22nd May : Heckler & Koch P7

Name     :     Heckler & Koch P7 M8, M13 & M10


AKA       :     The Squeeze Cocker, PSP, P7 M8,M13,M10,

Calibers      :     9x19mm Parabellum, .40 S&W,


Capacity     :     8 and 13 Rounds (9mm), 10 Rounds (.40 S&W)


Weight       :     27.25oz or 785g (P7M8)


Length       :     6.75in or 171mm (P7M8)


Action        :     Striker Fired, Semi automatic, gas operated locking


Origin         :     Germany


The terror that ensued during the 1972 Munich Olympics resulted in a major shake up within the West German Law Enforcement community and especially the West German government, with a directive being issued to research and revise arms used by Law Enforcement and internal security forces.  Technical specifications were drawn up and sent to arms manufacturers specifying that the new pistol weight under 1000g, fire a more powerful round than the 7.65mm (.32ACP) that was being used by Police at the time and various other requirements.  Heckler and Koch of Oberndorf, started development on a new pistol in 1974 and prototypes were completed in 1976.  The new prototype was put through its paces with a variety of West German departments for evaluation.  Meanwhile other pistols were also being tested, the Walther design, a SIG Sauer P220 derivative and a Mauser pistol. West German officials decided to accept the Walther entrant as the P5, the SIG Sauer P225 as the P6 and in 1979 the Heckler and Koch entrant called the PSP (Polizei Selbstlade Pistole) as the P7, all pistols were chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.


Ground breaking at the time the new PSP P7 had a number of unusual features, such as the safety device found on the forward section of the grip.  Known as a squeeze cocker this device, with a initial heavy squeeze and a lighter pressure to hold the device depressed, the striker is cocked position, which can be visually checked by the striker itself protruding from the back of slide, when pressure is released the striker is de-cocked.  Another interesting feature of the P7 is the locking and operating mechanism.  When the pistol is fired gas from the round is tapped off through a small hole in the bottom of the barrel into a cylinder where it acts against a piston in effect retarding the slides rearward movement until the projectile has left the barrel and pressures within the barrel have dropped to safe levels, bleeding back into the barrel once again to aid cycling of the action.  One advantage of this system was that the barrel of the pistol was fixed to the frame, unlike most pistols that require a locking system, the gas retardant system does not require the barrel to move during firing, thus it is always in the same position shot after shot, aiding accuracy. The barrel itself borrowed from the earlier P9 pistol by Heckler and Koch is also interesting in that is of polygonal design.  This design does away with traditional lands and groves in favor of polygon shape that contains a twist.   


Heckler and Koch saw the need to improve the PSP, and in 1985 production of the pistol was switched to its successors the P7 M8 and the P7 M13 remaining in 9mm parabellum, the most notable changes were the re-positioning of the magazine release from the heel of the grip to what is now standard on H&K pistols, an ambidextrous push down lever directly under the trigger guard.  And in the case of the P7 M13 a double stack magazine containing 13 rounds.  The P7 M13 entered the U.S. Military trials to replace the venerable Colt M1911A1 but was unsuccessful in its bid, though it passed with 100% reliability during dust tests and was rated highly for overall conditional reliability.  


Heckler and Koch turned instead to marketing the pistol for personal defense and sports shooters, thus following the public interest - the P7 M10 was born.  This new pistol was a caliber revision, it was chambered in .40 S&W.  It differed from the M8 & M13 in both that it no longer had the polygonal barrel, but more traditional lands and groves.  It also due to the considerable pressure increase over the 9x19mm parabellum was slightly larger and heavier.  


INTERESTING FACT :  German military special forces team GSG-9 had a special version of the P7 M13 made especially for them known as the P7M13SD which had a threaded barrel and supplied suppressor for covert operations.


PRO's   :   Accurate, reliable, curiosity, collectible, well made, 


CON's   :   Cleaning is a little lengthy, no external slide catch, PSP's had heal mag releases


      

17th May : Becker & Hollander Beholla Pistol

Name     :     Becker & Hollander Beholla Pistol


AKA       :     The Beholla 

Caliber     :     7.65x17mm Browning (.32 ACP)


Capacity   :     7 Rounds


Weight     :     22.57oz or 640g


Length     :     5.59in or 142mm


Action      :     Blowback Action, semi automatic


Origin      :     Germany 




Produced by Becker and Hollander of Suhl in Germany in 1915 the Beholla was a mediocrity at best even by the standards of the day.  With this in mind it was given a substitute pistol status in the German Army during the First World War. It was commonly issued to lower ranked personnel when the famous P08 Luger or even Mauser C96's were short in supply.  After the initial shipment from Becker and Hollander the German Army ordered the pistol to be contracted out to other arms firms to insure a healthy supply and thus a contract was given to Leonhardt, Stenda and Menta.  Production of this pistol for the German Army would appear to have been around 40-45'000 and remained in service until 1918 the end of the war.  After the war, the pistol was produced by several manufacturers for the commercial market, and some were even offered for sale by the Army to the public.  Total production for this pistol/design including commercial models is estimated around 100,000.


Typically of pistols made in Europe at this time, the magazine release is located on the heal of the grip and is pushed to the rear to eject the magazine for reloading.  The barrel is fixed to the frame by means of a cross-pin, and this is where the pistol takes a turn for the worse. 


To dismantle the Beholla the magazine has to be removed and the striker released by pulling the trigger with an empty shell case inserted in the chamber to prevent damage to the firing pin.  The cross-pin holding the barrel to the frame has to be removed through a hole in the slide.  This is done by punching out the cross-pin with a tool through the right side of the slide until it is far enough through it can be pulled by hand from the left hand side of the slide. The slide must then be locked to the rear and the barrel is pushed backward approximately 5mm and pulled upward and it can be removed. The slide is then released forward to its normal position the trigger again needs to be pulled then the slide can move forward off the frame. 


The Beholla like all German pistols was a war trophy for allied soldiers but never gained the fame or popularity of other pistols such as the Luger.  In service the pistol was considered to be robust enough for combat, which probably was the pistols only saving grace, considering what it took to clean it.  Some collectors and shooters have stated that they have been very impressed with the accuracy potential of this pistol, especially considering that it was produced during war time, when the quality of firearms is generally a lot lower.  This is probably an inherent advantage of the fixed barrel design. 


INTERESTING FACT : Magazines from the Colt 1903 pistol in .32ACP will function well in the Beholla, for those of you out there looking for replacement or spare magazine.


PRO's :   Robust, Accurate, easy to conceal, snag free design


CON's :   Low on the manstopping scale, awful dismantling procedure for a soldier 

14th May : Fabrique Nationale Model 1910

Name     :     FN Model 1910

AKA       :     Pistole Modell 626 (B) = WW2 German Military Designation

Caliber     :     7.65x17mm Browning (.32 ACP), 9x18mm Short (.380 ACP)

Capacity   :     7 Rounds (7.65mm)

Weight     :     21.25oz or 600g

Length     :     6in or 152mm

Action      :     Blowback operated, Single Action, Semi automatic

Origin      :     Belgium

Designed by world famous firearms designer John Moses Browning the FN model 1910 was a popular and well liked defensive arm found in many arsenals during the first part of the 20th Century.  John Browning made regular trips between the two major manufacturers of his designs, namely Colt for the U.S. market and Fabrique Nationale of Belgium for the European market.  Browning approached Colt to make his new pistol design that was to become the Model 1910, but Colt was not interested, perhaps due to the success of the Colt Model 1903.  Fabrique Nationale no doubt saw considerable potential for the design and the pistol went into production eventually arming much of Europe.

Though first produced in 1910 this pistol did not come into widespread availability until 1912.  John Browning's first financially rewarding venture into the defensive pistol field was also made by FN in the Model 1900, an unusual pistol in that the recoil spring was located above the barrel, it was a sturdy and reliable defensive pistol.  Combined the models 1900, 1903, 1906 and the 1910 had been sold in excess of one million by 1914, making vast fortunes for the large firearm distributors in Europe.  

The 1910 has a smooth overall appearance and semi-compact feel about it, this is due to a small trend that was started with this pistol, the recoil spring is positioned around the barrel instead of a traditional plunger or guide rod, making the pistol smaller than some of its contemporaries. The pistol's safety is nothing special in the respect it is simply pushed up into a notch in the slide to put the weapon on safe, and the pistol also sports a grip safety.  The sights on the pistol pictured are of non-snagging type and are a groove that runs in the top of the slide, and though not target shooter material they are adequate for defensive purposes. Some Model 1910's did have windage adjustable rear sights that are retained via a wedge base that are slid into traditional slide cut outs.  

A variant of this pistol appeared in 1922 this model was known as the Model 1910/22 after a Serbian Army requested that the 1910 have a longer barrel and slightly improved ammunition capacity thus FN lengthened the barrel and simply attached a large retaining ring in front of the slide and increased the magazine capacity for an extra 2 rounds.  The Serbian Army happy with these improvements made a large order.  During World War Two the German Army having occupied Belgium had FN make Model 1910s and 1910/22s for the Luftwaffe and Wehrmacht.  The 1910 went out of production in 1983 and was widely copied by many arms manufacturers around the world.  Popular with civilian shooters it was also big in European Law Enforcement with some police forces choosing to keep it in front line service until 1985.  In the James Bond movie "Dr. No" the 1910 is used as a stand-in for a Walther PPK due to the movie makers having issues adapting the PPK to fire blanks, though the change over went un-noticed by much of the movie going audience.

INTERESTING FACT :  It is said that the great war may have been started by the pistol but it was the rifle that fought it.  Well the 1910 has an interesting part in that fact -  it was that pistol in the hands of Gavrilo Princip, who shot and killed Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, the precursor to World War One.

PRO's   :   Compact and Easy to Use, Kinda accurate, Collectable, 

CON's   :   Magazine disconnect safety, some have rough trigger pulls.

COOL FACTOR : 7/10

10th May : Colt Anaconda

Name     :     Colt Anaconda


AKA       :     The Big Snake

Calibers     :     .44 Magnum and .45 Long Colt


Capacity    :     6 Rounds


Weight      :     53oz or 1503g (6 inch barrel model)


Length      :      11.5in or 295mm


Action       :      Double Action, revolving cylinder, repeater


Origin       :      U.S.A.


It wasn't until 1990 that colt produced its first .44 Magnum, The Anaconda.  Upon its release there was a large surge of interest from the firearm community as to how well it would stack up against its considerable competition from both Ruger and Smith and Wesson, not to mention Colt's own famous Python.  Early Anacondas had accuracy issues relating to a tight throat that wore down projectiles, once past the throat rounds were not properly engaging in the riffling.  These issues once raised with Colt were rectified with new barrels.  There was a 4, 6 and 8 inch barrel length versions available and all anacondas had the stainless steel finish, unlike other brands Colt did not offer a blued model.  1993 saw an addition to the line up with the introduction of the .45 Long Colt version, a caliber that was no stranger to many avid Colt fans.  


The Anaconda has a large ventilated rib above the barrel, reminiscent of the Python .357 magnum revolver offered by Colt.  The revolver came tapped ready for and in some cases with a scope for those who wanted to utilize this revolver for handgun hunting.  The Anacondas construction is tough, made from all stainless steel it is a hand-full to hold but this allowed recoil to be managed easily.  The Cylinder stop cuts were made between the chambers to allow the cylinder more strength, thus making the use of powerful rounds not an issue.  Shipped as standard with a large rubber grip with finger groves the large Colt is comfortable to hold even considering its weight.  The Anaconda comes furnished with adjustable B notch sights as standard, these sights produce a clean and crisp sight picture with white outlines on the rear and a red insert on the front sight.  Some Anacondas were also available with ported barrels to reduce muzzle climb when firing powerful loads.


Colt claimed that the Anaconda was the most accurate .44 magnum, though this will always be up for debate, to Colt's credit the Anaconda is an accurate revolver, but that title may have been a little ambitious.  Sadly during the large restructure at Colt in 2000, the Anaconda was dropped from Colts production line, though some were still available to order through the Custom shop until 2003.  Still popular with sports shooters and revolver enthusiasts through second hand channels, many wonder if Colt will re-release this big revolver at some point in the future, and speculation and rumor still rise every now and again, but as of 2012, seeing a brand new Anaconda filling gun shop shelves again seems bleak.


INTERESTING FACT : In the secondhand market .45 Long Colt versions of the Anaconda tend to fetch more than the .44 magnum variety.


PRO's   :   Accurate, beautifully designed, strong construction, nice grips, 


CON's   :   Early models had accuracy issues, no longer available 


COOL FACTOR : 9/10

1st May : Sphinx AT-2000

Name     :     Sphinx AT-2000


AKA       :     The Improved CZ-75, The Swiss Block

AT-2000PS model shown

Caliber     :     9x21mm, 9x19mm Parabellum, .40 Smith & Wesson


Capacity   :     15 Rounds (9mm), 11 Rounds (.40)


Weight     :     36.25oz or 1030g (S Model)


Length     :     8in or 204mm (S Model)


Action      :     Browning Cam Locking, Double Action Semi Automatic


Origin       :     Switzerland


Introduced in 1992, the Sphinx AT-2000 is a service / sport pistol manufactured in Switzerland.  It originates from the model AT84 and AT88 pistols which were licensed copies of the CZ-75 pistol, they were made under the company name of ITM.  ITM went out of business in 1990 and in 1991 the company was renamed Sphinx Systems Ltd, which went on to try and improve the CZ-75 design with a focus on tight tolerances and high quality workmanship.  The resulting design was the model AT-2000S, a full sized pistol with an all steel construction making it somewhat indestructible.  


The model AT-2000 has three main variants, the 'S' model which is the full sized pistol, the model 'P' standing for police with a compact slide and frame, the model 'PS' which has the shortened slide and barrel with the full sized model 'S' frame.  All of these models have double action trigger systems and have a very precise and predicable trigger break.  For anyone who is familiar with the CZ-75 a very notable difference found when handling the AT-2000 is the shape, the AT-2000 is very square and flat, neglecting the rounding and curve found on the Czech pistol.  Also different from the CZ is the guide rod used in this design, it has a small bulge at the end of it that slots perfectly into the slide to ensure the side locks back firmly in the same position before the next shot to provide constancy.  The controls of this pistol are often ambidextrous making the pistol compatible for left handed shooters or weak hand shooting.


The AT-2000 is well known for exceptional accuracy, and an all over pleasant pistol to shoot with its clean single action break of 1.5kg.  Fitted by hand by master gunsmiths the slides are cut from solid steel as are most of the frames.  CZ-75 magazines do work in the AT-2000S and 'PS' models though they do not lock the slide to the rear when empty, as the follower is different.


INTERESTING FACT : Almost never seen in films, most likely due to the significant cost of this pistol it was prominently shown in the movie "Mission Impossible 2" carried by the villain Sean Ambrose.  


PRO's :   Accurate, Beautiful trigger, Top Quality, Top notch heritage, 


CON's :   Price tag


COOL FACTOR : 9/10

23rd April : Smith and Wesson Model 10

Name :     Smith and Wesson Model 10


AKA   :     Military & Police, M&P, The No Frills Revolver, Victory Model

Caliber     :     .38 Smith and Wesson Special


Capacity   :     6 Rounds


Weight     :     36oz or 1020g (4in Model)


Length     :     8.875in or 225mm

Action      :     Double Action Repeater


Origin       :     U.S.A.


One of Smith and Wesson's best selling revolvers of all time, since 1899 Smith and Wesson have offered the Model 10 'Military and Police' in a wide range of configurations from the snubnose 2 inch barrel round butt model through to the Target 6 inch square butt model.  The appeal of the model 10 stems from its simplicity, quality construction and universal acceptance of the .38 Special cartridge, add to this the variety of configurations, all for a fair price and it is not surprising that more than 6 million have been made.


During the Philippine War of Independence, the U.S. Army had grave concerns about the effectiveness of the .38 Long Colt cartridge of there Model 1889 revolver, relayed field reports back to the United States indicated a change was immediately necessary, the answer in the form of the new cartridge .38 Smith and Wesson Special a heavier bullet in a longer case and the new Model 1899 to fire it. This revolver known as Military and Police would go on to have several changes to eventually become the Model 10 in 1942.


The Model 10's 'K frame' Smith and Wesson's medium frame is very strong, in many ways stronger than it needs to be, this advantage means that the model 10 can consume a steady diet of +P ammunition.  The fixed sights on this revolver are of snag free design and are very unlikely to knocked or bumped out of alignment unlike Smith and Wesson's adjustable sights.  A good double and single action pull that are crisp and break at predictable points making the revolver inherently easy to shoot, especially with the mild recoil of the .38 special cartridge.  


This no-nonsense, reliable arm will never be a match for today's "Polymer Wonder Guns" in the military world, but still serves a purpose for home defense and sports shooting.  For use as a personal protection arm the .38 special is at the lower end of the spectrum as a manstopper but, with regular practice, shooting quality defensive loads you are by no means 'unarmed'. 


INTERESTING FACT : The model 10 was used by over 20 countries world wide as a defensive arm for either military, police or both.


PRO's   :   Reliable, Easy to shoot, quality construction, utilitarian 


CON's   :   Low in the energy range, but still very acceptable. 


COOL FACTOR : 7/10

20th April : Colt Commander

Name     :     Colt Combat Commander


AKA       :     The Lightweight Commander, Combat Commander

Caliber     :   .45 ACP, 9x19mm Para, 7.65x21mm Para, .38 Super


Capacity   :   7 & 8 Rounds (.45 ACP) and 9 rounds (9mm,.38 Super)


Weight     :   32.5 oz or 961g (steel frame) 27oz or 765g (lightweight)


Length     :   7.75in or 197mm (1991A1 Commander)


Action      :   Browning Swing Link Type, Single Action, Semi Automatic


Origin      :   U.S.A.


The story of the M1911 is a long and interesting one spanning more than 100 years, and through its evolution it has borne a mass of variants by almost every major pistol manufacturer in just about as many calibers and as of 2012 it shows NO intention of slowing down even with the popularity of polymer wonderguns, of which through the INFINITY series of pistols it has even become a part of.  Today however is not the day that I spent more than six hours trying to explain just a tiny portion of the 1911's history, no today we look at a great size variant, the wonderful Colt Commander series.


As early as 1949 the U.S. Army was looking to replace the M1911A1, a pistol that had given great service, but concerns were raised about the size and weight of this full sized service pistol, thus a requirement was sent out for a pistol chambered in .45 ACP with a weight of 25 ounces or less, and an overall length of 7 inches. Colt entered this race with the what was then called the Commander made from a lightweight aluminium called ColtAlloy, though it nor any of the other contestants won a contract.  Colt decided to put the Commander in the civilian market in several calibers including the 7.65x21mm para (.30 Luger) for export to countries that forbid civilians to possess pistols in a military caliber.  In 1970 the Commander was re-named to become the lightweight Commander and a new full steel version was released with the name Combat Commander.


The name Commander has now become a size designation, with each certain Colt models coming out in sizes Government (full size 5 inch barrel), Commander (Shorter than Government 4+/- inch barrel) and Officers ACP (Compact with a 3.5 inch barrel).  As of 2012 Colt models 1991A1 and XSE have Commander sized pistols that are very popular as "Carry" pistols and are also seen on the sports shooting scene.


The modern XSE Commander is a well made and accurate firearm with a 4.25 inch barrel, series 80 locking, 3 hole aluminium trigger, Drop safety and weighs about 33.5oz.  The sights are NOVAK Carry Sights, these sights have white dots for easy target acquisition and are well liked for their snag free design.  The pistol is chambered in .45 ACP and has many other desirable features.

COLT XSE Commander in .45ACP

The .45 ACP round is a subsonic round with well documented stopping power, but it is also used as a sporting caliber.  The .45 ACP in traditional form is a 230gr full metal jacket round known as "ball" ammunition, this type of round was the standard U.S. Military pistol caliber for over 70 years.  For personal protection however jacketed hollow point rounds should be used, with great expansion and reasonable penetration the .45 will continue to be on the carry circuit for some time with all the major ammunition manufacturers making a variety of types for all applications.  


INTERESTING FACT : Frank White a Drug Enforcement Agency Officer carried a Colt Combat Commander, Frank was part of the inspiration for T.V. show Miami Vice, he was given a set of Ivory grips by the Vice President for his Colt Combat Commander for his exceptional service.


PRO's   :   Good Size 1911, Top Quality, Very Customisable, .45 ACP


CON's   :   Requires lots of practice to master


COOL FACTOR : 9/10

April 19th : Beretta 3032 Tomcat

Name     :     Beretta Model 3032


AKA       :     Tomcat, The Flip Top

Caliber     :   .32ACP (7.65x17mm Browning)


Capacity   :   7 Rounds


Weight     :   14.5oz or 410g


Length     :    4.9in or 125mm


Action      :    Blowback operated, Double Action, Semi Automatic


Origin      :    Italy 


The Beretta 3032 finds it origins in the Model 950 "Jetfire" first created in 1952, a single action pistol that originally had no safety lever.  The success of the little Jetfire which was available in .22LR and .25ACP (6.35mm) spanned until 2003 when production ceased.  With the need for a more powerful chambering and/or incorporation of improvements the 3032 "Tomcat" was born.  The main changes from the model 950 lay in the caliber of .32ACP and the implementation of a double action mechanism.


The little Tomcat features a tilting barrel, not fixed like most blowback pistols,  the barrel is released by pressing forward on a lever located above the rear of the trigger guard on the left hand side of the frame.  This allows the user to inspect that the pistol has no round chambered.  Though some people "top off" the pistol in this fashion by inserting a full magazine of seven rounds, releasing the barrel to tip up and manually loading a round into the barrel to give the pistol one extra round.  The Tomcat has a rather long double action pull, then every subsequent shot is double action. The double action mechanism in this pistol can be seen as an advantage over double action only (DAO) pistols when it comes to getting some reach, with the lighter single action pull available for those longer range shots can improve accuracy.  The lack of a decocker is unusual however, implying that the double action feature of this pistol could be just a double strike capability if the round fails to fire after the first pull of the trigger.  Releasing the magazine is an interesting process for those who have never handled a Tomcat or jetfire, the release button is found on the left hand grip just above the bottom grip screw, though it does need a positive push to release the magazine, preventing an unwanted magazine departure.

A Model 3032 with the barrel tilted

.32ACP is at the low end in terms of a self defense caliber, though interestingly that is what it was designed for, European police and even some military's around the world used this caliber for some time up until the 1980's.  Invented in 1899 the round has been around for a long time and in full metal jacket form is unsuitable for someone wanting to carry this pistol for personal protection, but with good jacketed hollowpoint rounds such as Winchester Silvertips it can have potential with good shot placement (shot placement is important with any caliber).  The Tomcat is capable of consuming large amounts of ammunition due to it's quality construction though it must be noted that it is not rated or recommended for +P rounds.


Available in stainless type finish Beretta calls INOX and a two tone finish, the Beretta Tomcat is a fun little shooter, and when it comes to self protection : A tomcat in hand is better than a .45 left at home.


INTERESTING FACT : NO EXTRACTOR, this pistol has no extractor to remove rounds, racking the slide will not remove chambered rounds, so use that tilt lever.


PRO's : Compact, Reliable, fun, quality, surprisingly accurate, windage on sights 


CON's : No extractor, unusual magazine release, no decocker, 


COOL FACTOR : 7 / 10
  

13th April : Walther P.38

Name     :     Walther P.38

AKA       :     The Slide Action Luger, P1, Walther HP, 

Caliber   :     9x19mm Parabellum

Capacity :     8 Rounds

Weight   :     2.1lbs or 950g

Length   :     8.34in or 212mm

Action    :     Falling Block Locking, Double Action, Semi Automatic

Origin    :     Nazi Germany

The German military in the 20th century had always considered the role of the pistol as important, and thus companies like Deutsche Waffen und munitionsfabriken (DMW), Walther, Mauser and others spent much time, effort and money to produce new and innovative pistols for lucrative military contracts.   In 1904 DMW won a contract to supply the German Navy and later in 1908 the German Army with the P.08 pistol more commonly known as the Luger.  The Luger was a reasonably reliable weapon, despite the poorly informed claims American gun writers made about it during and after the first and second world war.  The Luger was popular especially because of its ease of use and the 9mm cartridge it fired, a round we all know today.  The Luger however did have some draw backs from the military analysts point of view.  It was expensive and took a considerably long time to produce, interchangeability of parts between different manufacturers in some cases was an issue, complicated maintenance and some concerns about the toggle action.  In short, it was becoming obsolete, especially compared with the likes of Colt 1911A1, Browning High Power and other pistols that were increasing arming nations around the world.  Walther who had already won a contract in 1929/30 to supply the Luftwaffe (German Airforce) with PP Auto pistols was seeking to gain the pistol manufacturers domestic prize.  In 1936 Walther approached the Wehrmacht and put forward their new prototype called the Armee-Pistole or AP.  This pistol had a slide instead of a toggle joint, similar look to the Luger, was chambered in the same caliber and  overall simpler pistol with an internal hammer.  For safety reasons the Wehrmacht rejected it as they wished the pistol to have an external hammer, thus another advantage over the Luger, and a few other minor changes to the design.

In 1937 Walther was at it again, now with the revised pistol called the Heeres-Pistole or HP, now sporting and external hammer as requested.  From there the P.38 was accepted by the Wehrmacht as the official replacement for the P.08 Luger.  In 1939 with the outbreak of war all European Axis forces began to implement production codes for each manufacturer to hide the origins of all weapons to make it difficult for Allied forces to know which factories were producing what arms, Walther made weapons were marked AC and the year of production.  At the same time the German military wanted to increase the manufacturing capability of the arms producers so blue prints were sent to other companies who qualified for contacts, Mauser was one of the major companies that started making the P.38 with the production code BYF marked on the slide of the pistol.  

The P.38 was never as popular with officers as the Luger, even Allied troops who loved to have captured pistols as trophies preferred the P.08 over the P.38.  That aside the P.38 gave excellent service due to its brilliant design.  The Walther pistol utilized a double action mechanism, that allowed a round to chambered and carried safely with the hammer lowered, which was done by the safety switch which moved a blocking bar in front of the firing pin and safely lowered the hammer. So when the pistol was pulled from the holster all the firer needed to do is pull the trigger, a feature that was borrowed from the Walther PP.  The 9mm cartridge used in the P.38 requires the use of a locking device so that when the pistol is fired the pressure being released from the cartridge can drop to a safe level before the chamber is opened.  Walther engineers employed what is called a falling block, a wedge that holds the barrel and slide together as they move back a short distance in the initial recoiling sequence then the wedge cams down releasing the slide so that it may move back to complete the cycle.  This method of locking is also used in the Beretta 92 series of pistols including the M9 the current U.S. Army pistol.

After the World War Two production of the Walther P.38 continued with some minor changes to become the P.1 the standard pistol of the West German Army in 1955, but they were not alone other nations including Chad, Finland, Norway, Macedonia and Portugal also purchased the P.1.  

INTERESTING FACT : Saddam Hussien owned a gold plated Walther P.38, after Saddam's fall from power, the pistol was taken from his palace and who owns it now is anyone's guess. See below

PRO's :  Easy to Maintain, Very Reliable, Double Action, Accurate

CON's :  Some pistols safety devices are prone to breaking with age.

COOL FACTOR : 7/10

8th of April : Makarov PM

Name    :   Makarov PM


AKA      :   Pistolet Makarova, 9mm Maka, 

Caliber    :   9x18mm Makarov


Weight    :   26oz or 730g


Length    :    6.34in or 161mm


Action     :    Blowback Double / Single Action Semi-Automatic


Capacity  :    8 Rounds (though 12 and 13 round version are available)


Origin     :    U.S.S.R. 


The Makarov PM was introduced in 1951 as the standard sidearm for the Russian Armed forces. This 9mm pistol's lineage can be traced back to the German Walther PP, the double action mechanism and disassembly are closely copied. At the end of World War Two after the German defeat, Russia stockpiled large quantities of captured weapons (much like every other nation at the time) for both study and for possible use should the need ever arise. Also whole German factories were taken apart and transported by train back to Russia, as both compensation and to gain knowledge amongst these was what was left of the destroyed Walther Factory, paperwork and drawings of the Walther pistols. Nikolay Fyodorovich Makarov a weapons designer at the Tula state arsenal was given the opportunity to compete in a competition to replace the Tokarev TT-33 in military service with a new pistol, Nikolay's design eventually won.


Disassembly of the makarov is easy an easy proceedure, the same as the Walther PP, after safety checking the pistol, the magazine is removed by pushing rearward the magazine release located the base of the pistol grip. The Trigger guard is pulled downward, and pushed to slightly to either side so that it may rest against the outter part of the frame. Then the slide is pulled to the back and the rear of the slide is lifted upward allowing the slide to move along the barrel and pop off. The barrel is fixed to the frame allowing easy maintenance for the operating mechanism and barrel cleaning.



The double action pull of the Makarov's trigger is generally very heavy. The differences between the single and double action pull makes it very difficult to hit with the second shot when starting in double action mode, more so than western double action semi automatics. When using the standard ball rounds the Makarov has been known to produce some respectable combat acceptable groups. When pistols chambered for 9mm Makarov first started to be introduced into the United States ammunition for these pistols wasn't in good supply and many people turned to the 9x18mm Short (.380 ACP) this cartridge could be fired somewhat reliably but unfortuneatly the 9mm Short is slightly smaller in diameter to that of the Russian round therefore accuracy was significantly decreased and Makarov pistols got a bad reception.


More than 60 years after it's introduction the Makarov pistol is still in production and is in wipespread military use around the world. Like the AK-47 the Makarov pistol has a tendency to be discovered in all the worlds hot spots. Enjoyed by many around the world as a curiosity or relic of a different time, or as a recreation piece. Today the Makarov has ventured into a new market, Baikal a quality Russian firearms manufacturer has introduced the MP-654k a gas powered air pistol into the market known affectionately as the "AIR MAK". This 4.5mm (.177) air pistol is made of high quality steel construction.



INTERESTING FACT : Makarovs have been offically replaced by the MP-443 9mm Parabellum pistol in Russian service in 1991 though in 2012 examples are still seeing service.


PRO's : Quality Construction, Somewhat Compact, Simple to maintain


CON's : Low powered round, bad magazine catch location, minimal sights



COOL FACTOR : 6/10

6th of April : Nambu Type 94

Name     :   Nambu Type 94


AKA       :   The most unsafe mass produced pistol

8x22mm Round

Caliber   :  8x22mm 


Weight   :  25.4oz or 720g


Length   :   7.1in or 181mm


Action    :  Locked Breech, Semi-Automatic


Capacity :  6 Rounds


Origin     :  Japan




First put into production in 1934 the Type 94 was intended to be a personal defence arm for those whom the standard Rifle or carbine was too cumbersome and it did indeed full fill that role, though serious design flaws and poor choice of cartridge may hindered the user more often than it saved him.  The original plan for the pistol was to be simple to manufacture and supplement the mediocre Nambu 8mm Type 14 pistol.  As with most Imperial Japanese pistols of the time it has been designed originally by Kijiro Nambu a man who had many previous successful firearms under his belt but in the process of turning out the design was hindered and constantly interrupted by the Japanese Army who wished the pistol to be as cost effective as possible.  Japanese officers were required to purchase their own personal sidearms, many in fact chose European pistols (Lugers and Webleys were popular), but now the Army wanted to issue future officers a standard nationally produced pistol. 


Certainly an eye catching pistol (at least in not in a good way) the Type 94 was generally furnished with plastic grips instead of wood like earlier pistols.  The front sight is very minimal as it the rear sight.  The milled 'ears' at the rear of the pistol are for gripping the slide to initially cock the pistol.  The safety resides on the left side of the frame at the rear.  To remove the 6 round magazine the release can be found on the left side of the frame behind the trigger guard.  


The 8x22mm cartridge used in the majority of Nambu's pistols just scrapes through as a self protection round.  The small rimless, bottleneck cartridge is of 8.18mm (.322 in) with a 102 grain projectile is on par with an equivalent projectile in .380 ACP (9x18mm Short) for power.  The original design of this round coming from studies around the .30 Luger.  


The pistols exposed sear being it's largest flaw making the pistol very dangerous to carry with a round chambered.  Most officers were advised to carry the pistol with no round in the chamber until they intended to shoot.  Carrying the pistol with a round chambered it was possible to discharge the pistol from simple tasks such as placing the pistol in a holster or knocking the left side of the frame.  Some officers discharged the weapon whilst trying to engage the safety.


INTERESTING FACT :  It was possible to fire the Type 94 out of battery. Meaning a round could go off even though it wasn't completely chambered.


PRO's  :  Great paperweight provided ammo is at least 1km away at all times


CON's  : Poor construction and  design, dangerous, 


COOL FACTOR : 2/10 (it gets 2 points for collect-ability) 

3rd of April : Manurhin MR-73

Name     :   Manurhin MR-73


AKA       :  The French Rolls Royce

Caliber   :   .357 Magnum / .38 Special / 9x19mm Parabellum


Weight   :   36.96oz or 1040g


Length   :   10.39in or 264mm


Capacity :   6 Rounds


Action    :  Double Action / Single Action


Origin    :   France




Introduced in 1973 this revolver is the premium French target and law enforcement revolver.  Popular with Law enforcement agencies throughout Europe it has even been seen in the hands of Special Forces and Counter Terrorism units.  When Manurhin went about designing this revolver the emphasis was undoubtedly on quality, the cylinder on its own is made of such high strength steel that it can handle twice the pressure of the .357 magnum cartridge.  


Manurhin early on saw the need to diversify the revolver to meet the needs of the market, thus producing three distinct main variants: G-3 Gendarmerie - 3 inch barrel, G-4 Gendarmerie - 4 inch barrel, S-6 Sport - 6 inch barrel.  Though other calibers such as a .22 long rifle, .32 Smith and Wesson long versions and barrel lengths out to 8 inches.


Interestingly the MR-73 also has available a interchangeable cylinder that can convert the revolver to fire the 9mm Parabellum, though using rimless automatic pistol rounds in revolvers in nothing new it is by no means common.  Revolver cartridges have a rim at the base of the cartridge so that the round can be dropped into the cylinder and the rim will stop the round falling through.  Most importantly the rim helps with extraction, for when the cartridge is loaded the rim rests on top the cylinder and a extractor when the rounds need to be removed extractor rod is manually operated pushing the spent cases out of the cylinder.  With rimless cartridges the use of a moon clip that can be pushed by the extractor is necessary, but instead the MR-73 has spring loaded catches within the cylinder walls that capture the rounds when inserted.  


The attention to detail during this revolvers construction are unquestionable, internal parts have been finely tuned and polished and the barrels tolerances are extremely tight when using .357 magnum.  With its smooth trigger pull and predictable break of 7.7lbs (3.5kg) in double action and 4.2lbs (1.9kg) in single action, the MR-73 is very pleasant to shoot.  Accuracy of this pistol has been proved over and over again in many reputable bench tests to be one on par with the very expensive Korth revolvers and Colt Python.


INTERESTING FACT :  The interchangeable cylinder in 9mm for this revolver was used as a selling point but in reality 9mm rounds are .354" and do not gain the full advantage of engaging in the riffling during firing causing erratic accuracy.  


PRO's   :   Top Quality, Accurate (.357), Many Variants, ideal sport gun


CON's   :   9mm Cylinder a waste of time, Supply a bit 'iffy'


COOL FACTOR :  8/10

29th March : Beretta 92FS

Name    :   Beretta 92FS

AKA       :   M9 (U.S. Military Designation)

92FS Magazine    

Caliber   :   9mm Parabellum

Weight   :   2.1lbs or 970g

Length   :   8.54in or 217mm

Capacity :   15 rounds (standard)

Locking   :   Walther Falling Block

Action     :   Semi Auto, Double Action

Origin      :   Italy 

The 92FS comes from the well established heritage of Beretta, which is said to be the oldest firearm company still in business.  The beautiful appearance of this fine pistol dates back to the Model 1951 Brigadier a single action pistol with an 8 round magazine.  Like the Brigadier, the slide has a cut out section exposing the barrel, the gripping serrations on the slide are the same and the grip angle show a design simularity.  And with the right kind of eyes you may even see its lineage in the Model 1935 as well.

The 1985 U.S. Military pistol trial chose the 92 pistol  to replace one of the most revered pistols of all time, the Colt M1911A1 with an order for just over 300,000 pistols.  Though choice was controversial, as the 92F's closest rival the SIG P226 was only beaten on price.  Once the decision was made some alterations to the 92F had to be made to satisfy the U.S. Military Brass, one being the squaring of the trigger guard, Chroming of the barrel, interchangeability of parts and a new coating to decrease wear.  

The pistol was not without issue after it was implemented.  Slides on approximately fourteen pistols cracked during firing giving the shooters minor injuries, and some pistols frames had small cracks appearing in them after extended firing sessions.  Both of these faults were the result of poor metallurgy in the construction.  This was rectified by producing the pistol in the U.S. with stricter production standards.

The 92FS has enjoyed popularity in films and popular culture for its stunning lines and styling.  Helped also by the widespread adoption by military's around the world such as France, Italy, U.S. as well as acceptance by many law enforcement agencies.  Beretta once gave L.A.P.D. some pistols free of charge.  

The 92FS is pleasant to shoot, though some may find its large grip a bit too big.  For a 9mm the pistol is a little on the large size.  The 92FS will function with a wide variety of ammunition types and other variants of this pistol come in .40 Smith and Wesson. Accurate and reliable (with decent magazines) the 92FS is a wonderful pistol which I would recommend you  try if at all possible.

INTERESTING FACT :  Mel Gibson carried the 92FS in the movie "Lethal Weapon" but he did in fact own one in real life until he had to hand it over to the police while he was being investigated for domestic violence.  

PROS: STYLISH, DOUBLE ACTION, RESPECTED MANUFACTURER, ACCURATE
......... EATS ALL THE +P AMMO YOU CAN FEED IT


CONS: SOME HAVE MAGAZINE ISSUES, GIANT 9mm, EARLY MODELS HAD                                                                ..........ISSUES AS DISCUSSED

COOL FACTOR : 7/10