Pistols

In celebration of the company's 100th anniversary, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., has released a 9mm concealed-carry handgun: the Mossberg MC1sc (subcompact). Surprisingly, the company's first firearm design, called the Brownie, was a 22-caliber four-shot pocket pistol. The MC1sc is available in five initial 9mm offerings: the standard MC1sc and an optional cross-bolt safety version; two standard offerings with sighting systems (TruGlo Tritium Pro Night Sights or a Viridian E-Series Red Laser), and a Centennial Limited Edition with a production run limited to 1,000 commemorative models. After 100 years in business, Mossberg has grown to be the sixth-largest U.S. firearms manufacturer with more than 100 design and utility patents to its credit. The MC1sc reflects three years of development. Important features in a subcompact handgun are size, weight, caliber and carryability. The MC1sc has an overall length of 6.45 inches, weight of 19 ounces (with empty magazine), and a barrel length of 3.4 inches in the popular 9mm chambering. It comes with two single-stack magazines (one 6-round flush and one 7-round extended), has a glass-reinforced polymer frame, and suggested retail price of $421 for the two standard models.

Hey Gun Tests readers, I'm Todd Woodard, editor of Gun Tests Magazine. I'm here with Bret Vorhees, director of product development for Walther. And amazingly, we have a gun here that you already know about, the Walther PPK/S. Walther's PPK and PPK/S are coming back out in the United States this year.

Bret's going to tell us about the long story of this platform and why it's an interesting gun for shooters.

I enjoyed the article on 38 Special lever-action rifles, but I think you missed a very important warning. The 38 Special and 357 Magnum are not interchangeable, for reasons other than the strength of the action. I have a Marlin lever action in 357 caliber. I decided to sight it in with 38 Special rounds and then change to 357 and adjust the sights. After about 20 or 30 rounds of 38 Special, I switched to 357. When I tried to rack in the second round, it wouldn't seat. The problem was that the 38 Special rounds carboned up the chamber, and when the 357 round was extracted, only about half of the cartridge came out. I had to have a gunsmith remove the front half of the casing. I only shoot 357 rounds in my rifle and revolver since then. I have never seen this in any article which discusses using 38 Special ammo in a 357 chamber.

I enjoyed the article on 38 Special lever-action rifles, but I think you missed a very important warning. The 38 Special and 357 Magnum are not interchangeable, for reasons other than the strength of the action. I have a Marlin lever action in 357 caliber. I decided to sight it in with 38 Special rounds and then change to 357 and adjust the sights. After about 20 or 30 rounds of 38 Special, I switched to 357. When I tried to rack in the second round, it wouldn't seat. The problem was that the 38 Special rounds carboned up the chamber, and when the 357 round was extracted, only about half of the cartridge came out. I had to have a gunsmith remove the front half of the casing. I only shoot 357 rounds in my rifle and revolver since then. I have never seen this in any article which discusses using 38 Special ammo in a 357 chamber.

I enjoyed the article on 38 Special lever-action rifles, but I think you missed a very important warning. The 38 Special and 357 Magnum are not interchangeable, for reasons other than the strength of the action. I have a Marlin lever action in 357 caliber. I decided to sight it in with 38 Special rounds and then change to 357 and adjust the sights. After about 20 or 30 rounds of 38 Special, I switched to 357. When I tried to rack in the second round, it wouldn't seat. The problem was that the 38 Special rounds carboned up the chamber, and when the 357 round was extracted, only about half of the cartridge came out. I had to have a gunsmith remove the front half of the casing. I only shoot 357 rounds in my rifle and revolver since then. I have never seen this in any article which discusses using 38 Special ammo in a 357 chamber.

Beginning September 17, 2018, all repairs and product returns must be sent to the new location in Greeley, PA. The service department can be reached by email at service@kahr.com or by phone at 508-795-3919 Ext. 1. The new shipping address for Kahr and Auto-Ordnance repairs and product returns is stated here.

We recently published a news item that updates our readers on legal troubles the SIG Sauer P320 is encountering. Most recently, the Loudoun Times-Mirror website is reporting that a Loudoun County (Virginia) deputy has filed a lawsuit against SIG Sauer alleging that her fully-holstered P320 duty weapon discharged and sent a bullet into her leg. According to the newspaper's account, the incident occurred this year on Feb. 7, "… when 37-year-old Loudoun County Deputy Marcie Vadnais went to the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy to attend a general instructor course." The Times-Mirror further reported, "In accordance with academy policy, Deputy Vadnais began removing her firearm from her belt when she arrived." According to the lawsuit, as she fed the belt through the holster's first tooth, her SIG Sauer P320 somehow "fired one nine millimeter bullet, which hit her in the upper right thigh."

As our ammunition-selling retail sources tell us, 380 ACP pistols are increasingly popular, and because of that interest, new handguns for the chambering are being introduced at a steady pace. While we have serious reservations concerning the stopping potential of the 380 ACP round, there are some loads that are better than others, and we included these in the test program that follows. Regarding the handguns themselves, here we test three, two that are new variants by respected makers and a third that is a veteran name in the 380 ACP field, despite its being marketed for slim guys who often wear tuxedos.

The first of these handguns is the Smith & Wesson M&P 380 Shield EZ 180023, $384, an important step toward offering a handgun that is well suited to those with lowered hand strength and dexterity. The new Shield isn't a micro-compact pistol but is instead a nice-sized 380 that is all about easy shooting. The "EZ" part of the name refers to an easy cocking system Smith & Wesson claims will make the pistol better for those with limited hand strength to fire and use. If it works as advertised, Smith & Wesson will have provided a handgun that fills a real need. In initial handling, we found the Shield is easier to use than a revolver and most double-action-first-shot pistols because the other types may stress the trigger finger of elderly or female shooters. Likewise, double-action-only or striker-fired safe-action pistols may also present a problem with trigger strength with some shooters. For perspective, we also touched upon the Colt 1903, which, surprisingly, has much in common with the Smith & Wesson Military & Police 380 EZ.

Next up is the Springfield Armory 911 Bi-Tone PG9109S, $516. The Springfield 911 (nine-one-one) is a small 380 ACP that is adorned from the factory with night sights and a set of custom-grade grips. The 911 name was chosen for those who may have to be their own first responder. If you get in a tussle, the thinking goes, police are minutes away if you call 9-1-1, while danger is only seconds away. So, carry the Springfield 911 and be ready at the ready. There are four different 911 models. The PG9109 has a black nitride slide and lists for $599 (see page 16). Two models come with Viridian Green Grip Lasers, the PG9109VG with a black nitride, $789; and the PG9109SVG with a brushed stainless-steel slide, also $789. Our test gun, the PG9109S, has a brushed stainless-steel slide and lists for $599.

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Smith & Wesson Corp. has announced four new Performance Center SW22 Victory Target pistols. The Performance Center SW22 Victory Target pistols are chambered in 22 LR and are designed specifically for target shooting competitions. These pistols feature 6-inch target barrels, muzzle brakes, and Tandemkross hiveGrips, and other high-performance features.

In response to social media rumors questioning the safety of the P320 pistol, a variant of which was selected by the U.S. government as the U.S. Army's Modular Handgun System (MHS), SIG SAUER, Inc. has full confidence in the reliability, durability and safety of its striker-fired handgun platform. There have been zero (0) reported drop-related P320 incidents in the U.S. commercial market, with hundreds of thousands of guns delivered to date.