Other Semiauto Handguns

  • FAQ on Self-Defense Handguns & “Stopping Power”

    Over time I receive numerous questions concerning the “right” handgun for self-protection as well as requests for information on the “best” loads/calibers for “stopping” someone who is bent upon doing one harm. I thought that it might be interesting to compile the most commonly asked questions I receive and answer them in an article, but…

    Read More

  • Which is the Best 1911 Grip Safety, GI or Beavertail?

    This is a question that is discussed repeatedly on various shooting forums and the answers usually fall into those listed below: Answer 1: The standard GI grip safety is the best. If it weren’t, John Browning wouldn’t have put it on the gun in the first place. Answer 2: The beavertail is best. It allows for a…

    Read More

  • Is it better to be a good target or combat shot?

    This question comes up frequently on various shooting sites as well as my email inbox.  Recently I read a thread in which an instructor was saying folks were shooting “good” if they had hits that were spread out and “bad” if their shots were tightly grouped.  The inference was that they were shooting too slowly…

    Read More

  • Self-Defense: Caliber or Capacity?

    Tangentially related to discussions concerning self-protection handguns is the ammunition capacity question: Should I go with larger caliber or more shots? Is higher magazine capacity and greater “firepower” more important or does everything pale when compared to caliber? With the trend strongly favoring autoloaders now, the comparison frequently centers on .45 ACP vs. 9mm. It…

    Read More

  • The Effective Defense Gun

    Forests have been felled to provide paper for this debate; numerous handguns have been created to provide it; new calibers have been spawned and bullet design refined in its name: Effectiveness! But have we really gained anything? I think that the answer is a qualified “yes”. Unlike the ammunition of years gone by, bullets now…

    Read More

  • Look, Listen, but Make Up Your Own Mind!

    If you’re reading this, it’s probably because you enjoy shooting and are obviously on the Internet.  Much discussion goes on concerning the “best” handguns for specific purposes, the “best” modifications, the “best” ammunition, and so forth. (This discounts the occasional smart-aleck remark some inevitably drop in the various threads.)  Answers to a specific question will…

    Read More