Handguns

Lipsey’s honors John Taffin with a Ruger Blackhawk Flattop Bisley in .45 Colt with a .45 ACP cylinder. We shot real .45 Colt and .45 ACP loads, checked chrono and groups, ran leather, and asked if this tribute truly earns the title Perfect Packin’ Pistol.

Compact double-stack 1911 with a 3.4 inch barrel, 17+1 on board, and a crisp trigger. We ran the optics-ready BRAT with Shield’s OMSsc to see if this RMS-cut carry gun really delivers.

With the 2011 platform being the hottest thing going in handguns, it’s not surprising how many companies are getting in on the action, including Bersa Firearms with their M2XI pistol. It is a 5-inch 9mm 1911 double stack, also known as a 2011 handgun.

The concealed carry revolver might seem outdated, but we can see it still has potency and a place in the concealed carry conversation.

In the 1971 film, Clint Eastwood played a renegade San Francisco PD Inspector out to make a bad guy’s day! Now, almost 55 years later, the Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum is alive and well.

The jump from revolvers to Wonder Nines was certainly a broad one, and we aren’t going back to revolvers or even single stacks anytime soon. 

If you want a compact 9mm that shoots flatter than most pistols out of the box, try the Archon Type B Gen 2.

As a fan of polymer pistols, I’m pleased to report the Canik Mete MC9 Prime not only meets but exceeds its price point (and then some).

There are plenty of .22 revolvers on the market, but the Colt King Cobra 22 strikes a good balance between compactness and accuracy.