SHOT 2013 Handguns

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Handguns of SHOT 2013

Lets start things off with a new offering from FN, their FNS-9 Competition.  The FNS-9 Competition is again another tactical/practical pistol that has it's roots in 3-gun, and it was developed with the FN shooting team.  Personally, I think the longer slide length of the competition model should be the standard (the same goes for M&P pro, Hk P30L), the longer sight radius is nice, but most of all the additional mass of a longer slide gives the gun a nicely balanced feel.



 

FN was also demoing the FNP-45 tactical, which we all know about, and yes it's as awesome to shoot as it looks.

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Cabot Guns had some very fine 1911's on show.  They had a bare frame and slide on hand to demonstrate how incredibly tight and smooth the fit is, and believe me, they have a product worth being proud of.  Like most bespoke 1911's, they ooze of quality, but I'm afraid to ask how much they cost.  However, if you are in need if a left handed 1911, they are one of the few manufacturers offering one.

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Hk is coming out with a tactical version of the Hk45, which is essentially a USP with greatly improved ergonomics.  The main feature of the tactical is a threaded barrel and night sights.  The color options are a nice bonus.

 
In direct sunlight the sights just look like regular 3-dot sights...

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Just about everyone is making an optics ready pistol these days.  Smith & Wesson had their M&P C.O.R.E. on hand at the range.  The C.O.R.E (Competition Optics Ready Equipment) features a slide cut to accept the following optics – Trijicon RMR, Leupold Delta Point, Jpoint, Doctor, C-More STS, Insight MRDS; with raised sights.  The C.O.R.E. is a pro series from their performance shop, so it caries a hefty price for a striker fire gun, but it's well refined.

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Until yesterdays range session I have always been skeptical of the, turn your pistol into a SBR conversions kits.  But CAA had their RONI pistol carbine conversion on hand, and I've got to say that it sort of make sense now.  If you have an extra pistol kicking around, it's a lot cheaper to buy this $300 conversion (add another $200 for a tax stamp, if you're going the SBR route) than it it is to purchase another carbine in a pistol caliber, and then have to buy more mags too.  You get all the functionality and ergonomics of a proper carbine, which is a great alternative for training or plinking, considering how expensive 5.56 has become.

   

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Glock's new thing for 2013 is G30S.  It's a mix of parts from their existing parts bin, but it makes more sense than either it's parent guns.  It's a G30 with a G36 slide, to reduce bulk and mass.  It's built on a 3rd Gen gen frame, but like all glock sub-compact's it uses the dual recoil spring assembly; for such a tiny .45 it's really pleasant to shoot.


G30S left : G30 right

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The Pocket Pistol Showdown – Developments from Heizer Defense and DoubleTap Firearms

You may remember an interesting pocket pistol, then known as the Heizer Defense DoubleTap, which we covered at the 2012 SHOT Show.  Since then, there have been some shake-ups, including DoubleTap inventor Ray Kohout ejecting from the deal with Heizer Defense to form DoubleTap  Defense.  DoubleTap has also filed a $6 million lawsuit against Heizer et al. for monetary damages and an injunction against “any further action on the part of Heizer Defense, LLC and others to manufacture or market a product based on the intellectual property of DoubleTap inventor Ray Kohout“.  Both companies were at the 2013 SHOT Show and were both still in the hunt for market share for this type of pistol...continued at GunLink Blog

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The Arsenal double 1911 isn't new, but it's still and always will be an interesting novelty.  However, if I wanted a 1911 that put 14 rounds in my hand, I'd still rather have a STI 2011.  Just handling one makes you realize unwieldy shooting one would be.

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Springfield's new XDs

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Some of Christensen's super expensive 1911's

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I grew up shooting a Thompson Contender in 44mag, so this new break-action single shot pistol form Freedom Arms is really interesting to me.  However, I am not a fan of the birds head grip; if you're going to make a cool modern pistol, give it a grip shap that won't break your hand with high-power cartridges.   

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The handgun that I was most excited to see this year at SHOT was the new Sig p227, basically a double stack .45 of the p226.  The p227 has the exact same grip feel as it's 9mm predecessor, so I'm excited that I can get an all metal double stack .45 hammer gun with ergonomics that are identical to the 9mm I already shoot.  My only disappointment is that it only holds 10 rounds, but can you really expect more without blowing the grip out?  I might just be crazy, but I don't get excited for double stack guns that don't hold more than ten rounds (I think it's just a deep seeded hate for NY, CA, MA, and the rest), it's the reason I haven't picket up a Hk45 or a M&P in .45.  Granted, the p227, M&P .45 and the Hk45 are all much better choices for people with normal size hands (the Hk in particular has amazing ergonomics), there are lots of .45's that offer the user a magazine capacity of more than 10 rounds (G21, FNX 45, Hk USP & Mark 23, Para & STI), and that is still something I find compelling, so the p227 isn't as high up on my wish list as I want it to be.  Regardless of my irrelevant preferences, the p227 is likely going to be just like the p226, a great pistol.



The shorter version with no rail.


These are the p227's bullet-feeding-ammunition-clips that hold assault shells, this one has ten clips in a round.

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The G30S again, clan this time.



The cut-out Glock was very amusing.

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The Zip Gun, it's interesting, but I still don't what to think of it.