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Handguns |
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For an explanation of kinds of handguns, go here. This page is a guide to different types of handguns, their care, and their usage. If you are looking for information about a specific model, check out the review page. Feel free to add to it if you find a gun that hasn't been added. The format for entries is below:
Model: This model number of this year. Tell the gun's story.
Where to find:
Who uses it and where would you find it? How are replacement parts?
Complexity:
How hard is it to maintain and use this weapon effectively?
Size and weight:
Barrel length, overall length and height. Weight in ounces.
Action:
Is it autoloading? Single shot?
Caliber(s):
Primary chambering as well as other variations.
Magazine:
Type of magazine and capacity.
Trigger:
Trigger type and weight if available.
Controls:
Where the safeties, action releases and other controls are on the weapon, with pictures if possible.
Loading: How to load the firearm and make ready to fire.
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Unloading:
How to unload and make safe.
Field Stripping:
How to take down the weapon for cleaning, with pictures if possible.
Design Quirks:
Unique aspects of this gun.
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Autoloaders
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Model: 1911John Moses Browning designed a pistol to meet the US Army's requirements for a .45 sidearm. Adopted in 1911 as the Model 1911 pistol, it became one of the most wildly popular handguns ever designed, and maintains it's place even today. It is the basis for countless designs, and is one of the reasons a gun is usually described as "Browning-dropping barrel."
The pistol is described as being simple, effective, accurate, and powerful. Some military guns have been serving for over fifty years, taking hundreds of thousands of rounds in stride. When the Beretta was adopted by the US armed force in the late eighties, the Special Forces went with the Sig and the 1911, and the Force Recon Marines even built themselves new ones. Competition shooters prefer the 1911 pistol to built upon due to it's forgiving design and excellent trigger.
At the time of writing (2010), it is a single year away from a century of stellar service. It is held by many as the king of handguns, and like most Browning designs, it isn't going away as long as we rely on firearms. So what better a gun to start off with?
Where to find:
Though no longer in service with the US military, the 1911 remains one of the most common designs in the United States, and a great number are in circulation worldwide. It is almost impossible not to find one. Parts are so widely available that is literally possible to built a 1911 entirely out of purchased parts. With quality 1911s running as low as 400 USD, it is quite possible to buy a a 1911 for most any use.
Complexity: The design can be take down without any tools, and detail stripping takes a single tool - the baseplate of a standard magazine. However, the single action only trigger makes the pistol somewhat unsafe for new shooters, as the pistol is best carried Condition One (mag full, chamber loaded, hammer back, safety on), or Condition Three (mag loaded, empty chamber, hammer down) so the shooter has to rack the slide for the first shot.
Size and weight:
39 ounces unloaded. Length 210mm, height 133mm. Barrel 128mm.
Action:
Semi-automatic short recoil. Browning-dropping barrel.
Caliber(s):
Originally .45 ACP. Can be found in nearly any caliber.
Magazine:
7, 8, 10, 15 round box magazine. The 8 round mags are the same length as the original 7 rounders, but anything past that is extended. They drop free of the gun when the magazine release is depressed.
Trigger:
Single action trigger. Generally around 5 pound pull, though some competition guns have triggers as light as two pounds..
Controls:
The image to the left shows a Kimber 1911, which is fairly high class 1911, popular with Law Enforcement and civilian carriers.
The hammer must be cocked to fire or activate any of the safeties.
The thumb safety is applied to the cocked pistol by pushing upwards, and turned off by clicking it down. Some shooters may accidentally bump the safety upwards, so it may be best to have the thumbs ride on top of the safety.
The grip safety must be depressed by gripping the gun fully for the trigger to move. Notice that it has what is called a "beavertail," an extension to keep the hammer from biting the web of the thumb and index finger.
The slide stop, or slide release engages after the last round, locking the slide in the rearward position. It can be released by removing the magazine or inserting a fresh magazine and pushing down on the catch. Some find it short and depress with their left thumb, or use an extended stop. Racking the slide is also a reliable method of releasing the catch.
Loading:
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-Grasp the slide firmly and pull it completely to the rear, then release it - be sure to allow it to slam shut by spring force. Riding it forward with your hand can cause a malfunction!
-At this point, activate the thumb safety by pushing upwards.
-The pistol can be fired after firmly grasping the frame and clicking the safety downwards.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
There is no safe way to do this on a 1911 pistol.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-The pistol can be fired by racking the slide, chambering the first round and cocking the hammer.
Unloading:
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Deactivate the thumb safety.
-Depress the magazine release, removing the loaded magazine. Be sure to do this first, or else a round may accidentally be loaded in a later step.
-Rack the slide firmly and lock it open with the slide release.
-Through the ejection port, visually confirm that the chamber is empty, as well as the magazine well. Use your finger to feel for any rounds.
-Release the slide and pull the trigger. The hammer should click on an empty chamber. (Contrary to popular belief, dry firing does not destroy your gun.)
Field Stripping:
This depends greatly on the setup of the 1911. A traditional design lacking a full guide rod can be taken down two ways. Before doing anything, remove the magazine and double check that the chamber is empty.
The first method is to rack the pistol to the dissembly notch, then to push the slide stop through from the right side. The slide is then slowly slid forward off the frame, care taken to maintain a solid grip on the springs, as they can forcefully eject themselves from the gun. Then, the spring is removed and set aside. Turn the barrel bushing to the left side of the pistol (if you are facing it), until it can be pulled forward. Remove the barrel through the front of the slide.
The other way is to depress the recoil spring plug and extremely carefully rotate the bushing - the plug is under the tension of the recoil spring, and can eject quite forcefully. Then, the slide stop can be removed from the frame, and the slide removed without the resistance of the spring.Steps are simply reversed for reassembly. These apply to standard 1911s, which do not have a full length guide rod. Such a gun usually requires additional tools such as a bent paperclip or allen screw to remove, this will be covered in the 2011 entry.
Design Quirks:
1911 pistols are one of the few single action, single stack guns still in common use. As the 1911 is a design no longer owned by a single company, keep in mind that every 1911 is a different gun, and that the performance and tendencies of each will vary.
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Model: Glock. Developed to replace the venerable Walther P38 in Austrian service, the Glock was a pistol built by a man without any small arms experience. It was a design built entirely for simplicity, a combat gun. European militaries do not rely on their sidearms as much as Americans tend to do, and these ideas influenced to the design. Unbeknown to most users, however, is how much change the design has gone through in the years since 1982. Current models are shipped with adjustable sights, finger grooves on the frame, a drop free magazine, a railed, two-pin frame, among other things.
Glocks have become the dominant pistol in law enforcement, consisting an estimated 65% of the market. They are some of the most highly regarded combat pistols, with a legendary track record for reliability and enough rounds to do the job, combined with a double action trigger that isn't a labor to use.
Where to find:
As mentioned, more than half the police sidearms in the United States are Glock variants, making the entire weapon and it's parts very common. Even outside of the US, the Glock is incredibly common. New Glocks run a price of around 500 USD. Parts are also commonly available, though actual physical modification to the Glock is fairly difficult.
Complexity:
The Glock has been called the revolver of automatic pistols. It lacks any complex safeties or decockers, very much a point-and-shoot pistol. It's field stripping is much simpler than many models. Most of all, the Glock requires no work out of the box to function flawlessly. Magazine springs, oil and good ammunition are all the Glock needs to keep running.
Size and weight: -17: 22 ounces unloaded. Length 187mm. Height 138mm. Barrel 128mm.
-19: 21 ounces unloaded.Length 174mm. Height 127mm. Barrel 102mm
-26: 19.8 ounces unloaded. Length 160mm. Height 106mm. Barrel 88mm.
-34: 22.9 ounces unloaded. Length 207mm. Height 138mm. Barrel 135mm.
Action:
Semi-automatic short recoil. Browning-tilting barrel.
Caliber(s):
9mm Para (17, 18, 19, 26, 34),
.40 S&W (22, 23, 24, 27, 35),
.357 Sig (31, 32, 33) 10mm (20, 29),
.45 ACP (21, 30, 36),
.45 GAP (37, 38, 39),
.380 ACP (26, 28)*
*These are not available within the United States due to importation specifications.
Magazine:
-17: 17*
-19: 15
-26: 10
Anywhere from 8 to 19 rounds for standard mags. Generally, a .40 S&W version loses two rounds, and the .45 ACP Glock 21 is built on a different frame with a significantly lower capacity of twelve rounds. 33 round extended magazines available, and commercial extensions relatively common. Of interesting note is that some of the earlier mags do not drop free from the gun and must be tugged free. Only later did Glock add a steel liner to magazine so they would fall free - for American demands, their biggest market.
*Incidentally, the Glock 17 was not named so due to capacity. It was simply Gaston Glock's 17th patent.
Trigger:
"Safe-action" single strike. Fairly light for a double action only pistol. The "NYPD" spring is available, which gives the trigger a longer, heavier pull, like a revolver.
Controls:
While the Glock is advertised as being "safe action," it is important to realize the pistol has no applied safeties at all. There is an automatic firing pin stop, and a safety in the face of the trigger, but neither of these do anything if the trigger is pulled accidentally.
The magazine release on all versions is behind the triggerguard with a button on the left side for right-handed shooters. Fourth generation Glocks can swap the release to either side, like a Beretta or Sig, but this is impossible to do on earlier models. To check, take out the magazine and see if there are catch notches cut into both sides.
The slide catch is a very minimal design, on the left side of the frame above the grip. It is often hard to reach due to it's slick surfce and slight profile. Extended catches are available, but it might be smarter simply to rack the slide rather than operate it with one's thumbs.
The two levers above the front of the trigger guard are field strip levers.
Loading:
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-Grasp the slide firmly and pull it completely to the rear, then release it - be sure to allow it to slam shut by spring force. Riding it forward with your hand can cause a malfunction!
-As the Glock lacks an applied safety, there are no further steps.
-The pistol can be fired by simply pulling the trigger.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
This is mechanically impossible for a Glock pistol.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-The pistol can be fired by racking the slide, chambering the first round and cocking the hammer.
Unloading:
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Depress the magazine release, removing the loaded magazine. Be sure to do this first, or else a round may accidentally be loaded in a later step.
-Rack the slide firmly and lock it open with the slide release.
-Through the ejection port, visually confirm that the chamber is empty, as well as the magazine well. Use your finger to feel for any rounds.
-Release the slide and pull the trigger. The hammer should click on an empty chamber. (Contraty to popular belief, dry firing does not destroy your gun.)
Field Stripping:
The field stripping is one of the most lauded parts of the Glock design. First, clear the gun, ensuring there is no mag nor cartridge in the pistol. Then, pull back the field strip levers on both sides of the frame and pull the slide off. Then, carefully push the spring guide assembly* forward and remove it, taking care to control the spring's tendency to eject itself. The barrel is pulled forward slightly and can be lifted right out of the slide. The weapon is now field stripped, and the process reversed for reassembly. It is not necessary to hold down the field strip levers.
*The Glock 26 and other sub compact models actually have a spring assembly within a spring assembly, to deal with the limited space.
Design Quirks:
The Glock is known for being blocky, utilitarian and simple. It's lack of features is it's most distinguishing trait.
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Model: Beretta 92An Italian design originating in the fifties, the 92 started off as the single stack, push safety 951 "Brigadier," evolving slowly as Beretta pushed the design towards military adoption. Falling short of the Sig P226 but offering better price per unit, Beretta won the contract with their 92SB-F, simply called the 92F, or the M9.
Complaints were universal, and the early service was rocky, including the infamous incident of slides breaking and striking the shooter in the face. The problem was discovered to be a combination of both overpowered ammo and improper alloying of the slide (Beretta managed to mix contracts with another non-military customer. How, is anybody's guess...), but the 92F was redesigned to incorporate a notch that prevented slide separation, the 92FS.
As it turned out, the 92 was a reliable, accurate, well designed platform. However, in the sandy conditions of the wars in the Middle East, the open slide only allowed the internals to be more easily clogged up. A number of problems were also created by lowest bidder magazines, contributing to the general distain for the Beretta. However, as the Gulf War had proved, proper magazines and lubricant (or more accurately, one less prone to attracting particles) solved most of the reliability problems. Recently, the United States Marine Corps has ordered M9A1 sidearms, with integral light rails. The military use of the 92 has made it's variants extremely popular amongst civilian and law enforcement as both a duty piece and a somewhat large concealed carry pistol. It's weight, a liability for carry, helps control recoil, and it is quite a popular choice for production-class competition shooting.
Taurus makes a number of licensed Beretta clones,
trigger allows the shooter to carry the pistol safely hammer down, and the number of variants available allow a large degree of personalization. The internal design of the 92, while different, is not very complex to maintain. On top of this, a more direct shot to the chamber from the magazine mostly negates the need for reliability work for feeding.
Size and weight:
34 ounces unloaded. Length 217mm. Height 137mm. Barrel 125mm.
Action:
Semi-automatic, locking block operating system taken from the Walther P38.
Caliber(s):
9mm Parabellum (92),
.40 S&W (96),
9x21 IMI (98)
Magazine:
92: 10, 15, 18 or 20 round box magazine. 25 or 32 round extended mags also available.
96: 13 or 11 round magazine. 9mm Magazines may also be used at a slight capacity decease, generally two to three rounds.
Trigger:
A standard double action trigger with single action follow-up shots.
The double action pull is at 187.2 (11.7 lbs) ounces, while the single action is slightly lighter 139.2 (8.7lbs) ounces. The D version is double action only. The long and fairly heavy pull has been criticized by many, and combined with the large grip, make for a fairly awkward handgun.Controls:
The pistol is fairly conventional in layout.
A 92 has a standard push button magazine release behind the triggerguard, reversible for ambidextrous use.
The safety is also ambidextrous, being located on both sides of the slide. However, this location has been noted is not quite as rapid or comfortable as most frame mounted designs, with the advantage of more readily displaying if the safety is applied or not.
Taurus models have a USP-style thumb safety, clicked upwards for safe, down to fire, and further down for decock.
The slide release is located directly above the grip, large enough to be comfortably reached by either hand.
Just above the front of the triggerguard is the dissembly catch.
Loading:
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-Grasp the slide firmly and pull it completely to the rear, then release it - be sure to allow it to slam shut by spring force. Riding it forward with your hand can cause a malfunction!
-The standard 92F has a decocker, making it impossible to apply the safety and keep the pistol cocked. Taurus variants may have a frame-mounted thumb safety.
-The pistol can be fired by simply pulling the trigger. Click off the safety on Taurus models.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-Grasp the slide firmly and pull it completely to the rear, then release it - be sure to allow it to slam shut by spring force. Riding it forward with your hand can cause a malfunction!
-Push the safety / decocker downward until the hammer springs forward. The pistol may be fired by clicking the safety upwards on the draw.
Alternatively:
-Push the safety / decocker downward until the hammer springs forward. Click the safety upwards. The pistol may be fired immediately by pulling the trigger.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-The pistol can be fired by racking the slide, chambering the first round and cocking the hammer.
Unloading:
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Depress the magazine release, removing the loaded magazine. Be sure to do this first, or else a round may accidentally be loaded in a later step.
-Rack the slide firmly and lock it open with the slide release.
-Through the ejection port, visually confirm that the chamber is empty, as well as the magazine well. Use your finger to feel for any rounds.
-Release the slide and push down on the decocker.
Field Stripping:
As always, remove the mag and clear the pistol.
From the right side, push the dissembly catch to the left, and rotate it clockwise, so that it is now pointing downward. Pull the slide forward off of the frame. Turn it over, then carefully push forward the spring guide assembly, keeping a firm hold as you ease it out. Then, grab the barrel and pull it back until the locking block lines up with the cutouts in the slide, and pull it downwards and out. Repeat for assembly.
Design Quirks:
A big first is the aesthetics. Beretta's firearms are totally unique in appearance. Another fact that is oft mentioned is that the pistol is relatively unsuited to those with small hands, having a wide grip, long trigger and a somewhat far-off safety.
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Model: Sig P220Sig's first handgun was the P210, an extremely high class weapon that was noted for exceptional accuracy. The P220 was more cost-effective model, visually a completely different gun. Retaining the same excellent features, such as a slide that rode within the frame rails, the P220 was a huge success. Today, it is still one of their hot sellers, primarily in .45 ACP.
When the US military needed a new sidearm to replace the M1911A1, Sig submitted a modified design, the P226. With a push-button magazine release and double-stack magazine, the P226 design was Sig's first bread-and-butter seller. Despite losing to the Beretta 92F, the Sig went on to be adopted by various Special Forces teams, as well as many Law Enforcement organizations. The design branched into dozens of variants, all popular today and still known for exceptional Sig quality.
An interesting note is that early models were known as Sig-Sauer. Sig, designed in Switzerland, Sauer, produced in Germany. Later on, they were known was SIG ARMS USA, before going back to the original name of Sig-Sauer.
The features in this entry apply to the: P220, P225, P228, P229, P239. The P230, P232, P250, and SP2022 are similar but have significant differences that will be described in later entries.
Where to find:
One of the more common pistols, on par with the Beretta 92 for sheer popularity. However, their proliferation may also be a bad thing - there are so many variants and design changes that parts between two slightly different models may not fit at all.
Complexity:
How hard is it to maintain and use this weapon effectively?
Size and weight:
Barrel length, overall length and height. Weight in ounces.
Action:
Is it autoloading? Single shot?
Caliber(s):
Primary chambering as well as other variations.
Magazine: Type of magazine and capacity.
Trigger:
Trigger type and weight if available.
Controls:
Where the safeties, action releases and other controls are on the weapon, with pictures if possible.
Loading:
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-Grasp the slide firmly and pull it completely to the rear, then release it - be sure to allow it to slam shut by spring force. Riding it forward with your hand can cause a malfunction!
-The standard P220 has a decocker, making it impossible to apply the safety and keep the pistol cocked. Taurus variants may have a frame-mounted thumb safety.
-The pistol can be fired by simply pulling the trigger.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-Grasp the slide firmly and pull it completely to the rear, then release it - be sure to allow it to slam shut by spring force. Riding it forward with your hand can cause a malfunction!
-Push the safety / decocker downward until the hammer springs forward. The pistol may be fired by clicking the safety upwards on the draw.
Alternatively:
-Push the safety / decocker downward until the hammer springs forward. Click the safety upwards. The pistol may be fired immediately by pulling the trigger.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-The pistol can be fired by racking the slide, chambering the first round and cocking the hammer.
Unloading:
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Depress the magazine release, removing the loaded magazine. Be sure to do this first, or else a round may accidentally be loaded in a later step.
-Rack the slide firmly and lock it open with the slide release.
-Through the ejection port, visually confirm that the chamber is empty, as well as the magazine well. Use your finger to feel for any rounds.
-Release the slide and push down on the decocker.ariants may have a frame-mounted thumb safety.
-The pistol can be fired by simply pulling the trigger. Click off the safety on Taurus models.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-Grasp the slide firmly and pull it completely to the rear, then release it - be sure to allow it to slam shut by spring force. Riding it forward with your hand can cause a malfunction!
-Push the safety / decocker downward until the hammer springs forward. The pistol may be fired immediately by pulling the trigger.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Insert the magazine into the the magazine well in the bottom of the frame, ensuring you can hear and feel the click of the magazine release.
-The pistol can be fired by racking the slide, chambering the first round and cocking the hammer.
Unloading:
-Point in a safe direction. Critical step in case the gun accidentally discharges!
-Depress the magazine release, removing the loaded magazine. Be sure to do this first, or else a round may accidentally be loaded in a later step.
-Rack the slide firmly and lock it open with the slide release.
-Through the ejection port, visually confirm that the chamber is empty, as well as the magazine well. Use your finger to feel for any rounds.
-Release the slide and push down on the decocker.
Unloading:
How to unload and make safe.
Field Stripping:
How to take down the weapon for cleaning, with pictures if possible.
Design Quirks:
Unique aspects of this gun.
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Model:Beretta PX4 storm
The PX4 Storm pistol is one of the latest additions to Beretta's line of semiautomatic pistols. The PX4 is designed using most of the modern concepts in combat handguns, such as maximum flexibility, a build consisting mostly of polymers, and chambered in the most common (and popular) calibers. A standard picatinny rail on the chin rounds out the package. Also popular on the PX4 is its rotating barrel locking system, which dissipates felt recoil significantly. The positive lock between barrel and slide ensures near perfect alignment between the barrel and the sights. This causes the PX4 to be capable of faster more accurate shooting. The sights consist of an interchangeable 3 dot luminescent system that with short exposure to any kind of light will retain luminescence for 30 minutes. As of this writing the PX4 has a growing fan base that is both strong and loyal and continues to grow.
The Px4 is available in 4 models:
Type F: Single and double-action.Decocker. ManualSafety.
Type C: Single-action only ("Constant Action"). Spurless hammer. Nodecocker, No safety
Type D:Double-action -only. Spurless hammer. Nodecocker. Nosafety.
Type G: Single and double-action.Decocker . No manualsafety.
There is a Subcompact version available in 9mm and .40, and a Special duty version in .45. The Subcompact does not include a rotary barrel lock, and the Special duty has a longer, threaded barrel for attaching a suppressor. The Special duty was a limited run and is harder to find.
Where to find:The PX4 can be found at pretty much any retailer that sells pistols. Due to popularity, the sub compact model can be hard to find. The Special Duty model had a limited production run and it too can be hard to find. Despite its popularity, in a total societal breakdown, parts will be nowhere near as prevalent as glock, 1911 or XD model handguns. Parts can easily be ordered from Beretta or any number of gun shops. It is recommended to have the parts you would need before societal collapse.
Size and weight:Px4: 27.7 oz (without magazine) Px4: 192 mm (7.55 in)
Px4SC: 25.2 oz (without magazine)Px4SC: 6.2 inch (158 mm)
Barrel length: 102 mm (4.0 in)
Action:Semi automatic, short recoil, locked-breech, rotary barrel lock
Caliber(s):9mm parabellum, .40SW, .45 acp.
Magazine: .45ACP: 9 or 10 rnd high capacity magazine
9mm: 17 or 20rnd high capacity magazine
.40SW:14 or 17rnd high capacity magazine
The magazine drops clear of the pistol when the magazine release is pressed. FYI the magazine springs are very very tight, the last rounds are pretty tough to load at times.
Controls:The PX4 is a very simple design. The it features an ambidextrous safety located on the rear of the slide with a built in decocker. When on safe the trigger can be pulled with no effect on the action. If the weapon is charged and the safety activated the gun releases the pin and decocks the action.
The magazine release is located on the bottom rear of the trigger guard. It can be placed on either side of the gun and replaced with a large or combat release button.
The slide release is of typical fair but can easily be swapped out for a low profile release ideal for concealment.
Field Stripping:The PX4 has a very simple field strip procedure, similar to glock model handguns. Pull on the field strip levers on both sides of the gun, and pull the slide forward. Push the bolt/spring assembly forward then remove, the barrel easily pulls out of the slide. Reassembly is the reverse.
Design Quirks:Generally the gun can be had for $500-$600(USD). The special duty can be found for as much as $1200(USD) and will only get more spendy as the production run ends. This pistol is known by many as, “A lot of gun for the price”. With many modern features, a comfortable ergonomic grip, including 3 piece interchangeable back strap for the perfect fit, the reduced recoil from the rotating barrel, simple (4 piece) breakdown and the versatility in its Single/double action make this a well rounded gun for seasoned user or gun noobs alike. Equipped with a good flashlight and/or laser you will be ready to defend your home from both burglars or Rotters. This gun is part of a family of firearms introduced by Beretta including the PX4, CX4, and RX4 (C for carbine and R for rifle respectively) In Italy the RX4 is known as the Benelli MR1 (Beretta has owned Benelli since the early 1980’s). The CX4 shares magazines with its pistol relatives of the same caliber, while the RX4 is merely the big brother (chambered in .223/5.56 nato) with no interchangeable parts.
A negative is that the magazines at this time tend to be spendy, costing around $40 (USD). It is yet to be seen if the Sub compact will share the same issues as the Beretta Tomcat’s infamous frame crack problems. Even though this gun has been around for several years and enjoys high popularity, the short time it’s been in production makes some special accessories harder to find. Typical holsters are available but kydex, push button release, and specialized conceal carry holsters tend to be hard to find or non existent.
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Model: Heckler Und Koch USP (Universal Self-loading Pistol)
Where to find:
Who uses it and where would you find it? How are replacement parts?
Complexity:
How hard is it to maintain and use this weapon effectively?
Size and weight:
Barrel length, overall length and height. Weight in ounces.
Action:
Is it autoloading? Single shot?
Caliber(s):
Primary chambering as well as other variations.
Magazine:
Type of magazine and capacity.
Trigger:
Trigger type and weight if available.
Controls:
Where the safeties, action releases and other controls are on the weapon, with pictures if possible.
Loading: How to load the firearm and make ready to fire.
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Unloading:
How to unload and make safe.
Field Stripping:
How to take down the weapon for cleaning, with pictures if possible.
Design Quirks:
Unique aspects of this gun.
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Model: This model number of this year. Tell the gun's story.
Where to find:
Who uses it and where would you find it? How are replacement parts?
Complexity:
How hard is it to maintain and use this weapon effectively?
Size and weight:
Barrel length, overall length and height. Weight in ounces.
Action:
Is it autoloading? Single shot?
Caliber(s):
Primary chambering as well as other variations.
Magazine:
Type of magazine and capacity.
Trigger:
Trigger type and weight if available.
Controls:
Where the safeties, action releases and other controls are on the weapon, with pictures if possible.
Loading: How to load the firearm and make ready to fire.
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Unloading:
How to unload and make safe.
Field Stripping:
How to take down the weapon for cleaning, with pictures if possible.
Design Quirks:
Unique aspects of this gun.
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The Rules - What you should know before reading these pages and handling weapons.
Firearms - A basic guide to different types of firearms.
Accessories - The add-ons that may just give you an edge in that gunfight.
Ammunition - An overview of types of ammo and reloading.
Weapons reviews - A user-created database of reviews for various zombie-slaying implements.
Handguns, Rifles, Shotguns, Heavy Weaponry - A user-created guide to using and maintaining firearms you are likely to come across.
Model: Heckler Und Koch USP (Universal Self-loading Pistol)
Where to find:
Who uses it and where would you find it? How are replacement parts?
Complexity:
How hard is it to maintain and use this weapon effectively?
Size and weight:
Barrel length, overall length and height. Weight in ounces.
Action:
Is it autoloading? Single shot?
Caliber(s):
Primary chambering as well as other variations.
Magazine:
Type of magazine and capacity.
Trigger:
Trigger type and weight if available.
Controls:
Where the safeties, action releases and other controls are on the weapon, with pictures if possible.
Loading: How to load the firearm and make ready to fire.
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Unloading:
How to unload and make safe.
Field Stripping:
How to take down the weapon for cleaning, with pictures if possible.
Design Quirks:
Unique aspects of this gun.
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Revolvers
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Model: This model number of this year. Tell the gun's story.
Where to find:
Who uses it and where would you find it? How are replacement parts?
Complexity:
How hard is it to maintain and use this weapon effectively?
Size and weight:
Barrel length, overall length and height. Weight in ounces.
Action:
Is it autoloading? Single shot?
Caliber(s):
Primary chambering as well as other variations.
Magazine:
Type of magazine and capacity.
Trigger:
Trigger type and weight if available.
Controls:
Where the safeties, action releases and other controls are on the weapon, with pictures if possible.
Loading: How to load the firearm and make ready to fire.
Condition One, or "Locked and Cocked." Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer cocked and safety applied.
Condition Two. Chamber loaded, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Condition Three. Chamber empty, magazine full, hammer down, safety off.
Unloading:
How to unload and make safe.
Field Stripping:
How to take down the weapon for cleaning, with pictures if possible.
Design Quirks:
Unique aspects of this gun.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Rules - What you should know before reading these pages and handling weapons.
Firearms - A basic guide to different types of firearms.
Accessories - The add-ons that may just give you an edge in that gunfight.
Ammunition - An overview of types of ammo and reloading.
Weapons reviews - A user-created database of reviews for various zombie-slaying implements.
Handguns, Rifles, Shotguns, Heavy Weaponry - A user-created guide to using and maintaining firearms you are likely to come across.
