Pistol

The 1911 pistol is as much a part of the fabric of America as is baseball, fast cars, and pretty girls. Literally, countless young men headed off into harm’s way with one of Mr. Browning’s hand cannons tucked into their belts.

Murphy’s law says that if something can go wrong, it will. That’s why it’s important for every handgun-owner to learn how to clear a jam or stoppage.

Wilson recently expanded their Glock customizations. I happened to have a Glock 43 in the safe so I was all in. But I still couldn’t believe the final product.

The service handguns chosen by the Army have always become essential weapons; the Remington New Army, the Colt Single Action Army, Browning’s M-1911 and the M-9 Beretta are all classics. Now you can get the latest chapter in this historic line, the SIG M17.

The M1911 was the finest combat handgun at the time of the World Wars. For close range firepower and reliability, nothing beat the M1917 revolver.

Then Smith produced the Model 640 Pro Series, perhaps the best J-frame ever! The Model 640 Pro is a Performance Center pistol that reminds me of the Smiths of old. The 640 Pro is based on a Model 640, stainless, five shot .357 Magnum, with a 2.125” barrel.

The Victory .38 was a wartime version of the original Smith and Wesson Model 10 first introduced in 1899. The gun was variously known as the S&W Military and Police or the S&W Hand Ejector. Total production exceeded six million copies. While civilian variants typically sported a deep blue finish and a variety of barrel lengths, the Victory model was bred purely for combat.

Smith & Wesson saw the exact problem I’ve described and have literally engineered the S&W M&P Shield EZ to be easier to shoot and manipulate. I believe it to be the easiest centerfire pistol in the concealed carry market to shoot and it might be the ultimate kids gun.

Opening a newly arrived box at my local FFL dealership inspired a couple “Wow!” responses – one of them my own. The 1860 Richards Transition Model Type II nestling therein sports eight glorious inches of gleaming blued steel barrel, a beautifully figured walnut grip, and a very nice color-casehardened frame.