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Cel Shaded Cerakote Celebration: Beretta APX A1 Full Size Tactical

Posted on November 28, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

“You can’t ever be too rich, too good-looking, or too well-armed,” as the man says, and a Florida FFL Cerakote shop delivers on that mantra.

Fort Lauderdale-based A Really Bad Design is Alex Manzotti’s studio. A custom artist who cut his teeth using automotive paint on motorcycles and helmets more than 28 years ago, he first encountered Cerakote when a client insisted on using the coating on a bicycle. Four years ago, Manzotti and the shop became Cerakote certified, specialized in artistic applications, and today, as a 07 FFL/ 02 SOT, works exclusively with Cerakote, using it on firearms – and everything else.

A quick look at the shop’s social media shows they have done hundreds of firearms since then in any number of styles.

A Really Bad Design Cerakote Berettas — *Check out these brushed steel Berettas with color accents. (Photos: A Really Bad Design)*

Cel shading

One of the most complicated Cerakoting techniques is mimicking cel shading or “toon art.” Cel shading dates back to the 1980s and is typically applied to flat animation to create the illusion of depth, effectively turning 2D into a perception of 3D. Moving into more modern eras, rotoscoping and Sobel filtering have taken traditional cel shading to a sharper edge, as seen in popular game franchises such as “Borderlands.”

Taking that 2D to 3D style and emulating it on a real object, such as a bike helmet or a firearm, takes skill and genuine artistic capability.

Manzotti has both.

Check out these five Beretta APX A1s he did earlier this summer as a project for the iconic gunmaker:

For Cerakote nerds, the colors used in the project included Periwinkle, Carbon Black, Yellow Jacket, Prison Pink, Slate, Aztec Teal, Burnt Orange, Black Cherry, Robin’s Egg Blue, and Green Mamba.

The result is two APX A1 Full Size Tacticals (Yellow and Gray), and three standard APX A1 full-size models (Cherry, Toxic Green, and Miami Daze).

Beretta sent us the Gray Tactical for a closer look, and it’s impressive. We specifically asked for the Gray as it would give us a better look at the technique, and with cel shading, it is all about the time-consuming technique.

“The work is entirely manual and has many steps,” Manzotti told Guns.com, speaking to how cel shading is harder to pull off when compared to some other effects.

Cerakoted Beretta APX A1 Full Size Tactical — *(Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)*

As with everything, natural lighting makes colors look different.

*And yes, it still shoots, as you would expect for a Beretta. Those extendo mags really help with reloads.*

We’d like to thank Alex Manzotti and the whole gang at A Really Bad Design for their help with this piece, as well as everyone over at Beretta who helped make it possible.

gun culture

High Feature Plinker: Review of the Ruger Mark IV 22/45 with Threaded Bull Barrel

Posted on November 25, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

The Ruger Mark IV, the modern evolution of the original circa-1949 Ruger Standard (Mark I) pistol, was introduced in 2016. This updated model features a more user-friendly design, highlighted by a tool-free, one-button takedown mechanism that makes fieldstripping and cleaning significantly easier for users.

Following the release of the Mark IV, Ruger introduced the Mark IV 22/45 variant. The name “22/45” refers to the grip angle and surface controls, which closely emulate those of the famed M1911 Government pistol. Despite this design innovation, the initial 22/45 variant did not include a threaded muzzle or a top Picatinny rail. These features were reserved for the more expensive Mark IV 22/45 Tactical model, which carried a suggested retail price of $669.

Ruger has since released a bull-barreled version of the Mark IV 22/45 equipped with both a Picatinny rail and a threaded muzzle– as featured in this review. This model is offered at a suggested price of $449, with even lower prices often available through retailers. Additional aesthetic improvements include color-matched details; the trigger and Picatinny rail both feature a stainless finish, resulting in a distinct two-toned appearance.

Thus:

The bull-barreled version of the Mark IV 22/45 equipped with both a Picatinny rail and a threaded muzzle — *Our review Mark IV 22/45. It has a very 1911-ish overall length of 8.5 inches with an unloaded weight of 33.3 ounces. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)*

The Mark IV 22/45 in this format is close to being perfect when it comes to an all-around rimfire semi-auto pistol. It feels and looks good, is dependable and accurate, and just about every component has a dozen aftermarket upgrades available.

We ran it with a few different cans and several different ammo loads and found it to run almost 100 percent of the time. The worst thing we can say is that it gets seriously dirty, something no 22 is immune to, and you must stay on top of that every few hundred rounds to keep it running.

Compared to the rest of the market, this Mark IV 22/45, as reviewed, is priced right, especially for the big Pic rail on top, the threaded bull barrel, and American manufacture. Sure, guns like the SIG P322 have a significantly larger magazine capacity for about the same price, but its optics interface isn’t as luxurious, you get a pencil barrel, and the aftermarket support doesn’t come close to what is available for the Ruger. The closest Buckmark in features would be the Micro Bull SR, which runs significantly more than the Mark IV.

The only problem we foresee in having one of these neat little Rugers is how often you need to buy ammo.

Full review in my column at Guns.com.

At least Bond got his: Walther Ends Production on PPK, PPKs, and PP Pistols

Posted on November 20, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland 3 comments

Firearms giant Walther this week announced it was beginning a “multi-year pause of production” on its most iconic pistol lines.

As part of Walther’s “long-term product vision,” the PPK, PPK/S, and PP models will no longer be produced as the company enters into a “multi-year reengineering and modernization program.” Walther officials stress this initiative aims to enhance performance, integrate advanced manufacturing technologies, and elevate the user experience – all while preserving the iconic look, feel, and spirit that have defined these pistols for generations.

“This is not the end of the PPK story,” said Tyler Weigel, VP of sales for Walther Arms. “It’s the beginning of a new chapter. Our goal is to honor the heritage of these iconic firearms by bringing them into the future without compromising what made them classics.”

*We saw PPK slides on the assembly line in Ulm, Germany, last year. Little did we know they would be some of the last – for now. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)*

The original PP (Polizeipistole or “Police Pistol”) was introduced in Weimar-era Germany by Carl Walther in 1929. Originally chambered in .32 ACP, the pistol has evolved over the years into more compact PPK and import-compliant PPK/s variants with other calibers such as .22 LR and .380 ACP added to the mix.

The Walther factory, shifted from Zella-Mehlis in Soviet-occupied East Germany to Ulm in West Germany after World War II, eventually resumed production on the PP/PPK just in time for it to become a staple of international espionage movies during the Cold War.

While Sean Connery’s Agent 007 was issued a Walther in the first 10 minutes of 1962’s “Dr. No” to replace his favored .25 ACP Beretta, it would continue as his standard through his six-film run and go on to be picked up off and on by successive generations of Bonds.

You can bet that collectors will now be moving in on the new old stock PP series pistols that remain on shelves – before they disappear like a spy into the mist.

A Clear Choice: The Shield OMSsc Micro Red Dot

Posted on November 10, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

We came across the OMSsc while doing a review on a pistol and thought enough about it to do a separate review of the optic. Naturally, one would only do this to either be the town crier to shame the optic for poor performance, or to point out how original or pioneering it came across while in use. This review is the latter.

Springfield Armory sent us a Hellcat .380 for review purposes in August 2025 with a Shield OMSsc 4-MOA red dot installed– which has the same form factor and proven performance of the RMSc, but with a panoramic see-through top hood.

Since we spent three months running that pistol with this interesting new sight mounted, we felt a separate review of the sight was in order.

Candidly – and stay with me here – I am just not a fan of micro red dots on carry guns, despite having extensive use with both. Don’t get me wrong, I own probably 10 rifles right now with electro-optic red dots (Aimpoint PRO, Eotech XPS3, Vortex Spitfire, SIG Romeo 5) on them as well as several full-sized pistols with large mailbox-sized enclosed red dots (think ACRO, Steiner MPS, Burris Fast Fire E, etc) but have just always struggled to “find the dot” in a fast enough time on a open emitter MRD to justify losing a half-second on my draw.

I find myself faster on target when drawing a small gun from concealment when using iron sights. This may be because I’ve been shooting handguns for 40 years, with a lot of that being on guns with very poor sights (looking at you, J-frames). Micro carry red dots only came into play in the past decade, so I default to what I am comfortable using. On larger, more full-sized pistols, I can get a better grip and don’t suffer the same “bounce and adjust” when coming up on target, especially when using a big honking, almost competition-sized enclosed dot.

However, with the Shield OMSsc, I felt the time shift in bringing the dot to my eyes, a feeling more akin to using a larger sight. Cutting back on the hood without cutting back on the hood helped me to very rapidly “hook into” the dot, if you can follow.

TL;DR: I liked it and shot well with it, without having to search for the dot as much as I usually do with other open emitter red dots.

weapons

Big Iron! A Review of the Taurus Deputy Single Action Revolver in 45 Colt

Posted on November 4, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Taurus has been well-known worldwide for its double-action revolvers since 1941, but only got into the more retro single-action wheel gun market more recently.

The company’s first single-action offering, the Taurus Gaucho, popped up briefly in 2005, then faded back into gun lore.

Since then, Taurus acquired Heritage Manufacturing in 2012, which makes a tremendous amount of single-action rimfire caliber revolvers every year, like 187,000 guns a year kind of production.

With the company owning such a huge slice of the rimfire single gun market, as well as the double-action centerfire market, it’s only natural that Taurus would make a traditional “four click” revolver.

In late 2024, it debuted the Deputy. A SAA-based revolver offered in two barrel lengths, a 4.75-inch “gunfighter” style, and a longer 5.5-inch, as well as in the iconic .45 Colt or .357 Magnum calibers, the Deputy is ready to ride.

*We’ve been testing and evaluating the Taurus Deputy 5.5-inch format in .45 Colt for the past four months. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)*

Quick summary: We reviewed the 5.5-inch barreled .45 Colt variant of this classic six-shooter with modern safety features and found it to be a good, if beefy, “smoke wagon” at an affordable price.

For the full review, head on over to my column at Guns.com.

Glenfield is Back: Meet the new Glenfield Model A Bolt-Action Rifle

Posted on November 3, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Marlin dates to 1870 and is one of America’s iconic and best-known firearms makers. Before its acquisition by the Freedom Group (Remington Arms) in 2007, Marlin had several subsidiary brands under its umbrella.

These included legacy firearms makers that it had purchased over the years, such as Harrington & Richardson, Hunter Arms, L.C. Smith, and New England Firearms. Other brands, on the other hand, Marlin invented from whole cloth, such as the Glenfield Products Division, an idea of then-company CEO Roger Kenna, who led Marlin from 1948 through 1959.

Hitting the scenes at a time when big box catalog sales were the Amazon of its day, Glenfield became a staple for outfits like Sears and J.C. Penney, back when they sold guns and every house on the block had one or more of their catalogs on the living room table.

I give you a circa 1972 JCPenney’s Christmas ad:

*The Glenfield brand is back… (Photos unless noted: Chris Eger/Guns.com)*

The original Glenfield models were based on Marlin’s standard catalog but offered in a more affordable package with fewer options. For instance, the Marlin Model 60, a popular semi-auto .22, was sold as the Glenfield Model 60, with a plainer stock that featured an engraved squirrel logo. Likewise, the Marlin 336 was also marketed as the Glenfield Model 30 with non-specified hardwood furniture rather than the walnut seen on the Marlin, and with minor style differences.

The concept proved popular with consumers, who got a good firearm at a great price.

Glenfield cruised along into the mid-1980s and was then quietly put to bed, but the rifles and shotguns made under the banner continue to circulate and have a soft spot with nostalgia-minded collectors. As an aside, my first sporting rifle that I purchased over the counter, looking back some four decades ago, was a Model 30A in .30-30.

With Ruger acquiring Marlin in 2020, resurrection was in the cards.

“We’re excited to bring back the iconic Glenfield Firearms brand with a new product that reflects Ruger’s dedication to manufacturing affordable, American-made firearms for any and every hunter,” said Ruger President and CEO, Todd Seyfert, at the brand’s relaunch.

The Model A Rifle: Familiar Newcomer

Glenfield’s inaugural 21st-century platform is the no-frills Model A bolt-action centerfire sporting rifle, which is “highly inspired by” the Gen I Ruger American Rifle. Ruger introduced that platform almost 15 years ago, and it has been well-vetted by America’s hunters, with over 2 million sold since then.

The company tells us that the Glenfield Model A carries forward the most valued elements of the Gen I Ruger American Rifle but has an MSRP about $100 below comparable Ruger-branded rifles – all without skimping on features.

Glenfield Model A rifle — *The current Glenfield Model A, in .308 Winchester, seen equipped. The series uses a splatter-finished Moss Green synthetic stock with sling swivel studs and a recoil pad.*

Full review in my column at Guns.com.

New: Beretta 92SB 50th Anniversary Limited Edition Pistol

Posted on October 31, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Beretta is marking a half-century of the legendary Model 92, the company has released a retro SB variant of the type that went on to make history.

The original Model 92 hit the market in 1975, one of the first double-stack double-action/single-action pistols available, and soon went on to become a global icon. The company has been honoring the lineage of the “Italian Stallion” this year with limited-edition offerings, and the repro 92SB comes as part of Beretta’s “Celebrating 50 Years of the 90 Series” program.

The repro 92SB is full of classic features such as a polished anodized frame, polished blued slide and barrel, a rounded trigger guard, and a flat dust cover. On the inside, it features all-metal components and upgraded internals, including a short reset trigger bar and D hammer spring. It runs a slide-mounted Type F safety lever.

Beretta 92SB repro — The new 92SB is engraved “Celebrating 50 Years of the 90 Series” on the left side of the slide and has a 1 of 1,526 serial number range, the latter an ode to Beretta’s first firearm contract. (Photos unless noted: Beretta)

The history behind the 92SB

The 92SB was the third production model of the 92 series, building on 1977’s Model 92S, which added the slide-mounted safety/decocker to the pistol. Debuting in 1980, the SB added an automatic firing pin block and an ambidextrous safety lever, and was marketed in both the standard and a compact model, the first for the 90 series.

Beretta 92SB ad

The Beretta 92SB hit the market in 1980, with the 92SB Compact arriving the next year.

Perhaps the 92SB’s greatest claim to fame was that it was submitted to the Army Pistol Trials in 1984 and 1986, which it won, and, with modifications including a squared trigger guard, a matte finish, and a chrome-lined barrel, became the 92SB-F, later just shortened to 92F.

The rest is history.
Army's Pistol Trials,

The Beretta 92SB beat out a crowded field in 1984-86 to win the Army’s Pistol Trials, with the modified 92SB-F being adopted as the M9. (Image: 1986 GAO Report)

The MSRP on the new Beretta 92SB repro is an appropriate $1,526.

Cold War Classic HK G3 Resurfaces in German Use

Posted on October 24, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland 3 comments

The iconic Heckler & Koch-produced 7.62 NATO caliber Gewehr 3 battle rifle officially left German military service in the 1990s, yet it continues to break cover.

The social media page for the Schleswig-Holstein State Command recently posted images of the G3 DMR, or Designated Marksman Rifle, on a military flat range in Hamburg’s Duvenstedt area. The post went on to explain that the robust G3 DMR closes the gap for medium to long distances between Sturmgewehr and Scharfschützengewehr (sniper rifle).

HK G3 DMR in German Army service — *Looks like they are getting some work done from the 300m line. (Photos: German Army)*

The post soon garnered over 300 comments, mainly from German Boomers and Gen X members who had cut their teeth on the G3 while serving in the Bundeswehr during the country’s old conscription days of the Cold War.

West German panzergrenadier jumping off a M48 Patton during the Cold War, HK G3 in hand.

The G3, in then-West German service, replaced the briefly adopted FN FAL in 1959 and was the country’s standard infantry weapon during the Cold War. While officially replacing the HK G36 in 5.56 NATO starting in 1996, and thousands of legacy G3s were given away as military aid to Eastern European (The Baltic Republics) and overseas (Peshmerga) allies, the legendary roller-delayed blowback rifle is still apparently on hand on a just-in-case basis for “Der Tag.”

Since you’ve come this far, enjoy this circa 1970 film, which shows the G3 in production at HK, complete with a funky period soundtrack. Sure, it is in German, but it really needs no translation.

Glock Upheaval: Rumors Fly on Discontinued Models, New V Series Guns

Posted on October 21, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

A Gen 5 Glock 21 MOS, which is not California-compliant. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Word swept across the gun universe on Monday that Glock may be changing everything known and loved about its catalog. Here’s what we found out.

What we know: One of the largest Glock retailers, Lenny Magill’s Glockstore, announced on social media that, “We have received news that as of November 30th all Glocks are discontinued except 43, 43X, 48X. All Glocks will be replaced with new Glock ‘V Models.’ These will have changes that prevent switch conversions. At launch, all will be non-MOS. No pricing changes.”

Why should we take that seriously? We’ve known Magill for over a decade, and he is a solid fixture in the gun industry. A sort of impossibly tanned and sagacious Glock All-father. He has probably sold more Glocks than anyone, and his views on the brand are consistently accurate.

Verification: When looking for validation on rumors in the firearms industry, especially when it comes to the notoriously tight-lipped Glock, it’s akin to “checking the hot sheets” in “Men in Black.” A bit of success came from Glock Talk, one of the largest public Glock communities in the country. A thread there includes a screenshot purportedly from gun wholesaler Lipsey’s, detailing that “On November 30, Glock will stop shipments on all Gen 3, Gen 5, Gen 5 MOS,” with the slimline G43X, G43X MOS, G48, and G48 MOS remaining active. This jibes with McGill’s harbinger of looming Glock upheaval.

The screenshot further details, “In December 2025, Glock will begin shipping V Series. Pricing will be consistent with current Gen 5 structure,” with models to include 17 (V), 19 (V), 23 (V), 23 (V) MOS, 45 (V), 19X (V), 20 (V) MOS, 21 (V) MOS, 26 (V), and 44 (V). “Changes to V series include internal slide and trigger improvements. Current Glock Performance triggers will not function in V-series guns.”

Thus:

What Glock is saying: We reached out to our contacts at Glock early Monday to clarify the reports of discontinuations and the new V models, as well as to ask for a statement. By Tuesday morning, we still hadn’t received any response.

Background: The sale of Glocks to consumers in California, which has some 13 million gun owners, is banned after July 2026, under a new law adopted by the Democrat-controlled state government. While the currently dormant law is already under legal challenge, like-minded states are sure to pursue similar laws. Glock is also fighting lawsuits from progressive-led cities like Seattle and Chicago, as well as a multi-state lawsuit led by New Jersey and Minnesota, focused on the possibility that the company’s guns can be illegally converted to fire full auto. Possession of such switches or devices, unless registered, is illegal under federal law and has been for decades.

Has Glock tried to address this already? Glock added an element to the rear of the Gen 5 series slide and frame, which makes inserting an illegal switch or chip harder, akin to how some AR-15 makers utilize “high shelf” lowers. However, California hasn’t approved any Gen 5 Glocks for consumer sale in the state, and the new law bars an anti-switch block molded into the rear of the frame or slide by the manufacturer, seemingly ruling out any possible Gen 6 gun with a more robust block.

*A Gen 3 G19, left, compared to a Gen 5 G21, right. See the difference? (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)*

As some of the citations over the new V series guns specifically mention that “Glock Performance triggers will not function in V series guns,” it’s likely the company is pivoting away from using a so-called “cruciform trigger bar,” which is specifically mentioned in the text of the new law. No cruciform trigger bar = not subject to the new law. As Glock has no shortage of new patents secured in the past several years on novel trigger and frame lock-up systems, this move may have been a long time coming.

Our take: Looks like current “classic” Glock models may become a little scarce after November, or at least command a higher cost (remember, there are millions in circulation), with New Glock models shipping in December. Purists will scoff, but sales of the new guns will probably be brisk, as every new Glock generation has seen in the past.

Will it stop anti-gun politicians backed by gun control organizations with deep pockets from backing a new bill to ban another firearm over arbitrary features? Most assuredly not.

gun culture

Ruger Just Dropped the first 10mm Lever Gun

Posted on October 20, 2025 by laststandonzombieisland Leave a comment

Ruger has done something a bit unusual by introducing a compact Trapper variant of the Marlin Model 1894, chambered in 10mm.

Marlin long marketed a modern Trapper model, a stainless carbine-length big-bore .45-70 Model 1895 that was short, quick-handling, and optimized for hunting or protection from dangerous animals, in 2018, but it went out of production when the company closed shop in 2020.

Ruger, once they rebooted the line in 2022 after acquiring the Marlin brand and putting in a massive effort to breathe new life into its iconic guns, debuted a new take on the Trapper with improvements, including a receiver-mounted Skinner Sight system and suppressor-ready barrel.

Since then, Ruger/Marlin doubled down on a short-action Model 1894 Trapper in either .357 Magnum/.38 Special or .44 Magnum/Special last year, and has come back with a 10mm variant headed into 2026.

The new Ruger Marlin 1894 Trapper in 10mm — Like other models in the Trapper Series line, it features a cold hammer-forged, 16.17-inch threaded barrel and receiver-mounted Skinner Sight system that provides rapid target acquisition. The muzzle is threaded 5/8-24TPI. (Photos: Ruger)

In addition to the standard Trapper series features, Marlin advises that this new model also has an upgraded fire control system. The sear is now e-nickel Teflon-plated, and the sear notch geometry in the hammer has been improved to create a smoother and more consistent trigger feel. Plus, in response to consumer feedback, the sear and trigger system has been redesigned to eliminate the trigger “flop.”

While revolver caliber lever guns, for instance, in .38 Special, .357 Magnum, 44. Magnum, and .45 Colt, have almost always been a thing; those chambered in rimless pistol cartridges are more rare. Further, although a couple of 9mm lever guns exist, such as the POF Tombstone and Taylor’s TC73, we can’t find any in 10mm, well, until now.

The 10mm Auto, already no slouch in a pistol, should boast an increased velocity of up to 250-300 fps in the Trapper compared to its use in a handgun, as vouched for in past experiments from the Ballistics By the Inch guys.

The MSRP on the new Ruger Marlin 1894 Trapper in 10mm is $1,599, a price generally lower at retail.

We have one of these inbound for testing, as well as some spicy 10mm, so stay tuned for a review.

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Weapons, Wars, Preparation and Security from a recovering gun nut turned bad writer

Tag Archives: ceger