Handguns

Polymer-frame striker-fired handguns are flexible in design and performance, so it is simple enough to design a pistol with different-length slides and frames. In the past, full-size service guns were usually downsized by shortening the slide, and often the slide and the frame, creating a compact pistol. Among the most famous compact designs is the Glock 19 9mm, shrunk in size from the Glock 17. Later, Glock introduced the Glock 19X and the similar Glock 45 9mm. These pistols feature a Glock 19 compact slide and full-size Glock 17 frame. The pistol is fast from leather and features a full-length magazine. Some were skeptical, but the 19X pistol has been proven in hard use.

Polymer-frame striker-fired handguns are flexible in design and performance, so it is simple enough to design a pistol with different-length slides and frames. In the past, full-size service guns were usually downsized by shortening the slide, and often the slide and the frame, creating a compact pistol. Among the most famous compact designs is the Glock 19 9mm, shrunk in size from the Glock 17. Later, Glock introduced the Glock 19X and the similar Glock 45 9mm. These pistols feature a Glock 19 compact slide and full-size Glock 17 frame. The pistol is fast from leather and features a full-length magazine. Some were skeptical, but the 19X pistol has been proven in hard use.

You would be hard pressed to find something more effective in a defensive situation than a 357 Magnum revolver. The cartridge provides more velocity and energy than the more popular 9mm Luger round. The 9mm and 357 Magnum both use similarly-sized bullets, but because the 357 Magnum case is longer, it can hold more powder, which translates to about 30 percent more velocity, and depending on the load, about 70 percent more energy. Certainly, the 357 is ballistically superior to the 9mm, but that magnum power comes at a cost, and that is recoil, as we found out in a recent test of 357 Magnums sized for everyday carry (EDC). We had four guns, three from Smith & Wesson and one from Rossi, the RP63 with a 3-inch barrel. The S&W contenders included the Model 360 PD 163064 with a 1.88-inch barrel and two Performance Center guns, a Model 19 Carry Comp 13323 with a 2.5-inch barrel and a Model 60 Pro Series 178013 with a 3-inch barrel. All of these revolvers are built on either a small- or medium-size frame, are chambered in 357 Magnum, have exposed hammers, have double-action and single-action triggers, and have abbreviated barrels ideal for concealed carry.

You would be hard pressed to find something more effective in a defensive situation than a 357 Magnum revolver. The cartridge provides more velocity and energy than the more popular 9mm Luger round. The 9mm and 357 Magnum both use similarly-sized bullets, but because the 357 Magnum case is longer, it can hold more powder, which translates to about 30 percent more velocity, and depending on the load, about 70 percent more energy. Certainly, the 357 is ballistically superior to the 9mm, but that magnum power comes at a cost, and that is recoil, as we found out in a recent test of 357 Magnums sized for everyday carry (EDC). We had four guns, three from Smith & Wesson and one from Rossi, the RP63 with a 3-inch barrel. The S&W contenders included the Model 360 PD 163064 with a 1.88-inch barrel and two Performance Center guns, a Model 19 Carry Comp 13323 with a 2.5-inch barrel and a Model 60 Pro Series 178013 with a 3-inch barrel. All of these revolvers are built on either a small- or medium-size frame, are chambered in 357 Magnum, have exposed hammers, have double-action and single-action triggers, and have abbreviated barrels ideal for concealed carry.

You would be hard pressed to find something more effective in a defensive situation than a 357 Magnum revolver. The cartridge provides more velocity and energy than the more popular 9mm Luger round. The 9mm and 357 Magnum both use similarly-sized bullets, but because the 357 Magnum case is longer, it can hold more powder, which translates to about 30 percent more velocity, and depending on the load, about 70 percent more energy. Certainly, the 357 is ballistically superior to the 9mm, but that magnum power comes at a cost, and that is recoil, as we found out in a recent test of 357 Magnums sized for everyday carry (EDC). We had four guns, three from Smith & Wesson and one from Rossi, the RP63 with a 3-inch barrel. The S&W contenders included the Model 360 PD 163064 with a 1.88-inch barrel and two Performance Center guns, a Model 19 Carry Comp 13323 with a 2.5-inch barrel and a Model 60 Pro Series 178013 with a 3-inch barrel. All of these revolvers are built on either a small- or medium-size frame, are chambered in 357 Magnum, have exposed hammers, have double-action and single-action triggers, and have abbreviated barrels ideal for concealed carry.

You would be hard pressed to find something more effective in a defensive situation than a 357 Magnum revolver. The cartridge provides more velocity and energy than the more popular 9mm Luger round. The 9mm and 357 Magnum both use similarly-sized bullets, but because the 357 Magnum case is longer, it can hold more powder, which translates to about 30 percent more velocity, and depending on the load, about 70 percent more energy. Certainly, the 357 is ballistically superior to the 9mm, but that magnum power comes at a cost, and that is recoil, as we found out in a recent test of 357 Magnums sized for everyday carry (EDC). We had four guns, three from Smith & Wesson and one from Rossi, the RP63 with a 3-inch barrel. The S&W contenders included the Model 360 PD 163064 with a 1.88-inch barrel and two Performance Center guns, a Model 19 Carry Comp 13323 with a 2.5-inch barrel and a Model 60 Pro Series 178013 with a 3-inch barrel. All of these revolvers are built on either a small- or medium-size frame, are chambered in 357 Magnum, have exposed hammers, have double-action and single-action triggers, and have abbreviated barrels ideal for concealed carry.