Pistols

In hand, the full-size SFT has nice balance and grip. The beavertail is extended. The grip girth is manageable for small-handed shooters.

Modular back straps seem to be the norm with striker-fire pistols, and the Girsan provides three options: small, medium, and large. A tool is provided to push out the plastic pin that holds the back strap in place.

Most striker-fire pistols use a trigger bar assembly that articulates, with the striker acting as both a trigger bar and a sear.

Joe Woolley, Contributing Editor for Gun Tests Magazine, interviews John Thomas, Designer for Savage Arms, and learns about the company's new-for-2023 1911 pistols. Savage Arms’...

In this SHOT Show 2023 video, Gun Tests Contributing Editor Joe Woolley learns the details of Ruger's New Security-380 Lite Rack Pistol from Paul...

The Specialist was designed for tactical use. There are no forward cocking serrations. It does have an ambidextrous safety. There is no full-length guide rod (FLGR), which may be a plus.

A Les Baer pistol often requires a break-in period, according to conventional wisdom and the maker. This is the second new Les Baer we have tested that came out of the box running, after having its long bearing surfaces lubricated. A pistol tested several years ago demanded a brief break in.

The test pistol is stainless steel. The fit and finish are good; however, there was an apparent tool mark near the rear of the trigger guard where the pistol is marked “SS” for stainless steel.

We lubricated the pistol and then fired an 80-round combat course with the same loads used in the other handguns. There were no failures to feed, chamber, fire, or eject.

We included the Crimson Trace CTS 1250 in our first review, liking what we saw. Then we heard about CT’s next-generation red dots being introduced in the guise of the RAD (Rapid Aiming Dot), so we had to try it.

Swampfox is another relatively new player in this game, proudly stating on their website that they were “born on the 4th of July, 2018.”

After our previous red-dot article, we received requests for info on additional optics, a number of which specifically mentioned the Holosun. We’ve seen the devices any number of times on the competition circuit, where they are known as something of a price brand.