by David Crane david@defensereview.com The photos contained in this article were taken by (and provided to DefenseReview.com by) Charlie Petty. They were first shown in his original post on the M&P pistol (Military & Police pistol) at AmBackForum.com. DefenseReview first heard that Smith & Wesson was developing an new polymer-framed semi-auto pistol to go head-to-head with the Glock, Springfield XD, and Heckler …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Randy Adams, of Fireblade Systems, has introduced a custom-built, no-nonsense tactical 1911 pistol package in .45ACP, called the "Counter-Strike 1911". The Counter-Strike 1911 pistol is built primarily for extreme reliability and maximum utility under stress. From the pictures DefenseReview has seen, Adams’ Counter-Strike 1911 pistol reminds us of the kind of custom 1911 pistol work we’ve …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com The brand new, hot-off-the-presses Taurus PT 24/7 pistol is getting, well…a lot of press these days. The author can’t seem to pick up a firearms print publication lately without reading about the "24/7". For example, "Guns" Magazine (Nov. 2004) and "American Handgunner" Magazine (Nov./Dec. 2004), are both featuring articles on the 24/7 pistol, this month. Basically, …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com Troy Industries, Inc. was a vendor at SWAT Round-Up 2003, and they showed up with this little bad boy–which is a whole lotta’ rifle in a compact, carbine-sized envelope. The SOPMOD M-14 Commando Carbine is a Spec-Ops-applicable 7.62x51mm semi-auto carbine. Features on the SOPMOD M14 include an A.R.M.S.-like 1913 picatinny rail system, ergonomic pistol grip, and …

The following is an advertisement that was submitted to Defense Review anonymously. Normally we don’t publish anonymous posts–and especially advertisements. However, we’re making an exception here as a courtesy to our members and readers who may have an interest in reading about the history of the Colt 1911 pistol and its precursors. We’ll research the source. Here it is: "Just …

by David Crane Kimber appears to have copied the Caspian Integral Light/Laser Rail Mount with their new integrated "Tactical Rail". This, of course, is good news, as an integral rail is always preferable to a screwed-on rail. However an integral rail doesn’t solve the reported reliability problems caused by Kimber’s Series II Safety system, which the author believes can potentially …

It’s official. The Kimber Custom II single-stack .45 1911(5" Government Model) has apparently defeated all comers, and is thus slated to rest on the thighs of all LAPD SWAT operators in the very near future. For an LE SWAT/SRT contract, it’s a big one–160 guns(2 per operator). The significance of the Kimber Custom II’s adoption is magnified by the fact …

by David Crane david@defensereview.com A little while back, we reported on Paul Liebenberg opening up his own custom shop, Pistol Dynamics, now located in Indialantic, FL. Well, the July/August 2002 issue of "American Handgunner" contains a rather lengthy article by Cameron Hopkins about both Paul and his new "Limited Signature" Model 1911 he created in retro Armand Swenson/Richard Heinie style …

There’s a new 1911 just coming onto the market that has received some very positive reviews by some very experienced people. The Valtro 1998 A1 is the brainchild of John Jardine, nephew of the late great Armand Swenson. John is a gunsmith in his own right(after all, he learned from one of the best), and can modify the pistols even …