Guns

Those discerning single action aficionados amongst us already know the Nighthawk name. Their 1911s aren’t dressed up in elaborate finishes. They don’t have exotic grips. These are hard working guns meant to be carried, and shot. I recently had the chance to put the 9mm T4 through its paces, and the compact carry gun has changed the way I think about single actions. I’m a skeptic, but I’d carry this gun–no question about it.

I grew up with the MAC 10, but the gun was rarely portrayed in a favorable light. It was the emblem of the war-on-drugs. Now, though, the old open bolt automatic seems like an antique. Or it did until Masterpiece Arms updated their defender line. This take on the old classic is completely updated, and my new favorite large-framed 9mm.

The recent dominance of the bullpup shotgun has made the pistol grip scatter-gun seem old fashioned. But there’s still a place for the reliability of a pump shotgun. But operating a shotgun without a stock is a challange. So how practical are these cinematic beasts?

Dan Wesson double action revolvers are back. It has been about 10 years since there have been new production DW revolvers on the market. CZ USA, which bought the Dan Wesson company in 2005, have made pistols under the name but until late last year a very limited number of revolvers. And not just any revolver, the awesome Dan Wesson model 715 is back and it looks like it is here to stay.

How do you control the myriad of factors that influence long range accuracy? You need decent math skills. You should choose your ammunition carefully. But you really need to start with the gun itself. Many long range shooters depend on a chassis for their rifle that can fit their needs precisely. Are they worth the extra effort and expense? We’ll answer this with the help of Accuracy International’s new AX AICS.

Want to launch a can of Coke from an AR-15? The Can Cannon can. And it does. I do a lot of reviews, but I’ve never done one that was half as fun as this. The Can Cannon is the most fun you can have with your clothes on, and it is more fun than some of the fun I’ve had with my clothes off. Read this review–summer is the perfect time for flinging tennis balls and whizzing Coke cans.

What gun you are carrying right now? Odds are it isn’t small-frame, snub-nose revolver. A few years back it would have been. But now sub-compacts are the norm. How do they stack up in intense training classes? A recent 40 hour class with Massad Ayoob should be proof enough….

Smaller isn’t always better. You wouldn’t know it from the emphasis on single-stack pistols that is dominating the news lately. But what do you sacrifice? What if I were to tell you that you could have the capacity of a double-stack magazine and it would only be .25″ wider than your single stack? The XD Mod 2 .45 ACP, the latest concealed carry gun from Springfield-Armory, offers just that.

Are you a revolver fan, or a do you pack a pistol? Even if the answer to that question is easy, it may not be as simple to pick a winner in this head-to-head. The Colt Python vs. The Coonan Compact. Which one is a better delivery platform for the hard hitting .357 Magnum?