GunsAmerica Product Reviews – Pistols

Georg Luger left an indelible mark on the firearms world that persists to this very day. His extraordinary eponymous handgun was not an altogether original design, however. His mentor, a German engineer named Hugo Borchardt, was actually the first to realize the human knee would translate into a serviceable firearm.

Size matters, but when it comes to combat-ready firearms, smaller is often better. Compact weapons allow for easy maneuvering in tight spaces, which is an especially useful attribute in a home-defense firearm. Now, thanks to a favorable ruling from the ATF, Springfield has introduced two pistol-length versions of their popular Saint AR-15: the .556 and, more recently, a 300 Blackout model.

Over the last couple of years, Taurus USA has hired a handful of experienced engineers from around the firearm Industry. To complement the new talent, Taurus also opened a state of the art manufacturing and R&D facility here in the United States.

The cap and ball revolver, also known as the percussion revolver, is a sophisticated weapon of war. Even though those wars were in the 1800’s, the cap and ball remains an interesting and effective handgun. Taylor’s & Company is keeping these legends alive by producing classic firearms made famous by soldiers, cowboys, lawmen, and outlaws.

Sometimes, as the tagline goes for Springfield’s new 911, the police are minutes away, the threat is seconds away, and you’re your own first responder—whether you want to be or not. Springfield’s new 911 may look like other sub-compact 1911-style 380s, but it handles better than any I’ve shot. The engineers at Springfield tweaked the mini-1911 design to minimize felt recoil, improve ergonomics, and provide a clearer sight picture even in the most stressful situations. Plus, it’s a great looking gun. The 911 stands out among the crowds of striker-fired handguns, and it won’t fail to deliver in a crisis.

The P365 is a hybrid subcompact that fits inside a single-stack package that holds an industry-leading 10+1 capacity of 9mm Luger.

The new fully-featured Saint pistols feature a custom free-floating rail, updated pistol brace and blast mitigation device.

Full Conceal, a custom concealed-carry pistol shop, is now building specialty SIG P320 ultra-compact kits for deep concealment.

I have never owned an STI pistol, and until I received the Hex Tactical for this review, I had only shot them a few times, during “hey, try this out” sessions on match days. I was impressed on those occasions and was eager to have this model – a relatively new one from STI, all to myself for testing. Spoiler alert: I wasn’t disappointed!