combat handguns - 2014 02

5/24/2018 Combat Handguns - 2014 02

1/100


2/100


3/100


4/100


5/100

6 IT HAPPENED TO MEhunting with heat/dangerous duo

8 SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAWyour day in court3 cases profiled

24 STREET SMARTSescape a rear choke

40 LADIES ONLYlife-saving range drills

56 ASK THE PROSJ.J. Racaza

66 TACTICScarjack counterstrikes

76 HANDGUN HISTORYmeet Bill Wilson

86 LETTERSPico power/old-fashioned .38/EMP 1911

88 NEW PRODUCTSnew guns and gear that caught our eye

95 WEBSITE DIRECTORYvisit these sites for further information

96 CLASSIFIED ADSproducts and services of interest98 GUNSITE GOSSIP

a Jeff Cooper retrospective

10 SIG SAUER P227 By William Bell Full-sized fighter delivering top-notch accuracy and .45 firepower!

16 RUGER POCKET DUO By Jorge Amselle Viridian Reactor-equipped compacts keep you on-target in low light!

28 CZ 75D PCR 9mm By Denis Prisbrey Streamlined nine combines combat reliability with next-gen pocket power!

34 ROSSI MODEL R46202 By Paul Scarlata Stainless DA/SA six-shot primed to deliver .357 Magnum thunder!

44 SMITH & WESSON M&P45C By Rich Grassi

Ultra-ergonomic .45 ACP bred for everyday carry and on-target precision!

50 COLT MUSTANG XSP .380 By Dennis Adler Legendary pocket pistol upgraded with high-tech tactical enhancements!

60 TODD JARRETT SINGLE STACK .40 By Paul Scarlata Abernathy Precision Gun Works custom World Champion match king!

70 GUNCRAFTER 50GI MODEL NO. 1 By David Bahde Handcrafted 1911 puts .50-cal power in a tough, carry-ready package!

FEATURES

COLUMNS

CONTENTSFEBRUARY 2014

VOLUME 35 NUMBER 1

ON THE COVER

ON THE COVER

In This IssueWhen it comes to knockdownpower, few handgun calibers topthe tried-and-true .45 ACP. Witha long history of military, lawenforcement and civilian use,its track record is hard to beat.However, one relative weaknesshas been its limited capacityin handguns as compared toones chambered in .40 S&W or9mm. So, for those who wantboth power and capacity, takea look at the new P227 Nitronfrom Sig Sauer. Featuring .45ACP firepower and a generous10+1 round count, the P227Nitron should fit the bill. Wantsomething at the other end of thesize spectrum? Then read aboutthe new polymer-framed ColtMustang XSP, an ultra-compactand lightweight 6+1 pocket.380 ACP designed for low-keycarry. These and other featurescombine with a stellar collectionof columns, including tactical

guides to beating back a carjackattempt and besting a rearchokehold, to make the February2014 Combat Handgunsa must-read issue!MH

10

28

44

5060

34


6/100

combathandguns.com

Trusted S&W .357 thwarts two armed thieves! Quick-thinking family ends home invasion!

IT HAPPENED TO ME!

DONT BE A VICTIM!

Hunting With HeatIve been hunting since I was four yearsold. My grandfather, father, uncles andeven aunts hunt. Its in my familys blood,and we love the thrill of the chase and thefinal kill. Although we always hunt withlong guns, I learned a long time ago to

always carry a good handgun with me. Inmy case, I always take with me my Smith& Wesson Model 586 in .357 Magnum. Itcan do the job no matter what animal Icome across, and its always reliable.

On the way out of the woods back towhere we were parked, we could hear asound ahead of usit seemed to be com-ing from the area in which we had parkedour cars. We were pretty far removedfrom civilization, and hearing people outhere is unusual. As we continued walkingto our cars, the sound became clearer: Itwas two voices talking.

When we broke into a clearing andlooked ahead, we could see our two cars,a third vehicle and two guys wanderingaround our vehicles.

As we approached our cars, my friendyelled, Excuse me, can I help you? Oneof the guys stopped trying to open thedoor to my car, turned and said, No, butis this your car? He had a large huntingknife on his belt. My friend replied, Yes,those are our cars. What do you want?The tension in his voice was noticeable.

The guy replied, You aint supposed

to be here; you got the keys? My friendreplied, What are you talking about? This

is my friends land, and he said it wasOK for us to be here. The guy replied, Idont care what your friend said, you aintsupposed to be here, and these cars ainteither. As he spoke, he drew the knifein his hand to punctuate the point. Theother guy also became visible, and he

was holding a gun.I didnt know if these guys were drunk,

high or what, but their tone and demean-or was scary, and now the knife and gunthreatened our lives. We were far awayfrom any help, and there wasnt anythingelse to do in my opinion.

Nervous though I was, I realized thatthe rifle slung over my shoulder would betoo slow to get into action if I needed it,since one of the other guys was holdinga gun. So, I quickly drew my Model 586and pointed it straight at them. I thensaid, We dont want no trouble, are herelawfully and just want to go home. Get inyour car and get, and well do the same.

I dont know if it was the look in myeye, trembling hand or what, but theguy holding the knife said, Its alright,we was just checking on things. Wellgo, and motioned to his buddy to get inthe car. Both got inside and left withoutsaying another word.

Breaking into a car is not reason todraw my weapon, but someone threat-ening me with a knife and gun is, and Ithought my life and my friends life were

in jeopardy, which made me instinctivelyreach for my trusty S&W. AC, PA

PublisherStanley R. Harris

Executive PublisherVirginia Commander

Group PublisherShirley Steffen

Associate Publisher

Karin LevineEditor-at-LargeMichael O. Humphries

Associate EditorMark DeLucas

Assistant EditorGreg Lickenbrock

Editorial CoordinatorsLaura LancasterKate Gavino

Art DirectorSocrates Gomez

Production DirectorDennis M. Wheeler

Circulation/Marketing DirectorRichard Fogel

Single Copy Sales ManagerRichard Ciotta

Social Media DirectorClaudia Bircu

Advertising Production ManagerDanielle Correa

Advertising RepresentativeLeticia Henry

Advertising CoordinatorEmily Lee

Web CoordinatorNicole Barron

Editorial CuratorsChris Halleron, Marcus Garcia

Director Digital and Mobile PublishingKim Shay

Cover PhotoSteve Woods

Send editorial queries [email protected]

Harris Tactical Group can be reached at:Phone: 212-807-7100; Fax: 212-463-9958combathandguns.compersonaldefenseworld.com

Comments:personaldefenseworld @harris-pub.com

Subscription/Back Issues:[email protected]@harris-pub.com

To the Readers:Be advised that there may be productsrepresented in this magazine as to which the sale,possession or interstate transportation thereof maybe restricted, prohibited or subject to special licensingrequirements. Prospective purchasers should consultthe local law enforcement authorities in their area. Allof the information in this magazine is based upon thepersonal experience of individuals who may be usingspecific tools, products, equipment and componentsunder particular conditions and circumstances, someor all of which may not be reported in the particulararticle and which this magazine has not otherwiseverified. Nothing herein is intended to constitute amanual for the use of any product or the carrying outof any procedure or process. This magazine and itsofficers and employees accept no responsibility for anyliability, injuries or damages arising out of any personsattempt to rely upon any information contained herein.

COMBAT HANDGUNS(ISSN-1043-7584) is publishedeight times per year by Harris Publications, Inc., 1115Broadway, NYC, NY 10010. Single copy price: $5.99 inUSA, $6.99 in Canada. Submissions of manuscripts,illustrations and/or photographs must be accom-panied by a stamped, self-addressed envelope. Thepublisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicitedmaterial. Copyright 2013 by Harris Publications,Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan

American Copyright Conventions. Reproduction inwhole or in part without written permission of thepublisher is strictly prohibited. Printed in the USA.

With his rifle shouldered, the would-be victim quickly drew his trusted Smith &

Wesson .357 Magnum, giving the two armed assailants second thoughts.


7/100

combathandguns.com February 2014 COMBAT HANDGUNS 07

Tell Us Your Story!Combat Handguns pays $100 for each It Happened

To Me! letter that we print. Send yours to Combat

Handguns, 1115 Broadway, New York, NY 10010

or e-mail to [email protected]. Please

include your full name, address, email and phone

number (including area code). A signed release is

required prior to publication.

Dangerous DuoOne night my husband was working late,and my daughters (who were visitingfrom college) and I were home alone. Myhusband had a few guns in the house,and he had made it a point to teach thegirls, when they were old enough, andme how to use them. They actuallybecame quite good at shooting and tookto it very easily. I never realized howimportant those lessons would be untilthat one night.

I live in an area secluded from otherhomes. On this particular night, as wewere getting ready for bed, we heard astrange sound downstairs. The dog wasupstairs with us and started to growl,which is never a good sign.

As I went to collect my two daugh-ters and bring them into my bedroom,we continued to hear sounds, footsteps

moving around downstairs. Withoutbeing told, my oldest daughter went forher fathers gun safe, popped it openand took out two handgunsa smallSig Sauer .380 ACP that he specificallybought for me and a larger Glock 17 in9mm. The .380 was loaded and ready togo, but the Glock needed ammunition.While she retrieved the guns, my young-est daughter was on the phone calling911. It was clear, however, that beforethe police could arrive, we would be ingrave danger.

Not really sure what to do, my gun

training kicked in, and I took up a positionin front of the girls, behind my lockedbedroom door. Out of the blue, my oldestdaughter yelled out, I have a gun, andIm going to use it if you dont leave ourhome. She then pushed in the magazineand racked the slide. For some reason,perhaps because of the quiet of thehouse, the racking of slide soundedlouder than normal.

The next thing we heard was the soundof someone scrambling and search-ing for an escape. We then heard a loudsmash and what sounded like running.I kept the girls, the dog and myself in mybedroom until the police arrived.

If it werent for my husbands guns andthe quick wits of my daughters, thingscould have been a lot worse. Now I callthem my dangerous daughters. LP, NH


8/100

08COMBAT HANDGUNS February 2014 combathandguns.com

orking on self-defensecases brings me into

contact with a lot ofattorneys on both sidesof the criminal justice

fence. Ive talked to prosecutors whocompleted their careers certain that theyhad never accused an innocent person,and to defense attorneys who said sadlythey didnt believe they had ever defendeda totally innocent client. I am certain ofthe sincerity of their beliefs. The systemworks, by and large. The very fact thatmost of the accusedareguilty leads thosein the business to the conscious or sub-conscious conclusion that If you are ac-

cused, you mustbe guilty. Unfortunately,thats simply not the case.

Wrongful AccusationsSometimes, yes, its political. ConsiderCase One,Texas v. Blake Hubbard. Blakewas the first Houston-area cop in atleast 20 years to be charged with murderafter a line-of-duty shooting. He and hispartner received a call from citizens ter-rified of a maniac with a knife who wasthreatening everyone in sight. The firsttwo responding officers confronted thesuspect at gunpoint, but he refused todrop his weapon. The cops had no Tasers;one hosed him with pepper foam, whichhad no effect. That officer then tried todisarm him with his baton; that failed,too, and the knife-wielder lunged at him.It was at this point that the other officer,Blake Hubbard, fired two shots from his.40 pistol into the assailants chest. Theattacker collapsed, dying, before he couldsink his knife into the first policeman.

Johnny Cochran, who before theOJ case made a large part of his practicesuing police, flew to the city to intervene.

There were demonstrations. Soon, OfficerHubbard was charged with murder.

I was one of those who spoke for theofficer, called by able defense lawyer

John Read. We established that the of-ficer Hubbard fired to protect, PatrolmanBarry Fletcher, was in immediate,otherwise unavoidable danger of death orgreat bodily harm from the man he shot.This standard is what the history of deadlyforce trial law shows must be met inorder to win on a plea of justifiability.

That in turn requires the defense tosatisfy a three-pronged test, as adjudgedby the jury. The three elements are mostcommonly called Ability, Opportunity,and Jeopardy.

Ability means the opponent had

the power to kill or cripple. That canarise from a disparity of forceforce ofnumbers, for example, or an overpow-ering positional advantage such as the

opponents being in a martial arts mountand bashing the defendants head againsta sidewalkbut is most commonly foundin the opponents wielding of an actualweapon. In this case, the opponents knifecertainly filled the bill.

Opportunity means that the personwho was shot was immediately capableof employing his ability to kill or cripple.That is, he was close enough to do physi-cal harm, with nothing impeding his abil-ity. In this case, within touching distanceof the brother officer trying to knock theknife away from him with a baton, thedefendant certainly had the opportunity.

Third, the Jeopardy factor: The opponentmust be manifesting through words and/

or actions an obvious intent to use deadlyforce. The suspects lunge with the knifeclearly established that.

Finally, theres that part about other-wise unavoidable. Police officers haveno duty to retreat from violent criminalsuspects; indeed, the officer is obligatedto contain and neutralize the threat. In aprivate citizen shooting case, the citizen isnever required to retreat unless he or shecan do so in complete safety to them-selves and other innocent persons. Inthis set of circumstances, such a retreatwould obviously not have been feasible.

This is the legal prism through whichthe jury looked at the facts in evidenceand found Blake Hubbard not guilty.

Reasonable PeopleThe yardstick of judgment in these mat-

ters is the ancient common laws Doctrineof the Reasonable Man. The jury must askthemselves, What would a reasonableand prudent person have done (prong 1),in the exact same circumstances (prong2), knowing what the defendant knewat the time he or she pulled the trigger(prong 3). In Case Two, a civilian whohad graduated from a training class I hadtaught was charged with manslaughterafter killing a knife-wielder in self-de-fense. I was put on the stand as a materi-al witness to testify as to the training I hadgiven him. From that perspective, I was

able to tell the jury that I had personallytrained him in how deadly knife woundscould be, how quickly a man with a knifecould kill him if not immediately stopped,

and more. The defendant was acquittedfor the shooting, and there is no doubt inmy mind that my testimony brought hometo the jury how quickly my graduate couldhave been killed or maimed had he notfired when he did.

Telling The Whole StoryWe live in a time when the news mediasensationalizes self-defense cases, andin a country where attorneys learn inlaw school, Never try your cases in thepress. These two facts result in peoplewho shot in self-defense being tried inthe court of public opinion, with no law-

yers voice raised in that court speakingin their defense.

BUILDING A

BULLETPROOF

DEFENSE

W

SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAW

A look at the elements justifyingthe use of life-saving deadly force!BYMASSAD AYOOB PHOTO BYALFREDO RICO

The reality...is that defense counsel...has to convince the jury that if they hadbeen where the defendant was, theywould have shot the deceased, too.


9/100

In 2007, in Pasadena, Texas, JoeHorn (Case Three) phoned 911 to reporttwo men burgling a home next door.Against the advice of the dispatcher,Horn went outside to confront the menand attempt a citizens arrest. Threeshots were heard over the open line:The burglars were killed by the buck-shot from Horns 12-gauge shotgun.The 911 tape was played incessantlyon national television, inciting cries ofbloodthirsty vigilante. Those accusa-tions only increased when a grand juryreturned no true bill, exonerating Horn.

What the mass media largely ignoredwas what swayed the grand jury: A plain-clothes officer had arrived at the scene inan unmarked car in time to witness theshooting. The cop testified that the twomen had rushed at Horn, one of them

wielding a bludgeon. It had been self-de-fense, not vigilante justice. Harris CountyDistrict Attorney Ken Magidson told re-porters, In Texas, a person has a right touse deadly force in certain circumstancesto protect property. Straight-up self-defense played an important part, too.

Can a shot in the back of the deceasedhave been fired in self-defense? Certainly.The defense simply brings in expert wit-ness testimony to explain the intersect-ing timelines of the factors involved. Theshooter, believing hes about to be killed,fires as fast as he can; the suspect, seeing

the gun come up, turns away suddenly,faster than the shooter can react to thisunanticipated action and stop shooting.

Affirmative DefenseSelf-defense is an affirmative defensestrategy. The defense is stipulating thatthe defendant shot the deceased, but ismaintaining that he or she was correct indoing so. Historically, this has shifted theburden of proof from accuser to accused,by a preponderance of evidence stan-dard. While some states expressly re-quire that the prosecution prove beyond areasonable doubt that it wasnt self-defense, the reality of juror psychologyis that defense counsel pretty much hasto convince the jury that if they had beenwhere the defendant was, they wouldhave shot the deceased, too. Thus, for allpractical purposes, the reality of trial isthat the burden of proving that force wasused in self-defense really does fall uponthe defendant.

The good news is, if the defendanthas done the right thing, a skilled andwell-prepared defense lawyer will be

able to carry that burden successfully toa full acquittal.

combathandguns.com


10/100

combathandguns.com

COMBAT TEST

SIG SAUER

Full-sized fighter deliveringtop-notch accuracy and10+1 rounds of .45 firepower!BY WILLIAM BELL PHOTOS BY STEVE WOODS

10COMBAT HANDGUNS February 2014

Sigs large-frame and feature-packed P227Nitron is a high-power, full-capacity .45 ACPwith a surprisingly thin, and very ergonomic,grip. A Picatinny rail integrated into theNitrons lightweight alloy frame provides

users with the ability to attach lights and/or laser units, like the new Crimson TraceCMR-203 Rail Master (pictured).


11/100

combathandguns.com

227 NITRON


SIG, an acronym forSchweizerischeIndustriegesellschaft, which is Germanfor Swiss Industrial Company, has beenaround since 1853. Early on, the compa-ny began making long arms for the Swissmilitary, but in 1970 it decided to beginmaking handguns. As Swiss law haslimits on handgun production, SIG choseto work with the German firm of Sauer &Sohn, and in 1975 came out with the SigSauer P220 pistol. Over the years, as theline has increased, the association and

names changed and an American divi-sion was created, now headquartered inExeter, New Hampshire. In 2007, whatsince 1985 had been Sig Arms becameSig Sauer.

Sig has been a longtime supplier to theU.S. military and law enforcement agen-cies. The company claims to have aboutone-third of the law enforcement market,and its 9mm P226 was tied with Berettaduring the XM9 Service Pistol Trials in1984; Beretta won due to a lower-pricedpackage, but the Sig P226 went on to armNavy SEALS, and the Army adopted the

P228 (M11) for use as a compact pistol.Sig Sauer also runs a training facilitycalled the Sig Academy, where advancedweapons skills are taught.

A large-frame model originally avail-able in 9mm, .38 Super and .45 ACP,

the Sig P220 was one of the com-panys first handguns imported into

the U.S. Since then, its only beenproduced in .45 ACP and has asingle-column magazine witha standard capacity of eightrounds. Recently, Sig Sauerintroduced the large-frameP227, which is also cham-bered for the .45 ACP car-tridge, but has a staggered,flush-fit magazine thatholds 10 cartridges plus

one in the chamber fora total capacity of 11rounds. There is alsoan extended magazineavailable that in-creases the cartridge

count to 14+1.


12/100


>>>SIG SAUER P227 NITRON

GUN DETAILSLike many Sig Sauer pistols, the P227soperating mechanism is based on theBrowning locked breech/short recoilsystem. However, unlike the M1911, itdoesnt use links and internal lockinglugs and recesses. Instead, the barrel iscammed up and down, with an enlargedsection of the barrels breech lockinginto the ejection port. This is a very rug-ged design that simplifies the operationof the pistol and the manufacturingprocess with no disadvantages. Thismechanism is mated to a traditionaldouble-action/single-action (DA/SA)trigger system, which has ahammer-drop lever on the leftside of the receiver to lower thehammer from the fully cockedposition safely.

Currently, there are three ver-sions of the P227 being made bySig Sauer. The first is the Nitron,which has a 4.4-inch barrel. Then

there is the P227 Carry, which hasa more-compact 3.9-inch barrel

for easier concealment, and finallytheres the P227 Carry SAS 2B, whichhas the same 3.9-inch barrel, but hasbeen given Sigs Anti-Snag Treatment,making it even better for plainclothes,off-duty or self-defense uses, plus ithas the Sig Short Reset Trigger. Allthree models have a stainless steelslide with Sigs exclusive Nitron finishand a black hardcoat anodized alloyframe, along with a textured polymer,one-piece, ergonomic grip.

I chose to evaluate the P227 Nitron,and the pistol arrived inside a lock-able, plastic carrying case that had afoam/rubber liner in the bottom halfwith cutouts for the pistol and the extra10-round magazine that was included.There was also an owners manual,warranty, product registration form, asafety padlock and a small container ofMil-Comm TW25B lubricant/protectant.A cursory inspection of the exteriorof the pistol revealed Sigs renowned

excellent workmanshipthere were notool marks or blemishes on any metal

THE EXTERIOR OF THE PISTOL REVEALED

SIGS RENOWNED EXCELLENT WORKMANSHIP

THERE WERE NO TOOL MARKS OR BLEMISHES

ON ANY METAL SURFACE.

Located on the left side of theP227s frame are a serrated take-

down lever, hammer drop, sliderelease and mag catch.


13/100


surface. The Nitron finish on the slideand the anodizing on the receiver werewell done, leaving the entire handgun anon-reflective, dark charcoal gray color.

The black, one-piece grips are well pro-portioned. The stippled side panels andbackstrap form a beveled magazine well.The exposed grip frame of the frontstrapis finely checkered and has a dished-outarea just below the triggerguard thatprovides for a high shooting grip.

The P227 has the customary SigSauer control configuration platform,with the takedown latch on the receiver,just above the trigger. As you movebackwards, youll next find the decock-ing lever and, immediately behind it, theslide release lever. An inch below the

decocker is the magazine catch. There isno external manual safety, but the P227features Sigs Four-Point safety system,which incorporates the decocking lever,patented automatic firing-pin blocksafety, safety intercept notch and triggerbar disconnector.

The DA trigger has a pull weight of alittle over 10 pounds and is somewhatlong but smooth. The SA pull has therequisite amount of take-up and a bitof creep before breaking between 4 and5 pounds. A wide, smooth-faced triggermakes the pull seem even lighter,and the front of the generously sizedtriggerguard has a small, serratedpanel. The external hammer is small-ish, with a stubby spur that is serratedto make manual cocking easier. Justforward of the triggerguard, on the dustcover, is Picatinny rail, which is usefulfor mounting tactical lights, laser sightsor other accessories.

P227 slides are machined from stain-less steel bar stock and then coated withthe wear-resistant and rust-inhibitingNitron. Ten serrations at the rear provide

a good gripping surface for retracting theslide, and theres a well-proportioned

SPECIFICATIONS

SIG SAUER P227 NITRON

Caliber .45 ACP

Barrel 4.4 inches

OA Length 7.7 inches

Weight 32 ounces (empty)Grips One-piece polymer

Sights SIGLITE night

Action DA/SA

Finish Nitron slide, black frame

Capacity 10+1

MSRP $1,085


14/100


ejection port. The extractor is rugged and

powered by a coil spring. The 4.4-inchbarrel has conventional rifling. My testgun was fitted with SIGLITE night sightsmounted in dovetails, allowing for wind-age adjustments; fixed contrast sightscome standard. An interesting side noteis the fact that the P227 Nitro can acceptany slide assembly from the P220. Thatmeans the P227 Nitron can be easilyconverted to a Carry, SAS, Stainless orSuper Match version by simply swap-ping the slides. Plus, with its P226-sizeframe, you get a big-bore caliber withoutan oversized grip, and the P227 will fit

in any holster that takes a rail-equippedP220 or P226 pistol.

RANGE TIMEI took the Sig P227 Nitron to the rangewith three different brands of .45 ACPammunition, including some vintageBlack Hills Blue Box remanufacturedrounds carrying 185-grain JHP bul-lets. I wanted at least one test cartridgewith a lighter-weight bullet. My othertwo selections both had traditional230-grain bullets: Federals TacticalLaw Enforcement ammunition featur-

Black Hills 185 JHP 966 2.98

Federal Tactical 858 2.28LE 230 Hydra-Shok

Speer 230 836 2.85Gold Dot HP

BULLETWEIGHTMEASUREDINGRAINS, VELOCITYINFEETPERSECOND(FPS)BYCHRONOGRAPH,ANDACCURACYININCHESFORBESTFIVE-SHOTGROUPSAT25YARDS.

PERFORMANCE

SIG SAUERP227 NITRON .45 ACP

LOAD VELOCITY ACCURACY

CONTINUED ON PAGE 80

>>>SIG SAUER P227 NITRON

Sigs SIGLITE night sights ensure quicktarget acquisition in low-light settings.


15/100

RUGER

LIGHTW

EIGHT,C

OMPACT

HANDG

UNS

FOREVER

YPERS

ONAL

PROTE

CTION

NEED

WWW.RUGER.COM/COMPACTHANDGUNS2013 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. 090913

Incredibly

compact

,theLCP

isthe

perfect

choicef

orperso

nalprote

ction.

LCP

380A

UTO

Compact

,powerf

ulandpe

rfect

forperso

nalprote

ction.

LC9

9MMLU

GER

Lightwei

ght,reli

ableand

easyto

shoot.

LCR

22LR/

22WMRF/

38SPL+

P/357M

AG

Ourlight

estreco

ilingper

sonal

protection

centerfi

repistol

yet.

380A

UTO

LC380


16/100

combathandguns.com

COMBAT TEST

16COMBAT HANDGUNS February 2014

Ruger not only makes some of the most

popular subcompact and pocket pistols on

the market today, the LCP and LC9, but the

company has also been at the forefront of

building partnerships with laser manufac-

turers to offer completely integrated units

to its customers. Most recently, Ruger has

extended these offerings to include an

extremely powerful and super-compact

tactical green laser and tactical light from

Viridian, the Reactor R5 green laser and the

Reactor Tactical Light.

The new Viridian Reactor R5 green laser

unit is a game-changer when it comes to fast

target acquisition under any conditions. Green

lasers are far more powerful and visible to the

human eye than red lasers in all conditions,

even bright sunlight. Traditionally, green

lasers, requiring more power to operate, have

been difficult to miniaturize, but Viridian nev-

ertheless has managed to shrink the technol-

ogy to an incredible degree.

Being able to see a green dot on your target

does not necessarily identify your target, how-

ever, especially in low-light conditions. For

this, Ruger is also offering the LCP and LC9

with the Viridian Reactor Tactical Light. This

is a tiny but powerful light with a 100-lumen

constant-on mode as well as a 140-lumen

strobe mode. The company has developed

Radiance technology that takes this standard

light and adds a proprietary filter that re-

shapes the beam into a wide oval, narrowing it

from top to bottom and allowing a much wider

field of viewover twice the width of a normal

tactical light. The amount of time it takes to

scan and clear a room for intruders or threats

is cut in half.

Viridian Reactor-equipped compacts keep

you on-target in low-light encounters!BYJORGE AMSELLE PHOTOS BY STEVE WOODS


17/100

February 2014 COMBAT HANDGUNS 17combathandguns.com

New from Ruger is an exclusive line ofViridian light- and laser-equipped pocket

pistols based on the .380 LCP and 9mm LC9pistols. Featuring the Viridian Reactor greenlaser is the LC9-GL (above, left) and LCP-GL,

and the LCP-TL (above, right) and LC9-TLsport the Reactor tactical light. Also included

with purchase is Viridians ECR pocketholster, which activates the laser or light

unit when the pistol is being drawn.


18/100


The popularity of weapon-mountedlaser systems, especially on concealed-carry handguns, is a result of the realityof unfriendly encounters, which canoften occur in low-light conditions wherethe usefulness of sights is limited. Self-defense situations also often happenwhen least expected, as criminals preferto use the element of surprise to theiradvantage. In a panic or stressful shoot-ing situation, people tend to become

RUGER LCP/LC9>>>

SPECIFICATIONS

RUGER LC9-GL/LC9-TL

Caliber 9mm

Barrel 3.12 inches

OA Length 6 inches

Weight 17.6 ounces (empty)

Grips Glass-reinforced nylon

Sights Drift-adjustable, three-dot,Viridian Reactor 5/

Tactical Light

Action DAO

Finish Blued

Capacity 7+1

MSRP N/A

The best results came whenI was using the green laser,as this allowed for far more

accurate shooting.


19/100


threat-focused, and lasers allow youto place hits where they count withouthaving to rely on your sights.

Of course, you have to turn the lightor laser on when you draw your pistol,and in a rush or panic, will you remem-ber to do that? With the Viridian ReactorR5 and the Reactor Tactical Light, youwont have to think about it. Included

with the Reactor-equipped Rugerswill be Viridians Enhanced Combat

Readiness (ECR) pocket holster, whichinstantly turns the units on when youdraw your pistol. Theres no need toconsciously activate them. When youreholster the pistol, the unit turnsitself off. There is a manual on/offswitch as well.

GUN DETAILS

On the Ruger LCP and LC9 pistolsprovided for testing, both the Reactor

The Ruger LC9-GL features(counterclockwise from top right)drift-adjustable, three-dot sights,an optional finger extensionmagazine and Viridians state-of-the-art Reactor 5 green laser.

PERFORMANCE

RUGER LC9 9mm


Black Hills 115 JHP 1,148 2.00

HPR 115 FMJ 1,009 3.88

Speer 124 HP 1,024 2.68

BULLETWEIGHTMEASUREDINGRAINS, VELOCITYIN

FEETPERSECOND(FPS),ANDACCURACYININCHESFORBESTFIVE-SHOTGROUPSAT15 YARDS.


20/100


light and laser fit perfectly and almostseamlessly without adding to the pistolswidth or length a virtually little bulk, asthe units weigh only 0.78 ounces. TheLC9s Reactor R5 unit will also fit on

Rugers LC380 pistol, as they share thesame-sized frame. The ECR holster isof the pocket type and fit both guns verywell. The Reactor laser is built toughfrom durable polymer that matches thefinish on the pistols very well. It is alsoworth noting that Viridian is the onlycompany making green laser sightsand tactical weapon-mounted lights forthese pistols.

The Ruger LCP is a lightweight,double-action-only (DAO), recoil-operated, semi-automatic pocket pistolchambered in the popular .380 ACPwith a 6+1 capacity. The frame is made

of glass-reinforced nylon. Ruger hasadded a manual slide hold-open, whichwill not lock the slide open on an emptymagazine or on the last shot, but it willunlock itself when the slide is retracted.It is a bit too small to comfortably use asa slide release, however.

Pocket carry has its own set of chal-lenges, and having a completely snag-free profile is certainly a paramountconsideration. With this in mind, theRuger LCP features rounded edgesthroughout and a smooth finish withfixed, integral, low-profile sights. TheReactor R5 laser is similarly smoothlycontoured and snag free. The only nec-essarily non-smooth areas can be foundon the slide serrations and the checker-ing on the grip.

In keeping with the pistols simplecontrols, there is no external or manualsafety. There is a small window on theright side of the slide at the back ofthe chamber that can provide visualindication of a round in the chamber.The hammers half-cock also providesa modicum of safety to prevent it from

striking the firing pin on a live round.However, there is no drop safety, and

RUGER LCP/LC9>>>

The tactical light was extremelybright in low light as I used it tosearch room to room in my home.

SPECIFICATIONS

RUGER LCP-GL/LCP-TL

Caliber .380 ACP

Barrel 2.75 inches



Grips Glass-reinforced nylon

Sights Fixed, Viridian Reactor R5/Tactical Light

Action DAO

Finish Blued

Capacity 6+1

MSRP N/A

The Reactor TL, included

with the LCP-TL, deliversan oval beam of light

twice as wide as theindustry standard.


21/100


the pistol could fire if dropped with a live

round chambered. Ruger recommends

that the pistol be carried with an empty

chamber until ready to fire.

The LC9 pistol is a lightweight, sub-

compact, hammer-fired, DAO, recoil-op-

erated, semi-automatic 9mm pistol with

a 7+1 capacity. That is one better than

most pocket .380 ACP guns in a more

powerful cartridge and only slightly

larger package. The checkered andserrated, glass-filled-nylon, black grip

frame also helps keep the guns weight

at just over 17 ounces empty, and the

steel alloy barrel and slide both feature

a very smooth black oxide finish. As is to

be expected, the fit and finish on this gun

is exemplary and to the same standard

as the companys other offerings.

Other features include a blued,

through-hardened alloy steel slide

and an included magazine floorplate

finger grip extension. All of the edgeshave been smoothed out, giving the

PERFORMANCE

RUGER LCP .380 ACP


CorBon 80 HP 898 1.59

HPR 100 FMJ 728 0.69

Remington 95 FMJ 840 1.08

BULLETWEIGHTMEASUREDINGRAINS, VELOCITYINFEETPERSECOND(FPS),ANDACCURACYININCHESFORBESTFIVE-SHOTGROUPSAT7 YARDS.

The 6+1 LCP-GL includes(counterclockwise from top right),a finger-extension mag, fixed,low-profile sights, and ViridiansR5 green laser, which can beactivated manually or on drawingfrom Viridians ECR holster.


22/100


gun a slightly melted look. Towards themuzzle, the slide is also angled inwardto aid with holstering. The high-visibilitythree-dot sights feature a wider rear ap-erture to help the user quickly align thesights and focus on the front sight. Thesights also have a low, snag-free profile,and the rear sight is drift adjustable forwindage.

Safeties on the LC9 are more ex-tensive than those found on the LCPand include a firing-pin block, whichprevents the gun from firing unless thetrigger is squeezed, a magazine discon-nect, which also prevents firing unlessa magazine is completely inserted inthe gun, and a left-side thumb safety.A loaded-chamber indicator, locatedon top of the slide and just behind the

ejection port, provides both visual andtactile awareness that a cartridge caseis in the chamber. There is also a smallwindow at the back of the chamber toprovide additional visual confirmationof a round in the chamber. Finally, theLC9 also includes Rugers internal lock,which disengages the trigger bar from

the hammer and completely deactivatesthe gun with a turn of the supplied key.

The thumb safety is actually hingedfrom the frontopposite to what mostshooters may be used toand I found itsomewhat difficult to use. With practice,however, I would expect that to smoothitself out. Many shooters will likely pre-fer to simply not use the thumb safetyat all given the internal safeties alreadybuilt into the gun and the DAO design.Notable for a gun this small, Ruger alsoincludes a smallish but functional slidelock/release that locks the action openon the last shot.

The operating methods of the LCPand LC9 are virtually identical. Theaction of the slide partially charges thehammer, which is shrouded but visiblefrom the rear to confirm its position.As a result of this system, there is nodouble-strike capability. Both the LC9and the LCP have very smooth triggers,with no stacking or creep, and aboutan inch of travel. I measured the LCPstrigger at a very consistent 7 pounds,while the LC9s trigger felt smooth with

no discernable overtravel or stacking,breaking evenly at 7.5 pounds.

RANGE TIME

On the range, both pistols performedwithout malfunction with a mix of defen-sive ammunition, and recoil was com-fortable for both. The more powerful LC9did have a bit more recoil as expected,but it is also heavier and larger, whichhelps. The larger grip on the LC9 alsomakes it easier to shoot. On the LCP, Iwas barely able to get two fingers on thegrip and a finger-extension magazinewould be a welcome feature, although itwould slightly increase the guns size.

The sights on these pistols are notintended for precision but rather forclose-range work. Nevertheless, I foundthem effective and was able to deliveraccurate hits. The best results camewhen I was using the green laser, as this

allowed for far more accurate shooting.With the LC9, I fired approximately 50rounds of 9mm Hornady 124-grain XTPself-defense ammo at 7 yards off-handand kept my groups at approximately 3inches. For accuracy results, I fired bothpistols from a benchrest position at 7and 15 yards using the iron sights.

What struck me most is that even indaylight, the green dot is plainly visible50 yards away. The manufacturer claimseffective targeting at 2 miles at night,but I did not have a chance to test that.The tactical light was extremely brightin low light as I used it to search room toroom in my home. The Radiance tech-nology is also impressive, and you canclearly see the wide beam.

Windage and elevation adjustmentsare easy to make on the laser, but bothpistols came already bore-sighted. TheReactor laser and light units each havetwo settings, one for constant-on, whichit provides an hour of run time for thelaser and 30 minutes for the light, anda pulse setting that doubles the batterylife. The unit also lets you know whenthe battery is getting low and needs tobe replaced.

Ruger continues to exceed expecta-tions, and its teaming with Viridian toprovide excellent pistols with factory-equipped and specifically designed laserunits and lights is no exception. Formore information on Ruger, visit ruger.

com. For more on Viridian, call 800-990-9390 or visit viridiangreenlaser.com.

>>>RUGER LCP/LC9

Even in daylight, the green dotis plainly visible 50 yards away.


23/100


24/100


STREET SMARTS

hether you call it defensive shooting, com-bative shooting, gunfighting or any otherterm, the tactics of using a firearm in thecontext of a violent incident are vastly differ-ent than the arts of traditional marksmanship.

While shooting constitutes the mechanical act of aiming,operating and manipulating a gun to get hits on a target, fight-ing with a gun is a much broader and more complicated con-cept. This is particularly true when the attack does not replicatea traditional, square-range, shooting-at-a-distance scenario.

Real contact-distance shooting is, by nature, a dynamiccombination of unarmed combatives skills and shooting. Ifyou think about it logically, you can only shoot at an attackerin self-defense if you can justify the fact that you are in fear ofdeath or grievous bodily injury. At extreme close range, yourfirst survival priority must be to block, check, control or avoidwhatever is trying to kill you before you bring your gun into play.You must then deliver telling shots on target to either stop yourattacker or allow you to create the distance necessary to getbetter shots on target.

As logical as this may sound, most commonly practicedclose-quarters shooting drills are more excuses to shoot thanthey are a set of practical defensive tactics. This is particularly

true of tactics that teach shooting from unorthodox positions,such as defending against an attack from the rear.

Check Your SixObviously, situational awareness should be your first choicein preventing an attack from the rear. For the sake of argu-ment, lets assume that you were not able to avoid the attackaltogether and were caught off guard.

First of all, you must quickly and objectively assess thethreat to determine the proper course of action. This is wheremost gun guys go wrong by looking for an excuse to shootrather than applying a defense thats appropriate to the levelof danger of the attack. For example, a bear hug from behindis very different from a rear choke. The latter is a direct attackon your airway and breathing, and is therefore potentially lifethreatening. By itself, the former is not, and therefore wouldnot justify the use of a gun. If you dont have unarmed skills,youll be hammering when you should be using a thumbtack.

Since a rear choke does qualify as a potentially lethal threat,lets consider it as a basis for defining a sound gun-baseddefense. One tactic that Ive seen taught to defend against thistype of attack is to remain upright, draw your gun and pointit behind you to fire into the attackers pelvis or legs. Someinstructors also advocate shooting down past or between yourown legs into the assailants feet.

In my opinion, there are several problems with this ap-

proach. First, it does nothing to prevent the damaging effectsof the choke on your airway. In the violent dynamics of a real

Four-step contact-distance counterstrike to get anattacker off your back! BYMICHAEL JANICH PHOTOS BYPATRICK LANHAM

ESCAPE A REAR CHOKE

W

...quickly andobjectivelyassess the

threat to

determinethe propercourse of

action.

...quickly andobjectivelyassess the

threat to

determinethe propercourse of

action.


25/100


attack, it does not allow you to stabi-lize the gun or aim it decisively with akinesthetic index. That and the fact thatyour gun hand is vulnerable to being

grabbed or deflected means that youllbe shooting blind and could very wellshoot yourself in the process.

Survival PrioritiesWith an attackers arm wrappedaround your throat from behind,yourfirst priority should be to protect yourairway. In the process, you should

maintain your balance and avoid beingpulled over backwards. For example, ifyou are right-handed and your attackeris choking you with his right arm, youcan remain balanced and upright by

hooking his forearm with your left handand stepping your left leg behind both

of his legs. As you step behind, leanforward from the waist and use yourbody weight to turn the rear choke into

a side headlock. Turning your headtowards his body shifts the pressure ofhis forearm to the side of your neck andfurther protects your airway.

In this position, you have not onlytaken steps to minimize injury toyou, but youve also created a strongdefensive position, cleared a path todraw your gun and enabled yourself

to see what youll be shooting and thebackground behind it. By maintaining

the pulling pressure on your attackersforearm with your left hand, you alsoensure that it is tight against your

body and clearly out of your line offire. From this position, its a simplematter to draw your gun to a weapon-retention position and shoot your

attackers legs. Shots to the femurs,knees and shins can easily shatterthe skeletal structure and drop yourassailant in place. These shots alsoensure a downward angle and therefore

a solid backstop.

An additional benefit of the tactic isthat it is virtually impossible for the at-tacker to grab your gun hand to wrestlefor the gun. With the gun held in a tight

pectoral-index weapon-retention posi-tion, it is well protected, and you caneasily aim it accurately through kines-thetic indexing. Since you have a clear

view of your target and the area aroundyou, you can literally pick your shotsand deliver them with accuracy andcertainty. If necessary, you can even usethe power of your body mechanics to

turn your attacker away from innocent

parties and toward other solid back-stops to avoid endangering friendlies.


26/100


Realistic TrainingPracticing this technique is more a mat-ter of defensive tactics than shooting.All you need is a training partner anda safe training version of your normalcarry gun, such as a blue gun, a laser-equipped training gun or an airsoftpistol. Work slowly at first to get a feelfor the mechanics of the technique, andfocus on getting them right. If you cantdo them properly, you wont create asolid opportunity to draw and shoot.Once youre comfortable with the bodymechanics, work on your draw and theindexing of the pistol to get accurateshots. Dry-fire or laser-training pistols,like the LaserLyte Trigger Tyme, aregreat for this since they provide a visualindex of your target alignment and allowyou to practice operating the triggersafely and in the comfort of your ownhome. They also confirm that, with prop-er positioning, all of your body parts are

out of your line of fire and that you have asolid backstop for all of your shots.

Once youre thoroughly comfortablewith this technique, have your partnerput on some protective clothing (heavycoveralls and a groin cup) and train thetechnique with a blowback-style airsoftpistol. Make sure you also wear your typ-ical cover garment. Putting all of thesepieces together allows you to addressthe unexpected dynamics of this typeof contact-distance shooting, such asgetting tangled in your jacket, fouling thecycling of the slide, etc. It also lets yourpartner feel and react to the shots youdeliver. When he does, learn to finish thetechnique by clearing his arm, withdraw-ing your head and creating distanceallwhile maintaining good gun control andmuzzle discipline.

A sound, responsible, gun-based de-fense against a rear choke involves a lotmore than drawing and shooting. It alsorepresents a clear step up from shootingto real gunfighting. Incorporate it into

your training, and make it part of yourdefensive skill set.

STREET SMARTS

To escape a rear choke, first, hook the attackers arm with your hands (upper left). Step yourleft foot behind his legs (upper right), using your weight to pull his arm and turn the chokeinto a headlock. If in fear of your life, draw your handgun (lower left) and shoot your attackersleg (lower right). So positioned, you can see what youre shooting and aim accordingly.


27/100


28/100

combathandguns.com28COMBAT HANDGUNS February 2014

COMBAT TEST

Streamlined nine combinescombat reliability withnext-gen pocket power!BYDENIS PRISBREY PHOTOS BY STEVE WOODS

In the gun-writing business, all sorts

and kinds of guns come and go. Some

are quickly forgotten, some make

enough of an impression to generate

sharper memories and a relative few

(for writers not burdened with indepen-dent incomes and collector lifestyles)may end up staying on after the rangetesting and writing are finished andsubmitted. Some years back, I worked

with the then-relatively-new CZ P-01, acompact, 9mm, double-action/single-

action (DA/SA) autopistol first adoptedby the Czech national police in 2001 andlater approved by NATO in 2003, and itwas one of those that fell into the middlecategoryit made a definite impres-sion, but there was one overriding, little,nitpicky thing about it that kept me frombuying it after the dust settled (aboutwhich more later).

Made in a foreign land thats not

spelled A-U-S-T-R-I-A and not widelyembraced by Hollywood, CZ products

seem to be underrated in general, whichis unfortunate, since their quality is typi-cally excellent, and their pricing quitecompetitive. The CZ 75D PCR Compactis a prime example.

GUN DETAILSBased on the much-respected, 1975-era,full-sized CZ 75 DA/SA 9mm pistol thatsired the line almost 40 years ago, the CZ

75D PCR Compact is a 27.4-ounce DA/SA9mm with an alloy frame and a 14-round,

,,

,

..

,

,

,

,

, ,, ,

..

-

-

,,

,

,,.

..

,,, ,,

,

....... ,

In the gun-writing business, all sorts

and kinds of guns come and go. Some

are quickly forgotten, some make

enough of an impression to generate

sharper memories and a relative few

(for writers not burdened with indepen-dent incomes and collector lifestyles)may end up staying on after the rangetesting and writing are finished andsubmitted. Some years back, I worked

with the then-relatively-new CZ P-01, acompact, 9mm, double-action/single-

action (DA/SA) autopistol first adoptedby the Czech national police in 2001 andlater approved by NATO in 2003, and itwas one of those that fell into the middlecategoryit made a definite impres-sion, but there was one overriding, little,nitpicky thing about it that kept me frombuying it after the dust settled (aboutwhich more later).

Made in a foreign land thats not

spelled A-U-S-T-R-I-A and not widelyembraced by Hollywood, CZ products

seem to be underrated in general, whichis unfortunate, since their quality is typi-cally excellent, and their pricing quitecompetitive. The CZ 75D PCR Compactis a prime example.

GUN DETAILSBased on the much-respected, 1975-era,full-sized CZ 75 DA/SA 9mm pistol thatsired the line almost 40 years ago, the CZ

75D PCR Compact is a 27.4-ounce DA/SA9mm with an alloy frame and a 14-r

ound,

Streamlined nine combines


29/100

The slender, 3.8-inch-

barrled CZ 75D PCRCompact has dimensions

worthy of the name.

Carrying 14+1 rounds of9mm firepower, its also

a full-capacity combatpistol capable of placingrounds downrange with

pin-point accuracy.


30/100


steel, double-column magazine. Witha 3.8-inch barrel, its actually a bridgebetween the same-sized, steel-frame CZ75 Compact, which has a manual safety,and the alloy-frame P-01, which has alonger frame, a short accessory rail anda decocker. The standard steel Compact

can be carried cocked and locked forSA-first-shot carry use, or hammer downin DA mode for a long-trigger-travel firstshot. Theres no actual external manualsafety on either the CZ 75D PCR or theP-01, however, and the thumb lever onboth only decocks the hammer aftermanually chambering or firing a round.The CZ 75D PCR and the P-01 also haveforward cocking serrations on theirslides, while the steel Compact doesnt.All three feature an internal passive firingpin block deactivated by the trigger pull.These three models appear very similarat first glance and, in fact, many parts areinterchangeable between them.

The CZ 75D PCR comes equipped withcheckered rubber grip panels and fixed,three-dot, steel sights that use a palegreen paint to glow dimly in the dark ifcharged first under a bright light orflashlight beam. Not true night sights,they are visible in good lighting and evenmediocre lighting conditions, but theyrenot the best choice for true low-lightneeds. The rear sight is drift-adjustablefor windage, and both units are replace-

able by other options from CZ-USA,including tritium, fiber-optic, tactical and

competition versions if you need some-thing that stands out a little more. CZ-USA also carries several different kindsof grips for compact pistols, includingtwo cocobolo grip sets, one fully check-ered and the other half-checkered.

Other CZ 75D PCR features includea slightly extended, left-side-mountedmagazine release where youd expect it;a silver, plunger-style loaded-chamberindicator on top of the slide; verticalserrations at the front and backstraps ofthe grip; a serrated, steel trigger; a tallrowel hammer with extremely positive

spur serrations; horizontal serrations onthe outside front of the well-sized trig-

THERE WASNT

A SINGLE GLITCHDURING THEREST OF THETEST SESSION:THE MILD-MANNERED75D PCR WASA PLEASURE TOSHOOT.

The CZ 75D PCR comes equipped witha set of highly visible three-dot sights.

The serrated manual safety issituated on the guns left-hand side.

>>>CZ 75D PCR COMPACT


31/100


gerguard; a left-side-mounted slide lock/takedown pin; a beavertail frame tang;and a steel lanyard ring at the bottom

of the grip. The quality of the externalmachining, fit and finish under the matteblack polycoat was excellent, with sturdyaction parts inside. There are no MIMparts in these pistols; the Czech factoryis a fully modern facility but hasnt yetgone with too many cost-cutting alterna-tive materials or methods for buildingthe metal models.

The recoil spring is a non-captivetype, which I do like, supported by apolymer guide rod, which I do not like.Up front and uncommon nowadays, theslide incorporates a semi-removablebarrel bushing retained in place by thesame roll pin that also anchors the frontsight blade in its slot. This bushing isntmeant to be removed for cleaning, but itprovides the same replacement capabil-ity as the one Browning designed intohis Model 1911 pistol in case of wearwith extreme use. Replacing a bushing ischeaper than replacing an entire slide, ifit comes to that.

The polycoat finish is uniformly ap-plied, and under it there are no annoying,sharp edges anywhere that need to bedehorned, aside from the leading edgeof the steel magazine baseplate, whichcreates a minor irritation for the pinky

finger among those with thicker digitslike mine.

RANGE TIMEThe CZ 75D PCRs ergonomics are genu-inely superior and should help the pistolfit your hand well unless you happento have oversized hands, in which caseyoull probably want to swap the steel

magazine baseplates for either polymeror rubber that slightly extend the griplength with no front edge to dig into yourskin. One positive for the existing steelbaseplate (required by the Czech police)is that it does give you a good hook topull on if a magazine gets stuck for anyreason, and it also doesnt grab clothingwhen concealed like the rubber base-plates can.

Otherwise and elsewhere, the thick-ness of the grip area as it comes withrubber panels combines with a goodtrigger reach in my medium-sized hand,and the configuration and dimensionswork together to very strongly lock thepistol firmly in hand. This, of course,mates very well with the relatively lowrecoil of the 9mm for fast recoverybetween shots, so theres much lessmuzzle jump than other designs and

chamberings. Between the beavertail atthe top rear, the baseplate lip at thebottom front and the checkered rub-ber in between, the pistol simply cantgo anywhere during long strings of fire,and the space between the top of the leftgrip panel and the decocker lever formsa natural channel as a thumb rest forright-handers. Im normally a thumbs-up

SPECIFICATIONS

CZ 75D PCR COMPACT

Caliber 9mm

Barrel 3.8 inches



Grips Checkered rubber

Sights Three-dot, fixed

Action DA/SA

Finish Black Polycoat

Capacity 14+1

MSRP $582


32/100


guns.co

guy with a 1911, resting my thumb on topof the safety to make darn sure it doesntget knocked upward and on while fir-ing, but theres no need for that with thispistol, and in fact the most comfortableand controllable hold for me on the CZ75D PCR is with the right thumb in thechannel below the decocker and the left

thumb locking it down. Fired like that,with a locked wrist, rapid strings arevery doable. And while accuracy is moreimportant than breaking speed records,with practice this pistol can hold tightergroups on target than many other popu-lar pistol and caliber combinations if youdo find yourself in a hurry.

At the range, the CZ 75D PCR feltsizable enough to take it out beyond thecustomary 15-yard test distance reservedfor compacts, and this full-featured pistolgave full-sized results off the bench,keeping two different Black Hills loads

best five-shot groups under 2 inches. TheP-01 sample had a short chamber thatdidnt like to fully seat Speer 124-grainGold Dots, and I ran into the sameproblem on the PCR with an older box,only managing to get 10 rounds fired (fivetested for accuracy and five for chrono-graphing) with that load. Test your owncarry choice for function before you carryit. There wasnt a single glitch during therest of the session, and this mild-man-nered pistol was a pleasure to shoot.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 82

Black Hills 115 1,147 1.63JHP (steel case)

Black Hills 124 1,166 1.81JHP (brass case)

Speer Gold 1,091 3.50Dot 124 JHP

Winchester SXT 940 2.25Personal Protection147 JHP

PERFORMANCE

CZ 75D PCR COMPACT 9mm


BULLETWEIGHTMEASUREDINGRAINS, VELOCITYINFEETPERSECOND(FPS)BYCHRONOGRAPH,ANDACCURACYININCHESFORBESTFIVE-SHOTGROUPSAT25YARDS.

>>>CZ 75D PCR COMPACTOn the CZ 75D, theslide rides insidethe rails. Note the

large extractor.


33/100


34/100

COMBAT TEST

Stainless DA/SA six-shotprimed to deliver .357 Magnum thunder!BYPAUL SCARLATA PHOTOS BY STEVE WOODS

F

For more than a century, the firearm of choice of most policeofficers and civilians who carried a concealed handgun wasa short-barreled, double-action (DA) revolver chamberedfor the .38 Special, as exemplified by the Colt DetectiveSpecial and the Smith & Wesson Military & Police (M&P).Both revolvers were built on medium-sized frames, giv-ing them a six-round capacity, and they featured full-sizedgrips, which made them easier to shoottwo advantagesover small-frame, five-round .38 revolvers.

But the primary reasons for the DA revolvers popularitywith police and civilians were its ease of operation and innatesafety. The operating drill was the epitome of simplicity: aimrevolver, pull trigger. If the revolver didnt go bang, you didnthave to rack the slide, clear a jammed cartridge case orchange the magazine. You just had to pull the trigger again!

When you were done shooting, all that was necessary to

render the revolver safe was to remove your finger frominside the triggerguard. There were no safety or hammer drop

levers to manipulate, rotate or squeeze. It was easy to visuallyverify if the revolver was loaded: Open the cylinder. If you couldsee daylight through the chambers, it was unloaded.

A DA revolver could be carried, fully loaded, indefinitely,without ones having to be concerned that the compressionof the magazine or mainsprings would adversely affect itsreliability. The oft-repeated expression Six for sure! hadits basis in hard fact.

Even when semi-auto pistols began to replace the revolverin the holsters of American police officers in the 1990s, thesix-shot snubbies popularity with undercover police officersas a backup and off-duty weapon continued undiminished.For the same reason, many civilians who carried a concealedweapon maintained their loyalty to the wheelgun.

This situation began to change around the turn of the cen-tury, when more and more manufacturers introduced compact

and subcompact pistols chambered for serious cartridges.Around the same time, the revolver market became dominated

COMBAT TEST

R46202



35/100


Sturdy and compact,

the Brazilian-born

Rossi R46202 pairs its

snub-nosed, 2-inch

barrel with a full-length

underlug, giving the

gun the heft to place its

ferocious .357 payloadaccurately on target.


36/100


>>>ROSSI R46202

by small-frame, five-shot, snubnoserevolvers, many of which were avail-able with alloyand, more recently,polymerframes, reducing their weightconsiderably.

While this may all be very interest-ing from a technological viewpoint, itshould be kept in mind that none of theaforementioned in any way lessens the

practicality of the all-metal, medium-frame snubbie for law enforcement orpersonal defense.

Rossi, founded in Brazil in 1889 byAmadeo Rossi, has long been known

for its affordable, quality-built firearms.In 1997, the company became affili-ated with BrazTech International LC,which distributes its products in theU.S. At the same time, Forjas Taurus SA

purchased the rights and the equipmentto manufacture Rossi handguns, and the

company now manufactures an exten-sive line of revolvers under contract withRossi, which continues to build its long

guns at a plant in San Leopoldo, Brazil.Some of Rossis more popular prod-

ucts are its medium-frame, snubnosed.38- and .357-caliber revolvers, which

are available in either blue or stain-less steel. I was recently able to get my

The RossiR46202 shot to

point of aim withall four loads...


37/100


hands on one of the latter, the R46202,chambered for the .357 Magnum.

GUN DETAILSConstructed from stainless steel, theR46202 has the classic lines of thetraditional medium-frame snubbie. Its2-inch barrel has a full-length underlugthat not only protects the ejector rodfrom damage but adds weight up front,where it does the most good, to dampenrecoil.

The R46202 is a solid-frame designwhose cylinder is locked into the frameat two points. First, a spring-loadedcenter pin passes through and projects

out the rear of the ejector rod, and whenthe cylinder is closed, the pin enters arecess in the recoil plate holding thecylinder in place. In addition, a spring-loaded stud on top of the cylinder craneengages a mortise in the frame.

To open the cylinder, a thumb latchon the left side of the frame is pushedforward, which in turn forces the centerpin out of its locking recess, allow-ing the cylinder to be swung out to theleft. Pushing the ejector rod in thenforces out a star-shaped extractor,which extracts all of the cartridge casessimultaneously.

While it will most likely be fired inDA mode, an external hammer permitscocking the revolver for precise single-action (SA) shooting. The Rossi R46202also features Taurus Security System,which allows the shooter to lock thehammer and trigger to prevent unau-thorized firing. This is accomplished byinserting a key (two are provided) intothe lock located on the rear of the ham-mer and rotating it clockwise until youhear a click.

The R46202s sights consist of aramped blade up front and a square

SPECIFICATIONS

ROSSI R46202

Caliber .357 Magnum/.38 Special

Barrel 2 inches


Weight 26 ounces (empty)

Grips Rubber

Sights Blade front,square notch rear

Action DA/SA

Finish Stainless

Capacity 6

MSRP $465


38/100


groove in the topstrap. Basic, yes, buttotally suited to this revolvers intendeduses. And they will never be knocked outof alignment!

There will be little argument thatthe .357 Magnum is the uncontestedchampion of combat handgun cartridges.

Its on-target performance is legendary,and since its introduction in 1935, it hasbecome the standard by which all othersare compared. But there is one tradeofffor this level of performance: recoil.Weighing in at only 26 ounces unloaded,the Rossi R46202 can be carried comfort-ably for extended periods of time. Andwhile the R46202 is fitted with a set ofrubber, recoil-absorbing, finger-groovegrips, Im sure most of you are wonderingwhat its recoil with .357 Magnum loads islike. Well, read on.

I must mention that the gun I received

for testing had one of the better triggersIve felt on an out-of-box revolver in sometime. The DA trigger pull had a smooth,stage-free stroke, and the SA pull waslight with a crisp let-off.

RANGE TIMETo see how this Brasileiro brilhantemetralhadora(shiny Brazilian gun)performed, I accumulated a supply of.357 Magnum ammunition and headedto the range. Figuring that erring on theside of caution is always a good thing, Ialso brought along a supply of .38 Specialammunition.

As is my standard operating procedurewith short-barreled handguns, accuracytesting was performed at a moderate15 yards from an MTM K-Zone rest. AsI touched off the first .357 round, themuzzle blast and flash caused my fianc(and photographer) Becky to jump back afew feet. But I persevered and managedto shoot a half-dozen targets with themagnums. As I sat there massaging myright hand, she patted me on the shoul-der and asked, Now wasnt that fun?

The Rossi R46202 shot to point of aimwith all four loads and produced match-

>>>ROSSI R46202 PERFORMANCE

ROSSI R46202

.357MAGNUM VELOCITY ACCURACY

Black Hills 158 LSWC 971 2.50

Winchester 145 Silvertip 1,053 2.00

.38SPECIAL VELOCITY ACCURACY

Armscor 158 FMJ 713 2.75

Hornady 125 XTP 788 2.00

BULLETWEIGHTMEASUREDINGRAINS, VELOCITYINFEETPERSECOND(FPS)BYCHRONOGRAPH,ANDACCURACYININCHESFORBESTFIVE-SHOTGROUPSAT15 YARDS.


39/100


ing 2-inch groups with the Hornady.38s and Winchester .357s. Such ac-curacy from a 2-inch snubbie with fixedsights is quite extraordinary by anyonesstandards.

I then switched to the .38s, which,thankfully, were very soft shooting bycomparison. With this painful part ofthe test firing completed, I ran the Rossithrough a series of off-hand drills withboth .357 and .38 ammunition on aUSPSA target. Using an Alessi belt slideholster and Safariland speedloaders,I performed the following:At 5 yards, draw the revolver and

fire six rounds on target with an unsup-ported grip. Perform a combat reload,and fire six rounds on target with a sup-ported griphead shots only.At 7 yards, draw the revolver and

fire six rounds on target with a sup-

ported grip. Perform a combat reload andrepeat. Run the drill once more.

At 10 yards, draw the revolver andfire six rounds on target with slow, aimedfire. Perform a combat reload and repeat.

In the end, the R46202 lived up to myexpectations for a good, medium-frameDA revolver, and of the 48 rounds I sentdownrange, 45 found their way (with abit of help from your reporter) into thetargets A-zones. Was I impressed?Definitely.

FINAL NOTESWhile there can be no denying theeffectiveness of the .357 Magnum, it isgoing to require a lot of practice (endur-ance?) on the shooters part for it to liveup to its potential in a revolver this smalland light. And while the revolvers rub-ber grips helped soften felt recoil andimprove handling, every time I touchedoff a .357, the triggerguard impacted

against the joint of my middle finger. Iwould advise that those persons who are

unable to, or dont wish to, take the timeto train with .357s restrict themselves tousing .38s. For that reason, when I usedthe R46202 as my CCW gun the followingweek, the cylinder and a spare speed-loader were filled with .38 +P loads.

Readers familiar with my writing knowthat I usually end these reports by men-tioning any areas where I feel the manu-facturer could improve their product. Inthe case of the R46202, the only defi-ciency I found was the front sight. Whilethe blade is serrated, when the light hit itjust the right (or wrong) way, it tended todisappear into the guns stainless finish.I feel that the addition of a colored insertin the bladeor better yet, a fiber-opticrodwould make this a more shootablerevolver. Other than that, it would be avery viable choice for concealed carryor home defenseand at a very attractive

price. For more information, visitrossiusa.com or call 800-948-8029.

The cylinder is held to the frame at twopoints: via a spring-loaded center pin, deacti-

vated by the cylinder latch, and a stud, along

which the cylinder swivels outwardly.

There will be

little argument

that the .357 Magnum

is the uncontested

champion of combat

handgun cartridges.


40/100

ime and ammunition are pre-cious. So how do we make themost of our time at the range?Plan your practice. Do you

carry? If your range allowsit, practice drawing from your holster. Ifnot, you can drive out to extension froma high compressed ready (HCR) position.In an HCR, you bring the gun to mid-chest, close to the body. Its a great posi-tion in which to hold your firearm whenyou are not actually aiming or moving,as it gives you good control if someonewere to try to grab your gun. Also, inHCR, your arms are relaxed, placed in aresting position between shots.

Do you have a double-action/single-action pistol? Decock between shots

so you can practice making long, heavytrigger pulls. To warm up, start fairly

close in (I like to shoot a magazine at 8feet). Then move your target out a fewfeet at a time. If your accuracy suffers,your target is telling you something. A

good instructor can help you read yourtarget to see what you are doing. How farout? The average defensive encounter isclose, between 5 and 12 feet, so it makessense to practice at that distance. Shouldyou push yourself once in a while? Sure!I had to shoot to 50 feet to qualify formy pistol instructor certificationthatwas intimidating. I can do it, but I dontpractice at that distance regularly.

Defensive DrillsThe two types of defensive-shootingskills youll want to practice are speed

and precision shooting. Practicing speedshooting can be a lot of fun. It involves

unsighted fire using your natural kines-thetic alignment, with both eyes openand focused on your target. To practice,drive out from an HCR and take two,

three or four shots. Dont develop apattern of two shots and back. You dontknow how many shots you will need tostop a threat in a defensive situation. Indefensive speed shooting, you are tryingto place as many shots as needed as fastas you can in the high-center chest area.This is not 10-ring, 8-ring shooting; thisis yes or noeither you are in the area oryou arent. If your shots are too close to-gether, shoot a little faster. If your shotsare spread out and you miss, slow downa little. Youll want to strike a balancebetween speed and precision, shooting

quickly while still placing at least 80 per-cent of your shots in the chest area.

LADIES ONLY


T

AT HOME ON

THE RANGELife-saving range drills to make themost of your time on the firing line!BYLYNNE FINCH PHOTOS BYALFREDO RICO

Defensive scans should be a routine part of your range work and an ingrained habit. To practice, (from left to right) draw to a high compressedready (HCR). After aiming and firing, bring your gun back into an HCR and and do a 360-degree head scan, looking over both shoulders.

DEFENSIVE SCAN


41/100

NANO TECHNOLOGY:

SAFE DISASSEMBLYNO PULLING TRIGGER

COMPLETELY SNAG-FREE DESIGN

TOTALLY AMBIDEXTROUS

NO EXTERNAL SIDE LOCK

TOUGH TECHNOPOLYMER FRAME

INTRODUCINGTHE BERETTA NANO:Easy to conceal.Easy to reveal.

Learn more about the new Nano.

www.BerettaUSA.com/nano/CH

EXTENDED MAGAZINE:

NOW SHIPPING WITH

1 FLUSH MAGAZINE

1 EXTENDED MAGAZINE

2 MORE ROUNDS OF

PREVENTION

1 EXTRA INCH OF GRIP SURFACE

SCAN. LEARN MORE.


42/100


Range bags are to shoot-

ers what briefcases are tobusiness people, backpacksto students and purses tomost women. They carry the

tools of our tradeour gear,targets, ammunition, sparemagazines, eyes and earprotectioni.e., everythingwe need. Range bags, like

other types of bags, can bebasic and utilitarian, or theycan be pretty and fun. Each

style has its fans.

One source for a widevariety of basic range bags isGalati. The company makes awide selection of bags, from

the officially named SmallPistol Case (featuring twoexterior pockets and fourinterior slots for magazinesand accessories) to the more

expansive Pistol PouchMagazine Holder, which hasstorage room for two pistols

and their attendant gear, as

well as a strap for over-the-shoulder carry. Galati bagsare discreet, sturdy, function-al and, for so feature-packed

a product, modestly priced.Galati also makes a widerange of shooting-relatedaccessories.

Another great source for

range bags, and fun thingsshooting-related, is Gun God-dess. Not only are its bags

highly functional, theyre also

vibrantly colored and de-signed. Among the companyshead-turning bags are goldenor purple leopard print, and

pink or tangerine camo. Eachmulti-compartment bag hasample room for up to threehandguns, wrap-aroundhandles, a shoulder strap and

a heavy-duty fabric exteriorfor lasting durability.

A range bag expressesyour personality. Some an-nounce their purpose loudly

and proudly; others aredemur and discreet. No mat-ter your personal style, makesure to pick one that is large

enough to carry your gear. Abag that is too small can be asource of frustration. A bagthat is too big tends to getfilled with things you dont

need, becoming cumber-some. Find your style, findyour bag and enjoy your tripto the range.

For more information on

Galati, please visit galatiin-ternational.com. For moreinfo on Gun Goddess, visitgungoddess.com.

WHATS IN YOUR RANGE BAG? By Lynne Finch

With onehand, pressthe magazinerelease whilereaching fora spare withthe other.

3

To reload,first bringthe gunback intoan HCR.

1

Move yoursupporthand offthe pistoland towardyour sparemagazine.

2

Gun Goddess Pink Camo Bag

SPEED RELOAD

LADIES ONLY


43/100

Precision shooting is generallythought of as using sights. You areaiming for a small dot on the target. (Ifyou can hit it consistently without yoursights, great. The situation will dictatethe need for sights. But, you shouldpractice precision shooting because younever know when you will need it.) Flipyour target over so it is a blank sheet.Shoot one roundthat becomes youraiming point. Then, try to put severalrounds through that same hole. Youprobably wont need to be that accuratein a defensive situation, but isnt it goodto know that you can be if necessary?If you are having trouble, check yoursight alignment. Look through the rearsight and focus on the front post, whichshould be centered between the rearsight notches. The front post will coverthe hole at which youre aiming, so you

probably wont see it.

Mix It UpOnce you have practiced a bit of defen-sive and precision shooting, mix themup. If youre shooting defensively, makeyour next shot a precision or a head-shot. Be sure to practice scanning yoursurroundings (there may be a threatother than the one in front of you). Afterfiring, come back into an HCR positionand, keeping your gun pointed down-range, do a 360-degree scan, lookingover one shoulder than the other to see

if anythings behind you. This needs to

be done slowly enough to allow you toprocess information, but fast enoughthat you dont lose track of what is infront of you. Doing so breaks your focuson the target yet helps you maintainawareness of what is around you.

When you are ready, practice ev-erything one-handed. You never know,you might be injured or caught hold-ing a child or a pet. Are you comfort-able shooting with your strong hand?Try shooting with your support hand.Whichever hand you are using, remem-ber to cant (or angle slightly) the guntoward the center of your body. Thisturns your wrist and helps to absorb re-coil. Shoot fast at the high-center chestand shoot precisely at the nose area(where theres less bone and a betterchance of penetration), and shoot witheither hand as the situation dictates.

You dont have to do it all in one trip, butthese are things to think about.

Speed ReloadsAt some point during practice, you willneed to reload. Practice reloading whilenot looking at the gun. You want to belooking up and around while you dropthe empty magazine, letting it fall, andreach for your spare, indexing it into thegun. There are several reasons not tolook, but the best example is the threecups of coffee and stuck in traffic triphome. You get to your door, bladder

about to burst, and try to put the key in

the lock. You are under stress, and it isvery hard to make the key fit in the slot.The same thing can happen with yourmagazine. Dont look at it, and youll befine. Yes, it takes a little practice, butyou can do it!

What is more fun than going to therange? Going with a friend! Everythinglisted above can be done alone or witha friend, but your friend can add a twist.Practicing your precision? Fire a shotand have your friend attempt to firethrough the same hole. Go back andforth. This is called chasing the rabbitin the hole. Practicing driving out? Yourfriend can give you a command, suchas UP! meaning draw, or drive out,and take your shots. Doing scans? Haveyour friend stand behind you and holdup fingers. You need to see, recognizeand process the number of fingers

and then face front and fire thatnumber of rounds.

The great thing about these conceptsand drills is that they are not only prac-tical and effective training for self-de-fense, but also enjoyable things to do.As you probably know, when somethingis a chore, you can be less likely to fol-low through on it.

Shooting is FUN! Shooting withfriends is even more fun. Knowing howto defend yourself and your familythats essential! Make the most of yourrange time, but remember, sometimes

its OK to just punch holes in paper.

Magazine

securely

inserted,

rack the

slide.

5

Reload

finished,

drive the

gun foward

to a full

extension.

6

Keeping

your eyes

focused

down-

range,

insert

the spare

magazine.

4



44/100

SMITH & WESSON

SMITH & WESSON


COMBAT TEST

Ultra-ergonomic .45 ACP

bred for everyday carryand on-target precision!BY RICH GRASSI PHOTOS BYSTEVE WOODS

M&P45C

M&P45C

The Smith & Wesson Military & Police (M&P) of old arosefrom the Hand Ejector line of revolvers that began in the19th century. The idea was to have a rugged, ready-to-shoot,quick-to-reload, reliable and easy-to-carry defensive weap-on for military personnel and peace officers. Throughoutthe 20th century, the original M&P revolvers and variantshave filled military and police roles in America and aroundthe world.

The story of the M&P autopistols has been well documented.In short, this line was S&Ws attempt to put the M&P legacyinto a reliable, quick-to-shoot-and-reload, rugged, easily car-ried, defensive autoloading handgun.

Recently, I was able to test a new S&W M&P45c, the compactvariant of the M&P45. And while Ive had considerable experi-ence with the M&P line of pistols, a couple of the newer M&Prevolvers, and even the M&P15 rifle line, Ive never had achance to handle an M&P45c.

GUN DETAILSAt first glance, I considered the gripping surface of the frametoo short for good control, while the 4-inch barrel and slidecombination of the mid-sized M&P45 seemed too long forthe compact version of the .45. I was mistaken, however. As I

removed the new gun from the box, I immediately realized howwell the M&P45c fit my hand with the flat-floorplate magazinein place. There was no wasted space, but my entire hand couldcompletely grip the pistol. The apparently over-long slide/barrel was not over-long in terms of handling. It was just right.

The M&P autopistols have been around since late 2005. Theslide and barrel are through-hardened stainless steel finishedwith a corrosion-resistant finish for a hardness rating of 68HRC. Unlike earlier iterations of the M&P semi-autos, thecurrent guns are no longer marked stainless on the left sideof the slide. The M&P45c also has a new low-profile rear sightwith a cocking ledge and no manual thumb safety. The pistolalso lacks the longer frame tool assemblythe part thatholds the interchangeable backstrap in place and can be usedto push down the sear-deactivation lever. It lacks a lanyardloop, but since its designed for concealment, the M&P45cdoesnt need the added protection a lanyard loop offers.

Speaking of the interchangeable palm swells/backstraps,I changed the one that came installed on the gun immediately.The M&P45c is shipped with the medium-sized backstrap in-stalled, as well as a larger and smaller version. I put the smallbackstrap on the gun.

Like the other M&Ps, the M&P45c ships with a pair of


45/100


As I removed the new gun from

the box, I immediately realizedhow well the M&P45c fit my

hand...my entire hand couldcompletely grip the pistol.

The S&W M&P45c packs a heavy punch in its carry-compatible, 7.5-inch-long frame, offering users 8+1 rounds of .45 ACP firepower.


46/100


>>>SMITH & WESSON M&P45C

magazines. They are rated for eightrounds, but its a tight fit when you tryan in-battery reload. One magazine hasthe flat floorplate for concealment andthe other has an extended floorplate,

which provides a place for the smallfinger to rest.

An eight-shot capacity, legal nearlyeverywhere but New York, actually

exceeds the capacity of the century-longworld standard of service autopistols,the Model 1911originally and for manyyears thereafter issued with seven-round magazines. Trying a 10-round

spare magazine from my Apex TacticalLimited M&P45 in the M&P45c, I foundthe magazine locked up just fine with nohint of a propensity to overtravel if I wasin a hurry. Brownells supplied me with a

couple of M&P45 magazines, includinga long 14-round unit. Likewise, that high-

capacity magazine locked up perfectly.Shooting, of course, would determine thereliability of the setup.

The compact pistols action, like otherM&P semi-autos, is a modern striker-fired design. The gun is narrow, less than1.25 inches wide, and it fits most M&P

holsters Ive tried, including the leather,pancake-style Galco COP holster; the

The striker-firedM&P45c includes

low-profile, three-dotsights and scallopedserrations for easier

slide manipulation.


47/100


Blade-Tech Eclipse OWB holster;the Blade-Tech IWB holster; and a

CrossBreed SuperTuck Deluxe. The onlyM&P45-size magazine pouch I had was adouble unit from Blade-Tech that the 10-and 14-round magazines both fit into. Idecided that if I carried a pair of sparesnot usually likelythe long magazinewould go to the back for a tactical reload.The first spare mag was to be the moreeasily handled 10-round unit.

Randi Rogers at Comp-Tac also sentalong a pair of the companys single magpouches. While Id likely carry only one ata time concealed, I had some latitude toadd the second easy-on pouch in a mo-

ment if needed. Not being joined, itd beeasier to sort around on the be

combat handguns - 2014 02

Documents