We’re busy working on all kinds of good stuff, so our coverage will be brief, this week.
We didn’t want to leave you hanging though, so we thought we’d tempt you with some of the hot rumors going ‘round the industry. Our sources are usually pretty good, so we have a fair level of confidence in each of these. Enjoy! –Ed.
HOT RUMORS:
Smith & Wesson will reportedly begin shipping the latest addition to their “Classic” line of revolvers by late Fall. The Model 25 Classic will feature a deep, blued finish, walnut presentation-style stocks, and a choice of 4” or 6” barrel. A C.O.R.E. optic mount, suppressor-height sights, and Hillary Hole will add to the timeless beauty of this classic revolver, which was labeled “the answer to a peace officer’s dream” by the late, Elmer Jordan;
Colt has announced the highly-anticipated return of the Diamondback. The aluminum, .44 frame will sport a parkerized finish and rugged, fixed sights. A .380 ACP Detective Special is also reportedly in the works;
Our friends at Ruger have announced that the entire line of Marlin lever actions, to include the newly-reengineered Model 336 and Model 1894 rifles, will be shipped with red dots, straight from the factory;
Not content to rest on the laurels of their .460 Raging Hunter, with its ten-inch barrel, capped by an aggressive muzzle brake that shoots a jet of high-pressure, high-temperature gas for 30 meters to each flank, rising star Taurus USA will reportedly offer a 105mm Rampaging Hunter for this year’s Cocaine Bear season, built from refurbished artillery tubes. It should be just the ticket for the states that require hunters to use straight-walled cartridges. Ukraine is reportedly trying to get some, but they failed the background check;
In an effort to stay competitive with injection-molded, plastic holsters and cheap, overseas imports, Roy B.’s Custom Gunleather will offer a Roadkill series of holsters, made from select, tanned cuts of flattened armadillo, skunk, squirrel, and wabbit. These custom rigs should be just the thing for packing your Jennings, Raven, and Bryco autos. Proprietor Roy B. says he has plans to offer fits for the Remington R51, too. Arch-competitor Rob Leahy, of Simply Rugged Holsters, says he has no plans to follow suit, but would be willing to supply Roy B. with all the javelina hides he needs, for the bigger guns. “I just got some new tires for my truck,” says Rob, “and they should make easy work of it. The tread pattern kinda looks like basketweave.”
Sources tell RevolverGuy that a mystifying picture was recently unearthed, showing a young man (who looks a LOT like a younger Rob Leatham) wearing 90s-era clothing, and shooting a double stack, 1911-style pistol that appears to have a 9mm-sized barrel. Tens of thousands of Generation Z shooters have flooded social media, declaring it a clever fake and voting thumbs down, because they’re sure THEY are the ones who invented the mid-caliber, single action, double stack pistol. “He doesn’t even have tattooed arms or a beard. How can he be shooting a double stack 2011?” asked one angry Tik-A-Gram user. Industry darling Staccato 2011 is reportedly threatening a lawsuit, if they can figure out who the initials “STI” belong to;
Fresh on the heels of their lucrative 9mm M17 pistol and 6.8x51mm M5 rifle contract wins, industry favorite Sig Sauer is reportedly working on a lightweight carbine, chambered in an intermediate cartridge, to arm non-dedicated personnel with a weapon that’s lighter and more compact than the rifle, but offers greater range, accuracy, and power than the pistol. Our sources indicate the weapon will be a direct-impingement gas design, chambered in 5.56x45mm, that features a collapsible stock and picatinny-railed, flat top upper receiver. The experimental weapon, known internally as the XR15, will compete for a forthcoming, $4.5B Army contract, that’s anticipated to post about six months after the M5 becomes fully operational, and our already-overburdened soldiers get tired of carrying the heavy, new gun;
Heritage Mfg. will reportedly offer a special promotion this summer: Buy any Heritage revolver, and get a coupon for a free can of Skoal;
Hi-Point Firearms is also rumored to have a summer promotion forthcoming: Buy any can of Skoal, and get a coupon for a free Hi-Point;
Winchester Ammunition has announced plans to deliver more .45 GAP and .41 Action Express cartridges to dealer shelves near you. No word yet, though, on when we’ll see more .38 Special and .357 Magnum;
Our spies tell us the new Gunsite Service Pistol will be a plastic 9mm with a Chinese optic.
*****
Featured image from: Evan Evans Tours
Will the Skoal come with a health warning label?
Only in blue states. It will say, “Warning: Using firearms may cause cancer.”
“Known to cause cancer and unwanted pregnancies in the State of Kalifornia. “
I was on board with the S&W Model 25 UNTIL I saw, “and Hillary Hole will add to the timeless beauty of this classic revolver.”
The SIG XR15 is what everyone is going to default back to after they’re tired of this rehashed waste of money on a caliber .270-08 boat anchor.
I see what you did there. You used a bunch of humor to hide and soften the blow of the actual true announcement from Winchester Ammunition.
Hahahaha!
Knew we could count on you Mike for a good April Fools day.
Had an older Sister who delighted in AFD jokes and got me several times when I was young.
Two years ago today she left us knowing we would always smile when we remembered her on this day.
Thank you for helping her with that goal.
Ps glad you didn’t say that Smith was bringing out a 3 inch ,no lock, Novak rear & gold bead front sights,enclosed ejector rod in .327 magnum. I might have believed you.
Tony I just do jokes, not miracles! 😆
Your sister sounds like she was a lot of fun, and would have fit in perfectly, here! It’s a blessing when we find ways to connect with the ones we miss. I’m convinced those are not just random coincidences.
I’m excited for all these fine products! I’m also interested in futures on FCOJ… any inside scoop there? I’ll bet you a dollar I can corner that market.
😁
If S&W would bring back a 4″ 25, I would welcome optic height sights and a mounting plate for an optic. I don’t care if it has a cerakoted or parkerized finish, I will even welcome it with the bloody lock! Just build them Smith… Please? Thanks for the laughs, Mike.
Kevin, they’re busy with exciting new projects like subcompact, plastic 9mms. No time for that old stuff!
I’m really excited to hear about the Taurus 105mm Rampaging Hunter since the 454 Casull Raging Bull is such a sissy gun. I can’t wait to get my hands on one, although I’ll probably wait and see if they come out with a 155mm.
Haha! “But being as this is the 155mm, the most powerful handgun in the world, and could blow your head clean off, ya gotta ask yourself a question . . .”
Brought a chuckle and a memory of when I actually fashioned a holster from a squirrel hide, complete with the tail hanging off the bottom. Used it to pack my trusty Daisy Peacemaker bb gun. It worked really well for a couple years, even though it looked like a DIY project by a 10-year-old (which it was). Wish I still had the holster and the gun.
Maybe I could start a retirement business, making stylish holsters from fuzzy little critters…. Ace
Maybe a partnership, with Mrs. Ace? Combination cafe and holstery?
I’ve got an idea for a future topic; I remember seeing an article on Thefirearmblog titled “What If Gun Companies Were Restaurants?” where firearm manufacturers were paired with their corresponding popular restaurant equivalent, so for example Hi Point was considered to be Little Caesars (“It’s hot and ready.” “..but is it like, good?” “It’s HOT. and it’s READY.”)
How about you create a similar post where you compare specific models of revolvers to a restaurant equivalent? The Python would be a 5 star Michelin rated restaurant, the Clerk 1st would be like a damp tamale packed in a clear sandwich bag sold in a gas station parking lot and so on.
That could be fun, Jeb!
We know one thing: S&W sure ain’t Burger King, because you can’t have it your way, without the damned lock!
How many beers did it take to write this? Had me going until Colt 380 ACP Detective Special. Further hilarity at the red dots on Marlin….. I have old Marlins.
Ha! Almost got ya!
No beers, just a twisted sense of humor. Always on tap. 😁
Happy April Fools Day Mike!…after I quit laughing, I’ll ponder these mind-blowing developments further. Thanks for making my week!
Glad it brought a smile, Kevin!
Your old friend, Sidd Finch, wanted me to tell you “howdy”.
Good ol’ Sidd! His fastball was impressive!
“Our spies tell us the new Gunsite Service Pistol will be a plastic 9mm with a Chinese optic.”
That last one SHOULD have been a joke, but, alas, it is quite real.
I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to wisecrack about that one. It was so easy!
Actually, I think an optic-equipped Glock is a great idea for an updated GSP, and I even understand why they went with a Holosun—they’re inexpensive and they work well. I don’t like to give the ChiComs my money, but it’s almost unavoidable in our global economy, and it does make sense, from the standpoint of getting the most bang for the buck, and keeping the GSP sticker price within reach of the average guy. I’m not interested in buying Holosuns, but I understand why they went with them for this project.
I think Cooper would have accepted the gun and caliber, but the ChiCom optic probably has him rolling over in his grave. You could probably power Las Vegas with all that rotational energy!