Guns

Lock Mess Monster.

The effect of the internal lock that S&W added to their revolvers is one that has generated far more stir than light on the internet once more the last several years. Original resistance was mostly split along two lines: The primary was aesthetic; the new lock appeared as an disgusting little metal zit on the side of the gun by a hair's breadth above the cylinder deliverance, complete with an inscribed "L"-and-arrow indicating which directorship to turn it to disable the gun, and a Rube Golberg-esque banneret that popped up to hint that the gun was locked. The man Friday was philosophical; people refused to buy a gun that had a aspect that was such an clear-cut nod to the anti-gun crowd and could perform a sidearm inert at a beforehand when it was needed most.

The egress was complicated when, after a year or so, rumors began to dribble down about revolvers that had spontaneously locked themselves when firing. Certain prominent gun writers pooh-poohed these claims in copy, predictably resulting in incendiary internet diatribes roughly "paid shills of the gun bustle". The argument has smoldered fitfully along in any case since.

Recently a strand on ARFcom, complete with pictures, apropos of yet another spontaneously-locked firearm has triggered yet another flareup of "See? I told you so!" on the web, including posts from people on Corrupt Black Rifle gun boards who are no more inclined to to carry a S&W revolver than they are to arise wings and fly.

As usual, the actually about the matter lies somewhere in the middle, and I'd like to submit a couple of thoughts on the topic. Remember, I'm just someone who worked...

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