Inland Manufacturing recently announced a new derringer-style handgun on Facebook. Called the Liberator, the new handgun is a double barrel design chambered in .45 ACP.
Category: Handguns
New Color: FNS-9 Compact in FDE
FN America is now selling a flat dark earth version of the FNS-9 Compact pistol. This announcement comes two months ahead of the 2017 SHOT Show, suggesting the company could be reserving a few big announcements for January.
New Gear: Jericho JGear Pistol Kits
IWI US announced the company is now offering Jericho JGear Pistol Kits featuring the 941 pistols. These kits include both a gun and the shooting accessories.
Guns available are the F9, FS9, PL9 and PSL9 versions of the model 941 handgun. All of the guns are equipped with Meprolight Tru-Dot night sights. These sights use tritium vials that glow without an outside power source so you have a better sight picture when aiming in low light conditions.
In addition to the pistol, each kit contains a variety of products. These include:
- polymer paddle holster: This is an open top, OWB carry rig that allows for adjusting the carry angle (aka cant) for best comfort.
- polymer magazine holder: Similar in design to the holster, this is an open top double magazine pouch that also allows for an adjustment of the carry angle.
- Maglula UpLula: This is a tool that can be used to help load ammunition into the pistol magazine. I’ve never found a lot of use for one of these, but I am someone who has been shooting for many years. A new shooter or someone with weak hands may find this tool very helpful. I know there are a lot of Maglula products sold every year.
- cleaning rod and brush: This is pretty straightforward.
- lockable plastic case: This may not seem like a big deal, but a lot of guns are shipping in cardboard boxes. If you would like a hard case to store or transport your gun in, IWI US is saving you from making a separate purchase.
The MSRP on these kits is $699 for the polymer framed pistol and $779 for the steel framed gun.
Right now, the kits appear to be only available for guns in 9mm. IWI US offers Jericho pistols in other calibers, but it remains to be seen if it will offer kits for other guns.
New Competition Pistols from Colt
Colt’s Manufacturing Company (Colt) announced several new additions to its Competition Pistol line of 1911-style handguns. One is a blued finish pistol chambered in .38 Super while three additional models are in stainless steel.
New Gun: The Walther Creed
Walther Arms is now introducing a new pistol called the Creed. The new Walther Creed promises to deliver all of the standard, high-quality features that the company’s handguns are known for, but at an incredibly low price: $399.
The new Creed is a full-size 9mm pistol with many of the same features that shooters have come to expect from the company’s other handguns, including:
- polymer frame with the distinctive Walther ergonomics and texturing
- Tennifer treated metal parts
- reversible magazine release
- Picatinny type accessory rail for the addition of a white light or laser
- extended slide stop lever for easy manipulation with or without gloves
The Creed is hammer fired, not striker fired, and uses a pre-cocking, double-action trigger. Walther states the trigger pull to be a constant 6.5 pounds and very smooth.
The gun has a 4″ barrel and ships with two 16-round magazines. A 10-round, restricted state version is also available. Unloaded, the gun weighs about 27 ounces.
The Creed looks to be a less-expensive version of the PPX pistol. The two guns share many of the same features, and I would not be surprised to discover that the magazines are interchangeable between the two guns.
Both guns are hammer fired with a 6.5 pound pull. Both guns have a 4″ barrel and hold 16+1 rounds of 9mm. Both guns weigh…wait for it…27 ounces.
There are some obvious differences between the two guns of course. The frames are molded slightly differently (look at the trigger guard and accessory rail, for example.)
Also, the slide on the PPX has more machining. The additional machining on the PPX could easily account for some of the price difference between the guns. Other companies have offered less expensive versions of guns that, while functionally very similar, had simplified machining and engineering processes.
On the whole, its not a bad business decision for Walther to go after the budget market. Smith & Wesson has been making huge money in this niche with its SD series of pistols.
In addition to the bottom line, the move can also benefit the customer. Someone who cannot afford a $500-$600 pistol may be able to swing a $350 one. So much the better that the customer have Walther as an option.