We are not gunsmiths.  Nor do we PRETEND to be.  Sure we mount scopes, install sights on handguns, and do a little trigger work.  But that is it.  Neither Mike or mysefl have any formal training as a gunsmith.  The only COMPETENT gun smith in our area that is stil active full time (Jack Easter is doing very little, if any work, but he is a fine, and knowledgeble man) is Joe Hayes in Lewisburg WV.  Joe understands all types of firearms, does excellent work, has reasonable rates, and to top it off is ONE HELL OF A NICE GUY.  Give him a call at 304 645 1887 if you need work.  Mike and I do.

 

GETTING A "GOOD DEAL"

 

You know the economy is bad.  Yeah we've been hearing that for about 5 years now.  And it seems like nobody has figured out how to make it better yet.  In Washington the solution seems to be "Hey lets raise the debt celling and print more money"  Never mind that this only devalues the dollar, and drives up the price of everything we buy.  God forbid somebody in Washington  actually propose cutting government spending.  Believe me, I could come up with all sorts of things to cut.  But that is not why I am writing this.  Believe me, I could write a book on what is wrong in D.C, probubly the sequel too.  (Now thats a thought, I could probubly make money doing that, IF I had the free time to devote to it)

 

But lets get back to the tittle of this piece, getting a good deal.  So far 2011 has been a good year in the gun business, not the best, but solid.  Seems like a word I am hearing a lot here lately is cheap.  How cheap can I get (fill in the blank).  What is the cheapest you can go on (fill in the blank)  Well folks I hate the word cheap.  When I here cheap I think of tools that are made in Taiwan, or a cheap whore, or maybe just about everything that they sell in Wal Mart these days. (I know Sam would be spinning in his grave if he knew what happened to his company)  Folks here is the reality.  Commonwealth Arms does not sell "cheap" guns.  We sell only "quality" firearms at the lowest possible price.  If you want a cheap gun go see Ole Buddy Guns.  He'll be happy to sell you that new Hi Point, and tell you that it is "as good as a Glock"  And you can believe that too if it makes you feel good inside.  Getting a good deal is not about spending as little as possible.  It is about getting your moneys worth.  A good deal is when you save another $140.00 on top of that $160.00 you have for that shiny new Hi Point, and come down to Commonwealth Arms and buy you a new Ruger P95 or Smith & Wesson SW9VE.  Now thats a good deal.  Now you have a quality firearm, with a lifetime warranty that will function all of the time.  Now you have a gun you can depend on.  Not a paper weight that happens to hold ammo.  Sometimes I hear this line too "Yeah, but I just want something to keep in the truck, or plink around with"  Fine, I hope you enjoy spending more time clearing jams than plinking..  And if you and Bubba are out riding around and you break down (yeah if you cheaped on the pistol, you probubly cheaped on truck up keep too) and you come accross Mr Copperhead walking down the road, I hope it goes bang before the snake strikes at you. (Wait a minute, I am assuming that a Hi Point can hit something the size of a snake)  Folks, you don't have to spend a fortune on quality.  Of the 110 handguns we stock, over half of them can be had for under $400.00.  Buy a good gun.  That is the REAL good deal.

 

Another of my favorites is when someone walks up to me and says "Hey the Brentwood Barnstormer is selling guns 5% over cost, what do you say about that?"  Well lets see.  Typically I order handguns in groups, so I generally don't pay any shipping on them.  Therefore a new Ruger P95 at Commonwealth Arms will cost you $299.99.   So let's see what the Brentwood Barnstormer can do.  He will probubly order the gun at Rugers standard wholesale price, which is $257.90 (Yep, we definately don't get rich off of them)  Now after 5% that works out to $270.80.  Man what a deal!!  Damn!! I forgot shipping.  Since his order is under the $2500.00 needed for free freight, and that pistol has to take an airplane ride because all UPS handguns shipments go 2nd day air that will add about $28.00 to the price.  Whoops!!  Forgot the $9.00 C.O.D fee.  Lets see now we are up to $307.80.  Hmmm better deal?  And are you using your VISA?  Still $299.99 at Commonwealth Arms.  That will add another 3% down the road, bringing the total to $317.03.  You do the math folks.  And if by chance someone in town DOES give you a better price, just give us a call.  We'll beat it.  At Commonwealth Arms we want everyone to get the most bang for there buck.  Quality for a fair price.  That is the "REAL" good deal.

 

 

No I am not going to give it.  I have never liked the term "expert".  When used by a person to describe themself it is often out of arrogance.  And when use to describe others it is often based on opinion, not fact.

 

Expert advice is what a lot of new handgun buyers seem to receive from often well meaning but misleading friends.  I have customers come into the shop sometimes looking for a first handgun for self defense and the conversation goes something like this..

 

     "How are you doing buddy?  Anything I can help you with?"

     "Yeah I am looking for a pistol for protection."

     "Are you looking for something to carry? A house gun? Or something suitable for both?"

     "Well, something to carry.  I have never owned a pistol before.  But a buddy of mine said I should look at a Glock."

     "Glock is a good choice, of course there are others.  What caliber?"

     "Well, my buddy says a 9mm is a weenie gun so I was thinking .45."

 

You can see where this is going.  After about an hour of handling several guns and allowing me to answer several questions this gentleman bought a Taurus 709 9mm.  You see his buddy was basing his reccomendation on what "he" liked, not what the customer needed.  First of all there was an assumption that he "needed" a Glock.  The customer handled the Glock and did not like the way it felt.  How a handgun feels is everything.  It has to be comfortable, you have to be able to easily work the controls, you have to like the trigger pull, and you have to like the sight picture.  If you do not like any of the above, then it is the wrong gun for you.  The individual making the reccomendation because he like Glocks.  I have also heard the same person say that "XD's don't shoot good"  Folks that would throw up a red flag to anyone who has ever picked up a gun magazine.  What he really meant was "XD's don't shoot the load I want to shoot in them good."  Another piece of "advice" that my customer was given was to avoid the 9mm because it was a "weenie caliber"  Well those of you that still believe that I have a news flash.  No the 9mm will not stop someone with a thundering 200+ hunk of lead wallering through the air making a .450" hole.  But what it wil do is sling a 115g rapid expanding jacketed hollowpoint at someone at high speed.  I wouldn't fancy the idea of being hit by either.  Truth is a lot of us, me included, love our .45's.  But to dismiss a 9mm because you don't like it?  Pure ignorance my friends.  Someone who has never owned a handgun, and does not reload is going to have a much more pleasent shooting and financial experience with the 9mm.  And yeah he still has plenty of power for protection.

I reccomend that anyone looking for a pistol come down to the shop and inspect, handle, and ask questions about any of the 100+ handguns we have in stock.  That way you can compare the different manufacturers, and the different sizes available.  A lot of folks have friends that shoot, and mean well with their advice.  But only you the customer ultimately will know which handgun is right for you.

 

1.  Buy Quality - This does not mean you have to go out a spend a fortune on a new rifle or pistol, it just means you need to buy a good one.   And folks do not fall into the trap of just looking at the price tag.  I can sell you a new NEF Handi RIfle in .30-06 for $249.00.  That is a very inexpensvie way to go deer hunting.  But consider this.  For another $60.00 you can get a Marlin XL7 bolt action rifle.  That is right, for just three twenty dollar bills you go from a single shot to a bolt action repeater with an adjustable trigger. It is important to understand what value really is.  The NEF is a fine rifle, and I would not discourage you if you like a single shot and want to go hunting as cheap as possible.  But if you view a firearm as an investment, and many of us do.  The Marlin is a much better value, and it retains a much higher trade in value should you decide to upgrade later.  The NEF could save you a few dollars now, but cost you money later when you trade.  Before you commit to a rifle think about what your plans are for it a few years down the road.  Handguns can be the best investment or worst money pit in the world depending on how you approach them as a consumer.  The incredible thing is that handguns really have not went up much in the last five years or so.  Think I'm crazy?  Folks I sell a new Glock 19 for $489.99.  I have been selling them for that since 2004. The same is true of many other brands, most handguns have seen only modest price increases in the last five or six years.  So what if you don't have $400+ to commit to a new pistol?  No problem at all  New Ruger P95 9mm pistols can be had for $289.99.  Kel Tec P3AT pistols can be had for $244.99.  Taurus offers several pistols and revolvers for under $400.00.  In addition we carry lots of quality police trade in handguns for well under $400.00 from Glock and Smith & Wesson.  Just do not be lured into the trap that we see too many new handgun customers fall into.  That $189.99 Hi Point at Good Ole Buddy guns down the road is not "just as good as a Glock, it just don't have a name on it"  Folks be very wary of offbrand guns or that deal the is "too good to be true".  Ask how many of these off brand guns have to be sent back for reparis.  Better yet I know some guys that have these things in pieces in a drawer somewhere because no legitimate gunsmith will touch one.  You wouldn't crawl up under your car with a Cheapy Jack made in Taiwan would you?  Or climb up on your roof on a $8.88 ladder?  Don't bet your life on junk handgun.  Buy quality.

 

2.  Start Reloading - I cannot stress enough how positive of an impact this can have on your shooting.  First of all it will cut your ammunition costs by as much as 75%.  But above all else you are capable of building better ammunition than anything the factory has to offer.  And the technical support is free.  Mike and I are both reloaders, and a lot of my shop regulars are veteran reladers and we are all more than happy to help new reloaders.

 

3.  Buy A Good .22 - It amazes me the number shooters who do not own a good accurate .22 rifle or pistol.  Folks $16.00 buys you 500 rounds of ammo for a .22.  You can't shoot anything else that cheap.  A .22 rifle or pistol is the best way in the world to hone your shooting skills without going broke.  And best of all, .22's are fun!  Quality .22 rifles can be had for under $200.00 at our shop.  Quality .22 pistols start just over $200.00.  Bang for the buck, literally.

 

4. Trade Smart - We all trade.  It is a way of life for gun enthusiasts.  But nothing is harder for an honest gun dealer to do than try to trade fairly with a customer with a gun that they just bought a few weeks ago.  The customer obviously does not want to lose money, but when you trade like that it is going to happen.  Guns appreciate in value, but this happens over years, not days.  You will be happier and save money if you try to buy what you want the first time.  Again, buy quality.

 

5.  Be Realistic -  I told everyone about the guy looking at Rugers last year that was holding off on buying one untill they come back down.  Well, guess he is still waiting.  The good news is that they have not went up, but guns "don't come back down".  The cost of firearms is controled by manufacturers, not dealers.  I wish they would come back down, my profit for a $500.00 gun is only a few dollars more than for a $400.00 gun. Ammo and reloading components are much the same.  As long as the demand exist, the price persists.  Simple economics 101.  Best solution to the ammo problem?  Read the heading above concerning reloading.   The reality is guns and ammo are going to continue to climb in price.  Especially semi automatic and military style firearms in the current political climate. And do not assume that just because nothing happend last year that nothing will happen.  Remmember it was Clinton's second year when all the damage was done.  I am sensing a false fealing of complacancy among gun owners now, and if it persists untill the mid term elections the results could be catostrophic.  Folks we have to be realistivc.  We have to learn to deal with $3.00 gas and all of the fallout from that.  I don't like it anymore than any of you do, but it is just the way it is.

 

I hope these tips help you in continuing to enjoy the shooting sports during tough economic times.

 

 I ask you to keep an open mind here.  This list is for the 10 MOST IMPORTANT centerfire rifle calibers, not the 10 most popular.  The reality is that the German 8x57, commonly called 8mm Mauser in the U.S. was the first high preasure, high powered smokeless powder cartridge in the world.  Introduced in 1888, the 8x57 rocked the military world.  Untill that time the worlds armies largely relied on large caliber black powder cartridges.  The British Empire had the .303 British, but it was also still a black powder cartridge and it came nowhere near matching the 8x57 in performance.  Originally utilizing a .318" diameter 200 grain round nose bullet the 8x57 was improved in 1905. This was to take advantage of the stronger Mauser 98 action, and most importantly the new 150g Sptizer bullet.  Bore diameter was increased to .323" and the cartridge was redesignated the 8x57JS, essentially the same cartridge that it is today.  The 8x57 served the German army in both World Wars along with numerous other nations.  Though one of the finest military calibers of all time the 8x57 has enjoyed limited success as a sporting cartridge in the U.S.   This is due largely to it's simularity to the widely popular .30-06 cartridge.  It's military record nonwithstanding though, the reason the 8x57 tops this list is because it is the basis for the 7x57 Mauser,.30-06, .308, and all other cartridges in those respective families.  The Mauser case is the most prolific in firearms history.  That is why it is number one.

 

2.  .30-06 Springfield    USA

 

U.S Cartridge Caliber .30 Variant of 1906..This cartridge can be described as the standard sporting cartridge of the world.  But make no mistake, German lineage nonwithstanding, the .30-06 is as American as apple pie.  No cartridge has taken more game, at the ripe old age of 102 this cartridge still tops the charts in both ammunition sales and reloading die sales.  The .30-06 was born out of the failure of the .30-40 caliber Kraig rifle.  The U.S Army learned a bitter lesson in the Spanish American War.  Obsolete weapons would not stand up against modern charger loaded Mauser rifles firing high performance cartridges.  Only superior training saved us from disaster, but we were murderously out gunned.  The U.S Army and the Springfield Armory took to the task of designing a new rifle.  The result was the Model 1903 Springfield rifle, a virtual copy of the Mauser rifle.  Springfield also took the German 8x57 cartridge, leingthiend the case sligthly, and necked it down the .30 caliber.  The result was the .30-03 caliber.  After seeing how well the new German 8x57JS cartridge of 1905 performed however Springfield modified the .30-03 in 1906 to incorporate a new 150 grain spitzer bullet.  The result was the .30-06 as we know it today.  The .30-06 could make the top ten on it's sporting merits alone, but it's success as a military cartridge propel it to number two.  This cartridge served us well through two World Wars and the Korean Conflict.  The quintessential American cartridge?  I think so.

 

3.  7.62x39 Soviet    Soviet Union

 

Perhaps the most prolific military cartridge of all time. The 7.62x39 Soviet cartridge easily ranks number three on this list because of the impact that it and the infamous rifle that it is chambered in have had on international military affairs since the end of World War II.  A lot of confusion exists concerning the 7.62x39 cartridge.  There is a lot of eroneous belief that it was brough out in response to the German 7.92 Kurtz cartridge, introduced in the short lived STG 44 "Sturmgwehr" assault rifle.  In reality the two were developed concurrently.  Soon after the start of the war the Soviets began working on a concept for a medium range semiautomatic rifle.  Something with more firepower than a submachinegun, but something handier than a full size rifle.  The result was the Simmonova Karabina of 1945, commonly called the SKS.  The SKS rifle saw only very limited use in World War II, but it's succesor the AK47 brought the cartridge into its own.  The 7.62x39 is only a moderately powerful cartridge, but it is ideally suited for a compact semi or fully automatic military rifle and it packs plently of power in the short range enviorment that it is normally employed.  Sometimes a rifle becomes legendery because of the cartridge for which it is chambered.  In this case it works both ways.

 

4.  .222 Remington  USA

 

The .222 Remington was the brainchild of Mike Walker.  Walker was a designer for Remington best known for desgining the Remington 721/722 rifles that evolved into the legendery Remington 700.  What is not as well known about Walker is that he was a world class competetive shooter.  In 1947 the type of competition known as bench rest was in its infancy.  Hunting rifles of the day tended to be based on the Mauser action.  A strong reliable action, but one that required signifficant tuning to produce the level of accuracy the new benchrest and varmint shooters desried.  The Remington 721/722 rifles were born out of this problem.  For the first time ever a hunting rifle was designed around a target platform.  In 1950 Walker introduced his .222 Remington cartridge for the new rifles and changed the way we look at varmint rifles forever.  Other varmint cartridges had more range than the .222, but nothing else could match it's accuracy.  Time and time again .222 shooters produced groups smaller than anything that had ever been seen before.  The .222 became the favorite medium range cartridge of varmint hunters for the next 35 years.  It also dominated bench rest shooting untill the ultra accurate .22 and 6mm PPC cartridges appeared in the 1970's.  Though the .222's popularity has wained some in recent years it is still far from extinct.  Most importantly, it has spawned numerous other calibers like the .223, Remington and the .204 Ruger.  As the most important varmint cartridge in the world, the .222 stands in at number four on this list..

 

5.  .375 Holland & Holland     Great Britain

 

The original magnum, although it was never called that. Magnum is something that got added later in this country.  The.375 H&H was introduced in 1912 as a purpose built African game cartridge.  Argubly one of the finest dangerous game cartridges ever conceived, the .375 H&H has also enjoyed considerable popularity among American and Cannadian Elk and Moose hunters.  Perhaps the most intriging, and missleading characteristics of the .375 H&H is it's beltd case.  Contrary to many a rural deer camp legend this was not done to add strength to the case.  The .375 H&H case has a very severe taper to it, thus making the case shoulder very shallow.  The belt was added to allow reliable headspacing.  The reason the belt appears on so many later Magnum cartridges is one of the reasons the .375 H&H is on this list.  It is the father of most modern Magnum cartridges.  The .300 Winchester Magnum, 7mm Remington Magnum, all of the Weatherby Magnums from the .340 down, and many more are based on this case.   The .375 H&H is to the dangerous game hunter what the .30-06 is to the American whitetail hunter.  A classic big game cartridge in at number five on this list.

 

6.  .30-30 Winchester    USA

 

The American whitetail cartridge of choice for nearly 100 years.  The .30-30 Winchester has only recently began to wain in popularity.  The cartridge was revolutionary when it was introduced in 1894.  The Model 1894 Winchester rifle and the new .30-30 cartridge offered the American hunter something completely different.  A light compact rifle chambered in, at the time, a very powerful sporting cartridge.  Both were an immediate success and in the coming years Marlin, Savage and others would embrace the cartridge as it's popularity soared.  The image of a father and son walikng away from an old Chevy pickup truck on a cool November morning.  Treking into the Virginia countryside with a pair of trusty Marlin .30-30's hoping to encounter a buck foolish enough to pass their way.  But even if no buck comes their way the experiecne together will make it a good day.  The .30-30 played such an important part in that little bit of Americana in rural areas all accross the country.  That is why is makes the list at number six.

 

7.  .223 Remington/5.56 NATO   USA

 

This cartridge is on this list not because of what an excellent varmint cartridge that it is, and it is a fine.  It is here because it has became the most successful military cartridge in the world in the last 40 years.  Heavily criticised early in it's life as underpowered as a military cartridge the .223 continues to redeem itself over and over in each ensuing new conflict.  With the advent of rifle barrels with faster rates of twist, allowing for use of heavier bullets.  The .223 is an effective 400 yard cartridge.  Only the 7.62x30 Soviet cartridge out paces the .223's pupularity with the worlds armies.  And the .223 delivers superior range and accuracy.  In the civillian maket the .223 was slow to catch on, due largely to the popularity of the .222 Remington.  In recent years however the .223 has become even more popular than the .222 was in it's heyday.  Either on the battlefield, on a ground hog hunt, or during an organized high power rifle match, the .223 is right at home.  Few cartridges are that flexable.  That is why the .223 ranks number seven on this list.

 

8.  .308 Winchester / 7.62 NATO     USA

 

The .308 Winchester was a splendid idea, although not a new one.  The idea was to utilize a shorter case with a faster burning powder to get near .30-06 performance out of a lighter weight cartridge.  It had been tried before, and it had failed.  But not this time, the .308 will go down in history as one of the greatest American rifle cartridges of all times.  As a military cartridge the .308's success was mixed.  The M14 rifle and Belgian FAL rifle's for which it were chambered were superb semi automatic rifles, but they wre lousy machine guns.  Of course, anyone who thought a 9 pound rifle could be controlled firing a 55,000 PSI cartridge with a 150 grain bullet obviously had a thing or two to learn about recoil energy.  The .308 served NATO's armies well, and continues to as a light machine gun cartridge.  But where the .308 really came into it's own was in the sporting and competetive shooting circles.  Winchester quickly released the .308 to the public in 1953 and the cartridge was immediately successful.  Now hunters could get near .30-06 performance in a lighter more compact rifle.  In competetive shooting circles the .308 qucily shattered every record that the .30-06 ever set, and was only recently bested bu the .223 at the national matches.  The .308 continues to dominate numerous competetive shooting disciplines.  Like the .223 the .308 is a very flexable cartridge.  Also like the .223 the .308 has a place on this list, at number 8.

 

9.  7.62x54R Russian    Imperial Russa

 

Introduced in 1891 the 7.62x54R Russian cartridge would be the standard military cartridge of Russa and the Soviet Union for the next 60 years.  Chambered in the Mosin Nagant bolt action rifles, and later the Draganuv sniper rifle the 7.62x54R served the Russians well through both World Wars and their allies well beyond.  These rifles can still be seen in the hands of guerilla fighters in third world countries.  Due to the recent mass importaton of former Soviet small arms a American shooters can now enjoy the merits of this powerful cartridge.  Like the American .30-06 the 7.62x54R also spun off numerous wildcat cartridges in Scandinava, particularly Finland.  This cartridge continues to be a popular sporting cartridge in that part of the world today.  The 7.62X54R's significance in history as a military cartridge place it on this list at number 9.

 

10.  .45-70 Government    USA

 

The only big bore black powder cartridge on this list.  It should be noted though that the .45-70 Government is also the only old big bore black powder cartridge that succesfully made the transiton to the smokeless era.  Now 135 years old it is more popular than ever now.  Introduced way back in 1873 in the Model 1873 Springfiield rifle, commonly called the "Trapdoor" the .45-70 was the United States Army's first succesful metallic cartridge.  Orginally built around a massive 500 grain lead bullet the .45-70 packed a heavy punch.  Though successful in it's early days as a military cartridge, the .45-70 quickly became obsolete due to the introduction of modern smokeless powder cartridges.  As a plains buffalo rifle howerver the rifle became legendery.  The -45-70's popularity wained during the first half of the twentieth century, but as it's reputaiton for close in power began to ease back into the mainstream, the cartridge enjoyed a massive comeback.  Today the .45-70 is as popular as ever, particularly with professionaly guides, bear, and boar hunters..  The old soldier refused to die or fade away.  The .45-70 completes our top ten

 

 

Please feel free to comment on my opinions.  That is why I posted this