Guns

It seems like every year we hear that revolvers are dead, and then every year some magic happens with the wheel guns. The Performance Center Model 327 is no exception to this. The 327 is everything you could ever want in a personal protection gun if you are a wheel gun fan.

The VP9 is not really all that large a pistol, but it is a full duty-sized gun. And while some folks can and do carry it concealed, I prefer something much smaller for everyday carry. I don’t want my life or my wardrobe to revolve around my carry gun. So, for those of us who are average height and build, and wear normal clothing, a smaller version is much appreciated!

To port or not to port? As with selecting any pistol, there are drawbacks and benefits. For those who are recoil sensitive and like to plink on the range — Smith & Wesson has got something for you. With the release of the M&P 2.0, there is also some other relatively new expansions from the M&P line. This week I got my hands on two very impressive pieces from the Performance Center, the 9L and 40 ported.

The new Pedersoli Howdah double pistol from the Italian Firearms Group is an historic design with a lineage that dates back to late 19th century Europe and development of the first Howdah-style double barrel pistols for big game hunters.

The mysterious ASP was the result of some 212 modifications on the stock Model 39. The most dramatic modification was the reduction in the size of both the slide and frame.

The evolution and revolution of the 1911 are both alive and doing well. Modern machining and the lessons learned from 30 years of competition means even these classics can get the best triggers, sights, finishes and magazine wells available. These may be the Classic Division guns but they are leaps and bounds better than most of the 1911s of old.

With pocket carry, there may be some issues with printing, yes, but with the right holster, it’s just a bulge in your pocket perhaps caused by a phone or a wallet or whatever.

Sig Sauer seems poised to take over the world these days. It seems like they have a winner in every market segment except kitchen sinks, and they are probably working on kitchen sinks right now. A huge win for Sig has been the MPX family of pistol caliber carbines, and this week we got our hands on one to test.

One company that emerged during this past volatile decade that I think will thrive and grow is FMK Firearms. Until the FMK 9C1 G2 arrived for testing and review, I had never handled or seen one of their products. What happened next was possibly the best surprise I’ll have all year!