Concealed Carry Handguns Buyers Guide - Spring 2014

FR

OM

TH

E E

DIT

OR

S O

F W

OR

LD

OF F

IREP

OW

ER

C

ON

CEA

LED

CA

RR

Y H

AN

DG

UN

S S

PR

ING

20

14

www.gunworld.comFROM THE EDITORS OF WORLD OF FIREPOWER

SPRING 2014 $8.99 U.S. • DISPLAY UNTIL: 2/25/14

Engaged Media By Beckett

CC_1401-COVER 11/18/13 11:31 PM Page US_C1

CARRY WITH CONFIDENCE

ON AND OFF DUTY

WWW.511TACTICAL.COM5.11 is a proud partner of the FBI National Academy Associates, Inc.

CC_1401_C2 11/15/13 2:03 AM Page C2

America’s Premiere Kydex HolsterAvailable in select dealers nationwide

7 7 5 . 6 3 6 . 6 5 3 2 L A G T A C T I C A L . C O M

2 week production time guaranteed

Fully adjustable

Best holster, Best price

Used by LEO/military

SCAN AND WE’LL DO THE REST

CC_1401_3 11/15/13 2:01 AM Page 3

16 DEVASTATING POCKET POWER – BOND ARMS’ NEW DERRINGERSThe Old West derringer was a vest gun for gamblers and discrete protection for ladies of the night. Today’s derringers offer extremely powerful—and specialized—protection for the rest of us...and no one makes ‘em quite like Bond Arms.Story & Photos by Dave Norman

28 DON’T THINK PINK– A WOMAN’S FIRST CONCEALED CARRY GUNA woman’s defensive gun is the second most personal thing she’ll ever wear...and should be chosen with an expert’s approach to a lady’s question. Tatiana is such an expert. Take a look at how she helps other women choose the perfect gun for them.Story by Tatiana Whitlock Photos by Jim Weiss

34 KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITY – 9 TIPS FOR FIRST TIME CARRYNew, or still kind of newish, to concealed carry? Don’t be “that guy.” Read this before leaving your house armed.Story by the Editor

48 HIDING YOUR SUBCOMPACT – DESANTIS MAKES THE XDS DISAPPEARSpringfield’s XDs is one of the most talked-about carry pistols on the market right now...but DeSantis has concealment holsters that make sure yours won’t come up in conversation on the street. But how well do they work?Story by Editor, Photos by Bill Norman

66 DEALING WITH A FAILURE TO STOP THE THREAT– SHOOT UNTIL THE TARGET GOES DOWN?A top personal defense instructor—with decades of real-world tactical experience—takes you to the range for some straightforward instruction (and crucial skill-building) in how to put an attacker down...and immediately end the threat to your life.Story & Photos by Chuck Taylor

Departments6 LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

8 INNOVATIVE GEAR

130 LAST PAGE

4 SPRING 2014 CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUNS

Features

Do you just shoot untilthe target goes down? Ordo you shoot precisely tomake the target go down?Explore the differencewith Chuck Taylor.

66

112

PHO

TO B

Y CH

UCK

TAY

LOR

Table of Contents Spring 2014

Need a pocket-sized hideout gun? We’ve gota Buyer’s Guide full of ‘em, like this P-32.

PHO

TO B

Y K

EL-T

EC

24

CC_1401-004-005-TOC.BAcx 11/18/13 3:59 AM Page 4

AT

Buyer’s Guides

SPRING 2014 CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUNS 5

10 Micro Guns

22 Pocket Handguns

36 Subcompact Semi-Autos

50 Compact Semi-Autos

72 Full Size Semi-Autos

88 1911 Handguns

106 Compact Revolvers

116 Medium Revolvers

122 Full Size Revolvers

16

Think beyond the pink finishes and marketing—a woman’s defensivehandgun has to match more important personal criteria than her gender.

28

The CoverPhotographs by: Bill Norman, LaserLyte, Colt’s MFG, Federal, Springfield Armory

Credit: Design by John Cabral

Our derringer research found that the old cowboy double-barrel-hideout-gunis still relevant... and that modern design makes them great, specialized tools!

PHO

TO B

Y BO

ND

ARM

SPH

OTO

BY

JIM

WEI

SS

Federal makes some fine .410 bore cartridgesfor self defense. See how they perform in ourspecial derringer coverage!

SCCY has gained a lot of groundlately with defensive shooters,and it’s all because of their CPXpistol series... which we’ve gotin our Subcompact Semi-Auto

Buyer’s Guide!

PHO

TO B

Y SC

CY

Modern polymer pistols comein traditional double actionand striker fired variants.Explore your options in oursemi-auto Buyer’s Guides!

PHO

TO B

Y KA

HR

ARM

S

Explore the full range of thoroughly modern1911s in our special 1911 Buyer’s Guide!

PHO

TO B

YSPR

INGF

IELD

ARM

ORY

76

36

47

100

39The latest designs go into the most

intriguing handguns inside our subcompactand compact handgun Buyer’s Guides.

Check out this PF-9 inside.

PHO

TO B

Y K

EL-T

EC

CC_1401-004-005-TOC.BAcx.CX 11/21/13 11:25 PM Page 5


Last Line of Defense

I TEACH MY CONCEALED CARRYSTUDENTS that their handgun isnot a way into a gunfight but

rather, a way out of one—paradoxical-ly, a defensive firearm and the trainingand will to use it properly are your bestmeans to get out of a deadly situationrather than into one ... and, conse-quently, get home alive to your family. Properly applied, your handgun can

kill, incapacitate or immediately dis-suade your attacker. A shot or two mayopen an avenue of retreat. The abilityto return fire on an active shooter mightbuy you the time to get out the door orcreate the chance for unarmed peoplearound you to seek cover. Properdefensive equipment and tactics candirectly end an attack or, at least, holdan attacker at bay.Just the sight of a defensive gun

held confidently might stop the attack,and while you should never, ever bran-dish a weapon (only draw it when youhave no choice but to use it), you mightfind the tenor of the engagementimmediately and fundamentallychanges in your favor once it’s out.And if not, well, that’s why you carry

a loaded gun: to be able to defendyourself effectively against whateverattacker or attackers threaten your life.Your gun must be on you in that

moment when you realize your life isthreatened—a single instance youcan’t really plan for because if youcould, you would probably plan to besomewhere else at the time.To be sure you have it when you need

it, you need to carry every single time it’slawful and reasonable to do so. After all,you don’t set out the fire extinguisherjust for your Fourth of July barbecue;you have it easily at hand in the kitchenyear-round. (Or, at least, you should.)That means that your choice of

handgun needs to favor a model ormodels that are light and unobtrusive

enough that you will be inclined tocarry them all the time. They shouldhave adequate firepower to get you outof a tough spot without needing thesize or capacity of guns issued to pro-fessionals who are trained andemployed to get into potential gun-fights. Your holsters should includedesigns that work with a variety ofclothing styles throughout the year andare as comfortable as they are con-cealable (otherwise you won’t wearthem as much as you might havewished you had).In this issue, we look at the ultimate

last-line-of-defense, “getting out oftrouble” handgun design: the derringer,as made popular by several companiesrecently, most notably Bond Arms.They fetch prices equal to and higherthan many sub-compact semis butoffer truly unique combinations of fire-power and concealment compared toall other handgun designs. You wouldnever carry a derringer as your primaryarm in combat or as your only sidearmfor uniformed law enforcement work …but there are so many other times,ways and places that are only right fora derringer that we had to get a fewand bring you the scoop.So, leave the professionals to charge

into danger. When it comes time tocharge away from it, to end the con-frontation or open an opportunity forretreat, be sure you have the right hand-gun for you ... and that you have ithandy! Could this be a derringer? Couldit be a revolver? A semi-auto or a 1911?Read on to find dozens of options andpick the right model for you.

—Dave Norman, Editor

A LETTER FROM THE

EDITOR

By Dave Norman

EDITORIALGroup Editorial Manager: Doug JeffreyEditor: Dave NormanManaging Editor: Breanna Armstrong, Elise PortaleArt Director: John Bernikow

CONTRIBUTORSChuck Taylor, Brad Fitzpatrick, Mike Dickerson, Dr. Martin D. Topper

ADVERTISINGGabe Frimmel: Ad Sales Director

(714) 200-1930, [email protected]

David Beckler: Outdoor Group Director

(972) 448-9173

Casey Clifford: Senior Account Executive

(717) 896-8956

Mark Pack: Senior Account Executive

(714) 200-1939

Gennifer Merriday: Ad Traffic Coordinator

DIRECT MARKETING GROUP John Bartulin (866) 866-5146 ext. 2746Paul Caca (866) 866-5146 ext. 4961Ryan Lauro (866) 866-5146 ext. 2756Mary Ann Jaca (866) 866-5146 ext 2716

OPERATIONSGus Alonzo: Newsstand Sales & Marketing ManagerCelia Merriday: Newsstand AnalystAmit Sharma: Business Analytics ManagerMohit Patel: Newsstand & Production AnalystAlberto Chavez: Senior Logistics & Facilities ManagerJohn Cabral: Creative Graphic Designer

EDITORIAL, PRODUCTION& SALES OFFICE22840 Savi Ranch Parkway, #200Yorba Linda, CA 92887(714) 939-9991www.gunworld.comwww.facebook.com/concealedcarrymagazinewww.facebook.com/eembybeckett

Concealed Carry Handguns © 2013 by Beckett Media, LLC. All rights reserved.Reproduction of any material from this issue in whole or in part is strictly prohibited.

CUSTOMER SERVICEBECKETT MEDIA, LLC4635 Mc Ewen Road. Dallas, TX 75244

SUBSCRIPTIONS, ADDRESS CHANGE, RENEWALS, MISSINGOR DAMAGED COPIES(800) 764-6278(239) 653-0225 Foreign [email protected]@beckett.com

BACK ISSUES www.engagedmediamags.com

BOOKS, MERCHANDISE, REPRINTS(239) 280-2380

DEALER SALES(239) 280-2380

NEW PRODUCTS OR TO CONTRIBUTE A STORY OR [email protected]

BECKETT MEDIA, LLCNick Singh: Executive DirectorErin Masercola: Business Unit Editorial Director

This magazine is purchased by the buyer with the understanding that information presented is from various sources from which there can beno warranty or responsibility by Beckett Media, LLC as to the legality,completeness or technical accuracy.

GST #855116562RT001

Canada Post: Publications Mail Agreement #40612608Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to:PITNEY BOWES, INC.P.O. Box 25542, London, ON N6C 6B2

PH

OTO

BY

MAT

THE

W G

LATZ SPRING 2014

CC_1401_006-EDITOR.BA.CX 11/21/13 11:26 PM Page 6

*Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery of fi rst issue. Outside US, add $26 postage per year and prepay in US funds only.

SUBSCRIBE TODAY& SAVE 66%CALL 800-764-6278

OR VISIT US ON-LINE AT

WWW.ENGAGEDMEDIAMAGS.COM/GWDON’T FORGET TO MENTION PROMO CODE A733K041

In Every Issue You Will Find ...

JUST $ 1995*for 12 issues

PM 5:16:12

CC_1401_7 11/15/13 3:11 AM Page 7


Hidden In Plain SightBy Dave Norman

Blackhawk’s Diversion Carry put to the Test

THIS IS JUST A PLAIN BACK-PACK. This particular one is silver and

blue. There is absolutely nothing toget excited about ... and so itmoves through the background ofany given scene, strapped to theback of someone with a secret:they’re actually carrying a full-sizeduty-issued handgun behind areadily accessible hidden panel, aplate of ceramic ballistic armor,half-a-dozen, high-capacity spare

magazines, a laptop with sensitiveinformation, and their lunch. All inthat utterly nondescript bag.

The Blackhawk DiversionSeries bag is designed to fly com-pletely under the radar in any car,on any street, in just about any set-ting in America.

Which would be scary, if not forthe fact that Blackhawk makesthem for heroes, and the lawfullyarmed—the good guys...who knowthe value of lying low in plain sight.

DIVERSION CARRYThe Blackhawk Diversion Carry

series of products includes aslightly oversized tennis racquetcase that conceals an AR disas-sembled into upper/lower halves, agym-style bag, a sling-style pack, askateboard-style pack...and thisbasic backpack, which is visuallyat home just about everywhere.

The most important aspect ofthe pack is its discrete accesspanel to a padded compartment

INNOVATIVE

GEAR

ContactBlackhawkBLACKHAWK!6160 Commander ParkwayNorfolk, VA 23502(800) 694-5263www.blackhawk.com

There is absolutely nothingout of place about theDiversion Carry Backpack,even when its hidden contents might be.

Photo by Dave Norman

CC_1401-008-009-INNOVATIVE 11/18/13 4:04 AM Page 8


“Then we changed our minds again andwent with the full-size M9. The pack didn’tcare—they all worked interchangeably.

“CC

that will accommodate a full-size,duty-type handgun...with a light,laser, or other type of rail attach-ment. We stashed a subcompactGlock in there, then changed ourminds and stashed a full-sizeGlock, then changed our mindsagain and went with the full-sizeM9. The pack didn’t care—theyall worked interchangeably.

There’s a simple, Velcro-adjusted retention strap systeminternally to protect the triggerguard and keep the pistol fromshifting around. The compart-ment is accessed ambidextrouslyvia two easily accessible pulltabs on the zippers. It took a bitto get the hang of drawing whilecarrying the backpack, and wenever got good at or comfortablewith it. But we found somethingway better...

TACTICAL STREET BACKPACKYou can access the gun’s

compartment through that hiddensmall-of-the-back panel, or byunzipping a zipper that goesalmost completely around thepack. That opens a large, yet flat,compartment—with the gun at

the bottom—where you can easilystash a large panel of ceramicbody armor. Use the rest of thepack to carry your laptop andgym clothes, lunch and hikinggear, whatever. Then if shots startflying (at the mall, when you arriveas a first responder, wherever),immediately transition the back-pack to your chest. Now you canvery easily draw the pistol...andyou have ceramic armor between

you and the threat.There is even a flap on the

very front, held up with twoquick-detach buckles, where youcan put a badge or law enforce-ment / EMT identification patch.Flip that down in a heartbeat, andyou can let everyone know thatyou’re an emergency responder (ifapplicable).

The pack features the sortand variety of pouches and com-partments that we demand toorganize our lives while afoot run-ning errands, going to eveningclasses, and hiking as well. Andno one knows about that “other”element of its design...or what itconceals.

Discretion is one of your firstlines of defense. This bag proveditself adept at discretely keepinghandy one even more importantform of defense.

Diversion CarryBackpackStraps: 2Zipper Style: Cord PullPouches: 2Compartments: 3Colors: Black & Red, Range Green& Coyote Tan, Grey & Blue (tested)Special Features: Small-of-backhidden access panel, concealsfull-size handgun, flip-down panel for displaying IDMSRP: $144.99

The backpack itself is completely innocuous,even as it contains your full-size duty handgun.

Slip a ceramic armor plate into the rear compartment,and when the shots start flying, transition the bag toyour chest—your gun will be really easy to reach,and you’ll have armor between you and the threat.

The hidden access panel opens easily to provideready access to your concealed, full-size handgun.

Now you can veryeasily draw the pistol...and you have ceramicarmor between you andthe threat...““

Photo by

Bill N

orman

Photo by

Bill N

orman

Photo by

Bill N

orman

CC_1401-008-009-INNOVATIVE 11/18/13 4:04 AM Page 9

From ankle holsters to pocketcarry, derringers are a classicchoice...now, with modern metallurgy that makes themreally shine! Photo by Bond Arms

LAST LINE OF DEFENSE

In this issue we take a special look at the microdefensive handgun as your

last line of defense. These arethe derringers and microrevolvers that you slip into anankle holster, keep in a note-book, put in your tackle box,stash in your pocket on yourway out the door... They arethe backup guns carried bysome armed professionals,and many armed citizenscarry them as a “second gun.”For a few of us, and in some circumstances, they are ourprimary carry arms.

They serve in these rolesas a function of their uniquesize, dimensions, and weight.The smallest micro revolversweigh just a few ounces, andcan disappear into a frontpants pocket on even a tightpair of jeans. A .410 bore derringer can be potent snakemedicine when you’re fishing,or when loaded with personaldefense rounds, can offereffective defense against an attacker. They hide on your body, and in your

environment, where otherguns can’t...

...and as a function of theirlightweight and ease of carry,they’re the guns you won’tmind grabbing when yourother arms don’t fit your outfit or mood.

Understanding them is amatter of familiarizing your-self with the guns them-selves, and the art of utilizingthem effectively—masteringtheir single action function,being able to cock and firethem one handed, being ableto hit what you’re aiming atdespite their rudimentarysights and very short sightradius...

Then once you see foryourself where they shakeout in balancing size againstpower and capacity, you cansee how a derringer or microrevolver fits into your conceptof personal defense and concealed carry.

They might be the solu-tions you need...and mightsolve problems you didn’tknow you had.

—Editor

HANDGUNSMICRO


CC_1401-010-015-MICRO.BAcx.CX 11/21/13 11:47 PM Page 10


“They hide on your body, and in yourenvironment, where other guns can’t...

“CC_1401-010-015-MICRO.BAcx 11/18/13 4:11 AM Page 11

MODEL: CB9WEBSITE:www.cobrapistols.netMSRP: $189Action: SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 2Barrel Length: 2.75 inchesLength: 4.7 inchesWeight: 14 ounces Features: Top-hinged barrel,integral sights, available in anarray of colors

MODEL: 22SWEBSITE:www.northamericanarms.comMSRP: $209Action: SACaliber: .22 ShortCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 1.13 inchesLength: 3.6 inchesWidth: 0.81 inchesHeight: 2.4 inchesWeight: 4 ounces Features: Contoured grip, amazingly light, extraordinarily small

MODEL: .22 MAG HOLSTER / GRIP COMBOWEBSITE:www.northamericanarms.comMSRP: $244Action: SACaliber: .22 WMRCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 1.1 inchesLength: 5.25 in or 5.75 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 2.9 inchesWeight: 6.2 ounces Features: Grip folds under pistol, accepts.22 LR cartridges, doesn’t “print” as a gun

CobraFirearms

NorthAmericanArms

MODEL: DIABLOWEBSITE:www.cimarron-firearms.comMSRP: $219Action: SACaliber: .22 MAGCapacity: 2Barrel Length: 2.4 inchesLength: 4.4 inchesWeight: 9.4 ounces Features: Top-hinged barrel, integral sights,.22 LR barrel set included

CimarronFirearms


MICRO HANDGUNS

NorthAmericanArms

CC_1401-010-015-MICRO.BAcx 11/18/13 4:12 AM Page 12

m

MODEL: PUG-TWEBSITE:www.northamericanarms.comMSRP: $334Action: SACaliber: .22 WMRCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 1 inchLength: 4.5 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 2.75 inchesWeight: 6.4 ounces Features: Tritium night sights,powerful .22 cartridge, extremelycompact revolver

NorthAmericanArms

MODEL: BOND MINIWEBSITE:www.bondarms.comMSRP: $389Action: SACaliber: .45 ColtCapacity: 2Length: 2.5 inchesLength: 4.5 inchesHeight: 3.75 inchesWeight: 19 ounces Features: Crossbolt safety, retractingfiring pins, extremely powerful

Bond Arms


P b

Cimarron FirearmsMODEL: TITANWEBSITE:www.cimarron-firearms.comMSRP: $427Action: SACaliber: .45 Colt / .410 shotshellCapacity: 2Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 5.5 inchesHeight: 3.7 inchesWeight: 16 ounces Features: Trigger guard, lightweight, powerful chambering



MICRO HANDGUNS

IN DEPTHMODEL: COWBOY DEFENDERWEBSITE:www.bondarms.comMSRP: $415Action: SACaliber: .45 Colt / .410 shotshellCapacity: 2Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 5 inchesHeight: 3.75 inchesWeight: 19 ounces Features: Interchangeable barrels,spring-loaded cammed lockinglever, extremely powerful

The shortest Bond Arms derringer that chambers a.410 bore shotshell, the Cowboy Defender, featuresBond Arms’ universal barrel mounting system to affixbarrels to its compact receiver. The standard barrellength, three inches, provides just enough room toaccept a 2.5-inch shotshell...and ample room for afull-power .45 Colt load.This diminutive pistol stores one round in each of

its two barrels, and automatically indexes betweenbarrels as you work the single action hammer. Thelarge front sight blade is rather unique to Bond Arms’

derringers. In all, the Cowboy Defender is patternedafter the Remington Double Derringer circa1860s...with the modern metallurgy and laser-precision machining that enables it to take powerfulsmokeless cartridges and provide confidence-inspiring security during lockup.Try this derringer in a tuckable single-clip-style

inside the waistband holster for everyday carry, or a simple leather cross-draw holster while youdrive (or work at a desk) for the ultimate inergonomic concealability!

Bond Arms

Bond ArmsMODEL: SNAKE SLAYERWEBSITE:www.bondarms.comMSRP: $505Action: SACaliber: .45 Colt / .410 shotshellCapacity: 2Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesLength: 6.25 inchesHeight: 4.3 inchesWeight: 23.5 ouncesFeatures: Interchangeable barrels, fixed sights, automatic extractor

MODEL: DOUBLE TAPWEBSITE:www.heizerfirearms.comMSRP: $499Action: DACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 2Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 5.5 inchesWidth: 0.7 inchesHeight: 3.9 inchesWeight: 12 ouncesFeatures: Unique double-action design, carries two sparerounds on an included speedstrip in the grip panel

Heizer Defense



American DerringerMODEL: MODEL 1WEBSITE: www.amderringer.comMSRP: $710Action: SACaliber: .45 Colt / .410 shotshellCapacity: 2Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 4.8 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 3.35 inchesWeight: 15 ounces Features: Automatic barrel selection, hammer block safety, dual ammunition

American DerringerMODEL: DA38WEBSITE:www.amderringer.comMSRP: $690Action: DACaliber: .38 SPLCapacity: 2Barrel Length: 3.3 inchesLength: 4.7 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 3.3 inchesWeight: 14.5 ounces Features: Rather uniquedouble-action derringer,very concealable, fixedsights CC



DEVASTATING POCKET POWER

By Dave NormanBond Arms’ New Derringers

A ROMANTICIZED STYLEMy hero Isaac Bell carries a der-

ringer in his hat during his daringinvestigations on the pages of CliveCussler’s novels. Bell can always hithis mark, even if it’s the gun in a badguy’s hand.

They’re everywhere in Westernnovels, too, and cowboy movies—just look for the gambler pulling one

out of his vest pocket, or shaking onedown from inside his sleeve. There’sa certain allure to derringers—thosedouble barrel, single action weaponsof absolute last resort.

Casinos don’t generally let youbring one to the poker table thesedays, and if I was investigatingorganized crime in a rough city Iwould carry something far more

substantial (as Bell does, too, inpoint of fact).

But do they have any role in mod-ern, real-world defense? To see if wecan liberate them from fiction andhistory with any degree of success,we picked up a pair of derringersfrom Bond Arms...including theirbrand new, unreleased as of presstime, Backup model.

“Whatcha gonna hit with that belly gun?” my assistant taunted. Then I firedtwice at 10 inch steel plates seven yards away while crab-walking towardsmy weak side. Two plates fell—one per .40 SW bullet. “Well I’ll be...”

The Backup (left) and USADefender are part of Bond Arms’extensive lineup of derringers...and offer particular utility inunique ways.

Photo by Dave No

rman

CC_1401-016-021-BOND.BA 11/18/13 4:24 AM Page 16


MODERN PEACE OF MINDModern carry guns are incredibly

light, and they each make one holeper trigger pull. This has never beenconsidered a bad thing. But whatabout a gun that makes six holes pertrigger pull? That is a bit smaller thanthe average carry gun, and puts out acloud of return fire?Well that’s something different...and

the starting point for many who con-sider a derringer. Bond Arms makes alot of models that come with (or cancome with by special order) .45 Colt /.410 bore barrels, meaning that youcan shoot the eminently powerfulcowboy load or the incrediblydestructive shotshell load inter-changeably. It’s the shotshell loadthat captivates us.With modern metallurgy and design,

quality derringers like the Bond Arms Backup and USA Defender canwithstand years of shooting practice,daily carry, and adventure. The stain-less steel in the USA Defender, andpowder coated steel in the Backup,will ignore your sweat and ask only tobe wiped off now and then. We shotthe USA Defender until there wasfouling buildup on the muzzle, thenwiped it away easily and it shinedagain like justice.These derringers put those loads

through that modern metal atrespectable velocities (they have, bydesign, extremely short barrels), in avery straightforward way: cock the

single action hammer (which is wideenough to be very easily engaged),pull the trigger. Repeat to fire theother barrel. That’s important for self-defense: reliability, which they provedin spades...and straightforward,stress-proof operation.They’re not as simple to operate as

“point and click” striker fired designs,but less complicated than a 1911(which isn’t really complicated atall)...and they fit in interesting places.Which brings up their other modern

utility: derringers are backupweapons, and extremely deep con-cealment weapons. Bond Arms dis-tributes the Flashbang Holster, whichis designed to clip between the cupsof a bra so females can carry theirdiminutive derringer in a very incon-spicuous place. Many holster makershave ankle holsters for derringers, andthere’s even a garter-style thigh hol-ster for females who want to carry likeladies supposedly did in the Old West.They also serve as deep conceal-

ment arms, as their particular pro-file—in the case of the USA Defenderand Backup, anyway, which we easilyconcealed and which fit the classicderringer profile—is easy to makedisappear on your body...easier thana wider revolver, or a more L-shapedsemi-auto.You shouldn’t expect to go charg-

ing into battle with a derringer, nor to wear one as your primary duty gun in an armed profession. Rather,

We fired the USA Defender withboth .410 bore shotshells, and witha different barrel set, .40 SWdefensive ammunition.

Phot

o by

Dav

e No

rman

Phot

o by

Dav

e No

rman

9mm defensive loads felt snappy, but hit truewhen we overrode our inclination to aim andlet fly with point shooting.

Phot

o by

Bill

Nor

man

Contact Bond ArmsBond ArmsPO Box 1296Granbury, TX 76048(817) 573-4445www.bondarms.com

With an appendix carry holster, the Backup canvirtually disappear.

CC_1401-016-021-BOND.BA 11/18/13 4:24 AM Page 17


derringers are the weapons of lastresort you want when you’re on yourback with your primary gun miss-ing...or when you’re surprised (as ina parking lot) at contact distance.Or when you’re fishing, and come

across a copperhead too close forcomfort. Or when you need toadminister a coup de grâce withoutdisturbing a deer’s antlers or meatwith a point blank rifle shot.For those times when you need a

single, powerful shot at point blankrange, you might need a derringer—especially when you want to use abuckshot shell to turn that singleshot into six 9mm projectiles hittingall at once.

USA DEFENDERMade in a limited edition of only

5,000 units, the USA Defender is adeluxe derringer. The grip is ampleand hand-filling, which came in veryhandy during range testing, as itspread the recoil impulse of the .410bore defensive rounds across moreof our shooters’ hands...which maderecoil more tolerable and accuratehits more possible. The stainlesssteel is polished bright and shiny,and the large front sight is surpris-ingly easy to acquire in the rudimen-tary rear notch.Our thumb and trigger finger had

an easy time knocking the safetyback and forth, and we were sur-prised to see that the hammer willstill fall (on part of the safety) whenthe safety is engaged—it just won’tconnect with the firing pins. Whileyou could theoretically use this as adecocking feature, we prefer to useit in conjunction with easing the

hammer slowly forward in the tradi-tional manner.Likewise, the barrel release lever—

with its knurled end—is easilymanipulated, and though no der-ringer is as quick to reload as asemi-auto (or revolver with a speedloader), the USA Defender was quickenough to reload. That speed washelped, of course, by a true innova-tion: the ejector built into the barrels(for rimmed cartridge chamberings),which you slide with your finger todraw the rimmed cartridges out ofthe chambers...saving your thumb-nails and expediting the reload.

BACKUPBond Arms’ newest derringer is

the comparatively diminutiveBackup, which is shorter in lengthand height than the USA Defender,slightly lighter, and has a non-glarebaked-on powder coating. Theshorter barrels reflect its chamber-ings: for “rimless” semi-auto car-tridges like 9mm, .40 SW, and .45ACP. Looking at the chambers of theUSA Defender, most of the apparent“barrel length” is invested in cham-bering the shotshells. The Backup’scartridges are shorter...and so are

The USA Defender is a gorgeousgun that can come in just aboutany handgun caliber you like...andeasily digested all the defensiveloads we fed it.

Hot Specs: Backup!ACTION: SACAPACITY: 2CALIBER: .45 ACP (tested), .40 SW,

9mm (tested)LENGTH: 4.5 inchesHEIGHT: 3.75 inchesWIDTH: 0.9 inchesGRIPS: RubberMSRP: $TBASPECIAL FEATURES: Available inmajor semi-auto cartridges, bakedon powder-coated non-glare finish,non-glare gray barrel finish, easilyinterchangeable barrels, compactbird’s-head grip

Phot

o by

Dav

e No

rman

CC_1401-016-021-BOND.BA 11/18/13 4:24 AM Page 18

The non-glare finish on the receiver and barrels give the Backup a unique look, anddiscrete presentation.


the barrels, consequently lighteningthe gun and making it even morediscrete-carry-friendly.As the name implies, the Backup is

intended to be a discrete, diminutivederringer carried alone to back youup, or carried in addition to a largerhandgun as backup in case your pri-mary arm can’t help you. When car-rying a backup gun, it’s prudent todo so in a means accessible by yourweak hand—should you need thebackup gun, it might be becauseyour dominant hand (and arm) isbusy fighting, has been seriouslyinjured, is pinned beneath your body,etc. In all of those situations, itbehooves you to have a backup gun,and to carry it in a manner that’seasily accessible with your otherhand...and bonus points if you carryit on a completely different part ofyour body, in case whatever preventsyou from accessing your primary gunwould prevent you accessing a mir-ror-holstered derringer.In each case, the Backup could be

your ticket out alive.

TRIAL BY FIRE(ING)I loaded two 2.5 inch .410 bore

shotshells loaded with #8 shot into

the USA Defender, swung the bar-rels closed—which feels totally awe-some, by the way—lined up on tar-get, cocked the hammer, and pulledthe trigger.I don’t admit to flinching, but my

assistant laughed his head off atsomething. That something waswhat happened when the hammerfell on the safety, rather than con-necting with the hammer’s barrel-selecting transfer bar. I tried again,with even more hilarity, until in amoment of panicked frustration Iremembered the safety...and imme-diately fired both barrels out of spiteas much as anything. The USADefender roared, my hand stung,and my target had absolutely noidea what happened to it.Mostly, because it was an

inanimate object.But also because those loads

of birdshot did things to that IDPAtarget that I had never done to such a target with a handgunbefore. It was sprayed shoulder toshoulder, neck to nethers, with twoclouds of birdshot. The pellets allpenetrated the cardboard and synthetic corrugated backer, while I wondered about their real-world

penetration. I fired from fifteen feet,and certainly would have dissuadedan attacker, though the #8 pelletswouldn’t have ended the fight ontheir energy or penetration meritsalone.Which is fine, because that’s an

extreme range for such a load in aderringer, and birdshot is not by anymeans a good defensive load. So Iloaded up some Federal 000 buck-shot, closed to ten feet, and

Hot Specs: USADefender!ACTION: SACAPACITY: 2CALIBER: .45 Colt / .410 Bore

(tested), .40 SW (tested)LENGTH: 4.25 inchesHEIGHT: 3.75 inchesWIDTH: 0.9 inchesGRIPS: RosewoodMSRP: $504SPECIAL FEATURES: Available inmany calibers and barrel lengths,accepts easily interchanged barrels,integral push-button safety, easilymanipulated barrel release latch

The large front sight comes in handy both forpoint shooting (where you’re vaguely aware ofthe sight) and more precise aiming (which ishopeful with this short of a sight radius).

Phot

o by

Bill

Nor

man

Phot

o by

Bill

Nor

man

Either derringer can ride along in your car for easy, contact-range defense against carjacking.

Phot

o by

Dav

e No

rman

Phot

o by

Dav

e No

rman

CC_1401-016-021-BOND.BA 11/18/13 4:24 AM Page 19


wreaked absolute havoc on that target.Havoc.6 pellets of 9mm buckshot hitting

simultaneously, havoc.Suddenly, a two-shot derringer

seemed a formidable weapon. Then Iclosed to five feet and fired the otherbarrel......and cackled madly at the devas-

tating result.Then we switched to firing

Winchester’s fantastic PDX-1 defen-sive shells, which were developedspecifically for the Taurus Judge (andgenerally for other .410 bore hand-guns). These rounds feature threeplated discs and twelve plated BBs,for a total of fifteen projectiles...threeof which are roughly 9mm and packquite the kinetic wallop. On paper, theBBs spread far and wide to cover thetarget (with a few misses beyond tenfeet of range) while the discs clus-tered in an almost straight line eachtime...and hit across roughly three lin-ear inches at three yards.The patterns are best at ranges

closer than ten feet, and even at fivefeet you shouldn’t try any preciseshooting around a hostage. It’s inad-visable to fire a multi-projectile load atany attacker more than about ten feetaway if you’re anywhere that a misscould potentially strike innocentbystanders. Patterning the USADefender shows exactly why—the

way the groups open up dramatically,coupled with your panicked in-the-moment marksmanship, could poten-tially send projectiles right past anattacker and into anyone standing inthe distance behind him.But derringers aren’t designed for

long distance accuracy, and specifi-cally, those chambered for shotshellsare intended as an up-close-and-per-sonal solution to a threat that hasclosed to, or within, contact range. Atthat range, a cloud of 9mm pelletsdispersed across their torso will very,very likely end the threat.For those who like the derringer

concept, but want the tactical versa-tility of a single predictable projectilerather than a cloud of shot, the USADefender also shoots .45 Colt car-tridges, and can be chambered in justabout any common, smaller handguncartridge......which is where the Backup really

shined.

SAME CALIBER, SMALLER PLATFORMThe Backup shoots the exact same

caliber and type of bullets as ourcarry guns—9mm, .40 SW, and .45ACP (courtesy of interchangeable,dedicated barrels, sold separate fromthe one set it comes with). We shot itwith the latter two calibers, divertingthe rounds from our Springfields tothe Backup—important for those who

Which BarrelShoots First?Inside the hammer is a clever

sliding device that indexesbetween the top and bottombarrel...each time the hammeris pulled. The barrels will alwaysalternate back and forth, neverskipping a barrel, with no readymanual way to control whichone fires “first.”You can look at that lower,

forward part of the hammer atrest, and see if the slider isdown (meaning that it will slideup when cocked next, to hit theupper firing pin) or down(meaning it will slide down thenext time the hammer iscocked, firing from the bottombarrel).If you lower the hammer onto

the safety, or otherwise withoutdischarging the gun, the nexttime the gun is cocked it will tryto fire the other barrel...which ifit’s already been fired, ofcourse, won’t do any good.Thus: any time you’ve fired onebarrel and have the opportunityto reload, do it...and always loadboth barrels to be sure it dis-charges when you intend it to!

The Backup is small enough to ride along a lotof places, so it’ll be there when you need it.

The manual cartridgeejector and knurledknob action lever,together with thetrigger guard androsewood grips,make the USADefender a trulydeluxe derringer.

Photo by

Dav

e No

rman

Photo by

Dav

e No

rman

CC_1401-016-021-BOND.BA 11/18/13 4:24 AM Page 20


CC

Dept #CC14

Front

back

BUY THEM ONLINE AT ENGAGEDMEDIAMAGS.COMOR CALL US AT 800-764-6278

100% Pre-Shrunk Cotton * Black Shirt with Red and Grey Screen Print

Get Your offi cial world of fi repowerT-Shirt Today!

$19.95 only

plus s&H

value the simplicity of using onecaliber, and cartridge, across multi-ple platforms. The savvy marksmancould even maintain a carbine in.45 ACP, a .45 ACP carry gun, anda .45 ACP Backup (like we tested),with the same round in each.

Or do a .40 SW or 9mm versionof the same. One bullet—threeguns, for three different purposes.

We found the recoil to be surpris-ing—though eminently manageable,the .45 ACP and .40 SW recoil ineach derringer felt virtually thesame as the .410 bore defenseloads in the USA Defender! With noslide to soak up recoil energy, andvery low mass to dampen thatrecoil impulse, that energy wentstraight to the rear...which over timecame to sting. But the derringerisn’t a session gun, and shooting ahundred rounds through it (as wedid...each) is going to add up.

The Backup returned minute-of-badguy accuracy at fifteenyards, and surprisingly good accu-racy at 7 yards—we kept eight .40SW shots on seven 10 inch steelplates. While moving laterally.

IF YOU...If you need a backup gun for use

at backup-gun-ranges in backup-gun-situations, either gun wouldtreat you well...with personal pref-erence going to the USA Defenderand its cloud of 000 buckshot orPDX-1 payload. There’s a lot ofgood to be said for the Backup’sdiminutive size and same-as-larg-er-gun chamberings. Both are spe-cialized handguns, and could serveas a primary carry gun...but betteras a contact-range solution, back-up gun, or tackle box gun.

If you have the time to dedicateto training at the range, in one-handed cocking and firing (safely),you can get a lot of utility out ofeach of these derringers. They dothe same basic thingdifferently...and if that solves aneed in your life, or buys youpeace of mind, they’re ready for alifetime of service.

CC_1401-016-021-BOND.BA 11/22/13 10:43 AM Page 21

SEARCHING FOR PERFECTION

Find the perfect pocket pistolby taking stock of yourneeds, then consulting this

survey of the industry’s most inter-esting designs. Be creative withyour questions, and don’t backdown from asking hard ones—you’re only answering to yourself,and in your answers, you’ll findattributes to look for.

Would you carry more frequentlyif your pistol was slimmer, andthus didn’t take up so much spaceunder your belt? Do you haveenough familiarity with differentguns and calibers to add anothercaliber to your life, or would youprefer to stick to one caliber (like9mm) across all of your defensivehandguns? Will you practiceenough over the years that itmakes a big difference to invest ina high-end gun, or will a perfectlyserviceable budget model be ade-quate for the (unfortunately low)amount of shooting it will see? Doyou have the manual dexterity andfinger/hand strength to rack a tinyslide against a stout recoil spring,or should you look at low-calibermodels or those whose barrels tipup for loading the first round?

Pocket handguns will fit very

small hands, which is a big plus forsome; conversely, they might befar too small for those with meatypaws. Check the fit of any modelyou’re seriously considering to besure that your hand won’t get inthe way of the slide’s normal func-tion...and that you can easily andintuitively manipulate the controlswith your shooting hand.

Balancing size against firepoweris always tricky, but especially withpocket handguns—with so littlematerial, even lower powered car-tridges and loads can be mightyhard to shoot accurately duringrapid fire. You also will be hardpressed to find a true pocket hand-gun in .45 ACP or other vauntedchamberings...though there isplenty to be said for multiple .380ACP rounds delivered quickly atthe ranges for which these gunsare intended.

These are specialized pistols thatperfectly fill certain needs, andwork wonderfully well for certainpeople. Do they have a role in yourpersonal defense? Only a thoroughinquiry can tell...and when that getsyou to the gun store and range, itcan be really fun!

—Editor

HANDGUNSPOCKET


These handguns slip easilyinto—and out of—your pocket,ride inconspicuously in an ankleholster, and yet retain the fire-power to get you out of danger. Photo by Kel-Tec

CC_1401-022-27-POCKET.BA 11/18/13 4:34 AM Page 22


“These are specializedpistols that perfectly fillcertain needs.

“CC_1401-022-27-POCKET.BA 11/18/13 4:34 AM Page 23

IN DEPTHMODEL: P32WEBSITE:www.keltecweapons.comMSRP: $318Action: DAOCaliber: .32 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 2.7 inchesLength: 5.1 inchesWidth: 0.75 inchesHeight: 3.5 inchesWeight: 6.6 ounces Features: Locked breech, light trigger, lightweight

Kel-Tec’s polymer pistols have a reputation for

providing a welcomed balance between price point

and reliability. The parts that need to be metal are,

and the rest of the gun—the grip and lower receiver

assembly (with metal rails and other metal parts

molded in) is a lightweight polymer that makes the

whole gun, loaded, weigh just 9.4 ounces. That’s

noticeably less than a can of soda weighs...and the

extremely trim dimensions recommend it as a great

pocket pistol.

We’ve fired Kel-Tecs of this size, and after a box

of ammunition you won’t exactly look forward to its

recoil impulse...but they aren’t target pistols, and

they’re not meant for pleasurable shooting. Rather,

they’re designed from size to ergonomics to provide

a deep, deep concealment pistol that chambers a

round more powerful than the .25 ACP...in a package

tinier than just about any .380 ACP or more powerful

cartridge. It’s a great in-between-sizes and in-

between-calibers gun.

Kel-Tec


POCKET HANDGUNS

TaurusMODEL: 25BWEBSITE: www.taurususa.comMSRP: $273Action: DAOCaliber: .25 ACPCapacity: 9+1Barrel Length: 2.75 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 4.25 inchesWeight: 12.3 ounces Features: Tip-up barrel, frame-mounted 1911-style safety, magazinefloor plate features finger rest

MODEL: HELLCATWEBSITE:www.ioinc.usMSRP: $274.95Action: DA/SACaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.75 inchesLength: 5.2 inchesWidth: 0.8 inchesHeight: 3.6 inchesWeight: 9.4 ounces Features: Snag-free design,fluorescent front sight, verynarrow width

IO Inc



The best source for tactical information and gear on newsstands today.

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!Call 800-764-6278or visit us on-line atwww.engagedmediamags.comAllow 5-7 days for delivery of your issue. Outside US, prepay yearly postage in US funds only.

Just$899

,

MODEL: BOBCATWEBSITE: www.berettausa.comMSRP: $335

Action: DA/SACaliber: .25 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 2.4 inchesLength: 4.9 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 3.7 inchesWeight: 11.5 ounces Features: Tip-up barrel, surprisingly comfortablegrip, also available in .22 LR

BerettaMODEL: .380 MUSTANG POCKETLITEWEBSITE: www.coltsmfg.comMSRP: $599

Action: SACaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.75 inchesLength: 5.5 inchesWeight: 12.5 ouncesFeatures: Lowered ejection port, commander-style hammer, 1911 design in very tiny package

Colt



POCKET HANDGUNS

MODEL: LCPWEBSITE:www.ruger.comMSRP: $379Action: DAOCaliber: .380Capacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.75 inchesLength: 5.2 inchesWidth: 0.8 inchesHeight: 3.6 inchesWeight: 9.4 ounces Features: Snag-free design forpocket carry, low-profile sights,seven rounds total onboard

BerettaMODEL: TOMCATWEBSITE:www.berettausa.comMSRP: $390Action: DA/SACaliber: .32 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 2.4 inchesLength: 4.9 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 3.7 inchesWeight: 14.5 ounces Features: Tip-up barrel, crisp trigger in singleaction, surprisingly manageable recoil

MODEL: GUARDIAN 25 NAAWEBSITE:www.northamericanarms.comMSRP: $402Action: DAOCaliber: .25 NAACapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.2 inchesLength: 4.4 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 3.3 inchesWeight: 13.6 ounces Features: Proprietary bottle-necked cartridge, stippled grip for ease of control,improved reliability

HOT GEARK-Zone Gun Rest

You need to know where your sights are sending your rounds...more accurately than blazing away offhand. A proper shooting rest canhelp you dial in adjustable sights or print tiny,telling groups so you know what’s up. MTM Case-Gard’s “K-Zone” rest can help with that...a lot. It’s fully adjustable and comes with a handgun hand-resting pad.

Material: PolymerAdjustments:Height of muzzle,length of pullIncludes: Pad, rearportionFeet: 4Style: Firearm restMSRP: $55.22

Ruger

NorthAmericanArms

MTM

CA

SE-G

ARD

www.mtmcase-gard.com



MODEL: LWS 32WEBSITE:www.seecamp.comMSRP: $446.25Action: DAOCaliber: .32 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2 inchesLength: 4.25 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 3.25 inchesWeight: 13.25 ounces Features: Spur-style maga-zine latch, exceptionally light,deep-concealment ready

Seecamp

MODEL: GUARDIAN 380 ACPWEBSITE:www.northamericanarms.comMSRP: $449Action: DAOCaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.5 inchesLength: 4.8 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 3.5 inchesWeight: 19 ounces Features: Stippled grip for control, very shortheight, 2.5-inch barrel for improved velocity CC

NorthAmericanArms



DON’T THINK

PINKBy Tatiana Whitlock • Photos by Jim Weiss

A Woman’s First Concealed Carry Gun

Forward-of-the-hip (appendix) carryis possible with many clothing styles,especially with a tuckable holster.

CC_1401-028-033-FEMALEcx.BA 11/19/13 12:05 AM Page 28


Working at a gun and

archery shop in rural

Maine is an interest-

ing experience, especially being

one of only two women on staff.

About 25% of our client base ismade up of women, most of who arefirst-time handgun buyers. A verysmall percentage of these womencome into the shop of their ownaccord; most find themselves brows-ing the cases in an effort to humortheir well-intentioned spouse. “Mywife needs a gun,” I hear a lot.“Something small. So she can defendherself when I’m not there.”

To protect the innocent, we will callthis token gentleman “Jack.” Jane,his wife, has her concealed carry per-mit but has yet to exercise her rightto carry. She, like so many of thewomen I have worked with, is unsure

about her comfort level carrying aloaded gun or if she even wants to.Making it pink is not always theanswer—selecting the right gun forthe right reasons takes some time.She must find the right fit, considerhow it will fit into her daily life andexplore her own personal level ofcommitment to carry responsibly.

A COMMON LANGUAGEWith little prior shooting experi-

ence to base a decision on, Janeand I talk measurements right out of

Personal defense is aserious matter and shouldlead you to carrying aserious gun as well asgetting serious training soyou can use it well andwith absolute confidence.

Israeli lessons were taught toAmerican police and special operationmilitary forces. The woman with theSIG290 is in an Israeli Combat Pointshooting stance with her other handpushing bystanders out of the way asshe engages the threat.



the gate. She knows she wantssomething she could carry con-cealed but also wants somethingthat isn’t going to be too difficultto learn to shoot with. “.380s runextra small,” I tell her. “The Shieldand the XDs are small. Double-stack compacts are mediums, andfull-size pistols are larges.” I’m not dumbing things down by

any measure—now, Jane and I arespeaking the same language, andthe gun vernacular starts to trans-late. Within minutes, Jane and I arediscussing grip, action types, dif-ferences in trigger pull, barrellength and recoil control. Jack isgrinning from ear to ear. Based on what Jane thinks she

wants, we start introducing her tothe models she likes based oncolor and appearance. “This is harder than buying shoes

online!” she says, frustrated andunsatisfied with her selections. Where the smaller .380s feel too

small and toy-like to her (a verycommon sentiment I hear fromfirst-time gun buyers), and a stan-dard compact model like the Glock26 feels too bulky, I introduce theSmith & Wesson Shield and theSpringfield XDs. The Shield and theXDs have bridged the gap betweena .380-size and standard compact,making them ideal for carry andtraining. Both guns are lightweight,slim, concealable on all body typesand fit very comfortably in thehand. Time and again, the Shieldand XDs are the two guns left onthe counter after eliminating theother options.This is where things get really

interesting, so I ask the scariestquestions of all: Do you walk or

4 Top Carry Styles forFemale Shooters• Appendix IWB Carry with

clip-on holster• Under Breast Carry with specialty

holster (like the “Flash Bang”)• Cross Draw with weak-side

belt holster• Off Body with dedicated purse

or planner

Know This1 With a commitment to carry

comes a commitment to train.

2 Confidence with a firearm comes from investing in yourself with good quality instruction, practice and training.

I’m not dumbing things down by any measure—now, Jane and I arespeaking the same language, and the gun vernacular starts to translate ...““Tatiana Whitlock is a tactical

firearms instructor who alsotakes multiple courses a yearas a student, often as the onlyfemale. She really enjoys thetraining and makes sure shegets her money’s worth.

Photo by Dave Norman



drive to work? Do you runerrands after dark? Do youhave motion sensor lightson your home? Do youlock your door behind youwhen you get home? Areyou used to multi-taskingyourself out of situationalawareness?Both Jane and Jack’s

expressions change asthey look from me to eachother and then back downto the guns on the count-er. Understanding yourdaily routines and patternswill help identify whereyou are most vulnerable.These transition zones arereal times and placeswhere you may find youcould fall victim to anattack. The gun you havechosen for all of the right mechani-cal reasons needs to fit the real-lifedemands of your daily routine andhabits. Jane picks up each gun andslowly inspects them, thinking hard

about the questions I’ve posed.“I’m most afraid when it’s dark out

or in the parking garage at work.Can I see these in the dark?” Sheasks and points to the sights. Most

stock guns do not come equippedwith night sights, lasers or rail-mounted lights. “How can I shoot if I can’t see my sights?”

Trijicon’s HD Night Sights are my

We spend so much time invehicles—and are so vulnera-ble while entering, exiting andgetting trapped within them—that every concealed carriershould take classes in armeddefense while in transit.

To master your handgun, youmust practice drawing it fromconcealment; you must practicein realistic settings, manners andwith your other hand occupiedwith another defense-relatedtask. You must practice, practice, practice …



go-to for their durability, reliabilityand brilliant glow. I explain this,and how they’re used, and nowboth Jack and Jane are starting tolook at the gun the way someonewho carries concealed should: notas fancy shiny object evoking afalse sense of security but as aworking machine that could makethe difference in saving their lives.

PRACTICAL TRAININGWith a commitment to carry

comes a commitment to train. Thegun you select to carry should beone you plan to train the mostwith. Awareness and confidenceare not attributes of someoneconsidered “easy prey” by an

attacker. Confidence with afirearm comes from investing inyourself with good quality instruc-tion, practice and training. Janeisn’t sure she is comfortable join-ing a big class of new shooters.Like so many beginners, shewould prefer a private lesson tobuild confidence with range eti-quette and basic skill sets. “Do you take classes?” she asks. “Every chance I get!” And we start looking through pic-

tures of recent classes takenacross the country. She makes note of the fact I’m

the only woman and how I’m thesmallest one there. We both get agood laugh out of the size discrep-

Trijicon’s HD Night SightsRecommended by Tatiana—

Carried by Professionals

These popular “iron sights” fromTrijicon take an interestingapproach to illumination: They usea tiny vial of tritium gas and reac-tive paint to create an “always-on”illuminated circle recessed into thefront sight post. The rear sight isdrift adjustable but otherwise fixed,and it features a deep, round-bot-tom scoop (to accommodate theround front lamp). What’s particu-larly interesting about it is the lackof additional illuminated sight ele-ments—the rear sight has none ...... by design. Proponents of

“watch the front sight” speed andcombat shooting say that youshouldn’t pay attention to the rearsite, so much as being vaguelyaware of it as you align the frontsight with the portion of your targetyou intend to shoot. Thus, Trijiconincludes two rear “dots”—simpledark circles that align laterally withthe bright, illuminated front lamp,the idea being that its bright color,and minimalist rear sight design,focuses your attention right on thatfront sight blade.This works in “transitional light”

between daylight and darkness aswell as extremely low light (as in abuilding with only emergency lightsduring a disaster). And unlike alaser, others won’t be able to seethat glowing dot—just you.

Locked OnPRODUCT: HD Night SightsCOMPANY: TrijiconSTREET PRICE: $127WEBSITE: www.trijicon.com

Defensive pistols existthat virtually disappeareven in a woman’s hand.The key is balancing theirpower and reliability withtheir size and ease ofconcealment.

… I ask the scariest questions of all: ... Do you runerrands after dark? Do you lock your door behind you whenyou get home? Are you used to multi-tasking yourself out ofsituational awareness?“

“



ancy between my classmates and I,and she takes on an “if you can doit, so can I” attitude.

I encourage her to take a widerange of classes by reputableinstructors in both basic pistol craftand concealed carry and personalprotection. Spend time at the range,take a class or two a year, invest inyourself and learn as much as youcan to keep your skills sharp. Wereturn to the guns she is still decid-ing between. Though designed forconcealment, they are not too snap-py for their small size, making train-ing at the range more fun than frus-trating. The Shield is available inboth 9mm and .40 SW and the XDsin 9mm and .45 ACP (Editor’s note:

and a .40 SW is rumored to be com-ing soon). Jack likes the idea of thelarger calibers, but when it comes topersonal protection, the 9mm winsevery time for the simple reason thatit is easier on the ammo budget forpractice. If this is the tool you mayhave to use to save your life, itshould be the one gun in your col-lection you spend the most timewith at the range.

Jane has made her choice ofgun and sights, and where she wasonce apprehensive, she is nowenthusiastic about future training.Jane and Jack are a perfect exam-ple of the couples I meet regularlyat the gun shop. This is not to saythat there are no women patrons of

ours who come in knowing theirstuff and what they want and cangive the rest of us an education.Jane is like so many of the women I meet at the shop, though: She has taken the steps to get her permit at the very beginning of her firearms experience.

So gentlemen, if you are luckyenough to find a woman working thegun counter, make the introductionto your significant other, hand overyour credit card and back awayslowly. Be prepared for your signifi-cant other to soon outshoot you atthe range and be thrilled when shedoes. That skill could save her lifesomeday ... and that is what thispurchase is all about! CC

Many tiny pistols won’thave room for all of yourfingers. In training, besure to focus on the fun-damentals of a good grip(single and two-handed)that works with thegun’s design.

...when it comes topersonal protection, the 9mmwins every time… “

“



KNOWLEDGE,SKILLS AND

ABILITY

By Dave Norman

Phot

o by

Dav

e No

rman

9 Tips for First-Time Carry

CC_1401-034-035-FIRST 11/18/13 4:41 AM Page 34


“Situational awareness isyour first defense …

“

Phot

o by

Dav

e No

rman

1Forget caliber. Buy

what you can afford

to practice with,

control when you shoot and

easily manipulate with one

hand (safeties, magazine

releases, etc.).

2 Buy more hol-

sters, represent-

ing every practical

place on your body you can

carry concealed. Having the

selection means having a

solution when you need it.

3 Over-dress for the

weather at the

range—practice

drawing smoothly and safely

despite a lot of cumbersome

layers. It’ll speed you up for

winter and for when you don’t

have so many layers, too!

4 Dry fire. A lot.

Even at the range.

It’ll save you big

money on ammo, reinforces the

minutia you can’t focus on with

recoil covering up mistakes and

is the safest way to learn to

draw from concealment.

5 Buy extra

magazines

now. Have at

least twice as many as you

actually use, keeping the

others safely stored, unused,

in case your mags are discon-

tinued, legislatively affected

or the ones you use begin to

wear out (after many, many

years … by which time,

replacements might

be scarce).

6 Situational

awareness is

your first

defense … because no one

ever says, “I watched my

attacker from the time he

came into view right through

his decision that I would be

an ideal victim.”

7 Practice carrying

around your

house before

venturing off-property—you’ll

see if you expose your gun

when you bend over or reach

for a top shelf, if you take cor-

ners so closely you’ll bang the

protruding holster on furniture,

etc. Work out the details at

home first.

8 Carry a high-

capacity (where

legal) spare mag-

azine in your car or elsewhere

that’s handy. Most carry guns

take shorter, more concealable

versions of duty-size magazines

from your gun’s same product

line. If you need to reload,

you’re going to want as many

more rounds as possible.

9 They don’t know

you’re armed.

Really. Relax,

and go about your life with

confidence and a smile.

Outsmart a NegligentDischargeNegligent discharges are

exceedingly dangerous and areat an increased risk of happen-ing during cleaning, loadingand unloading. Outsmart this danger with proper firearm-handling techniques and safepractices (it’s really simplestuff!) and also by establishinga safe direction to point yourmuzzle during loading andunloading—if you ever have anegligent discharge duringthese normal, frequent proce-dures, the projectile getsarrested in your (unoccupied)mattress or other item ratherthan zipping through walls andfloors. This is especially criticalif you live in an apartment. Themilitary uses sand barrels forthis exact purpose, but there isno ready civilian equivalent.

CC

CC_1401-034-035-FIRST 11/18/13 4:41 AM Page 35

POWERFULLY POPULAR

Possibly the most popular size of con-cealable handguns, the subcompactrange offers eminently concealable

handguns that contain some serious firepow-er. You probably can’t fit any of them in apocket, but that’s fine—established holstermakers like Old Faithful, Galco, DeSantis,Crossbreed, and others, collectively offerseveral hundred different holsters designedto conceal your gun anywhere from yourarmpit to your ankle or even off-body entirely.The range is ruled by two calibers: 9mm

and .40 SW, with models frequently offered ineither caliber. You’ll get two or three more9mm rounds in a same-frame handgun thanin its .40 SW counterpart, but at the slighttradeoff of kinetic energy and wound channeldimensions. Some will be attracted to thecomparatively lower recoil energy of the 9mm,while others embrace the larger .40 SW...andtruly savvy shooters look for a pairing of theirsubcompact with their larger pistols.Many companies now, like Springfield

Armory, Glock, and Smith & Wesson, offer sev-eral sizes of handgun based around commoncalibers and configurations. For example,Glock offers their “Practical/Tactical” model35 in .40 SW for competitive shooters, lawenforcement, and exposed carry—that’s ahandgun with a 5.3 inch long barrel and 15+1standard ammunition capacity—and at theother end of the spectrum, the model 27 with

extremely shortened slide and grip and other-wise the same ergonomics (and nearly thesame controls). In between the extremes ofthat subcompact 9 shot model and the full-size-plus model 35, are two more models: thefifteen shot model 22 that is extremely popu-lar with police and many federal law enforce-ment officers, and the slightly smaller (by ahalf inch in both length and height) model 23.In all, that’s four guns based on the exact samecaliber, ergonomics, and core components.If you own a full size Smith & Wesson M&P,

or a Springfield XD, or a Beretta Storm orother modern duty (or tactical competition)model, look deep into their catalog for com-pact and subcompact versions of what youalready own. Then you’ll only need one cal-iber in common between them, and all of theshooting that you do with one will help withmuscle memory, instinctive manipulation ofthe controls, and instinct shooting with theother. Really clever shooters not only practicewith their carry piece, but standardize thepistols they normally shoot in competitionsand for fun around common calibers andergonomics with their carry piece as well.So what can you find that’s a companion

to your existing handguns? Or, where couldyou start as you build a full complement ofsimilar pistols? There’s certainly a greatmodel in here just for you!

—Editor

SEMI-AUTOSSUBCOMPACT


CC_1401-036-047-SUBCOMSEMI.BAcxxx 11/18/13 9:45 PM Page 36

Flush fitting standard capacity magazinesaid in concealment, while the extendedlength “extended capacity” magazinesprovide additional firepower when youneed that more than concealment...andoften, they provide a place for your pinky finger, too. Photo by Kahr Arms


“… the subcompact range offerseminently concealable handguns thatcontain some serious firepower.

“CC_1401-036-047-SUBCOMSEMI.BAcxxx 11/18/13 9:45 PM Page 37

IN DEPTHMODEL: CPX-1WEBSITE: www.sccy.comMSRP: $299Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 3.1 inchesLength: 5.7 inchesWidth: 1 inchWeight: 15 ouncesFeatures: Snag-free design, lever-styleslide release, all-internal hammer

This innovative little pocket gun is turning up at

gun shows and on dealer shelves across the coun-

try...so we took a close look at it, and like what we

find so far. (If you want to see what we think after a

thorough field test, check next month’s issue—we’ve

got an SCCY sample gun on hand we’ve already

started testing for you!) The polymer frame and grip

includes an integral component in the rear they call

the “Re-Coil Cushion,” which is designed to help miti-

gate the sharper aspects of the felt recoil impulse of

defensive 9mm loads.

While remaining just an inch wide, the CPX-1 uses

a double stack 9mm magazine to put 10 rounds in

the grip (with an eleventh in the chamber). The two

included magazines come with finger rest floor plates

installed, and regular flat plates included should you

want that extra bit of concealability.

SCCY offers the CPX-1 and the nearly identical

CPX-2, whose only functional difference is that the

CPX-1—which we’re featuring here—has a frame-

mounted external safety. Since they’re both double

action only pistols with a nine-pound trigger pull and

“inertial firing pin to prevent accidental discharge if

dropped” they say, this safety might be a bit redun-

dant...and is certainly unique among DAO pistols and

their striker fired mates in this size class. But for

those who value an extra, manual safety, the CPX-1

models offer it!

SCCY


MODEL: HC-380WEBSITE: www.accu-tekfirearms.comMSRP: $314Action: SACaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 2.8 inchesLength: 6 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesFeatures:Mag release on bottom ofgrip, thumb safety blocks firing pin,adjustable rear sight

SUBCOMPACT SEMI-AUTOS

Accu-Tek



SCCYMODEL: CPX-2WEBSITE: www.sccy.comMSRP: $339Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 3.1 inchesLength: 5.7 inchesWidth: 1 inchWeight: 15 ouncesFeatures: Snag-free design, lever-style sliderelease, all-internal hammer

BersaMODEL: Thunder 380 CCWEBSITE: www.bersa.comMSRP: $323Action: DA/SACaliber: .380ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 6 inchesWidth: 1 inchHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 16.4 ouncesSpecial Features: Drift-adjustable rear sight

MODEL: PF9WEBSITE: www.keltecweapons.comMSRP: $333Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.1 inchesLength: 5.9 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 4.3 inchesWeight: 13 ouncesFeatures: Accessory rail, magazineincludes finger rest, extremely light,various color choices

Kel-Tec


Bersa


HOT GEAR


TaurusMODEL: 709 SlimWEBSITE: www.taurususa.comMSRP: $349Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6 inchesWeight: 19 ouncesFeatures: Low profile fixed sights,ergonomic design, snag-free controls

MODEL: Thunder 380 CombatWEBSITE: www.bersa.comMSRP: $353Action: DA/SACaliber: .380ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 6 inchesWidth: 1 inchHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 16.4 ouncesSpecial Features: Safety-decocker

Fobus CH Rapid Release HolsterDesigned for exposed carry, suitable for

concealed carry with a good cover garment,and of interest to security personnel alike, thisholster provides Level 2 Retention (as Fobusannounces) by featuring a paddle-releasetrigger guard lock that retains the pistol untilthe paddle is depressed. It’s designed so yourtrigger finger naturally pushes that paddle,then winds up in a safe position along theslide of your gun—not directly on the trigger.

Brand: FobusRetention: Level IIAttachment: PaddleMSRP: $39.99

www.fobusholster.com



MODEL: ShieldWEBSITE: www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $449Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.1 inchesLength: 6.1 inchesWidth: 0.95 inchesHeight: 4.6 inchesWeight: 19 ouncesFeatures: Frame-mounted safety, low-profilecombat sights, polymer frame for incrediblelightness, frame-mounted safety

Smith & WessonMODEL: Bodyguard 380WEBSITE: www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $419Action: DAOCaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.75 inchesLength: 5.25 inchesWeight: 12 ouncesFeatures: Polymer frame, stainless steelslide, sights similar to M&P sights, moldedgrip for ergonomic fit

MODEL: LC9WEBSITE: www.ruger.comMSRP: $449Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.12 inchesLength: 6.0 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 17 ouncesFeatures: Snag-free ergonomicdesign, low-profile adjustable sights,accessory rail, smooth trigger pull

Ruger

Smith &Wesson




MODEL: CM9WEBSITE: www.kahr.comMSRP: $517Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 4.2 inchesWeight: 19 ouncesFeatures: Polymer frame for weight reduction,very narrow, stippled grips for control

Magnum ResearchMODEL:Micro Desert EagleWEBSITE: www.magnumresearch.comMSRP: $467Action: DAOCaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.2 inchesLength: 4.5 inchesWeight: 14 ouncesFeatures: Slight palm swell, no-snag sightsmilled into frame, very unique aesthetics

BerettaMODEL: BU9 NanoWEBSITE: www.berettausa.comMSRP: $475Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 5.6 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 4.2 inchesWeight: 20 ouncesFeatures: Adjustable sights, striker-fired, tiny for a 9mm

Kahr Arms


MODEL: G27WEBSITE: www.glock.comMSRP: $599Action: STRCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 9+1Barrel Length: 3.43 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 4.2 inchesWeight: 20 ouncesFeatures:White outline rear sight, polymerframe for lightweight, combat trigger guard,double stack magazine

SpringfieldMODEL: XD SubcompactWEBSITE: www.springfield-armory.comMSRP: $549Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.25 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 4.75 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesFeatures: 3-Dot drift-adjustable & interchangeable rear sight, accepts full-size XD magazines, compact length

BerettaMODEL: PX4 Storm SubcompactWEBSITE: www.berettausa.comMSRP: $575Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 3.0 inchesLength: 6.2 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 4.8 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesFeatures: Accessory rail, ambidextroussafety/decocker, smallest Storm

Glock





HOT GEAR

SpringfieldMODEL: XDsWEBSITE: www.springfield-armory.comMSRP: $599Action: DAOCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 5+1Barrel Length: 3.3 inchesLength: 6.3 inchesWeight: 21.5 ouncesFeatures: 2-dot rear sight, fiber optic front sight, short reset trigger, available in 9mm (7+1)

MODEL: G33WEBSITE: www.glock.comMSRP: $599Action: STRCaliber: .357 sigCapacity: 9+1Barrel Length: 3.43 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 4.2 inchesWeight: 20 ouncesFeatures:White outline rear sight,polymer frame for lightweight, combattrigger guard, double stack magazine

Ring of LasersThere are many benefits to putting a laser

sight on your defensive gun...which are moot ifyou can’t easily find the laser dot. Laserlytehas an interesting solution in the CM-MK4“Center Mass” laser: project a circle of eightlaser dots with a dot in the center (which isthe aiming dot). The circle is compact at closerange so it’s really bright; it spreads at oneinch per yard as distance increases.

Rail Required: 1 Inch of PicatinnyLaser Module: 635nmLaser Modes: Constant On, Pulse, Auto-off

Batteries: 3 x 357 silver oxide batteriesBattery Life: 2.5 hours / 5 hours pulseWeight: 0.50 ouncesMSRP: $164.90www.laserlyte.com

Glock



MODEL: P238WEBSITE: www.sigsauer.comMSRP: $693Action: SACaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.7 inchesLength: 5.5 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 3.9 inchesWeight: 15 ouncesFeatures: Cocked-and-locked single actioncarry, 1911-style in a subcompact, many finish-es/colors available

Kahr ArmsMODEL: P380WEBSITE: www.kahr.comMSRP: $649Action: DAOCaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.5 inchesLength: 4.9 inchesWidth: 0.75 inchesHeight: 3.9 inchesWeight: 11 ouncesFeatures: Textured polymer grip, verycompact design, optional CrimsonTrace laser, optional night sights

CZMODEL: 2075 RamiWEBSITE: www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $671Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.25 inchesHeight: 4.7 inchesWeight: 25.5 ouncesFeatures: Front dot tactical sight, com-pact size, familiar CZ-feel

Sig Sauer




Sig SauerMODEL: P290 LaserWEBSITE: www.sigsauer.comMSRP: $828Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.9 inchesLength: 5.5 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 3.9 inchesWeight: 21 ouncesFeatures: Integral laser, optional Siglitenight sights, extremely compact design

Heckler & KochMODEL: P2000SKWEBSITE: www.hk-usa.comMSRP: $992Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 3.26 inchesLength: 6.4 inchesHeight: 24 ouncesFeatures: Three-dot sights, interchangeablebackstraps, integral accessory rail, multipletrigger/control types

MODEL: P40WEBSITE: www.kahr.comMSRP: $739Action: DAOCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3.6 inchesLength: 6.1 inchesWidth: 0.94 inchesHeight: 4.6 inchesWeight: 19 ouncesFeatures: Bar-dot-style combatsights, incredibly slim and light,stainless slide for longevity

Kahr Arms



IN DEPTHMODEL: PM45WEBSITE: www.kahr.comMSRP: $855Action: DAOCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 5+1Barrel Length: 3.24 inchesLength: 5.8 inchesWidth: 1 inchHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 19 ouncesFeatures:White bar-dot enhanced sights,full-finger grip for many hands, very slimfor a .45 ACP

Of Kahr’s closely related .45 ACP pistols—includ-

ing the P45, CW45, and TP45—the PM45 is the

shortest in length and height and easily the lightest

of the bunch. That’s why it was recommended so

highly to us as it’s an incredibly rare beast: a .45 ACP

that is truly sub compact. Its overall length is less

than six inches, and its single stack magazine helps it

stay right at 1.01 inches in width (not counting the

slight protrusion of the takedown lever).

When comparing it ballistically against other

guns, the .45 ACP’s knockdown power and ballistic

performance is hard to beat...and with five in the

magazine and a sixth round in the chamber, you

get as many shots with it as with a six-shot

revolver (and reloads are just a hair faster with

the magazine than with a speedloader). That

helps the PM45 hold its own against all comers

of similar dimensions and purpose—the deeply

concealable subcompacts.

For the extra money over similar DAO, polymer

frame handguns, Kahr offers downright luxurious fit

and finish and a five-year limited warranty.

Kahr Arms

MODEL: XR9-SWEBSITE: www.bobergarms.comMSRP: $995Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.35 inchesLength: 5.1 inchesWidth: 0.96 inchesHeight: 4.2 inchesWeight: 17.5 ouncesFeatures: Truly unique operation,very compact for barrel length,rotating locking barrel

BobergArms

CC



HIDING YOURSUBCOMPACTBy Dave Norman

DeSantis Makes the XDs Disappear

INTRUDERThe right “tuckable” holster

allows you to carry concealedwith your shirt tucked in—animportant consideration formany professionals, and forthose who want the deepestconcealment without wearingunseasonable or dead-give-away clothes.

The Intruder is among thelightest we’ve tested, and iseasily adjusted for two differentdepths (relative to your belt).The kydex shell (which mountsto the leather pad that goesagainst your skin) has a subtlegun-retention-bump (like mostkydex carry holsters); as anInside the Waistband (IWB) hol-ster, your belt and tucked-in

layer are what primarily holdyour gun inside.

The clips clamp over yourbelt, and feature the DeSantislogo (which is a tell for anyonereally familiar with guns), but other than those clips, with a tucked in and properly“bloused” shirt, you can virtually eliminate printing...andthe leather is cut perfectly to

Contact DeSantisDeSantis Holster & LeatherGoods Co.431 Bayview AvenueAmityville, NY 11701(800) 424-1236www.desantisholster.com

The Mini Scabbard rides outside,meaning you should consider a concealment garment that you canfling out of the way in a hurry. Ph

oto

by D

ave

Norm

anPhot

o by

Bill

Nor

man

Three hot holsters for onehot pistol: the XDs rides wellin, left to right: MiniScabbard, Intruder, Sof-Tuck.

Springfield’s hot new XDs is

made to be carried...and

demands a suitably dynam-

ic holster. Since no one style fits all

outfits, needs, and climates, you

should own a selection. We picked

up several styles to try with the new

Springfield, and hit the range...then

hit the street to see how well they

work for every day carry. The result:

we liked a lot about each style, and

once again were impressed by

DeSantis (maker of each model

tested here).

CC_1401-048-049-DESANTIS 11/18/13 9:40 PM Page 48


CC

keep the gun off of your skin withoutundue bulk.

SOF-TUCKWe’ve used clip-on IWB holsters for

years—they’re simple, inexpensive,not bulky, and they work. The no-fusssolution is usually the best one.DeSantis has updated the classic concept with a “tuckable” clip in theSof-Tuck, which uses full-suede(inside and out, ye avoiders of thekydex) construction with a rigid saddleleather band around the mouth tokeep it open after drawing...so youcan reholster one-handed.The clip features adjustable cant, an

improvement over the classic design,and a big deal innovation: the “tuck-able” clip, which by mounting to thebottom of the holster, has a deepchannel between itself and the holsterinto which you can tuck your conceal-ment layer. The clip goes over yourpants (or skirt), but under your belt,with a little lip that catches on the beltso the holster ultimately stays put.

The suede felt alright against bareskin, and the super simple designbecame our go-to holster really quickly.

MINI SCABBARDA minimalist approach to the outside

the waistband holster, this attractiveone keeps with DeSantis’s streak ofmaking shockingly light holsters. It hasan adjustable tension device, andoffers a secure yet impediment-freehold for your firearm.Armed professionals and those in

open carry states may want to considerthis holster, noting how its forward cantaids in making a quick draw while help-ing the gun ride comfortably and hidingit reasonably well on your strong sidehip under a loose (and long) shirt. Itlooks good; it feels good; it’s light; itdrew some positive attention wornopenly at the range...and on fast draw-ing, quick first shot exercises, wenoticed that the front of the holsteropening being “flat” relative to the beltand the portion which covers the triggerguard, greatly aided speed draws.

IntruderLength: 7 inchesHeight: 6.5 inchesThickness: 1.25 inchesMaterial: Kydex and leatherMount Style: IWB, TuckableRetention: FrictionMSRP: $62.99

Sof-TuckLength: 3.75 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesThickness: 1.25 inches (compressed)Material: Suede (Leather)Mount Style: IWB, TuckableRetention: FrictionMSRP: $28.99

Mini ScabbardLength: 4.25 inchesHeight: 4.75 inchesThickness: 1.5 inchesMaterial: LeatherMount Style: OWB, BeltslideRetention: Friction (adjustable)MSRP: $58.99

This attractive one keeps with DeSantis’sstreak of making shockingly light holsters...“

“

Phot

o by

Dav

e No

rman

Phot

os b

y Bi

ll No

rman

The Mini Scabbard hides yourgun well under a long t-shirt,though it will print a bit.

The clips on the Intruder areeasily glanced over, though thecareful eye will spot them as atell. But the rest of the holsterand gun? Yeah, where’d they go?

Pull your shirt all the way upwhen drawing from a tuckableholster like the Intruder.

The Intruder releases the XDseasily, so you can focus onother things—like not getting afistful of shirt.

The Sof-Tuck became our go-to holster during street testingfor its minimalist style andease of putting on.

The Sof-Tuck leaves barely anytell, and helps your gun ridesecurely IWB.

The lip on theSof-Tuck’sclip keeps itfrom leavingyour pantsduring ahasty draw. With a light

cover garment,all three holstersdisappear onyour strong side hip.

CC_1401-048-049-DESANTIS 11/18/13 9:41 PM Page 49

DESIGNED FOR CONCEALMENT,

GREAT FOR SECURITY

The compact semi-auto offers the average concealed carrier the ability to wield serious, established defensivecalibers with enough rounds in the magazine to impart a

great sense of personal security (and back you up should you beattacked by multiple assailants and/or assailants fortified witharmor or drugs or both). Yet, they’re designed for concealment(if not always weight retention, as well) with attention paid totheir ability to disappear under a light cover garment, includinga tucked-in shirt, courtesy of the modern “tuckable” holsters.Many of the most popular handguns for concealed carry

can be found in this size, as these models put some serious firepower into concealable packages. You’ll find a Walther PPK similar to James Bond’s classic sidearm and a host ofslightly shrunken versions of established duty weapons fromaround the world.The relatively new-to-market Caracal handguns are

represented here with the Caracal SC, a slightly smaller version of their duty-size handgun that still manages to put 13+1 rounds into a very compact package, and you’ll find compact versions of larger handguns from Ruger (their SR40C) and Beretta (their Storm Compact), among others.Equally at home as open-carry firearms, the compact

semiautomatics in these pages are ready to go undercover as well ... or head to the range to provide years of solid performance in recreational shooting and tactical training.Don’t be afraid to shoot these, and don’t worry about recoil—they’ve got just enough mass to tame those .40 SW and .45 ACP cartridges!

—Editor

SEMI-AUTOSCOMPACT


CC_1401-050-065-COMPSEMIS.BAcx.CX 11/21/13 11:42 PM Page 50

Concealable handguns disappearunder the right clothing...andwhen they appear, can turn thetables on a determined attacker.Photo by Otis Technology

OS


“… these models put some seriousfirepower into concealable packages.

“CC_1401-050-065-COMPSEMIS.BAcx.CX 11/21/13 11:42 PM Page 51


COMPACT SEMISMODEL: PK380WEBSITE:www.waltheramerica.comMSRP: $393Action: DA/SACaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 3.7 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.2 inchesWeight: 19 ouncesSpecial Features: Three-dot sights

Walther

CaracalMODEL: Caracal SCWEBSITE: www.caracal-usa.comMSRP: $400Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 3.4 inchesLength: 6.34 inchesWidth: 0.93 inchesHeight: 4.9 inchesWeight: 22 ouncesFeatures: Fiber optic front sight,accessory rail, low-bore axis for recoil mitigation

Sar ArmsMODEL: K2PWEBSITE: www.eaacorp.comMSRP: $412Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 16+1Barrel Length: 3.8 inchesLength: 7.3 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 29 ouncesSpecial Features: Ambidextrous safety,full-size grip with compact slide

CC_1401-050-065-COMPSEMIS.BAcx 11/18/13 9:55 PM Page 52

MODEL: BP9CCWEBSITE:www.bersa.comMSRP: $429Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 3.3 inchesLength: 6.35 inchesWidth: 0.94 inchesHeight: 4.8 inchesWeight: 21.5 ouncesSpecial Features: White-outlinerear sight, polymer frame

Bersa

Canik55MODEL: TP-9WEBSITE:www.centuryarms.bizMSRP: $440Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 18+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.25 inchesWeight: 26.4 ouncesFeatures: Tritium night sights, chrome-lined barrel, ambidextroussafety/decocker


Canik55MODEL: Stingray CWEBSITE:www.centuryarms.bizMSRP: $465Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 6.75 inchesWeight: 37 ouncesSpecial Features: Adjustable rearsight, fully ambidextrous controls



COMPACT SEMISMODEL: CougarWEBSITE:www.stoegerindustries.comMSRP: $469Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 11+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 7 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesSpecial Features: Ambidextrous safety/decocking lever, rotating barrel,accessory rail (Couger 45 only)

Stoeger

StoegerMODEL: Cougar CompactWEBSITE:www.stoegerindustries.comMSRP: $469Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCaliber: 13+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 7 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesFeatures: Ambidextroussafety/decocking lever, rotating barrel, shortened grip frame with fingerplate magazine

ChiappaMODEL: MC27WEBSITE:www.chiappafirearms.comMSRP: $479Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 3.9 inchesLength: 7.25 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesSpecial Features: Integral accessory rail,ambidextrous thumb-activated safety



MODEL: CW45WEBSITE:www.kahr.comMSRP: $485Action: DAOCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3.6 inchesLength: 6.32 inchesWidth: 1 inchesHeight: 4.8 inchesWeight: 22 ouncesSpecial Features: .45 ACP withdimensions of 9mm-frame guns

Kahr

TaurusMODEL: 809BWEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $497Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 17+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 8.25 inchesWeight: 30 ouncesFeatures: Unique multi-position safety,multi-position safety/decocker,cocked-and-locked capable (even as a DA/SA)

CaracalMODEL: Caracal CWEBSITE:www.caracal-usa.comMSRP: $499Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 3.66 inchesLength: 6.57 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 4.8 inchesWeight: 25 ouncesSpecial Features: Ambidextrous magazinerelease, extremely low-bore axis



COMPACT SEMIS

IN DEPTHMODEL: SR40CWEBSITE:www.ruger.comMSRP: $529Action: STRCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 9+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 6.9 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 4.6 inchesWeight: 23.4 ouncesSpecial Features: Interchangeable backstrap

Ruger’s fantastic entrant into the world of com-pact semi-autos is the SR-C series with the SR9Cand SR40C currently offered for the same price($529). You’ll get one more 9mm round than .40 SWround in their standard capacity magazines, and eachoffers a very short run of accessory rail molded intothe polymer frame.Ruger keeps it familiar with the active-trigger

lever safety found on virtually all polymer-framesemi-autos and includes sights visually reminiscentof the combat-style sights found on many 1911s (andSpringfield’s XD pistols). The guns are a little too

compact for a full-hand grip in many hands, but thestandard capacity magazines come with a punk fin-ger-rest base plate that helps with keeping hold ofthe gun during rapid fire. You can also swap in theextended-capacity magazines that come with grip-extending spacers (rather than a simple floor-plate extension) that transform the gun into a short-barrel, full-size pistol that’s very comfortable toshoot. Carry it with the standard capacity magazinefor concealment, and keep the extended mag handy for reloads—you might be very thankful for the extra firepower!

TaurusMODEL: PT 24/7 G2WEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $539Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 17+1Barrel Length: 4.2 inchesLength: 7.3 inchesWeight: 28 ouncesSpecial Features: Adjustable sights,accessory rail

Ruger



MODEL: CW40WEBSITE:www.kahr.comMSRP: $549Action: DAOCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3.6 inchesLength: 6.4 inchesWidth: 0.94 inchesHeight: 4.6 inchesWeight: 18.7 ouncesSpecial Features: White bar-dot sights

Kahr

ArmaliteMODEL: AR-24 CompactWEBSITE:www.armalite.comMSRP: $550Action: DA/SA Caliber: 9mmCaliber: 13+1Barrel Length: 3.89 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWeight: 25.6 ouncesSpecial Features: External frame-mounted safety, all-steel construction,illuminated sights

Beretta MODEL: PX4 Storm CompactWEBSITE:www.berettausa.comMSRP: $550Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 12+1Barrel Length: 3.2 inchesLength: 7.6 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 27.7 ouncesSpecial Features: Interchangeableback-straps, accessory rail



COMPACT SEMIS

IN DEPTHMODEL: 75 D PCR CompactWEBSITE:www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $582Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 14+1Barrel Length: 3.8 inchesLength: 7.24 inchesWidth: 1.38 inchesHeight: 5.03 inchesWeight: 27.4 ouncesSpecial Features: Forged alu-minum alloy frame, decocking lever

The CZ 75 Compact has been popular for awhilefor its compact dimensions and high capacity, espe-cially among fans of double- or single-action hand-guns, as well as those who like the grip angle of a1911, the capacity and lower recoil of a 9mm and full-metal construction throughout their carry gun. CZ hasresponded to the demand for their CZ75 and createdthe 75 D PCR Compact as a further refinement, turn-ing to a forged aluminum alloy frame in place of theCZ75’s steel frame, for a weight savings right around

four ounces.That matters a lot for everyday carry, where the

weight savings is quite noticeable ... especially overtime. The 75 D PCR Compact features a decockinglever that lets you lower the hammer on a loadedchamber without pulling the trigger for safer rehol-stering and much safer manipulation of the gun. Withthe DA/SA action, it’s also second-strike capable,should a hard primer or improperly seated roundneed another blow from your hammer.

Smith &WessonMODEL: M&P 40CWEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $569Action: STRCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 6.7 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 4.3 inchesWeight: 22 ouncesSpecial Features: Steel Novak Lo-Mount Carry Sights

CZ


WWW.VIAMEDIC.COM800-467-0693

HABLAMOS ESPAÑOL

PROPECIA, STAXYN AND MORE MEDICATIONS

BUY THE REAL VIAGRA

TaurusMODEL: DT 40WEBSITE: www.taurususa.comMSRP: $589Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 11+1Barrel Length: 3.2 inchesLength: 6.3 inchesWidth: 1.15 inchesHeight: 5 inchesWeight: 24 ouncesSpecial Features: Adjustable sights, safety integral to trigger

EAAMODEL:Witness CompactWEBSITE:www.eaacorp.comMSRP: $557Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 12+1Barrel Length: 3.6 inchesLength: 7.3 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 30 ouncesSpecial Features:Chambered in four different popular calibers




COMPACT SEMIS

MODEL: M&P 45CWEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $599Action: STRCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 4.8 inchesWeight: 29 ouncesSpecial Features: Steel low-profile carry sights, interchangeable palm swells

Smith &Wesson

MODEL: Baby Desert Eagle II CompactWEBSITE:www.magnumresearch.comMSRP: $616Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 12+1Barrel Length: 3.64 inchesLength: 7.25 inchesWidth: 1.125 inchesHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 37 ouncesSpecial Features: Available in steel orpolymer frame, various barrel lengths

CZMODEL: P-01WEBSITE:www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $608Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 14+1Barrel Length: 3.8 inchesLength: 7.2 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.1 inchesWeight: 28 ouncesSpecial Features: Decocker, forged alloy frame

MagnumResearch



HOT GEAR

MODEL: PPKWEBSITE:www.waltheramerica.comMSRP: $626Action: DA/SACaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3.4 inchesLength: 6.1 inchesWidth: 1.0 inchesHeight: 3.9 inchesWeight: 22.4 ouncesFeatures: James Bond’s original defensive pistol, sleek profile, snag-free design, decocking lever

ArmaliteMODEL: AR-24 Tactical CustomWEBSITE:www.armalite.comMSRP: $631Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 3.9 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesSpecial Features: Adjustable low-profile sights, uniqueframe-over-slide rails for durability, comfortable palmswell, fore and aft grip checkering

Under the Radar BagsThese nifty pouches from Blackhawk use“Zero Trace” signal blocking lining to preventunwanted RFID reading of your IDs and creditcards, passports and other objects with RFIDdata storage. They also purport to block thetrace electronic signals given off by evenpowered-down electronic devices, foilingthose who use technology that seeks thesesignals to target vehicles, lockers, and otherplaces you may store sensitive or valuableelectronic devices.

Material: Zero Trace lining, 1050 denier nylonSignal Attenuation: 33dbmPrevents: Device detection, RFID reading, device trackingWeight: 0.05 pounds to 0.6 poundsFits: VariousMSRP: $14.99 - $52.99www.blackhawk.com

Walther



COMPACT SEMIS

MODEL: 75BWEBSITE:www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $631Action: SA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 14+1Barrel Length: 3.9 inchesLength: 8.1 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.4 inchesWeight: 35 ouncesSpecial Features: Three-dot combat sights

CZ

MODEL: Witness Polymer CarryWEBSITE:www.eaacorp.comMSRP: $635Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 17+1Barrel Length: 3.6 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWeight: 29 ouncesFeatures: Polymer version of popularWitness model, tapered cone-lock bar-rel for accuracy, integral rail

KahrMODEL: P380WEBSITE:www.kahr.comMSRP: $649Action: DAOCaliber: .380acpCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.5 inchesLength: 4.9 inchesWidth: 0.75 inchesHeight: 3.9 inchesWeight: 11 ouncesSpecial Features: Textured polymer grip

EAA



IN DEPTHMODEL: XD(M) 3.8 .45 ACPCompactWEBSITE:www.springfield-armory.comMSRP: $732Action: STRCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 9+1Barrel Length: 3.8 inchesLength: 7 inchesHeight: 4.55 inchesWeight: 27 ouncesSpecial Features: Frame-mounted safety, low-profile combat sights

Springfield Armory has introduced some excellentdevelopments with their polymer-frame, striker-firedhandguns, and a great number of them are reflectedin this compact, .45 ACP-version of their XD pistolseries. Larger than its sibling in the sub compactrange (the .45 ACP XDs), it packs quite the punch inthe form of 9+1 capacity with a compact, doublestack magazine that fits neatly inside the gun’s barely4.6-inch height.

The 1911-style grip safety is an innovationSpringfield brings to polymer-frame, striker-fired pis-tols, and they keep up with the trends by also having

an active-trigger lever safety that is automaticallydisengaged when placing your finger on the trigger.Like their larger pistols, but unlike many early-genera-tion compact polymer pistols, the XD(M) Compactfeatures a multi-position accessory rail molded intothe dust cover, so you can attach a light or laser toextend the pistol’s utility. And if you need to reloadduring an engagement, you probably need all theammunition you can get, so Springfield makes anextended-length, extended-capacity, 13-round maga-zine with a finger rest that you can carry as a backupto the flush-fitting, 9-round magazine.

BerettaMODEL: Cheetah 85FSWEBSITE:www.berettausa.comMSRP: $770Action: DA/SACaliber: .380acpCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 3.8 inchesLength: 6.8 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 4.8 inchesWeight: 23.3 ouncesSpecial Features: Cocked-and-lockedcapable, safety/decocker

Springfield


HOT GEAR

MODEL: P45WEBSITE:www.kahr.comMSRP: $805Action: DAOCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3.6 inchesLength: 6.07 inchesWidth: 1.01 inchesHeight: 4.8 inchesWeight: 21 ouncesSpecial Features: Polymerand steel construction

MODEL: P239 DAKWEBSITE:www.sigsauer.comMSRP: $835Action: DAOCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.6 inchesLength: 6.6 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.1 inchesWeight: 30 ouncesSpecial Features: Double-strikecapable for hard primers

Flex-Hone for AccuracyThe Flex-Hone system isn’t a clean-ing system, though it resembles one,but a means of refinishing the metalsurfaces that “reduces surface ten-sion by removing highly stressedareas” (from their press release) in your barrel, chamber, slide, andother metal parts. They say this subtle refinishing improves the accuracy of heavily-shot barrels,removes corrosion, and presumablycan enhance reliability on guns thatsee a lot of shooting and use.

Material: Polymer nodules on brushesUses: Micro refinishingFirearms: Handguns, Rifles, ShotgunsStreet: $14.99www.brushresearch.com

Kahr


COMPACT SEMIS

SigSauer

FLEX

-HO

NE



CC

MODEL: K40 w/ Night SightsWEBSITE:www.kahr.comMSRP: $985Action: DAOCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 6.1 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 4.6 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesSpecial Features: Tritium night sights

Kahr

Heckler & KochMODEL: USP CompactWEBSITE:www.hk-usa.comMSRP: $998Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 3.6 inchesLength: 6.8 inchesWidth: 1.14 inchesHeight: 5 inchesWeight: 23.5 ounces Special Features: Accessory rail

Heckler & KochMODEL: HK 45 CompactWEBSITE:www.hk-usa.comMSRP: $1,187Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 3.9 inchesLength: 7.2 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.6 inchesWeight: 28.5 ouncesSpecial Features: Extended sliderelease, accessory rail



STOPPING THE

THREATStories and Photos By Chuck TaylorShoot Until the Target Goes Down?

Not surprisingly, attempts tocorrect the problem quicklyoccurred with what was toquickly become known as back-up, “failure-to-stop procedures”appearing in some profusion.However, within a short time,only three remained—shootingfor the legs, shooting for thepelvis and shooting for thehead.

First, it must be said thatregardless of whatever engage-ment tactic is utilized, “Plan A”has always been—andremains—placing two quick hitsinto the chest (thoracic cavity).

Where there is a difference ofopinion is in whether you:

1. Continue shooting for thethoracic cavity, indefinitely, or

2. Limit your initial responseto two shots to the thoraciccavity, quickly analyzing theresults and, if less than satisfac-tory, following up with someform of backup, failure-to-stopmethod.

If you opt for the first method,then you simply keep pulling thetrigger and hope for the best.However, it should be remem-bered that the human nervoussystem begins to shut down in

During the last decade, an

extremely limiting and dan-

gerous concept has re-

emerged: The practice of shooting

until the target goes down. Virtually

dating back to the first appearance of

the repeating handgun, it was consid-

ered status quo until the late 1960s,

when centralized computerization of

law enforcement shootings showed

that it left much to be desired.

Some experts espouse shooting until the target goes down underall circumstances. Taylor advises training to hit the assailant twicein the chest, then follow up with a cranio-ocular hit.

CC_1401-066-071-SHOOT.BAcx 11/18/13 10:02 PM Page 66


T

a protective reflex in just under a sec-ond after the first trauma (your firstbullet) is sustained.But that process takes a couple of

seconds to fully work, and then yourassailant quite literally feels nothing... so even well placed hits deliveredafter that tend to have minimal imme-diate effect.Are center mass hits lethal? Almost

certainly. But will they incapacitateyour assailant quickly enough to neu-tralize his ability to project deadlyforce?Not usually ... at least, not often

enough to bet your life on.

When the Attacker Keeps ComingLethality and stopping power

aren’t the same thing, and this iswhy you constantly see horror sto-ries in the newspapers and on televi-

sion about police officers who emptytheir guns into an attacker only to bekilled in return.The assailant, though seriously—

often lethally—wounded, runs offsomewhere and has to be tear-gassed out of his hiding place by the local SWAT team, then dies hours, days or weeks later in the hospital.This is also why I’m not an advo-

cate of point shooting, as it inevitablyresults in misses, poorly placed hitsand generally lacks the precisionnecessary to handle the whole spec-trum of tactical situations.In fact, the lack of results from

point shooting is what fostered theidea of “shoot until the target goesdown” in the first place.Aimed fire is more effective in

a wider spectrum of tactical

There’s nothing to prevent him from continuing the fight ‘from the deck,’ as the only thing that’s actually been neutralized is his lowerbody mobility ... “

“About ChuckTaylorFor the last 20 years, Chuck

has been rated as one of thetop trainers in the world. TheSwiss Army & Air Force for-mally adopted his rifle, sub-machine gun and handguntechniques. Since then, morethan 300,000 personnel havebeen trained in his methodsand approximately 100,000Belgian military personnelreceived training in his meth-ods, as well. He is a regularcontributor to ConcealedCarry Handguns, TacticalWorld and other BeckettMedia publications.

Two quick shots to centermass are the opening

move in your defensiveshooting and should be

followed by a quick scanfor their effect and a

follow-up round to thecranio-ocular area if

they were ineffective atimmediately stopping

the attack.

Proper defensive ammunition, that practice proves will feedreliably in your handgun, is crucial to your survival.



circumstances and no slower whenproper technique is utilized. It is,thus, the superior option of the two.

This is why I think that limitingyour initial response to two quickhits in the thoracic cavity, thenquickly assessing the results andfollowing up as necessary with somekind of backup, failure-to-stop pro-cedure, is a superior idea.

Overcoming a Failure to StopOnce this decision is made, we

then get into the controversy aboutexactly what kind of failure-to-stop

procedure is the most effective.Here, the options are to shoot for the:

1. Femur (thigh bone) or femoral artery

2. Pelvis3. Head

The first and second are per-formed in the hope of keeping the attacker away from you bydestroying his mobility. The problemis that you’re forced to shoot at targets that you can’t actually see,

thus escalating the process topotentially catastrophic proportions.In the case of the femur or femoralartery, the legs will most likely bemoving, which makes the tacticeven less efficient.

Conversely, although the pelvis is indisputably a larger and lessmovement-prone target than thelegs, it’s tougher to hit than mostpeople think. Why? Simple. Can youactually visualize how the pelvis isshaped? This means that in morecases than not, the shooter aimseither too high, thus hitting the

If untreated, he will unquestionably bleed to death in two to threeminutes, but during that time, he’ll remain fully capable of doing you in first! ““Practicing for failure-to-stop solutions requires

silhouette targets, which will ideally be placedat realistic height to train muscle memory.

Train to focus on your front sight, rather thansimple point shooting, so that you can placeshots precisely ... then, you can reliably hit thecranio-ocular area when you must.



attacker in the lower abdominal cavity or too low, striking him in thegenitals. Though both produce seriouswounds, neither one has much imme-diate incapacitating effect, particularlyon a determined adversary.In addition, if he’s using a

gun rather than an edged or bluntweapon, there’s nothing to preventhim from continuing the fight “fromthe deck,” since the only thing that’s actually been neutralized is his lower body mobility. His eyes, gun arm and trigger finger remain fully functional!

Avoiding FollyShooting for the femoral artery, too,

is folly, as even if you hit it (a chancyproposition at best, considering thatthe legs are often moving), there will beno immediate incapacitating effect. Ifuntreated, he will unquestionably bleedto death in two to three minutes, butduring that time, he’ll remain fullycapable of doing you in first!There’s yet another problem with

continuing to shoot him in the chest:Even if it worked, there simply isn’tenough time! He’ll be on top of you in only a couple more seconds, so

Don’t Just ShootUntil the TargetGoes Down!1. It takes too long, and

time is always of the essencein a gun fight.2. Because the assailant’s

nervous system is almostcompletely shut down afterthe first two quick hits, con-tinuing to fire at that sametarget (the thoracic cavity)simply isn’t sufficiently defini-tive. Its relative inefficiencyaside, as a tactic, it’s also toolimiting, especially consider-ing the wide range of poten-tial tactical situations youmight have to face.3. The more you shoot, the

more poorly you shoot, thusgreatly increasing all threeforms of liability—tactical,criminal and civil.

Instead, train yourself toshoot twice to center mass,assess the continued threatand adapt immediately toshooting for cranio-ocular hits.

Two of Taylor’s students practice quickly assuming a kneeling position while presenting their weaponsand shooting for the target’s cranio-ocular area. This momentarily disrupts the attacker’s visual contact and gives more time to handle the problem. Situations in which this tactic is useful include not only failures to stop but shooting in crowded areas, hostage situations and partial targets, as well.



something more is definitely required.And though very few instructors and

even fewer typical tactical shootersrealize it, the more you shoot, thegreater your criminal and civil liabilityhazards become. From a criminal liabil-ity standpoint, trying to shoot a lot ofshots quickly enough to do any goodtypically degenerates into a wild meleeof misses, as it entails shooting fasterthan one can guarantee hits.And because what goes up must

come down and you launched them,guess who’s responsible? You, amigo;that’s who! At the very least, the moreyou shoot, the more poorly you willshoot. Thus, the longer, more drawnout and more stressful the subsequentcriminal investigation will be, too.Viewed from a civil liability perspec-

tive, shooting until the target goesdown is often seized upon by theplaintiff’s attorneys as proof that youintended to use wrongful or excessiveforce to solve the problem and por-trays you as being a bloodthirsty oafout looking for trouble.This is why I prefer the cranio-ocular

shot. First of all, I can see the headand can thus place my shot(s) withmore precision. Second, a hit in thecranio-ocular area is nearly alwaysinstantly fatal and/or incapacitating—ask any pathologist. Third, it takesmuch less time, as opposed to contin-uing to shoot without apparent effect

into the target’s thoracic cavity.So, the cranio-ocular follow-up in the

event of a failure to stop is not onlyless difficult to perform but is faster,much more decisive and reduces notonly tactical but criminal and civil liabil-ity hazards, as well.It has been argued that your

assailant will see you aiming at hishead and try to dodge the bullet, but Idon’t buy that theory. For one thing,he can’t really do anything further (runtoward you, shoot, et al.) as long ashis head is moving around. To do that, the head must stabilize, which is when you take the cranio-ocularshot. Until then, you wait, weapon at in the “ready” position, until thewindow appears.

Cranio-Ocular ShootingOnce again, let’s envision that guy

with a machete coming at you fromabout five meters away. If you beginyour weapon presentation (assumingyour weapon presentation skills are welldeveloped) when he begins to move,he’ll only be about three meters awayand coming fast when he takes yourfirst two hits in the chest. If that doesn’tincapacitate him and cause him to stag-ger and collapse, then continuing toplace more hits in his chest is, at best,minimally effective—and, at worst, noteffective in time. Conversely, a hit in thecranio-ocular area will dump him, and

Still Fighting...From the Ground!Let me give you a first-

hand example of the threatposed by a person armedwith a firearm who is deter-mined to fight despite beingknocked to the ground—whois “fighting from the deck.”During the Vietnam War, I sawa handgun-armed NorthVietnamese officer shoot myradio operator in the thigh,breaking the femur of hisright leg. Unable to continueto stand or move forward, hefell but managed to returneffective fire in the process,killing the Vietnamese officerinstantly. Though he was seri-ously injured and subsequent-ly required much surgery andrehabilitative therapy, he wasby no means rendered inca-pable of further action in thealtercation and won the fight,hands down.

Here, a student must handle a series ofsingle-target engagements quickly, but inthe event of a failure to stop, continuing toshoot for the chest will take him far toolong, putting him at increased risk.

The more you shoot, the greater yourcriminal and civil liability hazards become ...“

“



probably also kill him, instantly.However, nothing’s perfect, and in

order to take maximum advantageof the cranio-ocular shot, you mustslow down your shooting a bit,which is difficult if you’re not trainedto do so. You’re transitioning from alarge, relatively easy target (the tho-racic cavity) to a much smaller onethat’s tougher to hit (the cranio-ocu-lar portion of the head). Thus, thetendency of nearly all untrainedshooters is to shoot too quickly andblow the shot, requiring subsequentshots. Slowing down a few tenths ofa second is all that’s required, but ifyou don’t train for it, your perspec-tive on the issue won’t be sufficientlyclear to ensure success, particularlyunder deadly stress.Therefore, it’s my professional

opinion that shooting until the targetgoes down is an excessively riskytactic. It’s better to quickly hit himtwice in the chest, immediatelyassess the effects of your shots,then follow up with a cranio-ocularfailure-to-stop shot if he’s still func-tioning in what you judge to be alethally aggressive fashion.Why? Of the several options avail-

able in this category (pelvis, femur,femoral artery, knee or cranio-oculararea), I prefer the cranio-ocularbecause it’s less difficult to hit andfar more definitive in its effect.

Moreover, and opposed to the otherfailure-to-stop areas to shoot, thehead is the most visible and defini-tive target ... making it much lessdifficult to hit.

If multiple targets are involved, thisconcept becomes even more advan-tageous, as shooting continuously attwo, three or even four targets whilethey engage you simultaneously isvirtually suicidal. Here, a compro-mise between maximum stoppingpower and tactical necessity mustbe made by only shooting eachattacker once in the chest, thenassessing and following up as

required. When your life is on theline and things are happening fast,it’s indisputably the least difficultand most efficient means of engag-ing multiple attackers ... and not justputting them down but getting themcompletely out of the fight.In addition, the ability to quickly

and effectively make the cranio-ocu-lar shot pays off in other tactical sit-uations, such as shooting in acrowded environment, dealing with ahostage situation and engaging par-tially obscured adversaries, such asthose firing from behind cover.Remember the handgun’s tacticalfunction: to end the fight decisivelyin as short a period of time and withas few shots fired as possible.In deadly encounters with any kind

of firearm, but especially handguns,tactical flexibility is the cornerstoneof success. As such, the shoot-until-the-target-goes-down conceptemerges as requiring too much timeand being less than reliable as wellas increasing concerns about notonly tactical success but criminaland civil liability.Although there are exceptions to

every rule, the test of time hasshown that two quick hits in the thoracic cavity, a quick assessmentof their effect and following up asneeded with a cranio-ocular shotprovides a better alternative.

Regardless of whether you prefer the Weaver or Isosceles stance, a good ready position is essential for rapid assessment and fast follow-up shots, ifneeded. If, by the time you have hit your attacker twice in the chest, brought your gun to ready and begun your assessment, the target has not begunto collapse, consider him a failure to stop and go for the cranio-ocular portion of the head.

Emptying lots of rounds into center mass won’tnecessarily stop an attacker in motion towardyou. Train to transition to cranio-ocular shoot-ing after the first two rounds.

“CC


THE BEST OF THE BEST

Police and many military personnel carry handguns daily for personal protection, whether walking the beat or commandingsoldiers on the shifting front lines of the war on terrorism. The

guns they carry have excelled at rigorous testing by their departmentsor military armorers, and have proven themselves under extremelyharsh conditions. Thus, it makes sense to look to police and military-issued handguns for guidance as to what a civilian might want for aprimary defensive handgun.

These duty-issued guns, though, seldom make concessions for concealment—officers wear their handguns openly, in easily accessibleholsters (that often have restraints so only the officer can draw thegun), and soldiers wear them openly in thigh rigs and on their tacticalvests. There isn’t as much need for armed professionals to be discreetabout their handguns as there is for armed civilians. That would limitthe utility of duty-size handguns for armed civilians, except that thereare still plenty of opportunities to carry such large guns (or use themas vehicle or home–based defensive arms).

Many states legally allow for “open carry,” or the civilian carrying ofa sidearm that isn’t visually obscured by a garment—meaning thatthere’s little advantage to carrying a small gun rather than a full-size,full-capacity, full-power one. In some states you don’t need a licenseto carry in this fashion; in all cases, it’s prudent to have a concealedcarry license for both concealed and open carry...especially in coolertemperatures where putting on a jacket or sweatshirt could obscureyour handgun enough to count as a very differently regulated “concealed” handgun.

There are also body types, clothing styles, and particular needs, thatfavor carrying a full-size, duty-type handgun concealed. To answerthese needs, and those of open carry as well, we’ve assembled thissurvey of many of the best full-size defensive handguns on the market.You’ll notice that a lot of them are police or military issue, or fall in aproduct line closely associated with a brand’s LEO/MIL models.

Whatever you purchase, don’t be afraid to shoot it—these modelsare designed to stand up to tactical training as well as every day carry!

—Editor

SEMI-AUTOSFULL


CC_1401-072-087-FULLSEMIS.BAcx.CX 11/21/13 11:30 PM Page 72

A full length barrel, truly usefulsights, and often an accessoryrail in the dust cover, help to make full size semi-autos particularly useful for duty orcarry. Photo by Taurus

SPRING 2014 CONCEALED CARRY HANDGUNS 73“… a lot of themare police or militaryissue …

“CC_1401-072-087-FULLSEMIS.BAcx 11/18/13 10:15 PM Page 73


FULL SEMIS

MODEL: P95WEBSITE:www.ruger.comMSRP: $399Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 3.9 inchesLength: 7.25 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.75 inchesWeight: 27 ouncesSpecial Features: Synthetic grip,stainless slide

Ruger

CaracalMODEL: Caracal FWEBSITE:www.caracal-usa.comMSRP: $400Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 18+1Barrel Length: 4.1 inchesLength: 7 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 5.3 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesSpecial Features: Pre-A1 military styling

ArcusMODEL: 98DAWEBSITE:www.arcus-bg.comMSRP: $400.95Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 4.7 inchesLength: 8 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 34 ouncesSpecial Features: Ergonomicgrip, double action

CC_1401-072-087-FULLSEMIS.BAcx 11/18/13 10:15 PM Page 74

RugerMODEL: P95WEBSITE:www.ruger.comMSRP: $399Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 3.9 inchesLength: 7.25 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.75 inchesWeight: 27 ouncesSpecial Features: Synthetic grip,stainless slide

CaracalMODEL: Caracal FWEBSITE:www.caracal-usa.comMSRP: $400Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 18+1Barrel Length: 4.1 inchesLength: 7 inchesWidth: 1.1 inchesHeight: 5.3 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesSpecial Features: Pre-A1 military styling


ArcusMODEL: 98DACWEBSITE:www.arcus-bg.comMSRP: $400.95Action: SA/DACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.3 inchesHeight: 5.1 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesSpecial Features: White dotcombat sights

Front

back

BUY THEM ONLINE AT ENGAGEDMEDIAMAGS.COMOR CALL US AT 800-764-6278

100% Pre-Shrunk Cotton * Black Shirt with Gold and Grey Screen Print

Get Your offi cial gun worldT-Shirt Today!

$19.95 only

plus s&H


HOT GEAR

MODEL: P1 MK7WEBSITE:www.centuryarms.bizMSRP: $449Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 3.7 inchesLength: 7.4 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.3 inchesWeight: 24 ouncesSpecial Features: Four interchangeablebackstraps, completely ambidextrouscontrols

BersaMODEL: Thunder ProWEBSITE:www.bersa.comMSRP: $495Action: DA/SACaliber: 40 SWCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesLength: 8 inchesWidth: 1.5 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 31 ouncesSpecial Features: Cocked-and-locked-capable

Powerful Handgun Ammo!Federal has tweaked their 000 buck-shot load for 2.5 inch .410 bore shellsfor optimum performance in defen-sive handguns...like the derringersreviewed in this issue, and the .410bore revolvers from Taurus and Smith& Wesson. The 9.1mm shot is copperplated, subsonic, and hits just aboutall at once to incapacitate yourattacker on the first shot.

Bore: .410Length: 2.5 inchesProjectiles: 4Projectile Diameter: 9.1mmVelocity: 850 feet per secondwww.federalpremium.com

GrandPower


FULL SEMIS



MODEL: 809BWEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $497Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 17+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 8.25 inchesWeight: 30 ouncesSpecial Features: Unique multi-position safety

Taurus

EAAMODEL: WitnessWEBSITE:www.eaacorp.comMSRP: $557Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 4.5 inchesLength: 8.1 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 33 ouncesSpecial Features: Sleek design

MODEL: MR9WEBSITE:www.magnumresearch.comMSRP: $559Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.1 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.3 inchesWeight: 28 ouncesSpecial Features: Decocking button, interchangeable backstraps

MagnumResearch



FULL SEMIS

IN DEPTHMODEL: XD Tactical 5 Inch .45ACPWEBSITE:www.springfield-armory.comMSRP: $562 (street)Action: STRCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.3 inchesHeight: 5.8 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesFeatures: Grip safety, trigger safety,outstanding capacity, snag-freerear sight

Springfield Armory’s thoroughly modern polymerframe striker fired semi-automatic, the XD, comes inan assortment of sizes from subcompact (XDs) tomedium (XDm), duty-size (XD), and long slide (XDTactical)...and they come in each of the three bigsemi-auto cartridge chamberings: 9mm, .40 SW, and.45 ACP.

The XD Tactical 5 Inch .45 is one of our top picksfor a full-size defensive handgun, because it has one

of the longest barrels you’re going to find in a strikerfired handgun (5 inches), has outstanding capacity(13 rounds), disassembles without having to pull thetrigger, and its ergonomics strongly evoke the 1911(but in a double stack)...right down to the 1911-stylegrip safety that works in conjunction with the triggersafety and internal measures to create one of thesafest handguns available. Yet using it is still as easyas pointing and pulling the trigger.

GlockMODEL: G37WEBSITE:www.glock.comMSRP: $562Action: STRCaliber: .45 GAPCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 4.5 inchesLength: 8.0 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesSpecial Features: Unique cartridge

Springfield



IN DEPTHMODEL: M&P40WEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $569Action: STRCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 4.25Length: 7.6 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 24 ouncesSpecial Features: Interchangeablebackstraps, palm swell and pinkyledge grip, scalloped slide serrations

Smith & Wesson refined their striker fired plat-form into the very popular M&P (for “Military &Police”) line of defensive handguns. They offer thepolymer frame and steel slide, striker fired actionand consistent trigger pull you expect...but includeunique features, like the grip swell leading to themagazine release button that helps inhibit acciden-tal mag drops (and is comfortable for those withlarge thumbs).The grip is designed with a unique gentle swell

for the palm (which can be adjusted via inter-

changeable backstraps), and there’s a tiny pinkyledge that create, together, a very comfortablegrip...beneath a very low-bore axis for controllingrecoil during rapid fire. The M&P 40 is the duty-size.40 SW in their line, which makes a fantastic fullsize companion to their subcompact M&P pistols.For 40 bucks more (MSRP: $609) you can acquirean “M&P 40 Range Kit” that comes with an extramagazine, Blade-Tech holster and mag pouch,Uplula Speedloader, and ear plugs, so you are all setto practice or try IDPA-style competition.

Smith &Wesson

BerettaMODEL: PX4 StormWEBSITE:www.berettausa.comMSRP: $575Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 14+1Barrel Length: 4.0 inchesLength: 7.6 ouncesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 28 ouncesSpecial Features: Rotating barrel,interchangeable backstraps



FULL SEMIS

MODEL: SPO-1 PhantomWEBSITE:www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $595Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 18+1Barrel Length: 4.7 inchesLength: 8.2 inchesWidth: 1.5 inchesHeight: 5.8 inchesWeight: 29 ouncesSpecial Features: Polymer frame,accessory rail

CZ

GlockMODEL: G23WEBSITE:www.glock.comMSRP: $599Action: STRCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.4 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5 inchesWeight: 21 ouncesSpecial Features: White outlinerear sight

Smith & WessonMODEL: M&P45WEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $599Action: STRCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 4.5 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 28 ouncesSpecial Features: Interchangeable backstraps



K

GlockMODEL: G21SFWEBSITE:www.glock.comMSRP: $637Action: STRCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 4.6 inchesLength: 8 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesSpecial Features: Relieved backstrapto fit medium/ smaller hands

WaltherMODEL: PPQWEBSITE:www.waltherarms.com

MSRP: $599Action: STRCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 11+1Barrel Length: 4.1 inchesLength: 7.2 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.3 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesSpecial Features: Interchangeable backstraps, ambidextrous slide release

CZMODEL: 85 Combat Dual ToneWEBSITE:www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $641Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 16+1Barrel Length: 4.72 inchesLength: 8.11 inchWeight: 35.36 ouncesFeatures: Ambidextrous versionof CZ75, reversible magazinerelease, improved trigger pull


FULL SEMIS

MODEL: G22WEBSITE: www.glock.comMSRP: $641Action: STRCaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 4.5 inchesLength: 8.0 inchesWidth: .2 inchesHeight: 5.4 inchesWeight: 23 ouncesSpecial Features: White outlinerear sight

GlockMODEL: G31WEBSITE: www.glock.comMSRP: $641Action: STRCaliber: .357 SIGCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 4.5 inchesLength: 8 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.4 inchesWeight: 23 ouncesSpecial Features: Loaded for specialcartridge

Sar ArmsMODEL: K2WEBSITE: www.eaacorp.comMSRP: $657Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 14+1Barrel Length: 4.7 inchesLength: 8.3 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.7 inchesWeight: 40 ouncesSpecial Features: Adjustable rear sight,cocked and locked carry

Glock




MODEL: M92WEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $660Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 17+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWidth: 1.6 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 34 ouncesSpecial Features: Frame-mountedsafety/decocker

WaltherMODEL: P99WEBSITE:www.waltherarms.comMSRP: $679Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 12Barrel Length: 4.1 inchesLength: 7.2 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.3 inchesWeight: 26 ouncesSpecial Features: Safety/decockerbutton, ambidextrous mag release

MODEL: CZ 97 BWEBSITE:www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $686Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 4.5 inchesLength: 8.3 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.9 inchesWeight: 41 ouncesSpecial Features: Loaded chamber indicator, cocked-and-locked capable

Taurus

CZ



FULL SEMIS

IN DEPTHMODEL: FNS-9WEBSITE:www.fnhusa.comMSRP: $699Action: STRCaliber: 9 mmCapacity: 17+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.25 inchesWeight: 25.2 ouncesFeatures: Night sights, inter-changeable backstraps, loadedchamber indicator, front and rearslide serrationslow-profile combat sights

FN Herstal is a well respected name in the militaryindustrial community, as they make heavy weaponsfor militaries around the world...and some prettyadvanced weapon systems, too. They don’t offer toomany products that are legal for the civilian market,but among those they do, the FNS-9 stands out as atruly military-grade sidearm intended for military, lawenforcement, and civilian defensive use. It reflects adecidedly unique approach to the striker fired pistolconcept, utilizing an external frame-mounted safety(which is readily manipulated, though extremelysmall for its type...to keep it snag-free during drawing

and use) rather than a more traditional active triggerlever safety.

The rear sight also features an extremely deep cutwhich aids in accuracy and front sight acquisition,and doesn’t crowd the tritium front sight insertwhen taking careful aim (like some shallower rearsights crowd front sight elements). By partially pre-loading the striker, the design keeps a light enoughtrigger pull that’s preferable to double-action pullsby a long shot, and the standard capacity magazineholds 17 rounds—outstanding for formal duty use, orpersonal defense.

GlockMODEL: G17WEBSITE:www.glock.comMSRP: $690Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 17+1Barrel Length: 4.5 inchesLength: 8 inchesWidth: 1.2 inchesHeight: 5.4 inchesWeight: 22 ouncesSpecial Features: White outline rear sight

FNH



BerettaMODEL: 90-TwoWEBSITE:www.berettausa.comMSRP: $700Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 12+1Barrel Length: 5.5 inchesFeatures: Updated 92FS, lighterweight, wraparound mono-grip,accessory rail

MODEL: 96A1WEBSITE:www.berettausa.comMSRP: $725Action: DA/SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 12Barrel Length: 4.9 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWidth: 1.5 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 34 ouncesSpecial Features: Accessory rail,ambidextrous safety-decocker

FN HerstalMODEL: FNP 45WEBSITE:www.fnherstal.comMSRP: $795Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 4.5 inchesLength: 7.9 inchesWidth: 1.6 inchesHeight: 6.3 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesSpecial Features: Deep-notch rear sight

Beretta



FULL SEMIS

MODEL: T9WEBSITE:www.kahr.comMSRP: $831Action: DAOCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 6 inchesWidth: 0.9 inchesHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 25 ouncesSpecial Features: Bar-dot-stylecombat sights, wood grips

KahrArms

Sig SauerMODEL: P226WEBSITE:www.sig-sauer.comMSRP: $975Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 4.4 inchesLength: 7.7 inchesWidth: 1.5 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 34 ouncesSpecial Features: Wide range ofcustom features

Sig SauerMODEL: P229WEBSITE:www.sig-sauer.comMSRP: $975Action: DA/SACaliber: .40Capacity: 12+1Barrel Length: 3.9 inchesLength: 7.1 inchesWidth: 1.5 inchesHeight: 5.4 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesSpecial Features: Snap-on modular grips



CC

MODEL: Hi-Power Mark IIIWEBSITE:www.browning.comMSRP: $1059.99Action: SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 13+1Barrel Length: 4.6 inchesLength: 7.75 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesSpecial Features: Ambidextrous safety,locked breech, ergonomic grips

Browning

Sig SauerMODEL: M11-A1WEBSITE:www.sigsauer.comMSRP: $1,125Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 3.9 inchesLength: 7.1 inchesWidth: 1.5 inchesHeight: 5.4 inchesWeight: 32 ouncesSpecial Features: SIGLITE nightsights, decocker

Sig SauerMODEL: P226 X-Five TacticalWEBSITE:www.sigsauer.comMSRP: $1,696Action: SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 15+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.8 inchesWidth: 1.6 inchesHeight: 5.7 inchesWeight: 36 ouncesSpecial Features: Thumb safety, accessory rail


STILL THE KING

The 1911 has been the undisputedking of all handgun designs forthe better part of a century.

Now, it faces a deluge of polymer-frame, striker-fired guns aimed at itsformer demographic: military person-nel, law enforcement officers and discerning citizens.

... and the 1911 is still standing proud.The features that made it great more

than a hundred years ago continue tomake it great and are joined by moderndesigns and slight revisions that bringa century of innovation, use and learn-ing to bear in some exciting models.

The gun that started it all was JohnM. Browning’s masterpiece in .45 ACP,with wooden grips, a single-action trigger, tolerances loose enough forreliable service in two world wars anddozens of other conflicts (but tightenough for combat accuracy), and aes-thetics that were, at the time, revolu-tionary. After earning the nickname “Ol’Slab Sides,” the 1911 similarly earnedthe respect of war fighters of the U.S.and allied forces around the world—and earned the begrudging respect andwell-founded fear of their enemies.

Today, the 1911 remains virtually

unchanged in a number of “militaryspecification” models. It has under-gone a radical transformation withdouble-stack magazines, accessoryrails milled into the dust covers, tritium night sights, ambidextroussafeties, and all sorts of other revi-sions...including caliber conversionsthat alter its utility to fit more usersand more missions.

The “1911” now is more of a platformfor innovation and customization,rather than one specific gun. Our col-lection explores many of the optionsyou have, from nearly identical modelsoffered by very different manufactur-ers, to radical departures on the 1911concept that result in some truly spe-cialized and fascinating handguns.

In the end, our goal is to bring you a selection of 1911-based designs in all manners of sizes, in many calibersand that represent the range of configurations applicable to selfdefense—whether you’re an armedprofessional or a discerning citizen.

Because in 100+ years, the 1911design has served folks like us very,very well.

—Editor

PISTOLS1911


CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:27 PM Page 88


Packed with features from extendedgrip safeties to ambidextrous controlsand plenty of sight options, the modern 1911 is arguably still the king.Photo by Nighthawk

“The 1911 has beenthe undisputed king ofall handgun designs …

“CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:27 PM Page 89


1911 PISTOLS

CenturyArms

MODEL:MILITARYWEBSITE:www.centuryarms.comMSRP: $400Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 42 ounces Features: Pre-A1 military styling,classic look and feel, handles justlike the century-old original

Armscor MODEL:M1911A1 TACTICALWEBSITE:www.armscorusa.comMSRP: $460Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.56 ouncesWeight: 45.92 ouncesFeatures: Three-dot low profile night sights,integral accessory rail, ambidextrous safety

ChiappaMODEL: 1911-45WEBSITE:www.chiappafirearms.comMSRP: $498Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWeight: 38.5 ouncesFeatures: Tactical sights available, front andrear slide serrations, skeletonized combattrigger, extended safeties

CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:27 PM Page 90


Shooter’s ArmsMODEL: COMMODOREWEBSITE: www.centuryarms.comMSRP: $531Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesLength: 7.75 inchesWeight: 38.4 ouncesFeatures: Combat-style rear sight, low-glarematte finish, extended controls

RegentMODEL: R350CRWEBSITE: www.regentarms.comMSRP: $549Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.625 inchesWeight: 35 ouncesFeatures: Lowered and flared ejection port, skeletonized trigger, stainless hammer-forged barrel

CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:27 PM Page 91


1911 PISTOLS

MODEL: CLASSIC COMMANDERWEBSITE:www.americanclassic1911.comMSRP: $600Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWidth: 1.25 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 35 ounces Features: Extended beavertail grip safety, skeletonizedtrigger and hammer, custom features standard

IN DEPTHMODEL: 380 MUSTANG POCKETLITEWEBSITE:www.coltsmfg.comMSRP: $599Action: SACaliber: .380 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.75 inchesLength: 5.5 inchesWeight: 12.5 ouncesFeatures: High-profile sights foraccuracy, checkered compositegrips, aluminum alloy frame,stainless-steel barrel and slide

Colt is the original manufacturer ofthe 1911, bringing to life John M.Browning’s design (as he was in theiremploy to develop a semiautomaticpistol for the U.S. military) and get-ting it on its way to internationalacclaim. One of their more dramaticdepartures from the original militaryspecification is this tiny, pocket-sizedhandgun based closely on the 1911design. Chambered in .380 ACP, thecartridge is quite a departure from theoriginal .45 ACP chambering, but itallowed Colt engineers to downsizethe rest of the design into a packagethat, for quite awhile, went unrivaled

in size and design.You’ll find functional (if stream-

lined) sights, the familiar single-action operating system and a veryfamiliar 1911 trigger and trigger pull onthis 12.5-ounce gun, but you won’tfind the grip safety or a place to wrapyour pinky. Those were left off in favorof the engineering required of thepocket-sized design.A solid choice for 1911 fans who

want a pocket gun with the familiarergonomics, point of aim and controlsof their full-size 1911s, the 380Mustang Pocketlite is just about thesmallest Colt 1911 around.

Colt

AmericanClassic

CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:27 PM Page 92


Auto Ordnance MODEL: 1911A1WEBSITE:www.auto-ordnance.comMSRP: $627Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWeight: 39 ounces Features: Parkerized finish, drift-adjustable rear sight, classicParkerized finish with brown plastic,checkered, all-weather grips

MODEL:M-1911 COMPACTWEBSITE:www.legacysports.comMSRP: $639Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWeight: 34 ounces Features: Hogue grips, skeletonized triggerand hammer, ambidextrous safety

MODEL:OFFICER’S MODELWEBSITE:www.americanclassic1911.comMSRP: $684Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 7.25 inchesWeight: 32.45 ouncesFeatures: Novak-style rear combat sight, super-compact officer-size design, lowered and flared ejection port

Grip Gloves

Tacprogear’s GripGloves provide a lot ofgrip enhance-ment (whichcomes in handywhen rapid firingaccurately underrecoil), a little warmthon cold days, and solidprotection from abrasion,sun, wind, and vibration.

Material: Tacky polymer, NeopreneClosure: Velcro strapSizes: M-XLKnuckles: PaddedPalm: Anti-vibration paddedMSRP: $39.99www.tacprogear.com

American Classic

Citadel

HOT GEAR

TACP

ROGE

AR

CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:28 PM Page 93


1911 PISTOLS

MODEL: SOLO CARRYWEBSITE:www.kimberamerica.comMSRP: $747Action: STRCaliber: 9mmCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 2.7 inchesLength: 5.5 inchesWidth: 1 inchWeight: 17 ounces Features: Low-profile white dot sights, three-dotcombat sights, aluminum grip frame, 9mm in a1911-inspired design

IN DEPTHMODEL: 1911 POLYWEBSITE:www.rockriverarms.comMSRP: $799Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWeight: 32.64 ouncesFeatures: Custom Rock River overmoldedgrips, aluminum speed trigger, polymer frame

Looking for a thoroughly modern1911 that retains the classic ele-ments you love? Here’s a strongcontender. Rock River Arms makessome fine 1911s, and this modelretains the ergonomics, controls,caliber and capacity of the originalwith some crucial updates. Therear sight is a thoroughly modern“combat-style” sight that is prettymuch standard on higher-enddefensive pistols, while the frontsight is a deluxe affair with serra-tions that help cast glare-beating

shadows so you can see it clearly injust about any light. The raisedswell on the grip safety ensurespositive disengagement when yougrip the pistol, and the skele-tonized trigger is light and crisp.

Most intriguingly, though, thelower frame is polymer with steelinserts for wear-surfaces, whichshaves at least seven ounces off ofthe gun’s weight, compared toother full-size, 5-inch barrel mod-els. That can make a big differencefor everyday carry comfort.

Rock RiverArms, Inc

Kimber

CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:28 PM Page 94


KimberMODEL: CUSTOM IIWEBSITE:www.kimberamerica.comMSRP: $871Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.7 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.25 inchesWeight: 38 ounces Features: Adjustable rear sight, full-length 5-inch barrel, ergonomic controls

MODEL: SR1911WEBSITE:www.ruger.comMSRP: $829Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.7 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.45 inchesWeight: 39 ounces Features: Skeletonized hammer andtrigger, oversized beavertail grip safety,Novak combat sights

MODEL: PT 1911 ARWEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $870Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWidth: 1.5 inchesWeight: 33.6 ouncesFeatures: Heinie front sight, lightened hammer and trigger, fine custom checkering

Taurus

Ruger

CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:29 PM Page 95


1911 PISTOLS

ColtMODEL: NEW AGENTWEBSITE:www.coltsmfg.comMSRP: $885Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.75 inchesWeight: 22.5 ounces Features: Slim-fit double-diamond grips,trench-style no-snag sight milled into frame,extremely streamlined design

Sig Sauer MODEL: 1911 TRADITIONAL RTSSWEBSITE:www.sigsauer.comMSRP: $949Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.7 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 42 ounces Features: Trijicon adjustable nightsights, extended ergonomic controls,attractive style

HOT GEARShooter’s Bible Guide to Home Defense

Defensive-minded shoot-ers need to seek properrange instruction andbackground classes...andread as much as they canabout tactics, techniques,training doctrine, andlegal realities. We’velearned a good deal from Roger Eckstine’sguide. There is a lot ofrelevant material toconcealed carry prac-tices and defensiveshooting, too.

Title: Shooter’s Bible Guide to Home DefenseAuthor: Roger EckstineISBN: 1626361797Pages: 208Publisher: Skyhorse PublishingReleased: November 2013

SKYH

ORS

E PU

BLIS

HIN

G

CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:29 PM Page 96


Olympic ArmsMODEL: COHORTWEBSITE:www.olyarms.netMSRP: $973Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.75 inchesWeight: 36 ouncesFeatures: Adjustable rear sight, satinbead-blasted finish, beavertail grip safety

MODEL:WARTHOGWEBSITE:www.para-usa.comMSRP: $999Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 10+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 24 ounces Features: Fiber optic front sight, extended beavertail grip safety,10-round magazine-capable,flush-fitting lower-round-countmags for discrete carry

Para Usa

ColtMODEL: 1991 SERIES COMMANDERWEBSITE:www.coltsmfg.comMSRP: $1,008Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesLength: 7.75 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 33ozFeatures: Lowered ejection port, white dot sights,updated Commander-pattern ergonomics

CC_1401-088-097-1911.BAcxx 11/18/13 10:29 PM Page 97


1911 PISTOLS

ColtMODEL: DEFENDER 7002DWEBSITE:www.coltsmfg.comMSRP: $1,015Action: SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.75 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesWeight: 25 ounces Features: Novak low-mount carry sights, largecapacity for size, 9mm caliber in a 1911-type frame

STIMODEL: GUARDIANWEBSITE:www.stiguns.comMSRP: $1,135Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesWeight: 32 ounces Features: High-rise beavertail safety, Novak-stylecombat sights, also available in .40 SW and 9mm

ColtMODEL: GOVERNMENT DOUBLE ACTIONWEBSITE:www.coltsmfg.comMSRP: $1,017Action: DAOCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWeight: 27 ouncesFeatures: Aluminum frame, steel slide,lowered/flared ejection port, unique (to1911s) DAO action

CC_1401-098-105-1911.CX 11/21/13 11:31 PM Page 98

MODEL: ULTRA CRIMSON CARRY IIWEBSITE:www.kimberamerica.comMSRP: $1,206Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.8 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 4.75 inchesWeight: 25 ounces Features:Match-grade barrel, snag-free sights,Crimson Trace LaserGrips standard

IN DEPTHMODEL: 1911 CARRY SCORPIONWEBSITE:www.sigsauer.comMSRP: $1,213Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 4.2 inchesLength: 7.7 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 35 ounces Features: Low-profile night sights, Hoguegrips, Hogue G-10 grips, ambidextrous safety,accessory rail

One of the more visually fascinating of the recent1911s is SIG’s Carry Scorpion. Mechanically, it’s a stan-dard 1911 with top-tier (for a production gun) millingand construction. But look closely, and you’ll seesome truly unique design elements that make this asfascinating of a pistol to behold as it is reliable andaccurate to shoot.The front and rear straps are checkered differently,

the finer teeth in front to help with recoil control(without abrading your skin over time) as the gun

torques. The Hogue G-10 grips feature unique scalingwith an integral double-diamond pattern that bringsclassic design into their modern presentation. Thecombat-style sights are elegant, with the rear oneserrated to echo the slide serrations. Note the subtlemilling on the slide itself: They shave off someweight (making it even more appealing for dailycarry) in the process of slightly relieving the slide toevoke a sense of their P200-series handguns—a verydistinctive, very SIG Sauer touch!

Sig Sauer

Kimber


CC_1401-098-105-1911.CX 11/21/13 11:31 PM Page 99


1911 PISTOLS

SpringfieldMODEL:MICRO COMPACTWEBSITE:www.springfield-armory.comMSRP: $1,247Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.0 inchesWeight: 26 ounces Features: “High-hand” beavertail grip safety, subcompact design, steel frame

STIMODEL: OFF DUTYWEBSITE:www.stiguns.comMSRP: $1,243Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 3.24 inchesLength: 7 inchesWeight: 30.4 ouncesFeatures: Three-dot adjustable combat sights,checkered cocobolo grip panels, ramped bull barrel

Para UsaMODEL: STEALTHWEBSITE:www.para-usa.comMSRP: $1,339Action: DAOCaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 6+1Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesWeight: 24 ounces Features: Combat-style sights, beavertailgrip safety, unique-to-style DAO trigger

CC_1401-098-105-1911.CX 11/21/13 11:32 PM Page 100


MODEL:MASTER CARRY PROWEBSITE:www.kimberamerica.comMSRP: $1,568Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.7 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.25 inchesWeight: 28 ounces Features: Crimson Trace Master SeriesLasergrips, bobbed grip frame for concealment,aluminum match-grade trigger

Smith & WessonMODEL: SW1911 BOBTAIL CARRYWEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $1,539Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesLength: 8 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 30 ounces Features: Relieved slide, fish-scale serrations,bobbed tail for increased concealment

DanWessonMODEL: GUARDIANWEBSITE:www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $1,619Action: SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 9+1Barrel Length: 4.3 inchesLength: 8 inchesWidth: 1.5 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 29 ounces Features: Bobtail design for concealment,9mm in a 1911 frame, alloy frame to save weight

Kimber

CC_1401-098-105-1911 11/18/13 10:36 PM Page 101


Dan WessonMODEL: ECOWEBSITE:www.cz-usa.comMSRP: $1,662Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 3.5 inchesLength: 7.25 inchesWeight: 1.56 poundsFeatures: G-10 grips, night sights, impressivelylightweight, rounded butt for concealment

AdeqMODEL: VIGILUM TACTICALWEBSITE:www.adeqfirearms.comMSRP: $1,850Action: SACaliber: .40 SWCapacity: 9+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.75 inchesWeight: 41.6 ouncesFeatures: Novak-style low-profile combat sights, G-10grips, match-grade trigger,sear and hammer

Les BaerMODEL: ULTIMATE TACTICAL CARRY 5-INCHWEBSITE:www.lesbaer.comMSRP: $1,930Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWeight: 37.02 ouncesFeatures: Combat-style rear sight, tritium frontsight, match-grade trigger

1911 PISTOLS

HOT GEARSignal-Blocking Courier Bag

To prevent the unwanted reading of digitaldevices, RFID devices (like IDs, passports, evencredit cards) or access of digital devices (likephones and computers), Blackhawk makes adedicated bag with Zero Trace electromagneticsignal-blocking material. With a large maincompartment for primary storage, it also has acell phone pouch, side pouches, internalMOLLE webbing and hook-field panel...all kindsof neat features.

Style: Day bagColor: BlackPouches: Four plus compartmentsStrap: Padded,adjustableMaterial:Ballistic nylonLining: ZeroTrace electro magneticMSRP: $149.99www.blackhawk.com

CC_1401-098-105-1911 11/18/13 10:36 PM Page 102


MODEL: PISTOL WITH NO NAMEWEBSITE:www.guncrafterindustries.comMSRP: $2,695Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 8 inchesBarrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWeight: 38 ouncesFeatures: Heine Slant Pro tritium nightsights, match-grade stainless barrel,heavy-duty bushing for accuracy

Les Baer MODEL: STINGER SSWEBSITE:www.lesbaer.comMSRP: $1,990Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesLength: 7.75 inchesFeatures: Four-pound skeletonizedspeed trigger, lowered and flaredejection port, rounded edges forsnag-free concealed carry

Wilson CombatMODEL: X-TAC COMPACTWEBSITE:www.wilsoncombat.comMSRP: $2,785Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7.6 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.1 inchesWeight: 41 ounces Features: Combat-style sights, fiber optic frontsight, unique milling, grip-enhancing grip panels

Guncrafter

CC_1401-098-105-1911 11/18/13 10:36 PM Page 103


1911 PISTOLS

GuncrafterIndustries

GuncrafterMODEL: 50GI M3WEBSITE:www.guncrafterindustries.comMSRP: $3,185Action: SACaliber: .50 GICapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesWeight: 35 ouncesFeatures: Heine Slant Pro tritium night sights, super custom textured grips, round-butt forged frame

NighthawkMODEL: T3 STAINLESSWEBSITE:www.nighthawkcustom.comMSRP: $3,400Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4.25 inchesWeight: 40 ouncesFeatures: Also available in 9mm and .40SW, Heinie Straight-Eight pro night sights,G-10 grips, extended mag well

MODEL: CCOWEBSITE:www.guncrafterindustries.comMSRP: $2,795Action: SACaliber: .45 ACPCapacity: 7+1Barrel Length: 4.75 inchesLength: 8 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 33 ounces Features: Tritium snag-free night sights,enlarged beavertail grip safety, custom fit and finish

CC_1401-098-105-1911 11/18/13 10:36 PM Page 104


Now

Concealed and Carry Handguns

Free Concealed and Carry app

m

CabotMODEL: CGI CLASSICWEBSITE:www.cabotgun.comMSRP: $4,950Action: SACaliber:.45 ACPCapacity: 8+1Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 8.4 inchesWeight: 40 ouncesFeatures: Hand polished and blued, flared ejection port, semi-polished and bright bluing, Chip McCormick Power Mag magazine CC

CC_1401-098-105-1911 11/18/13 10:36 PM Page 105

The standard of gumshoedetectives, the compactrevolver, has earned its

reputation in the real world as areliable last line of defense foroff-duty police officers andcivilians alike. We’ve readaccounts of airmen formerlycarrying the five-shot, snub-nosed double actions in theirflight suits rather than full-sizestandard sidearms, bringing themilitary into the fold of thosewho tip their hat to the particu-lar utility of compact revolvers.

Our definition (for purposesof inclusion here, anyway) holdsthat a compact revolver needsto be double action, have a barrel right around two-incheslong and fit in a coat pocket.Those filters generally returnmodels along the lines of Smith& Wesson’s vaunted Chief’sSpecial: five shot .38 SPLrevolvers with the occasional.357 MAG, featuring trench-style fixed sights and two-fingergrips. Some models featureexposed hammer spurs you can

thumb back for single-actionshooting, while many concealthe hammer (or bob it) so itcan’t snag on your clothing asyou draw it in a hurry.

You’ll be doing well to hit a plate at twenty-five yardswith any of them, but compactrevolvers aren’t built for accura-cy at target shooting ranges—they’re built to provide usefulamounts of energy fromrimmed cartridges, functionalaccuracy at seven yards (orcloser) if you practice a bit toknow what you’re doing, andjust about the most straightfor-ward user experience of anyfirearm design.

Real-world detectives knowthat you can reliably fire all fiveshots from a revolver as itremains in your pocket, andthough you should never, everdo that for a myriad of safetyreasons, if that’s the best youcan do in response to an attack,your compact revolver shoulddo just fine.

—Editor


SLEEK, POWERFUL, ANDDEEP UNDERCOVER

REVOLVERSCOMPACT

CC_1401-106-115-COMREV.BAcx 11/18/13 10:49 PM Page 106


Proper defensive ammunition in .357 MAG or.38 SPL +P can turn a compact revolver into aformidable tool for self-defense...and even theplaying field with just about any attacker.Photo by Rossi



COMPACT REVOLVERS

Taurus

MODEL: 85WEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $648Action: DA/SACaliber: .38 SPL +PCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2 inchesLength: 6.25 inchesHeight: 4.3 inchesWeight: 21 ounces Features: Compact dimensions,rated for powerful +P loads,straightforward operation

MODEL: SHADOWWEBSITE:www.cobrapistols.netMSRP: $369Action: DAOCaliber: .38 SPL +PCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 1.9 inchesLength: 6.4 inchesWeight: 15 ouncesFeatures: Hammerless design, widerange of custom colors, integral sights

TaurusMODEL: 85PLYSS2WEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $369Action: DA/SACaliber: .38 SPL +PCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2.5 inchesLength: 6.7 inchesHeight: 4.3 inchesWeight: 18 ounces Features: Extremely lightweight, ratedfor powerful +P loads, slightly longerbarrel for higher velocities

CobraFirearms



Charter ArmsMODEL:MAG PUG STANDARDWEBSITE:www.charterfirearms.comMSRP: $396Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2.2 inchesWeight: 23 ounces Features: Rubber grips, easily concealabledesign, smooth trigger

Charter ArmsMODEL: SOUTHPAWWEBSITE:www.charterfirearms.comMSRP: $428Action: DA/SACaliber: .38 SPL +PCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2 inchesWeight: 12 ouncesFeatures: Dedicated left-hand model,aluminum frame for light weight, availablein two-tone pink finish

Charter ArmsMODEL: UNDERCOVER LITE BLACK STDWEBSITE:www.charterfirearms.comMSRP: $428Action: DA/SACaliber: .38 SPL +PCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2 inchesWeight: 12 ouncesFeatures: Aluminum frame with steel,spurred hammer, integral sights



Charter Arms

COMPACT REVOLVERS

Charter ArmsMODEL: PINK LADYWEBSITE:www.charterfirearms.comMSRP: $433Action: DAOCaliber: .38 SPLCapacity: 5Barrell Length: 2 inchesWeight: 12 ounces Features: Bright pink cast-aluminumframe, extreme light weight, very simple operation

RossiMODEL: 462WEBSITE:www.rossiusa.comMSRP: $465Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 2 inchesWeight: 26 ounces Features: Low-profile fixed sights,scalloped grips, solid firepower

MODEL: PITBULL 9MMWEBSITE:www.charterfirearms.comMSRP: $465Action: DA/SACaliber: 9mmCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 2.2 inchesWeight: 22 ounces Features: Smooth double action, integral sights, shoots 9mm cartridges without needing moon clips



HOT GEARImpact Edged WeaponMore than just another knife,

the IEW was developed to offermultiple defensive applicationsin addition to the blade itself.The handle is constructed to fillyour grip and provide increasedmass for punching, but its trulyunique utility comes from theshaped “focused strike points”that direct the full energy of ablow into a tiny, non-penetrat-ing area...so you can dropattackers with a single blow tovarious anatomical disablingareas around the body.Handle: G10Steel: 440C StainlessOpening: AssistedSpecial Feature: Focusedstrike pointswww.tactical-training.com

RossiMODEL: 35202WEBSITE:www.rossiusa.comMSRP: $465Action: DA/SACaliber: .38 SPLCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2 inchesWeight: 24 ounces Features: Low-profile fixed sights,sweat-resistant stainless steel,hammer spur for single-actionshooting

P P r g



COMPACT REVOLVERS

TaurusMODEL: 850B2ULWEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $481Action: DAOCaliber: .38 SPL +PCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesHeight: 4.3 inchesWeight: 18 ounces Features: Concealed no-snag hammer, rubber grips, very light

IN DEPTHMODEL: BODYGUARD 38 +PWEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $509Action: DAOCaliber: .38 SPLCaliber: 5Barrel Length: 1.9 inchesLength: 6.6 inchesWeight: 14.3 ounces Features: Hammerless design, lasersight, integral metallic sights

The Bodyguard 38 is paired with Smith& Wesson’s other recent development inpocket handguns, the Bodyguard 380.This revolver packs considerably morepunch per round (though it carries twofewer total rounds on board) than its part-ner and holds its own against other +P-rated .38 SPL handguns with a 1.9-inchbarrel … but it gains a slight edge in overallweight and features. At 14.3 ounces, thispolymer-framed pistol has an outwardsize comparable to other five-shot snub-bies, while weighing an ounce—or severalounces—less, and the polymer frame and

coating over many of the exposed metalsurfaces is a great inhibitor to rust—a bigconsideration for those who carry theirgun on or very near bare skin, in all weath-er, etc. The recoil of full power +P loadscan be fierce, but the (removable) InsightLaser mounted above the grip on the rightside helps increase your accuracy. Thesight loses points for requiring a button onthe unit to be pressed—requiring fore-thought and an available finger—ratherthan being in an automatically-depressed-when-grasping position, but it’s fullyadjustable and features a pulsing mode.

Smith & Wesson



TaurusMODEL: 731 ULTRA LITEWEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $514Action: DA/SACaliber: .32 H&R MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 2 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesHeight: 4.3 inchesWeight: 17 ounces Features: Lightweight design, powerful specialty caliber,compact overall package, found now on the used market

Smith & WessonMODEL: 640WEBSITE: www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $729Action: DAOCaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2.1 inchesLength: 6.6 inchesWeight: 23 ounces Features: Fully shrouded hammer, snag-freedesign, powerful cartridge

Smith & WessonMODEL: 60 LS LADYSMITHWEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $759Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2.1 inchesLength: 6.6 inchesWeight: 21 ounces Features: Walnut full-finger grips, fits easilyin a purse or discrete holster, integral sights



COMPACT REVOLVERS

TaurusMODEL: 650B2WEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $523Action: DAOCaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.4 inchesHeight: 4.3 inchesWeight: 24 ounces Features: Sturdy steel frame, hammerlessdesign, rubber recoil-absorbing grips

IN DEPTHMODEL: LCRWEBSITE:www.ruger.comMSRP: $879 (w/ crimson trace lasergrip)Action: DAOCaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 1.9 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWidth: 1.3 inchesHeight: 4.5 inchesWeight: 16.6 ounces Features: Hammerless design, some polymercomponents, custom Crimson Trace LaserGrips

The gun that some say revolutionizedpocket revolvers by bringing them into the21st century has a lot to offer, and after tak-ing an extended look at it since its release,here’s what we love about the LCR. Theseare polymer-framed revolvers with shock-ingly light weight and the outward dimen-sions you’d expect—just enough to hangonto, not too much for everyday carry in apocket. The “friction-reducing-cam” in con-junction with the trigger (on the centerfiremodels, anyway) makes for a superb triggerpull that enhances accuracy potential; with

such a short barrel, as this class of revolversports, every single thing that enhancesaccuracy potential is crucial. And the LCRcomes standard with one big advantagealong those lines: You can have it arrive outfitted with a Crimson Trace Lasergripunit that projects a dot right where yourbullet is going to strike. That alone is worthtaking a look at a modern pistol, but themodern polymer design and trigger make ita truly intriguing option. Take a look at theother calibers on offer, too: .22 LR, .22WMRF and .38 SPL +P.

Ruger



Smith & WessonMODEL: 36 CHIEF’S SPECIALWEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $729Action: DA/SACaliber: .38 SPLCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 1.9 inchesLength: 7 inchesWeight: 19.5 ounces Features:Walnut grips, hammer spur,classic detective’s handgun

Smith & WessonMODEL: 60WEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $729Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2.1 inchesLength: 6.6 inchesWeight: 22.6 ounces Features: Ergonomic grip, stainless steelfor durability, designed for discreet carry

Smith & WessonMODEL: 351WEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $689Action: DAOCaliber: .22 WMRCapacity: 7Barrel Length: 1.9 inchesLength: 6.2 inchesWeight: 10.8 ounces Features: Hammerless design, high capacityfor size, suitable for the recoil-sensitive

CC


SIX-SHOT POWERHOUSES

At the intersection of concealability and poweryou’ll find the medium

frame revolver—six-shot pow-erhouses normally chamberedin .357 MAG, with a few .44 SPLand .327 MAG models for goodmeasure. Some of these will fitinside your inside-the-waist-band (IWB) holsters, but ingeneral, these models are des-tined for belt carry, car carry, orstashing in your off-body carryoption (such as a purse, plan-ner, or backpack).

The benefits you get overcompact revolvers stack up,especially if you plan to spenda lot of range time becomingone with your gun...which is always a solid idea. Theslightly heavier weight (than a compact revolver, anyway)helps dampen perceivedrecoil, while the slightly longerbarrels give you a boost invelocity and resultant kineticenergy downrange...not tomention a slightly longer sightradius that helps you placeyour shots more precisely for

those times (mainly at therange) when you actually havetime to align the sights. Oftenin this size class, those sightswill be adjustable—a definitebonus for those planning to practice a lot, compete in tactical competitions, or handload practice rounds.

When shopping for a medi-um frame revolver, look for onethat balances size with con-cealability relative to your bodytype, choice of carry methods,and how you dress throughoutthe year. It’s easier to conceal asix-shot medium frame revolverthan a full-frame revolver, butcertain factors—like barrellength (you don’t want a barrelsticking down beneath yourjacket or blazer)—may swayyou to one model over another.Then there’s cost...which we’vecovered pretty well from $205to $829.

Now selecting amodel...that’s up to you. And that’s where the fun really begins.

—Editor

REVOLVERMEDIUM


CC_1401-116-121-MEDREV.BAcxxx 11/18/13 11:05 PM Page 116

Smith & Wesson is amongthe oldest names in therevolver business, andthey continue to makeinnovative, reliable wheel-guns. Photo by Jim House


“The slightly heavierweight … helps dampenperceived recoil …

“CC_1401-116-121-MEDREV.BAcxxx 11/18/13 11:05 PM Page 117


EAAMODEL:WINDICATORWEBSITE:www.eaacorp.comMSRP: $319Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 7 inchesWeight: 30 ounces Features: Available in several calibers, integral sights, contoured cushioned grips

RossiMODEL: 85104WEBSITE:www.rossiusa.comMSRP: $401Action: DA/SACaliber: .38 SPLCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 4 inchesWeight: 32 ounces Features: Ventilated rib atopbarrel, adjustable sights,supremely comfortable grips

MEDIUM REVOLVER

ComancheMODEL: COMANCHE II-AWEBSITE:www.comanchepistols.comMSRP: $205Action: DA/SACaliber: .38 SPLCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 3Length: 8 inchesWeight: 33 ouncesFeatures: Extremely inexpensive, adjustablerear sight, contoured rubber grip



RossiMODEL: R971WEBSITE:www.rossiusa.comMSRP: $465Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 4 inchesWeight: 32 ounces Features: Adjustable sights, moldedgrips, great sight radius

Charter ArmsMODEL: BULLDOG PUGWEBSITE:www.charterfirearms.comMSRP: $414Action: DAOCaliber: .44 SPLCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2.5 inchesWeight: 21 ounces Features: Bobbed hammer design, snag-freereceiver design, serious defensive caliber



MEDIUM REVOLVER

MODEL: SP101WEBSITE:www.ruger.comMSRP: $699Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 9.12 inchesWeight: 29.5 ounces Features: Fiber optic front sight, adjustable rearsight, 3-inch barrel for improved velocity

IN DEPTHMODEL: Rhino 200DSWEBSITE:www.chiappafirearms.comMSRP: $749Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 2 inchesLength: 6.5 inchesWeight: 40 ounces Features: Extremely low bore axis, fiber opticfront sight, powerful defensive cartridge

We’d like to give some extra love to this plug-uglybeast of a handgun for exactly the reasons why somany shooters love using (if not looking at it): theRhino offers something truly different for a revolver.The Rhino design fires from the bottom cylinder, ratherthan the top (like virtually all other revolvers). Theresult is a great reduction in felt recoil and precious lit-tle of the “muzzle flip” that goes along with having abore axis above the shooting hand. With the Rhino’sbore axis aimed right at the shooting hand, especiallyconsidering the uniquely swept and shaped grip, youcan achieve considerably more accurate, quick follow-up shots...faster, too. At least, compared to traditionalrevolvers with similar barrel lengths and calibers.

The cylinder is also milled with flat sides to aid in concealability, helping this six-shot defensivehandgun stay surprisingly trim from side to side.Sights can be had in traditional ramp or fluorescentrod insert styles, with the rear sight consisting of atraditional receiver-length groove (on models withthe 2-inch barrel; on models with longer barrels,adjustable target-style sights are standard). Likemany companies, Chiappa offers companion modelsin different calibers, including .40 SW and 9mm.You’ll turn heads at the range, that’s for sure...but

let others try the Rhino, and they’ll be amazed at theway it mitigates recoil and stays on target—attributesthat could save your life.

Ruger

ChiappaFirearms



MODEL: 586WEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $809Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 9.25 inchesWeight: 41 ounces Features: Red ramp front sight, comfortable grip, fantastic accuracy potential

MODEL: GP100WEBSITE: www.ruger.comMSRP: $759Action: DA/SACaliber: .327 MAGCapacity: 7Barrel Length: 4.2 inchesLength: 9.5 inchesWeight: 40 ounces Features: Adjustable sights, palmswell grip, extra shot by virtue ofunique chambering

Smith & WessonMODEL: 686WEBSITE: www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $829Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 2.5 inchesLength: 9.6 inchesWeight: 40 ounces Features: Adjustable sights with white outline,orange insert front sight, comfortable grip

Smith &Wesson

CC

Ruger


BIG CARTRIDGES –BIG DEFENSE

The six-shot, full-sizerevolver is an icon of cow-boy imagery...and indeed,

the reliable revolvers of the OldWest, with their heavy cast leadbullets, served a wide range ofuses on the open range. In morethan a century of use since thatheavily-romanticized time,revolvers have undergonerepeated innovation and rede-velopment, been chambered forincreasingly impressive (andoften specialized) cartridges,and become the staples of lawenforcement professionals,hunters, and armed citizensalike. Revolvers continue toserve as specialized tools aswell as defensive arms...nowmore effectively than ever.

While they’ve also shrunk tominimalist pocket pistoldesigns, and morphed intomedium-sized defensive arms,the full-size revolver continuesin its noble service as a reliabledesign capable of defending itsusers and dispatching foesthroughout the animal kingdom(including two legged beasts).Today’s most relevant models

for armed citizens put full-power .357 MAG loads, .44 MAGloads, .410 bore shotshell loads,and other innovative cartridgesin your hand...

...and if they’re not exactlyconcealable, they’re nonethe-less very useful in their ownright. Open carry is legal inmany states, as is car carry, andyour concealed carry permitlikely entitles you to carry con-cealed in a backpack or otheron-body solution—enabling youto carry whatever size revolverbest fits your needs.

Those who enjoy targetshooting or tactical gamingwith their carry gun can alsofind in today’s modern revolversthe perfect companion for rangetime...and can usually handload,or easily buy, reduced powerpractice loads that make thatrange time downright enjoyable.

Take a look at these excitingoffers, to see how far we’vecome from the open range...andhopefully find your nextsidearm!

—Editor

REVOLVERFULL


CC_1401-122-128-FULLREV.BAcx 11/18/13 11:12 PM Page 122


“Those who enjoy target shootingor tactical gaming with their carrygun can also find in today’s modernrevolvers the perfect companion forrange time …

“Taurus’s iconic Judgebrought about the modernera of .45 Colt / .410 borehandguns...and the addi-tions of an integral laserand fiber optic front sightjust make it better. Photo by Laserlyte

CC_1401-122-128-FULLREV.BAcx.CX 11/21/13 11:33 PM Page 123

IN DEPTHMODEL: JUDGE 3 INCH MAGWEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $695Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 Colt / .410 ShotshellCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 9.5 inchesWeight: 37 ounces Features: 3-inch chambers, integral sights,shoots both .45 Colt cartridges and .410 shot-shells interchangeably

The Taurus Judge changed the modern full-framerevolver landscape when it was introduced, bringingthe industry’s first standard production .410 shotshell /.45 Colt revolver to consumers. It was heralded as abreakthrough, dismissed for its size, lauded for its fire-power, chastised for its looks...and has caused othermakers to develop their own versions. Now, you havemany options in .410 bore pistols...including the latestJudges, like this model with a three-inch chamber.

When loaded with 000 buckshot, you get five pel-lets per cartridge, and five cartridges per cylinder, for

25 of the .410 bore projectiles ready to defendagainst whatever attacks—be it man or beast. Youcan load other shot sizes, or .45 Colt rounds, so thatyou can engage anything from snakes to medium-sized game or static targets.

This Judge is considerably larger and slightlyheavier than you might be able to easily conceal,but for open carry, backpack carry, car carry or othercircumstances where size isn’t an issue, it offerssome extremely potent medicine to cure a widerange of ills.

Taurus


FULL REVOLVER

MODEL: 4510WEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $587Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 Colt / .410 ShotshellCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 9.5 inchesWeight: 37 ounces Features: 3-inch chambers, integral sights,shoots both .45 Colt cartridges and .410 shotshells interchangeably

Taurus

PHO

TO B

Y TA

URU

S



MODEL: PUBLIC DEFENDERWEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $620Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 Colt / .410 ShotshellCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2.5 inchesLength: 9 inchesWeight: 28.2 ounces Features: Powerful design, reinforcedframe, shoots 2.5-inch .410 Shotshellsor .45 Colt cartridges interchangeably

TaurusSmith & WessonMODEL: GOVERNORWEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $769Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 Colt / .410 ShotshellCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 2.75 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWidth: 1.75 inchesHeight: 5.5 inchesWeight: 30 ounces Features: Accepts .410 shotshells, .45 Colt and.45 ACP, features integral sights, rifled barrel

This 132-Page Magazine is the Ultimate Guide to Concealed and Carry

ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!Call 800-764-6278or visit us on-line at

www.engagedmediamags.comAllow 5-7 days for delivery of your issue. Outside US, prepay yearly postage in US funds only.

Just$899



FULL REVOLVER

MODEL: RHINO 40DSWEBSITE:www.chiappafirearms.comMSRP: $775Action: DA/SACaliber: .357 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 8.5 inchesWeight: 30 ounces Features: Fires from bottom cylinder, concealedhammer, extremely low bore axis

TaurusMODEL: 444WEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $810Action: DA/SACaliber: .44 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 4 inchesLength: 9.8 inchesWidth: 1.8 inchesHeight: 6.3 inchesWeight: 28 ounces Features: Cushioned insert grip tohelp tame recoil, fiber optic front sight,exceptionally powerful

TaurusMODEL: RAGING JUDGE MAGNUM ULTRA-LITEWEBSITE: www.taurususa.comMSRP: $983Action: DA/SACaliber: .45 Colt /.410 ShotshellCapacity: 7Barrel Length: 3 inchesLength: 10.2 inchesWeight: 41.4 ouncesFeatures: High capacity for type, cushioned soft rubber grips, interchangeably shoots cartridges and shotshells

HOT GEAROtis Cleaning Kit – 5.7mmClean your FN Five-seveN handgun with

the proper brushes with Otis’s 5.7mm cleaningkit...which is specificallydesigned for the Five-seveNand P90 defensive firearms.Each kit has custom-sized5.7mm bore brushes alongwith patches, Otis’s CLP,Memory-Flex cleaning rods, etc.

Caliber: 5.7 x 28mmBristles: CopperTips: BrassRod Style: Memory-FlexcableIncludes: Carry case,polymer brush, bore illuminatorMSRP: $89.99

www.otisgun.com

Chiappa

IMAG

E BY

FLE

X-H

ON

E


Save 70%Get 12 issues for

only $17.95Save $41.93 off the cover price!

Get 12 issues for Save 70%

Get 12 issues for only $17.95

The world of fi rearms at your fi ngertips

Visit our new website todaywww.Gunworld.com

CC_1401_127 11/15/13 3:12 AM Page 127


FULL REVOLVER

MODEL: 629WEBSITE:www.smith-wesson.comMSRP: $989Action: DA/SACaliber: .44 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 5 inchesLength: 10.5 inchesWeight: 44.3 ouncesFeatures: Target sights, oversizedergonomic grip, fantastic for hunting

RugerMODEL: SUPER REDHAWK ALASKANWEBSITE:www.ruger.comMSRP: $1,079Action: DA/SACaliber: .44 MAGCapacity: 6Barrel Length: 2.5 inchesLength: 7.6 inchesWeight: 45 ounces Features: Adjustable rear sight, large capacityfor caliber, wide grip for recoil mitigation CC

Smith &Wesson

MODEL: 454SS2MWEBSITE:www.taurususa.comMSRP: $1,078Action: DA/SACaliber: .454 CasullCapacity: 5Barrel Length: 2.25 inchesLength: 7.5 inchesWidth: 1.8 inchesHeight: 6.2 inchesWeight: 48 ounces Features: Porting, fiber optic frontsight, transfer bar safety, cushionedgrip insert to tame recoil

Taurus


CC_1401_129 11/18/13 3:43 AM Page 129

LASTWORD


PHOTO BY TRIJICON

5.11 Tactical Series. ..............................2DeSantis Gunhide ...............................21Double Tap Defense, LLC ...................27DoubleTap Ammunition .....................131Galco International ............................111

Glock Store .......................................132L.A.G. Tactical .......................................3Mec-Gar ..............................................15Ontario Knife Company.......................81Secure Medical ...................................59

Will The will to survive is not enough.

You must foster your will to fight ...... your will to train

... your will to prepare... your will to adapt

... your will to overcome.

Then you will have the means to survive.

Advertiser Page

CC_1401-130-LAST.BAcx 11/18/13 11:14 PM Page 130

GW_1401_C3 11/15/13 2:05 AM Page C3

CC_1401_C4 11/15/13 2:07 AM Page C4

Date post:	28-Dec-2015
Category:	Documents
Upload:	guns-n-geeks
View:	292 times
Download:	32 times

Concealed Carry Handguns Buyers Guide - Spring 2014

Documents