Guns

Shooters on tight budgets are always looking for a great deal. So, it was welcome news when Stevens announced the addition of three compact models to expand out their popular value line of 555 shotguns. Already, the flagship 555 in 12-gauge has earned high praise from shooters and outdoor writers alike for its modest beauty, solid performance and ridiculously wallet-friendly price (under $700) for an over/under shotgun. These three new compact models (in 20-gauge, 28-gauge and .410-bore offerings) only build on that reputation and provide a host of options for the sub-gauge fan.

The Taurus Judge was a controversial handgun when it was presented, and remains so today to a degree. But even the most skeptical nay-sayers raised at least one eyebrow and the notion of a fairly small revolver that could fire .45 Colt and .410 shotshells in whatever order or manner the owner saw fit.

Building on the popularity of the already released M249S semi-automatic version of the SAW light machine gun, FN is releasing the M249S Para (or Paratrooper) model. Originally developed for airborne troops in its original form, the Para is fourth addition to the company’s Military Collector Series of semi-automatic versions of classic military firearms.

While I was testing the Kel-Tec PF-9, everyone I encountered fell into three camps: Those who simply hated the brand, those that felt the gun was such a strong value that perhaps it should replace precious metals as a form of physical currency, and those who had never formed an opinion of the pistol at all. I was a never able to find anyone that had experience with the gun, but was ambivalent about it.

Two weeks ago at the Smith and Wesson factory, I got my hands on something truly exciting, and the day has finally come that we can talk about it. That pistol is the M&P M2.0, a terrific new version of an already great pistol design. It is exceedingly rare that a company listens carefully to all the wants of its consumers, and actually puts those features in its next generation of product. I am very happy to report that S&W is one of those companies.

At the 2016 SHOT Show, Windham Weaponry announced that they would be showing a groundbreaking new rifle that would allow the user to convert between calibers by changing out the barrel, mag well, and bolt carrier group—all while utilizing the same lower and upper receivers. They were going to have three versions available, with up to four caliber options in one AR platform rifle.

Now that you know what features your wife or girlfriend wants in her concealed carry handgun (covered in Part I of this series), you’re ready to help her start looking.

The Performance Center Ported Shield in 9mm takes the highly popular Shield CCW pistol and adds numerous upgrades. Read on for the full review.

If you’ve fired different types of shotguns, it’s obvious that recoil can be all over the map. Some load and gun combinations are relative pussycats, allowing one to fire hundreds of rounds per day with no ill effect. Others make you want to start sticking safety pins to your shirt and run for the nearest safe space. With recoil in mind, I got an itch to check out a 20-gauge pump shotgun for home defense. That brought me to the Stevens 320 Pump in 20 gauge.