Sometimes you just get excited no matter how long you have been at this game, and no matter how many air guns you have handled and evaluated. The right one can still strike a happy chord. The Spartan 1911-type airgun is among the most distinctive airguns I have ever handled. It is modeled, like many others, after the real thing, SIG’s 1911 .45 caliber Spartan.
If there is anything I have learned in 40 years of shooting, it is if you buy cheap, you buy twice. When it comes to optics many that are OK for informal target practice and others are suited to some forms of competition. However, if you need a quality holographic sight for critical use, few if any, have stood the test of time as the EOTech sight has.
Beretta introduced a handgun a few years ago that was not revolutionary—it was evolutionary. The PX4 Storm married the proven Beretta double-action trigger and de-cocking safety to a polymer frame. Those preferring the double-action first-shot pistol had a relatively inexpensive alternative to the Beretta 92, and those wishing a durable and reliable, polymer-frame handgun had a counterpoint to the Glock. The primary advantage of the pistol is accuracy.
Many of us use a match grade pistol—the IDPA gun or the IPSC gun—for home defense. The reasons are simple. The pistol is accurate, easy to use well, and one that we are likely most familiar with. The pistol may have fired many thousands of rounds without a failure. When it has needed new guns springs, or a magazine has failed, it has been at a high round count. But then you say the authorities on personal defense say you should never carry a modified gun for personal defense. What’s the answer?
The Guardian is what is referred to as a Commander-type pistol. The Guardian features a 4.25-inch barrel and a full-length grip frame. This isn’t a compromise. Instead, it is ideal for concealed carry. The full-size grip allows fast handling. The sight radius is shorter than the 5-inch barrel Government Model, but excellent shooting may be done with the handgun by those that practice. Read the full story to find out why this should be your next pistol.
The Winchester 1894 is the brainchild of John Moses Browning. He was an extraordinary individual and inventor. The lever action rifle was nothing new, but the Model ’94 owes little to previous rifles. The .32 Winchester Special features a .321-inch bullet. Introduced in 1901, the .32 Winchester Special was moderately popular but never achieved the popularity of the .30-30 WCF or the competing .35 Remington. Read to find out why the Model 1894 and .32 Winchester Special make a dynamic pairing.
The Beretta PX4 Storm is solid investment from a vendor well-known for quality and reliability. From the rotating barrel to fantastic ergonomics, the Storm is a worthwhile investment for both police and civilian personal defense use.
The EAA Witness Match .45 is an accurate handgun well worth its price. As for personal defense, a 10-shot .45 with the TruGlo combat light mounted is a terrific home defender. The pistol is similar to CZ 75-type handguns, but features a factory trigger that is as good or better than any the author has ever tested.
Possibly, the most interesting Glock handgun introduced in some time is the Glock 19X. The pistol shows that Glock is thinking out of the box and may be the harbinger of a new line of handguns. The idea is simple enough. The 19X features a Glock 17 full size frame with the Glock 19 barrel. However, the worth of any pistol is proven at the range.
Before I begin singing the praises of the Springfield EMP 1911, I should say that I have never felt the 9mm 1911 made a lot of sense. It was like putting a six cylinder engine in a Corvette. The 10mm 1911 is like a 454 Chevelle by comparison. However, the Springfield EMP is not an average 1911 9mm.