Home Defense

Higher priced than its competitors, but not prohibitively so, the 686 Plus nonetheless covered all the bases. Consistent, accurate, and packed with seven rounds of either .38 Special or .357 Magnum, this gun is a top revolver choice.

Taking into account its production as a military weapon (the M9), this pistol is one of the largest selling sidearms in history. The 92FS and the other guns are traditional double actions. The first shot is double action; subsequent shots are single action. The hammer can be lowered safely using the decocking lever found on both the right and left side of the slide. This lever will then stay down and, acting as a safety, disconnect the trigger. Raising the lever returns the gun to double action.

Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. announced that it has recently received a small number of reports from the field indicating that LCP pistols can discharge when dropped onto a hard surface with a round in the chamber. Although no injuries have been reported, the company will retrofit all older LCP pistols. The retrofit involves installation of an upgraded hammer mechanism at no charge to the customer. This is a free safety upgrade.

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- Smith & Wesson has shipped 7,500 M&P9 pistols to the U.S. Armed Forces in Iraq for distribution to Iraqi military and security forces.

The FBI presented these data in the 2007 edition of Crime in the United States, a statistical compilation of offense and arrest data as reported by law enforcement agencies throughout the nation.

Introduced into the field gun market in January 2007, this gun had 26-inch barrels and an overall length of 43.5 inches. The length of pull on the stock, which featured a checkered butt rather than a recoil pad or butt plate, was 14.6 inches, and the gun weighed 6.5 pounds.Our shooters said the shotgun was quick and smooth into each target. There were no problems mounting the gun into shooting position, but we would have preferred a pad or plate to prevent slippage. This could be accomplished by a short trip to a nearby gunsmith if the S&W owner prefers practicality over classic appearance.

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms has called on Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) to allow a House-approved bill on the District of Columbia’s gun law to face an immediate Senate vote.

SB184, the bill Gov. Ted Strickland calls “common-sense legislation”, establishes Castle Doctrine in Ohio and clears up ambiguous sections of Ohio's concealed carry law, went into effect September 9, 2008.

There are six variants of the Coach Gun, all of which have walnut stocks and double triggers. Ours was the lowest-priced version. Our test gun came with no recoil pad and without the questionable hassle of screw-in chokes. It had fixed Improved Cylinder and Modified chokes. Other variants of the gun (www.stoegerindustries.com) have interchangeable choke tubes, matte or polished nickel finishes on the metal, different stock finishes, and several have recoil pads. One version that caught our eye had a straight-hand, English-type stock. None have ejectors. All versions but ours cost $469.

The Stoeger Coach Gun comes in several variations, so finding one for the right price can be a challenge, since it’s not always clear exactly which model is which when you’re shopping.

Forjas Taurus S.A. announced September 9 its acquisition of the manufacturing and distribution rights of all Rossi products, including the famous Model 92 lever-action rifle from Rossi Firearms S.A.

The Heckler & Koch USP Compact Tactical USP45CT 45 ACP was a sexy gun tested in the January 2008 issue of Gun Tests, but it was also expensive—$1235 MSRP. Part of that was due to the gun’s extras: The Compact Tactical USP45CT arrived in a ballistic nylon attaché case with tool kit and cleaning kit and two magazines. The gun’s price also included a longer barrel threaded for a suppressor. The Gun Tests’s team thought the package was professional and businesslike.