The Beretta Pico

A Beretta Pico (Bottom) with a J-frame S&W (Top)

Recently, a friend of mine bought a Beretta Pico and gave me the opportunity to shoot it enough to provide a quick overview. The Pico is an ultra-compact, polymer framed, double action only pistol chambered for the .380 ACP cartridge. Weighing a little less than 12 ounces, it competes with the likes of the Ruger LCP, the Remington RM380, S&W Bodyguard, Taurus 738 TCP, and Kahr CW380. According to Beretta, it is the thinnest .380 ACP on the market.

The Taurus PT-22

A Taurus PT-22 shown with high velocity ammunition. Taurus 

advised against the use of high velocity ammunition in the PT-22

Years ago, I had a Beretta 21A Bobcat in .22 LR. It was a delightful little pistol that I sadly let get away. Light in the pocket with usable sights and acceptable short range accuracy, it was a great companion when roaming the woods or fishing a pond. It was also fairly reliable, cheap to shoot, and just plain fun. While I did not consider it a primary defensive weapon, it was accurate and reliable enough to serve the purpose, providing that it was fed with agreeable ammunition. Yesterday, I shot what appeared to be a Bobcat clone: the Taurus PT-22.

Pistol Gripped Shotguns

This year, the Mossberg 590 Shockwave got some attention in North Carolina because there was some question as to whether its 14 inch barrel classified it as a weapon of mass destruction. This has since been resolved and the Shockwave, as well as the new Remincton 870 TAC 14, appear to be selling pretty well. While 14 inch barreled pump shotguns with pistol grips are relatively new to the general market, shotguns like the Mossberg 500 Cruiser and the Maverick 88 Special Purpose with 18.5 and 20 inch barrels have long been available so equipped.  

Mossberg 500 AG 12 Gauge with C-LECT Choke

I wrote "The Mossberg 500 Special Purpose Persuader for Defense and Survival" back in 2011. At that time, the Mossberg 500 had been around for fifty years. It still remains popular and rightfully so because it is rugged, versatile, and inexpensive. As of 2013, over 10 million had been produced.  My first experience with a Mossberg 500 was in the guise of a Western Field Model 550 CD 20 gauge with a C-LECT Choke in the late 1970s. It belonged to a fellow sixth grader and, though I was rather young, it did not take long to realize that the C-LECT Choke offered a remarkable improvement over the fixed choke of my Stevens Model 67 B.

Blackhawk Speed Classic Holster

I've long been a fan of revolvers, have carried many, and I still find them perfectly viable for self defense. I like break front holsters because they are secure and yet offer a fast, uninhibited draw and I have used several over the years. I recently noticed that Midway USA had the Blackhawk Speed Classic holster on sale and promptly ordered one since it is advertised as being compatible with 2" J-frame Smith & Wessons, Taurus 85s, and Ruger SP 101s. As is typical of the excellent service that I have always received from Midway, the holster arrived before it was due and I was not disappointed in the least.

Revisiting the Smith & Wesson Model 940

The Smith & Wesson 940 is a hammerless, J-Frame revolver that was built on the new Centennial platform between 1991 and 1998. During its relatively short life, four versions were made: the 940, 940-1 with an improved extractor, and the 940-2 on the magnum J-Frame were produced in 9mm Luger. The 940 PC was a limited run of three hundred Custom Shop models chambered for the .356 TSW.  The .356 TSW was a 9x21.5mm cartridge that offered ballistics similar to the contemporary .357 SIG. When moon clips are used, 9mm Luger cartridges, which are 9x19mm, can be used in the .356 TSW since the shorter cartridges headspace on the clips.

The Walther P22

Introduced in 2002, the Walther P22 has led a somewhat controversial existence. While a cursory glance at online reviews might indicate various feeding issues (especially with standard velocity ammunition) and a host of fixes and improvements, it also appears that many owners are absolutely satisfied and find the design to be reliable.  Over the years, it has been improved upon and it seems like most of the controversy has arisen in earlier production pistols and bad magazines.