The Hammerli Force B1 is one of the most unique rifles in a sea of rimfire plinkers. We love the straight-pull action and quick-change barrel system. The M-LOK stock is better than most, and mounting a scope or red dot on the Picatinny rail is a piece of cake. It’s a fun rifle to shoot, and if Hammerli would ever get around to supporting other cartridges with new barrels, buying this would be a no-brainer.
The Glock 30 is a .45 ACP that punches above its class when it comes to concealed carry. While it still features those Glock ergonomics, which you either love or hate, it shoots well and is extremely reliable. A shorter grip area might prove difficult for some shooters to get a full firing grip. If you can deal with a loose pinky, though, it’s a soft shooting .45 ACP that is perfect for those who want to CCW something other than 9mm.
The Smith & Wesson Equalizer picks up with the M&P Shield EZ left off, with a very beginner-friendly design — complete with an easy-to-rack slide. We spent a full day at the range with Equalizer and during our 500 rounds of testing, found it to be a soft recoiling option. It’s easy to disassemble and maintain, which earns it bonus points with us. Plus, it ships with three magazines! The only downside is the short grip, which will be problematic for those with larger hands.
Everybody loves the Ruger 10/22, and this is just a fun-sized version of that rifle. The Ruger 22 Charger earned high marks in our testing for value, customization potential, and fun! We experienced the usual issues associate with dirty rimfire ammo, but the 22 Charger is still one of our favorites. At 17 inches long and only 5 pounds, there’s practically no reason to leave it at home. Besides, the price is right!
The Beretta 80X Cheetah is a modernized version of Beretta’s older 84 Cheetah line. Nice updates to the platform include improved ergonomics, an optics-ready slide, and an accessory rail. These guns are a bit bigger than most .380 ACP guns, and feel more substantial and easier to shoot. If you want something between a compact 9mm pistol and a pocket .380, the 80X Cheetah is that perfect in-between.
The full-size CZ Shadow 2 is one of the most winning competition handguns of all time. The CZ Shadow 2 Compact takes all the shootability, ergonomics, accuracy, and performance of the larger Shadow 2 and scales it down into a package that is suitable for concealed carry. While this kind of performance doesn’t come cheap, the discerning concealed-carrier may find it worth it to spend the money to get something that shoots as well as this.
The Henry Axe .410 is a neat pistol grip only lever-action gun that is classified as an “other firearm,” and thus is technically not a shotgun. It is a super fun, compact plinker in a very unique and well-built package. However, its use cases are extremely limited, as are any potential upgrades.
The Heritage Settler nestles itself in a nice middle ground, offering good build quality, nice aesthetics, and solid performance – all at a very reasonable price. These make for great plinkers for adults and younger children alike, and also make for great training tools. Being chambered in .22LR also lets you be able to shoot all day without breaking the bank.
The Kel-Tec RDB Survival is an interesting 5.56 rifle that can easily fill multiple roles. Its slim and compact bullpup design makes it ideal for use as a camping gun, survival rifle, truck gun, or even a home defense tool. The downward-ejecting design and reversible charging handle also mean this rifle is a true ambidextrous gun.
