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.
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)
Note the ambi Type F safety and all metal components, other than the G10 grip panels.
You have to love the polished externals.
The repro 92SB is a Beretta through and through and ships with a pair of classic-style 15-round magazines with flat base pads.
Finished with G10 grips, each pistol comes in special collector’s packaging, including a challenge coin and a history booklet chronicling the 90 Series legacy.
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.
The Beretta 92SB hit the market in 1980, with the 92SB Compact arriving the next year.
The gun found fast success with consumers as well as LE/military customers.
It was soon adopted by the Connecticut State Police in 1983, among many departments.
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.
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.
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).
Looks like they are getting some work done from the 300m line. (Photos: German Army)
Oh, hallo!
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.
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.
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.
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)
The Skinner Trapper series sight is crafted from solid stainless steel and is fully windage and elevation adjustable, shipping with a .125-inch Aperture installed. Four other aperture sizes are available.
Weight is a handy 6.3 pounds, while the overall length is 33.25 inches. The 1:16″RH twist barrel should help wring out a bit more velocity from the 10mm Auto round.
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.
The 1980s-1990s stainless Mini-14 GB-F is an enduring work of beauty that hails from an age of VHS tapes when MTV played music. (Photo: Chris Eger)
Ruger responded to public filings and statements that an international firearms powerhouse has moved to purchase a significant amount of its stock.
On Sept. 22, Luxembourg-based Beretta Holding filed a mandatory report with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it had acquired a 7.7 percent ownership interest in Ruger without providing prior notification to the American-owned company, one of only two publicly traded firearms makers in the U.S.
The report filed with the SEC by Beretta said the company “anticipates engaging in discussions” with Ruger’s management and board of directors regarding “business, industry developments, and potential areas of operational and strategic collaborations.”
On Oct. 2, Beretta filed an amendment with the SEC clarifying that its stake amounted to 9 percent ownership in Ruger.
This week, Ruger disclosed that the company has tried to engage with Beretta since the filing of its initial SEC report “to learn more about Beretta’s plans and intentions without success,” and that Beretta has advised Ruger’s Board that “it would not, under any circumstances, sign a standstill agreement.” Such an agreement stipulates that an investor agrees to buy no more shares for a specified period.
In response, Ruger’s Board on Tuesday adopted and filed a one-year shareholder rights plan, which is triggered if any investor obtains 10 percent or more of the company’s stock. The plan, a commonly seen “poison pill” used to halt takeovers, gives shareholders – except the one exceeding 10 percent ownership that triggered the plan – the right to buy more shares at a steep discount. This would make a potential takeover attempt through stock purchase a steeper hill to climb, although not an insurmountable one. For instance, Twitter’s board adopted an ultimately futile rights plan in an attempt to fight off Elon Musk’s purchase in 2022.
“In light of the potential for Beretta to significantly increase its position in Ruger, the Board determined that adopting the Rights Plan is prudent to fulfill its fiduciary duties to all stockholders,” said John Cosentino, Jr., Chairman of the Board for Sturm, Ruger & Company, Inc. “Ruger looks forward to meeting with Beretta, a leader in the industry, and learning more about what operational and strategic collaborations they have in mind. We are open to any ideas for lasting value creation. Our Board and management team remain committed to providing quality and innovative firearms and delivering long-term value to our stockholders.”
Both Beretta and Ruger have a long history of acquiring other companies in the international firearms and optics space. Beretta currently owns the brands Benelli, Franchi, Uberti, Stoeger, Sako, Tikka, Steiner, Burris, and Chapuis Armes, among others. Ruger, meanwhile, has Marlin along with a host of former Marlin-owned brands, and recently acquired Anderson Manufacturing in a move to increase its AR-style production capability.
The Hellcat was already well-liked on the micro-compact market and has been a solid choice for those looking for an EDC gun that splits the Venn Diagram of being both concealable and practical. The 380 version of the gun doubles down on that while providing a more subtle felt recoil impulse without sacrificing reliability or accuracy.
When it comes to rocks, the only thing we can find to throw at the gun is the fact that the short slide, coupled with its stout recoil spring, is a bit tough to rack, especially for those with compromised hand strength. On the upside of that, when mounting an optic, it allows more real estate to perform the task. We racked the pistol probably 100 times in testing from the optic and never felt it loosen or observed it shifting point of aim/impact.
The standout feature of the Hellcat in 380 is the size. It is a very slim gun, with the slide running 0.85 inches and the widest part of the grip just breaking an inch. Note the loaded chamber indicator.
Sans optic and with its flush-fit mag installed, you are looking at a pistol that is right at 4 inches tall, which puts it just under the cutoff for a pocket carry piece.
Speaking of magazines, the Hellcat uses stainless steel-bodied mags with rear witness holes and black base pads and followers.
You see the 11+1, left, with its pinky extension installed, and the 13+1, right. Note the grip texture extends to the base pads.
That allows 12 rounds on tap in one of the most compact .380s on the market. Federal Hydra Shok Deep 99-grain JHP shown.
And the ability to EDC with the shorter mag inserted to aid in concealment, with the longer mag easily carried as a backup.
The Hellcat .380 has a super short one-slot accessory rail. While it runs just inches long, Streamlight’s flush-fit TLR-6 and TLR-7 Sub are made specifically for the 3-inch Hellcat models, as well is the TLR-8 light/laser combo, so there are options out there.
The surface controls are on the left side of the gun for right-handed shooters, including a slide catch, push-button magazine release (which is reversible), and take-down lever that rotates skyward.
Disassembly on an unloaded Hellcat is simple via said take-down lever. Note the dual spring guiderod assembly.
When it comes to ergos, you have textured memory pads forward of the trigger that are instinctual, as well as short but usable forward slide serrations.
The high beavertail and undercut rear trigger guard allow for a corresponding high grip on the Hellcat, just under the slide. This helps mitigate recoil impulse.
Only one model of the Hellcat .380 is available at launch, but it has excellent dovetail-mounted steel sights with a tritium/luminescent front and a Tactical Rack U-notch rear. It uses the common Shield RMSc optics pattern, and our test gun shipped with a Shield OMSsc sight installed. A compact and sleek design, the OMSc features a translucent panoramic roof over a T6 6082 aluminum body. It runs a 4 MOA dot with automatic adjustments and boasts a 9,000-hour battery life.
The pistol ships in a cardboard box that includes a branded double-zipper case with room for the Hellcat and both of its mags.
Of course, I have carried a Hellcat Pro for the past few years every day, so I may be a bit biased. But at least I am biased for a good reason.
A traffic stop in part of California known more for golf, wine, and scenic drives than full-auto World War II relics turned up something a bit unusual.
A sheriff’s deputy in Monterey County– home to the picturesque and affluent Carmel, Big Sur, and the Salinas Valley region– performed a stop last month on a female driver and a male passenger. An MCSO deputy, accompanied by his K9 Partner “Rocket,” arrived, and the dog alerted on “controlled substances and drug paraphernalia.” Going beyond that, deputies recovered a loaded M1911 pistol, a “loaded AR pistol carbine,” and a Japanese Type 11 light machine gun.
A press release from the agency stated that two of the three firearms did not have serial numbers, but did not elaborate on which two.
(Photo: MCSD)
(Photo: MCSD)
(Photo: MCSD)
Designed by “Japan’s John Browning,” Kijiro Nambu, the 22-pound Type 11 was the first light machine gun to be manufactured in the country when it went into production in 1922. A modification of the French Hotchkiss of WWI fame, Nambu’s design deleted that gun’s awkward 30-round feed strip for a hopper that could be stoked with 6.5mm Arisaka via five-round stripper clips designed for the inventor’s previous Type 38 rifle.
A Japanese Type 11 light machine gun in use with a canvas bag to catch brass, December 1924. (Photo: Library of Congress)
While some Type 11s were brought back to the U.S. by returning veterans and often made their way to display in VFW halls and museums– in deactivated conditions– functional and transferable Type 11s are scarce on the NFRTR and command a price typically over $10,000. I can only find three coming to the auction block in the past few years, and two of the three specify that the gun is in DEWAT condition.
Going beyond that, 6.5x50mm ammo is niche and runs around $2.50 a round for factory-new soft-point hunting loads, about all that is in production these days, for folks with sporterized Type 38s. However, and here is a significant caveat, the Type 11 had to use underpowered ammunition to function properly, rather than full-strength loads. So, if you had one that worked, good luck finding the right ammo for it to actually get cyclic.
Monterey County is strongly Democratic, and the Sheriff, progressive Tina Nieto, is a noted “champion for restorative justice. While long facing criticism for flouting local traffic laws herself, Nieto was outspoken on the traffic stop that netted the Type 11.
“This is a WWII era type of machine gun capable of firing over 500 rounds per minute,” said Nieto in a statement, although it is not clear if the Type 11 is serviceable, or if the gun was stolen from a collector or museum. “It’s a weapon of war. It’s a weapon of mass destruction.”
Knabb was booked into the Monterey County Jail and charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm, possession of a machine gun, possession of a controlled substance while armed, possession of an unserialized firearm, and other charges. His bail was set at $50,000.
Despite being found with a “weapon of mass destruction,” Knabb was not listed as “in custody” on Oct. 5.
Reports from Europe point to CZ as being the winner of a huge contract to provide as many as 180,000 new pistols to the German military.
The German federal army, or Bundeswehr, has been conducting trials since last year to replace its polymer-framed hammer-fired 9mm P8A1 pistol, a variant of the HK USP, which has been in service since 1994. Current contenders to become the future P13 handgun in Bundeswehr service have been narrowed down to the Arex Delta, the Glock Gen 5 G17, and the CZ P-10 F.
German defense media site Hartpunkt reported earlier this month that the BAAINBw, the Bundeswehr’s acquisition agency, is finalizing a €25 million award to CZ for the new P13. The award will be for 62,000 pistols first, with an option for as many as 186,000 guns.
The striker-fired P-10 F, introduced by CZ in late 2018, is the largest of the company’s well-liked P-10 series, with a 4.5-inch barrel and a 19+1 capacity. While available in both optics-ready and suppressor-ready variants, it is not known which model the Bundeswehr has under consideration. (Photo: CZ)
CZ’s P-10 series is already in use with the militaries of the Czech Republic and Romania, both NATO allies of Germany. (Photos: Czech Army)
In addition to the P13 program, German KSK special operations and KSM frogman units recently adopted Walther PDP 4.5 and 4-inch variants as the P14/P14K series of pistols.
Before the adoption of the HK P8, the Bundeswehr issued the Walther P-38 and its postwar alloy-framed offspring, the P-1, going back to the service’s birth in 1955.
Held Veterans Day weekend at the 17 South Rod and Gun Club in sunny Savannah – where the temps hovered in the low 80s in November! – the event is now in its second year. Organized by the fine folks at Recoil with the support of more than 60 industry sponsors including some big players like B&T, Daniel Defense, FN, KAC, Kalashnikov USA, Maxim, PTR, SIG Sauer, SilencerCo, and Staccato, you can bet that it had something for everyone.
Open to the public, a $50 general admission ticket got you on the range for the day for unlimited shooting at every lane with all ammo included, while VIP and Premier tickets got you into the whole weekend including night shoots with both white light and NVGs and a swag bag that included a free suppressor (not a misprint).
While I’ll have several follow-up articles this week diving deeper into some cool new developments in the quiet space that I ferreted out at the show, check out this preview to get a general feel for the event.
Who doesn’t love a suppressed M2 50 cal?
Dead Air was there doing Dead Air stuff. We call dibs on the Spiker.
What’s your pick?
B&T had their Station SIX? (AKA the modern Welrod)
As part of this complete breakfast
Gemtech, one of the oldest names in the suppressor game, was there with lots of goodies all on parent company S&W’s new stuff, including the new FPC folding 9mm carbine.
Kalashnikov USA was out in force with lots of cool guy stuff…
Recently celebrating their 15th anniversary, SiCo did a short run of Titanium Sparrows that sold out in a day. Maybe it will become a regular item. Maybe.
SIG brought lots of stuff Including the MCX line, which the Army is putting through its paces currently for the Next Generation Squad Weapon program.
If you have followed this blog for more than a week or so, you’d know that I have a soft spot for 1911s. Well, at Indy last week, it was obvious that Dan Wesson is keeping a foot in both the vintage and contemporary 1911 market.
The newest version of the DW Specialist debuted at the 152nd NRA Annual Meetings in Indianapolis over the weekend, adding an optics-ready slide to the .45 ACP rail gun. The factory cut has three optic plate options while a front fixed Novak-style fiber optic night sight and a tactical rear sight are also mounted.
Dan Wesson 1911 Specialist Optics-Ready includes a tactical hammer and a long solid trigger in addition to an ambi safety.
Note the Picatinny accessory rail, G10 VZ Operator II grips, and 25 LPI front strap checkering. The forged stainless steel frame and slide has a matte black duty finish.
Then there is the Heirloom.
The company’s Heirloom 1911 series are typically only offered in limited runs each year, usually just in .45 ACP. Now, for the first time, Dan Wesson is rolling with a .38 Super chambering for this top-shelf Government Issue-sized pistol. Made with premium parts while remaining eminently shootable, the pistol uses hand-fit 70 Series frames and slides paired with a match-grade barrel.
One of the big selling points is that these are rock-solid guns and that DW refuses to use any MIM small parts in the construction of an Heirloom. The idea is that it is built to withstand the test of time and is made to be handed down from one generation to the next– still as accurate and dependable as it was on day one.
Note the Black DLC high-polished finish, scrollwork, brass front sight, and Ivory-colored G10 grips.
The Heirloom ships with a solid medium-length trigger, undercut trigger guards, hand-polished flats, a beveled magazine well, and an overall carry bevel treatment.
