September 2010

Bullpup Showdown: Steyr AUG Vs. MSAR and the FN FS2000
There are certainly some aspects of the bullpup rifle that make sense. For instance, the shorter overall length of the bullpup, gained by having the action and magazine located behind the trigger in the buttstock, improves maneuverability and reduces weight. Overall, a bullpup is about three-quarters the length of other battle rifles and is often lighter, two attributes many firearms consumers want. The Steyr AUG, one of the best-known bullpups, is 28 inches long, just 10 inches longer than its 18.4-inch barrel. In a more conventional rifle, such as the Ruger Mini-Thirty, a standard semiauto action housing an 18-inch-long barrel makes the gun’s OAL 37.5 inches. On an M4-length AR-15, such as the Stag Arms Model 2T 5.56x45mm NATO with its 16-inch barrel, that overall length can still stretch out to 32.25 inches. So if you’re worried about knocking over lamps, a bullpup may be the way to go.

Full-Size 1911s with Accessory Rails: Kimber vs. Double Star
When it comes to producing a Gun Tests evaluation, the process can be complicated by differences in operation. For example, a tight protocol, such as 9mm polymer pistols with 4-inch barrels and identical capacity, can challenge our test staff to master a different trigger for each gun. That won’t be the case here, because the operational differences in these two guns are subtle, despite their vastly different cosmetics. Our 45 ACP test guns were the Kimber Desert Warrior, $1441, and the Double Star DSC Combat Pistol, $1350. Despite having so much in common with the Kimber, the appearance of the DSC Combat Pistol could not have been further from that of the Desert Warrior. If you love the way your AR-15 'black gun' looks, the Double Star Combat Pistol provides a matching sidearm.

38 Special S&W Snubnose Showdown: Who's the Top Dog?
The 38 snubnose revolver is a staple of murder mysteries, cop TV shows for many decades, and of real-life cops who need a good, light backup. Everyone over the age of, say, 40 has seen a snubby at one time or another. Today’s TV cops favor all manner of automatic pistols, so the snub 38 is not often seen. But that doesn’t mean it’s no good. The bottom line is, if all you have is a 38 Special snubnose with only five shots, you are a very long way from being unarmed. If you carry five more in a speed loader, well, what more could you want? It’s clear that Smith & Wesson figures there’s still a viable market for the snubnose 38, because it has come out with a new revolver called the Bodyguard 38, usurping the name of the previous Bodyguard with shrouded hammer. The new Bodyguard 38 comes with an 'integral' laser sight, and the gun vies with the Centennial Airweight for looks, charm, effectiveness, concealability, and price.

A Hard Look at 9mm Luger Loadings: Speer, Fiocchi Win
Unquestionably the most popular military handgun cartridge of all time is the 9mm Luger. Originally used by Germany beginning in 1906 and universally adopted by the German Army in 1908, the 9mm Luger impressed the world enough that by 1950 the majority of the world’s armed services had chosen the 9mm Luger as a service cartridge. The hodgepodge of bottlenecked .30s and short-cased 9mms were put away by the efficiency of the 9mm Luger. America clung to the 1911 45 ACP largely because we had millions on hand. By 1954, the Browning High Power, French MAC 50, Beretta 1951 and Smith & Wesson Model 39 had set the pace for modern service pistols. By 1990 the 9mm was also the universal law-enforcement caliber. A few diehards clung to the 357 Magnum, and the 45 was used by a few agencies. The major agencies have since went to the 40 S&W or 45 ACP, often after hard lessons, but the 9mm undoubtedly remains a success story.