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Kahr T9 Review

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Kahr T9Most people think of Kahr pistols as being small, thin and compact. While being small in size is an accurate description for most of the company’s guns, the T9 is actually a full size pistol with a 4-inch barrel and metal frame.

Shooters will find that the Kahr T9 is a single stack 9mm pistol that retains the thin slide that Kahr in known for, but does so with a much larger overall package. Many people will appreciate the fact that the magazines hold eight rounds and the gun has full size sights.

Ergonomics and Recoil
As noted above, Kahr guns are very thin pistols. The T9 is not any different in that regard. This allows the shooter with even the smallest of hands to get a good grip on the pistol and properly address the trigger. The recoil that you will feel is minimal and easy to control.

Trigger and Accuracy
The T9 uses a double-action-only trigger that is as smooth as any found on a semi-auto pistol. The trigger pull is like that of a quality revolver, smooth and relatively light without any obvious stacking which most shooters will enjoy.

The accuracy on Kahr pistols is very good, even with the short barrel models. The T9 has excellent sights and a longer barrel and sight radius, which will help to ensure you hit your target every time. These things added together make this a solid performer.

Reloading and Disassembly
You will find that reloading is easy with a push-button style magazine release on this firearm. The disassembly is fairly common for metal-framed guns. You will partially retract the slide, and pull out the slide stop lever. You will then push the slide forward, and off of the slide rails. Because the recoil spring is not captive, you must be careful when removing the guide rod. It is under a lot of pressure, and it can fly across the room.

Reliability and Durability
Shooters will enjoy that Kahr pistols tend to be very reliable and are able to digest a wide range of ammunition. The metal-framed T9 pistol is very durable. There are questions associated with the long-term durability of the inexpensive polymer framed guns produced by Kahr, but those do not apply to this pistol.

Final Verdict
The Kahr T9 is a solid handgun with a size that is good for nearly anyone interested in using this firearm for concealed carry or serious range training. It is durable and features a very smooth trigger, which helps shooters get better groups on target. However, at more than $800, some shooters may hesitate when offered the option of a similar quality gun for hundreds less.

Ranked #6 of 10 in our Best Metal Handgun Comparison

IWI Jericho 941 Review

JerichoOriginally developed by Israel Weapon Industries, the Jericho 941 has been exported to the US market under the names of Baby Desert Eagle and Uzi Eagle. The current US importer is Magnum Research. This company brands the Jericho 941 as the Baby Desert Eagle II.

Magnum Research manufactures the larger Desert Eagle pistols, but there are no similarities between the two gun lines beyond the names. Like the Tanfoglio Witness, the Baby Desert Eagle is developed from the CZ 75 handgun.

The Jericho 941 pistols are currently being made in 9mm, .40 S&W and .45 ACP. Previously, the gun has been chambered for the .41 AE (Action Express). The .41 AE was designed to duplicate .41 Magnum law enforcement loads and was a predecessor to the 10mm and .40 S&W cartridges.

Ergonomics and Recoil
Shooters will find that the recoil in .40 S&W and .45 ACP is moderate, but very controllable. The recoil of 9mm cartridges is very light and easy to control when you are shooting rapidly. You will find that the ergonomics are good and similar to other CZ 75 clone pistols.

Trigger and Accuracy
The trigger pull on the Jericho is smooth but may seem slightly heavy for some shooters. Accuracy is very good with all kinds of ammo. As with any firearm, different ammo loads will make a significant difference in accuracy. But you will find that the Jericho seems to do very well with many different handgun loads.

Reloading and Disassembly
Like most semi-auto pistols, you reload the Jericho 941 by dropping the empty magazine using a push button on the left side of the gun. You then slide a loaded magazine into the empty mag well.

You will find that disassembly is very similar to many other metal-framed pistols. You pull back the slide just a bit. aligning two small dots on the frame and slide. Then you can push the slide stop out. Once you are done, the slide assembly can be removed from the frame.

Reliability and Durability
IWI is well known for building guns that stand up to all kinds of abuse in some exceptionally rugged environments. You will find that Jericho pistols are built to the same tough standards. The CZ 75 platform is considered very good, and the IWI implementation is an evolution forward from that original design.

Final Verdict
The Jericho 941 is a solid performer and reasonably priced. It is very accurate for a combat-type handgun and it will stand up to nearly any abuse a shooter is likely to dish out. For someone needing a full-size handgun, the 941 is an excellent handgun and worthy of consideration.


Ranked #4 of 10 in our Best Metal Handgun Comparison

Kahr T9 Review

Kahr T9

Most people think of Kahr pistols as being small, thin and compact. While being small in size is an accurate description for most of the company’s guns, the T9 is actually a full size pistol with a 4-inch barrel and metal frame.

Shooters will find that the Kahr T9 is a single stack 9mm pistol that retains the thin slide that Kahr in known for, but does so with a much larger overall package. Many people will appreciate the fact that the magazines hold eight rounds and the gun has full size sights.

Ergonomics and Recoil
As noted above, Kahr guns are very thin pistols. The T9 is not any different in that regard. This allows the shooter with even the smallest of hands to get a good grip on the pistol and properly address the trigger. The recoil that you will feel is minimal and easy to control.

Trigger and Accuracy
The T9 uses a double-action-only trigger that is as smooth as any found on a semi-auto pistol. The trigger pull is like that of a quality revolver, smooth and relatively light without any obvious stacking which most shooters will enjoy.

The accuracy on Kahr pistols is very good, even with the short barrel models. The T9 has excellent sights and a longer barrel and sight radius, which will help to ensure you hit your target every time. These things added together make this a solid performer.

Reloading and Disassembly
You will find that reloading is easy with a push-button style magazine release on this firearm. The disassembly is fairly common for metal-framed guns. You will partially retract the slide, and pull out the slide stop lever. You will then push the slide forward, and off of the slide rails. Because the recoil spring is not captive, you must be careful when removing the guide rod. It is under a lot of pressure, and it can fly across the room.

Reliability and Durability
Shooters will enjoy that Kahr pistols tend to be very reliable and are able to digest a wide range of ammunition. The metal-framed T9 pistol is very durable. There are questions associated with the long-term durability of the inexpensive polymer framed guns produced by Kahr, but those do not apply to this pistol.

Final Verdict
The Kahr T9 is a solid handgun with a size that is good for nearly anyone interested in using this firearm for concealed carry or serious range training. It is durable and features a very smooth trigger, which helps shooters get better groups on target. However, at more than $800, some shooters may hesitate when offered the option of a similar quality gun for hundreds less.

Ranked #6 of 10 in our Best Metal Handgun Comparison

Magnum Research Desert Eagle Review

DE44-LIf size is your only criterion for what makes a great handgun, the Desert Eagle pistols from Magnum Research will rank at the top. These guns are large and chambered in powerful cartridges. Current production pistols are chambered in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and the daddy of them all is the .50 AE. One out of production variation of the Desert Eagle was chambered in .41 Magnum.

Desert Eagle pistols come with either a 6-inch barrel or a 10-inch barrel. You can also get the 6-inch model with a muzzle brake. However, adding the muzzle brake makes the pistol weigh nearly five pounds, before loading with ammo.

Unlike most other pistols, the Desert Eagle is gas operated instead of recoil or blowback operated. The patented system uses elements that would appear familiar to shooters with knowledge of the AR-15 and Mini-14 platforms.

Ergonomics and Recoil
You will find that for its size, the ergonomics of the Desert Eagle are pretty nice. The gun is big and heavy, so it is well suited for those who have larger hands and good upper body strength. The recoil is surprisingly mild when compared to other handguns chambered for the same rounds. This is largely due to the mass of the gun and the gas operating system.

Trigger and Accuracy
Shooters will find the accuracy with the Desert Eagle is pretty good. You can also add scopes for precision shooting and hunting to the current production of Desert Eagle pistols. With the right load and a good scope, these guns are very accurate.

Reloading and Disassembly
Reloading is accomplished by pressing a release button, allowing the magazine to drop from the grip and then inserting a new magazine into the frame.

Disassembly is a little more complex than on other modern pistols, but not very difficult. After you ensure the gun is empty, you will push in on a pin located on the left side of the frame. Simultaneously, you push down on the barrel lock, which is located on the right side of the frame. You can then slide the barrel forward and up, out of the slide. Once you remove the barrel, you can remove the slide, piston and recoil spring assembly by pushing them forward and off of the frame.

Reliability and Durability
Generally, the Magnum Research Desert Eagle is considered reliable and durable. However, you may find that gas systems can be more finicky than recoil operated systems. You must use care when selecting the correct ammunition for these pistols. Most .50 AE ammo should work without problem in the Desert Eagle. The .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum cartridges are typically designed for use in revolvers, so you may need to experiment some in order to find the right load for the your personal needs.

Final Verdict
You will find that there are few guns that compare to the Desert Eagle in the terms of size or sheer fun. However, as a practical gun for self-defense, it does fall short. The overall worth of these guns is largely dependent on what you plan to use it for.  For hunting or sport, they will likely please, but with a large price tag.

Ranked #10 of 10 in our Best Metal Handgun Comparison

Smith & Wesson MP45 Review

Something about the company
A part of the American gun history, Smith & Wesson has been around since 1852. Their pistols and revolvers are part of standard equipment in police forces and armies around the world, as well as part of the popular culture, made famous by Hollywood in such movies as Dirty Harry. Today they produce rifles, sport guns as well as knives, but their mainstay still boasts a line of pistols, such as the M&P45 series we will be discussing today.

Ergonomics and Recoil
The design of the new MP model is still reminiscent of the Glock 17 which S&W have copied in the past (ending up in a lawsuit), however it is changed just enough to not cause any issues. The shape now has an ideal angle between the barrel and the thin, comfortable grip, allowing for a better balance. With 158 mm in height, 205 mm in length, 35 mm in width, the gun is a standard issue when it comes to combat weapons, neither small nor large. The frame is plastic, but it is not a polymer, but Zytel (DuPont), a different, harder material, which in the end results in a somewhat lessened recoil when compared to a steel option. However, this could be the result of a thicker grip, distributing pressure more.

Trigger and Accuracy
MP 45 has a trigger pull of 3,500 daN and the trigger travel of 8mm. It is striker fired, and in tests it managed to group shots in 48 to 92 mm at 25m distance, which would make for an excellent personal weapon, and reliable in combat as well. There is a Picatinny rail on the service version which can be used for laser sights and flashlights and the Novak sights are pretty awesome, with white spots in case of poor visibility.

Reloading and Disassembly
As far as the chamber is concerned it is a little tightly cut which might prove difficult for some types of ammunition to chamber correctly. Perhaps a maximum ammunition gauge would be a wise purchase to use with this gun. On the plus side, it is adapted for both the right-handed and the left-handed people, with the magazine release on both sides. The slide break is also available on both sides, melted into frame. Apart from adjusting the grip to your hand, the long steel axis with a sling swivel serves as a tool for the disassembly as well, which is not the best solution.

Reliability and Durability
Since it is using somewhat harder plastic it should be sturdier as well, however, despite the expectations of the designers, do not expect it to last above 12,000 bullets fired. The steal parts will serve you alright and look good with black melonite protection.

Final Verdict
There is definitely a place in the market for this gun, with the good looks and a brand name behind it. The plastic frame does not bode well for a long term use, but it will outlive the polymer versions out there and it does reduce recoil. If you pay attention to the type of ammo, you will reduce the occurence of bullets not chambering. The gun range results are pretty satisfying and the Novak sights are a nice addition, however the overly complicated disassembly drives the ranking further down.

Derek Finegan is the Editor at State of Guns and is a fan of firearms. But his favorite is the cold, cold blade. One might disagree with him, but it is tough to contradict a man with that big of a machete collection in the living room.

Sig Sauer SP2022 Review

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A Swiss company with factories and partnerships in Germany and the US, SIG has long held a solid reputation over the past few decades with their P-series pistols. Members of this series include the 220, 226, 229, et al. These guns are well liked from such high-level operators as the SEALs, British SAS and others around the world. The downside of the P-series is that they are heavy (even in the ‘slim’ P225 version) and are priced high for those who aren’t using a government purchase order. This is where the SP2022, SIG’s full sized polymer framed pistol, comes into play.

Ergonomics and Recoil

The same issues with the rest of the SIG P-series are still evident in the SP2022. It’s the same general width and length as the P229, and comes in at 29-ounces, which is pretty heavy for a polymer gun. The internals are much as the P-series as is the trigger, but the controls are slightly different. The slide lock is huge and feels like a lever from the AK-47. It’s always had replaceable backstraps, which leads you to wonder why it took Glock so long to figure it out.

With such a heavy pistol (only a few ounces less than a Colt 1911), the recoil was marginal and the gun comes back on target rapidly.

Trigger and Accuracy

The SA/DA trigger of the SP2022 has respectable 10-pounds of pull double action with a good bit of travel. Once fired, single action breaks at 4.4-pounds, which isn’t bad but still has a lot of travel. It works, but could be better, and is actually one of the worst in ourcomparison. However, there is still a four-point safety system on the pistol, which is nice for a gun that isn’t striker fired with a safe-action trigger. This thing is not going to go off by accident.

With a shorter sight radius and barrel than most of the comparison pistols, you would expect the SIG to throw rounds, but it doesn’t. It is designed as a military service weapon as is the standard sidearm of several NATO forces. You don’t get that if you can’t hit the target – and this gun can.

Reloading and Disassembly

The large 15-shot (in 9mm) steel mags have the look and feel of a P226 mag but with witness holes on the rear instead of the side. Loading and reloading are no problem. The gun inherited a lot from the P-series aspects but sadly does not have the same simple take down lever for disassembly. To field strip, you have an empty and safe pistol, then pop out that giant AK slide stop (which is probably why it’s so big!), and the gun comes apart for cleaning and maintenance. No tricks or problems with this gun.

Reliability and Durability

Early SP2022′s and the guns it was derived from had a few issues, but the design has matured over the years. Other than the Glock, it is the oldest design in the comparison with more than 15-years of solid use around the world. SIG has a lifetime warranty and a factory here in the United States, which is value added over many of the other guns in the comparison. SIG, like Glock, also has a huge factory-trained armorer program so odds are that most medium sized towns should have at least one SIG smith lurking around. This gun will most likely outlive its first two or three owners.

Final Verdict

The SP2022 is seen as something like the ‘budget P226′ or the ‘SIG for the masses.’ SIG themselves tried to replace it with the P250 a few years ago but was unable to and the SP2022 still reigns as the company’s polymer hope. It’s a little dated, but it works, and at $400-ish, you really can’t beat it on the price point. The only reason it finished at the 10th spot in a 10-pistol comparison is that someone had to, and the other nine were just incrementally better.

Ranked #10 of 10 in our Best Polymer Handgun Comparison

Walther PPQ Review

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The firm of Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen of Ulm, Germany has been in the firearm business since 1886. They started their first line of semi-automatic pistols in 1908 and by the 30s were making such legendary arms as the PP, P38, and PPK series pistols. In 1996, the company debuted its P99 full size polymer framed duty gun marketed to military and police sales. This gun went on to inspire a scaled down rimfire version with a cast slide imported into the US by S&W as the popular P22. Today, with lessons learned from all of these pistols, Walther’s premier polymer tech is embodied in the Police Pistol Quick-Defense, or PPQ.

Ergonomics and Recoil

This pistol is on the small end of the ‘full-size’ spectrum and is borderline compact. From a distance, it is easily confused with its slightly older cousin, the 22LR single stack P22 pistol. At 21-ounces unloaded, 7.1-inches long with a 4-inch barrel for the 9mm version; it is almost the same profile as the Glock 19. Still, the capability to carry a 15-round magazine, have a Picatinny rail, front and rear side serrations, and a full size grip with removable backstraps means this gun has full-sized features all day. The grip has a cross-directional texture that actually feels good and not the raspy wood file grip of the Gen 4 Glocks and other polymers in its class.

Muzzle flip, due to the high bore axis and the weight of the slide in respect to the frame, is a little stouter than you see in the XD and SR9, but about the same as in the Glock.

Trigger and Accuracy

Like the XD, SR9, and Glock before it, the Walther PPQ has a two-stage trigger with a short pre-set before the main trigger is engaged. DAO, the trigger pull is 5.5-pounds and only travels .40-inches before breaking. This is much tighter than the Glock. The striker fired action is unique in that it is precocked which allows an almost imperceptible 1/10th of an inch trigger reset after the first round is fired. If it wasn’t for the ‘click’, you feel once you’ve reached this reset, you’d miss it. Every combat DAO pistol should have this trigger.

Accurate all day, the PPQ hit everything we aimed at with it, which left a great taste in our mouth. The sights are fixed front, adjustable rear, and, while aren’t as elaborate as we’d expect in a German-made gun, are more than functional.

Reloading and Disassembly

The pistol has a horizontal magazine lever across the bottom of the trigger guard, like the P22, and not a release button, which takes some getting used to. Witness holes abound in the magazine, which is retained from the old P99. These mags, since there aren’t millions of PPQs floating around out there, are pretty pricey when you can find them. Italian made Magnum Research Baby Eagle magazines, which can usually be found slightly cheaper, also fit the PPQ but are known to cause malfunctions.

The gun breaks down a little trickier than most of the guns in the comparison. It’s a trigger puller during the field strip process, which is always a pucker factor in training. Once the two take down levers are pressed down, pull the trigger on an empty chamber and unloaded magazine, and ease the slide forward. From there everything is straightforward unless you go to remove the striker assembly. For this, we ding the PPQ a little in the scores.

Reliability and Durability

There have historically been issues with S&W made PPKs and Umarex-made P22s, but the PPQ seems to be an altogether different animal when it comes to reliability. We didn’t find any issues in its firing. It’s a Walther. Heck, James Bond even used it in Skyfall.
Durability, since it’s an import, may be a problem in the long run for repair/replacement work. Also, it’s one of the newest pistols in the comparison, at just a few years old so that may be a controversial subject as the gun could essentially be in a beta-test mode.

Final Verdict

The PPQ is terribly under marketed. Most shooters don’t even know it exists in this country. Walther prefers to market their firearms to military and police users, so the fact that their civilian sales in the US aren’t very high isn’t really very surprising. Smith and Wesson is their US-based licensed distributor and most PPKs and P22s that are in circulation here at one time or another passed through Smith’s hands, which means a weird competition between the PPQ and the M&P. Walther knows what they are doing with the PPQ, and the only reason that it ranks lower on this list is the availability of both the guns and their magazines, or lack thereof.

Ranked #9 of 10 in our Best Polymer Handgun Comparison

FN Herstal FNX Review

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The 124-year old firm of FabriqueNationaled’Herstal (FNH) has long been an innovator. It is the company that gave us the M1900, one of the first reliable pocket pistols, and the Browning Hi-Power, which was arguably the best combat pistol for the middle third of the 20th century. In terms of polymer arms, the Five SeveN as well as the FNP series have been around for quite some time. Today, their primary entry into the market of full sized polymer pistols is the FNX.

Ergonomics and Recoil

Marketed by FNH USA and manufactured at their South Carolina plant, the FNX hit the market in 2009. The first thing you notice about the pistol is its huge trigger guard. Looking rather like the winter guard on the old school Japanese Nambu pistol, the FNX is designed with users of heavy combat gloves in mind. Fully ambidextrous it offers both a functional magazine release and a safety/decock on both sides of the frame. Short and rather thick because of this, it resembles the Beretta PX4 in overall appearance. Like the PX4, it has a blocky Lego-style grip with four interchangeable rear backstrap pieces to adjust the thickness and fit. With most tactical training today not using a slide release (preferring to just use it as a slide stop), the fact that this lever on the FNX is rather tiny is a bonus rather than a hindrance.

The gun’s recoil was mild and controllable and returned to target rapidly. The gun is designed with a low-bore axis, which means you’ll feel less recoil when shooting.

Trigger and Accuracy

With its single-action/double-action safety decock design; the pistol gives a rather typical heavy double action pull followed by a gentle single. When firing single action the FNX has a little more creep and travel experienced by other such guns in the same class. For those used to hooking the index finger of the offhand on the end of the trigger guard for support, the large rounded guard on the test pistol proved an uncomfortable change. The skeletonized hammer gives the FNX a nice combat appearance and tactile feel while not snagging on clothes and gear.

Accuracy was above average with nice no-frills 3-dot sights. However, the front post did seem slightly thin and the sights cannot be adjusted but work well for what they are.

Reloading and Disassembly

The magazines are a steel body with low-friction follower and a plastic floor plate. They have individual witness holes for each round, which is helpful. The pistol indexes well for both tactical and administrative reloads. Like many of these new double stack magazines, fully loading the 17-rounds in a 9mm version takes determination. The FNX-45 version carries an impressive 14-round magazine that fits flush

Disassembly is the same as the SIG P-series and Beretta 51/92 series, which incorporates a takedown lever that pivots downward 90-degrees to release the slide from the frame. This keeps the pistol in line with generations of military trained users who are familiar with this type of field strip. It’s fast, easy to master and hard to confuse.

Reliability and Durability

The FNH symbol has been synomonous with qualitysince the company began. The test gun suffered no malfunctions other than the occasional user error. In short, its designed for a military/LE market and you can feel it from the moment you pick it up.
Like Ruger, FNH is hard to nail down on the exact terms of their warranty limits, but it appears that they support their products, even when they don’t have to.

Final Verdict

The FNX pistol is well made with a lot of great features. It’s these ambi features that make the gun a standout for those who need to shoot left-handed only direct from the box, but trade off in making the design rather thick across the frame. FN has reached for the stars with this one and come up with a very nice service sidearm that would benefit those who carry these firearms for a living. For self-defense or CCW work, however, it falls slightly behind the pack.

Ranked #8 of 10 in our Best Polymer Handgun Comparison

Ruger SR Review

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The firm of Sturm, Ruger has been in the polymer framed pistol game for a generation. Their P95 series of pistol, which took their legacy P89 and gave it a pair of Dow Chemical Isoplast pants, has been relatively popular at the $399 MSRP range for nearly twenty years. Even before this, a polymer lower version of the Ruger MkII, dubbed the 22/45, was introduced and is still in production. With all of this, you can see the lineage of Ruger’s newest polymer framed pistol, the SR9.

Ergonomics and Recoil

The SR9, introduced in 2007, seems to be something of an evolutionary polymer pistol buffet of choices. Like almost every gun in its class, it has the standard double stack 9mm magazine, an often unused under barrel accessory rail, and a steel slide over polymer frame with steel inserts. From the Glock/XD, you see the DAO two-stage safety trigger and striker fired internals. From the CZ you see the slim grip and overall profile. Like the PX4, you see a rounded trigger guard and modular component groups. From the previous P95 series, you see truly ambidextrous mag and slide releases. A tactile loaded chamber indicator is atop the slide.

The SR9 points well and rather resemble the Lone Wolf lowers sold for custom builds on Glock uppers. Instead of the popular feature of replaceable palm swells found on other modern polymer guns, the Ruger uses a novel reversible phenolic backstrap. Recoil is a non-issue and the gun, like the CZ Phantom, is initially only offered in 9mm. A field test of the SR40 and SR45, larger caliber pistols built on the same frame with the same design, was not possible.

Trigger and Accuracy

When first introduced (up to serial number 30,000), the SR9 had a thin trigger that resembled the one on the P95. After 2008, a redesign came about due to safety reasons and guns that left the line after that have a trigger similar to that on the Glock and XD. It takes up a little long but breaks clean.

The sights that come standard on the pistol are some of the best offered in their class. They are fully adjustable 3-dot type with click-screw adjustments on the rear for elevation. Of the guns tested, the Ruger had superior standard sights. The only bad thing to say about the lightswas the fact they were not augmented for low light use.

Reloading and Disassembly

Ruger ships these guns currently with two nicely made 17-round mags. Unlike some other pistols, they seem easy to load fully right out of the box. The end user, without gunsmithing if desired, can remove the standard magazine safety.

The pistol fieldstrips with a removable takedown pin found on the left hand side of the center slide. For those who have used a Ruger LCP 380, you will find it most familiar. Once the firearm is cleared and safely unloaded, the pin can be pulled out and slide removed with ease. Reassembly is just as simply accomplished.

Reliability and Durability

In testing on the range, the Ruger polymer pistol held up well and was a joy to shoot. Functioning was flawless with all types of ammunition used, including both heavy and light grain FMJs and JHPs. It is in range time that you see the logic behind the SR9s borrowing of features that have worked on other pistols over the decades. It eats up 9mm Parabellum brass, spits it out, and leaves nice tight groups in the paper.

Internally the SR9 uses a tried and true cam-block recoil-operated tilt-lock method of action that leads to few issues in the short term. Long term the SR9 has something of an asterisk by it as it is only six years old and already has had one very large recall to address safety issues. Some users report slide/barrel peening after just a few hundred rounds. Ruger does not officially warranty their firearms, but they do have a reputation for correcting defective guns promptly.

Final Verdict

The SR9 is a more fully evolved pistol than either the Glock or XD when they were introduced. It is a nice and slim piece that has a good natural balance that in turn leads to excellent point shooting. Pricewise, it is lower than most of its competition, even if just a little. The newness of its design is the only warning issued and hopefully it will have a long life once the bugs are worked out.

Ranked #7 of 10 in our Best Polymer Handgun Comparison

Beretta PX4 Storm Review

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Born less than a decade ago from a lineage that includes the Beretta 8000 and the NATO military-standard 92F pistols, the PX4 is the latest and greatest design by the ancient firm of Fabbrica D’ ArmiPietro Beretta. Using short recoil, locked-breech action, it has an innovative rotating barrel lock first used on the Beretta Cougar to close up the chamber. The company’s first polymer framed pistol, the nearly forgotten Model 9000 debuted just a few years before the PX4, so you could say that the Storm is Beretta’s first successful polymer.

Ergonomics and Recoil

Beretta has been known to make beautiful and very sleek guns in the past, such as the Cheetah and the classic Marengoni-designed M1951. However, it would seem that the company has abandoned this practice with the Storm. It’s a rather short and chunky design when compared to the other pistols in its class, having one of the shortest barrels of a full-sized pistol while simultaneously chalking up one of the widest frames due to the oversized ambi levers. Gone are the smooth lines of yesteryear, replaced with styling very similar to a Chicago red brick. Even the so-ugly-its-pretty Glock has a svelter feel.

Despite the design flaws, the gun handles and shoots rather well. The fact that it is offered in DA/SA with a slide mounted ambidextrous safety/decock and in a double action only model (DAO) with a bobbed hammer is a selling point for lefties as is the switchable magazine release. A series of changeable palm swells lets you adjust the grip with the aid of a screwdriver and a little patience.

Trigger and Accuracy

Unlike most of the guns in this comparison, the PX4 is not striker fired and instead uses an exposed and quite traditional hammer that cocks after the first round. For those with military experience with the M9/92 pistol, the trigger will be very familiar. In double action it breaks at about 9-pounds with an average travel and at single-action is closer to a 4-pound trigger, which is downright enjoyable. The rotating barrel, almost unique to this pistol, contributes to less felt recoil.

Accuracy is better than you would expect for a 4-inch barrel and the resulting short sight radius. The Super-LumiNova sights are rechargeable alternatives to more expensive night sights.

Reloading and Disassembly

The magazines, like that of a new Glock, are hard as a coffin nail to load fully without the aid of a loader and very strong thumbs. This will bring a smile to those same former Joes and Devils who are used to weak and unreliable springs in worn out military M9s but are attracted to the trigger of the Storm. The magazine well is cavernous and takes well to indexing the feed lips by feel in field conditions.
Field stripping the PX4 is rather similar to that of the Glock, using two small pegs, one on each side of the frame, as a takedown lever. When reassembling you will notice the exceptionally tight tolerances under which the gun was designed – This is where your accuracy comes from.

Reliability and Durability

The Storm uses a matte Bruniton finish over parkarization. Bruniton is an epoxy type coating similar to Duracoat that can wear over time and scratch away in field conditions. While our test gun functioned fine, you have to feel that long-term hard service will give the end user a two-tone pistol. However, for those who plan to use their PX4 for civilian carry/home defense or the occasional range trip, this should not matter. The modular design of the trigger and hammer group lends to rapid exchange as long as replacement parts are available. A chrome-lined barrel that uses a deeply recessed combat muzzle crown will likely outlive the user.

Beretta has been around for five centuries and probably isn’t going anywhere, which means their warranty is like money in the bank.

Final Verdict

Beretta has taken several legacy designs and merged them together to form this polymer-framed pistol. Its rotating barrel locking system and combat quality barrel arrive at the party ready to dance. However, the rather stubby overall feel of the pistol counterbalances this. When the two factors are weighed and measured out, it places the Beretta PX4 in the average category.

Ranked #6 of 10 in our Best Polymer Handgun Comparison