A 16-shot capacity meets vintage class in Springfield’s newest SA-35 4-inch model, which brings compact carry wrapped in polished carbon steel and checkered walnut.
We were among the first to cover the reintroduction of the classic (and then-recently retired) Browning Hi-Power by an American gunmaker when Springfield introduced the SA-35 in 2021.
Since then, the SA-35 line has grown and evolved while retaining the improvements to Mr. Browning’s original design, with a chopped-down 4-inch compact model performing nicely in a review we published in April.
With its more Detective-length, the “Dick” SA-35 4-inch is very slim and actually makes a good carry gun
Now, the company has added a 4-incher with an eye-catching polished blued finish on its carbon steel frame and slide. We’ve been passing it around the office for the past few weeks to get a sneak peek.
Drink it in, folks.
This new SA-35 features a polished blued finish on its carbon steel frame and slide, giving the durable forged components a deep, lustrous appearance. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Complementing the polished steel are attractive walnut grip panels with natural grain and finely cut checkering for confident purchase.
As with all SA-35 pistols, its 4-inch barrel features improved feed ramp design for reliable function with modern defensive ammunition and is forged for durability and strength. It ships with a branded zipper case.
Made in the U.S.A., the SA-35 features rugged forged steel parts for strength and durability, improved ergonomics and enhanced controls, a factory-tuned trigger, modernized Tactical Rack rear and white-dot front sights, an improved feed ramp design, and an increased 15-round capacity in the flush-fit magazine.
The polished 4-inch SA-35 compared to the standard matte-finished model.
The SA-35, especially in this new polished version, salutes the appeal of the “wood and steel” era of arms making.
And yes, it shoots. This is two magazines running the BHP classic Mozambique failure drill at 10 yards. In all, we put just over 300 rounds through the pistol right out of the box without fail.
Don’t sleep on this one as a carry gun if needed. With its twin 15-round flush-fit steel Mec-Gar magazines, superior accuracy, excellent single-action trigger, and wide holster availability (see Commander-sized 1911 fits), it makes a lot of sense.
And if nothing else, it can be something of an “instant” heirloom.
Like you need an excuse for some extra steel…
The MSRP of the new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch polished (Model HP9205) is $799, the same as the matte-finished variants.
While the original circa 2004 Benelli M2 was a linear development of the M1/Super 90 line of semi-automatic shotguns, which were first introduced in 1986, the line has always used the Inertia style recoil-operation system as its heart.
There have been few complaints about the classic Benelli M2 Tactical that we have heard. I had one from about 2005 through 2016 and ran case after case through it without notable issues. I put it through several courses and loaned it out to others going to schools, all with good feedback.
Ol’ Papa Eger’s Benelli M2 of yesteryear with an aftermarket mag tube, at rest on a Navajo saddle pad sometime around 2015. No M-LOK. No optics. No lights. No Pic rails. Super rubbery furniture. Man, we used to be wild, didn’t we?
While a classic that delivers a clean, reliable, and adjustment-free system, Inertia takes a back seat to gas-operated piston systems such as the Benelli M4’s ARGO (Auto-Regulating Gas-Operated) system.
Gas guns provide a softer “push” for the user by significantly reducing felt recoil, while also reliably cycling a much wider variety of loads. Plus, gas guns hold up better to high-volume shooting such as in extended military and duty use.
So why not take an M2, give it a gas system upgrade very similar to what is seen on the vaunted “bombproof” M4, and add other upgrades? All purposely engineered to run cleaner, require less maintenance, and stay ready when it matters most.
Don’t get me wrong, it looks kind of cool, almost like an “advisor gun” of the type that the original SF A-Teams (the “Gypsies of the Battlefield”) liked in the early days of the CIDG program in Vietnam, but I have to wonder if the juice is worth the squeeze and they got the dwell time worked out to where it works better than the old Universal Enforcer.
I give you, Auto-Ordnance’s factory SBR M-1 Carbine:
According to AO’s press release (emphasis mine):
Designed for optimal maneuverability and modern application, the M1 Carbine SBR boasts an overall length of just 30 inches, featuring a 12-inch barrel equipped with a standard 1/2-28 threaded muzzle for easy suppressor or compensator attachment.
To further bridge the gap between historic utility and current shooting requirements, the firearm includes integrated M-Lok slots along the bottom of the forearm, allowing for the seamless attachment of modern accessories.
Finished in a durable, non-reflective matte black, the SBR ships with either a 15-round (AOM230) or 10-round magazine (AOM240).
The new SBR M1 Carbine takes an already handy rifle and makes it even more useful in tight spaces. On top of that, the threaded barrel lets the shooter go quiet when silence is the best option.
This modernized platform is available now at an MSRP of $1,870 for both 10- and 15-round models.
Still, tax stamps (for now) on SBRs are zeroed out, and my last Form 4 went through in three days…so forgive me if something happens.
Glock debuted the new Generation 6 models late last year, and we’ve evaluated the popular G45 variant over the past few months– with some interesting takeaways.
Any conversation about the Glock 45 that is longer than a fortune cookie scroll needs to start with the G19X.
Debuted in January 2018, the Gen 5 (ish) G19X was originally developed as Glock’s submission for the U.S. Army’s Modular Handgun System trials before being adapted for commercial sale. The company’s first “crossover” design (hence the “X”) blended a full-size G17 grip with a compact G19 slide assembly and a hybrid frame with a G19-length dustcover to accommodate it.
Just nine short months after the debut of the G19X, Glock delivered the Gen 5 G45 to market, which was basically a black G19X with some very minor tweaks.
Announced at the International Association of Chiefs of Police Conference, the G45 was billed as the perfect duty gun, blending all the best attributes of the G19 and G17 while adding Gen 5 features to boot —front slide serrations, ambi controls, a modular backstrap system, and the Glock Marksman Barrel. It soon became a smash hit in Glock’s catalog, especially after optics-ready MOS models were introduced in 2019.
Then Glock ended its Gen 5s in place of the transitional Gen V last November, then announced the new (and MOS-less) Gen 6 guns just a confusing month later.
We’ll get into it more below, but in a nutshell, the Gen 6 brings a different slide, internals, and trigger system but keeps everything dimensionally the same (so legacy holsters still work) while delivering a much better optics mounting system than MOS while retaining the same manual of arms and being reverse compatible with existing 17+ capacity double stack 9mm mags.
The new Glock Gen 6 G45. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
As with other G45s, it is a hybrid design with a compact slide assembly and full-sized frame.
Full 1,800-word review over in my column at Guns.com
Introduced in 1955, the original Bodyguard snub was a shrouded-hammer, alloy-framed Airweight .38 revolver that later became the Model 38, while its steel-framed counterpart was the Model 49.
The original Smith & Wesson Model 49 Bodyguard J-frame. Using a shrouded hammer with an accessible spur, it was DA/SA
Then, in 2014, the M&P Bodyguard .38 hit the scene with some significant changes, including a different internal lock work, an ambidextrous cylinder release, and a frame made lighter via the magic of polymer. Further, while the previous Bodyguard models were double-action/single-action with a humpback frame and shrouded hammer whose top spur could still be manually cocked, the new revolver was DAO with no access to the hammer.
In short, it was Smith’s answer to the Ruger LCR, which had entered the market as a DAO snub in 2009.
By 2026, the new Bodyguard 2.0 retains the core appeal of the original while adding several modern features, all in a 14.2-ounce package that carries five rounds of .38 SPL +P. You still have the ambi cylinder release and a lightweight uni-body design that comes from a mix of alloys and polymers, but you have several improvements from the circa 2014 design that we’ll cover below.
For now, let us meet the new Bodyguard 2.0 .38:
With a 1.875-inch stainless-steel barrel and a one-piece aluminum alloy upper frame ending in a polymer boot-style grip, the new Bodyguard 2.0 keeps the weight down to under a pound. Plus, it does not have an internal safety lock. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
An ambidextrous, center-mounted cylinder release allows for straightforward operation with either hand, supporting intuitive use for both right and left-handed shooters.
The MSRP on the new S&W Bodyguard 2.0 is $449, while a Crimson Trace laser-equipped model runs $549, prices that are typically lower at retail.
Quick summary: An evolution of a design that has been chugging along for three quarters of a century, the newest Bodyguard model has better sights, trigger, and ergonomics than its predecessors while keeping just about everything that made it popular in the first place.
Meanwhile, Last Resort Tactical’s R.A.C. (Rapid Access Carrier) mimics the size of a medium-sized bifold wallet and keeps the speed loader (s) indexed for quick, consistent draws. Better than having a speed loader floating around in your pocket.
Beretta and Ernest Langdon have teamed up on what could be the penultimate Model 92 series defensive pistol.
The new 92G Elite Combat LTT is just stacked with competition-grade features. Standard is an Elite LTT slide and frame, LTT G10 grips, and a chrome trigger with an ambidextrous G-series slide-mounted decocking lever. Then comes the Toni System improvements in the form of a single-port compensator and flared magwell, along with a trio of Toni System +4 magazine extensions to give the user three 22-round magazines out of the box.
But as the man says, “wait, there’s more.”
Additional features include a black threaded barrel, a fiber-optic front sight, an extended disassembly lever, and DLC-coated hammer and sear. Lots of attention is put to updated ergos, with enhanced frame beveling and front strap checkering, some very aggressive front slide serrations, an extended mag release, and an accessory rail.
Roll those images.
The overall length of the new Beretta 92G Elite Combat LTT is 9 inches with the Toni comp installed on the 5.1-inch barrel, giving it a sight radius of 6.1 inches.
Weight is 36.2 ounces, unloaded.
Grip width is 1.3 inches, while overall height is 6.45 inches.
The compensator and flared magwell work together with Toni System +4 magazine extensions to enhance recoil control and increase reload speed.
The Toni System comp is removable, leaving an extended threaded barrel that is suppressor-ready
The new Beretta 92G Elite Combat LTT ships in a clamshell plastic box with three magazines, each with TS +4 extensions.
So how much does all this functional beauty cost?
The MSRP on the new Beretta 92G Elite Combat LTT is $1,299, closer to $1,198 at dealers.
That’s actually a screaming deal when you consider the much more vanilla 92G Elite LTT II has an MSRP of $1,249 and does not come with the three Toni System mag extensions (which run $45 a pop), the TS comp runs another $100, and the magwell another $100.
Featuring a removable chassis system for easy grip frame upgrades and a 14-shot capacity, Ruger has a new LCP Max on the block, powered by Magpul.
The two companies in 2024 brought the innovative RXM 9mm pistol to the market, which uses a serialized Fire Control Insert that is independent of its Enhanced Handgun Grip, or EHG, allowing the flexibility to be easily swapped into different grips. And by different we both size (full, compact, subcompact) and color, all inside the Glock Gen 3 9mm double stack ecosystem.
You can see much of the same potential modularity on the newest Ruger LCP Max. Debuted this week, it uses Magpul’s new EHG .380 grip frame with a Fire Control Insert chassis. It carries a new style slide that mimics the RXM’s aesthetic, and includes a S&W Bodyguard pattern Tritium front sight with a drift-adjustable rear.
And it weighs 11.2 ounces, unloaded, which is about half as much as the Walther PPK, which offers a 7-shot capacity.
The new Ruger LCP Max. Note the Magpul EHG RG380 grip frame with 3/4-scale TSP texture. (Photos: Ruger/Magpul)
Overall length is 5.35 inches with a 2.8-inch barrel. With the extended 13+1 round magazine – new to the platform – height is 4.78 inches. The pistol has a slim, 0.75-inch-wide slide assembly.
Compared to the standard 10+1 shot LCP Max, seen right, the new Max stands just 0.66 inches higher and is 0.18 inches longer. The weight is less than half an ounce different.
The newest LCP Max is the first that uses a serialized Fire Control Insert chassis, which can be removed by the user with basic tools.
At launch, Magpul plans at least three extra colors (black, FDE, olive drab) for the EHG380 grip in addition to Ruger’s standard Stealth Gray. Replacements, sold via Magpul, will be $39. You can bet that other aftermarket grips will also soon be in the works.
Other standard features include a tabbed trigger safety and a manual safety. It ships with both a flush 10 rounder as well as the extended 13-shot magazine as shown above.
“This launch is just the beginning of what Ruger and Magpul have planned for the LCP Max, underscoring Ruger’s commitment to innovation and consumer choice,” says the company.
The MSRP on the new Ruger LCP Max with the Magpul EHG RG380 grip is $449, which is a $50 bump from the standard LCP Max. I would imagine the price at your local shop to be closer to $375.
We have one inbound for a review, so stay tuned for more on that subject.
Featuring a 5.5-inch barrel, Colt-pattern 32-round magazines, and an SB Tactical HB brace on a three-position receiver extension, the new Saint Victor PDW from Springfield Armory is maneuverable and uncompromising.
Springfield introduced its first 9mm blowback-action Saint Victor model AR in late 2022, featuring a Melonite-coated 16-inch CMV barrel with a 1:10-inch twist, ambidextrous safety, nickel-boron-coated flat trigger, and a standard GI-style charging handle. In a departure from the widespread use of Glock double-stack mags for 9mm PCCs, the Victor carbine accepted 32-round Colt SMG stick mags, which are widely available. We’ve evaluated these carbines in the past and found them to deliver on the range.
Since then, the stick-magged 9mm PCC proved popular, with Springfield responding to customer feedback by delivering more compact models, including an 8.5-inch and a 5.5-inch pistol outfitted with an SB Tactical SB-A3 stabilizing brace. The 5.5-inch, in particular, taped out between 20 and 22.5 inches due to the adjustable receiver extension.
Going even more compact, the new Saint Victor 9mm PDW sticks with the 5.5-inch barrel, while its SB Tactical HBPDW brace, paired with a short buffer system, shrinks the overall length to 18.5 inches and feels much more solid.
And that brings us to this:
The new Saint Victor 9mm PDW uses forged 7075 T6 aluminum, Type III hardcoat anodized receivers finished in a low-glare Tungsten Gray Cerakote.
With its HBPDW brace collapsed into its shortest format, the pistol is 18.5 inches long while still offering a 23.5-inch extended length. Like the rest of its family, it runs Colt-pattern 32-round stick mags.
Sporting probably the best brace I’ve felt and using a common ($30) double-stack steel mag that gives it a very SMG vibe, this new AR-9 from Springfield knocks it out of the park and fits in just about any bag big enough to hold a laptop.
We found the Victor PDW to fit easily in a 5.11 LVC12 Backpack. The bag is small enough (19″ H x 11″ W x 7.5″ D) to be discreet with a clean, urban profile, and still has lots of extra storage available besides the pistol and extra mags.
If you want a solid and utterly dependable 9mm PDW platform that can live in just about any bag that stands 19 inches high, this is it. The tolerances are tight. It is well thought out. It has a vibe.
About the worst you can say is that it is hefty by comparison, about a half pound heavier than a Kuna, which has a softer recoil and is a little cheaper. Plus, when you first load those Colt pattern sticks with 9mm ammo, take your pre-workout because you have to work on it to get to 32. After a while, they break in, but you have to climb that hill first.
Still, if you are looking for an AR-9 platform that can fit in almost any bag, here you go.
The MSRP on the new Springfield Saint Victor PDW is $1,399
Taurus on Tuesday announced its first entry into the dedicated PDW space, the fully ambidextrous 9mm RPC.
Billed as being built to NATO standards– keep in mind that the company competes for and wins military and police contracts all over the world– the new RPC is lightweight via alloy construction and runs from curved 32-round magazines.
And did we mention that it has a roller delayed operating system, which offers a flatter recoil impulse?
Note the case in the air and the muzzle still on target. (Photos: Taurus)
Controls are fully ambidextrous, with the bolt release/lock and magazine release easily reached from both sides, and a reversible, non-reciprocating charging handle. Note the rear vert Pic rail for braces.
Using a 4.5-inch threaded barrel, the RPC features a single-stage flat-faced trigger, an AR-15 compatible soft rubber over-molded grip, and three integrated quick-detach sling attachment points in addition to fully ambi controls and a Picatinny top rail.
A short M-LOK handguard is standard.
The RPC will be offered in two variants at launch, both with a rear vertical Picatinny rail, either with (MSRP $1098.99) or without ($939.99) a Strike Industries FSA folding brace. That puts it a couple of hundred bucks less than the roller-locked Springfield Armory Kuna and will likely come in under the cost of the Stribog SP9A3 as well.
Expect more on this interesting little guy from NRAAM this week, and know that we are eagerly trying to get one of these in for review.
The 13+1-shot Browning Hi-Power, introduced in 1935, was the first “wonder nine” and a worldwide classic for generations until the company finally put it to bed in 2017.
Then came a few companies to fill the void, with EAA offering a Turkish-made clone by Girsan and Springfield Armory, in 2021, debuting the SA-35. We evaluated the latter and found it a very faithful salute to the classic 1960s/70s C/T-series BHP in terms of aesthetics, but with the bonus of several subtle improvements to boost performance.
Now, Springfield has whittled down the gun by about an inch in length while keeping everything else, akin to the old Argentine FM Hi-Powers seen on the consumer market in the early 1990s
You know, these guys:
Both the standard and “Detective” FMs were readily available once upon a time, as noted by this circa 1992 SOG ad in The Shotgun News.
However, Springfield didn’t just redo the Detective concept, but did it better done with several notable changes and flush-fit 15+1 round magazines.
I just posted a review on the new gun today as the embargo lifted.
The new Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch runs a steel frame, slide, and barrel, hitting the scales at 29.8 ounces unloaded. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
Overall length is 7.1 inches, while the height is 4.8 inches.
The SA-35 4-inch, left, compared to its 7.8-inch full-sized brother.
The difference in length is just under an inch, while the weight savings are about two ounces.
When compared to a 4.25-inch Commander-length 1911, in this case, Springfield Armory’s Operator AOS Commander, the SA-35 4-inch comes in both noticeably shorter and thinner.
We found the SA-35 4-inch to fit common Commander-sized holsters we had on hand, such as this Falco Langdon Timeless Open-Top IWB.
