Pistols

We tested two 380 ACP handguns in the April 2013 issue. Here's an excerpt of that report.

If you have a handgun for what some consider to be a sub-caliber round, it might be comforting to have lots of shots on hand, because you just might need them. Taking our tongues out of our cheeks now, the 380 can be an effective self-defense handgun cartridge, particularly with today's hotter JHP loads — if you can find any. There are zillions of good used 380s out there, though in today's market you might have the devil of a time finding one. We managed to acquire two, both slightly used, just like what you might have to consider in today's super-tight gun market. Our test pistols were a Beretta Model 84 ($600-$650) and a CZ Model 83 ($550 on up).

The Pro Carry version of the XD pistol is a Springfield Armory Custom Shop pistol with a specified set of modifications. The Pro Carry package is the most basic of three available levels, providing a 4.5- to 5-pound trigger job, optional sights, the application of a national match barrel, a slick Armory Kote of all internal metal parts, and extension of the magazine release to one side as specified by the customer.

Every gunsmith has secrets he would never share with a competitor. Here are a few you can claim as your own (but don’t tell anyone else).

You have your gun to protect yourself, your loved ones and your property from murderers, rapists, car jackers, and home invaders. You may believe that the chances of anyone having any real legal issues regarding the killing of an animal in self-defense were remote. You would be wrong.

When a powerful tornado rated by the National Weather Service as an EF-4 with winds up to 200 MPH ripped through central Oklahoma in May 2013, homeowner Pat Brand lost everything. He huddled along with 10 neighbors in a protective underground shelter as the violent storm roared overhead. When he emerged after the tornado passed, gone were his home, truck and a Smith &Wesson handgun that was equipped with Crimson Trace Lasergrips.

We recently tested compact 40 S&W handguns in the March 2013 issue. Here's an excerpt of that report.

For this test we looked at a S&W M&P Compact 40 ($569) and a Kahr CW40 ($485). They are a bit larger than the tiny nines we've been trying, and there are good reasons for that. The 40 S&W is a lot more cartridge than the 9mm Parabellum, and when forties get smaller than these two test guns, recoil is entirely unfriendly.

Much popular opinion around handgun slides posits that slide tightening is not particularly important for maximum accuracy. Instead, barrel-to-slide fit and barrel and bushing fit are more frequently stressed. With some of the quick packages that the gunsmith offers, barrel and bushing fit are good enough for carry purposes, or perhaps even for IDPA-competition pistols. But when a shooter demands top-notch accuracy, his pistol should have a good tight slide and frame-rail fit.

We recently tested guns with factory-fitted lasersights in the February 2013 issue. Here's an excerpt of that report.

Lasersights on handguns are common today. Scan the used-handgun case at a gun shop, and more than likely you'll find a rig that the former owner customized with a laser sight. In the new-pistol case, you will also see factory-fitted laser sights on handguns.

It took better than a year for me to get my hands on a Kahr P45 for this article. That's because, since its announcement, this eagerly awaited big-bore cousin of the Kahr 9 had a very long list of buyers standing by with their wallets and checkbooks open. It's been quite a while since the first Kahr was covered here (May 95). Since reprints of that article are no longer available and much of what was written then does not apply to the P45, I decided another look at the Kahr was in order. First, however, let me say that I was pleased to see that none of the precision found in the K9 is missing in the P45. It remains masterfully made from outstanding materials. Though mechanically locked and unlocked in the style of John M. Browning, it is far more than a mere knock-off of the great man's design. The Kahr emerged from the fertile mind of Justin Moon, and is covered by no less than six individual patents.

Finishing with a perfect points score of 1920-183x, defending champion Doug Koenig battled through his final event at the 2013 MidwayUSA/NRA Bianchi Cup Championships to win his 15th MidwayUSA & NRA Bianchi Cup overall title. But it wasn't a cakewalk. Pushed through every stage of the competition, it was exactly what competitors and fans expected to see, NRAblog reports.

This neat unit gives excellent performance. It is a good option for the Glock fan wishing to dedicate one of his pistols to the carbine concept. Commonality of trigger action is a strong point, as well as commonality with magazines. On the basis of affordability, it is a good choice, if you already have the Glock pistol on hand.

To answer a number of questions concerning the performance of the 1911 pistol, the Gun Tests South Carolina test unit obtained a Rock Island Armory Standard GI No. 51421 45 ACP, $410, and a Kimber Eclipse Target II 45 ACP, $1393, in what originally seemed to be a price mismatch.