Go / No Go Gauge

By Michael Helms  /  07/23/2019
One of the unsung inventions of the industrial revolution was the go / no go gauge. Most mechanical parts have...
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Go / No Go Gauge

Smith & Wesson’s Union (Gutta Percha) Case

By Michael Helms  /  06/09/2019
Among the rarities of Smith & Wesson's earliest years is the gutta percha case. Between 1850 and 1861 almost 5,000...
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Smith & Wesson’s Union (Gutta Percha) Case

The Glock 48

By Michael Helms  /  05/15/2019
Until last year the gun that fit my body geometry the best was a Smith & Wesson M&P 1.0 with...
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The Glock 48

The “Delta Elite” 10mm Colt 1911

By Michael Helms  /  04/05/2019
The story is well documented by now, but it's worth repeating. After the 1986 FBI Shootout in Miami, the FBI...
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The “Delta Elite” 10mm Colt 1911

حلوان عيار 9

By Michael Helms  /  03/10/2019
The M1951 Beretta pistol is the most recognizable ancestor of the Beretta 92, whose importance to the world of firearms...
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حلوان عيار 9

Colt’s Model 1908 “Vest Pocket”

By Michael Helms  /  02/09/2019
Launched in 1908 and in production for forty years, over 400,000 of these tiny Colt semi-automatic pistols came out of...
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Colt’s Model 1908 “Vest Pocket”

Beretta Model 70 “Puma”

By Michael Helms  /  02/05/2019
In 2010 I purchased this pistol at a farm auction in Stem, North Carolina. The gun felt sleek and precise...
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Beretta Model 70 “Puma”

Smith & Wesson Model 60 Pro Series

By Michael Helms  /  11/25/2018
Smith & Wesson's venerable J frame revolvers have long set the standard by which all other compact revolvers are judged,...
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Smith & Wesson Model 60 Pro Series

The Forgotten Glock 37

By Michael Helms  /  11/22/2018
Close your eyes and let's see how good your memory is. Quick, what's a Glock 17? Easy; full-frame 9mm! Glock...
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The Forgotten Glock 37

Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ

By Michael Helms  /  11/08/2018
Long story short: this may be the best gun of 2018. The EZ has the same basic profile as the...
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Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ

Michael Helms is a published firearms historian with expertise in the areas of American history, gun collecting, competitive shooting, genealogy, and information technology. Read more about him, his research, his services, and some of the interesting guns that he has blogged about.