Bersa Thunder 9mm - Full Size

It has been a while since I posted anything and for that, I do apologize.  However, here's something I have had some time on the range with and would really strongly recommend.

The Bersa Thunder 9mm - Full Size:



This absolute darling of a pistol is another in a long line of quality firearms manufactured by Bersa.  This pistol is a DA/SA semi-automatic chambered in 9mm.  It holds 17+1 rounds (matched only by Glock 17's for capacity) and it, possibly, the highest value pistol you can buy, period.

When I say value, I mean you get a well made pistol with a steel slide, built in rail, de-cocking lever, thumb safety, an easy take down and field strip process, a 17 round magazine, all for about $400.00.  Now, I'm not going to say this is a 100,000 round gun, it may be, it may not.  However, I can just about guarantee that you will not wear this gun out unless you run thousands of rounds through it day after day after day.

It's a sizable pistol but it doesn't feel bulky or heavy.  The heft is enough to let you know you have a pistol in your hand and to manage the recoil, but not so much that it becomes burdensome.

All in all, it's an accurate and enjoyable firearm for a bargain basement price.

I couldn't recommend this more...

Bersa Thunder 9mm (Full Size)

I have spoken before about Bersa firearms, and I'm just as big a fan of them today as I have been since the first time I had the opportunity to test one out way back in 1999.

Normally, I would push the Bersa Thunder .380, and it is a fabulous weapon.  However, over this past weekend I had the opportunity to test out the Bersa Thunder 9mm, full size semi-auto pistol.

A little pictoral review:

Now as you can see this is a fairly straight forward semi-automatic pistol design, however it comes with some great features that make them super safe and easy to use. 

Safety first, a Bersa pistol comes with an auto-decocking lever.  Since this is a DA/SA pistol, once you rack the slide you will pull the hammer back and it will be ready to rock and roll.  If this is not what you want, then you actuate the decocking lever and the hammer falls to the "safe" position.  Not a bad feature.  From there you depress the trigger and you can fire off a round in double action mode. It also has the standard safety switch should you wish to carry it in "safe" mode.

Also, please note that this comes with a 16+1 magazine... very nice, indeed.

Now, on to the shooting review:

This isn't a light gun, in fact, even their compact .380s have some heft to them.  I like the weight of all their pistols.  They are substantial without being heavy and this weight means a couple of things. 1. That the gun will have less experienced recoil, due to basic physics, and 2. The gun is made of metal.  Both of which are nice things.

The sights are good, the weight is good, the feel is solid and the trigger in double action mode is very light compared, say, to a snubby .38.  The single action trigger is crisp and has very little creep in it.

Now, when you pull the trigger you will be greeted by a "gentle" recoil.  I'm not going to say that this gun doesn't have recoil, it does.  But it's better than many guns I've fired.  It does not throw off your sight picture very much and doesn't slowly chisel away your desire to shoot any more either.  It's perfect for the size and is very comfortable to shoot.

The accuracy of this gun is fantastic.  Again, I'm not expert, but never having shot this pistol before, at 7 yards, I put 10 rounds in the head of a silhouette target just about as fast as I could pull the trigger.  So, the accuracy is there, no doubt about it.

Considering you get all of this, for about $400.00, you really can't go wrong with this gun.  If you can carry it (and a guy my size can) then you'd do well to carry it.  If you only want it for a home defense gun, it would fill that role admirably as well.  Heck, if you just wanted a cheap gun you can put thousands of rounds through and don't care if it gets a little wear and tear on it, this gun will work for you as well.

At the end of the day, out of all the full size pistols I've fired (and they are legion) I think this was the one I liked shooting the most.  I love my 1911s and the M&P 9mm is a honey as well, but when everything is taken in to consideration, I think this is the best full size pistol value on the market... period.

Stay safe out there.

Sprigfield XD 45 - Something for everyone!

I have just purchased and will be and am coddling, oogling, and carrying the Springfield XD in 45 acp.

Everything in the first sentence is true...what?

Whether or not you you were aware there is a struggle for first place in the CCW manufacturing world.  The top contenders are Glock, S&W, and Springfield XD.  Any one of those three would make an excellent choice for a concealed carry weapon.  However, after trying all 3, I'm giving my vote and my money to Springfield.

Let's go through this step by step, but first... a little show and tell.

Ain't she pretty?

Ok, back to the review:

Function:  This is a striker fired pistol, so no exposed hammer.  It's also single action only, meaning you have to manually feed a round in to the chamber, after that it's rock and roll.

Ergonomics:  This is a personal thing, since no one has the same sized hands.  But, for me, this puppy fits just right.  Plenty of room on the grip, the grip length is right where I want it.  It fits really well.  Now, XD's have these optional backstraps, but this one didn't come with any (I got it used) however, it fits as it should for me as it, so no worries there.  The grip is 1911 style, meaning it's a little raked, which is great.  The gun isn't heavy or, better said, it doesn't feel heavy in your hand, solid, yes, but not burdensome.  It's slab-like much akin to the Glock series of pistols, but I think it feels slimmer than the glock does, probably because of the backstrap.

Firepower:  Holds 10 rounds of 45acp ammunition and one in the chamber, so that's 11 rounds of bad-assness in a pistol frame that's easily (for me) concealable.  You can't go wrong with that.  A Glock 26 which is just as thick in the frame and thicker in the grip (not to mention shorter) and holds 10 + 1 in 9mm.  So, the XD stacks up favorably.

Reliability:  It's a shooter.  Will it last 100,000 rounds like a Glock will...doubt it, I'm not saying it wouldn't, I'm just saying I doubt anything can outlast a Glock.  However, I ran 50 rounds through the XD and it handled them flawlessly.

Accuracy: Extremely accurate.  at 6 yards (remember, realistic training distances people) I put 35 out of 50 in a fist sized hole in the target, I took some head shots and connected and had some flyers as well, all of which were me, not the XD.  I was a little to the left, but I think that's just me adjusting to the gun.  I'll get it back to center.

Recoil: Due to it's weight and size, and the Chevrolet 2500 HD Diesel sized recoil spring, it's not a beast to shoot at all.  I was quite pleased with it's smooth action and almost non-existent recoil.  Now, I was mentally comparing that to my PF9 which slaps your hand around some, so keep that in mind.  Also, I was initially concerned that the bore axis being about the webbing in the thumb would cause some flip and rise, but it didn't... well done XD, well done.

Concealability:  Believe it or not, as big as this gun is (I would say it's a full-size, and some would say compact) it carries really easily, I can't complain in the slightest.  Now, again, you have to consider my personal dimensions, I'm a big guy, I can carry larger guns.  But I think with the right holster, one should be alright.

In conclusion, I think you'll find that the XD 45 fills multiple roles and does it well.  It's a range gun to be sure, it's a home defense gun extraordinaire, and it's a pretty good CCW tool as well.  All in all, you can't go wrong.  I was lucky and got mine used, but even new they are right in line with Glock and a little cheaper than the M&P.

Stay Safe.

H&R Model 733

Hey guys... this one is a bit of a stretch in the "review" category, but I want to review this pistol in order to prove the point I've been trying to make over and over again.  It doesn't matter much what you carry, just so long as you carry.  If you're comfortable with your choice, then by gumbo, strap that puppy on and head out in to the world.

The H&R Model 733 is a 6 shot revolver chambered in .32 S&W.  They aren't in current production, so finding one may not be the easiest thing in the world, but that's not what I'm going for here.  I'm trying to show you the difference in availability out there of CCW choices.  However, if you do run across one, you can have one for maybe $150.00, period. 

Here it is, in all its abbreviated glory:

As you can see, it isn't big, it isn't necessarily pretty, but it's a 6 shot .32 which is easily concealable and easy to use.

Now, I've had the chance to run a cylinder full through this little guy and let me tell you, I like it.  I hit a nice 4 inch group, off hand, at about 7 yards with no trouble. Hardly and recoil, easy to manage. Now, I'll go ahead and say I have big hands, so the grips are a little bit small for me, however, for anyone out there who isn't the mutant that I am, you should do just fine with it.

This is also one of the few (VERY few) firearms I would suggest to wear in an ankle holster.  Why?  Well, since it is a double action revolver (with a transfer bar safety), I'm not worried about it going off, also the way it sits, the grip is far enough away from the trigger guard, etc, that you could get a good grip on this weapon without fumbling about trying to draw.

Also, I'm not a huge fan of revolvers in the waist band.  They are a little bulky and bulge uncomfortably.  It is a personal opinion and your experience may vary.

All in all, my impression of this gun is very favorable and I would suggest it to someone who has a little time to look for something like it (Check Pawn shops and the "used" section in your local gun shop) and very little pocket money to spend. 

Again, find what you like and carry it... be it a brand new Kimber 1911, or an H&R model 733...

Be safe out there.

The venerable 1911

Well, we've talked about the wanna-be's when it comes to semi-auto pistols, so we might as well talk about the one that started it all. The venerable and most excellent, not to mention longest standing production firearm...well, ever.

Not only is it functional, I think it's pretty to look at.

However, pretty isn't a requirement for CCW, let's talk about this in serious terms.

The 1911 is a single action, semi-automatic, hammered pistol. It is usually chambered in .45 acp. In it's "mil spec" format it carries 7 in the magazine and one in the chamber.

It has, as part of it's design, two safety mechanisms. One is a manual safety which can only be actuated when the hammer has been moved fully to the rearward position, and a grip safety. The grip safety is actuated when you actually grasp the firearm itself. If you were to pull the hammer back and then pick the gun up by the trigger (Don't do that... I'm just saying) it would not fire. The grip safety has to have pressure applied to it before it allows the mechanisms to do their thing.

Because it is single action only, one must have the hammer fully moved to the rearward position before it will fire the first round. After that, you're good to go.

Now, the interesting thing about how you carry this is that there are 3 positions in which it can be carried. I forget the order, so bear with me on this one, and if it's in the wrong order...I don't care, the info is correct.

Condition 1: Hammer is down, safety is disengaged.

Condition 2: Hammer is back, safety is engaged.

Condition 3: Hammer is back, safety is disengaged.

The most practical carry method is cocked and locked (hammer back, no safety). The gun isn't going to go off without someone grasping the grip and pulling the trigger, so that's how it is mainly carried by those who carry it.

The ergonomics of this gun are the best in the world, period. There's not but 14 shooters in the world who won't agree with that statement. It really is a well designed pistol. It's comfortable, has a good grip radius, and just feels good in the hand.

While it shoots one of the biggest rounds out there, there's not much in the way of recoil. The gun, on average, weighs two pounds unloaded. It doesn't feel that heavy in hand, it feels substantial, but not heavy. That weight soaks up alot of the recoil as does the fact that the recoil spring is about 3.5 inches long.

I've owned one before (and I will again...) and it is very accurate and very reliable. It does have a problem with feeding if you limp wrist it (I'll talk about that in another post) and certain models don't like certain ammo, but otherwise, she cycles like she's supposed to.

I have put a double tap on to a Starbucks "Double Shot" (no pun intended) can at 15 feet before from a low ready stance, in about 1.5 seconds. I'm not that great of a shot, but that's impressive, I don't care who you are.

The only downside about this weapon is the size and weight. The barrel is anywhere from 3.5 to 5 inches long. Add another 2.5 inches for the extraction port and upper receiver and you have a long pistol. The width is nice an lean, but that barrel makes it a little unwieldy in a CCW application. However, if you can make it work, you'd be hard pressed to find a better option out there. They aren't cheap, good ones anyway, and after market upgrades are plentiful, so you can shell out some money on one of them, but it would serve you well.

Glock 26 - Review

I guess, if I'm going to have any credibility with concealed carry people all around the globe, I'm gonna need to review the Glock 26.

This seems to be, kind of, the gold standard for concealed carry by a lot of people.

There is no more reliable firearm on the planet. It is flawlessly designed and impeccably executed. It shoots like a champ as well.

Here's the low down on this tank of a pistol.



Design: It's a no nonsense, utilitarian design. There's no extraneous parts or gadgets. There are no external safety levers. The grip on the G26 is short due to it being a sub-compact. It's basically a 2 finger grip. You can get an extension for the magazine which adds 2 rounds of capacity and a little more room on the grip. All in all a good feeling pistol in hand.

Function: This is a striker fired, semi-automatic, single action pistol. You must chamber a round by actuating the slide in order to "prime" the striker. After that, you pull the trigger... it goes bang.

Reliability: The single most reliable handgun on the planet, period. There are examples of G26s out there with 100,000 round through it and it's still going strong. Yeah, I wouldn't hesitate to say that this gun will last, literally, forever.

Shooting impressions: This is a shooter's gun. If you enjoy trigger time, you'll like this gun. It's accurate, has almost no appreciable recoil, and will eat any ammo you put in it, period.

So, on paper this is a great gun, heck, in reality it's a great gun.

I however, contrary to all the good things it has going for it, would probably not carry it.

Simply put this thing is a solid brick of steel. It isn't necessarily heavy, but it is bulky. Unless you're willing to shell out some serious money on a serious holster and carry system this thing may be a wee uncomfortable, or at least unconcealable.

Now, there are guys out there that carry them religiously, but they change their entire manner of dress to accomodate the pistol. I'm all for a little bit of adaptation, but I'm not going to wear a shooting vest at all times just so I can carry a weapon.

All of that being said, if you had the money (although they aren't terribly expensive) you could do a heck of a lot worse than picking up this or it's middle sibling the Glock 19. It's a lot of gun for a very reasonable price and you won't be disappointed in the value it gives you.

Just consider how you're going to carry it before you lay down the cash.

Taurus TCP 738 - .380acp

Hey guys, I'm coming back at ya with another firearm review.

This one is on the Taurus TCP (Taurus Compact Pistol) in .380 acp.
I'll admit that I haven't shot this gun yet and as soon as I do I will have more to say on the subject...however, this is a first impressions review.

The TCP is comparable to the Ruger LCP or Kel-tec P3AT, as in it is a compact, extremely lightweight concealed carry pistol. Here's what it looks like.



Now, most pocket pistols are small and compact, etc, etc, but this one feels a little more substantial in the hand, which is nice, and it has a nice deep grip, so it fills your hand nicely. Of course the grip is abbreviated, but not so much as to be an issue.

The TCP is, of course, dual action only, so there's no external safety, which is nice. That makes for a much slimmer design. Also, this model has a slide stop, so the gun fails open on an empty chamber.

The trigger pull on most pocket pistols is horrible, just plain old terrible. The TCP has a very smooth, light pull (about 4 lbs), with a reasonable travel length. This is in stark contrast to the LCP, for instance, which has such a long pull that you aren't even sure if the gun will go off at all.

All in all, I give this an initially favorable review. I'll let you know more once I've put some rounds down range.

Ruger SR9C

Hey guys, I'm back with another review of an excellent PDF.

This is the new-ish SR9c from Ruger. I say new-ish because the SR9 has been available since 2007, I believe, so the base pistol, the SR9, is fairly well known and established.

To be honest with you, I've only fired the SR9, not the SR9c, but the mechanisms are the same and there isn't such a dramatic difference in the frame size that the impressions would be so very different. So, with that caveat out of the way, let's begin.

First, the basics: This is a "compact" 9mm. I say compact only because Ruger says it is compact. It isn't something that you can slide in your pocket and walk out of the house, unless you happen to be a kangaroo. It is by no means a large pistol, but it isn't in the class of the LCP either.



However, I can say that it will easily ride in an IWB holster and no one would be any the wiser. A friend of mine carries his in a Crossbreed super tuck and unless you know what you're looking for, you'd never know he has it on. He is of slight build and even then, it doesn't print at all.

It is thin enough to carry, but still big enough to give you a good slab of gun to grip on to, so the ergonomics are favorable. The grip is polymer and the important parts that go bang are either aluminum or steel, so it's a winner. I, personally, would say it has it all over the Glock so far as concealability goes as it has a more rounded slide than the Glock and therefore doesn't feel like such a block of steel strapped to you.

The SR9c is a striker fired semi-automatic (meaning no exposed hammer). There is an integrated trigger safety much like a Glock pistol as well as an external safety.
The magazine capacity is 10 round with one in the chamber for a total of 11. Not to bad for a compact pistol. It also comes in the box with an extended magazine of 15 round, I believe. So, my advice would be to carry the 10 round mag in the well, but keep the 15 as your reload, just in case.

My shooting impression is very favorable. It was accurate with very little experienced recoil. The gun is substantial in the hand without being too heavy. The controls are where you'd want them and work as they should.

Now, the most amazing thing is the price. I've seen it retail for 429.99, new, with the extra magazine included from the factory. You'd be hard pressed to find a better value with what you get for your money.

That's all for now, stay safe out there.

Kel Tec PF9

Alright boys and girls, if you are thinking about carrying a semi-auto for personal defense you could do a lot worse than the surprisingly affordable Kel-Tec PF9. I haven't fired this yet, but I intend to very soon. However, I've handled it and futzed with it extensively.

The PF9 is a 9mm semi-auto which carries 7+1 capacity. It isn't recommended to fire +P loads very often in this firearm, just so you know.

The PF9 is a polymer based grip/frame, with the important pieces being Aluminum or Steel. The gun weighs in at about 12.8 (call it 13 ounces) empty and just shy of a pound when loaded. That's a sight better than just about any other firearm out there. Especially one that carries the capable 9mm.

Please to enjoy:



The dimensions are small to say the least. At .88 inches at the widest point, we're talking serious concealment. However, as small as it is, I will say, even with my mutant sized paws, it still feels very comfortable and solid in the hand. I can't complain. I've slid one in my waist band while examining and you can barely tell that its there. I'm a huge fan of the concealment factor.

Now, there is one, tiny downside. This is a dual action only firearm. When you pull the trigger, you are actuating the hammer which will strike the firing pin and so on. There isn't a "double strike" option on this gun, however. If the round fails to go off, you can't just keep pulling the trigger until it goes "bang". You'll have to run through a "Tap, Rack, Bang" clearing procedure.

Now, what this means is you have a looooong trigger pull which you need to practice with. What this also means is that you lose the need for an external safety, since "cocked and locked" isn't an option. So that saves on space and on unnecessary frilly extras.

Another one of the great things about this gun is the price. I've seen them as low as $278.00 brand new, in the box. You find me another reliable, quality, firearm that you can purchase, brand new, that hefts out a 9mm at that price. You won't find one.

So, all in all, I would recommend this one. In fact, that's what I'm looking to get here in the next couple weeks and then I'll give a shooting review of it, as well.

Derringers...

There has been a resurgence recently of Derringer pistols and I think it's great.

For those of you who don't know a derringer is a small "over/under" style handgun which holds two round of anything from a .22 all the way up to a .45 colt/.410 shotgun. They are generally single action only.

The biggest benefit to a derringer is concealability. They are small, smaller than most compact revolvers and easy to carry around.

I have one and, without equivocation, it has the largest "oooohhhhh" factor of anything I own.

Ok, so leaving behind the fact that it's wicked cool and everyone wants to try it out it really is a good weapon. Mine is a Bond Arms "Snake Slayer" chambered in .45 colt/.410 shotshell. Think about that just a minute... Yeah, I have the world's smallest sawed off shotgun riding around with me in a rig on my belt, how cool is that?



See what I mean?

The upsides are many, It has a good weight and the recoil is super easy to manage all the way up to but NOT including 0000 Buck shot. Those puppies hurt like a mofo to shoot. It is very easy to use and to run through its battery of arms. It's single action only and has a manual safety on it. All in all, a nice gun.
It also conceals very well in an IWB holster and lays nice and flat.

The downsides are that you only have two shots. However, with some of the new self-defense loads for .410, you only need two for anything less than a platoon of bad guys. 0000 buck shot, for instance, shoots out 4 .38 caliber lead balls all in a nice neat line perpendicular to the horizon. When I tried this round out at the range I hit the target in the face, sternum, belly, and bladder... all in one shot.
Yeah, it'll get the job done, no doubt. But if you happen to have anything other than a 3.5 inch barrel shotgun in your hand (which I do) then you are going to have to aim the thing and be a little accurate. When I use .45 in mine, it does well, it's relatively accurate considering what I'm holding and all that.

However, should you choose something much smaller in caliber, I suggest practicing a lot. You only have 2 shots and it's slow to reload, so I would suggest making those shots count. If you're using the .410 meat grinder attachment, then...well, maybe it isn't so important to put lots of rounds down range, but you should still practice.

...Derringers make a heck of a car/truck gun.

Beretta Jetfire 950 - .25 acp

Alright boys and girls, here it is; the totally excellent Beretta Jetfire 950 in .25 acp. I realize I did a brief snippet on this one before, but that was more theoretical. I now own, have fired, and carry this little beauty, so this will be a better review.

Let me tell you this thing is awesome. It is hands down my favorite gun that I have owned or even shot. It sounds crazy and it may sound like hyperbole, but it is very true.

Don't get me wrong, I love my wheel guns, and I love me a 1911, but for the purposes of this blog and what the premise is, I'm telling you this is the best dang firearm on the market today. Yes, I am making that statement and I'll stand behind it.

The basics:

It is small, 4 inches square, maybe. It's light, less than 10 oz unlouded and maybe 14 when loaded. So it weighs very, very little. It holds 9 rounds of ammo, 8+1 to be precise. It also has a tilt up barrel, which is a nice feature.

Anyway, down to brass tacks:

The cons:
It fires the .25 acp round and most people will tell you that it's not going to do anything but piss off an attacker should the need arise to use it. I don't know about that. Will it go through a man's chest and exit out the back, no. Will it go through the skull, generally not. Will it, however, put 9 quarter inch holes in someone and start them bleeding, burning and hurting pretty darn badly? Yes it will!
Do you have to be good in your shot placement? Yup. I would go for upper chest and face. Yeah, I'll shoot to the face, what?

Will it stop any but a determined (read that drugged up) attacker, I say it will.
Now, people do seem to use a PCP crazed attacker as the basis for their carrying decision and I can appreciate that. However, unless you turn their head in to a canoe you aren't stopping them. I've heard police stories of 63 shots being put in a guy and he didn't stop... so, consider that. Can you think of something that you can carry, conceal, and keep on target that's going to do that? Didn't think so.

Performance:
I tested my gun using what I had around, which was a 2 liter bottle filled with water and capped off. At 15 feet, it shot clean through, entry and exit wounds through 4 inches of water. I don't know about you, but that seems like enough to start a good amount of bleeding and some serious pain.

Accuracy:
The accuracy isn't great, but then again, I'm new to shooting it and I'll have to dial it in a little and get used to it. However, I was rapid firing at 15 feet at a 2 liter and getting really good results. I think I put 6 of 9 in the bottle while rapid firing. I can't do that with a 1911 and I shoot those better than any handgun out there. So, for self-defense distances, this thing is spot on.

Recoil...none, moving on.

Report:
This little canon is also loud as hell!! It isn't at all like a .22 which is kind of "pop" as the round breaks the sound barrier, this thing is LOUD!!! If there is a fight, people will know it's a gun fight, no doubt about it.

Added Benefit: Rapid Fire!!!
Yeah, this little SOB will rapid fire as fast as you can pull the trigger and since you don't get thrown off your aim due to recoil, you guessed it, you get 9 rounds in 2 seconds (if you're slow) in about a 6 inch area. That's bada@@ I don't care what gun you're talking about.

So, in short it fits the bill perfectly for the intended use of a CCW. It is small enough to carry comfortably. It has great ergonomics, carries more ammo than any other pocket gun. Yes it does fire the smallest centerfire round out there, but being shot is being shot, I don't care what anyone else says.

Stay safe!

For my money...

Hey there guys...

I've spoken about the cost of your firearm from time to time here, but there's something that has my attention now and I felt compelled to talk about it.

Smith and Wesson revolvers. I will be the first to admit that they are fantastic quality and will last a lifetime, without exaggeration.

However, they are expensive. Now, I don't mean a hundred bucks over the competition, I mean double and sometimes triple the cost of the next best competitor.
Are they worth the extra cash? In my humble opinion, not even close.

They are fine machines, they are quality built and stand the test of time, but I can get 3 Ruger SP-101 for the price of 1 Smith. You heard that correctly, a 3 to 1 ratio. And Ruger is no slouch, they are solid machines and are just as good and just as reliable as any Smith out there.

That is just my two cents, of course, but I thought it necessary to mention it as I was poking around on the internet last night checking out comparable models to my new and utterly awesome GP-100. When I saw that a regular old .357 was upwards of $1000 when a new in the box GP-100 was about $450, well... I was less than thrilled.

However, if you are a die hard S&W fan, go for it. It is, after all, your money.

GP-100 Ruger

Sweet Monkey spunk on crutches! This is the finest firearm I have ever, and I mean ever, picked up and put rounds down range with.

But, before I get a little too far in to the superlatives, let me tell you something about it. It is a 6 shot revolver, 4 inch barrel, chambered in .357/.38. It has a rubber grip with a wooden inlay in to it.

As I have said on countless posts I'm a big dude, there isn't much I can't carry on me without printing...this one just might be too close to the edge to allow me to carry it, which would be sad. That is not, however, meant to be construed as I'm giving up in trying to find a way to carry it. Oh, sweet momma... I'm in very strong lust with this firearm.

Now... on to the actual review of the firearm.

Well, let's just start off with the fact that this thing is a slab of metal. Unloaded it weighs 34 ounces, so two pounds. Add in 6 shots of your favorite .38 or .357 in it and the weigh goes over 2 and a half solid pounds. To some people that would be excessive and I would tend to agree with them. For me, however, it isn't that much weight. To me it just feels solid and I think that's important.

The practical upside of the heft is that it manages recoil very, very well. I had no fatigue at all when I took it out to the range. There was no uncomfortable blast, no muzzle jump, nothing but smooth sailing, really. I was, admittedly, shooting the .38 special loads, but I can't imagine that a .357 would be that much worse. It'll still be manageable with those as well.

The barrel is 4 inches long, which makes it a little unwieldy so far as the draw is concerned and I fully admit that. Again, this is not a small person gun. You'll need to have long arms and a fairly long torso to have the room needed to clear the weapon. Although, I practiced with it and it worked fine for me.

It is a double action/single action revolver, so you can with stage the hammer and pull the trigger or just pull the trigger, either way. The trigger itself is smooth and easily actuated. I use my wife for the real test of a trigger, if she can pull it, then it is good to go. She could and it is.

The sights on this thing do not disappoint. They are easy to see and easy enough to pick up. The front sight is black, so its hard to focus on in low light.

However, the greatest thing...is the intuitive nature of how it shoots. It is, basically, point and click. I brought in the Target to about 10-15 feet, somewhere in there, and went to town. With a good (read correct) grip on the revolver you can literally, with no exaggeration, point and pull the trigger and hit what you are aiming at without having to close one eye and look down the sights. I put rounds right there I wanted them, using double action, and there wasn't one miss.

And I don't mean I was looking at the front sight, etc, I mean I was looking at the "8" on the target and I would hit within 1/2inch of the 8, if not completely remove the 8 from the paper. I would get 1 inch (or smaller) groups at 5 yards. I actually put 3 shots in the same blessed hole going double action with this puppy.

It will do its job, there is not doubt about it.

Ok, final thoughts: It is a great gun, it will hit what you point it at and it can carry the dirty-bad-nasty .357 or the cheaper and easier .38 special. The grip feels good in the hand and really softens recoil. The only down side is the weight and barrel length. However, if you are of the right size, there's no reason this wouldn't be a good carry or "truck gun".

I'm a fan.

Revolvers

Love em. Can't get enough of them.

I think that they are the most perfect handgun out there, to be honest.
There are some I'm not crazy about, sure.

The airweight series from Smith and Wesson I can most certainly do without. They are too light to make shooting them any fun at all. Also, you can't stay on target with one and they are just a pain to be accurate with.

That being said, they are effective, easily concealed and easy to find ammo for.

And speaking of ammo, there is no semi-automatic firearm on the market which fires the venerable and for all intents and purposes the mack-daddy .357 Magnum.

No matter what your problem is, the .357 has the answer. You got one guy on drugs, problem solved. You have two guys with knives, no problems. As long as you can hit your target you would be hard pressed to find a more effective anti-personnel device.

Admittedly carrying a revolver, well anything other than a stubby, is not the easiest thing in the world, however. And every thing is a trade off. You only have 6 rounds, it is a little heavy, etc. But for ease of use, reliability and the oh so spankalicious .357... revolvers should definitely be on your list of guns to test out and perhaps carry with you.

Ruger LCR

The Ruger LCR is the newest Lightweight Compact Revolver (...LCR, get it?) is on the market and let me just say a couple of things about it.

The first thing I want to say is that I'm a rationalizer and an analyst by nature. I don't take anything at face value, I read, study, compile informaiton, compare, contrast, look under microscopes, etc. However, the first time I got a grip on this little gem, I was sold, no fuss, no muss, no nothing. It's that good.

This is a 5 shot, polymer, revolver which is capable of accepting +p loadings, which bumps up the muzzle energy by 20%, give or take.

It comes with a very comfortable Hogue grip and can also come with a Crimson Trace lazer grip.

I've held and dry fired and live fired several revolvers and this has, hands down, the smoothest, lightest trigger pull of any revolver ever, period. My wife tried it and was SUPER impressed. She's broker her fingers several times playing field hockey as a kid and has trouble with a heavy pull, but this one was like "buttah" when she tried it out.

As with any snubby, the bark from at .38 could provide some uncomfortable recoil, but the new grips will mitigate that to a decent degree.

I am seriously considering getting one of these for a truck gun and so my wife has something to carry as well. It is awesomeness...hands down.

Beretta .25acp

This post really covers all .25 acp firearms out there, but more specifically the Berettas.

First off let me just say that I'm not enamored with the .25. It's little, it's short ranged, blah, blah, blah. Trust me, go to any gun forum on the web and 9 out of 10 people will tell you that the .25 ain't work the metal its made from.

If that is the case...then I would ask (and several people do on those forums) for a volunteer to stand in front of one when its fired. Never any takers on that one, odd isn't it?

Anyway, the ultra-compact, extremely portable and concealable pocket pistols that are chambered in .25 acp are fantastic carry guns.

The Beretta holds 8+1, weighs nothing, and will fit right in your pocket, no worries.

They are cheap to buy, well made, and durable. The accuracy at 7 yards is excellent.

So, as I've said previously, the .25 you carry is better than the howitzer you have at home, so this could be a great option for someone who has a limited carry scenario.

Just give it some thought, ok?

N8(2) Tactical Holster

I just had a chance over the weekend to try out the N82 (pronounced "Nate Squared", the owners are both named Nate) Tactical holster.

Its an IWB holster made in 4 sizes, from Full size down to pocket pistol in a "One size fits most" configuration.

The backing that sits against the body is suade with a think neoprene filler and the weapon is held in place by think elastic/spandex. It clips on the the belt or waistband of your pants.

Let me tell you, it's comfortable! It isn't heavy and because it's textile as opposed to leather it moves where you move and doesn't poke or have sharp edges.

I will also have to say it fits a large varietty of pistols! I tested a SWE40, full size, a Bersa Mini-40, compact, and a Kel-Tec P11, Sub-compact, and they all fit in this holster with great retention.

I was a little concerned about reholstering, but even with this being a textile the reholstering was a cinch!

I am very impressed with this holster. I used it in the small of my back and it was easy to put on, easy to take off, easy to draw and easy to reholster and comfortable... Is there anything else, really, that one needs?

N82 Tactical has a website and their prices can't be beat. I think its about $40.00 per holster, which as anyone can tell you, is a good price for a quality holster.

I will add the disclaimer that they are local and I like to lend my support to local vendors, but at the same time a good product is a good product, and this one really is.

My one caveat would be that this system lends itself better to compact and below in size, but that could be because I'm not a fan of carrying a full sized pistol... again your mileage may vary.

Look them up, give them a try, I think they are great!

Beretta Tomcat .32 acp

Ok, this one is going to be a little out of the normal for a review, but I have to admit, I'm smitten with this little pocket rocket.

As a disclaimer, I like the .32 acp concept. I like small nimble guns with almost no recoil and all that. They look neat, are easily kept at hand, and they are, well, they are just nifty.

Another disclaimer: I haven't fired this weapon.

The Berreta Tomcat is a tilt open barrel design. Which means you can either load your magazine conventionally, but inserting the mag and pulling back on the slide.
This will put a round in the chamber this will pull the hammer back in the "cocked and locked" position. This will give you 7 rounds total in the gun.

The other option is to insert the magazine but then hit the barrel release. This will, literally, flip the barrel up and allow you to load another round in to the barrel directly and it will not cause the hammer to retract and be cocked and locked.
This will give you 7+1... nothing wrong with an extra bullet at your disposal.

As you may have guessed the Tomcat has a DA/SA trigger. That means double action/single action. The meat and potatoes of that is that if the hammer is down and you pull the trigger, the gun will shoot. If the hammer is back and you pull the trigger, the gun will shoot.

Ergonomics on the Tomcat are great! I know, I know, it is hard to believe, but they really are. The grip is nice and round and easy to get your hands on. It is, of course, short, but for some reason, that's not a problem. It just sits great in the hand.

It has an external safety lever which is easily actuated so you can carry in "condition 1" which is a round chambered and the hammer cocked.

The weight is enough to let you know that you're holding on to something substantial and not some piece of fluff. Which speaks to the materials it is made of. It's metal, not composite or plastic. I'm a fan.

It does have one drawback. It is chambered in the .32 acp caliber. Some people will say that you might as well throw a rock at someone if all you have is a .32. These same people will also say the same to anything that isn't a .45, so consider the source.

No, it won't kill a charging Rhino and no, it probably won't immediately stop a drugged up assailant. However, there have been numerous reports that state a an average man hopped up on PCP can taken dozens of direct hits to the torso and head and still kept coming... If 63 shots from police service pistols aren't going to stop someone, there's nothing you can carry, as a civilian, that would stop someone like that.

Your best bet are head shots and plenty of them.

To me, if your shot placement is good and your training is current and consistent, this little gem will save your life, period. And at the end of the day that's the true test of a defensive handgun. Will it save your life? In my opinion, yes, the Tomcat will.

All in all, I'd give great consideration to this pistol if you want to keep it in your pocket or purse. An extra magazine would be also very easy to carry around too, heck, maybe even a couple. That would be a total of 22 rounds. Not too shabby.

I might change my mind...

Previously I stated that I was going to go with the Glock 19 (or perhaps G26) for my personal carry weapon. I still maintain that it is a fine firearm and will absolutely stand the test of time, over and over again.

However, the more I handle one and really try and get the feel of it and what it would be like to carry it I get more and more disheartened.

It is a block of metal, it is heavy and bulky. I just can't get over the feeling that would be inconvenient to carry with me. I think it would be, but I didn't see any other options which would fit the bill.

I looked at the XD, the M&P, so on and so forth and either the slide was too tall (XD) or the grip was ridiculously too short (M&P) or it was just too fat (G19, XD).
I couldn't land on one that really fit well in my hand.

I looked at some smaller single stack pistols, Kahr CV9, Kel Tec PF9, the P11 and so on, but those were lacking in heft (Kahr) or didn't feel very "finished" as in the Kel Tec.

Then I stumbled upon the Ruger SR9c. Now this one, to me, and again your perception may vary, seems to fit all my criterion and be a big winner.

It is in 9mm, holds 10+1 (same as the G26) comes with a second extended map (12 rounds I believe). It has a drop trigger, meaning there is an internal safety that won't allow the striker to release unless the trigger is pulled, it also has an unobtrusive manual safety on it. I don't think I would need the manual safety if it has a drop trigger...just my 2 cents.

The grip is thin and well fitting, the slide is relatively free of clutter, the pistol weighs more than a Glock, M&P, or XD, but it doesn't feel heavy. In fact, it feels better than the Glock so far as weigh is concerned.

The slide is much thinner than any of the other big three I named which while most assuredly assist me in concealment and consistent carry. It has a low bore axis which means the barrel is low in the frame which means less felt recoil, which is a huge advantage over the XD.

The grip is just a hair longer than the others out of the box, so I wouldn't have to worry about getting a +2 mag extender as I would for the other sub-compacts.

Not to mention the fact that its a Ruger. They make a fine pistol. Some people are brand loyal and will only buy M&Ps or XDs or Sig Sauers, and that's fine. I am of the opinion, though, that if it works and works well, I don't care who makes it, assuming that it isn't some company I've never heard of that has spotty workmanship.

Top that all off with the fact that its over $100.00 cheaper than the next "brand name" compact out there and you have a recipe for success. I can get a lot of ammo for $100.00.

I'm going to be looking at it more and more and getting the feel for it and I'll keep everyone posted, but initial impressions are very favorable.

Smith & Wesson MP 9mm - Review

If you've done any reading on the subject of CCW pistols, odds are you've come across this little honey in your travels; The Smith and Wesson M&P (Military and Police) model in 9mm.

I will have to say that out of all the pistols I've tried out over the course of my research, this is one of the top 2 or 3.

Now, the dimensions aren't all that dissimilar to the Glock 26, but I find that the general size is a little more favorable to carrying and carrying often. It just doesn't feel as blocky. I haven't measured it, but perception is more important in this case than the actual dimensions.

I will be perfectly honest with you; this is the smoothest, easiest, and otherwise "buttah" like semi-auto that I have ever fired.

The accuracy is impressive, the reliability is outstanding, and the recoil is really non-existent.

You can pump out round after round and not move that far off target. Also, this is an intuitive shooter, you don't necessarily have to sight down the barrel to get a good shot off.

They are, however, a little pricey. They aren't, last time I checked, that far off from a Glock, but nowadays, every dollar counts, right?

I mean, if you can get one, get one. If you put this up against a Glock and an XD (Springfield) you'll find that these three pistols are in the same market and pretty much on par with each other. They are, in my opinion, almost interchangable. Just grab one of the three and see which one feels best to you and you can't go wrong!