Jessie Harrison — one of the greatest female pistol shooters on the planet. In the video below, Jessie offers good tips on safe handgun mag changes.
In this Pro Tip Video, Jessie Harrison talks about Dry-Fire Pistol Training:
One of our Forum members asked: “Are there any good books on pistol marksmanship? I’m looking for a book that covers techniques and concepts….” Here are eight recommended titles that can make you a better pistol shooter. These books run the gamut from basic handgun training to CCW to Olympic-level bullseye shooting.
Good Guidebooks for Pistol Shooters
There are actually many good books which can help both novice and experienced pistol shooters improve their skills and accuracy. For new pistol shooters, we recommend the NRA Guide to the Basics of Pistol Shooting. This full-color publication is the designated student “textbook” for the NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Course.
If you’re interested in bullseye shooting, you should get the USAMU’s The Advanced Pistol Marksmanship Manual. This USAMU pistol marksmanship guide has been a trusted resource since the 1960s. Action Shooters should read Practical Shooting: Beyond Fundamentals by Brian Enos, and Practical Pistol by Ben Stoeger. Brian Enos is a well-known pistol competitor with many titles. Ben Stoeger is a two-time U.S. Practical Pistol shooting champion. Julie Golob’s popular SHOOT book covers pistol marksmanship, along with 3-Gun competition. Julie holds multiple national pistol shooting titles.
Fort Scott Munitions produces 9mm Luger ammo with lead-free solid copper bullets. Shown here is specialized subsonic ammo designed to be used with a suppressor. See FortScottMunitions.com.
The 9mm Luger, aka 9x19mm, is the most popular ammunition type for semi-automatic handguns. As such, with panic buying caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, 9mm ammo is becoming harder to find — or the ammo vendors have jacked up their prices. We found most of the bulk 9mm FMJ out of stock. However, you can still find defensive hollowpoint ammo.
Thankfully, many large vendors such as Brownells, Natchez, and MidwayUSA still have 9mm pistol ammo in stock at reasonable prices. If you can’t find what you need from these vendors, you can source many other ammo retailers via AmmoSeek.com. In addition, Sportsman’s Warehouse has limited 9mm ammo for in-store pick-up in some stores (search online for particular store availablity).
Here are three leading sources for 9mm Luger (9x19mm pistol) ammo. Natchez still has bulk, lower cost lead-core FMJ ammo. Elsewhere cheap 9mm FMJ is mostly sold out, but you can still get 20- or 25-round boxes of defensive ammunition. This stuff is expensive for target practice, to be sure, but at least it can be found.
1. MidwayUSA 9mm Ammo in Stock
Midway USA has quite a bit of hollow-point 9mm luger defensive ammo Available. CLICK HERE to see items in stock, or go to the Midway USA home page and search for “9mm Luger Ammunition”.
2. Natchez Shooters Supplies 9mm Ammo in Stock
As of the time of publication, Natchez Shooters Supplies still has large 1000-round boxes of 9mm FMJ ammunition from CCI and Fiocchi. If you want big quanities of target practice ammo — grab these while you can. In addition, Natchez has NovX defensive ammo.
3. Brownells 9mm Ammo in Stock
Brownells still has a limited selection of 9mm Luger ammunition in stock. Most of the cheaper bulk 9mm is sold out, but here are a few of the brands available on April 10, 2020 at time of publication.
Need a 9mm Pistol? Consider the Walther Creed — Great Value
Need a 9mm carry pistol? The Walther Creed offers excellent ergonomics, good accuracy, and well-designed controls at a killer price — $269.99 at CDNN Sports. This gun, designed to be a value-leader, emulates Walther’s more expensive PPQ model (MSRP $649.00) at a much lower price. The Creed’s frame size and shape is the same as the PPQ, but the Creed lacks interchangeable backstraps. Slide and trigger are very similar. The Creed features a snag-free bobbed hammer. Testers have praised the new Creed, saying that, despite the bargain price, it “sacrifices little to nothing in… ergonomics, accuracy, and reliability.”
Need pistol ammo? Want to save money? Then check out the latest promotion from Federal and other Vista Outdoor ammo brands. With this rebate you get $2.00 back for every 50-round box of centerfire ammo you buy, except for 9mm Luger (9x19mm) — that qualifies for a $1.00/box rebate. Now through March 31, 2019, rebates are offered for all these participating brands: Federal, Speer, Blazer, American Eagle, and Independence. You must buy at least 250 rounds (5 boxes) to qualify. CLICK HERE for qualifying ammo.
NOTE: Qualifying purchases must be made December 3, 2018 through March 31, 2019. The DEADLINE for mail-in or online submissions is April 30, 2019. To redeem online, visit Promotions.vistaoutdoor.com.
What if we said you could buy a brand new, quality 9mm handgun, AND 1000 rounds of American-made, brass-cased CCI 9x19mm ammo for under $430? Or get the pistol plus 350 rounds for under $320? Not possible? Yes it is. Here’s the deal:
Chambering: 9×19 mm (9mm Luger)
Action: DAO, 5.5 lb pull weight
Capacity: 7+1
Barrel length: 3.565″
Frame: Black polymer with 4140 steel inserts
Magazine: 7 round stainless (included)
Slide: 416 stainless steel with matte finish
Overall length: 5.90″
Overall width: 0.90″
Overall height: 4.50″
Overall weight: 15.8 oz.
Or Get the Even More Compact Ruger LC9s for $259.99
If you want a more compact 9mm semi-auto pistol, Sportsman’s Guide also has the Ruger LC9S for $259.99 ($246.99 member price).
Both these guns are light, slim, and reliable. The Kahr has a longer, smoother trigger pull. The Ruger is thinner and shorter, and can be purchased with a thumb safety. Bottom line — there are both excellent carry guns. Both pistols are reviewed in this video:
If you prefer a German-made gun, get the Walther Creed for $269.99. We like the grip on the Walther. It has a very short trigger reset. Like the Kahr CW9 and Ruger LC9s, the Creed represents an exceptional value.
With any of these options (Kahr, Ruger, Walther) you can get your gun and 1000 rounds of ammo for less than $450.00. 1000 rounds should last all year, even if you practice every other week.
There are literally thousands of handguns on display at SHOT Show, most of which you can hold, cycle, and test the trigger pull. Among the hordes of handguns, we found some very eye-catching examples, such as the very serious-looking Walther PPQ M2 Q4 TAC above. It comes standard with Red Dot sights and threaded muzzle for suppressor. Also shown (in negative) is a Smith & Wesson Performance Center S&W500 Revolver with a 10.5″ barrel. Below are some other interesting handguns we saw at SHOT Show 2017.
Lone Wolf Modified Glock 17 Signature Series
Why in Heaven’s name would anyone pay $1400.00 for a Glock? Well Lone Wolf Distributors thinks someone will fork over that princely sum for a Glock fully pimped out with a Titanim Nitride (TiN) gold-tone slide, Red dot sights, plus suppressor-friendly tall sights. Oh, it’s also fitted out with a TiN Gold PVD adjustable trigger. But underneath all that bling it’s still a Glock. What do you think? Glorious or Gaudy? It is certainly eye-catching. As they say, the “Bling’s the Thing”.
Smith & Wesson Performance Center Tuned, Unfluted 686
For 2018, the Smith & Wesson Performance Center is rolling out a pair of specially upgraded 7-shot model 686 revolver. Offered in two barrel lengths, these special wheelguns feature the Performance Center® Speed Release Thumbpiece, which speeds cylinder release for fast reloads. These special comp guns boasts a PC-tuned action, vented/ribbed barrel, chromed trigger, and chromed, teardrop hammer (nice). The distinctive, unfluted cylinder is relieved for moon clips which can also speed up loading.
Walther PPQ M2 Q4 TAC 9mm
Our top photo shows the new PPQ M2 Q4 TAC, which is “race ready” right out of the box. Based the popular Walther PPQ, this TAC model adds a mount and threaded muzzle, plus some other features. “The Q5 Match has been very popular and we have had a lot of interest in a 4″ more tactical version. We are excited to combine a suppressor-ready and optics-ready pistol into a best-of-both worlds platform,” said Luke Thorkildsen, Walther VP of marketing. The 9mm Q4 TAC comes with two recoil springs. One for normal shooting and one for use with suppressors. The optics-ready slide features an LPA sight system with a fiber optic in the front and competition iron sight at the rear. The rear optics mounting system fits many popular red dots including Doctor, Leupold, and Trijicon. Trigger pull weight is a moderate 5.6 lbs. but the reset is ultra-short — just 0.1″. Priced at $799 MSRP, the Q4 TAC is backed by Walther’s lifetime warranty.
SIG Sauer P365 9mm Carry Pistol
SIG Sauer has just released an impressive new compact pistol, the SIG P365. This boasts excellent build quality and reliability in a slim package. It offers 10+1 round capacity in a gun that’s just 5.8″ overall and 1.1″ wide. Guns America got an early production model and their reviewer was impressed: “I have to applaud SIG. I was amazed by how much I liked shooting the P365. With its capacity advantage, small size, and good controls, it’s possible that the P365 will be the next go-to everyday carry handgun solution.” The gun comes with Tritium night sights and a good trigger. Each P365 also comes with an extra 12-round extended mag. With a $599.00 MSRP, expect street price around $500.00.
A SIG representative said SIG’s goal was to create a compact gun that shoots well — like a larger pistol: “We wanted to come up with a pistol that served the purpose — that gave people the capacity they have always wanted in this size gun, but something they could shoot. We’re busting paradigms, this is a game-changer.”
Taurus Raging Hunter .44 Mag and Model 692 Multi-Caliber
The new Raging Hunter from Taurus is an impressive beast. This six-shot .44 magnum has some interesting features. That red strip on the grip is extra padding to deal with the heavy recoil. Up front the dark gray slab is actually an aluminum barrel sleeve with Picatinny rail on top. This saves weight and provides a distinctive two-tone look. The actual 8.375″ barrel, which is ported, sits inside the sleeve.
Taurus also has another interesting long-barreled revolver. Shipping with TWO cylinders, the new Taurus Model 692 shoots .38 Special, .357 Magnum, and 9x19mm cartridges through the same barrel. That’s possible because 9x19mm bullet diameter is 0.355″. The nominal bullet diameter for .357 Magnum is 0.357″ or 9.1 mm, so you can see the diameters are very close. The 692 wheelgun ships with TWO cylinders — one for .38/.357, and a second for 9mm with moon clips. We like the ability to shoot inexpensive 9mm Luger ammo. Now you can take your favorite 9mm semi-auto pistol AND a wheelgun to the range and feed them both with the same box of ammo. Cool.
Kimber Full-Size and Compact 1911s
Kimber is releasing a host of new pistols for 2018. There are 23 new semi-auto pistols plus three new wheelguns. Most of the new Kimbers are 1911 varient. Our favorite new full-size Kimber is the Aegis Elite Custom OI, offered in both .45 ACP and 9x19mm. Shown above, the Aegis Elite has all the bells and whistles: custom G10 grips, bobbed backstrap, and stylized slide cuts front and rear. The $1395.00 MSRP includes a 6-MOA Vortex Venom 6 MOA Red Dot sight plus back-up iron sights.
Kimber also has an impressive compact-size 1911-style pistol in 9mm Luger. The Micro 9 Covert (at right) features gray camo LaserGrips plus a distincive Carry Melt treatment (softening the hard corners), plus a bobbed backstrap. Nice option for someone wanting a 1911-style pistol for concealed carry.
Ruger LCP II with Viridian Laser
Small, thin, and light — that’s what you want an everyday, pocket carry gun to be. The new Ruger LCP II with Viridian Red Laser is just 5.17″ long and 3.71″ tall, with a 3/4″-wide slide. That’s thin. Weight is 11.8 ounces. The compact size and low mass is the main reason to carry this .380 ACP rather than a more powerful 9mm pistol. This new version also features an integral, factory-installed Viridian E-Series red (635-650 nm) laser. Mounted on the trigger guard, the laser features ambidextrous push-button activation. Like other LCP II models, this pocket pistol features textured grip frame, easy-to-rack slide, bladed trigger safety, and low-profile snag-free sights. This latest LCP II with Viridian E-Series red laser has a $439.00 MSRP, including a handy pocket holster.
Beretta — The APX Family Grows in 2018
Beretta will greatly expand its line of polymer-framed APX pistols in 2018. And Beretta has models with a Red Dot optic mounting plate on the slide top. Interface adaptors will be supplied for Burris Fast Fire, C-More, DeltaPoint PRO, and RMR Red Dot sights. MSRP for the Red Dot-capable Full Size APX is $725. Expect street price around $685. The new tan model APX should be popular. Seen above, this features a Cerakote FDE (Flat Dark Earth) slide.
Parting Shot: S&W Double Trouble — Two Super-Sized Revolvers
At the Smith & Wesson booth last year, one visitor showed off two mega-sized S&W Performance Center hunting revolvers. These jumbo S&W500™ wheelguns, chambered for the mighty 500 S&W Magnum cartridge, feature massive 10.5″ barrels plus muzzle brakes. Overall length is 18″. Size counts right?
Women are arming themselves — millions of females now have carry permits. What factors should women consider when choosing a handgun for self-defense? What are good choices for a lady’s defensive handgun, suitable for concealed carry? Is a self-loading pistol better than a revolver?
We thought it was best for to hear the ladies’ own perspectives on these questions. After all they are the ones who will be carrying the firearm in a purse or on their person. In this article we include three videos focusing on handgun options for females. The videos cover six key factors: function, size, weight, ergonomics, reliability, and concealability.
Classic Swiss Precision — the Sig P239
The single-stack Sig P239 is an ultra-reliable, compact pistol with a grip suitable for smaller female hands. Weighing 25 oz. in 9mm, it is slightly heavier than polymer-framed handguns, but that may be a good thing. During my handgun training days, this Editor found most women shot the Sig P239 better than Glocks, with more control over recoil. This is a hammer-fired pistol with decocker but no separate safety. There are many other good handgun options for concealed carry — some smaller, thinner and lighter, but the Sig P239 provides a good benchmark for reliability and accuracy. Shown is the .40 S&W model. We prefer the 9mm Luger version. Photo Creative Commons BY-SA 3.0.
Choosing a Self-Defense Handgun — Ladies Explain the Options
Not Just a Guy Thing — 23% of Gun Owners are Women
Here’s an interesting statistic — according to an NSSF survey, the percentage of gun owners who are female has increased dramatically since 2005. Back in 2005, just 13% of U.S. gun owners were women. By 2012 that number had risen to 23% — a huge increase in less than a decade.
The vast majority of first-time female gun buyers acquire a handgun for defensive purposes. However, the statistics also show that many new female gun owners are also getting involved in sport shooting and/or competitive shooting.
In the video below, NRA News host Cam Edwards interviews Celia Bigelow, who has written about the rise of gun ownership among ladies on the Townhall.com website.
Hodgdon has just introduced a versatile new Winchester-brand pistol powder with a clean formulation. WinClean 244 is a modern, Winchester-branded propellant “ideally suited to .38 Special, .45 Auto, and 9mm standard loads.” That means WinClean 244 is designed for moderate pressure target loads. That’s good news for hand-loaders who enjoy target shooting with these popular cartridges.
Hodgdon, which markets Winchester powders, says that new WinClean 244 is consistent, and clean burning with a low flash: “The WinClean formulation reduces copper fouling and residue, extending accuracy for longer shooting periods.” It will be interesting to see if this is noticeably cleaner-burning than other popular powders. In pistol barrels we are actually less concerned with copper fouling than with general “sootiness” and carbon.
With its clean-burning qualities, “shooters are really going to like loading handgun cartridges with this powder” said Tim Vaitekunas, vice president of product development at Hodgdon. WinClean 244 powder, in 1-, 4- and 8-pound canisters, should be in stores in January 2018. Load Data is now available right now on the Hodgdon Reloading Data Center.
This Editor used to compete in Action Pistol matches, so I’ve loaded thousands of rounds of pistol ammunition using a wide variety of pistol propellants. I tend to favor Vihtavuori N310/N320 for .45 ACP, and Alliant powders for 9mm Luger, but it will be interesting to see how WinClean 244 works for these chamberings. Many powders work well for .38 Special loads, but new 244’s low flash could be an advantage there too.
Pistol Showcase — Candidates for WinClean 244
The Sig P210 SuperTarget is a modern 9mm Luger pistol with exceptional accuracy and one of the best out-of-the-box triggers you’ll ever try. Winchester WinClean 244 is suitable for a variety of bullet weights in the 9x19mm (9mm Luger) cartridge.
The 8-shot Smith & Wesson Model 627 Pro is an exceptional revolver that balances well and can shoot 1″ groups at 25 yards with tuned handloads. On this particular Model 627, featured on YouTube, the owner added a Hogue Pau Ferro wood grip, Hogue Extended Cylinder Release, and Wilson Combat trigger spring kit. In this kind of wheelgun, you can shoot moderate .38 Special target rounds loaded with new WinClean 244 powder.
Last week a close friend called and said he was looking for a good, affordable pistol for personal defense — not for daily carry, but for something to keep in the car and sometimes carry on wilderness trips. He said a local gun shop was steering him to a Glock 19 for around $570.00. I told him: “How’d you like to get a better handgun for less than half that?” I explained that, compared to a Glock, the Walther Creed has better ergonomics, better controls, better trigger pull, and better standard sights. Plus it is safer to field strip, and also has a much better warranty. And right now you can get this gun for under $300. In fact, CDNN Sports has it on sale for $269.99. That’s a steal.
The Walther Creed offers excellent ergonomics, good accuracy, and well-designed controls at a killer price — $269.99 at CDNN Sports. This gun, designed to be a value-leader, emulates Walther’s more expensive PPQ model (MSRP $649.00) at a much lower price. The Creed’s frame size and shape is the same as the PPQ, but the Creed lacks interchangeable backstraps. Slide and trigger are very similar. The Creed features a snag-free bobbed hammer. Trigger pull is 6.5 pounds. That’s a little heavier than we’d prefer, but not bad for a defense gun. Testers have praised the new Creed, saying that, despite the bargain price, it “sacrifices little to nothing in… ergonomics, accuracy, and reliability.”
Testers Praise the Walther Creed
Cheaper Than Dirt (CTD), a major online vendor, recently conducted an extensive field test of the Walther Creed, shooting a variety of 9x19mm ammo. CTD’s tester came away very impressed:
“After testing, it is now my perspective that this might be the best value in a home defense/full-sized handgun [for] a first-time buyer… if price is a primary consideration. The Creed delivers top-quality customer expect from Walther. For under $400 the Creed is arguably one of the best gun values on the market. It delivers superb quality and features well above many standard firearms lines with proven Walther reliability and accuracy. The Creed was a significant makeover from the legacy PPX improving look and ergonomics while preserving all the great aspects of the original design.”
The Sig Sauer P226 Elite is one of our favorite 9x19mm pistols. Now you can feed your Sig, Glock, HK, or Ruger on the cheap. Monmouth Reloading is offering 6000 9mm cases for just $135.60.
Here’s just what you need for the Zombie Apocalypse, or, for those less doomsday-minded, here’s enough brass to let you shoot 100 rounds a week for an entire year. Monmouth Reloading is offering 6000 once-fired 9mm cases for just $135.60. That’s just two cents per case! (You can also get 3000 cases for $68.99.) CLICK HERE to order.
Just about everyone has a 9mm pistol. With modest recoil, and inexpensive ammo, the 9mm Luger (aka 9x19mm) is probably the most popular centerfire handgun cartridge. Now you can get six thousand (6,000) once-fired 9mm cartridge cases for just $135.60, with free cleaning (a $15.00 value). Find a friend with a Dillon 650 and you could load up enough to last a decade.
Lesser Quantities of 9mm Brass at Great Prices Also
If you don’t don’t really need 6000 pieces of 9mm brass, you can also get 3000 for $68.99, or 1000 for just $23.50. Whatever quantity you choose, that’s a serious bargain. Like the larger quantities, Monmouth is offering free tumble cleaning in corn/walnut media for a limited time. ORDER HERE.
Here’s something we’d like to see gun manufacturers do more often — provide firearms for shooting matches. That can attract new shooters and grow the sport. Providing guns to competitors also helps “level the playing field”, at least when it comes to a “factory class” competition.
In order to encourage participation and promote competitive shooting, GLOCK will bring extra pistols for the inaugural GSSF Camp Perry National Challenge Match. These Glock-supplied handguns can be used by those who don’t own a Glock but who want to compete at Perry. Participants may sign up to fire in multiple relays. Entry fee is $20 for adults and $15 for Juniors.
The guns are free to use, but those who borrow pistols will still need to purchase their own 9×19 mm ammo to fire in the GSSF National Challenge match. Ammo is offered for $15/box from the CMP Store at Camp Perry.
The GSSF Camp Perry National Challenge is not an old-fashioned bullseye pistol match. Notably this match is shot two-handed, similar to an IDPA match. The relays are also “on the clock” — targets are set at distances of 5, 7, 10, 15 and 25 yards — with 10 rounds each in a time limit of 15 seconds. There will be two pistol classes, Stock and Unlimited. The Stock Class is for GLOCK firearms with only those components available from the manufacture (though some modifications are permitted). The Unlimited Class is for Glock firearms with major modifications such as aftermarket barrels, mag funnels, recoil springs, and firing pins. Standard, Fiber optic and express sights are approved in Stock Class, while Unlimited Class allows “any non-post and notch sights including but not limited to, ghost ring or laser, electronic or optical sights”.
Good Guidebooks for Pistol Shooters
Kimber
