Colt Combat Commander [Ultimate Review]
The Colt (Combat) Commander has had a long, blue-ribbon-pedigreed history. Evolving from the legendary Colt 1911, the Commander is not a lot different from that storied gun. It has gained a reputation in its own right as a tough, reliable pistol. For brevity’s sake, I’m will to refer to the gun as simply the Commander, ... Read more
Walther PPQ M2 Review: German Police Pistol
Walther is a company that has earned one whale of a reputation in the firearms industry. This German-based company is responsible for some of the world’s great guns. Here, we’ll review the Walther PPQ M2. We’ll also take a look at its specs, features, and review its shooting performance. Now, let’s begin. Pros and Cons ... Read more
Smith & Wesson M&P .22 Compact Review
You could really do worse than choosing a slightly-smaller rimfire version of your main gun to practice with. That’s where the Smith & Wesson M&P .22 Compact gun comes in — a stand-in for your centerfire boomer. This Compact is 15% smaller than a full-size M&P 22. Speaking of M&P. The M&P line of semi-auto ... Read more
Ruger Security-9 Review: Great Value 9mm Pistol
With its compact size and high capacity, the Ruger Security-9 is an excellent choice for everyday concealed carry. Its hammer-fired mechanism makes its slide more manageable when racking than that of a striker-fired pistol. And there is more. It also has some additional qualities that may make it appealing to many shooters. Today, we’re going ... Read more
Kimber Custom II 1911 Review
If you’re a gun owner, you know there’s nothing like owning a 1911. They’re revered for their precision and craftsmanship, and the Kimber Custom II is no exception. It’s been around for years and has built a reputation for being reliable, accurate, and well-made. In this review, we’ll look at why the Custom II is ... Read more
Colt Anaconda .44 Magnum Revolver Review: The Big Snake Gun
The Colt Anaconda is a revolver many of us dream about owning. But we have about as much chance of finding a Colt Anaconda .44 Magnum revolver as we do finding its namesake slithering around our backyards. Of the Colt snake guns, the Anaconda seems to be harder to find. The only snake guns newer ... Read more
HK 416 Pistol Review: H&K’s Magnificent Rimfire
Some of you gun enthusiasts might be familiar with Heckler and Koch‘s (HK) line of firearms. The company is known for its high-quality, innovative designs that are used by militaries and law enforcement agencies all over the world. Recently, HK has released a new rimfire called the HK 416 pistol. The HK 416 pistol is ... Read more
Smith & Wesson SD9 VE Review: Ultimate Hands-On Guide
Before starting our Smith & Wesson SD9 VE review, let’s define what SD9 VE stands for. SD: Self-Defense, 9: 9mm, and VE: Value-Enhanced. How in the world did S&W come up with that mouthful-of-a-moniker? I believe they were just trying to differentiate it from its not-so-well-received predecessor, the Sigma. That pistol had some issues that ... Read more
Mossberg MC1sc Review: Handgun of the Year?
1920. That was the year, a hundred years ago, that O. F. Mossberg & Sons produced their first pistol. It was a four-barreled .22 semiautomatic whose firing pin rotated with each trigger pull. It used a latch to keep the action locked. When opened, you used the piece of bent sheet metal provided with the ... Read more
Ruger SR1911 Commander Hands-On Review
Ruger is the largest firearms manufacturer in the United States. Bill Ruger and Alexander Sturm established the corporation in 1949. From 2009 to 2012, the corporation dominated the market for handguns, and they were second only to Remington in the rifle industry. However, with Remington out of the picture, that will likely change. Still, looking ... Read more
Taurus 905 [Hands-On Review]: A Great 9mm Snubby
Why in the world would someone want a 9mm revolver? With 9mm being the most popular concealed carry caliber now, why not? Not everyone who carries a concealed gun has a semi-auto. There are still two or three of us out here that like revolvers. Luckily, Taurus makes one. They call it the 905. Given ... Read more
Taurus Raging Hunter Review: Ultimate Guide
It weighs 55 ounces. And yet, this is still about half a pound less than a Raging Bull. The Taurus Raging Hunter was also American Hunter Magazine’s 2019 Hunting Handgun of the Year. It has all the qualities that hunting revolver aficionados look for in a pistol, including a modern design, solid construction, and a ... Read more
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield M2.0 .45 ACP: Hands-On Review
I owned a Shield once in 9mm. I even reviewed an older (1.0) 9mm Shield. So, why another Shield review? Well, this one is a 2.0 and is in my favorite caliber — the .45 ACP. That makes it worth the effort, in my opinion, as they are, in essence, different guns. Hopefully, you will ... Read more
Taurus TX22 Review: A Great Idea Executed Well
A .22 LR pistol can be a very useful firearm, and the Taurus TX22 is one great pistol to own. Introduced at the SHOT show in January of 2019, this gun was designed to fulfill three main purposes: to be an inexpensive-yet-feature-laden plinker, to be a gun you could compete with and to be a ... Read more
Best Budget 1911s: Everything Around $500
I am a retired public school music teacher. I also have an affinity for a good 1911 — I’ve owned several. However, when you combine these two facts, it well defines the type of 1911s I’ve been able to own — the budget variety. I got really good at selecting 1911s that cost a modest ... Read more
Taurus PT1911 Review: A Great Way To Own A Legend
I am a 1911 fan — not exactly a junkie, but I’ve owned several over the years. The 1911 is a high-priced, high-complexity firearm that fires a huge, powerful caliber bullet. Taurus firearms are well recognized as being among the most reasonably priced in the industry, and their 1911 model is no exception. Here, we’ll ... Read more
Glock 23: The Compact .40 S&W
Deer-legal in my state. Huh? The Glock 23 is deer-legal in my state. The .40 S&W shot through a minimum-4-inch barrel is considered deer medicine where I live. Add in the ability to shoot the .40 from a carbine, and the joy increases with each additional foot-pound of energy you gain with that longer barrel. ... Read more
SIG Sauer Emperor Scorpion 1911: Hands-On Review
The emperor scorpion is the largest, nastiest scorpion out there, from what I read. Living in a non-desert area, I have no real-world experience with scorpions. But I bet many of you readers in desert areas have plenty of experience with the critters. Sig Sauer named their carry 1911 after the emperor scorpion to give ... Read more
CAA Micro-RONI Shoulder Stock Review
The CAA USA (also known as CAA Gear Up) Micro-RONI is a folding shoulder stock for several different popular pistols. It is shown here with a Glock 19X riding in it, with a SIG Romeo red-dot sight up top. Some shoulder stock models are even adjustable, with several positions available. I am one to leave ... Read more
Ruger PC 9mm Carbine: Complete Review
Last time, we looked at a Hi-Point model 995 9mm carbine. This time, we’ll look at the Ruger version of the 9mm carbine (also available in .40 S&W). There are 20 different models listed on Ruger’s website, Ruger PC 9mm Carbine counting the various distributor guns and stock finishes available. Now, let’s look at where ... Read more
Tipton & Real Avid Gun Cleaning Supplies
There is one eternal truth of sorts about shooting all kinds of guns. This truth is: I get to clean a lot of guns. Many guns. Short guns, long guns, light guns, heavy guns. Doesn’t matter. They’re all dirty after firing even a very few rounds. Here, we’ll review Tipton & Real Avid Gun Cleaning ... Read more
Best .40 S&W Ammo: Self Defense & Target Practice
Many gun owners choose to own a gun in .40 S&W because of its power. This caliber is perfect for both self-defense and target practice. To get the most out of your rounds, you need to use the best .40 S&W ammo. Lucky for you, we’ve reviewed some of the best options on the market. ... Read more
SAR K2P 9mm Gun Review
If you’re a gun collector or enthusiast, then you know there’s nothing quite like the feeling of getting your hands on a brand new firearm. And if that new firearm is a SAR K2P pistol, well, then you’re in for an extra special treat. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at some of ... Read more
Ruger SP101 Review: One Fun Handful Of A .357
The Ruger SP101 is a two-and-a-half-inch barrel on a .357 Magnum revolver. If you have read many of my small-revolver reviews, you will notice that I have reviewed more than a few small revolvers that were in .357 Magnum. Here are a few of them for you to peruse. This list of reviews also includes ... Read more
H&K P30L: Hands-On Gun Review
We’ll look at the H&K P30L .40 S&W (L means longer barrel, more in specifications below). The gun I used for this review belonged to my brother. He brought it to my backyard range to wring it out. It is in .40 S&W but is also available in 9mm caliber. Heckler & Koch makes some ... Read more
Best .45 ACP Pistols [Excluding 1911s]
“I won’t carry anything in a pistol caliber that doesn’t start with a four.” This is the philosophy of many old-time (and some newer) shooters who grew up with the .45 ACP being the King of the Hill in effective pistol cartridges. To them, the .45 ACP is the only round to carry or shoot ... Read more
Springfield XDM Compact .45 ACP: Hands-On Review
Springfield Armory is well-known for its broad line of 1911 pistols, but their XD brand of striker-fired pistols has acquired huge traction. I recently purchased a brand-new XDM with a 3.8-inch barrel chambered in.45 ACP, which I used for this review. We have provided this review for those who are thinking about purchasing an XDM ... Read more
Ruger LC9S Hands-On Review: 9mm Budget Carry Gun
The Ruger LC9S, a single-stack, striker-fired pocketable 9mm that has sold like hotcakes is a popular gun. It’s small, thin, light, reliable, and cheap. What’s not to like? We’ll examine it in some detail to see if we can determine the answer to that question. Ruger LC9s Variations The LC9S is one of a few ... Read more
Glock 43 Review: Ultimate Concealed Carry Gun
Glock guns. Love them or really not like them (don’t like the h*** word — too much of that in the world today). The shooting world is bifurcated when it comes to this company’s guns. Some shooters will buy only Glocks. Others would not buy one if it were the only gun in the store. ... Read more
Taurus 85 Ultralite Hands-On Review
I have always had an attraction to snub-nosed revolvers. I’ve owned a few, including a Charter Arms .44 Special Bulldog back in the late ’70s when David Berkowitz used that gun for nefarious purposes in New York. The large-ish Bulldog stretched the definition of a snubby, but technically it fit. It had quite a reputation ... Read more
