HANDGUNS
YOU'LL FIND COVERAGE OF EVERY STYLE AND CALIBER HERE.
The S&W Mod. 69 – A Warrior’s Fighting Spirit
American Handgunner editor Roy Huntington takes an inside
look at Mag-na-port’s S&W Model 69 .44 Magnum, he dubs The Haka!
The Astra Model 400
That grand old man Skeeter Skelton once described the Astra Model 400 as “wart-hog ugly,” but I’ve always thought it had a certain simple elegance.
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Retro Revolver...
What better way to spend our time while quarantined than dusting off our magazine archive, flipping through the yellowed pages and reminiscing on classic...
14
A Royal Restoration
In the May/June 2019 Handgunner I spoke of Old School Cool. It was all about a very special Colt Single Action Army dating back to before WWII.
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9 Reasons to...
A favorite of military, law enforcement and civilian gun owners since its introduction in 2014, Heckler & Koch has upgraded the popular VP9 with new...
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A G-2-Three
AG-2-Three is not an artificially intelligent 24th century spaceship robot. Rather, it’s my Thompson/Center Contender G-2 pistol with three barrels:
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In Praise Of The...
It’s fine to like nice things. No one should feel guilty for sleeping on sheets with a high thread count, driving a sports car, or wearing a watch...
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Beretta 92X...
To the average non-shooting citizen — yes, they exist — a gun is a gun is a gun. Sheesh! How can anyone have such an opaque opinion towards one of the...
34
the rise and...
In 2003, a joint effort by GLOCK and an ATK team led by the brilliant Ernest Durham birthed the .45 GAP cartridge. GLOCK’s 13+1 round G21 had, in 13 years,
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Para’s Expert GI
Most any US veteran sporting grey or missing hair and the aches and pains of age associated with service prior to the introduction of the Beretta M9 is...
0
The Mighty 32's
When someone mentions .32 caliber handguns, we often think of small, low powered rounds. The .32 ACP comes to mind, and the .32 S&W Short and Long pop into...
17
New Products...
The 92 Elite LTT has been described as the ultimate Beretta 92. Recently, Langdon Tactical released the carry friendly versions of the pistol —
7
Remington 1911...
Combining legendary 1911 performance with a new lightweight design, the Remington 1911 R1 Ultralight is a great option for today’s shooters.
10
Wilson American...
Wilson introduces the American Combat Pistol (ACP) series in .45 ACP or 9mm. Hand built in Berryville, Arkansas, the ACP features all of the precision,...
120
SIG's Fastback...
I was helping open packages and check in guns at the gun store. As I picked up one box, I was admittedly a little giddy with anticipation.
21
Budget Beaters
While one person’s “budget” gun might cost a bit more than another’s, the idea here is to not break the bank — but still deliver the goods.
10
Taurus 942 &...
Since their inception, and later introduction to the U.S. market in 1968, Taurus has led the way in affordable, reliable firearms.
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America’s Got...
As a way of promoting non-Master engravers, Bobby Tyler had an idea. Why not hold a national contest for engravers of non-Master status, offering them a...
9
Leaning Left...
Got your attention I’ll bet, but we’re not talking about “that” left here. Left-handed people in many ways are better off today than in the past.
23
Taurus 380 UL
A neat little revolver, using full-moon clips, and chambered for the .380 Auto cartridge? At this point, a gun-cynic might ask why?
24
Springfield...
The new Springfield Armory Micro-Compact Hellcat concealed carry pistol packs as much 9mm as you might carry in a full-sized Browning Hi-Power — all going...
21
Odd But Good?
A perusal of revolvers developed around the world in the last 150 years cannot help but give you some insight about the human mind.
27
DOUBLE, TRIPLE,...
Let’s think about the .38-40 and the .41 Long Colt. Two totally different cartridges. The first is a tapered or bottleneck cartridge beginning life in the...
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Pliers And Files
In the spring of 1984 I was preparing to fly to Southern California to participate in my very first End Of Trail cowboy action match. I had only one misgiving.
11
Pocket Snakes...
The first pocket-sized, 5-shot .38 Special arrived in 1950 when it was unveiled as the Smith & Wesson Chief’s Special at a national gathering of chiefs of...
1
They Called Him...
As with all boys from time immemorial, the young lad was curious while at the same time somewhat bored with nothing to do. Going into his father’s office...
44
Buck and Ball ...
In these pages I’ve previously made it clear I am not the .45 Colt’s greatest fan. That said, there is one area where it shines above all other revolver...
7
Long Range Rugers
It had been a long hot summer, in fact the last of three painful summers. Summers are meant for shooting, camping, hiking, outdoor activities with the family.
19
Keep Your Fancy...
I gotta be me.” That’s good. We all should do that. Don’t just say it — do it! But know your “do it” attitude might not be someone else’s cup...
8
Dear Handgunner
Well, the new .44 Magnum is now arriving regularly at local dealers both in the original S&W .44 Magnum and the Ruger Blackhawk.
37
EAA'S MC1911SC...
Just what is the ultimate 1911 pistol? John Browning birthed the gun back when telephones were both tethered to the wall and rare.
21
A Robar Single...
A seed was planted in my brain over 13 years ago. In December 1996 I was invited to participate in a unique class conducted at Thunder Ranch, then located...
62
Perfect...
Several years (decades?) ago I coined the phrase Perfect Packin’ Pistol, or as it has come to be known by many readers, PPP.
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The Return Of...
There was a time when elephants roamed North America. Mastodons had tusks up to 15' in length and were found in Africa, Europe and both North and South...
37
A Special That...
A few issues back I wrote a piece in these pages titled “The .44 Special Ain’t So Special” (July/Aug 2009). Some might be surprised I received as many...
16
J! S&W’s Most...
The mighty X-frame revolvers and the gorgeous handguns of their Performance Center notwithstanding, the single most popular handgun Smith & Wesson makes...
17
I Gotta Be Me
In the 1950s I discovered Elmer Keith and his writings, which often covered customized sixguns. He had about a half-dozen highly customized .44 Special...
45
On Accuracy
So I shot the gun at the normal combat range of seven yards,” reads all too many lines, in all too many gun articles I see.
9
MANSON REAMERS...
Every now and again, a tool comes along that will revolutionize a process, however obscure or seemingly unimportant.
41
An Heirloom Colt
The elements of style can be mystifying. Just as there are billions of people in the world, we might safely say there are billions of ideas of what...
33
Laugo Arms Alien...
Every once in a while, a gun comes down the pike that makes us take pause. In the case of the Laugo Arms Alien, it has gun owners in awe as if it had, well,...
10
Pocket Pistol...
I’m not as prepared for emergencies as I should be, and there was a time I wanted to be ready for anything.
13
Real .44 Cowboy...
The last place to learn safe gun handling is at the movies or the TV screen and it’s a rare film that ever depicts recoil in any shape or fashion....
40
An Expert’s Gun
Yeah, I know, we all have one or more of them, and there’s nothing wrong with that. In experienced hands — and I mean near-expert hands — they are...
7
Lawman Leather
Here’s a holster quiz for ya, trivia fans: Back in 1978, the late great Elmer Keith described somebody’s leather as “… the most comfortable holster...
3
Big Bore Snubbies
The concept of bigbore, snub-nosed revolvers isn’t new. In fact it’s just about as old as revolvers themselves. As soon as men began to carry revolving...
13
Colt Rising
Like the proverbial Phoenix rising from the ashes, I’m seeing more and more fine old Colt revolvers coming out of drawers, gun cabinets, estates and other...
54
Purdy Gear
There’s a reason Karla Van Horne’s cowboy shooting alias is “Purdy Gear,” it’s because she makes, well … purdy gear.
26
BluMagnum Grips
Skeeter Skelton’s earliest articles appeared in the pages of our sister publication, GUNS, in the late 1950s when he was still known as Charles A....
24
The Best Ever...
What’s the best ever big-bore revolver cartridge? I’m not talking about something chambered in a bazooka-length revolver fitted with a bipod.
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ACCOUTERMENTS
My dictionary says “accouterments” are military accessories. I love the word because to me it seems like a combination of accumulate and collect,
13
The First...
The era of The American gunfighter of fact and legend didn’t begin until 1850. That was when Samuel Colt introduced his first “Belt Pistol” meaning...
17
All Things 1911
I know, I know … more 1911 stuff? You bet. The design doesn’t die because it works, and Browning’s genius allows incremental improvements, each one...
12
New Mossberg MC2c
What’s the first thing to pop into your head when you hear mention of Mossberg?
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Trio Of Treats...
What would the state of the sixgunning world be without dreamers? Those who looked at what was and saw what could be.
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umarex beretta...
Nope, this isn’t a “real” Beretta. But at first glance, it really looks like one. In the hand it feels like one too, with the right weight, heft and...
34
The First...
An exclusive look at the first engraved new-production Colt Python, beautifully hand scroll-engraved by Dale Bass of Tyler Gun Works.
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caspian 1911 mods
We touched on these new offerings from Caspian a while ago but I wanted to flesh ’em out a bit. Basically, you can buy a frame and slide,
18
12 New Revolvers...
Despite the ever-growing market of polymer semi-auto handguns, new revolvers are not only still being produced, but also generating a lot of buzz in 2020....
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Taurus .357...
Shooters buy firearms for many reasons including self-defense, hunting, target shooting and just plain old plinking.
23
one for the...
Handguns are purchased for a variety of reasons, with self-defense and general outdoor use right at the top.
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Glock 44 .22 LR...
When word of the GLOCK 44 trickled out, the keyboard commandos dropped their Cheetos bags and fired up their computers, yet again.
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Ruger Security-9...
The three R’s of guns could easily be Rugged, Reliable and Ruger. Add an additional “R” for “Reasonably” priced and you’ve got Ruger’s...
32
Nighthawk Custom...
Try not to be too jealous, but I’ve had an early production model of Nighthawk Custom’s hot new honest-to-gosh drop-in trigger system for 1911s, and the...
33
Sortin' Out The...
Life used to be so simple. When I started seriously shooting, sixguns had names like Outdoorsman, Combat Magnum, Heavy Duty, Triple-Lock and on and on.
12
Ruger Custom...
Priced at workingman wages since their inception over 70 years ago, Ruger has provided us with a slew of rugged and reliable guns.
21
Chippa Rhino...
As a guy who makes his living evaluating and writing about guns, I get a lot of “What’s the best …” questions from folks.
27
80 Percent Arms...
The nation’s largest manufacturer of 80% lowers and frames, 80 Percent Arms, is proud of their innovative history of providing do-it-yourself frames and...
16
Ruger LCPII .22 LR
If you’re looking for a back-up gun, you’ve found it. If you just want a handy .22 for the trail, your pocket around the farm or to teach kids to shoot,...
15
Looking Like A...
Tooling down an Exhibit Hall aisle at the NRA Expo in Fort Worth, I did an abrupt turnaround when a tabletop of color caught my eye. Just another black gun...
16
Walther Q5...
Walther makes the standard PPQ pistol series, and recently introduced the Q5 Match series, which rapidly rose to the top ranks among competitors. Now, with...
30
A Woebegone...
This all started typically for me. I walked into a gun store on University Avenue in San Diego about 1980 and there, staring at me from the display case,
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Ed Brown Fueled...
Ed Brown Products is proud of their custom-built 1911s — and for good reason. For over 50 years, they’ve set the standard in design and advanced...
25
Home Defense...
We like shotguns and rifles for home defense, but we really like handguns, too. Full-size handguns are legit options for home defense, but so are...
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SIG’s P320 X5...
A short time ago, SIG SAUER introduced a pair of 9mms that could hardly be farther apart in size and application.
5
ca-legal colt...
Four Colt revolvers were recently added to the California “certified for sale” roster approved by the state’s Department of Justice.
1
The Cinderella Gun
Several years ago, I was at a local gun show helping my shooting buddies offload a bunch of guns from departed friends. There were some pricey items, but at...
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Kimber Deploys...
Kimber has added a great new addition to their already stalwart lineup with the RAPIDE (Black Ice).
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S&W's Model 610...
A few months ago I stumbled across a couple of S&W 657 models in .41 Mag. One was a 6.5" version while the other wore a 7.5" barrel.
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Re-Visiting An...
It’s confession time. For many years I’ve neglected the .357 Magnum. When hunting big game with straight-walled pistol cartridges, I generally reach for...
22
Your First Time
I’ve been a firearms instructor and federally licensed gun dealer for about 12 years now and been asked a whole lot of questions about how to carry a...
23
Wilson Combat...
To refine is “to improve something by making small changes, in particular, make an idea, theory, or method more subtle and accurate.”
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The NRA PPC...
The term PPC has several historical variations on a theme. Practical Pistol Course, Police Practical Course and Police Pistol Combat are all cited.
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You Asked For It...
It’s only natural the world’s best handgun magazine teamed up with Les Baer Custom to create an exclusive celebration of the classic John Browning 1911...
22
Hand Ejectors
Colt Patent Firearms had an 8-year head start when it came to solid-frame revolvers with swing-out cylinders.
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DA Semi-Autos
It’s been 90 years since Walther made what’s generally considered the first commercially successful DA semi-auto pistol, the model PP. Most previous...
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The Sixguns Of...
Colt dropped the single action from production prior to World War II and announced it would never be produced again.
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Reunited
Back in 1973 a friend and I got it in our heads we should take a couple saddle horses and my trusty steed “Duke” as a pack horse and head south.
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Dan Wesson DWX
A hybrid is defined as combining something from two different elements. When the best of both are combined, a super-hybrid is the result.
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Motor City...
Heading up the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I set my sights on mi amigo, Doc Barranti’s adobe in Pittsburgh, 3.5 hours away. From there, we head north for 5...
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.38 Super Or...
When it came to semi-autos, like many teenagers from my era I had one of the 1911 Government Model .45’s and a source for military hardball.
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An Officer And A...
The folks at Ruger have an annoying habit of releasing new guns I just can’t resist.
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Taurus Raging...
As my buddy Dick Thompson candidly says, “You never master a handgun.” Shooting is a diminishing skill unless you keep chasing it. To maintain upmost...
23
The Extreme...
We all know squibs are bad. The most common result is a bullet stuck in the barrel. If the shooter is not aware of what’s happened
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The .40 Story
One of the many quirks of history is the truth is often more complex and nuanced than the commonly-accepted version of events. If history is truly written...
38
How Accurate Is...
In my experience handgun shooters don’t obsess about accuracy the way rifle shooters do. Back in the late ’60s and early ’70s when I was getting into...
26
A Retro-Mod 1911
Pistolsmith Jarret Wehunt has created what looks like a battle-worn WWII era Colt — but there’s actually a race car lurking underneath those familiar...
29
Black Collar...
As a cop, you quickly learn if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it’s probably a duck! Conversely as a gun writer, if looks like a rifle and...
53
A Remington...
Back in the first years of this century a fellow contacted me saying he was putting a replica of the Remington Model 1875 revolver into production and he...
29
Providing Value...
Providing American firearms owners with value since 1990, EAA Corp has searched the world to import quality firearms from respectable international...
33
Honor Guard 9mm
With a market flooded with poly-framed, striker-fired pistols, how do you go about creating a new gun that would stand apart from all the others?
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Dan Wesson 1911...
As suppressors are fast becoming a popular accessory, it’s no wonder manufacturers are turning out guns with threaded barrels to accommodate their use.
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Remington's...
When I first heard Remington was introducing a bolt-action pistol, the discontinued XP-100 came to mind. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on one. Could...
24
Ruger's Time Machine
Whether gumshoe detective or guncrank writer, the words “revolver” and “reliable” are synonymous to these probing guys. There’s a reason some guns...
35
The SCCY CPX-3.380
By now, most gun-people know about the compact 9mm pistols from SCCY, the CPX-1 and CPX-2. They differ only in the presence or absence of a manual safety.
24
Wrangler Vs....
In about 1969 I was 15 “going on 16” as we used to say. I had a hopeless case of the “gun crazies” and had been suffering from the syndrome since I...
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Walther PPQ Q5...
Funny things happen when a manufacturer releases a good gun — everyone wants one, and now! Those who previously purchased an earlier model may feel...
16
A Perfect Pair
There’s simply nothing better than a good .22. Recently I picked up two really great Classic .22’s, a Colt Match Target and a High Standard...
26
Stoeger's STR-9
I have to admit when I think of Stoeger my first thought turns to shotguns. You know, all those solid and affordable side-by-sides, over-unders, pumps,...
25
More Carry...
Our old friends from Alaska have come up with a bare minimalist holster fitting medium and large autos. Called the “Alaska EDC,”
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Fussing With A Fitz
Sometimes you just have to get out of your comfort zone. I work on a lot of 1911’s every year. So when I got a call from Mark Mason of Downers Grove,...
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HK's...
The two thugs yanked their captive roughly to his feet, a black hood over his head and his hands secured with a zip tie. Any normal man would have panicked,...
33
One Eye — Or Two?
Should I shoot with one eye open — or two? The short answer is two. Most shooters, most of the time, are better off with both eyes open. Most of the top...
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Ruger's .22...
In 1956 I was straight out of high school and purchased my first handgun, a Ruger .22 Single-Six for $63.25. At the time I was working for $0.90 an hour so...
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SCCY CPX-3 .380...
Owning a compact pistol means there’s no excuse for you to go unarmed anymore! Their ease and comfort of carrying means you can be armed at all times. The...
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Team Tactics...
“A journey of discovery…teaching married couples a simple yet highly effec-tive communication technique…to grow in their marriage through open and...
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Preferences,...
The advice you get when trying to choose a new gun may come from a father, brother, sister, uncle, cousin, co-worker, magazine article, online forum, or...
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Revolver Trappings
Arevolver’s strength lies in its simplicity, but these must-have accessories will profoundly improve performance. From grip, to reloading, to cleaning, to...
14
Hellcat X2 Commander
Some think the 1911 is outdated — too “old school” to be effective today. They’re not only wrong, but spectacularly wrong. It’s like looking at a...
10
Mag-na-port's...
The Maori warriors of New Zealand are legendary for their fighting spirit. Part of the mystique is the war “Haka” — a traditional ancestral war cry,...
24
The "I"s Have It
As we’ve been told so often, there’s no “I” in team. But you do need it to spell words like interesting and iconic.
28
Pre-War Perfection
I sort of stumbled onto this .38 Special Colt Officers Model a couple of years ago. I did a favor for a friend and he asked if I wanted “Something in a...
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.45 Colt...
While loving the simplicity of the strong and reliable single-action thumb-cocker, I’m savvy enough to appreciate its swinging sidekick — the...
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Ruger Flag Series
You’re a Grand Ol’ Flag and what better way to show your patriotic pride by having ol’ Glory ruggedly displayed on your favorite Ruger shooter?
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Beretta APX Pistol
Over the past 30-plus years, I’ve written two books on Beretta pistols, so my fondness for the brand should be well known.
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The SAA's Most...
Research has shown the Colt SAA (Single Action Army) has been chambered for about 30 cartridges ranging from .22 to .476 Eley during its on-again/off-again...
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Esthetics In...
Esthetics — also correctly written as aesthetics — are words defined as “the laws and principles determining the beauty in nature, art, taste, etc.”...
28
Who Wants A...
What’s that? A polymer-framed 9mm? Is it striker-fired? How about a double-column magazine? Accessory rail on the front end, replaceable backstraps on the...
1
The Taurus Spectrum
The array of colors really catches the eye, and of course, it gave the pistol its name. But, don’t be misled, this is not just another little .380.
13
The Rock River...
Back in 1996, two brothers named Mark and Chuck Larson started a modest gun company in Cleveland, Illinois, devoted to building the finest 1911 pistols...
22
The Overlooked...
Over the last couple of decades we’ve been inundated with new handgun makes and models. I’m not complaining mind you, competition among manufacturers...
1
Double-Barrel...
Ex Vice-President Joe Biden is apparently planning a post-political career as an expert on defensive firearms and tactics. On the subject of firearms, he...
1
More Ways To...
When his Editorship asked me to write a piece about guns that are fun to shoot, cost effective and light recoiling, but weren’t .22 caliber, I had to...
20
Smith & Wesson...
The Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 ACP pocket pistol is almost — but not quite — awesome. Running on a miniaturized version of John Moses Browning’s...
4
Behind Enemy...
It might be surprising to some in more recent generations there was a time when many of our celebrities and entertainers were more than just carnival...
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An Interview...
Don’t ask me how it happened — there ain’t room here. It took years of clandestine meetings with physicists and fakirs, crystal-gazers and crackpots,...
1
The .40 S&W: Too...
While the price of Maseratis has not risen as fast as the cost of health insurance under the oddly named Affordable Care Act, I’m resigned to live without...
4
Make Mine A...
As a wee lad, I lived often with my grandparents and three good-looking aunts, especially one, a tall Northern Italian beauty with long wavy reddish hair...
5
Gordon...
Small-caliber concealable handguns in a variety of sizes, weights, calibers, and hues are commonplace nowadays. However, back when U.S. gun laws were...
2
Handguns Of WWII...
It’s perhaps true more people were killed by Soviet handguns in World War II than by those used by any other combatant nation. At least eight, and perhaps...
10
The Carolina...
Timex makes superb timepieces. Their watches are built in a variety of plants in a variety of countries from quality materials using state of the art...
0
SIG’s P320
For those of us who revere the classic P226 and its cousins, the new P320 from SIG/Sauer is very different. Different, though, in good ways. You get the...
0
The SCCY’s The...
Finally in most parts of our country a law-abiding citizen not averse to a little administrative baggage can legally carry a gun for personal protection....
0
Handguns Of...
Some folks hold the Webley Mk VI .455 revolver in near reverence. I’m not one of them. To me it’s big, clunky, ugly, underpowered and worst of all I...
12
Roberts Defense...
I met him in a relatively quiet corner at some industry show. SHOT, maybe. Or NRA. Honestly, I can’t recall. The impression stayed with me, though. Rob...
34
Remington 1911...
Combining legendary 1911 performance with a new lightweight design, the Remington 1911 R1 Ultralight is a great option for today’s shooters.
10
Colt's Last...
We’re going to lump the last three Colt cap and ball revolvers together in one article because they were simply modifications and adaptations of...
13
Handguns Of...
Perhaps the British could claim at least a small amount of credit for the advent of Smith & Wesson’s Model 1917 .45 Auto revolver. Just into World War II...
14
Kimber Micro 9...
When talking about concealed carry, size matters — especially a lack thereof. The smaller the gun, the easier and more convenient it is to carry, making...
34
First Favorites...
As always, I had to have one — you know the feeling! I needed the ultimate hunting handgun, one fitting my needs perfectly, and yet having the ability to...
20
An Evolutionary...
Charles Darwin’s controversial book On the Origin of Species formulates his theory of evolution by natural selection. Did man evolve from the monkey?
23
Handguns Of...
Starting in grade school my primary passion was World War II history and the firearms used. Therefore it was an amazing day when around age 12 my father...
3
The Speedloader...
When the Colt Paterson revolver burst onto the scene in 1836, the game changed forever. With five chambers of .36 caliber ball at the shooter’s disposal,
10
Gemini Customs:...
I’ve known Marc Morganti, founder of this one-man show called Gemini Customs, for almost 20 years. After nearly two decades of association you learn much...
4
Handguns Of...
American fighting men anywhere in World War II could have been issued one of two basic .45 caliber pistols. The primary one was the Model 1911A1, and its...
12
The Legacy of...
The wide array of sixguns we have today comes from the vision of three men, namely Sam Colt, Daniel Wesson and Bill Ruger. Both Colt and Wesson were gone by...
50
Pocket Power...
The Springfield XD-S Mod.2 Subcompact is a polymer-framed .45 ACP carry gun thinner than a 9mm GLOCK 43, weighing two oz. less than a .380 ACP Walther PPK/S.
2
Mossberg's New...
When you think of Mossberg, I’ll wager the words coming to mind are along the lines of “tough,” “rugged,” “affordable” and “reliable.”
7
Handguns Of...
When Britain jumped into World War I and dragged Canada along, as usual their military outfits were woefully short of weapons. In those days the United...
9
The Dragoons
As pointed out in Part One of this series, in U.S. Army parlance of the 1840s/1850s the word Dragoon referred to horse mounted troops. It’s also the term...
24
Handguns Of...
Next to the Luger, Germany’s most recognized World War II handgun was the Walther-designed P38. It’s credited as being the first military pistol with a...
8
So you carry a...
Some weeks ago a friend, Detective Dick Peters, and I, watched a made-for-TV movie one night at my place. It was called ''A Small Killing" and starred...
10
S&W Performance...
When S&W released their M&P .380 Shield EZ, it caused a lot of head scratching. Why a mid’ish-sized .380? The question was answered after a host of gun...
13
Heizer's PK045
It may seem impossible, but here it is. A semi-auto in .45 ACP about the same size as a 9mm compact. The design is brilliant, and the materials and...
19
Handguns Of...
Next to the Luger, Germany’s most recognized World War II handgun was the Walther-designed P38. It’s credited as being the first military pistol with a...
8
Aimpoint Acro P-1
I’ll admit to liking the challenge of shooting with iron sights, but I’m hardheaded. Nothing’s more satisfying knowing you’ve lined up your front...
7
New, Old Colt...
You know the Colt Defender. It’s a classic 1911 for concealed carry, an old-timer showing how to pack .45 ACP into a small, rough and tumble platform....
26
Revolvers And...
In the “old” days almost everyone had a “wheel gun” sitting in the sock drawer at home, carried in a leather holster — or sometimes just shoved...
41
Handguns Of...
Without a doubt the U.S. Army’s adoption of Model 1917 .45 ACP revolvers was a “make-do” situation. And also without a doubt it “made-do” very...
1
.25 ACP Ragtime...
Every Era deserves its Index Fossil and no material remnant evokes those carefree days from 1890 until roughly WWI quite as convincingly as the small,...
18
A Betta' Beretta
In the world of defensive handguns, Beretta is a name to conjure with. And in the world of its popular Model 92, the same’s true of the name Ernest Langdon.
6
Little Big Gun
I’ll be frank with you. I normally have practically zero interest in micro .380s. Am I impressed by the engineering expertise in getting a bullet this...
2
Handguns Of...
A statement I’ll make about the British Enfield No. 2 Mk I .38 revolver is one I’m not willing to make about any other British weapons of World War II....
1
Remington 1911...
Combining legendary 1911 performance with a new lightweight design, the Remington 1911 R1 Ultralight is a great option for today’s shooters.
10
How I Carry
I don’t always carry a Glock 26 in a shoulder holster, but when I do, it’s usually in a Diamond D Custom Leather rig. This good-looking, functional...
13
Franklin Armory...
We all know SBRs (Short Barrel Rifle) are handy and convenient, along with being top-tier cool on the fun scale … but they have one drawback. Their...
0
You Never Forget...
No doubt about it, good, bad, or ugly — you never forget your first, well…anything. Be it first day of school, first kiss, first car or first car wreck
36
Handguns Of...
As with so many Americans during most of my life, I felt nothing but disdain for Japanese firearms. In fact in the pages of American Handgunner I’ve...
2
ZEV...
It would make no sense and strike as arrogant to assume refinements to GLOCK striker-fired handguns would not benefit the user after nearly 40 years of...
20
Safely Practice...
You can train with a blue gun or a red gun but it won’t be your gun. But when you do non-shooting training drills with your gun — a real gun —
26
Handguns Of...
Luger P08 9mm pistols were considered the best souvenirs by American troops in the European Theatre of Operations (ETO) during World War II. That’s...
32
Help For Hurting...
Sooner or later age catches up with all of us. For some of us, ailments such as arthritis, bursitis or neuropathy affect our ability to shoot any kind of...
16
None dare call...
Pay close attention to the release of the FBI Uniform Crime Report for 2018 in late September and refer quickly to Table 15 under “Homicides,” because...
26
Ruger Security-9...
The three R’s of guns could easily be Rugged, Reliable and Ruger. Add an additional “R” for “Reasonably” priced and you’ve got Ruger’s...
32
Turbocharging...
Americans simply live to customize stuff. Aftermarket widgets abound to amp up our automobiles, cell phones, fashions — even teeth. In no place is this...
20
Trigger Nometry
Squeeze them, pull them, press them, slap them, whatever you do to make a gun go boom, you do it with a trigger. Arguments abound about how you do it and...
4
The Devil By...
He may have meant well. “It’s a double-stack DA. Threaded. Ported. Night sights. Lemme show you.” The young lady handed the pistol back. He cycled...
3
Naroh Arms N1
The Naroh Arms N1 is a sub-compact, single-stack, 7+1, DAO hammer-fired, polymer-framed 9mm pistol that was years in the making. I could stop here, but then...
0
Behind the...
I’ve become quite enamored with the new MC1sc pistol from Mossberg and have made it my primary pocket carry gun since I picked one up earlier this...
2
Ruger’s Wrangler
When word trickled out about Ruger’s new Wrangler, the Internet was abuzz as naysayers were gearing up with ludicrous Ned Ludd worries. Turns out these...
48
Ruger Custom...
Oh, hi Paul,” I said, answering the phone. It’s always nice to hear from Paul Pluff as he’s usually the bearer of news of note. Paul is a dear old...
17
Performance...
The mere words “Performance Center” blended with the moniker S&W, brings a wry smile across the lips of those who know a thing or two about guns.
21
Ruger’s Blued...
Ruger’s been at it yet again and it’s why we love them so much! Using their SP-101 platform this time, they released a powerful-punching wheelgun using...
47
Taurus Tracker...
Whether you need the raw power of a .357 magnum for your heavy-handed chores, or desire something a little more subtle, for light-duty paper punching, like...
51
The Virtually...
Smith & Wesson’s J-frame -- what many consider the quintessential snub-nose revolver -- is virtually unsnubbable. That is, you can’t fault it for...
17
Performance...
Who doesn’t love a J-Frame? Not doing so is as un-American as skipping over a John Wayne movie while channel surfing.
9
What I Carry: A...
I’ve almost always been the guy who carries a full-size handgun for CCW. I was willing to forego comfort for capability, wanting to make sure I had a gun...
29
Living Archive:...
If you prefer a flat handgun that is easier to conceal and carries more rounds than a revolver, you have only to take your pick from the large array of 9mm...
12
FN 509 Mid-Size...
In a world brimming of poly-framed, striker-fired 9mm pistols, the mere thought of yet another release will surely torque traditionalists’ tempers....
16
Dan Wesson: Red...
To those of us still clinging to the sanctity of the 1911 and the beloved .45 ACP cartridge, technology has chipped away at our core assumptions leaving us...
21
Behind the...
Ruger’s cool new SR1911 Competition Pistol is our cover gun for the July/Aug 2019 issue of Handgunner. All well and good, and frankly, I’m looking...
4
Ed Brown EVO-KC9
Ed Brown Products arguably make one of the finest 1911’s on the market. Don’t think so? Then you’ve probably never had the privilege of shooting one!...
6
5.11 Small Kit...
While you’re creating an all-around survival kit list, I'll bet it numbers more than 10 items. Probably at least 20. So think of what you’ll put all...
9
Hot SHOT Show...
In the movie “Amadeus” the king accuses Mozart’s music of having “Too many notes!” and wants him to “…cut some out.” We feel Mozart’s pain...
2
The Air-Powered...
We can’t always get to the range to shoot our fire and brimstone guns, and frontyard ranges tend to upset the neighbors — at least some neighbors.
14
A New Direction
It’s amazing how far you can end up from where you began. From the unintended discovery of penicillin to the creation of Superglue during the development...
3
NAA's Ranger II
After many years of making their beautiful little updated version of the solid-frame spur-trigger revolver, they decided to try something different.
21
S&W Model 460XVR
There’s no doubt, most Americans like things big — really big. We like big trucks with big tires and big motors. Big boats, big homes, big farms, you...
44
Taurus Officer &...
Both my Grandfathers wore overalls to work seven days a week. Farmers, they were the salt of the earth, hardworking, honest men. Far from being city-slicker...
23
The Knocabout...
I was casting about at a garage sale some years ago and my eye caught what I first thought was an air pistol of some sort. When I picked it up, I realized...
3
Ed Brown EVO-KC9
Ed Brown Products arguably make one of the finest 1911’s on the market. Don’t think so? Then you’ve probably never had the privilege of shooting one!...
6
Watch the Flying...
As long as I can remember, shooting sports aficionados have always had a fascination with the empty case flying from auto-loading firearm as it fires....
3
Dan Wesson: Red...
To those of us still clinging to the sanctity of the 1911 and the beloved .45 ACP cartridge, technology has chipped away at our core assumptions leaving us...
21
FN 509 Mid-Size...
In a world brimming of poly-framed, striker-fired 9mm pistols, the mere thought of yet another release will surely torque traditionalists’ tempers....
16
Performance...
The mere words “Performance Center” blended with the moniker S&W, brings a wry smile across the lips of those who know a thing or two about guns.
21
Dan Wesson Turns 50
Dan Wesson, great-grandson of the original Daniel B. Wesson, had a different idea. Not only was he part of the original Wesson family he also served many...
5
Cross-Dominant...
As an aviator from age 22 on, I was subjected to eye exams every year. For many years, the results of those exams revealed 20/20 vision in my right eye and...
4
