Handguns

Virtually everyone in the Houston test group is — or was — a competitor in the United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) Production Division. Match officials utilize different divisions to place shooters in the group where they would be most likely to compete against others using similar gear. Production Division was — or at least used to be — created to allow the masses to shoot their carry or home defense Glocks, Smith & Wessons, SIGs, etc. When our readers recently asked us to take a look at the latest “Top Guns” in Production, we decided to check it out. The guns have changed dramatically in concept, design, and execution since we began shooting USPSA, and it’s worthwhile to see how we got here.

Some of us wish to have a revolver that is very smooth, easily controlled, and accurate beyond conversational distance, but we also want it to clear leather quickly. We studied the revolvers available and decided that a 3-inch-barrel 357 Magnum double-action revolver on a medium frame would be ideal for home defense, carry in the field, and concealed carry. 

Some of us wish to have a revolver that is very smooth, easily controlled, and accurate beyond conversational distance, but we also want it to clear leather quickly. We studied the revolvers available and decided that a 3-inch-barrel 357 Magnum double-action revolver on a medium frame would be ideal for home defense, carry in the field, and concealed carry. 

Due to reader requests, we’ve begun posting top-ten listings of various firearm categories that garner a lot of interest, such as 380 pistols for carry or other self defense. You can find all of those ranked articles on Gun-Tests.com by searching for the keyword “listicle.” A few months ago, we posted one of those best 380 ACP pistols lists, and we were informed by a reader and experienced shooter that his new Rock Island Armory Baby Rock did not live up to the promise of the pistol we tested nine years ago. Our pistol was delivered with a nice, crisp 4.5-pound trigger compression. That’s similar to one of the South Carolina test team’s Baby Rock, which has been in service for quite a few years as a backup to his 1911. That particular pistol features a trigger action breaking at 5.1 pounds. The reader measured the trigger action of his current production Baby Rock at more than 10 pounds. We corresponded with another reader who reported a 13.2-pound let off, and a third managed a 9.4-pound let off after considerable use and lubrication. Were these typical of current production? It would seem so, because the first reader contacted Armscor, intending to send the pistol in for adjustment. The company informed the reader that his Baby Rock was indeed in spec because there have been safety upgrades to the Baby Rock we tested and liked, and those safety enhancements included a heavier trigger. This gave us pause. What could have changed in the nine years since we tested the Baby Rock 380?

Due to reader requests, we’ve begun posting top-ten listings of various firearm categories that garner a lot of interest, such as 380 pistols for carry or other self defense. You can find all of those ranked articles on Gun-Tests.com by searching for the keyword “listicle.” A few months ago, we posted one of those best 380 ACP pistols lists, and we were informed by a reader and experienced shooter that his new Rock Island Armory Baby Rock did not live up to the promise of the pistol we tested nine years ago. Our pistol was delivered with a nice, crisp 4.5-pound trigger compression. That’s similar to one of the South Carolina test team’s Baby Rock, which has been in service for quite a few years as a backup to his 1911. That particular pistol features a trigger action breaking at 5.1 pounds. The reader measured the trigger action of his current production Baby Rock at more than 10 pounds. We corresponded with another reader who reported a 13.2-pound let off, and a third managed a 9.4-pound let off after considerable use and lubrication. Were these typical of current production? It would seem so, because the first reader contacted Armscor, intending to send the pistol in for adjustment. The company informed the reader that his Baby Rock was indeed in spec because there have been safety upgrades to the Baby Rock we tested and liked, and those safety enhancements included a heavier trigger. This gave us pause. What could have changed in the nine years since we tested the Baby Rock 380?