gun-blog

Full size Beretta PX4 Storm - An accurate handgun that feels good in your hands but might be a ...

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 17:12:10 +0100

I really, really like what I refer to as a "man's gun."

Now I don't mean that in any derogatory way as if to say women can't handle a gun. I mean it more in the way that when you pick up certain guns you can easily imagine John Wayne or John McClain using said handgun to dispatch bad guys in a rapid and efficient way.

I don't get that feeling when I pick up plastic guns or .380s. There's a time and place for those types of handguns I'm sure but when it comes to spending my hard earned $500 bucks, I want to feel some cold steel in my hands and firm thump when I fire down range.

That's where a handgun like the Beretta PX4 full-size Storm series comes in.

Beretta PX4 Storm

Beretta handguns have long been some of the most popular handguns around based on their high quality construction, excellent accuracy and consistency. They are also well know because of how often they are featured in movies and television shows, particularly the Beretta 92.

Beretta 92F 9x19mm

Will Smith used one in I am Legend; Matt Damon has one in the Bourne Ultimatum; and Liam Neeson wields one with deadly accuracy in Taken 2. The list of movies the gun is featured in is long. (As an aside, if you'd like to see what movies it has been featured in - or any handgun - check out http://www.imfdb.org/wiki/Beretta_92_pistol_series.)

But while the Beretta 92 is a cool gun for sure, it's really not that practical for everyday conceal and carry. It's big (it weighs 33.3 ounces empty) and bulky and almost too manly, for lack of a better description. And if you like to carry a full size gun, like I do, and you want a Beretta, then the best option is the PX4 Storm.

Bruce Willis and his Beretta PX4 Storm in Die Hard With a Vengeance (IMFDB.org)

The .40S&W version of the PX4 Storm (which I have) and the 9mm version are identical in every way except how much ammo can be held in a clip. The 9mm offers 17 rounds while the .40S&W holds 14 rounds. The gun weighs in at 27.7 oz. empty and the overall length is 7.6 inches long.

For more on the specifications see: http://www.berettausa.com/products/px4-storm-full-size-40sandw/.

First built in 2004 and used by U.S. Military, the Px4 features an accessory rail, a visible automatic firing pin block, 3-Dot Sight System, ambidextrous safety, external hammer design, reversable magazine release, no glare finish and several other items but the two things I like best about this gun - besides it's awesome accuracy - is Beretta's unique rotating barrel and locking system and how easy it is to field strip and clean it.

Let's start with the rotating barrel. According to Beretta, the system dissipates recoil energy radially, reducing felt recoil and muzzle rise.

In my experience, this isn't just another marketing ploy - the action of this barrel makes it a pleasure to fire this gun, round after round after round, with little or no recoil. The first time I shot it I was shocked at how smooth and comfortable it was and how much easier it was to double-tap than some of the other guns I've owned, even certain 9mm models by Ruger and Springfield.

This is a weapon that could truly be used by men and women of all sizes with very little trouble. And that's nice in a larger sized caliber.

Now on to the cleaning - taking this thing apart is a breeze. We are talking seconds to get it stripped. I like that because unlike a lot of gun nuts, I don't like to take all night to clean my guns after using them. I want it open, cleaned and done without have to use special tools or screw drivers or dowels to get the slide off.

Other details without getting too technical:

The trigger pull is smooth and crisp. It's not the lightest I've ever encountered but it's absolutely not heavy.
Beretta’s exclusive BrunitonTM non-reflective black coating finish is tough as nails. For whatever reason I've dropped my PX4 Storm more than any other gun I've ever owned and nearly every time it's been on a hard surface. It's left a mark on the barrel - but not much of one and certainly not what I would have expected after dropping it barrel first on concrete.
There are plenty of products out there for the PX4 Storm, from holsters to grips (I added some rubber Hogue grips early on to get a better feel on the somewhat bulkier grip), to clips and everything in-between. You can find a lot of accessories at www.ber ettausa.com.
Price: At $575 list you can't go wrong. And you can often find these used around $400 bucks.

And then there's the carry and conceal aspect of this gun. When I got it I expected it to be nearly impossible to carry in most cases. But while it's not a good choice for summer, it is very comfortable to carry concealed the rest of the year if you like to use and inside-the-pants holster at the small of your back. For me, it just fits writes and my shirt covers it perfect. It's obviously a little heavier than some of the smaller guns aimed at the carry crowd but it's worth it when it comes to the piece of mind of knowing I have 14 rounds of .40S&W in an extremely reliable Beretta counted on by both law enforcement and the U.S. military locked and loaded within arms reach.

The CZ Rami 2075 9MM - The coolest carry gun ever made?

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:44:08 +0100

In this day and age when violence seems to erupt in even the most innocent of venues (the recent shootings in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo. and at a Minneapolis sign company in September come to mind) it feels good to know that I have the ability to carry a firearm on my person thanks to my Minnesota carry permit.

    I want to be able to protect myself and my family from danger.
    That being said, however, I've found myself gun-less in crowded public places on more than a few occasions over the past several years even though I had every right to carry. It's not that I didn't want to have a sidearm on my person - it's just hard to carry in certain situations.
    Particularly when temperatures are warm enough to put me in short sleeve shirts or shorts.
    Now some people are comfortable carrying smaller handguns in those situations that come in calibers like .380. But that's not me. I'm most comfortable with a gun that fits my hand, feels good and solid when I shoot, and carries at least a 9mm round.
    I want something that feels full-sized but isn't because I don't like baby guns and I'm not a big enough person to comfortably conceal a full-size 1911.
   Up until this past summer finding a handgun that fit that description at a price range I could afford was proving to be a difficult task. It's frustrating because it seems all the gun companies are focusing their efforts on tiny guns designed to appeal to what I like to call the "new crowd" of conceal and carry purchasers, who have been convinced to buy a gun for any number of reasons - from our liberal president's view of firearms control to the recent violence I spoke of earlier.
    But I'm old school. I want a semi-auto handgun to feel like a solid semi-auto handgun.

When I wrapped my hand around the CZ RAMI 2075 in 9mm I knew my search was over - I found the coolest (and most comfortable) carry gun (for me) ever.
First, the particulars from CZ-USA.

The CZ 2075 RAMI is a sub-compact semi-automatic based on the proven CZ 75 line of pistols distributed by CZ-USA.
Just like the 75, another very popular hangun, the RAMI is double action/single action, allowing it to be carried in different conditions depending on the shooter’s preferences. Several safety devices are used including a firing pin block and a manual safety.
Incorporating the CZ double-stack magazine design, the little RAMI ships with a 10 round flush-mount magazine and 14 round extended magazine in the 9mm Luger version, or 7 and 9 round magazines in .40 S&W. A low capacity-compliant version of the 9mm is available with two 10 round magazines.
With a 3-inch barrel and an unloaded weight of less than 26 ounces, the black polycoat, alloy-framed RAMI is ideal for concealed carry.

    Out-of-the-box, this pistol is extremely accurate. I'm not the world's greatest shot by any means but I was consistently putting holes in the center of my target from seven yards and most personal defense experts will tell you that it's important to be proficient from five to 10 yards.
    It's got an adjustable rear site and I did tweak it a bit, probably to compensate for my tendency to shoot low left. But other than that it was on from the get go. I was even hitting the six inch target from further out, as far as 20 yards.
    So that alone instills confidence in a person.
    Another impressive fact about the gun is that it's not that jumpy. Surprisingly, the kick is light and manageable despite the light weight of the pistol. I've owned and shot a lot of 9mm's over the years and few if any have been as smooth to shoot - especially when practicing the double tap.
    The only other gun I've shot that has been nearly as easy on the wrist was the Ruger SR9C, which compared to the RAMI is a bit more jumpy and a little too thin for my liking.
    Which brings me to my favorite part about the CZ RAMI - It's look and feel. I love how it resembles a 1911 with the dovetail and hammer and I love how solid it feels in my hand. For such a light gun, it just feels - for lack of a better word - manly.
    It's thin enough to conceal and thick enough to feel like I believe a gun should feel.
    When you grip it you know your dealing with a serious piece of weaponry. It's built solid. It looks solid. And the performance is solid.
    What more could you ask for?
    Finally, the RAMI 2075 really feels light whether you carry with the 10-round or 14-round clip. Often times the larger clip adds the kind of weight that's bothersome to me but with this gun that hasn't been the case.
    It also fits very nice in a leather holster on my side and is easily concealed with most shirts - t-shirts included - although I usually wear a longer shirt.
    Interesting side note - the RAMI fits perfectly in Ruger's SR9C leather holster.
    For the record, since I bought the gun I've run many different brands of ammunition through it - including Blazer, American Eagle and Hornaday - without a flaw. No FTE's and no FTF's.

    The downside of the gun?
    While it has removable grips finding a nice set of wood replacements has proven to be difficult. There are a couple of people overseas who make them and sell them on Ebay or other places but the prices are a little high and I have yet to come across the style I want.
    Also, I found that when you fill either the 10-round or 14-round clip, both rattle a bit. It's not extremely loud and I suppose in a public place surrounded by noise and people no one would notice. But I notice and it's irritating.
   However, in my mind, that's a small price to pay to carry such an accurate, light, tough and stylish handgun with me at almost all times.
    The CZ RAMI 2075 has a list price of $517.

    For more information see www.cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-2075-rami-p/ or www.czforum.com.

Sig Sauer P-250, .380, 9mm, 40S&W, .45

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:27:34 +0100

The Sig-Sauer P-250 is without exception the most versatile pistol made today. With its unique fire control unit you can change calibers and size of the pistol in less than a minute.
Okay, so what is a fire control unit?

Photos courtesy of Tactical-life.com and Sig Sauer

    It is a stainless steel unit that includes the trigger system, the hammer, a few springs, and the slide catch.
    That’s it!
    I know it’s different and a little scary that it is so simple, but it is nothing short of an engineering gold metal. So you can pop that little unit in and out and change caliber and size.
    Talk about an easy way to keep the pistol clean - this is a no brainer! Why doesn’t everybody have one?
    With this design there is one must and that is it is a double action trigger only. The easiest way to understand this is that the trigger pull is like a revolver trigger pull - you squeeze the trigger the hammer comes back and it reaches a point where the trigger breaks forward and it goes bang.
    The big deal is that a pistol that does that is not supposed to look like a semi auto pistol and have a magazine. So some have an expectation that the trigger pull should feel like their Glock or Ruger semi autos, so they say ‘it’s a great pistol but I hate the long trigger pull!’
    The trigger pull is long and sooo smooth! It is different, but awesome.
    You can pick one up for around $450 and buy what is called an exchange kit to change size and caliber direct from Sig for about $225.
    Check out the Videos:

Trigger pull http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKl0GhiyQ3Y
Sig Sauer demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=XW7tys25hGc

CZ 75 P07 Duty

Wed, 05 Sep 2012 03:35:19 +0100

Okay, there is cool and there is “COOL!” The CZ 75 P07 Duty is all that an a whole lot more.

Photo courtesy of CZ-USA

    First designed in 1975, the CZ 75 is the most common handgun in the Czech Republic, where, interestingly enough, the CZ firearms company was started in the early part of the 20th century.
    The P07 version of the popular 9mm is is a compact, polymer-framed CZ 75 most commonly known for having a redesigned trigger mechanism called the Omega Trigger. The trigger design essentially cuts down on the number of parts needed and supposedly improves trigger pull.
    Other cool features include:

The ability to switch from a decocker to a safety depending on your preference.
A light weight polymer frame that makes it easy to carry.
It's a double action/single action.
The barrel length is 3.8 inches.
The overall length is 7.28 inches.
It weighs in at 27.2 oz.
And it has a magazine capacity of 16+1.

    I don't know about you but I like the idea of having 32 rounds (plus one in the chamber) of ammo with me when I’m wondering around the woods or in Gotham City.
    The pistol comes in either 9mm or 40 S&W, but I would recommend the 9mm as the 40 looks really snappy.
    It comes in black and this year CZ has introduced OD green and desert sand versions.
    While it shoots straight and looks awesome, I think another plus is how this piece feels when you pick it up. It just fits nice in your hand.
    Street price is around $450 and new it comes with two magazines.
    I own this particular firearm and and I’m not trying to sell anything. And while you can find all the specs on the CZ 75 P07 anywhere on the internet, sometimes it’s nice to hear from someone who actually put out some hard earned cash for the product they are reviewing.
    The CZ P07 is a well made, accurate, fun to shoot 9mm pistol. It would be a good all around pistol for any beginner or an experienced shooter.

    Here is a link to a good video on Youtube about the gun: CZ P07

The Taurus TCP 738

Wed, 17 Oct 2012 14:27:41 +0100

Small pocket pistols are not for everyone but if you're looking for something that is easy to conceal and packs some punch then the Taurus TCP 738 might be for you.

Photo courtesy of Taurus USA

    This little baby filled with 6+1 Hornaday self-defense ammo is not a toy. I know some people say a .380 (sometimes referred to as a 9mm short) is the minimum you should use if you need to shoot a bad guy but those so-called experts are the same people that try to tell U.S. Navy Seals that a 9mm is not powerful enough to stop anyone.
    "Two in the chest and one in the head and the bad guy won't know the difference."
    Bottom line is this type of pistol is for self-defense only - you can shoot six rounds in less than three seconds. I wouldn't want to be on the other end of that.

Here are a few features I like about the TCP:

It has a safety lock on the side so you can lock the pistol with just the turn of a key.
The slide will stay open after the last round is fired.
The trigger and trigger guard are the size of a full-size pistol.
You can pick one of them up for around $280 with a case, two magazines and two lock keys.

See the video below for a look at this awesome little gun.

Next week we will look at one of the coolest 9mm's ever created. Until then, keep Shoot-N-Straight!