When looking for a new home defense ammunition, well, could anything be more critical? I mean, your life is on the line,

After many years of shooting, training, and carrying the most effective handgun possible, I realized that many of my choices were not practical for the average shooter. There are many demands on their time and mastering a Commander .45, .357 Magnum revolver, or compact .40 is difficult. Compromises are inherent in the game. The happy medium between a service-size pistol and hideout derringer is often a quality self loader. The .380 ACP is a popular choice.

A handgun that saw much action from its introduction to the end of the Vietnam War was the Colt 1903 Safety Hammerless. Just the right size for comfortable carry, reliable, and more accurate than most any handgun in its class, the Colt was a remarkable handgun on all accounts.

Ruger is branching out into products other than firearms. First knives and now ammunition. The branded ammunition is produced for Ruger by Polycase. The load feature an advanced nonexpanding bullet offering an advantage in wound ballistics compared to full metal jacketed ammunition.

I guess it does not bother me to admit I love Hi Points because I am a fan of any gun I can buy cheap.

It wasn’t too long ago that the subcompact semiauto .380 ACP hit like a fever. These lightweight, small-enough-to-fit-in-your pocket pistols

Written by Be a Blogger for a Day Contest Winner, Rachel McMurry.

Okay, okay…so the official announcement will happen later this week at the 2015 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits,

Could this be the Holy Grail? A concealed carry handgun that is “print-free” as well as comfortable in any position on the body?

Walther began making compact pocket pistols in 1908, and over the decades, the company has built a reputation for

The most controversial phrase I have ever put in print is this: I’m not a fan of Glocks. I never have been.

As far as affordable ammunition goes, people tend to go for Winchester USA (White Box) or Remington’s value line, UMC. However, when I search for ammo by price, lowest to highest on Cheaper Than Dirt! website, Winchester White Box and UMC rarely pop up as the cheapest.

Before shooting an unfamiliar gun model, I read reviews to get a general idea of what problems I may encounter while shooting it. Generally, this means I get a preconceived notion of what the gun is going to be like. Sometimes the reviews are spot on and other times I find reviews to be really off the mark. Often, guns surprise me.

We’ve reviewed dozens of pistols over the years, and a handful have really piqued the community’s interest. Check out

Trigger weight is a strange thing. Most people agree that a heavy trigger pull is not good. Light and smooth seems to be the positive consensus. There is a fine line however, between light, and too light.

Concealed carry pistols are coming out in increasingly larger calibers. The trend in the past has been to chamber a concealed carry pistol in .380, or some other smaller pistol caliber. Firearms manufacturers are finding out that many customers were willing to give up a smaller sized carry pistol, for a larger caliber. Many shooters consider the 9mm to be the minimum size round for an effective concealed carry handgun, and gun makers are following that trend. Whether or not 9mm is the minimum effective caliber is irrelevant. Since manufacturers are in this game to make money, therefore, they will make what people want to buy, and lately, people want the 9mm Luger.

Walther PK380 .380 ACP

Walther PK390

Walther has been successfully making reliable semi-auto pistols for over 80 years and the Walther PK380 is no exception. The Walther PK (Pistol Kompakt) 380 is chambered…well… for the .380 ACP. It operates on a locked-breech, short-recoil action and has ambidextrous controls. It has a 3.66-inch barrel and holds eight rounds. Perfect for home defense, the Picatinny accessory rail is already decked out with a laser sight. It has a lightweight and ergonomic full grip for ease of control. Since it is bigger than the newest, compact .380 semi-autos, it’s not a palm-slammer. The slide on the Walther PK380 is super easy to operate, making it perfect for seniors and women. If you or someone you know shies away from the semi-automatic pistol, then I would highly recommend trying the Walther PK380.

Kahr Arms PM40 .40 S&W

Kahr Arms PM40

For those of you unconvinced of the 9mm’s stopping power, have you ever looked at the Kahr PM40? When looking at personal defense guns, I’ve always had plenty of gun counter guys tell me they suggest looking at Kahr Arms. About half of us here in the office carry a Kahr. The Kahr PM40 is a double-action only, polymer-framed compact handgun chambered for .40 S&W. It has a 3-inch barrel and holds five rounds standard without the grip extension magazine. Kahr designs their handguns specifically for concealed carry and the Kahr PM40 is thin enough to carry comfortably whichever way you choose. It packs a punch, though. This ain’t no target pistol, but with the Crimson Trace laser sight and constant reliability, it makes a perfect carry gun. They are also made in the USA.

SIG Sauer P229 Equinox Compact 9MM

SIG Sauer P229 Equinox Compact

If you are looking for a truly handsome pistol, then stop right here, the SIG Sauer P229 Equinox spares no expense in the looks department. Designed by SIG’s custom shop, the P229 Equinox features a black hard-anodized alloy frame with nickel accents. To top it off SIG has added gray laminated wood grips. The P229 Equinox holds 12 rounds of 9mm and has a barrel length of 3.9 inches. Not only does it have fixed sights, but this model also has a laser sight. The SIG Sauer P229 Equinox has a compact frame and an accessory rail if you want to change out your laser or add a light.

Taurus Model 605 Revolver .357 Magnum

Taurus Model 605

If you think the .38 Special round just won’t cut it, and you’re not afraid of a little recoil, then check out Taurus’ 605 revolver in .357 Magnum. Okay, I’m going to be honest with you, with a 2-inch barrel, you aren’t going to be target shooting a ton of rounds through this bad boy, but I guarantee you, as a home defense or back-up weapon, the Taurus 605 won’t let you down. The Taurus Model 605 revolver will fire single or double-action, has a small steel frame, and a transfer bar safety. The sights are fixed and it comes with a Crimson Trace lasergrip. Taurus has a Zero Tolerance policy, meaning the design, fabrication, fit, and performance will not fail you when your life depends on it.

Para-Ordnance PXT 1911 SSP .45 ACP

Para-Ordnance PXT 1911 SSP

Para-Ordnance usually doesn’t immediately pop into one’s head when you think of 1911, but everyone I know who has had a Para-Ordnance has really like the gun. The Para-Ordnance PXT 1911 SSP is a no-nonsense full-sized, full-capacity 1911. With match-grade hammer, trigger, and a 5-inch ramped barrel, the Para-Ordnance stands up to the more expensive 1911s on the market. The PXT is a traditional single-action 1911 with a 5-inch barrel and an eight-round single-stack magazine. It has a covert black finish and comes with Crimson Trace laser grips. When you don’t want to use your laser, it also has three-dot fiber optic sights. The Para-Ordnance PXT 1911 SSP is 8.5-inches overall, 5.75-inches tall, and weighs 39 ounces.

How many tiny pocket pistols chambered in .25 ACP, .32 ACP, and .380 ACP are being quietly carried around in pant pockets