GunsAmerica Product Reviews – Pistols

Pocket pistols are not much fun to shoot. Even in .380, they are jumpy and prone to stinging your hand when fired. It’s hard to improve shooting techniques with these little guns. And most are not known for their accuracy. Yet the Kimber Micro CDP defies all of these preconceptions. It is comfortable to shoot, and the accuracy is exceptional for its diminutive size.

Long established firearm manufacturers, with catalogs of full-size models, went back to the drawing board to design smaller, lighter, and more concealable handguns. Some manufacturers executed flawlessly, while other struggled with reliability issues and safety recalls. Diamondback Firearms followed a different path, as is clearly evident in the new full-sized, budget conscious DB FS 9.

I’d put the Sphinx Compact Alpha up against any 9mm I’ve ever fired. It is that capable. The weight of the gun gives it a distinct advantage where it counts. Lighter guns may be easier to carry. Smaller guns may be much easier to conceal. Yet the Sphinx has enough size and enough weight to really make the most out of the platform when it comes out of the holster.

The CMMG Mk9 PDW is one of those guns often defined by what it is not. It is not a modern sporting rifle, exactly. It isn’t a 5.56. It is not a traditional AR pistol (if such a thing exists). But if you’re looking for something larger, faster, and more stable than a full-sized pistol, the Mk9 may be for you. If you are looking for something smaller and less powerful than an AR carbine, the Mk9 is an ideal choice. Not quite a carbine, more than a pistol: the Mk9 shines.

There are some of us out here in the real world who scrape up funds for gun purchases. We want guns that work, and we don;t want to pay premiums for brand names. Well, here’s one. The Bersa BP9CC is a kickass way to carry concealed. The price tag isn’t going to knock you over, but the gun’s performance just might.

The Metro Arms line of imported 1911s is making some big promises. How well do these budget conscious single actions compete in an already crowded field? Amazingly well. I’ve shot hundreds of 1911s and very few of them have done what this humble hunk of steel did out of the box.

Smith & Wesson has made a major improvement to what is already a formidable pistol. The Shield is now even better for concealed carry, and may make the .380s out there irrelevant.

I’ve had a lifelong fascination with oddball guns. The Marble’s Game Getter Gun, a storied gun with a long and troubled history, speaks to me. By today’s standards, the skeletal over-under is underpowered, and a bit slow. Yet the single-shot Game Getter Gun lives on in the survival-minded offerings of Springfield Armory, and Savage, and even Chiappa.

What’s most impressive about the new 9mm Springfield Armory Range Officer is that it’s a gun that’s just easy to shoot well. I was at the range doing some drills at 21 feet and asked a friend if he’d like to shoot it. He’s relatively new to shooting and had never shot a model 1911, but he was eager to give it a try. He took careful aim and put his first shot into the center of the bullseye. His comment? “I like this gun. I really like it!” That about sums it up for me too.