The last two contestants in our review are competition-ready race guns that take two time- and battle-proven platforms to the zenith of their potential. The Beretta 92X Performance and the CZ Shadow 2 Optics Ready are both DA/SA steel-framed pistols with the extra weight assisting with the recoil mitigation...
Sitting just under the $1,000 threshold are two pistols from juggernaut companies with long histories of producing top-shelf firearms for civilian, military and law enforcement use. The first is the full-sized Beretta 92X ($899), an evolutionary upgrade to the 92 series. The version we received had the decocker-only function,...
Sig Sauer also enjoys a strong fan base, due in large part to its P320 series of polymer-framed pistols. In addition to gaining massive respect for recently winning its military contracts, the company has been impressing shooters with its new X-Series of pistols.
The X-Series includes an updated grip module...
Adding to the standing-room-only crowd of striker-fired pistols, the new Taurus G3 brings its own spin on value by offering a full complement of features for a bargain-basement price of just $345. Despite Taurus classifying it as “full-sized,” the G3 is similarly dimensionally to G19, though one variant ships...
Everyone seemed to love the raw power of the 10mm Springfield Armory XD-M OSP as well as its ambidextrous mag release and frame texturing. The magazines were easy to load, and we enjoyed the suppressor-height sights. The trigger’s reset was quick, the capacity seemed spot on, and the gun...
Of our eight contenders in the full-sized category, three have MSRPs over $1,000: the Zev Technologies O.Z-9 ($1,729), the Walther Q5 Match Steel Frame Pro ($1,599) and the CZ Shadow 2 Orange ($1,999). But after you check them out, it quickly becomes obvious why they command such premium prices.
For...
The Canik TP9 Elite Combat Executive had the best trigger of the bunch with a superb reset. It was also the fastest to shoot, with little recoil. The ergonomics were great, and the texturing wasn’t too aggressive. The TP9 also seemed to offer the best value for the money...
The new CZ Shadow 2 Orange sticks to the basics when it comes to a competition pistol—and for good reason. The Shadow 2 is one of the most popular pistols on the competitive shooting circuit, but for 2019, CZ decided to do even better. The Shadow 2 Orange’s slide...
Another full-sized contender dressed to the nines was the Walther Arms Q5 Match Steel Frame (SF) Pro. Taking the original Q5 Match to the next level, the SF model adds the recoil-mitigating weight of a steel frame for better control and faster follow-up shots. The Pro version also throws...
The smallest pistol in the test group was Remington’s RM380 Executive, which sports a stainless slide and laminate Macassar grips for a touch of elegance. The RM380 is a double-action-only (DAO) semi-automatic pistol that utilizes a locked-breech design and incorporates a bobbed hammer. It comes with a pair of...
