Indice dei contenuti per January - February 2024 in Combat Handguns

When John Browning’s .45 autoloading pistol was accepted by the U.S. Army and christened the M1911, I wonder if he ever imagined the gun would be so popular 112 years later that a score of manufacturers (at least) would be making it for civilian shooting enthusiasts? Long before the AR-15 became the favorite of American DIY gun hobbyists, guys were customizing and accurizing their 1911s on garage workbenches with the Brownells catalog opened up to the substantial aftermarket parts section. They still are. However, the trigger job, though one of the most productive improvements you can make to your favorite 1911, is usually beyond the ken of the hobby gunsmith. Without a specialized jig, it’s ill-advised to try stoning the sear and hammer contact sur-faces. Even with the jig, you…

“Remember back in the 1980s when we were all reading Soldier of Fortune magazine?” asked Biggers. “Back then, Delta had already given up on the Browning Hi-Power and went back to the 1911. Team members, unit armorers and even hotshot IPSC pistolsmiths were doing modifications to ol’ slabsides to make it fit the current needs as a close-quarter-combat gun. Sights, beavertail grip safeties, frontstrap treatments, trigger jobs, and lowered and flared ejection ports were common modifications. They were cool guns, and we decided to do a retro 1911 with all of these features and more!” Imported by SDS Imports under the name Military Armament Corporation, the new gun has been named the JSOC gun. It uses a forged frame and slide and is of the Series 70 persuasion. It has…

One crucial component for successful concealed carry that is often overlooked is having a belt rigid enough to support the weight of the gun, magazine and holster. One that I can heartily recommend is Safariland’s new Everyday Carry Belt. Using Nextbelt technology, its unique ratcheting belt system offers quarter-inch incremental adjustment instead of the 1-inch adjustments with conventional belts. The belt itself is constructed of heavy-duty, high-density nylon that provides the rigidity needed to carry a service-size pistol concealed. The 1.5-inch width belt will fit up to a 50-inch waist, and those with smaller dimensions can trim the belt with some heavy-duty shears. My only complaint about the Everyday Carry Belt is that its ratcheting buckle is more than 0.75 inches thick. When using my IncogX holster, I thread the…

“When you look at them, they certainly stand out from the bunch, as the projectiles are nearly flush with the case.” About 10 years ago in one of my reloading courses, a student asked me, “Why is it called .38 Special? What makes it special?” I didn’t have an answer, which bothered me, as I love knowing as much as possible about a cartridge before I discuss it. After some research, the best I could come up with is that it was named so for its multi-purpose nature. Show me a cartridge that is accurate enough to win a bullseye competition, powerful enough for self-defense and still light and affordable enough to throw downrange by the fistful. It’s for these reasons that it has had a foothold in the U.S.…

I’ve been a bit of a Fudd and slow to the game where red-dots on pistols are concerned, but I am getting there. For this review, I mounted a new Aimpoint Acro P2. There are some fantastic red-dot units for pistols on the market these days and there’s no doubting the build quality and battery life on a couple of them. But most red-dots out there have a chink in the armor, especially for hard-core users—an open-emitter design. The emitter is the little module at the rear of the unit that projects the dot onto the glass, and being exposed can be an issue for people who carry their pistols in less-than-ideal conditions such as rain or snow or in an area where dirt or debris could cover the emitter.…

Statements construable as malevolent intent beforehand can sink you in court, criminal and civil court alike. Let’s look at some examples. CASE ONE In June 2023, an ABC News report reads in part, “A Michigan teenager who authorities say expressed explicit neo-Nazi and antisemitic ideologies online was arrested Friday by the FBI who alleged he stockpiled weapons and was planning a mass shooting… Investigators allege the teen had communicated with another user on Instagram where they expressed strong views against the Jewish population, support for neo-Nazis and idolization of previous mass shooters, according to the criminal complaint.” In this case, the young suspect had made statements on Instagram to the effect that he could access machine guns and explosives. The news report added, “A search of the suspect’s phone found…

With the ever-increasing dominance of 9mm in the self-de-fense market, it seems less and less often that the .45 ACP gets any love from gun manufac-turers. FN did it this year with the FN 545, and now Taurus has gotten back into the game with the new TH45. The TH series of hammer-fired pistols from Taurus has been a popular lineup for the company with models previously available in 9mm and in .40 S&W. Recently, the engineers took the extra time to re-work the value-oriented plat-form so that it could fire America’s caliber, and so far, from what I can see, the TH45 has lots of potential. THE BASICS Like a lot of pistols being introduced to the market today, the TH series of pistols from Taurus is constructed with…

In my opinion, the 2011 design is the Porsche 911 Turbo S of the gun world. The Volkswagen, or any popular carry pistol, is designed to meet a price point and hopefully pump out some performance. However, like any supercar, the Porsche, or 2011, will require more maintenance than the Volkswagen as well as more expensive premium fuel or, in this case, ammo. This analogy is exactly the way I look at the Phoenix Trinity Morph 1776 pistol. Instead of it being an import like the Porsche, this is an American-made beast with lots of innovation, ingenuity, horsepower and grit. The kicker is, the Morph is a whole lot of gun housed in a small package for concealed carry. Phoenix Trinity is primarily known for its extremely high-quality competition guns…

There was a time when could spot an S&W from across a room, especially a Model 686 because I had a couple of different examples from the S&W Performance Center. The point is, if you like the venerated S& W 686 series, which has been around for more than 40 years now, you're probably going to like Rossi’s new RM66. This is another handsomely executed Brazilian look-alike in the tradition of S&W-style DA/SA models from both Rossi and Taurus, which, in this case, are one and the same. BACKSTORY Established in Sao Leopoldo, Brazil, in 1889 by Amadeo Rossi, firearms manufacturer Rossi has many years of manufacturing history. Twenty miles away in Porto Alegre, Taurus Forjas opened its doors in 1941. Though much later to the game, Taurus had built…

TRAVEL BAG: One of my favorite bags to pack my guns in when I travel is the Pro Touring Icon Variant by Savior Equipment. The internal dimensions of the Pro Touring bag are 31x11.5x3.5 inches. Inside the bag is a large mesh pocket, a small mesh pocket, LCM panels and an adaptable pocket. It comes with two rifle mag pouches, a double pistol magazine holder, a double extended magazine holder, a battery holder, a universal pistol holster and some lockdown straps. The backpack straps make it easy to carry, but they also are removable. The front panels are weather-resistant, and the bag has double-stitched seams and YKK zippers. The AP5-P fits perfectly in the bag, unfolded or folded, with plenty of room to attach spare magazines and equipment. [saviorequipment.com] RUGGED…

“Mickey Fowler’s Gammon, with which he won the Bianchi Cup in 1980, was stolen and never recovered.” When Charles W. Kelsey quit Formula One racing for Chevrolet in England, he never dreamed that he would reinvent aspects of the Colt 1911 the world had never seen. In the late 1970s, Kelsey named his company “DEVEL” (an old Scottish fighting word). Beginning with custom S&W 39 9mm pistols, Kelsey moved to custom Colt 1911s in 1980, bringing with him master designer Wilhelm Haupthoff, where the two would “DEVELope” some of the most advanced improvements ever seen in the 1911. FIRST OFFERING By 1981, Charley Kelsey had produced his first custom Colt 1911. While Charley was partial to the 9x19mm and .38 Super cartridges, his first was in .45 ACP with a…

Over the past few years, I have been fortunate to spend the first week of October in Idaho at Athlon Outdoors’ Rendezvous. More than a dozen regular contributors gather to see what the firearms industry has to offer for the coming year. On the range and later back at the ranch, I have had the opportunity to visit with Nighthawk Custom owner Mark Stone and learn about his business. At some point last year, Editorial Director Nino Bosaz joined Mark and me, and as typical, an editorial brainstorming session began. By the time our ice cubes started their swirling rattle around the bottom of empty glasses, a plan was hatched. We landed on the idea of taking a Colt 1911 Series 70 and having Nighthawk do their magic. I was…

AT SHOT SHOW 2023, I stopped by the SDS Imports booth to visit with my old friend Dave Biggers. Walking into his booth he said, “Hey Leatherneck, come over here, I have something to show you!” Biggers is one of those people that everyone in the industry seems to know. He’s been involved in just about every aspect of the gun business and has a proven track record of success. A couple of years back, I was thrilled to hear he hooked up with SDS Imports, as I was a big fan of their imported Turkish 1911s. My respect for their products continues to grow as their line continues to develop. “Take a look at this gun, Detty. We call it the Raider, and it is a tribute gun to…

Safariland’s outstanding reputation has been built on its police and military duty holsters and competition gear. Their rugged equipment has lasted careers in the harshest environments. Unfortunately, their concealed carry lineup seemed, incongruously, uninspired. Understanding this shortcoming, the decision-makers made a wise decision to collaborate with one of the most innovative minds to step foot on a battlefield, competition range or operate in places and circumstances still classified. MEET THE MAN Travis Haley turned down a full-ride football scholarship from Florida State University to become a United States Marine. His 15-year career includes combat tours as a Force Reconnaissance Marine in places like the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia. After leaving the military, Haley served as a special operations and security contractor, and many of us first learned of…

Things are a little different right now in the world of pistols from when I first started reading about them and making my first few purchases more than 30 years ago. Back then, you got a hammer, barrel and a slide, and the most advanced upgrade you could get from the factory was probably a set of night sights. That’s not the case anymore. Manufacturers are now offering models with all the cutting-edge enhancements possible to attract a more demanding consumer. CZ USA is one of those companies offering the latest and greatest features, particularly with its P-10 series of 9mm, striker-fired pistols. That series recently got an update that rounds out the lineup with a pistol for the more tactically inclined-the P-10 F ORSR. THE NEW CAN-DO DEAL CZ…

DISCLAIMER: The SB Pistol Brace (SBTSA 5) depicted in the images of this article is intended to only be used as a forearm brace and is not designed nor intended to be fired from the shoulder. It is the user’s responsibility to ensure they are using any pistol brace in the correct application of state and federal laws. For more information regarding recent ATF "rulings," please visit sb-tactical.com/resource-category/atf-letter. Century Arms started out in the surplus business more than 50 years ago. The company has served hunters, collectors and target shooters, but today is now known as America’s AK Manufacturer. Century Arms is also the exclusive importer of Canik Superior Firearms, which has been a very successful partnership. Century Arms also owns other brands, such as US Palm—an AK magazine and grip…