9mm handguns and pistols
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.
The Security-9 is billed as an affordable personal defense handgun that offers a light weight for concealed carry. In simple terms the pistol is Glock 19 size. The Security-9 is not a scaled down Ruger American 9mm, which would seem to be everyone’s first guess when the pistol was announced. The Security-9, rather, is a scaled up LCP or LC9 in most regards.
I was fortunate to get my hands on one of the first 50 SAR 9 pistols imported from Turkey by SAR USA—the American division of Turkish gun and aerospace manufacturer Sarsilmaz. The Turks know a thing or two about making firearms—especially ones that are dependable and affordable. In my opinion, what Turkish producers do best is replicate the most useful features of existing models; most often cranking out products that mix traits of familiar American or western European brands to create a unique firearm that costs a bit less than their predecessors. The SAR 9 is an example of this approach to gun design.
Glock’s introduction of the Generation 5 pistol has been much anticipated. The new pistol offers significant changes—more so than any previous generation. The first change to the Glock was the addition of a light rail. Next, came the finger groove frame and the rough texture frame later. Read the full review for other changes as well as range performance.
There are pistols that are so overlooked it boggles the mind. The Czech CZ pistols (Ceska Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod) have appeal to professionals the world over, and the CZ 75 is among the most imitated pistols in the world. At present, few clones have equaled the reliability and build quality of the original. Within the CZ 75 line, is the P01 a new contender for the crown?
Larry Vickers is a respected trainer, soldier, and gunsmith. His name on a handgun means a great deal to many of us. The Glock 17 was the original Glock pistol, and the one on which Glock’s reputation was built. It is fair to say that there is no more proven reliable handgun on the planet. How do you make the best even better? By combining the two of course. Read the full review of the Glock 17 Vickers Tactical to discover the details for yourself.
A few years ago, the CANIK TP9 pistol was introduced in America. A product of the Turkish arms industry, the pistol was a credible but not exact clone of a Walther design. The pistol has proven reliable and accurate enough. The price point is attractive and the pistol is well established. The TP9SF Elite-S is an improvement over the original in many ways and is designed as the top of the line pistol among the CANIK polymer frame pistols.
The new face of Walther is far more than just a legacy of James Bond’s Walther PPK but a company offering real innovation. The company has leapt into cutting edge designs, which some gun buyers get right away like the fabulous little PPS M1 and M2. Other designs are a bit tougher to understand for the seasoned shooter… that is until they handle them.
The PPS was a gun ahead of its time delivering a feature rich, accurate, and configurable, ready-to-carry single stack that could behave like a compact, mid- and full- sized gun. Based on two years of carrying and shooting the PPS, it is my perception that it is one of the best subcompact concealed carry single-stack guns on the market despite the introduction of many other competitor firearms.
Based on the time-tested and proven reliability of the CZ-75 pistol, the IWI Jericho 941 FS handgun is sure to offer the shooter years and years of service. Using the popular and widely available 9mm Luger chambering, this double-action recoil-operated handgun has a 16-round capacity, slim polymer stocks and a steel frame for low recoil and easy handling. Watch this informative walk through of one the hottest pistols on the market.