The Winchester SXP Defender is a great shotgun for those looking for a solid home defense or combat shotgun. A 5+1 capacity, chrome plated 18″ fixed cylinder choke barrel, and tough matte finish and synthetic furniture make this no-frills shotgun well suited for hard work. Billed as the “world’s fastest pump shotgun”, the SXP utilizes an inertia-assisted action to help speed up the process of cycling the gun. It is available in 12 or 20-gauge and can be had with either a standard stock or a pistol grip version. The speed, reliability, and toughness make this a hard gun to beat in its price range.
The Glock 43 harnesses all the world-renowned reliability that Glock is known for, all in a tiny package. Coming in just under 1 inch wide and under 14 ounces, the G42 is easy to conceal, no matter the method or environment. These guns feature an extended beavertail, textured grip, and enlarged magazine to help manage recoil and ensure smooth operation. For those looking for a reliable, concealable pistol, these single-stack 6+1 pistols are great.
The Glock 48 takes the universal standard Glock 19 and slims it down into a more concealable but still easy-to-shoot platform. A barrel length of 4.17 inches, a standard capacity of 10 rounds, and an overall width of only 1.1 inches. An overall weight of 20.7 ounces helps keep things relatively light, further improving the ease of carry. Although the trigger is the standard mediocre 5.5-pound Glock affair and the capacity is lower than some of the competition, it makes up for that in reliability and aftermarket.
The Tavor X95 is the next-generation version of the popular Tavor SAR from IWI. Having been in service with the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) since 2010, the X95 has proven itself to be a rugged, reliable, compact combat rifle. New additions to the X95 over its predecessor include a lighter 5-6 pound trigger, repositioning of the ambi mag release to a more favorable spot, a Picatinny railed forearm, and better placement of the charging handle. It is available in either a 16.5 or 18.5-inch barrel, giving an overall length of either 26.1 or 28.1 inches. While it is a bit heavier at around 8 pounds, this long-stroke gas piston gun bullpup provides solid accuracy and reliability in an easy-to-maneuver package.
The CZ P-07 was the first handgun to feature CZ’s convertible Omega trigger system that allows users to switch between a traditional manual safety or a decocker configuration. Much like the older CZ 75, the P-07 features the accuracy-boosting “slide-in-frame” setup that CZ is known for. Interchangeable backstraps and a durable polymer frame make this pistol a great choice for those looking for a reliable DA/SA duty gun. The P-07 comes in at 27.7 ounces with a 3.75-inch barrel and has a standard capacity of 15+1.
The CZ Micro Scorpion features a 4.12-inch barrel, which means over three inches were trimmed from the original Scorpion barrel. It comes with the CZ PDW brace that is a combination of efforts between SB Tactical and Manticore Arms. The overall weight is 5.5 pounds, and that’s with a 13.1-ounce brace. It’s nice and light, very comfortable. Attached to the barrel is the No-Octane Faux suppressor from Silencer Co. It’s square-shaped and gives an aggressive appearance to a normally short barrel. The result is an extremely compact gun that packs a ton of capacity and is easy to shoot when used with a brace.
The CZ Scorpion Evo 3 S1 pistol brings the popular Scorpion platform down to an easy-to-handle size. This blowback-operated semi-auto pistol is chambered in 9mm and sports a short 7.72-inch barrel. Picatinny rails adorn the top, sides, and bottom of the gun, and fully ambidextrous controls make sure no user is left out. Iron sights, a rear QD sling mount, and a 1/2×28 threaded muzzle round out the feature set. The Scorpion Evo is easily accessorizable and makes for a great lightweight pistol-caliber carbine.
FN has taken their famed SCAR 17S platform and adapted it for long range shooting – the result is the SCAR 20S. A longer 20-inch chrome-lined barrel was added, along with a 2-stage Geissele match trigger, a SureFire ProComp to reduce recoil, and a stock that is fully adjustable for length-of-pull and cheek height. Still present is the standard SCAR gas-operated design, making the 20S a reliable and accurate platform for semi-automatic designated marksman work.
The M1 Garand was the first standard-issue self-loading rifle adopted by the US. A simple but elegant design, the Garand uses a long-stroke gas piston that operates a rotating bolt. It is fed by an 8-round en-bloc clip that makes the distinctive “ping” sound once the clip is automatically ejected after all the rounds are spent. Chambered in the powerful 30-06 cartridge, the semi-automatic Garand gave US soldiers a huge edge over enemies and allies alike who were still using slower bolt-action rifles.
The Ruger P90 is an upscaled version of Ruger’s solid P89 platform but chambered in .45 ACP. It utilizes a SIG P220-style locking system with a 1911-style tilting barrel. Features include an ambidextrous decocker/safety combo, a 4.5-inch stainless steel barrel, and a 7 or 8+1 standard capacity. The frame is investment cast aluminum, with most of the internal parts being constructed from stainless or carbon steel. Ruger set out to produce an affordable, rugged service gun, and the P90 accomplishes that.
In the late 1970s, Sig set out to make a concealable law enforcement pistol before the era of easily concealable 9mm guns. After a long run, Sig updated the pistol in 1996, creating the P232 model. These are direct-blowback, fixed barrel, single-stack .380 ACP pistols that bear a similarity to the Walther PPK. It features a DA/SA trigger, a frame-mounted decocker, a heel magazine release, and a standard capacity of 7+1. It was available with a blued finish and aluminum frame, as well as an all stainless frame and finish version.
