Three More Small Nines: Ruger, Kel-Tec, And Sig Sauer Complete
The idea of a backup pistol is an old one, going back to the days of flintlocks. Modern shooters want something more useful than a single- or double-shot pocket flintlock, and there are lots of modern pocket pistols available, particularly in semiautomatic persuasion. We've been looking at small 9mm pistols over the past year or so, and this month we've added a few more to the list. These three are the new Sig Sauer P290RS ($758), Ruger's LC9 ($443), and the Kel-Tec P-11 ($377). Some time back (April 2011) we wrung out a Ruger LC9 against the Kel-Tec PF-9 (which Ruger apparently copied), and the Kel-Tec won. We wondered if the ten-shot Kel-Tec P-11 would do as well as the slimmer PF-9.
These three test guns were all DAO, which means you can't cock them to get a light trigger pull. You simply have to heave on the trigger until the gun fires. This does nothing for helping you put your shots where you want ‘em, so that tends to make these guns best suited for close-range work. In short, we had our work cut out for us during our 15-yard accuracy testing.
All three guns locked their slides back after the last round. The Sig and Kel-Tec could drop their hammers a second time if the first strike failed to fire the round. Ruger's design required working the slide to eject the unfired round and load a new one, which tactically might be the better solution. If you have a bad round, get rid of it instead of beating a dead horse. We tested with Black Hills' 147-grain JHP, Cor-Bon's 110-grain Pow-R-Ball, and with the Ultramax 115-grain RN lead-bullet loads. In addition we tried several unreported types of ammo. Here's what we found.
Working the 1873 Springfield Trap-Door Single-Shot Rifle
If the internal parts of the 1873 Springfield breechloader look the same as those of the 1861 muzzleloader, that's because most of them are.
Taurus Thunderbolt C45BR .45 LC
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Browning Cynergy Sporting 12 Ga. No. 013231427
Pedersoli Officer’s Model 1873 Trapdoor .45-70
Fulton Armory M1 Carbine .30 Carbine
Ruger SR556 5.56 NATO/223 Rem.
Mossberg SA-20 No. 75771 3-Inch 20 Gauge
Marlin 980S 22 LR
LSI/Hatsan Escort PS-20 HAT00115 3-inch 20 Gauge
One of the ongoing arguments between wingshooters is the 12 vs. 20 discussion. The short version of that issue can be summed up in two questions: Can I get away with the smaller gauge for the shooting I do?, or, Do I need the deeper and wider shotshell selection that the 12 gauge offers? One of the major reasons hunters choose a 20 over a 12 is the former's smaller frame, weight, and recoil. Though they may already own a 12, many field sportsmen wind up reaching for their 20s because the smaller gun is easier to handle, and there are just a few situations—layback goose hunting and spring turkey hunting, to name two—in which the bigger 12-gauge payload might make a difference.