Categories
Handguns

Chiappa AK-9 Pistol: Your Thoughts?

Chiappa AK-9

If you’ve ever wanted a blow-back AK-ish pistol chambered in 9mm that took Beretta 92 magazines, Chiappa has the gun for you!

Expected to be shown at the 2016 SHOT Show, the new AK-9 from Chiappa Firearms is a semi-automatic pistol that has the look of an AK-style pistol but is not likely to share much in common with those guns. The guns use a straight blowback action and are fed from Beretta 92 magazines. The gun ships with a pair of 10-round mags.

[Ed. note: Chiappa has a new PDW-style gun that is much more attractive than this pistol. Check out the new CBR-9 pistol.]

Chiappa equipped the pistol with a 6.3″ barrel. Overall, the gun is 14.25″ in length. Mechanical sights are included, though I suspect many people will prefer to add a red dot of some type using the built-in Picatinny rail. The rear sight is fixed, while the front is adjustable.

Speaking of accessory rails, the gun has one underneath the barrel as well as a pair at the 3 and 6 o’clock positions. The underside rail ends with a ramped hand stop. The side rails are high up on the gun and well above the barrel.

The AK-9 pistol appears to use an AK-style magazine release and safety selector. A swivel is attached to the rear of the gun for a sling.

If you are not familiar with Chiappa, they produce a number of reproduction guns. Many people may be familiar with the Rhino revolvers the company introduced a few years ago. Although the Rhino is a nice shooting gun (even in .357 Magnum,) it is very much a niche gun that does not enjoy widespread popularity. Well, besides being one of the guns used in the remake of Total Recall.

The suggested retail price on this gun is $569. Frankly, this gun doesn’t do anything for me. What about you – are you interested in it at all? Sound off in the comment section below. Just try to keep it PG, please.

Categories
Handguns

Introducing the HK VP40

Ever since Heckler & Koch introduced the VP9 in 2014, many in the shooting world have been wondering when a .40 caliber version would hit the shelves. Well, it is now here.

Say hello to the HK VP40.

The VP40 is a striker-fired pistol with a polymer frame. Closely resembling the original VP9, the VP40 shares many of the same features and innovations of the original handgun. Lets go over a few of these, plus talk about some of the differences…

Categories
news

Smith & Wesson Model 22A Discontinued

Smith & Wesson discontinued the Model 22A line from its catalog, and has no public plans to reintroduce it at a later date.

Last year rumors began to circulate that Smith & Wesson was dropping the rimfire pistol from the company’s line up, but the gun remained on its site and in its catalog. I have since been able to confirm with a company spokesperson that the gun is now officially history.

Categories
Handguns

American Tactical Imports Polymer 1911

At the 2015 SHOT Show, American Tactical Imports (ATI) is now showing a prototype polymer 1911 pistol. This is the same gun that I first brought news of from the 2014 NASGW expo.

The new guns are still in a prototype form, but I have been able to get some of the information about what the new guns will be like when they ship later this year. Here’s what I know…

Categories
Handguns

YHM-15 Pistols

Yankee Hill Machine introduced the new YHM-15 pistols at the 2015 SHOT Show. These are new AR-style handguns and will be available in both 9mm and 5.56 NATO.

These guns use a new YHM lightweight handguard, threaded barrels and more. Here’s what we’ve learned…