American Semi Automatic Pistols

According to ATF statistics, 1, 219, 664 semi automatic pistols were manufactured in America in 2007, which is over 3x more than the number of revolvers for the same year. Over 25% of US manufactured pistols were made by American owned companies. Smith & Wesson alone made 302 633 pistols, which is more than Sig Sauer, Beretta USA, Glock, FNH USA and CZ USA put together, and the second largest US pistol manufacturer in 2007 was Strum, Ruger & Co. But neither of these American companies produce competitive semi automatic pistols. Smith & Wesson’s idea of innovation was to bring out a substandard and unlicensed version of the Glock in 1994 — 12 years after the original came out in Austria — and to add insult to injury they called it a Sig! SIGma — a stroke of genius!

The S&W M&P series would have been cutting edge thirty odd years ago, but in 2005 they’re just another Glock wannabe, as is their new SD range they brought out for the civilian market this year. Ruger are even worse. The SR9 they brought out in 2007 can be best summed up as a piece of crap and the 2008 Ruger LCP is a 6+1 round capacity 9mm Corto, which is one round less than the Beretta 3032 Tomcat, but that came out 14-years ago! Whereas the Beretta Px4 Storm subcompact has a 13+1 round capacity in 9mm and shoots as accurately as a full sized pistol and with barely any recoil. There’s just no comparison.

Colt 1911

And the only pistols that Colt, America’s most famous handgun manufacturer, are currently making are more variations of their famous 1911.Their Colt 2000, which came out in 1992 and was supposed to be their pistol for the new millennium wasn’t even still in production in 2000. In fact, the Colt 1911 was the last truly competitive American semi automatic pistol. That’s part of the problem because nearly every American pistol manufacturer makes a version of the Colt 1911. If they were only being made for nostalgia or sport that would be fair enough, I own a couple myself, but the problem is that is still being made and sold as defensive pistol.

I know a lot of Americans thinks that the Colt 1911 is the best semi automatic pistol ever made, and to be fair, when it was first commissioned as a service pistol by the US army in 1911, it was an innovative, greatly admired and often imitated pistol. But now, just shy of a century later: a heavy, overbuilt, single action, 7×1 round capacity full sized pistol is an antique. To be honest it was really starting to show its age before WWII. Even in 1911, it wasn’t the most accurate firearm on the market: the Luger P08, Glisenti Model 1910, and Bergmann Bayard M1910 Mars were all more accurate, even if they were less durable.

The Colt 1911A1, which came out in 1924, and was designated the M1911A1 by the US military was a barely improved 1911. The only differences were a shorter trigger, indents in the frame behind the trigger, no “Double Diamond” on the grip, arched mainspring housing, longer grip safety spur, wider front sight and a shorter spur on the hammer. The working parts of the weapon were unchanged. The Pistola Campo-Giro de 9mm Modelo 1913-16, Astra 1921, Astra Model 900  (1927), Walther PP and PPK  (1929), Tokarev TT-33, Beretta M1934, FN 9mm Hi-Power 1935 and Walther P38, which were all better pistols than the M1911A1 were in production before the outbreak of WWII.

The reason that the M1911A1 was in service from 1924 until it was replaced on the 14 January 1985, by the Beretta 92FS had nothing to do with combat performance; it was because it was over-procured. During WWII the US military procured 1.9 million M1911A1 and didn’t purchase any after 1945 because they had more pistols than men. Although the US military adopted the Beretta 92FS in 1985, the Italian army adopted it in 1980 as a replacement for the Beretta M1951. The Beretta 92FS is was one of the original wonder nines and came out back in 1972 and its proved itself to be far more accurate and reliable.

The US military are looking Now they are looking to replace the Beretta 92FS but after 65-years in the wilderness, manufacturing revolvers, I can’t see Colt getting the contract with a double stacked 1911. If the rumours are right, the US Army want a .45 ACP calibre polymer pistol. So Smith & Wesson better start looking at ripping off the Beretta Px4 Storm SD.

Say Hello To My Little Friend

Over the weekend we went tactical shooting testing out new handguns we bought. I fired over a 1,000 rounds!!!

I tried the Taurus 856 out with some tactical shooting drills… I hate it. The recoil isn’t too bad shooting two handed, but I really noticed it shooting one handed especially shooting with my off-hand. Six rounds isn’t enough and it’s not as smooth or fast as my semi autos. So I gave it to my little sister and I’m now the proud owner of a H&K P2000 SK. I tried and liked the Sig Sauer Pro 2022 but the P2000 SK  is such a sexy gun, it feels better in the hand, performs as well as the SP 2022 and is a better concealed carry option. It’s 9×21 IMI like my other two defensive firearms, the Beretta Px4 storm and Beretta Px4 storm subcompact.

Amica replaced her Glock 17 with a Bersa Thunder 9, which is a very accurate firearm and she kept her Glock 26, and got the Taurus PT 709 Slim, which really is slim. It also very accurate for such a small gun. You can easily wear it inside your skirt.

Rob already recently bought the Caracal C Quick Sight, and he’s not ready to replace that yet although I don’t like it. But he bought the H&K P30, as a carry weapon, which I love. Neither of us have owned H&K before, but they’re worth the money, unlike SIGs, which I feel are overpriced. Rob chose the incredibly reasonably priced Tanfoglio Force 10 Carry as his third defensive weapon. It’s a 10 mm AUTO, which is usually a target calibre but Tanfoglio seem to offer all their defensive guns in that calibre as well as the standard calibres. The Force Carry 10 might be known by a different name in America, but it’s a great polymer concealed carry gun, the Force series are based on the ČZUB CZ 75 frame.

We’re also all allowed to register 6 sporting firearms each. I’ve got a Beretta 87 Target .22LR, a Tanfoglio Combat Sport 1o in 10mm Auto, and Taurus PT 1911 in .45 ACP. Amica has a Tanfoglio Force 99 Sport and Taurus PT 24/7 in 9×21 IMI, and Rob has an Astra Daytona and Tanfoglio Witness 1911 Custom in .45ACP, and Beretta Stampede Deluxe .357 Mag revolver. We also got 6 shotguns in the house the Benelli M4 Super 90, Beretta Tx4 storm and Franchi SPAS-15 for defence and tactical shooting, and the Benelli M2 Comfortech Camo, Beretta Xtrema2 AP and Beretta AL 391 Urika 2 Camo MAX4 for hunting.

Some people might think we have to many firearms, but I’d rather have too many firearms than not enough because what good is a right of self-defence if you don’t have the means to defend yourself?

Caracal C

Caracal C

As Stefi said in her previous post we’re limited on the number of defensive firearms we own. So you might think I’ve not had much range time with other semi-automatics. Well I have. I’ve had a lot of range time with the Astra A-80, Beretta Px4 storm SD, Beretta Px4 storm, Beretta Px4 storm compact, Beretta Px4 storm subcompact, Beretta 90two, Beretta 98 FS, Beretta 8045 Cougar, Beretta 8045 Mini Cougar, Beretta 9000 F40, Beretta 3032 Tomcat, Beretta 21 A Bobcat, Bersa Thunder 9 Pro HC, Glock 17, Tanfoglio witness 1911, Taurus PT92, and Zastava CZ 999 Scorpion, and I’ve had limited time with some other semi-autos as well.

The latest, the Caracal C (Quick Sight) – a gift from my beautiful wife —  has to be one of the finest semi-automatics I’ve fired. Which is a bit of a surprise because Caracal are a recently established United Arab Emirates arms manufacturer with their production in Abu Dhabi, but distributed by Tanfoglio.

The Caracal semi automatic were designed Willy Bubits, a former weapon designer for Glock, Walther and Slayer, so he knows what he’s about. The Caracal pistols have been adopted by the U.A.E. police force but as far as I’m aware not by anybody decent but they have passed all the NATO and the German military and police test. They were also tested by shooters from the Italian NOCS, GIS, 17º Stormo Incursori, Col Moschin and the Corpo della Gendarmeria dello Stato della Città del Vaticano at the Futura Club last October, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they start getting picked up by western special forces and police tactical units soon because they really are that good.

The Caracal C is selling for €590 ($770) and the Caracal C Quick Sight for €620 ($810). It comes in 9×19 NATO, 9x21mm IMI, .357 SIG, and .40 S&W — mine’s the 9x21mm IMI caliber, which has a 13 round capacity — and weighs 750 g (26.4oz), has a total length of 186 mm (7.3″) and barrel length of 90 mm (3.5″). It’s a Double Action and has an ambidextrous magazine catch and great ergonomics. It very accurate, virtually no recoil and ultra reliable. The Caracal C is the compact version and easily small enough for concealed carry. It’s an excellent defensive gun.

Taurus 856

Italian firearms law is complicated but essentially all citizens are allowed to possess 3 ”armi comuni da sparo” (common firearms), which are usually handguns, 6 “armi sportive” (sports firearms), 8 antique firearms designed before 1891, and an unlimited amount of ”armi da caccia” (hunting firearms),but we’re not allowed to own any “armi da guerra” (military firearms). All firearms in Italy are designated into those categories usually by calibre and in the case of sports firearms by purpose. What this means is that when I buy a new handgun I have to give up one of my existing firearms, or at least get it registered in someone else’s name.

Until last week my 3 common firearms were a Beretta Px4 storm, Beretta Px4 storm subcompact and Beretta 21 A Bobcat. I used to have a Beretta 8045 Mini Cougar which I had to give up, i.e. pass on to my sister, when I bought my. Px4 storm subcompact. After a lot of persuading from Rob, I decided to replace my Beretta 21 A Bobcat — or pussycat as Rob calls it — because it only fires 22LR rounds and just isn’t a manstopper. So last weekend I bought a replacement: the Taurus 856 .38 Special +P in Blue Stainless Steel. It’s apparently the gun issued to the Singapore Police Force, which is strange because most police forces issue semi-automatic pistols.

Taurus 856 .38 Special +P Steel

I chose to go with a revolver instead of another semi-automatic pistol because of I never fired a revolver and the .38 Special +P has nearly as much stopping power as a 9mm semi-auto and a lot more than a 22LR semi-auto. The Taurus 856 is 629 g (22.2 oz), 165mm (6.5″) in length, with a 51mm (2″) barrel.  Like the 21 A Bobcat it’s a DA/SA. It has a reasonably comfortable rubber gripped handle and it’s a 6-shooter. The 21A Bobcat 22LR only took 7 rounds although it was a much smaller gun. One of the reasons I chose the Taurus 856 is that I’m petite — 160cm (5′ 3″) and 49 kg (108 lbs) — and it’s supposed to have less recoil than some other snubnose revolvers but it still has more recoil than my Px4 Storm and a slower firing rate between rounds.

At $441 dollars it’s reasonably priced and is overall a much better defensive choice than the Beretta 21A Bobcat 22LR. Still, I don’t think I’ll be keeping it long: I’m a semi auto girl.

Home Defence

The place we’re often at our most vulnerable is the place that we often feel safest: our home. We are all potentially at risk from attack or robbery from an intruder in our home. Actually this is a lot more common than people think. Few girls seem to realise that they are more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted by an intruder in her home, than by a stranger in the street, a car park or an elevator. Lots of other girls I talk to think they’re perfectly safe as long as they’ve got good locks on the doors and the guys tend to be even more blasé about home security. Apart from the fact that locked doors and windows aren’t much of an obstacle for most burglars. It’s unrealistic to think that we will lock every door and window. I know I don’t. I work from home a lot and when it’s a hot day, I’ll open up the balcony doors and my bedroom window for air, and I’ll often go on to my roof top.  How hard would it be for an intruder to break into my house when I’m alone? Not very.

So what can we do about home defence?

If you’re going to keep weapons for home defence, they need to be kept ready to use and where they’re immediately accessible. Each of us has 3 handguns. I have a Beretta Px4 storm, Beretta Px4 storm subcompact and Beretta 21 A Bobcat; Amica has a Glock 17, Glock 26, and Beretta Px4 storm subcompact; and Rob has Beretta Px4 storm SD, Beretta Px4 storm compact and Beretta 3032 Tomcat. So if Rob and Amica take their firearms to the range and leave me in the house alone (they do that they’re mean ) I’m down to 3 handguns. I keep my Beretta Px4 storm in a fixed place, where I know it will be if I need it and walk about with either the the Beretta Px4 storm subcompact or Beretta 21 A Bobcat.

Why do I do that? Because I might be on the roof or balcony, in my bedroom, taking a shower or relaxing in the bath when someone breaks in, and the intruder might be between me and my main handgun. So carrying a firearm or keeping one with me within reaching distance just makes sense. It’s no more difficult than carrying a mobile phone.

Rob and Amica do the same, although they usually both carry 2 handguns and several knives. Amica has 2 shotguns, 4 tactical folding knives and a decorative knuckle duster in her collection of weapons, and Rob has 3 shotguns, 14 tactical folding knives, 11 combat knives, 5 traditional Italian fighting knives, 3 machetes, 5 sticks, 4 maces,1 stun baton, and Christ knows what else in his weapon collection. But it never hurts to be prepared. We’ve also got a big mastino napoletano who guards the house at night.

One of Rob’s shotguns the Franchi SPAS-15 is designated for house protection, and never leaves the house unless he leaves his Benelli M4 Super 90 at home as a substitute. Why do we need a combat shotgun if we’ve got handguns? Good question, a shotgun has more stopping power and is hard to miss with even in the dark.

But where we’re most vulnerable is the the first point of entry into our homes: the front door. How many people get attacked on their doorstep or in their house by someone they’ve pissed off, like the angry ex-boyfriend or neighbour? I never answer the door to strangers when I’m home alone, and I’ll know if it’s a stranger because I have a concealed CCTV camera and an intercom at the door. But we’re also vulnerable to attack entering our homes. Rapists will often try to force their way into the house when a girl has just opened the door.

The Benefits of Crossdraw Holsters

In the ten year period between 1999 to 2009, 44 American cops were killed with their own weapon whilst on duty. Here are two examples from 2008 that illustrate the problem:

• A Chicago cop, wearing body armour, was shot and killed while attempting to arrest a woman causing a disturbance on a bus. The woman resisted arrest and during a struggle they both fell to the ground and the woman grabbed the cop’s police .38 revolver and shot him in the front of the head, then fired at other cops attending the scene.
• A New Orleans female cop, again wearing body armour, was shot and killed with her own handgun. She approached a suspicious man, spoke to him and then grabbed his shoulder. The man knocked her hand away, she again tried to grab him. They struggled and fell to the floor. The man was able to removed her baton from her belt and beat her over the head with it. He then removed her .40 semi-automatic and shot her 15 times at close range.

In both of these examples the cops were engaged in a struggle and unable to draw their weapons, their retention duty holsters worn on their dominate side did them no good whatsoever. By way of contrast, in Italy, over the same ten year period, not one single cop was murdered with their own weapon. Why is this?

Italian cops wear crossdraw holsters.

Carabinieri in action

It always amazes me that American police fail to acknowledge that they have a problem with gun retention. A very significant problem given that nearly 12% of cops murdered with a handgun will be killed with their own weapon. They resolutely refuse to entertain the idea that there may be advantages to wearing a crossdraw holster. They mainly dismisses it because the crossdraw holster is slower to draw from because you reach across your body. Admittedly, this is true if you’re firing down the range facing your target from 10 meters away but how often does that happen? It’s actually quicker to draw and shoot a target to either side or directly behind you from a crossdraw holster, and in a seated position. You can also draw with both hands, which is absolutely vital if you’re in a struggle and can’t draw with your dominate hand.

Cross Draw Holster

Another criticism American police have of the crossdraw holster is that the firearm is presented to any would-be attacker if they’re facing you. Again, this is true, but so what? Remember its the American cops carrying their duty holsters on their dominate side hip that are the ones getting disarmed and killed with their own weapons. They abjectly refuse to recognise that wearing a holster on the dominate side hip presents it to anyone behind you or to the side of you. Also in a struggle, the wearer of a holster on the dominate side would have to clamp down her dominate hand on it to prevent her weapon from being snatched. If she was wearing a crossdraw, she can clamp down her other hand on the holster and reach for a back-up weapon with her dominate hand. This is why the crossdraw holster is preferred for civilian carry in Italy.