GunsAmerica Product Reviews – Pistols

What happens when you shrink a 1911 down to 85% of its original size and optimize the new gun to fire .22LR? What once was a serious fighting tool becomes a stellar fun-gun. Not to take anything away from Browning’s new rimfire series. These are capable, accurate pistols. Yet there’s something novel about shooting a small 1911. It makes me smile. So how did they manage to produce such a spot-on homage, and how does the 1911-22 line stack up with the rest of the rimfires?

Say “Magnum Research” to a gun enthusiast, and you’ve just conjured up the image of the .50 caliber handgun that has become almost folklore. But the truth is that Magnum Research has been diversifying its offerings for some time, and now that continues with the ownership and backing of Kahr Arms. In 2014, the product line expands with a new 1911 offering called the 1911U, or Undercover. This small 3” 1911 is clearly intended for the personal protection and concealed carry markets.

The P-120 is the latest addition to the growing line of TriStar pistols. All TriStar pistols are manufactured by in Turkey Canik 55, a NATO-certified small arms maker that manufacturers small arms for many military and law enforcement organizations. All arms produced by Canik are manufactured to NATO specifications, with all internal parts chrome plated, and each model must pass a stringent 50,000-round durability testing protocol.

Fans of CZ pistols will immediately recognize that the P-120 bears a striking resemblance to the CZ 75 SP-01 pistol. The P-120 is a 9mm full-size pistol with steel frame and slide and an accessory rail, and it ships with two 19-round extended capacity magazines. Unlike the SP-01, all external controls on the P-120 are located on the left side of the frame. Even with this major difference, many CZ parts can be used with the P-120 pistol. The black P-120, reviewed here, has a very attractive MSRP of $489 with actual street prices less than $400.

So here is the conundrum about the PPK/S .22LR: it is not a plinking, practice or analog trainer for the .380 ACP chambered brothers. Instead, the PPK/S .22LR, in stock configuration, is really only good for one thing: defensive use for the recoil sensitive. I can hear it now, “Are you nuts, a .22LR for defense?”, “Why would anyone buy this?”… etc. Well, there is a market for new shooters who believe the recoil of the .380 ACP is still too much to handle, so Walther has this option. Personally, I would never use or recommend a .22LR for self defense, however for some, it is the only acceptable option in terms of comfort. With those limitations in mind, the Walther .22LR would be an excellent recommendation and offer a perfect transition to the .380 ACP model as soon as the shooter begins to become comfortable with firearms.

The model 1911 pistol has been in demand for more than 100 years. That should tell you something about its design and capabilities. It was the official sidearm of the US Army from 1911 until 1985, when the Beretta 92F was adopted. The 1911 is still in use by elite units, however, like the Army Delta Force, Marine Special Operations Command and the 1st Special Forces Operational Detachment. These are the best of the best, who use their firearms in the most demanding situations. Buying a 1911 puts you in some very good company. If you happen to be interested in acquiring a quality 1911 at a value price, the Para Elite Commander deserves a look. When I say “value” price, I don’t mean the cheapest 1911 available. There are plenty around for less money. In fact, Para even has a line with a lower price-point. What I mean by “value” is a 1911 with all the enhancements you’d want for top accuracy and consistently dependable operation, at a reasonable price. The Para fits that bill. There’s even a way for you to save an extra hundred bucks off of the best price you can negotiate with your dealer. Read on to learn how.

Sig Sauer is well known for making excellent pistols in a wide variety of sizes and calibers. Until recently, however, there was a noticeable hole in Sig Sauer’s traditional double-action pistol line-up—a double-stack, high capacity .45 ACP. The new P227 solves that problem and offers ten-round capacity with a grip size that still fits most hands. Sig’s ergonomic grip design puts a high-capacity big-bore pistol within reach for those with average size hands.

The .410 gauge single-shot shotgun has a long history of dispatching snakes and other small pests. Over the years, several companies have offered small and light-weight .410 shotguns with names like Snake Charmer and Snake Tamer so there would be no mistake about their intended use. The Heizer PS1 miniaturizes the single-shot .410 shotgun to a pistol that rides as easily in your pocket as it would in your tackle box.

The Walther PPQ 5” is one of the coolest looking handguns I have ever held, at least in the scope of today’s fashion. It is basically the tricked-out black rifle of the handgun platform. From the squared-off pyramid-shaped slide that sports deep angled cocking serrations front and rear, down past the ambidextrous slide stop levers that are extra-long and can be operated by most shooters without having to alter their grip – to the oddly unique but comfortable backstrap of the grip – decorated in a paisley texture. The angles of the polymer frame that lead toward the front accessory rail look like they might belong on the newest Stealth aircraft. All that would be enough to qualify as “cool looking” in any showcase, but Walther had to go over the top. To maintain the weight of the slide so that the 9mm round would continue to operate the pistol reliably, it was necessary to take some weight from the front of the slide. This is nothing new, and we’ve seen Glock and Springfield Armory do the same with their long-slide match guns. Walther’s engineers cut ‘port holes’ into the top of the slide, three on each side. These oval slots in the slide reminded me of a classic old Buick Roadmaster the first time I saw one. They are there for an engineering purpose, but they turn the “cool factor” of the gun up to 11 on the dial. Finishing touches included tapering the nose of the slide in significantly where it overhangs the frame and cutting a large hole where the guide rod travels during cycling.

Diamondback Firearms, is a relative newcomer to the firearms market. The business, based in Cocoa, Florida, launched in 2009 as an off-shoot of the successful Diamondback Airboats business. Diamondback Firearms initially established its brand with the DB380 and DB9 micro-compact pocket pistols in .380 Auto and 9mm Luger. The company next firearm introduced a series of AR-style rifles in 2012. The DB15 rifle is made entirely in the USA with all the machining work done in-house by Diamondback. Diamondback recently added a series of AR-style pistols to its product line and provided one for evaluation and review.