RELOAD YOUR REVOLVER FASTER!

KIMBER
THE NEW AEGIS ELITE
CUSTOM OI SETS A
HIGH BAR FOR 1911s

WHO YOU
SPRINGFIELD 911—
FIRST-LINE DEFENSE

+
• HAPPY 50TH!
DAN WESSON
10mm SUPER
REDHAWK
A BIG AUTO ROUND FOR
• ED BROWN’S RUGER’S BIG WHEELGUN
NEW CCO LW
• HUDSON’S
UNIQUE H9
©2018 REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, LLC.
 CONTENTS
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 | VOLUME 32, NUMBER 4 | PUBLISHED BIMONTHLY | www.handguns.com

FEATURES
22 ONE FOR THE AEGIS
By BRAD FITZPATRICK 22
Kimber’s new Aegis Elite Custom comes with a pre-mounted optic and
all the quality you’ve come to expect from this company.

32 ULTIMATE CARRY
By JAMES TARR
(G %URZQ·V QHZ &RQFHDOHG &DUU\ 2IÀFHU·V/LJKWZHLJKWLVDVKLQLQJ
example of what a CCW 1911 should be.

38 NEED FOR SPEED

By JEFF CHUDWIN
Think revolvers are slow to reload? Think again. Three devices that
will get your wheelgun back into action in a hurry.

48 FIRST RESPONDER
By JAMES TARR
:KLOH LW·V QRW WKH ÀUVW  WR EH FKDPEHUHGLQ6SULQJÀHOG·VQHZ
911 may just be the best of the breed.

54 HUDSON’S HYBRID
By JAMES TARR
7DNH WKH EHVW FKDUDFWHULVWLFV RI WKH  DQG D SRO\PHUVWULNHUÀUHG
JXQFRPELQHWKHPZLWKDXQLTXHGHVLJQDQG\RXKDYHWKH+

DEPARTMENTS
6 LETTERS 20 EN GARDE
10 SPEEDLOADS
RICHARD NANCE
Improve your draw with slow- FIRING LINE
• Smith & Wesson’s Heavy Duty
• Holster options for women
motion video from your phone.
REPORTS
64 BACK PAGE BEAUTIES 60 RUGER SUPER
16 ESSENTIALS STAN TRZONIEC
Dan Wesson’s 50th anniversary
REDHAWK 10mm
JAMES TARR 1911.
Galco’s excellent Kydex
holster models.

2 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

 NOW STANDS FOR
EVERYDAY CHOICES

The Ruger® EC9s™ comes with n

gimmicks, rebates or mail-in offers

for gift cards... just the rugged,

reliability of the striker-fired LC9s®

now with integral sights and a no-h

price point that won’t break the ba

® ®

WHY CHOOSE BETWEEN THEM

WHEN YOU CAN HAVE BOTH?

RUGER.COM © 2018 Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc. 011118

 TRITIUM + FIBER-OPTIC XTREME
PROFESSIONAL HANDGUN SIGHTS
PRESIDENT & CEO Jim Liberatore

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PUBLISHING & BRANDED MEDIA
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OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN DIGITAL

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OUTDOORSG.COM for emergency one-hand
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SIGHT DESIGN
FISHING Improves speed
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FLORIDASPORTSMAN.COM FOCUS•LOCK RING
FLYFISHERMAN.COM for faster focus on front sight
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SHOOTING
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COPYRIGHT 2018 BY OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN GROUP, INC.®

HANDGUNS® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF
OUTDOOR SPORTSMAN GROUP IN THE UNITED STATES.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. NO PART OF THIS BOOK MAY
BE REPRODUCED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION.

The Publisher and authors make no representations or warranties re-

garding the accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of the information
contained in this publication. Any reliance or use of the information
is solely at your own risk, and the authors and Publisher disclaim any
and all liability relating thereto. Any prices given in this issue were the
suggested prices at the press time and are subject to change.
Some advertisements in this magazine may concern products that
are not legally for sale to California residents or residents in other
jurisdictions.

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 HANDGUNS 5

| HANDGUNS TV | Thursdays @ 10:30 p.m. on Sportsman Channel

JULY <<< Guest star Hana Bilodeau from the

SIG Academy joins Rich and Jim as

6th they go in-depth on the elements of a

successful handgun draw. Jim demon-
strates the famous El Presidente drill,
2018
and in “En Garde” Rich shows the best
ways to clear handgun malfunctions.

JULY <<< Jim, Rich and Scott tackle a topic

of interest to every handgunner: how to
26th handle recoil. Rich and Scott discuss
the pros and cons of various target
2018 types, and in “Skills Drills” Jim shows
you how to set up a great practice using
only paper plates.

AUGUST <<< Vehicles are an everyday fact of

life. Rich and Jim delve into security

9th both inside a car and outside it. Scott

and Jim argue the relative merits of
speed versus retention pistol reloads,
2018
and Rich demonstrates best methods
for drawing from concealment.
ENGINEERED FOR
SUPERIOR FIT, FEEL

380 AUTO • 6/7 SHOT CAPACITY • 10 OZ. • INTEGRATED LOW-PROFILE SIGHTS

 | SPEEDLOADS
I AM FAR FROM A COLLECTOR; ALL OF
my handguns are used rather than
stored or displayed. But I suppose
there is something of a collector in
me because vintage Smith & Wesson
revolvers call to me, and one such
example is the Smith & Wesson
Heavy Duty.
During the period after the Great
War, there was much handgun
experimentation as shooters looked
for longer range and increased ac-
curacy. Outdoorsmen were looking
for a powerful cartridge that was
accurate and economical to use.
The police were also in search of
a different type of handgun because
a new breed of mechanized bandit
10 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
ZDV PDNLQJ LW GLIÀFXOW IRU WKHP 7KH
common .38 Special with a 158-grain
roundnose bullet at 800 fps was not
capable of penetrating the steel
doors of vehicles. When safety glass
became common, the problem was
even more severe, and larger cali-
bers were scarcely more effective in
penetration.
The two big handgun companies,
Smith & Wesson and Colt, took the
same path in improving handgun
performance. Each took a handgun
cartridge and increased the powder
charge without changing outside di-
mensions. Colt improved the .38 ACP
into the .38 Super and chambered it
in the 1911. Smith & Wesson created
the .38-44 loading.
The .38-44 is a cartridge designa-
tion but also is a term for the revolv-
er intended to use the new loading,
which could reach 1,125 fps with a
158-grain bullet—but at the cost of
serious wear and tear on standard
revolvers. Therefore, Smith & Wes-
son created the Heavy Duty using a
special, thick .38 Special cylinder
and the heavy under-lugged barrel
from its .44 frame revolver.
The result was among the most
rugged and best balanced revolvers
ever manufactured. In many ways,
the .38-44 was more useful than the
later .357 Magnum cartridge and
certainly easier to control. But the
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

The .38-44 used a heavier cylinder
<
to handle the increased pressure
of the new round while the barrel
underlug aided control.
< time. The factory wisely adopted
.38-44 loading and the Heavy Duty
revolver did eventually lead to the
introduction of the .357 Magnum
cartridge and handgun.
The Heavy Duty was introduced in
 7KH VLJKWV ZHUH À[HG DQG WKH
EDUUHO ZDV ÀYH LQFKHV ORQJ DOWKRXJK
IRXU DQG VL[LQFK EDUUHOV ZHUH RI-
IHUHG ODWHU ZLWK WKH IRXULQFK WKH
most common. An adjustable-sight
Outdoorsman version with a 6.5-inch
barrel was introduced a year later.
Production continued until 1941
and resumed after World War II.
The post-war revolvers had a new
short action that was developed by
Tetra Gun Valu Pro III
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
custom gunsmiths during the 1930s
to give Smith & Wesson revolvers
a smoother action and faster lock
this action improvement.
The Heavy Duty became the
0RGHO  LQ  DQG SURGXFWLRQ
ceased in 1966. The popularity of
the heavy-barrel Smith & Wesson
Military & Police .38 and the Combat
Magnum .357 Magnum revolver no
doubt made the Heavy Duty less at-
WUDFWLYH +RZHYHU GXULQJ LWV KH\GD\
the Heavy Duty sold for about half
the price of the Smith & Wesson
.357 Magnum and was used by many
police agencies.
My tight but well-used Heavy Duty
ZDV EXLOW LQ  ,W LV DFFXUDWH
and the action is very smooth. It
will handle the heaviest .38 Special
ORDGV DQG UHPDLQV FRQWUROODEOH
HYHQ PLOG WR ÀUH 7KH RULJLQDO
 ORDG XVHG D ÁDWSRLQW EXOOHW
although I have seen the common
158-grain roundnose lead bullet
loaded as well. Many of the origi-
nal loads also used a Large Pistol
primer rather than the Small Pistol
primer of the .38 Special.
I once clocked the Reming-
WRQ ORDG DW  ISV 0\ RULJLQDO
handload—a 150-grain gas-checked
VHPLZDGFXWWHU³ZRXOG GR 
That’s quite an improvement over
the popular 158-grain FBI .38 Spe-
FLDO ORDG RI WKH GD\ ZKLFK FORFNHG
 ISV RXW RI D VL[LQFK EDUUHO
Buffalo Bore’s current .38-44
offering—a 158-grain Keith bul-
OHW³SURGXFHG  ISV IURP WKH
four-inch barrel of my Heavy Duty.
, KDYH DOVR H[SHULPHQWHG ZLWK D
load using 196-grain cast bullets
that duplicates the old Super Police
200-grain loading. At 800 fps this
load has quite a thump and plenty
of penetration.
,I \RX ORYH ROG UHYROYHUV WKH
Heavy Duty is an important piece of
history. It is also a working revolver
that will serve a real purpose in
today’s world.
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 HANDGUNS 11
 | SPEEDLOADS
GUN GAL | BY EVE FLANIGAN

HOLSTER SHOPPING
THE FIREARM INDUSTRY IS PRACTI-
FDOO\ GRLQJ EDFNÁLSV WR PHHW WKH
ZKLPV DQG QHHGV RI IHPDOH FDUUL-
HUV DQG WKH QXPEHU RI RSWLRQV LQ-
FUHDVHV HYHU\ \HDU %XW WKDW GRHVQ·W
PHDQ HYHU\ RSWLRQ LV D JRRG RQH
7R EH DFFHSWDEOH D KROVWHU PXVW
FRYHU WKH WULJJHU JXDUG VR QRWKLQJ
FDQ JHW LQ WKHUH 7KDW PHDQV WHVW-
LQJ RU LI \RX·UH VKRSSLQJ RQOLQH HQ-
YLVLRQLQJ \RXUVHOI FDUU\LQJ RU ZHDU-
LQJ WKH KROVWHU RQ D W\SLFDO GD\ ,V
WKHUH DQ\WKLQJ RQ \RXU FORWKLQJ RU
LQ \RXU HQYLURQPHQW WKDW FRXOG JHW
LQVLGH WKH WULJJHU JXDUGDQGFDXVH
WKH JXQ WR ÀUH"
Not all holsters are created equal. Aside from the safety/retention aspect,
<

)RU H[DPSOH DQ HFRQRPLFDO

VRIWVLGHG EHOO\ EDQG KROVWHU ZLWK
VWUHWFK\ HODVWLF DURXQG WKH ÀUHDUP
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<RXU KROVWHU PXVW DOVR NHHS WKH
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WKH KROVWHU LWVHOI VKRXOG QRW EH DEOH
WR EUHDN DZD\RUIDOOIURPLWVKLGLQJ
SODFH
)RU LQVWDQFH WKH FOLSOHVV LQVLGH
WKHZDLVWEDQG KROVWHU , RIWHQ FDUU\
LV VHFXUH LQ PRVW VLWXDWLRQV LQFOXG-
LQJ MRJJLQJ DQG ULGLQJ D KRUVH %XW
RQ WKRVH UDUH GD\V ZKHQ URFN FOLPE-
LQJ RU SOD\LQJ RQ J\P HTXLSPHQW
WKLV W\SH RI KROVWHU FRXOG DOORZ WKH
JXQ RU JXQ DQG KROVWHU WR IDOO RXW
,Q WKHVH FDVHV , FKRRVH D GLIIHUHQW
KROVWHU ZLWK UHWHQWLRQ GHYLFHV
$QRWKHU LPSRUWDQW FRQVLGHUDWLRQ
LQ KROVWHU VHOHFWLRQ LV HIÀFLHQF\³
ERWK LQ GHSOR\LQJ WKH JXQ DQG DOVR
WKH HDVH RI GRQQLQJ DQG VKHG-
GLQJ WKH KROVWHU HYHU\ GD\ 6RPH
KROVWHUV FDQ DGG VLJQLÀFDQW WLPH WR
\RXU URXWLQH ,I \RX·UH WKH W\SH ZKR
GDVKHV WRZDUG WKH IURQW GRRU ZLWK
FRIIHHVSLOOLQJIURPRQHKDQGNH\V
it’s important to consider your daily activities, surroundings and preferred way
of dressing to select the rig that’s right for you.
LQ WKH RWKHU GRQ·W FKRRVH D KROVWHU DEOH WR EHQG GHHSO\ RU KLNH D OHJ
WKDW WDNHV PRUH WKDQ D IHZ VHFRQGV GXULQJ WKH GUDZ 2QH RI WKH PRVW
WR DGG WR \RXU GDLO\ DWWLUH ,I \RX GR GLVFUHHW PHWKRGV LV ZKHQ LW·V ZRUQ
\RX·OO HQG XS QRW ZHDULQJ LW DW DOO RQ WKH LQVLGH RI WKH VXSSRUWVLGH
,Q WHUPV RI DFFHVVLELOLW\ ZDLVW OHJ ZLWK ÁDUHG RU ERRW FXW SDQWV³D
UHJLRQ FRQFHDOPHQW LV WRSV DOWKRXJK JUHDW PHWKRG IRU SHRSOH ZKR ZRUN
LW RIWHQ UHTXLUHV XVH RI D EHOW WDXW LQ FORVH SUR[LPLW\ WR RWKHUV 3ODQ RQ
GUDZVWULQJ ZDLVWEDQG RU VNLQWLJKW XVLQJ D VXEFRPSDFW ÀUHDUP IRU WKLV
VSDQGH[ $ IHPLQLQH SURÀOH DQG *DUWHUW\SH WKLJK ULJV DUH RQ WKH
JDUE DUH VWLOO DFKLHYDEOH ZLWK D KRO- PDUNHW DQG FRXOG DSSHDO WR GUHVV
VWHU FDUULHG LQVLGH WKH ZDLVWEDQG ZHDUHUV 5HWHQWLRQ RI WKH HQWLUH
3RSXODU ÀWDQGÁDUH WRSV LQ GDUNHU KROVWHU DQG FRPIRUW HVSHFLDOO\ IRU
FRORUV RU SDWWHUQV³ORQJ HQRXJK DW ZRPHQ ZLWK YDULFRVH YHLQV FRXOG EH
WKH ERWWRP WR NHHS WKH JXQ KLGGHQ³ FRQFHUQV $V ZLWK DQ\ PHWKRG WHVW
DUH HDV\ WR FOHDU GXULQJ WKH GUDZ WKLV RQH H[WHQVLYHO\ DW KRPH³ZLWK
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SDQWVZHDUHUVZKRDUHZLOOLQJDQG RXWLQSXEOLF
3 Rules for Holster Selection

12 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

 BETTER TO HAVE IT AND NOT NEED IT,
THAN TO NEED IT AND NOT HAVE IT

This truism of gun ownership can also apply to owning a

better, more refined gun. So why settle for a striker-fired pistol

with an OK trigger and a few generic grip options when the

HK VP9 or VP9SK have great triggers and 27 different fitment

combinations? Options too, are better to have . . .

www.hk-usa.com • 706-568-1906
 | SPEEDLOADS
YOUR VERY OWN PLATE RACK
MGM Target’s Steel Challenge plate rack is an affordable and fun way to
<
train. It ships in a metal bucket with six hexagonal unpainted plates (Rupp did
his in gray) and hangers plus two end brackets that accommodate 2x4s.
I STRUGGLE WITH RAPID TARGET TRAN-
sitions and achieving a proper trig-
ger press while doing same. That’s
where a plate rack can really help,
but unless you belong to a range
so equipped, or you have your own
private Idaho where you can set one
up and leave it, it’s not a practical
option for most of us. Until now.
MGM Target’s Steel Challenge
plate rack (MGMTARGETS.COM) is a
portable rack that’s affordable at
only $299 (delivered!) and easy to
set up. It arrives in a metal bucket
with six plates, six hangers and two
end brackets. All you need to add
are 2x4s. I use four four-footers
for the legs and an eight-foot cross
piece, and the whole kit and ca-
ERRGOH ÀWV HDVLO\ LQWR P\ 5XQQHU
The only thing that’s missing is
a guy to yell, “Hey, dumb-ass! The
slot for the cross piece goes on top,
QRW RQ WKH ERWWRPμ 2QFH , ÀJXUHG
that out, it was simple to set up by
myself.
Arrange the hangers where you
want them, rotate the hexagonal
plates to slide them onto the hanger
arms, then allow the plates to swing
into position.
The design forces backsplash
toward the ground, and while you
should wear safety glasses and
shoot from at least 10 yards away—
the same as with any steel target—
,·YH ÀUHG KXQGUHGV RI URXQGV ZLWK-
out getting hit by bullet fragments.
I’ve been known to miss the plates
on occasion, so I’ll need to replace
the 2x4 cross piece periodically. But
up to this point all I’ve had to do
is shave off major splinters so the
hangers can slide freely.
7KH SODWHV FRPH XQÀQLVKHG DQG
if my experience is any guide, the
metal parts will be dirty from the
manufacturing process. You might
ZDQW WR KDQGOH ZLWK JORYHV DW ÀUVW
and clean them prior to using.
I couldn’t be more pleased with
this setup, and I’ve had a blast
shooting it. I might even be getting
better.—J. Scott Rupp
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
 The Intel Report

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HANDGUNS is America’s only small-arms media property

dedicated to the all-around handgun enthusiast. It’s core
mission is to emphasize the proper use and selection of
handguns for self-defense and sport shooting.
SUBSCRIBE TO HANDGUNS
PRINT EDITION,
HANDGUNS.COM
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 HANDGUNS 15
 | ESSENTIALS | By JAMES TARR

KILLER KYDEX
WELL-KNOWN FOR LEATHER, GALCO’S ‘PLASTIC’ RIGS ARE JUST AS GOOD.
WE LIVE IN AN ERA OF WEBSITES, BUT
back when catalog shopping ruled
the earth, the Galco Gunleather
catalog was one of the best-looking
catalogs of gun-related products on
the planet. Beautiful glossy shots
of holsters in exotic locations with
amazing and unusual props—like
RQH RI WKH ÀUVW FLYLOLDQRZQHG +XP-
YHHV³MXVW WRRN \RXU EUHDWK DZD\
Galco Gunleather no longer makes
D SULQW FDWDORJ 1RW RQO\ EHFDXVH HY-
erybody does their shopping online,
but also because since its found-
ing in 1969 as The Famous Jackass
Leather Company, its product line
has continued to expand so quickly.
In addition to holsters and magazine
pouches, the company now makes
belts, slings, gun-totin’ handbags,
While known as a leather holster company, Galco makes a number of
<

EXWWVWRFNVKHOOKROGHUVDQGULÁH
cases.
Note the word “leather” in both
The Famous Jackass Leather Com-
pany and Galco Gunleather, yet fully
a quarter of its belt holsters is made
partially or entirely of Kydex. Let’s
look at two of Galco’s most popular
“plastic” belt holsters: the all-Kydex
Stryker and the leather-and-poly-
mer Quick Slide.
Galco brought out the Stryker
about six years ago, and it’s exactly
the kind of belt holster I prefer: an
´HYHU\WKLQJ \RX QHHG DQG QRWKLQJ
you don’t” belt holster. The holster
body is constructed of Kydex—and
thick Kydex at that. My calipers put
it at 0.12 inch. It has what is referred
to in the industry as a “neutral
cant,” which means as the holster
sits on your belt it holds the slide/
barrel of the pistol in a completely
YHUWLFDO RULHQWDWLRQ
While pistols in neutral-cant hol-
sters may not conceal as well or as
polymer holsters, including the hybrid Kydex/steerhide Quick Slide (l.) and the
all-Kydex Stryker.
easily as those with the “FBI cant”
(grip forward, muzzle back), they are
generally quicker and easier to draw
from.
The holster body has two tension
screws down near the pistol’s dust
FRYHU WR DGMXVW ÀW 6LQFH WKH 6WU\NHU
LV PROGHG WR ÀW D VSHFLÀF ÀUHDUP
I rarely tighten down the tension
screws on these types of holsters.
Tight tension screws don’t make the
JXQ DQ\ PRUH VHFXUHWKH\MXVWVORZ
down my draw.
Guns simply don’t wiggle in the
IRUPÀW .\GH[ ERG\ PXFK OHVV IDOO
RXW ,·YH GRQH VRPHUVDXOWV ZHDULQJ
Strykers and not had the pistol come
RXW 7KLV VSHFLÀF ÀW XVLQJ D PDWH-
ULDO WKDW ZLOO QRW VWUHWFK RXW RYHU
time, is why polymer holsters don’t
need thumb breaks or other reten-
WLRQ GHYLFHV XQOHVV \RX·UH FDUU\LQJ
RSHQO\DQGORRNLQJWRSUHYHQWDEDG
guy from snagging your gun. If it’s
concealed…well, the only time any-
RQH VKRXOG NQRZ \RX KDYH LW LV DIWHU
\RX·YH GUDZQ LW IURP WKH KROVWHU
The belt loop attachment for the
Stryker is connected to the holster
body with four screws. There is a
VLPSOH PRYDEOH VOLGH RQ WKH EDFN
of the belt loop that allows you to
DGMXVW IRU GLIIHUHQW EHOWZLGWKVIURP
1.25 to two inches.
0\ DGYLFH LV WR VQXJ WKDW VXFNHU
up as much as possible because this
SUHYHQWV WKH KROVWHU IURP ZLJJOLQJ
on your belt and presents the pistol
in the same place and at the same
DQJOH HYHU\ WLPH , OLNH WKDW WKH
belt loop isn’t really any wider than
the holster and doesn’t take up any
more real estate than it needs to.
%DFN ZKHQ , ZDV GRLQJ VXUYHLO-
ODQFH DV D SULYDWH LQYHVWLJDWRU ,
EURNHVHYHUDOEHOWORRS DWWDFK-

16 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

90,000 round NATO army
torture test of the best
pistols in the world.
They picked the winner for their new sidearm

SAR9

Proven as the best pistol in the World by the biggest European army in
NATO, the SAR9 is now available in the United States at quality gun
shops coast to coast.

Price $449.00
including Lockable hard case, two 17 round magazines,
back-strap inserts, lock and bore brush.

www.sarusa.com 847 768 1011

357 Magnum/38 S&W Special +P Performance Center Speed Thumb Release

Performance Center Speed Thumb Release Chromed Trigger with Trigger Stop

Vented Rib Barrel Chromed Custom Teardrop Hammer

Interchangeable Front Sight - Orange Front Sight Included Performance Center® Tuned Action

Unfluted Cylinder Model 686 PLUS - Cylinder Cut for Moon Clips

www.smith-wesson.com/pc @SWPerformanceCenter @Performance_Ctr

 | EN GARDE | By RICHARD NANCE
SLO-MO MOJO
IMPROVE YOUR DRAW STROKE THROUGH SLOW-MOTION VIDEO.
IT’S OFTEN SAID THAT PERCEPTION IS
reality. I beg to differ. Just because
you perceive yourself to have good
shooting technique doesn’t mean
you actually do. If you want to
improve a particular skill, you need
to start by honestly assessing your
current ability level. One of the most
effective ways to do this is through
video analysis.
For decades, professional athletes
KDYH VWXGLHG ÀOP WR LGHQWLI\ WKHLU
opponent’s tendencies for later ex-
ploitation. But in addition to looking
for chinks in their opponent’s armor,
the dedicated athlete watches
himself or herself with a critical
eye, hoping to diagnose and remedy
problem areas.
These days, you don’t have to be
an elite athlete with a huge training
EXGJHW RU KDYH \RXU RZQ ÀOP FUHZ WR
ZDWFK ÀOP RI \RXUVHOI $OO LW WDNHV LV
a smartphone and someone to oper-
ate it or even a tripod to mount it to.
Recently, while taking Kelly Mc-
Cann’s defensive handgun course,
, ZLWQHVVHG ÀUVWKDQG WKH EHQHÀWV
of slow-motion video. Students
conducted a series of timed draw
DQG ÀUH VHTXHQFHV $W WKH VRXQG RI
the buzzer, the shooter would draw
DQG ÀUH D VLQJOH URXQG RQ DQ [
sheet of paper posted seven yards
downrange.
The drill was meant to establish
D EDVHOLQH DQG ZDV VKRW ´FROGμ ÀUVW
thing in the morning or right after
lunch. Private citizens shot the drill
from concealment, and the cops in
the class worked from their duty
holsters. This simple drill was a
good barometer for the defensive
handgunner.
The sheet of paper replicated the
thoracic cavity—a primary target
20 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
An ordinary smartphone with slow-motion capability will reveal laws in
<
your draw stroke you didn’t even know you had.
zone for personal defense. Seven
yards was a realistic shooting dis-
WDQFH DQG WKH  VHFRQG SDU WLPH
created a sense of urgency. To make
things a little more interesting, the
drill was shot one student at a time
with McCann staring over his or her
shoulder, working the timer, and an-
RWKHU VWXGHQW ÀOPLQJ WKH DFWLRQ ZLWK
a smart phone in slow-motion mode.
The drill was a good gauge for
McCann and the students, but to me,
the most enlightening aspect of this
drill was reviewing the slow motion
video. Perception isn’t reality. Slow
motion is reality.
I shot the drill fairly well, with my
best hits perforating the target in
DERXW  VHFRQGV IURP P\ UHWHQWLRQ
duty holster while incorporating
starting positions such as hands at
my side or hands raised.
I was doing a lot of things right.
For example, my hands were mov-
ing simultaneously—when my right
hand moved to my pistol, my left
hand moved to my chest to accept
the pistol and achieve a two-handed
Alfredo Rico
grip as early as possible. I was fast
to the gun. I was consistent.
However, slow-motion video made
even the slightest technical imper-
fection seem like a major, glaring
error. I realized I was mashing down
so hard on my gun when establish-
ing my shooting grip—in part to
depress and rotate the holster’s
securing hood forward—that it was
forcing the bottom of the holster
against my leg. This canted the
holster in such a way that caused
the pistol to drag during my draw
stroke, wasting time.
Then, instead of drawing my
pistol up high, to my dominant eye, I
tended to “scoop” the pistol slightly.
This prevented me from seeing my
sights as early as I should have. In-
stead of aligning my sights as I was
driving the gun toward the target, I
was having to hunt for them a bit as
my arms extended to make the shot.
This, too, was a waste of time.
Had I not seen these mistakes
with my own eyes—over and over,
frame by frame—I would not have
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
 IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL - Kel-Tec SUB-2000 Rifles

believed I was making them. And

since repetition alone doesn’t neces-
sarily improve performance, contin-
ued practice would not necessarily
have solved the problems.
I wasn’t alone either. Throughout
the day, I saw my classmates staring
at the screen on their smartphones Kel-Tec CNC Industries, Inc. is voluntarily recalling a limited number of
on every break—and they weren’t SUB-2000 rifles because of a heat treatment issue that could potentially
WH[WLQJ :HE VXUÀQJ RU DGPLU- cause the barrel to rupture when a cartridge is fired and could result in
ing how cool they looked. On the
serious personal injury. The SUB-2000 rifles affected by this recall are a
contrary, they were keying in on
mistakes and considering how they
select number that were manufactured in 2017.
could improve.
If your SUB-2000 was purchased in 2017 or 2018, do not load or fire it.
As a result of expert coaching
and a diligent review of the video, Please contact Kel-Tec immediately via our website https://recalls.
, PRGLÀHG P\ GUDZVWURNH VOLJKWO\ keltecweapons.com/, by email recalls@keltecweapons.com, or by telephone
mindful to not be so forceful when at 321-631-0068, extension 136 (M-F 9-4 EST),
establishing my shooting grip. As a to see if your serial number is affected and for
result, the pistol comes out of the
instructions on how to return your SUB-2000
holster more smoothly. Also, I draw
my pistol higher, which enables me
rifle to have its barrel replaced free of charge.
to establish a sight picture more
quickly.
Increasing the speed of your draw
stroke isn’t just about athleticism.
It’s about eliminating wasted mo-
tion. The more you can streamline
your drawstroke, the faster you can
get rounds on target. Also, by elimi-
nating wasted motion, you increase
consistency and predictability,
which improves accuracy.
Next time you’re at the range,
have a buddy take slow-motion video
of your performance. Heck, you
could even set your phone on a tri-
pod and record yourself executing
GU\ÀUH GUDZVWURNHV 7KHQ ZKHQ
you watch yourself, be critical. It
should be painstakingly clear what
you need to work on.
With slow-motion video analysis,
you can train smarter. Rather than
blindly conducting repetition after
repetition, you can tailor your train-
LQJ VHVVLRQV WR LPSURYH WKH VSHFLÀF
DUHDV WKDW \RX·YH LGHQWLÀHG DUH
ODFNLQJ ,I \RX ZDQW D PRUH HIÀFLHQW
and subsequently faster drawstroke,
slow motion video is the way to go.

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
ONE FOR THE
AEGIS
BY BRAD FITZPATRICK

22 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018

KIMBER’S NEW AEGIS

A
ccording to Greek mythology, the aegis
ELITE CUSTOM OI COM- was the protective shield or breast-
BINES FUNCTIONALITY, plate handed down from Zeus, ruler
of the Olympian gods, to his daughter
MODERN STYLING AND A Athena. It is referenced in Homer’s
PRE-MOUNTED OPTIC. Iliad, and according to popular accounts, the
aegis was adorned with golden tassels (or, in
some cases, writhing serpents) with the head
of the Gorgon Medusa at its center. This grue-
some artifact, according to legend, granted
universal protection to its bearer regardless
of the strength or number of enemies encoun-
tered.
In modern culture, the term aegis refers to
anyone or anything that offers protection or
support in the face of danger. Though none of
us modern mortals will likely face an enemy
as dangerous as a chimera, the world in which
we live is not without peril. Our defense
against those threats is not a breastplate or
a shield bearing a Gorgon’s severed head but
rather a sidearm loaded with expanding hol-
lowpoint ammunition.
If there’s a modern interpretation of the
aegis for the 21st century, it might well be the
1911 single-action semiautomatic pistol. It
was not handed down to us by Zeus from the
heights of Olympus, but rather from the mortal
ÀUHDUPGHVLJQHU-RKQ0RVHV%URZQLQJ³
WKRXJKVRPHFRQVLGHU%URZQLQJVRPHWKLQJRI
a demigod.
Aegis is also the name of Kimber’s newest
IDPLO\RISLVWROV<RX·OOÀQGQRJROGHQ
tassels on this weapon, but this doesn’t mean
these Kimber pistols are without adornments.
For starters, they feature a stylish two-tone
construction: a satin silver frame and a slide
ÀQLVKHGZLWKD.LP3UR,,SURWHFWLYHFRDWLQJ
in matte black.
The Aegis Elite Custom OI (Optic Installed),
the line-topping, full-sized version of the Ae-
gis 1911, bears Aegis Elite X (AEX) front and
rear slide serrations and comes with a milled
slide and a pre-mounted Vortex Optics Venom
six m.o.a. red dot sight co-witnessed with tall
three-dot sights.
The Venom red dot sight is attached to a
plate on top of the slide with a pair of Torx
screws, and it can be quickly and easily
removed if desired. The elevation adjustment
dial is located on the top of the red dot and the
windage dial is positioned on the right side,
and each click offers one m.o.a. of adjustment.
The optic allows the shooter to swap out the
CR1632 battery without removing the

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
ONE FOR THE AEGIS
sight from the pistol. Battery life
is good—up to 150 hours on the high-
est of the 10 brightness settings and
tens of thousands of hours on lower
settings. The low-glare, hard anod-
L]HG PDWWH ÀQLVK $UPRU7HN FRDWLQJ
DQG 2ULQJ VHDOV PDNH WKLV D GXUDEOH
RSWLF ZHOOVXLWHG WR WKH ULJRUV RI
GDLO\ FDUU\ (YHQ LI \RX PDQDJH WR
run the battery down, the tall three-
GRW VLJKWV PHDQ \RX·OODOZD\VKDYHD
sighting option.
7KH $HJLV (OLWH &XVWRP 2, FRPHV
, WHVWHG WKH IXOOVL]H $HJLV (OLWH
&XVWRP 2, LQ  $&3 DOWKRXJK
WKHUH DUH DOVR PP YHUVLRQV LI \RX·G
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not disappoint in that department.
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EHLQJ JDXG\ DQG WKH $(; VHUUD-
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7KHVH SLVWROV FRPH HTXLSSHG ZLWK
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serrations, and the rounded heel
KHOSV LQ FRQFHDOPHQW 7KHUH·V DOVR
DQ H[WHQGHG EHDYHUWDLO D VNHOHWRQ-
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ized aluminum target trigger. The
frame and slide are both made of
VWHHO³QR VKRFN³DQG WKH IURQW VLJKW
LV GRYHWDLOHG LQWR WKH VOLGH $Q HLJKW
URXQG PDJD]LQH FRPHV ZLWK WKH 
YHUVLRQ DQG WKH PP PDJD]LQH RI-
fers one additional round.
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2, PRGHO WKH $HJLV (OLWH 3UR DV ZHOO
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The Aegis Elite Custom OI features AEX front and rear slide serrations,
<
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PHQW WKH PHWDO ÀQLVK 7KH URXQGHG
JULS VXUIDFH IHDWXUHV ULGJHG WH[WXU-
ing that affords a solid hold on the
SLVWRO ZLWKRXW EHLQJ WRR DJJUHVVLYH
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and width is just a bit under 1.3
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PDJD]LQH DQG UHG GRW VLJKW ZDV
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PDQGHU DQG WKH $HJLV GRHVQ·W IHHO
H[FHVVLYHO\ ODUJH ZKHQ \RX FDUU\ LW
FRQFHDOHG³DV ORQJ DV \RX·UH XVHG
WR WKH  GHVLJQ 7KH $HJLV WXFNV
neatly against the body, and the red
GRW GRHVQ·W SUHFOXGH WKLV IURP EHLQJ
DQ HYHU\GD\ FDUU\ SLVWRO DOWKRXJK
LW·V FHUWDLQO\RQWKHODUJHVLGHIRU
that.
7KH IURQW VLJKW PD\ FDXVH \RX
JULHI LI \RX·UH XVLQJ D JHQHULF 
KROVWHU DQG , KDG WR XVH D ÀOH WR
widen the already bored-out sight
FKDQQHO RQ P\ OHDWKHU *DOFR KROVWHU
D ELW WR JHW D FOHDQ GUDZ 7R 9RUWH[·V
FUHGLW WKH 9HQRP LV D FRPSDFW
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the growing number of people who
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ORRN³HVSHFLDOO\ VLQFH LW FRPHV RXW
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unique G10 grips and a Vortex Venom six-m.o.a. red dot sight. At just under a 7KH SULFH DV WHVWHG LV 
suggested retail of $1,400, it’s a relative steal. ZKLFK LVQ·W ZKDW \RX PLJKW FDOO
FKHDS LI \RX·YH EHHQ VKRSSLQJ LQ
ACCURACY RESULTS | WKH SRO\PHUVWULNHUÀUHG SLVWRO
Bullet Muzzle Standard Avg.
DLVOH %XW IRU D VROLGO\ EXLOW  
.45 ACP Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.) with high-end features and superb
Winchester Super Clean JSP 160 1,047 15 2.05 ÀW ÀQLVK DQG PDFKLQLQJ LW·V QRW
Hornady Critical Defense 185 1,035 13 1.58 RXW RI OLQH³HVSHFLDOO\ VLQFH WKH
Browning FMJ 185 918 15 2.29 9RUWH[ 9HQRP LWVHOI FDUULHV D SULFH
SIG V-Crown JHP 200 957 7 1.83 WDJ QRUWK RI  $GGLWLRQDOO\ WKH
Remington FMJ 230 832 14 2.62 9HQRP LV OLJKW HQRXJK MXVW RYHU
Notes: Accuracy results are averages of five five-shot groups at 25 yards from a fixed rest. Velocities are averages of 10 DQ RXQFH WKDW \RX ZRQ·W EH DGGLQJ
shots measured on a ProChrono digital chronograph set 10 feet from the muzzle. Abbreviations: FMJ, full metal jacket;
JHP, jacketed hollowpoint; JSP, jacketed softpoint PXFKEXONDVFRPSDUHGWRDQ

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
24 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
 A NEW LEADER IS

CROWNED

SIG V-CROWN® - The ultimate in defensive ammunition,

delivering exceptional on-target energy, maximum weight
retention, and optimal expansion at all effective distances.
Available in a wide array of calibers and grain weights,
the SIG V-Crown creates a new standard for reliability,
accuracy, and performance, round after round.

www.sigsauer.com
©2018 REMINGTON ARMS COMPANY, LLC.
*SOME LIMITATIONS MAY APPLY. GO TO WWW.REMINGTON.COM/LIFETIMEWARRANTY FOR THE WARRANTY.
ONE FOR THE AEGIS
clicks and the gun was on.
In addition to the Handguns ac-
curacy testing protocol, I put the
Kimber through something I refer
to as the “hostage accuracy evalu-
ation.” The drill involves placing a
Birchwood Casey hostage target at 25
\DUGVDQGÀULQJDVHULHVRIVKRWVDW
the “bad guys.” The exercise doesn’t hostage ends the exercise.
leave a lot of room for error; the bad With most iron-sighted factory
guys on those targets offer 1.5- to guns, it’s a real challenge to con-
inch-and-a-half to two-inch targets. tinually hit the mark shot after shot.
7KH REMHFWLYH LV WR ÀUH DV PDQ\ HI- Strings of two hits are good, and four
fective shots (striking the hostage is pretty exceptional. With its red dot
taker) in a row as possible. A bullet sight, the Aegis was ideally suited for
that misses the bad guy or strikes the WKLV GULOO , PDQDJHG ÀYH VROLG KLWV RQ
the right-side bad guy with Hornady
Critical Defense ammo before an
errant shot drifted off the paper, ef-
fectively stopping the drill.
The left-side hostage taker also
DEVRUEHG ÀYH VKRWV EHIRUH WKH VL[WK
bullet grazed the hostage silhouette.
Pretty impressive. And while this
drill isn’t part of the standard ac-
curacy test, I’ve come to rely on it as
< This version of an alternative and effective means to
the Aegis
features extra tall determine the real-world accuracy of
sights that a pistol. The Aegis shined.
co-witnessed When the data collection por-
with the red dot.
The tall front tion of the test was complete and
sight might DFFXUDF\ DQG YHORFLW\ ÀJXUHV ZHUH
interfere with it
on a traditional tallied, I spent some time shooting
1911 holster. the Aegis offhand at personal
ONE FOR THE AEGIS
defense distances. The six-m.o.a.
red dot allows for rapid target acqui-
sition, and it’s a great option for new
shooters who are trying to master
the art of shooting with both eyes
open—especially those who struggle
with front sight focus. But the red dot
Fitzpatrick used a hostage target to gauge practical defensive accuracy,
<
and the Aegis shined in this 25-yard excercise.
will work for anyone, new or inexpe-
rienced, and it’s a great option for
those shooters whose eyesight makes
VWDQGDUG LURQ VLJKW VKRRWLQJ GLIÀFXOW
After a few rounds, I decided to
pull the sight off the gun and re-
mount it to see how close it remained
to the original zero point. There was
no discernible change, and at no
point during the test did the Venom
show any signs of loosening.
Nor did the Aegis have any cycling
qualms with any of the loads tested.
Two hundred rounds does not qualify
as a torture test, but there were no
issues. The pistol was quite manage-
able to shoot, even with the hot-
ter rounds in the test, and I would
imagine that the 9mm version of this
steel-framed 1911 would be very soft-
shooting.
No, it’s not a shield with gold tas-
sels emblazoned with a Gorgon’s
head, but the Kimber Aegis is an ef-
fective defensive weapon. It’s also a
superb 1911, and even the most jaded
shooters likely will develop a soft
spot for this gun if they spend some
time with it at the range. It’s reliable,
accurate, fun to shoot and beautiful.
And until we’re faced with Chimeras
or other mythical beasts, this is all
the aegis you need.
B
ecause of watching too many
episodes of “Miami Vice” as
a teenager, when I was in my
early 20s I found myself the
owner of a Lightweight Colt
2IÀFHU·V 0RGHO ,W ZDV WKH FORVHVW
thing I could afford to the Deton-
ics Combat Master detective Sonny
&URFNHWW FDUULHG LQ KLV DQNOH KROVWHU
New 1911 in hand, I headed to the
range—and sold the gun a short time
ODWHU 6PDOO OLJKW V FKDPEHUHG
LQ  $&3 DUH SDLQIXO DQG DEXVLYH WR
VKRRW (YHQ LI \RX·UH D WUXH EHOLHYHU
in the magical stopping power of the
 $&3³DV , ZDV LQ P\ \RXWK³\RX
ÀQG UHDVRQV QRW WR VKRRW VPDOO OLJKW
JXQV FKDPEHUHG LQ WKDW FDUWULGJH
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LQJ \RX·UH QRW SUDFWLFLQJ
The new CCO LW—Concealed
&DUU\ 2IÀFHU·V /LJKWZHLJKW³IURP
(G %URZQ 3URGXFWV LV GHVLJQHG WR EH
the ultimate carry 1911 that com-
bines features you want in a custom
1911 carry gun while recognizing the
advances that have occurred in am-
PXQLWLRQ <HV \RX FDQ VSHFLDO RUGHU
LW LQ  6XSHU RU  $&3 EXW WKH
standard model CCO LW is a 9mm
ZLWK DQ HLJKWURXQG PDJD]LQH
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means a grip that is about a half-inch
The CCO LW features Ed Brown’s concealed-carry grip safety, an abbrevi-
<
ated design that shortens the safety’s length by about an eighth-inch and
helps keep the gun from printing.
shorter than the original Govern-
ment model frame and a barrel that
LV  LQFKHV ORQJ LQVWHDG RI WKH
ÀYHLQFK WXEH RQ WKH RULJLQDO
To me, this is the exact way to
PDNH D ´FDUU\μ PRGHO 7RR PDQ\
manufacturers build their carry
models with full-size grips and
VKRUWHQHG VOLGHV %XW LW LV WKH JULS
and not the slide that makes guns
KDUG WR FRQFHDO 6KRUWHQLQJ WKH JULS
DV (G %URZQ KDV GRQH KHUH UH-
duces printing while the longer slide
makes it easier to shoot the pistol
DFFXUDWHO\
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%URZQ·V VLQJOHVWDFN OLJKWZHLJKW
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about 29 ounces with an unloaded
PDJD]LQH , ZHLJKHG P\ VDPSOH
IXOO\ ORDGHG ZLWK  URXQGV RI
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LW FDPH LQ DW  RXQFHV HYHQ
Of course, loaded weight will vary
depending on the bullet weight of
\RXU SUHIHUUHG PP ORDG 5HJDUG-
less, that is an eminently carryable
ZHLJKW DQG VLQFH MXVW DERXW HYHU\-
one will be able to get their entire
KDQG RQ WKH IUDPH LW·VDOVRDTXLWH
VKRRWDEOH SDFNDJH
The CCO LW is the smallest, light-
HVW  (G %URZQ KDV HYHU RIIHUHG
7KHFRPSDQ\·VEUHDGDQGEXWWHU
is full-size, all-steel 1911s, usually
FKDPEHUHG LQ  $&3 DQG LI \RX
read the last issue of Handguns, you
SUREDEO\ VDZ (G %URZQ LV JHWWLQJ
into the 10mm long-slide game as
ZHOO 7KH &&2 /: LV D ELJ VWHS LQ WKH
opposite direction, and the company
VHHPV WR KDYH QDLOHG LW
This gun is far too large for pocket
FDUU\ EXW WKDW·V RND\ $ FXVWRP 
MXVW EHJV IRU D FXVWRP OHDWKHU RU
horsehide or sharkskin holster on a
TXDOLW\ EHOW QRW MXVW WR VXSSRUW WKH
weight but also to keep the gun prop-
HUO\ WXFNHG LQWR WKH ERG\ 2YHUDOO
WKH JXQ LV  LQFKHV ORQJ DQG ÀYH
LQFKHV WDOO³ LQFKHV LI \RX LQFOXGH
the provided magazine with its tall
EXPSHU SDG
(G %URZQ SURYLGHV RQO\ RQH HLJKW
round magazine with this pistol,
with that aforementioned large
H[WHQGHG EXPSHU SDG , UHFRPPHQG
D ÁXVK PDJD]LQH IRU FDUU\ DV WKDW
bumper pad completely erases the
FRQFHDODELOLW\ RI WKH FRPSDFW IUDPH
Companies such as Wilson Combat
and Chip McCormick make excellent
ÁXVK QLQHURXQG PDJD]LQHV WR ÀW
2IÀFHU·VVL]H IUDPHV DQG ,·G FDUU\
the gun with one of those inserted
and a full-size 10-round magazine on
P\ RIIVLGH IRU WKH UHORDG
7KH VWDLQOHVV EDUUHO LV RQH RI (G
%URZQ·V RZQ PDWFKJUDGH WXEHV
mated with a stainless match bush-
LQJ 7KH EDUUHO LV ÁXVK ZLWK WKH
EXVKLQJ DQG VSRUWV D VLJQLÀFDQWO\ UH-
FHVVHG FURZQ WR SURWHFW WKH ULÁLQJ
The barrel/frame/slide lockup was
totally tight, with no wiggle any-
ZKHUH \HW WKH VOLGH F\FOHG ZLWK HDVH
7KDW·V DOVR RQH RI WKH DGYDQWDJHV
of a 9mm 1911: The lighter recoil
springs make it easier for people
with compromised grips to cycled
WKH VOLGH
<RX ZDQW D VXUH VLJQ RI D TXDOLW\
KDQGÀWWHG " $V , VDLG WKH (G
%URZQ &&2 /: ORFNHG XS FRPSOHWHO\
tight, yet the bushing could be re-
moved by hand, without the use of a
EXVKLQJ ZUHQFK 7KDW LV WKHPDUNRI
H[SHUW FUDIWVPDQVKLS
Ironically, though the 9mm offers
fewer foot-pounds of energy than
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 HANDGUNS 33
ULTIMATE CARRY
the .45 ACP, it operates at higher
pressures. The CCO LW’s barrel is
not ramped as many 9mm 1911 bar-
rels are, but it does feature a fully
supported chamber to handle those
higher pressures.
While the barrel and bushing
are stainless steel, and the trigger
is brushed aluminum, the rest of
the pistol has been treated with Ed
Brown’s proprietary corrosion-resis-
tant black Gen 4 coating.
The front of the slide has been
narrowed slightly. Ed Brown calls
these “carry cuts,” but traditionally
they’re known as “Hi Power cuts”
because they make the front of a 1911
resemble the front of another of John
Browning’s creations: the Browning
Hi Power. The carry cuts are ostensi-
bly to aid in holstering, but they also
just look good.
The bottom corner of the slide on
P\ ÀUVW  ZDV QHDUO\ NQLIHVKDUS
and it was a rare USPSA match that
I walked away from without a fresh
cut on my thumb. If you peer closely
at the photos of this pistol, you’ll see
the bottom edge of the slide has been
The front of the gun features “carry cuts”
<
similar to those on the Browning Hi Power,
which make holstering easier. The barrel
has a signiicant crown for protection.
ACCURACY RESULTS | ED BROWN CCO LW
9mm Luger
Black Hills TAC-XP +P
Federal Train & Protect JHP
Hornady XTP +P
SIG Elite FMJ
Notes: Accuracy results are averages of four five-shot groups at 25 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are averages of
10 shots measured with an Oehler Model 35P 12 feet from the muzzle. Abbreviations: FMJ, full metal jacket; JHP, jacketed
hollowpoint
34 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
heavily chamfered so it won’t slice
your thumb if you shoot the gun with
a proper thumb-high hold, choked
way up on it.
The single-side safety is an
extended model and had loud and
positive clicks up and down. There
are no sharp edges and no sharp
corners at the rear of the pistol,
either on the frame or at the rear of
the thumb safety where it meets the
frame. While this is not as important
when shooting 9mms, this is a lesson
learned by shooting .45 ACPs: Any
corners at the rear of a hard-recoil-
ing metal-framed pistol dig into your
hand.
The grip safety is perfectly blend-
ed to the frame, but what immediate-
O\ FDXJKW P\ H\H ZKHQ , ÀUVW FRFNHG
the hammer of this pistol was the
abbreviated shape of the beavertail.
Ed Brown’s beavertail design of-
fers the highest cut and highest hand
positioning of any factory beavertail
on the market. Normally, the curve
sweeps up in back to cup the bottom
of the hammer, but you’ll notice the
beavertail on the CCO LW goes near-
Bullet Muzzle Standard
Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps)
115 1,176 11
115 1,139 24
124 1,141 9 2.1
124 1,132 18
ly straight back and then stops. This
is Ed Brown’s Concealed Carry grip
safety, and its shortened length takes
about 1/8 inch off the part of a 1911
that is the second most likely part to
print behind the butt of the gun.
7KH ÀUVW PRVW OLNHO\ SDUW RQ D
gun to print is the frame itself. The
CCO LW features a round butt on
the frame. It’s not a “bobtail” frame
cut, which chops a substantial hunk
off the back corner of the frame, but
rather just a rounding of that back
corner so it nestles a little deeper
and a little more comfortably in your
hand. I much prefer this round butt
to bobtailed frames both for look and
feel because bobtails change the grip
angle slightly.
That rounded butt does two more
things. It removes a corner on which
your covering garment could catch
and takes another eighth-inch or so
off the part of the pistol that is most
likely to print, making it even more
concealable.
These are small things, but this
is, after all, a custom gun. A custom
gun should offer those small custom
features that together add up to a
big difference. Owning a custom gun
should provide you with something
more than just bragging rights.
The frame features Ed Brown’s
Snakeskin texturing. The texturing
looks like scales and can be found
on the mainspring housing, front-
strap of the frame and the slide. The
Snakeskin on the mainspring hous-
ing was noticeably more aggressive
than anywhere else on the gun and
was at least as aggressive as checker-
ing.
I would have preferred Snakeskin
that aggressive on the frontstrap as
well, but for years I carried and shot
hand-checkered 1911s that were only
Avg. slightly less rough to handle than
Group (in.) cheese graters. Snakeskin is adver-
2.0 tised as being less aggressive than
2.7 checkering while still providing a
ÀUP QRQVOLS JULS
2.3 The grips are G10 laminate with
a pattern designed to mimic wood.
They’re made by VZ Grips, and
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
ULTIMATE CARRY
VZ does excellent work. The
checkering on the grips is more ag-
gressive than the Snakeskin textur-
ing on the front of the frame and
really does a good job helping keep
your hand in place while shooting. At
the bottom of the frame, the magazine
well opening has been lightly beveled
to smooth reloading.
Traditionally, the slide stop sticks
out of the right side of the frame
slightly to help with disassembly.
That’s not actually necessary, though,
and considering this is a purpose-
built “carry gun,” the people at Ed
Brown have cut off the slide stop
even with the frame to make it more
streamlined. They then slightly
The butt of the
<
pistol is rounded to
aid in concealment,
but it’s not a “bob-
tail” cut that can
change grip angle
slightly. The mag well
is slightly beveled.
The CCO LW has VZ G10 grips and Ed Brown Snakeskin checkering on the
<
frontstrap and mainspring housing to help keep the pistol secure in the hand.
The supplied eight-round mag features a large bumper.
36 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
relieved the frame around the pin to
aid in disassembly.
The latest carry-gun archetype fad
all the cool kids have is commonly
referred to as a “Roland Special” and
features a red dot on the slide and a
weapon light mounted on the frame
UDLO <RX ZRQ·W ÀQG WKRVH KHUH 7KH
Ed Brown CCO LW has iron sights.
7KH IURQW KDV D UHG ÀEHURSWLF LQVHUW
inside a steel post. The rear sight is
plain black and steel and resembles
a Novak no-snag design. Further, the
gun lacks a frame rail for a light or
light/laser.
To my mind, that’s perfect—and
SHUIHFWO\ ÀQH (QMR\ \RXU WR\V EXW
to me, if you’ve slapped a red dot
and weapon light on your concealed-
carry piece you’ve lost sight of your
goal. Concealed-carry pieces don’t
get pulled until you’ve already identi-
ÀHG D WKUHDW LQ ZKLFK FDVHWKDWOLJKW
LV SRVVLEO\ VXSHUÁXRXV
And at traditional defensive
handgun distances—arm’s length to
15 feet—I’ve seen extensive indepen-
dent testing that has proven what I’ve
always believed: A red dot is slower
to acquire than iron sights for shoot-
ers of all skill levels.
The CCO LW was a joy to shoot.
Like all 1911s, it is slim and pointed
naturally, and the crisp 4.25-pound
trigger made it easy to shoot accu-
rately. Subcompact 1911s chambered
in 9mm are really popular, but some
are so small most people can’t get
their entire hand on the grip, and
their short sight radius makes them
PRUH GLIÀFXOW WR VKRRW %HFDXVH LWV
grip is large enough for my entire
hand, and the recoil of 9mm in such
a package is moderate even with +P
loads, the CCO LW shot and handled
as well as a full-size 1911 in .45 ACP.
And remember: Because Ed Brown
Products is a custom shop, you’re not
just limited to a factory model. It is
fully customizable with more than
100 options.
Why such a big deal about the fac-
tory caliber offering of this “ulti-
mate” 1911 being 9mm? No so long
ago, the 9mm was looked down upon
by everyone—especially 1911 fans—
as being nearly worthless, good for
only hurting people’s feelings.
Those attitudes have changed be-
cause the ammunition has changed.
None other than the FBI vaunted
Training Division has recommended
all law enforcement agencies switch
to the 9mm in part because they say
its terminal effectiveness is at least
equal to that of the .40 S&W and .45
ACP while offering less recoil and
increased magazine capacity.
Small 1911s chambered in 1911
are what’s in, and the Ed Brown CCO
LW is about as perfect a vision of
WKDW SDFNDJH DV\RX·UHOLNHO\WRÀQG
anywhere.
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
THE NEED
FOR SPEED
BY JEFF CHUDWIN

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

THE NEED FOR SPEED
However, there continues to
be a strong demand for revolvers
among seasoned shooters and be-
ginners alike because a lot of people
prefer the wheelgun’s simplicity
and reliability. The downside, some
argue, is revolvers take too long to
reload. But with the right loading
system and practice, a shooter can
keep a wheelgun up and running in
minimal time.
Options for reloading your re-
Moon clips evolved from the original half-moon design to today’s full-moon
<
clips. They’re super-fast and simple to use, although a tool of some sort is
required to remove empties from the clip.
Speed strips aren’t lightning fast for reloading, but they lie lat in a pock-
<
et—making them easy and comfortable to conceal—and can be used to top
off a revolver’s cylinder with one or two rounds.
40 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
volver include single loose rounds,
half- or full-moon clips, speed strips
and speedloaders. Each has its
place depending on the design of
the handgun and the needs of the
shooter.
Let’s start with moon clips, which
have a long and illustrious history.
Back in World War I, the U.S. mili-
tary needed additional handguns to
complement its inventories of Model
1911 semiautomatics. It contracted
with Colt and Smith & Wesson to
produce revolvers chambered to
.45 ACP—a way of keeping handgun
ammo supply compatible with the
1911.
But there was a hurdle to over-
come. Because the .45 ACP cartridge
lacks a rim extending beyond the
diameter of its case, empty cases
could not be extracted from the cyl-
inder by use of the ejector rod. The
answer was a simple stamped piece
of steel called a half-moon clip that
held three rounds of ammo.
By snapping the clip around the
extractor groove in the cartridge
EDVH WKH WKUHH URXQGV ZHUH ÀUPO\
attached. To load, the clipped three
rounds were inserted into the cylin-
der. By adding a second half-moon,
the shooter had a full cylinder ready
WR JR 7R HMHFW WKH ÀUHG FDVLQJV WKH
shooter pushed the ejector rod rear-
ward to clear the moon clips.
Fast-forward to the early 1980s
when the full-moon clip was devel-
oped for competitive shooters in
bowling pin and practical shooting
matches. Holding a cylinder-full six
rounds of .45 ACP, the full-moon clip
allowed a lightning-fast reload.
Revolver master extraordinaire
Jerry Miculek used this system to
conquer the world of competition
revolver shooting. His world record
GHPRQVWUDWLRQ³ÀULQJ  URXQGV LQ
under three seconds with a full-
moon clip reload from his Smith &
:HVVRQ 0RGHO ³LV OHJHQGDU\
Current revolver offerings from
Smith & Wesson and Ruger have
added the 9mm Luger cartridge and
full-moon clips into their lines of
competition and concealed-carry
revolvers. (Ed. note: At press time,
Ruger had just announced a 10mm
GP100, following on the heels of the
10mm Redhawk reviewed elsewhere
in this issue.)
With training and practice, the
full-moon clip system is as fast
and simple as it gets. The clips are
inexpensive, so get a pile of them.
Brass pickup is a breeze, and the
only downside is the need to un-
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
THE M2.0 FAMILY
TM

JUST GO IER

Perfectly sized 380 protection.

Light slide-pull, low perceived recoil, light crisp
trigger and enhanced grip texture.
The New ®
™

SMITH-WESSON.COM
THE NEED FOR SPEED
clip the empty brass and reclip
loaded rounds.
Commercially available “de-
mooners” from Dillon Precision and
Speed Beez make unloading clips
painless. Otherwise, careful use of a
pliers will unclip the empties.
Speed strips made their appear-
ance in the early 1970s. As the name
implies, it is a half-inch-wide strip—
PRGHUQ RQHV DUH PDGH RI ÁH[LEOH
urethane or similar polymer—that
locks onto the cartridge case rim to
UHWDLQ LW LQ SODFH 7KH ÀUVW PRGHOV
ZHUH GHVLJQHG WR KROG VL[  6SHFLDO
RU  0DJQXP URXQGV EXW WRGD\ %L-
anchi/Safariland and Tuff Products
offer strips for other calibers.
To load, insert one or two rounds
into the cylinder at a time and ap-
ply sideways pressure to strip the
rounds out of the strip’s locking
slots. Two rounds at a time is the
PD[LPXP\RXFDQORDGLQWKLVIDVK-
Probably the most common system is the speedloader, which holds a full
<
complement of rounds that drop into the cylinder charge holes with either a
twist of a button or by pushing in irmly with the loader.
REVOLVER LOADER SPEED TEST
Loader
S&W moon clip
Safariland Comp MIII speedloader
Kimber K6S speedloader
HKS speedloader
Bianchi/Safariland speed strip
Loose rounds from pocket
Notes: Each type of reload was drawn from the belt or pocket of the shooter’s non-gun side. Time was measured using
Coach’s Eye computer app, from the last round fired through the reload to first round fired.
42 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
ion, so it is the slowest of the reload
systems. However, the big advantage
of the speed strip is compactness: A
FRXSOH RI VWULSV VLW ÁDW DQG XQREWUX-
sive in a belt pouch or pocket.
Also, unlike moon clips or speed-
loaders, which I’ll get to in a second,
speed strips allow the shooter to
top off with just a round or two. To
accomplish this, simply push on the
ejector rod just enough to move live
cartridges and spent cases partway
out of the cylinder and then release
the rod. Spent cases will stick up
while live rounds drop back into the
cylinder. Simply pluck the emp-
ties from the cylinder and reload
the empty charge holes with fresh
rounds from the strip.
Speedloaders are the most popu-
lar devices for reloading a revolver,
and they, too, have an interesting
KLVWRU\ 2Q -XQH   DW ZKDW
would become known as the Battle
Revolver Time (sec.)
S&W 986
S&W 686
Colt Cobra
Colt Cobra
Colt Cobra
Colt Cobra
RI :DONHU·V &UHHN  7H[DV 5DQJHUV
under command of Capt. John Coffee
Hays attacked nearly 200 Comanche
warriors who had set out to ambush
WKHP 7KH 5DQJHUV ZHUH DUPHG ZLWK
&ROW 3DWHUVRQ  FDOLEHU SHUFXVVLRQ
single-action revolvers that were
LVVXHG ZLWK H[WUD F\OLQGHUV LQ ZKDW
FRXOG EH FDOOHG WKH ÀUVW VSHHGORDG-
ers. When a ranger shot dry, a swap
of a loaded cylinder returned him
WR WKH ÀJKW 7KH UDQJHUV NLOOHG RU
ZRXQGHG  ZDUULRUV ZKLOHORVLQJ
only one of their own.
%\ WKH HQG RI WKH V DV WRS
break and side-opening cylinders
were developed, devices were
envisioned to allow partial or full
cylinder reloads. However, it was not
until the early 1970s that speedload-
ers holding a full cylinder of ammu-
nition came into wide use.
Law enforcement was looking to
ÀQG D ZD\ WR LPSURYH RQ WKH GXW\
belt dump pouches that dropped
VL[ ORRVH URXQGV LQWR WKH KDQG 7KH
inability to quickly reload in a gun-
ÀJKW RQ WKH VWUHHW FRVW RIÀFHUV WKHLU
lives—as happened in the Newhall,
&DOLIRUQLD LQFLGHQW RQ $SULO  
When I started out in law en-
forcement, we carried revolvers,
but it wasn’t until I began to shoot
FRPSHWLWLRQ WKDW , ZDV H[SRVHG WR
WR VSHHGORDGHUV 0DQXIDFWXUHG E\
HKS and Safariland, those original
VL[VKRW ORDGHUV ZHUH D FRPELQDWLRQ
of plastic and metal.
The designs differ. The HKS
requires the shooter to insert the
cartridges into the cylinder and then
turn a knurled metal knob clockwise
to release the captured rounds.
The Safariland speedloader does
not use a turning knob but instead
must be pressed fully forward so
that all rounds are pushed into the
cylinder. As the unit moves forward,
3.2 the inside center release button of
3.6 the speedloader strikes the back end
4.4 of the ejector rod and releases the
4.7
rounds.
8.4
Each type is effective, and both
12.6
greatly speed up reloading time.
&XUUHQWPRGHOVÀWPRVWGRXEOH
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
The
Perfect PaIR 2018
EXECUTIVE ELITE
45 ACP

2018
EXECUTIVE COMMANDER
9mm

EDBROWN.COM • 573-565-3261
THE NEED FOR SPEED
action revolvers from the small
S&W J frames and Ruger LCRs to
the largest frame .44s.
For competition or duty use,
Safariland took its basic Comp I
model, which is the most compact,
and added an extended grasping
button to create the Comp II and III
models. This extension allows the
shooter to draw the speedloader
and position it for use more easily.
Where speed in competition is more
important than concealability or
compactness, the Comp III with its
extra-long handle proved second
only to the full-moon clips in reload
speed.
A recent entry in the speedloader
market is manufactured by Kimber
for its K6S six-shot, snub-nosed .357
Magnum revolver. It is also a turn-
ing knob system and works size wise
with my new model Colt Cobra. Fea-
turing an extended-length release
knob for easy manipulation, this
DOODOXPLQXPXQLWLVDÀQHSLHFHRI
DE50L5IMB
.50 AE | 5” Barrel
BFR500JRH7B
.500 JRH | 7.5” Barrel
44 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
craftmanship. Unlike the HKS, the
Kimber’s knob is turned counter-
clockwise to release the rounds into
the cylinder.
My choice in speedloaders for
truly hard use is the turning-knob
design of the HKS or Kimber, but
where speed is the need, the Safari-
land rules.
Speaking of hard use, some of you
might question how securely speed-
loaders retain rounds under hard
conditions. It’s a good question. In
training and competition, I have
fumbled a reload and dropped my
speedloader more than once.
I set up a drop test in which each
speedloader was dropped eight
times from a height of four feet to
D KDUG WLOH ÁRRU (DFK ZDV GURSSHG
four times onto the nose of the
rounds and four times onto the end
of the release knob.
No rounds were released from
their speedloaders in the testing.
I don’t suggest you similarly beat
BFR45-707B
.45/70 Govt. | 7.5” Barrel
up your loading gear, but all the
tested units from HKS, Kimber and
Safariland demonstrated they are
ready for the bumps and thumps of
daily carry.
The advantages of the speedload-
er are easy carry and portability,
along with a fast and full loading of
the cylinder. For everyday carry, the
only downside is their size.
Unlike a speed strip, the speed-
loader is more obtrusive. A pair of
speedloaders in your summer shorts
pocket is probably not the look you
are going for, but a single speed-
loader pouch under your summer
shirt is easily worn and concealed.
In cooler weather, a couple of
speedloaders in a jacket pocket is
another option. See the accompany-
ing sidebar for other speedloader
accessories that can help with con-
cealment and more.
So is there a best system? A friend
who ran a well-known shooting
academy had his revolver shoot-
DE50SRMB
.50 AE | 6” Barrel
www.magnumresearch.com
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
ers divide their training and live
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SPEEDLOADER ACCESSORIES
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WKDQWRQHHGLWDQGQRWKDYHLW

STOP THREATS AT A DISTANCE.

IT’S NOT PEPPER SPRAY, IT’S SUPERIOR LESS-LETHAL PROTECTION.

PEPPERBLASTER II
SHOOTS A CONCENTRATED
JET OF OC SOLUTION
UP TO
13FT AT 112MPH.

SHOP NOW AT KIMBERAMERICA.COM

(888) 243-4522
OR VISIT YOUR LOCAL MASTER DEALER kimberamerica.com
©2018, Kimber Mfg., Inc. All rights reserved. Information and specifications are for reference only and subject to change without notice.
FIRST
RESPONDER
BY JAMES TARR

SPRINGFIELD’S NEW 911 IS

A .380 SEMIAUTO YOU CAN
BET YOUR LIFE ON.

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
FIRST RESPONDER
ing, which to me looks like
some sort of fencing. It is not as
aggressive as checkering, but it
works to keep your hand in place,
especially with the undercut trig-
ger guard. Also helping to keep
your hand in place are the aggres-
sively textured and stylish black-
and-white grips. On the all-black
911 the grips are green and black.
The distance from the bottom
of the trigger guard to the bottom
of the frame is just a hair over an
The grips are G10 and aggressive enough to keep the pistol planted irmly
<
inch and a half, which means that
ZLWK WKH ÁXVK PDJD]LQH LQ SODFH
you won’t be able to get more than
WZR ÀQJHUV RQ WKH JULS 7KH ORQJHU
PDJD]LQH ZLWK JULS H[WHQVLRQ DGGV
more than a half-inch of additional
real estate and will enable most
people to get their whole hand on
the gun.
7KH PDJD]LQH ZHOO RSHQLQJ LQ
the frame is beveled, which is a
QLFH WRXFK EXW LI \RX ÀQG \RXUVHOI
having to reload in the middle of
D JXQÀJKW DQG DOO \RX KDYH ZLWK
you is a subcompact pistol…well, I
WKLQN WKDW·V WKH GLFWLRQDU\GHÀQL-
tion of a very bad day.
The advertised trigger pull on
WKH  LV ÀYH SRXQGV 7ULJJHU SXOO
on my sample was 6.5 pounds, but
it truly feels closer to the adver-
tised spec because it is so short
and crisp.
The ambidextrous thumb safety
lever clicks when moving it in both
directions. Unlike a traditional
1911, you can activate the thumb
safety when the hammer is down.
You don’t need to, and I’m not sure
why you’d ever want to. When the
hammer is down on a single-ac-
tion-only pistol, pulling the trigger
gets you nothing. With the safety
engaged you cannot cock the ham-
mer or work the slide.
With the hammer cocked it takes
little effort to work the slide on
this pistol. It is actually harder to
cock the hammer than it is to cycle
the slide once the hammer is back.
One of the advantages of a .380
ACP over small guns chambered in
9mm is the lighter recoil spring. It
takes much less force to chamber
WKH ÀUVW URXQG ZKLFK LV LPSRUWDQW
if your grip strength is lacking.
6SULQJÀHOG $UPRU\ ÀUVW UROOHG
out these pistols last fall, giving
a number of gun writers a sneak
preview and a chance to put as
many rounds downrange through
these guns as we wanted. Each of
us was given a pistol and a bucket
of ammo. Seriously, an actual
bucket. We also used the guns in a
competition later in the day, where
we burned through even more

in your hand. With the inger extension magazine installed, you can get a full ammo.
grip on the pistol.
I’m not sure how many rounds I
ÀUHG WKURXJK WKHVH OLWWOH V EXW
ACCURACY RESULTS | SPRINGFIELD ARMORY 911 it had to be close to 200 rounds—if
Bullet Muzzle Standard Avg. not more. Multiply that by 12 or so
.380 ACP Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.)
fellow shooters and you’re talking
Black Hills HoneyBadger 60 1,157 26 2.1
a lot of ammo. I don’t remember
Aeris HP 80 988 14 2.0
experiencing a malfunction or see-
Hornady Critical Defense 90 877 17 1.8
Federal HST 99 911 15 1.7 ing anyone else have one.
In all honesty, 200 rounds
Notes: Accuracy results are averages of four five-shot groups at 15 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are averages of
10 shots measured with an Oehler Model 35P 12 feet from the muzzle. Abbreviation: HP, hollowpoint is more ammo than a lot of

50 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

 NEW!
RAPiD ®

VEHICLE SAFE

GUARD THE GUN

Inflatable mounting system
fills the gap between seat and THAT GUARDS YOU.
console to hold safe in place.
Keep your handgun by your side and quickly
No bolts necessary!
accessible — even when you travel. The RAPiD®
Vehicle Safe secures your gun near the driver’s
seat. Its unique inflatable mounting system
provides easy access and eliminates the need for
bolts or other mounting hardware. With a swipe
of the RFID wristband, key fob or decal, the door
opens for rapid retrieval. The included security
cable attaches to seat frame to guard against
theft. Your safety couldn’t be simpler.

IMPORTANT: Do not store loaded firearms in any safe, vault or lock box. Follow local, state and federal
laws for firearm storage and transport. Check TSA regulations and airline policies before traveling
with any portable safe. Check dimensions of your firearm against safe’s internal dimensions noted
on packaging. Firearm and firearm accessories shown are not included.
H O R N A DY S E C U R I T Y.CO M
FIRST RESPONDER
owners will put through their
subcompact carry gun in a life-
time. Most subcompact pistols are
bought to carry, not to shoot. But
RI DOO WKH SLVWROV 6SULQJÀHOG ZDV
LQWURGXFLQJ DW WKH HYHQW ZH DOO
shot the 911 more than any of the
others. Why? Because it’s comfort-
DEOH DQG ZH DOO OLNHG LW
Despite the fact that the 911
LV VPDOO LW GRHVQ·W KXUW WR VKRRW
HYHQ ZKHQ XVLQJ WKH ÁXVK PDJD-
zine. This is rare for a subcompact
SLVWRO $QG ZKHQ \RX FRPELQH WKH
·V ORZ ERUH JRRG WULJJHU DQG
great sights with the .380’s mini-
mal recoil, it’s easy to put bullets
where you want them to go.
The 911 boasts Ameri-Glo’s excellent Pro-Glo night sights with white-out-
<
line/tritium rear dots and a bright green photoluminescent dot paired with a
tritium insert.
The 911 features a trigger made of G10 composite, which is a irst. The
<
trigger, grips and mainspring housing are all G10 and made by Hogue.
52 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
6SULQJÀHOG LQYLWHG $FWLRQ 7DUJHW
WR WKH HYHQW DQG ZH VKRW VRPH RI
WKH FRPSDQ\·V QHZ UHDFWLYH SDSHU
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WLQ\ JXQ , ZDV DEOH WR JHW KHDG
VKRWV DW ÀYH \DUGV RQ PXOWLSOH
WDUJHWV DV IDVW DV , FRXOG SXOO WKH
trigger. It was neat watching paper
WDUJHWV GURS OLNHVWHHOSODWHVDQG
then reset.
This is a fun pistol to shoot. With
the longer, grip-extension maga-
zine in place, it was a little more
FRPIRUWDEOH WR VKRRW EXW HYHQ
ZLWK WKH ÁXVK PDJD]LQH LQ SODFH
WKH SLVWRO IHOW JRRG LQ P\ KDQG
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a bigger pistol than it actually is.
:KHQ , OD\ P\ WULJJHU ÀQJHU DORQJ
WKH VLGH RI WKH JXQ DQG VHH WKDW LW
UHDFKHV DOPRVW WR WKH HQG RI WKH
IUDPH ,·P VXUSULVHG HYHU\ WLPH
, KDYH RQO\ RQH UHDO FRPSODLQW
DERXW WKH  DQG WKDW LV ZLWK WKH
thumb safety. While I wish the
VDIHW\ OHYHU ZDV ERWK ORQJHU DQG
ZLGHU , ZLOO DGPLW , GLGQ·W KDYH
DQ\ SUREOHP ZRUNLQJ LW XS DQG
GRZQ ZLWK WKH VLGH RI P\ WKXPE
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WKH  XSHQJDJHG WKH OHYHU LV SR-
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RIIGLVHQJDJHG 7R GLVHQJDJH LW \RX
KDYH WR SXVK LW GRZQ HYHQ IDUWKHU
,I \RX·YH JRW DQ\ WLPH EHKLQG D
1911, the muscle memory feel of the
·V VDIHW\ XQGHU \RXU WKXPE ZLOO
be telling your brain it is off, when
in reality it is still on. This hap-
SHQHG WR PH VHYHUDO WLPHV
1RZ LI \RX MXVW ÀQLVKHG UHDG-
LQJ WKDW SDUDJUDSK DQG DUHQ·W
FRQFHUQHG EHFDXVH \RX GRQ·W SODQ
RQ FDUU\LQJ WKLV SLVWRO FRFNHG
IRU ZKDWHYHU UHDVRQ , DVN \RX WR
SOHDVH VWRS UHDGLQJ WKLV DUWLFOH
DQG JR EX\ \RXUVHOI D QLFH VQXE-
QRVH UHYROYHU RU GRXEOHDFWLRQ
only semiauto.
2IIERG\ FDUU\ LQ D SXUVH RU EDJ
or briefcase is one thing, but if
you’re carrying a pistol on your
person, choosing to carry a pistol
in such a manner that you can’t
GUDZ DQG ÀUH LW ZLWK RQH KDQG LQ
RQH VPRRWK PRWLRQ LV MXVW GXPE ,
GRQ·W NQRZDQ\RWKHUQLFHUZRUG
for it.
'RQ·W FKRRVH WR FDUU\ D KDQGJXQ
LQ VXFK D FRQGLWLRQ WKDW \RX KDYH WR
FRFN WKH KDPPHU RU UDFN D URXQG
into the chamber before you can
VKRRW ,Q HIIHFW LW LV QR GLIIHUHQW
than carrying a pistol without a
ORDGHG PDJD]LQH LQVHUWHG ,I \RX·UH
going to carry the 911, carry it
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
cocked-and-locked or carry some-
thing else.
The 911 is sold with a little nylon
carrying case with an internal
rubberized holster. The holster is
mounted on a Velcro strip, so its
position is adjustable. Opposite the
holster on the inside is a windowed
slot, presumably to house your
CCW card.
This wouldn’t be an honest
review without addressing the
observation that the 911 is simply
6SULQJÀHOG $UPRU\·V YHUVLRQ RI
the SIG P238. The guns are similar
LQ DSSHDUDQFH IXQFWLRQ DQG VL]H
While currently the P238 is avail-
able in more variations, when com-
SDULQJ WKH EDVH YHUVLRQV RI WKH 
and the P238, the 911 is 2.5 ounces
lighter and $80 cheaper and has
better sights and better grips.

First Response
7KH WDJOLQH IRU WKH  LV ´:KHQ
\RX KDYH WR EH \RXU RZQ ÀUVW UH-
sponder.” I’ve written previously
WKDW FRSV DQG ÀUHPHQ DQG (07V
DUULYH RQO\ DIWHU WKH\·YH EHHQ
called and really are the second
UHVSRQGHUV 7KH WUXH ÀUVW UHVSRQG-
er is the person or persons who
are there when an incident neces-
VLWDWLQJ WKHQHHGIRUVHOIGHIHQVH
occurs.
6RPH SHRSOH IHHO WKH  LV WRR
ZHDN WR EH VXLWDEOH IRU VHOIGH-
IHQVH EXW WKLV LV QRW  7KH LP-
provements in projectiles haven’t
happened in a vacuum, and the
SHUIRUPDQFH RI PRGHUQ  EXO-
lets is as vastly improved as those
LQ PP  DQG  $&3
&DOLEHU DVLGH DV IRU WKH  EH-
LQJ VPDOO DQG WKHUHIRUH QRW D JRRG
FKRLFH IRU VHOIGHIHQVH , GLVDJUHH
I consider being able to hit the
WDUJHW IDVW DQG UHSHDWHGO\ PRUH
important than caliber. Shot place-
PHQW LV IDU PRUH LPSRUWDQW WKDQ
caliber. For that reason, I would
choose to carry the 911 over any
UHYROYHU RI DQ\ VL]H LQ DQ\ FDOLEHU
EHFDXVH , FDQ VKRRW LWIDVWHUDQG
more accurately.

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

THE NEW
H9 SPORTS A
SUPER-LOW
BORE AXIS AND
COMBINES THE
BEST TRAITS
OF STRIKER-
FIRED GUNS
AND THE 1911.
E
very year or two a product is
introduced that completely
captivates the marketplace
because of a unique design
or feature. Last year that
product was the Hudson H9 from
the previously unknown company
Hudson Manufacturing. Debuting
at the 2017 SHOT Show, the all-steel
Hudson H9 was marketed as having
WKHEHVWIHDWXUHVRIVWULNHUÀUHG
guns while having a 1911-style trig-
ger pull—the standard against which
all other trigger pulls are judged.
When a completely new product
is launched, there is always uncer-
tainty whether it will make it into
production, especially if it’s from
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
an unknown company. (Bren Ten
anyone?) However, by the end of the
year, Hudson Manufacturing had
started shipping its H9, and what
draws the eye of everyone who looks
at this pistol is the big hunk o’ metal
forward of the trigger guard.
$WÀUVWLWORRNVOLNHWKH
pistol might have an
LQWHJUDOÁDVKOLJKWODVHU
or integral suppressor,
but it’s none of those. If
you’ll look at the pho-
tographs, you’ll notice
how darn low the bore is.
The barrel is barely above
the frame. This is possible
because the recoil system
(guide rod and spring) has
been moved down and posi-
tioned in front of the trigger,
allowing the bore to be as low as
it can be.
The steel guide rod is captured
in the front of the frame, as is the
ÁDWZLUHUHFRLOVSULQJZKLFKPDNHV
takedown and reassembly easy. Hud-
son uses a unique locking block to
lower the pistol as much as possible
toward the frame.
Bore height off the hand is the
single biggest contributor to muzzle
rise. It’s simple lever/fulcrum phys-
ics, and it’s more important than cal-
iber or pistol weight. For example,
my 24-ounce 9mm Glock 34 has less
muzzle rise than my 42-ounce all-
steel 9mm SIG P226 despite a huge
weight disparity, solely because of
WKHODWWHU·VVLJQLÀFDQWO\KLJKHUERUH
Not only is the bore lower on the H9,
but also the recoil forces are being
directed back at a much lower spot
on the frame due to the position of
the recoil spring.
Currently, this pistol is offered
only in 9mm. It is fed by a steel
15-round magazine, and three maga-
zines are provided with the gun.
Time out for a round of applause
at that because the H9 uses pro-
prietary magazines, and instead of
providing only one with the gun and
up-charging customers who wanted
more, Hudson provides as many
magazines with the gun as most us-
ers might ever want.
The magazines for the H9 have a
distinctly retro feel to me. Looking
at them, I’m reminded of Browning
Hi Power and SIG P226 magazines.
They have rounded polymer base
SDGVWKDWÀWÁXVKZLWKWKHIUDPH
although there is a cutout at the
front (matching one on the frame)
WKDWDOORZVXVHUVWRGLJLQDÀQJHU-
tip and hook out stuck magazines if
necessary.
The H9 sports a 4.3-inch barrel.
Overall it is 7.6 inches long and 5.2
inches high. At 1.2 inches across,
the pistol isn’t any thicker than its
competitors, but it is a bit heavier
WKDQWKHDYHUDJHVWULNHUÀUHGSLVWRO
at 34 ounces because it has a steel
frame. Both frame and slide have
DEODFNQLWULGHÀQLVKIRUFRUURVLRQ
resistance.
This is a full-size pistol, bigger
than what most people would be
interested in carrying concealed,
although that is surely is possible.
I’ve carried bigger and heavier guns
than the H9. The oversize front end
LVQ·WDQ\ELJJHUWKDQDÁDVKOLJKW
clamped to a frame rail, and the
cool new things among the gadget-
obsessed crowd are medium- to full-
size concealed-carry guns sporting
ÁDVKOLJKWVDQGVOLGHPRXQWHGUHG
dots. The Hudson H9 isn’t any bigger
or heavier than those, and as I write
this, at least 14 holster companies
DUHPDNLQJKROVWHUVWRÀWWKH+
The looks of the H9 are what
automobile reviewers would call
“polarizing.” That means people
either will love the way it looks
or hate the way it looks, with few
undecideds. I admit it is odd in ap-
pearance, but I don’t dislike it. I will
VD\WKDWLI\RXDWWDFKDÁDVKOLJKWWR
the accessory rail on the bottom of
the H9’s already pregnant frame, its
appearance moves away from “odd”
and toward “absurd.”
The features on the H9 seem well
thought out. First, the sights. The
pistol sports a Trijicon HD front
sight with an orange dot. The
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 HANDGUNS 55
HUDSON’S HYBRID
Trijicon HDs are considered
by many, including me, to be the
ÀQHVW GD\QLJKW VLJKWV FXUUHQWO\
on the market, and in the center of
WKDW EULJKW RUDQJH GRW \RX·OO ÀQG D
tritium insert that glows brightly in
the dark.
The rear sight on the H9 is not the
corresponding Trijicon HD factory
piece. It is serrated, has a U-shaped
notch and is plain black, which is ex-
actly as it should be. Rear sights are
window frames: You look through
them, not at them, and putting bright
dots or lines on a rear sight just dis-
tracts the eye from the all-important
front sight.
The top of the slide between the
front and rear sight is serrated. Back
when I was a teenager poring over
gun magazines in the golden era of
custom 1911s, I read this was done
“to reduce glare.” This might be an
issue if you’re sending a lot of rounds
downrange on cloudless days while
in the sizzling high desert. (FYI:
Most of the shooters and gunsmiths
of the era did just that, at a place
called Gunsite under the tutelage of
some guy named Jeff Cooper.) How-
ever, for 99.8 percent of the rest of
us, serrations on the top of the slide
don’t cut nonexistent glare but rather
just look cool and add a semi-custom
feature.
On the slide you’ll see cocking ser-
rations front and back that look good
in addition to being functional. Just
as great, to my mind, is the raised
checkering on the front of the frame.
On a 1911 the piece at the bottom
< The safety lever on the H9’s trigger
pivots from the bottom and not the
top. There’s no thumb safety, but you
can see the gun is set up to accom-
modate one as a future option.
rear of the frame would be the main- is ambidextrous and has a nontradi- roughly what you’ll see with most fac-
spring housing; on the H9 it is simply WLRQDO SURÀOH 7KH PDJD]LQH UHOHDVH tory 1911s and much less than you get
a backstrap, and it is also check- is reversible and looks like a pure ZLWK PRVW VWULNHUÀUHG JXQV
ered. It is G10 and made by Hogue. 1911 design. 7KH WULJJHU KDV D SLYRWLQJ OHYHU RQ
(If you’re unfamiliar with G10, it is Factory specs call for a trigger pull LW ,W·V D VDIHW\ 7KH RQO\ XQXVXDO WKLQJ
a strong composite laminate often RI  WR ÀYH SRXQGV 7KH WULJJHU SXOO about this lever is that it pivots from
seen in grip panels and folding knife on my sample was 4.25 pounds and the bottom. After you take up the
handles.) Between the backstrap and crisp, fully at a level commensurate slack in that lever, the trigger slides
frame checkering and the VZ G10 grip with good 1911s. Hudson says trigger straight back as you pull it—just like
panels, the frame has a very “custom travel on the H9 is 0.1 inch, which is on a 1911. In fact, if you take the
1911” look.
You’ll notice a small beavertail on
the rear of the frame. It is a sepa-
rate piece from the grip, but it is not
a beavertail grip safety of the type
seen on 1911s. For people wanting an
additional safety, or for 1911 purists,
Hudson does plan to offer 1911-style
thumb safeties: right, left or ambi-
dextrous. You can see the plug in
the top left side of the frame where
WKDWVDIHW\ZLOOÀW7KHVOLGHUHOHDVH

<
The rear sight is a plain black
model with serrations and a U-shaped
notch. It is paired with Trijicon’s
excellent HD day/night front sight.

The North American Arms

Pug

Convenient, Reliable, Effective.

WWW.HANDGUNS.COM AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 HANDGUNS 57
HUDSON’S HYBRID
H9 apart and examine the trigger
bar, it looks at its heart to be a trigger
meant for a double-column 1911.
:KLOH WULJJHU SXOOV RQ VWULNHUÀUHG
guns have been getting better over
the years, they still aren’t as short
DQGRU FULVS DV ZKDW \RX ÀQG RQ D
1911. The H9 has a darn good trigger,
as good or better than some factory
1911 triggers I’ve pulled over the past
few seasons.
I read a review of this pistol in
which the writer attributed his initial
poor groups with the H9 to the pivot-
The magazine well is nicely
<
beveled, and there is a cutout on the
front to assist in stripping out balky
magazines.
The key to the Hudson design is the lowering of the bore, which sits as
<
close to your hand as possible—a setup that keeps muzzle rise to a minimum.
ACCURACY RESULTS |
9mm Luger
Black Hills/Barnes TAC-XP +P
Federal Train & Protect JHP
SIG Elite FMJ
Hornady XTP +P
Notes: Accuracy results are the averages of four five-shot groups at 25 yards from a sandbag rest. Velocities are aver-
ages of ten shots measured with an Oehler Model 35P 12 feet from the muzzle. Abbreviations: FMJ, full metal jacket; JHP,
jacketed hollowpoint
58 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
from-the-bottom trigger on the H9.
I’m a notorious trigger snob, and I
didn’t even notice the pivoting face on
this trigger when shooting because it
provides almost no resistance. Also,
the pivoting lever is the entire point
RI FRQWDFW EHWZHHQ \RXU ÀQJHU DQG
the trigger. I simply noticed the short
pull, crisp break and short reset.
Accuracy was on par with most other
pistols of this size, and I experienced
no malfunctions.
The magazine well opening in the
frame has been nicely beveled. Be-
tween the frame checkering, Trijicon
front sight, mag well beveling and
crisp trigger, Hudson seems to have
been given some good design advice
from people who know how to shoot
I like the looks of the H9. It is
streamlined and simple. I think in
both function and appearance it
splits the difference between a 1911
and a modern polymer-frame striker-
ÀUHG SLVWRO , JUHZ XS RQ FXVWRP
1911s, and the checkered frontstrap
and mainspring housing and thin grip
panels of the H9 really speak to me.
Back when I carried a 1911 every
day, I would spit on the 9mm because
it was such a weak and ineffective
Bullet Muzzle Standard
Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps)
115 1,169 13
115 1,133 25
124 1,144 19
124 1,115 12
cartridge, but things have changed.
Now the 15+1 9mm capacity of the
great trigger/low muzzle rise H9 is ex-
actly the kind of combination I want
in a carry gun.
Does the H9 succeed in its goal of
low muzzle rise and reduced recoil?
First, the recoil impulse is not a gen-
tle curve. It is rather sharp, probably
due to the fact this is an all steel gun
DQG WKHUH LV QR SRO\PHU WR ÁH[ DQG
absorb some of those recoil forces.
But the low bore of the H9 means the
recoil goes straight back into your
hand, and the muzzle rise is minimal.
With the big orange dot on the front
sight, it is easy to track the sight in
your peripheral vision as you shoot.
To be honest, any pistol chambered
in 9mm and weighing 34 ounces is not
going to have a lot of recoil no matter
how high the bore sits off your hand.
But it is the bore height that is criti-
cal, not the weight. In fact, Hudson
recently unveiled prototypes of the
+$ D YHUVLRQ RI WKH + ZLWK D ÀEHU
optic front sight and an aluminum
frame. Coming in at only 26 ounces,
it’s a full half-pound less than the
H9, but I found felt recoil and muzzle
rise nearly identical to the heavier
all-steel H9.
,V WKH PX]]OH ÁLS UHGXFWLRQ RU
good-as-a-1911 trigger on the H9 so
impressive that the price increase
over the average polymer-frame
VWULNHUÀUHG SLVWRO LV MXVWLÀHG" 7R P\
mind, the solid performance of the
H9 doesn’t make it worth the extra
money, but its uniqueness does.
Most people can’t shoot well
enough to justify the price tag on a
$3,500 1911, but usually they’re not
just paying for performance but also
the name on the slide. On the striker-
ÀUHG VLGH JXQVPLWKV DQG FRQVXP-
ers have been cutting on slides and
stippling grips on these guns to make
Avg. them not just perform better but look
Group (in.)
special, and that work isn’t cheap.
2.7
For the same amount of money as that
3.3
custom work—or less—you can get
2.7
2.8 an H9. It doesn’t look like anything
else on the market, and it’s a solid
performer.
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
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 | FIRING LINE | RUGER SUPER REDHAWK 10MM
notches are off-center from the
charge holes, adding more strength for
those who like to shoot heavy factory
loads or prefer their handloads on the
warm side.
The cylinder is released via a push
button on the recoil shield, and the
triple-locking cylinder is held in place
at the front, rear and bottom. It closes
with a satisfying “clunk.”
If I have one criticism it is with the
trigger pull. The single-action pull
breaks at about ive pounds, and the
double-action pull is twice that—a
handful to operate despite the smooth
face on the trigger itself.
Additional features include the time-
tested Ruger transfer-bar mechanism
for safety, frame-mounted iring pin,
ease of disassembly without special
tools, and ergonomic laminated grips
with an overmold for recoil reduction.
The gun ships with three full-moon
clips, a plastic case and gun lock.
Since the gun also came supplied
with stainless steel rings that it into
machined cuts in the top rib, I decided
to test the gun with an old Bausch &
Lomb 2X scope. This added heft made
the 10mm even more pleasant to
shoot. The addition of a scope did not
cramp the space between the check-
ered hammer spur and the eyepiece
too much, but I would not go with a
scope with an eyepiece larger than 1.5
inches in diameter.
At the onset, groups were erratic,
but after a slight break-in period,
groups improved dramatically—prov-
ing that no matter the gun or company,
fresh barrels often need some tuning
(read burnishing) before you get to any
serious ammo-testing session. In the
end, I was pleased with the gun, and in
the course of my shooting, a ive-shot
group emerged with the Winchester
brand that went into a tight 1.125-inch
circle.
A few years back I tested the 10mm
Auto in a Dan Wesson with a ive-inch
barrel. Comparing velocities out of the
two different barrel lengths, velocity
of the Norma round increased 38 fps
in the Super Redhawk while the Ruger
pushed Remingtons out of the gun 65
fps faster than the Dan Wesson.
If you are looking for an honestly
priced, accurate and American-made
big revolver and don’t mind dealing
with moon clips, the new Super Red-
hawk is well worth investigating.

While other Super Redhawks are

<

chambered for big-boomer revolver

rounds, the newest is chambered in
10mm Auto. Moon clips allow this
rebated-rim cartridge to work in a
wheelgun.

The Super Redhawk is a strong revolver, and its frame extends about a third
<

of the way along the 6.5-inch barrel on the 10mm version.

|
Bullet Muzzle Standard Avg.
10mm Auto Weight (gr.) Velocity (fps) Deviation (fps) Group (in.)

Winchester FMJ 155 1,110 11 1.75

The cylinder features off-center lug
<

Remington JHP 180 927 9 2.40 notches that don’t take away metal
Norma FJTC 200 1,081 29 2.35 from the charge holes, which adds
Notes: Accuracy results are averages of five five-shot groups at 25 yards from a sandbag rest with 2X scope. Velocities are strength. The gun has cuts in the
averages of 25 shots recorded on an Oehler Model 35P chronograph. Temperature, 45 degrees. Abbreviations: FJTC, fully topstrap that mate up with the
jacketed truncated cone; FMJ, full metal jacket; JHP, jacketed hollowpoint supplied scope rings.

62 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018 WWW.HANDGUNS.COM

 | BACK PAGE BEAUTIES | By STAN TRZONIEC
DAN WESSON 5OTH ANNIVERSARY
DAN WESSON WAS THE GREAT-GRAND-
son of D.B. Wesson of Smith &
Wesson fame, but decided to go it
alone—designing a revolver with
many innovative features to include
interchangeable barrels, sights and
grips. He worked for the company
that bears his name for about 25
years and left when it was sold in
1963. He passed away in 1978.
Dan Wesson’s facility is close to
me in New England, and I got to
know Mr. Wesson and watch the
company grow. Today it is owned by
CZ-USA and is celebrating its 50th
anniversary with a limited-edition
1911—and it’s a beauty.
7KH ÀQLVK LV H[WUDRUGLQDU\ ZLWK
every part perfectly polished. This
perfection is especially noticeable
on hard-to-reach places like inside
the trigger guard, the beavertail
safety and more. It almost looks like
D EOXH FKURPHG ÀQLVK EXW LW·V DFWX-
DOO\DQLWULGHÀQLVKWRQHGWRUHVHP-
64 HANDGUNS AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2018
ble the high quality deep blue seen
on premium guns in the past.
While conservative, the scroll
engraving on the slide and frame
commands attention. There are gold
accents on the DW logo found on
the beavertail safety and the “50th”
marking on the recoil spring plug.
7RSVLGH \RX ZLOO ÀQG D SUHFLVLRQ
built Dan Wesson Tactical rear sight
assembly. The rear sight is angled
and serrated to eliminate glare, and
it’s mounted low. It is paired with
D EUDVV EHDG WKDW ÀWV SHUIHFWO\LQWR
the notch of the rear blade.
The rear checkered mainspring
housing and the beavertail safety
mate perfectly with frame, and
VOLGHWRIUDPH ÀW ZDV H[FHOOHQW DV
ZHOO 7KH PDWWH ÀQLVKHG WULJJHU
broke at 4.5 pounds of pull with
just a hint of travel before the sear
broke. There was no sideways play
as the trigger was pressed.
The hammer is skeletonized and
has a non-slip serrated surface.
Standard operator controls con-
VLVW RI DQ H[WHQGHG PDQXDO VDIHW\
polished slide stop and a checkered
magazine release.
7KH ÀYHLQFK EDUUHO LV PDWFK
grade, and the barrel bushing was
ÀWWHG VR SUHFLVHO\ \RX ZRXOG QHHG
the included bushing wrench to
disassemble the gun. The G10 grips
look like simulated ivory, with the
Dan Wesson logo inletted halfway
up the sides.
Two magazines are included with
the gun, and if you have to ask, cur-
rent retail is listed at $2,999 with a
hard case.
)RU WKH UHFRUG , GLG QRW ÀUH WKLV
gun. To do so would only hurt its
value, and I know Dan—looking
down at all this attention—would
certainly not have approved of me
pushing ammunition through this
ÀQH ZRUN RI DUW ,W·V D ÀWWLQJ WULEXWH
to the legacy he left behind.
WWW.HANDGUNS.COM
 K 6 s S T A I N L E S S 3 I N

YOUR NEW TRADITION

BALANCED WEIGHT, SUPERIOR
ERGONOMICS, COMPACT SIX
SHOT CYLINDER, 3-INCH BARREL,
WITH A SMOOTH NO-STACK
TRIGGER, CHAMBERED IN .357 MAG.

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