Home Defense

Gun Test’s Idaho test team has spent a lot of time looking at relatively tiny 9mm handguns over the past year. They have found there are a few good designs that permit the use of some relatively hot ammo in the small 9mm packages. But some people want still more power, so the Sr. Technical Editor Ray Ordorica and the magazine’s test team decided to sample a few of the smaller forties out there.

In this test we looked at four different polymer handguns that offer higher round capacity but take up less space than full-size models. Our first pistol, the $503 Taurus PT24/7 Pro 45-BP-12 could be considered a true compact, especially when compared to Taurus's new OSS pistol. The Springfield Armory XD45 4-inch Compact XD9645HCSP06, $589; and the Springfield Armory XD45 5-inch Compact Tactical XD9655HCSP06, $619, have undergone the Colt Officers treatment, receiving a shortened grip frame attached to a full-length slide. The $637 Glock SF21 is a remodeling of the Glock 21, but the SF21 does not seem to be much smaller. We wanted to find out if any of its subtle streamlining added up to a better pistol than the original.

TriStar Arms, known primarily as a manufacturer of shotguns, will add several pistols for personal defense and target shooting in 2013.

Laser sights on pistols are not a novelty anymore. They can be useful to aim a pistol that might not or cannot be aimed using open sights, like shooting from the ground, through small openings, or most any other situation where the iron sights cannot be aligned between the shooter or the target. Scan the used-handgun case at a gun shop, and more than likely you’ll find a rig that the former owner customized with a laser sight. In the new-pistol case, you will also see factory-fitted laser sights on handguns. Gun Tests magazine's shooters were interested in how factory-fitted lasersights would affect their judgment of three previously tested 380 ACP pistols, the Ruger LCP, SIG’s P238, and Walther’s PK380. The Ruger earned an A- grade in the June 2008, and the SIG notched an A- in the June 2010 issue, and the Walther got a B-, also in the June 2010 issue.

A good polishing job can save a gun from the junk heap, but a bad job can send it there. Here's how the professional does it.

In the opinion of many experienced shooters, the 45 Auto is the caliber of choice in self-defensive pistols. However, most of these guns, like the classic 1911 Colt, are big and heavy. Therefore, they often get left behind for a lighter piece, which generally is of lower power. If you still want the power of a 45, why not go to a smaller and lighter gun? Some of us had come to believe the Colt CCO was the finest 45 available. However, the last version of it, called the Gunsite number O9840CGP, is now discontinued. But fear not, the SIG Sauer 1911 C3 is here, and is an even better, more refined version of the CCO. And it's cheaper.

Press reports now make it clear what Vice President Joe Biden’s gun control package will look like. Biden wants to impose:

At SHOT Show 2013, Glock, Inc. announced the Glock 30S, a conceal-and-carry hybrid pistol that blends a factory-made 36 slide on top of a 30SF frame -- a compact design that shoots the 45 ACP round.

Eagle Imports is bringing the Metro Arms family of products, including the compact MAC 1911 Bobcut, to the United States in 2013.

It's clear that Smith & Wesson figures there's still a viable market for the snubnose 38, because it came out with a new revolver in 2010 called the Bodyguard 38, usurping the name of the previous Bodyguard with shrouded hammer. The new Bodyguard 38 comes with an 'integral' laser sight, and the gun vies with the Centennial Airweight for looks, charm, effectiveness, concealability, and price.

We acquired a new Bodyguard 38 No. 103038, $625. The gun was a S&W five-shot 38 Special, and had a 1.9-inch barrel. Our prime interest was to see if the newer, more expensive Bodyguard was worth the money when proven, perfectly servicable older guns are readily available at gun stores, pawn shops, and gun shows.

Whether you enjoy competing as an athlete in IPSC, a SASS cowboy, or an IDPA tactician, the versatility of the Mernickle Wild Bunch holster can serve your needs. And if anyone asks about your rig, you can tell them about the good old days of slapping leather when a quick draw was the only game in town.

Charter Arms recently moved into an expanded office and production facility. The company’s new location increases production space from 8,000 to 28,000 square feet providing a major increase in manufacturing finished goods capacity.<