I hit the range with a Watchtower Apache to get a new look at the double-stack 9mm 1911.
If you have been looking for a double-stack 1911 pistol (commonly known as a “2011”), you’ve never had it so good. There was a time when they were “competition guns,” and they were heavily used, requiring them to be routinely overhauled and re-fitted by pistolsmiths. But that use taught the ’smiths and makers many lessons, and we have all benefited from the experience.
Now they are everywhere … and a really good one to lay hands on is the Watchtower Apache.
The Apache is a full-sized pistol, but for that size you get a lot—a lot of ammo and a lot of quality.
The overall dimensions of the Apache (named after Operation Apache Snow, aka Hamburger Hill) are the same as a 5-inch government model. Well, a fat one, since there’s a double-stack STI/SVI pattern magazine in there. The magazines the Apache arrives with are a flush-fit 17-round magazine and an extended one holding 20 rounds. They are made by Check-Mate, a company with decades of experience at crafting magazines. In the earliest days, we’d have to fit and tune the magazines ourselves, a process involving rubber mallets and a certain nonchalance about over-tuning. Now, they work 100 percent right out of the box. Again, lessons learned from the forge of competition.
The frame/grip has different-angled non-slip patches to resist recoil movement.
The frame is an assembly, a pre-hardened 4140 machined to be the rails and the holder for the fire control parts. That is married to a composite grip (carbon-fiber reinforced with Kevlar) bolted on as the part that holds the magazine … and the part that you hold on to as well. The grip has a multi-angled set of non-slip traction panels on it, arranged so they work against the movement of recoil. At the bottom is a magwell funnel big enough to be useful but small enough to be concealable if you use the right holster and dress for the occasion.
The frame is lifted on the frontstrap, and the beavertail is high, so your hand gets high on the frame. The thumb safety is an ambidextrous, two-paddle affair. They are plenty big, and if you were going to use the Apache as an EDC pistol, you might want to either replace them with some smaller unit or have your pistolsmith shave them down. The trigger is medium length and flat. The steel portion of the frame has an accessory rail that extends all the way to the muzzle for extra weight and complete choice of light or laser mounting.
The Apache has a grip safety and an ambi thumb safety standard.
The slide is aggressively slotted for cocking serrations, and it’s also machined to accept an optic. The one tested came with a Trijicon SRO already installed. The front sight is a fiber optic, and the rear is a notch. The irons are just barely visible in the bottom of the optic viewscreen. The metal components are treated to a PVD coating, making them harder than an auditor’s heart, but easy to clean.
An added detail is the recoil spring guide rod. Most feature a cross-drilled hole, and you need a high-tech bent paperclip to disassemble. The Apache has a tool-less guide rod. With the slide locked back, pinch the rod to angle the capture shoulder out and ease it forward. It’s now locked, and you can disassemble the Apache—a neat detail and easy to use once you get the feel for it.
Here is the Apache disassembled for cleaning, with its two magazines.
The Apache is the same length as a 5-inch government model, but with a difference. The 416 stainless barrel is just over 4½ inches long and has a Clark/Para dimension integral ramp at the chamber. Forward of the muzzle, Watchtower installs a single-port compensator. Comps are the hot new carry item, but they have been in competition use since the mid 1980s.
The Apache is comped, and the comp is attached to the barrel. Note the aggressive cocking serrations on the slide.
One detail to be aware of is how a comp works. Basically, it’s rocket science. You’re taking some of the gases exiting the muzzle and, by changing their direction, using that energy to change the feel of recoil. The more gases, and the higher pressure they are at, the more energy. The best angles and sizes have been worked out since the mid 1980s, so what you have to know is this: lighter bullets. Lighter bullets, generating any given power factor, require more powder and generate higher pressures than heavy bullets do. That’s why the IPSC world switched from .45 ACP to .38 Super back in the 1980s. So, if you want to get the most benefit from a comp, you run the hottest 115- or 124-grain loads you can lay hands on (or reload, within limits, of course).
But Can She Run?
As a semi-custom pistol (custom features but built as a regular-production inventory item), you’d expect a pistol like the Apache to be accurate and reliable. And you’d be correct in that assumption. I tried the Apache with a variety of ammunition, both competition and daily carry, and it produced groups that were most gratifying. Reliability was 100 percent to the point of being boring in its routine nature. Load magazine, hose down plate rack, reload, repeat.
If you want to have a superb carry pistol, the Apache is just that. It’s a bit heavy and big for everyday carry, but the right holster will deal with that.
As the Apache was the perfect description of the best tool for a particular event at The Pin Shoot, I then tested it with some top-end heavy bullet 9mm loads, found what it liked best and took it north to Central Lake to slay pins. I did my best in the Space Gun event. The load it favored was Michigan Ammo 147-grain JRN, and when I did my part, it shoved off the table with enthusiasm.
Alas, I was not as up to the task as the Apache was, and I finished just out of the standings for the prize table. What are the equipment rules there, you ask? For Space Gun, comps and optics are allowed, and there’s no weight limit. That means the 40-plus ounces of the Apache are there to dampen the recoil of 9mm+P equivalent loads.
If comps work best with light bullets, why did I opt for 147-grain bullets for pins? Because 115s and 124s max out in pressure before getting to the upper level of what is needed for pin-whacking efficiency. Next year I’m going to up those even more, putting 147s downrange at just over 1,000 fps. The Apache is more than up to that task.
Chronograph & Accuracy Data
Ammo
Bullet Weight
Velocity
ES
SD
Accuracy Average (in.)
Accuracy Best (in.)
Black Hills Honey Badger
100
1,273
52
23.4
1.4
1.3
Sig FMJ
115
1,254
12
5.3
1.5
1.4
Super Vel +P JHP
115
1,308
37
14.2
1.3
1.1
Fiocchi FMJ
115
1,085
72
31.9
1.6
1.4
CorBon JHP
124
1,060
58
22.8
1.5
1.3
Michigan Ammo FMJ
147
935
53
24.9
1.4
1.2
Accuracy results were to be averages of three, five-shot groups at 25 yards off a Champion shooting rest. Velocities are averages of 10 shots measured on a Labradar chronograph set to read 15 feet from the muzzle.
Quality and performance like this does not come cheap. The base Apache is $4,299, and adding an optic puts the price higher. You don’t have to get the Trijicon SRO; you can order the standard Apache and then mount the red-dot optic that makes your heart go pitter-pat. Add some magazines and you are ready for competition, daily carry or both.
Note to self: Order up more of this ammo.
Side Note: What Is This Financial Thing?
You might have read about Watchtower being in some kind of financial trouble lately. So, here’s the inside scoop.
The original company was F-1 Firearms. Current owner and CEO Jason Colosky put together a group to buy F-1 and renamed it Watchtower after Operation Watchtower, the battle for Guadalcanal. As a second-generation Recon Marine, Colosky is well-read on military history (and other history as well) and names his product lines after military operations where he can.
The Apache comes with two magazines, a 17- and a 20-round capacity. This is the 17.
OK, now the financial stuff. Your doom-and-gloom shooting buddy at the gun club might not know the difference between Chapter 11 and Chapter 7. Chapter 7 is the “We’re all gonna die” bankruptcy where the people who are owed money get to divvy up the company because there’s no future for it. Chapter 11 is more like “The economy just threw us a curve, and we need to catch our breath.” Rather than standing by while those owed sort out who gets what, the company gets time to square things away, arrange cash flow and streamline operations. This is all in a plan worked out by the company, its creditors and the court.
In a “7,” if anyone at the company so much as sells a company-owned paperclip before the creditors show up they can go to jail. In an “11” the idea is to encourage moving inventory. The company isn’t going under, they just need elbow room to straighten out some problems.
So, Watchtower and Colosky have been working hard to satisfy everyone. The factory in Spring, Texas, is working near or at capacity, and orders are being filled as quickly as products can be shipped. Everyone is getting paid (employees, creditors, the bank, suppliers, the IRS), and once the contractual agreement has been met (that’s what Chapter 11 is, by the way, a contract), Watchtower will have put the problems behind them.
In the meantime, first-class firearms like the Apache will keep heading out the door to eager customers.
Once it is over we can look forward to more excellent product offerings.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
With a shot timer and a few drills, you can make your handgun training much more enjoyable.
We often take our defensive handgun shooting too seriously—not that being serious about defense handgun shooting is a bad thing. But one of the great things about shooting is that it can be fun, and sometimes having fun is a good thing, even with a serious firearm.
About 7 years ago I developed a comprehensive defensive handgun drill that incorporated five very popular defensive handgun drills. I don’t think it’s all that practical as a training or evaluation tool, but it’s a hell of a lot of fun to shoot, especially when you’re on the range with some buddies and want to have some friendly competition.
We call the shooting range I live on Shadowland, and I named this drill simply the Shadowland Drill. To run the drill, you will need three IDPA targets and a range where you can shoot from three to seven yards. Set the left target at 7 yards, the middle target at 5 yards, and the right target at 3 yards, spacing them about a foot apart. You will also need—at a minimum—15 rounds of ammo, your defensive handgun, a holster and a shot timer.
The target array for the Shadowland Drill is simple and can be set up on most any range.
Five of the most used defensive handgun drills include a single shot to the head (one shot), a hammer pair (two shots), a failure drill (three shots), a reload drill (four shots) and an adrenalin dump (five shots). If you combine these five drills together, you have the Shadowland Drill that requires 15 shots. And by combining these drills, what I mean is that you shoot them all—one right after another—and use the shot timer to record all 15 shots.
The Shadowland Drill
Begin the drill holstered, and on the signal from the shot timer, draw and fire a single head shot at the 7-yard target. Then, immediately transition to the 3-yard target and fire a hammer-pair (two shots—one sight picture). After that, your focus shifts to the 5-yard target, where you fire a failure drill (two to the body and one to the head). Then, transition to the 7-yard target and fire a controlled-pair (two shots—two sight pictures). This is the first part of the reload portion of the drill.
Now, conduct a speed reload and fire another hammer-pair (two shots) at the 3-yard target. That’s a total of 10 shots, and the final part of the drill is to switch back to the 5-yard target and conduct an adrenalin dump (five shots center mass as fast as possible).
When you’re finished, the 7-yard target should have one hit in the 4-inch head circle, and two hits in the 8-inch body circle. In the 5-yard target, you should have one hit in the head circle and seven hits in the body circle. And finally, in the 3-yard target, you should have four hits in the body circle.
You score the drill by time—the total time it takes you to get all 15 hits on the correct target and in the correct location. A clean run in under 10 seconds is very good. I’ve done it, but I cannot do it every time. A clean run in less than 12.5 seconds is respectable, and if you can run it clean in less than 15 seconds, consider that a decent performance.
This drill is perfect for defensive handguns that hold at least eight rounds, because eight rounds get you through the first two shots of the reload portion of the drill. However, you can run this drill with a five- or six-shot revolver, too; you’ll just need to conduct two reloads.
With a five-shot handgun, conduct the first reload after the first two shots of the failure drill on the 5-yard target. Then, conduct the second reload after the second hammer pair on the 3-yard target. With a six-shot handgun, do the first reload after the failure drill on the 5-yard target and do the second reload after the second hammer pair on the 3-yard target. With a five- or six-shot revolver or pistol, a very good score would be a clean run in less than 15 seconds.
It’s Just a Drill
There are several reasons this is not a very practical drill. The first is that, whether you’re shooting or picking your nose, it’s not advisable to stand in one spot for around 10 seconds. If you’re in a gunfight, you will likely die, and if you are at a social function, you’ll most likely get embarrassed when someone sees you digging for boogers. Another reason it’s not very practical is because, if three or more bad guys accosted you, I seriously doubt this formulation of an attack would be the best or the one that you would choose.
This does not mean the drill is of no value. It requires you to stay on your gun and keep it running at a high speed for around 10 seconds or more. It also requires good shooting. And, just as importantly, it’s a great informal competition drill, because the memory and progression aspect can level the playing field between fast shooters and others who are more deliberate and accurate.
If you run this drill several times, you are going to miss a few shots and you’re going to get out of sequence, too—especially if you go as fast as you can.
As much as this is a shooting exercise, it’s also a memory exercise, and learning to think while you shoot fast is a good skill to practice. You must shoot the targets in order, shoot them the correct number of times and shoot them in the correct spots. The actual shooting is not that difficult; trying to do it all in order and at high speed can get frustrating.
To some extent, this drill is also an exercise in humility. Just when you think you’ve become pretty good with your self-defense handgun, this drill can remind you there is always room for improvement.
Regardless, give the drill a try, mostly because it’s fun, and we could all probably use some more fun in our lives.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Lightweight, rugged, and rated up to .300 RUM, the Banish Backcountry is the suppressor built for serious hunters who demand performance without added bulk.
Lately, suppressors have stolen the spotlight in the firearms world. Though one area has stayed relatively immune to the muzzle device’s breakout popularity, hunting.
Don’t get me wrong, varmint and hog hunters have always appreciated what cans bring to the table. Picking off more porcine because you’ve hushed up your rifle enables a quick learning curve. Deer, elk and even antelope hunters, however, have been reluctant to expand their horizons.
It’s a pity, given what a new generation of hunter-tailored suppressors brings to the table. This gets to the rub of why I’m writing—the Silencer Central Banish Backcountry suppressor. Created with western-style hunting firmly in mind, the can aims at being a do-all in the backwoods. And after spending the better part of the summer running it on different hunting rigs, I’d say it hits the bullseye.
Banish Backcountry Specs
Length: 5.5″ Diameter: 1.6″ Weight: 7.8 oz Material: Titanium Thread Pitch: 5/8×24 Self-service: No Caliber:.300 Caliber range: Up to 300 rum Color: Black, Tan, OD Green, Burnt Bronze, Tungsten, coyote tan Finish: Cerakote Sound Reduction: 30 dB Mount style: Direct Thread Universal hub Full-auto rated: No MSRP: $1,099
Pros
Lightweight
Excellent Recoil Reductions
Versatile Mount Options
Cons
Not User Serviceable
Banished Into The Backcountry
For anyone following the developments at Silencer Central, Banish is a familiar name. This is the company’s in-house suppressor line, which over the years has become synonymous with performance at a fair price. They aren’t the cheapest on the market, but for the money they demand, the cans punch above their weight.
The Banish Backcountry (right) next to a Banish 9K pistols suppressor. It's bigger, but not considerably so. And it's titanium construction keeps it feather light.
Despite the line’s performance, the rifle suppressors didn’t exactly qualify as hunting can, except incidentally. Mainly constructed from stainless steel, they were heavy. But in recent years, Silencer Central has made a big push into titanium suppressors—a boon for anyone concerned about weight.
This plays out hugely for the Backcountry. At 7.6 ounces, the all-titanium suppressor is among the lightest for its size in Silencer Central’s catalog. That’s saying a mouthful, because it’s small for a rifle suppressor—really small. The can only tacks on 5.5 inches (5.7 inches with mount) to the overall length of the rifle and is relatively slim at 1.6 inches in diameter. For some rifles, that’s slender enough to use open sights—if one were so inclined.
Nice as all these aspects are, the mind-blowing aspect of this is that the Backcountry is engineered to handle some pretty rough-and-tumble cartridges. The can is rated up to .300 RUM; in turn, the .300 Winchester Magnum, 7mm Magnum and the .30-caliber and smaller PRC and Nosler cartridges are all fair game. Sorry, .338 fans, you’ll just have to take something smaller to Alaska.
Banish Backcountry Construction
Strong and light as titanium is, it’s a difficult material to craft. Silencer Central has done a solid job in this department, particularly given its welded baffle design.
The Backcountry's welds are hard to see. Also note, the endcap is attached not making it user serviceable.
I’m no metallurgist or fabricator, but the welds were uniform and through 100-plus rounds of 7mm PRC showed no issues in strength—more on that later. As for its internal construction, it’s a six K-baffle design, with an ample blast chamber. Given it’s welded, this is not a user serviceable suppressor—somewhat.
Silencer Central, wisely in my opinion, runs a 1.375×24 universal mount that gives some access to the interior. At least if you give the Backcountry an ultrasonic bath, it’s easier to get everything drained off, including the carbon filth.
The mount that comes with the suppressor has a 5/8×24 thread pattern, making it compatible with a majority of hunting calibers. However, the mount can be switched out, essentially making it compatible with any caliber for which the can is rated. Or, you can go for a QD mount, if that’s your cup of tea.
Backcountry Range Performance
The Backcountry, being targeted at hunting, I ran it on what I would call a blue-collar long-range setup—a Ruger American Gen II, as mentioned, in 7mm PRC. For those living under rocks, the PRC family of cartridges are beltless magnums and a good option to see the overall performance of the Silencer Central suppressor.
Overall, it was dynamite.
A wish move, Silencer Central uses a universal mount, allowing you to switch out mounting options on the can.
As for sound suppression, the Banish hunting can put a big dent in the report of the Ruger. Unfortunately, I don’t have the equipment to verify the dB reduction on the can, but it was substantial compared to the rifle unsuppressed.
For the record, Silencer Central lists the Backcountry will reduce a similar cartridge—the .300 Winchester Magnum—to 137 dB. That’s still not safe for unprotected ears, but substantial enough to make a rifle more pleasurable to shoot.
Recoil mitigation—the more important aspect of a hunting suppressor, in my book—was impressive. I had a good benchmark, given the American Gen II comes with a muzzle brake that itself does a fairly good job of taming the buck 7mm. However, the Backcountry does even better, cooling the kick down to around that of a .270 Winchester out of a rifle the same, by my estimations.
Overall Take
Recoil mitigation alone, the Banish Backcountry hits the mark. Elk, deer, moose, what-have-you season, often you only have one shot to put meat on the table and a rack on the wall. A device that can reduce the potential of flinching is worth its weight in gold.
Given Silencer Central has shaved down the mass of the Backcountry to make it a feasible addition to a mountain rifle, it’s worth more. For many hunters, suppressors are untrodden and untested territory—especially for those who hike back a few ridgelines. The Backcountry should change this in a big way, with an adaptable, functional and, above all, lightweight option.
The suppressor certainly has what it takes to change the game on the hunt.
Some ammo is good, but more is better, and that’s exactly what Taylor Freelance Mag Extensions give you.
More ammo is better. A friend of mine once remarked, “There are only two situations where you can have too much ammo: when you’re on fire or trying to swim.”
So, how do you get more? Taylor Freelance is the place.
Robin Taylor is a longtime USPSA/IPSC competitor, who understands the need for more. And the need for durability. His magazine extensions (TaylorFreelance.com) are designed and built to withstand the rigors of competition—whether dropped on gravel or in mud—and still work.
He makes nearly a full line of extensions for a variety of firearms. Not all, because some just can’t take an extension. How so? Look at your pistol magazine. At the bottom, the tube has lips to hold on the baseplate. If the lips are folded in, then you can’t extend it. Out, and you can.
Except for magazines with a crease at the bottom. The Browning Hi-Power is the classic example there. The crease at the bottom of the tube prevents the follower from moving down any further.
You’ll notice that magazine extensions are denoted by a plus and number (+2, +4, etc.). That is how many extra rounds it adds. Generally, in 9mm, .40 and .45 calibers will be less. You’ll also see some +0 basepads. No, they do not add capacity. But they are often more durable than the factory basepads. And if you opt for the brass ones, they are heavier. You can install those on the otherwise not-extendable magazines (the ones with the crease at the bottom).
Aluminum or brass—and various colors of aluminum—you have options galore with magazine extensions.
And, yes, brass. You get a choice of brass or aluminum; all machined on state-of-the-art CNC centers. The extra weight means the magazine will fall free when you press the mag button. And it is more likely to land on the brass and not on the magazine lips—no guarantees, of course, but the odds are better.
The website is also a rich source of information. You will notice that there are overlaps in what basepads fit on which magazines. Canik basepads also work just fine on selected Beretta magazines. (Those pesky creases again.) The simple reason is that there are only so many ways you can make a 9mm double-stack magazine. And a pistol designer will often use a common magazine tube, especially if it has an enviable reputation for reliability.
So, there are a lot of commonalities in magazine basepads. It’s all in the selections.
The apex of extension is the Goliath magazine extension. This is a +20 or a +30 extension. Yes, 20 or 30 extra rounds. It’s made for the Glock 33-round 9mm magazine, and it produces a magazine of absurd dimensions. Taylor Freelance makes this for PCC competition shooters who want to go through a full stage and never reload. You’ll spend forever loading it, and you can’t go prone, but if you want a magazine that swallows an entire box of ammo, this is the way.
The Goliath magazine extension adds 20 or 30 rounds to a Glock magazine. Now we’re cooking with gas.
While the brass magazine extensions come in shiny brass, the aluminum ones can be had in a variety of colors, limited mostly by what’s popular. I’d bet if you just had to have a color not on the webpage Taylor would do it, but you’d have to place an order for enough of them to do a special anodizing dye run.
Taylor Freelance also makes grip panels, backstraps and magazine funnels. You can significantly increase the weight of a pistol (to dampen recoil) by blinging it with brass, speeding your reloads and making yours yours and not just like everyone else’s.
And, as another bonus, the basepads are made with dimples in them, so you can paint-spot them in a pattern and keep them straight. That way, if one decides to start acting up, you can, at a glance, see which one it is for later adjustments.
To finish the rock-’n’-roll motto: Too much is not enough.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the October 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Lever-actions in .22 LR are a ton of fun. Here we take a look at some of the top options on the market today.
Designed in 1887, the .22 Long Rifle (LR) is arguably one of the most popular cartridges ever invented, and for good reasons. Of course, other rimfire cartridges were produced, including the .22 Short, .22 Long, .22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (WMR) and the tiny .17 Hornady Magnum Rimfire (HMR), but I’ll focus on the .22 LR here in lever-action rimfire applications.
This rimfire cartridge has many things going for it from the get-go. First of all, it’s relatively inexpensive and pleasant to shoot. No harsh recoil nor ear-splitting muzzle blast are associated with the .22 LR, although we need hearing protection whenever possible, even with small cartridges. It’s a master at collecting small game, and while it may not be optimal, you can press it into service as a defensive weapon. Federal even offers its Personal Defense Punch Rimfire .22 LR 29-grain load specifically designed for such purposes. Another of the .22 LR’s merits is that it’s chambered in guns similar to those we hunt big game with or carry for personal protection. That adds another excellent option for less expensive live-fire practice to hone our shooting skills.
One of the most popular rifle actions ever devised is the classic lever-action. It provides the shooter with lightning-fast follow-up shots. For those still needing convincing, we can easily watch videos of accomplished shooters running their lever-action rimfire rifles with unbelievable speed and accuracy.
Uniquely American, the lever gun has been a part of the shooting scene for over 160 years. The longevity of manufacturing rifles with this type of action and the fact that gun companies still produce them and continue to add them to their lines means one thing: Shooters want them. If companies couldn’t build, sell and make money by providing lever-action rifles, they wouldn’t do it.
Several companies are currently offering multiple versions of .22 LR lever-actions. From historic designs like the Henry 1866 Yellowboy to modern renditions of lever guns that have gained brand recognition from makers like Browning, Chiappa, Rossi and others, the lever-action .22 is as popular as ever. Let’s look at the current models available for today’s shooter.
The Henry Golden Boy .22. Every shooter should treat themselves to a Henry, and a Golden Boy chambered for a rimfire round provides the perfect excuse to get one.
Cimarron Firearms offers its 1866 Yellowboy carbine with a 19-inch round barrel or 24-inch octagon-barreled Sporting Rifle chambered in .22 LR. Staying within traditional lines, Taylor’s & Company catalogs the 1866 Carbine with a 19-inch barrel and the rifle version with a 24.25-incher. Taylor’s also sells the Uberti Scout with a 19-inch barrel.
The 1866 Yellowboy in .22 LR from Cimarron Firearms.
Browning’s BL-22 comes in numerous configurations, Field Grades I and II, Micro Midas, Grade I and Grade II. What does all of this mean? You can have the top-shelf, fast-cycling, accurate lever-action in a couple of different sizes with optional barrel lengths of 16.25 to 20 inches and even a 24-inch octagonal barrel. The receiver finish options are satin nickel or blue.
The Browning BL-22 Micro Midas.
At last count, Henry Repeating Arms offers more than 30 different lever-action rimfires. From its Classic Lever Action .22 Model H001 to carbines, Octagon Frontiers, Small Game Rifles and Carbine, Limited Edition, and Tribute guns, Henry has a vast variety from which to choose.
Henry is making gorgeous lever guns, including this rimfire TX Ranger with eye-catching engraving and a large loop lever.
Heritage Manufacturing Company’s Settler Series of lever-actions are new to the shooting game, with three different models available from the 20-inch Settler to the 16-inch Compact and down to the 12.5-inch Mares Leg. These guns feature polished black oxide barrels, wood stocks and attractive simulated case-hardened receivers.
Rossi’s Rio Bravo line of .22s are good-shooting, affordable lever guns. These 18-inch carbines come in matte black and wood, PVD gold and wood, Cerakote gold and wood or the tactical-looking polymer and black.
The Rossi Rio Bravo performed well for the author. He noted that the action was smooth, but this rifle had a slight catch as the nose of the bullet entered the chamber. However, that didn’t slow it down or cause any malfunctions.
Chiappa Firearms has several versions of its takedown LA322 lever-action .22—a straight grip blued and wood model with an 18.5-inch barrel, the matte-chrome Kodiak Cub, and the Take Down Deluxe with a curved lever and hand-oiled walnut stock and forearm.
The Chiappa Kodiak Cub.
Hands-On Experience
Henry provided the H001T with a hefty 20-inch octagonal barrel that balances nicely. Of course, the action was smooth, as all Henrys are, and the trigger broke at 3 pounds. The semi-buckhorn rear sight with a white diamond in the bottom contrasted nicely with the brass bead front sight.
The wood-to-metal fit and finish on the Henry rifle are excellent, with a bit of grain in the darkly stained walnut stock and forearm. The Henry holds 16 rounds of .22 LR, and the barrel is marked .22 S/L/LR. It holds 21 rounds of .22 Shorts.
Rossi sent its brass-framed Rio Bravo Gold. The action is smooth on the Rossi, but this particular rifle has just a bit of catch as the nose of the bullet goes into the chamber. This did not cause any issues; you feel a slight increase in action tension as the cartridge begins to seat into the chamber of the 18-inch round barrel. The fit and finish are good, and the wood stock has some grain, which I like. The trigger broke at a crisp 4 pounds with about a quarter inch of take-up or slack before you hit the trigger’s tension. By design, a quarter-inch gap between the lever and grip of the stock takes some getting used to; it feels slightly different from other lever guns I’m familiar with. However, you get used to it in no time. The rear sight is buckhorn with a brass bead front, and the rifle holds 15 rounds of .22 LR.
I carried this little rifle while working livestock on the Harkins Ranch in hopes of shooting it during an afternoon break, which is precisely what we did. For starters, 12-year-old Sutton ran the Rossi through several rounds of steel Go Fast targets he had set up for a speed competition at 30 feet with two square targets on each side of a round “time-stopping” target. He competes with a slick semi-auto .22 LR rifle, but you wouldn’t know it by the way he ran the Rossi lever-action like a pro. Sutton, his dad Jase, and I alternated running this course for time and naturally gravitated to shooting at long-range steel on the remote range. A steel ram, turkey, pig, and chicken soon took a beating at 50 yards, so we moved to an old scuba tank at 100. Next came the 200-yard steel, small-man-silhouette that we hit repeatedly by holding the front bead on top of the rear sight notch and focusing the bead on the head of the distant target. The pop of the .22 LR going off was answered after a slight pause by a “ding” of the tiny bullet making contact with the metal.
My friend Jim Crouch at Dodson Guns in Alpine graciously allowed me to include his previously unfired Browning BL-22 Grade II in this article. It is high-end and has a beautiful black walnut stock and gloss-finished forearm, with an engraved receiver and a 20-inch barrel.
Browning BL-22 Grade II.
The 33-degree lever throw design of the BL-22 enables you to run the lever with a simple flip of the hand. It’s fast, and it’s accurate. The trigger breaks at a crisp 6 pounds after a slight take-up. We could cover each group with a quarter; most were nickel-sized or smaller. For fun, I ran several mag tubes rapid-fire on a small-torso steel plate at 25 yards, and it’s incredible how fast one can run this rifle.
Taking all three rifles to the range for accuracy testing, I set up my target stand at 15 yards and used 1-inch orange Rangemaxx target stickers on a white poster board as my aiming point. I fired five shots each from a sitting, sandbag rest with Remington’s 40-grain Thunderbolt and 36-grain Golden Bullet, CCI 40-grain Target Mini Mags, Eley 40-grain Club, Browning’s 40-grain Pro 22 and Winchester’s 40-grain Power-Point.
The three .22 LR lever guns the author tested all performed well with each brand of ammunition. (Top) Browning BL-22 Grade II (middle) Henry Octagon Frontier, (bottom) Rossi Rio Bravo Gold.
Each of these rifles performed well with all brands of ammunition, with some groups a ragged hole. The largest groups were made by one-round-self-induced flyers by the shooter.
Each lever-action could likely shoot better than I can shoot them, and each provided good-to-excellent accuracy with the six loads tested. The Browning BL-22’s best two groups measured 0.39 of an inch with Winchester Power-Point and Browning Pro22 ammunition. Out of all rounds tested, this rifle averaged a group size of .43 inch. That’s six different cartridges from four different manufacturers. Browning’s BL22 is the top-shelf lever gun in the trio. This quality lever-action fit, finish, and engraving will set you back around $740.
Each of the three lever-actions reviewed produced tight five-shot groups (the setup was 15 yards from a sandbag rest). Each gun will provide excellent accuracy after seeing which rounds it likes.
The Henry stacked the CCI Mini Mags into 0.34 inch, and the Browning Pro22 load was close behind at 0.43-inch groups with one round just slightly out of the cluster, likely pulled by yours truly. The average for all loads fired was 0.64 inch. The Henry Octagon Frontier Model retails in the neighborhood of $400 and sits comfortably as a mid-price, quality lever-action .22 LR.
The most economical of the lot is the Rossi Rio Bravo Gold. This rifle retails around $350, but don’t let the lower price tag dissuade you from considering it a worthy addition to your armory. The Rio Bravo produced impressive groups, with the smallest measuring 0.22 inch with the Browning Pro22 ammunition—the smallest group of the three rifles tested—and the average of six groups was just 0.42 of an inch. So, the most cost-effective .22 LR in the mix shot on par with the high-end lever gun; how’s that for a bargain?
FIREARM
LOAD
ACCURACY (IN.)
Browning BL-22
Remington Bucket O’ Bullets
.42
Browning BL-22
Remington Thunderbolt
.57
Browning BL-22
CCI Mini Mag
.41
Browning BL-22
Eley
.42
Browning BL-22
Winchester Power-Point
.39
Browning BL-22
Browning Pro22
.39
Henry Octagon Frontier
Remington Bucket O’ Bullets
.88
Henry Octagon Frontier
Remington Thunderbolt
.68
Henry Octagon Frontier
CCI Mini Mag
.34
Henry Octagon Frontier
Eley
.47
Henry Octagon Frontier
Winchester Power-Point
1.06
Henry Octagon Frontier
Browning Pro22
.43
Rossi Rio Bravo Gold
Remington Bucket O’ Bullets
.76
Rossi Rio Bravo Gold
Remington Thunderbolt
.33
Rossi Rio Bravo Gold
CCI Mini Mag
.37
Rossi Rio Bravo Gold
Eley
.43
Rossi Rio Bravo Gold
Winchester Power-Point
.43
Rossi Rio Bravo Gold
Browning Pro22
.22
All of this boils down to one thing. No matter what your gun budget allows, we have excellent options to own a good, accurate lever gun in .22 LR. Understandably, fit and finish vary slightly between the manufacturers and each gun is priced accordingly. Some low-cost guns might have cast or even synthetic parts here and there, and the wood quality goes up with price. The fact remains that no matter the cost, each of these lever-action rimfires shot and functioned well.
Finishing up with the business at the shooting bench, I loaded up the rifles for some fun, rapid-fire shooting on steel from 50 to 100 yards. I never experienced a glitch with any of the guns or ammunition, and it took little effort to keep them ringing plates, even at football field distance.
Today’s production .22 LR lever-actions range in price from under $300 to over a grand. You can choose from various brands and models and select the appropriate rifle to fit your needs, wants and budget. Even the most economical guns offer good accuracy, function and reliability, ensuring shooters have opportunities to own and shoot quality lever-action .22 rifles at any cost. There are also options for those who admire the finer things in life like high-end, figured walnut and engraving. Now grab a pocketful of ammo, your favorite .22 lever-action and head to the range!
Shadow Systems has just released the CR920XL, a full-size 9mm that offers peak performance for the CR series.
Shadow Systems’ latest addition to its catalog is the CR920XL, and the company says that it’s the new pinnacle of performance for the CR series. The improvements should not only make the pistol more shootable, but more concealable as well.
Featuring a 4.2-inch match-grade barrel and a 15+1 capacity, the CR920XL has a slimmer profile (width of .86 inches) that fits more hands and is easier to carry concealed. The redesigned internal slide geometry, combined with optimized slide travel, results in an extremely smooth recoil impulse. These changes also bolster the pistol’s reliability in the face of weak ammo, limp-wristing and improper maintenance.
Other features of the CR920XL include aggressive grip texturing, an optics-ready slide and match-grade internals. They also ship with flat-face triggers and the barrel finish is offered in either Bronze TiCN or Black Nitride. No MSRP has been published, but online retailers appear to be listing them at around $830.
We take a quick look at the AXE, the latest M&P15 rifle series from Smith & Wesson.
Smith & Wesson’s M&P15 has been one of the most popular budget AR options for years. The original model, of course, is a bit dated by modern standards since it shipped with basic M4-style furniture. In response, Smith & Wesson has released newer iterations of the rifle to accommodate contemporary furniture and feature trends, and the latest version is the AXE series.
Performance Center M&P15 AXE.
The M&P15 AXE series features four rifles to choose from, including a standard 16-inch model, a Performance Center 16-inch model, a 14.5-inch SBR and an 11.5-inch SBR. All four AXE models feature ambidextrous controls, a Radian Raptor charging handle, Williams folding sights and an M&P grip with four interchangeable backstraps. All the models were also designed to be excellent suppressor hosts thanks to their GVAC system uppers that help minimize gas blowback and their Gemtech ETM Flash hider suppressor mounts. The 16-inch Performance Center model distinguishes itself by shipping with an ambidextrous Radian safety selector, a Magpul DT Carbine stock, a HIPEFIRE Enhanced Duty Trigger and a Comp Gray Cerakote finish.
11.5-inch SBR M&P15 AXE.
Corey Beaudreau, Product Manager of Rifles at Smith & Wesson, said this about the new AR-15:
The M&P15 AXE series represents the new premium MSR offering from Smith & Wesson. By pairing the GVAC upper gas system, with the trusted durability of the M&P15 platform, these high-performance rifles become the ultimate suppressor hosts. Available in a variety of configurations, users now have options out of the box, tailored to meet their needs.
All four Smith & Wesson AXE models are available now and have MSRPs ranging between $1,560 and $1,650.
Spandau brings the rough-and-tumble inertia action to the masses with the S2.
Chances are, no matter your geographic point, you live hours—if not minutes—from a spit of land where you can call in or flush out one of the nation’s multitudes of avian game. Even better news: As far as hunting goes, wingshooting is one of the more affordable options on the table.
Certainly, you can pay a mint and take the Cadillac route to knock pintails out of the sky. But you needn’t. Over the past couple of decades, the price of decent shotguns has dropped to where they’re only slightly more than a good pair of boots or waders. Buyer beware: There are lemons in this class of gun. But with a little research, there are also gems.
This leads me to the Spandau S2.
With a predilection for downing Canada honkers, I was immediately interested in the semi-auto the moment I laid eyes on it at the 2025 SHOT Show. A semi-auto for less than many pumps? Has the floor fallen out of the market? Or, was this potentially a pretty face … without much to back it up?
Well north of 500 shells and a mountain of broken blue rock later, I’m pleased to say the budget blaster left a lasting impression.
Spandau S2 Specs
Gauge: 12-gauge Chamber: 3 inches Barrel Length: 28 inches Stock: Polymer Frame/Receiver Finish: Hydro-dip Realtree APX (also available in Realtree MAX-7, Mossy Oak Obsession, Mossy Oak Bottomland, Realtree MAX-7); Black Capacity: 3+1 Sights: Fiber-optic front ; drilled and tapped receiver Overall Weight: 6 pounds, 11 ounces Choke Tube: Benelli/Mobil (cylinder, modified, ext. ported modified, full) MSRP: $557
Pros
Very affordable inertia-driven semi-auto
Impressively reliable
Improved loading gate
Lightweight
Cons
Basic polymer stock
More recoil than a gas gun
Inertia Impetus
The S2 is the first semi-auto from the newish brand Spandau Arms—imported by SDS Arms out of Knoxville, Tennessee. Mainly focusing on budget- to mid-tier over/unders before the S2, the Turkish-made guns have developed a solid reputation for affordable quality.
With an MSRP of $400 to $557 depending on the model, the 3-inch chambered 12-gauge semi has the honor of being the most affordable shotgun in the brand’s catalog. The asking price—likely $100 or so less at your local outdoor retail warehouse—also gives it the distinction of being among the most affordable shotguns, period.
Overall, the Spandau S2 APX is a solid package for the price point, offering up a 3-inch chambered 12-gauge with a reliable inertia operation.
The S2—like much of the recent hunting-focused semi-auto market—is inertia driven. I, like many hunters, prefer chasing game—not cleaning guns or mollycoddling their idiosyncrasies. Since the system isn’t as finicky as gas-driven semis—and has earned a reputation for running in any condition with any load—inertia actions have become a hunting-season favorite. Early muggy-season doves to late snowbound Canada geese, low brass to high, these guns just chug along.
In Full Control
Bird guns are a mature concept. In turn, improving the design is a marginal process. Yet for what qualifies as a budget shotgun, Spandau paid attention to the S2’s minutiae to produce a gun punching well above its monetary weight.
Given the gun seems tilted to waterfowlers and turkey hunters, the attention to the controls is especially appreciated. Everything here is enlarged and easy to find, from the large triangular cross-bolt safety to the prominent bolt release at the front of the receiver. The latter is also in line with the fore, making it quick to get the offhand in shooting position.
A metallic red follower lets you confirm if the magazine is empty without any doubts.
Spandau even tweaks the loading gate, enlarging the port and shortening the lifter. This was one of my favorite aspects of the gun. It loads fast, instinctively and sans a thumb bite.
Finally, the oversized, knurled charging handle is a nice touch. Cylindrical and easy to find, I was able to run the S2 as quickly as a tactical gun, charging over or under the receiver at an elevated pace.
Stock Stock
I’m a sucker for walnut on a shotgun, but the S2’s stock is the norm for today’s rough-and-tumble field guns. In short, it’s polymer. While the hollow knock of injection-molded plastic doesn’t exactly set my heart soaring, it’s well-formed, adjustable and adds to the gun’s light construction.
Spandau uses a shim system in the buttstock to allow the shooter to adjust the drop and cant with the shims, if so desired. I didn’t, but the option is there for you.
The forend is reminiscent of a certain Italian manufacturer’s semi-auto smoothbores, with a full belly tapering to slightly more than the barrel’s width up top. I like this design. It forms to the off-hand better and—to my mind—gives more control on a swing.
As for the fore and grip texture, it’s not aggressive, which worried me. I like checkering with some bite—even if it’s uncomfortable by day’s end—because the pain is worth a guaranteed purchase. Thankfully, the gun didn’t have to sink its teeth into me, as the texture proved adequate, even with moisture on the stock.
In Sight
Like many, I was raised on a brass bead on shotguns, and it feels like coming home with one on the rib. But as age and presbyopia have caught up with me, the S2’s fiber-optic front bead—backed up with a brass mid-rib bead—was a godsend. Bright in daylight and bright enough in flat light, it was simple to find quickly upon shouldering the gun.
Accoutrements
As light on the pocketbook as the S2 is, Spandau added a couple of extras generally not expected at this price point.
The stock and magazine nut have sling attachment points. The shell follower is a vivid red, evident when the magazine is cleared. The receiver is drilled and tapped, making the addition of optics mounts a simple matter of tightening screws. And Spandau offers the Realtree camo patterns MAX-7 Camo or APX, in addition to its base-model black. For the record, mine was in APX.
Rounding out the package is a set of removable chokes, four in all … including a ported modified. Given some of its other Italian design features, it’s no surprise the S2 is compatible with Benelli chokes.
A large cylindrical charging handle to get the scatter is just the ticket in the field, getting the gun into action without any second thoughts.
Let the Clay Pigeons Fly
After several range sessions with the S2, I came away impressed. What Spandau offers here would cost a small fortune in tonier neighborhoods.
Out of the box, the gun fit me excellently—I could close my eyes, bring the gun to my shoulder and the bead was right in line. It functioned flawlessly from the get-go, and it was a blast to shoot. My general take after dusting many clays: It’s an out-and-out shooter, and a pleasant one at that.
What surprised me most shouldering the S2 was how light the gun was, even for the typically wispy inertia class. From the specs, the gun weighs 6.7 pounds—and I won’t dispute it. Its slight mass makes it thump a bit more—certainly more recoil than a gas gun—but not enough to make me hesitant.
The S2’s balance is slightly rear-biased—a trait that’s likely common among inertia-driven semi-autos, though I’ve never studied it formally. Despite that, the gun didn’t feel whippy and was easily controlled. In fact, I’d argue it made the S2 feel a bit nimbler when swinging on doubles.
Parting Shot
Looking to flex on your gear-snob buddies at the duck shack? The Spandau S2 isn’t for you. Looking to run a gun hard and put birds in the bag without draining your bank account? This gun is worth a look.
For under $557, you get a semi-auto that digests a wide range of loads, shrugs off rough weather and runs clean. It’s light on the shoulder, fast on the follow-up and—most importantly—reliable out of the box.
It’s a no-nonsense field gun built for work, not wall-hanging. In short, it’s a budget wing shooter engineered to get anyone into the field.
Spandau S2 Deals
Battlehawk Armory
$393
Midwest Gun Works
$393
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Faxon Firearms has just entered the suppressor game with its new HARMONIX line.
First announced at the 2025 SHOT Show, Faxon Firearms’ new HARMONIX suppressor line is finally here. The new suppressors are 3D-printed and feature an interesting internal structure designed to deliver excellent sound suppression with minimal backpressure.
The HARMONIX suppressors are offered in two distinct models—the Sentry and the ION—and each model is available in .36 caliber, .30 caliber and 5.56mm. Faxon says the Sentry is “3D-printed from aerospace-grade Haynes 282, a high-performance superalloy known for extreme strength and thermal stability.” This allows it to be full-auto rated, but it weighs 15.7 ounces (without mount). For those who prefer lighter suppressors, the ION models weigh only 8.4 ounces thanks to their Grade 5 titanium construction. All HARMONIX suppressors are also HUB-compatible and ship with a direct-thread mount.
Jay Wilson, Director of Product Management at Faxon Firearms, said this about the new suppressors:
Suppressor design is a balancing act and usually requires compromises. Sound reduction, flow – backpressure and cleanliness, weight, price. You need to choose between a number of priorities … On Harmonix, we tried to prioritize it all, and I think these cans deliver.
Aaron Meidinger, Design Engineer at Faxon Firearms, also commented on what went into designing the HARMONIX cans:
We tried dozens of concepts, impossible to machine or weld … Rigorous testing stripped away all gimmicks, leaving behind purpose-built geometries that play nice with your rifle, your ears, and your budget.
MSRP for the ION models is $975 and MSRP for all Sentry models is $1,100.
No single holster can cover everything. Different situations, seasons, and attire call for flexible concealment options.
Thanks to the relaxation of concealed carry laws nationwide, more Americans than ever are carrying firearms as part of their daily lives. You could argue that the concealed carry culture is still in its infancy as, unlike hunting, it was not part of our prior generation’s reality in much of the country. Where a hunter may have had a father, grandfather, uncles, neighbors or friends with strong feelings about camo, calibers, optics, or ammunition accrued over several generations of experience, concealed carry still lives in its first or second generation of experimentation.
I was new to it myself, and something I struggled with was holster selection. I see many other carriers struggle to find a single holster that provides the perfect solution for every situation. Like the fabled one true ring of the Tolkien epics, this holster is the missing piece to a successful outcome for whosoever is lucky enough to wield it.
But like Tolkien’s tale of Middle Earth, this holster is fantasy.
Seasons, attire, and situations present unique challenges that you must consider when deciding how to approach your day with a concealed firearm. That means you must be flexible in your holster choices and less dogmatic about how you carry your firearm. Rather than encountering a situation that prevents you from carrying because your singular holster option can’t account for what the day presents, you need a suite of carry options that allow you to adapt your daily carry to the specific needs.
You may be struggling to choose one holster and see the prospect of choosing more than one as a multiplicative problem that appears even more daunting than the original quest. I assure you this isn’t the case. By evaluating several contributing factors, considering the reality of situations in which you would carry your gun, and identifying the two or three options that work for you, finding the best solution is quite simple.
Your Carry Gun
The first reality is that your chosen gun will determine the number of options you have for a carry holster. A 4-inch-barrel 44 Magnum is as poor a choice for pocket carry as a single-stack 380 Auto is for a shoulder holster. Few options are off the table, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t have a longer list of negatives than positives.
Also, consider holster and gun rotation—a concept that has gained too much traction. It’s one thing to have a primary carry gun and a backup that can serve as an alternate. There may also be limited call for those who carry to less-permissive states to have a travel gun, like a 38 Special snubby that doesn’t face the magazine restrictions of more progressive states. That said, I struggle with folks who have four or five guns that are carried seemingly at random just for the sake of rotation. Most of us don’t shoot or train enough as it is with our primary gun.
You can do as you please. I’m not here to finger-wag anyone for their choice of what to carry. That said, carrying a defensive firearm is something that shouldn’t be done flippantly or with fashion or popularity as the primary decision-maker over proficiency or skill.
Holster Location
The location on your body you choose to carry will be the primary factor in determining which holster you select, as most designs are specifically tailored to it. Carry location fits into one of two categories: traditional or non-traditional. Traditional locations are on the beltline, either inside or outside of the waistband. Typically, the holster is positioned on the hip of the strong side. I also placed appendix carry in this category, and we’ll discuss why later.
Non-traditional locations include things like shoulder or pocket holsters or even off-body carry.
As a baseline, it’s wise to have a holster from each category—traditional and non-traditional—to cover as many circumstances as possible.
Traditional
Outside the Waistband (OWB)–Strong Side
Maybe it’s just me, but a 1911 just doesn’t look right in anything but leather.”
There’s a little bit of John Wayne to outside-the-waistband carry. Contrary to popular belief, just because it’s outside the waistband doesn’t mean it’s an open-carry, cowboy-wannabe position. A cover garment such as a lightweight shirt, jacket, or vest can conceal an OWB holster and pistol.
While it may print more easily against the cover garment than something concealed more deeply, it is a viable solution when a suitable cover garment is available.
The biggest benefit to OWB carry is accessibility. Because it isn’t as concealed as it is deep, it can be easier to access. This also makes for a more comfortable carry. Carrying a gun is not a fun, comfortable, or enjoyable endeavor. As Clint Smith said, “Guns are supposed to be comforting, not comfortable.” OWB keeps the firearm from digging into your hip, making for an enjoyable experience.
That said, it is tougher to conceal because the handgun’s profile is outside the beltline. This can present a more “bolted-on” appearance to your silhouette and makes it easier for bystanders to see that you are packing. In some instances, this may not be a big deal, but if you’re in a state where no-firearm signs carry the force of law, it may be unwise.
Some guns demand to be carried outside the waistband in a classic leather holster. While I’m no 1911 romantic, I cringe when I see one holstered in anything but leather outside the waistband. For my Springfield Armory 1911 Operator, 1791 GunLeather provided the best solution. It just looks and feels right.
Inside the Waistband (IWB)–Strong Side
Inside-the-waistband or IWB is a good balance of accessibility and concealability. A high-quality belt and holster combo keeps the gun securely tucked against your side.
For many years, inside-the-waistband carry on the strong side has been the gold standard. Hiding your handgun inside the waistband coupled with the natural reach and draw of the strong side makes for a solid balance between concealment and accessibility. Virtually every carry gun has had someone produce an IWB holster for it.
While not as comfortable as OWB carry, it’s out of the way enough so that comfort isn’t an issue while sitting, standing, or walking. It’s also less likely to print than OWB carry because the holster’s position inside the waistband keeps everything pulled in tighter to your body.
Another factor to consider is the extensive amount of training and resources available for IWB concealed carry. Volumes of books have been written on the subject, and almost every reputable trainer is well-versed in getting students to work from an IWB strong-side position.
Inside the Waistband–Appendix
Appendix-style carry is not the best answer me, but I understand its appeal.
Not that long ago, so-called appendix carry would have been considered a non-traditional holster location. Because the concealed carry culture is still in its early phases, and so many shooters are working on solutions to problems, appendix carry has emerged as probably the second-most popular carry location.
For those unfamiliar, appendix carry places the holster in front of the hip in the 12:30 to 1:30 position, with the muzzle aligned down the inside of the strong-side leg. The rapid growth in popularity, the massive expansion of appendix holster options, and the location of the holster on the beltline make the case for it being considered a traditional carry location.
There’s also the explosion of sub- and micro-compact EDC pistols as part of the appendix carry boom. As mentioned, your carry gun determines the holster and carry method. The appendix style is not one for full-size semi-auto pistols or full-frame revolvers. The proliferation of the SIG P365, Smith & Wesson Bodyguard, Springfield Hellcat, and others have opened the door to the growing popularity of this style.
There is a lot to like about the appendix position. It can be a remarkably comfortable position to carry, especially when you are on your feet and walking around. Concealment is also quite good, depending on the cut of your clothing, and it can be accomplished without a cover garment other than your shirt, provided it isn’t tucked in.
“In concealed carry, we’re seeing a mild trend away from appendix carry and back toward strong-side hip positioning,” said Mike Barham, Media and PR Manager at Galco Holsters. “I think this is for both comfort and some tactical reasons that weren’t fully explored properly.”
On its face, this logic makes sense. While everyone is looking for the easy button, the popularity of appendix carry offered some of the tactical advantages outlined earlier and we saw people gravitate to a carry position that allowed them to run faster times against a standard; others saw a benefit in the position.
Perhaps the most compelling benefit is the firearm’s accessibility from the front of the body. A simple lift of the shirt with the support hand exposes the grip, making the purchase quick with minimal effort, even for individuals more accustomed to strong-side carry. A timer can reveal marked improvement in how quickly you can enter the fight.
Those comfort and concealment positives, though, are somewhat reliant on the cut of your jib. For those of us who pack a little more around the middle than others, this position can be more challenging. A protruding belly can exert constant, uncomfortable pressure, and depending on the specific geometry of your body, it may also result in a pistol that is tilted out and shows. Provided you have a chest that extends beyond your belly button, either due to biology or muscle mass, appendix carry can be a good option. If not, it may just not be a good fit.
Non-Traditional
Shoulder Carry
The armpit is wasted space on the human body and is an ideal place to tuck a defensive firearm using a shoulder holster like this Falco Hybrid Roto Shoulder Holster with a double mag pouch.
I used to think I needed to have a decade on the beat and a handful of years behind a desk as a detective before I could apply to a holster manufacturer for a shoulder model. I’m just old enough to remember the Galco-supplied shoulder holsters on Miami Vice, and I thought they were only for cops.
As with everything else, fewer carry restrictions mean more carry options, and holster makers have added some refinement to the shoulder holster lineup. I find shoulder holster carry to be the most comfortable. Because the weight of the firearm is carried by the yoke on your shoulder rather than on the beltline, that bother is eliminated. Further, the gap between your armpit and upper arm is purely wasted space on the human body, so being tucked into that location bothers nothing.
On a day when I know I will be behind the wheel of my truck more often than walking, carrying a concealed handgun in a shoulder holster is my preferred solution. Because in the seated position, getting to the beltline can be a problem, a shoulder location is easily accessible without needing to remove the gun from my person. For driving, shoulder carry is my A+ answer.
Shoulder carry is not without its drawbacks, however. It can be a tougher location to access and draw from safely. Many shoulder holsters carry the firearm in a horizontal position, making it easy to flag bystanders or even your support arm if careful skill in drawing is not developed. While a great option with a jacket, vest, or overshirt, a hooded sweatshirt (a favorite garment of mine) presents real difficulty in getting the gun into the fight quickly and cleanly.
Overall, I believe shoulder holsters are significantly underutilized as a viable carry option, especially for those of us in northern latitudes where jackets and vests are a staple of our attire for much of the year.
Galco has recently introduced the Masterbilt Slabside Perfection Shoulder System. With the pistol placed on the weak side and two magazines on the strong side, you can easily carry more than most find comfortable on their beltline.
I have also become a fan of the Falco Hybrid Roto Shoulder Holster, which features a double mag pouch. The hybrid design uses a Kydex holster and leather strap system for the best of both worlds. Additionally, the holster features a snap that maintains its vertical orientation when worn, keeping the barrel pointed downward. You can draw from this position or release the snap, and the Kydex will rotate 70 degrees towards the horizontal for a cleaner drawstroke. The double mag pouch is also Kydex.
Pocket Carry
What about just sliding one of those subcompact pistols into your pocket and calling it a day? While it isn’t quite that easy, it isn’t far off, either. Pocket holsters are little more than a sleeve for a small pistol or revolver with a tacky or grippy exterior that allows you to reach into your pocket, grip the firearm, and draw it while leaving the holster in the pocket.
When I was working in sales, this became my best option for carrying a firearm. Because my job often called for dress slacks and polos, I had few places to conceal a firearm. A subcompact 9mm appeared to be little more than a BlackBerry in my pocket, and never once did anyone question if that was a giant phone in my pocket or if I was just happy to see them.
Chalk the biggest appeal here up to convenience. What can be simpler than putting a gun in your pocket? The materials have become quite reliable over the years, and when attire calls for it, pocket holsters are a superb option. However, despite having done it for a long time, it never felt as secure as I would have liked it to. We’ve all experienced sitting in an awkward position or leaning over to get something and having the contents of our pockets end up on the sidewalk or meeting room floor. I would prefer that not happen with my EDC pistol.
Off-Body Carry
Fanny packs offer an off-body solution that doesn’t look tactical. They’re perfectly at home at a farmer’s market or soccer game.
An explosion of purses designed for women who carry has popularized off-body carry. For men, there is the option of a fanny pack. Initially, I turned my nose up at the prospect of using one, but after paying attention while out in public, I was surprised to see fanny packs in use far more often than I had thought.
I started testing it out mainly to try to poke holes in the endeavor, as I’ve never been a big fan of it. That said, there are days when I want to run errands in athletic shorts and a hoodie—the unofficial uniform of spring and fall in the Midwest—and carrying that outfit leaves you with precious few options.
Slinging a fanny pack over your shoulder doesn’t look out of place among other folks who are doing the same thing at the local farmer’s market. Also, I can carry significantly more stuff in my fanny pack. There’s easily room for a reload or two, a couple of tourniquets, basic first aid items, a light, a knife, wallet, keys, and a snack.
The appeal of off-body carry is undeniable, and I’ve found myself defaulting to it more often due to its comfort and ease. Most CCW fanny packs have a dedicated handgun pocket, allowing you to separate your EDC (Everyday Carry) items from other things. No fumbling through pockets or loading up the beltline. It’s something to consider if you’ve been undecided.
That said, like every other option, it has downsides. The one I’ve struggled with the most is working on a new drawstroke. Like clearing a cover garment, you need a swift motion to get the pack open enough to access the firearm. This difficulty varies significantly from one pack to another and from one orientation to another. There is no simple solution that applies to every situation.
Most fanny packs have a tab to pull that opens the carry compartment quickly. Most, not all. Noted trainer Greg Ellifritz has found that the pull tabs are often too small to locate and use reliably, especially during the stress of a defensive engagement. His trick? Add a small flashlight, such as a Streamlight Pocket Mate, to the tab to improve the purchase. Not to mention, having an extra light is never a bad thing. I’ve adopted this logic to my setup.
Depending on how you orient the bag, you may also encounter a situation where the gun is pointed at those around you, and your drawstroke may exacerbate this, similar to a shoulder holster. It’s not a deal-breaker, but it’s another consideration.
I’ve become a fan of the Ex Umbris Designs UltraGrid Multifunctional Fanny Pack. It uses a Velcro panel in the main pouch to secure a holster of your choice. This design allows for the holster to be adjusted to the draw angle that works best for you, while some others use Malice Clips that don’t offer quite the same level of flexibility.
The DeSantis Gunny Sack II and Vertx Everyday Fanny Pack 2.0 are also popular options for carriers.
Of course, there are also purses available for off-body carry from brands like Browning and Gun Tote’n Mamas, which allow for something a little more stylish for the ladies who carry.
Ankle Carry
It’s not a small package, but if you must carry a second gun, ankle carry is not a bad option.
I saved ankle carry for last because I don’t think it should ever be the location of your primary firearm. While drawing a firearm from all the other locations listed above can be done naturally under duress and without compromising your situational awareness, drawing from your ankle requires you to bend over or crouch to access your firearm.
Are there situations where ankle carry is your only option? I suppose that’s possible, but I consider it for backup only. The idea of a snub-nosed 38 Special on the ankle has almost become a grizzled-cop trope, but with some reason. A fair number of cops I’ve talked to have done precisely that and continued to do so even when they were off-duty or retired.
I’ve experimented with the Apache Ankle Rig from DeSantis. When I was a young salesman out on the road in some rough neighborhoods of Northwest Indiana, a Sccy CPX-1 was my everyday carry gun. While I’ve retired it, it fits the bill of a backup gun and plays well with such a configuration.
Ankle carry is not something I do regularly, but it’s nice to have another option. An ankle setup is also a viable way to carry a snub-nose revolver. With today’s revolver renaissance, it might not be crazy to have ankle carry as an option, just not as a primary solution.
However, as with all the positions we outlined, there are also downsides, and as more people adopt a carry style, there is increased scrutiny surrounding it. What works for one person may not work for another, and those preferences as choices may change over time.
Holster Material
Kydex is an excellent option but lacks the warmth of leather.
No matter which of the above positions you choose to carry, your holster has to be made of something. Each material has pros and cons, just like the carry positions.
The most traditional holster material is leather. Leather evokes images of gunfighters from the Old West, such as Buffalo Bill Cody, Bat Masterson, Wyatt Earp, or the men who portrayed romanticized versions of them.
Leather still has a place in the EDC world, even if newer materials have encroached on what was once a single-material market. Leather options remain popular for revolvers, whose lines create an uncomfortable angle in a more rigid material. Also, as a natural material, it has a warmth that other materials don’t. Leather can soften the edges of a cylinder, making it easier to conceal in a beltline.
Leather is bulkier than other options, however, and can be harder to conceal based on your gun’s profile. Aside from the actual friction of the gun on the leather, any retention mechanism must be done with a snap or Velcro.
Kydex has become the dominant holster material. There are numerous benefits to it. From a manufacturing standpoint, it’s easier to source and produce. A Kydex mold of a specific firearm can be created, ensuring a perfect fit. Furthermore, unlike leather, adjustable tension can provide passive retention on the gun, keeping it in the holster more securely than in some leather designs.
Similarly, it’s easier to create variations of each model with accessories, such as weapons-mounted lights or cutouts for optics. Do you carry a Walther PDP with a Streamlight TLR-7? You’re far more likely to find a Kydex option than leather.
Downsides? Kydex isn’t as forgiving as leather, and it lacks the visual appeal of leather. Yes, Kydex can be customized or have patterns added, but at the end of the day, it’s still a synthetic material. Because it’s more rigid, sharp edges can lead to uncomfortable pinches when carrying.
All that said, there’s a reason Kydex has become so popular. It’s secure and reliable.
Then there’s nylon holsters, which I have regularly used. Mine is an Uncle Mike’s shoulder holster that holds a Heritage single-action .22 I carry on the trapline every winter.
It’s not that there isn’t a place for nylon in EDC holster concepts, but rather as a secondary material, such as a Velcro strap on an ankle holster, rather than the entire holster. Nylon lacks sufficient retention on the firearm while moving around unless it is snapped securely.
There are cases where a nylon design may be useful, but I think most people place it as a distant third option for holster selection.
Concealed Carry Belts
A quality belt designed for carrying guns is not optional. Don’t skimp on this essential part of the equation.
A holster is only as good as the belt that supports it. This sounds like hyperbole, but anyone who has tried to carry on a substandard belt knows it’s true. Like holsters, just one belt suitable for carry won’t do. I have nylon options from Wilderness in multiple colors to match various dress, and a casual rustic finish leather option from 1791 GunLeather that works with almost anything. I also have a couple of high-polish tan belts from Galco, one smooth and one tooled, for when I want to look a little more refined.
The common thread is that all of these belts are designed for carrying firearms. If you’ve put off the investment in a good EDC belt, I can’t implore you enough to commit to a higher-quality one. It’s a game-changing experience when your belt locks the holster in place, allowing you to make a clean draw.
Best Practices
When it comes to concealed carry holsters, no one answer works for everyone. We often learn from others’ mistakes, but what doesn’t work for someone else when it comes to holsters may be our best solution.
Choosing a holster is a process. It requires exploration and experimentation. Chances are, the first holster you try will not end up being your favorite. There’s also a good chance that the carry position you first try won’t be your preferred option. Too many people experiment too little with different holsters and location options.
“While I don’t think training should be legally mandated for concealed carriers, lots of people just don’t know what they don’t know, said Barham. “Some classroom time with a knowledgeable CCW instructor, exposure to different concealed carry methods, and some range time goes a very long way to learning what does and doesn’t work for you, and everyone is different.”
This reality is sad enough when you consider many people’s primary holster selection. The fact that so many don’t even have a second or third option for carry style makes it even more baffling.
My primary carry position will always be on the hip of my strong side. It’s the best option for me. Regardless of the handgun, I will have an IWB holster that will cover most of my carry needs from there. However, I also prefer shoulder holsters for much of the year. And I have my Ex Umbris fanny pack, in which I can swap out a different holster with a new patch of Velcro.
The saying goes, “Two is one, and one is none.”
Three isn’t too many. Four isn’t out of the question.
You might not need a different holster every day, but don’t think that one will work for every circumstance.
When you're building out a rig that's got to perform on the trail and look good doing it, there's a balancing act between form, function, and longevity. Aggressive tread design, sidewall styling, and real off-road capability usually mean you’re sacrificing something—but that doesn’t need to be durability and long-term value of your tires.
We dug into the warranties behind the most aggressive-looking, off-road-ready all-terrain tires on the market. These aren't mall-crawler specials. Every tire here is offered in both hard metric and LT metric sizes with 35” overall diameter options and 3PMS-certification for year-round confidence. Whether your setup leans overland, pre-runner, or heavy-duty daily with a weekend trail schedule, these tires are made to look tough and work even tougher.
Here are the A/T tires we stacked up:
Nitto Terra Grappler G3
BFGoodrich All-Terrain T/A KO3
Falken Wildpeak A/T4W
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT/LT
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T
Yokohama Geolandar A/T4
Toyo Open Country A/T3
Mileage Warranty Breakdown
Tire Model
P/Hard Metric Warranty
LT/Flotation Warranty
Nitto Terra Grappler G3
70,000 miles
55,000 miles
BFG KO3
N/A
50,000 miles
Falken Wildpeak A/T4W
65,000 miles
60,000 miles
Cooper Discoverer AT3 XLT
60,000 miles
60,000 miles
Mickey Thompson Baja Boss A/T
60,000 miles
50,000 miles
Yokohama Geolandar A/T4
65,000 miles
55,000 miles
Toyo Open Country A/T3
65,000 miles
50,000 miles
Top Performer: Nitto Terra Grappler G3
The Nitto Terra Grappler G3 takes the win here, offering the highest mileage warranty of the bunch—70,000 miles on hard metric sizes and a solid 55,000 miles for LT/flotation. For an A/T that delivers aggressive curb appeal and all-terrain capability, that’s a serious standout.
It’s not just about surviving the daily commute, either. The G3 delivers stable highway manners while still packing the beefy shoulder blocks and deep sidewall lugs you want when the asphalt ends. For enthusiasts who demand both looks and longevity—whether it’s hauling gear, towing toys, or chasing trails—it’s the rare combo that doesn't ask you to choose.
Deciding Which A/T Tire Works for You
From daily drivers to work trucks and beyond, your tires have a lot rolling on them. When most of your driving time is spent on-road, today’s aggressive all-terrains strike a near-perfect balance of capability, looks and solid performance you can trust no matter where you drive. Choosing your tire purchase carefully can mean you get years more of wear.
For our money, the Nitto Terra Grappler G3 brings the best blend of style, performance, and mileage-backed confidence. If you’re modding your rig for weekend adventures and weekday reliability, this tire keeps you rolling longer—and looking good doing it.
Want a bag that provides quick access to a gun and plenty of storage space? Take a look at MFT’s new 5L Achro Sling Bag.
In their attempt to blend in, far too many concealed carriers stand out instead. Being a “gray man” isn’t achieved by wearing tacticool camo gear and a hat from your favorite gun manufacturer, it’s done by appearing truly nondescript and forgettable while still concealing your gear. To that end, Mission First Tactical’s new 5L Achro Sling Bag seems to knock it out of the park.
It’s plain black, and the only thing “tactical” about its design is a bit of laser-cut MOLLE on the front for attaching other gear. As for storage, the 5L (5-liter) Achro Sling Bag has a dedicated and discreet handgun pocket, a main pocket with organizers for common EDC gear, zippered internal pockets and it ships with MFT’s Multi-Mount Platform for attaching holsters and other items inside the bag. Other features include its lighter-colored water-resistant ripstop liner that aids interior visibility, its cooling mesh padded back panel and its adjustable shoulder/waist strap.
Ryan Ditta, Program Manager at Mission First Tactical, said this about the new bag:
The 5L Achro™ Sling Bag represents the culmination of decades of professional travel experience. We aimed to create the perfect commuter pack, catering to the modern individual's needs while ensuring safe and secure storage without compromising on style.
The 5L Achro Sling Bag has an MSRP of $79.99 and it’s available now.
Ruger's upgraded bolt-action keeps its budget-friendly crown with smart improvements and dependable accuracy.
No corner of the gun world has a more heated arms race than hunting rifles—specifically, budget hunting rifles. The rally to rake in deer, elk and antelope hunters’ hard-earned bucks has resulted in plenty of flops and a few success stories. The Ruger American Rifle falls in the latter.
Born more than a decade ago, the entry-level arm quickly set ranges on fire—not just among the penny-pinchers. Earning a reputation for unparalleled accuracy at its price point, the Ruger bolt-action became almost a must-have, even among the money-is-no-object crowd.
And why not? There’s something novel—and satisfying—about owning a rifle capable of outshooting irons two or three times its price.
I’ve been lucky enough to have plenty of experience with the Ruger gem, in the field and at the range. That bred cautious optimism when the company released the American Rifle Gen II this past fall. Externally, it looked like a winner—but how did it perform downrange? Is the new generation still the budget king I and many other shooters have grown to love?
Curious about the Gen II's predecessor? Check out our full review of the original Ruger American Rifle.
Arming Up With the American Gen II
I brought in the American Rifle Gen II Standard model in 7mm PRC, which put me well behind the curve of the rifle’s initial release. Ruger didn’t tool up for the magnum or modern magnum analogs until 2025.
The ZeroTech scope and Backcountry suppressor proved perfect matches for the 7mm PRC rifle.
My idea was a budget-level long-range hunting setup, so I turned to a ZeroTech Vengeance FFP 6–24×50 scope with an RMG MRAD reticle. It’s ZeroTech’s hunting option, though it takes heavy cues from tactical optics, with an advanced long-range Christmas tree reticle and exposed turrets.
To finish the rig, I mounted a Silencer Central Banish Backcountry suppressor on the muzzle. This lightweight titanium can is rated up to .300 RUM and tailored specifically for hunting.
American Rifle Gen II Barrel
From pictures and in hand, the most striking upgrade on the Gen II is its cold-hammer-forged barrel. It’s shortened from the original to a trim 20 inches and spiral fluted.
Not only attractive, the Gen II's spiral-fluted barrel also lighten's the rifle's load.
While fluting has become commonplace on affordable arms, it’s more than just eye candy—it helps keep the rifle at a manageable 6.5 pounds (without a scope), and its increased surface area aids in cooling during longer strings.
Ruger includes a muzzle brake on all Gen II models and, more importantly, a threaded muzzle. The thread pattern is 5/8×24 RH, making it compatible with most hunting-specific suppressors.
The package is topped off with an attractive Gun Metal Gray Cerakote finish, ensuring all-weather durability.
American Rifle Gen II Action
Ruger didn’t mess with what works. The Gen II maintains the American’s semi-enclosed port and cylindrical action. The added material makes the action stronger and more rigid—one of the key reasons this platform has proven so accurate.
Ruger upgrades the bolt handle on the new American Rifle, enlarging it for better manipulation.
The rifle keeps the three-lug, full-body bolt—a one-piece design known for strength and affordability. It retains a 70-degree throw, which plays nice with large optics. One change: Ruger now includes an oversized, threaded bolt handle (5/16×24) for easier upgrades.
A welcome addition is the new three-position tang safety. Along with “safe” and “fire,” a middle setting locks the trigger but allows the bolt to cycle, so the rifle can be safely unloaded. A small but thoughtful upgrade.
American Rifle Gen II Trigger
I’m torn on the Gen II’s trigger.
It’s crisp, creep-free and adjustable between 3 and 5 pounds. Mine shipped set at a snappish 3.5 pounds, so I left it as-is. Furthermore, shoe is wide, ribbed and easy to index—comfortable and confidence-inspiring in the field.
The trigger on the Gen II is spot on, outside the blade safety.
My only complaint is Ruger retained the blade safety. I don’t know how this became a thing on rifles, but I don’t like it—your opinion might vary. It’s a minor nit that wouldn’t stop me from buying the rifle.
American Rifle Gen II Stock
Along with the barrel, this is where much of the Gen II’s appeal lies. Ruger gave it a gray polymer stock with black speckles. It’s visually more refined than the previous generation and offers a welcome texture upgrade.
The rifle's stock has a new Monte Carlo profile and is completely adjustable.
Despite being polymer, the stock doesn’t feel cheap. It retains a feature that helped the original’s accuracy—Power Bedding. These are V-shaped aluminum bedding blocks that center the action and provide a secure metal-to-metal fit.
Ruger also moved to a Monte Carlo-style stock. I’m neutral on this, though it is fully adjustable for length of pull and comb height. That said, the spacers required for adjustment must be purchased separately, which is a letdown.
American Rifle Gen II at the Range
I was nervous the Gen II wouldn’t live up to the original, but the opposite happened—it overperformed.
A small, but nice improvement is the three-position tang safety.
Shooting five-shot groups from a bench at 100 yards with 175-grain Federal Fusion and 175-grain Federal Premium ELD-X, I found the rifle preferred the ELD-X. It turned in a best group of 0.49 inches and averaged 0.87 inches. That’s outstanding for any factory rifle—especially at this price.
I stretched the rifle out on our club’s mile-long range. With fixed targets ranging from 1 to 3 MOA, I hit every 3 MOA plate out to 500 yards and went 4-for-5 on the 1 MOA target at the same distance.
I’d never shoot at an animal from that far—I still have the legs to close the gap—it passed every test I had for a long-range hunting rifle.
Final Thoughts
The Gen II continues the American Rifle’s stellar legacy—and in 7mm PRC, I fully recommend it. The trigger is excellent, the build quality is tight and it shoots straight.
The Gen II feeds off a detachable box magazine. In 7mm PRC, it holds 3 rounds.
It did take some adjustment to get comfortable with the Monte Carlo stock—my shoulder pocket and eye alignment didn’t line up perfectly at first—but that resolved with time.
Ruger also improved the interface. The scalloping above the grip appears more recessed, supporting modern thumb-off shooting styles.
If there’s one downside, it’s the brake. It works, but it’s loud. A suppressor is a worthwhile investment if you're opting for a magnum cartridge.
Parting Shot
The Gen II costs about $130 more than the original, but factoring in inflation, it still qualifies as a budget rifle. The new generation offers more chambering options, better ergonomics, and the same deadly accuracy that made the original a legend.
Unless the budget bolt-action world sees a major shake-up, Ruger’s latest is likely to remain king of the hill.
As an outdoorsman selecting a sidearm, what features should you look for when picking a field pistol?
Over the past centuries, we have seen a constant focus on the types of pistols and calibers that are suitable for use in the field. In The Prairie Traveler, a contemporary piece on Manifest Destiny, there is a good discussion on what Colt you should carry—the percussion .36 being the surprising recommendation for the era, even over the .44.
These older sources are invaluable as we look at the general nature of what we are putting in our belts and chest harnesses today. I’ve been carrying pistols for various uses in the field my entire adult life as a hiker, fisherman, hunter and general outdoorsman. My choices have sometimes been motivated by nostalgia as much as practicality, but what is true is that there’s no one right answer for you.
There is, however, a fascinating backstory to all this that is worthy of note.
The Outdoorsman’s Sidearm
Pistols have a long history—that much is absolutely certain. We don’t have the space here to explore every culture and their relationship to handguns, but it’s true that there has always been a practical need for a firearm that is compact and can be carried on the person ready to use. While there are some words I will use interchangeably here, I will be referring to these guns as pistols. (Sorry to those who like to make a distinction for revolvers.)
Historically, what we call handguns were referred to as pistols, typically distinguished by mode of carry, be it saddle holster, belt or pocket. In 1835, Sam Colt had a patent for a “revolving firearm,” which is a bit too vague for use here. In the American lexicon, there wasn’t much specialization in this class of arm until 1847.
Colt’s early Paterson designs weren’t very successful. The Texas Rangers had an early success in battle against Native Americans on the frontier using the Paterson. A modern, much more powerful firearm was requested by Ranger Sam Walker, leading to the famous 1847 Walker Colt. This revolver was arguably the first truly modern Colt, and by default, the first of what we would call a field pistol. The revolver after this point would become (and could be argued still is) the dominant field pistol.
Bullets have evolved in the last few centuries, but the base concept are still relevant. The Walker can fire round balls with lethal results even today, but there are other choices.
The idea that an individual would not just be able to have a gun on them, but one that would not require immediate reloading after its one use, was revolutionary. Not only that, but each shot would also have enough power to immediately kill, or at least severely injure, an attacker at close to medium range. Most “repeating” arms of this time were small and woefully underpowered, unreliable and even dangerous to the user. The Walker was no joke and could bring some hurt where it was due.
With reload time and reliability at a distinct advantage over competing designs of the era, the Colt was the one to beat. Over time, we have seen that translate into the Colt, then Smith & Wesson and eventually modern guns like Glock, taking the preferred spot in the field. The base notion of all of this has been that these field guns are reliable and powerful first, high capacity second. These traits are critical because in the mind of modern outdoorsmen, revolvers are only recently challenged by rounds like 10mm Auto, itself the beneficiary of lots of very positive press.
The basis of the field gun is that it needs to be able to deliver power and accuracy, not just as a self-defense option for bears (a somewhat rare situation overall), but serve as a stopgap for signaling, hunting and general-purpose survival. In short, it needs to be a functional backup to a rifle or shotgun, but not a true replacement. On its own, the field pistol statistics are up to the end user.
The ammunition in question has its own flavor—such as the retro hardcast, even in semi-automatic pistols. Buffalo Bore has earned a reputable name producing loaded cartridges on the high end of the power scale. Having shot many of their most potent loads, I can honestly say that many are downright painful in packable revolvers, but overall pleasant in semi-auto calibers like 9mm and .45 ACP. I have killed large whitetails with the Buffalo Bore 255-grain Hardcast Outdoorsman in .45 ACP at about 40 to 50 yards out of a 5-inch 1911.
9mm, .38 Special, .44 Special and .45 Colt are all old cartridges, and each is still relevant for field guns with good bullets.
Raw killing power is more a function of the bullet than the gun, but the features of the gun do matter quite a bit. There is a bit of a dichotomy in that to get a certain level of handling you need a gun that is, by nature, easier to handle. Adjustable sights, excellent accuracy, smooth recoil and reliable functioning are musts in general, if you want to get the most out of placing your bullet with any certainty.
Going hard in one direction is what ends up happening quite often, with many guys opting for absolute maximum power over anything else. You won’t replace a rifle with a pistol; it just isn’t going to ever be feasible. If you’re a hiker or kayaker who camps with prepacked food, a rifle may be prohibitive for weight and fatigue when a handgun would serve emergency use better.
An optically equipped pistol of good power level can be very, very accurate. There is nothing wrong with having a .45 on your chest and a lightweight .22 LR rifle with 500 rounds stowed under board in a canoe. You don’t have to take just one in some cases, especially if your main goals are fishing or other recreational activities.
The Bear Essentials
Westerners reading this will probably disagree with me, but we’re talking apples and oranges here. What’s good for Michigan might not fly in Montana, but what is needed in the Crazies is just extra weight in the waters south of Traverse City. In all of the Midwest, a .45 ACP+P is pretty much guaranteed to be capable of handling any threat.
It’s still a heavily debated topic just how much gun you need when up against apex predators in close proximity. A debate centered on such a niche topic as bear attacks is what has inspired a market of guns and ammo on its own. Putting things bluntly, people are exponentially more likely to be killed by other people even in the woods as opposed to bears. Bear attacks are rare enough that they always make the news, sometimes even nationally.
Yet, in urban environments, we have murders daily, often multiples. I won’t get into a discussion about environmental pressures making bears attack when allegedly socioeconomic factors force people to kill unarmed clerks after a robbery and we must accept this as normal. Likewise, more people have been killed by other people in national parks and wilderness areas than wildlife. Most bullets meant for men will work on bears.
That said, this bear situation is very interesting, as it seems to be universal for discussion on field guns. It is absolutely true that there are many Americans who live around brown bears and their variants. Yet, the rate per million of attacks is extremely low annually, and in those attacks, there is no one caliber that seems to have set itself apart for being able to resolve the situation instantly. Bear attacks have made people extremely conscious of a problem that, while not impossible, is very rare. Yet, the remedy for this rare occasion is often a revolver of such power that it is impossible to master and will not yield better results than something “smaller.”
I’ve spent a good amount of time talking to everyone from cops to coroners to contractors on shootings, warfare, murders and all things in between, and the general consensus is that people kill with what they have on hand and make do with it. Very little out there, aside from premeditated murder is planned out; the vast majority of killing is done with little notice. I have some very cool stuff, a lot of which has appeared on these pages, but I’m not carrying a suppressed Fulton Armory M14 when I type at the coffee house. I’d get some looks. Most days, if I found myself attacked by a grizzly in my beach town, I’d have a .38 Special. I might make it.
Since the bear situation has dominated the field pistol discussion for some time, I’ll take a more practical look at what is really going on for this type of gun. Colt has quietly been releasing new versions of their classic lineup, and I hear there are some good things coming from S&W soon that appeal to the Elmer Keith fan in me. Many companies are starting to make 10mm Auto versions of 1911 and other pistols as standard models in their catalogs.
The debate on this chambering is hot even today, and I’m not a huge proponent of the 10mm as I have used it alongside .45 ACP in the field on large game regularly and really don’t see the effectiveness people talk about online. Given a choice between the two, I’d take .45 ACP all day. I have seen absolutely no difference in its killing effects opposed to 10mm, but I have seen a much greater degree of recoil and difficulty of mastery side-by-side.
As a suppressor hunter, .45 ACP is also far more advantageous inside the effective range of both cartridges, being that it’s quieter with a wet suppressor than any bow out there at 40 yards—I know, to each their own. The debate is far, far from over but I remain deeply skeptical on the degree of need associated with the increase in power lacking a real mandate for it in practical terms.
The Old Guard
Since I mentioned Keith, a name any serious outdoorsman should know, we’ve got to look at what he really thought of as the ideal field gun. As a lifelong student of his work, I will say the man was a legend and has a deep-running influence on the handgun world as a result, but he was honestly presumptive in that he decided he was the authority when he published his famous 1929 article in American Rifleman, “The Last Word,” at age 30. (Keith was born in 1899.)
The thing was, Keith, in fact, did figure it out. His work with his “The Last Word” Colt SAA in .44 Special set the stage for all field guns in our modern era going back just a hair under a century. Yes, that 30-year-old kid did more to influence handguns with that one article than maybe any article ever. His time with pushing the .44 Special was truly special, and he perfected the field gun with his eventual legacy, the 44 Magnum. The initial .44 Magnum loads weren’t nuts by today’s standards, and a 240-grain Keith bullet at 1,200 fps from a 4-inch barrel is still, and likely always will be, one of the best field loads ever.
.44 Mag has been a longtime favorite, a Keith design. Modern monometal bullets are very reliable for penetrating animals from any angle. That is not to say that the old Keith-style bullets or vintage soft points will not work; in fact, they have lots of merit for the outdoorsman.
So, going back to a century ago, what did we know that we don’t seem to remember? For starters, the rampant consumerism of the industry wasn’t as prevalent before the advent of the internet and modular guns, the two feeding off each other to the point that we have a hard time introducing new things because the parts can’t be readily changed out.
The old days saw most guns being hand-fitted and finished, truly investments for the workingman and rich man alike. Smith’s pre-lock guns are highly sought-after, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with many guns from the era over time. The .44 Magnum was always very powerful, but people today don’t realize that this was by comparison to what was considered already powerful rounds. The guns that many of these rounds were housed in were often the weak spot.
Vintage Remington .44 Mag still packs a relevant punch. Bullet technology has strayed from exposed full lead tips like this, favoring JHP designs.
For instance, the .45 Colt can be loaded far above .44 Magnum, but it requires a modern frame. The .45 Colt can be loaded up to some truly impressive numbers and deliver some serious lead down range, enough to make the .44 Mag. blush. However, most people are only familiar with the “safe” loads in .45 Colt, which are quite anemic and meant for cowboy replicas and original Colts SAA revolvers for safety.
It’s Dangerous to Go Alone … Take This!
Where you see the true utility of rounds like .44 Magnum is in their flexibility in terms of power, something that people today only look at the upper end. The beauty of these revolvers is that they can easily use lower-powered ammo. I really like shooting weak .38s in my .357 revolvers. Likewise, I like to load some light 180-grain lead bullets in .45 Colt with what remaining stock of IMR TrailBoss I have. It can be like shooting a .22 LR if you play it right.
Field guns, outside of the bear situation, are blessed with flexibility. This is something widely overlooked today due to the fact that to vary power in a semi-auto, you need an entirely different gun; you’re pretty much fixed at that cartridge power level. If you want sauce, go 10mm Auto. If you want power and easy handling, go .45 ACP. General use, well 9mm. In a .44 Mag. or .45 Colt, you can span the entire spectrum in one cylinder from popgun to piss-your-pants.
The old timers knew this, and this is what made field pistols great in practice. Ammunition was available everywhere; you could travel this country and find something that would work in your revolver in any hayseed town by the streams you’d pull over for.
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the September 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Looking for a new iron or piece of kit to enhance the one you already own? Check out these 7 new bits of guns and gear to grow your firearms wish list.
If you ever travel armed, Viktos’ new Counteract CCW Duffel Bag is worth a look. When judged as just a duffel, the Counteract is already a nice bag. It boasts a gen-erous 44-liter capacity and is built using strong, weather- and stain-resistant 500D polyester ripstop. It also features a dedicated, vented footwear compartment, a protected laptop/tablet sleeve and removable padded shoulder straps. As a CCW bag, it only gets better: The Counteract has a removable compartment with a CCW pistol tray, a Universal Hookie holster and several interior pockets for magazines and other gear. Oh, and it has lockable zippers, too, so you can fly with it. MSRP: $200
For a long time, when it came to super-extended 9mm Glock mags, 33 rounds was the ceiling for magazine capacity (not counting drums). Now, you can squeeze in one more round thanks to the Rattlesnake Tactical 34-round mag. Designed in collaboration with Ammunition Depot, the Rattlesnake is compatible with any firearm that uses double-stack 9mm Glock-pattern magazines. Whether you want a spare reload in your glovebox for your little Glock 26 or just something a bit bigger for running your PCC, the Rattlesnake Tactical mag is your ticket. It’s been third-party tested for reliability, is made in the U.S. and features a cool snake scale pattern for extra grip. MSRP: $19.99
B5 Systems Modular Platform Stock
B5 Systems makes some of the most popular AR furniture on the market, but what if you’re accessorizing something besides an AR? Plenty of guns these days come with a 1913 Picatinny rail on their rear end for attaching stocks or pistol braces, and now B5 has an option for those models, too. The B5 Systems Modular Platform Stock features a steel hinge that allows it to fold to the left and has an adjustable spring-assisted cheekpiece that adds 0.5 inch of height. It also has five length of pull adjustment positions, a cushioned non-slip buttpad and both traditional and QD sling mounts. It’s available in black, FDE, Coyote Brown, OD Green and Wolf Grey. MSRP: $200
Everyday Armor T-Shirt 360
Premier Body Armor changed the concealable body armor game with its original Everyday Armor T-Shirt, and they just made it even better. The original version included a special, form-fitting T-shirt with two pockets designed to accept Premier’s Level IIIA body armor panels. The new 360 version is the same but now features two side pockets and two side armor panels as well. It should be just as easy to conceal as the front/back-only version while providing even more protection. Each set ships with one armor carrier T-shirt, two large Level IIIA armor panels and two smaller Level IIIA side panels. MSRP: $380
Foxtrot Mike Products RMB
AR-based pistol-caliber carbines are a ton of fun, but they’re not known for having the softest recoil impulse. If you’d like to make your PCC less harsh, Foxtrot Mike has a new solution available. Called the Recoil Mitigation Buffer System, or RMB, it features a sliding buffer body, a dampening spring and a durable urethane impact modifier. All put together, it results in the complete elimination of bolt bounce. This simple change provides a much softer and controlled shooting experience and can help facilitate faster, more accurate shooting while plinking at the range or on the clock. If you have a PCC, the RMB seems like a no-brainer upgrade. MSRP: $59
Banish 30-V2 Suppressor
We were already impressed with the original Banish 30 suppressor, but Silencer Central went and made it better anyway. The Banish 30-V2 improves upon the original design in every way. It’s 0.8 inch shorter and 1.8 ounces lighter thanks to its full titanium construction. Does that mean it’s not as quiet? Nope, it’s even quieter. Rated for .17 HMR up to .300 Weatherby Magnum, the Banish 30-V2 is modular as well, allowing you to bring its length down from 8.17 inches to 6.4 inches. It also uses the industry-standard HUB mount and ships with a 5/8×24 direct-thread mount. Short, light and quiet, it’s the perfect hunting companion. MSRP: $999
New CMP M1 Garands
Fans of the greatest battle implement ever devised have reason to rejoice, as the Civilian Marksmanship Program recently announced new-production M1 Garands. These faithful replicas of the original have all the right stuff where it counts, namely forged receivers that are based on the original drawings and specifications. Other components, like the barrel and smaller parts, will be a mix of commercial reproductions and original GI parts. The first rifles available will be basic .30-06 Springfield models, but the CMP says it hopes to eventually bring other historically relevant variants to market as well. Government stockpiles of original M1s get smaller by the year, so it’s great to see the CMP thinking ahead about how to keep the Garand alive after all the surplus GI stocks have dried up. MSRP: $1,900
Editor's Note: This article originally appeared in the August 2025 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
Springfield Armory has just announced new .45 ACP 1911 Operator AOS models with threaded barrels.
Living up to the pistol’s Operator name, Springfield Armory just announced a new 1911 Operator AOS model with a threaded barrel. Chambered for the naturally subsonic .45 ACP cartridge, the 1911 Operator AOS Threaded is available in four finish options and comes ready to be adorned head to toe in accessories.
The new 1911 features a 5.75-inch threaded stainless steel barrel (.578×28 threading) with a black DLC coating, and it ships with a knurled thread protector. The pistols also utilize the Agency Optic System (AOS) for mounting red dot sights. The system uses optic plates, making it compatible with RMR, Shield, Delta Point Pro and Docter footprints, but the plates must be purchased separately. 1911 Operator AOS Threaded buyers will be able to purchase a plate at a discounted price of $49. Naturally, the pistols have a Picatinny accessory rail on their dustcovers as well. Other features include tritium front sights, ambidextrous safeties and G10 VZ grips.
The Springfield Armory 1911 Operator AOS Threaded is available with a Coyote Brown, OD Green, Tungsten Gray or black Cerakote finish, and each gun ships with a soft case and two base pad-equipped 8-round magazines. MSRP is $1,289 and they’re available now.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
