The trend in handguns has been toward increased capacity. Many revolvers have even gained a cartridge or two in modern designs. However, high capacity doesn’t always mean greater efficiency. Here are nine top performers
The SIG is a tactical-looking weapon because it has a military/LE weapon ancestry that is especially noticeable due to the magazine mounted in front of the trigger guard and not in the grip. Initially, there is an awkwardness shooting pistols such as the SIG MPX. It feels like an SBR (Short Barrel Rifle), yet it does not have a stock for a steady aim.
A few folks that think guns are too expensive these days, but you don’t have to spend a fortune to get a quality gun. Here are some solid handguns on the market that are under $500.
A few months ago, Federal Ammunition announced American Eagle Syntech—a new concept for range use. While there are many highly-developed loads for personal defense, seldom has much effort been expended in developing range ammunition. American Eagle Syntech is the first range-specific ammunition designed to reduce fouling and extend barrel life with a high-tech polymer bullet coating.
What do you get when you take some of the finest firearm engineers in the industry and ask them to design the smallest AR-based close combat weapon imaginable? Stipulations include that the gun needs to be piston-driven for the ultimate in reliability and ruggedness, modular for maximized flexibility, and chambered in .300 BLK so it will run a sound suppressor well. The culmination of that ballistic quest is the SIG MCX Rattler. This thing just drips cool.
Finding the best 9mm is about as personal of a decision as finding the best pizza. With dozens of manufacturers, hundreds of models, and thousands of configurations, there just isn’t really a “best,” just a “best for me.” However, that doesn’t mean all 9mm pistols are made equal. There are some that stand head and shoulders above the rest, here are three of them.
With an optic budget topping out at $400 for a red dot sight, the SIG Romeo 7 not only fills the need, it surpasses optics costing hundreds more. The Romeo 7’s 30mm red dot is optimal for most, and the controls are easy to use. Just a few of the benefits include easy sight in, simple to mount, included low-mount option, and, best of all, SIG quality.
When I was looking for my first self-defense pistol, I surveyed law enforcement. SIG Sauer ranked well among law enforcement as a personal choice. This was a couple decades ago and at the time, the SIG P226 or P228 topped many officers list. The only handgun I regularly heard LEOs state they would (or had) traded their SIG for was the HK USP—they were that good. Technology, trends, and attitudes have changed considerably in the last 20 or so years, but Heckler & Koch’s quality remains a top contender with the HK VP9.
Pink guns are great, and Tiffany Blue models earn plenty of style points. However, firearms have a purpose and that is putting rounds on target. If you want a particular color, order it or send it to your favorite gunsmith to have it Cerakoted. That works for all guns, but color does not make a handgun right for a woman. Women need guns we can count on to defend our family or person. Guns that ring steel in competition or tear the center out of the 10-ring out of paper in capable hands, so those were the criteria for this list.
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.