Re “Compact 9mm Pistol Shoot-Out: We Test Canik, CZ, and Arex,” May 2017
Great article, and just in time for me as I had been considering the P-01. I appreciate it.
—Jeff
Re “Downrange: Army Chooses SIG P320 Pistol,” March 2017
The SIG is an excellent pistol. I have most of the models in SA/DA mode and love them! I did not become a Glock/striker fan until last year, though I have owned them through the years. I could never manage the trigger until I spent about five hours working with my G19. I’m sure the SIG has a better trigger, so proper training should negate any problems with the switch. I am planning on obtaining a P320 to round out my SIG collection. Good job, Army!
—Stephen
The military, with shooters of all abilities, should not have picked a striker-fired weapon, in my opinion. They should have paid a little more and picked the P226 or something along that line in a DA/SA configuration and a decocker. The history of the Glock should be enough to make them shy away from the accidental discharges associated with striker-fired handguns.
—Donald
Re “Full-Size 10mm Pistols from SIG, Glock, and Rock Island Arsenal,” May 2016
Great article! I really liked the comparison of three 10mm pistols with different philosophies at work: a 1911, a striker-fired Glock, and a SIG. One thing that I don’t understand after reading the comments and the article is how an evaluator in a consumer magazine wouldn’t consider factors like price. It seems like testers were dissatisfied with the SIG’s rating. Some justification for the B grade might be the lower capacity, high bore axis, higher weight, and how the price is more than double that of other competitors with comparably performing pistols. I thought the article included that information adequately. I would love to see some additional evaluation of other 10mm options also, like some of the EAA Tanfoglios, the Delta Elite, the Kimber, Iver Johnson, etc. I used this article before purchasing my 10mm pistol; it was much appreciated in drawing comparisons between a Glock, which is commonly available to rent, and others which are not.
—Michael
I, like other readers, appreciate the unfettered comments and prejudices of the Gun Tests staffers. Heck, after all, they are the ones testing a gun for our knowledge and perusal. I find your reviews helpful when I am considering the purchase of a gun. However, I do not think a gun should be downgraded or criticized for its price. Just my personal thoughts, guys and gals.
—Ben
Re Honor Defense Pistol Reviews
I can’t find any reference on the Gun Tests website to a mention of this American-made pistol. Have you considered doing a review, or am I just missing it?
—David
No, we haven’t covered this line as yet. But we do have upcoming tests of a couple of Honor pistols in the works. —Todd Woodard
Re “Downrange: Some Guns Not 2A Eligible,” August 2016
Apparently, the Constitution does not mean what it says it means, even when there are provisions written in plain English. The Constitution does not and never has guaranteed anyone any rights, as proven over and over by the Supreme Court. It is the Supreme Court, not the Constitution, that grants you your rights or takes them away, and the court acts many times according to public opinion and political ideology. Reading the justices’ reasoning in their rulings is proof they have little regard for what the Constitution says or means, or what they believe was the Founding Fathers’ clear-cut intent. The two groups of Supreme Court justices always vote along party lines, and they blatantly twist the Constitution according to whom has the majority in the Court. In the Heller decision, it came down to exactly one vote by Antonin Scalia that would have completely trashed the Second Amendment, in spite of its very clear-cut meaning. In conclusion, the Constitution does not mean what it says it means, it means what the Supreme Court’s twisted ideology claims it means—no matter how asinine or outrageous the rulings are. And there is nothing that any citizen can do about their rulings. End of story.
—Jerry
The Constitution does not limit citizens’ ownership of weapons to those “in common use”—even if it did, the only reason that there aren’t millions of people with sub-machine guns, select-fire carbines, etc., is that the government has made it impossible for most of us to own them because of burdensome regulations and choking off the supply. Most of our courts are staffed by [judges] who read the Constitution to say what it would have, had they written it, rather than judges who take it for what says (and doesn’t say). There was originally no restriction on the sort of arms and artillery anyone might own, and there’s no reason for it now—other than government trying to increase its power over us. Changes to the Constitution are made by amendment, not legislation, regulation, and court rulings.
—Tom
Re “Short Shots: Cabot Pandemonium Pistol,” August 2016
The Cabot 1911 is a departure from the norm. It brings a new dimension to firearms engraving. I can say that it is gorgeous. I would like to see more engraving in that style. Wish I could have some of this art in my collection.
—Jack
Re “308 Win. Bolt Guns: Ruger’s Precision Rifle vs. Tikka T3 CTR,” April 2016
Though Ruger doesn’t offer a warranty, their customer service is very highly rated. Last week, I received a revolver, made in the 1970s, back from them with an eight-day turnaround time. The previous owner used a coal chisel to adjust the front sight. Ruger replaced it at no charge.
—Yankee Clipper
Re “9mm and 45 ACP XD Mod.2 Subcompacts Go Head to Head,” February 2016
I currently carry a Taurus PT-145 Millennium Pro 45 ACP and am really leaning toward the XD Mod.2 after closely looking at the Smith & Wesson M&P. The grips on that one are too narrow for my hands, and the XD feels right at home, somewhat like a 1911, which I am very fond of. I’m also considering buying the XD in 9mm, in part because the Taurus seems to rock too much in my hands, even with gloves. Follow-up shots are a bit slow because of target reacquisition and with a concealed-carry gun, that can be a huge liability. Thank you for this review!
—Ramon
Re “Reproduction M1 Carbines: We Test Auto-Ordnance and Inland,” February 2017
I have been in lust for one of these M1 carbines since you could get one for thirty bucks when I was a kid. Of course, thirty bucks was a day’s pay for my dad, and an unachievable amount of money for a grammar-school kid. Since we lived in New Jersey, parental attitude certainly precluded having a gun in the house as well. Kudos for a great article on these fun little shooters, and thanks for talking me out of the money for a new one.
—Matthew
I have longed for an M1 carbine for many years and am about to pull the trigger. There is much talk of the current stock of new manufactured M1 carbines and it appears that the Fulton Armory version is a better quality firearm than either the Inland or Auto-Ordnance. This article would have been complete and comprehensive had you included a carbine from Fulton Armory. I understand about availability and deadline issues and empathize with your challenge in getting an article published, but I am still flinching on pulling the trigger because I don’t feel fully informed. Do you have any plan on following up with an evaluation of the Fulton Armory M1 carbine?
—Stephen
Hey Stephen: We tested the Fulton back in December 2009, and the beautiful thing about these historical rifles is, they don’t change much. Here’s what we had to say:
“The carbine you can buy today from Fulton Armory features all of the attributes of the test rifle but one. Today’s Fulton carbine has a new barrel, made to G.I. specifications by Fulton. All the rest of the parts are genuine G.I., all tested and matched and carefully fitted as the gun is built. There’s a 30-day money-back guarantee if you are dissatisfied in any way. You can add various accessories, including a hand guard with scope mount, extra magazines, bayonet, and many more. Also, Fulton has a full line of M1 carbine parts, if you should need anything to repair your own. Check their website for details.
“While $1,300 for a carbine will open some eyes and close some pocketbooks, what you get will not require any replacement parts, or retesting, or special fitting, nor will it require a better-grade stock. The bolt will stay open when you push down on the little button, unlike many arsenal-redone carbines. The finish will be crisp, clean newly done Parkerizing, and the whole thing will not only work to perfection, it won’t take a back seat to any carbine, old or new, with the possible exception of some museum specimens. You’re paying for the careful hand fitting done by the folks at Fulton Armory, and you can take that to the bank.
“The test gun came with a sling, oiler, and a magazine in a heavy, well-padded cardboard box. The flawless walnut stock had a linseed-oil finish. The operation of the weapon was noticeably slicker and crisper than any of the other three carbines. The test gun was fitted with the milled rear sight, and a bayonet lug. The magazine noted many collectors like to display the carbine with a bayonet attached. They said they’ve also commonly seen the two-magazine pouch on the stock. A 30-round magazine inserted into a carbine set up with the bayonet and two spare mags makes an impressive display.
“Our Team Said: We could not fault the Fulton M1 Carbine, despite its high price.” —tw
Re “9mm Luger Snubnose Revolvers: Ruger LCR versus Taurus 905,” March 2016
I bought a used Taurus Model 905 with a blued finish that came with ten moon clips. The moon clips do take some getting used to, and I think it is a good idea to frequently check them for bending. As noted in the article, a bent moon clip can keep the cylinder from turning. That said, I found my Taurus 905 a joy to shoot. It was very accurate in single-action fire and surprisingly accurate in double-action fire. I bought my pistol used, so the previous owner may have swapped out the original factory hammer spring for a lighter aftermarket version. In any case, head shots on a target were a certainty out to at least 20 yards. With a slow trigger pull, head shots on a target were still close to 90 percent at that range. I’ve had the gun less than a month, but I am quickly growing fond of it for its intended purpose.
This owner ups the rating of this handgun to an “A” based upon his personal experiences.
—Robert
