Handguns

I liked the Steyr L9-A1 better than I thought I would. It felt good in the hand and once I got accustomed to the grip angle it was easy to shoot.

The M&P 45 2.0 might not have been a sales dynamo, but to discerning clients, it made waves. As far as ergonomics go, Smith & Wesson did an excellent job.

The Hi Power has the dubious distinction of being the only production firearm to see general issue among both Allied and Axis forces during World War II. It’s still in service throughout the world today.

Glock has course-corrected with the new Glock 19 Gen5 MOS FS, answering customer complaints with improvements and making what may be the best Glock ever.

No one knows what John Browning would’ve thought of a polymer 1911, but it is possible to judge how it performs. And we did just that.

Lieutenant Blowers carried nothing more than his six-shot Webley revolver as a personal defense weapon. Crawling through fetid German trenches stacked deep with corpses both fresh and otherwise, Blowers and his crew picked their way across the most dangerous terrain on earth.

The M48 Nosler Custom Handgun as a hunting handgun which challenges the hunter. It’s also a lot of fun to shoot, once you get used to it.

The explosion of the concealed carry market has meant nothing but good news for gun nuts. Gun manufacturers have been more than happy to oblige, though some have been quicker than others. Walther is among the last of the major handgun companies to offer a subcompact semi-auto, but, as the old saying goes, good things come to those who wait.

When the new XDM came up, I asked Springfield Armory if they were ready to dance. Not only did they say yes, but they knew a good ammo guy. My proposal was 10,000 rounds, every round shot on camera. That is a huge risk for a new gun, and I had no way of knowing if it would survive.