This page is to give you, the reader, capsule overviews of firearms that I have recently owned that you may be looking at for personal defense use. It will be divided into revolvers and pistols. Please bear in mind that many of these are available in multiple calibers. It will usually mean a model number change in pistols, but that will not necessarily be the case in revolvers.

REVOLVERS

My personal feeling is that revolvers are the best self defense handguns for most people. They are simple to operate being simply a point and click interface for those of you who are computer literate. I sometimes refer to them as PHD (Pull Here, Dummy) handguns. That does not mean that they are just for beginners. Unless you do a lot of practice, *including* under stress, one has no idea how they will react when the real thing goes down. Some will come through with flying colors, showing strengths that no one knew they had, and others will simply have a brain fart and everything goes out the window unless you have practiced under stress for the amount of time where everything is pure reflex. Your concentration must be directed at a continuing situational awareness, seeing any escape path that may develop and it is only a distraction if you are worried about safeties, etc.. Too many of us, unfortunately, do not have that much time or (sigh) interest to put in the required amount of practice. Be that as it may, when the brown smelly stuff is hitting the fan that is definitely not the time to find our that you should have practiced more with your fancy semi-automatic with all the levers to push and pull and the dreaded, "Tap, Rack, Bang" procedure that most people really don't practice. It is the time when all your concentration should be focused on survival. Revolvers are simply the most instinctive firearms to use. Basically you just point them at the target and pull the trigger. Now we know that it really is not that simple. One still needs lots and lots of practice in order to hit our intended targets with great regularity. It is just that with a revolver more of that practice time is spent really aiming and shooting instead of practicing "Tap, Rack Bang". I know of several people, myself included, who started with revolvers, migrated to semi-autos, and have now returned. Some of those folks would definitely not be considered any near a beginner level. A couple of them are among the best handgunners that I know. The main disadvantages of revolvers are: They are relatively slow to reload and have a smaller capacity compared to semi-autos with magazines even when a speedloader is used. This is mitigated by the fact that, by far, the majority of the situations are resolved with either no shots or less than 5 shots fired. They are somewhat harder to conceal as the cylinder makes them thicker than their semi-auto counterparts. Most revolvers, up to medium frame, can be sucessfully concealed, depending on your physical size and build, if common sense and high quality, well fitting holsters are used. Pay particular attention to those holsters that are IWB (inside the waistband).

ROSSI 720C

Rossi Firearms out of Brazil has had a concealable 5 shot .44 Special out for about two years now. When I first saw one it was in the dealer's shop and it was a beauty. The action felt extremely smooth for a Rossi and the gun itself just felt right. I was not in the mood for a .44 Special back then so I did not purchase one even though I admired it. Well, I should have bought one then. I ordered one here a few months ago (sight unseen as no local dealer stocked one) in a hammerless DAO version. To make a long story short, I am very disappointed. The smooth trigger (in surface in addition to action) had been replaced with a grooved trigger that had such a short curve in it it no longer fit comfortably. Oh well, perhaps Rossi knew what they doing. The gun bound up in less than 30 rounds on the range so perhaps the absolutely uncomfortable trigger is a moot point. I am in the process of trying to deal with Interarmco (the importer) so will keep you informed of progress if such a thing comes about. My current recommendation is to stay away from the Rossi 720 unless you are a good friend of the dealers.

RUGER SP-101

This excellent 5 shot firearm from Sturm Ruger comes in many different calibers from .22 to .357. Obviously, for personal defense we are looking at the calibers from 9MM to .38 Special and .357 Magnum. My personal recommendation is for the .357 Magnum version(25-27oz depending on the barrel length). I would leave it up to you to decide on whether or not you wish it to be DAO (Double Action Only). The DAO version would be my personal pick as there is a lot less to drag on when drawing from a holster and it allows it to be used as a pocket rocket (although a heavy one). I have found the weapon to be very well balanced in the 2 1/4" barrel and slightly nose heavy in the 3" version. Either will conceal very well and point quickly and naturally. The slightly heavier barrel in the 3" version will actually give you a slightly more natural point at the target when moving the gun rapidly into firing position. One other advantage of the 3" barrel will be a slightly faster muzzle velocity which may contribute to better expansion with some rounds. I have found the factory grips to be excellent in the .38 Special and 9MM versions but they could use some assistance in the full house .357 range. No small pistol is really very much fun to shoot with full house .357s but with Hogue grips replacing the stock ones the Ruger becomes much easier to handle. There is a lot of muzzle flash and a very loud bang when firing .357s so I guarantee that if you ever shoot it in a dark room with full house loads, it will be an extremely memorable experience. :^) Overall I would rate it as one of the best built, best balanced concealable .357s out there. I would also recommend it in 9MM although you will be using half moon clips or strips for reloading rather than a normal speed loader. If you really desire to shoot .38 Special, I recommend you get the .357 and shoot them in it as you can upgrade from standard .38 Special loads to .38 +P to .38 +P+ to .357 Magnum full houses as your skill and experience dictate. If you reload, you could reload .357 brass to the aforementioned load strengths.

RUGER GP-100

This 6 shot .357 Magnum (35-37oz) has one of the strongest actions available in a .357 that is smaller than the side of a house. This revolver is larger than the SP-101 and is not really suited for concealed carry for most people. If you are a large economy size individual or it is cold weather time where you can wear a covering coat then this gun may be for you. It has a smooth action that can be turned into butter with a set of Wolff Springs. With a 4" barrel, this gun can be an overall all around gun for most people. It would have a long enough barrel to be used for home defense (or in an automobile) and it could be used for personal defense in situations where the user was in the field or in a state where open carry was allowed. Firing one is a dream. The gun is heavy enough so that recoil is not a problem even with full house loads. The 4" barrel is also not as subject to muzzle flash as the smaller 2 to 3 inch barrels are. This gun just feels good to me even with the stock grips. My recommendation......if they made a GP-100 in .44 Special, I would buy another one in a heartbeat.

S&W 586/686

Just to show you that my heart is not confined to Ruger (as far as revolvers go) here is my absolute favorite action in a revolver. The 6 shot 586/686 (41oz 4") series are probably the finest overall revolvers I have ever fired. The major difference between them is that the 686 is made in stainless steel and the 586 is blued. Both are available in 4" and 6" barrels. The 686 is currently the only one made in a 2 1/2" barrel although there were some 586s made that way on special order. The action is typical Smith & Wesson which means one of the smoothest actions to come down the pike. S&W now has models available with a 7 shot capacity. These guns, due top their overall weight, despite having short barrels, are not concealed carry weapons. Well, at least not for us non-law enforcement types where it would be part of our job. They are too large for concealment under anything smaller than a photographer's vest and being very heavy weapons they require sturdy leather for their holsters and belts. (Ha, you thought that those Sam Brown type rigs that law enforcement uses were simply for show.) Face it, they definitely are not IWB (Inside the Waistband) type firearms. That really is a shame as they are excellent guns. My recommendation is for you to take up hunting Javelina or Whitetail Deer just to have an excuse for owning one of these fine pieces of machinery.

S&W 696

Smith & Wesson has done with the 586/686 exactly what I wish Ruger would do with the GP-100. They have come out with a .44 Special based on the 586/686 frame and trigger, although it is a 5 shot revolver. I have just purchased one of them and will fill in this review after I have developed some firing experience with it. The main problem with this gun is that just like the 586/686 family that it comes from, it is slightly easier to conceal than a Harley Davidson but just slightly. The advantage is that it has the same family trigger components and that is a definite plus.

TAURUS 445

In absolute contrast to the other review of the Boys of Brazil (ROSSI), I must admit that I am fast becoming a fan of Taurus. I shot one of their 445s at a range through someone who had one and I so impressed I went out and bought one for myself. The one that I borrowed was the stainless version, but the one I bought was the blued finish. I can honestly say that which one is better is purely in the eye of the beholder. Some folks like the sweat and rust resistance of stainless steel and others like the pure functional looks of a well blued weapon. Regardless of which one you like you will find that both versions make excellent little belly guns. The .44 Specials have a lot more power than .38 Specials without much more recoil. They do not snap anything at all like a .357 Magnum. I would place them to be about the same as .45ACP in a 1911A1 with much the same feel and report. However, I must tell you, in a 2" barrel, they are loud!!!. I keep hearing a lot about the .357 but for an intimidation factor there is not much that will beat a .44 whose muzzle looks like the mouth of the Holland Tunnel when you are at the exit end of it. It does not fire a skinny hotrod of a bullet like a .357 does. It's like throwing a shot put. Whatever it hits.....will know it. Imagine if you will, having your car broadsided by a Porsche or a Peterbuilt. Both will do enough damage to kill you, but I think you know what I mean. My personal feeling is that with the .44 Special as a short range defensive weapon you needn't to worry about the usual lack of velocity in a snubbie. When you are throwing what seems like half the land mass of the state of Utah out the end of the barrel, velocity (other than what is required to cause expansion) becomes a rather moot point.

PISTOLS

KAHR K9

The Kahr is an American made semi-auto pistol that in my humble opinion is one of the most practical self defense weapons made. It comes in two calibers (so far 9mm & .40S&W) and has such an ergonomic feel to it that I have yet to find someone who does not like it. It works just like a revolver in that it has absolutely no levers to push or pull, no safeties to take on or off and no external hammer to either snag on a draw or to be accidently struck. It is a single stack weapon that holds 7 rounds in the magazine plus one in the snout in the 9mm model and 6+1 in the .40S&W. The advantages that it holds over a revolver is that it is much easier and faster to reload via magazine than the revolver is with a speedloader and it holds from 1 to 3 more rounds. The only disadvantage (and one that I yet to see) is a jam or stovepipe that would require a "Tap-Rack-Bang procedure to be used. With a revolver, of course, you just pull the trigger again. Kahr does not have any second strike ability. As it is a striker fired weapon, there is no external hammer to re-cock to try another time on the same round. One must eject the bad round and let the slide pick up a fresh one. The Kahr is a smallish semi-auto that fills your hand without overfilling it. It simply feels very comfortable and fires right on point. It is an all-steel weapon and, therefore, it is heavier than other semi-utos of like size. It would be best worn in an IWB (Inside the waistband) holster and should not even be considered for pocket carry as it will cause any normal fabric to sag. Several makers make holsters for it now, including Kramer, Sparks, Null, Rosen and Galco so finding a good one should not be a problem. My recommendation....both Massad Ayoob (article in Handgunner magazine) and myself (no articles in any magazine) think that it is the best carry weapon out there for concealed self defense in a semi-auto. Try any weapon you wish......but.....make sure you try a Kahr before you buy.

GLOCKS - VARIOUS

Glock's come in so many different flavors, yet there are so many similarities that it makes the most sense to cover them at the same time. It makes no difference what caliber you want for self defense, Glock has it. They run the gamut from high capacity 9mm(used) to subcompact .40 S&W, with several sizes of both .45ACP and 10mm in between. Glocks are natural pointers for many people. I have found that several folks who tell me that they hate Glocks still find themselves shooting very accurately when they shoot it. BTW, a Glock does have a very different feel to it when fired, particularly in the heavier calibers and I would assume that it is due to the polymer construction. It simply has more give to it than a full metal weapon. The polymer construction may very well be the reason why a Glock will swallow any full house rounds you wish to shoot in it. They eat +Ps and +P+ rounds for lunch. There are many cases of Glocks shooting over a 100,000 rounds without a failure to feed or to fire and, at least one with over 350,000 rounds with one failure (a stovepipe within the first 50 rounds). You may consider a Glock to be one of the most reliable pistols ever developed. A fact which seems to hold true regardless of the model or of the caliber. In fact, the *only* problem with a Glock (assuming factory loads) is what is referred to as 'limp wrist'. This refers to a failure to completely cycle the ejection at full speed and to leave a stove-piped round (a not fully ejected brass that is left standing in the ejection port} or a failure to feed the next round. The cause is when you have a light weapon (a side effect of the polymer construction) a firm grip is required for the slide to work against as it does not have the same inertia to overcome when fired as an all-steel weapon has. This tendency on the part of *some* people to hold the Glock loosely can be overcome with practice. Most people will not have this problem and the size or machoness of the individual really does not make the difference. It is simply their grip. The real concern is that if one is wounded in a defensive situation, then possibly the limp wrist business with a Glock could be a factor. The moral is the same as it is with any other weapon.....practice, practice, practice. Glock's with their very light trigger pull and no manual safeties are really for those individuals who are either experienced shooters or who will practice a lot. It is not a beginners gun. I will give you the current list of them. G17. 9mm - This is the full size model that started it all. If you find a used one, then it may be accompanied by high capacity magazines. This is the plastic gun that started the rumor about terrorist weapons that could not be detected by airport security. It was not true, but the media just loves hyperbole. It has magazine capacities of up to 33 rounds. :^) G18. 9mm - This is a full auto, select fire version of the G17. It really has no place in your life as a self defense weapon, it requires a permit and a tax paid, but if you want one, you should be able to have it. G19. 9mm - This is a smaller version of the G17. It is much easier to conceal than the full sized G17. G26 9mm - This is the subcompact version of 9mm Glock. It is a very concealable pistol with its only drawback being the thickness of the weapon. All Glocks, being double stackers, are thick, however, they are no harder to conceal than many small revolvers. All of the 9mm Glocks currently come with 10 round magazines but all the large 9mm Glock magazines will fit all of the 9mm Glocks, even the G26. I believe, however, that a 33 round magazine in one would make it a little more difficult to conceal. The biggest drawback to this model is that the butt is rather short and does not provide a good grip with three fingers. The required two finger grip is not really that hard to get used to for many, but it does require quite a bit of practice. Now one way around that is to add grip extender from +2 or Pierce. This does add a third finger to the grip, however, it does have a drawback. The hardest part of your gun to keep from printing is the grip. If you add the extension to it, then you have exacerbated the problem. You might just as well carry the G19 as the printing will be about the same and you have a natural grip, not an add-on. G22 .40S&W - This is the .40 caliber counterpart to the G17. It is a full size .40S&W which is a natural pointer and fine shooter but not even a consideration for concealed carry. G23 .40S&W - This counterpart to the G19 although in .40S&W is currently the most popular Glock, having taken over from the G17 the title of single most common police weapon. It is small enough to be somewhat concealable, yet large enough to allow a full grip. If .40S&W is your choice of caliber, this may very well be the best overall choice you could make. After all, several thousand police officers cannot be too wrong. G27 .40S&W - Just like the G26, this is the subcompact version of the .40S&W Glocks. It only has a magazine that carries 9 rounds (one less than its 9mm counterpart) although, just like the 9mm versions, all the .40S&W Glocks can all use the magazines from any of the larger models in the same caliber. See the G26 for thoughts about any of the magazine extensions available. If you are considering a grip extension, you might just as well take a look at concealing the G23 I have fired (or owned) all the Glocks mentioned above except the G-18. I have not even seen one of them. I have not fired any of these other Glocks but will give you the model numbers just for your information. G20 - Full size .45ACP. G21- Full size 10mm G29 - Subcompact 10mm - An awful lot of cartridge for a two finger grip. G30 - Subcompact .45ACP w/magazine extension that makes it close to the G-23 in size. G31 - Full size .357Sig. Based on the .40S&W with longer slide rails. G32 - Compact .357 Sig G33 - Subcompact .357Sig based on the G-27

RUGER P94

This extremely reliable pistol is from the Ruger series that started with the P85. These are large framed pistols that may make excellent choices for home defense or to be carried in an automobile or a briefcase. They are not considered to be concealment pistols, in my opinion, as they are simply too large to avoid printing unless you are able to wear a covering garment such as a photographers vest or a suit coat. These pistols are quite accurate at defense ranges and will feed thousands of rounds with utter reliability once they are broken in. FWIW, most pistols require a break-in period of two to five hundred rounds before all the parts are smoothed and mesh tightly. Rugers. are no exception. The only weapons I would consider to be acceptable for self defense right out of the box, would be Sig, H&K, Glock and most revolvers. The major problem with a Ruger is that the grip is thick (it is a double stack magazine) and like a Glock may feel like a brick in many hands. Definitely shoot a Ruger to see how it fits you personally before you buy one. Never buy a gun for self defense that does not feel at home in your hand. If it doesn't feel right, it will never shoot right.

SIG-SAUR

The two Sigs that I have owned or shot are both the compact(?) versions versus the full size. Both the P228 (9mm) and the P229(The one I owned was a .40S&W) are *excellent* weapons for the majority of people. Sigs are one of the very, very few companies that produces a weapon that you can bet your life on right out of the box. They are some of the most precision weapons that you will find anywhere. There is very little slop in any Sig and these two are no exceptions. They are very typical of what we call Teutonic engineering. All the tolerances are very tight, yet there are no binds or rough spots. Both of them feel absolutely right on the mark mechanically. They are very accurate shooting striking just above point of aim at normal defensive ranges. Recoil is handled very well making felt recoil low. With all that said, why don't I still have one? Well, I feel very strongly that the weapon that you use to defend yourself and your loved ones must not only be mechanically perfect, but it must also be ergonomically perfect for you. The Sig-Saurs, although an excellent design that, by far, the majority of the people will find very comfortable, simply don't fit me right. The backstrap lands right on the muscle opposite my thumb and just feels uncomfortable on first grab. I can shoot it accurately, but not naturally. In a situation at night, in the middle of a brain fart, and in the dark, I want something that points absolutely naturally. The Sigs, for me, don't do that. That does not mean that it won't be an excellent lifesaving weapon for you....so please, please, you owe it to yourself to go try one before you cross it off your list. If it fits you, and it probably will, you will have in your possession one of the finest firearms for self defense ever produced.

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