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The Kimber Solo Carry is one of the most compact 9mm on the market measuring only 5.5 inches in length, 3.9 inches in height and a mere 0.995 inches in width. The all steel and alloy construction semi-auto weighs only 17 ounces empty. The compactness of the Solo is visually striking, being only slightly larger in overall dimension than most .380s. In order to achieve these scaled down proportions reminiscent of a 1911, the frame contours are smoother and more rounded with every possible edge reduced to its minimum possible tolerances. Easily operated ambidextrous magazine releases and perfectly sized ambidextrous safeties make ease of operation suitable for left or right-handed users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Truly \u201cpocketable,\u201d the Solo utilizes a unique striker-fired system with a slight twist. When the slide is cycled and a round is chambered the striker (firing pin) is between 88 to 90 percent pre-tensioned. The trigger pull necessary to discharge the Solo then is only 10 to 12 percent of the total effort needed to finish the cycle and release the striker. Even though Kimber describes the Solo as a \u201csingle action striker-fired design,\u201d it is actually a double action as pulling the trigger has to finish tensioning the striker before the gun will discharge. While the lightweight semi-auto has a pretty hefty kick it is more than manageable and exceptionally accurate. As one of the smaller 9mm on the market, the Solo definitely has earned its mark.<\/p>\n","post_title":"Contemporary Subcompact Handguns","post_excerpt":"The Personal Defense Pocket Pistols: In the 21st century we have perfected the art of making as much gun as possible in the smallest package possible!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"contemporary-subcompacts","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-10-19 15:38:22","post_modified_gmt":"2023-10-19 19:38:22","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2012\/11\/01\/contemporary-subcompacts\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":121230,"post_author":"349","post_date":"2012-10-01 20:45:43","post_date_gmt":"2012-10-01 20:45:43","post_content":"\n\nSince the invention of the cartridge-firing handgun, pistols have gotten smaller and smaller. And while smaller is not always better, it generally translates to concealable and carry-friendly. Right now the trend is toward lightweight and extremely compact pistols chambered in the .380 ACP. Sturm, Ruger & Company set the compact pistol world on its head when they introduced the Light Compact Pistol (LCP). \n\nGun Details<\/strong>\n\nThe LCP is a double-action-only, semi-automatic pistol with a steel slide and a glass-filled nylon frame. A single column magazine holds six rounds of .380 ACP. Each pistol ships with a single magazine and two baseplates; one flush and one with a finger hook. You decide which to use.\n\nEmpty weight for the LCP is a mere 9.4 ounces. The overall length is 5.16 inches and the height is 3.6 inches (flush baseplate). As for thickness, at it\u2019s widest the sub-compact pistol measures at 0.82 of an inch. The 2.75-inch barrel is alloy steel with 1-in-16-inch rifling. \n\nAtop the slide you will find a set of rudimentary sights. Both the front and rear sights are essentially machined into the slide at the factory. They are the same color as the slide itself. \n\nAside from the trigger there are two other external controls. The magazine release button is found in the common spot on the left side of the frame and a manual slide lock mechanism is located atop the frame on the left side in the rear. While the LCP was first introduced early in 2008, there are still innovative ways to maximize the potential of this little \u201cPocket Protector.\u201d\n\nInitial Impressions<\/strong>\n\nMy first opportunity to work with the LCP came during a trip to Gunsite Training Academy. XS Sight Systems organized a special event where attendees would use only compact or \u201cpocket pistols.\u201d During this outing I was able to run the Ruger LCP on the square range in daytime and at night. We also ran through the simulators (shoot houses) day and night. \n\nWhen I departed the picturesque high desert, I had two primary impressions of the little LCP. My number one thought was that the sub-compact pistol ran with total reliability and was surprisingly pleasant to shoot. My second impression was that the gun needed a better sighting system if I were to carry it as a \u201clife preserver.\u201d \n\nThis impression was truly driven home during the night fire and during both the day and night simulator exercises. Even at practical gunfight distances of 5 and 10 yards, I found myself wishing I had a better reference point than the stubby front sight or the slide outline.\n\nDuring the indoor simulator scenarios we were forced to address \u201cShoot\/No Shoot\u201d and hostage targets with the pocket pistols. These were the full color, life size judgment targets. During scenario \u201cA\u201d our child was being held at gunpoint and for scenario \u201cB\u201d it was our spouse. \n\nI had to engage the kidnapper with the LCP and distinctly remember that I could not really make out the front sight against the bad guy\u2019s clothing. I opted to index the outline of the slide on the guy but I recall hesitating for a moment to do so. \n\nWhen you are firing a handgun, particularly a marginal caliber like the .380 ACP, shot placement is critical. You can\u2019t just \u201cshoot them somewhere\u201d and hope they notice. I believe it was Giles Stock, one of our Gunsite instructors, who said, \u201cHave a back-up plan. If he figures out you shot him with a .380, he\u2019s gonna be pissed.\u201d \n\nLaser Option<\/strong>\n\nWhen I returned home I was determined to investigate other options for equipping the LCP with better sights. Up top where the front sight is machined into the slide there is little room\/material to install any aftermarket sights. The LCP is an economical gun. That is, folks can afford to buy one, two or more. Redesigning the slide and installing different (better) sights would drive up the sticker price. \n\nIf large, bright irons sights were out of the question the next obvious answer would be a laser. Crimson Trace has never been a company play to \u201ccatch up.\u201d They\u2019ve been on the leading edge of laser sighting systems for years now. The ink on the LCP brochures was barely dry and Crimson Trace had a Laserguard for it. \n\nMy good friend and colleague Chris had recently purchased an LCP. The gun\u2019s primary purpose was to be a personal protection gun for his lovely bride. Chris agreed to loan me the Ruger for my laser testing. \n\nAs with all Crimson Trace\u2019s Laserguards, the Model LG-431 arrived with all of the batteries and tools to install the unit and get it running. The housing of the Laserguard is a high-strength polymer so very little extra weight is added to the gun. \n\nA centrally located momentary pressure switch activates the visible red laser. Naturally the laser works equally well right- or left-handed. Wire-thin Allen wrenches are included to adjust the laser for windage and elevation. I set the red laser dot right on the tip of the front sight at 7 yards. \n\n\nRange Time<\/strong>\n\nFor my range chores, I would work with both defensive and practice ammunition from Hornady, American Eagle (Federal), and PMC. The American Eagle and PMC loads were FMJ practice ammo. Two loads from Hornady were present; the Critical Defense FTX and a Custom JHP load. \n\nUsing all four loads, I ran through a number of shooting drills, firing the pistol in a strong two-hand grip, single-handed right and support-hand left. Initially I would chamber a round of ammunition, remove the magazine, top it off and reinsert it. \n\nAbout 50 rounds into my testing I had encountered two stoppages where the pistol did not eject and chamber a fresh round properly. From that moment on I started each exercise by loading a full magazine, chambering a round and proceeding from there. The stoppage issue went away. \t\n\nHaving fired several hundred rounds through a stock LCP at Gunsite I was immediately impressed at how the visible red laser aided my shot placement. Better put, I was impressed by how quickly I was able to make center hits with confidence.\n\nAdditional shooting drills began from a kneeling\/squatting position firing from behind cover. I would also fire while seated in a chair. These are all practical shooting positions from which to fire a compact defensive pistol. After all, the LCP is carried for personal defense while going about your daily life, not square range practice or competition. Should you have to employ the LCP in a crisis, you will very likely be in a hasty or awkward shooting position.\n\nFor those of you with accuracy concerns, I found that the pistol shot point of aim\/point of impact with the Laserguard from 7 yards. All of the ammunition, regardless of manufacturer would provide 6-shot groups in the 2 to 3-inch range from a standing two-hand hold. \n\nFinal Notes<\/strong>\n\nThe .380 ACP, or most any handgun cartridge for that matter, is a marginal fight stopper. Firearms Instructor Bill Murphy stated, \u201cPocket pistols are used to save your virginity.\u201d Essentially, compact handguns are carried when a larger, more powerful firearm would be impractical. Don\u2019t expect your attacker to be lifted off of his feet and thrown thought a plate glass window. It simply doesn\u2019t work that way. \n\nA pocket pistol is carried as life assurance. It is a just-in-case tool, like a fire extinguisher or first aid kit. You don\u2019t plan to use any of these but you\u2019ll be glad they\u2019re there if you need them. \n\nAs for our subject, the Ruger LCP, the addition of the Crimson Trace Laserguard took a convenient to carry little pistol turned it into a practical \u201cPocket Protector.\u201d The visible red laser allows you to index the muzzle on target instantly and have the confidence that your shots will go where they are supposed to. For personal protection, that really is the name of the game. ","post_title":"Ruger LCP .380 ACP","post_excerpt":"Premier pocket defender maximized with Crimson Trace Laserguard!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"ruger-lcp-380-acp","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 13:22:15","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 13:22:15","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2012\/10\/01\/ruger-lcp-380-acp\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":158188,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2012-01-27 10:10:29","post_date_gmt":"2012-01-27 16:10:29","post_content":"\r\n\r\nColt\u2019s Manufacturing Company LLC has teamed up with Crimson Trace Corporation for the first ever Lasergrips\u00ae, grip-integrated laser sight emblazoned with the Colt\u00ae logo, which is now standard on the Colt New Agent\u00ae pistol. This compact, lightweight Colt 1911 series pistol with wrap-around, front activation laser sight, gives shooters increased accuracy and confidence in their shot placement.\r\n\r\n\u201cThe Colt New Agent is an excellent choice for a concealable pistol for personal protection,\u201d said Joyce Rubino, Colt\u2019s Vice President of Marketing, \u201cWith the addition of Crimson Trace\u00ae laser sights, New Agent shooters can be increasingly confident that their shots will hit the mark.\u201d\r\n\r\nThe upgraded New Agent model 1911 weighs less than 24 ounces and measures 6.75 inches in length. While possessing the power and protection of a full sized pistol, this compact model is a great option for concealed carry. Colt's New Agent offers a seven-round magazine capacity in .45 ACP and an eight-round magazine capacity in 9 mm Parabellum.\r\n\r\nThe carbon steel slide is finished in matte blue and the lightweight alloy frame is black anodized. The New Agent\u2019s trigger is skeletonized aluminum with a 3-inch bushingless barrel.\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\n\r\nThe New Agent\u2019s traditional double diamond grips have been replaced with black, wrap-around Crimson Trace grips made of a polymer and rubber combination. With the Crimson Trace laser sight and trench style sighting system in lieu of iron sights, the New Agent has a snagless draw, adding to the capability of this pistol.\r\n\r\nHighly visible at self-defense distances, the red laser comes factory-zeroed at 50 feet. The unit may be fine tuned by the user for their choice of ammunition, via integral windage and elevation adjustments. When the pistol is held with a natural firing grip, the instinctive, front-activation laser is initiated.\r\n\r\n\u201cWe\u2019re thrilled to offer this quality Colt pistol paired with Crimson Trace\u2019s popular laser sight to give shooters a product combination that will increase shot confidence,\u201d said Rubino. Coltsmfg.com<\/strong><\/a>. Crimsontrace.com<\/strong><\/a>.","post_title":"Crimson Trace x Colt New Agent 1911","post_excerpt":" ","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"crimson-trace-x-colt-new-agent-1911","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 20:18:17","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 20:18:17","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2012\/01\/27\/crimson-trace-x-colt-new-agent-1911\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},{"ID":159826,"post_author":"645","post_date":"2010-05-08 16:44:43","post_date_gmt":"2010-05-08 22:44:43","post_content":"\r\n\r\nThe Smith & Wesson Military & Police pistol has been on the market since 2005, and it\u2019s making serious inroads. It\u2019s fair to say that most of the agencies that I hear of switching pistols are going to the M&P. Available in a couple frame colors, four calibers, two trigger weights, two sizes with or without a magazine disconnect and internal lock, the M&P is a true contender.\r\n\r\nAnd why not? It\u2019s super reliable, a few M&Ps at the S&W Academy have over 10,000 rounds through them without cleaning or oiling and no malfunctions. Everyone who picks it up, and I mean everyone that I know, says that it\u2019s the most comfortable pistol they\u2019ve held. With three backstrap sizes to pick from, it fits hands that range from large to the smallest hands I\u2019ve ever seen on an adult man. It has all of the inherent safety and reliability characteristics of all modern polymer-framed service quality pistols.\r\n\r\nThe striker is held in a partially cocked position by the slide\u2019s forward motion, making it much safer than the alternative of holding it fully cocked. The slide is through hardened, not just surface hardened. The stainless steel fire-control chassis of the gun is set in a body of Zytel 8018, which incorporates a right-sized beavertail. The Melonite finish is tough enough for any environment. The M&P is lefty friendly with an ambidextrous slide lock and a left to right changeable magazine release.\r\n\r\nS&W has obviously put a lot of thought and features into their flagship pistol, and it\u2019s perfectly shootable right out of the box. Nonetheless, a pistol carried for protection of life is a very personal item, and everyone will have a little something that they either want to change or personalize. I\u2019m no exception there, and so I got in touch with uber-gunsmith Karl Sokol in Vermont. Karl is a factory-certified M&P armorer, his work is world renowned, and he spends your money like it was his own. His guns are in the hands of US Special Forces personnel worldwide.\r\n\r\nMy M&P version is a full-size 9mm model without the internal lock and magazine disconnect. If I had to buy a gun with the internal lock, I\u2019d have Karl remove it. It is an unauthorized user-access mechanism, not a safety, and I\u2019d feel comfortable defending that action. Magazine disconnects are a religious preference and either way, Karl can add the feature to your M&P or remove it. I didn\u2019t opt for one of Karl\u2019s full-house makeovers, but simply asked him to modify a few things for me. Here\u2019s what he did and what he didn\u2019t do, and why.\r\n\r\nCustom Details<\/strong>\r\nKarl is well known for his stippling of Glock frames (he\u2019s done mine), and he can texture additional areas of the M&P frame if you desire or make the existing texture more aggressive. Grip texture is an individual taste; while some people like it coarse as saw teeth, I prefer a middle-of-the-road approach. I find the factory texture satisfactory, and in fact had the opposite problem. For some reason the rear underside of the triggerguard is stippled and in a high round-count day, I discovered that it tore up my middle finger. Karl undercut and smoothed this area for me.\r\n\r\nSlide Cuts<\/strong>\r\nThe slide cuts on the rear of the factory slide work just fine for me. Some people like front cuts (\u201ccocking serrations\u201d), but I don\u2019t use them. I don\u2019t like to put my fingers up near the muzzle in order to retract the slide and do a chamber check. I check my M&P\u2019s chamber the safer way by simply retracting the slide a little using the slide cuts on its rear, although the M&P does have a visibility hole where you can see if there\u2019s brass in the chamber without retracting the slide at all.\r\n\r\nTrigger<\/strong>\r\nThe M&P comes with a reasonably acceptable trigger, but one known for overtravel. Karl did a complete trigger job on mine, polishing the parts of the trigger assembly, striker assembly and sear that touched each other. Of course, no springs were altered (that\u2019s important with a gun you carry on the street). The M&P comes with a choice of two factory trigger weights: 6.5 and 10.5 pounds. I prefer the nominal 10.5-pound trigger because this is a duty\/defense gun. After the trigger job, I had a pistol with a very controllable, extremely smooth trigger, the perfect small amount of creep (desirable on a street gun), and a crisp break. An M&P trigger job by a master like Karl also eliminates overtravel and provides a more positive reset.\r\n\r\nCoating<\/strong>\r\nThe M&P doesn\u2019t really need any additional protective coatings, but the ceramic-based Mountain-Tuff coating that Karl provides is the hardest non-plated finish available for guns. It will not only snaz up a pistol considerably, it will 1) add even more protection to the slide\u2019s metal surface and 2) provide lubricity to it. I figured I would be a better shooter if I was going to choose a pink slide, but opted instead for \u201csniper gray,\u201d which gives my M&P a classy subdued and refined two-tone look. Karl left the extractor black, a very nice touch.\r\n\r\nXS Sights<\/strong>\r\nChanging the sights on the M&P is a job that can go south if you\u2019re not careful, since the rear sight has a little firing pin plunger spring under it that will fly away and get lost if you don\u2019t take precautions to capture it. Sight installation is best done by someone with the tools and experience to precisely fit them to the slide anyway. I asked Karl to install XS 24\/7 Big Dot sights on my M&P, as he\u2019s done on all of my carry pistols.\r\n\r\nThese are combat sights, and yes, they are a little bit coarser than post-and-notch sights. But I can hit pepper poppers at 75 yards with them consistently, so they are more than accurate enough for the kind of work that handguns were designed to do. XS sights are based on the old express sight, used on hunting rifles when large, dangerous game had to be stalked and taken at close distance. Kinda sounds like the predators we face, doesn\u2019t it? Plus, with my current reading glasses dependence, I can actually see them without my glasses.\r\n\r\nCrimson Trace<\/strong>\r\nWith but a few exceptions, there are\u00a0 two kinds of shooters in the world of survival shooting as opposed to sport shooting or range shooting: those that have converted to lasers and those that haven\u2019t given them a fair shake-out. Others and I have written quite a bit about the laser\u2019s advantages, and I could fill this whole article with counters to the objections that some people come up with to them. Instead, I\u2019ll just bottom line it for you: try to name a law enforcement or military unit that\u2019s stopped using them by choice.\r\n\r\nCrimson Trace makes the premier, combat-tested lasers that dominate the guns of the serious people in the field. The CTC Lasergrip for the M&P is contained in a replacement backstrap and like the factory backstraps it installs in seconds. Once you zero it, you\u2019re done. It activates automatically when you acquire a shooting grip on the pistol. The only consideration with this unit is that it\u2019s sized halfway between the medium and the large factory backstraps; if you need the small backstrap, you\u2019ll have to compromise.\r\n\r\nShooting Impressions<\/strong>\r\nIn terms of accuracy, the M&P 9mm has been extensively tested by many others who report 2- to 3-inch groups with various ammunition at 25 yards. My original gun could do that too with my usual practice ammo of Black Hills FMJ or Winchester FM, both in 115 grains. But all of these results were from sandbag rests with post-and-notch sights, and closing one eye if necessary, which is only a theoretical indicator of the gun\u2019s actual using accuracy.\r\n\r\nTo test the human shooting accuracy of the gun, which involves the relationship between accuracy and speed, I first like to use the Higginbotham Controllably Drill, which requires putting 5 shots into a folded 8.5x11-inch piece of paper at 5 yards in no more than 2 seconds from a low ready. This isn\u2019t a hard drill, so if I can do it reasonably easily, I believe that the gun is accurate and controllable in real-life situations. I also like to be able to hit a 4x5-inch target at 15 yards with a controlled, but not slow, trigger press. Karl\u2019s work helped me to perform these drills better than I could with the out-of-the-box gun because of the smooth trigger and the elimination of trigger overtravel, even with the XS sights.\r\n\r\nHolster Options<\/strong>\r\nAny gun is only as good as your ability to access it. My favorite outside-the-pants holster is the K1 from FIST. This cant-adjustable Kydex holster makes the gun seem like its Velcro\u2019ed to my body, and its speed and access is superior. With its unique belt loops, the K1 is another ergonomic masterpiece from Jim Murnak, the man behind the FIST suit. Almost everyone to whom I\u2019ve recommended the K1 has reported that it\u2019s their favorite, too.\r\n\r\nAs far as an inside-the-waistband (IWB) holster goes, Mark Garrity\u2019s In-Cognito is the most comfortable and least bulky IWB I\u2019ve worn. This holster has a Kydex-reinforced mouthband, and an extensive list of unique features: smooth kangaroo lining, a thin suede backing that covers the entire rear body of the holster to reduce shifting and prevent it from sticking to the wearer on a hot day; underneath the suede backing is a thin plastic membrane that protects the pistol from perspiration. Exquisite finishing touches can include the ostrich mouthband and loops. Mark is one of the best-kept secrets in the holster business.","post_title":"Maximized Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm","post_excerpt":"Making an already great pistol better with Karl Sokol!","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","post_password":"","post_name":"maximized-smith-wesson-mp-9mm","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2023-05-31 20:21:45","post_modified_gmt":"2023-05-31 20:21:45","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.dev.athlonoutdoors.com\/2010\/05\/08\/maximized-smith-wesson-mp-9mm\/","menu_order":0,"post_type":"post","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"}],"next":false,"prev":true,"total_page":11},"paged":1,"column_class":"jeg_col_2o3","class":"jnews_block_23"};