Combat Handguns - February 2015 PDF

COMBAT
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COMBAT
HANDGUNS
VOLUME 36 NUMBER 1
26
4FEATURES
FEB 2015
10
ON THE COVER
82
40
40 TAYLORS TACTICAL 1911S By Dennis Adler

Taylors & Co. unleashes hard-hitting, Cerakoted .45s
that shoot like they were built for kings
but are priced for the everyman!
10 WALTHER CCP By Dennis Adler
46 TAURUS FIRST 24 By Dave Campbell
Walthers lightweight, striker-fired CCP packs

9mm power without the unwanted punch.
This .45 LC/.410 Judge, and its many companions,

can help control the chaos when disaster strikes!
16 S&W M&P BODYGUARDS By Michael O. Humphries 58 CYLINDER & SLIDE TRIDENT II By Rob Garrett
Updated and enhanced .38 and .380 duo ready
U.S. Navy SEAL-inspired .45 warrior built
to endure the toughest conditions!
for deep-cover carry!
26 10 BIG-BORE REVOLVERS By Clair Rees
72 KRISS VECTOR SDP .45 By Robert Jordan
Heres the place you want to be if youre ready

to go hunting beyond the .44 Magnum!
Its unorthodox, but this subgun-like pistol

is dead-on accurate shot after shot!
32 KAHR CT45 By Mike Detty
82 CMMG MK4 PDW By Richard L. Johnson
Streamlined, accurate and controllable polymer

.45 ACP thats primed for everyday self-defense!
4COLUMNS
CMMG heads into the 300 BLK dark side with its
high-caliber, full-capacity Mk4 pistol.
90
68
8
06 it happened to me
Thwarting domestic violence

and home invasions
08 self-defense
& the law
Common-sense tactics
against unseen dangers
52 ladies only
Change your mindset and

body language to deter attacks
80
66 rimfires
Top 1911 .22 trainers
68 competition
Five amazing races

for defensive shooters
80 custom corner
Galloway Precisions
refined Ruger LCP
90 high tech
Unity Tacticals ATOM Slide
92 new products
94 classified ads
New guns and gear

that caught our eye
Products and services of interest
97 website directory
Visit these sites
for further information
98 gunsite gossip
A Jeff Cooper retrospective
DONT BE A VICTIM!
Publisher
Stanley R. Harris
Executive Publisher
Virginia Commander
Group Publisher
Shirley Steffen
Associate Publisher
Karin Levine
Managing Editor
Nino Bosaz
Editor-at-Large
Michael O. Humphries
Assistant Editor
Ryan Pasquale
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Richard Ortega
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Cara Donaldson
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Socrates Gomez
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Leticia Henry
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Emily Lee
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Spiro Maroulis
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Richard Ciotta
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Danielle Correa
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Nicole Barron
Director of Digital and Mobile Publishing
Kim Shay
Cover Photos
Steve Woods
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To the Readers: Be advised that there may be products
represented in this magazine as to which the sale,
possession or interstate transportation thereof may
be restricted, prohibited or subject to special licensing
requirements. Prospective purchasers should consult
the local law enforcement authorities in their area. All
of the information in this magazine is based upon the
personal experience of individuals who may be using
specific tools, products, equipment and components
under particular conditions and circumstances, some
or all of which may not be reported in the particular
article and which this magazine has not otherwise
verified. Nothing herein is intended to constitute a
manual for the use of any product or the carrying out
of any procedure or process. This magazine and its
officers and employees accept no responsibility for any
liability, injuries or damages arising out of any persons
attempt to rely upon any information contained herein.
COMBAT HANDGUNS (ISSN-1043-7584) is published
eight times per year by Harris Publications, Inc., 1115
Broadway, NYC, NY 10010. Single copy price: $5.99 in
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material. Copyright 2014 by Harris Publications,
Inc. All rights reserved under International and Pan
American Copyright Conventions. Reproduction in
whole or in part without written permission of the
publisher is strictly prohibited. Printed in the USA.
IT HAPPENED TO ME!
Cool Carry Thwarts
Domestic Violence
I was in a small town working on a

computer for a widowed client when her
ex-boyfriend showed up drunk and let
himself into her house with a key. I was
in the computer/laundry room just off the
kitchen and carport, and saw him at the
door glaring at me as he came in.
My client was in another part of the
house, and he started screaming at her.
She told him she wanted her house key
back, and he screamed, Why, so you
can give it to this bastard sitting here?
I looked up, startled, and asked him
politely not to call me names since I had
done nothing to him.
At this point I stood up, not wanting to

get caught off-guard. He replied, snarling
at me, I am going to beat the s*** out of
you, you son of a b****! He lunged at me,
and as he did he picked something up off
the counter and put it in his right hand.
Things were going so fast that I
could not make out what it was, but it
looked like a knife blade to me. That is
when everything became a blur, and it
seemed like a surreal dream! The next
thing I remember, he was right in front
of me. I was standing in a two-handed
combat stance with my ATI Titan 1911 in
Condition One. I looked him in the eyes
and coldly told him that one more step
and I would shoot!
He took two steps back and I followed, keeping my weapon on him (I was
taught to never lower your weapon until
you were sure the threat was over). The
woman who owned the home had slipped
in behind him and opened the carport
door. She grabbed his shirt and got him
off balance, spinning him out the door
and into the carport.
He screamed he had a weapon in his
car and headed for his vehicle to retrieve
it. When he turned his back, I slipped
out and put my van between us for

cover. I never lowered my weapon for
fear he did have one, and I wanted to
be prepared. He decided to leave and
then started making harassing and
threatening calls to the lady about me.
He threatened to lay in ambush as I
left her house, and then threatened a
total of four times after that to kill me.
I called the sheriffs office about the incident and informed the dispatcher that
I had a CCW permit, was armed and to
please send someone to help.
The next thing I knew I was surrounded by four carloads of deputies and a
city cop. When the deputies walked up
to my van, I had my license and permit
out the window. The lead deputy looked
at me and said, Put them up. You are
good with us. It was after 5:00 p.m. and
the courthouse was closed, so he told
me to go the next day to the courthouse
and swear out a warrant against my
attacker. The lady who owned the house
also went to the courthouse to take out
a restraining order.
Now that everything has returned to a
resemblance of normal, I still play out the
scenario in my mind. It is a big round of
what-ifs. Either way, the answer always
comes back the same. I am glad I was
armed that day. I apologized to the lady
for pulling a weapon in her home, but she
told me not to because her ex-boyfriend
was hell-bent on hurting and maybe even
killing both of us.BR, AL
Shootout With
Home Invaders
Not too long ago, I decided to take a leap

of faith and pursued buying a handgun
and getting my carry permit. I had always
wanted a handgun for self-defense, but
like many people had always put it off.
Finally, after hearing about a horrific
crime that occurred in my area, with my
wifes approval, I bought a new Sig Sauer
P239 in 9mm and took shooting lessons
at a local range. Despite my irrational
fears, I found the staff great to learn from
and the act of shooting lots of fun.
After completing my familiarization
course, I applied for and received my
CCW permit. I began to make it a regular
habit of carrying my Sig whenever I went
out. This included to and from work and
whenever my wife and I travelled. One
night, after returning home from a late
dinner with friends, my wife and I entered
our home and quickly realized we were in
combathandguns.com
B I G S T OC K P H OT OS
trouble. Standing in our living room were

two individuals who were in the process
of robbing our home. They were soon
joined by two others who apparently had
been in another part of the downstairs
section of our house.
My wife and I immediately went into

panic mode and froze, not being sure
what to do. As we stood there, in an
apparent standoff with the robbers, it became clear that at least one of them was
armed. They ordered us to separate and
started to tell my wife to take them upstairs and show them where her jewelry
was. My mind was racing as I could only
think of terrible thoughts; both her and
I were clutching each other, unwilling to
break the security of being next to each
other. As if struck by a bolt of lightning,
I remembered that I had my Sig P239 in
my waistband.
Based upon the danger we were in,
pulling my firearm seemed a better idea
than just dying. Moving purely out of fear,
I managed to push my wife down to the
ground as I drew my Sig P239 from my
waistband. This move apparently caught
the robbers by surprise as they didnt
immediately shoot me.
I took multiple shots at the robbers
and one of them returned fire. Shots,
screams and loud noises filled the
living room of my home. Within a matter
of moments an eerie calm came over
the house. My wife called 911, and when
the police arrived, most of the suspects
were taken into custody. Two of the robbers had fled during the gunfight. One
robber had a leg wound and another
didnt survive. Shortly after that, the
police found and arrested the other
two robbers.SR, WV
4Tell Us Your Story!
Combat Handguns pays $100 for each It Happened

To Me! letter that we print. Send yours to Combat
Handguns, 1115 Broadway, New York, NY 10010
or e-mail to tactical-life@harris-pub.com. Please
include your full name, address, email and phone
number (including area code). A signed release is
required prior to publication.
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 07
SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAW
AVOIDING DOOR JAMS

Defense against unseen dangers calls for common-sense
tactics, as these four headline-grabbing cases prove.
BY MASSAD AYOOB PHOTOS BY SEAN UTLEY
In the wake of the Sandy Hook atrocity, certain politicians tried to ban
so-called assault rifles more ferociously than ever before. President
Barack Obama reportedly assigned
Vice President Joe Biden to lead that
charge. In the spotlight of the media,
Biden advised one dangerously bad
strategy after another.
First, he claimed he had told his wife
that if she feared intruders were at the
door, she should take a shotgun out to
the balcony and empty it into the air to
scare them away. Quite apart from what
he expected the Secret Service to be
doing during all this, it was incredibly
bad advice. What goes up must come
down, and she would have been spraying something between shot pellets and
1-ounce slugs all over the neighborhood.
It would also have left her holding an
empty shotgun to defend herself with
once the intruders did break in.
Then, in a recorded interview with the
outdoor sports magazine Field & Stream,
the vice president said, Well, you know,
my shotgun will do better for you than
your AR-15, because you want to keep
someone away from your house, just
fire the shotgun through the door. That
turns out not to work terribly well for the
people holding the shotguns.
Firing Blind
That last piece of advice puts the triggerpuller in the situation of firing at an unidentified target. Even if you are directing
your fire toward where you last saw the
threatening criminal suspect, you dont
have X-ray vision: You cant see whats
on the other side of the door. Perhaps
the person pounding on your door is a bit
addled, has just realized he has come to
the wrong house and has turned his back
to walk away when your shotgun blast
kills him from behind. Or maybe an innocent Good Samaritan is pulling him away
and in the line of fire when you pull the
trigger. Or maybe, not being able to see
whats going on beyond that door, youve
mistaken a good person for a lethally
dangerous bad one. The possibilities for
this going downhill are almost endless.
08 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
Even if you are directing your fire toward

where you last saw the threatening criminal
suspect, you dont have X-ray vision: You cant
see whats on the other side of the door.
Case One: In February of 2013, a Virginia
Beach man was arrested for doing exactly what VP Joe Biden recommended.
The man, 22-year-old Trevor Snowden,
was charged with reckless handling of
a firearm. He stated that two armed,
masked men had leaned into his bedroom window and ordered him to close
the bedroom door, and that he then ran
out of the bedroom, closed the door and
blasted away through that door (toward
the window) with his shotgun. It does not
appear that Snowdens gunfire struck
anyone, and last I heard, neither of the
men he reported firing at had been taken
into custody by police.
Case Two: In 2014, in Wayne County,
Michigan, a trial verdict and sentence
ended a case that began when a shotgun
blast through a door killed Renisha
McBride, 19. McBride had been drinking alcohol and consuming marijuana
earlier in the night in question, gotten

into a car crash and apparently left the
scene wandering on foot in a befuddled
state. She wound up pounding on the
door of Theodore Wafer, 55. Wafer told
police that he grabbed his shotgun, not
knowing whether or not it was loaded,
and proceeded toward the sound. He
opened a locked steel door and, claiming
to be terrified, discharged a 12-gauge
blast through the screen door. Struck in
the face, McBride did not survive.
Though his attorney raised a selfdefense plea, Wafer had initially told the
police that he fired by accident. Legal
analysts who followed the trial felt that
the jury was unsympathetic to his case,
feeling that if he had just left the steel
main door closed and locked, he would
have been safe from the unarmed young
woman. The jury convicted him of murder in the second degree, and he was
sentenced to 17 years in prison.
combathandguns.com
No two home invasions are alike.

If the intruder has already made
it into your home, you must still
determine if theyre good or bad.
Case Three: In September 2014, after

a trial that dragged through the summer, a judge in Pretoria, South Africa,
found Oscar Pistorius guilty of culpable
homicide in the death of his girlfriend,
Reeva Steenkamp. A celebrity athlete
known as the Blade Runner because
he had won running championships on a
pair of prosthetic legs, Pistorius claimed
that he had thought intruders might be
in his house and locked in the bathroom
when he fired through the bathroom door
with what was described as a silver 9mm
pistol and Winchester Black Talon ammunition. The bullets struck and killed
his girlfriend, the only person on the
other side of the door.
Though the state had charged
premeditated murder, the judge felt
that premeditation and malice had
not been proven beyond a reasonable
doubt. However, she also determined
that Pistorius had acted without reasonable care in shooting at an unidentified
person through the door. Sentencing has
not been pronounced as of this writing. However, it should be noted that
Pistorius own account of his actions is
virtually an admission to the reckless
act of culpable homicide, known in the
United States as manslaughter.
Bottom Line
One law school example of recklessness is blind man with a gun. When
we shoot through doors, we are literally
doing so blindly. No one should be surprised that the legal system takes a very
dim view of such actions. Most shooters
today follow the famous Four Rules of
Firearms Safety set down by the late
combat shooting expert, Col. Jeff Cooper.
Those rules may be paraphrased to
include considering every firearm to be
loaded, never pointing it at anything we
are not justified in destroying, keeping
combathandguns.com
Most shooters
today follow the
famous Four Rules
of Firearms Safety
set down by
the late combat
shooting expert,
Col. Jeff Cooper.
our finger outside the triggerguard until
such time as it is appropriate to shoot,
and always being certain of our target
and what is behind it.
Shooting through the door all but
guarantees a violation of Rule Four,
since we cant see exactly who or what
is on the other side of an opaque door.
It also tends to violate Rule Two for the
same reason.
Bidens advice on this is wrong on every count, including his earlier exhortation to fire live shotgun ammunition into
the air. Consider the ordeal of Jeffery
Barton, 52, in Vancouver, Washington. He
became the focus of Case Four when, in
the summer of 2013, he tried to frighten
off prowlers he thought were about to
steal his car from his drivewayby firing
his shotgun twice into the air. He was arrested for illegally discharging a firearm,
and said publicly, I did what Joe Biden
told me to do. Not until more than a
year later did the prosecutor announce
that he was dropping that charge.
The final lesson? Follow Col. Coopers
golden rules, and dont do stupid,
dangerous things even if advised to do
so by a high-ranking U.S. politician who
happens to be an attorney and former
prosecutor, and, of all people, should
have known better.
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 09
ON THE COVER
peacemaker!
4 Green
Walthers new CCP
shown with a Crimson

Trace Rail Master Pro
light/laser combination.
10 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
SOFT-COIL
9mm
Walthers lightweight,
striker-fired CCP
packs the power without
the unwanted punch.
BY DENNIS ADLER
PHOTOS BY STEVE WOODS
The first time I fired the Walther CCP I

had to sign a confidentiality agreement.
It was a little more than a year before
the gun was planned for introduction and I was at the Walther factory
test range in Arnsberg, Germany. The
secrecy behind the then Project X 9mm
handgun (later to be officially named the
CCP for Concealed Carry Pistol) was
because of the new design technology
Walther had developed to build a lighter
weight, lighter recoiling and more manageable 9mm pistol than any previous
Walther semi-auto pistol in history. And
that history dates back to the very early
20th century when Walther introduced its
very first semi-automatic pistol. In 1929,
the company revolutionized the world of
semi-auto pistols with the introduction
of the first double-action (DA) model, the
Walther PP. This was followed in 1930 by
the slightly more compact Walther PPK.
Why this little bit of Walther historical
trivia? Its relevant to the 21st-century
Model CCP because a great deal of this
new, polymer-framed, lightweight 9mm
semi-autos design is based on the
84-year-old Walther PPK!
combathandguns.com
NEXT-GEN NINE
The new Walther 9mm is an innovative design that offers compact pistol
dimensions for ease of carry. And like
other popular Walther models such as
the striker-fired P99 and subcompact
Walther PPS, the CCP also utilizes a
polymer frame. However, unlike these
other Walther models, the CCP combines
a blowback action (used on models like
the PPK) with an innovative, Waltherdesigned gas-piston recoil system.
The CCP was designed to be easier
to use than conventional 9mm pistols.
It aimed to be smaller, lighter and feel
more like a .380 than a 9mm, and achieving these goals began on the inside.
Field stripping the CCP reveals an amalgamation of old and new technology,
with a PPK-style fixed barrel mounted
to the frame and a single, large recoil
spring surrounding the barrel, also like
the PPK. That is the old technology that
comprises one half of the guns action.
The overall operation of the CCP, however, is quite modern.
The CCP utilizes Walthers SoftCoil
gas-delayed blowback action. When the
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 11
WALTHER CCP
FRONT SIGHT
STEEL HOUSING
SLIDE
REAR SIGHT
Interchangeable
with three different
heights (supplied).
Steel barrel housing

in Cerakote black or
stainless steel finish.
With the Walther

SoftCoil gas-delayed
blowback system,
chambering a
round is easy.
The rear sight is part of the three-dot system

and is adjustable for windage. The front and
rear sights are compatible in size with the
Walther P99, PPQ and PPS pistols.
MANUAL
SAFETY
Manual drop safety.
Easy to release on
the draw.
PICATINNY RAIL
TRIGGER
MAG RELEASE
Smooth 4.5-pound trigger

pull ensures shootability
and shot-to-shot accuracy.
Reversible for rightor left-hand shooters.
The new Walther 9mm

is an innovative design
that offers compact pistol
dimensions for ease of carry.
specifications
WALTHER CCP
Caliber
9mm
Barrel
3.54 inches
OA Length
6.41 inches
Weight
22.24 ounces (empty)
Grips
Polymer
Sights
White dot
Action
Striker-fired
Finish
Cerakote black,
matte stainless
Capacity
8+1
MSRP
$469-$489
12 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
gun is fired, a portion of the gas pressure developed by the ignited cartridge is
shunted downward through a port in the
bottom of the barrel and into a chamber
molded into the polymer frame. Think
of it as a secondary recoil system that is
otherwise passive when the gun is not
being discharged. When chambering
a round, or clearing the CCP, the only
resistance to the slide is the single, large
recoil spring around the barrel. This
lightweight recoil spring reduces resistance, making the gun significantly easier
to handle than any other 9mm semi-auto.
When the CCP is fired, recoil is also
significantly reduced by the gas-delayed
blowback actions piston, which is at-
DE N N I S AD L E R P H OT OS
SLIDE STOP
LEVER
Easy to access
and manipulate.
Mil-std-1913 rail for

mounting accessories.
MAGAZINE
Single-stack eightround magazine.
tached to the underside of the slide. The

piston slides into the chamber in the
frame, where gasses from the discharged
round are redirected. With the chamber
sealed by the piston, the blowback action driving the slide rearward is slowed
as the piston pushes against the compressed gasses in the chamber. This
resistance is maintained until the bullet
exits the barrel and releases remaining
internal pressures, after which the slide
continues its rearward motion at full
speed, opening the breech and ejecting
the empty cartridge case as it reaches
its full rearward travel. The large recoil
spring around the barrel then takes
over, pulling the slide forward to strip a
combathandguns.com
Lighter recoil makes the

CCP faster to get back on
target after the shot.
When the CCP

is fired, recoil is
significantly
reduced by the
gas-delayed
blowback
actions piston
new round from the magazine, chamber
the round and bring the action back
into battery.
Of course, you never know all of this
is transpiring; all you realize after pulling
the trigger is that the recoil was lighter
than anticipated. The gas-delayed blowback action decreases muzzle lift, and
commensurately, the energy transferred
to the shooting hand, thus allowing faster
sight reacquisition and more manageable
control of the pistol.
Although field stripping the CCP
is a bit of a chore, requiring a special
takedown tool provided with the gun (a
small screwdriver will work in a pinch,
but the tool is much easier), the CCP is
very simple to clean and maintain. While
larger than many subcompacts, it has
very concealable dimensions: an overall
length of 6.41 inches with a 3.54-inch
barrel, width of 1.18 inches and a leggy
5.12-inch height, which allows for an
eight-round magazine, giving the CCP an
impressive 8+1 capacity and carry weight
of only 22.24 ounces (unloaded).
FIRING THE CCP
The striker-fired 9mm pistol has an

interchangeable white-dot front sight and
an adjustable white-dot rear sight that
are easy to pick up. The CCP also has a
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 13
WALTHER CCP
Adjustable white dot
sights improve target
acquisition.
performance
WALTHER CCP 9MM

load
velocity accuracy
Federal Premium
Hydra-Shok 124 JHP
1,010
2.30
Speer Gold Dot

115 GDHP
1,074
2.25
Winchester 115 FMJ
1,034
2.00
bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet

per second (fps) by chronograph, and accuracy in
inches for best five-shot groups at 15 yards.
Picatinny rail
supports tactical
light or light/laser
combinations.
The SAO trigger has

a quick reset and a
4.5-pound average pull.
14 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
reversible magazine release for left- or

right-handed operation, and a very slim
manual thumb safety that proved easy
to operate on the draw. There is also an
internal firing pin block (drop safety).
Trigger pull on the test gun averaged 4.5
pounds, with 0.5 inches take-up. There
was 0.125 inches of overtravel. Reset
required only a partial let-off of the trigger, with a firm, perceptible click as it
reengaged.
For the range test I fired traditional
115-grain FMJ rounds from Winchester,
Speer Gold Dot Personal Protection
115-grain GDHP, and Federal Premium
Personal Defense 124-grain HydraShok JHP. Speer cleared the ProChrono
traps at 1,074 feet per second (fps),
Winchester at 1,034 fps and Federal
clocked 1,010 fps. Best groups from a
range of 15 yards fired off-hand at onesecond intervals measured 2 inches with
Winchester FMJ, 2.25 inches for Speer
and 2.3 inches with Federal JHP.
The new Walther CCP is a great blend
of old school and new school engineering that results in a shooter-friendly and
all-day-carry handgun. Perhaps the biggest plus for todays shooter is the CCPs
modest price. The new Walther 9mm
is available in two-tone and Cerakote
black. Suggested retail ranges from
$469 to $489. For more information visit
waltherarms.com or call 479-242-8500.
Editors note: For a live-fire demo of
Walthers new CCP, check out the author
on the firing line by visiting personal
defenseworld.com.
combathandguns.com
THE MODEL I9II RI CARRY COMMANDER
Americas most trusted pistol, remastered by Remington for

peak shootability, and stopping danger in its tracks. #LiveReady
Match-grade stainless steel
4 barrel and bushing
Beavertail grip safety with

checkered memory bump (25 LPI)
Fully de-horned carbon

steel frame and slide
Checkered front strap and

mainspring housing (25 LPI)
See the full line of

Remington 1911
pistols at REMINGTON.COM
S&W
M&P
POCKET PISTOLS
BODYGUARDS
Updated and enhanced .38 and

.380 duo ready for deep-cover carry!
BY MICHAEL O. HUMPHRIES
When it comes to the topic of compact self-defense handguns, many

gun enthusiasts think immediately
of Smith & Wesson. With its extensive line of J-Frame revolvers and
more recently compact autos, the
company has been a major player
in this category for decades. With
the introduction of the double-action-only

(DAO), hammer-fired Bodyguard 38 and
380 handguns in 2010, the company took
the concept to the next level with cuttingedge design and materials as well as
integrated laser units. The two handguns
proved to be extremely popular with
consumers, tapping into the seemingly
ever-growing market for concealable,
powerful pocket guns.
Fast forward to today and Smith &
Wesson has revamped and updated the
line, adding the two pocket guns to its
popular M&P series, which the company describes as being engineered to
professional standards. The resulting
16 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
gunsthe M&P Bodyguard 38 revolver

and M&P Bodyguard 380 autooffer
shooters a pair of pocket pistols ready for
heavy duty use and featuring newly developed integrated Crimson Trace red laser
units designed specifically for them.
WHEELGUN DETAILS
At their core, the M&P Bodyguards represent a melding of the traditional and the
ultra-modern. Those who have carried or
shot an S&W J-Frame snubbie will recognize the familiar general outline of the
M&P Bodyguard 38 almost immediately.
However, a closer look reveals more.
The five-shot, concealed hammer,
+P rated Bodyguard 38 in .38 Special
employs radically different materials
and manufacturing techniques than its
J-Frame siblings. Most notable in the
design is the use of a stainless-steelreinforced polymer lower frame assembly, made up of the grip frame and
triggerguard. This assembly offers the
dual benefits of lighter weight and overall

lower cost.
The lower frame interfaces with an
aluminum upper frame, which houses
the fire control parts as well as surrounds the stainless steel, PVD-coated,
five-shot cylinder. A barrel/ejector rod
shroud is integrated into this frame as
well, with a stainless steel 1.9-inch barrel insert that fits inside of it. All these
lightweight materials result in an overall
empty weight of just over 14 ounces.
In addition to different materials,
the M&P Bodyguard 38 also features
different operation. Most notably, the
revolvers polymer cylinder release lever
is ambidextrous and located on the upper
backstrap of the revolver, requiring a
simple push forward to release the cylinder out of the left side of the frame. Just
to the right of this is the polymer Crimson
Trace laser module (which is removable),
housing the integrated red laser. A small
button on the top of the module controls
combathandguns.com
The new M&P Bodyguards 38 (top)

and 380 (below) feature integral
Crimson Trace laser units, cuttingedge design and ultra-modern
materials. The result is a pair of
next-generation carry guns.
At their core,
the M&P Bodyguards
represent a melding
of the traditional and
the ultra-modern.
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 17
S&W M&P BODYGUARDS

the unit, with one push turning the laser
on, a second push putting it on pulse
mode and a third push turning it off.
Also of note on the Bodyguard 38 is
the fact that the cylinder rotates clockwise, rather than counter-clockwise like
its contemporary S&W brethren. Sights
on the revolver are made of a ramped
front sight and a simple channel groove
in the topstrap. An evenly applied black
finish mates up with the matte-black
polymer, resulting in a very low-key and
concealable gun.
AUTO ALTERNATIVE
The M&P Bodyguard 380, sibling to the

M&P Bodyguard 38, taps in to the popular
ultra-compact .380 pistol market. The
gun accomplishes its minute dimensions
through the use of a locked-breech system, rather than a simpler (and bulkier)
straight-blowback system of operation.
The hammer-fired 6+1 pistol weighs just
over 12 ounces (empty) and measures
5.25 inches in overall length with a 2.75inch, stainless steel barrel housed within
its blackened slide.
The heart of the pistol is its polymer
frame, which houses an aluminum chassis containing the fire control mechanism
of the gun. Located inside the dustcover
portion of the polymer frame is an integrated Crimson Trace laser unit, with
its exposed forward lens located directly
under the muzzle of the pistols barrel.
Like the Bodyguard 38, this red laser unit
is modular and fully removable.
The laser unit of the M&P Bodyguard
380 is completely ambidextrous, with
two buttons located on either side of
the frame just above and forward of the
generously sized triggerguard. As with
the M&P Bodyguard 38, one touch turns
it on, a second puts it on pulse mode
and a third turns it off. Of note is the
fact that the new Crimson Trace laser
systems buttons on the 380 are colored
red and feature more positive operation.
In addition, there is a protective, raised
ring around the buttons to help prevent
inadvertent activation.
The controls of the M&P Bodyguard
380 are simple and straightforward,
but not fully ambidextrous. A small,
flat manual safety is located at the rear
portion of the left side of the polymer
frame. Just forward of it is a matching
slide release lever, which locks open on
an empty magazine. Forward of that is
a takedown lever for disassembly. The
magazine release is located behind the
triggerguard.
The slide is topped off with a nice set
of drift-adjustable front and rear sights,
18 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
The red activation

button of the 380s
CTC laser features
a protective ring.
The nonambidextrous
controls of
the 380 are
low profile
for minimal
bulk.
The 380
comes with
one flushfitting and
one fingerextension
(shown)
magazine.
The 38 features a
five-round capacity
of .38 Special +P
ammunition.
The ramp front

sight of the
38 features
grooves to help
disperse glare.
The 38s CTC unit

is attached to the
right, upper side
of the frame.
combathandguns.com
Considering their
DAO triggers and
intended purposes,
I found them
to be extremely
accurate.
specifications
SMITH & WESSON

M&P BODYGUARD 38
Caliber
.38 Special +P
Barrel
1.9 inches
OA Length
6.6 inches
Weight
14.36 ounces (empty)
Grips
Polymer
Sights
Ramp front and channel

rear, Crimson Trace laser
Action
DAO
Finish
Matte black
Capacity
MSRP
$539
specifications
SMITH & WESSON

M&P BODYGUARD 380
Caliber
.380 ACP
Barrel
2.75 inches
OA Length
5.25 inches
Weight
12.3 ounces (empty)
Grips
Polymer
Sights
Low-profile front and rear,

Crimson Trace laser
Action
DAO
Finish
Matte black
Capacity
6+1
MSRP
$449
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 19
S&W M&P BODYGUARDS

M&P Bodyguard 38
M&P Bodyguard 380
performance
SMITH & WESSON

M&P Bodyguard 38 .38 Special
load
velocity accuracy
Federal Hydra-Shok
+P 129 JHP
897
0.81
Speer Gold Dot

+P 135 GDHP
905
0.90
SMITH & WESSON

M&P Bodyguard 380 .380 ACP
load
velocity accuracy
Remington Golden
Saber 102 JHP
875
1.20
Speer Gold Dot 90 GDHP 960
0.98
Bullet weight measured in grains, velocity in feet

per second (fps) and accuracy in inches for Best
five-shot groups from 7 yards.
with the front sight being a ramped unit

mating up to the notch rear unit. There
are no dots or markings on the sights.
A simple loaded-chamber indicator is
made up of a hole cut in the rear of the
barrel hood that allows visual access to
a round in the chamber. The six-round
magazine is made of stainless steel and
20 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
World Champion Pistol

Shooter Jessie Du carries
the Taurus TCPW.
TaurusUSA.com
TM
S&W M&P BODYGUARDS
S&W
M&P 22
COMPACT
ometimes less is more, at least

in the case of the new rimfire
M&P 22 Compact from Smith &
Wesson. I recently had an opportunity to
try out this new pistol at the Springfield,
Massachusetts, event I attended for the
release of the new M&P Bodyguards.
TACTICAL TRAINER: The
pistol itself is unique. Rather than being
an exact scale version of the full-size
pistol, the new M&P 22 Compact is
sized down to an 87.5-percent scale of
the 9mm/.40 M&P series. The result
is a pistol that visually appears to be
the same as the centerfire pistols,
but is more svelte and compact in the
hand. In fact, the only thing that is not
to the 87.5-percent scale on the pistol
is (for the obvious reasons) the strip of
Picatinny rail on the dustcover.
From a handling standpoint, the
new pistol operates exactly as does a
standard M&P. Anyone familiar with the
operation of a regular M&P will be right
at home with the M&P 22 Compact.
It is from a purely mechanical standpoint that the differences between the
designs manifest themselves.
STANDOUT RIMFIRE: First
and foremost, the M&P 22 Compact is
a hammer-fired single action, rather
than a double-action-only, striker-fired
system like the standard M&P. The trigger pull on my test pistol measured in
at 5.5 pounds. As a result of the pistol
being a single action, it comes standard
with an ambidextrous safety. The safety
is located at the rear of the frame, and
operates much like that of a 1911. In
addition to the manual safety and the
trigger safety, the pistol features a
magazine safety, a trigger-activated
firing pin block and an internal lock for
manually locking the action of the pistol.
As you would guess, the pistol is
a straight-blowback design due to its
chambering, relying on a combination
of slide mass and spring pressure to
22 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
keep the action closed long enough

for chamber pressures to drop to safe
levels before cycling. The barrel (which
features a threaded section covered by
a cap) is fixed to the frame, and a captured recoil guide rod/spring assembly
is located beneath it. Disassembly also
differs from the standard pistol, with
you simply locking the slide back, rotating the takedown lever and then pulling
back the slide and lifting it up and over
to remove. The frame does not feature
interchangeable backstrap panels, and
the aluminum alloy slide is topped off
with adjustable sights.
RANGE READY: After a full tour
of the facility and some insight into the
development and production of the new
pistol, we were able to go over to the
Smith & Wesson Academy and run a
few hundred rounds through the pistols
during range time and a small low-light,
IDPA-style course run by Tom Yost.
The pistol proved to be accurate and
a pleasure to shoot. There were some
initial hiccups in functioning during the
break-in period, but once I ran it a bit
and determined its preferred loadings,
it ran like a top. For more information,
visit smith-wesson.com.
specifications
M&P 22 COMPACT
Caliber
.22 LR
Barrel
3.56 inches
OA Length
6.65 inches
Weight
15.3 ounces (empty)
Grips
Polymer
Sights
Adjustable white-dot
Action
SA
Finish
Black, hardcoat anodized
Capacity
10+1
MSRP
$389
combathandguns.com
PHOTO COURTESY SMITH & WESSON
Downsized rimfire version

of the classic M&P series of
duty and self-defense pistols!
S&W M&P BODYGUARDS

features an orange follower. It comes
equipped with a finger-groove extension
floorplate, although a spare low-profile
flush floorplate magazine is also included with the pistol.
RANGE RESULTS
I was fortunate to have the opportunity

to attend a recent event at the Smith
& Wesson Academy in Springfield,
Massachusetts, for the introduction of
these two handguns. Over the course of
two days, we were given the opportunity
to test fire the guns as well as run them
through a low-light, IDPA-style course
set up by none other than renowned
competitive shooter Tom Yost. Both guns
performed well, with the lasers helping
me to engage the targets quickly and
accuratelyeven while on the move.
The M&P Bodyguard 38 and 380

handguns ... make
for a very appealing
combination ... for
self-defense use.
To allow us some more time with the
guns and more in-depth testing, the guns
were shipped to us after the event. I took
the two models out to the range and put
them both through more functioning
tests as well as some formal accuracy
testing at 7 yards with a selection of
Federal, Remington and Speer loads.
As they did in Springfield, both guns
performed well with no malfunctions. I
did note that due to their small size and
light weights, extended shooting sessions
did become a bit of a chore. Considering
their DAO triggers and intended purposes, I also found them to be extremely
accurate. See the accompanying chart for
the specific results with each gun.
PARTING SHOTS
The new M&P Bodyguard 38 and 380

handguns, and their new Crimson Trace
laser systems, make for a very appealing combination for anyone looking for a
new snubbie revolver or deep-cover .380
for self-defense use. With their rugged
construction, capable chamberings,
useful laser systems and light weights,
either one of these should make for a
good choice for CCW use. For more information, visit smith-wesson.com or call
800-331-0852.
24 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
10 BIG-BORE
REVOLVERS
JOHN FASANO PHOTO
WHEELGUN GUIDE
Heres the place you want to be if youre

ready to go hunting beyond the .44 Magnum!
BY CLAIR REES
Not too long ago, the .44 Magnum was the cock of the walk. It
was the most powerful handgun you could buy. Then the .454
Casull came along. Originally chambered in the Ruger Super
Blackhawk with a cylinder that held just five rounds, the .454
Casull easily edged out the .44 Magnum in potency.
The first .454 Casull I fired was Dick Casulls personal gun.
Hang onto it tightly, he advised. And oh, yes, it has a hair
trigger. When I lowered the gun toward the sandbag I would
rest the butt on, I forgot Dicks admonishment about the trigger.
I cocked the hammer just as the butt came to rest. Wham! The
gun fired with an earsplitting roar, and the barrel whipped back
TAURUS MODEL 454

RAGING BULL
The Taurus Model 454 Raging Bull is

offered in four different barrel lengths
(2.25, 5, 6.5, and 8.3 inches). This doubleaction/single-action, .454 Casull revolver
holds six rounds and is available in blued
or matte stainless steel finishes. It has a
ventilated rib that accommodates an
option base for scope mounting, while
a cushioned grip insert helps soften the
.454 Casulls impressive recoil.
(taurususa.com; 800-327-3776)
hard enough to have seriously damaged my skull if I hadnt

been wearing a sturdy, high-crowned cowboy hat, which
softened the blow.
While the .454 Casull has taken any game imaginable,
including pachyderms, it has since been superseded by rounds
like the .475 Linebaugh and, more recently, the intimidating .460
and .500 Smith & Wesson. I own a Freedom Arms in the .475
Linebaugh chambering. It may be my imagination, but the .475
Linebaugh seems less punishing to shoot than the Casull. If
youre looking for true big-bore firepower, any of these monster
revolvers are capable of downing the largest game.
TAURUS MODEL 513

RAGING JUDGE
The Taurus Model 513 Raging Judge chambers

.45 Long Colt, .454 Casull or 3-inch .410 shotshells. This means you can load this double-action/single action revolver with three vastly different types of ammunition depending on your
needs. The Taurus Security System prevents
firing by unauthorized persons, while the rubber
grips and cushioned insert help shooters maintain control when firing this powerful revolver.
(taurususa.com; 800-327-3776)
Specifications
Specifications
Caliber 4 .454 Casull
Caliber 4 .45 Long Colt, .454 Casull, .410 shotshells
Barrel 4 2.25, 5, 6.5, and 8.3 inches
Barrel 4 3 or 6.5 inches
Weight 4 48-63 ounces
Weight 4 60.6-73 ounces
Capacity 4 6
Capacity 4 6
MSRP 4 $1,055-$1,070
MSRP 4 $1,012-$1,037.99
26 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
WHEELGUN GUIDE
FREEDOM
ARMS
Freedom Arms is the

company that launched the
bigger than .44 Magnum
revolvers concept. Freedom
Arms is noted for producing
top-quality revolvers that will
digest any of todays highpower handgun cartridges.
(307-883-2468;
freedomarms.com)
Model 83 (ADJUSTABLE SIGHTS)

Specifications
Caliber 4 .44 Magnum, .454 Casull,
.475 Linebaugh, .500 Wyoming Express
Barrel 4 4.75, 6 inches
Capacity 4 5
MSRP 4 $2,436
Model 83 (FIXED SIGHTS)

Specifications
Caliber 4 .454 Casull, .475 Linebaugh
Barrel 4 4.75, 6 inches
Capacity 4 5
MSRP 4 $2,436
Model 97
Specifications
Caliber 4 .44 Special
Barrel 4 4.25, 5.5, 7.5 inches
Weight 4 36.7 ounces (w/5.5-inch barrel)
Capacity 4 5
MSRP 4 $2,055
RUGER
SUPER
REDHAWK
ALASKAN
The 44-ounce Ruger Super Redhawk
Alaskan is a lighter, more compact verson
of the Super Redhawk. Designed specifically to deter close-range bear attacks, it
sports a 2.5-inch barrel and produces
serious muzzle blast. No scope mounting
accessories are provided. This is the gun to
carry on your hip in grizzly country. Like its
big brother, this DA revolver is available in
.44 Magnum, .454 Casull or .480 Ruger.
(ruger.com)
Specifications
Caliber 4 .44 Magnum,
.454 Casull, .480 Ruger
Barrel 4 2.5 inches
Capacity 4 6
MSRP 4 $1,079
28 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
MAGNUM
RESEARCH BFR
Magnum Research Inc.s

BFR (Big Frame Revolver)
is an SA, stainless steel
revolver offered with either
a long or short frame. Both
frame sizes are machined to
accommodate MRIs own
scope base, which is included
with the revolver. The BFRs
grip frame is CNC machined
from an investment casting
and features a large trigger
loop rounded in the back to
prevent it from biting the
user. The revolver features
traditional Western-style grips
and checkered rubber grip
panels that help soften recoil.
(magnumresearch.com;
509-635-4273)
Specifications
Caliber 4 .454 Casull, .460 S&W,
.475 Linebaugh .500 S&W
Barrel 4 6.5, 7.5, 10 inches
Weight 4 59.2-75.2 ounces
Capacity 4 5
MSRP 4 $1,149
RUGER
SUPER
REDHAWK
Rugers Super Redhawk
is a DA/SA revolver available in .44 Magnum, .454
Casull or .480 Ruger. The
full-sized version features
a 7.5-inch barrel and black
Hogue Tamer Monogrips.
(A 9.5-inch-barrelled version is also available in .44
Mag.) (ruger.com)
Specifications
Caliber 4 .44 Magnum,
.454 Casull, .480 Ruger
Barrel 4 7.5, 9.5 inches
Capacity 4 6
MSRP 4 $1,049-$1,079
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 29
WHEELGUN GUIDE
SMITH & WESSON

MODEL 460XVR
The DA/SA Smith & Wesson

Model 460XVR revolver
chambers the fastest factory
handgun round in production,
.460 S&W, which delivers
2,300 feet-per-second (fps)
velocities. The stainless,
8.38-inch barrel features
interchangeable compensators
to accommodate different loads.
The five-shot, 72.5-ounce
revolvers gain-twist rifling is
designed for maximum
accuracy when it counts.
(smith-wesson.com;
800-331-0852)
Specifications
Caliber 4 . 460 S&W
Barrel 4 8.38 inches
Weight 4 72.5 ounces (empty)
Capacity 4 5
MSRP 4 $1,369
SMITH & WESSON

MODEL S&W500
The S&W Model S&W500 is the

most powerful production revolver
currently manufactured. This fiveshot revolver produces 2,600 footpounds of muzzle energy, making
recoil a serious consideration
for its operator. Built on S&Ws
X-Frame developed specifically to
handle the .500 S&Ws power, the
stainless steel S&W500 features
adjustable rear and Hi-Viz interchangeable front sights.
(smith-wesson.com;
800-331-0852)
Specifications
Caliber 4 . S&W 500
Barrel 4 8.38 inches
Weight 4 72.5 ounces (empty)
Capacity 4 5
MSRP 4 $1,369
30 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
TACTICAL HANDGUN
Streamlined, accurate
and controllable
polymer CT45
thats primed for
everyday self-defense!
BY MIKE DETTY
Kahr Arms has some exciting

things happening of late that all
concealed carriers will want to
know about. Not only has the compa-
ny started a Value line of guns with prices

that make them eminently affordable, it
has also increased its production capabilities and is set to open a new production
plant in northeastern Pennsylvania.
Those familiar with Kahrs lineup of
32 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
pistols know it primarily for its line of

subcompact guns. In fact, every Kahr pistol I own has at one time or another been
carried in a pocket. But the company
also makes some larger semi-automatic
pistols that deserve recognition.
I spoke with Kahrs vice president of
sales and marketing, Frank Harris, and
he said, Were trying to break the perception that we only make pocket pistols.
We want people to know that we make

full-size guns which compete with Smith
& Wesson and Ruger.
Harris was referring to the new
Kahr CT45, a polymer-framed, strikerfired, single-stack, semi-automatic
pistol, which, in addition to its slim
profile, also possesses a buttery smooth
double-action-only (DAO) trigger.
Harris said, The CT45 is based on our
combathandguns.com
Kahrs new CT45

packs 7+1 rounds of
.45 ACP firepower
into a reliable design
that is also very
affordable, making it
a great CCW option.
TP45. Weve been doing the TP series of

guns for a number of years now. It is our
largest gun and we also offer the pistols
in 9mm and .40 S&W. The CT45 is a more
affordable version of the TP45.
Kahr Arms is making a big
commitment to offer more affordable
guns to shooters. The companys Value
line of guns is the result.
Weve seen a huge upsurge in the
combathandguns.com
Value series. People are

very price conscious in the
market right now. First-time
gun owners dont want to spend
more than $500 for a pistol. Kahr
has seen a lot of competition in the
last three years, and we are responding
to it, said Harris.
The suggested retail of the CT45 is
$449, making it Kahrs lowest priced
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 33
KAHR CT45
large-caliber gun. It also makes the gun
very competitive with other polymerframed guns in the market.
The rear sight is

drift adjustable
for windage.
The snag-free front

sight is pinned on and
sports a white dot.
PRACTICAL SAVINGS
But youre probably wondering what

youre giving up by buying the CT45 instead of the TP45 (or TP9 and TP40).
The TP45 retails for $697, or $248 more.
Kahr ships its premium guns, like the
TP45, with three magazines. The CT45
comes with just one magazine. Other
magazines go for about $40 each. The TP
guns also come with a nice plastic pistol
box. Kahr ships the CT line of guns in a
cardboard box.
Kahr uses a Lothar Walther polygonal-rifled barrel on the TP45, which are
renowned for their accuracy. The CT45
uses a conventionally rifled barrel. Is
there any real difference in practical
accuracy? I think youd be hard pressed
to find it. Harris says that some people
prefer the conventional rifling because
they want to shoot lead ammo, which can
increase pressures in a polygonal barrel
and is not recommended.
While the polymer frame is the
same, there are a number of differences
with the CT45s slide. Kahr engineers
34 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
The CT45
features Kahrs
DAO trigger.
designed the slide to use less machining

operations so it occupies less time in
the CNC machine. It looks a little blockier, but how much does that really matter
to you? Slide markings on the CT45 are
made with a rollmark rather than a
laser, which the premium Kahr pistols
are marked with.
The front sight of the CT45 is a
polymer part staked into the slide,
rather than dovetailed like the more
expensive models. This is probably
something you should consider if

you would like to have night sights installed on your CT45.
Finally, the slide stop lever on the
CT line of guns is a metal-injectionmolded (MIM) part as opposed to a part
machined from barstock. So, those are
the differences between Kahrs premium
TP line and the more affordable CT line
of guns. Your choice will depend on your
needs and wallet. But lets take a more
in-depth look at the CT45.
combathandguns.com
specifications
KAHR CT45
.45 ACP
Barrel
4.04 inches
OA Length
6.57 inches
Weight
23.7 ounces (empty)
Grips
Textured polymer
Sights
Pinned front, adjustable rear
Action
Striker-fired
Finish
Matte black frame,

stainless slide
Capacity
7+1
MSRP
$449
MIKE DETTY PHOTO
Caliber
Its a lightweight
gun that feels
good in the hand
thanks to its fullsize dimensions.
GUN DETAILS
The CT45 is every bit as tall as a 1911,

and its slide is actually just a hair thicker.
But it is nearly a pound lighter than a
steel-framed Government Model, and
the grip frame is about 0.3 inches slimmer. Theres no grip safety, thumb safety
or external hammer to clutter the CT45s
lines or snag on clothes. The only external protuberances on the Kahr pistol are
the magazine release and the slide stop.
Its a lightweight gun that feels good
in the hand thanks to its full-size dimensions. It also sits low in the hand due to
Kahrs patented offset barrel lug, which
allows the trigger bar to ride next to the
barrel lug rather than under it. This dramatically reduces the pistols height and
puts the hand closer to the bores axis,
thereby reducing muzzle flip.
Theres a steel sub frame that is actually molded into the polymer frame. The
slide rides on exposed steel to prevent
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 35
KAHR CT45
performance
KAHR CT45
load
Black Hills 185 JHP
1,005
1.39
CorBon 185 JHP
1,010
2.22
CorBon 230 FMJ
759
2.33
Glaser 165 PowR Ball
1,112
1.43
Hornady 200 XTP
912
1.98
Remington 230 FMJ
819
1.72
handload
Kahr equips
the CT45 with a
4.04-inch, cutrifled barrel.
Black Hills
185-grain JHPs
printed this tight
25-yard group.
any metal-to-plastic contact, which could

cause accelerated wear. Raised grenadestyle checkering provides a secure grip
on both the front and back straps while
the side panels have a light texture.
Disassembly for cleaning is a quick
and easy matter. After removing the magazine and clearing the chamber, pull the
slide back until the witness mark on the
left side of the slide lines up with the dot
on the polymer frame. Push out the slide
stop. Point the gun in a safe direction,
36 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
pull the trigger and then pull the slide

forward off the frame. Push the recoil
spring and guide toward the muzzle and
remove from the bottom of the slide.
Push the barrel toward the muzzle, until
the breech block can drop down, and pull
the barrel from the slide. This is as far as
you should ever disassemble your CT45.
Reassembly is in reverse order, but one
important thing is to make sure the slide
stop slips under the slide stop spring
when reinserting it.
velocity accuracy
velocity accuracy
Laser-Cast 200 WW231
874
1.75

per second (fps) by chronograph and accuracy in
RANGE TIME
The CT45 is a striker-fired gun, and it

possesses a smooth, albeit long trigger pull. Without a manual safety, the
Kahr engineers wanted to make sure
the gun only fired with a deliberate pull
of the trigger. There is a passive striker
block safety that mechanically blocks
the striker unless purposeful pressure
is placed on the trigger. My test samples
trigger pull broke with 5 pounds of pressure, and it is consistent from first to last
combathandguns.com
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Viridian
Reactor 5
For Kahr 9s & .40s

Viridian continues to lead the way
in green laser technology with the
introduction of the first and only
green laser sight for Kahr 9mm and
.40 S&W polymer-framed pistols.
Packing the exclusive Viridian green
532nm laser, the Reactor 5 (R5) is up
to 50 times brighter than conventional red lasersvisible day or night,
indoors or out, in all conditions, at
distances no red laser can touch.
With its pistol-matched design,

ECR (Enhanced Combat Readiness)
Instant-On activation, two-color
battery level indicator and included
holster, the R5 represents a complete carry package. This is the first
Reactor to come with Viridians new
ECR Instant-On hybrid holster.
The ECRs Instant-On feature
shuts the laser off while holstered
and activates the laser immediately
when drawn. This green laser and
holster combination fits all Kahr
9mm and .40 S&W polymer-framed
P, TP, PM, CW, CM and CT series
pistols. With an MSRP of $239, this
laser is tremendously valuable. For
more, visit viridiangreenlaser.com or
call 800-990-9390.
shot. While 5 pounds may sound heavy

to some, I had absolutely no problem
keeping the sights aligned as I pulled the
trigger through its arc. My targets were
set out at 25 yards, and I used a Millett
BenchMaster to stabilize the gun as I
fired from a seated rest.
As my test results proved, the use of
the conventionally rifled barrel caused
no ill effects on accuracy. My best group
was under 1.5 inches with Black Hills
185-grain jacketed hollow point (JHP)
ammo, which shows what the CT45 is capable of. It is an accurate defense pistol!
Like I said earlier, while Kahr Arms
is known for its pocket-sized pistols, the
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 37
KAHR CT45
CT45 is by no means a pocket gun.
And, while it makes a great concealed
carry gun, a proper holster is needed.
I contacted Galco Gunleathers Mike
Barham. He suggested a TacSlide
Belt Holster. For a lightweight
carry gun like this, I also wanted a
lightweight, minimalist-style holster,
and the Tac Slide fits that bill! The
TacSlide features a steer hide platform
with two belt slots to which a Kydex
holster pocket is affixed. I like the
holsters neutral cant, straight up
and down, and it provides a quick and
unimpeded presentation. The length
between the belt slots is far enough
apart that it pulls the holster and
gun tight against the side for easy
concealment with a layered shirt or
garment. Because of the rigid nature
of Kydex, re-holstering the gun is a
simple matter.
With my steel targets set up at
15 yards, I practiced drawing from
the TacSlide and placing controlled
pairs on the steel as quickly as
possible. I hesitate to even include
these numbers as it is more a comment
on my ability rather than the CT45s.
For what it is worth, my average draw
time to first shot, including reacting to
the buzzer, was 1.3 seconds. My splits,
or time between shots, averaged 0.3
seconds. Being a 1911 guy, it didnt
take me quite as long as I expected to
get used to the CT45s long trigger, and
my hits and times rivaled those I experience with a full-size, steel-framed 1911.
I found the CT45 to be very controllable,
a fact I attribute to its low bore axis,
which effectively negates muzzle flip.
Its grip is also very comfortable. As I
mentioned earlier, the circumference
of the CT45s grip compared the 1911s
is smaller and allows an average-sized
hand like mine to make a more
secure grip, which enhances operator
control. Despite the myriad of defense
loads available, each with different
bullet-nose configurations and overall
lengths, the CT45 was 100-percent reliable and I experienced no stoppages or
malfunctions on the range.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Im impressed with the Kahr CT45. It

provides defensive pistol users with
an affordable solution to a need for a
lightweight, concealable, controllable
and accurate gun that packs a .45-caliber
punch! The gun I tested was just one of
many new guns and calibers in Kahrs
new Value line. For more information,
visit kahr.com or call 508-795-3919.
38 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
HANDGUN TEST
Taylors & Co. unleashes hard-hitting, Cerakoted

.45s that shoot like they were built for kings
but are priced for the everyman!
BY DENNIS ADLER
40 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
If it seems like there are more

1911s on the market today than
ever before, thats because there
are. The fundamental design, pioneered by John Moses Browning
and Colt, and finalized in 1911 as
the Automatic Pistol, Caliber .45,
M1911 has endured for more than
a century. It has been improved,
modernized, retro-styled, lengthened, shortened and modified in
every conceivable fashion, and for
modern tactical use it has been redone by everyone from Colt (with
the Close Quarters Battle Pistol)
to the Philippines-based manufacturer Armscor.
One of largest manufacturers of

1911s in the world, with over 30 different
models covering virtually every variation
of the design, including Government and
compact models, Armscors latest tactical versions with durable Cerakote finishes are offered by Taylors & Co. Armscor
can truly build a quality 1911 and tailor its
features to the specific requirements of
its retailers, which means you get what
you pay for. Its top-end models are built
to perform muzzle to muzzle with more
expensive 1911 models on the market.
The Taylors Tactical line of Armscormade 1911 models features the 1911-A1
FS Tactical, with a 5-inch barrel, and
Taylors Tactical 1911 Full

Size shown with a Viridian
X5L green laser/light.
combathandguns.com
the recently added Taylors Tactical 1911

Compact Carry, with a 3.6-inch, tapered
bull barrel. Taylors has more than a
dozen different 1911 models, from earlystyle GI versions to deluxe, hand-engraved presentation models. The Taylors
Full Size comes with two Italian-made,
eight-round magazines with extended
base pads and anti-tilt followers. The
Compact Carry comes with two sevenround magazines. The Full Size model
shown is finished in Cerakotes Dark
inches, a width 0.875 inches (1.18 with

grips) and a carry weight of 37.5 ounces.
The Full Size tips the scales at an even
40 ounces, with an overall length of 8.75
inches on the Full Size model, a height
with the extended magazine basepad of
5.5 inches and an overall width of 1.18
inches. Suggested retail in Cerakote finishes is $799 for the Full Size model and
$814 for the Compact Carry. The standard 1911-A1 FS Tactical with Parkerized
finish starts at just $570.
The smooth operation of the

safeties and slide releases
provided further signs of
each guns quality of fit.
Earth and the Compact Carry (without
dustcover rail) in Cerakotes Gun Metal
Grey, both of which are custom finishes
offered by Taylors & Co. The 1911s are
also available in Cerakote Coyote Tan, OD
Green, and Nitride black, with matching
or contrasting G10 grips.
TACTICAL 1911s
The overall length for the Compact Carry

is 7.5 inches. It has a height of 5.25
Based on Colt Series 70 designs,

Taylors 1911s are built to the companys
exact specifications and exhibit fine fit,
finish and sturdy build quality. The guns
have exceptionally close tolerances
between the outer dimension of the slide
and the inner dimension of the frame
rails for a solid fit that goes beyond the
price point. Shake a Taylors 1911 and
there isnt a sound. You cant say that
for every 1911 on the market today. The
The Compact Carry is offered

in Gun Metal Grey Cerakote,
among other finishes.
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 41
TAYLORS TACTICAL 1911s

Galcos
Combat
Master rig
comfortably
secured the
Compact
Carry.
DENNIS ADLER PHOTO
The green fiber-optic

front sights are easy
to use in low light.
The pistols feature

white-dot rear
sights. Note the Full
Sizes checkered
mainspring housing.
Overall, these are two

1911s that look and feel
like custom-built guns.
Full-length guide rods
and heavy-duty recoil springs
ensure reliable functioning.
Taylors 1911s feature

extended beavertail
safeties.
Taylors Tactical 1911s come

with matching, ergonomic
G10 grip panels.
Tactical models also come with heavyduty recoil springs and full-length guide
rods, two features that are generally addon options on 1911s. Although the recoil
spring makes chambering the first round,
clearing the action and field stripping the
guns more demanding, the extra effort is
well rewarded through less felt recoil and
improved handling for higher-velocity
defensive rounds.
The Compact Carrys slide has nine
deeply cut rear slide serrations; the Full
Size has 10 on the front of the slide and
10 at the rear for chambering the first
round or clearing the gun. Some question
the advantages of front slide serrations,
but if you need to push the slide back
just enough to check the chamber, they
quickly earn their keep, especially with
Taylors recoil spring!
The dovetailed Novak-style rear sights
are adjustable for windage and elevation, and the front is an interchangeable,
42 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
dovetailed, green, fiber-optic blade.

The rear sights have rounded edges to
prevent them from snagging on clothing, but those rounded edges also save
hands and tactical gloves from the minor
cuts occasionally received from straightedged adjustable rear sights. The slide
releases are deeply checkered for solid
purchase when dropping the slide on the
reload (even with tactical gloves); the
Compact Carry has a single, 1911-A1
GI-style thumb safety, while the Full Size
comes with an elongated, ambidextrous
safety. Both models have six vertical
grooves in the frontstrap. The Compact
Carry has eight vertical grooves on the
flat mainspring housing and the Full
Size has 20-lpi checkering. Both models
feature a serrated palm swell safety
and extended beavertails, skeletonized/
grooved triggers and Commander-style
hammers. Overall, these two specialized
Taylors Tactical models have the majority
of the upgrades found on custom-grade

1911s costing well over $1,000.
RANGE EVALUATION
For the range test, the Compact Carry

was holstered in the latest Galco Combat
Master belt rig (3.5-inch CM218). One
of the most established CCW holster
designs in the world, the Combat Master
features double-stitched pancake
construction for durability and a pouch
contoured to the guns profile to provide
solid retention. Although offering Level
0 retention (Level 1 would be a thumbbreak safety strap), this is one of my personal favorites for 1911 concealed carry
use, as it gives the gun excellent cover
and the closely contoured fit around the
pistol keeps it securely in place until
drawn. The Taylors Compact Carry was a
perfect fit with this holster.
While familiarizing myself with the
gun before the range test I found the
combathandguns.com
specifications
TAYLORS TACTICAL 1911

COMPACT CARRY
Caliber
.45 ACP
Barrel
3.6 inches
OA Length
7.5 inches
Weight
37.5 ounces
Grips
G10
Sights
Adjustable rear,
fiber-optic front
Action
SA
Finish
Gun Metal Grey Cerakote
Capacity
7+1
MSRP
$814
specifications

FULL SIZE
Caliber
.45 ACP
Barrel
5 inches
OA Length
8.75 inches
Weight
40 ounces
Grips
G10
Sights
Adjustable rear,
fiber-optic front
Action
SA
Finish
Dark Earth Cerakote
Capacity
8+1
MSRP
$799
checkered magazine release very easy to

operate, as were the slide releases, even
without a loaded magazine. The elongated, ambidextrous safety on the Full Size
was very easy to operate and locked/unlocked with a firm click. This also applied
to the single, GI-style thumb safety on
the Compact Carry. The smooth operation of the safeties and slide releases
provided further signs of each guns
quality of fit. The G10 grips and grip strap
serrations provided a solid, tactile surface for bare hands and tactical gloves.
Overall, these are two 1911s that look
and feel like custom-built guns.
Ammunition choices for the test were
three brands of defensive .45 ACP: HPR
185-grain jacketed hollow point (JHP),
Barnes TAC-XPD 185-grain +P and Sig
Sauer Elite Performance V-Crown 200
grain JHP. As previously noted, the guns
have very tight frame-to-slide fits that,
when combined with their heavy recoil
springs, can cause issues with lighterrecoiling ammo, as I discovered while firing the new Barnes TAC-XPD 185-grain
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 43
TAYLORS TACTICAL 1911s

performance

FULL SIZE .45 ACP*
load
velocity accuracy
Barnes TAC-XPD 185 +P
936
4.00
HPR 185 JHP
983
2.75
Sig Sauer Elite JHP

Performance 200
948
1.93

COMPACT CARRY .45 ACP**
load
velocity accuracy
Barnes TAC-XPD 185 +P
878
4.50
HPR 185 JHP
886
2.50
Sig Sauer Elite JHP

Performance 200
876
2.75

inches for best five-shot groups at a distance of
*25 yards and **15 yards.
+P, which is specifically engineered to reduce felt recoil. It does, and noticeably so,
but unfortunately the Taylors Full Size
experienced a trio of stovepipes as the
Barnes load occasionally failed to drive
the slide fully to the rear. The Full Size
functioned smoothly with Sig Sauer and
44 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
HPR. The Compact Carry also experienced a single stovepipe with the Barnes
load. Any failure to feed is important
to note in a gun test, but this was truly
a peculiarity with the lighter-recoiling
ammo, one of the random characteristics
of guns with heavy-duty recoil springs.
Regular use would most likely lessen
the occurrence, but the Taylors Tactical
1911s seemed to like full-bore loads.
Looking downrange, the Novak-style,
white-dot rear and green fiber-optic
front sights were very easy to acquire;
they were similarly easy to reacquire
when firing the heavier-recoiling Sig
Sauer 200-grain JHP rounds. Trigger pull
was excellent on both guns, with each
providing a very quick reset. The skeletonized trigger averaged a smooth 4.16
pounds for the Compact Carry and 4.14
pounds on the Full Size. Both had a short
0.125-inch take-up and a crisp break. The
tactile surfaces of the G10 grips provided
a solid meld of hand to gun, and the
magazine and slide releases functioned
flawlessly throughout the range tests.
There is nothing here not to like.
Firing off-hand using a two-handed
hold and a Weaver stance, five-round
strings were fired at regulation Law

Enforcement Targets B-27 cardboard
silhouettes. Rounds clocked 983 feet
per second (fps) with HPR 185-grain
JHPs from the Full Size and 886 fps from
the Compact Carry. With Barnes TACXPD 185-grain +P ammo, the Full Size
reached 936 fps and the Compact Carry
878 fps. Sig Sauer Elite Performance
V-Crown 200-grain JHPs produced 948
fps and 876 fps, respectively.
From a distance of 25 yards, the
5-inch-barreled Full Size averaged 2.75
inches with the HPR load, 4 inches with
the Barnes ammo and an impressive 1.93
inches with Sig Sauer Elite Performance.
At 15 yards, the Compact Carry, with its
3.6-inch tapered bull barrel, placed five
rounds of Sigs Elite Performance at 2.75
inches and five rounds of Barnes in 4.5
inches. HPRs load won the round, however, with a best five-shot group measuring just 2.5 inches.
Overall, both Taylors 1911 models
performed admirably on the test range,
and for the price, feature for feature,
they are a hard combo to beat. For more
information, visit taylorsfirearms.com or
call 540-722-2017.
combathandguns.com
In 1990 a Navy SEAL was navigating a mineeld when his pack failed. As his gear tumbled to the ground,
he vowed that if he got out of there alive he would make gear the right way. Today this obsession with
quality applies to everything we do. Were constantly researching, rening and perfecting every detail
to provide gear that wont let you down. Because were not just making stuff. Were honoring a vow.
GEAR AS PREPARED
AS YOU ARE.
2013 BLACKHAWK! NORFOLK, VA U.S.A. BLACKHAWK.com
BUG-OUT KIT
TAURUS
This .45 LC/.410 Judge, and its many companions,
46 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
FIRST 24
can help control the chaos when disaster strikes!
BY DAVE CAMPBELL PHOTOS BY NICK ALLEN
Once again, it turns out that many of

us were right. We used to be called
survivalists, but the term used today
is preppers. As the rest of the public
snickered in disdain, we quietly made
preparations for a day when supermarkets would be barren, electricity
and water might not be readily available and elements of the population
might resort to looting their neighbors
for everything from food to jewelry.
The snarkiness of those who laughed
at our efforts to prepare has begun
to evolve into an attitude of maybe it
would be a good idea to put away a few
things, just in case after some recent
calamities. Cataclysms may be
society based, but lately its been
just as likely to be a natural
occurrence like Hurricanes
Katrina and Sandy, a fire or
a horrific tornado. These
events come with little, if
any, warning. At any given
moment you might be
called upon to vacate or
defend your home from an
invasion or natural disaster.
Thats when you need a
bug-out kit.
A bug-out kit is a preassembled array of critical tools
and supplies you would need in an
emergency. The contents of such a
kit are as esoteric as each one of us.
It would be impossible to create a
universal and all-encompassing bugout kit that one person could carry.
However, there are a few things we
all could use: a self-defense weapon, a
good supply of ammunition, an artificial
light source with spare batteries and a
few other essentials. Taurus introduced
such a sub-kit this year.
combathandguns.com
The First 24 kit from

Taurus contains
several tools,
including a Judge
revolver, that
will be useful in a
natural or manmade
disaster.
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 47
TAURUS FIRST 24 JUDGE
The author found the Judge

in the First 24 kit surprisingly
accurate and versatile due to its
.45 LC/.410-gauge chambering .
FIRST 24 DEFENSE
Introduced as the First 24 kit, this system

certainly isnt everything anyone would
need, but the items in it are things virtually anyone would need in an emergency.
The First 24 is centered around a Taurus
revolver, either the Judge in .45 Colt/.410
(as I tested) or a Model 617 chambered
48 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
in .357 Magnum. Along with the revolver,

the Columbia River Knife & Tool Sting
survival knife is also included. This is
a nice knife with a 3.25-inch, doubletapered blade thats sharpened on both
sides. The blade is black-oxide finished,
and the handle is in the same tan earth
tone like much of the rest of the kit.
Attached to the knifes lanyard hole is a

2.5-inch-long piece of two-tone, braided
paracord. A ballistic nylon sheath with
hook-and-loop fasteners provides a variety of ways to carry the knife.
Rounding out the kit is a 20mm
compass, a Brite-Strike EPLI penlight
that generates up to 220 lumens and has
combathandguns.com
20mm
compass
Taurus Judge
revolver
Power Pax AA
battery caddy
Brite-Strike
EPLI flashlight
Hornady Critical
Defense ammo
CRKT Sting
survival knife
Brite-Strike
APALS
Zippo firestarter kit
Ammunition
speed strips
550
survival
paracord
specifications
TAURUS JUDGE
Caliber
.45 LC/.410
Barrel
3 inches
OA Length
9 inches
Weight
39 ounces
Grips
Rubber
Sights
Fixed rear, fiber-optic front
Action
DA/SA
Finish
Aimpro XCOAT, tan
Capacity
MSRP
$1,499
three settings: bright, low and strobe.

It can run up to eight hours on AAA batteries, and six batteries are included.
Also provided are three Brite-Strike
APALS emergency lights. These are
small LEDs in red and green that can
be used for signaling or marking
trails. They feature a visibility of up to
half a mile and up to 80 hours of run
time. There is a cutout in the interior
combathandguns.com
...the First 24 kit offers...

tools that would serve
anyone in an emergency...
for a box of .410 ammunition (not included). A Zippo fire starter and a
pair of speed strips for .45 Colt complete
the kit, which is housed in a SKB Sports
waterproof case. The case is in the
same tan earth tone and has a vacuumbreaker valve to allow it to be opened
at a different elevation from which it
was last closed. There are also two
padlock holes, making the case legal
for those who must carry firearms in a
lockable case.
The revolver, of course, is the centerpiece of the kit, and I chose the Judge
for my evaluation. First of all, I like the
.45 LC/.410 chambering. The .45 LC is an
excellent self-defense cartridge, and the
Judges ability to also handle 2-inch
.410 shotshells gives it added versatility.
Taurus introduced the notion of a dualchambered revolver in .45 LC and .410
in 2007, so the gun itself isnt new.

What is new is the Judge included in
the First 24 kit has been through the
Aimpro Tactical custom shop, and it has
received some upgrades that include a
polished action that improves the trigger
pull, polished and honed chambers that
also have been chamfered for easier
reloading, as well as jeweling of the
hammer and trigger. The gun is finished
in Aimpros XCOAT, which appears quite
durable. According to Aimpro Tactical,
that amounts to more than $110 in
upgrades. This rendition of the Taurus
Judge also features rubber grips with
a pebbled finish in the palm area and
finger grooves for enhanced control.
RANGE PREP WORK
One of the things Aimpro does is check

and adjust (if necessary) barrel-cylinder
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 49
TAURUS
444
TAURUS
24/7
TAURUS
44 SS4
TAURUS
66B6
TAURUS
1911 SS
5 MORE TAURUS BUG-OUTS
hooters are an independent and opinionated bunch. Some

dont want anyone telling
them what they want; they
would rather build their own
bug-out kit. So if the Model
317 or Judge doesnt tickle
your fancy quite enough,
look at some of these other
Taurus revolvers and semiautos and use them as a
basis for your custom kit.
EMERGENCY
WHEELGUNS: If you
live in a remote area with
big game or critters that
might bite you, consider
the Model 44SS4, a largeframe, 4-inch-barreled
revolver that is ported to
make it more manageable.
If thats still too big or too
much recoil, take a look at
the Model 66B6, a mediumframe .357 Magnum with
alignment; perhaps this has something

to do with me getting groups as small as
3 inches at 15 yards. This would still not
be my first choice as a gun to take out a
hostage-taker with an eyeball shot at 15
yards, but thats really not its intended
purpose. This is a get off me guna
a 6-inch barrel. Maybe you

think youre going to be
living out of a backpack
for some time, and weight
will be critical. The Taurus
Model 444MULTI is a featherweight .44 Magnum with a
titanium frame.
AFTERMATH AUTOS:
Perhaps revolvers are
just too old school for
you. Check out the Model
short-range, self-defense weapon with

the versatility to serve as a short-range
game getter as well. Its power in a reasonably compact package that is small
enough to allow its owner to carry it
constantly without an unbearable load.
It would be difficultnear impos-
1911SS, a stainless steel

1911 with Heinie sights
and .45 ACP power. If thats
still too old school for your
tastes, look at the Model
24/7 G240SS-15, a 15+1shot DA/SA semi-auto in
.40 S&W. Fans of the 9mm
might want to check out
the Model 24/7G29SS-17,
a 17+1-shot 9mm on a
stainless steel frame.
(taurususa.com)
sibleto improve shotshell performance

from the previous rendition of the Judge.
There is only so much room in a 2-inch
.410 shotshell, and with just 3 inches
of rifled barrel to launch the payload,
one cannot expect a lot past 10 to 15
feet. Ammunition manufacturers have
CONTINUED ON PAGE 974
50 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
By changing your body

language and mindset you can
learn how not to be a victim!
TOUGHEN UP!
V
M A I N P H O TO BY STRAIG HT EIG HT, INSET PHO TO BY KATHY CHURCHILL
LADIES ONLY
BY SARA AHRENS
iolent crime can and does

occur. Ones chances of victimization, however, are quite
small, and those odds can be
reduced further with a little
common sense, planning
and forethought.
Helpful to being properly prepared
is an understanding of what law enforcement professionals call the Crime
Prevention Triangle (CPT). Illustrating
altogether the three-pronged dynamic
of violent crime, each side of the CPT
represents a necessary component of a
criminal act: the assailants desire, ability
and opportunity. The three components
are interdependent, and a crime wont
occur without all three.
Prepare For Defense
The CPT is a great instructional tool that

simplifies for the everyday citizen the
concept of crime. As the CPT implies,
law-abiding citizens can help prevent
crime by minimizing the opportunity
52 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
component through forethought and

planning. In reality, unexpected events
occur all the time, and for that reason the
CPT is really just the beginning of the lesson, not the end.
According to Murphys Law, anything
that can go wrong will go wrong. No
matter how prudent and well prepared
commit their crimes without getting

apprehended. Criminals are often highly
perceptive because they spend their lives
honing their skills and learning from
their mistakes. They analyze the probable
success of any potential criminal act.
Some of those considerations include
determining the existence of witnesses,
Those who choose to fight

back must use dynamic and
decisive actions to distract
and defeat the threat.
you are, dangerous, crime-opportune

situations sometimes arise unavoidably.
And, once dangerous events are set in
motion and interaction with a potential
assailant is inescapable, the next step is
deterrence. Whether youll succeed in
that situation depends on your reaction.
Criminals look for opportunities to
the perceived resistance potential of

the victim and the possibility of being
identified. They prey on those they see as
weak, leaving it up to the would-be victim
to convince the bad guy that he or she is
not a suitable target. You can begin to accomplish this through the employment of
confident, non-verbal communication.
combathandguns.com
victims have
to create time,
distance and
opportunity in
order to draw
when the threat
is in close
proximity.
The meaning of any given message is
derived from words, vocal cues (inflection, pace, pitch) and body language. But
words only account for about seven to
eight percent of the messages meaning,
therefore body language is key to deterring victimization. Since criminals want
to avoid resistance and being identified,
they read body language in analyzing
their probable success with potential
victims. These criminal tactics were the
focus of a 1984 study by Betty Grayson
and Morris I. Stein.
Become A Hard Target
Grayson and Stein conducted a study
54 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
regarding how predators selected their

victims. They videotaped pedestrians
walking down a street and had incarcerated convicts view them. Within seven
seconds of viewing the pedestrians the
convicts had selected their targets.
Selections were not based on gender,
size, age or race, but rather on the body
language exhibited. The convicts identified the following body language cues
used as their basis for victim selection:
4Posture: People that walked with
shoulders slouched or slumped were
selected as victims as opposed to those
who walked with their chin up.
4Gaze: Those avoiding eye contact
were chosen as victims because of the
perception that they were preoccupied.
Making eye contact naturally communicates confidence.
4Stride: People who walked with a
stride that was too long or too short,
or those who shuffled or dragged their
feet, were selected over those who had a
smooth and natural gait.
4Rate: Those who walked slowly with
no apparent purpose, and those who
walked fast as if they were uncomfortable, were selected over those who
walked naturally and deliberately.
4Fluidity: Those who demonstrated
awkwardness in their movements were
chosen over those who seemed to glide
as they walked.
4Wholeness: Those who swung their
arms wildly while walking were selected
over those who moved from their center,
with coordination and balance.
Physical impairments may prevent
some people from projecting confidence. If they fail, victims must decide
whether or not defensive action is
necessary and appropriate. Carrying a
concealed firearm can level the playing
field, but retrieving it may not always
be possible. Introducing a firearm into
a volatile situation isnt always the best
response. That determination is dictated
by the totality of the circumstances.
Two studies may provide helpful insight
when making that decision.
Action Vs. Reaction
Dr. Bill Lewinski and Dr. Bill Hudson

conducted research on reaction times
in lethal force encounters at the Tempe,
Arizona Police Department. One experiment tested police officers reaction times to simple visual stimuli. The
results indicated that mental processing
time for visual stimuli was slower than
auditory stimuli. More complex stimuli
will require longer processing time.
combathandguns.com
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According to the researchers, mental
processing time for a quick reaction
can be a half second or longer.
Dr. Lewinski conducted another study
with officers from the Los Angeles Police
Department regarding the biomechanics of lethal force encounters. His
studies measured the reactive motions
of officers in response to an auditory
stimulus (a shot timer). One motion that
was studied was the time it took officers
to draw a firearm from a holster. One
key observation was that, regardless of
the complexity of the holsters retention
mechanisms, the speed of the draw was
directly related to the amount of practice
the officer had with the holster.
Rapid Response
These two studies have a profound

impact on determining conditions
appropriate for drawing a concealed
firearm. The studies indicate that action
is always faster than reaction. If caught
off-guard initially, decisive action on the
victims part can turn the tables, forcing
the suspect to react. It also underscores
the necessity of practicing with the
draw. The more one practices drawing
a firearm from a concealed holster, the
greater the reduction in reaction time.
These studies dont address the fact that
concealed firearms are often more difficult to access because that wasnt the
focus. Based on the fact that it is more
complicated to draw a concealed firearm,
victims have to create time, distance and
opportunity in order to draw their firearm
when the threat is in close proximity. If
that threat is armed with a weapon, the
victim may have to consider a disarming
technique versus drawing their firearm.
When confronted with a life-anddeath situation the victim may attempt
to create time, distance and opportunity
by employing a distraction technique.
Those who choose to fight back must use
dynamic and decisive actions to distract
and defeat the threat. Oftentimes victims
subconsciously fight fair to survive, but
to win, a victim must be ready and willing to use full force. A vicious attack to
sensitive areas of the body such as poking out eyes, attacking the groin or even
biting may be necessary to win.
When criminal opportunity cannot be
controlled, dangerous situations may
present themselves. The first step is to
display confident body language. If that
fails, a physical confrontation may ensue.
Victims must decide whether or not
fighting back is the best option. If it is,
they must be mentally committed to unleashing violence without limitations.
56 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
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If you can nd a more accurate and feature-rich tactical gun, buy it.
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ambidextrous safety at a price most others charge for a standard model.
When youre serious about combat, get serious about what you shoot.
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SHORT TRAVEL
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Lightweight design for faster trigger pull.
FLASHLIGHT
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COMBAT TEST
CYLINDER & SLIDE
TRIDENT II
U.S. Navy SEAL-inspired
.45 warrior built to endure
the toughest conditions!
PHOTO BACKGROUND BY CAMERA ONE
BY ROB GARRETT
The Trident II
is finished
with a PVD nickel
boron finish that
provides exceptional
corrosion protection.
58 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
The trident is a three-pronged spear

that, in mythology, is associated with
both Neptune and Poseidon. It is also
at the center of the U.S. Navy Special
Warfare insignia, where it is being
clutched by a golden eagle, along with
an anchor and a cocked flintlock pistol.
The insignia represents the core values
and mission of the Navy SEAL community. It is also the namesake for a custom
1911 from Cylinder & Slide (C&S).
The story of the C&S Trident II 1911
began in 2009, when Bill Laughridge,
founder and president of the company, was teaching a 1911 Custom
Pistolsmithing class in Virginia. One of his
students was an active-duty SEAL who
had an affinity for the 1911. During that
class, the student shared his experiences with the fine sand, known as moon
dust, that plagues equipment in Iraq,
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 59
CYLINDER & SLIDE TRIDENT II

Note the white
witness mark indicating
the safety is engaged.
A red dot is visible
when the safety is
disengaged.
Afghanistan and other unnamed locations. Those discussions served as a

catalyst that sent Laughridge on a search
to find a suitable finish for the 1911 that
would not attract sand, dirt and other
crud. The discussions also led to a set
of specifications for a 1911 that would
be reliable in harsh environments with
minimal maintenance. To honor all Naval
Special Warfare warriors, Laughridge
named the pistol the Trident.
It is important to note that the Trident
was not earth shattering and had no new,
revolutionary features. What made the
Trident different was its execution. But,
to quote Laughridge, The devil is in the
details. Each modification and component was carefully evaluated to ensure
durability and maximum reliability in the
worlds harshest environments. It is this
philosophy, supported by real-world experience, that set the Trident apart from
many other 1911s.
The original Tridents utilized a
Springfield Armory 1911A1 as a base
platform. The Springfield Tridents provided the proof of concept, and C&S built
and sold a significant number of pistols.
As the Trident project grew, delivery of
the base Springfield pistol became an
issue. Laughridge made the decision to
transition to a full-custom-built pistol
using a C&S OEM slide and frame. The
A1 versions of the Trident II are 5-inch
Government models with integral
magazine wells and Picatinny accessory
rails. The A2 variant is a standard 5-inch
60 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
The Trident II has a match grade

barrel but the bushing is only finger tight
to facilitate toolless field stripping .
Laughridge selected
the proven Heinie
Ledge rear sight for
the Trident.
While there
are more
expensive
1911s on the
market, I am
not sure that
there is one
more reliable.
Government model configuration without
the accessory rail. Finally, the A3 Trident
II pistols are Commander-sized and do
not have the mag well or accessory rail.
GUN DETAILS
Having tested the original Trident for

Combat Handguns in 2010, I was especially excited to see the new and improved
version. The basic features of the original
Trident have been retained, and it is important to note that all of the Trident IIs
major components are C&S OEM parts.
The critical internal parts are CNCmachined from billet steel or made from
forgings and heat-treated throughout.
Each part undergoes a rigorous inspection and is subjected to a hardness evaluation using a Rockwell testing machine.
Its also important to note that the Trident
II contains no MIM parts.
To fully understand the Trident concept, it is necessary to review the major

modifications and choice of components.
The frame on my test pistol, an A1 variant, features an integral accessory rail
that has been trued to mil-spec dimensions. The frontstrap is machine-stippled
to improve the gripping surface. Stippling
was chosen over checkering for several
reasons. Proper stippling provides a
positive gripping surface without the
drawbacks of checkering, which can trap
dirt, skin or blood and is hard to clean.
Checkering also tends to abrade gear and
can be dented and broken. Another small
and often overlooked detail involves stock
bushings that, when improperly installed,
tend to back out when removing the
stocks. Cylinder & Slide properly torques
and stakes the bushings to prevent this
issue. The steel mainspring housing fea-
combathandguns.com
CAMERA ONE PHOTO
The front sight is the C&S Strong

sight that features a widened base
for additional durability.
tures a recessed lanyard loop

and is stippled and cleanly
blended to the frame and
magazine well.
The slide features front
and rear cocking serrations
to facilitate cycling and
press checks. The C&Smade, 5-inch, drop-in barrel is matched to a fingertight barrel bushing that has
been opened up to enhance
reliability. This combination
gives the Trident II, on average, 2-inch accuracy at 25 yards.
The ejection port is lowered, and
its leading edge has been relieved to
allow for the safe ejection of an unfired
round. C&S uses a machined extractor that is inspected for proper heat
treatment and then fitted, radiused and
tensioned. The diameter of the firingpin hole has been opened to the original
.45-caliber specification.
External controls include a C&S beavertail grip safety with a palm swell that
is precisely fitted and specially modified. The hammer recess is re-cut and
enlarged to prevent debris from being
trapped in the recess and jamming the
pistol. The ambidextrous thumb safety
is a C&S extended design that features
reduced-width paddles. Status indicators
are receded and color-coded to show
white when the safety is engaged and red
when the safety is in the off position.
I first wondered why the fire-control
combathandguns.com
Stippling not only

reduces the cost
but does not attract and trap dirt
and debris like
checkering.
Each
modification
and component
was carefully
evaluated to
ensure durability
and maximum
reliability in the
worlds harshest
environments.
Forward cocking
serrations and
ball cuts provide
functionality and
add to overall
good looks.
status dots were color-coded,

but former Special Forces
operator and gunsmith
Larry Vickers was one of
the first to use red/white
dots on a 1911-style pistol.
The red for fire and white
for safe are internationally accepted indicators on
many weapons. Its a nice
custom touch for the pistol.
The slide stop is a Greider
design that provides a solid
ledge for both dropping the slide
during reloads and manually locking the slide to the rear.
C&S selected a solid, mediumlength trigger with a solid shoe and a
stainless steel bow. Its also fitted with
an internal overtravel stop. The mediumlength trigger allows for ample space
to run the Trident II with cold weather
gloves. The solid trigger lacks the
fashionable three holes that can attract
debris and contribute to malfunction.
The trigger pull on my test pistol broke
cleanly at 4.75 pounds with no overtravel.
The Trident II features a Heinie Ledge
rear sight with a cocking ledge on the
forward edge of the blade. The C&S
Strong front sight was specifically
developed for the Trident project. The
sides of the Strong front sight have been
widened at the base, eliminating the
90-degree weak point found on traditional designs. This provides a stronger
design for hard-use environments. A
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 61

specifications

Caliber
.45 ACP
Barrel
5 inches
OA Length
8.5 inches
Weight
42 ounces (empty)
Grips
Checkered G10
Sights
C&S Strong front,

Heinie Ledge rear
Action
SA
Finish
Nickel-boron
Capacity
7+1
MSRP
N/A
Trijicon tritium insert is ringed with a

white circle for more-positive acquisitions during a variety of conditions.
The frame, slide and all major components of the Trident II are coated with a
nickel-boron finish. This allows the pistol
to operate in harsh environments with
little or no lubrication. Dust and dirt are
the enemy of all firearms, and 1911s are
notorious for not running well without
proper lubrication on the rails, barrel
62 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
The new SureFire X400V IRc

features both white and IR
illumination and an IR laser.
hood and muzzle. The PVD nickel-boron

finish offers exceptional lubrication and
anti-corrosion properties. In addition,
carbon deposits and fouling do not stick
to the finish as readily, making the cleaning process significantly easier.
Once the Trident II build is completedbut before being sent out for finish-
ingthe pistol is test-fired at 15 yards to

check for both function and reliability. It
is at this step that the front sight blade
is cut for the proper zero with 230-grain
FMJ ammunition. The front sight is then
removed and sent to Trijicon for the white
circle and tritium insert. The other components are then ready to be nickel-
combathandguns.com
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PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
Butchs Bore
Shine & Gun Oil
It
is no secret that firearms work

better clean than dirty. Good
quality firearms are designed to
keep running even with heavy fouling
but in my experience once you get
to a certain level of build-up things
start to slow down. I have seen heavily fouled guns that just dont cycle
like they should and empty cases are
not thrown as far.
Inside the barrel heavy fouling
can affect accuracy, chamber pressure and muzzle velocity, and not in
a good way. Butchs Bore Shine from
Lyman Products Corp., however,
does a very good job of keeping your
bore clean. This non-abrasive chemical solvent was designed by Butch
Fischer, a well-known benchrest
competitive shooter, to easily and
quickly remove carbon, copper, lead,
wax and plastic buildup from rifles,
pistol and shotguns.
Pretreating the barrel with
Butchs Bore Shine also helps prevent copper fouling from building up
in the first place, expediting future
cleanings. It is safe to use on stainless steel, cleans all metal parts of
the firearm and comes in three sizes.
It is also a good idea to follow up
your cleaning with a good lubricant
like Butchs Gun Oil bore protectant
and conditioner, and parts lubricant,
which further protects and conditions the bore as well as the moving
parts of your gun. Made from natural
oils, it will stand up to intense pressure, heat and friction as well as
help prevent rust or corrosion. To
learn more please call 800-225-9626
or visit butchsboreshine.com.
JORGE AMSELLE
64 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
performance
CYLINDER & SLIDE

TRIDENT II .45 ACP
load
velocity accuracy
ASYM Precision 185

Barnes TSX +P
973
1.75
PNW Arms 185 Tac Ops
977
1.95
Winchester 230 Bonded

Personal Defense 230
924
2.10

boron coated. After all parts are returned, the pistol is then reassembled
and the sights are reinstalled. The pistol
is test-fired a second time for a final
function check and the zero is confirmed. The test-firing is done with the
three, seven-round, nickel-boron-coated
magazines that are shipped with the
pistol. During the process, a minimum of
56 rounds are fired through each pistol.
RANGE TIME
I received the first production Trident II

for testing. Laughridge was also interested in getting some initial feedback,
and I noticed two minor issues. The
lower trailing edge of the thumb safety
needed to be radiused to remove a sharp
edge. The second involved the fire control and trigger pull. The nickel-boron
finish resulted in a very slick trigger pull
that felt lighter than the measured 4.25
pounds. Both of these were very minor
issues, but Laughridge addressed each
in the production pistols.
To no ones surprise, the Trident II
proved 100-percent reliable with a variety
of ammunition. I even degreased the pistol and ran it in a completely dry condition in an effort to induce a malfunction. I
tested the Trident II with three loads at a
distance of 25 yards.
The fact that a custom 1911 is still the
first choice of many of todays warriors
is a tribute to John Moses Browning.
In truth, the Trident II is not significantly different from Brownings original
design. However, modern production
technology, quality parts and specific
modifications enable this 100-year-old
design to continue to be relevant. While
there are more expensive 1911s on the
market, I am not sure that there is one
more reliable. The Trident II is purposebuilt to go into harms way. Whether in
the deserts of Iraq, the mountains of
Afghanistan or Main Street, U.S.A., the
Trident II is ready for any mission. For
more information, visit cylinder-slide.
com or call 800-448-1713.
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 65
RIMFIRES
Classic style and handling

combine with affordable
ammo to make the ultimate
sidekicks to your big bores.
Shown is the
stock 1911-22
Standard
rimfire pistol
from Chiappa,
sibling to the
companys
1911-22
Target.
BY MICHAEL O. HUMPHRIES
PHOTOS COURTESY MANUFACTURERS
hen it comes to a
distinctly American
autoloader, it is hard to
top the classic 1911. Born
from the genius of John
Moses Browning and adopted by the U.S.
military more than a century ago, this
classic single-action defensive pistol
soldiers on today in the hands of not only
select military and law enforcement units,
but also everyday citizens. But, feeding
these .45 ACP pistols a steady diet
similar handling characteristics and control placements they can do an

excellent job of replicating the centerfire
1911 experience at a fraction of the cost.
Read on to see what options are available
on the market for shooters today.
WALTHER/
COLT 1911 A1
SIG SAUER
1911-22
Produced in Germany, the 1911-22 from

Sig Sauer is a classically styled .22 LR
1911-pattern pistol with an attractive
matte Teflon-coated finish. Low-key in
appearance, the pistol weighs in at 34
ounces and features subtle but significant enhancements such as an ambidextrous safety and extended beavertail
grip safety for enhanced ergonomics. A
skeletonized aluminum trigger, attractive
grips and high-visibility, three-dot sights
round out the package. (sigsauer.com;
866-345-6744)
Specifications
Manfactured in Germany by Walther

under license from Colt, the rimfire Colt
Government 1911 A1 in .22 LR recreates the classic configuration of the U.S.
military 1911. Featuring authentic Colts
rollmarkings on the slide, the single-action pistol employs a functional half-cock
mechanism, fully functioning thumb and
grip safeties, black rubber grips and allsteel lockwork for durability. For a perfect
plinking companion to a true military
1911, the Colt Government 1911 A1 from
Walther is an ideal choice. (479-2428500; waltherarms.com)
Specifications
Caliber4.22 LR
Caliber4.22 LR
Barrel45 inches
Barrel45 inches
OA Length48.5 inches
Weight434 ounces
Weight436 ounces
Grips4Wood
Grips4Black rubber
Sights4Three dot
Sights4Drift adjustable
Action4SA
Action4SA
Finish4PTFE coating
Finish4Matte black
Capacity410+1
Capacity410/12+1
MSRP4$460
66 COMBAT HANDGUNS
of practice ammunition can quickly

become an expensive endeavor.
For those looking for a cheaper way
to keep up their shooting skills with the
1911 platform, there are several rimfire
variants of this classic design available
on the market today. While the internal
mechanical operations of these .22 LR
pistols differ from the original (namely
straight blowback replacing the
locked breech/delayed blowback
operation of centerfire variants), with
MSRP4$399
February 2015
W ILLIAM BELL PHO T O
Top 1911 .22 Trainers
KIMBER
RIMFIRE
SUPER
ATI GSG
M1911 .22
Imported by American Tactical Imports,

the German Sport Guns (GSG) M1911 .22
LR is a modern rimfire take on the classic
1911 design. In fact, it sports features on
par with many custom or top-tier factory
1911 pistols on the market today. These
include enhancements such as an ambidextrous thumb safety, extended beavertail grip safety, low-profile/high-visibility
sights, double-diamond pattern Walnut
grips and a three-hole, skeletonized
aluminum trigger. The frame and slide are
manufactured from zinc alloy and feature
a black anodized finish. Capacity of the
pistol is 10+1, and the weight is on par with
a standard all-steel 1911 at 34.4 ounces.
(americantactical.us;
800-290-0065)
The Rimfire Super from Kimber

delivers a high-end, 1911-pattern
pistol with just about every feature
the discerning shooter would want.
From its flat-topped slide with flutes
and fully adjustable sights to its 30lpi checkering on the frontstrap to
its match-grade premium aluminum
trigger, the Rimfire Super exudes elegance and refinement. The pistol, of
which the slide and frame are manufactured from lightweight aluminum,
weighs in at 23 ounces unloaded and
is guaranteed to shoot a five-shot
group of 1.5 inches or smaller at
25 yards. (kimberamerica.com;
888-243-4522)
Specifications
Specifications
Caliber4.22 LR
Caliber4.22 LR
Barrel45 inches
Barrel45 inches
OA Length48. 7 inches
Weight434.4 ounces
Weight423 ounces
Grips4Walnut
Grips4Rosewood
Sights4Low profile
Sights4Adjustable rear, front blade
Action4SA
Action4SA
Finish4Black anodized
Finish4KimPro II
Capacity410+1
Capacity410+1
MSRP4$379.95
MSRP4$1,220
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT
CHIAPPA
1911-22 TARGET
Produced in Italy and available here

in the United States through Chiappa
Firearms, the 1911-22 Target pistol in .22
LR delivers a modern-style 1911 ready
for precision target shooting. Combining
classic styling cues such as a standard
safety with enhanced upgrades like a
fully adjustable rear sight unit, the 191122 Target features an attractive matte
black finish with polished sides on the
slide. The pistol itself is constructed from
a combination of what the company
terms Chiappalloy and steel, resulting in a weight of 33.5 ounces that is
comparable to a true centerfire 1911.
(chiappafirearms.com)
Specifications
Caliber4.22 LR
Barrel45 inches
Weight433.5 ounces
Grips4Wood
Sights4Adjustable rear
Action4SA
Finish4Black anodized
Capacity410+1
MSRP4$319
combathandguns.com
Load Up
With GTUL U-Load

Although shooting a rimfire can be loads of fun,
loading them can often
be quite the opposite.
To help you minimize
your loading time and
maximize your plinking
time, GTUL has developed
the U-Load magazine loading tool. The bright polymer tool, designed to work
with both ATI GSG M1911
and Sig 1911-22 magazines, fits over the top of
the magazine and engages the
pins protruding from the follower.
This enables one to depress the
follower to load cartridges quickly
and easily while saving your fingertips
from having to grasp those small pins.
Simple, rugged and effective, its just
what you would expect from the makers
of GTUL. For more information, visit
mygtul.com or call 757-647-0805.
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 67
COMPETITION
Amazing Races
Sharpen your defensive top-gun skills with any of these

against-the-clock shooting matches! BY JONATHAN CHANG
ou just bought your first

1911. Or your seventh.
You go to the range when
you can and feel pretty good
about your shooting skills.
Now what? One of the joys of
shooting is finding ways we can
plink and compete while making
us better all-around shooters.
Lets take a closer look at a few fun
and popular shooting sports that are
easy to get into, regardless of your skill
level. I have found that these competitive
organizations are filled with some of the
nicest and most welcoming folks youll
run into at any range.
Bullseye
Objective: Hit a 3-inch dot at 50 yards

while holding the gun with one hand.
With iron-sights, that target will be about
a quarter of the width of your front sight;
similarly, a 2 MOA red-dot will barely
cover that little black circle of a target.
Precision and marksmanship is the goal.
Just to keep things interesting, youll
also be shooting timed during rapid-fire
strings, releasing five rounds in 20- and
10-second windows at 25 yards. The best
in the world literally put one round on top
of the other. Points of contact include the
NRAs Competitive Shooting Division.
68 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
Essential gear: Eventually, you

will need a .22 LR, any centerfire and
a .45 ACP pistol. Most competitors in
these events use an accurized 1911 or a
Beretta 92FS/M9 platform.
Range training: On a white piece of
paper, draw a little black dot 1 inch in
diameter. Send it back to the 15-yard
line. Load five rounds and see if you can
dunk all of them in there. If you can get
10 rounds all in the black dot, move the
target back another 5 yards.
International Defensive
Pistol Association
Objective: IDPA is all about real-world

self-defense. Using pistols you might
actually carry for CCW and strong-side
holsters suitable for everyday wear,
youll face a number of defensive shooting scenarios. These scenarios may
include a carjacking where you must
draw your gun from a glove box, and a
home invasion where youll have to find
your gun in the nightstand and stand
up to the bad guys. In fact, most of the
setups are taken from actual encounters
documented in the news.
Essential gear: Youre basically
limited to service-type pistols. The great
thing is most out-of-the-box guns will
work for IDPA competitions.
Range training: With a cleared and

empty gun (even a simulation gun will
do), in an empty house, walk around
drawing your gun and picking random
spots to target. Get used to moving
around corners, through doorways and
aiming while taking cover behind a sofa.
Steel Challenge
Objective: Want to know how fast you

really are? Youre going to be standing in front of five steel plates. At the
buzzer, shoot them all as fast as you can,
reserving the last shot for the designated
stop plate, which concludes your salvo
sprint. Steel plates are arranged at
varying distances and in various sizes;
each is erratically placed so that each
stage allows for different strategic approaches on what to shoot first and what
to shoot next. Its addictive and extremely
satisfying, all accompanied by the instant
feedback of the harmonic ding when
you slam lead on steel.
Essential gear: A pistol. Five rounds.
Range training: See if your local
range has a row of steel plates. Load five
rounds for five plates. Start left to right.
Did you knock them all down? All right,
this time do it in less than 30 seconds.
Keep in mind, the best in the world can
clean house in less than three seconds.
combathandguns.com
L E F T: C H R I S T A Y L OR / U S P S A P H OT O; RIG HT: YAM IL SUED/IDPA PHO TO
Left: IDPA top-shot

Jerry Miculek runs
and guns. Right: IDPA
competitor in action
during a carjacking
scenario.
Speed, accuracy and

mindset are all honed
during shooting matches.
United States Practical

Shooting Association
Objective: Youll be shooting on the move

through various stages. Sometimes youll
be flat on your belly, to then run, open up
a hatch and shoot one-handed at steel
silhouettes. Youll be judged on speed
and accuracy.
Essential gear: Chances are whatever pistol you currently own, it will qualify
for one of the divisions. Eventually many
fall happily into the deep dark abyss of
the Open Division, where just about
anything goes.
Range training: Send a plain-white
8.5-by-11-inch piece of paper downrange
about 15 to 20 yards. Then put two rounds
in the center of the paper. Are they both
in there? Try it with a friend while timing
yourself. Accuracy and speed are key!
3-Gun/Multi-Gun
Objective: Take all of the shooting

platforms weve covered so far and add
in rifles and shotguns, and youve got
yourself a 3-Gun match. There are poppers, classic stationary targets and steel
plates, all set up in a stage you have to
run and shoot through using your three
guns. With the inclusion of rifles and
shotguns, and simulating self-defense
scenarios, youll be challenged to engage
targets that are right in front of you
all the way to 500 yards away, including flying clays and whatever else the
organizers deem targets. There really is
something for everyone!
Essential gear: Most people showing
up to USPSA-sanctioned matches will
be using an AR-type rifle, a semi-auto or
pump shotgun and a semi-auto pistol.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
International Defensive
Pistol Association
idpa.com; 870-545-3886
NRA Competitive Shooting
competitions.nra.org; 800-672-3888
Steel Challenge Shooting Association
steelchallenge.com; 360-855-2245
United States Practical
Shooting Association
uspsa.org; 360-855-2245
70 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
YAMIL SUED PHO TO
COMPETITION
TACTICAL HANDGUN
The Kriss Vector SDP is

obviously not for everyday carry unless youre
working a VIP security
detail. But for homestead
defense or enjoyable
shooting at the range,
its tough to beat.
KRISS VECTOR SDP
SUPER
RAD .45
Its unorthodox, but
this subgun-like pistol
is dead-on accurate
shot after shot!
BY ROBERT JORDAN
I am one of those people who

loves to see gun manufacturers
that break the mold and come
up with something different. I
have lots of buddies who scoff
at any non-traditional pistol,
rifle or shotgun, and dismiss
it without a second thought.
What they dont realize is that some of
our greatest legacy firearms were so
unique that they were laughed at when
they were introduced. Eugene Stoners
AR rifle had plastic furniture when
the world was used to seeing wood.
Gaston Glocks G17 was called tactical
Tupperware and scoffed at by legions.
Everyone wants a better mousetrap, but
many dont recognize it when it shows
up on their doorstep.
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 73
KRISS VECTOR SDP

A recess above the barrel is designed for
a Surefire Executive light, but the
Picatinny rail positioned below
the barrel can also be used
to mount a laser or light.
The supplied singlepoint sling allows

shooters to further
steady the gun.
Founded in 2003, KRISS has a cult

following based on its products unique
designs, durability and jaw-dropping performance, as well as a healthy following
in Europe where pistol-caliber long arms
still dominate. I own and have trained on
a lot of subguns. The KRISS remains my
absolute favorite for full-auto fire. The
muzzle simply does not rise, and keeping
lead on target is almost too easy.
74 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
REVOLUTIONARY .45
My test KRISS Vector Special Duty Pistol

(SDP) arrived in a large, foam-lined, hard
case (optional) along with a 13-round
Glock .45 ACP magazine, a 25-round
KRISS mag (optional), a single-point sling
and a KRISS pen (optional) that doubles
as a take-down tool. First impressions
were that this gun is only a pistol in
the legal definition according to ATF. At

5.4 pounds, it weighs over three times
as much as a Glock 21. However, the
intended role of this firearm is completely
different than your normal semi-automatic pistol.
With the single-point sling worn
diagonally and the KRISS SDP under my
strong arm, it suddenly seemed a lot less
combathandguns.com
specifications
KRISS VECTOR SDP

Caliber
.45 ACP
Barrel
5.5 inches
OA Length
16 inches
Weight
5.4 pounds (empty)
Grips
Polymer
Sights
Flip-up front and rear
Action
Semi-auto
Finish
Matte black
Capacity
25+1
MSRP
$1,795*
*Base price includes: 13-rnd mag, sights and sling.
The safety
switch is
ambidextrous
and sits directly
above the
pistol grip.
bulky and heavy. In fact, a light jacket

would go a long way to concealing it. And
for VIP protection or a high-risk prisoner
transport, this setup would be ideal. It
could be brought on target faster than a
gun from the holster, would be easier to
aim and would allow for very fast followup shots due to the lack of muzzle rise.
Almost nothing about the KRISS
SDP is conventional, and it has a lot
of features that are easy to overlook.
The non-reciprocating charging handle
sits on the left side. Swiveling it out
90 degrees moves the bolt back approximately 0.25 inches and allows the
shooter to see if there is a round in the
chamber. It is the easiest gun to press
check ever. Pulling the charging handle
back farther to charge the weapon takes
a lot more effort. The spring is heavyduty. A bolt catch/release lever sits on
the left side, just under the path of the
charging handle. Directly under that,
where the support hand rests, is the
magazine-release button. A raised fence
around the magazine release prevents
shooters from accidentally pushing this
button. I never hit it by accident, and
once I got used to the location, I found it
easy to drop magazines. A Picatinny rail
runs under the barrel, and there are two
threaded mounting points on either side
of the receiver where additional accessory rail sections can be mounted.
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 75
KRISS VECTOR SDP
Accuracy at 25 yards was fantastic.

performance
KRISS VECTOR SDP

.45 ACP
load
velocity accuracy
Aguila 230 FMJ
890
1.80
American Eagle 230 FMJ 858
1.50
Remington Golden
Saber 230 BJHP
1.30
925

The barrel on my test model was 5.5

inches and came threaded. I was planning to try a .45 suppressor on it, but I
found that it was a left-handed thread
and wouldnt work with any suppressors
I had on hand. I asked Tim Seargeant at
KRISS about the threading and he said,
The threading on the KRISS Vector SDP
is designed so that the operator can
attach a suppressor on the fly without
removing their dominant hand from the
pistol grip. The Vector SDP pairs well
with our Defiance HPS 4GSK Suppressor
that we designed specifically for the
Vector platform.
The hollow grip on the SDP is very
comfortable and sits in your hand higher
than the barrel axis. The barrel sits 3.6
inches below the line of sight. This is referred to as the mechanical offset. The
mechanical offset on an AR-15-style rifle
is approximately 2.5 inches, so 3.6 inches
is significant. A skeletonized trigger
slides straight back like a 1911 pistol, instead of pivoting. An ambidextrous safety
sits just above the trigger. My Lyman
trigger pull gauge averaged it right at
8 pounds. The included backup iron
sights sit on the full-length Picatinny rail
that runs down the top of the gun. They
looked similar to Diamondhead Tacticals
Diamond Integrated Sighting System,
76 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
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combat2015
AMERICAN GUNSMITHING INSTITUTE AGI
KRISS VECTOR SDP

which have already proven extremely robust, dependable and popular. Seargeant
said, The Diamondhead Tactical sights
are a great match for the Vector. Not only
do they perform well, they match the
Vectors unique aesthetics.
SMOOTH SHOOTER
While the externals of the KRISS SDP

are unique, the internals are downright
revolutionary. Removing four identical
take-down pins separates the lower
and upper receivers. The upper receiver
contains the hammer, which swings
down to engage the firing pin. The
lower receiver contains the heart of the
KRISS Super V recoil reduction system.
A weighted cam slides down instead of
back with each shot. This simple but
completely unique feature reduces felt
recoil by as much as 65 percent and
muzzle rise by an astounding 95 percent.
I found disassembly and reassembly to be
intuitive, quick and easy.
While the
externals of
the KRISS SDP
are unique, the
internals are
downright
revolutionary.
The fact that the KRISS takes Glock
.45 ACP magazines is a definite plus.
They are not overly expensive, they
have been around for decades and they
represent the best in dependability and
durability. Unfortunately, unlike the Glock
stick magazines in 9mm, there are no
super-high-capacity Glock factory .45
ACP magazines. KRISS simply built an
extension that replaces the floorplate. It
uses a longer spring, but the same mag
follower. The springs proved to be pretty
stiff and completely reliable, never causing a malfunction.
RANGE REPORT
I have never tested a pistol by attaching a bipod or mounting a scope designed

for a carbine, but this time I did. An Atlas
bipod and a Steiner 1-5x24 scope proved
ideal for accuracy testing. The illuminated reticle in the scope proved equally
useful for tactical drills later in the afternoon. Despite its 8-pound trigger, accuracy at 25 yards was excellent. A fixed
78 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
barrel and an excellent scope made it

easier. My smallest group was 1.3 inches
and my largest group was 2.5 inches.
Tactical drills were far more interesting. First, the KRISS SDP still has recoil,
but it is not like any recoil youve ever felt
before. I guess the best way to describe
it is that the blast of a .45 ACP going off
makes the gun shake. However, with
the low barrel bore axis, the KRISS Super
V Vector system and the weight of the
gun, you do not feel muzzle rise at all.
It feels different than the recoil on any
other gun. The gun is very controllable.
I found a red-dot sight was far preferable to iron sights when doing any type
of moving and shooting. Pushing forward
on an attached sling helped to steady
the weapon, but without a stock it was
slow to line up the iron sights. A red-dot
sight proved much more forgiving and far
quicker to acquire. I am not usually a fan
of visible lasers on a gun, but this would
be an exception. I think having a laser
and being able to shoot from the hip
would have been even faster.
Shooting a pistol with two hands is
old hat, but shooting one with my hands
separated felt more like shooting a
carbine than a pistol. The gun is still light
enough that performing reloads up in
the work zone and holding the SDP one
handed was no problem. The 3.6-inch
mechanical offset of the sights over the
bore axis is especially significant when
shooting in close quarters. I used a 25yard sight in, and inside of 7 yards it was
important to remember that the bullet
would impact a couple inches lower than
where I was aiming.
THE TAKEAWAY
I heartily endorse subguns for a variety

of different types of operations. I think
their role needs to be re-examined by
American law enforcement. Here are a
few reasons why: pistol-round lethality
has improved dramatically over the last
10 years, subguns are far more controllable than carbines, hearing injuries to
officers are far less with pistol rounds,
and officers tend to become proficient
in their use at a far quicker rate than
when using carbines in rifle calibers.
The KRISS Vector SDP .45 ACP pistol is
not technically a subgun because it does
not have a stock. It has the advantage of
being more concealable, yet offers fast,
accurate rounds on target in an instant.
The unique characteristics of the KRISS
SDP make it far more controllable under
rapid fire than anything else I have ever
tested. For more information visit kriss
usa.com or call 855-574-7787.
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 79
CUSTOM CORNER
Ruger LCP
Refined
Galloway Precision
fine-tunes the
popular .380
for the ultimate in
pocket-pistol handling
and accuracy!
he Ruger LCP has been one

of the true success stories in
contemporary small-caliber
self-defense firearms. At
only 9.4 ounces, the LCP uses
a composite frame (high-performance
glass-filled nylon), an aluminum subframe grip frame and a through-hardened steel slide with a 2.75-inch steel
barrel. It will fit into the palm of most
peoples hands, and with a 6+1 capacity
offers an easily carried and concealable
double-action-only (DAO) sidearm for
personal protection.
CCW Traits
There are no manual safeties and the

trigger is DAO with a short 0.5 inches of
travel and a substantial 6-pound trigger pull. In terms of familiarization, the
flush-profile hammer is recessed in the
back of the slide and can only be seen in
the ready-to-fire, semi-cocked position
(the action has been cycled). If the gun
has not been cycled, the hammer is not
visible at the back of the slide, and there
is a loaded-chamber view port at the
breech showing the rim of a chambered
.380 ACP cartridge.
The LCPs finish is a smooth, clean
matte blue-black with a fixed, crescentcut rear sight and a small, graduated,
integral front sight.
The grip contour easily places the
mass of the frame within the web of an
average-size hand, the thumb falling into
80 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
DENNIS ADLER PHO TO S
BY DENNIS ADLER
a groove in either the left or right side

of the frame, making the general grasp
ambidextrous, although the magazine
release is on the left side only. The LCP
feels solid in the hand with the second
and third fingers firmly wrapped around
the checkered and serrated grips and
frontstrap. The backstrap is also checkered and serrated for a more secure rest
in the palm.
The Ruger LCP is one of the best
options today for a concealed-carry
semi-auto. However, as a price-driven
competitor in the marketplace (with a
suggested retail of $379 and usually
selling for $319 to $349), the LCP has
never been as finely tuned as many of its
more expensive contemporaries costing
hundreds more.
What Galloway Brings
Eric Galloway explained that massproduced firearms can all use a little
niche gunsmithing to make them run
smoother and more reliably.
When we get an LCP in house, the
first thing we do is strip it all down, clean
it and begin by de-burring all the edges
of the action, and inspecting and lightly
polishing any rough edges around the
loading ramp. Rough edges on stamped
parts are often simply part of machining
and they do not impede the operation of
the gun. Polishing does, however, improve the operation. We also make sure
there are no (dowel) pins sticking out on
retainers, which can happen and cause

hammer drag or trigger drag.
Internal upgrades for a Gallowaymodified LCP include a skeletonized
trigger adjustable for pre-travel and
overtravel, a new hammer spring, a steel
guide rod and a 13-pound recoil spring.
While all of the standard parts in an LCP
are very good, the Galloway improvements make the trigger action smoother,
recoil a little more manageable (though
it requires a bit more effort to cycle the
slide when chambering the first round or
clearing the gun), speed up the cycling of
the pistol and overall improve handling
by smoothing out the entire operation of
the Ruger LCP pocket pistol.
Part of the standard Galloway upgrades is a new recoil spring and stainless steel guide rod. The new guide rod
is more durable, as is the heavier
13-pound dual recoil spring made to
Galloways specifications. The Galloway
guide rod has a 30-degree bevel machined into it, which is then hand polished to create a smooth radius across
the back of the head that firmly seats the
guide rod into the barrels camming lug
notch. The heavy-duty spring also has
a longer service life and eases some of
the muzzle flip that the standard recoil
spring permits.
The standard LCP has a fairly light
(9-pound average) recoil spring, explained Galloway, and since all of the
mass of the LCP is in the slide, you get no
specifications
CUSTOM GALLOWAY/
RUGER LCP
Caliber
.380 ACP
Barrel
2.75 inches
OA Length
5.16 inches
Weight
9.4 ounces
Grips
Glass-filled nylon
Sights
Fixed
Action
DAO
Finish
Blued
Capacity
7+1
MSRP
$379
Upgrades
$149
help in mitigating recoil from the frame.

The increased spring rate helps to balance it out.
Looking at the standard LCP trigger
and the Galloway skeleton trigger, there
is absolutely no similarity. Average trigger pull with an LCP is 5.5 to 6 pounds,
which is not excessive but there is considerable stacking and the angle of the
trigger makes the pull feel longer than it
actually is. Still, a standard LCP trigger
is pretty snappy and easy to engage.
While the LCPs internal trigger pivot
cannot be changed, the new skeletonized, aluminum alloy, black-anodized
Galloway trigger creates a change in
trigger dynamics.
The reason, said Galloway, is to
increase leverage on the trigger and
reduce the bite during recoil from the
pointy recurve at the bottom of the standard trigger. By almost flattening out
the trigger, we change the trigger finger
interface so you get more leverage.
This does not noticeably change the
weight of the trigger pull just the way
it feels. In general, the trigger feels
lighter, stacking becomes less evident
and reset is quicker. The Galloway
trigger comes adjusted for pre-travel
and overtravel settings with Allen-head
screws. These can be individually reset
to owner preference.
One of the options offered by
Galloway is TractionGrips rubberized
panel inserts for the grips and curve of
the backstrap. Custom molded to fit the
LCP, they are bonded to the glass-filled
nylon grip frame and provide a more tactile surface for securely holding the little
.380. The insert added to the backstrap
recurve also helps keep the Ruger LCP
better stabilized in the web of the users
hand during recoil.
combathandguns.com
At 7 yards,
using a Weaver
stance and a
two-handed
hold, the
improved
Galloway LCP
was surprisingly accurate
and quick to
get back
on target.
The textured rubber finish was
originally designed to be used on
tools, explained Galloway, to provide extra traction. We have it made by
TractionGrips to fit the LCP. The surface
texture increases grip retention. It will
not react to perspiration or oils from
your hands. In fact, only solvents can
harm the surface, so you need to be
careful when cleaning the gun not to get
any solvent on the grips.
For the sample gun shown, the 2013
LCP was given the full Galloway treatment, including increasing the standard
magazine capacity from six rounds
to seven without altering its exterior
dimensions. The MagGuts alteration
includes a new steel follower and a
dual-range spring system to allow an
additional round to be loaded. The original floorplate is retained (either flush or
with finger extension).
The alteration does not add any extra weight or extra bulk, said Galloway,
just an extra round.
Range Time
At 7 yards, using a Weaver stance and a

two-handed hold, the improved Galloway
LCP was surprisingly accurate and quick
to get back on target. Recoil was still
brisk with high-performance personal
defense loads, but less than before
the Galloway upgrades. The real key to
improving the LCP, however, is the trigger and the ease with which the gun can
be fired. Trigger pull is still heavy, and
necessary since this is the only manual
safeguard the gun has and a light trigger
pull would be more of a detriment than
an asset. A trigger that is easier to operate and provides a smoother discharge
is a definite plus here. The modified
seven-round magazine also experienced
zero issues with feeding during the test.

Average trigger pull with the new
Galloway trigger was 5.75 pounds with
effort notably reduced from that of the
standard trigger. The heavier recoil
spring also induced a slight reduction
in recoil with heavy tactical rounds. This
proved helpful with quicker recovery
and accuracy using the Viridian Reactor
5 green laser. Average groups with
Hornady Critical Defense 90-grain FTX
was a consistent 1.5 to 1.75 inches at
point of aim (POA). Just using the pistols
open sights, groups averaged 2 to 2.25
inches, with quick trigger reset and
target acquisition.
Overall, the gun was easier to
handle and every Galloway upgrade
delivered exactly what was promised.
At a combat distance of 7 yards, the
custom LCP can put all its charges
into the center body mass of a Speedwell B-27 target, with most in the
10 and X, and adding $149 to the
original cost of the LCP is more than
offset by the enhanced performance.
Even at around $520 (retail cost of an
LCP and Galloway upgrades), it is a
smaller investment than a higher end
.380 that may still suffer from many of
the same issues as a standard out-ofthe-box LCP. If you have the Ruger LCP
and like it but wish it was just a little bit
better, then wish no more.
Galloway Precision upgrades are also
available for the Kel-Tec P-3AT, Smith
& Wesson Bodyguard 380, Sig P238, and
larger caliber models.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Galloway Precision
gallowayprecision.com
Ruger
ruger.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 81
AR PISTOL
CMMG heads into

the 300 BLK dark side
with its high-caliber,
full-capacity Mk4 pistol.
BY RICHARD L. JOHNSON
Outfitted with
features like
a KeyMod rail
system, the CMMG
Mk4 PDW pistol
offers incredible
.30-caliber power
and AR-style
performance.
82 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
T
Two things in the gun industry have
experienced a surge in popularity with
shooters: AR-style pistols and the 300
BLK cartridge. It should be no surprise
that, like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups,
a few companies are eagerly putting
these two popular things together to
offer shooters a package greater than
the sum of its parts. One such example
is the new CMMG Mk4 PDW pistol that
is chambered for the 300 BLK. More
than just another AR-platform pistol,
this handgun offers a number of nice
features in addition to being chambered
in a .30-caliber cartridge.
GUN DETAILS
The Mk4 PDW pistol is an AR-style

handgun. It uses a gas impingement
system and operates much the same
as an AR-15 rifle. The charging handle,
safety and magazine-release button are
all in the familiar places. Likewise, the
gun has a buffer tube that extends to the
rear from the lower receiver. The tube is
normal on AR pistols. On the Mk4 PDW,
it is long enough to significantly add to
the overall length of the gun, but short
enough not to be confused with a stock.
Many AR pistols are chambered in
5.56mm NATO. One of the things that
makes this gun so interesting is that it
is chambered for the 300 BLK. If you are
not already familiar with the 300 BLK
cartridge, it is essentially a .30-caliber
bullet in a necked-up .223 Remington
case. One of the benefits of this cartridge is that it will run with standard
.223 Rem/5.56mm parts, including
magazines. There is a lot of interest in
the shooting community about using
the 300 Blackout in self-defense and
hunting roles, especially in short-barrel
rifles and pistols.
A 30-round Magpul Gen 2 PMAG
magazine ships with the CMMG pistol.
Any standard AR-15/M4-type magazine
should also work fine in this gun. Other
Magpul parts are also used on the gun.
The pistol grip is a Magpul MOE unit,
as is the oversized triggerguard. A
larger-than-normal triggerguard gives a
shooter wearing gloves better access to
the bang switch.
Sights do not ship as a standard part
of this pistol. However, the handguard
and upper receiver have Picatinny rails.
Sights, whether iron or glass, can be
quickly added to the handgun. Red dots
and iron sights designed for the AR-15
rifle are also a good match for this gun.
CMMG uses the RKM7 free-floating
KeyMod handguard on this pistol. The
combathandguns.com
handguard eliminates rails in the 3, 6

and 9 oclock positions. Instead, it has
keyholes that allow the shooter to add a
compatible accessory directly, or short
and long Picatinny rails.
Compared to a standard quad rail,
the KeyMod is both lighter and thinner. A shooter can get a better grip on
the gun and the weight of the pistol is
kept to a minimum. Total weight of an
unloaded Mk4 PDW pistol is 4.6 pounds.
Additionally, the keyholes help dissipate
heat from the barrel.
Many shooters like to use a singlepoint sling with AR-style pistols.
Anticipating this desire, CMMG included
an ambidextrous, single-point-style
sling attachment forward of the buffer
tube. A single-point sling attachment
is something Ive had to add to other
AR pistols, and having one installed at
fer tube was fluted, which gives the Mk4

PDW quite an attractive look.
The MSRP of the Mk4 PDW pistol is
$1,049.95. CMMG stands behind the gun
with a lifetime quality guarantee.
ROCKING
AT THE RANGE
I was able to get the CMMG pistol out

to the range on multiple occasions. The
first trip was for a little bench shooting to check the sights and function of
the gun. The follow-up ventures were
on a friends land for some shooting on
the move and more high-volume fire.
Overall, I was very pleased with the
guns performance.
Since the pistol does not ship with
sights, I added a pair of Magpul Back-Up
Sights (MBUS) to the gun. I also topped
it with a Bushnell TRS-25 red-dot sight.
Despite not having a
buttstock, shooters
can still be very
accurate with the
AR-platform pistol.
Not surprisingly, the CMMG

Mk4 pistol proved to be very
accurate at the range.
the factory is a pleasant surprise. The
4140 CrMo steel barrel on this pistol is
8 inches long, and it has a 1-in-7-inch
twist rate. The barrel is topped with an
A2-style flash suppressor.
The gun I received for testing looked
and felt very good. The finish on the gun
was excellent; there were no visible
blemishes and the engravings on the
receiver were all precise cuts. The buf-
Ive found the Bushnell to be rugged and

a great value. After a few groups, I got
the sights dialed in at 25 yards. Not surprisingly, the CMMG Mk4 pistol proved
to be very accurate at the range. The
Hornady Custom 110-grain V-MAX load
was consistently the best performer
of the ammo I tested, and it turned in
the best five-shot group (0.75 inches)
at 25 yards with the Magpul sights. The
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 83
CMMG MK4 PDW

specifications
CMMG MK4 PDW

300 BLK
Barrel
8 inches
OA Length
25 inches
Weight
5.3 pounds
Grips
Magpul MOE
Sights
N/A
Action
Semi-auto; gas impingement
Finish
Matte black
Capacity
30+1
MSRP
$1,049.95
other loads from Barnes and Remington

were no slouches either, and sub-2-inch
groups with all of the ammo were common. While on the range, I tried 30-round
AR magazines from Brownells, Magpul
and Troy Industries. All of the magazines
worked perfectly with the CMMG Mk4
PDW pistol at the range.
Subsonic rounds are very popular
with 300 BLK shooters who are using
suppressors. The lack of a supersonic
crack helps keep the noise down.
In addition to the 300

BLK chambering, the
Mk4 PDW is also
available in calibers
9mm Luger and 22LR.
84 COMBAT HANDGUNS
Caliber
February 2015
combathandguns.com
The CMMG
Mk4 PDW
pistol is an
excellent
example of
the modern
AR pistol.
However, such rounds can be difficult
to cycle reliably in short-barrel guns
without a mounted suppressor. CMMG
recommends that for reliable cycling,
subsonic loads should be used in
the pistol only when there is a sound
suppressor attached. Without a suppressor, I tried both Remington UMC
220-grain full metal jacket (FMJ) and
Gorilla 220-grain Sierra MatchKing
ammunition. The rounds fired reliably,
but I had to manually work the bolt
after each shot. This is to be expected,
and with a suppressor attached, these
rounds should cycle the gun normally.
Supersonic rounds from Hornady and
Barnes cycled perfectly in the gun, and I
experienced no malfunctions.
Moving with the gun and engaging targets was easy. The gun is light
enough to shoot in a standard, two-hand
grip. However, I found that I achieved
the best accuracy when using the buffer
tube to get a cheekweld. Even though
the buffer tube is too short to use as
an improvised stock, shooting from a
carbine-like position was easy and natural to me. The fluting cuts on the buffer
tube were substantial, but not sharp
enough to cause any discomfort when
combathandguns.com
THE BLACKOUT
ADVANTAGE
Suppressed or supersonic, AACs
.30-caliber 300 Blackout cartridge
is a knockout for AR shooters!
eveloped by Advanced
Armament Corporation
(AAC), the 300 AAC Blackout,
or 300 BLK, was designed to allow a .30-caliber round to be used
in standard AR-15s. Unlike other
caliber conversions, the 300 BLK
only requires a barrel change from a
stock AR. A standard AR-15 bolt can
be used, as can normal magazines,
without a reduction in capacity.
STEALTHY DEFENSE:
Typically, 300 BLK ammo comes
in two varieties: supersonic and
subsonic. Subsonic loads normally
use bullet weights greater than
200 grains. The heavier loads are
a perfect match for sound suppressors since they do not have a crack
when the bullet breaks the sound
barrier. A suppressed personaldefense weapon (PDW) chambered

in 300 BLK provides increased
range and terminal performance
when compared to similar guns
chambered in 9mm, such as
the Heckler & Koch MP5.
BREAKING THROUGH:
The 300 BLK also has penetration
advantages when compared to
the 5.56mm NATO and .223
Remington cartridges. This is one
of the reasons the cartridge has
found favor in both tactical and
hunting situations. Whether punching through a windshield or the thick
underbrush, the heavier .30-caliber
bullets can provide the penetration
needed to stop an attacker or take
that monster hog.
The CMMG Mk4 PDW pistols

operating controls and
manual of arms should be
familiar to any AR-15 shooter.
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 85
CMMG MK4 PDW
Adding iron sights or an optic is easy

using the pistols standard Picatinny rail.
performance
CMMG Mk4 PDW 300 BLK

load
velocity accuracy
Barnes 110 VOR-TX
2,026
1.50
Hornady 110 V-MAX
2,131
0.75
Remington UMC 220 FMJ 1,038
1.50

With
all of the
ammunition
tested, the
Mk4 PDW
was very
accurate...
shooting with a solid cheekweld.
Using a single-point sling, I could
quickly push the pistol out and use
isometric tension to increase stability. I
found this method was less accurate than
obtaining a cheekweld, but it was faster.
For close distances with a red-dot optic
mounted, this could be a good balance
of speed and precision to get accurate
rounds on target quickly. Recoil feels
increased when compared to a 5.56mm
NATO pistol, but only slightly. It is not
harsh or uncontrollable.
A question some people may have is
does the pistol pack enough power for
hunting or self-defense? In rifles, there
have been excellent reports of success
with the 300 BLK in hunting deer and
86 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
CMMG MK4 PDW
The Mk4 PDW pistol is small enough to

be discreetly concealed in a pack.
hogs. But, moving to a barrel of about

half the length of a rifle will bleed off
velocity. Will the 300 BLK in a pistol work
to quickly put down an armed attacker or
game animal? I believe so.
At 25 feet from the muzzle, the
110-grain Hornady averaged a velocity of
2,131 feet per second (fps), which computes to more than 1,100 foot-pounds
of energy. Many handgun hunting loads
operate at lower velocities and energy
levels, and self-defense loads are typically about half the 300 BLKs numbers.
Many other factors go into the concept
of stopping power, but on the surface, I
would argue that the Mk4 PDW pistol
should not be ruled out because of the
caliber or barrel length.
For a homestead defense gun, I would
attach a light and red-dot optic to the
pistol. With 30-round magazines loaded
with the Hornady V-MAX load, I would
feel well armed for the vast majority of
home-invasion scenarios.
AR DEFENDER
The popularity of AR pistols seems to

be on the rise. I see more of them at the
range, and talk to a lot of people who
express an interest in them. Like ARstyle rifles, more companies are offering
AR pistols now than ever before. With the
increased competition, the consumer will
likely see a greater variety of style and
caliber options hitting the market.
The CMMG Mk4 PDW pistol is an excellent example of the modern AR pistol.
It is chambered in one of the hottest
calibers to be introduced in recent years,
and it has a number of highly desired
features like the KeyMod handguard and
top-notch Magpul accessories.
With all of the ammunition tested, the
Mk4 PDW was very accurate. Though it
will only manually cycle heavy, subsonic
loads without a suppressor, supersonic
rounds run perfectly. If you are looking
for a pistol chambered for the 300 BLK,
the CMMG Mk4 deserves a close look.
For more information, visit cmmginc.com
or call 660-248-2293.
88 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
RED ZONE
SCORING
HIGH TECH
TEN PO UND M O NKEY PHO TO
An ATOM Slide
setup allows the
shooter to use
either irons or
the firearms
reflex-type sight.
The pistol-mounted optic

game-changer has arrived
in Unity Tacticals aftermarket
ATOM Slide system!
ed-dot sights on rifles

used to be considered
expensive, fragile gimmicks with no place in
real-world combat. Today,
military, law enforcement and hunters
have accepted these sights as tough,
dependable and, most importantly,
effective. Both military and law enforcement mount them on rifles and shotguns.
Pistols, however, have lagged behind.
But all of that is beginning to change.
Like many things in the tactical world,
red-dot sights on pistols started in the
competition arena, but the early models
werent standing up fully to the abuse.
Now manufacturers are making sights
tougher and smaller. Several companies
recognized that traditional pistol slides
need to be changed to mount these
sights on tactical guns. One of the leaders in this revolution is a small company
out of Houma, Louisiana, named Unity
Tactical. Unity Tactical was founded by
Trent Zimmer. The companys first proj-
The ATOM slide

is modified with a
large dovetail to
contain the adapter.
90 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
ect was mounting an Aimpoint Micro onto

a Glock slide. This project culminated in
its ATOM mount.
The first red-dot sight mounts on
pistols hooked into the frame and created
a shelf above the slide where optics
could be positioned. Besides being bulky,
it was extremely difficult to do an immediate action after a jam, the design
complicated one-handed reloading
and holsters had to be designed with
the optic completely unprotected. To
streamline everything, rear sights were
removed from pistols and the optics
were attached via a dovetail. This fixed
a few problems, but you no longer had
iron sights available as a backup if your
electronic sight failed, and one-handed
manipulations still required you to hook
the sight on your belt when trying to rack
it or clear a jam.
The Future Is Here!
Unity Tactical started with the Glock slide

and Aimpoints Micro sight. After looking
at all of the requirements for a tactical

pistol, the company made a few changes.
The first change was an approximately
2.1-inch-long dovetail shelf that was cut
into the rear of the slide. This is the heart
of the ATOM platform. Any number of
dovetailed mounts can be slid into this
shelf and secured with a screw from the
left side. Currently, Unitys mounts can
accomodate Aimpoints Micro, Leupolds
DeltaPoint, Trijicons RMR, Insight
Technologys MRDS, Docters Red Dot
Sight or Burris FastFire II. Unity Tactical
even makes a mount for normal Glock
iron sights.
The ATOM platform allows red-dot
sights to sit lower. The mount system can
be adapted to sights that havent been
invented yet. Unity Tactical keeps close
tabs on the optics community, and if a
new sight comes out, Unity can be ready
with a mount almost immediately. The
second major change is the dovetail with
a normal iron sight directly behind the
ejection port. The iron sights are taller so
P H O T O C O U RT E S Y U N IT Y TA C T I C A L
BY ROBERT JORDAN
they can co-witness through the bottom

of your red-dot optic. The red-dot optics
are not quickly removable, so being
able to look through them and still see
your iron sights is highly important. The
iron sights also protect the optic during
one-handed racking and jam clearing.
Other small changes include forward
cocking serrations for press checks and
a lowered ejection port for increased
reliability of ejection.
Field Test
I used an Aimpoint Micro H-1 and a

Leupold DeltaPoint for this evaluation. Both sights performed flawlessly.
I tested the ATOM slide on several trips
to different ranges. I also put it in the
hands of shooters ranging from novice to highly experienced. The learning
curve was quite a bit greater than with
a rifle. The dot seems to jump around
more because you are trying to look at it,
instead of looking at your target. Forget
the dot. Concentrate on the target and
push your pistol into it. The sight appears on your target and you press the
trigger. If you do not hold the gun and
extend your arms the same way each
time, this system is probably not going to
work for you. If you have spent hours on
the range and practiced good presentations, you are going to be amazed. Shots
are fast and accurate. There is a reason
that every time you see an Open-class
IPSC (International Practical Shooting
Confederation) shooter they have a red
dot on their pistol. They work!
I ran a lot of drills with the ATOM. My
final one was putting up some 8-inch
Birchwood Casey Shoot-N-C Targets
at 50 yards. Using military surplus
124-grain 9mm ball ammo, with winds
gusting over 30 mph, I was able to hit
with four out five rounds both times I
tried. Basically, I was doing headshots at
50 yards in high winds. Try that with your
iron sights.
Ready To See Red?
A new trend in pistols is about to explode.

Shooters are trying red-dot sights on
pistols and walking away amazed in the
same way they did with rifles 15 years
ago. Unity Tactical leads the revolution
with its Atom slide. It has addressed the
incumbent problems of putting electronics on a hard-use, tactical pistol and
come away with a product that is durable,
dependable and fast. Try it! Big leaps forward in the firearm industry dont occur
every day. Mark your calendarone is
happening right now. For more information, visit unitytactical.com.
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 81
ROUNDUP
NEW PRODUCTS
PISTOLERO
MOVING
TARGET KIT
The Pistolero PistoLaser

Practice & Training System
from the Robert Louis
Company provides pistol
shooters the ability to
practice their fundamental skills in a budgetfriendly way by practicing
with their own gun in their own
home. The new Moving Target Kit allows users to incorporate a projected,
speed-adjustable target for simulated
real-world defense into that training as well. The system
builds the muscle memory necessary for fast target acquisition through
an easy-to-install laser-aiming device that attaches to a handguns
muzzle and trigger. The Pistolero comes with five, color-coded caliber
inserts: .22, 357/9mm, .40, .44 and .45. (pistolaser.com)
DEAD
RINGER
SIGHTS
Dead Ringers Snake Eyes sights

offer an easy-to-acquire pointand-shoot sighting platform for
all lighting conditions. The Snake
Eyes system was built with closequarters defense in mind. The front
and rear tritium glows continuously
in low-light situations. The orange
Lexan ring also enhances target
acquisition in daylight environments. Dead Ringer sights are
constructed of CNC-machined
steel for durability and reliability.
Snake Eyes are available for
Glock, S&W, M&P Shield, Heckler
& Koch, Sig Sauer, Springfield
Armory and Ruger handguns,
among many others.
(deadringerhunting.com)
TARGET SHOOTING
SOLUTIONS
BULLET TRAPS
LIBERTY CIVIL
DEFENSE
.357 MAGNUM
Easily and safely catch

rounds with Target Shooting
Solutions (TSS) portable
Bullet Traps. Perfect for
indoor or outdoor use, TSS
bullet traps are capable of
stopping rounds from handguns and rifles up to .50
BMG at point-blank range.
The companys patent-pending technology is approved by
certified NRA instructors and
can be customized to a users
unique requirements. Available in a
variety of sizes, each TSS Bullet Trap
is easy to set up and features rubber baffles to
reduce gun discharge sounds.
(targetshootingsolutions.com)
Liberty Ammunitions
new Civil Defense .357
Magnum load gives shooters
a lead-free self-defense option with
muzzle velocities nearly double that of standard
.357 Magnum ammo. This makes it an excellent
round for self-defense, target shooting or for hunting
mid-sized game. Libertys high-performance ammo
features nickel-plated, solid copper projectiles and
nickel-plated brass cases, which help deliver less
recoil and considerably reduce the weight of loaded
weapons. (libertyammunition.com)
CROSSFIRE
HOLSTER RIGS
Female shooters can find the perfect balance of utility, comfort and style
with Crossfire Elites Edge, Pulse and Rebel holster designs. These versatile, rugged, low profile rigs offer secure and attractive concealment
and ready access for your everyday carry firearm. Available in colors
such as turquoise, silverdust pink and iris, Crossfire also offers these
ultra-tough holsters with intricate print patterns, like those on the Tango,
Spark and Blush models. (crossfiregear.com)
WILSON
COMBAT
PINNACLE 1911
Edge Fusion
Edge Silverdust
92 COMBAT HANDGUNS
Edge Spark
February 2015
Edge Tango
Based on the Classic

Supergrade Model, the Wilson
Combat Pinnacle is a hand-fitted
.45 ACP 1911 pistol with striking custom-grade features. Featuring a blued
steel trigger, a spiral fluted guide rod and
custom burl walnut grips, the Pinnacle 1911
is a masterful piece of pistolsmithing. The
36.6-ounce, 5-inch-barrelled pistol is finished
off with hand engraving by renowned firearm
engraver Wayne DAngelo, giving the Pinnacle an
unmistakable, heirloom quality appearance while
maintaining Wilson Combats tank-tough standards
for 1911 construction. (wilsoncombat.com)
THE WORLDS MOST EXPERIENCED FIREARMS PROFESSIONALS
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COMBAT HANDGUNS CLASSIFIEDS
94 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com
combathandguns.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 95
COMBAT HANDGUNS CLASSIFIEDS
96 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
combathandguns.com

3CONTINUED FROM PAGE 50
COMBAT
HANDGUNS
W
Aguila Ammunition
aguilaammo.com
Alien Gear Holsters
aliengearholsters.com
At 15 yards, five .45 Long Colt rounds

dropped into groups as small as 3.25
inchesgreat combat accuracy.
TAURUS JUDGE .45 LC
velocity accuracy
ave./best
Winchester USA45CB
672
3.65/3.25
Federal C45LCA
704
3.48/3.25
handload
velocity accuracy
Lyman 452424/
9 Unique
ave./best
ave./best
870
3.28/ 3.00

per second (fps) by chronograph, and accuracy in
inches for five-shot groups at 15 yards.
developed loads that perform better than

standard birdshot hunting loads, and they
were designed specifically for .45 LC/.410
shotshell firearms. Hornadys Critical
Defense .410 loads feature a .41-caliber
FTX slug, along with a pair of .35-caliber
(roughly 00 buck) hard shot pellets in its
load. It is the ammo Taurus recommends
for this revolver. Still, 15 feet is about as
far as you would want to shoot and have
any assurance that all three projectiles
would hit the A-zone of a combat silhouette targetor a bad guy. With birdshot,
10 feet is a more reliable distance,
making it marginal for game birds but
satisfactory for dealing with snakes and
other slow-moving vermin.
The First 24, with the Model 317 .357
Magnum revolver, carries an MSRP of
$1,399; the Judge is set at $1,499. Street
prices tend to run 10 to 15 percent less.
While it isnt a complete kitId want
some emergency water and food, as well
as some shelter and weather protection
in my total bug-out kitthe First 24 kit
offers an array of tools that would serve
anyone in an emergency, and it all comes
in a robust package. For more information, visit taurususa.com or call 800-3273776. For Aimpro Tactical, call 800-3991354 or visit aimprotactical.com.
combathandguns.com
American Tactical
americantactical.us
Amerihide
amerihide.com
performance
load
American Gunsmithing
americangunsmith.com
Armalaser
armalaser.com
Aro-Tek LTD
arotek.com
Beretta USA
berettausa.com
Bersa/Eagle Imports
bersa.com
Black Hills Ammunition
black-hills.com
Blackhawk
blackhawk.com
Blue Stone Safety
bluestonesafety.com
Bob Mernickle Holsters
mernickleholsters.com
European American
Armory
eaacorp.com
EZ Holsters
ezholsters.com
Forge Survival Supply
forgesurvivalsupply.com
Galco
galcogunleather.com
NIC Industries
nicindustries.com
North American Arms
northamericanarms.com
Panteao Productions
makeready.tv
Pearce Grips
pearcegrip.com
Galloway Precision
gallowayprecision.com
Personal Defense World

personaldefenseworld.com
General Tire
generaltire.com
Present Arms
presentarmsinc.com
Glock
glock.com
Pyramid Trigger
pyramidtrigger.com
Glockstore
glockstore.com
Quick Fire Cases

quickfirecases.com
Gould & Goodrich

gouldusa.com
Remington
remington.com
GTUL
mygtul.com
Robert Louis Company

pistolaser.com
Heckler & Koch

hk-usa.com
Rock Island Armory/

Armscor
shootingDNA.com
HKS Speedloaders
hksspeedloaders.com
Hogue
getgrip.com
Ruger
ruger.com
SCCY
sccy.com
Boberg Arms
bobergarms.com
HolsterOps
holsterops.com
Bowie Tactical Concepts

bowietacticalconcepts.com
Hornady
hornady.com
Charter Arms
charterfirearms.com
Iammo
Iammo.com
Chiappa Firearms
chiappafirearms.com
Kel-tec
keltecweapons.com
Christensen Arms
christensenarms.com
Kirkpatrick Leather
kirkpatrickleather.com
Comp-Tac
comp-tac.com
Kimber
kimberamerica.com
Crimson Trace
crimsontrace.com
Kramer Handgun Leather

kramerleather.com
Crossfire Gear
crossfiregear.com
Kriss USA
kriss-usa.com
Cylinder & Slide

cylinder-slide.com
Magnaport
magnaport.com
Czechpoint USA
czechpoint-usa.com
Masc Holster
mascholster.com
Dead Ringer
deadringerhunting.com
Masterpiece Arms
masterpiecearms.com
Decal Grip
decalgrip.com
Maxsell
collectorsarmory.com
True North Knives

tnkusa.com
DeSantis
desantisholster.com
Mec-gar
mec-gar.com
Tuff Products
tuffproducts.com
Dillon Precision
dillonprecision.com
Milt Spark Holsters

miltsparks.com
Undertech Undercover
undertechundercover.com
Elite Survival
elitesurvival.com
MTR Custom Leather

mtrcustomleather.net
VZ Grips
vzgrips.com
Ergo Grips
ergogrips.net
N82 Tactical
n82tactical.com
Wilson Combat
wilsoncombat.com
Sig Sauer
sigsauer.com
SOG Knives
sogknives.com
Spartan Blades
spartanbladesusa.com
Springfield Armory
springfield-armory.com
Steyr Arms
steyrarms.com
Tactical Life
tactical-Life.com
Taurus
taurususa.com
Taylors & Co
taylorsfirearms.com
Tetra Gun
tetraguncare.com
TJs Custom Gunworks
tjscustomgunworks.com
February 2015
COMBAT HANDGUNS 97
GUNSITE GOSSIP
Excerpts from Gunsite Gargantuan Gossip!
RELIABLE PERFORMANCE4The
shooting business, like any other business, is involved principally in selling,
and we certainly cannot condemn the
manufacturers of shooting equipment
for pushing the sales of their products. It does seem, however, that too
many people who fancy themselves as
shooters are more interested in gadgetry than shooting. Nearly all modern
firearms will shoot better than the
people who handle themunder field
circumstancesand nearly all modern
cartridges will do what is asked of them
if they are properly placed. The principal
issue in weaponcraft is marksmanship,
not equipment.
POLITE SOCIETY4One of our family
members, who happens to be a police
chief, reports that he has some difficulty in making sure that his people
are always armed. Some claim that it is
inconvenient to wear a gun off duty.
One wonders if such people realize how
inconvenient it is for the rest of us not to
carry a gun when prowling the streets of
a big city. It is extremely inconvenient to
leave your pistol behind when you enter
a bank, or a supermarket, or board an
airplane. It may even be fatal. The polite
society, according to the famous dictum
of Robert Heinlein, is not one in which
nobody is armed, but rather one in which
everybody is armed. It is not only polite,
it is much more convenient.
TRIGGER CONTROL4We have long

considered it [a good trigger] to be the
most important consideration in the
hitability of any particular weapon, but
we find a number of people who seem
to be able to shoot just about as well
with a bad trigger as with a good one.
Our hat is off to such, but their skill
does not contradict the principle. We
note that very few weapons produced
today come out of the box with acceptable triggerssay, forty ounces kurz
und trocken. Does this mean that the
majority of shooters can shoot well with
bad triggers, or simply that the majority
of shooters do not shoot well? Certainly
98 COMBAT HANDGUNS
February 2015
our experience here at the ranch with

unenlightened riflemen would suggest
the latter proposal.
FIRST AND SECOND4If, as is so
often advanced by our legislative adversaries, the Second Amendment is a
collective rather than an individual right,
how should that philosophy be applied
to the First Amendment. If only groups
should be allowed to keep and bear
arms, should we assume by extension
that only groups should be allowed free
speech, or worship, or assembly?
ON THE HUNT4One cannot hunt the
African bush just once. When you have
heard the call of the fish eagle by moonlight, only death will prevent your return.
NO FEAR4We do wish that the media
would get over this craven concentration upon fear, particularly in connection
with those people who are not involved
in combat but are sitting home worrying. In our opinion, fear is a dirty word,
and refers to a natural response to life,
which, like some other natural responses, should be kept very private. In
our youth, the worst thing you could call
a playmate was a cowarda scaredycat, and no matter how apprehensive
you might be in your own mind, you were
not permitted to show itby your father,
your mother, nor your playmates. Fear
is quite natural, but in any person of
consequence it is suppressed.
KEEP IT CLEAN4We keep hearing
references to adult language in the
entertainment media. We do not know
exactly what adult language may be, but
we have reason to believe that what is
meant is gutter language. The use of
such talk, either in print or in conversation, is blatant evidence of a weak mind
and an inadequate vocabulary.
RIGHT TO DEFEND4The following is the adjusted wording of part of
HR19, introduced into the House of
Representatives on 3 January 1991. The
Secretary of the Treasury shall desig-
If we had known
we were going to
live so long, we
would have worn
ear plugs during
all those battles.
nate as a restricted weapon any semiautomatic rifle which is not generally
recognized as particularly suitable for or
readily adaptable to sporting purposes.
Now, anyone who has ever read any
American history or any constitutional law is aware that the Second
Amendment has no reference whatever
to sport. The well-regulated militia,
as defined by John Mason, is all the
people, with the exception of a few
public officials. This militia exists not
to conduct sporting competition, nor to
go hunting, but to protect the people of
this country against all enemies, foreign
and domestic. We all know this, but we
persist in electing people to office who
do not know this. We get the government
we deserve.
SELF RELIANCE4Note the following
quotation from St. Augustine of Hippo,
passed on to us by the Wolfe Publishing
Company. Pray as if everything depends
upon God. Act as if everything depends
upon you.
Note: The intellectual property of Jeff Cooper is
owned by Gunsite Academy and reprinted from
Gunsite Gossip 3 with their permission. Jeff Coopers
books are available from the ProShop (928-6364565; gunsite.com) and jeffcooperbooks.com.
combathandguns.com
PHO TO CO URTESY G UNSITE/G UNSITE.CO M
A JEFF COOPER
RETROSPECTIVE
P320
WE
DROPPED
THE HAMMER
ON THE COMPETITION.
THE NEW P320. We asked leading law enforcement professionals what

they required in a pistol. They told us they needed safe, tool-free disassembly.
A smooth, consistent trigger pull. A proper t for any hand sizenot just a
back strap. We listened. And carefully followed orders. The result is the P320.
A superior pistol in every way.
Learn more at
SIGSAUER.COM/P320
Kimber
CDP
Pistols
.
Unequaled Quality. Unmatched Performance.
Easy to carry and conceal, the Ultra CDP II .45 ACP has a 3-inch barrel and
weighs 25 ounces. It is also ofered in 9mm and with Crimson Trace Lasergrips.
CDP pistols have custom features like

low-profle night sights and a Carry Bevel
treatment for smooth, rounded edges that
will not snag clothing or holsters.
An ambidextrous thumb safety promotes

fast operation and 30 lines-per-inch
checkering on the front strap and under
the trigger guard ensures a positive grip.
Built in the Kimber Custom Shop, CDP (Custom Defense Package)

pistols combine .45 ACP power and the most important concealed carry
features into a light weight, high-performance package that gives them their
name. The stainless steel slide plus a match grade barrel and trigger ensure
durability and accuracy. Aluminum frames wear the premium KimPro II
finish that is self-lubricating and extremely resistant to moisture and salt.
Quality and performance are the true measures of value and Kimber pistols
set the industry standard. Nowhere is this more evident than in a CDP.
Visit the nearest Kimber Master Dealer and see for yourself.
The Custom CDP II .45 ACP has a 5-inch

barrel and full-length grip, yet weighs just
31 ounces. CDP models take concealed-carry
performance to the extreme.
T H E C H O I C E O F A M E R I C A S B E S T
kimberamerica.com
(888) 243-4522
Kimber ofers nearly 200 purpose-built pistols and rifes to meet any need.
2012, Kimber Mfg., Inc. All rights reserved. Information and specifcations are for reference only and subject to change without notice.

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COMBAT

TAYLORS & CO.

KRISS VECTOR SDP

Walther CCP 9mm

TOP GUN RACES

Get Real-World Ready!

CMMG's Mk4 PDW

HARD HITTING SOFT RECOILING

.45/.410 Judge CRKT Blade

Display Until December 15, 2014

40 TAYLORS TACTICAL 1911S By Dennis Adler

10 WALTHER CCP By Dennis Adler

46 TAURUS FIRST 24 By Dave Campbell

Walthers lightweight, striker-fired CCP packs

This .45 LC/.410 Judge, and its many companions,

for deep-cover carry!

26 10 BIG-BORE REVOLVERS By Clair Rees

72 KRISS VECTOR SDP .45 By Robert Jordan

Heres the place you want to be if youre ready

Its unorthodox, but this subgun-like pistol

32 KAHR CT45 By Mike Detty

82 CMMG MK4 PDW By Richard L. Johnson

Streamlined, accurate and controllable polymer

Thwarting domestic violence

Change your mindset and

Top 1911 .22 trainers

Five amazing races

Unity Tacticals ATOM Slide

New guns and gear

Products and services of interest

A Jeff Cooper retrospective

I was in a small town working on a

At this point I stood up, not wanting to

out and put my van between us for

Not too long ago, I decided to take a leap

trouble. Standing in our living room were

My wife and I immediately went into

4Tell Us Your Story!

Combat Handguns pays $100 for each It Happened

SELF-DEFENSE & THE LAW

AVOIDING DOOR JAMS

BY MASSAD AYOOB PHOTOS BY SEAN UTLEY

Even if you are directing your fire toward

earlier in the night in question, gotten

No two home invasions are alike.

Case Three: In September 2014, after

shown with a Crimson

The first time I fired the Walther CCP I

Steel barrel housing

With the Walther

The rear sight is part of the three-dot system

Smooth 4.5-pound trigger

Reversible for rightor left-hand shooters.

The new Walther 9mm

22.24 ounces (empty)

Mil-std-1913 rail for

Single-stack eightround magazine.

tached to the underside of the slide. The

Lighter recoil makes the

When the CCP

FIRING THE CCP

The striker-fired 9mm pistol has an