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A sensation when first introduced, the Combat Magnum became one of the most popular handguns of all time. In terms of power, accuracy, and fit and finish, few modern service pistols equal Smith and Wesson’s best revolver. At the time of its introduction, the Combat Magnum was the world’s lightest .357 Magnum revolver. Truly, the Combat Magnum was the revolver everyone wanted and arguably the finest service revolver ever fielded.
If you are serious about defending the home, the first choice is a shotgun, mainly because a 12-gauge shotgun will repel boarders like no other firearm. A number of years ago, Mossberg offered a short-barrel pump-action shotgun known as the Persuader. Today, the piece is back as a highly finished retrograde shotgun worthy of consideration.
One of the great revolutions in handgun manufacture is the polymer frame, striker-fired revolution. Glock led the way and still dominates the market today. Arguably, Glock remains first with the most. The Glock 48 is perhaps two ounces lighter than the Glock 19 9mm and otherwise similar in dimension—save for the thinner grip frame and slide, so why do you need the Glock 48? This article has the answer!
One of the most interesting handguns to come along in some time is the Model 69 .44 Magnum. This is a 5-shot .44 Magnum revolver built on the L frame chassis. It features square butt grips and a 4-inch barrel. However, Smith & Wesson has gone one better for personal defense shooters with the Model 69 Combat Magnum.
The Uberti is well made of good material and probably stronger than the first Generation Colt. The Bisley revolver is handsomely finished. The grips fit the grip frame well. The barrel is what is sometimes called the Gunfighter length, cut off at the end of the ejector for 4 ¾-inch length.
A couple of decades ago, Colt needed a price beater. The company was losing market share to Springfield’s GI and Mil Spec pistols, not to mention the imports. Initially, the 1991A1 featured cheap plastic grips and a matte finish. However, the grips did not support the plunger tube and were soon replaced by superior rubber stocks. Today’s 1991A1 pistols feature a blue finish, nice wooden grips, and all of the features of a top-performing modern 1911.
The Single Action Army has a storied history. Originally called the Top Strap revolver, the Peacemaker in civilian sales (and the Model P internally at Colt) and later the Frontier Six Shooter when chambered for the .44-40 cartridge, the Colt SAA was the most rugged, reliable and powerful cartridge revolver of the day.
The Colt Gold Cup is a legendary handgun, even an icon, and well worth its price. If set up for defense loads it is as capable as any 1911 and more so than most. If you are looking for one of the most accurate handguns in the world, and a pistol steeped in history, this is the one.
Recently, the author wrote about his new love affair with the .243 caliber rifle. Since rediscovering this diminutive, yet lethal caliber, he’s set up several guns with the right optic. For his latest long-range varmint gun, I chose a Riton Mod5 4-16×50 wide field of view scope. If you’ve done any serious varminting, you know that an extra 20 or 30 feet of vision at distance can really help you get on target quickly.
About 18 months ago, I decided it was high time for me to try my hand at 3 Gun. Life was good; I carved out some range time and found a friend to attend with me. He had some experience running matches, so he helped me kit up and learn some practice drills. We had a great time, even if he consistently smoked my stage times.