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New and Beautiful: Meet the Beretta 92G Elite Combat LTT

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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.

Just saying.

Nice to see this as a factory option.

New (and more affordable): Echelon Alpha

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For 25 years, Springfield Armory and Croatia’s HS Produkt have partnered on polymer-framed, striker-fired handguns, starting with the XD series, followed by the popular Hellcat, and, since 2023, the modular Echelon. We’ve reviewed the full-sized 4.5F, 4.0C Compact, 4.0C Comp, and 4.0FC crossover, and we’ve had little to criticize.

They perform reliably.

We’ve put over 5K rounds through assorted Echelons during reviews since the pistol was released and never had a notable problem with these guns. They run. (All photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Springfield has also gained meaningful traction for the Echelon in law enforcement. In December 2024, the St. Louis County Police Department, with nearly 1,000 officers, adopted it as its duty pistol under a $2.1 million contract, reinforcing the company’s claims about the pistol’s reliability and performance. The Echelon has secured other major law enforcement contracts as well, and abroad, the Spanish National Police have chosen it as their standard duty sidearm.

What do you get with the Alpha?

Based on the G19-sized Echelon 4.0C Compact, which is likely the company’s most popular offering in the series, the new Alpha is the same gun at its core.

The new Springfield Armory Echelon Alpha 4.0C is a 15+1 capacity 9mm with a 4-inch barrel. (Photos: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Weight is 24 ounces unloaded. The Vortex Defender ST red dot shown installed is not included.

It utilizes the same Central Operating Group, a serialized stainless-steel chassis that can be easily swapped to different sized/styled polymer grip modules. The striker-fired pistol disassembles without having to pull the trigger.

It is optics-ready with Springfield’s Variable Interface System, which enables direct-mount capability for more than 30 optics directly to the slide without the use of adapter plates.

The MSRP on the Echelon Alpha is $599, which is a good bit less than the $710 ask on the standard Echelon models. Keep in mind “street price” at retailers will likely be even less.

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

Beretta Showcases Titan Concept Rifle as NARP Takes Center Stage at L’Aquila

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The storied gunmaker released its one-off Titan rifle this week as the Beretta NARP platform was featured at the head of Army celebrations in Italy.

The Titan is a semiautomatic sporting rifle using a short-stroke gas piston system and chambered in 6.5 Grendel. As such, it takes cues from the company’s select-fire NARP series carbine, which has been under development since 2018.

Using an enhanced two-stage trigger for a crisp, predictable break, the Titan is a bespoke release for sure, using a titanium upper receiver, a magnesium lower receiver, a carbon‑fiber stock and forend, and a forged‑carbon pistol grip.

The Titan is unlike anything Beretta has ever released as a rifle. (Photos: Beretta)

It incorporates magnesium, titanium, and carbon fiber in its construction.

The exclusive grey camo pattern applied to the receiver subtly incorporates the date 1526, the year of the earliest verified Beretta firearms contact.

The Titan is shown with Steiner optics, including an MPS enclosed micro red dot atop a M7Xi series 2.9-20×50 riflescope.

Its custom-fitted case is built with a carbon‑fiber shell and a refined Alcantara interior.

We profiled how the iconic Italian gunmaker produces such one-of-a-kind firearms via the company’s  Pietro Beretta Custom Atelier, where dreams come true.

With semi-auto NARPs in the form of the Titan at least conceptually in existence, a production model for the U.S. market seems very possible in the coming months.

NARP marches at the head of the parade

Released in 2023, the NARP has been a hit at arms expos worldwide, and we had a chance to go loud with one on Beretta’s range in Italy in 2024. Offered in 5.56 NATO, .300 BLK, and 6.5 Grendel, a large-action 7.62 variant is also under development.

We had a chance to fire the NARP on full-auto in 2024 and found it very controllable. The mag shown is for a Beretta 93R that we were also shooting that day. Sigh. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Compare the 6.5 version of the NARP, the Praetorian, below, with the Titan in the first part of this post.

Beretta NARP Praetorian configuration 6.5 at Milol Paris

It has been short-listed for Project Grayburn, the replacement program for the British Army’s SA80 rifle, and earlier this month was seen in the hands of elite Italian Army units.

Folgore brigade paratroopers with the Beretta NARP at the 165th anniversary celebration of the Italian Army in L’Aquila in May 2026. (Photo: Italian Army)

Alpini mountain troops seen with the Beretta NARP in L’Aquila in May 2026. (Photo: Italian Army).

Beretta Defense Technologies confirmed to Jane’s Defense earlier this year that the Italian Army ordered 7,000 NARP rifles chambered in 5.56 NATO with 14.5-inch barrels.

It is believed the rifle will replace Beretta ARX-160s as part of the modernization plan of the Italian Armed Forces. Speaking of which, the same troops shown with the NARP this month were wearing the new Altimetrico F-based Mimetismo multi-terreno modello 2025 (Multi-terrain Camouflage Model 2025), camouflage pattern, which was developed by the Italian Army in collaboration with Beretta.

For comparison, check out the image below of Italian troops with the current Vegetato camo pattern and Beretta ARX-160s seen in Rome last week by Guns.com staff.

What were we doing in Italy? You will find out soon enough!

(Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Another volley in the 380 space…

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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 with the Magpul EHG RG380 grip
The new Ruger LCP Max. Note the Magpul EHG RG380 grip frame with 3/4-scale TSP texture. (Photos: Ruger/Magpul)
the new Ruger LCP Max with the Magpul EHG RG380 grip
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. 
the new Ruger LCP Max with the Magpul EHG RG380 grip
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 new Ruger LCP Max with the Magpul EHG RG380 grip
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. 
the new Ruger LCP Max with the Magpul EHG RG380 grip
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.

Federal is now making 150-grain 30.06 for Garands (and it works)

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As any fan of LSOZI knows, we are always on the lookout for increasingly scarce Garand feed.

With that being said, we were very tickled by the fact that Federal is making, in the U.S. (they are now Czech owned, so just saying), a 150-grain FMJ bullet with a fatter (than Power-Shok’s .313 ballistic coefficient 150-grain JSP) .410 ballistic coefficient. It is also cataloged at 2,740 fps, dialed lower than the 2,900+ often seen on commercial hunting ammo in the same caliber/bullet weight.

Federal 150 Grain 30-06 Garand Ammo
The box lists the new .30-06 Federal American Eagle 150-grain FMJ for the Garand as having a flat trajectory at 100 yards, with a 4-inch drop at 200 and 14.5 at 300 yards. 
Federal 150 Grain 30-06 Garand Ammo
The front of the box calls out Federal’s 250th anniversary series of loads commemorating the events of 1776. 
Federal 150 Grain 30-06 Garand Ammo
Of course, the Garand was the Army’s standard infantry rifle from 1937 through 1957, a period covering World War II and the Korean War. The rifle remained in use with Reserve and National Guard units through the 1970s. 
Federal 150 Grain 30-06 Garand Ammo
The ammo is bright and consistent. At the range, we found the rounds to hold within 25 fps of the advertised muzzle velocity across 10 rounds measured through a Caldwell umbrella-style chronograph. 

It has long been standard for Garand owners and enjoyers to stoke their vintage rifles with .30-06 150-grain loads with a little gentler power curve than what is seen in modern commercial hunting ammo. The CMP, probably the foremost expert on the Garand, specifically warns against using bullets more than 172 to 174-grain in weight, saying, “These rifles are at least 70 years old and were not designed for max loads and super heavy bullets.”

When it comes to cost, Federal lists this load with an MSRP of $41.99 per 20-cartridge box, but, as of the publication of this article, we have seen them listed for $31.99.

Compared to what else is out there, CMP offers a custom 150-grain ’06 Creedmoor Berger OTM round with Lapua Brass at $175 per 100 rounds (which works out to $35 per 20). Meanwhile, comparably priced Czech-made Sellier & Bellot’s 150-grain M2 ball repro (at 2,700 fps) and Serbian-made Prvi Partizan’s 150-grain (2,745 fps) Garand-specific loads are often tough to find in stock.

So, with that, barring a good deal on some Cold War Lake City loads that have been in arsenal storage for the past half-century, Federal’s Garand load is a decent buy for the price.

Plus, while many loadings on the surplus market are corrosive (Norwegian, Korean, etc) or attract a magnet (such as Greek HXP and Ethiopian), which can bar it from some ranges, the Federal load does not.

About the best deal I know of right now is 370 rounds of spam-canned (and corrosive) Korean ball for $329 with free shipping from SGA. That’s about 90 cents per round.

There is still some milsurp 150-grain M2 .30 cal ball out there, like this corrosive stuff being sold by SGA right now for about 90 cents per round.

With that being said, the new load from Federal stands ready to keep your Garands fed.

Thus:

Leon, is that you?

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Beretta continues to release innovative variants of its .380 ACP Cheetah series, with the newest model sporting a factory-mounted compensator, extended magazine capacity, and other goodies.

Boom:

The company had long marketed the 80-series Cheetah platform, going back to the 1970s, and debuted the modernized 80X in 2023 to bring the model into the 21st century with more contemporary features than were available during the Disco era.

The newest 80X Cheetah Tactical variant is a special-edition model that retains the pistol’s double-action/single-action trigger system, two-slot Picatinny accessory rail, svelte profile via a Vertec-style alloy frame, and fully ambidextrous controls –including a frame-mounted safety with decocker and a reversible magazine release.

Specific upgrades to this model include extended 15+1-round magazines (ships with three), a red dot mount hidden under a removable optic cover, a built-in compensator on an extended threaded (1/2×28 TPI) muzzle, aggressive G10 grip panels, and a bronze-anodized frame.

The new Beretta 80X Cheetah Tactical Special Edition
The new Beretta 80X Cheetah Tactical Special Edition sports a two-tone blacked-out slide and a compensator that would give the AL/GI/MEC-equipped Model 92s seen in “The Professional” a run for their money. (Photos: Beretta) 
The new Beretta 80X Cheetah Tactical Special Edition
Note the extended beavertail, skeletonized hammer, and combat-style trigger guard as well as the black G10 grip panels and slim Vertec frame. 
The new Beretta 80X Cheetah Tactical Special Edition
The slide includes a red fiber-optic front sight, a blacked-out rear sight, and an optics cover plate. It runs a lightweight recoil spring, making it easy to rack. 

Launched first in Europe with an MSRP of €1,099, which works out to ~$1,300, the model wasn’t supposed to start shipping in the States until June, but we are already seeing availability for it for like $999. 

How about that sizzle reel?

How about an NFA compliant 18 inch PDW with a Honey Badger Brace?

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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 incher, 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 collapsing 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, 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 new Springfield Saint Victor PDW
The MSRP on the new Springfield Saint Victor PDW is $1,399

Kuna Competition? Meet the Taurus RPC 9mm PDW

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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?

Taurus RPC 9mm PDW PCC
Note the case in the air and the muzzle still on target. (Photos: Taurus)
Taurus RPC 9mm PDW PCC
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. 
Taurus RPC 9mm PDW PCC
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.

Springfield’s Hi-Power Clone gets a Detective Model

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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.

Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
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)
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
Overall length is 7.1 inches, while the height is 4.8 inches. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The SA-35 4-inch, left, compared to its 7.8-inch full-sized brother. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
The difference in length is just under an inch, while the weight savings are about two ounces. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch
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. 
Springfield Armory SA-35 4-inch

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. 

More in my column at Guns.com.

Marines OK Optics for Pistol Qualifications, Kinda

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The nation’s 911 force is now officially authorizing pistol quals with a red dot optic, provided it is one very specific system.

On March 13, Marine Administrative Message (MARADMINS) 104/26 updated that the service’s Marksmanship Program will include the paragraph, “Marines are authorized to use unit funded Using Unit Responsibility Item, M17 Romeo red dot optic, National Stock Number 1240-01-713-9795 for Combat Pistol Program (CPP) qualifications.”

In short, so long as the SIG M17 Romeo sight is used– which was designed specifically for the P320-based M17 and M18 9mm Modular Handgun System– and it is bought with unit funds, the country’s premier amphibious warfare force can run red dots in qualifications.

M17 Romeo on an M17 MHS pistol
The Romeo M17 sight (NSN: 1240-01-713-9795), seen attached to an M17 MHS handgun, is a mil-spec, fully enclosed and gas-purged red dot reflex sight with a distortion-free glass aspheric lens. It is submersible to depths up to 35 meters. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
M17 Romeo on an M17 MHS pistol
The optic incorporates a high-efficiency point source red LED emitter, with 2 MOA dot/32 MOA circle reticle, independent brightness adjustment buttons, 15 brightness settings including night vision settings, and a side-mounted CR2032 battery compartment with a threaded battery cap so the optic does not need to be removed from the pistol for battery changes. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Completely U.S. made and constructed of forged 7075 aluminum with a beryllium copper flexure arm (more on that in a minute) the Romeo M17 has an extremely low deck height so that armorers can reuse standard iron sights, has 15 illumination settings (including three for use with Gen 3+ night vision), beats drop and submersion tests, and, importantly, has an integral loaded chamber gas deflector shield that keeps the MHS from gassing up the lens after 10-15 rounds.

SIG Sauer M17 MHS pistol with Romeo M17 MRD sight
The Romeo M17 is a hoss. This installed example we saw dropped from 10 feet onto concrete at SIG’s plant in Oregon earlier this year with nothing but cosmetic damage to the housing. SIG explained to Guns.com that the Romeo M17 has surpassed 100,000 rounds in testing without loss of zero or parts breakage.  (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
SIG Sauer Romeo M17 MRD sight flexure arm
That magical Romeo M17 flexure arm. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
SIG Sauer Romeo M17 MRD sight flexure arm
Installed near the base of the Romeo M17, the arm provides a backbone – so to speak – for the sight, cutting down on the number of parts that can fail. That, combined with the unique mounting process used on the sight that gives it six points of contact with the pistol host, makes it so tough. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)

Marines deployed with the Fleet have already been seen with red dot-equipped M17 Romeo-equipped M18s and Surefire X300 white lights.

M17 Romeo on an M18 MHS pistol
A U.S. Marine with Maritime Special Purpose Force, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), fires an M18 pistol during a qualification range aboard San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Fort Lauderdale (LPD 28), while underway in the Caribbean Sea, Feb. 22, 2026. (U.S. Marine Corps photo)
M17 Romeo on an M18 MHS pistol
An inset of the above image, clearly showing the M17 Romeo on an M18 MHS pistol. (U.S. Marine Corps photo)

The Marines adopted the M18 in 2019, ordering 35,000 of the SIGs to not only replace legacy Beretta M9s but also the Colt M45A1 CQB .45ACP railgun and the M007 Glock.

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