Rifles keep getting lighter, so why haven’t scopes kept up? Here we discuss the future of lightweight riflescopes and look at the top models currently available.
It all that long ago, there were a lot of lightweight riflescopes to choose from. This was back before hunters and most shooters thought 18x magnification was necessary to hit anything, and it was also before target turrets and parallax adjustments on riflescopes became standard features. When I first started writing for gun magazines about 25 years ago, the fixed power Leupold 4×33 riflescope was very popular. Leupold has since discontinued that riflescope, and lightweight riflescopes in general are now on the endangered species list.
Arguably, this transition from light to heavy riflescopes began in 2014 with the release of the movie American Sniper. The martial and marksmanship abilities of the rifleman have always impressed us, and that combined with Chris Kyle’s patriotism, devotion to duty and untimely and terrible death, made for a fabulous story. The movie was also an anthem to every American who has worn the uniform. Most importantly, then as now, American’s needed a hero.
Much like Clint Eastwood’s Dirty Harry film of 1971 launched the .44 Magnum revolver to stardom, American Sniper was the inspiration shooters needed to spark an indulgence in long-range rifle craft. Not only did this create a demand for heavy long-range riflescopes, but it also elevated the 6.5 Creedmoor—which had been languishing with only so-so interest since 2008—to one of the most popular rifle cartridges of all time.
As happens with all shooting disciplines, a bubble of interest developed, like with cowboy action shooting and three-gun competitions. Today, we’re at the height of long-range shooting popularity, and the rifles and riflescopes being manufactured reflect the demands of the consumer.
Interestingly, our hunting rifles are getting lighter. Just look at the six-pound Redline from Springfield Armory, the lighter than 6- and even 5-pound NULA rifles from Wilson Combat, as well as a host of lightweight hunting rifles from other manufacturers. Oddly enough, some hunters are using these lightweight rifles as an excuse to go with a heavy riflescope.
An acquaintance recently purchased one of the Wilson Combat NULAs that weighed less than 6 pounds and then paired it with a Nightforce riflescope that weighted nearly 2 pounds. While his overall field-ready weight is less than it would have been with a heavy rifle, the heavy scope destroyed the lithe and nimble handling qualities of the expensive featherweight rifle he chose.
The beauty of the lightweight riflescope is that it pairs perfectly with a lightweight rifle. And, as the great gun writer Townsend Whelen once so astutely observed, “A man will travel farther, hunt over more country, have a better chance of coming on game, and be in better condition when he does if his weapon is light.”
For hunters looking to keep weight down in the field, or even for shooters who do not want to overburden themselves or maybe youngsters with an overly heavy rifle, there’s still a valid and practical —though seemingly much overlooked—need for lightweight riflescopes.
Modern Lightweight Riflescopes
I spent a full day crawling the internet looking for lightweight riflescopes that are still in production. I found six options that weigh 12 ounces or less and that I thought practical for general-purpose use and common hunting applications. Here’s a rundown of the best of the current less than 12-ounce lightweight riflescopes available. The good news is I’ve used them all and can recommend them.
Burris
Burris makes great riflescopes that are dependable. Over the years I used several of them and their now discontinued 2-7x35mm Fullfield II was one of my favorites. Currently, Burris doesn’t catalog a traditional riflescope weighing 12 ounces or less. However, what Burris does have is what’s arguably the best and most traditional scout scope offered by any manufacturer. Their fixed power 2.75x20mm Scout scope weighs only 7 ounces and features a heavy plex reticle and Burris’ Forever warranty. A variable power scope might be more appealing and more versatile, but you won’t find one this light. It retails for $348.
Burris 2.75x20mm Scout scope.
Leupold
Leupold has been and continues to be the leader when it comes to lightweight riflescopes. Even if you’re comparing heavy riflescopes, it’s more than likely the Leupold will weigh the least. Even though Leupold has discontinued some of their best lightweight riflescopes like their fixed power 4x33mm and 2.5x20mm, they still catalog five excellent lightweights that should serve most any practical need.
An excellent choice for lever-action rifles, muzzleloaders and other short to moderate range rifles is Leupold’s VX-3HD 1.5-5x20mm riflescope. I’ve used several of these over the years and now it even comes with Leupold’s excellent CDS trajectory compensating dial system. This riflescope weighs only 10.1 ounces, but it also costs $500. In today’s economy, some of us don’t have $500 to spend on anything but groceries and gasoline.
Leupold VX-3HD 1.5-5x20mm riflescope.
Leupold’s VX Freedom line replaced their VX-I and VX-II riflescope line; they’re American made and recoil rated to withstand the energy of a .458 Lott. They have click adjustments, Leupold’s proprietary Twilight Light Management System, and they all have 1-inch scope tubes. If you’d really like the VX-3HD 1.5-5x20mm but just cannot afford it, Leupold’s VX Freedom 1.5-4x20mm is a great option, and it’s available with the unique MOA Ring or the Pig Plex reticle. It weighs 9.6 ounces and retails for only $299.99.
The Leupold VX Freedom 1.5-4x28mm IER scope will work on scout rifles but must be mounted further back than a traditional scout scope.
If you want a lightweight scope but need a bit more magnification, I think the Leupold VX-3HD 2.5-8X36mm is one of the best riflescopes money can buy. I’ve had one on my dedicated whitetail rifle, which is a 5-pound New Ultra Light Arms Model 20S chambered for the 30 Remington AR for almost a decade now. This riflescope is less than a foot long and weighs 11.9 ounces. Like the VX-3HD 1.5-5X20mm Leupold, it also comes with the CDS dial system and has a suggested retail price of $499.99.
A lesser expensive but similar option is the Leupold VX Freedom 2-7x33mm. The first riflescope I ever purchased for a centerfire rifle was a 2-7X, and I used it to take a lot of groundhogs, a lot of deer and to even win my first off-hand silhouette match. This less expensive lightweight Leupold weighs 11.1 ounces and has a suggested price of only $299.99.
The is another lightweight Leupold that comes in at only 9.6 ounces, and it’s the Leupold VX Freedom 1.5-4x28mm IER Scout scope. This riflescope is a great companion to any scout rifle but must be mounted a bit further back due to its 6.0- to 6.9-inch eye relief. However, this amount of eye relief is almost perfect for some of the modern lever guns outfitted with a rail and an aperture sight like Marlin’s new SBL and Dark series rifles.
Swarovski
Swarovski makes some of the finest optical instruments hunters and shooters can look through. Their $5,100 dS riflescope will range the target and instantly provide you with an aiming point that reflects the shooting solution. Their less expensive Z8i line ($3,299 to $4,049) contains some of the most optically brilliant riflescopes money can buy, but they’re also heavy. The dS riflescope weighs 39 ounces and Swarovski’s lightest Z8i weighs 21 ounces.
Swarovski Z3 3-9x36mm riflescope.
Because of the steep prices, weight and size of Swarovski’s best riflescopes, shooters often overlook them when it comes to a compact and lightweight option. However, Swarovski’s excellent Z3 3-9x36mm is one of the best general-purpose riflescope made. My wife used it on her 243 during her first African safari, and I’ve used the same scope on several hunts and to frequently evaluate lightweight rifles. The Z3 3-9x36mm retails for $799 and weighs in at 12 ounces on the nose.
The author’s wife used the Swarovski Z3 3-9x36mm riflescope with great success in Africa and West Virginia.
SWFA
SWFA Outdoors is a family owned and operated business located in Waxahachie, Texas. SWFA used to retail a wide range of riflescopes but today they only offer their own line, which has a long story behind it. In 1993, Tasco provided a 10X sniper scope to the U.S. Navy. Now a lot of shooters don’t have a high opinion of Tasco riflescopes, but Tasco outsources their manufacturing, and the Navy’s scope was built very well and to government contract specs.
Ultimately, Bushnell acquired Tasco and SWFA worked with the factory Tasco was using to build the Navy’s excellent riflescope to develop their own comprehensive line, which is now known as SS riflescopes. The SWFA 2.5-10x32mm SS Ultralight riflescope is one of three similar lightweight riflescopes offered by SWFA. One has a BDC-style reticle, another has a 50-yard parallax for rimfire application, and the third has the conventional Plex-style reticle. At 9.5 ounces, these just might be the lightest 2.5-10X riflescopes in the world. The lenses are fully multi-coated, and the scope is waterproof, fogproof and shockproof. It retails for $349.95.
SWFA 2.5-10x32mm SS Ultralight riflescope.
The Future
The interests in various shooting disciplines have a half-life. They rise in popularity and then slowly fade away. Oddly enough, in 2024, at the height of the popularity of long-range marksmanship we saw the introduction of a wide assortment of lever-action rifles. Some were traditional and others were radically modified lever guns that some refer to as “tactical” renditions of what is truly an iconic American firearm. The lever gun is the antithesis of the long-range sniper rifle and as its popularity ignites, I expect we’ll see more compact and lightweight riflescopes better suited to this weapon system.
The Leupold VX-3HD 2.5-8x36mm riflescope is one of the author’s favorite hunting scopes, especially on lightweight rifles.
Hopefully, with the influx of modern lightweight rifles, manufacturers will also begin to offer re-engineered and even lighter lightweight riflescopes suited to more general-purpose applications. Fortunately, I’ve still got several and until the times change, I’d suggest that you pick up one or two when the opportunity presents itself. Who knows what shooting trend will drive the market next or when we will see a return to more practical and lighter weight riflescopes?
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Kimber has just expanded its line of KDS9c handguns with the CDS9, a new high-capacity micro-compact carry pistol.
Last year we reviewed the Kimber KDS9c, a pistol that the author described as a modernized 1911, and it left us very impressed. Since then, Kimber has released a couple more variants of the design featuring accessory rails and threaded barrels, but all were “commander-sized” with roughly 4-inch barrels. Now, the company is adding a micro-compact version to the lineup with the CDS9.
Like the KDS9c, the CDS9 is a single-action-only, hammer-fired 9mm pistol with a robust metal frame. Unlike the KDS9c, its barrel is only 3.18 inches. Each pistol will ship with one 13- and one 15-round magazine, but flush-fit 10-round mags will be available as well. The CDS9 also comes standard with an ambidextrous safety and slide release alongside a reversible magazine release button. Other features of the pistol worth mentioning include their optics-ready slides (RMSc footprint), accessory rails, G10 VZ grips, flat-faced triggers and TAG Precision iron sights with fiber optic front sights.
Mountie Mizer, Vice President of Sales at Kimber, said this about the new concealed carry pistol:
This product is a spectacular example of how Kimber continues to build consumer focused products with the attributes they are looking for. The CDS9 is just an awesome handgun for individuals looking for the most capacity with the greatest concealability.
Kimber CDS9 TFS.
The Kimber CDS9 is available now and has an MSRP of $1,075, as well as a TFS variant with a threaded barrel that has an MSRP of $1,095.
Here we take a quick look at the short, stubby and screaming fast .22 PPC-USA cartridge.
The .22 PPC-USA was developed in 1974 by Dr. Louis Palmisano and Ferris Pindell, primarily for use as a benchrest cartridge. Although originally a wildcat, Sako of Finland introduced commercial rifles and ammunition late in 1987. Norma followed suit in 1993 with loaded ammunition.
Because the .22 PPC-USA is an American development, it’s listed here as a current American rifle cartridge, with the “-USA” appended, rather than as a European cartridge. The cartridge is based on the .220 Russian case, which is a necked-down version of the 7.62x39mm Soviet military cartridge.
The Wichita Engineering and Supply Co. made the first rifles for both the .22 and 6mm PPC cartridges. Many custom rifles have been built around this cartridge. In 1993, Ruger announced its No. 1V and M77 varmint rifles in this cartridge as well.
General Comments
The originators altered the .220 Russian case by giving it a 10-degree body taper and 30-degree shoulder angle, as well as expanding the neck to accept the standard .224-inch diameter bullet used in the United States. The cartridge cases are made in Finland by Sako, or in Sweden by Norma, and use small-rifle primers.
Although the .22 PPC-USA is a short, rather stubby case only 1.51 inches long, it nevertheless develops ballistics superior to some larger, longer cartridges such as the .222 and .223 Remington. The 52-grain bullet can be pushed out of the muzzle at more than 3,500 fps, and this definitely places the .22 PPC-USA in the varmint and small-game class. A 1:14 twist has become standard for these rifles, although a 1:12 twist can sometimes be found.
We hit the range with the Franchi Momentum All-Terrain Elite to see if the rifle proves all-season ready.
Imagine if a new, camo’d-out and fully loaded Ford F-150 arrived in your driveway, and all you had to do was punch start and go right-pedal-down to your next adventure. Maybe Ford isn’t your brand, but you get the picture. Such is the feeling of unboxing Franchi’s Momentum All Terrain Elite (MATE) rifle.
The MATE is a shorter but feature-rich variant of Franchi’s Momentum Elite hunting rifle released in 2022. Designed as a bolt-action, box magazine-fed, everyday-use constant companion rifle, the MATE has a well-chosen set of features on a foundation of quality components at a price that reflects its broad utility.
The first impressionist crowd might snap-label the MATE as just another scout rifle or truck gun. You could certainly set it up as either or both, but its rugged and utilitarian design reflects an aspiration for a flexible rifle that can guard the yard or fill the freezer and take some punishment in the process.
Packed with functional features, the Franchi Momentum All-Terrain Elite (MATE) is a fun utility player for the field, range or vehicle.
For example, the MATE’s 18-inch barrel gives it a compact overall length of 40 inches and an empty weight of 7.5 pounds. It doesn’t have Euro-inspired lines or sport rainforest hardwoods. Instead, its rust-proof and impact-friendly molded polymer stock is covered in a True Timber Strata camouflage that dares you to strap it to something knobby tires and sling mud on it.
However, beyond the rugged exterior are design features that make this rifle customizable for a variety of applications and preferences.
The MATE is a rifle made to be stowed and carried. The stock features three quick-detachment (QD) points on both sides and the bottom of the butt, with the same number at the forend. This allows the shooter to quickly configure (or reconfigure) the sling attachments for centerline, one-sided or single-loop-dangle-from-a-treestand options. For African stalks with frequent crouches, I appreciated a one-sided sling orientation that kept the bolt handle facing out and the optic flat, whether I carried the rifle on my shoulder or diagonally across my back.
The MATE’s design is a nice blend between form and function: There are creature comforts worked into the stock in various places … none of which detract from the overall look of the rifle.
Forward of each of the forend’s three QD points are two metal Magpul M-Lok Modular Locking System attachment slots. This allows the shooter to go AR-crazy with attachments like bipods, lights or vertical grips. The M-Lok system slots sit flush and inside the polymer stock, adding rigidity and eliminating the cheese grater feel of Picatinny rails on handguards—though you can always attach them.
The MATE features a flat forend designed to fit flush on horizontal field rests such as packs and fence rails. Like both its sides, the bottom of the forend features an M-Lok slot that can be utilized for a sling mount or, as pictured here, a bipod.
The forend has stippled sides and a flat bottom that provides a stable surface for field rests, but it’s not so wide that it feels unnatural in your support hand. Franchi’s final stock touches are grippy, rubberized surfaces on the palm swell, low and high interchangeable modular check pieces, and TSA recoil pads that come in three sizes to customize to the shooter’s preferred length-of-pull.
At first touch, Franchi’s investment in ergonomics on the MATE pays immediate returns—your hands just know where to go and what to do when they get there.
The function of the MATE follows its design. The 60-degree throw, three-lug bolt is spiral-fluted, chromed, and fitted with an oversized bolt knob. In addition to being cool to remove and look at, I found the narrower throw range quicker and an easy handling adjustment compared to traditional bolts. You won’t be finger-cycling the action like an Olympic bi-athlete, but neither will you feel like a short-armed hydraulic press operator.
The Franchi features a three-lug bolt face. This design increases the engagement area over the traditional two-lug design and adds a third angle of radial stability.
The MATE’s controls are similarly well-designed. The trigger is Franchi’s curved and rounded Relia Trigger, adjustable between 2 and 4 pounds. Out of the box, mine broke consistently at 3 pounds. An ambidextrous magazine release extends to and is slightly recessed into the leading edge of the trigger guard and the trailing edge of the polymer M5-style box magazine well. With normal-to-large-sized hands, I could comfortably reach the safety, trigger and magazine release controls by extending my fingers from a natural, fixed position on the curved grip.
The rifle comes with a 10-round polymer Magpul AICS magazine. The close tolerances of the polymer-to-polymer mating surfaces inside the magwell took a few reloads to smooth out, but after a few cycles, even empty magazines fell free with a moderate index finger touch on the release lever.
The modular stock comb allows shooters to adjust the rifle to their eyes and head. Franchi supplies two heights with each rifle. Plus, the box mag release lever is accessible yet tucked away to avoid an accidental extraction.
The MATE’s 1:11 twist, 18-inch Midnight Bronze Cerakoted barrel shortens the rifle’s overall profile, begging you to throw it in the truck like a loyal hound dog. The muzzle is threaded 5/8×24 and comes with a flared radial muzzle brake that adds 1¼ inches to its overall length but transitions smoothly from the barrel line without gaping zig-zag cuts or creating a speargun profile. Though Franchi includes a matching thread protector, unless you’re a length-minimalist, the muzzle brake and rubber TSA buttpad combination softens recoil considerably.
Utilitarian functionality also rides proudly atop the barrel. The MATE features folding front and rear sights that work as three-dot pistol-style sights in the down position and adjustable peep sights in the up position. The rear sight’s base is anchored in a cast pocket at the rear of the Pic rail, protecting its hinge. It’s a clever design element … except for the 8.5 inches of Pic rail notches that sing a siren’s song to attach optical accessories and block the iron sights.
Whatever your choice, there are two backups to a glass optic instead of one. Again, the MATE is what you make it, and doesn’t leave many excuses not to like it.
On The Range With The Franchi Momentum
Offered in .308 Winchester and .223 Remington, I tested the larger, more plains game-appropriate chambering. Initial range time returned a smooth-functioning action with no failures to feed or extract, using five different loads from 150 to 178 grains. I added a bit of lubricant to the action before I began, but not much. Franchi’s choice to chrome the bolt and the tighter cycling radius made for an easy experience.
I also switched out the muzzle brake for a SilencerCo Omega suppressor. This extended the overall length to 44.75 inches, which is still shorter than some of Franchi’s Momentum Elite series rifles.
The MATE comes with a healthy one-piece 10-inch rail mount that includes 8.5 inches of Picatinny rail and a three-dot or pop-up peep sight built into the rear of the rail.
I ran my practice time and load testing with the same setup I took to Africa. I added a Steiner H6Xi 2-12×42 scope with Vortex rings, a Magpul adjustable sling mounted on the left-side QD attachments and a short, ramped section of Pic rail in the M-Lok slot on the bottom of the forend to attach a bipod. At the range, and especially for re-zeroing in Africa, I like to have an easy and consistent way to stabilize the rifle, so the bipod made both trips. Without the suppressor, the recoil was moderate. With the can, it was minimal. For a medium-length rifle, the MATE manages recoil well.
The best three-shot groups stayed well within Franchi’s 1-MOA guarantee with premium factory ammunition. The smaller and faster Hornady 150-grain SST had the tightest at group 0.38 inch. The laws of physics being as immutable as a dripping sink, the shorter barrel traded off its length and slow twist rate for the ability to control larger bullets. But the rifle handled loads across a 38-grain spectrum with consistent accuracy.
CARTRIDGE
VELOCITY (FPS)
BEST 3-SHOT GROUP (INCHES)
BEST 5-SHOT GROUP (INCHES)
Federal 165 Grain Bonded SD
2,550
0.48
1.74
Hornady 150-grain SST
2,949
0.38
0.71
Black Hills 175-grain BTHP
2,509
0.32
1.06
Hornady 178-grain ELD-X
2,547
0.83
2.12
Hornady 165-grain AW InterLock
2,658
0.57
0.84
Tested at 5,100 feet ASL; 52 degrees F; bench rest, bipod and rear bag; 2-12x42mm Steiner optic, SilencerCo Omega suppressor. Results reflect the best of three, 3-shot and 5-shot groups. Velocity data: Garmin Xero C1 Pro chronograph.
World Traveler
The MATE survived the trip from Utah to the Eastern Cape region of South Africa, approximately 100 miles north of the coastal city of Port Elizabeth on the Indian Ocean. Despite a drop off the airline conveyor belt I witnessed helplessly from inside the plane and stops in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth, the rifle required no windage adjustments and only a moderate elevation adjustment. Our African hunting area was 40 degrees warmer and 2,000-foot in elevation lower than my home range, so a 3-MOA adjustment wasn’t a surprise.
With a box magazine full of Hornady 178-grain ELD X ammunition, my Professional Hunter (PH) Chris Jonker and Tracker Mike Moukiwa set out in a traditional Land Cruiser “bucky” to glass for blue wildebeest—the poor man’s Cape buffalo. A slow crawl through the acacias produced a herd of Cape Buffalo and a family of giraffes before we found a high-sided canyon wall with a herd of wildebeests mixed in with Cape Zebra and springboks. Our stalk didn’t meet with success before the sun fell, but we had a spot to restart our search.
We relocated the herd the next as the morning sunlight burned thick white coastal clouds off the hillsides. Chris and Mike communicated with nods and hand signals to guide us quietly over and around a cliff where we hoped to ambush the herd on the back side.
For my part, I carried the rifle and watched the masters anticipate where the game might move and position me for a shot. After several climbs and descents along a ridgeline, we moved down and across grass and acacia-covered slopes strewn with football-sized rocks. Fortunately, we had the wind in our faces, dampening our steps and keeping our scent out of the herd’s noses.
Chris located a very big bull at the edge of the group, moving through cover just over 200 yards to our front. We crouched and maneuvered slowly closer, slightly to the bull’s left. Standing and braced on shooting sticks, I broke the shot. The bullet took him in the high shoulder, and he fell where he stood—in the shade of an acacia tree. From the looks of his “nubby” teeth, ground nearly flat with age, we chose an old bull beyond the end of his prime.
The .308 Franchi MATE and the Hornady 178-grain ELD-X .308 cartridge brought down this old blue wildebeest bull quickly and cleanly in the shade of an acacia tree.
Final Rounds
Though not from a traditionally snobbish line of African safari rifles, the MATE was a fun and effective partner in the field. Its short length (even with a suppressor) made loading vehicles and crouching stalks under low trees easier. The .308 cartridge and Steiner H6Xi 2-12x42mm optic were more than sufficient for typical plains game ranges.
I experienced no failures or issues of any kind. As a working tool, the MATE became more familiar, faster, than any rifle I have taken to the field. It seemed to want to stay in Africa to keep hunting and managing the environment for the next generation—or maybe that was just me.
Franchi Momentum All-Terrain Elite Deals
Franchi
$1,449
EuroOptic
$1,299.99
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking for a new iron or piece of kit to enhance the one you already own? Check out these 7 new bits of guns and gear to grow your firearms wish list.
Welcome to the Future of Everyday Carry: the EDC X9 2.0. Launched in 2016, the EDC X9 rapidly rose to popularity, merging the timeless design of 1911 with the cutting-edge features modern shooters demand. The 2.0 builds upon this with upgrades that deliver superior performance and reliability. Of note, the new iteration has a solid-frame construction using a durable, high-capacity compact aluminum X-Frame. And the 9mm’s grips are fully adjustable, fine-tuning the gun to your hand. And it’s set up to feel great in hand, striking the perfect balance between comfort and concealability. The pistol was a knockout to begin with, and now is more so with Wilson dolling it up. MSRP: $3,307
Freedom Munitions 44 Magnum 240-Grain X-Def Ammo
Freedom Munitions has expanded its X-DEF defense line with a powerful .44 Magnum cartridge. This self-defense round features a brass case loaded with a 240-grain X-DEF hollow-point expanding bullet from X-Treme Bullets and premium low-flash powder. Tested extensively in their ballistics lab, the 240-grain projectile achieves a velocity of 1,350 fps from a 6-inch barrel and penetrates 15 to 18 inches in ballistic gelatin, delivering 971 ft-lb of kinetic energy. This combination makes it an effective choice for protection. Over the past year, Freedom Munitions has also added several new calibers to the X-DEF line, including .38 Special, .357 Mag, .10MM and .357 Sig. MSRP: $44, box of 50
Ed Brown Kobra Carry Dual Caliber
Few have escaped the .45 ACP-9mm debate at some point in their lives. However, it seems Ed Brown may have come up with an answer of which is the better carry caliber—both. This is precisely what the gunmaker’s Kobra delivers with a system that slips seamlessly between the German wonder caliber and the American standard bearer. Shipping with dedicated slides, barrels and components for each cartridge, the 1911 gives you the perfect one-two punch. Ed Brown angles the .45 setup as a bit more of a range tool, with the upper outfitted with fixed sights, while the 9mm is meant for carry with the EVO upper coming outfitted with a Vortex Venom red dot. It’s quite a package all wrapped up in one gun. MSRP: $4,700
Smith & Wesson Bodyguard 2.0
For more than a decade, armed citizens have trusted their lives to the Bodyguard. Now, Smith & Wesson looks to protect another generation of shooters with a revamped version of the handy little .380 Auto. The prolific gun manufacturer hasn’t attempted to reinvent the wheel with the 2.0. Much of what made the pistol popular in the first place remains—namely its petite size. However, it has freshened up the design with what should prove welcome upgrades. Chief among these are higher 10-round flush fit and 12-round extended capacity magazines. Additionally, S&W has outfitted the gun with more aggressive cocking serrations, a snappy flat-faced trigger and very comfortable ergonomics. Overall, the .380 looks to have a lot of muscle for a micro pistol. MSRP: $450
Brownells Gunsmithing Vise
Get beyond basic firearms cleaning and you quickly find out a bench vise is a dang handy addition to your workbench. Nowadays, getting one worth the money is a challenge. Enter Brownells and its newly minted Gunsmithing Vise. The German-made tool is compact, yet sturdy—an extra hand designed to last a lifetime. Some of the vise’s highlights include forged-steel construction, reversible (one side smooth the other checkered) and replaceable jaws and rolled trapezoidal spindle thread for distribution clamping force. Not to mention, it’s a looker too. MSRP: $400
Sig Sauer Romeo-X Enclosed
Like guns, optics go through the trend cycle. Peaking presently are enclosed red dots. Sig is the latest to leverage these rugged aiming systems with a new addition to its legendary Romeo line of optics. In addition to the inherent assets of an enclosed red dot—namely, less chance of fowling the emitter—the device has a lot more going for it. What most will like are that the dimensions are tailored to a micro-compact pistol, the dot comes in both 3, 6 MOA and circled-dot reticles and crystal-clear glass. Furthermore, the Romeo-X Enclosed offers up to 15 brightness settings, including night vision settings. MSRP: $630
Walther WMP SD .22 WMR
Undoubtedly, one of the grand aspects of rimfire guns is their supreme suppressibility. This even goes for the brusque cartridges, such as the .22 Magnum. In turn, Walther adding a threaded-barrel option to its WMP line of rimfire pistols should prove music—quiet music—to plinker’s ears. In addition to boasting a 4.9-inch barrel with a 1/2×28 thread on the muzzle making it ready for most rimfire suppressors, the pistol has several other assets shooters should appreciate. It comes with a slide cut making it red-dot ready out of the box, a Picatinny accessories rail making adding a light or laser a snap, and 10- and 15-round magazines keep plenty of firepower on tap. MSRP: $600
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
We take a quick look at the new Taurus 22TUC, a .22 LR pocket pistol with a tip-up barrel.
.22 LR may not be an ideal self-defense cartridge, but it’s better than nothing and may be the best choice for certain individuals based on their circumstances. For those who fall into that camp, or anyone looking for a small, lightweight backup gun, Taurus has just announced the 22TUC.
The 22TUC is a .22 LR pocket pistol that features a tip-up barrel, a 9-round magazine capacity and a double-action-only trigger. The tip-up barrel means that the pistol can be loaded without having to manually cycle the slide, a good feature for anyone with hand strength issues, and it also makes it easier to stick an extra round in the chamber when loading to bring the capacity up to 10 rounds. Taurus also says that the double-action-only trigger helps to ensure reliable ignition of rimfire ammo.
Featuring a polymer frame and a stainless steel slide and barrel, the 22TUC weighs in at only 10 ounces unloaded. Combined with its overall length of 5 inches, overall height of 4.35 inches and width of 1 inch, the 22TUC makes for one very compact and lightweight package. This makes it ideal for pocket carry or as a backup gun in an ankle holster. It also features a manual safety, a fixed rear sight and a fixed orange dot front sight.
The 22TUC is available with either a stainless or black finish on its metal parts and each gun will ship with one magazine. The black version has an MSRP of $333.99 and the stainless version has an MSRP of $348.99
Here we test out the S&W Model 432 in .32 H&R Magnum, an ideal concealed carry revolver setup.
If you’re a frequent reader of this magazine and column, you know I have an affinity for the .32 H&R Magnum and .327 Federal Magnum revolver cartridges. And, in contrast, I’m often perplexed as to why so many shooters cannot seem to grasp the appeal of either cartridge.
The combination does a fantastic job of bridging the gap between the .22 Long Rifle/.22 Magnum and the .38 Special/.357 Magnum. They’re substantially more powerful than the first pair, more comfortable to shoot and offer a higher capacity than the second. So, anytime there’s a new .32 H&R Magnum or .327 revolver, I’m fast to give it a look, which is why as soon as I learned about Lipsey’s Exclusive S&W Model 432 in .32 H&R Magnum I requested one for review.
Not as powerful as a .357 Mag. or .327 Federal Mag.
Lipsey's Exclusive, limited supplies
The Cartridge
The .32 H&R Magnum cartridge is essentially a .32 S&W long cartridge lengthened by 0.155 inch. Additionally, the .32 H&R Magnum is loaded to a maximum average pressure (MAP) of 23,000 psi, as opposed to 15,000 psi. That’s a pressure increase of 53 percent. The result is that the .32 H&R Magnum has an instrumental velocity of 1,020 fps with a 95-grain bullet as opposed to the .32 S&W Long’s 750 fps with a 98-grain bullet.
Another neat feature of the .32 H&R Magnum is that the cartridges are only 0.337 inch in diameter as opposed to 0.379 for the .38 Special. This means that, in most compact revolvers, the cylinder will hold six .32 H&R Magnum cartridges … as opposed to five .38 Specials. Also, a largely unknown fact about .32 H&R Magnum revolvers is that they can chamber and fire .32 Short, .32 Long and even .32 ACP ammunition.
The little S&W Model 432 in .32 H&R Magnum from Lipsey’s is compact and comfortable to shoot, and the notched rear and XS front sight makes it easier to aim than most snub-nose revolvers.
The Revolver
The Smith & Wesson J-frame revolver has been a trusted companion for those wanting a concealable revolver for personal protection for almost 75 years. Recently, S&W announced a partnership with Lipsey’s to offer a Model 432 J-frame with an aluminum frame and chambered for the .32 H&R Magnum. This revolver is only 6.32 inches long and weighs a scant 16.3 ounces. This is a concealed hammer design, so it’s double-action only, but the revolver has some features not commonly seen on factory new J-frame revolvers.
S&W fitted this revolver with XS Sights’ Minimalist Revolver front sight, which features a Tritium vial surrounded with a photoluminescent green ring. This is a highly visible sight in any light, and S&W smartly paired it with a dovetailed U-notch rear sight that has a Novak-like profile. One of the weaknesses of the J-frame has always been the sights, and this fixes that problem.
Also, S&W worked with Lipsey’s and designed a special set of VZ “High Horn” G10 UC “boot” grips that are slim—but also very comfortable. The revolver comes in two finish options: matte black and matte stainless. The barrel is 1.8 inches long, the front edge of the cylinder is beveled, and the charge holes are chamfered. It also has an enhanced trigger and uses titanium pins. The other good news is that this revolver doesn’t have what has become to be known as the “Hillary Hole,” which is an external keyed lock. It retails for $759 … while supplies last.
The Holster
I’m not a fan of pocket carry—not because I think it’s a bad idea, but because it just doesn’t fit my wardrobe and carry/training style. I like a handgun on my strong side just behind my hip bone. That’s how I train with all the handguns I carry concealed, so that’s where I like to wear them, no matter the make or model. When I received the revolver for review, I ordered a Galco Gunleather Concealable Belt Holster ($169) for OWB carry and one of their Royal Guard 2.0 holsters ($212) for IWB carry. Both are very comfortable, easy to draw from and re-holster into, and they make this compact revolver seemingly disappear on my side.
With Galco’s Concealable Belt Holster, the little .32 H&R Magnum from Smith & Wesson can easily and comfortably be carried outside the waistband. It’s so compact and light you’ll hardly know it’s there.
The Load
Though this little revolver will chamber and fire four different cartridges, there’s not a lot of .32 H&R Magnum ammo options to choose from; a major online retailer lists only six loads. So, in the interest of providing potential customers with a complete defensive handgun package, Jason Cloessner of Lipsey’s worked with gun writer Jeff Hoover and Buffalo Bore Ammunition owner Tim Sundles to develop a load specifically for this mini gun.
The problem with low-power, small-caliber handguns is that they tend to not deliver great terminal performance with hollow-point bullets. This is because they lack the velocity and energy to push an upset hollow-point bullet very deep. The answer to this problem is a hardcast bullet with a flat nose, like a wadcutter or semi-wadcutter. These non-deforming, flat-nose, hardcast bullets cut a caliber-size hole in anything they hit, they penetrate extremely deep, and they don’t need to be loaded to extreme pressures or velocities to deliver this kind of performance. There are the same type loads outdoorsmen often choose for bear defense with larger handgun cartridges.
The Load Buffalo Bore ($38.32, per box of 20) created for this revolver uses a 100-grain, hardcast, wadcutter bullet that’s loaded to a standard pressure, and it’s advertised as offering a muzzle velocity of about 900 fps out of the revolver Buffalo Bore designed it for. My testing showed these velocities to be spot-on, and when I fired these loads into blocks of Clear Ballistics, they penetrated more than 2 feet. No, this isn’t the same level of performance you can expect out of a .357 Magnum or even a .327 Federal Magnum, but it will for sure deliver enough penetration—no matter how big and fat your attacker might be—and this is from a little gun that’s easy to carry and that doesn’t have a lot of recoil.
The Package
If you like the idea of a compact, lightweight revolver for concealed carry, and if you want a complete setup that includes the gun, and an IWB and OWB holster, and a good self-defense load, the exclusive S&W 432 in .32 H&R, two Galco holsters and the Buffalo Bore load makes for a complete package.
Wouldn’t it be cool if Lipsey’s would just bundle all those items together in a single box? I doubt that will ever happen, and even though they know my affinity for .32s, and I helped them with their limited edition .327 Single Seven, nobody asked my opinion. So, I’m giving it to you—if you buy the revolver, get at least one of the holsters and the ammo to go with it.
S&W 432 Deals
Smith & Wesson
$759
Guns.com
$778.99
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
It’s smart to have a good lawyer lined up before the trouble starts. Here we discuss how to choose the right self-defense attorney.
When faced with the prospect of needing legal defense after a self-defense incident, the importance of selecting the right attorney cannot be overstated. This critical decision can mean the difference between safeguarding your rights and facing serious legal consequences—even when you are completely innocent.
Following are the essential considerations and questions to ask when seeking an attorney for self-defense cases.
Identifying Trustworthy Legal Counsel
It can be a daunting task to find legal counsel who you are comfortable with, and who can provide you with the defense you want … and need. People often encounter dismissive or unhelpful attorneys when seeking legal advice.
The legal profession, like any other, includes both highly skilled and less competent individuals. The key to finding the right legal counsel is not just identifying a knowledgeable professional, but finding one who can build a relationship of trust and confidence with you. Mounting a successful legal defense after acting in self-defense demands an attorney well-versed in criminal defense and, more particularly, self-defense cases. There are many criminal defense attorneys but very few who are well-versed in the nuances of a self-defense claim.
Finding a Self-Defense Attorney
First and foremost, it’s crucial to engage an attorney who is engaged in criminal defense and has experience with self-defense cases. This specialization ensures that the attorney understands the nuances of defending individuals who have used force to protect themselves or others. You don’t want someone showing up to a self-defense case who primarily handles divorces or bankruptcies, but you also don’t want someone who only represents criminals. There are nuances and important considerations when defending a case of justifiable self-defense versus other sorts of alleged crimes.
Verify the attorney’s legitimacy by checking their standing with the state bar association. This simple online check ensures they have no disciplinary history that might compromise their ability to represent you effectively. Understanding the attorney’s track record in handling similar cases, including their experience with trials and negotiations, is essential.
Aligning Philosophies on Self-Defense
Equally important is assessing the attorney’s philosophy on self-defense, and their understanding of the Second Amendment. This alignment ensures that they approach your case with a perspective that resonates with your beliefs and values regarding the right to self-defense and firearm ownership. Most people want an attorney who sees self-defense from my perspective—not just as a legal concept or theoretical framework—but as a fundamental, natural right.
Interviewing Multiple Attorneys
Interviewing multiple attorneys is recommended to find the best fit for your case. While this process may involve paying consultation fees, it’s a worthwhile investment in ensuring you have the right advocate by your side. It’s a lot like finding the right doctor before a medical emergency: You want someone you trust and who has the expertise to handle your specific needs. You want someone you feel comfortable working with. This is not a choice to make after the emergency arrives.
For proactive legal preparedness, joining a legal protection program like the Armed Citizen’s Legal Defense Network offers distinct advantages. These programs provide access to a network of attorneys who defend gun owners and provide a good place to start in your search for a self-defense attorney.
Practical Steps in Choosing an Attorney
During your initial consultations, ask prospective attorneys about their experience with self-defense cases, including their trial experience and success in negotiating favorable outcomes. Understand their fee structure and ensure transparency regarding costs. While referrals and testimonials can provide insights, recognize that personal fit and professional compatibility are paramount. Google reviews are great, but they’re not an adequate substitute for personal consultations.
Conclusion
Choosing the right attorney for self-defense cases requires careful consideration and thorough research. It’s not merely about legal expertise but also about shared values and a commitment to protecting your rights. By engaging a competent attorney early and potentially joining a legal protection program, you can enhance your preparedness and mitigate the uncertainties associated with legal challenges after a self-defense incident.
Proactive legal planning is crucial. The time to find an attorney is before you need one. By doing your homework now, you can ensure that, if the worst happens, you’re prepared with the right legal support. Remember, your choice of attorney can profoundly impact the outcome of your case and your future.
The legal journey after a self-defense incident is daunting and emotionally taxing. It demands that your attorney bring their “A” game from the start and maintain it until the end. The stress of knowing that an innocent person is relying on you is immense. Your attorney must have the ability to stand strong, face the sleepless nights and still be able to competently defend you. Keep searching until you find someone who can.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Walther Arms has just announced the PPK/S SD, a .32 ACP PPK/S variant with a threaded barrel.
Walther recently reintroduced the famous PPK and PPK/S in .32 ACP, and now the company has announced a suppressor-ready version called the PPK/S SD as well. If you’ve ever wanted to LARP as a secret agent, things just got a whole lot easier.
Chambered for .32 ACP, the Walther PPK/S SD is the same as the standard PPK/S besides its new threaded barrel. Walther has not specified the thread pitch, but it’s presumably the standard 1/2×28. However, the threaded barrel extension was designed to ensure proper alignment when using a suppressor. Each gun will ship with two 7-round magazines and a thread protector.
Rob McCanna, President and CEO of Walther Arms, said this about the new pistol:
The PPK/S SD .32 ACP is a celebration of Walther’s legacy of precision engineering and innovation … By integrating modern features like the threaded barrel into such an iconic design, we've created a firearm that bridges the gap between timeless style and contemporary performance. We're excited to offer our customers a PPK/S that not only meets but exceeds the expectations of modern shooters.
The Walther PPK/S SD is available now with either a black or a stainless steel finish and the MSRP is $1,099 for both versions.
Here we discuss crimping techniques that can take your rifle’s accuracy to the next level.
Crimping a bullet in place might be the last phase of the reloading process, but it certainly isn’t the least important. In a number of instances, it’s absolutely necessary; other times, it’s optional and, sometimes, it should be avoided altogether. Knowing which type of crimp to use is important … and knowing whether to use a crimp at all can be a complete game changer.
Basic reloading techniques dictate that a straight-walled cartridge requires a roll crimp—which curls the case mouth into the bullet—to keep the projectile from moving deeper into the case under recoil or, in the case of a revolver, moving out of the case and locking up the cylinder.
However, the use of a roll crimp requires a bullet with a cannelure, or a crimping groove, or else you run the risk of bulging the case, deforming the bullet … or both. If your chosen projectile doesn’t have a cannelure, a taper crimp—one which squeezes the case wall radially inward against the shank of the bullet—is the only way to prevent damage to your case or projectile.
The .45 Colt definitely requires a good crimp; in a modern revolver, the recoil will pull those bullets out of the case. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
The handgun cartridges I shoot most—.38 Special, .45 ACP and .45 Colt—are all crimped in some fashion, I don’t crimp bottlenecked rifle cases unless absolutely necessary. The lever gun cartridges—at least those that use a tubular magazine—get a good roll crimp in order to hold things in place, but I rarely use a roll crimp on my .308 Winchester, .300 Winchester Magnum, .470 Nitro Express or .22-250 Remington; the neck and its tension does the work for me.
The .500 Jeffery has a recoil level that tests the mettle of the short neck; a heavy roll crimp is a good idea. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
Ramp up the recoil to the hard-kicking Weatherby cartridges, or the .500 Jeffery and .505 Gibbs, and those cartridges in the magazine can have their bullets driven deeper into the case from the aggressive recoil.
Solution: Proper Crimp
In fact, it was a problem-solving conversation with my buddy, Bob Rose—who has a newly built .505 Gibbs—and is having all sorts of trouble keeping his bullets at the depth he seated them. He’s used several different bullets, with cannelures of varying depth, having applied roll crimps from what would be considered light, to “this time you’re not going anywhere,” only to see the same results: Those cartridges in the magazine had their bullets sunk deep into the case.
We covered a number of scenarios, as I’ve loaded rather extensively for both the .500 Jeffery and .505 Gibbs—both have hellacious recoil—and have solved a good number of problems with both. Looking at Bob’s reloading technique, I saw no flaws in the process or the logic; instead, it was an examination of the magazine boxes of the respective rifles we were loading for that I feel is to blame here.
The author doesn’t crimp the .505 Gibbs, as there’s plenty of neck tension to keep the bullets in place—if the magazine doesn’t allow the cases to move during recoil. Photo: Massaro Media Group.
You see, I loaded the vast majority of the .505 Gibbs and .500 Jeffery ammunition for rifles that had a magazine box of specific geometry—that is, the side walls of the magazine box have a correlative “shoulder” to the cartridge in order to prevent the cartridge from slamming forward under recoil. In Bob’s case, it seems there’s a bit more room for play, and he’s seeing the nasty effects of the high level of recoil. He’s got a Lee Factory Crimp Die on order and hopefully that'll help solve his ordeal without having to change the magazine box of his rifle.
Some folks use a crimp as a means of evening out velocity. Since I was a kid, I remember reading about how the Weatherby magnum’s cartridges were best served by using a roll crimp to achieve both consistent velocities and optimize accuracy. The theory is that the additional pressures built during the ignition phase—required to move the bullet out of the roll crimp—will help to generate a repeatable pressure curve, resulting in improved accuracy. Considering that so many factory loads are roll crimped—and not just Weatherby ammo—there might be some credence to this concept.
I’ve pulled apart several factory loads over the years and have found that some timeless component bullets, such as the Nosler Partition that have been offered as components since the 1940s without a cannelure, are offered to the OEM ammo manufacturers with a cannelure. This is presumably to meet a requirement for crimping the factory ammunition, though I have often wondered why that would be, as the match-grade ammo featuring Sierra MatchKings, Berger Match or Hornady ELD Match bullets had no such cannelure.
I started experimenting with what I’ll call “unnecessary crimping,” and I did find that, in some instances, it has helped to even out velocities. Though by my own admission, the situation depends more on the rifle and its chamber than it does some universal law regarding crimping.
So, what is the rule regarding a crimp on bottlenecked rifle cartridges? Providing there’s enough neck tension to properly hold the bullet in place—and by that I’ll say that the .300 Winchester Magnum, with a neck length of 0.264 inch is enough—I feel comfortable saying there’s no rule. If you feel that you’re seeing your bullets move as a result of recoil, try a firm roll crimp, or grab one of those undervalued Lee Factory Crimp Dies and see if that tool will even things out for you.
Trial And Error
Experimentation can be the key to success when it comes to reloading; the goal is to achieve repeatable results by any means necessary. Each rifle can present a different set of challenges, and I like to have a diverse set of tools when trying to get my ammo and rifle combination to perform the way I want.
Quite a bit of emphasis is put on varying seating depth, changing primer brands, minuscule changes in powder charge weight or even powder type, but if adding a crimp into the mix gives me one more tool in the box to get that rifle where I need it, I’m good with that. For a hunting rifle, the level of accuracy might not be the same as that of a long-range target shooter, but when you want the best, it’s smart to consider all options.
Try your pet load with and without a roll crimp, and see if you find any difference, for better or for worse. You might find an unexpected solution, making a good load even better. Use your chronograph to best observe the differences between crimped and un-crimped, and I’d wager that the one with the more consistent velocity figures will also be the most accurate.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2022 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
We take a quick look at the Tephra-22, the latest suppressor from Aero Precision.
Aero Precision is a relative newcomer in the suppressor game, having only released its first can in 2022 with the Lahar-30 line. Since then, all three sizes of the Lahar-30 have received good reviews and have gained a general reputation of having very good performance in relation to both their size and price, so it’s exciting to see Aero continue to expand its suppressor lineup. The company recently announced its newest can in the form of the Tephra-22.
Weighing in at 7.2 ounces and shipping with 1/2×28 mounts, the Tephra-22 is rated for .22 LR to 5.7×28 and is compatible with both rifles and pistols. It features seven 17-4 stainless steel baffles as well as a stainless steel serialized housing and mounting hardware, and outside it features an aluminum tube and end cap. The stainless steel components receive a black nitride finish and the aluminum parts feature an anodized finish in either black or brown. Additionally, the Tephra-22 is user-serviceable and can be disassembled and cleaned without any specialized tools.
Both colors of Tephra-22 suppressors are available for pre-order now and are expected to begin shipping at the end of November. MSRP is $375 for both models.
We check out the Savior Specialist Range Bag, one of the many excellent range gear options available at Gunmag Warehouse.
Far too many shooters are guilty of using a subpar range bag. Sure, that old duffel may “work”, but why not make life easier with something specifically designed for the task? GunMag Warehouse has plenty of excellent range bags to choose from, one of which is the Savior Equipment Specialist Range Bag 2.0.
Savior Specialist Range Bag Storage
How many times have you gone to the range and been forced to waste several minutes digging through your stuff just to find that one tool or box of ammo? The problem with most range bags is they’re just bags. Featuring one large compartment and maybe a couple of smaller ones, they can fill up quickly and without any semblance of organization. This is where range bags like the Savior Specialist come in.
The primary draw of using a range bag like the Savior Specialist is its organizational features. Its main compartment is 13 inches long, 8.5 inches wide and 9 inches deep, providing a total internal volume of 994.5 cubic inches. That’s big enough to fit two whole ammo cans if you desire, but there are more efficient ways to utilize the space. This is aided by some of the accessories included with the bag.
One of those is a divider for the main compartment which is both adjustable and removable. When installed, it bisects the large space to help keep your kit logically separated. On one side, there’s enough space to store loose earmuffs, eye protection, ammo boxes or any similar shooting equipment, all while retaining enough room on the other side to store three handguns.
That leads us to the next organizational aid—three handgun pouches. These measure 12 inches across and 8 inches tall, so they’re big enough to fit some pretty large irons, and most average-sized pistols will leave enough room for extra magazines. That said, the bag’s front compartment features a better way to store spare pistol mags, as it has six elastic pouches that should fit most double-stack pistol magazines. Each pouch can also easily fit two single-stack mags.
The spare pistol mag panel is also removable for when you’re having a dedicated rifle day and just want additional space in the front pocket. Once removed, the pocket easily fits six AR-15 mags instead.
Many ranges charge by the hour, keeping you acutely aware that time is money. If that’s how your go-to range operates, it means that every second saved from rummaging through your bag means more time can be spent shooting. Being able to draw spare, loaded mags from a central location will certainly help with that.
It’s also worth mentioning the smaller compartments found throughout the bag because they can still fit quite a bit of kit. The front compartment where the spare magazine pouches are located also features zippered internal and external pockets, and the same is true for the two side compartments as well. One of the side compartments also has internal organizational pockets for pens, notebooks and other small tools, and both side compartments feature netting pouches on the outside for additional storage.
Finally, we’re just left with the top panel that covers the main compartment when zipped. This panel has two additional means of storage, including another zippered internal pocket as well as a MOLLE panel made of hook-and-loop material. That last detail means you can attach additional MOLLE pouches, such as an IFAK, to the bag’s top or attach a hook-and-loop accessory like the included spare pistol mag panel.
An IFAK pouch (not included) attached to the bag's MOLLE panel.
These features combine to make the Savior Specialist one very modular and versatile range bag. Regardless of what you plan on taking to the range on a given day, you can easily and quickly rearrange the various components to make a dedicated handgunner bag, rifleman bag or a mix of both.
For those who enjoy being extra organized, the bag also comes with six hook-and-loop label panels for the three handgun pouches if you want to mark what each one is specifically holding.
Other Savior Specialist Features
Better organization isn’t the only thing the Savior Specialist has going for it, as good range bags also protect your guns and other expensive gear like binoculars or range finders. Thankfully, this bag offers that in spades as well.
Firstly, the pistol sleeves and external side pouches feature much more padding than what’s found on typical range bags. They’re not bulletproof, but they’re certainly thick enough to keep what’s inside from getting too banged up.
More important is the durability of the main bag itself. While the external shell is made from the typical 600D polyester, what sets the Savior apart is its internal polymer frame. This keeps the bag rigid and offers multiple advantages over most soft-range bags.
Most obviously, that includes protection. It would take serious effort to damage the bag badly enough to compromise the polymer frame, and until that happens, whatever you put inside of it will stay perfectly safe from impacts. Speaking of safety, for protection against theft, all of the bag’s zippered pockets can also be locked with a small padlock.
The bag’s rigidity also means that it’s easier to load and unload, as it won’t be flopping over itself when empty like soft bags do. Additionally, the bag can conveniently double as a shooting rest. While it won’t be as ideal as a dedicated rest, the Specialist is both tall and rigid enough to easily serve as a gun rest.
As for carrying the bag, it’s about what you’d expect. It has a set of straps on the top for carrying with one hand as well as a removable strap for slinging it over your shoulder. That said, the shoulder strap is very generously padded, so it’s still comfortable to carry even when loaded with a lot of guns and ammo.
The final point to mention is fashion, as you do have several colors to choose from including black, green, gray, red and FDE. The range bag has an MSRP of $109.99, but GunMag Warehouse currently has the Savior Specialist available for $89.99. For the features this bag has, you’ll be wondering why you didn’t pick one up sooner.
Here we examine the twists and turns of early rifling development.
In the 1500s, spiral grooves cut into gun bores were used to spin-stabilize bullets fired through them. While the method of creating these grooves has changed, this system has remained the same and is considered “best” by nearly all barrel makers.
Attempts to improve land-and-groove rifling included choke boring, free boring, gain twist, deep and shallow grooves, few and many grooves, and odd and even numbers. No one system demonstrated significant superiority over another. About 1850, the first alternatives to land and groove (L&G) rifling made their appearance.
Charles Lancaster was considered the first to produce a rifled barrel using a spiral bore in England. Referred to as oval or elliptical boring, the oval interior was turned as though a straight oval tube was twisted, causing a bullet fired through it to be swaged into a slightly oval shape and spun as it traveled down the bore. The idea (in part) was to create a barrel that would perform equally well with a solid bullet or a charge of shot, but that goal did not succeed if experiments firing shot loads through rifled shotgun barrels are any indication. Nevertheless, the system worked with solid bullets. The success was tempered, for blackpowder fouling presented a more significant problem than a deep-groove rifled barrel.
The Civil War saw the Greene Oval Bore Rifle, an early bolt action wherein two bullets were loaded, with the second bullet with its powder charge acting as a gas check behind the charge of the first load. When the action fouled, the rifle had to be used as a muzzleloader. They were made in America with machinery bought from Lancaster. Recovered bullets from Antietam indicate some use.
Sir Joseph Whitworth (December 21, 1803–January 22, 1887) was an English engineer, entrepreneur, inventor and philanthropist. He devised the Whitworth rifle, often called the “sharpshooter” because of its accuracy, considered one of the earliest examples of a sniper rifle.
A similar spiral-bore effort used polygonal rifling. While it is unknown who produced the first such barrel, the best-known effort was by Sir Joseph Whitworth in England in 1853. While the hexagonal-bore Whitworth could be fired with a cylindrical bullet, it was soon found that the best accuracy was obtained only with a six-sided bullet contoured to a mechanical fit.
The 560-grain Civil War-era Whitworth bullet measures .450 inch across the flats. The design may have inspired the .45-70-500 gr. “long-range” bullet developed for the M-1884 and M-1888 Springfield rifles.
Semi-military Whitworth rifles, equipped with telescopic sights, were used by Confederate sharpshooters to pick off several Union officers. Major General John Sedgwick was the most famous who was killed by a single bullet at more than 500 yards. The system was also successfully used in artillery pieces, two of which were employed by Confederates at Gettysburg.
The Pedersoli Whitworth reproduction allows you to try a unique hexagonal-rifled gun like those used during the Civil War, which equipped the sharpshooters of the Confederate Army, hence the name “Whitworth sharpshooters.”
The last rifling innovation of the 19th century came in 1871, the work of William E. Metford, a British engineer. Metford’s system utilized shallow rifling with rounded lands, which reduced the bullet’s drag and deformation. Accuracy was excellent, and the design was used in the British military rifle designed by James Paris Lee in 1888.
William Ellis Metford (October 4, 1824–October 14, 1899) was a British engineer best known for designing the Metford rifling in .303 caliber Lee-Metford and Martini-Metford service rifles in the late 19th century.
Unfortunately, highly erosive smokeless powders and corrosive primers soon degraded the accuracy of the soft-steel barrels of the day. A similar system was used in Japanese Arisaka rifles, which benefited from better steel and maintained accuracy better than conventional L&G barrels. Barrels made in America by Charles Newton also used this system, utilizing five rounded lands and grooves.
The bolt-action Lee–Metford was a British army service rifle that used James Paris Lee’s rear-locking bolt system, detachable magazine, and an innovative seven-groove rifled barrel designed by William Ellis Metford.
In 1901, the first head-to-head tests of an oval-boring system versus conventional rifling began at the Springfield Armory. The details are fully documented in the Annual Reports of the War Department for the Fiscal year ended June 30, 1902, Volume VII, Reports of the Chief of Ordnance and Board of Ordnance and Fortification, Appendix XII.
The project began July 16, 1901, with the following letter to the Chief of Ordnance:
“Dear Sir: I have invented a gun with an elliptical bore of .30 caliber, suitable to take the ordinary fixed ammunition of this caliber. I desire to have a thorough Government test, such as will demonstrate the quality of the gun for service. I desire to have the test made at the earliest convenience in order that I may be present.
Very Respectfully, W.F. Cole M.D.”
The Chief of Ordnance was Brigadier-General A.R. Buffington, inventor of the Buffington “wind gauge” sight—the most sophisticated military type of its day—used on the M-1884 and M-1888 Springfield rifles and carbines. General Buffington ordered, “test without delay the gun presented by Dr. Cole” and invited Cole to attend the tests.
The Springfield Armory’s experimental shop (Building 28), circa 1923.
Two days later, Dr. Cole met with the Board to test his rifle, which had the same 30-inch barrel as the Krag and used the same ammunition. “The cross-section of the bore is an ellipse the short diameter being .30 inches, the long diameter .31 inches, and having a twist of one turn in 7.29 inches.”
The U.S. Springfield Model 1896 Krag-Jorgensen bolt-action in .30-40 Krag.
The rifle was tested against the Krag at 1,000 yards. Three five-shot groups for each rifle averaged 25.11 inches for the Krag and 13.72 inches for the Cole rifle (extreme spread). The next day, a 300-yard test was conducted with a different Krag with better results. Velocity tests for the Krag (at 53 feet) were 1,991.55 fps, and for the Cole, 2,058.66 fps. On July 23 and 26, three five-shot groups were fired at 1,000 yards. Results were 18.96 inches (Krag) and 17.46 inches (Cole.) The test on the 26th had the Krag set up with a different stock and fittings.
Results: 15.71 inches (Krag), 17.68 inches (Cole). On October 1, firings were done at 1,200 and 1,500 yards. At 1,200: 28.6 inches (Krag), 23.5 inches (Cole) and 23.1 inches (new model Springfield rifle 2,300 fps velocity). At 1,500 yards, the results were 40.3 inches (Krag), 37.0 inches (Cole) and 26.9 inches (Springfield).
At this point, the Board in charge of testing sought to conduct further tests to determine the effects of different twist rates and the type of rifling with “an exhaustive series of firings with a barrel rifled according to Dr. Cole’s plan.”
On June 14, 1902, the Board met to consider test results comparing a new Cole barrel with an 8-inch twist to the new Springfield barrel with 8-, 9- and 10-inch twists.
Through March and April, 80 five-shot groups were fired in the above three twist rates at 500 yards with a group average of 4.4 inches for the four-groove Springfield barrel. The same number was fired through a Cole barrel rifled with an 8-inch twist for a group average of 3.9 inches. 80 groups were shot through the Springfield at 500 yards from May through June using 8- and 9-inch twists for a group average of 4.07 inches. Through the same period, 72 groups were fired through the Cole, and the group average was 3.8 inches. From February through June, 46 groups were fired at 1,000 yards through the Springfield for a group average of 11.33 inches. Simultaneously, 38 groups were fired through the Cole for group averages of 10.33 inches. Pressure measurements for the Cole and Springfield rifles were virtually the same.
The Board recommended that Cole system barrels be made for the first 500 Springfield magazine rifles produced for field and armory testing.
By this time, Buffington, who had served as interim Chief of Ordnance, had been replaced by William Crozier. Crozier raised the issue that the superiority of Cole’s system may have resulted from gas escape in the four-groove barrel and recommended cupping the base of the bullet. Frankford Arsenal produced 3,000 rounds of this ammunition.
Beginning July 26, 1902, 20 barrels of each type were produced for further testing with a 1:10-inch twist. The results for 500-yard tests (one five-shot group per barrel) yielded an average of 5.6 inches for the Cole and 5.9 for the Springfield. At 1,000 yards, the results were 15.6 for the Cole and 22.3 for the Springfield. Considering the terrible results of the Springfield 1:10 twist, two additional barrels with a 1:8-inch twist were produced of each type. At 500 yards, the Cole averaged 4.6 inches and the Springfield 5.4 inches for five groups, and at 1,000 yards, the results were Cole 7.5 inches, Springfield, 10.0. In terms of velocity, at 1,000 yards, the Cole had an advantage.
At the request of Captain Lissak, the above two rifles were sent to the Seagirt, New Jersey range, where the National matches were being held. There, opportunities were offered to various and sundry to try them out. The reported results for 200, 600 and 1,000 yards rated both rifles equally accurate, with opinions favoring the Springfield rifling.
In its September 23, 1902, report, the Board recommended two other rifles be produced with the 1:8 twist, one with each type of rifling for analysis of accuracy plus endurance. To this end, the production of 10,000 cartridges was requested for a 5,000-round test for each rifle. The Board’s report garnered the following reply:
“OFFICE OF THE CHIEF OF ORDNANCE
Washington, September 29, 1902
Respectfully returned to the commanding officer, Springfield Armory. The experiments with the elliptical-groove system (Cole’s) should be discontinued. Dr. Cole has been informed that the Department does not consider that it possesses sufficient advantages over present system to warrant further experiments.
William Crozier
Brigadier-General, Chief of Ordnance”
The Annual Report offers no further comments from Board members or any expert shooters at the Springfield Armory, including Freeman Bull and Richard Hare!
In the January 13, 1910 Arms and the Man (which predated American Rifleman), gun-designer Charles Newton excoriated the Crozier decision. “In conclusion we have failed to find any point in which the land and groove system is proven or even claimed to be superior to the oval bore in a smokeless-powder rifle and the latter is conclusively shown by the Ordnance Department’s experiments above cited to be more accurate and it will hardly be questioned that it is more durable, more easily cleaned and delivers its bullets in more perfect condition than the land-and-groove type.”
To this day, barrels of every U.S. military small arm have been rifled with the land and groove system.
Rifling systems: While this chart doesn’t cover everything, it hits the high points. The main issue in the 1850s was the odd-versus-even land and groove numbers, the theory being that with an even number, the pressure of two opposed lands created more bullet distortion than when each land was opposed by a groove. What became the standard Springfield rifle resulted from extensive testing at Springfield and Harper’s Ferry, published by the authority of the Secretary of War in 1856. After 1855, rifles and carbines from the Springfield Armory (until the Krag was adopted) featured three grooves of approximately equal width. The Krag had four. The idea of gain-twist rifling never demonstrated any improvement over a fixed system.
The next phase in alternative rifling came in the late 1930s with the German application of hammer forging to barrel making. This method was first applied to the MG42 machine gun, where the barrel was hammered into shape over a mandrel placed in the bore of a barrel blank, shaping, rifling and chambering in one step. Hammer forging requires expensive machinery.
In the Post-War era, this technique is mainly used to produce what is now termed “polygonal rifling.” For clarity’s sake, the only actual polygonal rifling was that in Whitworth-pattern barrels with flat sides and angled corners. Current “polygonal” bores have sloping sides and rounded corners. This term also encompasses Metford rifling and oval boring.
In the 1960s, Heckler & Koch (HK) began marketing a line of rifles and handguns with polygonal rifling. While the details of HK’s testing are proprietary, its conclusion is as follows: “Compared to conventional land-and-groove profile barrels, bullets fired through polygonal barrels have a higher muzzle velocity, as there is little gas leakage. This increases the amount of energy acting on the base of the bullet. There is no chance of the propellant gases “overtaking” the bullet and adversely affecting its flight properties and directional stability.
A polygonal profiled barrel does not have any sharp internal edges. This virtually eliminates the deposit of residues. A polygonal barrel is easily cleaned, reflects heat more efficiently and has a high resistance to erosion. With no sharp edges as with land and groove barrels, the notching effect on bullets is also avoided. The net effect is increased barrel service life plus no need to finish machine the barrel or chrome plate it. Manufactured with HK’s famous cold hammer-forged barrel process, these polygonal barrels are made of HK proprietary cannon grade steel.”
The Heckler & Koch rifling system features rounded corners and sloping sides.
Given the advantages of longer barrel life, virtually all current polygonal barrels are used on semi-automatic and automatic guns (both rifles and handguns), which see far more shooting than other actions.
Additional advantages of polygonal bores: they can be produced through buttoning and cutting. There is controversy over the use of lead-alloy bullets, particularly in semi-auto handguns where lead buildup just forward of the chamber can cause excessive pressures. Careful inspection and cleaning are the rule and heeding warnings issued by the manufacturer.
Currently, polygonal rifling is used by HK, CZ, Kahr, Glock, Magnum Research and Tanfoglio. The only American company to enter this market is La Rue Tactical, which produces high-end uppers for M-16 platform rifles and its own competition/sniper models.
Will polygonal rifling become the new standard? Significant changes may soon follow with the U.S. Army’s adoption of the HK M110A1 Squad Designated Marksman Rifle, Cal 7.62×51 (.308). A modified version, the G28 Compact Semi-Automatic Sniper System (CSASS), is the latest.
The reader may well wonder at the abrupt and apparently nonsensical decision to abandon oval boring on the part of William Crozier. The politics within the American military bureaucracy gives new meaning to the word “byzantine.” This dynamic is documented in the 1994 book Misfire: The History of How America’s Small Arms Have Failed Our Military by William H. Hallahan. Though this work has been criticized for specific technical errors, in terms of analyzing the personality quirks of those in charge of small arms development, it appears dead on.
A.R. Buffington was required to retire at age 64. Crozier (then a captain) was a popular and highly respected inventor in the Ordnance Department. His work on an improved Krag had little resemblance to the 96 Krag. Crozier was on good terms with Teddy Roosevelt and his Secretary of War, Elihu Root. When Root appointed Crozier Chief, the latter jumped over thirty officers his senior and rank to brigadier general. The old guard fought the appointment in Congress, but Root won in his shake-up of the military. Roosevelt and Root pressured Crozier to deliver a rifle equivalent to the Mausers Roosevelt had faced in Cuba.
The Model 1896 Krag figured prominently in early U.S. military rifling tests.
It would seem understandable that Crozier had little interest in any modifications that might delay the delivery of the new rifle. The M-1903 Springfield was indeed an equivalent to the 98 Mauser. In fact, it bore enough similarities that the government paid Mauser $200,000 to avoid a patent-infringement lawsuit. Crozier later tangled with Isaac Newton Lewis over his machine gun. After a Senate investigation, Crozier was fired.
We shot and carried a ton of concealed carry guns. Here are the handguns we find fit to cover your six.
Finding a handgun you can confidently use and comfortably carry every day is crucial. With countless options available, navigating through the various sizes, styles, calibers, and price points can be overwhelming. That's where I come in—to guide you through some of the top choices for concealed carry guns currently on the market.
How I Chose The Best Concealed Carry Guns
I’ll start by saying that selecting these concealed carry guns was a team effort. Each of these guns was shot, tested and carried by myself, Gun Digest staff or long-term and trusted freelancers. This avoids myopia, a one-person perspective on each of the firearms, and allows us to take into account different body types and backgrounds to give these guns a square day in court. Our experience ranges from certified handgun instructors to law enforcement and military. Oh yeah, there’s a master gunsmith in the mix too. Of all the pistols and revolvers carried, these were the ones that proved head and shoulders above the rest in the concealed-carry market when it came to reliability, comfort and accuracy.
Next to capacity, the real advantage of the P365 is carry comfort. It’s easily concealed and comfy to carry.
Pros
Great sights
Excellent Capacity
Optics-ready options
Cons
Ships with only one pinky extension
P365 Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1
Barrel Length: 3.1 inches
Overall Length: 5.8 inches
Overall Height: 4.3 inches
Overall Width: 1.1 inches
Weight: 17.8 ounces
Sights: XRAy3 Day/Night Sights; Optics Ready
MSRP: $600
Is it fair to say this is the pistol that changed the face of concealed carry? Honestly, it’s not too much of a stretch. The Sig P365 has proven among the most monumental handguns to hit the market in a spell, serving up what many consider the perfect on-person self-defense package. That is a tall boast, but one the demure 9mm more than fulfills.
Above all, what makes the P365 such a spectacular heater is its size. The 3.1-inch barreled pistol is a mere 1 inch in width and tips the scales at a scant 17 ounces or so, creating one of the most concealable and easy-to-carry pistols out there. Sure enough, there are concealed carry guns, but in nearly every case they’re a compromise in power or capacity. Not so with the P365. Shipping with two 10-round magazines, the mighty mite has a payload identical to many compact models that come in nearly twice its size. Not enough on tap? Simply solved, given there are 12- and 13 or 15-round extended magazines available to improve your firepower.
Shooting-wise, the micro-compact shocks for a pistol its size. An abbreviated sight radius provides a challenge for those unfamiliar with the touchiness of small guns, yet Sig arms shooters with the tools to keep it steady. In addition to aggressive grip texturing, the striker-fired’s respectable trigger ups the gun’s accuracy potential. To boot, the 9mm is also quite easy to manipulate—an often overlooked asset.
Another point that sets the P365 apart from the rest of the micro nines and concealed carry guns in general is its modularity. The gun's fire control unit is interchangeable, in turn, you can upsize or downsize the grip. Furthermore, this feature allows you to swap parts from other P365 models–of which there are many–to create your perfect pistol. However, we can promise the outcome will look good.
As for nits to pick, the gun is stout in recoil, but no more so than any other micro-compact. And Sig only includes one pinky extension with the pistol. Even with medium-sized hands, I find the P365's grips too short for comfort.
These points aside, there's little arguing Sig cooked up a game-changer with the P365.
As pointed out, the Sig P365 is a game-changer. The Springfield Armory Hellcat is proof. Quickly embracing the micro-compact concept, the Illinois concern cooked up a direct competitor to the popular Sig. In many respects, it produced a concealed carry gun option that runs neck and neck with the original.
No larger than a compact .380 ACP, the striker-fired is among the smallest 9mm options available today. By the tape, it measures 1 inch in width and 6 inches in length and weighs in at 18 ounces. Pretty dang concealable and easy to carry by anyone’s standards.
At the same tick, the Hellcat offers everything you’d expect out of a much larger concealed carry pistol—especially capacity. Out of the box, the 3-inch barreled pistol boasts more firepower than nearly anything in its class, shipping with an 11-round magazine. Invest in a 13-round extended-capacity magazine, well folks, you’ll holster an iron flirting with a full-sized pistol’s capacity.
Outfitted with adaptive grip texturing, the Hellcat offers a positive grip when you need it, yet the ability to reposition your hand when you need to. A flat-faced trigger combined with a featherweight break and short reset ups the pistol’s accuracy resume, as well as allows it to run when needed.
Breaking from the herd, Springfield opted for a slightly new sighting system, jettisoning the traditional three-dot sights for a U-notch. Similar in concept, the execution differs in that shooters place the fiber-optic front pipe in the white outlined U-notch. A fast and intuitive system, few will miss the old way of building a sight picture. Additionally, the OSP model offers a slide cut for mounting optics, if a red dot is more your cup of tea.
The Wilson Combat EDC X9 offers a great balance of features; this is indicative of a quality carry gun. It fits the author well, but if it doesn’t fit you, find a different gun.
Pros
Superior build quality
Sublime trigger
Factory customizable
Cons
Expensive
Heavy
EDC X9 Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1, 18+1
Barrel Length: 4 inches
Overall Length: 7.4 inches
Overall Height: 5.25 inches
Overall Width: 1.4 inches
Weight: 29.09 ounces
Sights: Tactical Adjustable Battlesight with fiber optic front sight
MSRP: $3,3210
If you were to build a race gun to a concealed carry pistol’s specs, you’d likely come out with the EDC X9. This is the most highly tuned and performing pistol of our picks—with a price tag to match. But for the uncompromising souls looking to protect their six, the pistol is a perfect match.
At its core, Wilson Combat’s 9mm is a 1911, but one upgraded for modern self-defense. To the traditional side of the design, the hammer-fired gun inherits the exceptional 1911 trigger, which is light and fast. Unlike the original, Wilson has stripped the grip safety—though, for obvious reasons, the gunmaker has kept the thumb safety.
The EDC X9’s ergonomics are impeccable with the gun fitting the hand perfectly and Wilson’s XTAC pattern grips further enhance the comfort while ensuring a firm hold. Its aluminum frame adds a bit of heft to the compact pistol, but it’s far from prohibitive—comparable to a Glock 17. And the weight is a blessing of sorts, making the X9 extremely mild-mannered.
Despite a terse 4-inch barrel, the pistol can accurately fire well past typical defensive ranges. At close quarters, it’s lights out. Not only does the trigger and heft of the gun aid with this but also its Wilson Combat Battlesight and fiber-optic front, which provide quick and clear target acquisition.
In testing, the EDC X9 proved highly reliable, handling a wide range of 9mm ammunition without issue—it chewed through everything from 115-grain ball to 147-grain hollow point without a hitch. Much of this is thanks to Wilson Combat’s Enhanced Reliability System, a proprietary system designed to optimize functioning with the varying power levels of 9mm ammunition.
We lay out a pretty good case in our EDC X9 review of why this pistol is money well spent.
EDC X9 Deals
Brownells
$3,358
Palmetto State Armory
$3,358
Gritr Sports
$3,210
Best Classic Carry: Glock 19
Proven in military and law enforcement use, the G19 has plenty of defensive credibility.
Pros
Accurate
Reliable
Aftermarket parts
Ease of maintenance
Cons
Grip angle
Plastic sights
Mushy trigger
Glock 19 Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 4.02 inches
Overall Length: 7.36 inches
Overall Height: 5.04 inches
Overall Width: 1 inch
Weight: 21.16 ounces
Sights: Polymer white dot front, outline rear
MSRP: $600
It’s difficult to knock off the king. And certainly, the Glock 19 still has its place on the throne of best concealed carry guns.
While a larger option than many of the modern sub-compact options, I find it difficult not to love how this momma-bear option operates. It’s still very concealable, at the same tick, large enough to make it extremely manageable and accurate. Of the guns tested, this G19 provided some of the best groups at even longer engagement distances.
Not to mention, the pistol is almost boringly reliable. Perhaps this is one of the greatest achievements of the pistol, no matter what you feed it the gun will chew through it. Much of this is thanks to a painfully simplistic design that offers few opportunities for malfunctions to occur. The other bonus to this is facet, the gun is extremely simple to upgrade—if you happen to find what rolled out of the factory unsatisfactory.
Sights, I’d say are one of the areas many consider must-change—though the factory set isn’t unusable. Trigger is another one that can use some pepping up and upgrades are legion in this area. I’ll admit, I don’t hate the G19 trigger and it’s more than passible for a self-defense gun, but there are much better options out there.
One last point, while the Glock 19 is concealable—folks have been keeping it under wraps for decades—it is large by today’s standards. It’s 21 ounces unloaded and 1.26 inches in width and has a height of 5 inches. A bit of a load if you go jogging in your jorts.
On the affordable end of concealed carry guns, the Dagger Micro stands nearly alone.
Pros
Affordable
Glock 43 compatibility
Durable
Cons
Ships with one magazine
Few holster options
Dagger Micro Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 3.41 inches
Overall Length: 6.5 inches
Overall Height: 4.7 inches
Overall Width: 1.1 inches
Weight: 15.9 ounces
Sights: Three-dot
MSRP: $300
A remarkable blend of affordability, compactness and practical features, the PSA Dagger Micro hits a lot of the right notes. Surprising, given it’s the South Carolina concern’s first foray into this end of the market.
First off, as a budget concealed carry gun—one with a sub $400 price tag—don’t expect any originality. The Dagger Micro is what it is and that’s a Glock clone. Still, there are advantages to playing copycat, such as compatibility with G43, G43X and G48 pistols. And for those who have shot Glocks, well, by golly, the PSA carry gun should prove very familiar.
Overall, the pistol is fairly refined for the price point, with nice ergonomics, beveled edges and aggressive cocking serrations for enhanced manipulation. The trigger leaves a little to be desired—especially given the hinged bottom—but is responsive. And the grip is just right, with a sandpapery texture that keeps the gun where it should be—your hand.
Nicely, the gun ships with 15 round magazine, a significant upgrade over many in the compact class. Yet, PSA only gives you one. I suppose they needed to save money somewhere. And anyone familiar with the 3-dot sight system will know what to do when they pick up a dagger. Additionally, the pistol has an optic cut that accommodates Shield RMSc footprint optics for those who prefer red dot sights on their carry gun.
Reliability is another strong point for the Micro Dagger, it digested everything we fed it in testing. When it comes to a concealed carry pistol—no matter the price—this facet is priority No. 1.
Dagger Micro Deals
Guns.com
$450
Palmetto State Armory
$300
Best Carry Revolver: Ruger LCR
The LCR made concealed carry revolvers relevant again.
Pros
Highly concealable
Reliable
Good double-action trigger
Cons
Integral sights
Double-action trigger not great for begginers
LCR Specs
Caliber: .327 Federal Magnum; other calibers .22LR, .38 Special, .357 Magnum
Capacity: 5-8 depending on caliber
Barrel Length: 1.87 inches
Overall Length: 6.5 inches
Overall Height: 4.5 inches
Overall Width: 1.28 inches
Weight: 13.5-17.1 ounces depending on caliber
Sights: Ramp front, integral rear
MSRP: $739-$859
Despite rumors otherwise, the self-defense revolver isn’t dead. Or it hasn’t been since Ruger introduced its LCR (Lightweight Compact Revolver).
The minute snub-nose nearly single-handedly breathed life back into the flagging defensive revolver market when it hit the scene in 2009. And why not? At 13 to 17 ounces in weight and 6.5 inches in overall length, it is among the most concealable guns on the market today. This, in some respects, also gives it a dual purpose—not only is it a capable primary concealed carry gun, but it’s also svelte enough to serve as a backup.
Aside from concealability, the Ruger has also enhanced one of the key drawbacks of the double-action-only revolvers—its trigger pull. The gun utilizes a friction-reducing cam that lightens the trigger pull considerably and makes it surprisingly smooth. Even so, it’s still a stout 8 pounds to trip the hammer, which might not prove ideal for those brand new to shooting. Also, the sights—an integral rear and blade front—aren’t the easiest to master for more precise shooting. But at defensive range in defensive scenarios are more than adequate.
Ruger offers a bevy of chambering options for the LCR, from .22 LR up to .38 Special and 9mm. Though it’s a bit of an oddball, we liked the gun in .327 Federal Magnum, a hard-hitting compromise that is forgiving in recoil.
Our Ruger LCR review show why this revolver is such a hot-shot (especially in .327 Fed Mag).
LCR Deals
Palmetto State Armory
$837
Bass Pro Shop
$569
Gritr Sports
$669
Best .357 Magnum: Ruger LCRx 3-Inch
While it doesn't quite get everything out of the .357 cartridge, it certainly makes it more of a magnum than terser concealed carry revolvers.
Pros
Good ballistics
Accurate
Cons
Limited capacity
Double-action trigger not for beginners
LCRx 3-Inch Specs
Caliber: .357 Magnum; other calibers 9mm, 22 WMR, 22LR, .38 Special
Capacity: 5-6 depending on caliber
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Overall Length: 7.5 inches
Overall Height: 5.8 inches
Overall Width: 1.28 inches
Weight: 17.3 ounces depending on caliber
Sights: Ramp front, adjustable rear
MSRP: $859
The LCRx is the absolute mamma bear magnum for concealed carry revolvers, offering shooters everything they want in a .357 Magnum—especially the power. The secret sauce here is the gun’s 3-inch barrel that milks the ballistic potential out of the magnum cartridge.
While the snub-nose .357s have more pop than a .38 Special, even a +P .38, it falls considerably short of the cartridge's normal performance standards. In return, you get more muzzle blast and pain. However, in my chronograph testing, the LCRx is just off a 6-inch .357 Magnum and dang near identical to a 4-inch model. All while being quite a bit more concealable.
The 5-round revolver is heavier than its little brother LCR, coming in at 21 ounces. This isn’t only due to the extra bore, but also the stainless steel frame—required for the more powerful cartridge. Despite this, it remains very concealable.
The trigger is similar to the LCR, making the gun manageable and accurate—though it still isn’t an option for those who haven’t mastered the double-action trigger pull. There are other aspects shooters should keep in mind with the revolver, as well. It has adjustable target rear sights, providing more accuracy. And its hammer has a spur. While I haven’t found either to pose a problem, each are a potential snag point and might prove uncomfortable for some, depending on how they carry. At 5 o’clock outside the waistband, it wasn’t an issue for me.
Does the extra inch matter? Check out our LCRx review to find out.
LCRx Deals
Sportsman's Warehouse
$718
Omaha Outdoors
$660
Gritr Sports
$669
Best .380 ACP: Ruger LCP Max
It has the chops to hold down primary and backup carry duties.
Pros
Extremely concealable
Capacity for size
Good holster selection
Cons
Short sight radius
Small grip
LCP Max Specs
Caliber: .380 ACP
Capacity: 10+1
Barrel Length: 2.8 inches
Overall Length: 5.17 inches
Overall Height: 3.6 inches
Overall Width: .82 inch
Weight: 10.6 ounces
Sights: Tritium front, u-notch rear
MSRP: $479
The third version of this iconic .380 pistol finally delivers what shooters have asked for, particularly its sights. I can't say enough how much I disliked the integral sights on the LCP II (now a .22 LR in Ruger’s catalog). Not only do I not care for fixed systems, but they provided only a rudimentary sight picture. On the other hand, the white outlined rear sight of the Max and tritium front creates a very usable and intuitive system.
One of the best features of the Max is its excellent capacity for what is certainly a pocket pistol. With 10+1 on board with its flush-fit mag and 12+1 with its extended, shooters should feel comfortable with its firepower. However, Ruger slightly widened the LCP’s grip to expand it to a double stack. Not that this is a bad thing. With a little more meat on the handle I found the pistol more comfortable in the hand; add the extended mag and even my medium-sized hand could fit almost completely on the grip.
I had no issues hitting center mass out to 10 yards with the Max, even so, I wouldn't classify the pistol as a tack driver. I don’t think this surprises anyone with a 2.8-inch barreled gun, weighing all of 12 ounces loaded. And while it's not a beast to shoot by any stretch of the imagination, it’s also not one I figure most folks will take to the range for fun.
All of that said, what the gun lacks in shootability it more than makes up for in concealability. I toted the Max around via a pocket holster and an IWB holster, both are more than feasible and comfortable. Short Speedos, you can carry the Max confident you won’t give yourself away.
LCP Max Deals
Sportsman's Warehouse
$409
Omaha Outdoors
$369
Gritr Sports
$365
Easy To Manipulate: Smith & Wesson Equalizer
Tailored to those who may not have as much hand strength, the Equalizer acquitted itself well enough as a concealed carry pistol that it's more than fit for those who don't need an easy-to-rack slide.
Pros
Easy racking slide
Optics ready
Low recoil
Cons
Grip Safety
Reset not very audible or tactile
Equalizer Specs
Caliber: 9mm
Capacity: 10+1, 13+1, 15+1
Barrel Length: 3.68 inches
Overall Length: 6.75 inches
Overall Height: 4.5 inches
Overall Width: 1.04 inch
Weight: 22.9 ounces
Sights: White dot, optics read
MSRP: $599
Easy-to-manipulate semi-auto concealed carry pistols have earned a much-needed niche in the firearms world. There are plenty of folks—through age, infirmity or just plain hand strength—who find semis difficult to manipulate. Smith & Wesson took a hard look at this class of pistol and developed the best example yet.
OK, so emblazing its name—Equalizer—across the slide is about as attractive as tailfins on a Corvette. That, however, is a rare chink in the 9mm pistol’s armor. Living up to its name, nearly anyone can operate the slide and get the gun into action.
While it appears just another striker-fired compact, the design point that makes the pistol so manipulatable is that it's hammer-fired. Essentially, it’s a Shield EZ—long-time S&W favorite—but a double stack, shipping with 10-, 13- and 15-round magazines. Aiding the pistol’s operation externally are large and aggressive cocking serrations and cocking tabs at the rear.
Honestly, I have to admit, the pistol is a shockingly nice one to shoot. Accuracy-wise, I found it on par with S&W's popular M&P line, but with a much crisper trigger—one of the benefits of a hammer. Certainly, the gun is on target enough for defensive action. The Equalizer also lives up to its billing with its highly manipulatable slide that able hands can run lighting fast.
A drawback I found to the system is holstering the pistol. Too much tension on your holster, the gun can rack when put away. I found counter pressure on the back of the slide with my thumb eliminated this issue.
It's a beast, but that's what you need for the backwoods.
Pros
Powerful chambering
Reliability
Versatile
Extended range
Cons
Large
Longer trigger reach
Recoil
Glock 20 Specs
Caliber: 10mm
Capacity: 15+1
Barrel Length: 4.61 inches
Overall Length: 8.07 inches
Overall Height: 5.51 inches
Overall Width: 1.12 inch
Weight: 39.86 ounces
Sights: White dot front, white outline rear
MSRP: $599
Most only consider two-legged predators when shopping for concealed-carry guns. Certain circumstances call for a pistol that can handle more than upright threats. For backwoods protection, the Glock 20 exceeds nearly all others.
A 10mm, the pistol provides enough punch to batter your way out of the tightest situations and take everything down short of coastal brown bears. Even there it’ll likely make them think twice. At the same time, it is feasibly concealable, particularly in garb you’d wear into the hinterlands. That said, it’s no lightweight by carry pistol standards—weighing in at a hefty 30 ounces unloaded. A good gun belt and perhaps an OWB holster go a long way in making the G20 a more manageable CCW gun.
Surprisingly, the G20 is a very manageable pistol, even with pitching hot loads. The weight does its part in taming the 10mm's jump, but so do the grip's ergonomics. Get past the Glock rake—of which I’m no fan of—and the standard model fits medium to large hands well and offers enough texturing, including the front and back straps—to keep the gun in place. I can take or leave the finger grooves.
It’s also lights-out accurate, particularly the MOS model outfitted with a red dot. With practice and a good trigger squeeze, the gun can consistently hit well past most defensive ranges. However, for many, tight and accurate splits may take some practice.
Hogs, cougars, two-legged threats—the G20 has you covered.
Above all, becoming an armed citizen is a lifestyle choice. By this we mean, your life will conform around your concealed carry gun. Don’t let this scare you off. It’s less daunting than it seems, yet it merits comment.
It takes more than a gun and a holster to become ready to carry.
After purchasing a concealed carry gun, plan on finding a reputable firearms instructor and enrolling in his or her classes. Generally, they’ll offer different levels of training, from basic pistol courses many states require to procure a concealed carry permit, to instruction on advanced concepts such as dynamic shooting, low-light engagements and mindset. Legal education is a must as well. America is a patchwork of self-defense laws, so be certain you find something tailored to where you live and travel so you have a well-formed idea of when, where and how you can justifiably use lethal force.
The greatest demand going armed makes is mastery of your firearm. Just like buying a guitar doesn’t make you a musician, purchasing a concealed carry gun doesn’t make you an expert in self-defense or the use of lethal force. You must educate yourself, practice and continue doing so. Essentially, it’s a lifetime undertaking. Don’t throw up your hands, because it’s the hardest work you’ll ever love with a side benefit of a lot of range time.
Once you have basic instruction under your belt, plan on refresher courses in the future. In the meantime, practice. We won’t prescribe a particular regimen here, because it will differ for each armed citizen. Your training should result in knowing your concealed carry gun inside and out, from muzzle to butt and all the quirks in between. Range time is the most obvious arena for learning and excelling with your pistol or revolver. But a solid routine of dry-fire drills at home works miracles on a learning curve and doesn’t cost a thing.
The other lifestyle aspect that comes with a concealed carry gun is clothing. Yup, that wardrobe is going to need updating … most likely. Unless you’re still mired in the baggy days of the grunge movement, it’s a safe bet much of your wardrobe won’t keep your gun concealed. Or, if it does, you’ll feel plum uncomfortable. Again, we won’t touch on the fine points here—there are loads of them. Just expect to make a clothing investment along with your concealed carry gun.
Concealed Carry Holsters
Hand-in-hand with clothing is a holster. You didn’t think you were going to tuck that baby in your waistband naked, did you? This is a vast topic, given the numerous types of concealed carry holsters on the market today:
IWB
OWB
Shoulder
Ankle
Belly Band
Pocket
Various Off The Body
Each has pros and cons and fit certain armed citizens, but not all of them. However, essentially all of them do the same job: retain the gun, cover the trigger (among the most important), protect you and the gun, enhance concealability, make carrying comfortable, and facilitate a smooth draw and re-holster. That’s a mouthful.
Get ready, because you'll try many holsters before you find the right system for you.
Stick with Kydex for your AIWB holster. Leather will become soft over time … which is a bad trait for an appendix rig.
Kydex is almost always a solid choice for holster material.
Unfortunately, we don’t have the magic bullet so that you hit the perfect holster your first time out. Nobody does. All we can say is, expect plenty of trial and error—and a closet shelf of rejects—before you find the ideal hanger for your concealed carry gun.
CCW Gun Fit
No two concealed carry guns are alike nor are two armed citizens. In turn, the pistol that works for you might be unwieldy to your friend. What this comes down to is fit, and there are two basic factors pertaining to concealed carry guns.
How the gun fits your hand
How the gun fits your style of carry
Most new shooters tend to think all guns are alike. They pick a trustworthy name and assume all is right with the world. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Concealed carry guns need to fit your hand properly, facilitating a fundamental high grip, otherwise, there can be control issues. Even the relatively mild-mannered 9mm is jumpy if oversized compared to a particular shooter. Gunmakers have engineered some wiggle room into their guns; most new polymer-framed pistols come with replaceable backstraps and palm swells of different sizes allowing for a level of customization. Take the time to find the make/model that fits you best. A good tactic is to go to a range that has a good selection of guns for rent, and give the ones you’re interested in a test drive. The proof is in the pudding, as they say.
Figuring out which one out of the many concealed carry guns to choose from takes a close examination of yourself and your lifestyle.
As to carry fit, the whole idea behind a concealed carry gun is to keep it concealed. Depending on who you are, how you carry and your particular lifestyle, not every gun will fit the bill. While a 250-pound trucker might easily keep a Government-size 1911 under wraps with no problem, a 98-pound lady business executive might find it more challenging. Think hard about your usual attire (yes, you’ll update some of it), daily routine and potential carry methods as you go through the buying process. These will provide guide marks steering you to the ideal choice out of all the concealed carry guns.
The Best Caliber For Concealed Carry
Hoo boy … here’s a can of worms. Ask 100 people the best caliber for a concealed carry gun and you’ll get 100 answers—probably including 8.5 Mars, .455 Webley and some other oddballs. The topic is so divisive friendships have been lost and gun forums burned to the ground arguing what’s top dog. Presently, the most popular concealed carry calibers are:
.380 ACP
.38 Special
9mm
.40 S&W
.45 ACP
10mm
.357 Magnum
So, which one is right? The dirty secret is, all of them.
Given ammunition advancements over the past 20 years, particularly bullet design, every one of the cartridges can save your life. The rub is, some of the smaller and lower velocity options—.380 ACP and .38 Special, we’re looking at you—require more homework to find acceptable self-defense loads. The big boys—10mm and .357 Magnum—require more skill to wield effectively. Don’t let either factor turn you off any of those if the particular concealed carry gun that fits you is chambered thusly. Just expect to spend more time making them work.
Is there a right choice?
That leaves us with 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. These are the most popular self-defense calibers on the market. Again, we can’t choose for you, only point out each that is an effective option, capable of neutralizing a threat, and are widely available. You need to find what you shoot best and that comes in a make/model that fits your lifestyle. A range that rents guns is invaluable for puzzling this out. Take each for a spin before you buy!
What about a .22 LR and other small fries? While inadvisable for most armed citizens, if that’s all you can get or effectively shoot, it’s better than nothing.
What Is The Best Length For A Concealed Carry Gun?
Compact pistols have a 4-inch barrel and micro compacts a 3- to 3.5-inch barrels. We find these lengths the easiest to carry. However, the longer the barrel of a gun the more accurate it is due to a longer sight radius. In turn, the best length for a pistol is one that facilitates the most accuracy, while being easy to conceal.
What Is The Best Caliber For A Concealed Carry Gun?
There is no consensus on which caliber is the best, though, the 9mm is the most popular. For the most part, .380 ACP is considered the minimum caliber for self-defense.
What Is The Best Concealed Carry Handgun Holster?
One that completely covers the trigger, for starters. Aside from a way to carry your concealed carry gun, a holster is a safety device. From there, much of it is a personal preference. I personally prefer inside the waistband (IWB) holsters, because they provide the most concealment. However, in the colder months, I will use an outside the waistband (OWB) holster for comfort.
What Is The Best Concealed Carry Gun For Women?
While many gun salesmen push small and light revolvers, my choice for most women would be a compact or micro compact pistol. The trigger pull is lighter and more predictable. For women concerned about being able to manipulate the slide, the Smith & Wesson Equalizer would be my first choice; for those looking for less recoil, the Springfield Hellcat with a compensator would be an excellent option.
We take a quick look at 6mm ARC, a cartridge that’s ballistically superior to 5.56 NATO in almost every way.
The 6mm ARC (Advanced Rifle Cartridge) SAAMI cartridge (and chamber specs) was introduced in January 2020 and revised in June 2020.
Hornady ballistician Jayden Quinlan said, “The 6mm ARC began with a simple question: What can we do with today's technology to maximize the performance of the AR-15 platform? We subsequently modeled and tested a variety of designs in different calibers until we were able to produce the most flexible cartridge possible within the limits of the AR-15 system.”
The 6mm ARC was engineered using a long, high-B.C. bullet in modern autoloading rifles. The SAAMI maximum average pressure is 52,000 psi. The twist rate should be 1:7.5 to stabilize 105- to 108-grain high-B.C. bullets and 1:7 twist to stabilize the 115-grain Berger VLD.
According to an article by Richard A. Mann on June 18, 2021, “Hornady … identified a need for an ‘unnamed' Department of Defense entity and a concept cartridge was discussed. The entity showed extreme interest, so Hornady began development. Ultimately, the result of that collaboration is what's now known as the commercially available 6mm ARC.”
“However, the 6mm ARC isn't really new. In about 1975, Dr. Louis Palmisano and Ferris Pindell took the .220 Russian case, which is based on the 7.62x39mm Soviet cartridge, necked it up to 6mm (0.244 inch) and changed the shoulder angle to 30 degrees. Even though the 6mm PPC never gained SAAMI approval, it found great popularity in the bench-rest competition circuit. Most shooters made their own brass and loaded their own ammo.”
“However, note that there are several versions of the 6mm PPC. Though they're minutely different, this results from a cartridge not having SAAMI approval. While some believe the 6mm ARC is based on the 6.5 Grendel cartridge, it's really nothing more than yet another variation of the 6mm PPC.”
Quinlan said it delivers less felt recoil than larger short-action-based cartridges. However, it also uses modern, heavy-for-caliber 6mm bullets that provide excellent accuracy and ballistic performance at an extended range. The 6mm ARC delivers better ballistics than the 5.56 NATO with similar recoil. It delivers comparable ballistics to the .308 Winchester with 30 percent less weight on the firearm platform and ammunition.
General Comments
The maximum cartridge overall length is 2.26 inches, the head diameter is 0.441 inch, and the case capacity of the 6mm ARC is 34 grains. With Hornady's 108-grain ELD-Match, the 6 ARC drops and drifts less than any .223 Rem. bullet. The 6mm ARC is available in: 105-grain BTHP Hornady Black, 108-grain ELD Match, and 103-grain ELD-X Precision Hunter. Hornady lists reloading information for gas guns (52K max pressure) with bullets as light as a 58-grain V-Max.
6mm ARC Factory Loading Data And Factory Ballistics:
We take a quick look at the Galco Hawkeye for the SIG P365 XL, a leather IWB holster designed for optic-equipped pistols.
Who says you can’t have a classy leather holster for your red dot-equipped carry pistol? The Galco Hawkeye makes that possible, and the company has just added a new fit for the popular SIG Sauer P365 XL.
The Galco Hawkeye is made from reinforced premium steerhide and is available in tan or black for right-handed fits. Unfortunately for lefties, no left-hand options are currently available. The design features snap-on belt loops so the holster can be attached or removed without taking off one’s belt, and each will come standard with 1.75-inch belt loops. However, 1.25- and 1.5-inch replacement belt loops are also available for purchase separately.
SIG P365 X-Macro model shown.
If you couldn’t tell from the name, the Galco Hawkeye was designed to accommodate pistols with compact, carry-style red dot sights installed, and as such it features a protective leather optic shroud. The holster also features an open-top design with a butt-forward cant to help facilitate a full firing grip when drawing.
SIG P365 X-Macro model shown.
The Galco Hawkeye for SIG P365 XL pistols is available now and has an MSRP of $149. Other available fits for this holster model include the SIG P365 X-Macro, the SIG P365 XL Spectre Comp, the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield 3-inch, the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Plus and the Taurus 856 T.O.R.O. 3-inch.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
