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Forty years ago, one handgun caliber dominated all others, regardless the intended application. It didn't matter whether it was used by law enforcement, for self-defense, the relatively new sport of [...]

Many believe that 'competition improves the breed.' Certainly in terms of the action-oriented shooting sports, we have seen many features that were first introduced for competitive advantage that have continued [...]

Without question the Columbia Conference that took place in Columbia, Mo., back in 1976 was a landmark event in the history of shooting sports because it was the origin of [...]

When it comes to aerial warfare, certain sounds will always resonate within specific generations. For many of our fathers and grandfathers, the cranking, coughing, back-firing, starting sound of that first [...]

The FMK pistol from FMK Firearms follows the standard trend currently seen in semi-auto handguns. This new pistol from a previously unknown manufacturer features a polymer frame, a striker-fired mechanism, [...]

FEWER NEW HANDGUNS ... The number of new handguns was, in my opinion, reduced from earlier years. The reason, according to one executive for a major manufacturer that I questioned, [...]

It's only been in the past few years handgun consumers have come to expect self-defense handguns to be small and easy to conceal. Oh, there were always small self-defense handguns, [...]

It's probably a good thing the legendary firm of Smith & Wesson is not located in Illinois. Back in the mid-1980s, when S&W helped get the Masters International shooting tournament [...]

The RONI pistol/carbine conversion from EMA Tactical is a new approach to an old problem. How do you make a pistol shoot accurately at extended distances? It is not a [...]

As a farmer I'm used to working with commodities. Commodities are agricultural products, according to their grade and status, that are indistinguishable from the same products produced by competing producers, [...]

The.357 Mag. cartridge is no longer the cartridge of choice, when once it was dominant. The popularity of the semi-auto pistols and their associated calibers have seen to that over [...]

When lesser calibers couldn't bring home the bacon, James decided to follow the example of the Bash SAS and selected a powerful autoloader with high-tech features. Even though the 5.56x45mm [...]

The SIG P226 was originally introduced in 1983. It was created as an entrant in the U.S. military trials held to find a candidate to replace the 1911A1. It was [...]

Even though the very first handgun I owned was a semi-auto pistol, I have to say the majority of handguns I used early in my career were revolvers. They were [...]

GOOD NEWS FROM EXETER, NEW HAMPSHIRE! SIG SAUER IS PRODUCING A COPY OF THE MODEL 550, FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET. THE AMERICAN VERSION IS THE SIG 556. The first piece [...]

Among the most distinctive trends in consumer preference in self-defense handguns over the past four or five years has to be the growth industry in .380 ACP caliber pistols. Prior [...]

By any standard, the 2011 SHOT Show was a success and despite the possible political ramifications that remain to be seen from the tragic shooting recently in Tucson, the attitude [...]

When Kel-Tec first announced the new PMR-30, comparisons with the FNH FiveseveN pistol were unavoidable. Both are smallbore pistols with synthetic frames and large-capacity magazines, and while the FiveseveN was [...]

For decades, the idea of an ultra-short 1911 style semi-auto pistol in .45 ACP caliber seemed to be the ideal self-defense tool. Obviously, being chambered in a serious caliber would [...]

When a major manufacturer announces in this day and age it is introducing a new revolver, you kind of wonder if that is the same thing as coming out with [...]

Only those who have been asleep in Handguns & Pistols 101 class would not know that .380 ACP self-defense pistols are all the rage and have been for the past [...]

It is almost a foregone conclusion today that any new handgun design is going to feature a polymer, plastic or some form of a synthetic grip, receiver or frame. This [...]

To his credit, Bill Ruger never considered the military as the ultimate consumer of his Mini-14. His firm had earned its success by capitalizing on firearms nostalgia. Consider his single-action [...]

It's only been in the past few years handgun consumers have come to expect self-defense handguns to be small and easy to conceal. Oh, there were always small self-defense handguns, [...]

The I.O. Inc. 'HELLCAT' During World War II, the Grumman F6F Hellcat was a Navy fighter that destroyed more Japanese aircraft than any other single Allied aircraft during the war. [...]

In the world of fashion, there are powerhouse boutiques who wield great influence over the remainder of the industry and it doesn't matter whether these name firms are located in [...]

Decades ago before the popularity of polymer changed the face of semi-auto pistol manufacturing, the CZ-75 design stood the world on its ear. It was actually something new, but it [...]

Many find the concept of a swing-out cylinder revolver chambered for an auto pistol cartridge extremely attractive. That's because most all auto pistol cartridges are rimless and therefore need to [...]

The SHOT Show is the modern equivalent to the mountain man's Rendezvous. While it is technically a trade show, it really is a chance for many within this industry to [...]

Most SGN readers are familiar with the TT-33 Tokarev pistol. This semi-auto pistol is a pre-World War II design that copied much from a basic John Browning layout. It has [...]

When it comes to concealed carry weapons, the size of the defensive handgun is a big issue for the general population and the majority Of civilians. In a perfect world, [...]

Advancing years makes, one understand the difference between 'new and cool' versus 'he's from the Old School' trains of thought. In this instance we are discussing what is definitely a [...]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The firm of Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. has since the death of its founder, Bill Ruger, Sr., introduced a number of new and innovative firearms and the [...]

The 1911 or 1911 A1 pistol as built by Colt Firearms has been chambered for the .22 Long Rifle (the Ace), 7.65 Parabellum (Italian market) the .38 ACP, .38 AMU, [...]

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The .38 Spl. cartridge is currently the province of small, five-shot, pocket revolvers, but at one point in the distant past it could lay claim to being the [...]

The SHOT Show is over and our aching leg muscles, backs and feet have begun the recovery from walking miles upon miles of aisles. If one were to characterize this [...]

The 1994 curb on highcapacity magazines was a nightmare for gun owners and felt at several levels. It influenced a sea-change in action-oriented handgun competitions and created a pent-up demand [...]

The Sigarms 220 Compact replaces the previously seen 245. The Compact is an improvement in that it addresses two areas: the rear of the frame and the magazine baseplate. The [...]

Brothers Josef and Frantisek Koucky will never be confused with John Browning, but they definitely earned a place in small-arms history when they created the CZ-75 more than 30 years [...]

Manufacturers of self-defense pistols have always struggled with conflicting design requirements. Creating a small pistol for a bigbore caliber has never been easy. The smaller the pistol, the easier it [...]

Consumers of self-defense handguns have always suffered on the horns of a dilemma. On the one side is the need for a small, lightweight, easy-to-carry-and-conceal sidearm, and on the other [...]

The Smith & Wesson Model 990L is the latest variation of the Model SW99. Changes include a unique trigger mechanism and the elimination of the somewhat controversial decocker button on [...]

The Smith & Wesson Model 27 N-frame .357 Magnum revolver has been absent from the regular product line for some time now. This was the first 'magnum' revolver, and it [...]

When it comes to concealed carry, self-defense handguns; how big is too big and how small is too small? Right now I'm not discussing caliber or capacity (although they remain [...]

Jeff Cooper was the first to voice the opinion that double-action auto pistols were 'an answer in search of a question.' Regardless of the relative merits or flaws of the [...]

The 1911 A1 pistol was the military sidearm of the American forces for almost sixty years and it is safe to say it remains the American handgun, even if another [...]

I didn't realize how much I missed the old military style.45 ACP 1911 pistol until I saw the Mel Gibson film We Were Soldiers. The most striking character In this [...]

'DRASTIC PLASTIC' AND 'COMBAT TUPPERWARE' ARE ONLY TWO OF THE NICKNAMES used to describe the Glock series of self-defense pistols. No other series of self-defense pistols from any other manufacturer [...]

You HAVE JUST SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED A DEFENSIVE HANDGUN SHOOTING TRAINING COURSE WITH A REPUTABLE SHOOTING SCHOOL. Now YOU MUST MAKE SURE THAT YOU RETAIN THE SKILLS YOU HAVE JUST ACQUIRED, [...]