Table of contents for November/December 2019 in Combat Handguns

OPEN CARRY, where you wear a handgun visibly, is a controversial issue among law-abiding armed citizens. The practice can deter criminals who might otherwise have carried out violent assaults. Unfortunately, it can also become the motive for a deadly surprise attack on the carrier. Open-carry advocates at frontiercarry.org are honest and share the dangers with their fellow enthusiasts. They speak of what I’ll call Case One here in Phoenix, Arizona. The victim in question had a handgun obviously protruding out of one pocket. An opportunistic thug simply jogged up to him, grabbed the gun and ran off with it. One might argue, “No one was shot or killed in that incident, so it’s irrelevant.” But I think that such a situation, where a law-abiding gun owner was rendered helpless and…

“…the clothing we select determines our ability to interact without detection.” 5.11 TACTICAL DEFENDER-FLEX JEANS Tired of cargo pants? Have you ever wished your jeans had the stretch and storage your tactical pants possess? If so, you’ll need to check out 5.11’s Defender-Flex Jeans. Made from 10-ounce mechanical-stretch denim (a blend of 76-percent cotton and 24-percent polyester with Lycra T400 Tough Max), these jeans combine the range of motion needed for tactical work with the look of your favorite jeans. The mechanical stretch allows for more comfort and also increases the jeans’ longevity. Built to last, the Defender-Flex Jeans use double-needle construction with bar tacks in high-stress areas. There are also hidden magazine pockets at the 5 and 7 o’clock positions, and the coin pocket is deep enough to carry…

I have to admit that this project shifted my longtime bear-country artillery paradigm into totally new territory. Through many years of wandering through the deserts and mountains of Utah and Idaho, I used a .357 or .44 Magnum revolver for backcountry carry because of the proven power and dependability. I pretty much grew up with double-action revolvers, and they are trusted friends. And then came recent media accounts of a bear encounter of the way-the-hell-too-close variety in which a 10mm Glock saved more than the day. This caused one of those “Hmm” moments when you end up realizing that maybe, just maybe, an old dog can at least look at a new trick. For grizzly-class bruins, the beefy Ruger Redhawk paired with Garrett’s 330-grain Hammerhead ammo still rules, just because.…

1. SIG SAUER P365 NRA The P365 is the hottest concealed-carry pistol on the market, so Lipsey’s worked with Sig to produce a special-edition Coyote Tan model to support the NRA. Featuring the same Coyote Tan slide and frame as the U.S. Army’s new Sig M17, the P365 NRA comes with a special serial number, a limited-edition challenge coin and three magazines: one flush-fitting 10-rounder, one 10-rounder with a pinky extension and an extended 12-rounder. Sig X-RAY3 front and rear night sights round out the package. 2. GLOCK G43 VICKERS EDITION Lipsey’s has teamed up again with retired Delta Force operator Larry Vickers on the new Glock 43 Vickers Edition. This G43 features front cocking serrations for the first time and special “LAV” serial numbers. Each pistol is equipped with…

This edition of “Ask The Pros” is special because it focuses on 2019 World Speed Shooting Champion and USPSA Grandmaster KC Eusebio, and that’s only listing two of his many achievements. Eusebio is currently the captain for Zev Technologies’ shooting team, and he’s one of the most respected competitors in the gun world today. Now 28 years old, Eusebio entered his first competition at the age of 8. Carefully instructed by his father, he soon became a shooting prodigy. At 10, he became the youngest USPSA Master, and at 12, he earned the title of USPSA Grandmaster. Eusebio also became the youngest person to win a world speed shooting title when he was just 15. Then, when he was 18, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and joined the elite…

“…it recoils like a heavy-barreled .357 Magnum, and it’s exceptionally accurate.” If you’re an avid movie fan and gun enthusiast, you might already know the one thing Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chow Yun-Fat, Don Johnson, John Lithgow, Kurt Russell and Christopher Walken all have in common. At some point in their careers, each of them has used a Desert Eagle on the silver screen. Over the past three decades, this iconic pistol has been used dozens of times in movies by a multitude of actors, and is highly sought after by collectors and high-powered handgun enthusiasts. Despite its highly recognizable profile, the Desert Eagle has undergone a lot of changes over the years, including tweaks to the trigger system and slide catch, the type of rail offered on the barrel, numerous finish…

Recently, I’ve been looking for a pistol. But not just any pistol—an AR-style pistol. I travel quite a bit and I also live where I can be in two other states within 10 minutes. Right now, 38 states recognize my carry permit, and with how things are in the world right now, I like to pack something along that offers more power than a standard carry pistol. That’s where the concept of an AR-15 pistol makes sense for me, but with one small caveat. Other than for its wide availability, I’ve never been a die-hard fan of the 5.56mm NATO for defensive work. Sure, it has its place and better men than me have used it to great effect fighting our wars, but it’s always seemed a bit lacking. While…

Action pistol sports are more popular now than ever before. Just look at the number of handgun manufacturers offering pistols that are suitable for competition right out of the box. That’s right. Unlike in bygone days, you no longer have to send your pistol to a custom gunsmith for several months and spend beaucoup bucks to get a trigger job, a set of practical sights, frame checkering, some way of mounting an optic and other bells and whistles. Now all you have to do is take your pistol out of the box, top off the magazines, sight it in with your preferred load and step right up to the starting line. I’ve been an avid competitor since the 1980s, so I wholeheartedly approve of these advances in the handguns used…

If you are a regular reader of Combat Handguns, you know that we have been a fan of Canik pistols for a long time. The performance, ergonomics and looks combine with a price point that almost makes you want to buy two, just because. As of this writing, the new Canik TP9 Elite SC shown here hasn’t even been released yet. That’s how hot and fresh this giveaway is! So let’s get into the details of what’s included with this special giveaway. 1. CANIK TP9 ELITE SC This new pistol marks the first sub-compact in Canik’s popular TP9 line. With its 12-round magazine in place, the pistol is 4.57 inches tall-almost 0.75 inches shorter than its slightly bigger brother, the TP9SF Elite. The TP9 Elite SC also comes with all…

We all know that concealed-carry pistols are “carry a lot, shoot a little” affairs. Nothing beats a full-sized pistol when it comes to spending hours on the range. That’s why we’ve rounded up some of the best full-sized semi-autos to hit the market so far this year, ranging from .22 LR pistols to .45 ACPs. No, we didn’t include AR-style pistols or revolvers here, but you’ll find plenty of 1911s and striker-fired beasts ahead. So let’s get to it. WILSON COMBAT/BERETTA 92G VERTEC/CENTURION TACTICAL Wilson Combat is now offering its Beretta 92G Centurion Tactical with a thinner Vertec-style grip frame, which makes it feel more like a 1911. More upgrades include G10 grips, an Armor-Tuff finish, an oversized magazine release, an AmeriGlo Hackathorn front sight, Wilson’s rear Battlesight and an…

There is undeniably something special about the .44 Special. From its humble beginnings around 1907 to more modern times, penned by the greats of the golden age of shooting, including Elmer Keith, Charlie Askins and Skeeter Skelton, the .44 Special cartridge seems to please all. Despite the competition of the .44 Magnum in recent years, this cartridge still ranks up there as the favorite of big-bore buffs. And why not? With its ability to be fired in guns chambered for the .44 Magnum, it is the perfect stress reliever for shooters who dote on heavy, large-framed revolvers for casual plinking and small to medium game depending upon the species. Over the years, the variety of guns just chambered for the .44 Special has dwindled in favor of the “one gun…

It seems that the 9mm is back in vogue nowadays with the deluge of subcompact 9mm carry pistols on the market. Ever since the FBI said it was OK to use the 9mm again, non-1911 pistols in .40 S&W and .45 ACP seem to be on the endangered species list—at least any new introductions. But Springfield Armory and Smith & Wesson are both keeping the faith by continuing to offer up new carry pistols in .45 ACP. Recognizing the need to evolve, both companies have recently introduced second-generation models of their extremely popular carry guns. And for those folks that ate two full Hungry-Man TV dinners each night, the XD-S Mod.2 and M&P Shield M2.0 are still available in that big, fat, all-American .45 ACP cartridge that we know and…

We live in a time of unprecedented change, especially in the world of firearms. Guns have become almost like cell phones, with “new and improved” models being introduced so fast it can be difficult to keep up. Being inundated with so many options, we need to differentiate the firearms that bring something new and needed to the table over others that will soon become passing fads. We do this by detecting innovation. Innovation isn’t just implementing a new product or idea-any gun company can do that. True innovation involves creating something new that meets the needs of the customer, changes the game, creates demand and inspires other companies to follow suit. Sig Sauer has lived up to this definition of innovation with the release of the P365 XL. THE RIGHT…

In the 1990s, Lt. Col. Jeff Cooper conceptualized a gun that he called the “Thumper” for infantrymen. It was to be a short and light medium-range carbine that used 20-round magazines and provided more power than either the .45 ACP or .30 Carbine could provide. It needed to be accurate at realistic combat engagement distances with a maximum range of 300 yards. At the time, Cooper opined that the semi-automatic Ruger .44 Magnum Deerslayer was the closest thing to what he envisioned. I recently got my hands on Windham Weaponry’s Thumper in .450 Bushmaster, and it made me wonder what the good colonel would think if he were here to handle and shoot the pistol. Based on the AR-15 platform, the Windham Thumper uses the direct-impingement operating system and features…

Certain characteristics are considered essential for a rifle used in a tactical environment: reliability, portability, ruggedness, accuracy, ease of replenishment (i.e., ammunition, parts and magazines) and effective firepower for all situations likely to be encountered. These parameters were reinforced during the crucible of combat in World War II, where small-arms engagements were often within 200 yards and the superior rate of fire usually decided the outcome. Lessons were learned, and each combatant nation came away with its own ideas about service rifles after WWII. Hundreds of books and articles have chronicled the history of rifle cartridges after WWII. In America, the path led from the .30-06 Winchester to the 7.62mm and 5.56mm NATO. But like the 5.56mm, the 7.62mm NATO/.308 Winchester cartridge still holds a role with many militaries around…

You aren’t armed just because you have a gun. The mind is the final weapon. Everything else is supplemental. I believe that most confrontations will be physical rather than lethal. Escalation of force must be considered in any confrontation. The first thing to consider is that the best way to get out of a bad situation is to not get there in the first place. Don’t beg for attention and achieve separation if the situation dictates that you do not have to be there. If a confrontation cannot be avoided, or if duty calls and dictates that you should be there for the good and protection of others, then size up the situation. If a would-be douchebag adversary has confronted you or someone who requires your professional assistance, stay “zone…