Category Archives: new guns

Mare’s Leg, Updated

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Rossi has trimmed down its R95 Triple Black lever-action rifle into a much more packable pistol variant for 2025.

The company debuted its new R95 Triple Black Pistol, or TBP, to the recent NRA Annual Meeting at Atlanta, and we were able to lay hands on it for a closer look. Much like its rifle-length older brother, the TBP is clad in a black Cerakote-coated finish with matching black furniture. A paracord-wrapped medium loop lever and a top-mounted Picatinny optics rail are also features that are carried over from the original.

Specific to the TBP is its abbreviation, shipping with suppressor-ready 13.25-inch barrels and a pistol grip, allowing the lever-action mare’s leg an overall length of just under two feet. Weight is 5.5 pounds, unloaded. While Rossi had the .357 Magnum variant on hand in Atlanta, the TBP will also be offered in .454 Casull, .45-70 Govt, and .44 Mag for those looking for something a little spicier.

I got to handle one at the recent NRAAM in Atlanta.

The side-loading Rossi TBP has a paracord-wrapped medium lever, which splits the difference between big loops and standard rectangular slot-style levers. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The pistols have threaded muzzles with the .357 at NRAAM fitted with a JK Armament can. All four caliber options run a four-round underbarrel magazine tube. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Note the top-mounted Picatinny optics rail. Other features include a cross-bolt manual safety and two sling swivel studs. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

With an overall length of just 23.5 inches, the Rossi TBP line is more easily stowed than a full-length carbine or rifle. (Photos: Rossi)

More after the jump to my column at Guns.com.

Meet the Auto-Loading Israeli Master Key

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One of the interesting new releases on the floor at the NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta last week was an entry into the 12-gauge “not a shotgun” category by IWI.

Dubbed the Mafteah – Hebrew for “key” – it is a 12-gauge semi-auto with a 3-inch chamber. However, born sans stock and with an abbreviated 14-inch barrel, it doesn’t meet the federal guidelines to be considered a shotgun, and thus can’t be a short-barreled shotgun, putting it above NFA red tape.

In short (pun intended), it is in the same category of firearm as the Mossberg 590 Shockwave and 990 Aftershock, and the Remington V3 TAC-13 and 870 TAC-14.

“It is said the Key of Solomon could do almost anything, contain anything or anyone, and open any passageway one might need,” notes IWI on the new platform. “This one isn’t quite so magical, but it will do a number on opening doors.”

The IWI Mafteah has an unloaded weight of 5.7 pounds and has a cross-bolt manual safety. The charging handle is reversible. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The cylinder-bore 14-inch barrel is made of 4140 steel. The fixed tubular magazine has a 5+1 capacity in 2.75-inch shells, and 4+1 in 3-inch if you enjoy numbness in your hands.

More in my column at Guns.com.

The return of the PT-58!

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Taurus came to the NRA Annual Meetings in Atlanta with a curious new (to the U.S. market) double-action/single-action .380 pistol.

The original Model 58 was introduced in 1988 as the 12-shot Model PT-58.

Thus:

Its more modern variant has been popular in Brazil for years and is now available on this side of the equator.

With a layout similar to the iconic Beretta Model 92 (PT 92/99 for Taurus), the handgun sports a 4-inch barrel inside an open slide that has a familiar feel in the hand despite its stubby 7.2-inch overall length. The full-sized grip contains a flush-fit 15-shot double-stack magazine.

The combination gives you a great feel and a decent magazine capacity.

With the sudden resurgence in double-stack .380s such as the Beretta 80X and assorted Turkish-made M84 clones like the MC-14, the time may be right for some more competition in the field.

More in my column at Guns.com. 

Meet the New Springfield Armory Kuna

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After leaving cookie crumbs around the world for months, Springfield Armory on Tuesday announced that the Kuna large format pistol platform is available in the U.S.– and we’ve been kicking one around for a few months.

Designed by popular Croatian gunmaker HS Produkt, the Springfield Armory Kuna (Croatian for “Pine Marten,” the national animal of that country) sub-gun first surfaced last October when it beat the top-shelf B&T APC40 and Steyr M40 for a contract with the PMESP, the Sao Paulo Military Police – the largest police force in Brazil. Chambered in .40 S&W, it also appeared at EnforceTac in Germany back in February with a promised 9mm variant inbound as well. The word was that the svelte little burp gun, using an advanced roller-locked system of operation, had been developed with international counter-terror teams in mind.

Now, it is available in a semi-auto pistol variant in the U.S., initially just in 9mm. It will be sold at launch in a standalone pistol variant as well as a more deluxe version sold with an installed Strike Industries side-folding stabilizing brace. The MSRP varies between $999 to $1,149, with the braced model running higher.

The overall length of the brace-equipped Springfield Armory Kuna is 24.5 inches with the brace deployed and a more compact 15.5 inches folded. The gun can be fired in either position. (All photos unless noted: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Nobody was looking for the Kuna to roll into 2025 and instantly turn heads. Well-made 9mm large-format handguns in the SMG/PCC style have been increasingly popular in recent years, and it is clear that the folks behind the Kuna did their homework and did it well. You get a smooth-shooting and reliable platform that allows easy use with suppressors, lights, and optics for right around $1K. Taking notes from the Echelon, Hellcat, and Hellion when it comes to ergonomics and sights, Springfield is playing the hits here. It feels like a smoother and more updated version of the MP5K on the range.

The full review is over in my column at Guns.com.

Ruger Goes Carbon Fiber for the…10/22?

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Ruger changed the rimfire world with the 10/22 semi-auto series over 60 years ago, and its new Carbon Fiber model shows that the company is ready to keep innovating. We’ve been evaluating one of these interesting new carbines around for the past few months.

Ruger debuted our review model just before SHOT Show as the more affordable ($600-ish) companion to a series of $1,100 10/22 Competition rifles from the company’s Custom Shop featuring a Grey Birch chassis.

So, what do you get for the price?

For starters, a 16.1-inch cold-hammer-forged stainless-steel barrel tensioned inside a carbon fiber sleeve along with a lightweight Magpul MOE X-22 stock that carries a textured white speckle pattern. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

All up weight out of the box? Just 3.5 pounds, as verified by our postal scales with the standard 10-round rotary magazine installed. That’s light. By comparison, the Daisy Red Ryder BB Gun is listed as 3.35 pounds.  

We added some extras while keeping the weight factor in mind, such as a Burris FastFire 4 micro red dot optic and a SilencerCo Switchback suppressor. In this configuration, with a loaded magazine, the 10/22 Carbon Fiber hit the scales at 65.7 ounces, or a hair over 4 pounds of pure joy, ready to go. 

The 10/22 is always fun in any format. Deliver it in a carbon fiber format that allows you to have an outfitted 4-pound carbine that is accurate and dependable, and you have a solid winner. It is a mood changer.

When it comes to price, the $600 asking price on the 10/22 Carbon Fiber makes a lot of sense when you break it down. The basic plain Jane 10/22 with a pencil barrel and synthetic stock has an MSRP of $379. The Magpul MOE-X 22 stock runs $70, and the BX trigger is $96. With that in mind, you basically get the carbon fiber upgrade for free. The closest competitor would be the semi-auto (and very 10/22-ish) Bergara BXR, which is heavier at 4.7 pounds and has an MSRP of $719.

What’s not to like?

The full review is over in my column at Guns.com.

You’ve heard of the 1911 X Carry, yeah?

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SIG Sauer isn’t well-known for its 1911 line, but the company has invested enough time to create an excellent entry to the genre in the XCarry series.

SIG has been in the 1911 game for over 20 years, entering the market around 2004. They hit the ground running and were one of the first M1913 “railgun” pistol makers available then continued to enhance the century-old design and produced models with characteristic styling including the Granite, Super Target, and Spartan.

The SIG 1911 Fastback Nightmare– one of the best gun names ever– was always a favorite of ours. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Today, SIG catalogs five distinctive 1911 variants in .45 ACP, a more or less classic stainless 5-inch barreled government model for California markets, and four 1911-X models which balance classic engineering with modern features– namely a direct cut for Shield RMSc optics footprints, an excellent flat-faced trigger, and an accessory rail. Two of these 1911-X models are Emperor Scorpions and as such sports a Coyote PVD finish over a steel slide and frame, offered in both government and commander (SIG calls it Carry) sizes.

Then there is the all-black 1911-XFull (5-inch) and 1911-XCarry (4.25-inch), the latter of which we feature in this review. Like the rest of SIG’s 1911s, they use stainless steel frames and slides but carry the company’s traditional black Nitron finish just like the well-loved P226s, P229s, etc.

The SIG Sauer 1911-XCarry. This model was sent to us with an optional SIG Romeo-X Compact 3 MOA fully enclosed mailbox-style red dot optic installed, a package that is available to consumers.

The commander-length 1911-XCarry runs a 4.25-inch barrel which gives it an overall length of 8 inches.

I’ve been kicking one around since last November and have the full report in my column over at Guns.com.

 

Springfield brings new 9mm AR pistol to market– and it takes Colt SMG sticks

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Springfield Armory this week delivered a 9mm pistol variant of the Saint Victor to complement its PCC models. The company debuted the direct blowback-action Saint Victor 9mm carbine in late 2022 with a Melonite-coated 16-inch CMV 1:10 twist barrel, 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.

Now, for 2025, Springfield is shrinking the platform down to an NFA-compliant pistol format with a 5.5-inch barrel inside a free-floating M-LOK handguard and outfitted with an SB Tactical SB-A3 stabilizing brace on an adjustable three-position receiver extension. Other standard features include a full-length top Picatinny rail, short-throw ambidextrous 45-degree thumb safety, a B5 Systems grip and trigger guard, and a SA muzzle drum on a threaded barrel.

Gotta love those Colt stick mags.

Meet the Glock Hunter Series

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Glock Ges.m.b.H. (not Glock US) has released a series of new olive green Hunter Edition pistols in Europe featuring steel sights, threaded barrels, and an option for an installed Aimpoint COA red dot.
The five models in the Hunter Edition are in 9mm (G45) and 10mm (G20) variants and appear timed to coincide with upcoming large overseas firearms trade shows such as Enforce Tac, IWA OutdoorClassics, and WBK International.
The three advertised G45 Hunters all bear extended metric pattern threaded barrels and options for Glock’s new 600-lumen Tactical Light II. There is also an A-Cut G45 Hunter with the new Aimpoint COA, or Glock’s more traditional MOS plate system.
We’ve got no information as to when or if these will ever make it to this side of the pond. However, similar models to these could likely filter out to the States – think about a possible rabbit in the hat for the NRA Annual Meeting in April.

The Two Coolest New (Old) Rifles at SHOT Show

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Just got home after a week of SHOT Show antics and events and thought I would share my two favorite rifle stories from the event.

First, S&T Motiv Co. (formerly known as Daewoo Precision Industries) is operating in the U.S. and is importing 922-compliant rifles to include the K2S which will include a variety of OEM K2 parts and approximates the old Max I/II.

Compare to the old days:

Second, Palmetto and DSA are teaming up to craft an H&R-made T48.

As you may recall and we have covered in the past, the FAL gave the M14 a bit of competition in the early 1950s with (naturally) the Army’s Springfield Armory developed M14 getting the nod.

T48, Rifle, Caliber .30, T48 – with Gunner – Off-Hand Firing May 1955

H&R, a brand now owned by PSA and run by Mike of NoDak Spud fame, has one of the old T48s in their possession and is reverse engineering it for a limited run.

As a gun nerd, I’m super excited about both of these.

Smith & Wesson Getting Back to Wheelgun Roots

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Smith & Wesson is playing the classics at SHOT Show when it comes to bringing back popular revolver lines including the Model 629 and 686 Mountain guns.

The company previously announced it is adding a trio of J and K frame “No Hole” classics— sans the oft-detested internal lock system– to its catalog for 2025. Joining these three new variants at SHOT Show will be a pair of great-looking Mountain Guns including an L-frame .357 Magnum and an N-frame .44 Magnum.

The original Mountain Gun series dates back to the late 1980s. Designed with a tapered 4-inch barrel, a large bore caliber (.357 Mag., .41 Mag., .44 Mag., .45 ACP, .45 LC), adjustable rear sighs, and a stainless steel frame, these were intended for use in the field while being capable of defense against a large predator on two or four legs if needed. While the old MGs of the past, such as the Model 625-6 and 625-9, have faded into history, deleted from Smith’s catalog by 2005, that is changing.

Lipsey’s has partnered with S&W to offer two new Mountain Gun models this year, a 686 Plus (7 shot .357) and a 629 (6 shot .44).

True to the old ways, they will have one-piece 4-inch tapered barrels, adjustable rear sights, and stainless steel construction. Standard features will be a partridge-style front sight with a brass bead insert, Tyler Gun Works high-grade walnut Bear Hug grips on a round butt frame, a beveled cylinder front edge, and chambered charge holes. Likewise, there is no detested internal lock.

The new Smith & Wesson Model 686 Plus Mountain Gun. We were able to lay hands on this thumper at an event with S&W on Sunday night just before SHOT Show. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

The 686 Plus Mountain Gun weighs 35 ounces. The 4.13-inch barrel yields and a 9.75-inch overall length. It is a 7-shot .357 Magnum that will also accept .38 Special cartridges. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Both of the new Mountain Gun revolvers from Smith have an adjustable rear sight as well as a partridge-style front sight with a brass bead insert.

We also managed to spend some time with two of the gunmaker’s new Classic No Lock series revolvers, which look more akin to wheelguns the company produced in the 1950s than current models.

The S&W Classic Model 36 No Lock. Note this J-frame .38 Special +P 5-shot revolver has the very old-school half-moon sights seen on early Chief’s Specials as well as walnut medallion grips.

The S&W Classic Model 10 No Lock. This 6-shot K frame .38 Special +P revolver has a set of smooth TGW grips that give it the feel of a WWII Victory model.

Nice to see Smith is getting back to its roots.

Stay tuned for more from SHOT Show.

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