The Chest Holster Buyer’s Guide

November 30, 2022

Looking to comfortably carry an iron up-top without any concern for concealment? A chest holster may be just what you need.

Chest holsters have become more popular in recent years, especially for people who want to carry a gun outdoors but may have their waist occupied by a pack. In other words, the niche is for carrying a handgun when you can't wear a belt holster.

Some people have taken to wearing them regardless of whether they're carrying a pack or not, and the holster as a class has therefore earned its place in the market.

So, let's learn a little more about chest holsters by looking at what kinds there are, if you should get one, how they compare to other types of open carry holsters and finally a few good models to consider for purchase.

Chest Holsters Are For Open Carry When Belt Carry Isn't An Option

Chest holsters were developed for hikers and backcountry hunters who wanted to carry an easily accessible handgun in the backcountry when their waist was otherwise occupied by the hip belt of a pack.

Chest-Holster-Feature-Kennai — A Kenai Scoped Hunter chest holster worn with a pack.

It isn't the only option for carrying a gun in the woods, but it is one of the better ones.

But is there a reason you might not want to carry in a chest holster? How do they compare to other open carry holster types such as shoulder holsters or drop-leg holsters?

Drop leg holsters were designed to do something similar, namely to get the holster off the belt. However, what a lot of people don't know is that they're supposed to ride high on the leg. The idea is actually to have the gun in nearly the same location as with a standard belt holster.

Drop leg holsters were originally developed to get a little more clearance for a plate carrier or soft armor vest, but to keep the duty gun in about the same location. The result is that drop leg holsters are also compatible with backpacks, as most types will hang the pistol low enough to clear a pack’s hip belt as well.

Shoulder holsters can likewise work by suspending the gun off the shoulder, so they are a potential open carry method as well, but they come with their own set of problems. They also don't necessarily mesh well with a pack’s shoulder straps.

Another thing to keep in mind is that if your pack has a hip belt with MOLLE/PALS webbing (the “battle belt” is actually part of a modular system including a pack and shoulder straps) you can mount an OWB holster to the webbing itself.

However, every type of holster comes with downsides.

The best way to use a shoulder holster is to let someone else buy it so it can make them miserable while you do other things. Many buy them, but few use them for very long.

While a very small number of people use them in the outdoors, the best use-case is for someone who's seated a lot. Police officers who are frequently sedentary as part of investigative work and long-haul truckers will get more out of one than anyone else.

Drop leg holsters and MOLLE holsters mounted to belt webbing stick out from the body. If you're backcountry hunting and having to make your way through thick brush, that's one more thing snagging and getting tugged at.

Chest holsters are notorious for not playing well with binocular harnesses, so that's something to bear in mind as well. They also require a fair bit of adjustment to get the fit just right, but that's common with almost any holster.

Types Of Chest Holsters

Chest holsters can broadly be broken down into four categories, specifically by holster material.

Nylon, leather, Kydex and hybrid. All feature adjustable straps, most of which are nylon webbing but occasionally leather, in a three-point harness that loops under both arms and over one shoulder.

Nylon chest holsters are essentially nylon cloth scabbards with a thumb strap. These are usually generically sized for large semi-autos and revolvers, but they are usually cheaply made and should generally be avoided.

Elite-Survival-Holster — An example of a generic-sized, inexpensive chest holster. This one is from Elite Survival.

Leather chest holsters typically put an open-top holster on a three-point harness. They're usually offered for large-frame revolvers and semi-autos. Some also include a thumb snap or flap for retention.

Hybrid chest holsters, like any hybrid holster, use a soft backing material as the base with a hard molded polymer retention shell. The straps attach to the base, and the shell goes on top.

Kydex chest holsters use a Kydex holster shell with nylon web straps attached to the wings of the shell.

In all cases, chest holsters are typically made and offered for large-frame revolvers and semi-autos, as they are the types most frequently carried in the woods. 1911s, large-frame Glocks (especially 10mm variants) and large revolvers are the most common handgun fits that chest holsters are made for, but they can also be ordered custom to accommodate nearly any handgun out there.

The 5 Best Chest Holsters

Kenai Chest Holster

Probably the best to acquire of all is the Kenai Chest Holster by Gunfighters Inc. The Kenai uses a custom-molded Kydex shell with a three-point adjustable web strap harness.

It's offered in multiple colors/patterns and for dozens of makes and models of handguns (including multiple revolver options). When ordering, there are options to accommodate a scope, light or red dot sight as well. It has a slim profile that should get along with most bino harnesses too.

MSRP: Starts at $159 // gunfightersinc.com

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Diamond D Guides' Choice Leather Chest Holster

If you prefer your fightin' iron to ride in hide, Diamond D Leather offers the Guides' Choice Leather Chest Holster. As it happens, the Guides' Choice chest holster has been around for years and has a reputation as being one of the best you can buy.

Handmade in Alaska for outdoorsmen in one of the roughest parts of the world, it has been field-tested more than any other entrant on this list. It's available for more than 100 makes and models of pistol (including semi-autos and revolvers) with several options including a retention flap, thumb strap or optional ammo/mag pouches.

It's mostly designed for large semi-autos and large-frame revolvers, and while it's compatible with some red dot sights, it isn't compatible with scoped revolvers.

MSRP: Starts at $185 // diamonddcustomleather.com

Alien Gear Holsters Cloak Chest Holster

Alien Gear Holsters is arguably the largest purveyor of the hybrid holster design ethos, offering their Cloak Chest Holster—named for their Cloak series of molded Boltaron holster shells—on a multilayer base with adjustable straps.

The Cloak Chest Holster is made to accommodate a huge number of firearm makes and models, ranging all the way from micro-compacts up to the Desert Eagle. It can also be ordered to be compatible with lights, lasers and optics.

The base has a backing layer of wicking neoprene and adjustable web straps.

MSRP: $129.88 // aliengearholsters.com

Hosking Holsters Chest Holster

Hosking Holsters, like a lot of holster companies, is a Kydex holster operation making its own molded polymer holsters. They offer a chest holster too, using an OWB holster shell with a three-point web harness attached.

They offer a wide selection of firearms, from micro semi-autos and revolvers up to N-frame revolvers and large-frame semi-autos. They also have several configurable options for lights, lasers, red dot sights and backstraps for additional retention. As a bonus, this is one of the most affordable yet decent chest holster options on the market.

MSRP: $95 // hoskingholsters.com

El Paso Saddlery Tanker Holster

Some people find chest holsters to be a little awkward, especially if you also wear binos in the field. The El Paso Saddlery Tanker Holster provides a slightly different design, inspired by the holsters created for tank crews in World War II. The holster sits a little lower, with the grip of the gun just under the sternum.

A tanker solves the bino problem while keeping the gun on the front of the body. Everything a chest holster does, a tanker does, the gun just sits a little lower.

El Paso Saddlery makes a relatively faithful clone of the M3 holster, made of leather and available for dozens of firearms including large-frame semi-autos and revolvers with barrel lengths up to 8 ⅜ inches.

A thumb strap and tie-down strap (which attaches to the belt) are included along with an adjustable shoulder strap.

El Paso Saddlery is one of the oldest names in gunleather, but the company is still making high-quality and practical holsters for the armed citizen to this day.

MSRP: Starts at $155 // epsaddlery.com

More Up-Top Carry Options:

Eight Pro Shoulder Holster Options
Review: Alien Gear ShapeShift Shoulder Holster
Shoulder Holsters And Carry Angle
Alien Gear Cloak Shoulder Holster Review
Versacarry Mayhem Shoulder Holster

Smith & Wesson Releases M&P9 M2.0 Competitor Pistol

Adam Borisenko

November 29, 2022

Smith & Wesson has just announced the M&P9 M2.0 Competitor, a new metal-framed 9mm handgun from the S&W Performance Center designed for competition.

Earlier this year Smith & Wesson released the M&P9 M2.0 Metal, a metal-framed variant of the company’s popular M&P9 pistol. The gun has just received the S&W Performance Center treatment, however, and is now also available as the M&P9 M2.0 Competitor.

The M&P9 M2.0 Competitor, as the name implies, is designed primarily for use in competition. It’s a full-size handgun with a 5-inch barrel and a 17-round capacity in 9mm (10-round models are also available for restricted states). As a competition pistol, the M&P9 M2.0 Competitor also includes several features out of the box designed to make the handgun as soft-shooting and easy to use as possible.

While the M&P9 M2.0 Competitor’s metal frame would normally cause it to weigh more than the standard polymer-framed M&P9, due to the aggressive lightning cuts it actually weighs slightly less (29 ounces versus 29.3 ounces). This was done to move the pistol’s recoil balance point farther back to help reduce muzzle climb. Other enhanced features on the Competitor include an improved trigger, an optics-ready slide and a fiber optic front sight. It also features a flared magazine well and an oversized, reversible mag release for faster and smoother reloads.

The M&P9 M2.0 Competitor is available with either a Tungsten Gray or a two-tone Cerakote finish, and as mentioned it can be purchased with either 17-round or 10-round mags. Each pistol ships with four magazines, and regardless of the model chosen all have an MSRP of $999.

For more information, please visit smith-wesson.com.

More Smith & Wesson M&P Pistols:

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The Micro Compact M&P Shield Plus
M&P M2.0 Compact Series
The M&P45 M2.0 .45 ACP M&P

First Look: Bond Arms Stinger RS And Rawhide In .22 LR

Adam Borisenko

November 25, 2022

Bond Arms has just released two new double-barrel handguns, the Stinger RS .22 LR and the Rawhide .22 LR.

Bond Arms, the go-to manufacturer of new production Derringer-style handguns, has just released two new double-barrel concealed carry pistols. They’re called the Stinger RS .22 LR and the Rawhide .22 LR, and both are a new caliber offering of existing Bond Arms models.

Bond-Arms-22-feature — Bond Arms Rawhide .22 LR.

The Rawhide .22 LR is advertised as being designed for plinking at the range, or fun or varmint control when camping or at the ranch. Its barrels are 2.5 inches long, it has an overall length of 4.5 inches and a weight of 21 ounces. It has a cross-bolt safety and no trigger guard, and its stainless steel barrel and frame feature Bond Arms’ Rough & Tumble finish.

Bond-Arms-Stinger-RS-22-LR — Bond Arms Stinger RS .22 LR.

The Stinger RS .22 LR is advertised as being designed with more defensive uses in mind, such as a concealed carry or backup pistol. It’s also made of stainless steel and has the same finish as the Rawhide .22 LR, but instead has a 3-inch barrel, a 5-inch overall length and a weight of only 18 ounces. The Stinger RS has a cross-bolt safety and a trigger guard integrated into the frame.

The new .22 LR Bond Arms pistols are available now, and both the Rawhide and the Stinger RS share an MSRP of $269.

For more information, please visit bondarms.com.

More On Pocket Pistols:

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Brownells Releases BRN-4 Piston Upper Receiver Kits

Adam Borisenko

November 23, 2022

Brownells has just released the BRN-4 Piston Upper Receiver Kit, providing builders with a more affordable path to an H&K 416 clone.

The H&K 416 is one of the most legendary AR-15 derivatives in existence, with its famously reliable piston operating system resulting in its adoption by the U.S. Marine Corps and many other prestigious military organizations around the globe. Many Americans would like to own one, but unfortunately, genuine Heckler & Koch parts are incredibly rare and prohibitively expensive. Thankfully, a more affordable path to H&K 416 ownership has just been created by Brownells’ release of the BRN-4 Piston Upper Receiver Kit.

The kit is comprised of a mix of both factory-new Brownells BRN-4 parts and surplus German parts. Brownells managed to source a small supply of genuine H&K 416 stripped uppers and handguards some years ago, and they are now available in limited numbers through these kits. The uppers may show signs of use, and once the genuine German parts are gone, they will not be replaced. The other parts in the kit are from Brownells, including the barrels which are available in 10.4-, 14.5- and 16-inch lengths. The kits are compatible with both standard AR-15 and H&K 416-style lower receivers.

The complete kits from Brownells are being sold for $1,499, but individual parts are available for purchase as well. While still expensive, for those who’ve been wanting to build a 416 clone, this kit will be a much more affordable way to do it than tracking down an original.

For more information, please visit brownells.com.

Get On Target With The AR:

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The CCW Basic Proficiency Test

Richard A. Mann

November 23, 2022

A defensive handgun drill for testing your practical defensive shooting skills with a concealed carry pistol.

There are all sorts of shooting drills you can conduct for practice, training or to evaluate your proficiency. Some drills isolate individual skills, such as shooting with your strong hand, conducting a reload, engaging multiple targets or maybe clearing stoppages. Others combine a collection of different skills to provide a more comprehensive estimation of your abilities. The drills you conduct and give credence to should be based on what you desire to accomplish, measure or test.

Establishing Your Standard

If you’re a competitive handgun shooter who likes to participate in IDPA or IPSC matches, you might focus on specific skillsets. If you just want to improve your base-line proficiency with a defensive handgun, you might work with different drills highlighting those things. There’s really no wrong or right drill if it has a practical relation to real-world application. You’ll have to decide that on your own, and you’ll also have to decide how to score, evaluate or critique the drills you conduct. And, you’ll have to decide whether your goal is to compete against yourself, some predetermined par or other shooters.

Typically, scoring is conducted through a combination of hits and time. Time restrictions impose a level of anxiety and, of course, hitting is the purpose of shooting. You can assign a point value for each hit and divide the total points by the time it took you to compete the drill. This is the Comstock method and is commonly used in IPSC matches.

Another method is the “Vickers Count,” which is used in IDPA matches. With this method, you take your elapsed time and add 1 or more seconds for misses, hits in various scoring zones or penalties. There’s really no wrong or right way to score a drill as long as it prevents gamesmanship. You don’t want to be able to game the drill in some manner that allows for a good score without following the spirit of the exercise.

Bill Wilson, founder of Wilson Combat, sent me a drill recently that he calls the “CCW Basic Proficiency Test.” He described the drill as being a basic test to see if you’re actually proficient enough to be carrying a concealed handgun. After looking at the content of the drill and conducting it five times, I think Bill might be on to something.

No, I’m not suggesting this drill/test should be mandated by government agencies issuing concealed-carry permits; I consider concealed carry a basic fundamental right. But I do think those who carry concealed should establish a certain level of proficiency for themselves, just as they might before operating a chainsaw. This drill/test is a reasonable way to measure that.

The Proficiency Test

To conduct Wilson’s CCW Basic Proficiency Test, you’ll need two standard IDPA or similar targets. (I didn’t have any IDPA targets, so I took two IPSC targets and painted an 8-inch circle in the chest area and a 4-inch circle in the head area.) Place the targets side by side, 6 feet apart. You’ll also need a shot timer, 18 rounds of ammunition, your carry gun in its commonly used concealable holster, and some sort of garment that actually conceals the pistol.

The idea is to shoot this drill cold, meaning no warm-up. And, this is a test, not a practice regime.

Starting with your handgun in your holster, standing 5 yards from the target, draw and engage Target 1 with two shots to the body and one shot to the head, then transition to Target 2 and do the same, for a total of six shots. Write down your time. (Just write your time on the target with a marker. This makes it easy to keep track of and reference later.)

Handgun-Drill-Targets — There are hundreds of different handgun drills you can work with. What matters most is if the drill can help you identify your weaknesses.

For the next string of fire, remain at 5 yards and, after drawing from the holster, fire three shots at the body of Target 1 and three shots at the body of Target 2 using your strong hand only, for a total of six shots fired. Again, write down your time.

For the final string of fire, step back to 7 yards. From here, you’ll draw from the holster and engage Target 1 with three shots to the body and then transition to Target 2 and do the same thing for a total of six shots. Like before, write your time on the target.

Now you need to score your targets. To do this, add the times together for each string of fire. Next, add 1 second for each shot that landed outside the 8-inch circle in the body and the 4-inch circle in the head. Add 5 seconds for each shot that missed the target completely. And, if you’re using actual IDPA targets, add 3 seconds for each shot that landed in the outer perimeter scoring area.

It’s About Improving

Wilson told me he ran this drill cold and scored 13.76. (Bill is, as you might expect, an excellent shot.) I didn’t do that well. On my first cold run, my total time was 12.08 seconds, but I had to add 3 seconds for shots that missed the 4- and 8-inch circles for a total score of 15.08. According to Bill’s rating system, with that score I’m fully proficient.

Wilson rates a score of 15 or less as extremely proficient, a score between 15 and 20 as fully proficient, 20 to 27 as marginally proficient and anything over 27 as not proficient enough to carry. You might or might not agree, and that’s fine; you should be the one determining your proficiency level. However, by any measure, if you cannot do better than 27 on this test, you need some serious training and practice.

The Surprise Takeaway

As a side note, I learned something from this drill, and I’ll bet it might be the same lesson you’ll learn. The three points I dropped were during the second string of fire with my strong hand only. None of us shoot enough only using our strong hand, and that’s something you might very likely need to do during a self-defense situation.

This bothered me, so I ran the drill four more times, expressly concentrating on my strong-hand-only performance, making my average for five runs 13.81. I performed better by slowing my shooting with my strong hand only by about a half-second. Because I wrote the times of each run on the target, this was easy to see.

Based on this test, my new training goal is to improve my strong-hand-only shooting. That’s what drills/tests like this are best used for: to help you identify your weaknesses and give you incentive to improve.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More On Handgun Drills And Training:

Video: Target Transition Training With The Dot Drill
The Shot Timer And Defensive Handgun Training
Gun Digest’s 10 Best Shooting Drills And Firearms Training Posts
MantisX: Simple And Effective Training
Video: Is A Full-Sized Pistol The Best Training Option?

The Well-Groomed Reloader: Case Trimming

Philip Massaro

November 21, 2022

Regardless of how fancy your case trimmer is, here's why it's crucial that you trim cases to the exact proper length.

Bring fired cases back into spec for reloading, trimming cases can often seem like a chore. Without trimming the cases, things can go awry, and trimming your cases is an important part of keeping things as uniform as possible.

Our cases are made of brass for the malleable qualities of that metal; it’s strong enough to handle the rigors of day-to-day handling, yet soft enough to be able to be reformed. However, over the course of multiple firings and resizing, brass will stretch. Our cases tend to see the brass flow from the base of the case toward the mouth, lengthening the case. In many instances, that length will need to be trimmed to a uniform dimension.

Case-Trimmer-feature — Photo: Massaro Media Group.

Case Specifics

For the pistol cases, trimming is paramount. In most instances regarding the auto-loading cartridges, the case mouth is used for headspacing. While it doesn’t happen often, the potential is there to have the cases of the .45 ACP, .40 S&W, 9mm Luger and their ilk to stretch to the point where the case length is too long for the chamber. If I’ve used my pistol cases for a number of firings, I’ll often check the length to see if they need a quick trim.

Revolver cases, on the other hand, definitely need to be trimmed to a uniform length, as they’ll use a roll crimp to keep the bullet firmly in place, more often than not. That roll crimp is usually applied via a small shelf in the inside of the seating die. As that die will be set in a stationary position, you can easily envision how a case that’s too short will give a very light crimp and how a case that’s too long will put an excess crimp, rolling the case mouth much too hard. But once you’ve got your cases trimmed to a uniform length, the roll crimp can be set to give the perfect amount of crimp to hold the projectiles with the same amount of force each time.

The same principle outlined above for the revolvers can be applied to the straight-walled rifle cases, as the bullets will need to be crimped in place to prevent them from either pulling out of the case mouth under recoil in the magazine or being pushed further into the case. This can be crucial with those cartridges destined for lever-action rifles with tubular magazines, as the bullet of one cartridge is pushed against the base of the cartridge in front of it and if that bullet isn’t properly crimped, you’ll see it move further into the case after being loaded several times. Uniform case length equals a uniform roll crimp and that can make a big difference in pressures and velocity.

Trimming Tools

Looking at the tools available for trimming cases, you’ll see a diverse selection, from the simplest hand tools to motor-driven, micrometer-adjustable machines. Among the simplest—and yet wonderfully effective—is the Lee Case Length Gauge and Trimmer (street price less than $25), which uses a cartridge-specific shell holder and a length/caliber-specific gauge, combined with a cutter to trim your case to proper SAAMI-approved case length. It requires a bit of elbow grease, though the unit can easily be adapted to an electric drill to make life easier. The length gauge is piloted through the case’s flash hole, so you get a nice, square cut.

There’s also a hand-cranked case trimmer, looking much like a conventional pencil sharpener. The base of the case is held by a collet, and the case mouth is held against a cutter. The user can adjust the setup to give a specified length; the case mouth is trimmed when the user cranks the handle. I like the Redding 2400 Match Precision Case Trimmer (street price about $205)—though there are numerous models from different reloading manufacturers—for both its precision and ease of use.

Redding-Case-Trimmer — Redding 2400 Trimmer. Photo: Massaro Media Group.

The motor-driven trimming tools are quite fancy and can trim a lot of brass without wearing out your wrists and fingers. I have a micrometer adjustable RCBS Universal Case Prep Station (street price about $550) with a variable speed motor that has more than earned its keep over the years. It comes in handy when I’m converting brass from one cartridge to another. The spring-loaded jaws will handle most cartridges.

And the micrometer allows the user to quickly dial in the amount to be trimmed off. A caliber-specific pilot keeps the case as square to the cutter face as possible for the most uniform cut, and the motor is cut off when the handle is depressed to release the cartridge from those spring-loaded jaws.

While these are just three examples of different types of trimmers—and there are a good number of models to choose from—it should illustrate what’s available. Think about the volume of reloading you intend to do; if it entails just a couple of different calibers, the simpler setups might be the wiser investment. If you end up loading for all sorts of guns, one of the faster units might make complete sense.

A Note on Length

One last thing: There’s often a debate about what length to trim your cartridges. You may see the SAAMI-specified length listed as one dimension and then a “trim to” dimension, which will be a bit shorter. I generally stick with the (longer) SAAMI dimension, as I often use new cases and don’t like heavily trimming new brass. In some instances, it reduces the neck length of a case (think .300 Winchester Magnum) with an already short neck. If you prefer to trim a bit shorter, in order to keep everything uniform—both new and previously fired cases—I won’t argue, but realize it can have a minor effect in some instances.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More On Reloading:

Tips For Reloading the .30-06 Springfield
Loving Your Luger: Reloading the 9mm Luger
Handloading: Tips For Reloading The 7mm Rem Mag
How To: Tips For Reloading the .223 Remington
Reloading Bench: The Inside On Reloading For The .30-30 Winchester

The .270 Rifle Buyer’s Guide

Sam Hoober

November 21, 2022

Looking for a .270 rifle? Here we go over what makes for the best .270 Winchester rifles and six top models to consider.

There was a time when choosing a good .270 rifle was simple. You either got a Remington 700, a Winchester Model 70 or had one made custom by someone who knew what they were doing. Whichever route you went, your rifle was guaranteed to be solid.

RIAC-Pre-64-Winchester-Model-70-270-Winchester — A pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in .270 Winchester. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Today, while the .270 rifle shopper is spoiled lousy for choice, he can also be easily led astray by models that don’t suit his intended purpose. So, let's talk about how to go about finding the best .270 Winchester rifle for your specific needs.

What To Look For In A .270 Rifle

All rifles of any caliber should be accurate and reliable, otherwise, they aren't the good kind of interesting. The good news is reliable and accurate bolt-action rifles can be had for a song. Today's budget rifles are often better than the top-tier factory rifles of even 20 years ago.

Here's what you should consider.

Stocks, stock materials and weight are a good things to pay attention to. .270 Winchester is one of the dominant hunting calibers for people who hunt game in open country and lugging a 9-pound rifle and scope around isn’t very pleasant.

Synthetics are lighter than wood, after all! You may also want to eschew blued guns if you live in an area that gets a lot of precipitation. Many shooters also find the factory length of pull to be too long on modern factory rifle stocks, so features like adjustability can be important as well.

If you're going to carry this rifle for any length of time or distance afield, bear those things in mind.

As far as action types, there are very few rifles chambered for .270 Winchester that are not bolt-action rifles.

There are only three non-bolt action rifles made in this caliber by a major manufacturer. Browning's BAR and BLR (semi-auto and lever-action, respectively) and the Remington 7600 pump-action. If bolt-action guns are not your cup of tea, your .270 rifle options are limited.

Almost no factory rifles are offered with a twist rate other than 1:10. If you intend to get a rifle for the light varmint bullets or heavy long-range bullets, such as Berger's Extreme Outer Limits bullet, you'll likely need to find a custom barrel maker.

As for barrel length, there aren't many compact rifles offered in this caliber. Classically, 22 to 24 inches was the sweet spot. Any shorter than 20 inches, and you're just converting powder to noise and getting kicked harder than you would by a 7mm-08 or .243. You might as well not bother.

Then you have the sighting.

Whether you want to use a Picatinny rail or traditional scope mount mostly comes down to personal preference. Some guns will have factory-standard iron sights, and some will not. Having them or not is, again, a personal preference, but having a backup or a close-range sighting method to go with an optic is never a bad idea.

After determining how exactly you plan on using a .270 rifle, you can begin narrowing down features. After deciding on your preferred stock material, barrel length, optics mounting style and anything else, the final consideration is your budget. Rifles in this caliber can vary greatly in price, so regardless of how deep your pockets are there should be a model out there that’s perfect for your needs and means.

6 Top .270 Winchester Rifle Options

Savage Axis II XP

If bang for your buck is a concern, the Savage Axis II XP is nigh-on unbeatable. It includes a Savage Axis II rifle with black synthetic stock and a 3-9x40mm Bushnell Banner scope.

The rifle has a 22-inch barrel with a 1:10 twist, and a matte-blued receiver and barrel. The Axis II XP combo is worth its slightly higher price over the standard Axis XP as it has Savage's AccuTrigger, considered one of the best factory units on the market.

Magazine capacity is 4+1 in a flush-mount detachable box, and the gun weighs in at 7.38 pounds with the scope. You'd be hard-pressed to find more value for the money, and the only thing that could substantially improve this rifle is a better scope.

MSRP: $529 // savagearms.com

Winchester Model 70 Featherweight

If you prefer classic hunting rifles, there are few better than The Winchester Model 70 Featherweight. Jack O'Connor made this gun in this caliber famous over half a century ago, but today's Model 70 Featherweight makes a compelling case for itself on its own.

You get a walnut stock and a 22-inch blued barrel and receiver with a 1:10 twist rate. The stock has fleur-de-lis checkering (a homage to O'Connor's rifles, which were thusly engraved) and comes with Winchester's MOA adjustable trigger. It has the same Mauser-derived controlled-round-feed action as the vaunted pre-64 guns. Capacity is 4+1 rounds in an internal box magazine.

The new-production rifles are every bit the equal in accuracy, reliability and quality (if not superior) to the much-ballyhooed pre-64 guns.

MSRP: $1,279.99 // winchesterguns.com

Remington 7600

The Remington 7600 is an oddity, a pump-action rifle partially based on Remington's shotguns. Never a favorite of western hunters, but it was beloved in the upper Midwest and the Northeast. Oddly enough, it even had a cult following in Australia as well. If you wanted a .270 rifle for timber hunting, look no further.

The 7600 has a 22-inch barrel with a 1:10 twist, and it weighs in at 7.5 pounds. The standard box magazine holds 4 rounds, but aftermarket 10-round box mags are available too. Irons come on the rifle, but the receiver is tapped to mount whatever you'd like.

What's so great about this oddball rifle? It's based on a shotgun, so the gun mounts the shoulder wickedly fast and with the sights aligned. If you needed to make a fast shot, there are few rifles that get on target as quickly, which is part of what endeared them to so many people.

MSRP: $929.99 // remarms.com

Howa 1500 Carbon Stalker

The Howa 1500 Carbon Stalker is a lightweight rifle that's perfect for backcountry hunts. The carbon fiber-wrapped stock brings weight down to 6.25 pounds before optic and ammunition. It's offered in black carbon fiber or a Kryptek camo pattern.

The action is Howa's 1500 bolt-action, a rugged and accurate platform that's excellent for the intended purpose. It's fed by a 4-round magazine and has a 22-inch barrel with a 1:10 twist rate and a threaded muzzle in case you want to mount a suppressor.

It's a near state-of-the-art hunting rifle, and it’s close to 1-pound lighter than most other bolt-action rifles.

MSRP: $1,029 // howausa.com

Savage 111 Lady Hunter

There are almost no compact rifles chambered in .270 Winchester, but one of the few that qualifies is the Savage 111 Lady Hunter. It has a 20-inch barrel with a 1:10 twist, and a slightly shorter length of pull (12.5 inches) compared to most rifles, which are usually 13.5 inches.

The stock is made of oiled brown walnut and is sporter-style with a Monte Calo cheekpiece. The action is Savage's vaunted 110 action, with a detachable box magazine that holds 4 rounds. Like most of Savage’s rifles, it features the AccuTrigger system.

You think this is supposed to be a woman's gun because of the name and dimensions, but the Lady Hunter would also be a flawless choice of backcountry hunting rifle. It weighs only 6.5 pounds despite its wood stock, and the shorter length of pull will make it faster in handling. If you wanted a classic-looking but fiendishly smart hunting rifle, this is the gun to get.

MSRP: $1,009 // savagearms.com

Christensen Arms Ridgeline FFT

Christensen Arms makes some of the best modern hunting rifles money can buy. Ultra-light, ultra-precise and exquisitely crafted for the utmost performance in the field.

The stock is a carbon fiber sporter stock with steel bedding pillars. It has a Remington 700-based action, a TriggerTech trigger and Christensen Arms' carbon fiber-wrapped 20-inch barrel which has a 1:10 twist. Christensen also hand-laps the barrel and installs a side-baffle muzzle brake, which is removable.

It's available in multiple colors and camo patterns. The rifle weighs in at 5.3 pounds and comes with Christensen Arms' Sub-MOA guarantee. There are few .270 rifles as light, as accurate or as up-to-date.

You'll pay for the privilege, as Christensen Arms rifles don’t come cheap, but if you wanted a lightweight, state-of-the-art rifle, it has few peers.

MSRP: Starts at $2,399.99 // christensenarms.com

More On Hunting Rifles:

Top 10 Bolt-Action Rifles For Hunting
Mossberg Patriot: True Globetrotting Hunter
Best Affordable .308 Rifles For The Hunt
Best .22-250 Rifle Buyer's Guide

Using Big Bore Rifles For Small Pursuits

Philip Massaro

November 18, 2022

Sometimes, more is less, and it can mean using big bore rifles for small pursuits.

The sun was still plenty bright, in spite of my watch indicating it was after 10 p.m. Such is the way of Alaska in June. The marten, which had been completely intrigued with my presence in the blind had abruptly decided it was time to split, indicating to me that something else was coming along.

In a matter of seconds, a good boar black bear came into the bait, in that silent mode that bears possess. I looked over at my guide, whose thumbs-up told me it was time to go to work. I settled the forend of the Bansner rifle over the railing of the blind, steadied the crosshairs just behind the boar’s shoulder and broke the trigger of the .404 Jeffery, sending a 450-grain Woodleigh Weldcore into the bear’s vitals. He didn’t go more than 30 yards.

Black-Bear-big-bore-rifles — An Alaskan black bear taken cleanly with a Bansner & Co. .404 Jeffery and Norma’s 450-grain Woodleigh Weldcore load. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

When I relate that story to other hunters, their eyebrows—often involuntarily—cock at the mention of the .404 Jeffery or the 450-grain Wood-leigh load. “You don’t need a .404 Jeffery to take a black bear!” That statement isn’t incorrect, but I was hunting coastal Alaska and had tags for both black bear and brown bear in my pocket. While that .404 might seem a bit much for a black bear, it’s perfectly acceptable for a brown bear.

Small-Pursuits-feature — Stretching out the .404 Jeffery at the SAAM shooting school in Barksdale, Texas. Even with a 2.5x scope, the author was able to routinely hit the 250-yard plate. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

I’m an unabashed fan of big-bore rifles and cartridges, especially those cartridges between the .375 H&H Magnum and the various .500s, with my favorites lying in the middle of that range. Most folks would associate those cartridges with African safari, or hunting the largest game species on Earth. But, if you spend any amount of time with them, you’ll realize they’re actually rather flexible and aren’t regulated to just the big bears, elephants and buffalo.

I’ve used the .375 H&H, .450-400 3-inch Nitro Express, .404 Jeffery, .416 Remington Magnum and .470 Nitro Express on the largest species, but I’ve also used almost all of them on species you’d regularly hunt with a .25-06 Remington, .270 Winchester or .30-06 Springfield. Sometimes, it was intentional, but most of the time it was because I was hunting in a dangerous game area, or because I took an animal as a target of opportunity.

Massaro-Winchester-Model-70 — The author at the bench, zeroing one of the most flexible combinations ever made: the Winchester Model 70 chambered in .375 H&H Magnum. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

When More is Less

While on safari in the Nyaminga block of Zambia’s Luangwa Valley—a huge concession teeming with elephant, buffalo and both the big cats—I carried my Winchester Model 70 in .416 Remington Magnum for the entire trip, which included a Cape buffalo and several plains game species. I could’ve easily used that .416 for the buffalo bull, and a .300 magnum or the like for the lighter species, but because of the makeup of the concession, your odds of seeing a diminutive bushbuck or impala are just as good as bumping a buffalo herd or a bachelor group of elephant. While I can take a warthog, kudu or impala with a .416 Remington Magnum, stopping a charging bull elephant with a .308 Winchester isn’t exactly a situation I want to be in.

The same situation occurred in Mozambique’s Coutada 11, when I was asked to cull a half-dozen reedbuck for the local village. My Heym Express .404 Jeffery was the only scoped rifle I had with me, so I made the best of the situation. Six reedbuck and a warthog couldn’t have cared less what cartridge I was using. My hunting buddy Mike McNulty was on safari with me in the Chirisa block of Zimbabwe, carrying his beloved Heym .505 Gibbs in pursuit of Cape buffalo, when an absolutely ancient bushbuck ram presented a brief opportunity. There wasn’t enough time to swap rifles—Mike’s tracker was carrying his .318 Westley Richards—so he had to use the big bore to make the shot.

Reedbuck-Ram-big-bore-rifles — The author used his Heym Express, in .404 Jeffery, to take this reedbuck ram at just under 200 yards. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

Other times I’ve carried a big bore for no other reason than I really enjoyed hunting with the rifle. Just last season I carried a Heym Model 26B over/under double rifle in .45-70 Government, as my hunting ground in the Catskill Mountains holds good numbers of both whitetail deer and black bear. The rifle balanced well, shot even better and I’m certain that the 300-grain bonded-core Federal bullet would handle the largest of either of those species. I took a dark-antlered mountain deer with a single shot, and the meat damage was less than what I’ve seen with common deer/bear cartridges.

Heym-26B — The Heym Model 26B in .45-70 Government was light to carry, easy to shoot and plenty accurate. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

I’ve used the .375 H&H for common species with great effect. I used my old Model 70 Winchester for caribou in Quebec, and my pal Dave deMoulpied uses his Luxus Arms single shot for deer on a regular basis. In both instances, lighter bullets—250- and 235-grain bullets, respectively—were employed, and the .375 H&H shoots flatter than most folks would think.

Big-Bore-Rifle-Cartridges — The .375 H&H comes topped with a wide variety of bullets, from heavyweight round-nosed to light spitzer bullets. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

Taking a look at the Federal 250-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw load, which is a flat base spitzer with a middle-of-the-road G1 BC value of .340, and a muzzle velocity of 2,670 fps, you’ll get a feel for the performance of a cartridge which is absolutely suitable for elephant, yet can take deer, antelope, bear and elk. Using a 200-yard zero, yet will strike 9.6 inches low at 300 yards and 28.6 inches low at 400 yards, still cruising at 1,728 fps at that distance, retaining over 1,650 ft-lb of energy.

Compare that with the Federal .30-06 Springfield 200-grain Trophy Bonded Bear Claw load, which has a bit better B.C. (.395) and a muzzle velocity of 2,540 fps, and you’ll see the .30-06 drops about an inch more than the .375 H&H at the 300- and 400-yard marks, yet the .375 load has 300 more ft-lb at 400 yards.

Accuracy, Versatility and Flexibility

Does a .458 Lott make a good choice for a 400-yard elk rifle? Probably not. Should you choose to use a big bore in a situation that might not normally call for one, you’ll have to make some changes in bullet shape or weight, or simply realize the limitations of the rifle/cartridge combination. And, you’ll need a level of accuracy suitable for the species you’re hunting; while a double rifle that prints two bullets 3 inches apart at 75 yards might be perfectly suitable for elephant or buffalo, it might not be the optimum choice for 200-yard shots on feral hogs. So, being completely honest with yourself, make sure the accuracy level you can achieve with your big-bore rifle is compatible with your hunting situation.

Cutting-Edge-416 — The Cutting Edge Bullets 325-grain Safari Raptor in .416-inch diameter is a great lighter-weight bullet for the Rigby, Ruger or Remington Magnum. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

My Heym Express rifle, in .404 Jeffery, is currently topped with a Leupold fixed 2.5x scope, yet I’ve taken that rifle to the SAAM training course at the FTW Ranch in Barksdale, Texas, and repeatedly hit a 6-inch plate at 250 yards. The point being that the big-bore cartridges and rifles are often much more accurate than most people would believe.

The 9.3x62mm, .375 H&H Magnum, .375 Ruger, .404 Jeffery, .416 Rigby and .416 Remington Magnum—and there are others—can all deliver sub-MOA accuracy with a number of bullet weights. These rifles are often topped with a low-power scope for use on dangerous game animals at close ranges, as those scopes offer a wide field of view, but can benefit from a bit more magnification.

Where there are a good many round-nose or flat-nose bullets available for the big-bore cartridges, there are also many good spitzer designs, which will help flatten the trajectory and maximize the velocity of the big bores. A .375 H&H with a 300-grain spitzer bullet is actually rather flat-shooting—on par with a .30-06 Springfield with a 180-grain bullet—and one of the .416s with a 400-grain spitzer isn’t all that much worse.

Barnes-TSX — The Barnes 235-grain TSX and Nosler 260-grain AccuBond are two great lighter bullet choices for the .375s. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

Should you have the inclination to use your big bore on lighter species without the possibility of encountering the larger species for which they are so well-suited, look to the light-for-caliber bullets within each cartridge.

For example, the 235-, 250- and 260-grain bullets in the .375 H&H, .375 Ruger and .375 Weatherby Magnum cartridges can greatly extend the versatility of these cartridges. The Barnes TSX 235-grain, the Sierra GameKing 250-grain and the Nosler AccuBond 260-grain bullets come immediately to mind.

The .416s can take full advantage of the 325- and 350-grain bullets—like the Cutting Edge Raptor, Woodleigh Weldcore and Swift A-Frame—and the .404s (Jeffery and Dakota) can do the same.

Remington-Swift-A-416 — The Remington 350-grain Swift A-Frame load for the .416 Remington Magnum is a great choice for those wanting to use the big bore on lighter game like black bears or elk, or for moose and brown bears in Alaska. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

The .458s can use those 300-grain bullets that function so well in the .45-70 Government, though because of the higher velocity, I’d recommend bullets like the 300-grain Federal Fusion with its bonded core, or the Hornady 325-grain FTX bullet used in their LeveRevolution ammo, which is available in component form and can be loaded in the .458 Winchester Magnum, .458 Lott, .450 Rigby Magnum and .450 Nitro Express.

Is it Worthwhile?

In the grand scheme of things, what are the benefits of using what some consider to be a “shoulder-fired cannon” on smaller game? Well, I’m not about to tell you that the larger cartridges are necessary, but I do feel that dead is dead, and I’ve never seen an animal too dead.

Cutting-Edge-Safari-Raptor-416 — The 325-grain Safari Raptor bullets from Pennsylvania’s Cutting Edge Bullets loaded to 2,500 fps in the .416 Rigby cartridge. *Photo: Massaro Media Group.*

But the true benefits of the practice are that you gain a whole lot of experience with your big-bore rifle long before you head off on an expensive safari or Alaskan hunt, no matter the destination. When you spend a considerable amount of time hunting with a particular rifle—including the loading, feeding, extracting, handling, etc., which happens each time you go afield—handling that rifle becomes almost second nature.

The feel of the trigger, the location and manipulation of the safety, the feel of the stock, sight picture, balance, swing, the operation of the optic on board; all these little points add up when it comes time to hunt dangerous game and use that rifle as if it were an extension of your body.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the May 2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More On Big Bore Rifles And Cartridges:

Choosing A Big Bore Rifle And Cartridge
Finding The Right Big Bore Rifle Optic
The Big Bore AR Evolution
Reloading Big Bore Cartridges

First Look: Savage Arms A22 Takedown Rifle

Adam Borisenko

November 17, 2022

Savage Arms has just announced the A22 Takedown, a new semi-auto .22 LR rimfire rifle that’s ready to be taken anywhere.

The Savage Arms A22 is a very popular semi-auto rimfire rifle. It’s been available in a few different configurations for some time now, but Savage has finally decided to introduce a more portable model with the release of the A22 Takedown.

Savage is calling the A22 Takedown a “go-anywhere rimfire rifle,” and its features suggest the same thing. The rifle’s barrel can be quickly and easily attached or detached with nothing more than a twist, breaking the package down into two pieces roughly 18 inches long. When assembled, it has an overall length of 36.875 inches and a weight of 6.3 pounds. Other features that are conducive to the A22 Takedown’s portability include general storage space in the pistol grip, magazine storage space in the buttstock and low-profile iron sights. The rifles are fed with 10-round rotary .22 LR magazines, and each gun also comes with a Picatinny rail segment for mounting optics and a user-adjustable AccuTrigger.

Beth Shimanski, Director of Marketing at Savage Arms, said this about the new rimfire:

No other rimfire rifles bring the versatility and flexibility of the A22 Takedown…Weighing in at only 6lbs and available in 22LR, this rifle is specifically designed to improve your outdoor adventures with the ability to easily transport it in your pack. Savage is thrilled to bring the A22 Takedown to the market this upcoming year.

The Savage A22 Takedown has an MSRP of $479.

For more information, please visit savagearms.com.

More On-Target Rimfire Info:

Ammo: Evolution of the Red-Hot .17 HMR
The Return Of The Red-Hot .17 Mach 2
Cartridge Debate: .17 HMR vs. .17 WSM
.22 WMR Vs .22 LR: Application Defines This Rimfire Rumble
The .22 LR And Its .22 Rimfire Cousins

CCW 101: All Major Types Of Pistol

Sam Hoober

November 16, 2022

Looking for your first handgun? New to concealed carry? We break down all the major types of pistols and revolvers to help find what’s best for you.

If you're new to handguns, trying to make sense of all the different kinds can make your head spin.

So, let's break down almost everything you might need to know, starting with an overview of all the major types of pistols and revolvers and finishing up with some awesome picks for the new shooter or concealed carrier.

Semi-Autos/Pistols Vs. Revolvers

Most handguns can be classified as either a semi-automatic pistol or a revolver.

Semi-auto pistols function by feeding bullets into the chamber of the barrel by taking them out of a magazine, a box with a spring in it that pushes the bullets up. The slide goes back over the magazine, the next bullet pops up into place, and the slide pushes it into the chamber as it goes back into battery. When a cartridge is fired, some of the energy works to send the slide rearward, ejecting the spent case while simultaneously picking up and loading a fresh round. In the past, weapons like these were often referred to as self-loading or autoloading, but today the most accepted term is semi-automatic.

Dan Wesson Size Comparison — A Dan Wesson TCP 1911 next to a J-Frame revolver.

A revolver has a cylinder attached to the gun, which spins as the hammer is cocked and/or the trigger is pulled. The cylinder holds the cartridges, and when it stops, aligns one of the bullets with the barrel. Revolvers majorly differ from semi-automatics in a couple of ways. Firstly, revolvers store their ammunition inside of a cylinder rather than a box magazine, with each cartridge independently held in its own chamber that is rotated in line with the barrel. Secondly, revolvers load their next round through mechanical actuation rather than through the energy of a fired cartridge. Depending on the exact type of revolver, the cylinder is rotated by either pulling the trigger or cocking the hammer.

Regardless of the type of pistol in question, however, something’s got to make it go bang.

Hammer-Fire Vs. Striker-Fire

What defines the “action” type on a handgun is what the internal parts do before igniting the bullet.

In all cases, the part that hits the bullet—the firing pin—is powered by spring tension, kind of like a mousetrap. That firing pin is launched into the primer of the bullet either by some manner of hammer (whether internal or external) or a striker.

Now, the key difference between all these systems is how much work the trigger does to compress that spring (if it compresses it at all).

Single-Action

Regardless of whether it’s a semi-auto or a revolver, single-action-only (SAO) hammer-fired guns need to be cocked before they can shoot. This is because, as the name implies, the triggers in these guns only perform a single action—releasing the hammer. When the hammer is cocked, the relevant spring is fully compressed and held in its place by a mechanical block called a sear.

When you pull the trigger, the sear releases the hammer into the firing pin and the primer detonates.

Some common single-action-only handguns you’re likely to still see include the 1911, the Browning Hi Power and the Colt SAA revolver.

Colt-Single-Action-Army — A Colt SAA cocked and ready to fire.

Striker-Fire

Striker-fired guns don't have a hammer, but instead use a firing pin with an extra part on the end called a striker. The slide cycles and captures the firing pin, which is under full or partial (depending on the model) spring tension. Pulling the trigger trips the firing pin, which goes forward and detonates the primer. Striker-fired handguns are the most common type of pistol made today, and you’ll find the system in everything from Glocks to Sigs to Rugers.

The striker plate at the back of the slide is easily removed and allows access to the striker for ease of disassembly. — A Mossberg MC1sc with its striker plate removed, giving access to the striker.

Double Action

In any double-action handgun, including both revolvers and semi-autos, the spring that powers the firing pin (or the hammer that hits it) is not compressed when the hammer is down, so there's no spring tension in the system. The force of pulling the trigger also compresses the spring, making the gun ready to fire. Because triggers in this type of gun perform two actions—cocking and releasing the hammer—they are called double-action.

Most double-action guns are both double- and single-action (DA/SA), meaning they can be fired double-action when the hammer is down or single-action when it’s cocked. These include most modern revolvers and many semi-autos, especially the legacy Wonder Nines such as the Beretta 92, HK USP, CZ 75 and Sig Sauer P226 pistols.

There are also some double-action-only (DAO) handguns that don’t allow for the hammer to remain cocked. You have to fire every shot in double-action mode with a full press of the trigger.

Each of these action styles results in a different feeling trigger, and which one you will like best mostly comes down to personal preference.

Revolvers

Revolvers all started out as single-action systems, but today most revolvers are either the double-action type, or double-action-only with a shrouded hammer that's hidden inside the frame. DAO revolvers are typically compact, with the idea being to make them easier to draw from a pocket without snagging.

5_Snubnose-Revolver-1493 — A Smith & Wesson Model 638 Bodyguard Airweight Stainless with a shrouded hammer.

While single-action revolvers are still in production, they’re generally either collectibles or for sports shooting or hunting. Any modern revolver designed for defensive use will be either DA/SA or DAO.

Safety Devices

Safety devices are either active—meaning you have to perform an action to disable the safety device—or passive, meaning the safety is deactivated as part of the normal course of firing the gun.

Active Safeties

Many types of pistols have a manual safety, also known as a thumb safety, which are pushed on or off. Some people don't care for them, but others prefer having positive control of the firing system.

Traditional DA/SA guns often have a control lever that acts as either a decocker—which safely lowers the hammer when the pistol is loaded—or a decocking safety which decocks the pistols and engages a safety device.

CZ-P-09-2 — A CZ P-09 equipped with a decocking lever.

Active safeties add a layer of complexity, as you must put in sufficient practice time to be able to deactivate them reflexively as you draw. This doesn’t mean that guns with a manual safety are a bad choice, it’s just something to be aware of while browsing.

One more style worth mentioning is grip safeties, but they exist somewhere between active and passive. Grip safeties, like those found on the 1911, must be depressed before the gun can fire, but this is accomplished simply by grabbing the pistol with a normal firing grip.

1911-Grip-Safety — A grip safety and manual thumb safety on a 1911.

Passive Safety

Passive safeties (such as those found on Glock triggers) are linked to the trigger system, rendering the gun incapable of being fired without pulling the trigger. These include firing pin blocks—literally a metal cylinder that blocks the firing pin—and the trigger bar system of striker-fired pistols.

Modern revolvers have a transfer bar, a tilting bar that sits between the firing pin in the frame and the hammer to prevent a possible slam-fire.

When a striker-fired pistol is at rest, the trigger bar doesn't connect to the sear. However, when you press the trigger, the trigger bar connects with the sear at the end of its travel, allowing the sear to release the firing pin and striker.

This makes striker-fired pistols inherently safer than some believe, but it's also the case that the trigger can be pulled if it snags on something, such as clothing. As with everything else, there are pros and cons to each style of safety.

Handgun Sizes

Another important consideration while browsing handguns is their size, as they can range from being truly tiny to genuine hand cannons. The following classifications are hardly scientific, but provide a general understanding of the different size categories out there.

Pocket Pistols

Pocket pistols include everything from tiny derringers to pocket .25, .32 and .380 autos. Barrel length is typically 2 inches or less.

Colt 1908 Vest Pocket. Photo: Rock Island Auction Company.

Subcompact Pistols

Subcompact pistols are likewise small guns that are designed for easy concealed carry, but are more shootable than pocket pistols too. Barrel length is typically around 3 inches, and they are usually chambered for at least .380 ACP if not something larger. If it’s a new 9mm subcompact pistol with a decently high capacity, it may be described as a “micro 9” as well.

Popular examples of subcompact pistols include single-stack semi-autos like the S&W Shield and Glock 43, double-stack subcompacts like the Springfield Hellcat and Sig P365, and snubnose revolvers.

Compact Pistols

Compacts are just big enough to run like a service pistol, but just small enough to be relatively comfortable to carry. Common dimensions are a barrel length of 3.5 to 4 inches. This includes 3-inch medium frame revolvers, double-stack compacts like the Glock 19 and some traditional double-action compacts like the Sig Sauer P229.

Full-Size Pistols

Full-size pistols and revolvers have a 4-inch or longer barrel, and varying dimensions that are larger than compacts. While not impossible to conceal, they present the most difficulties for everyday carry but are the easiest to shoot well.

Examples abound in every action type and caliber, but frame size is a good starting point for finding the right handgun for you.

Picking The Right Sized Pistol

Micro and subcompact pistols are the easiest to carry but require diligent practice to build and maintain proficiency. It's been said more than once that a J-frame snubby revolver is a master's weapon.

Compact pistols are a happy middle ground, but even the light and svelte Glock 19 can be a bit much to have on you all day and can present some challenges concerning concealability.

DeSantis Shoulder Holster — Shoulder holsters are one way of concealing larger handguns, such as this Smith & Wesson in a DeSantis rig.

Full-size pistols are the easiest to shoot well and are the easiest for beginners to learn on, but are challenging for daily concealed carry. It takes a lot of experimentation to get your holster, belt and clothes all in sync to conceal a large pistol really well.

For those looking to get their first handgun, it would be wise to test some out at a rental range before purchasing. Most will have at least one of each major type of pistol to choose from, and you could test several to see which size, caliber, action type and style of safety suits you best.

Entry-Level Options For Each Type Of Pistol:

Full-Size Semi-Auto Single-Action

Rock Island Rock Standard FS 1911

The Rock Standard series by Rock Island Armory (a brand of Armscorp, an arms manufacturer based in the Philippines but with some US-based manufacturing) is a good choice of entry-level 1911, with some niceties such as beavertail grip safeties, modern sights and ambidextrous thumb safeties.

While fit and finish is what you’d expect from a budget model, what makes Rock Island a great entry-level 1911 is that they're known for punching far above their weight in terms of reliability and performance. The price of entry is low (street prices are often less than $500) and you can always have a gunsmith upgrade the parts.

Rock Standard FS 1911 Specs:

Caliber: .45 ACP

Capacity: 8 Rounds

Action: SAO

Barrel Length: 5 Inches

Weight (Empty): 2.5 Pounds

Compact Semi-Auto Striker-Fired

Glock 19

There’s a reason why the humble Glock 19 is the standard by which all striker-fired polymer-framed pistols are judged. It's small and light enough to be technically categorized as a compact, making it good for concealed carry, but still large enough to be very shootable as well.

Lightweight, rugged, reliable, accurate and simple to learn and operate. If you could only pick one handgun to own, there's almost no reason to pick anything else.

Glock 19 Specs:

Caliber: 9x19mm

Capacity: 15 Rounds

Action: Striker-fired

Barrel Length: 4.02 Inches

Weight (Empty): 23.63 Ounces

Compact Semi-Auto DA/SA

Beretta PX4 Storm Compact

The PX4 Storm Compact is a modern compact double-action/single-action pistol, with a polymer frame for a lighter carry weight. Capacity is 15+1, a rail is included if you want to mount a light and the overall dimensions are similar to the Glock 19.

The PX4 Storm Compact gives you a different option of firing system in a compact service pistol but with modern features like a light rail, polymer frame and better sights.

PX4 Storm Compact Specs:

Caliber: 9x19mm

Capacity: 15 Rounds

Action: DA/SA

Barrel Length: 3.27 Inches

Weight (Empty): 27.2 Ounces

Subcompact Semi-Auto Striker-Fired

Sig Sauer P365

The Sig P365 is the subcompact/double-stack micro of today. It holds 10+1 of 9mm (12+1 with an extended magazine) and is the same size as other subcompact guns that hold only 7 rounds. It has good sights for a tiny gun and a very decent trigger.

The P365 set the handgun world on its ear for a time, and today is still one of the most popular pistols in production. If you wanted a slim, light, easy-to-carry gun that had respectable capacity…it's still arguably the best of that kind.

Sig Sauer P365 Specs:

Caliber: 9x19mm

Capacity: 10 Rounds (Flush-fit mag)

Action: Striker-fired

Barrel Length: 3.1 Inches

Weight (Empty): 17.8 Ounces

Snub-Nose Revolver

Smith & Wesson 642

The Model 642 is a 5-shot .38 Special compact revolver with a DAO firing system. It has a top strap notch rear sight and front ramp sight, rubber grips and an aluminum frame to make it light.

The 642 lacks an external hammer, designed for a fast draw from a pocket or from under clothing.

While this revolver’s light weight will make it a dream to carry, definitely try shooting one before deciding to purchase. These guns aren’t fun to shoot, and yet they require a lot of practice to be used effectively. The 642 definitely isn’t for everyone, but its longstanding reputation as a go-to carry gun earns it a spot on the list.

S&W 642 Specs:

Caliber: .38 Special +P

Capacity: 5 Rounds

Action: DAO

Barrel Length: 1.875 Inches

Weight (Empty): 14.4 Ounces

More On Handgun Selection:

Carrying Full Size Handguns
Concealed Carry Tips: Carry Light, Carry Right
Modern Carry Guns
9 Best Concealed Carry Revolvers For Defense
Top Concealed Carry Handguns For Women

Unsung Heroes: Underrated Carry Guns

Dave Merrill & Tom Marshall

November 16, 2022

A closer look at four sorely underrated concealed carry guns, from the CZ P10C to the IWI Masada.

We’re a long way from 1980. Our manufacturing capabilities have seen light-years of advancement, not only in the past 40 years but also in the last five. Computer-controlled manufacturing and new software tools no longer solely serve the realm of Big Auto with billions backing them. Thanks to the inevitability of economies of scale and price reductions from competition, ever-smaller companies can afford access to tools once relegated to only the largest. And still more can stand on the shoulders of giants. As soon as one company figures out a complex problem, others will follow.

This is happening in every industry, COVID-cutbacks notwithstanding, and firearms are no different. The cheapest and most inexpensive guns produced in 2020 are more reliable than nearly everything else produced 30 years ago. The quality gap is rapidly shrinking.

One of the side effects is that we simply break fewer guns, and heaven only knows we try to do this in every issue. This increase in reliability is directly passed onto consumers.

Partially due to the rush to fulfill the U.S. Military’s Modular Handgun System (MHS) competition, and a big chunk due to these new capabilities, American consumers have access to higher quality, more robust handguns than any other time in human history—by an extremely wide margin.

Sig Sauer M17 3 — A Sig Sauer M17, the winner of the U.S. MHS competition.

The Gen 3 Glock is now a completely plug-and-play pistol, with endless parts and pieces available. And Sig Sauer has taken the chassis-system crown with their P320. But that doesn’t mean other pistols aren’t just as capable. There was a time when simply running for over 1,000 rounds sans malfunctions would essentially guarantee the success of any given handgun. But now the bar has been raised. Even with a bevy of modern options, such as OEM optic-cut slides, ambidextrous controls, and standardized accessory rails, the timing of a product release is still everything.

With empty shelves at your local gun store, you’re more likely to come across one of these less-popular pistols. Sure, you might not find a drop-in trigger for them on Amazon and your holster selection may be more limited, especially if you aren’t carrying with a weapon-mounted light, but many can and will do the work.

Over the next few pages, we highlight some standouts that didn’t make it “big” for one reason or another. We’ve found all of them to be more accurate and reliable than their circulation numbers would otherwise imply, with advanced features like such as optics-cut slides. We’d gladly carry any of them on our hips.

Top Four Underrated Carry Guns:

CZ P10C

The CZ P10C is, in our opinion, a tragically underrated carry pistol. It’s almost the least expensive pistol on this list, with a suite of well-thought-out features that outrun some of its competitors who’ve had generations of pistols to fix their oversights—and still haven’t. For example, the P10C comes out-of-the-box with steel sights featuring a tritium front dot and plain serrated rear unit, equipped with a hard ledge suitable for one-handed slide racking.

This pistol also has one of the best (if not the best) striker triggers from the factory that we’ve ever tested. Our sample gun consistently broke between 4 and 4.5 pounds with absolutely no modification whatsoever. It was designed from the outset to be compatible with Glock 19 holsters, though we experienced hit-and-miss results with this feature. Some brands of G19 sheaths fit the CZ P10C like a glove. Others … not so much. This was a handy work-around at launch, but the P10C has been around long enough that at least a handful of holster makers now produce models specifically for this pistol. The stock frame texture is effective, the ergonomics a noticeable step up from other guns in this class, and the second-generation P10C introduced a swappable magazine release.

To be honest, we’re not really sure why the CZ P10C isn’t more popular, especially now that there’s an optics-ready model. It checks all the major boxes for a modern CCW pistol, from a Picatinny rail frame to interchangeable backstraps, on up to ambi/swappable controls and an impressively refined stock trigger. For shooters looking to purchase a carry or bedside pistol that’s ready to go from the register, who have little or no aspirations of playing around in the aftermarket, the CZ P10C is often our first or second recommendation.

CZ pistols have long carried a sort of gun-hipster reputation. They’re the sidearm you carry when you want a thoroughly modern, high-performing handgun but also want to buck the trend in a sea of boxy black pistols. Well-appointed and competitively priced, the CZ P10C unfortunately remains a second-class citizen in a world of ever-more-widespread concealed carry.

CZ P10C Specs:

Caliber: 9mm

Barrel Length: 4.02 Inches

OAL: 7.3 Inches

Weight (Unloaded): 26 Ounces

Capacity: 15

MSRP: $499 ($577 For Optics-Ready Version)

URL: cz-usa.com

IWI Masada

IWI combined some of the best features of its competitors, intentionally or not, and incorporated them into the Masada. It’s the mating of the Sig Sauer P320, FN 509 Tactical and Glock 19X. All these guns have something in common—versions of each were submitted for the U.S. Army’s 2015 XM17 Modular Handgun System solicitation.

While the truly ambidextrous FN 509 was announced in 2017, the red-dot-ready 509 Tactical wasn’t released until 2018; the main difference was that the 509T was optics-ready and came with a threaded barrel. As for Sig, one of the coolest features of the P320 is the serialized chassis, which can be removed from one frame and popped into another without any special tools.

The Masada has all of that too, though you’ll have to shell out a few more bucks for the threaded barrel. It’s truly ambidextrous with magazine release buttons and slide stops on each side—no need to disassemble the pistol to swap the mag release to the other side. Interchangeable backstraps accommodate small, medium or large hands.

The Masada ships with mounting plates for the Trijicon RMR, Leupold DeltaPoint Pro, Sig Sauer Romeo1 and Vortex Venom, as well as a blank plate if you don’t want to run an MRDS.

As for plussing up on spare mags, it looks like your only option is to pick up factory IWI mags at $30 each. There’s no aftermarket or common-design mag out there that fits the Masada.

The Masada has many of the features of better-known, field-proven pistols, and it performs just as well. With so much potential for growth amid the hopeful release of different frames, the Masada could give the Sig P320 a run for its money.

And with the Masada’s $480 price tag—lower than any of the other pistols mentioned—we think the new offering from IWI is surely worth it.

IWI Masada Specs:

Caliber: 9mm

Barrel Length: 4.1 Inches

OAL: 7.4 Inches

Weight (Unloaded): 23 Ounces

Capacity: 10, 17

MSRP: $480

URL: iwi.us

Beretta APX RDO

The Beretta APX was designed and built as a contender for the Army MHS program, taking a bit longer to come to the civilian market than the other competitors. This was likely the fatal flaw for it. Though the first variant offered to civilians didn’t include an optics-ready slide or a threaded barrel, they’re now available.

For a striker-fired plastic fantastic, the APX’s trigger is pretty good. For 1911 fans, that falls somewhere between a custom-fit light trigger and an old-school USGI trigger that actually works. Call it better than a stock Gen3 Glock and a hair behind the new Gen5. That is to say, totally acceptable. The reduced-power spring drops the trigger weight to just over 4 pounds.

One wart to the slightly smaller Centurion and Compact models relative to the full-size is that the most popular WMLs simply won’t fit. No double CR-123 SureFire or Streamlight here, unless you want to rely solely on tension because none can reach the front lug. The Insight APS-C works out of the box though.

The APX has a striker release so the pistol can be taken down without pulling the trigger. Undoubtedly, this is in reaction to some law enforcement agency concerns about the need to pull the trigger on Glocks for a basic takedown. In practice, using this feature is cumbersome; you must hold the slide back slightly out of battery while simultaneously using a tool to depress the plunger. Better yet, just ensure it’s clear and pull the trigger in a safe direction.

Another nuance of taking down the APX that may seem unconventional to those accustomed to some other plastic fantastics is that you don’t lock the slide back to engage the takedown lever. However, if you’re familiar with the Beretta M9/92, you’ll be right at home. You simply release the striker, push in the takedown lever from the left, and rotate it down on the right. The slide comes right off. Once again, we’re seeing some of those Italian genetics.

Beretta APX RDO Specs:

Caliber: 9mm

Barrel Length: 4.25 Inches

OAL: 7.5 Inches

Weight (Unloaded): 33.3 Ounces

Capacity: 15, 21

MSRP: $549

URL: beretta.com

Canik TP9 Elite Combat

We first got our hands on a Canik TP9SA at the end of 2014. At the time, it set the new standard for a budget-friendly pistol, but we still had some complaints, namely a quasi-decocker button built into the top of the slide—exactly where you’d want to mount a red dot. With the next revision, the TP9SF remedied that issue, along with several other ergonomic upgrades such as extending the ambidextrous slide stop and enlarging the magazine release.

Though Canik had an optics-ready pistol with the longer-slide TP9SFX and an OEM threaded-barrel variant in the TP9SF, it wasn’t until 2017 that they released what we’d consider their pinnacle pistol: the TP9 Elite Combat.

To make and design the Elite Combat, Canik teamed up with Salient Arms International. Starting with a TP9SFX, SAI contributed a nitrided, fluted barrel, a carry-conscious magwell, and fiber-optic sights. Canik also added a new aluminum flat-faced trigger with zero creep which cleanly breaks at 5 pounds, new +3 magazine extensions, and either nitride or nickel-coating on all internal components and small parts.

Unlike the other pistols mentioned here, Canik was thoughtful enough to include an OWB retention holster as part of the package deal—but we recommend skipping it as it features a trigger-finger-to-release system à la Blackhawk’s Serpa.

A minor complaint we have is that the barrel is threaded in metric 13.5x1LH as opposed to 1/2x28mm. Sure, it’s a pistol from overseas, but even Glock and CZ now have ’Merica options from the factory.

The TP9 Elite Combat ships with four different adapter plates that easily accommodate most MRDS on the market, sans the Aimpoint Acro or brand-new Trijicon RMRcc. A standout feature of the Canik plates is that a small charging handle can be attached to either side; while normally we’d relegate that for gaming, it’s pretty handy. However, the plate doesn’t allow for iron sights of any kind, likely one reason it didn’t hit the market as hot as it deserved.

Canik TP9 Elite Combat Specs:

Caliber: 9mm

Barrel Length: 4.73 Inches

OAL: 7.88 Inches

Weight (Unloaded): 25.8 Ounces

Capacity: 15, 18

MSRP: $850

URL: canikusa.com

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2021 CCW special issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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Nighthawk Custom Drop-In Trigger System Review

Patrick Sweeney

November 16, 2022

A review of the near-fool-proof 1911 Drop-In Trigger System from Nighthawk Custom.

It used to be hard to get a good 1911 trigger. Then, in the 1980s, it got a lot easier. And in the early 1990s, it got even easier. Now, it’s dead simple.

We used to stone parts. Then, we bought better parts. Later, we bought the best. Now, we don’t even have to time the parts.

Enter the Nighthawk Custom Drop-In Trigger System (DTS). They took the packet trigger idea and perfected it for the 1911.

The idea is simple: The relationship of the hammer and sear to each other depends in no small part on the locations of the hammer and sear holes in the frame. If they’re off by a few thousandths or crooked to each other, your sear and hammer engagement won’t be what you think it is. That’s where we spent our time, fitting and stoning.

So, Nighthawk Custom takes the hammer and sear, makes them to exact dimensions and fits them on pivot tubes that are in precise locations. Then, they wrap the whole thing in a sleeve and fix it together, so the precise engagement they worked so hard to create isn’t changed.

How does this fit into a 1911 frame, then?

Simple. The holes for the packet have just enough give in their size (they’re a smidgen larger than the pins they’ll ride one) that it can “float” in the frame. Their relationship to each other never changes. The packet rides in the frame, and everything is fine.

Well, almost everything. The packet design can’t use a regular three-finger sear and grip safety spring, so Nighthawk provides a special one that works the grip safety. The rest of the spring action is handled by the internals of the packet itself.

And, you’ll still have to fit a thumb safety to the packet. It’s drop-in as far as trigger pull is concerned, but the thumb safety still needs to be fitted. Compared to the work we went through in stoning sears and hammer hooks, that’s easy. And a small price to pay for a drop-in clean and crisp trigger pull.

A Good Trigger Job

Now, cutting-edge technology doesn’t come cheap. And good trigger jobs aren’t common nor cheap. The Nighthawk drop-in at $300 seems steep, but I just priced the full set of parts needed for a 1911 trigger job (that’ll still require some fitting and tuning), and they easily ran $100. Not a lot of people are willing to take $100 in precision parts and experiment with installing and tuning them, especially if it risks turning their 1911 into a runaway.

Hand those parts and your pistol over to a competent pistolsmith, and it’ll come out just fine, but that eats into the cost difference … and then there’s the time waiting. I’m reminded of a radio commercial I heard a long time ago, and I can’t help but change it a bit for this: “It’s my trigger job, and I want it now.”

With the Nighthawk Drop-in Trigger System (DTS), you can have it 5 minutes after you sign for the delivery from Nighthawk.

The hardest part is waiting.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the December 2021 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

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President Roosevelt’s Smith & Wesson Up For Auction

Adam Borisenko

November 15, 2022

President Theodore Roosevelt’s Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 revolver is going up for sale in Rock Island Auction Company’s December Premier Auction.

America and firearms are intrinsically linked, yet there are only a handful of presidents who we commonly associate with their use. President Theodore Roosevelt is certainly one of them, and his Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 single-action revolver will soon be up for grabs in Rock Island Auction Company’s December Premier Auction.

The revolver remains in excellent condition, sporting classic Smith & Wesson factory engraving and a blued finish. Unlike most S&W New Model No. 3 revolvers, however, this example is chambered for .38 Long Colt instead of .44 Smith & Wesson Russian. This makes it unique even beyond its historical provenance.

Teddy-Roosevelt-Smith-and-Wesson-New-Model-No-3-feature-1

An included factory letter proves that the Smith revolver was sent to a “Colonel Roosevelt” on May 12, 1898, as he was departing to San Antonio to train the Rough Riders. After his passing, corroborating evidence implies that the gun was then given to James Amos, President Roosevelt’s former valet and bodyguard. Amos reported that the president routinely kept the Smith & Wesson on his nightstand when sleeping in the White House. The revolver was likely passed down through Amos’ family until being sold.

Now, if you have deep pockets, President Roosevelt’s Smith & Wesson New Model No. 3 could be yours. It will be listed in Rock Island Auction Company’s December Premier Auction (Dec. 9 through Dec. 11) and is estimated to fetch between $800,000 and $1,400,000.

For more information on the revolver or the upcoming auction, please visit rockislandauction.com.

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Streamlight Releases TLR-8 Sub Weapon Lights With Laser

Adam Borisenko

November 14, 2022

Streamlight has just released the TLR-8 Sub weapon light series, featuring two models of compact weapon lights with integrated lasers.

Constantly seeking to expand its catalog, Streamlight has just released the TLR-8 Sub and TLR-8 G Sub. These two new sub-compact weapon lights feature integrated laser aiming modules and are compatible with several popular concealed carry pistol models that have limited room for accessories.

Before the TLR-8 Sub and TLR-8 G Sub, the existing models of TLR-8 light/laser modules were only compatible with handguns that featured a full-size accessory rail. The only previously available Streamlight combo device compatible with short accessory rails was the TLR-6, but its small size resulted in a light with a weak beam and suboptimal battery life. With the introduction of the TLR-8 Sub and TLR-8 G Sub, subcompact pistol users now have an improved light/laser combo device from Streamlight to consider. The two new devices differ only in the color of their laser and their price, with the “G” model having a green laser instead of red.

Streamlight-TLR8-Sub-red-and-green-laser

Both models are available with one of four mounts—Sig P365, Springfield Hellcat, Glock or 1913. While the first two are self-explanatory, the Glock mount is designed to fit Glock 43X and 48 pistols (MOS or Rail) and the 1913 mount is designed for handguns with a short 1913 rail such as the Smith & Wesson M&P M2.0. A full handgun fit compatibility guide is available on Streamlight’s website.

Other notable features of the new lights include their 5,000-candela/500-lumen output with a 141-meter beam distance. The devices are powered by a single CR123A battery and have three settings to choose from, either light-only, laser-only or a combination of both. In combo or light-only mode, both TLR-8 Sub models have a run time of 1.5 hours. In laser-only mode, the red model has a run time of 60 hours while the green model has a run time of 11 hours. For activatating the device, users can also choose between two styles of interchangeable rear paddle switches.

The Streamlight TLR-8 Sub has an MSRP of $389.55 and the TLR-8 G Sub has an MSRP of $477. Both are available now.

For more information, please visit streamlight.com.

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The Historical Firearms Of U.S. Border Patrol

Shane Jahn

November 10, 2022

A look at the U.S.-Mexico border, the historical firearms that helped shape America and the men who carried them.

Firearms have been carried out of necessity along our southwest border with Old Mexico long before the Rio Grande River and the (once imaginary) surveyed line that runs west from it, all the way to the Pacific Ocean, even existed. In 1519, Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca waltzed into Texas, armor clanging, near present day Presidio, so the first records of gun bearers to the region dawn with expeditions by the Spanish Conquistadores who armed themselves with early muskets, lances and swords in the 1500s and 1600s. It stands to reason that the existence of firearms grew as European colonization increased over time.

Historical-firearms-Spanish — Remnants of a Spanish wall canon that found its way to Lajitas, Texas, on the Rio Grande. These guns were mounted on fort walls for defense … and even used as punt guns for shooting ducks. It’s believed this gun could’ve come from the Alamo. (Photo: Courtesy of Museum of the Big Bend)

Many years ago, an old mountain lion hunter I know was running his hounds along the rugged Sierra Vieja Rim southwest of Valentine, Texas, when he saw what he thought was an old piece of metal pipe sticking out of some rocks. This got his curiosity up, so he dug around and eventually found it was actually the remnants of a 1700s French Trade Gun, along with the remains of its owner, buried under a rock overhang. The rifle barrel was badly bent, and the assumption is that the man’s comrades buried him with his belongings and made the rifle inoperable so anyone finding it couldn’t use it.

Fast-forwarding to the 1800s, when “The River” (as West Texans refer to the Rio Grande) became an international boundary, the region saw the continued and growing need for guns as tools for survival. Early settlers needed their weaponry not only to provide wild meat for their family’s hungry bellies, but for protection from Mexican bandits and marauding, and hostile natives—who were a constant threat to the livelihood and safety of those pioneers who dared to venture into the great Southwestern United States.

The first folks to cross the briny Pecos River and forge a living in the harsh Trans-Pecos region and Big Bend country of far West Texas had to be stout, or they wouldn’t last long. The remote, arid region breeds tough, resolute people. These determined souls, many whose relatives still live and ranch here, brought with them whatever firearms they had at the time, and bought or traded for the best as soon as they could.

Old blackpowder muzzleloaders were replaced by cartridge-firing rifles, preferably Winchester repeaters. Cap-and-ball six-shooters were stowed in grandma’s cedar chest, replaced by Colt’s Single Action Army, Remington’s 1875 and the Smith & Wesson revolvers. Old photographs show an array of Winchester lever actions representing popular long arms of the times. The Colt SAA wasn’t the only sixgun carried by any means, but it was the most prolific.

The Natives

Native peoples have lived in this region for thousands of years. To the trained eye, their ancient cooking middens are found at cave mouths and along canyon rims and dry arroyos that obviously once ran with cool, life-giving water. The more “modern” tribes, whose names we recognize as Apache and Comanche, came along long after these prehistoric groups. As soon as the Spaniards brought steel into the scene, the natives began using it for the tips of their arrows.

It’s a safe assumption that they incorporated the firearm with equal enthusiasm, beginning with the front-stuffers and continuing into the cartridge-firing weapons as soon as they became available. As time progressed, the native tribes accumulated, by various means, the same guns as the settlers, ofttimes adding unique design in the form of stock carvings, brass tacks and other unique decorations.

The Mexicans, the Revolutionaries and the Bandits

The hard-fought Mexican Revolution from 1910 to 1920 saw the use of any gun that could be gleaned by the determined fighters. Everything from muzzleloaders to machine guns were used in those bloody battles. Period photos depict a wide representation of rifles, such as Remington rolling blocks, Mauser bolt actions, lever guns from Savage and Winchester, and anything else the fighters could get their hands on. Handguns followed the same unscripted assortment from Colt, Remington, and Smith & Wesson.

Smuggling on the Border

There’s a certain type of criminal who capitalizes on our border with Mexico to practice their evil trade: the smuggler. What’s outlawed or restricted in one country is trafficked into the other. History shows this has been everything from merchandise and candelilla wax, to livestock, liquor, weapons, illegal drugs and humanity. While conducting their smuggling business, these contrabandistas run back and forth to the assumed, even though unfounded, security of the country from which they reside.

When the United States enacted the 18th Amendment—prohibiting alcohol manufacturing, distribution and sales in 1919—the Southern region saw continued violence along the border. Many of the Mexican liquor smugglers (tequileros) were former soldiers of the Mexican Revolution. They were a salty lot that didn’t hesitate to fill the air with hot lead when confronted by our equally dangerous U.S. lawmen.

My grandpa knew Tom Heard, a Texas Ranger who worked the South Texas brush country during that era. When Ranger Heard periodically visited the ranch where my granddad and his father cowboyed, he would tell him tales of gunfights along the river. An old photograph shows Ranger Heard with a Winchester Model 94 Trapper Carbine in his hands and a Colt SAA on his hip.

The Cavalry

The mounted cavalry troops stationed along the border to keep the bandits at bay in that era were armed with the Springfield 1903 bolt-action in 30-06. The Colt 1911 .45 ACP was the sidearm carried by many of those who wore handguns, although I’ve also seen photographs of soldiers wearing revolvers, including one of Captain Leonard Matlack with what appears to be a Colt SAA in his gun belt.

Cowboys and Lawmen: Colts, Winchesters, a Whitney and a Few Stories

I am intrigued by historical firearms with stories. There’s just something different about holding a blue-worn, wood-chipped rifle, or an old single-action with stocks worn slick from constant use in your hand and knowing where it came from, who owned it … and the history that goes with it. Some of these tales are written—some are not—but they’re all special in their own way.

Sharps-Rifle-45-Historical-firearms — A Sharps “Old Reliable” .45-caliber rifle. (Photo: Courtesy of Museum of the Big Bend)

Winchester 1866

Winchester’s first lever-action rifle, the Model 1866, was tremendously popular. Firing the .44 Henry Rimfire, called the “Yellow Boy” because of the brass receiver, was even ordered by foreign governments to arm their soldiers. The one I examined came out of Mexico long ago. Too bad historical firearms can’t talk.

Winchester Model 1894

The Model 94 in .30 WCF (.30-30 Winchester) is a classic lever-action. This is another rifle favored by lawmen, outlaws, cowboys and hunters. It’s still a viable candidate for hunting and personal defense.

Winchester 1873

Texas Ranger James B. Gillette’s M73 carbine was carried by him during his time in the Texas Rangers. He purchased it in 1875, and it’s estimated that he traveled 10,000 miles on horseback during his six years as a Ranger (1875 to 1881). He used the carbine to kill a train-load of game for sustenance on patrol, and in every engagement with Native Americans and “desperados.”

Winchester 1876

After Gillette’s successful law enforcement career, he turned to raising cattle in the high-desert country west of Marfa, Texas. At some point, he acquired a Winchester 1876 King Improvement model in .45-60 Winchester with a 28-inch barrel. From the looks of it, this rifle was well used.

Winchester 1886

Texas Ranger James Putman closed the Murder Steer Case in the Glass Mountains north of Marathon, Texas, with his Winchester ’86 in .45-70 when he head-shot Fine Gilliland after a rancher had been killed and a deputy sheriff wounded by Gilliland.

Winchester 1892

The M92 is probably one of the most recognizable to the general public, due to its use in Western movies. A Model ’92 carbine is still one of the slickest long guns around and a great defensive weapon. I have mildly customized Browning 1892 designated as my go-to defense rifle.

Winchester 1895

Winchester’s solid ’95 was very popular during the Bandit Wars along the border. Chambered in .30-06, these rifles were favorites among the old-time Texas Rangers. The one I examined in .30-03 Government was developed to replace the .30-40 Krag and was the predecessor of the .30-06.

Savage Model’s 1895 and 1899

The Savage M95 and M99 were also popular rifles of the day. One of the rarer lever-actions I was able to photograph was the Whitney Arms Model 1886 in .44 caliber. Its history is unknown, only that it found its way to West Texas and into the museum on the Sul Ross campus.

Whitney-Arms-Co-44-Rifle — Whitney Arms Company’s .44-caliber lever-action that found its way into west Texas. (Photo: Courtesy of Museum of the Big Bend)

Colt Single-Action Army

Colt’s SAA is a perfect handgun in my eye, and old photographs show I’m not alone in that assessment. The SAA was a popular sidearm along the border by those who violated and those who enforced the law, as well as cowboys and ranchers.

Historical-firearms-Colt-SAA — A classic Colt SAA revolver. (Photo: Courtesy of Museum of the Big Bend)

Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson owns a unique old Colt SAA 45 with a 4¾-inch barrel that was shipped to Del Rio, Texas, around 1918. It was purchased by a rancher south of Dryden who bought it for protection against bandits … and to protect his livestock from the thieves as well as predators. The Colt was his sole firearm, and the honest wear shows he carried it often.

1875-Remington — Not all revolvers along the border were Colts. Here is an 1875 Remington in .44 caliber … although it has seen better days! (Photo: Courtesy of Museum of the Big Bend)

Modern-Day Guns of the Mexican Border

These days, the revolver and lever-action have mostly been abandoned by law enforcement—but not entirely. Jeff Davis County Sheriff Bill Kitts keeps a stainless Marlin 1895SBL in .45-70 handy in his work truck and wears a SIG P220 Elite in 10mm on his hip.

Brewster County Sheriff Ronny Dodson usually wears a Kimber 1911 in .45 ACP and keeps a couple Winchester Model 94s, in .30-30 Winchester and .357 Magnum handy for long gun situations.

Today, the battle-proven 1911 can still be found holstered in leather on the gun belts of deputy sheriffs and Texas Rangers who work tirelessly along the border.

It hasn’t been all that long ago that gun writer Jim Wilson used a slick, short-barreled Browning 1892 in .44 Remington Magnum as his long arm during his tenure as a West Texas Sheriff, all the while with an engraved Colt .45 Government Model stuffed in the waistband of his starched Wranglers.

Winchester-1892 — A Winchester model 1892 Saddle Ring Carbine in .44 WCF, a gun with West Texas lineage. The cartridge belt came out of Old Mexico. (Photo: Courtesy of Colby Brandon)

Texas Ranger Joaquin Jackson carried his handy, brushed-chrome-finish Model ’94 Winchester in .30-30 most of his long career, usually accompanied by a Colt Light Weight Commander in .45 ACP with engraved silver and gold grips, or a good Smith & Wesson revolver. Jackson also wore a Colt SAA at times as well.

Another old border patrol inspector I once knew patrolled The River below Sanderson, Texas, decades ago with his custom Winchester ’92 in .357 Magnum. I don’t know if he ever used it on bandits, but I’m confident a decent amount of javelina fell to the little carbine.

The U.S. Border Patrol recently transitioned to Glock’s Models 47 and 19 for uniformed carry. Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens have been wearing Glocks for many years and now issue the Model 17. Texas Department of Public Safety Troopers are issued the SIG Sauer P320. All of these pistols are chambered in 9mm. Various AR platform rifles are very popular and are carried by most law enforcement and chambered in 223 Remington.

Even though some of the guns found along the southwest border have changed dramatically in design and composition in recent decades, one basic fact remains the same: You still need one!

Author’s Note: A special thanks to Museum of the Big Bend’s Curator of Collections, Matt Walter, for his assistance in gathering information on guns from the museum archives and for allowing me to photograph them. And to the Archives of the Big Bend, located in the Bryan Wildenthal Memorial Library at Sul Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, for allowing me to copy a few photographs from their treasure trove of history. And to my amigo, Colby Brandon, who not only makes top-shelf 1911s, but who owns some of the neatest old lever-actions in Big Bend country.

Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the 2021 USA special issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.

More Historical Firearms:

Going the Distance with the Sharps Rifle
Colt Single-Action Army: Owning The Enduring Legend
Classic Guns: Winchester Model 1897 Pump-Action Shotgun
10 Guns From The Old West You’ve Got To Know

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