Dan Wesson’s Guardian is an elegant pistol and that’s an adjective that I don’t often use when describing handguns. It possesses classic styling with the addition of a bob-tailed frame and mainspring housing. Finished in satin black, the barrel bushing, long aluminum trigger and stainless-steel skeletonized Commander hammer and...
The new Springfield Armory Emissary is a big, bold brute of a gun—there’s nothing subtle about it. It features a unique tri-top slide design with chevron-style cuts towards the muzzle and wide and deep rear cocking serrations at the rear. It also has a finely serrated flat top between...
This is my first exposure to a Staccato product, and I have to say I am favorably impressed! I received this sample of the Staccato C2 pistol—a higher-capacity 9mm gun designed for concealed carry. This pistol features a 3.9-inch stainless steel, fully supported barrel and it is also equipped...
I first met Guncrafter’s Alex Zimmerman at a writer’s conference about 15 years ago and after spending one short range session with one of his American 1911s commissioned him to build one for me. It remains my favorite 1911, having used it for several seasons of USPSA competition and...
The Nighthawk Delegate is a serious piece of machinery. From its dramatic sculpturing to its carry bevels and unique slide profile, everything about the Delegate is custom and first class through and through.
Our test sample gun is chambered for 9mm, though the gun is also available in .45 ACP....
The Colt Competition Plus model and I did not get off to the greatest of starts. During the pre-shooting inspection when I disassembled the gun for inspection and lubrication. After scrubbing and lubricating the slide and frame rails, I reinstalled the slide onto the frame to hand cycle the...
I first saw the Tisas 1911s at the 2020 SHOT Show. I stopped by SDS Imports, their importer, and looked at the samples on display. I remember remarking to a colleague that if the 1911s delivered looked as good as the display guns, they were going to be a...
Remington Arms sent me a sample of its R1 Ultralight Executive—a 1911 built for concealment. Featuring a 3.5-inch supported barrel and built on a lightweight alloy frame with a rounded heel, the gun also features low profile G10 grips, 40-lpi frontstrap checkering and an extended safety and high sweep...
Last but not least is the Sig Emperor Scorpion which uses stainless steel forgings for both the frame and slide and both parts are coated with a Flat Dark Earth PVD finish. The frame is a Series 80 style with a firing pin safety that prevents the firing pin...
The Rapide Black Ice, a stunning gun with its two-tone finish that is actually KimPro II finish over stainless steel. The gun uses a single recoil spring and a standard spring guide. It features TruGlo sights that possess fiber-optic rods that are powered by tritium when sunlight is not...
