Gun Reviews

The 1858 Remington revolver brought solid-frame confidence, serious accuracy, and black powder attitude to the handgun world. More than a century later, its smoke, steel, and cartridge-conversion potential still make it one of the most appealing replica revolvers you can shoot.

The best Smith & Wesson revolvers have been the default American wheelgun for more than a century. The Military & Police, now the Model 10, dates to 1899. S&W’s J, K, L, and N frames still cover pocket carry, duty, home defense, and big game, and partners like Lipsey’s keep bringing back classic configurations without [...]

The best Springfield Armory rifles cover more ground than most shooters realize. Springfield is famous for the M1A and the Hellcat, but its long gun lineup now runs from the SAINT family of AR-15s and AR-10s to the Hellion bullpup, a retro SA-16A2 and the Model 2020 bolt action rifles built for hunters, from the [...]

The Smith & Wesson M&P Shield X is not just a stretched Shield with a fresh label slapped on the box. It shoots flatter, carries easier than a thicker compact, and makes a very strong case for being the smarter slimline 9mm for everyday carry.

The Ruger Mini-14 Ranch is the old-school 5.56 NATO rifle that refused to disappear. After decades of love, hate, and accurate jokes, the newer Ranch Rifle showed up ready to rewrite some history.

The Henry .45-70 is an heirloom-grade lever action with brass-frame swagger, side-gate loading, and enough thump to make bear country feel a little more negotiable. It is cowboy nostalgia with modern teeth, and yes, wagon train is still not included.

The best derringers are still the simplest handguns you can carry: two barrels, or one, a heavy trigger, and a frame small enough for a pocket, boot, or purse. Derringers have been around since the 1800s, and they never quite went away, because a modern stainless steel derringer is reliable, easy to understand, and can [...]

The best top-break revolvers of 2026 are a mix of faithful reproductions and battle-tested originals, and every one of them shares the same party trick. Unlatch the frame, tip the barrel and cylinder down, and a star-shaped ejector kicks out every empty at once. In the 1870s, that made the Smith & Wesson Model 3 [...]

The HK VP9CC brings the VP9 bloodline into a true micro-compact 9mm carry pistol, complete with German engineering, an ultra-low optic cut, and the kind of price tag that makes expectations very serious. After 800 trouble-free rounds, this little HK has plenty to brag about, even if a few sharp edges bite back.

The Springfield Armory SA-16A2 is not just another retro AR15 trying to cash in on nostalgia. It is a smooth, iron-sighted 5.56 NATO rifle that reminds you why the M16A2 still deserves respect, range time, and a spot on your bucket list.

The Rock Island Armory GI Standard 1911 looks like a no-frills throwback, but this budget .45 turned out to be far more shootable and drama-free than its price tag suggests. After 300 rounds and zero malfunctions, the question is not whether it is cheap. It is whether this plain GI-style pistol might be the smartest low-dollar entry into the 1911 platform.

The Benelli Lupo Alpha looks like an Italian design team got loose with a CAD file and a bottle of Pinot Grigio, but this 5.73-pound hunting rifle flat-out performs. It is light, slick, weatherproof, and with the right load, it shoots tiny groups that make the futuristic stock a lot easier to love.

Ten handgun hunters, black bears inside 25 to 50 yards, fading light, and a week full of lessons. This Maine black bear handgun hunt delivered close calls, hard-earned misses, standout revolver performance, and enough honest takeaways to make us want another crack at it.

If you’re looking for a different thrill this fall, take a handgun hunting.

The Unit 9 Compact is not some toy pretending to be a training pistol. It is a Glock 19-style, CO2-powered, non-lethal training system built for real reps, real feedback, and real force-on-force work without the range drama.

Is Rock Island Armory a good brand? For most shooters, yes, especially if you want an affordable, reliable 1911. In our reviews, Rock Island pistols have generally been reliable and accurate for the money, and the budget models deliver honest value. The tradeoffs are real but predictable: rougher finishes, basic sights and grips on entry [...]

The best SIG Sauer rifles cover more ground than most people realize. SIG builds value AR-15s, piston-driven MCX rifles, the MPX pistol-caliber carbine, AR-10 pattern .308s, and the Cross bolt action that folds in half for the trail. That range makes it hard to know where to start. Our writers have put a lot of [...]

Six rounds in a gun built for five, with less kick. That is the whole pitch, and it is a good one. The best .32 Magnum revolvers give you an extra round in the cylinder and noticeably less recoil than a .38 Special or .357 Magnum in the same size gun. Two cartridges carry the [...]

The Springfield Armory SAINT Victor 9mm PDW stuffs compact firepower, suppressor-ready utility, and familiar AR controls into a 5.5-inch package that is easier to carry than it has any right to be. After match use, suppressed shooting, and accuracy testing, this little blaster proved it is more than a range toy.

The SIG Sauer M400 Forge looks like somebody accidentally stuffed a premium parts list into a $999 rifle and sent it out the door. With a hammer forged barrel, TriggerTech trigger, Romeo MSR Gen II, and thoughtful details most rifles in this class do not even flirt with, this one lands like a direct shot at the entire value AR-15 market.

The best Seekins rifles come out of Lewiston, Idaho, where Glen Seekins and his crew machine, assemble and test fire their bolt guns in house. Seekins earned its name with billet AR parts, then built the Havak bolt action line into one of the most respected semi-custom rifles you can buy off a dealer shelf. [...]

The best Ruger pistols cover every budget and job, from a carry gun that listed at $299 at the time of our review to a 5.7x28mm that undercut its only rival on price in 2020. Ruger builds tough, affordable handguns in huge numbers, and its semi-auto line has grown fast. Today it includes a Glock-pattern [...]

The best CZ 75 pistols of 2026 come from a family that has been in production for more than five decades. The original CZ 75 combined double-stack capacity, a double-action/single-action trigger, and a slide that rides inside the frame rails, and that low-slung design made it one of the most copied handguns in the world. [...]

The EAA Witness2311 CMXX comes out swinging with flat-shooting manners, a built-in comp, and a price that makes the 2011 crowd a lot less intimidating. It is not perfect, and the trigger started out rougher than advertised, but this compact double-stack definitely has enough going for it to make budget-minded shooters pay attention.

The best CZ rifles come from a Czech factory that has built Mauser-style bolt actions, rimfires, and military rifles for decades. Today CZ sells the 600 series of centerfire bolt guns, the 457 rimfire family, the Bren 2 piston rifle, and the Scorpion pistol-caliber carbine, and the used market is full of 527, 550, and [...]

In our .17 HMR vs .22LR shootout, the .17 HMR was the clear winner. So the obvious question is, why not go to .17 WSM ( Winchester Super Magnum) instead of .17 HMR?

Springfield’s 4-inch SA-35 keeps the soul of the Hi Power alive while making it faster, handier, and easier to carry. If you already like the full-size gun, this trimmed-down steel 9mm may be the one that really gets under your skin.

My Seekins PH3 in 6.5 Creedmoor didn’t just print one pretty group. After a quick factory tune, it drilled repeatable sub half inch clusters and held that precision to 775 yards.

There are plenty of upgrades for the 870 out there, but these are my favorites. I think they give the old warhorse a welcome facelift.