For those looking for an AK in a compact package, Century Arms has you covered with the Mini Draco. It features a 7.75-inch threaded barrel, standard AK sights, enhanced trigger group, and comes standard with one 30-round US Palm magazine. Additionally, premium hardwood handguards and a threaded barrel are present. Coming in at 5.65 lbs, the Mini Draco is small, lightweight, and fun. Made in Romania.
After some quality control and safety issues with the original PT111 line, Taurus unveiled the PT111 Millennium G2 in a bid to rectify those issues while simultaneously lowering the price. With a 3.2-inch barrel, 12-round capacity, manual safety, and fully adjustable rear sight, the G2 is appealing at its price range of $200-300. The capacity is excellent for a gun of its size, and the trigger allows for double-strike capability if there is an ammo-related failure. Taurus successfully crafted a serviceable concealed-carry weapon with solid features at a very affordable price point.
The Colt Government Series 70 is based on the original 1911 without the passive firing pin safety. These Government models feature a series 70 firing system, a 5-inch forged stainless steel barrel, short trigger, spur hammer, checkered grips, GI-style sights, and a CNC-machined forged stainless slide and frame. While these are new production Colt guns, they maintain the classic styling and design that makes the 1911 so popular.
The FNH FNS-9 is often overlooked, but it’s a solid choice for people in the market for a CCW pistol. It’s one of the few striker-fired, polymer-frame pistols with a manual safety, multiple backstop inserts help create an optical fit, and the accessory rail lets you mount a light. We’d love to see an optic-ready slide, and aftermarket support isn’t great, but it’s still a viable concealed carry or home defense platform.
The Tavor TS12 bent the rules and brought us a gas-operated semi-automatic bullpup shotgun with a set of 3 rotating magazine tubes. Each magazine tube can hold up to five 2 3/4-inch shells, giving the gun a maximum capacity of 15+1. Once the magazine tube is depleted, the tubes can be rotated and will automatically load a new round. An 18.5-inch barrel combined with the bullpup configuration keeps the length compact at just 28.34 inches overall. Quick-detach sling points, M-Lok rails, full-length top Picatinny rails, and interchangeable chokes allow for plenty of accessory mounting capabilities and flexibility.
The Springfield Armory M1A is a modern version of the classic US military M14 battle rifle. This semi-automatic rifle uses a Garand-style rotating bolt and operating rod combined with a short-stroke gas piston. Magazine capacity ranges from 10-20 rounds of .308, and the rifle is available in several different trim levels, from base models all the way to Super Match variants.
Century Arms WASR-10s are imported directly from Romania. Furnished with an Original Romanian barrel, standard AKM side optics mount, and furniture, the WASR-10 is your bread-and-butter standard AKM-patterned rifle. Known for its ruggedness and durability, the WASR-10 is worthy of the AK-47 reputation.
Smith & Wesson’s Bodyguard 2.0 is a nice upgrade to the original Bodyguard, offering some nice features and an improved trigger. It’s super concealable, and .380 ACP is generally easy to source. While those with bigger hands might struggle to get a good grip, it does offer a design that is perfect for concealment.
We were thrilled to see the innovative and undeniably cool Hudson H9 get a second lease on life, especially since Daniel Defense was at the wheel. Unfortunately, the Daniel H9 was a disappointment in our testing. Reliability issues plagued this pistol, which makes it a non-starter for us. Will future updates fix these problems? Daniel Defense is working on them, so we’ll see.
Harrington & Richardson’s 723-style is a pre-M4 carbine that oozes retro cool. Modelled after the Colt 723, H&R got just about everything right. A fixed A1 carry handle, period-correct furniture, and the correct barrel profile make this gun an excellent retro shooter and an ideal base for cloning specific builds of the era.
IWI took a radical approach with the TS12 when creating a semi-automatic shotgun. Aside from the compact bullpup design, the rotary magazine that allows for a capacity of 15 rounds is impressive in its own right. If you are looking to maximize firepower in a short package, the TS12 might be your ticket.
