Bond Arms Backup
This newest version of the Bond Arms Backup is distinguished by a new black crinkle powder coat finish on the frame and a bead-blasted, non-reflective matte finish on the barrels. The 19-ounce handgun has a length of 4.5 inches and overall width of 1.19 inches (the frame and barrels are less than 1 inch wide). And, like all Bond Arms designs, 20 different barrels (including the .410 gauge/.45 LC) will interchange on the Backup’s frame. For more information, visit bondarms.com or call 817-573-4445.
Glock 42 .380
With the debut of the .380 ACP Glock 42 we have a new Glock subcompact with the smallest frame, slide and barrel length the company offers. The G42 employs a dual recoil spring unique to the model and a cold-hammer-forged barrel. It measures 5.94 inches in overall length with a 3.25-inch barrel, a very pocket friendly 0.94 inches in width, weighs 13.76 ounces (empty), and has a capacity of 6+1. This is one new pocket pistol that we can all agree was long overdue! For more information visit us.glock.com or call 770-432-1202.
Beretta Px4 Storm Subcompact
With an overall length of 6.2 inches, a 3-inch barrel, a height of 4.8 inches, a width of 1.4 inches and a carry weight of 26.1 ounces (empty), the Beretta Px4 Storm offers all
of the key features
that are desirable in a subcompact pistol. It offers a single-action/ double-action trigger system, a second- strike capability and
an ambidextrous thumb safety, which also functions as a decocker for carry with a loaded chamber. It is available in either 9mm or .40 S&W. Suggested retail is $575. For more information, visit beretta.com or call 800-929-2901.
Kahr Arms P380
The P380 pistol from Kahr Arms, chambered for
the .380 ACP, has a 2.53-inch Lothar Walther match-grade, polygonal-rifled barrel, an overall length of 4.9 inches,
a width of 0.75 inches and a height of only 3.9 inches.
Weighing in at just under 10 ounces without a magazine,
the 6+1 P380 uses a polymer frame with 4140 steel inserts molded
into the front and back for added rigidity and strength. The black frame is handsomely contrasted by the gun’s matte stainless steel slide. For more information visit kahr.com or call 508-795-3919.
Sig Sauer P938
Packing a 9mm barely larger than a .380 Auto has ballistic advantages and Sig Sauer’s P938 has all of them. With an overall length that is just 0.25 inches greater than the .380 Auto Sig P238, the P938 offers a 9mm in a true pocket-sized semi-auto. Based on the design of the P238 .380, the P938 uses a 1911-style single-action-only trigger, 3.0 inch barrel, and 5.5 inch slide with full-size SigLite night sights. The P938 packs six plus one rounds into an all-metal frame, and the ambidextrous safety makes the gun suitable for all shooters. For more information, visit sigsauer.com or call 603-610-3000.
North American Arms Guardian
While many think of NAA as the manufacturer of .22 LR and .22 Magnum (.22 WMR) mini-revolvers, NAA also builds one of the best concealed-carry .380 autos on the market, the Guardian. With a 2.49-inch barrel, an overall length of 4.75 inches, height of only 3.53 inches and a mere 0.93 inches of width, the pistol is designed for deep-cover carry. Weighing only 18.72 ounces, it is reliable and very effective with today’s .380 ACP loads. Capacity of the double-action-only design is 6+1 rounds. For more information visit northamericanarms.com or call 800-821-5783.
Rossi 461
.357 Mag
The Rossi 461 has
been chosen to be
among the top 12 pocket
pistols because it takes a page
from the past when snub-nose
revolvers were six-shot guns, not
five-shot. The traditional-style .38 Special/.357 Magnum 461 features all-steel
construction, large, rubber, combat-style
(finger groove) grips, an external hammer, a
brightly polished blue finish, an overall length of 6.5 inches and a weight of 26 ounces (empty). The six-round cylinder harkens back to the Colt Detective Special, which was the first six-shot snub nose chambered in .38 Special. For more information, visit rossiusa.com or call 305-474-0401.
Ruger LCR .22 WMR
The .22 WMR (Winchester Magnum Rimfire) cartridge fired from a small, lightweight handgun like the Ruger LCR is an effective round with only moderate recoil. Another advantage is that Ruger’s Lightweight Carry Revolver (LCR), when chambered in .22 WMR, holds six cartridges rather than the usual five in .38 Special and .357 Magnum.
The Ruger’s modular construction, combining aluminum, stainless steel and polymer (glass- filled nylon), produces a gun that weighs only 16.6 ounces and measures 6.5 inches in length, 4.5 inches in height and 1.25 inches in width. For more information, visit ruger.com.
Smith & Wesson Model 327
Capacity has always been an issue with smaller revolvers but if one steps up just slightly in size, with a gun like the S&W Model 327, capacity can surpass some small semi-autos by as many as two rounds! The Performance Center S&W 2-inch snub nose revolver has a titanium barrel shroud and an 8-shot titanium alloy cylinder chambered for .38 Special/.357 Magnum. Even though it is slightly larger than a conventional .38 snub nose, with an overall length of 7 inches, S&W’s Scandium frame contributes to reducing weight to just 21.4 ounces. For more information, visit smith-wesson.com or call 800-331-0852.
Springfield Enhanced Micro Pistol (EMP)
Making a smaller 1911
that would be compact
enough for concealed carry yet
strong enough to withstand the energy
produced by a .45 ACP round, the stresses placed
on the barrel lug, recoil spring and slide, just to
mention a few, has complicated the manufacture
of truly compact 1911s for years. Springfield Armory
finally found the solution in 2007 when the EMP
(Enhanced Micro Pistol) was introduced. Over the
last seven years the gun has acquitted itself with exemplary performance and durability, making it a top-12 choice for 2014. For more information, visit springfield-armory.com or call 800-680-6866.
Taurus 738 TCP
With a 6+1 capacity, the 738 TCP weighs just 10.2 ounces (empty). The polymer frame has a large trigger guard, integral ambidextrous thumb rests and molded grip serrations all around. With an overall length of 5.25 inches, the double-action-only, hammerless semi-auto is easy to conceal with rounded surfaces to prevent snagging on clothing.
It is also one of the most affordable concealed-carry pocket pistols on the market. For more information, visit taurususa.com or call 800-327-3776.
Kimber Ultra CDP II
Kimber, known for its high-quality 1911-style pistols, produces one of the world’s smallest ultra compacts, the Ultra CDP II. The gun features an overall length of just 6.8 inches, a height of 4.75 inches, and a weight of 25 ounces (empty), yet
it retains a 7+1 capacity. The matte black aluminum frame and stainless steel slide have rounded edges for easier carry and draw, and the Ultra CDP II comes with an ambidextrous thumb safety, a skeletonized match-grade trigger and Meprolight tritium night sights. For more information, visit kimberamerica.com or call 888-243-4522.
