If you have been following the gun market lately, there is something happening with guns now that, frankly, I don’t care for. I am talking about all of the plastic out there that many manufacturers are using to make their guns. Reading words like “polymer,” “aluminum” and “steel and man-made materials” makes me think that gun prices will start to level off and even possibly start to come down. Naw, it ain’t happening. And while my grammar in that short sentence isn’t correct, you get my meaning. I would think that when the companies pour the liquid polymers and other space-age materials into the molds to make a pistol frame, that the cost would be much lower than steel.

I just read in my “Guns and Ammo” magazine where Browning has just released a new A-5 semi-automatic shotgun in the old “humpback” design. As I was reading all about this time-proven design being resurrected from the past, something really stood out in the article. Guess what it said the shotgun frame was made out of? Aluminum.

Ugh, oh no, I couldn’t believe my eyes. I also see where Ruger has two new handgun offerings: the SR22, an automatic, and the LCR-22, a revolver. These guns are in .22 caliber only, and both frames are made of polymer. Well, probably every gun manufacturer out there offers one or more of its products in the new space-age materials. I am not contesting that these new materials for gun manufacturers aren’t of good quality, quite the opposite. I am well aware that there are applications where guns and other implements of war made from this material have a definite place in our arsenals. I am aware that they don’t rust or require the same level of upkeep as an all steel weapon. Oh well, I will step down from my soap box and just say: “Make my gun out of steel!” I like the balance and heft of steel.

Many like the new guns made of these new materials, and the gun makers have definitely found a market for their new products. I like them all; yep, that’s right! I just have a desire for the heavy, well-made steel guns.

Last week, I showed you a picture of a Beretta M9 that had the magazine removed, the cartridge removed from the chamber and the slide locked to the open position. In this manner, the pistol is safe to handle and inspect. If you see this same scenario with a pistol, but the slide is forward, never assume that there is nothing in it. All because you have the magazine out doesn’t mean there isn’t a round in the chamber. Always point the pistol in a safe direction with the safety on, then remove the magazine, and only then do you open the slide to the rear and clear any live ammo from the chamber. If someone hands me a pistol, the first thing I do is take the above-mentioned steps before “assuming” it is safe to handle.

I am well aware of the high cost of ammo today. The prices just keep going up, and I hear people constantly asking why ammo is so expensive and will the price ever come down. Well, as long as we still have the high cost of fuel, I don’t see any product that we purchase coming down in the near future. Also, the cost of lead, copper and brass has gone up significantly. I have noticed that buying ammo has not seemed to bother the buyers, as they are buying ammo in record numbers, despite the cost.

I have a question for next week. Is it possible for me to reload used ammo and save money? I will go into detail next week about this very subject. In the meantime, keep your powder dry and have a great week.

More on the Browning A-5 from Wikipedia

The Browning Auto-5 was the first mass-produced semiautomatic shotgun. Designed by John Browning in 1898 and patented in 1900, it was produced continually for almost 100 years by several makers with production ending in 1998. It features a distinctive high rear end, earning it the nickname "Humpback". The top of the action goes straight back on a level with the barrel before cutting down sharply towards the buttstock. This distinctive feature makes it easy to identify A-5s from a distance. A-5s were produced in a variety of gauges, with 12- and 20- predominating; 16 gauge (not produced between 1976 and 1987) models were also available. The gun saw military service worldwide between WW1 and the Vietnam War.

Roger Sherrill lives in Ringgold. He can be reached at tandemjumper@catt.com.