Handguns

We did not seek out a nickel-plated revolver, but the opportunity was there, and the price was fair. We learned that during times of shortage, shops that seldom stock single-action revolvers now have two or three.

Taylor’s lists the revolver at $587 for the standard version and $784 for the tuned version. Current retail is a bit higher in most shops, and we had to pay $625 for our example.

This is a storied revolver. The Smith & Wesson top-break revolvers were an alternative to the Colt Single Action Army. They offered a top-break system that ejected all spent cases automatically and was much easier to load quickly.

The Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0 was, slightly, the more accurate of the two 10mms tested. Though a very subjective thing, we felt the S&W had the lighter recoil impulse, and the shooting results testified to that.

Springfield Armory has a wonderful reputation of modernizing venerable weapons, thereby making them suitable for the latest production methods and the latest shooters. The company also works with some of the most current types of firearms.

One of the used pistols, an FN FNS-40, performed well, but as we were researching aftermarket sights and backstrap modules for it, we came across an important FN Service Bulletin issued in 2021. It didn’t look good. Under certain conditions, the FNS could delay fire. According to the Service Bulletin:

NEWTOWN, Conn. – The Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers’ Institute,® Inc., (SAAMI®) has announced the acceptance of a new pistol cartridge for SAAMI standardization. 30 Super...

We paid $431 for the 30 Super Carry pistol. Many paid more than $500 for the first few to hit dealer shelves. This pistol seems identical to the 9mm EZ in every dimension.

On average, the 9mm EZ guns are more expensive than the 380 ACP pistol. The 9mm Shield EZ is slightly larger and heavier than the 380 ACP version.

Recoil is a concern for some shooters, so this Smith & Wesson Shield EZ is a 380 ACP pistol large enough to be a joy to fire.

We located this 6-inch-barrel Peacekeeper in a pawn shop. The revolver shows very little wear and seems in good condition. The Colt MK V was introduced in 1986 as an improvement over the Colt MK III Trooper series.

We purchased this revolver a year ago in anticipation of accumulating four revolvers for testing.