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The SW1911 operates with two functional variations on traditional 1911 design. The first variation is an externally mounted extractor. John Browning himself saw the extractor as the one weak point in the 1911 system and developed the external design to enhance reliability and maintenance.

Here are new videos added to GunReports.com this week: Jerry Miculek shoots a 24-carat gold 1911 pistol (2011) in a V-drill; Kyle Lamb discusses rifle to pistol transitions, cleaning your AR-15 with Cheaper Than Dirt!

A common thread among old-time shooters is the deadly effect of the 22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire cartridge. Long recommended as a woman’s cartridge, the WMR...

We tested two 40 S&W handguns in the May 2013 issue. Here's an excerpt of that report, "Two Midsize 40 S&W Pistols: Taurus and Glock Square Off,".

Here are new videos added to GunReports.com this week: Birchwood Casey's new splattering Pregame Targets offer shooters three new games for shooting alone or for some friendly competition with other shooters; Jerry Miculek puts a 19 rounds on target in under 3 seconds with an FAL; Brownells shows how to properly clean a Beretta 92.

The .380 cartridge has been around since early in the last century. It was another of John Browning’s designs, and has been known as the 9mm Kurz, 9x17, 9mm Browning Short, and .380 ACP. We also know it as the .380 Automatic, or simply the .380 Auto. It’s been chambered in a host of small autoloading pistols, some of them quite famous, such as Walther’s PPK.

The .380 is not a cartridge many of us would pick for all-around use. It’s hardly a plinking cartridge, because of the relatively high cost of ammunition, and because the pistols that chamber it are generally not all that accurate. Reloaders don’t exactly flock to the diminutive cartridge, for a variety of reasons. Ammunition manufacturers have produced some excellent fodder in recent years for the tiny guns, but none of it can make a mountain-size “stopper” out of the molehill .380 Auto.

As a follow-up to the May 2013 test of two AK-47 rifles, the Gun Tests Houston test unit obtained a Century International Arms N-PAP M70 7.62x39mm, $750; and a K-VAR VEPR AK-47 imported by Arsenal.

Gun Tests magazine tested two AK-47 rifles in the May 2013 issue. The WASR-10 imported by Century International Arms and the 556 Russian (556R) made by Sig Sauer. Heres an excerpt of that report, used with permission:

A study commissioned by the National Shooting Sports Foundation shows that first-time gun buyers are active in one or more shooting activities and that women are motivated to purchase their first firearm predominately for personal defense.

Here are new videos added to GunReports.com this week: Two bullets too many; Jerry Miculek takes a close look at the Tavor bullpup rifle; and a Brownells' gunsmith goes through, step-by-step, how to properly disassemble a Beretta 92.

This Gun Test-evaluated pistol is chambered for shooter-friendly 9mm ammunition. It offers single-action fire and a thumb-operated safety to simplify operation. Matching short slides to the proper-strength recoil spring can be challenging. The tested Springfield Armory EMP (Enhanced Micro Pistol), $1253, sprang from the Browning 1911 design.Matching short slides to the proper-strength recoil spring can be challenging. All four of our test guns utilized a two-spring plunger-style guide-rod system that seems to be the answer to providing the proper balance of compression and rebound. Despite this operational similarity all four pistols offered their own unique features. Our test pistol, the Springfield Armory EMP (Enhanced Micro Pistol), $1253, sprang from the Browning 1911 design.

We tested two 380 ACP handguns in the April 2013 issue. Here's an excerpt of that report.

If you have a handgun for what some consider to be a sub-caliber round, it might be comforting to have lots of shots on hand, because you just might need them. Taking our tongues out of our cheeks now, the 380 can be an effective self-defense handgun cartridge, particularly with today's hotter JHP loads — if you can find any. There are zillions of good used 380s out there, though in today's market you might have the devil of a time finding one. We managed to acquire two, both slightly used, just like what you might have to consider in today's super-tight gun market. Our test pistols were a Beretta Model 84 ($600-$650) and a CZ Model 83 ($550 on up).