelgun Wednesday, we will be looking at the revolving shotguns, pistols, rifles, and grenade launchers that have pre-wound spring-driven cylinders.

The Rock Island Auction Company is well known in gun circles for interesting old, unique, and rare firearms that are auctioned off to private collectors. Established in 1933 by Pat Hogan, RIAC sought to specialize in collectors’ firearms, and militaria, and pairing that auction with its associated pedigree so that its new owner can appreciate it as much as the original if not more. Since its opening in 1933, RIAC has showcased some of the most expensive firearms to ever be auctioned off in the United States and they are still going strong in 2022 with several auctions each year and three different types of auctions that cater to different types of collectors at different levels. Suffice it to say, the Rock Island Auction Company has been insanely successful and they are not showing any time of stopping. Rock Island Auction Company recently shared with us 15 of the most expensive guns that they’ve ever sold, and today we’ll be going over the top 4 most expensive firearms the Rock Island Auction Company has ever sold.

Welcome to TFB’s 136th edition of Wheelgun Wednesday, where we explore all things related to revolvers. Last year, I began to explore which pistols police are currently issued around the world, a series I need to get back to. However, during that research for the first article in that series, I learned of the Carabineros of Chile who are issued Taurus Model 82 revolvers in .38 Special, and if there’s one country, perhaps there’s more. The South Korean National Police Agency (KNPA or KNP) is probably one of the most well-known countries to currently issue revolvers, albeit in smaller numbers than some would expect. Let’s take a look at police-issued revolvers in South Korea, and potential changes for the future.

With summertime hitting the Northeast and Midwest states full force this week, there’s no better time to look at carrying smaller guns. Individuals who live in the great north have lost their security blanket of layered clothing and heavy coats with the rush of hot summer weather. For most, the general trend is to carry the smallest handgun possible in an effort to make carrying more comfortable. There’s no denying that carrying a smaller pistol does make life easier in the hot summer months, but there are also disadvantages to really small carry guns. Let’s take a closer look at why smaller isn’t always better when it comes to carrying a concealed firearm.

Welcome to TFB’s Wheelgun Wednesday, where we explore the world of revolvers, past, present, and occasionally of the future. This week, we’ll take a look at an expertly customized Smith & Wesson 617, by a French gunsmith, Cédric, also known as cedric_armurier on Instagram. All of Cédric’s posts have been a joy to see, and I’m grateful he’s permitted me to share this project with you. He works on many types of guns, 1911s, CZs, and S&W Victory pistols, to name a few, but I’ve particularly enjoyed his work on S&W wheelguns. Let’s take a look at his work on the Smith & Wesson 617 chambered in .22LR.

When it comes to training for self-defense, there are typically three vital parts to successfully protecting yourself. The biggest step is avoidance at all cost, you win every fight you’re never in so that’s the biggest step to remaining safe. The second step is draw stroke and ultimately if things get bad enough the third is shot placement. Pulling your firearm should be absolutely the last resort but there are occasions when there’s no other choice. We’ve talked a few times about certain drills for shot placement and working on your pistol accuracy under stress. One thing we haven’t really looked at is draw stroke and some tips to give you the upper hand when it comes to a faster draw stroke. Let’s take a closer look at ways to draw faster.

This week on Wheelgun Wednesday, we will dispense some basic tips and dispel some nasty rumors about revolver cleaning and maintenance.  Wheelguns sure are fun to run, but whether it’s that cap and ball smoke wagon, a speedy competition piece, your carry gun, or your high-powered hunting revolver, all must be kept clean and well-lubricated in order to function properly.

There are plenty of weeks when we talk about the latest gear and training techniques when it comes to carrying a concealed firearm. Typically every week there are discussions about the topics down in the comments below. But what you guys don’t see is we will have random conversations about carry guns in a TFB group chat as well. Whenever someone gets a new carry gun or sees something interesting, we will typically send it to the group chat to have a discussion on a certain firearm. After some conversations, I decided to go through the various firearms most of us at TFB carry on a daily basis. Let’s take a closer look at some of the carry guns of TFB.

Certain historical Colt revolvers are deemed more collectible due to their association with a particular inspector, who would stamp their initials on the frame or cartouche on the grip.  New for 2022, Cimarron Firearms has come out with their version of a reproduction “Nettleton” Colt 1873 U.S. Cavalry Revolver, for the very reasonable price of $697.34 MSRP.