Personal Defense

Springfield Armory has introduced its smallest pistol to date in the 1911-style 911 .380.

Offering a high-capacity magazine and enough velocity to expand bullets, you’ll find more high-tech 9mm ammo, from more makers, than any other cartridge.

Groundbreaking study compares red dot sights with conventional iron sights, green-dot laser sights, and slide-mounted red-dot sights with and without backup iron sights (BUIS) on the pistols. Which sights are best for concealed carry?

Nighthawk Custom’s T4 is an elegant work of art, but it’s also a fine pistol that serves equally well in defense of life.

Colt’s classic 1911 still remains America’s favorite handgun, and there are a host of different models that draw in premiums on the collector’s market.

John Browning was one of the most prolific firearms designers in history, producing a number of great guns in his career. Here are nine of his best.

Beretta’s most famous firearm may well be its Model 92 pistol, first offered in 1975 in 9mm. Now, the impressive new Beretta M9A3 model is a serious contender as a modern survival gun.

Tacticool instruction might be fun, but it won't make you a more prepared armed citizen. Handgun training should focus on the skills with practical tools that will save your skin.

Everyone loves the classic .45 Colt cartridge, and it’s still relevant after almost 150 years.

Handgun trainers typically come from a variety of shooting backgrounds. But do these background necessarily make them the best trainers for armed citizens?

Concealed carry of small handguns, a.k.a. micro guns or pocket pistols, is controversial. But sometimes it makes sense for self-defense, if you know how to make the most of those smaller calibers.

Springfield has upped the ante with its XD-E, releasing the hammer pistol in the hard-hitting .45 ACP.

A shotgun is an exceptional all-around weapon for home defense, especially when you build it to your preferences.

Rightsized, the Walther PK380 is small enough to slip into a pocket, but has the performance of much larger self-defense handgun.

The Nighthawk Border Special 1911 does whatever you ask of it, and it does it well. It is designed by former peace officer Jim Wilson.

Most firearms handgun drills are universal, applying to both semi-automatic pistols and revolvers. But there are a few more facets that need to be mastered when becoming proficient with a pistol.