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4 LETTERS8 SPEEDLOADS

• Marijuana and guns

• Super Test drill

• .32 S&W Long

14 AMMO SHELFPATRICK SWEENEY

Gorilla Silverback all-copper

defensive ammunition.

16 ESSENTIALSJAMES TARR

High Threat Concealment’s

versatile new EVO holster.

20 EN GARDERICHARD NANCE

Train with your carry gun, not

just what’s handy for the range.

24 GUNS & GEARJ. SCOTT RUPP

64 BACK PAGEBEAUTIESSTAN TRZONIEC

The sought-

after Colt

Python

FEATURES

26 A TRUE HAND CANNONBy JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

Magnum Research’s BFR is now available in .45-70, making it the most

powerful production single-action revolver around.

34 SEEING DOUBLEBy JAMES TARR

The new PHD from DoubleStar is a full-size 1911 just right for home

defense uses.

40 POCKET POWERBy J. SCOTT RUPP

A look at pocket carry guns, ammunition and holsters designed for this

popular and convenient style.

48 STREET SMARTSBy RICHARD NANCE

There’s more to staying safe than simply being proficient with a hand-

gun. Here are the other attributes you need.

CONTENTSFEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 | VOLUME 31, NUMBER 1 | PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY | www.handguns.com

DEPARTMENTS

26

34

40

48

FIRING LINE REPORTS

54 SIG TACOPS1911R .357 SIGBy JEFF CHUDWIN

56 KIMBERAMETHYST IIBy KAT AINSWORTH

60 RUGERLCP IIBy JAMES TARR

www.smith-wesson.com/pc

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4 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

R51 AdviceI just finished reading James

Tarr’s review on the second genera-

tion Remington R51 (December/

January), and I agree with most

of his comments. However, he did

not address a magazine problem

with the R51. I have had a continu-

ous problem with racking the first

cartridge into the gun with a fully

loaded magazine. He also did not

address the difficulty of breaking

down and reassembling the R51.

Aside from this trivia, I love shoot-

ing the gun. It eats everything I put

in it—although I have to put one

cartridge in the mag, rack it, then

load the magazine.

Joe Black

COPPERAS COVE, TX

Mr. Black: I didn’t notice this

problem during testing, but after

reading your letter I went back and

was able to replicate the problem if

I didn’t rack the slide back on a full

magazine very forcefully. And you

are correct. This gun takes a bit of

grip strength and, being an older

design, is somewhat of a bear to dis-

assemble. Every gun has its quirks,

and sometimes catching them before

a deadline doesn’t quite work out.

—James Tarr

A Matter of ScaleI believe you did Browning a dis-

service with the opening photo you

used in the “Black Beauty” article

by Brad Fitzpatrick (October/No-

vember 2016). The photo of this

1911 in .380 is so blown up it is 47

percent larger than the gun itself,

and there are no pictures for com-

paring its size—unlike elsewhere

in the issue where the Rock Island

Armory Baby Rock is compared to

a full-size 1911. Hopefully the next

time you feature a small gun that

is a downsized version of a well-

known model, you will not blow up

your shrunken piece to enormous

proportions.

a.M. Springer, Jr.

FONTANA, WI

CONTACT US For letters and comments on the magazine, contact us at Handguns@OutdoorSG.com or write

to us at Handguns, P.O. Box 13786, Torrance, CA 90503. Please include your town and state of

residence. Letters may be edited for brevity and clarity.

ADDRESS CHANGE OR SUBSCRIPTION QUESTION? Note we have a new email address for this.

Please email HGScuStServ@cdSfulfillment.com or write to Handguns, P.O. Box 37539, Boone, IA

50037-0539. If changing address, please send both old and new addresses.

Grip It and Clip ItThe “Front and Center” article

by Richard Nance (October/Novem-

ber 2016) did a fine job of explain-

ing appendix carry. Years ago I

purchased a .38 S&W snubnose,

and I have carried it most days

since. The primary reason I favor it

over other options for my concealed

carry handgun is largely due to

the clip-grip that comes with it, a

design that works well for appendix

carry. I see DeSantis offers a Clip-

Grip for $30, and frankly I wish

this style of grip were available for

every concealed-carry handgun.

loran Braught

WEST TERRE HAUTE, IN

Snake SolutionHave loved your magazine for

years, but I wonder if you’re doing

a disservice to your readers by not

explaining that .22 semiautomatics

will not cycle with .22 shotshells.

I suspect many buyers of .22 guns

are doing so to protect from snakes,

and shotshells are effective—but

they’re not powerful enough to

cycle the slide. When you review a

.22 automatic, such as the S&W Vic-

tory (August/September 2016), you

should say whether or not the slide

will cycle with shotshells.

Bill StinSon

GULF BREEZE, FL

Praise for the TokarevNice piece by Bob Campbell on

one of the most neglected pistols

and cartridges around. I’ve owned

a couple Tokarevs and a CZ 52,

and the ballistics and accuracy are

impressive. One of my favorites is a

Chinese 54 with thin custom grips.

It’s easy to carry in Condition 3, has

a four-pound trigger and cost me

only $100 back in the 1990s. Sellier

& Bellot has an 85 grain clocked at

1,647 fps; that’s a 200 yarder.

Beto origoni

TOPAZ LAKE, NV

| LETTERS

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 HANDGUNS 5

THESE DAYS, AMERICA’S SHOOTERS

are clamoring for more handgun

information—more articles, more

television shows, more website info.

Outdoor Sportsman Group—which

publishes Handguns as well as

bringing you the Sportsman Chan-

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It’s a resource like no other, a

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instead of re-runs of “Walking

Dead” you’re treated to episodes of

“Handguns & Defensive Weapons”

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own James Tarr and Richard

Nance), “Guns & Ammo,” “Shooting

Gallery” and many, many more.

It’s an incredibly deep library

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dOOrtV.cOM.—J. Scott Rupp

I WANT MY MOTVA NEW APP DELIVERS THE FINEST IN SHOOTING ACTION AND INSTRUCTIONAL SHOWS—WHENEVER AND WHEREVER YOU WANT.

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OF GUNS AND DOPECIRCUIT COURT RULES THAT GUNS AND LEGAL MARIJUANA ARE AT ODDS.

By John Alan CohanFEDERAL LAW CLASSIFIES MARIJUANA

as a Schedule I controlled substance

deemed to have “no currently ac-

cepted medical use,” lacks accepted

safety for use under medical super-

vision, and has a high potential for

abuse.

Federal firearms law under 18

U.S.C. § 922(g)(3) provides that no

person “who is an unlawful user

of or addicted to any controlled

substance” may “possess…or…re-

ceive any firearm or ammunition.”

In addition, it is unlawful to sell

any firearm or ammunition “to any

person knowing or having reason-

able cause to believe that the person

is an unlawful user of or addicted to

any controlled substance.”

This law, as recently clarified,

extends to users of medical mari-

juana in states that allow it. Ne-

vada, among 24 other states and the

| SPEEDLOADS | Compiled by J. SCOTT RUPP

District of Columbia, legalized the

use of medical marijuana so that a

holder of a valid medical marijuana

registration card is exempt from

state prosecution for marijuana-

related crimes.

Still, the Second Amendment

does not protect the right to keep

and bear arms for users of illegal

drugs such as marijuana and other

Schedule I controlled substances.

The Ninth Circuit said in a 2011 case

entitled United States v. Dugan that

“Habitual drug users, like career

criminals and the mentally ill, more

likely will have difficulty exercising

self-control, particularly when they

are under the influence of con-

trolled substances.”

A drug addict or occasional user

of Schedule I substances such as

marijuana “may regain his right to

possess a firearm simply by ending

his drug abuse”—unlike the restric-

tion affecting felons and the men-

tally ill, who face a lifetime ban.

What about people who obtain a

medical marijuana ID card but who

insist they never use the substance?

A new ruling in the Ninth Circuit

considered the case of an individual

who was an advocate of medical

marijuana, had obtained a medical

marijuana card, but who insisted

she never used the drug and sued

because she was denied the right to

purchase a gun. Wilson v. Loretta E.

Lynch—decided in July 2016—held

that holders of medical marijuana

registry cards are prohibited from

buying firearms, even if they do not

actually use marijuana. The plain-

tiff, S. Rowan Wilson, had a Nevada

medical marijuana registry card.

She sought to purchase a firearm,

but the dealer refused to sell her

8 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

a gun because he knew she held a

registry card.

Wilson claimed she was not actu-

ally a user of any illegal drugs and

had obtained a medical marijuana

card as a way to express her support

for medical marijuana use. She sued

the government on several theories,

most notably that the government’s

policy violated her Second Amend-

ment rights.

As you all know, purchasers of

firearms are required to fill out

ATF Form 4473, which asks if the

individual is “an unlawful user of, or

addicted to, marijuana” or any other

controlled substance. The ATF,

in an “Open Letter to All Federal

Firearms Licensees” issued in 2011,

states that any person who uses or is

addicted to marijuana—even if pur-

suant to state laws authorizing medi-

cal marijuana use—is an unlawful

user of or addicted to a controlled

substance and is prohibited from

possessing firearms or ammunition.

Even if an individual merely pos-

sesses a state medical marijuana ID

card, the person is presumed to be

an unlawful user of a controlled sub-

stance and therefore ineligible to

purchase firearms or ammunition.

The Ninth Circuit said the burden

on Wilson’s Second Amendment

right “is not severe” because she is

only barred from purchasing fire-

arms, not from possessing or using

previously purchased guns because

ATF regulations do not impede her

right to keep or use them.

The court came to this conclusion

based on a portion of the ATF letter

that instructed firearms dealers:

“Further, if you are aware that the

potential transferee is in possession

of a card authorizing the posses-

sion and use of marijuana under

State law, then you have ‘reasonable

cause to believe’ that the person

is an unlawful user of a controlled

substance. As such, you may not

transfer firearms or ammunition to

the person, even if the person an-

swered ‘no’ to question 11.e. on ATF

Form 4473.”

In addition, Wilson could pur-

chase firearms at any time in the

future simply by “surrendering her

registry card, thereby demonstrat-

ing to a firearms dealer that there is

no reasonable cause to believe she is

an unlawful drug user.”

USPSA OPEN, LIMITED EQUIPMENT SURVEYSRecently, the U.S. Practical Shooting Association held national champi-

onships for its Limited, Limited 10 and Open divisions, and it released

a survey of the gear competitors used. Open is for true “race guns”;

any type of sight is permitted, and guns can have compensators, barrel

porting, slide porting and so forth. Minimum cartridge requirements

start at 9mm and .38 Super. In Limited and Limited 10, only open

sights are allowed, and guns cannot have compensators or porting. The

difference between them is Limited 10 guns are restricted to 10-round

capacity. Minimum cartridge is the 9mm, with the minimum to make

Major caliber (which essentially gets you more points over those who

shoot lower-recoiling Minor) is .40/10mm.

GUNS A lot of guns are custom-built, but the STI ruled the roost

in all three divisions as the top manufacturer of gun or frame with more

than half the competitors choosing that make. In Limited 10, those who

didn’t pick STI chose Glock or Springfield in nearly equal numbers.

CALIBER In Open, where speed is king, 60 percent of competi-

tors shot .38 Super or .38 Super Comp (a rimless version of the .38

Super), while 39 percent shot 9mms. Limited and Limited 10 were

ruled by the .40 S&W with 90 percent and 86 percent respectively; the

remainder shot 9mm, although in Limited 10 six percent shot .45 ACP.

RELOADING 94 percent of Open shooters loaded their own

ammo, while 70 percent of Limited 10 shooters and 80 percent of

Limited shooters did. Vihtavouri, Winchester and Hodgdon accounted for

the bulk of the powders. Winchester held the top spot for primers with

40 to 48 percent making that choice in all three divisions. Jacketed bul-

lets dominated in Open at 90 percent and also accounted for about half

in the other two divisions. For the remainder, Limited shooters leaned

toward moly-coated bullets over plated bullets while the Limited 10

competitors were split.

SIGHTS C-More Systems was far and away the top choice in

Open, while nearly all shooters in Limited and Limited 10 used a fiber-

optic insert in their front sights.—JSR

The court said the government’s

rationale behind prohibiting the

purchase of guns by illegal drug

users, including marijuana users, is

that these people are more likely to

be involved in violent crimes.

The court noted that reliable stud-

ies suggest there is “a strong link

between drug use and violence” and

that unlawful drug users are “pre-

sumptively risky people” to justify

keeping firearms out of their hands.

The court said, “It is beyond dis-

pute that illegal drug users, includ-

ing marijuana users, are likely as a

consequence of that use to experi-

ence altered or impaired mental

states that affect their judgment and

that can lead to irrational or unpre-

dictable behavior.”

Congress has been unmoved to

remove marijuana from Schedule I.

Until and unless that happens, users

of medical or recreational marijua-

na will continue to be barred from

new firearm purchases.

John Alan Cohan is a Los Angeles

attorney and a long-standing sup-

porter of the Second Amendment.

He can be reached at 310-278-0203 or

email at johnalancohan@aol.com.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 HANDGUNS 9WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

| SPEEDLOADSSKILLS DRILLS | BY DAVE SPAULDING

SUPER TEST

THE CREATION OF FORMER LAW EN-

forcement officers Wayne Dobbs and

Daryl Bolke of Hardwired Tactical

Shooting, the drill is designed to

test a shooter’s ability to deploy the

handgun from Ready or a holster,

control the trigger and fire accurate

rounds at varied distances, which

also affects shot to shot time/splits.

It is a solid test of the two variables

of combative shooting: the balance

of speed and accuracy.

SPECIAL GEAR shot timer (or

have someone time you)

DRILL The drill is easy to

remember; the yard marker is the

same as the time required, and all

stages are 10 rounds. Using an NRA

B8 repair center bullseye, start at

15 yards in a Ready position and fire

10 rounds in 15 seconds. Move to the

10-yard line and fire 10 rounds in 10

seconds. Finish on the five-yard line

with 10 rounds in five seconds.

GOAL A hit in the 10 ring is 10

points, a nine ring hit is 9 points,

etc. Total is 300 possible points,

with 270 required for a passing

score. Once you become proficient

from Ready, do the same drill from

the holster, then from a concealed

holster. I tried a variation of it in

my classes by adding some forward

movement. After firing each stage,

the shooter had five seconds to move

to the next, reloading along the way.

No one made the 270-point standard

doing this due to breath control.

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SIG SAUER is moving its Elite Perfor-

mance ammo manufacturing facility from

Kentucky to Jacksonville, Arkansas. “The

new location in Jacksonville gives us the

room we need to expand as we continue

to grow and is also beneficial from a

shipping and logistical standpoint,” said

Dan Powers, president of SIG’s ammuni-

tion division. At press time, the company

believed it would be up and running about

the time you read this.

SMITH & WESSON is expanding its

relationship with the Smith & Wesson

Historical Foundation. The foundation will

now assume full responsibility for the

company’s letter of authenticity process,

which was begun by famed S&W historian

Roy Jinks more than 50 years ago. The

service provides collectors a letter of

authenticity for their guns, and Jinks will

continue to lead research and corre-

spondence for the service. (On another, if

unrelated, note regarding Smith & Wesson,

the company recently purchased Crimson

Trace and is creating a new electro-optics

division.)

REMINGTON continues its southward ex-

pansion with a new worldwide distribution

center in Southaven, Mississippi. “We are

looking forward to a great partnership with

the state of Mississippi and the wonderful

community of Southaven,” said Remington

Outdoor Company CEO Jim Marcotuli.

The latest data from NSSF shows gun-

related crime and accidents dropping

while firearms sales continue to climb.

Homicides with firearms have declined

43 percent since 1911, and other crimes

involving firearms are down 70 percent

over the same period. Unintentional fire-

arms fatalities have fallen from more than

1,250 as recently as 1994 to just over 500

in 2014.

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THE .32 S&W LONG WAS BROUGHT OUT

in 1896 as a lengthened version

of the .32 S&W Short. It was origi-

nally loaded with blackpowder, but

smokeless replaced it a few years

later. The police commissioner of

New York City at that time was Ted-

dy Roosevelt, and he liked the .32

S&W Long so much—it was hailed

for its accuracy—it was adopted

as the police round. At one time,

various revolvers were chambered

for it, including Colt, Harrington &

Richardson and Iver Johnson.

I have a Colt Pocket Positive

with “.32 Police CTG” stamped on

it’s barrel. According to the serial

number, it was made in 1920. It is a

double-action revolver, and the rear

sight is a groove, which was com-

mon with those guns. On the frame

it is stamped “DP 52,” which may

be a reference to the Detroit police

department and possibly the retire-

ment year of the officer to whom it

was given.

The gun is nickel plated with

almost all of the plating intact. It is

in good shape and very tight, and I

doubt it saw much service. The guns

typically aren’t worth very much on

the collector market, just a couple

hundred bucks. However, accord-

ing to a couple of sources I saw, Al

Capone carried one that was made

in 1925 and recently sold for more

than $100,000 at an auction.

There is some confusion relating

to the cartridges. Colt also came

out with a .32 Short and a .32 Long,

but they are not the same as the

much more popular Smith & Wesson

rounds. The Colt round uses a .300

diameter bullet, and the case is

smaller in diameter. It can be fired

.32 SMITH & WESSON LONGOLD SCHOOL | BY BOB SHELL

in the Smith & Wesson

chamber, but it will split

and give poor accuracy.

The Smith & Wesson

round will not fit in a

chamber designed for

the Colt round. To fur-

ther muddy the waters,

according to Cartridges

of the World, the .32 S&W

Long when loaded with

a flatpoint bullet was

known as the .32 Colt New Police.

As mentioned, at one time black-

powder was used in the Smith &

Wesson round, and the common

load was 13 grains of powder and

a 98-grain bullet that produced 800

fps. The smokeless factory load

was a 98-grain lead bullet at 705

fps giving 115 ft.-lbs. of energy. It

was considered adequate for police

work, though it was considered the

minimum caliber for such use.

Ammo for the .32 S&W Long is

still relatively easy to find, unlike

the Colt round. Handloading com-

ponents are available and in a good

gun is capable of excellent accuracy.

The .32 S&W Long is popular in

Europe for competition—with high-

dollar guns such as Walthers, Benel-

lis and Pardinis found on firing

lines over there. A Lapua 98-grain

wadcutter is a favored bullet for

competitive shooting.

<

The .32 Colt Pocket Positive was at one time popular with many police departments. It was chambered for several variations of the .32 caliber, including the .32 S&W Long.

12 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

<

(From l.): .327 Federal Magnum, .32 H&R Magnum, .32 S&W Long, .32 S&W Short, .32 Auto.

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GORILLA AMMUNITION’S SILVERBACK LINE

is loaded with solid-copper hollow-

points, manufactured on Swiss-style

lathes. Wait, what—“Swiss” lathes?

Yes. Monolithic-material bullets,

what we confusingly call solid-copper

hollowpoints, have to be produced on

a lathe.

Copper is too strong a material

to be hydraulically shaped, at least

when it comes to bullets. So they have

to be turned on a lathe: A bar of cop-

per is clamped in the chuck, and the

end of it gets cut by the tool, guided

by the computer controlling things.

The finished bullet falls off, the bar

is extended, and the sequence is

repeated.

The only problem is the pressure

of the tool can flex the bar out of

alignment. This is not a problem with

materials like steel, as it doesn’t flex

much, but copper does, and that’s

where the Swiss-style lathe comes

into play. This type of machine holds

the material at both ends so it can’t

flex, and Gorilla’s copper bullets have

less than 0.0005 inch of dimensional

deviation.

The Silverback pistol line currently

comprises .380, 9mm Luger and .45

ACP. The bullet weights are 95 grains

for the .380, 115 and 135 for the 9mm,

and 230 and 230 for the .45.

The weights for the .380 and the

9mm are understandable. The .380 is

your basic weight, 95 grains, but the

bullet is longer because copper is less

dense than lead so therefore needs to

be longer to achieve a certain weight

for a certain diameter. The 9mm load-

ings are a high-velocity 115 grain and

a subsonic 135 grain.

The two 230-grain .45 ACP bullets

are designed and engineered for two

| AMMO SHELF | By PATRICK SWEENEY

different uses. The FBI load is a bul-

let designed for maximum perfor-

mance in the FBI tests, designed to

give penetration and expansion even

with intermediate barriers. The .45

Self Defense load is designed and

engineered for maximum expansion

and not with a barrier in mind. Why

the two? Not everyone needs or wants

a bullet that maxes the FBI score.

In each, the hollowpoint’s cavity is

impressively large and has slits down

the ogive. The bullets in the 9mm

subsonic and the .45 FBI loads have

visible grooves machined in them.

That way it will be easy to pick one

or the other if you happen to jumble

your ammo supply.

All Silverback ammunition is load-

ed in nickel-plated cases, and Gorilla

<

In addition to two 9mm loads and a .380, Gorilla offers two .45 loads: one intended to meet FBI specs (shown) and the other designed for everyday citizens. All feature monolithic copper bullets.

ACCURACY RESULTS | GORILLA SILVERBACKBullet Muzzle Extreme Standard Avg.

Gun/Caliber Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Spread (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.)

9mm

Nighthawk T3 115 1,179 11 4 1.8

Ruger American 115 1,133 5 34 2.5

Nighthawk T3 135 950 48 25 1.7

Ruger American 135 962 12 4 2.7

Nighthawk T3* 135 976 70 37 1.9

.45

Springfield 1911A1 230 766 22 9.2 1.8

Springfield 1911A1 230 737 33 13.8 1.5

Notes: (*Fired with GM9 suppressor.) The first .45 load is Self Defense, the second is FBI. Accuracy results are the aver-ages of four five-shot groups over a Sinclair shooting rest at 25 yards. Velocities are averages of 10 shots, measured by a LabRadar chrono, programmed to measure velocity 15 feet from the muzzle.

GO GORILLASILVERBACK AMMO FEATURES A HIGH-END COPPER BULLET.

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has designed and built a proprietary

system for loading ammunition that

takes full advantage of the precision

lathe-turned bullets can provide.

The process that Gorilla uses to plate

the cases, and the resulting finish is

called Technichrome, and it produces

a case with a high lubricity. It will

be slick in feeding, and it will resist

oxidation and shrug off grime.

For the 9mm, I selected two

handguns and one suppressor. The

115-grain load was tested in a Ruger

American and a Nighthawk T3

with suppressor-ready barrel. The

135-grain subsonic went through the

Ruger and the Nighthawk with and

without the suppressor. For the .45, I

used a Springfield Armory 1911A1.

The accuracy was stellar. The

groups were brag-worthy, and they

were consistent. The velocities were

not as great as the specs Gorilla

publishes, but that doesn’t worry me.

Handguns vary in the velocity they

deliver, and the velocities recorded

in actual handguns are often a bit

behind the speeds recorded from test

barrels.

The expanded bullets I recovered

were impressive. When you can get

a 9mm bullet to expand to .805 inch,

you have yourself a spectacular

performer.

The .45 was off the charts. Some of

the bullets actually had their petals

bend back past perpendicular and

would potentially lose points on the

FBI scale because the overall diam-

eter was smaller than it could have

been had the petals been perpen-

dicular. The .45 Self Defense load

achieved just the FBI minimum of 12

inches of penetration, which some

may or may not like—although this

ammo wasn’t designed to meet the

spec. Expansion was more than 1.25

inches. If you want more penetration,

then obviously the FBI load is your

choice, where you get a nice 15 pen-

etration inches and expansion that is

“only” just under an inch.

In the end, with Gorilla Silverback

we have brilliantly accurate ammuni-

tion, using bullets that penetrate to

useful depths, and they expand well

in test media.

What’s not to like? Maybe the price.

The 9mm 115-grain Self-Defense

load is available directly from the

manufacturer and sells for more than

$30 per box of 20. By comparison,

Barnes TAC-XPD monolithic cop-

per 115-grain 9mm hollowpoint—a

+P load—sells for less than $20 for a

20-round box, based on prices from

major retailers.

PENETRATION/EXPANSION | GORILLA SILVERBACKBullet Muzzle Penetration Expanded

Caliber/Load Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Depth (in.) Diameter (in.)

9mm

Self Defense 115 1,129 14 0.81

Subsonic 135 965 14 0.75

.45

Self Defense 230 761 12 1.36

FBI 230 741 15 0.95

Notes: 9mm loads fired with a Ruger American. .45 loads fired with a Springfield 1911A1. Velocities are averages of 10 shots, measured by a LabRadar chrono, programmed to measure velocity 15 feet from the muzzle.

<

As both a visual and tactile indicator, the .45 FBI load (second from l.) and subsonic 9mm load (r.) are marked with a groove.

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®

STEEL FRAME

Full size

Barrel: 4.43”

Calibers: 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP

EVOlutionA VERSATILE NEW HOLSTER FROM HIGH THREAT CONCEALMENT.

I’VE MENTIONED HIGH THREAT CONCEAL-

ment holsters in this column before.

The company is most well-known for

developing an integrated belt/holster/

pouch Low Profile System where the

Kydex pieces interlock on an easily

removable outer belt. The outer belt

with its attached pouches secures to

the inner belt threaded through your

belt loops with the use of Velcro.

While a bunch of gear stretching

from hipbone to hipbone designed

to carry pistol and AR magazines,

radio, first aid kit, holster, handcuffs

and/or whatever else you think you

might need might be a bit overkill

for most Handguns readers, HTC

has now come out with a convertible

inside-the-waistband/outside-the-

waistband holster designed to ap-

peal to everyone—the HTC EVO.

A little background first. The

founders of HTC were working as

contractors in Afghanistan about a

decade ago when the U.S. government

announced that the Taliban was no

longer a threat. Instead of wear-

ing tactical vests and carrying M4s,

contractors had to go low profile and

wear casual attire—which meant they

could carry only what would fit under

a blazer.

Unfortunately, no one told the

Taliban it was no longer a threat. As

a result, the contractors began doing

everything they could to stuff more

and more gear under their blazers.

However, the more HTC’s founders

experimented with the holsters/

pouches/belts on the market, the

more dissatisfied they were.

They bought some Kydex and an

oven to form their own holsters and

mag pouches and went to work. At

first they just made equipment for

| ESSENTIALS | By JAMES TARR

themselves and their teammates,

but then everyone they worked with

started asking them where they got

their gear and could they make some

for them. And soon High Threat Con-

cealment was born.

Its new EVO holster in military-

speak is “user configurable,” which

means that by deciding which at-

tachment hardware to mount on the

holster you decide whether it will be

an outside the waistband or inside

the waistband holster (including ap-

pendix style).

HTC doesn’t use Kydex anymore

but instead manufactures its holsters

out of Boltaron, which is now the

preferred holster material for many

non-animal-hide holster manufactur-

ers. Boltaron has 10 times the impact

resistance of standard plastics, is fire

retardant and is resistant to many

acids. It resists cracking in cold and

deforming in high heat much better

than Kydex.

The EVO holster body is two

sheets of formed Boltaron connected

forward and aft of the gun by rivets,

which sounds a bit old school, but

those rivet holes are the mounting

points for the attachment hardware.

The Boltaron is thick enough to keep

the holster sturdy, but there is some

flex as well, which you absolutely

need.

If your holster is so rigid it doesn’t

flex at all, at some point it will crack.

When working as a private investiga-

tor, I spent an average of 50 hours a

week for over a decade sitting on my

gun in my car doing surveillance, and

I cracked the belt loops on a number

<

The provided belt loops can be mounted at various heights and angles on the holster for outside-the-waistband carry. The EVO can also be set up for inside the waistband and appendix carry.

16 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

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of Kydex/plastic OWB holsters.

And I’m skinny. I don’t have any wor-

ries about that happening with the

EVO.

If I squeeze the EVO when it’s

empty, the top of the holster will flex

a bit. With a pistol inserted, the hol-

ster doesn’t flex under finger power,

but that “empty flex” means when it’s

mounted on your belt and you bend

down or sit, and your body and belt

pull the holster in different direc-

tions, the holster will work with you,

not against you.

The “wings” to either side of

the holster with the rivets (for the

mounting hardware) are only as big

as they need to be and are angled in

toward the wearer’s body, ensuring

that when mounted on a good belt

the holster will pull in close to your

body. There is a tension screw on the

holster just below the trigger guard

to adjust the force needed to draw

the pistol.

With the holster you’ll get a small

resealable plastic bag with all the

mounting hardware you need to

personalize the holster. You have

your choice of belt clips or closed

belt loops for 1.5- or 1.75-inch width

belts, plus all the screws and rubber

washers you’ll need for mounting.

All the rivets, screws and assorted

metal mounting hardware are stain-

less steel.

The closed belt loops are for OWB

carry, the belt clips for IWB or appen-

dix carry. HTC recommends one belt

clip and one closed loop for secure

appendix carry, and it provides an

info sheet with photos for quick refer-

ence. Because you have your choice

of numerous mounting holes for the

hardware, you can set up the holster

for vertical or canted orientation and

adjust its height on the belt.

Right now the EVO holster is

offered for Glock pistols from the

Glock 17/22 on down to the subcom-

pacts, as well as most of the SIG

Sauer P220/226/227 models. It is also

offered in left-handed versions. I

obtained one for the SIG P226 and

have worn it for about two weeks,

switching between OWB carry (my

preferred) and IWB. No appendix

carry; I’m not fat, but the SIG P226 is

way too big to stick down the front of

my pants.

When carrying OWB I had the

holster set up to ride a little low

because I’m short-waisted and high-

riding belt holsters park guns close

to my armpit. That’s the beauty of

the EVO; you can easily adjust ride

height and angle, at least when it’s

set up for OWB carry. For IWB carry

you can’t adjust the height of the

holster on the belt, just the angle.

The holster encloses the muzzle of

the pistol and almost all of the trig-

ger guard while allowing a full grip

on the pistol. And here’s a tip for

you: One sure way to spot someone

who doesn’t know how to make a hol-

ster is the presence of sharp edges

or material at the rear of the trigger

guard that hit the knuckle of your

middle finger when you’re trying to

obtain a firing grip.

Right now the EVO is available

only in black, but since HTC offers

many of its other holsters in flat

dark earth, I’m sure that color is

probably in the EVO’s future. As I

mentioned, the EVO comes with all

the mounting hardware you’ll need,

and it retails for $115.

<

The EVO comes with all the hardware you’ll need to customize it for your needs.

| ESSENTIALS

18 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

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20 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

DRESS REHEARSALLEAVE THE TACTICAL STUFF AT HOME. TRAIN AS YOU REALLY LIVE.

I OFTEN FIELD QUESTIONS FROM PO-

tential students such as, “Hey, I

wanted to run my carry gun in your

close-quarter pistol course, but it’s

a subcompact pistol that only holds

six rounds. Is that okay?”

Of course it is. Why would you

pay for a course designed to help

you prevail in a deadly confronta-

tion at arm’s length and use any-

thing but the gun you will actually

be carrying? I scratch my head

when a shooter practices with a

full-size pistol with umpteen spare

mags then stows them in a range

bag before strapping on a subcom-

pact pistol with a single, reduced-

capacity magazine to go out and

face the world.

I understand the desire to don

several of the highest-capacity

pistol magazines you can find for

your training sessions because it’s

convenient. However, unless you’re

a police officer or in the armed

forces, filling every square inch

of your belt with magazines—or,

worse yet, wearing a chest rig with

a row of magazine pouches—is

incongruent with your real life.

When carrying a concealed pis-

tol, you won’t have a limitless sup-

ply of magazines at your disposal.

Quite frankly, in close quarters,

you probably won’t have time to

reload mid-fight even if you did.

While standing toe to toe with your

adversary, you’re more likely to use

your empty pistol as a bludgeon

than to reload. Don’t train for con-

venience; train for your reality.

During a training course, it’s a

good idea to have several loaded

magazines on hand so the other

students aren’t waiting for you to

load magazines, but don’t wear

| EN GARDE | By RICHARD NANCE

six magazines and pretend you’re

training for a gunfight—unless car-

rying a half-dozen spare magazines

is normal for you. And why train

with an extended magazine if you

plan to carry a flush-fitting mag?

I also find it odd so many sup-

posed self-defense-minded shoot-

ers wear clothes on the firing line

that differ dramatically from their

typical street clothes. There’s no

denying that many of the pants

being marketed to shooters are

comfortable. They afford the

wearer freedom of movement that

far exceeds most jeans and have

large cargo pockets that can ac-

commodate extra magazines and

other essential gear. But will you

be wearing those fancy pants any-

where other than the range? Most

people don’t. If your normal attire

is jeans, you should train in them—

at least occasionally.

Cover garments (or lack thereof)

are yet another inconsistency I see.

People who carry concealed every

day with their guns in an inside-

the-waistband holster will go to the

range or training course sporting

an outside-the-waistband holster

and no cover garment. Why? Be-

cause it’s easier to draw that way.

Closed garments such as

<

If you carry a subcompact semiauto on a regular basis, that’s exactly the gun you should be taking to the range or training course—not some full-size gun that’s easier (or more fun) to shoot.

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| EN GARDE

T-shirts, zipped-up jackets and

the like tend to hide waist-carried

guns well, but they are slower to

draw from than open garments like

an unbuttoned shirt or unzipped

jacket.

Because open garments produce

faster draw strokes, they are very

popular cover garments on the

range—even with those who don’t

ascribe to open garment carry on

the street. It seems many would

rather leave the range feeling good

about themselves than leave feel-

ing more prepared to win an armed

encounter.

As a case in point, the so-called

photographer’s vest, which facili-

tates a much faster draw stoke than

other garments, is a red flag that

you’re concealing a gun. Unless

you’re also wearing an expensive

camera around your neck, leave

the photographer’s vest hanging in

the closet.

Ammunition is another potential

obstacle to realistic training. It’s

common to shoot cheap, full-metal-

jacket ammunition during training

yet carry expensive hollowpoints

for personal or home defense.

While this is not too big of a deal, it

would be wise to occasionally shoot

hollowpoint ammunition during

training. This exposes you to the

nuances of shooting carry loads

and ensures your handgun will

feed and fire your defensive ammo

without issue. It also enables you to

diagnose any problems at the range

as opposed to during a life and

death encounter.

If you carry a .357 Magnum

revolver, it’s okay to conduct the

bulk of your training with the much

more economical, softer shooting

.38 Special cartridge. However,

if you plan to load the cylinder of

your revolver with .357 Magnum

rounds before walking out the door

or staging it for home defense, you

need to inoculate yourself to the

louder sound, more violent muzzle

flash and the increased felt recoil

inherent with the much more pow-

erful .357 Magnum.

At your next practice session, use

your carry gun and holster. Carry

only the amount of ammunition you

would on the street and put a box

of duty ammo through your gun.

Dress as though you were going to

work, not the range.

There will always be a gap

between range training and real-

ity, but if your goal is to prevail in

armed conflict, it’s your job to nar-

row that gap. After all, the range

is the stage for your gunfight dress

rehearsal.

It seems many would rather leave the range feel-ing good about themselves than leave feeling more prepared to win an armed encounter.

A Targeting CallThose who are new to defensive handgunning may not understand the importance of choosing the

right targets. I know I see a lot of new shooters banging away on bullseye-type targets with visible

scoring rings and even brightly colored centers. There are better choices out there. Cardboard ac-

tion-shooting targets such as those used in IDPA and USPSA and generic silhouette paper targets

can help you focus on getting vital zone hits. Photo-realistic targets are also great for this, and in

addition they show what parts of an attacker’s body would be affected by your rounds.—RN

REMINGTONfiUMCfiRANGEfifiUCKET

24 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

| GUNS & GEAR | By J. SCOTT RUPP

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WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

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©2016 REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, LLC.

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HE’S NOT HERE TO FIX YOUR FLAT.

MAGNUM RESEARCH’S BFR IN .45-70 IS THE BIGGEST, BADDEST REVOLVER YOU’LL EVER SHOOT.

A TRUE HAND CANNONBY JOSEPH VON BENEDIKT

26 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

I was just 17 when blacksmith and knife maker

Chris Petersen told me he had a new favor-

ite smallbore handgun. Even at that age I was

perceptive enough to know one had better pay

close attention when Petersen got a twinkle in his

eye—especially because I knew he disdained small

cartridges. Cautiously, I asked about this “smallbore,”

and he simply suggested we should go shoot it.

Out in central Utah’s dusty hills, Petersen uncased

a single-shot .45-70 handgun. “It’s just right for squir-

rels,” he offered. “The other day a corn-raiding squir-

rel stopped behind a railroad tie back of my shed.

Shot right through the tie and killed it.”

Instructing me to clench it hard and brace one foot

well back when I shot, he loaded the 10-inch .45-70

with one of his substantial 405-grain handloads and

passed it to me.

“It will make you take two steps back when it goes

off,” he said. I was young and tough, so I figured

maybe it wouldn’t. It did.

Although few firearms are less practical or less

versatile than a .45-70 handgun, since that day I’ve

always kind of wanted one. And although single-shot

big bores are cool, Magnum Research’s BFR (no, it

means Big Frame Revolver) is sort of like today’s ver-

sion of a Colt’s Walker revolver: big, heavy and more

powerful than just about anything else. Had it been

available during the War of Northern Aggression,

Josey Wales surely would have traded in his Walkers

on a pair of BFRs.

Designed by Jim Tertin around 1999, the BFR was

purchased by Magnum Research in 2005. The com-

pany also hired Tertin as director of manufacturing,

and he currently serves as director of design, re-

search and development.

What is such a revolver actually useful for? Louis

L’Amour would have written that if it had wheels it

would make an admirable piece of artillery. Aside

from sweeping raiding Yankee guerilla fighters from

their saddles, a BFR in .45-70 is particularly well

suited for big game hunting. Some “shotgun only”

states allow straight-wall centerfire cartridges in

handguns for use during deer season, and BFR-toting

hunters are well served.

Such handguns are heavy, difficult to get into action

quickly, and recoil so heavily that fast follow-up shots

are all but impossible. They really aren’t great for pro-

tection in big bear country, but they are accurate and

hit with bona fide authority. In deer country, they offer

an ideal combination of modern muzzleloader-like ac-

curacy and repeating-shotgun-like follow-up shots.

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 HANDGUNS 27

A TRUE HAND CANNON

While they’ll never match

a centerfire rifle for range and

precision, they do provide astute

handgun hunters solid 200-yard

capability. However, most folks

aren’t hunters. For them, like me,

the best reason to own a BFR is

simply because you can.

Let’s take a closer look at the

bones of a BFR and how one per-

forms in accuracy and reliability

tests, but first, here’s a list of avail-

able cartridges and configurations.

Two primary variations en-

able use with traditional-length

cartridges such as the .44 Magnum

and with long cartridges such as

the .45-70. The former category

houses .44 Magnum, .454 Casull,

.480 Ruger and .500 JRH. The

latter platform handles the .30-

30 Winchester, .444 Marlin, .45

Colt/.410, .45-70, .450 Marlin, .460

S&W and .500 S&W. Available bar-

rel lengths (depending somewhat

on caliber) are 5.0, 5.25, 5.5, 6.5, 7.5

and 10.0 inches.

I chose the 7.5-inch barrel. It’s

long enough to provide adequate

velocity and sight radius but not so

long I feel like a Stooge drawing

out a never-ending barrel when I

<

The BFR doesn’t need to be on half-cock to load or unload. Opening the loading gate allows the cylinder to rotate freely—in either direction.

28 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

bring the big wheelgun into action.

All BFRs are constructed of

stainless steel, which is given an

attractive brushed finish. Frames

are robust, featuring a massive flat

topstrap fit with a sturdy adjust-

able rear sight and drilled and

tapped for a rail-type Weaver-spec

scope base (one of which is includ-

ed with each revolver). Cylinders

feature five-round capacity and

rebated-rim chambers, and most

are not fluted.

Barrels are cut rifled and

<

Most BFR cylinders are left un-fluted to maintain maximum strength. The cylinder pin is prevent-ed from moving via a screw that secures it to the barrel.

MAGNUM RESEARCHBIG FRAME REVOLVERTYPE: single-action revolver

CALIBER: .30-30, .44 Mag., .444 Marlin, .45

Colt/.410, .45-70 Gov’t (tested), .450 Marlin,

.454 Casull, .460 S&W, .480 Ruger, .500 S&W

CAPACITY: 5

BARREL: 7.5 in. (as tested)

OAL/HEIGHT/WIDTH: 15.00/6.00/1.75 in.

WEIGHT: 69 oz.

CONSTRUCTION: machined stainless steel

SIGHTS: ramp front, adjustable rear

TRIGGER PULL: 3 lb., 2 oz. (measured)

GRIPS: Hogue rubber

FINISH: brushed stainless

PRICE: $1,184

MANUFACTURER: Magnum Research,

MagnuMReseaRch.coM

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stress relieved. A target-type

recessed crown maximizes accu-

racy while providing a modicum of

protection against damage in the

field. A ramp-type front sight is

screwed down atop the barrel just

aft of the muzzle.

“Magnum Research, Pillager

MN” and the cartridge for which it

is chambered are engraved on the

left side of each barrel. Beneath at

about four o’clock is a steel ejector

rod assembly, and a kidney-shaped

ejector button provides plenty of

purchase and adds a little tradi-

tional single-action flair.

To ensure that the cylinder pin

doesn’t walk forward and disen-

gage during the rather heavy recoil

most BFR revolvers generate, it is

screwed to the bottom of the bar-

rel. To remove the pin and cylinder,

the locking screw must first be

spun out.

As of mid-2016, an “upgraded”

version of the BFR became avail-

able with a taller, narrower ham-

mer spur and a new, one-piece,

screwless Hogue rubber grip.

My .45-70 sample was fitted with

the new hammer but not the new

grip. My sample’s grip is also from

Hogue, but it’s checkered and

slightly shorter than the stippled

one-piece grip found on new revolv-

ers. All BFRs manufactured since

2000 will accept the new hammers

and grips.

The hammer is precision ma-

chined to very tight tolerances and

is touted to provide a smooth, con-

sistent trigger pull. Measured with

a Lyman digital trigger gauge, mine

averages three pounds, two ounces

with almost no measureable varia-

tion over a series of five measure-

ments. It’s clean and crisp, too.

Fully StokedTo enable shooters to safely car-

ry BFR revolvers with the cylinder

fully stoked with five cartridges,

the hammer/firing pin relationship

is consummated via a trigger bar.

Unless the trigger is squeezed fully

rearward the bar does not engage,

so the hammer can’t knock the fir-

ing pin and detonate a cartridge if

dropped or accidentally bumped.

The grip frame is attached to

the main frame with Allen-head

screws, minimizing the chance that

some well-meaning pseudo gun-

smith will bugger up the heads.

Each BFR comes with a Weaver

rail scope base, one machined with

a massive recoil lug that fits firmly

against the rear of the revolver’s

frame—providing metal-on-metal

contact and reducing the chance

the attachment screws will sheer

off under extensive firing.

Three screws secure the optics

rail atop the frame, and it’s impor-

tant to note the rearmost screw

is of a small diameter and has a

smaller head than the other two

and is designed to be compatible

with the rear sight elevation screw

threads.

A small tool is included with each

revolver, and I used it to remove

the filler screws in the frame’s

topstrap and unscrewed the click-

adjustable elevation screw in the

rear sight. A stout leather needle

served to press the sight pivot pin

out so the rear sight assembly could

be lifted out of the frame.

With the Weaver base installed

and my trusty old Leupold Vari-

X 2.5-8X EER handgun scope

mounted in one-inch Mark 4

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM30 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

A TRUE HAND CANNON

<

The BFR’s hammer has been redesigned to be higher and more slender. The two-piece checkered Hogue grips on von Benedikt’s sample have since been replaced with a stippled Hogue one-piece.

<

Magnum Research provides a Weaver scope rail with each BFR, along with a tool to aid in installing it. The rail has a shoulder machined in to help it withstand the gun’s hefty recoil.

rings, I collected a variety of

.45-70 ammunition, including a

300-grain TSX/FN Barnes VOR-TX

load, a 300-grain Ballistic Silvertip

load by Winchester, Hornady’s in-

novative 325-grain LeverEvolution

load, and a traditional 405-grain

cast lead bullet load by Black Hills

Ammunition.

Unlike traditional single-action

revolvers, the BFR’s hammer does

not need to be placed on half-cock

to allow the cylinder to rotate.

Instead, the cylinder is unlocked

by opening the loading gate. Once

said gate is fully open, the cylinder

A TRUE HAND CANNON

rotates freely in both directions

without clicks.

Purists may view this design with

revulsion, but such modern innova-

tion makes the revolver far easier

to manipulate under stress. Shak-

ing hands and fingers functioning

under gross motor control can still

make sense of a freely rotating

cylinder and get the fired cartridge

cases ejected and replaced with

live rounds.

With a target placed at 50 yards,

I rested the .45-70 BFR over a

sandbag and fired a series of three

five-shot groups with each type of

ammunition. Like most firearms,

the massive revolver showed a

marked preference in ammunition.

While all ammo—including

the cast-bullet load—averaged

less than 3.5 inches at 50 yards,

Barnes’s 300-grain TSX/FN proved

to be an absolute hammer, turning

in both the highest velocity (1,502

fps) and by far the tightest groups.

Amazingly, it averaged only 1.13

inches at 50 yards and had a gust-

ing 12-mph wind not been buffeting

me at the bench, I have no doubt

it would have averaged sub-inch

groups.

With official testing complete, I

left the sandbag and shot offhand

and from field positions to evaluate

the practical accuracy and ergo-

nomics of the massive wheelgun.

No surprise, it’s pretty heavy for

unsupported shooting, although its

inherent weight gives it a natural

stability.

When rested on shooting sticks it

ACCURACY RESULTS | MAGNUM RESEARCH BFRBullet Muzzle Standard Avg.

.45-70 Gov’t Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.)

Barnes TSX/FN 300 1,502 19 1.13

Winchester Ballistic Silvertip 300 1,456 21 3.09

Hornady Flex Tip 325 1,470 15 2.96

Black Hills Cast flat point 405 995 17 3.41

Notes: Accuracy results are the averages of three five-shot groups fired from a sandbag rest at 50 yards. Velocity is the average of five rounds measured 12 feet from the muzzle with a Shooting Chrony chronograph.

aimed steadily and provided admi-

rable accuracy.

Throughout my testing the BFR

functioned in stellar fashion, but

that was to be expected. It’s a

single-action revolver, after all.

Recoil with the stouter jacketed

loads was attention-getting, but I’ve

fired far more vicious handguns.

Even a lightweight .44 Magnum

with heavy loads kicks more

painfully than the BFR, which

produced a long, rolling recoil

impulse.

Most of the loads tested pro-

duced about 500 fps slower ve-

locity in the handgun’s 7.5-inch

barrel than the factory-advertised

numbers fired from rifle barrels.

Interestingly, every cartridge case

contained unburned grains of

gunpowder. Clearly, the barrel isn’t

long enough to provide complete

burn.

For recreational shooting, the

Black Hills cowboy action load pro-

vided considerably less recoil than

the others yet still had impressive

downrange results. Plus, it has

considerably less impact on one’s

wallet.

Field Use OptionsHornady’s zesty, pointed Flex Tip

325-grain LeverEvolution load is

the best for extended-range work,

providing your particular BFR

shoots it well (accuracy with mine

is just so-so, but every gun is indi-

vidual in its taste for ammo). Given

careful shot placement, it’s suitable

for just about any big game out to a

couple hundred yards.

For toothy critters of uncivilized

intention, on the other hand, I’d

opt for Barnes’s 300-grain TSX/FN,

which offers enough velocity and

won’t shed any weight. Typically,

the homogeneous bullet design

offers deeper penetration than cup

and core bullets.

Taking penetration a step fur-

ther for use on the biggest bears

or Alaska/Yukon moose, a heavy

hard-cast semi-wadcutter bullet

will penetrate deeper than any ex-

panding design, while still severing

arteries and wreaking havoc on vi-

tal organs, heavy muscle and dense

bone virtue of its sharp-shouldered

profile.

Do you need a Magnum Research

BFR? That depends. If you prefer

single-action revolvers to those of

double-action design but want to

hunt with the most powerful car-

tridge available, then the answer

is a resounding yes. If you simply

admire the wheelgun’s unique com-

bination of tradition, quality and

jaw-dropping authority, the answer

is also yes.

Big Frame Revolvers are any-

thing but versatile. They’re not

a “one-gun-for-every purpose”

sort of six-shooter. Rather, a BFR

is a specialty tool, and within its

sphere nothing else touches it.

The TAC-XPD® Defense Ammunition–the optimized solution for carry or home defense.

• Nickel plated cases • Coated, all-copper bullets

• Smooth, reliable feeding • Virtually no muzzle fl ash

Available in 380 Auto, 9mm Luger, 357 Magnum, 40 S&W, and 45 Auto.

1-800-574-9200 www.barnesbullets.com

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM34 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

DoubleStar is located in Winchester,

Kentucky, and while you might not

recognize the name, you may have

heard of J&T Distributing, which

has been selling AR-15 parts and

accessories for more than 25 years—includ-

ing many the company designed and manu-

factured itself. Soon just making parts

wasn’t enough, and the firm began offering

complete ARs and 1911s through its spinoff

company, DoubleStar Corp.

The PHD is DoubleStar’s first complete

1911. PHD is a clever moniker for a pistol,

and in this case the letters stand for Per-

sonal Home Defense. It is meant to provide

defense shooters everything they need and

nothing they don’t. The question, of course,

is whether the company succeeded.

DoubleStar makes only .45 ACPs, and the

PHD is a full-size, five-inch, all-steel pistol.

It has a businesslike manganese phosphate

Parkerized finish, and the first thing you’ll

DOUBLESTAR’S NEW PHD 1911 HAS MUCH TO COM-MEND IT AS A 1911 FOR DEFENSE-MINDED SHOOTERS.

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 HANDGUNS 35

SEEING DOUBLEBY JAMES TARR

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

notice is the slide. The rear of it features

three wide, flat, aggressive serrations, and

the front of the slide has a reduced Brown-

ing Hi Power-style cut in which the slide is

narrowed forward of the frame. The nar-

rowing on the PHD is minimal, and I would

prefer forward slide serrations or a deeper

Browning cut so it can more easily be used

to work the slide from the front. “PHD” is

engraved in big letters on the right side of

the slide.

The slide has been flat-topped, and there

are three attractive serrations running

down the top of the slide. Fore and aft of

them are XS Express sights—a big white

outline tritium dot in the round-topped

front sight teamed with a shallow V-notch

rear sight featuring a vertical white line.

These sights are popular with a lot of

folks, and the “lollipop” sight picture is

quick to use at indoor distances. However,

I’ve never been a fan of this design be-

cause it has limited utility when compared

to traditional notch/post sights. And I’ve

found the shallow V of the rear sight makes

windage errors easy past 10 yards or so.

However, I consider them usable for quick

body shots inside seven yards—the distance

for most but not all self-defense scenarios—

and to work great for people who don’t

practice much.

The PHD’s barrel is stainless steel and

hand fit and mated to a National Match

bushing. The bushing was finger tight (no

wrench required for removal), and overall

the fit of the PHD was excellent—honestly

on par with most of the custom 1911’s I’ve

handled. There was absolutely no play

between the slide and frame.

SEEING DOUBLE

The first complaint the tactical

types might have upon seeing the

PHD is it doesn’t feature a frame rail

for mounting a weapon light. I un-

derstand their position, but rails add

weight, cost and affect holster fit.

You’ll find a standard GI-type

recoil system (short guide rod) in the

PHD, but a heavier than standard

recoil spring, making the slide a

bit harder than usual to work. The

standard recoil spring weight for an

all-steel Government Model .45 ACP

1911 is 16 pounds, but many gun-

smiths who build guns designed for

carry use heavier springs to reduce

battering of the frame when shoot-

ing +P carry loads, and that’s what I

found in the PHD.

I don’t agree with this for sev-

eral reasons. First, nobody shoots

thousands of rounds of expensive

premium defensive carry ammo.

People practice with practice ammo

and carry carry ammo. Second, the

steel frame of a 1911 can take untold

abuse.

My first gunsmith, the late Russ

Carniak, owned a 1911 that had

digested 175,000 rounds of ammo

and only occasionally needed a little

tightening. Russ was also in favor of

lighter recoil springs because if you

experienced a slightly under-loaded

round there was a better chance the

slide would cycle, and as an avid

competition shooter, I’ve found heavy

recoil springs make the muzzle dip

as they slam the slide home, whereas

lighter springs keep the muzzle flat-

ter and could improve a defensive

shooter’s ability to make accurate

follow-up shots.

Enough soapbox. With regard

to fit, the DoubleStar’s slide and

frame were perfectly mated, and the

single-sided extended thumb safety

was perfectly installed—with loud

clicks up and down and just the right

amount of resistance. All the sharp

edges and corners were also removed

from the rear of the safety, something

not done on factory guns (but desper-

ately needed when you’re shooting

with a thumb-high hold). When shoot-

ing a steel-framed gun chambered in

.45 ACP, you’ll notice every edge and

corner in the web of your hand, es-

pecially if you have thin, bony hands

like I do.

The beavertail on the pistol is a

Wilson Combat High Ride, and it is DOUBLESTARPHDTYPE: 1911

CALIBER: .45 ACP

CAPACITY: 8+1

BARREL: 5.0 in.

OAL/HEIGHT/WIDTH: 8.6/5.4/1.3 in.

WEIGHT: 34.5 oz.

SLIDE/FRAME: Parkerized carbon steel

GRIPS: Magpul polymer

SAFETIES: single-side thumb, Wilson High

Ride beavertail, Series 80 firing pin

SIGHTS: XS Express, tritium front

TRIGGER: 3-hole extended aluminum, 4.75

lb. pull (measured)

PRICE: $1,364

MANUFACTURER: DoubleStar Corp.,

star15.com

<

The PHD features XS Sights’ Express, which pairs a shallow V notch with a white index line and a large tritium dot—a good setup for close-range work.

36 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

the highest-riding and best-fitting

Wilson beavertail I’ve come across.

The beavertail is paired with a

Commander-style hammer.

The trigger is the ubiquitous

extended aluminum type with three

holes now seen on just about every

1911 except “retro” models. Double-

Star’s specs for this gun call for a

trigger pull between 3.5 and 4.5

pounds. Trigger pull on my sample

was 4.75 pounds.

The PHD employs a Series 80-type

firing pin block safety. These safeties

were introduced to prevent dropped

1911s from going off, which while

unlikely was possible. They’re notori-

ous for screwing up the tradition-

ally excellent trigger pulls found on

1911s, so to DoubleStar’s credit, a

4.75-pound trigger pull on a Series 80

gun is rather impressive considering

how many extra parts get thrown into

both the frame and slide.

Still, I consider this design un-

necessary, and the modern solution

to preventing a dropped 1911 from

firing is to install a heavier firing pin

spring and a lighter (usually tita-

nium) firing pin.

The mainspring housing on the

PHD isn’t checkered but rather fea-

tures three vertical ball radius cuts

that serve as stylish serrations. At

the bottom of the frame you’ll see the

PHD features a round butt, although

it’s the most minimal round-butt

<

Of particular interest are the Wilson Combat High Ride beavertail safety and the Magpul grips, which feature a left-side cutout for easy access to the mag release button.

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through a rigorous “Voice of the Customer” process – where numerous law enforcement and

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conversion I think I’ve ever seen.

Designers rounded the corner of the

frame and not a lot more, but it feels

nice in the hand. The serrations on

the mainspring housing don’t go all

the way down, and my only complaint

about this section of the frame is the

round butt is too smooth.

The trigger guard comes straight

back to meet with the frame—not as

good as an undercut trigger guard for

allowing you to choke up on the gun,

but much better than the original

GI radius. The magazine release is

slightly longer than usual and is eas-

ily accessed thanks to the cutout in

the Magpul grips.

A few years ago Magpul intro-

duced its polymer 1911 grips, which

I like. Not only are they inexpensive,

they are thin and more aggressively

textured than they appear. The left

grip also features a substantial relief

cut to ease access to the magazine re-

lease. Checkering or texturing on the

frontstrap on the PHD would increase

the secure handling of the pistol but

would of course add cost to what is

meant to be an entry-level 1911.

Supplied with the gun is one eight-

SEEING DOUBLE

ACCURACY RESULTS | DOUBLESTAR PHDBullet Muzzle Standard Avg.

.45 ACP Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.)

Hornady American Gunnner 185 966 16 2.5

Black Hills JHP 185 972 14 2.8

Nosler JHP 185 981 17 3.4

Winchester JHP 230 868 21 3.1

Notes: Accuracy results are the averages of four five-shot groups at 25 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are aver-ages of 10 shots measured with an Oehler Model 35P 12 feet from the muzzle. Abbreviation: JHP, jacketed hollowpoint

round PSI ACT-Mag. I consider these

to be the finest 1911 magazines on the

market today, the spiritual successor

to Jeff Cooper’s favored but now-

discontinued Mag-Pak magazines.

My only complaint is that the pistol

comes with only one.

The magazine well in the frame

is slightly beveled—so slightly, in

fact, that I had to put on my reading

glasses to double-check it had in fact

been beveled. The edges of the maga-

zine well opening had been smoothed,

but that’s about it. A more aggressive

bevel would have been welcome.

When I first picked up the PHD

it felt so light I assumed it had an

< The flat mainspring

housing features

three ball radius cuts, and the butt

is slightly rounded.

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aluminum frame. A quick check with

a magnet showed me the frame was,

in fact, made of steel. My home scale

put the gun’s weight at 34.5 ounces

(the specs call for a 33-ounce weight),

which is light for an all-steel full-size

1911.

But the weight isn’t the whole story.

When it comes to pistols, size matters.

In this case, we’re talking girth. The

PHD’s grip simply felt slimmer in my

hand, and so my brain automatically

translated that into lighter weight.

And I didn’t think it was all due to the

small rounded butt, so I pulled out

the calipers.

Measuring the PHD’s frame at

the top of the mainspring housing

square across the frame, the pistol

measured 1.975 inches front to back.

Width across the relatively slim

Magpul grips was 1.295 inches. For

comparison I pulled out a Spring-

field Armory Range Officer Operator.

Springfield frames have always felt

long to me (front to back), and the

calipers showed the Operator was

2.15 inches—over a tenth of an inch

longer. It also measured 1.325 inches

across the wood grips—bigger in both

dimensions.

Those tenths and hundredths of

inches might not seem like much, but

you can definitely feel them in your

hand. Combine the slightly reduced

dimensions with a rounded butt and

you’ve got a pistol that feels surpris-

ingly svelte in your hand.

This pistol got a lot of trigger time

before, during and after a trip to Gun-

site for filming last season’s “Hand-

guns & Defensive Weapons” episodes.

There is something very satisfying

about shooting a 1911 at Gunsite,

where Jeff Cooper expounded on this

design’s merits. The pistol was fed

via the provided magazine as well as

a stainless seven-round Ed Brown

magazine.

It never choked once even though

it got a bit dusty and was fed a steady

diet of Hornady’s 185-grain American

Gunner ammo. This load features the

XTP bullet, which has a flat point pro-

file and a large cavity, and I’ve seen it

jam up a few guns over the years, but

the PHD ran on and on and on.

The PHD is probably a bit more in-

herently accurate than the accompa-

nying chart would lead you to believe.

That big XS round-topped front sight

isn’t designed for precision work but

rather for speed, and I did all my ac-

curacy work off sandbags rather than

locking the gun in a vise.

DoubleStar indicates the PHD is

the first in a line of pistols designed

to provide in a production gun the

“features of a high-end 1911 without

the lengthy wait or a high price tag.”

There might be some argument as

to whether a $1,364 suggested retail

price is “high” or not, but compared

to the pistols most of the custom

shops are putting out, the PHD is half

the price. And when you consider

that DoubleStar is small enough to

be considered a custom shop, where

every pistol is treated to hand fitting,

it is no wonder the pistol is so well put

together.

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I was sitting around a campfire one night with a crew

that included cops and ex-cops. Eventually the topic

turned to—what else?—favorite carry guns. I expect-

ed to hear a lot of votes for high-capacity 9mms, but to

my surprise, many of the LE guys said their favorite

off-duty carry gun was a J-frame revolver.

And when you think about it, it makes sense—not nec-

essarily the platform but the size. Smaller guns are more

comfortable to carry, and when your everyday non-work

life involves running around town doing chores, it’s a

heck of a lot easier to drop a gun into your pocket than it

is to strap on a belt holster and change your clothes. Not

that you don’t need a holster or to dress properly with a

pocket gun, but the process is a heck of a lot easier. And

that’s why the smallest semiautomatics and revolvers are

so hugely popular.

The information presented in the next couple of pages

is largely intended for those who are new or relatively

new to concealed carry guns, but I think even veteran

carry types will find some interesting tidbits. This isn’t in-

tended to be an all-inclusive array of guns but rather what

we think are significant examples of the variety you can

find in gun stores today. The definition of pocket gun sub-

jective because, like people, pockets come in all shapes

and sizes. But we settled on pistols less than 6.5 inches

long, 4.5 inches tall and with an unloaded weight of less

than 20 ounces. For revolvers we stuck with a weight of

around 20 ounces and barrels around two inches.

BY J. SCOTT RUPP

POCKET POWERSOMETIMES THE BEST THINGS COMEIN SMALL PACKAGES.

40 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 HANDGUNS 41WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

Semiautomatic pistols are the most

popular guns today because they’re

easy to conceal due to their flat de-

sign, they offer more firepower and

they’re easy to reload. But they’re

also more complicated to operate,

and they can malfunction. Here are

the different types.

DOUBLE-ACTION ONLY Every pull of

the trigger cocks the gun and fires it.

Trigger pulls are therefore long and

heavy. That makes DAO guns harder

to shoot but also safer in a pocket

because of the necessity of a deliber-

ate trigger pull.

STRIKER-FIRED Similar to DAO except

the striker, which fires the gun, is

pre-loaded—resulting in a consis-

tent and relatively light trigger pull.

Some designs include a manual

safety, some do not.

SINGLE-ACTION When carried with

a round in the chamber, hammer

cocked and thumb safety on—known

as “cocked and locked”—deactivat-

ing the thumb safety and squeezing

the grip safety (if present) produces

a light, crisp trigger pull every time.

Therefore most people shoot this

type well.

DOUBLE-ACTION/SINGLE-ACTION Initial

pull of the trigger cocks and fires

the gun, so it’s long and heavy. But

subsequent pulls are light and short

because the gun is cocked with each

shot. The advantage is, in most cases,

the first shot requires simply press-

ing the trigger. The disadvantage is

transitioning from the heavy first

pull to the light second pull, which

can make it hard to shoot accurately

unless you practice a lot.

SEMIAUTOMATICS

Taurus Curve• double-action only

• 5.2x3.7 inches

• 10.2 ounces

• .380 Auto

• $392

This novel gun was designed to fit the curves of

the human body, and while it’s not for everyone

(like traditionalists or lefties), our reviewer found it

to be a capable if offbeat choice.

SIG Sauer P238• single-action

• 5.5x3.9 inches

• 15.2 ounces

• .380 Auto

• $738–$766

Available in a variety of grips and finishes, but

common eatures include SIGlite night sights

and six-round capacity. Offered in versions

with and without ambidextrous thumb safety.

Smith & WessonM&P Bodyguard .380• double-action only

• 5.3x3.8 inches

• 12.8 ounces

• .380 Auto

• $379–$519

A polymer-frame DAO, the Bodyguard is available with

or without a Crimson Trace green or red laser and

with or without thumb safety.

POCKET POWER

42 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

Beretta Pico• double-action only

• 5.1x4.0 inches

• 11.5 ounces

• .380 Auto

• $399

One of the slimmest autos on the market at only

18mm wide. It’s modular, meaning you can cus-

tomize the grip frames. Sights are easy to change,

and the magazine release is ambidextrous.

Remington RM380• double-action only

• 5.3x3.9 inches

• 12.2 ounces

• .380 Auto

• $417–$609

Selling point for many people will be the small

amount of force to rack the slide. Also, the trigger

guard is undercut, allowing a high-hand hold for bet-

ter control. Available with or without laser grips.

SCCY CPX-2 CB• double-action only

• 5.7x4.0 inches

• 15 ounces

• 9mm

• $314

Aluminum alloy frame and Zytel polymer frame keep

this gun very light. Comes with finger-extension mags

installed, but flat bases are included for better conceal-

ment. CPX-1 is same gun but with manual safety.

Ruger LC9s• striker-fired

• 6.0x4.5 inches

• 17.2 ounces

• 9mm

• $479

The LC9s is notable because it’s not only a striker-

fired gun with integral trigger safety but also a 9mm,

which means more power in what is still a pocket-size

pistol. Available with or without manual safety.

Kimber Micro 380• single-action

• 5.6x4.0 inches

• 13.4 ounces

• .380 Auto

• $993 (as shown)

Available in a wide variety of configurations (RCP

with laser grips shown), and there’s a new 9mm

version too. Like a 1911 in every way except it lacks

a grip safety. Thumb safety is ambidextrous.

Kahr PM40• double-action only

• 5.5x4.0 inches

• 17.7 ounces

• .40 S&W

• $810–$987

Kahr offers several models that would qualify

as pocket pistols, but if it’s power you want, you

won’t find many .40s this small. Offered in stain-

less, black, with night sights and thumb safety.

Pocket guns by their nature have short barrels,

and they’re light. This presents two consider-

ations. One, the shorter barrels will produce less

velocity than standard-length tubes, and this

lower velocity can translate to less-than-optimal

performance. Two, recoil can be stout in these

little guns, and heavy recoil makes accurate

follow-up shots difficult. While pocket guns are

typically deployed at close range, you still need

to be able to hit your target and not launch bul-

lets in an unintended direction.

Standard defensive ammo works, mind you,

but another option is to look for ammunition

specifically designed to be fired in short-

barreled guns and/or loads with reduced recoil.

Here are some to consider.

FEDERAL MICRO HST Heavy hollowpoints at

low velocity for good terminal performance and

less recoil; .380 and 9mm.

HORNADY CRITICAL DEFENSE FTX polymer

tip prevents hollowpoint from clogging. Opti-

mized for less recoil and low flash. Offerings

include defense loads from .22 WMR to .45

Colt. There’s also a Lite option in 9mm and .38

Special that reduces recoil even more.

REMINGTON ULTIMATE DEFENSE

COMPACT Golden Saber bonded hollowpoint

specially designed to expand at lower velocities;

.380, .38 Special, 9mm, .40, .45 ACP.

SPEER GOLD DOT SHORT BARREL Built to

provide performance in small guns. Bonded Gold

Dot hollowpoint, low-flash powder, extensive

caliber selection from .22 WMR to .44 Mag.

AMMUNITION

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 HANDGUNS 43WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

POCKET POWER

44 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

Revolvers enjoy a long history as

“hideout guns,” and while today

they’re overshadowed by semiautos,

as the story at the beginning of this

article illustrates, some people still

prefer them.

Why? Ease of use and complete

reliability. And unlike semiautomat-

ics, with a revolver you have fewer

decisions to make because revolvers

come in only two flavors: double ac-

tion and single action, and single-

action revolvers aren’t found in the

pocket gun universe.

With a double-action revolver,

pressing the trigger rotates the

cylinder, cocks the gun and fires it,

so the trigger pull is typically long

and heavy. If you choose a gun with a

fully enclosed internal hammer (a so-

called “hammerless” revolver), you’ll

always have to deal with that trigger

pull. If you choose a revolver with an

exposed hammer, you have the op-

tion of drawing back the hammer to

rotate the cylinder and cock the gun,

then firing the revolver with a single-

action trigger press.

The advantage of the hammer-

less design is clear when it comes

to pocket guns: no hammer to snag

on clothing when you draw the gun.

Still, some like the single-action

trigger-press option of the exposed-

hammer gun because it allows for

more deliberate and accurate fire.

REVOLVERS

Smith & WessonM&P Bodyguard 38• hammerless

• 1.9-inch barrel

• 14.4 ounces

• .38 Special

• $539

Upper frame is aluminum alloy, which keeps weight down,

and it features an ambidextrous cylinder release for easy

loading and unloading. Comes standard with integral laser.

Ruger LCR• hammerless

• 1.9-inch barrel

• 13.4 ounces (.38)

• .22 WMR, .38 Special +P, .327 Federal, .357 Magnum

• $579–$669

Monolothic aluminum frame in .38 and .22;

steel in .327 and .357. Cam trigger system gives

smooth trigger pull. The LCRx version of the

gun features an exposed trigger.

Walther PPK• single-action/double-action

• 6.1x3.8 inches

• 21.1 ounces

• .380 Auto

• $700

I bent the weight rules, but no pocket pistol

guide would be complete without Mr. Bond’s

iconic pistol—the lone SA/DA gun in our list.

A classy if somewhat dated choice.

POCKET POWER

46 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

Rock Island Armory 206• hammerless (shown)

• 2.0-inch barrel

• 24 ounces

• .38 Special

• $492

It’s on the heavy side for a pocket gun, but it’s

one of the few in its class that has a six-round

capacity; others hold only five shots. Available in

an exposed-hammer version as well.

Taurus 605 PLYSS2• exposed hammer

• 2.0-inch barrel

• 19.8 ounces

• .357 Magnum/.38 Special

• $371

Polymer frame makes this a light .357, and

the fiber-optic front sight is a great option for

low-light situations. Rubber grips will help

control the gun with magnum loads.

S&W 640 Pro• hammerless

• 2.125-inch barrel

• 22.4 ounces

• .357 Magnum/.38 Special

• $839

The classic J frame, but as a Pro series gun it’s

an upgraded model with a better trigger and also

tritium night sights. Fluting on the barrel shaves a

bit of weight. This is my gun, and I love it.

Pocket guns go in a pocket, sure, but they also

should go into a holster specifically designed

for pocket carry. Pocket holsters help disguise

the outline of a handgun and prevent objects

from getting inside the trigger guard and pos-

sibly causing a discharge (but you shouldn’t

have keys or other objects in a pocket contain-

ing a gun in the first place). On the draw, the

holster stays in the pocket and the gun comes

free. Companies typically offer several basic

sizes that will accommodate most guns.

DESANTIS sells several styles, including

the Nemesis ($26), which is perfect for my

S&W 640 Pro. I like it because it fits nicely into

jeans. Its pebbled non-slip outer shell guaran-

tees it will stay in my pocket, and the slick liner

releases the gun with ease. The company also

sells a nifty leather holster called the Pocket-

Tuk ($29) that converts to an inside-the-waist-

band holster via a removable clip. This one isn’t

ambidextrous, so order left or right hand.

WRIGHT LEATHERWORKS sells the

Insider ($68)—a handsome leather rig avail-

able in black, mahogany, walnut, coffee and

saddle tan. The low-profile holster is made to

fit specific models, and based on its website it

looks like it has all the essential guns covered.

ELITE SURVIVAL SYSTEMS has the Elite

Pocket ($16), a simple design constructed of a

non-slip outer shell and memory foam. It’s also

available in a combo kit that includes a pocket

mag pouch.

New from BLACKHAWK is the TecGrip

($19), with an outer layer that promises a

firm grip on pocket material and high-density

closed-cell foam that contours to your body.

UNCLE MIKE’S has the Advanced Con-

cealment pocket holster ($21) with an adjust-

able shield that helps prevent gun “printing”

by making it look like a wallet or phone. An

abrasive, tacky finish keeps it securely in the

pocket on the draw.

HOLSTERS

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For as long as I can remember,

I’ve always had an interest

in law enforcement. In my

early 20s, I began to seri-

ously consider becoming a

police officer. My dad,

an electrical fore-

man at the nearby power plant, did

his best to dissuade me. I remember

him saying, “Why would you want

to deal with the scum of the Earth

every day?”

It’s a fair question. As a police

officer you do tend to deal with

the same people, or at least the

same type of people, day after day.

They’re called criminals, and inter-

acting with them on a regular basis

gives you a keen insight into their

behavior.

When you’re around liars,

thieves and predators long

enough, you learn to spot

certain “tells” that could

indicate trouble is

afoot. Over time,

you learn not only what to look for

but also how to position yourself so

that when something bad happens,

you’ve given yourself every advan-

tage.

A good street cop has certain at-

tributes: an aura referred to in the

law enforcement arena as “command

presence,” keen observation skills,

effective verbal communication,

sound tactics and, above all, the will

to win.

While John Q. Citizen doesn’t have

the same training, equipment, arrest

authority or duty as a police offi-

cer, many of the same skills cops

rely on to keep them and society safe

from those who would do us harm

are just as applicable to the rest

WHAT COPS HAVE LEARNED IN EVERYDAY DEAL-INGS WITH CRIMINALS CAN HELP YOU STAY SAFE.

STREET SMARTSBY RICHARD NANCE | PHOTOS BY ALFREDO RICO

STREET SMARTS

of our citizenry—particularly

those who carry a gun.

Command presence is hard to de-

fine but easy to recognize, especially

to a criminal. It’s an air of assured-

ness, competence and professional-

ism. Command presence has little to

do with size or gender and every-

thing to do with an officer’s per-

ceived willingness and capability to

do the job. You can’t fake command

presence—not even with a tough guy

scowl or bulging biceps—because it

is a byproduct of the hard work that

went into developing the quiet confi-

dence that lets others know you’re a

force to be reckoned with.

Command presence isn’t achieved

by putting on a uniform, so everyday

citizens can develop this attribute.

Awareness of your surroundings,

confidence in your training and a

willingness to do whatever it takes

to protect yourself and your loved

ones will make you an undesirable

target for criminals, even if they

can’t quite put their finger on why.

Cops are masters of observation.

They’re on the lookout for anything

out of the ordinary, like noticing that

the person who just walked into the

restaurant on a cool day is sweating

profusely, is glancing over his shoul-

der, appears fidgety and has a hand

tucked under his shirt near the front

waistband of his pants (a favorite

hiding spot for concealed weapons).

Forget all the BS you’ve heard

about looking in someone’s eyes to

gauge intent. Cops know that hands

kill. Always watch the hands. If

someone’s hand is in his pocket, hid-

den behind his leg or tucked under

his shirt, be wary because could be

clutching a weapon. If you can’t see

that both hands of a potential adver-

sary are empty, the hairs on the back

of your neck should be standing tall.

Sure, there could be a reason-

able explanation for the subject’s

unusual behavior, but he also could

be high on drugs and looking around

to make sure the coast is clear and

preparing to draw a pistol from his

waistband to commit an armed rob-

bery. In any event, observing this

subject’s behavior enables you to

start developing a plan long before

the robber is pointing his gun and

<

Take a note from the cop handbook: Sit where you can see people coming in and always be aware of where the exits are.

50 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

yelling demands.

Police officers are sometimes

targeted for no other reason than

they wear a badge and are the most

recognizable representatives of the

government, so they learn quickly

to give themselves every advantage,

including spotting a criminal before

the criminal spots them. I doubt

you’ve seen a uniformed police

officer inside a restaurant with his

back to the main door unless a fellow

officer is sitting across from him.

Cops are also aware of exits. The

benefits to this are twofold. For

starters, knowing where the exits

are located can help an officer pre-

dict the direction a fleeing criminal

might run. Second, it’s criti-

<

Hands are a big clue to someone’s intentions. If you can’t see both hands, you have no idea what someone may be hiding.

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cally important in the event of

an emergency, when panic-stricken

occupants all try to squeeze out the

same door they entered from. One of

the first things you should note upon

entering any room is the number of

exits and where they are.

Despite Hollywood’s portrayal of

cops as cowboys constantly chas-

ing or fighting bad guys, the vast

majority of real-life police contacts

are far less dramatic. In fact, only

a small percentage of them involve

any degree of force. Most often, it’s a

cop’s verbal skills that help resolve

or at least mitigate some sort of

dispute. As such, veteran cops are

usually verbally persuasive. Even

when faced with an arrest situation,

voluntary compliance is the goal.

Oftentimes, a nonchalant or even

reassuring tone yields compliance.

Slow-playing it, even when you know

the suspect is wanted for a violent

felony, is typically a good starting

point. Of course, cops know all too

well that being “Officer Friendly”

doesn’t always work.

While the officer appears outward-

ly calm, he is anticipating resistance

and totally prepared to respond

with reasonable force. Cops know

that when dealing with a combative

suspect telling him, “Sir, please get

on the ground” is probably wasting

breath that would be better spent

oxygenating the body to establish

physical control of the suspect.

Communication skills are equally

as important to those not in law en-

forcement. It’s great if you can defuse

a situation verbally without having

to respond physically. Depending

on the situation, this may involve

apologizing, as in the case where you

accidentally bump shoulders with

someone walking past you.

But even as you’re saying, “Excuse

me,” or “I’m sorry,” your open hands

are held up between you and a poten-

tial attacker. He will likely view your

hand placement as a sign of submis-

sion. What he doesn’t know is that

your hands are strategically placed

to strike or fend, as appropriate.

Other situations will call for a

more assertive verbal response. For

instance, if someone you don’t know

suddenly changes course and makes

a beeline for you in the deserted

parking lot, clear and concise verbal

commands such as “Stay back!” or

“Don’t come any closer!” send a clear

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM52 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

STREET SMARTS

<

Avoid getting blocked in by leaving plenty of room between your car and the car in front of you so you can escape or maneuver as need be.

message that you mean business

and you are ready and willing to

defend yourself.

When communication fails, cops

rely on sound tactics to see them

through. There’s really nothing

mysterious about using sound tac-

tics. More often than not, it’s about

understanding the situation you’re

up against and incorporating a com-

monsense approach to achieve the

desired result. As disappointing as

it may seem, there really aren’t any

super-secret ninja/high-speed oper-

ator techniques that, once learned,

can be employed at the first sign of

danger to ensure your safety.

One common-sense tactic used

by cops that’s 100 percent trans-

ferable to everyone pertains to

driving. Before obtaining a driver’s

license, you’re taught about stop-

ping distances and the importance

of leaving a cushion between your

vehicle and the vehicle in front of

you. This is a good practice not only

from a defensive-driving standpoint

but also from a self-defense per-

spective.

When I was a rookie cop, my

field-training officer stressed to

me the importance of leaving a gap

between our patrol vehicle and the

vehicle in front of us when we were

stopped. If we were ambushed—

or, far more likely, dispatched to

an emergency call or witnessed

a crime in progress—leaving a

gap would enable us to maneuver

through traffic.

The same logic applies to all

drivers. If you allow your vehicle

to creep too close to the vehicle

in front of you, you’re essentially

boxed in and unable to escape in

your vehicle in the event of an emer-

gency. A good practice is to stay far

enough back to see where the tires

on the vehicle in front of you meet

the road.

As important as tactics are, they

pale in comparison to the single

most important attribute a police

officer must possesses: an unwaver-

ing will to win the encounter.

Unfortunately, in many cases,

cops aren’t as highly trained as the

general public may assume. For

instance, it’s not uncommon for

an avid recreational shooter to be

more proficient than a police officer.

But the big difference between the

minimally trained police officer and

recreational shooter—the cop’s one

saving grace—is the cop is used to

being in dangerous situations and is

willing to go into harm’s way.

Cops would love to be there in your

moment of need, but that’s not always

possible. “When seconds count,

police are minutes away,” as they say.

That means you need to be not only

physically prepared to handle a de-

fensive situation—through firearms

and other self-defense training and

regular practice—but also mentally

prepared and willing to defend your-

self and your loved ones.

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| | BY LINE HEREFIRING LINE REPORT | FIRING LINE REPORT | BY JEFF CHUDWIN

SIG SAUER ADDED THE TACOPS TO ITS

line several years back and recently

released a new version: the SIG

TacOps 1911R in .357 SIG. In our law

enforcement training courses, we see

a number of the SIG .45 ACP 1911s in

use, and my initial thought was why the

.357 SIG? The short answer is power

and performance.

The TacOps is an enhanced 1911,

the “R” designation indicating the gun

includes an integral dust cover rail to

mount accessory lights or lasers. It

has a five-inch barrel with the standard

barrel bushing. The all-steel TacOps

is finished in a matte black Nitron that

proved durable and resistant to wear.

Empty weight is a bit over 40 ounces,

putting it into the heavyweight divi-

sion of both duty and concealed-carry

pistols.

I prefer checkering on my 1911s

because it provides a better gripping

surface, and this pistol has nicely cut

25 lpi checkering on the frontstrap and

mainspring housing. The top of the

frontstrap is undercut where it joins the

rear of the trigger guard, which allows

a high grip. The mainspring housing

has an attached flared mag well for fast

magazine insertion and easy reloads.

The sculpted beavertail grip safety

is well fit and, combined with the high

undercut of the frontstrap, offers excel-

lent feel and handling. The grip safety

includes a raised section—a so-called

speed bump—at the bottom to ensure

it is fully depressed regardless of hand

SIG SAUER TACOPS 1911R

SIG SAUERTACOPS 1911RTYPE: 1911

CALIBER: .357 SIG

CAPACITY: 8+1

BARREL: 5.0 in.

OAL/HEIGHT/WIDTH: 8.7/5.5/1.5 in.

WEIGHT: 40.3 oz.

CONSTRUCTION: matte black Nitron-fin-

ished steel; railed dust cover

GRIPS: Ergo black pebbled polymer

SIGHTS: fixed SIGLite 3 dot tritium; Novak-

style slide cut

SAFETIES: Series 80 firing pin, ambi thumb,

speed bump beavertail

TRIGGER: mid-length skeletonized alumi-

num; 4.75 lb. pull (measured)

PRICE: $1,174

MANUFACTURER: SIG Sauer, SigSauer.com

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM54 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017

size or if the shooter is wearing gloves.

The ambidextrous thumb safety

is tightly fitted and has a detent for

positive on/off movement. As a lefty

shooter, the ambi feature is an added

bonus for me, and righties will find it

doesn’t extend so far it creates any

handling or holstering issues.

The slide has the unique SIG profile

and incorporates a beefy external ex-

tractor. I’m a fan of internal extractors,

but the SIG extractor worked flawlessly.

The advantage of the external design is

that it doesn’t require fitting, tweaking

or tensioning.

The slide stop is slightly extended to

the rear for better leverage. Front and

rear sights are snag-free, low-profile

tritium night sights. Grips are black with

pebble texture made by Ergo.

The trigger is a mid-length alumi-

num type with a distinctive hourglass

cutout. SIG uses the Series 80 firing pin

safety, but the trigger broke at a clean

4.75 pounds and evidenced none of the

Series 80 trigger creep shooters often

complain about.

For those new to the .357 SIG, it is

essentially a .40 S&W necked down to

.357 caliber. It is a high-velocity load

chosen for use by the U.S. Secret

Service that equals or exceeds the

traditional 125-grain loading in a .357

Magnum revolver.

Over four months and several

classes, I fired more than 1,400 rounds

through the TacOps with bullet weights

from 100 to 125 grains without a single

malfunction. Since it just kept running, I

purposely didn’t clean it—just adding a

little bit of lubrication—to see how long

it would go. It never choked. The two

supplied eight-round magazines are

marked .40 caliber and have a spacer

at the rear to place the cartridge closer

to the front for feeding reliability.

The TacOps was passed along to a

number of shooters and officers in our

classes who had shot the .357 SIG in

other handguns. They expected a hard-

recoiling pistol, and all commented on

how much different the TacOps shot,

saying it just felt like shooting a hot

9mm. The TacOps in .357 SIG is easily

controlled in rapid fire.

I also shot the SIG side by side with

the Smith & Wesson four-inch Model 66

I carried in my early police days. While

the ballistics of the two handguns are

similar, there is a big difference in felt

recoil. With full .357 Magnum loads, the

Model 66 is a handful, and a cylinder

or two is enough for me. With the .357

SIG in the TacOps I shot more than 300

<

SIG attached a flared mag well for sure reloads. The combination of the pebbled Ergo grips and 25 lpi check-ering makes the gun controllable.

rounds on two consecutive range days

with no discomfort.

Shooting the TacOps on a variety

of courses of fire and targets from

extreme close range to beyond 200

yards demonstrated the value of the

flat-shooting .357 SIG. I also fired

rounds into ballistic gel faced with

heavy clothing and got nearly 0.60-inch

expansion for the V-Crown, Federal

HST and Speer Gold Dot—with pen-

etration between 16 and 19 inches. The

only downside I find with the .357 SIG

round is muzzle blast when compared

to our other carry calibers. It is a true

magnum cartridge in performance;

there is no free lunch.

For the citizen defender or law officer

or who chooses to carry a full-size 1911

and wants a hard-hitting cartridge, the

SIG TacOps is a well-built, accurate

and highly functional choice. I am writ-

ing a check to SIG. This TacOps has a

new home.

<

Instead of the traditional internal extractor, SIG uses an external extractor. It and the gun performed flawlessly through more than 1,400 rounds.

< The TacOps features a stylish

skeletonized trigger that’s crisp for a Series 80, and the sculpted beavertail safety features a speed bump.

ACCURACY RESULTS | SIG SAUER TACOPS 1911RBullet Muzzle Standard Avg.

.357 SIG Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.)

Federal HST JHP 125 1,392 13 2.25

Federal JHP 125 1,361 4 2.25

SIG Elite V-Crown JHP 125 1,344 19 2.30

SIG Elite FMJ 125 1,337 27 2.50

Notes: Accuracy results are averages of four five-shot groups at 25 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are averages of 10 shots measured on a ProChrono chronograph set 10 feet from the muzzle. Abbreviations: FMJ, full metal jacket; JHP, jacketed hollowpoint

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 HANDGUNS 55

| FIRING LINE REPORT | BY KAT AINSWORTH

IN RECENT YEARS THERE’S BEEN A STEADY

rise in female shooters, and in response

the industry has been marketing certain

firearms to women. Far too many of

those guns take stereotypes into ac-

count with pink grips, small calibers and

diminutive frames. With the Amethyst Ul-

tra II, Kimber has taken its “what all guns

should be” slogan to heart by creating a

gun any and all shooters will want for an

everyday carry gun.

In ancient times the amethyst was

known as the “gem of fire.” Medieval

knights wore the gem into battle for

protection, and travelers used it to stave

off surprise attacks. Its purple hue has

long been associated with nobility, and

in 1782 George Washington assigned

the color to the forerunner of the Purple

Heart, the medal currently awarded to

service members wounded or killed

while serving this nation. Today, Kimber

is redefining the gem’s protective quali-

ties with this new pistol.

Two things immediately strike you

about the Amethyst: its compact 1911

frame and its glossy purple slide. It’s a

rugged, reliable platform and perhaps

the perfect choice for a purple pistol. The

Amethyst is chambered in 9mm and .45

ACP, which I chose for testing.

The Ultra is essentially the company’s

Officer’s 1911 platform and features a

ramped three-inch stainless steel barrel

that has a 1:16 left-hand twist. The recoil

spring is an 18-pounder, and the gun

employs a full-length guide rod.

The Amethyst has a satin silver

aluminum frame with purple highlights,

and the heel of the frame is rounded so

it won’t print or snag on clothing. The

stainless steel slide is finished in a vi-

brant purple PVD coating. The G10 grips

are purple-and-black ball-milled, and

components such as the ambidextrous

thumb and grip safeties are finished to

KIMBERAMETHYST ULTRA IITYPE: 1911

CALIBER: 9mm, .45 ACP (tested)

CAPACITY: 7+1

BARREL: 3 in. stainless steel, ramped, 1:16

LH twist

OAL/HEIGHT/WIDTH: 6.8/4.8/1.2 in.

WEIGHT: 25 oz.

CONSTRUCTION: aluminum frame, stainless

steel slide

GRIPS: purple and black G10

SIGHTS: Tactical Wedge 3-dot tritium night

sights, fixed

SAFETIES: ambidextrous thumb, grip

TRIGGER: 4 lb., 10 oz. pull (measured)

PRICE: $1,652

MANUFACTURER: Kimber, KimberAmericA.com

match the slide.

Weight is 25 ounces empty. It has

a height of 4.75 inches, length of 6.8

inches and width of 1.15 inches. I have

large hands, with fingers longer

KIMBER AMETHYST ULTRA II

56 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

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pistol. However, once I began shooting,

it became clear this isn’t just another

pretty face.

For accuracy testing, I used a wide

array of suitable ammunition. Results are

shown in the accompanying table. The

Amethyst was accurate and precise from

the bench, and it also delivered 10-yard

offhand groups of 0.58 inch with a frangi-

ble from Team Never Quit and 0.60 inch

with G2 Research RIP.

Felt recoil was manageable and

muzzle rise was negligible, simplifying

follow-up shots. Those features were

complemented by the clean, crisp four-

pound, 10-ounce pull and short reset of

the solid aluminum trigger.

On separate occasions the Amethyst

was referred to as “cute” by visitors at

the Central Wisconsin Sportsmen’s Club

where I spend a significant amount of

range time. One commenter was im-

pressed into silence once he was given

<

As a Special Edition, the Amethyst Ultra gets special embellishments. But it has the same crisp trigger Kimber guns are known for.

<

The Amethyst has all the usual controls, but in this case they’re purple, contrasting nicely with the aluminum frame. The grips are thin G10.

| FIRING LINE REPORT | KIMBER AMETHYST ULTRA II

than the average shooter—regard-

less of gender—and palms wide enough

to make holding many compact guns

awkward. This is a compact gun, but

one I can grip comfortably with room for

my entire hand. No dangling pinkies is a

significant point in its favor.

The pistol is topped by fixed Mepro-

light Tactical Wedge three-dot tritium

night sights. The gun has a sight radius

of 4.8 inches and enough visible space

on either side of the front sight to make

sight alignment easier, which leads to

a clearer sight picture. I found target

acquisition quick to obtain.

From its polished purple slide to the

elaborate silver engravings marking it

as the “Special Kimber Edition–Am-

ethyst Ultra II,” it’s obvious substantial

thought went into this eye-catching

Guide R

od Laser

™

THE ORIGINAL SELF-CONTAINED LASER SYSTEM

The most technologically-advanced, hardened laser sighting system ever developed, the Guide Rod Laser™ replaces the spring guide assembly in semi-auto pistols. No laser sight in the world gets subjected to more rigorous testing or can result in more accurate shots. Don’t skimp. Make it a LaserMax Guide Rod Laser.

GLOCK 42/43

<

The pistol is not an Ultra+ model, which features a full-length grip, but Ainsworth found the short grip worked well even for her large hands.

ACCURACY RESULTS | KIMBER AMETHYST ULTRA IIBullet Muzzle Standard Avg.

.45 ACP Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.)

PolyCase Inceptor ARX 118 1,150 24.3 1.48

G2 Research RIP 162 835 14.6 1.38

Hornady Critical Defense FTX 185 840 13.1 1.55

Creedmoor HAP 185 798 28.2 2.37

SIG Elite V-Crown JHP 200 776 26.1 1.51

Federal Hydra-Shok JHP 230 744 26.6 1.79

Notes: Accuracy results are the averages of five five-shot groups at 15 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are averages of 10 shots measured with a PACT Professional XP 10 feet from the muzzle. Abbreviation: JHP, jacketed hollowpoint

the opportunity to try the pistol himself,

and another began debating purchasing

one as his new carry gun after run-

ning through a couple magazines. The

Amethyst may be aesthetically “cute,”

but there’s nothing cute about half-inch

groups or drilling the bullseye one-hand-

ed from 15 yards.

If you’re in the market for a concealed

carry pistol and prefer the punch of

.45 ACP, take a look at the Amethyst. If

you’d rather have a 9mm, as I men-

tioned you’re in luck because it comes

chambered in 9mm, too.

The price tag is a bit steep at $1,652

but the Amethyst is well crafted, reliable

and accurate. Yes, it’s accented with

pops of purple, but color is the last

thing you notice while standing your

ground against an assailant. And when

you do notice, remember it’s the color

of an amethyst, the gem knights wore

into battle for protection.

G U N C O M P A N Y

ITHACA

| FIRING LINE REPORT | BY JAMES TARR

RUGER HAS SOLD MORE THAN 1.5 MILLION

LCPs. In fact, one of the executives

at Ruger recently admitted to me that

the success of the LCP was one of the

leading reasons for the shortage of

.380 ACP ammo in the last few years.

Just do the math. If every LCP owner

simply bought one 50-round box of

ammo, that’s 75 million rounds of a

caliber that historically was never in

demand.

The LCP was quietly upgraded

about three years ago with incremen-

tally larger sights and a slightly shorter

trigger pull, but even so, there were

people, including myself, who weren’t

fans of the design for various rea-

sons—usually the long trigger pull and

equally long reset.

With the introduction of the LCP

II, Ruger has addressed all of the

complaints about its original hugely

successful design, which probably

will cause another run on .380 ACP

ammunition.

What’s different? At first glance, if

you put an LCP II next to an original

LCP, you’ll see the two pistols are

similar in size and overall appearance,

although the LCP II tends to have

angles where the LCP has curves.

Overall, at 5.17 inches the LCP II is just

one-hundredth of an inch longer than

the original LCP, and 0.11 inch taller.

At 10.6 ounces it is exactly one ounce

heavier.

The LCP II has the same 2.75-inch

barrel and the same 6+1 .380 ACP

capacity. The biggest difference is the

operating system. The original LCP

is a double-action-only semiauto,

whereas the new LCP II is a single-

action pistol. The main benefit of that

change is a trigger pull that is not just

lighter but noticeably shorter.

Total trigger travel on my sample is

RUGER LCP II

RUGERLCP IITYPE: hammer-fired, single-action semiauto

CALIBER: .380 ACP

MAGAZINE CAPACITY: 6+1

BARREL: 2.75 in.

OAL/HEIGHT/WIDTH: 5.2/3.7/0.9 in.

WEIGHT: 10.6 oz.

CONSTRUCTION: glass-filled nylon frame,

blued alloy steel slide

SIGHTS: serrated ramp front, notch rear

TRIGGER: 5.75 lb. pull (as tested)

PRICE: $349

MANUFACTURER: Ruger, ruger.com

5/8 inch, and—get this—over half of

that is take-up. Once you take up the

slack, the actual trigger pull length is

just a quarter-inch.

Perhaps even more importantly, the

reset on the trigger is just a quarter-

inch as well. This means not only

do you not have to worry about

60 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

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rt qu

ality te

st la

bs a

nd

millio

ns m

ore

in

ou

r facto

ries, so

ou

r too

ls w

ill go

toe

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e w

ith th

e

top

pro

fessio

na

l bra

nd

s. A

nd

we

can

sell th

em

for a

fra

ction

of th

e p

rice b

eca

use

w

e cu

t ou

t the

mid

dle

ma

n

an

d p

ass th

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ving

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to

you

. It’s just th

at sim

ple

! C

om

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ne

of o

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70

0+

Sto

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.

LIM

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it on

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SUPER

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QU

ALIT

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LSLO

WES

T P

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On A

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At H

arb

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at o

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by a

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e U

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rices a

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oth

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plie

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For

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in

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SUPER

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Lim

it 1

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bra

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Serv

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3 day P

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Sale

ite

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ills,

sto

rage cabin

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chests

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Ruger supplies the pistol with one

magazine with two baseplates—one

flat and one with a finger hook. I have

small hands, and I can still barely get

two fingers on the LCP II’s grip with

the finger-hook baseplate installed, so

I prefer it.

The pistol sports aggressive, angled

slide serrations front and back, which

really make sense on a gun this small.

And let’s not forget the sights. While

still plain black and small, the LCP II

has real sights. They are one piece

with the slide—a no-snag rear and

ramp front with serrated faces. I can

see a lot of people putting bright paint

or nail polish on the front sight so it

sticks out in low light.

Not only is the texturing on the

frame more aggressive on this model

compared to the original LCP, but also

the rear of the frame has been thick-

ened for shooter comfort. The fatter

part of the grip is actually designed to

look like the replaceable grip module

of the American pistol, but it is one

piece.

The LCP II also comes with a

smooth on the inside/tacky on the

outside soft pocket holster that is

designed to stay in your pocket during

the draw. The holster also helps mask

the shape of the pistol.

All of these improvements mean the

LCP II at $349 has a suggested retail

$90 higher than that of the original

LCP, but I think they’re worth it. I

would never carry an LCP because I

know my limitations: I short-stroke that

long trigger pull on the original LCP

even when I’m not under stress. On

the other hand, I’m buying my LCP II

sample—voting with my wallet, as they

say.

Ruger has no plans to discontinue

the original LCP. While a few people

might opt for the original LCP because

the longer heavier trigger pull is “saf-

er,” I can’t see anyone who compares

the two pistols side by side not picking

the LCP II.

<

This pistol may look like a striker-fired gun, but it’s actually got a hammer, which you can see from the back. The rear sight is a serrated notch.

<

With the slack taken up, the trigger pull on the LCP II starts here and ends at the stop on the bottom of the trigger guard, a distance of a quarter-inch. Reset is just a quarter-inch as well.

<

The frame texturing on the LCP II is more aggressive than the original, and the rear of the frame is wider. The extended magazine baseplate will provide a better grip for most.

| FIRING LINE REPORT | RUGER LCP II

short-stroking the trigger under

stress, but also the average gun owner

can actually shoot the pistol with some

speed.

Also important, the shorter trig-

ger pull means it’s easier to keep

the sights on the target while you’re

pulling the trigger. This translates to

ACCURACY RESULTS | RUGER LCP IIBullet Muzzle Standard Avg.

.380 ACP Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.)

Hornady XTP 90 844 18 2.4

Hornady American Gunner XTP 90 848 22 2.9

SIG Elite FMJ 100 803 15 3.8

Notes: Accuracy results are the averages of four five-shot groups at 15 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are averages of 10 shots measured with an Oehler Model 35 12 feet from the muzzle. Abbreviations: FMJ, full metal jacket.

an increase in what I’ll call “curb-side

accuracy.” Trigger pull weight on my

particular sample measured 5.75

pounds, which seemed about average

for the LCP IIs I’ve gotten my hands on

thus far.

As this is a single-action auto de-

signed for pocket carry, the engineers

at Ruger have put a safety lever on

the trigger to reduce the chances of it

being pulled accidentally. As a result,

the pistol now looks like the aver-

age striker-fired pistol, but it is in fact

hammer-fired, and the hammer can be

seen through the slot in the rear of the

slide.

Other improvements include a slide

stop that will lock back the slide on an

empty magazine. Original six-round

LCP magazines will work in this gun,

but they won’t lock the slide back.

Seven-round LCP magazines won’t

work with this gun.

62 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

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7) Complete Mailing Address of Known Office of PublicationOUTDOORS SPORTSMAN GROUP, David Madrid1040 6th Avenue, 12th FlNew York, NY 10018-3703 323.791.7190

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11) Known Bondholders, Mortgagees, and Other Security Holders Owning or Holding 1 Percent or More of Total Amount of Bonds, Mortgages or Other Securities.None

12) Tax Status (For completion by nonprofit organizations autho-rized to mail at nonprofit rate) (Check one)The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes:

Has Not Changed During Preceding 12 Months Has Changed During the Preceding 12 Months 13) Publication Title

HANDGUNS14) Issue Date for Circulation Data Below

October/November 201615) Extent and Nature of Circulation

Average No. No. Copies of Copies of Single Each Issue IssueDuring Published Preceeding Nearest 12 Months to Filing

Datea) Total Number of Copies 159,392 151,333b) Paid and/or requested circulation

1) Paid/requestedoutside/county mailsubscriptions stated on PS Form 3541 102,121 101,7502) Paid in-countysubscriptions 0 03) Sales through dealersand carriers, street vendors and counter 11,198 10,2504) Other classes mailedthrough USPS 0 0

c) Total paid and/or requested circulation 113,318 112,000

d) Free distribution by mail1) Outside-county as stated on PS Form 3541 35 382) In-county as stated on PS Form 3541 0 03) Other classes mailedthrough USPS 0 04) Free distributionthrough the mail 164 85

e) Total Free Distribution 199 123f) Total Distribution 113,517 112,123g) Copies not Distributed 45,875 39,210h) Total 159,392 151,333i) Percent paid and/or

requested circulation 99.8% 99.9%16) Electronic Copy Circulationa) Paid Electronic Copies 8,046 7,998b) Total Paid Print Copies 121,364 119,998c) Total Distribution 121,563 120,121d) Percent Paid 99.84% 99.90% 17) This statement of ownership will be printed

in the February/March 2017 issue of this publication.

18) Signed by Peter J. Watt, Vice President, Consumer MarketingDate 10/1/16

I certify that all information furnished on this form is true and complete. I understand that anyone who furnishes false or mislead-ing information on this form or who omits material or informtion requested on the form may be subject to criminal sanctions (including fines and imprisonment) and/or civil sanctions (including civil penalties).

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64 HANDGUNS FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

PRODUCTS COME AND GO, AND THE COLT

Python came to us in 1955, the same

year as the S&W Model 29. Sadly, all

good things end, and in October of

1999 Colt terminated the production

of this famous revolver after a pro-

duction run of more than 40 years.

It was literally a handcrafted

gun—cited by many as one of the

most challenging and difficult

handguns to manufacture—so ris-

ing costs and a changing market

made the decision easy for Colt. Yet

surprisingly, the custom shop was

making Pythons on special order for

several years thereafter—ceasing, I

assume, after its stockpile of frames

and parts ran out.

My Python was made in late 1977,

and it came with a letter detailing

the serial number, barrel length,

caliber and other items signed

by H.S. Huber, then the company

historian. I have used the gun in

PPC competition with lead bullets

on indoor ranges, some small game

hunting and just shooting for plea-

sure. I still enjoy it immensely; it is

as tight and accurate as ever.

The Python is a double-action re-

volver that started out as an offshoot

of the Colt Officer’s Model, which

was built on the “I” frame that was

also the basis for the Trooper and

Lawman guns.

At first, Colt made the guns with a

hollow underlug, but it later re-

versed course, leaving the underlug

solid. In the beginning, the top rib

was solid as well, but the Python was

initially marketed as a target gun,

and the two features combined to

make the gun too heavy to shoot for

an entire match. Colt wound up mill-

ing the rib to a vent rib configura-

tion, something appreciated by all,

balancing the gun perfectly.

Another interesting feature is the

way the cylinder locks up during the

strike of the hammer. At full cock,

you can feel the lateral movement of

the cylinder, but when the hammer

falls, everything tightens right up.

The Python is a joy to shoot. The

trigger pull is outstanding thanks to

all the handwork. The Elliason rear

sight is perfect in every way with a

notch that mates flawlessly with the

front blade. At 50 feet, I can shoot

1.25-inch groups.

In the course of its run, the gun

was available with 2.5-, 3-, 4-, 6-

and 8-inch barrels although I have

never seen one with the three-inch

tube. Rare, maybe; definitely highly

collectable. Naturally, a gun of this

pedigree has to have many finishes

to choose from including Royal Blue,

nickel, stainless and a bright stain-

less that comes darn close to being

nickel in appearance.

To many the Colt Python is often

termed as “the best revolver in the

world.” I happen to be one of the

many.

THINK (SORT OF) FASTACTING WITHOUT THINKING IS NEVER A GOOD PLAN.

COLT PYTHON

| BACK PAGE BEAUTIES | By STAN TRZONIEC

Creed: A set of fundamental beliefs that guide one’s actions. Walther believes in superior ergonomics, excellence in trigger design, and unparalleled accuracy, quality, and reliability. The new Walther Creed is built on these principles. We live our Creed so you can believe in it.

WaltherArms.com

© 2017 Walther Arms, Inc. | All Rights Reserved.

EXCELLENCE IN

TRIGGER DESIGN

SUPERIOR

ERGONOMICS

U E

Kimber Two-Tone II and Stainless IIThe new look for an iconic foundation.

Transforming our foundation, the 2016 Kimber

Two-Tone II and Stainless II families have the custom

features that promote intuitive operation and

absolute dependability. As with all Kimber pistols,

each part is manufactured to the tightest tolerances

and fi t together by hand. Three sizes and 2 calibers

are available in each family; the Ultra Carry II,

pictured here, features a 3-inch barrel and weighs

in at 25 ounces.

The sophisticated two-

tone slide and frame fi nish

features brush-polished fl ats

on slide and is accented by

rosewood grips. Off ered in

45 ACP and 9mm.

The Stainless II family off ers

models in stainless steel

and aluminum construction.

Kimber logo rosewood grips

complete the classic look

on all Stainless II models.

Available in three sizes

and in .45 ACP and

9mm.

W H A T A L L G U N S S H O U L D B ET M

©2016, Kimber Mfg., Inc. All rights reserved. Information and specifi cations are for reference only and subject to change without notice.

M A DE I N A MER IC A

(888) 243-4522

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