Semi-Auto Pistols

	STI Sentinel Premier STI’s Sentinel Premier has everything shooters have come to expect from the company’s superior 1911s. It is suitable for both competition and self-defense, and accurate enough to satisfy the most discerning pistol shooter.
	Olympic Arms Enforcer The Olympic Arms Enforcer is not your typical 1911. Loaded with semi-custom features, it has all the elements required in a fine defensive handgun.
	Pocket Pistols Eight semi-automatic pistols are scattered about my desktop as I begin this article. They represent a trend that developed very quickly in our fad-driven society, and only time will tell how popular they will be as the years roll on.
	Doublestar 1911 You can never have too many guns—especially 1911s. You might dismiss it as just my opinion. Regardless, judging by the number of manufacturers currently producing facsimiles of John Browning’s masterpiece, it’s safe to say quite a few people are of like mind.
	Springfield XD45 A close look at the new XD45 pistol reveals a frame-mounted manual safety with a location and configuration that should be quite familiar to many handgun enthusiasts. Located at the rear of the frame and requiring a downward sweep to disengage, the XD45’s ambidextrous safety is in fact configured much like the venerable 1911.
	Sig Sauer P250 Compact At the heart of the P250’s modular capabilities is its fire-control assembly, or frame. The versatility is made possible by the fact that, unlike most polymer semi-autos, the 250’s hammer, sear and trigger, are contained in a single unit.
	Kimber Custom Crimson Carry II It may have been years since Frankenstein scared black-and-white moviegoers out of their seats, but the storyline that paralyzed entire Saturday-matinee crowds has become something of a recurring nightmare for 1911 fans.
	Colt New Agent The Colt New Agent is likely stirring debate between two giants of pistolcraft as they look down upon it.
	Colt Woodsman Its manufacturing life spanned 62 years, not bad considering the modern “three-years-and-let’s-repackage-it-as-a-new-model” whizbangs. Originally, it was intended as a target-shooting pistol or, perhaps, something to take the occasional, rabbit, grouse or squirrel. The Colt Woodsman succumbed—as many of our now-viewed-as-classic guns—to a lack of sales versus the costs required to manufacture it.
	Beretta PX4 The .45 ACP is just about as traditional a handgun chambering as you can find in a contemporary handgun. Dating back to the early part of the 20th century, this classic cartridge is inexorably tied to the seminal John Moses Browning 1911 design for which the cartridge was developed.
	Kimber Ultra Covert II Without a doubt, the best shooters I know carry 1911-style pistols. For many serious operators, the 1911 is nearly a religion, with John Moses Browning and Col. Jeff Cooper as its patron saints. The fascination with 1911 pistols is easy to understand—this venerable design has proven itself over and over again.
	Law Enforcement Trade-in Pistols Although tricked-out 1911s and the like can certainly be impressive, a semi-automatic pistol with a simple system of operation such, as double-action-only or one with a safety/decocker, certainly has its strengths. In addition, these pistols will be chambered for fully capable and vetted rounds.
	Stoegar Cougar 8000 If you’re looking for a new compact semi-auto and have less than $450 in your wallet, the stark truth is you’re not going to find many options. While there are a host of pistols that can be described as good values, such assessment is relative, and purchasing one still requires many of us to tighten our budgets.
	Ruger Mark lll Hunter The Mark III Hunter is the latest version of the Ruger Standard Model pistol introduced in 1949.This rugged, reliable and accurate semi-auto launched a firearms dynasty with more than 3 million copies of this basic design sold and set the foundation for Ruger to become one of the world’s largest manufacturers of firearms.
	Springfield Champion When it comes to handguns, Colt’s Commander defines the universal definition of the sleek, strong, middleweight fighter. Arguably the largest 1911 variant that can be carried and concealed by the average person effectively and comfortably, the abbreviated barrel makes the Commander nimble.
	SIG Sauer Mosquito The Mosquito is a medium-size, double-action, semi-automatic pistol 90 percent the size of the Sig Sauer P226, one of the company’s most popular handguns. The package begins with a fixed, 1:16 RH-twist, 3.98-inch blued steel barrel.
	Walther PPS The PPS’ size is similar to a Glock 26 and a Springfield XD Subcompact, but it is noticeably slimmer than both. Magazine capacity is the difference. The Springfield and Glock utilize a double-stack magazine. The PPS uses a single-stack magazine.
	Para-Ordnance PXT 1911 SSP Para-Ordnance’s single-stack PXT 1911 SSP and high-capacity PXT P14·45 are feature-packed M1911s that can save you—and the Second Amendment.
	Kel-Tec PF-9 Pistol Kel-Tec has developed a reputation for innovative and affordable firearm designs. Its new PF-9, a polymer-and-steel pistol chambered in 9 mm, is designed to fill a niche in Kel-Tec’s line between its P-3AT (a single-stack, 8.3-ounce .380 ACP) and its P-11 (a double-stack, 14-ounce 9 mm), and it is a hybrid of the two designs.
	Para-Ordnance PXT 1911 SSP Gun Rights The majority of 1911 devotees have the “If it isn’t broken, then don’t fix it” mentality. For them, the field-proven, single-action 1911 is unquestionably the best self-defense handgun, and anything more than a few minor upgrades is simply unacceptable. This group will take stock in the Para-Ordnance 1911 SSP Gun Rights.
	Sig Sauer Revolution C3 Since Sig Sauer (formerly SIGARMs) jumped into the M1911 business, its line has expanded considerably. The company started with American produced M1911s with single-stack magazines and 5-inch slides. In both stainless and carbon steel, those Granite Series Rail (GSR) pistols were—and are—high-quality handguns at very competitive prices.
	Sig P220 Combat TB The SIG Sauer P220 Combat TB is a striking handgun. Its two-tone look is not the result of combining a stainless slide with a polymer frame like so many modern semi-autos, but rather an anodized barrel, action and slide mated with a Flat Dark Earth alloy frame and stock (Flat Dark Earth is the military name for the unmistakably tactical, greenish-brown color also found in infected sinuses).
	Springfield XD(M)- 9 The XD(M)-9 has a 19-round magazine, so if you carry a full mag with one cartridge in the chamber, this handgun holds a complete box of ammunition. This unprecedented capacity in a flush-fitting magazine has implications that go beyond just simplifying shopping for mathematically impaired shooters. Those extra rounds may come in handy in a life-threatening situation.
	Walther SP22 M1 For a young shooter interested in shooting competitively, the Walther SP22 M1 is a great entry handgun. It has the kind of looks that make it stand out at the firing line, the Walther reputation for accuracy and reliability, and it performs very well.
	EAA Witness The Witness series of pistols from European American Armory (EAA) has always been unique. While the core design of the pistol could be viewed as relatively traditional by today’s standards, the Witness—which is manufactured in Italy by Tanfoglio and inspired by the Czech CZ 75— is home to numerous innovations and adaptations.
	Kimber Stainless Target ll As the years pass, most proven firearm designs are subjected to countless revisions. Some of these enhance the usefulness and reliability of the original design, while others add a purely cosmetic touch. But when both are combined, the firearm exhibits exceptional qualities. Kimber’s Stainless Target II is one such handgun.