Millions of Americans have been flocking to gun stores, with semi-automatic pistols and rifles being at the top of their buying list, followed closely by home defense shotguns, and then on down the list of more traditional “sporting” firearms and revolvers of all varieties.
When it comes to handguns, there is a lot on the plate, from gunmakers all over the map.
For example, Ed Brown (PO Box 492, Dept. GWK, Perry, MO 63462; phone: 573-565-3261; online: edbrown.com) has announced the new Special Forces pistol. Built on the 1911 platform, this handgun has an Ed Brown forged frame with integral light rail, forged 5-inch government model slide that is hand-fitted, and a premium Ed Brown match grade barrel. Brown adds custom touches such as a lowered and flared ejection port, premium Hardcore components, polished feed ramp, hand-fitted extractor and ejector, memory groove beavertail grip safety and extended tactical thumb safety. It has a Commander-style hammer, three-hole style long aluminum trigger and much more.A huge selection of revolvers and semi-autos is being introduced by Smith & Wesson (S&W, 2100 Roosevelt Ave., Dept. GWK, Springfield, MA 01104; phone: 413-781-8300; online: smith-wesson.com) including a selection of concealment handguns. The lineup includes the Model 310 Night Guard in 10mm/.40S&W with a 2-inch barrel, fixed Extreme Duty rear sight, XS tritium front sight, Scandium alloy frame, stainless PVD cylinder and Pachmayr grip. The J-frame Model 438 Bodyguard in .38 Special has a 1-7/8-inch barrel, fixed sights, aluminum alloy frame, thumb-cockable hammer, black matte finish synthetic grip.
Smith offers the Model 57 Classic in .41 Magnum with either 4- or 6-inch barrels, plus the Model 357, also in .41 Magnum, with a Scandium alloy frame and stainless PVD cylinder, rubber Pachmayr grip, XS front tritium sight and Cylinder & Slide Extreme Duty fixed rear sight.In the semi-auto arena, S&W has announced the Model 1911 Sub Compact with a 3-inch barrel, Scandium alloy frame, steel slide, stainless barrel, 7-round magazine, synthetic grips, white dot sights, full-length recoil spring guide rod and flat mainspring housing. Then comes the full-size SW1911 with a stainless steel slide and frame finished in Melonite, an 8-round magazine, synthetic double diamond checkered grips, white dot front sight and low-profile carry sight on the rear. It has a beavertail grip safety with bump, adjustable aluminum trigger and extended thumb safety. The SW1911 Compact ES, has a Commander-length slide and 4˘-inch barrel and Officer’s Model grip frame. It has a Scandium alloy frame, stainless slide, two-tone finish, checkered double-diamond grip panels and low-profile carry sights.
New variations of the Model M&P Compact include the M&P40c with a polymer frame and stainless steel slide and barrel finished in black Melonite. It has white dot sights and is chambered in .40 S&W. The standard Model M&P Compact Thumb Safety model is chambered in 9mm, .40 S&W and .357 SIG. It has a 3˚-inch barrel, polymer frame with manual thumb safety, stainless slide and barrel finished in black Melonite, and three interchangeable palm swell grip options. In 9mm, there’s the Model M&P9c with a 3˚-inch barrel, black Melonite stainless steel slide, polymer frame, dovetailed sights, and interchangeable palm swell grips.
You’ll also see the Model 632, a six-shot revolver chambered in .327 Federal Magnum, with a 3-inch full lug barrel, stainless steel frame and cylinder with matte black finish, pinned ramp front sight and adjustable rear.
Colt (PO Box 1868, Dept. GWK, Hartford, CT 06114; phone: 860-236-6311; online: coltsmfg.com) is back in the spotlight with a “rail gun” version of the Government Model .45-caliber pistol, plus a presentation grade Government Model and a presentation-grade Single Action Army revolver. The rail-gun model will be offered in stainless and blue steel with hardwood grips. The Modern Masters SAA is chambered in .45 Colt with three-quarter master engraving and ivory grips, and is finished in nickel with an ink and bake finish to highlight the engraving.
The new entry from Sig Sauer (18 Industrial Dr., Dept. GWK, Exeter, NH 03833; phone: 603-772-2302; online: sigsauer.com) is chambered in .380 ACP, and it is built on a compact 1911-style platform. It is a single-action pistol with an exposed hammer, thumb safety, and may be carried cocked-and-locked, and has a machined aluminum frame, steel slide and 2.75-inch barrel available in blue or stainless. The pistol carries seven rounds (six in the magazine, one in the chamber) and the magazine will fit an Officer’s Model. The rear sight is adjustable for windage, and the barrel locks at the breech.
Charter Arms (8611-A North Dixie Dr., Dept.. GWK, Dayton, OH 45415; phone: 937-454-0470; online: charterfirearms.com) has announced a revolver designed to handle rimless cartridges in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. This rimless revolver will handle +P loads. The 9mm model has an aluminum alloy frame while the .40 and .45-caliber models are built on the Bulldog stainless frame. It has a patent-pending system featuring a special spring in the cylinder that engages the cartridge’s ejector groove and holds it tight until it is ejected. Charter is also introducing several more 5-shot revolvers in .38 Special or .32 H&R Magnum.Commemorating the 50th anniversary of the famed Ruger Super Blackhawk, Sturm, Ruger (1 Lacey Pl., Dept. GWK, Southport, CT 06890; phone: 203-256-3860; online: ruger.com) has announced a blued steel model in .44 Magnum with a high gloss finish, hard rubber grips, 7˚-inch barrel and adjustable rear sight. It has gold trim and features Ruger’s patented reverse indexing pawl for quick shell ejection and reloading. For Cowboy Action shooters, a new stainless steel Bisley version of the New Vaquero in .45 Colt and .357 Magnum is being introduced. It has a 5˚-inch barrel, simulated ivory grips, blade front sight and fixed rear sight.
Ruger’s new stainless steel Mark III Hunter has a 4˚-inch fluted barrel, Cocobolo grips, fiber optic front sight and V-notch adjustable rear sight.Kahr Arms (PO Box 220, Dept. GWK, Blauvelt, NY 10913; phone: 845-353-7770; online: kahr.com) is introducing the new P380 chambered in .380 ACP. Hitting the scale at just under 10 ounces, this compact handgun has a locking breech system with a modified Browning-type lug, a black polymer frame, a 416 series matte stainless slide and textured grips. It features polygonal rifling, has a 6-round magazine, and the slide locks open on the last shot. Measuring a scant .75-inch wide, the P380’s barrel is 2˚-inches long. Sights are three-dot combat type.
From CZ-USA (PO Box 171073, Dept. GWK, Kansas City, KS 66117; phone: 800-955-4486; online: cz-usa.com) comes the P-07 Duty, with a completely new trigger system. Chambered in 9mm, the P-07 Duty has a 16-round magazine, 3.74-inch barrel, steel slide and polymer frame. It weighs 1.69 pounds empty and the overall length is 7.28 inches. The new Omega trigger system is at the heart of this pistol. It is designed to simplify the CZ 75 trigger system, with fewer parts. It may be used with a manual safety or a decocking lever, with a simple parts swap.
Kimber (1 Lawton St., Dept. GWK, Yonkers, NY 10705; phone: 888-243-4522; online: kimberamerica.com) usually likes to keep its new guns under wraps until the SHOT Show, but Gun Week learned that the Model 1911 Kimber Custom II chambered in .45 ACP is going to be offered this year as a fund-raising handgun for the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF). It’s a first for the Foundation in terms of offering a handgun. This pistol has a 5-inch match-grade barrel, steel frame and slide, and match grade bushing. The pistol’s rosewood grips feature an RMEF 25th anniversary logo. It has an extended thumb safety, high-ride beavertail grip safety and beveled magazine well.
Five new handgun models are on the way from Dan Wesson (5169 Route 12 South, Dept. GWK, Norwich, NY 13815; phone: 607-336-1174; online: danwessonfirearms.com). They include the Marksman model, built on the proven Pointman Seven platform, for bullseye shooters. It has DW logo grips and a sleek appearance. The CCO is an Officer’s Model-sized pistol with anodized aluminum grip frame and Commander-length slide. It has a bobbed mainspring housing and undercut trigger guard. The slide and small parts are treated with Dan Wesson’s Duty finish.The .45 ACP Sportsman model is designed on the Model 1911 Razorback with a Clark-style serrated rib, fiber optic front sight and target adjustable rear sight. It has VZ G10 Operator grips, a fully-supported barrel and traditional recoil spring with plunger cap. The Heritage, also chambered in .45 ACP, has all the Razorback features plus a tritium front sight with white target ring. Chambered in 9mm, the PM 9 is now available as a stock pistol, with front strap checkering and a Clark-style rib.
KBI (PO Box 6625, Dept. GWK, Harrisburg, PA 17112; phone: 717-540-8518; online: charlesdaly.com) has announced a new striker-fired handgun series wearing the Charles Daly label, the CD-9, CD-40 and CD-45. The 9mm model is available now and the .40 and .45 come later this year. The CD series features a polymer frame with accessory rail, steel slide, safe-action trigger, adjustable rear sight, fixed front sight and three interchangeable backstrap options.
Charles Daly’s Model 1911 “G4” is now manufactured by BUL Transmark Ltd. in Israel. Chambered in .45 ACP, it has a 5-inch bushing-less bull barrel, but the slide is cut for a bushing. The front and rear sight are dovetailed.
A Model 97 revolver chambered for a brand new cartridge and an anniversary model revolver are on the way from Freedom Arms (314 Highway 239, Dept. GWK, Freedom, WY 83120; phone: 307-883-2468; online: freedomarms.com) for 2009. The Model 97 is being chambered for the new .224-32 FA, capable of 2,500 fps at the muzzle of its 10-inch barrel, using a 40-grain bullet. The cartridge is based on the .327 Federal Magnum shortened to 1.120-inch and necked down to take the .22-caliber bullet.
EMF (1900 East Warner, 1-D, Dept. GWK, Santa Ana, CA 92705; phone: 949-261-6611; online: emf-company.com) has a treat for Cowboy Action shooters with the newest version of its single-action, the Great Western II “Pony Express” sixgun. Chambered in .45 Colt, it is fitted with birdshead-style walnut grips, and it has a 3˚-inch barrel with ejector rod.
Another version of the Five-SeveN pistol from FN Herstal (PO Box 697, Dept. GWK, McLean, VA 22101; phone: 703-288-1297; online: fnherstal.com) is being introduced. This one has a fixed C-More combat sight and is available in matte black, olive drab or “flat dark earth.” Chambered for the 5.7x28mm cartridge, the pistol has a hammer-forged barrel that is hard chrome lined. It is also available with an adjustable three-dot sight.
North American Arms (2150 South 950 East, Dept. GWK, Provo, UT 84606-6285; phone: 801-374-9990; online: NorthAmericanArms.com) has a real treat in store for fans of antique Remington 1863 revolvers. It’s a miniature version with two cylinders, one chambered in .22 Long Rifle and the other for .22 WMR, done in stainless steel. Dubbed “The 1860 Earl,” this tiny five-shot revolver has handsome laminated hardwood grips that flare out over the rounded grip frame, and an open trigger without trigger guard. There are mid-point notches in the cylinder between chambers that allow the hammer to be lowered safely. It has a 4-inch barrel, post front sight, square notch milled in the rear of the frame, and the faux loading lever serves to retain the cylinder pin.