Handguns

Every year, for at least the last five, the 9mm cartridge and the pistols chambered for it, have led the pack in numbers of units sold in the US. Today, almost a hundred years after its introduction in Europe, we can say the 9mm cartridge is so well entrenched in our own society that it is here to stay.

There are several reasons for its popularity, but not necessarily sound ones. First, the 9mm is a NATO round and has been adopted by our own military. Second, it is a relatively small cartridge and large numbers of them can be loaded into a double-column magazine. Third, when the police left the .38-caliber revolver and opted for the semiauto, they found the moderate-recoiling 9mm made it easy to train large groups of personnel. And, fourth, on the civilian side, some think that the ban on high-capacity magazines will be repealed. Good luck on that one.

One of the biggest trends in 9mm pistols is the polymer frame. When properly engineered, a polymer frame is stronger and around 80 percent lighter than a steel frame. Being molded, they can be made in more intricate shapes with no extra work. The downside is that gunsmiths can't do as much with polymer as they can with steel.

Not counting variations in barrel length, centerfire calibers or Mason conversions, we added up the number of single actionrevolver models our readers could purchase. The total is 45. Since the gun most models are patterned after, Samuel Colts Single Action Army (S.A.A.), was a .45, that number seems appropriate, if oddly coincidental. Perhaps we missed one or two.

You could mosey in to a Cowboy Action shootout toting any one of those revolvers. Of course, youd also have to participate under an alias and wear appropriate clothing. Getting yourself suitably decked out in the latter could cost more than the shooting iron. But even that hasnt seemed to stunt the growth of these nostalgia...

No one is going to give you much of an argumentif you say action shooting has taken a bite out of bullseye shooting. Obviously, the appeal of knocking down steel plates in rapid succession exceeds that of merely punching holes in paper. If you have any interest in joining the fun, you dont have to invest heavy bucks to do it.

The three pistols included here are among many you could buy that meet the criteria of the U.S. Limited Division of I.P.S.C. competition. They are production guns available to the general public. More than 1000 of each has been manufactured in the last 12 months. Out of the box, they have no optical, electronic or custom sights; no compensators or ported barrels....

About forty years ago, Dick Casull, together with one Jack Fulmer, developed the .454 Casull. Originally known as the .454 Magnum Revolver, the cartridge began life in solid-base .45 Long Colt brass. Today the .454 Casull case is a tenth of an inch longer than Colt brass, precluding its use in guns that can't take its exceptionally high pressure. Make no mistake, the .454 Casull is a hot cartridge with but one purpose: handgun hunting.

Okay, some will want to use it on silhouettes, but the great power of the .454 isn't needed in that game. It sure isn't the best plinking cartridge. The .454 offers lots of security for those who want a powerful handgun where bears are a problem, though it...

The unending popularity of John Browning's Model 1911 design is due in equal parts to its simplicity, reliability and durability. No other handgun has been subjected to more words, tinkering, accessorizing or imitation and still survived—let alone remain in demand.

After World Wars I and II, Korea and Vietnam, thousands of 1911 pistols found homes with the Doughboys and GIs who'd carried them in combat. In the late forties and early fifties, Government Models were being sold out of arsenals for less than dirt. Some of them had seen action. Some had never been through basic training. Harbor no hopes of buying any used M1911 or M1911A1 at such prices today, unless it's a total junker.

If...

No one has carried the concept of single platformmultiple calibers farther than manufacturers of single shot handguns. Such pistols are designed to fire different calibers by changing a part or an assembly. Consequently, the shooter doesnt have to buy a whole new gun every time he or she wants to try a new cartridge.

The three entries in this shootout are prime examples of the multiple caliber concept. Magnum Researchs Lone Eagle is available in 15 centerfire calibers and has a rotating breech that field artillery veterans may find familiar. Its caliber is changed by installing a different barreled-action on the pistols grip assembly. Thompson/Centers Encore and Contender are both...

The concept of a pocket pistol in .22 Long Rifle (LR) makes us wonder to what purpose it might be put. Certainly it is not anywhere near ideal for self-defense, though it beats having no gun at all. They're not known for being target punchers, either.

But, these small autoloaders are lots more fun than the bigger guns, especially because the bigger, heavier guns will be more likely to be left home. Perhaps such a gun is the ideal choice for a fisherman who wants a popgun for dispatching big pike or small muskies, or for puncturing empty cans in camp. The hiker, burdened by a pack, tent and bedding, might be able to find a small bit of room for a pocket .22 LR semiautomatic with its light...

Thirty-eight snub-nose. The phrase brings to mind old detective stories with sinister characters, clever plots and strange intrigues from the pens of Raymond Chandler, Agatha Christie and Mickey Spillane. One can't help but think of Joe Friday on Dragnet, Cannon the fat man, and a host of other characters, some fictional, some real, all of whom used a snub-nose .38 to good—or other—purpose. The .38 snubbie might be considered an icon but, romance aside, the gun type is something of an anomaly. It suggests a hide-out gun, yet they're not the easiest guns to conceal. Also, if you want to hit something, you'd think a longer barrel would be preferred. However, there's another name for them: bell...

There are a number of firearms available that don't have any competitors. They are unique in one or more respects, such as caliber, size or design. Since it wouldn't be fair to compare dissimilar products, we occasionally evaluate them individually. This is the case for the Sig Sauer, Glock and AMT compact pistols in this article. The Sig Sauer P239 in this test is chambered for the .357 Sig cartridge. This bottleneck cartridge is based on a .40 S&W case that is necked down to accept a .357-inch bullet. Some of the ammunition in this caliber is touted as having velocities that are equal to the .357 Remington Magnum.

The Glock 29 is a compact 10mm pistol. Frankly, we are surprised Glock i...

Whether you love them or hate them, you've got to admit that pistols with polymer frames are becoming very popular. There are a number of good reasons for this trend. A polymer frame is lighter and more corrosion-resistant than a steel frame. Furthermore, it doesn't conduct hot and cold as well as metal. Have you ever picked up a gun that has been exposed to extremely hot or cold weather for a couple of hours? Ouch!

A polymer frame on a compact pistol makes a lot of sense. Carrying a lighter handgun is certainly easier than dragging around a heavier one. During the heat of the summer, sweat won't cause the polymer parts of your carry gun to start rusting. Also, a polymer-framed pistol's i...

Subcompact pistols, those which are small and light enough to ride in an ankle holster or carry in a large pocket, have been around for several years. Many of these handguns are reduced versions of already existing handguns. Typically, they cost as much as the original or maybe even a little more.

Within the last couple of years, a new kind of subcompact pistol has emerged—which we shall refer to as an SMPD. The SMPD is a subcompact with a moderate price (in the $300 range), a polymer frame and a double-action-only (DAO) trigger. The combination of a low price, polymer construction and a DAO trigger is not accidental. The ease of making a polymer frame and the simplicity of a double-act...

The versatility of the .44 Magnum cartridge is often overlooked. Yes, this is perhaps the finest hunting handgun cartridge ever devised, beaten only by recent hot loads in the .45 Long Colt and in handguns chambered for the .454 Casull, in production guns. The .44 Magnum is a hot cartridge, but that's only the beginning of the story. There are some lighter loads, not just in the .44 Special, that tame the gun considerably. These are the loads usually fired in the shorter-barreled versions, such as the four-inchers tested here.

The usual barrel length for the .44 Magnum is around the six-inch mark, because most shooters want to be able to get all the performance they can out of such a powe...