Clint Eastwood, .380 ACP Self-Defense & California CCW After Bruen

Auction Spotlight: 742 Lots for May 30th

The May 30th auction at Gunslinger Auctions opens with 742 lots. The Gunslingers walked through catalog highlights on air: a British-proofed 1917 Luger P08 artillery model, the long-barreled variant with detachable shoulder stock that remains one of the most recognizable German military configurations ever produced. An Inland M1 carbine. A pair of 1942 Colt pistols. A set of Japanese matchlocks representing some of the earliest portable firearms technology produced on the continent.

The piece that held the conversation was a saddle. JJ Craft produced only two of them, and this one carries Tom Selleck’s name. That combination does not show up at auction regularly.

Also in the mix: an indentured servitude contract from the 1700s. Not every lot in a Gunslinger catalog is a firearm, and documents of that age and provenance tend to draw buyers from outside the regular firearms audience.

Later in the show, Michael Whittier called to note that a 1968 Mustang he has been restoring is also going to the May 30th block. That restoration has been running long enough that the Gunslingers have been following its progress on air. Pre-bidding is live now on HiBid and Proxibid.

Suppressor Myths and the 300-Gun Estate

A caller named Richard asked whether shooting through a pillow or towel would meaningfully reduce the report of a handgun. It does not. Real suppressors reduce a firearm’s sound signature by 20 to 35 decibels, which brings a typical 9mm shot from the range of a jackhammer to something closer to a loud clap. You still need hearing protection. What a pillow does is absorb propellant gas and collect carbon fouling. The gun still sounds like a gun. The suppressor mythology comes from films where the story requires a gun quiet enough for indoor conversation, and film sets have sound editors working in post-production.

Owning a real suppressor in the United States requires registering an NFA item, paying a $200 tax stamp, passing an ATF background check, and waiting for approval. The legal path exists and is used regularly. It has nothing to do with household linens.

Robert Sherman’s call covered different territory. His friend Glenn died alone and left behind 300 to 400 firearms. Glenn’s only known relative was a convicted felon, which meant that relative could not legally take possession of a single firearm. Not ownership. Not temporary custody. Not moving the guns out of the house while the estate was being sorted. Federal law is unambiguous: any transfer to a prohibited person is a felony, and a prohibited person who takes possession faces the same liability.

The collection needed to be handled through an FFL. The process involves inventorying the firearms, engaging a licensed dealer, and either selling to eligible buyers or transferring to eligible family members. In a case with no eligible heir, auction is the practical path. The Gunslingers have handled estates like Glenn’s before, and the advice does not change: do not wait, do not improvise, and do not let a prohibited relative hold the guns while the paperwork sorts itself out.

Among Glenn’s firearms was a Tippmann Arms 9mm Gatling gun, a hand-cranked multi-barrel 9mm feeding from standard Glock magazines. Also a 10/22 Gatling conversion kit. Both attract more attention at auction than you might expect. The Gatling configuration is mechanically exempt from the NFA machine gun definition because it is manually operated, not automatically fired.

Gun Safety, Dementia, and the 9mm Lever Exemption

Joel called from Los Angeles about his father, who has dementia. The question was practical: how do you handle the firearms when the owner can no longer safely manage them? Jeff’s answer started with the emotional reality before the legal one. A parent’s service pistol or a grandfather’s hunting rifle carries weight that a transaction does not resolve. Acknowledging that is part of getting to the right decision.

The practical answer is to remove the firearms from direct access immediately, before the condition progresses further. A person disoriented at three in the morning represents a real risk to themselves and to anyone who enters the house unexpectedly. The guns do not have to be sold right away. They can be transferred to another family member, held with a licensed FFL, or placed in secure storage while the family decides long-term. The decision to sell can come later. The decision to remove access needs to happen now.

Joel also asked about a Taylor’s & Company 9mm lever action, a magazine-fed design with a threaded barrel. In California, tube-fed lever action rifles are exempt from the state’s magazine capacity restrictions because the fixed tube is integral to the firearm’s action and cannot be removed without disassembling the gun. Magazine-fed lever actions sit in different legal territory. The tube-fed exemption applies specifically to the integral tube configuration. Confirm a specific model’s legal status with a California FFL before purchase or transfer.

Small-of-Back Carry: The Recommendation Jeff Doesn’t Make

Ed from Nevada asked about small-of-back carry, meaning a holster positioned at the center of the lower back at the six-o’clock position. Jeff’s answer was direct.

Small-of-back carry is not appropriate for concealed carry use. The argument most commonly made against it is the draw: reaching behind the back or across the body is slower and more awkward than a hip or appendix draw, particularly in a close-quarters situation. That is true, but it is not the primary objection.

The primary objection is what happens when a CCW holder goes to the ground. A fall, a physical confrontation, or a vehicle accident can put a person flat on their back with a pistol directly between the spine and a hard surface. A gun at six-o’clock becomes a compression hazard against the vertebrae in exactly the scenario where a CCW holder needs to be mobile and functional. The injury potential is real, and instructors who do not have a financial interest in any particular product almost universally advise against the position.

Ed also touched on a Carson City estate that included gold bars held at purchase price for decades, well below current market value. The valuation problem is the same one that comes up with undocumented firearms collections: items whose worth the original owner never fully understood, now requiring professional appraisal before any distribution can proceed responsibly.

The Golden Boot Table: Clint, Burt, Sophia, and the Mannix Secret

The Golden Boot Awards celebrate Western film and television. One of the Gunslingers attended a ceremony where Clint Eastwood, Burt Reynolds, Sophia Loren, Martin Cove, and Wes Studi shared a single table. That sentence takes a moment to register. Their combined Western filmography runs from Rawhide and Pale Rider through Lonesome Dove and The Last of the Mohicans. Whatever the conversation at that table covered, it did not need much prompting.

Mike Connors, who played Mannix from 1967 to 1975, was born Krekor Ohanian. Armenian heritage, Los Angeles-raised, he became one of the decade’s defining television leads under a stage name that was itself a departure from the show’s original casting direction. Mannix ran seven seasons on CBS. It was not a traditional Western, but the Golden Boot does not require horses.

One of the Gunslingers was mistaken for W. Earl Brown at the same event. Brown played Dan Dority on Deadwood, a character remembered for being simultaneously intimidating and completely loyal to Al Swearengen. The resemblance was apparently convincing enough to require correction.

The Nudie Cadillac came up in the Western memorabilia conversation. Nudie Cohn was the tailor who put rhinestones on Elvis Presley and designed the jeweled suits that defined a specific era of country and Western performance. His custom Cadillac, encrusted with longhorns, pistols, and silver saddles, is as much a piece of Western Americana as anything that appeared on screen.

The Western TV run went through Cheyenne, Have Gun Will Travel, Gunsmoke, and Bonanza. All of them still air on DirectTV channel 203 for anyone who wants to verify that the writing and production hold up better than most people expect.

Pump-Action .357s: The Timberwolf, the Taylor, and What Survived

Dave from Garden Grove wanted to know what was available in pump-action .357 Magnum and .38 Special. It is a category that has been underserved for most of the past two decades.

The Timberwolf, manufactured by IMI (Israel Military Industries), was one of the better-built options in this category. The action was smooth, the caliber interchangeability between .357 Magnum and .38 Special gave it practical flexibility, and IMI’s manufacturing quality was serious. It has been out of production for years, and used-market examples reflect that scarcity. The Wolverine name appeared on related configurations in the same family.

Pedersoli has offered pump-action options in this chambering built in the style of period-correct Western reproductions. Beretta and Taurus have both had entries in the category at various points. For utility over collector interest, the Taurus option represents the most accessible price point. For a quality action in a period-appropriate configuration, an IMI Timberwolf on the used market or a Pedersoli through a reputable dealer is the better path.

The Shotgun Boogie Derby and the Real Case for .380 ACP

The Red Bull soapbox derby project has a name: Shotgun Boogie, after the Shotgun Boogie shop supporting the build. The available budget is $400. The parts list is at $8,000. No further editorial comment is required.

The .380 ACP discussion was more substantive. The round has a reputation problem that its current performance no longer fully deserves. For most of the previous century, .380 defensive ammunition was loaded with round-nose FMJ or early hollow-point designs that expanded inconsistently. That is not the state of the technology in 2026.

Modern .380 defensive loads, particularly Underwood Ammo loads and G9 Defense external hollow points, are achieving expansion and penetration numbers that compare favorably with standard 9mm defensive loads from similar-length barrels. The comparison holds for compact platforms at typical defensive distances, not for sub-three-inch barrels at extended range. The phrase that came up on air captures the argument directly: “380 is 9mm on stone.” That means the round exists on the same performance continuum as 9mm, not in a category below it.

What does not change with caliber is the practice requirement. A .380 platform that a shooter trains with regularly and carries consistently is more effective than a 9mm that sits in a drawer. Jeff’s position on this is consistent: practice with what you carry, carry what you practice with, and do not let a caliber debate become a reason to carry nothing.

A caller named Brian from Texas added practical context. He was carrying during a rattlesnake encounter on a Texas golf course, where carrying is legal and unremarkable. The story is a straightforward illustration of a point the Gunslingers make regularly: CCW is preparation for situations that are both unpredictable and real.

Guns After 70: When the Slide Is Too Heavy

Robert called from Los Angeles. He is 79 years old. He has an Italian .45 ACP that he can no longer rack reliably. The slide weight and spring tension require hand strength he no longer has. He asked about ammunition and carry options.

Jeff’s answer followed a systematic progression. The first recommendation is a double-action revolver. A revolver requires no slide manipulation to chamber a round, no decocker to engage, no manual safety to disengage under stress. For a shooter whose hand strength is genuinely compromised, the revolver removes the single largest mechanical obstacle to reliable carry.

If a semi-automatic is strongly preferred, the Beretta 92FS is worth evaluating. Its open-slide design gives more surface area to grip when racking, and 9mm chambering means a lighter recoil spring than any comparable .45 ACP. For a .22 LR trainer or low-recoil practice option, the Walther P22 offers an easy-racking choice that builds familiarity without physical fatigue. The Bersa Thunder .380 provides a compact carry option with a lighter slide than most 9mm or .45 ACP designs.

One persistent misconception came up: California does not require annual re-registration of handguns already in lawful possession. A firearm purchased legally and properly transferred does not require renewal. The California Certified Handgun Roster governs which new handguns dealers can sell. It does not create a recurring registration obligation for guns already owned.

Miculek, the Stoner Nine, and the Science of Plunging Fire

Howard called from West Los Angeles with a caliber and ballistics conversation that covered significant range. It started with the Miculek shot: Jerry Miculek put a 9mm round on a steel target at 1,000 yards in a public demonstration that drew wide attention. The physics are real. At extreme range, 9mm projectiles follow a steep, near-vertical plunging trajectory, and the calculation required to arc the bullet onto a target at that distance is demanding but achievable for a shooter at Miculek’s level. The practical use case for 1,000-yard 9mm shooting is essentially zero. The demonstration’s value is in understanding the full performance envelope of a round most people treat as an exclusively close-range option.

A former marine armorer connected a .380 Walther PPK to a 200-yard hit. Again, not a practical use case, but a demonstration that pistol calibers carry farther than their typical defensive applications suggest, and that shooters who understand their equipment can extract performance beyond the designed envelope.

A Stoner 9mm prototype came into the conversation in the context of 9mm’s versatility. Eugene Stoner’s AR platform adapted to 9mm represents the same modular engineering that defined his original design, applied to a round that has proven useful across a range of applications from subcompact carry pistols to dedicated carbines.

The SMLE and Kar98 tangent sights generated a useful clarification. Both rifles have rear sights graduated to extreme distances. The Kar98’s tangent runs to 2,000 meters and the SMLE carries similar markings. These were not intended for individual marksmanship at two kilometers. They were calibrated for plunging fire against infantry formations, where a company of riflemen firing on a shared azimuth and elevation would create an indirect fire pattern over a position. Individual accuracy at that range was not the goal. Volume at a defined impact zone was.

WWII Sniper Lots and the May 30th Collector Preview

The May 30th catalog’s WWII collector section deserves separate attention from the opening lot preview. These are not standard production military rifles. They are purpose-built sniper configurations with original optics, original stocks, and wartime service history.

The Colt 1911 Super Match in .38 Super already carried a pre-bid of $8,750. The .38 Super was developed in the 1930s, offering higher velocity than .38 Special from a semi-automatic platform at a time when law enforcement and competition shooters were paying attention to both. The Super Match was Colt’s highest-production-quality variant of this chambering, built to competition specifications from the factory.

The 1941 Johnson semi-automatic rifle had a pre-bid around $3,000. The Johnson competed directly with the M1 Garand for U.S. military adoption and lost the contract. The Marines and the Office of Strategic Services used it in sufficient numbers that it saw real combat. Its rotary magazine and recoil-operated action made it mechanically distinct from every other semi-automatic rifle in the American inventory at the time. Collectors who know what they are looking at consider it one of the most interesting semi-automatic rifle designs of the era.

The Ohio Ordnance BAR is a modern semi-automatic reproduction of the Browning Automatic Rifle, the standard U.S. squad automatic weapon through World War II and Korea. The WWII German K98 sniper examples, a British No. 4 Enfield sniper, a Japanese configuration, and a Russian Mosin-Nagant with PU scope complete the WWII collector section. Taken together, that is the full range of Allied and Axis precision rifle production from the same conflict represented in one catalog. Pre-bidding is live on HiBid and Proxibid.

California CCW After Bruen: Disqualifiers and the Kimber K6S

The Supreme Court’s Bruen decision struck down New York’s “good cause” requirement for concealed carry permits and established that the Second Amendment protects carrying outside the home. California’s response has been to retain every permissible restriction that survived the constitutional challenge. The permit process is intact. Training requirements are intact. The disqualifier list is long and specific.

Dave from Whittier asked about disqualifiers. The categories include felony convictions, domestic violence misdemeanors, active restraining orders, involuntary 72-hour psychiatric holds under California’s 5150 statute, drug or alcohol dependency, adjudicated mental illness, and additional conditions enumerated in the Penal Code. The California DOJ Firearms FAQ provides the full list. Dave’s plan to acquire a Remington 870 is straightforward. Pump shotguns are not affected by most of California’s handgun-specific restrictions, but a clean background is the prerequisite before any CCW application moves forward.

Michael Whittier called separately about a parts order for Shotgun Boogie that was blocked: SKB shotgun components that were previously available domestically are not moving through the supply chain under current tariff conditions. It is a direct example of how trade and manufacturing policy translates into inventory problems at the shop level.

Ed from Riverside asked about revolver versus semi-auto for CCW and got the Orange location’s store hours confirmed: Tuesday through Friday, 10am to 5pm, and Saturday, 10am to 4pm. His firearm question landed on the Kimber K6S in .357 Magnum. It is a six-shot, double-action-only snub-nosed revolver with a factory trigger that is better than most production revolvers leave the factory. The .357 chambering allows practice with .38 Special at a fraction of the defensive ammunition cost while retaining full capability when loaded appropriately. It is one of the stronger premium compact revolver options currently in production.

Leon the Motorman Calls from Scottsdale

Leon Kaplan, Leon the Motorman, called in from Scottsdale, Arizona. He is in the middle of relocating, with furniture arriving the next day, and plans to return to Los Angeles from time to time. He has been watching the Gunslingers on YouTube, and the call was less an interview than a longtime friend checking in from across state lines.

On Motor Slingers, the show’s format covering “anything that hums, purrs, moves people, or flies,” Leon is one of two regular special guests alongside George the Airplane Man. His 44 years on Los Angeles airwaves represent a run that most broadcasters do not reach.

One of the Gunslingers is finishing a 1968 Mustang restoration that Leon is looking forward to seeing when he’s back in town. Bobby from Phoenix called to welcome Leon to the area and offered coffee when he settles in. The lemon meringue pie Bobby has owed the show for some time did not materialize in this episode, a fact the audience noted with the patience of long familiarity.

Liz Scott was identified during the segment, via a YouTube comment during the live broadcast, as the actress who appeared opposite Elvis Presley in “Loving You” (1957). The Gunslingers have been using Elvis bumper music, which drew the discussion toward the film. The actress who later became a nun after appearing as Elvis’s girlfriend in the same film could not be immediately recalled on air.

The SASS California State Championship begins Thursday at Route 66 Shooting Sports. Wild Bunch runs four stages. The 1911 used in Wild Bunch competition requires attention to spring configuration: a 15-pound recoil spring and 19-pound main spring, replacing the factory weights of 16 to 18 pounds and 23 pounds respectively, allows reliable cycling with competition loads. One of the Gunslingers is bringing a Winchester Model 12 12-gauge cut from 28 inches after a bulge was discovered at the 26-inch mark. He is competing in the Elderstatesman category in the main cowboy match on Friday and Saturday.

Ryan Keto, known in the SASS community as Beartrap, passed away this week. He was a direct, straight-talking competitor who brought people into the sport with genuine purpose. Black powder was his passion, and he had a particular gift for drawing children into shooting. His wife, Choctaw Gal, and his grandson continue to compete. Condolences to his family and to everyone who rode the trail with him.