Pistol

The Springfield Prodigy COA pairs double-stack 1911 performance with an Aimpoint optic that sits remarkably low and stayed locked on zero. After several hundred rounds, +P loads, mag dumps, quick-draw drills, and hits at 100 yards, the pistol finished with zero malfunctions.

The FN Reflex combines a surprisingly good trigger, .85-inch best-group accuracy, and flawless reliability in a palm-sized carry gun. This little 9mm ran clean, dirty, and gritty without giving us the first problem.

With only 250 examples planned (and exclusive distribution through Chattanooga Shooting Supply) the 1911 Field Special 250th Independence Edition is likely to appeal as much to collectors as shooters.

It’s a ground-up refinement built around a new Vertec Pro steel frame, redesigned ergonomics, and a host of upgrades aimed squarely at competitive shooters.

The Stealth Arms Platypus already brings 2011-style performance with Glock magazine practicality, but this custom build takes the platform into dream-gun territory. With Impact Machine Flatty Platy porting, Rising Creek Customs Cerakote, a Vortex Defender-ST Enclosed, and the exact options I wanted, this pistol turned into the flat-shooting, hard-running custom handgun I had been chasing.

Competition pistol maker Rideout Arsenal is packing up and heading to Georgia.

Limited to just 250 pistols, the custom Commander blends patriotic themes with premium 1911 features and detailed engraving work aimed squarely at collectors.

The Smith and Wesson M&P 2.0 10mm brings serious thumper energy without feeling cartoonishly huge. With optics-ready capability, stout woods-load performance, and M&P ergonomics, this 10mm makes a strong case as a backcountry pistol that still behaves like a modern fighting gun.

A .22 LR handgun is easy to dismiss until you carry one all day, shoot it well, and watch it punch deeper than expected. For hunters, trappers, and everyday carriers in the woods, the humble rimfire sidearm still has teeth.