It’s hard to believe Shooting Times is about to pass the half century mark; I’d just turned zero when the mag was born. Bart Skelton marks the occasion with an article celebrating handgun innovation and excellence since 1960. Fantastic Fistguns features five of the best. Skelton hearts the Smith & Wesson Model 59 (“the first high-capacity double-action auto pistol to be manufactured in the U.S. and is the grandfather of many of today’s premier high-capacity double-action autoloaders”), the Bren Ten (“It’s an outstanding cartridge–extremely powerful and accurate handgun”), the Glock (“The simplicity of the Glock can also make a difference tactically, allowing the shooter to concentrate more on the shooting situation rather than the function of the pistol”) and the Freedom Arms .454 Casull (“The cartridge produces spectacular results on big game and has taken virtually every species of dangerous game on the planet”). Make the jump for last two . . .
Smith & Wesson Model 60 (“The compact snubnose, now available in sought-after stainless steel, was a dream come true for law enforcement officers, sportsmen, and those seeking a tough home-defense gun”) and the Ruger Vaquero (“They make great packing guns for knocking around the desert, plinking, and home defense. They’re safe, easy to shoot, reliable, and priced right”). I’m not sure if this is the definitive list of handguns introduced since 1960 (I’d put the Taser in there), but anyone who wouldn’t welcome one of these five bad boys into his arsenal probably already has an example of at least one.
