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Best Buy Handguns

Guns Magazine, Annual, 2001 by Massad Ayoob

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The P95 stood by itself for value in a quality centerfire auto pistol, but the .45 exceeded it. It did so by being literally twice as accurate. In the time of the "high-capacity magazine ban," a nine-shot .45 also delivers more bang for the buck than an 11-shot 9mm. The combination of polymer frame and investment-casting economies of production makes the P97 the best buy of all current .45 autos, period.

Medium-Caliber Handguns

Handguns in the medium-caliber category are perhaps the most-shopped of guns, especially by owners who want acceptable punch and ease of carry.

Kel-Tec P-11

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At only $309 suggested retail, the P-11 sells for less than half the price of some other sub-compact 11-shot 9mm pistols. Polymer-frame technology, coupled with the ingenious design work of George Kelgren, makes it possible. Surprisingly accurate, it will accept 15-shot S&W Model 59/5900 series magazines, which are still readily available on the gun-show market.

The double-action-only trigger pull is heavy and tiresome, but a gun-smith familiar with the design can work wonders in altering it to your touch. The sights are adequate. Best of all, this pistol is extremely small for its power level and round-count. Concealing it is a snap. Coupled with its small size is its light weight: 14 ozs. unloaded. The P-11 is comparable to the dimensionally similar Airweight five-shot .38.

There were malfunctions with the early P-11 s, but these were cleared up quickly. Most P-11 owners rave about the gun's reliability. How about durability? One sheriff's department put 7,000 rounds through a P-11, most of it hot Winchester +P+, with no breakdown and no malfunctions.

This gun has been produced in .40 S&W as well, but the 9mm is far more in evidence. Kel-Tec's new .32 ACP, the P-32, is garnering rave reviews from the mousegun crowd. Barely over 5" in length, it weighs 6.6 ozs. and has a much lighter DAO trigger pull than its big brother.

A lot of companies make compact "concealed carry" 9mm pistols, but none can touch Kel-Tec's P-11 in terms of "bang for the buck."

Taurus 85

Available in blued steel or stainless, an aluminum-framed Ultra-Lite variant and an aluminum/titanium version, the small Brazilian gun is the best buy on the "small-frame snubnose .38" market. Very similar outwardly to the S&W Chief's Special, the 85 starts at $285 suggested retail in blued steel with 2" or 3" barrel, versus $406 for S&W's equivalent Model 36. They fit the same holsters and do the same jobs, making the Taurus some 30 percent more cost effective.

The small-frame Taurus is surprisingly accurate. Handling is functionally identical to its S&W counterpart. A CH (concealed hammer) version is available in double-action only with snag-free profile. Taurus revolvers also come with a built-in lock on the hammer that can be secured with a key easily kept on your personal keychain, an option that can be useful.

A lot of professionals who insist on long-established prestige brands go to the Taurus 85 for their smallframe .38 needs. This gun's excellent value explains why it's perennially the best-selling Taurus.

Best Buy Handguns

Guns Magazine, Annual, 2001 by Massad Ayoob

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