Handguns

(GunReports.com) -- The Providence, Rhode Island Police Department has chosen to equip each of its officers with Smith & Wesson Military & Police (M&P) pistols for duty use. The department has received 510 Smith & Wesson M&P40 pistols chambered in .40 S&W and has begun the transition process to the new side arm.

Over the past few months we have been asked to do matchups involving the great guns of the past. Wild Bunch pistols, the Browning Hi-Power, the Mauser Broomhandle and other types of handguns are always interesting. As a rule, you cannot paint the great handguns of the past with a broad brush, as some were designed to be the best possible, others were made cheaply, and others were made to sell, which always invites compromise. But there was a day when the goose hung high and Gun Valley America ruled the world. The great guns made in Gun Valley by Smith & Wesson, Colt, and High Standard were at the top of the heap, and these handguns of the past always have a following. One reason we are comparing these handguns is because many are still available. If you are motivated enough, you may find a Colt Woodsman, a Smith & Wesson K22, or an original High Standard 22 LR on the used market. The choice is limited, yes—you must take what you can get or what you are able to find.

Over the past few months we have been asked to do matchups involving the great guns of the past. Wild Bunch pistols, the Browning Hi-Power, the Mauser Broomhandle and other types of handguns are always interesting. As a rule, you cannot paint the great handguns of the past with a broad brush, as some were designed to be the best possible, others were made cheaply, and others were made to sell, which always invites compromise. But there was a day when the goose hung high and Gun Valley America ruled the world. The great guns made in Gun Valley by Smith & Wesson, Colt, and High Standard were at the top of the heap, and these handguns of the past always have a following. One reason we are comparing these handguns is because many are still available. If you are motivated enough, you may find a Colt Woodsman, a Smith & Wesson K22, or an original High Standard 22 LR on the used market. The choice is limited, yes—you must take what you can get or what you are able to find.

In our June 2008 issue we compared Ruger's then-new LCP 380 with the established Kel-Tec P-3AT, and it seemed to us that Ruger had simply cloned the little Kel-Tec. While the two guns obviously had identical designs, and some of the parts would interchange, there were some significant dimensional differences that distinguished the pair. But to us, there was no doubt Ruger had simply copied the Kel-Tec 380's design with enough changes to avoid legal problems. Now it appears Ruger has done it again, this time with its LC9 going against the Kel-Tec PF-9, both slim, single-stack, easily concealable DAO 9mm handguns. But now, instead of a $6 difference in price and not much different about the operation of the two 380s, there's a $110 extra charge for the Ruger 9mm, a third again the cost of the Kel-Tec. As we'll see, there are some notable differences.

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(GunReports.com) — Steyr Arms' new C9-A1 pistol is nearly identical in form and function to the M-A1 full-size series (17-round magazine) and the S-A1 compact series with its 3.6-inch barrel.

(GunReports.com) – The NRA Foundation has accepted the donation of a unique Anniversary Model 1911 pistol from Colt’s Manufacturing Company that celebrates 100 years of the 1911.

In this test we evaluate the $709 Springfield Armory XDM 45 XDM945BHC. It is a full-sized gun with polymer frame and a barrel length of 4.5 inches. It offers an accessory rail, low-mount sights, double-column magazines, and a measure of ambidextrous features.

The trigger on the XDM 45 requires a takeup and press that was much shorter than that of other tested guns. That was because the striker inside the XDM 45 is primed to a point just short of ignition by movement of the slide. However, the XDM 45 is categorized as a double-action pistol. This is based on the actions of pressing the trigger renders final compression and release of the striker.

(GunReports.com) -- New GunReports.com Videos: 1: GunReports.com's Kevin Winkle gets the lowdown on Steiner's 2011 glass offerings. 2: Learn how to install the Blackhawk SpecOps Recoil Reducing Adjustable Shotgun Buttstock and forend. 3: Sig Arms Academy Director of Training and USAR Team shooting coach George Harris talks about competition shooting. What good is competition? Competition puts stress on you and teaches you how to use stress to your advantage.

GunReports.com aggregates important gun news of the week. Bookmark this page to check back often for new items added weekly, daily, or hourly, or on your Facebook page, search for 'GunReports.com' and click 'Like' to get the newsfeed pushed to your computer, tablet, or mobile device.

(GunReports.com) -- New GunReports.com Videos: 1: Sig Arms Academy Director of Training and USAR Team shooting coach George Harris talks about competition shooting. What good is competition? Competition puts stress on you and teaches you how to use stress to your advantage. 2: NSSF's Ryan Cleckner explains the measurement term 'minute of angle' (MOA) and how to use MOA adjustments on your scope for sighting in and to compensate for bullet drop at varying distances. 3: Ruger's Beginner's Guide to Shooting Competitions series takes you through a variety of matches to help you find an event that's right for you. In this episode we take a close look at the biathlon rifle and how it is specialized to this specific sport. US Ski Team member Annelies Cook tells you why the biathlon rifle is so very different than anything else on the market.

(GunReports.com) – MasterPiece Arms' new Protector Model, the MPA380P, is a US-manufactured conceal-carry pistol built on a machined 4140-stainless-steel lower receiver and upper slide.