Enter FREE GUN FRIDAY and you could win a RUGER(r] LCP(r] MAX or CALDWELL PABLE TARGET KIT. Close The 2021 Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous allowed Athlon’s top content writers to spend three days visiting various firearms, ammunition makers, optics companies, and more. These companies had the opportunity to show writers about their latest products. The top CCW pistols for 2021 were among the products on display. RELATED STORY 6 Shotguns For Home Defense at SHOT show 2022 Fit Every Preference Top-CCW Pistols 2021 We set up steel targets as close to 15 yards as possible, and as far away as one mile. Each exhibitor had their own canopied area with tables and shooting benches. My task at this Rendezvous was to discover what was new in the Concealed Carry market. Springfield Armory XD–M Elite Springfield Armory has just released the XD–M Elite 3.8” Compact OSP in 10mm. The new gun is built on Springfield’s proven XD platform and boasts potent ballistics in a small footprint. The striker-fired, polymer-framed gun comes with a flush fit 11-round magazine for concealed carrying and a 15-round mag for bear and cat country. The dust cover has a rail for tactical lights/lasers and comes from a box with a magazine funnel. The XD-M Elite has fully ambidextrous controls and a META (Match Enhanced Trigger Assembly), which was developed in part by Rob Leatham, Springfield Armory’s professional shooter. It weighs in at 4-5 pounds and has a crisp break. Springfield sells the XD-M Elite equipped with their OSP plate (Optical Sight Pistol), which allows users to attach a red-dot sight. The MSRP of the XD-M Elite Compact costs only $633, and $818 for the gun equipped with Springfield’s HEX Dragonfly micro-red dots. For more information, please visit Springfield-Armory.com. Springfield Armory SA-35 Springfield Armory introduced the SA-35, a domestic version of the Browning Hi-Power. This model was discontinued many years ago. My test sample was actually purchased a month prior to Rendezvous. I found it superior in every way to all the Browning Hi-Powers that I have owned over the years. The SA-35 comes with a good trigger and sights from Springfield. You would have to pay a lot of money to get the Hi-Power, and you’d have had to drop it off with a custom pistolsmith. My testing revealed that the gun was 100 percent reliable with all ammunitions tested, from 77-grains up to 150-grains. I also measured my aggregate group size at 25 yards to be under 1.5 inches. You don’t have to miss out on the chance of owning an original Browning Hi-Power. The Springfield Armory SA-35 is available for $699. For more information, please visit Springfield-Armory.com. Springfield Armory Emissary 1911: I was also given a sample Springfield’s Emissary 1911 pistol. It is a bold, powerful gun with rugged good looks. It is not subtle in any way! It looks like Springfield has infused the Emissary’s with testosterone, from its squared trigger guard, frontstrap-style grenade and mainspring housing checkering, to its tri-top slide design, wide and deep cocking serations, and grenade-style trigger guard. The Emissary is constructed from forged components and has a slide-to-frame fit that is almost perfect with a stainless-steel frame and slide. It also features a single, strong-side only extended thumb safety, high sweep, beavertail grip safety, and blue G10 grips. Springfield equips the Emissary’s with a heavy, bushingless barrel and tunes it for performance. My test sample’s trigger broke at 3.75 lbs. My aggregate group size at 25 yards was only 1.18 inches. The Springfield Armory Emissary is priced at $1,279 and produces custom gun results at a lower price than a standard production gun. For more information, please visit Springfield-Armory.com. SCCY Firearms DVG-1 Chris Cerino of SCCY Firearms and Chris Davis from SCCY Firearms attended Rendezvous with great news. The DVG-1 is now in production. You may recall that I reported the story about the SCCY striker-fired SCCY pistol nearly two years ago. A video and article were published to announce its arrival. SCCY was unable to ship the DVG-1 due to engineering issues and COVID. DVG stands for David Versus Goliath and that’s how SCCY feels when it faces off against larger manufacturers. It is a force to be reckoned with, though, as the iron sight model costs only $299. The red dot-equipped model will be available for $399. SCCY’s DAO 9mm pistols, which are hammer-fired, are still available. Their magazines will also work with DVG-1. The grip circumference of SCCY’s DVG-1 is smaller than the CPX line, and I find it more comfortable. Guns I have shot have a trigger pull of around 5.5 pounds. They are also quite crisp. SCCY equips the gun with an adjustable trigger that has a flat face to improve control. You have the option of either a stainless-steel or black nitride-over-stainless steel slide. SCCY also black-nitrides magazines to improve corrosion resistance. SCCY’s DVG-1 pistol is a great choice for anyone looking for a CCW gun at a reasonable price. SCCY.com has more information. Mossberg MC2sc Mossberg unveiled its new MC2sc microcompact pistol in October. I was able to see the gun in action before the Rendezvous, just like with other guns. Mossberg had brought together Gunsite writers to give their feedback before the gun went into production. Despite the modest success of the Mossberg MC1sc, Mossberg decision-makers realized they needed to increase gun’s capacity following the introduction by SIG of the P365 pistol. Mossberg came up with the MC2sc, which has an 11+1 capacity and a flush-fit magazine as well as a 13+1 with an extended mag–both included with the gun. It was a smart addition to an already existing platform. The pistol is a polymer-frame, striker fired pistol with a comfortable 1911-ish grip angle. It points naturally. It has a blade-style trigger safety and can withstand 4.5 pounds of pressure after some taking up. The MC2sc has dovetailed sights with the three-dot common pattern. The slide can also be used as an optics plate compatible with the JPoint and Shield micro-red dots. I used a Crimson Trace CT-1500 to shoot all my groups. I was able to get any 9mm ammunition to group five shots in under an inch at 15 yards. The MC2sc conceal carry gun is a reliable and accurate weapon that shooters can trust. You can also add an optic to it for a low $555! Mossberg.com has more information. Smith & Wesson updated its Shield pistol earlier in the year to increase its capacity. The Shield Plus was renamed the Shield Plus and had a capacity for 13+1 rounds with its extended magazine or 10+1 with the flush-fit mag. S&W executives underestimated the desire of Shield Plus owners to have a red dot optic. The Shield Plus was not received with enthusiasm, despite optics-ready guns becoming the rage. This has now been rectified. Smith & Wesson Shield Plus3.0 On the first day of the Rendezvous, I met with Corey Beaudreau from S&W. He showed me the brand new S&W Shield Plus3.0 Optics Ready pistol. It has the same capacity as its predecessor: 13+1 with the extended mag, 10+1 with flush fit. This model also has an optics plate that can take the JPoint or Shield Microdot optics. Shortly after returning from the Rendezvous I received a brand new S&W Shield Plus 3.0 Optics ready pistol to evaluate. I attached a Crimson Trace Rad microdot optic to the gun and tested its accuracy at 15 yards. The gun’s crisp trigger allowed me to fire small five-shot groups. My test sample’s trigger was just slightly over 4 pounds. The trigger’s flat-faced design made it easy to control and the reset was as firm as it should be. I tested the 3.0 with four hot defense loads and two common range-type ammunitions, as well as one +P ammunition. All six ammunitions were fed and cycled perfectly. My aggregate group size was just.82 inches. My original single-stack Shield was my primary weapon for a while. I was happy to discover that my Kydex holsters can accommodate the new Shield Plus 3.0 Optics ready pistol without any modifications. It retails for $595 at S&W, which is a great deal for a gun. Smith-Wesson.com has more information. CZ-USA/Dan Wesson Guard CZ-USA was also present at the Rendezvous. One of the guns that I fell in love, the Dan Wesson Guard, was one of my favorite guns. It is a Commander-size 1911, built on an alloy frame and bobtailed for concealed carrying. The Guardian was designed from the ground up to be a carry pistol. The lightweight 70 Series frame is without a firing pin safety and the frontstrap is checked with 40 LPI checkering. Dan Wesson craftsmen bobtail frame to prevent layers of clothing from getting on gun’s butt. Slide is fitted with Novak-style low profile night sights. The magazine can hold 10 rounds of 9mm ammunition and all sharp edges have been removed. After the Rendezvous, my test sample arrived and I shot it at 20 meters for accuracy. The Guardian has great sights, a crisp 4-pound trigger with no overtravel. This allowed me to shoot some very nice groups. My total group size was 1.41 inches using three different defense ammunitions. The Guardian could be your ideal CCW gun if you love everything about the 1911, but hate its weight. Its MSRP is $1899. CZ-USA.com has more information. SAR-USA SAR9C The SAR9C pistol was one of the hidden gems that I discovered at this year’s Rendezvous. This gun was something I had never heard of until I shot it. The Turkish-made gun was imported by SAR-USA and features a polymer frame with striker-fired action. The original SAR9 pistols were made for the Turkish military and extensively tried. They have been approved for NATO use after enduring 50,000 rounds of torture testing. The SAR9C compact version features a shorter grip frame and a 4-inch-long barrel. This gun is ideal for concealed carry due to its small dimensions and 15+1 capacity. It has a trigger safety and a mechanical striker that prevents the gun’s firing unless the trigger is pulled. The dust cover on the frame can be removed to add a light/laser. Its barrel is cold-hammer-forged with a recessed target crown. Although I was unable shoot the gun for groups at Rendezvous, I had no trouble hitting the steel targets that were set up in front of SAR USA’s tent. I was impressed with the SAR9C’s accuracy and reliability after running several magazines through it. The SAR9C is only $429 and comes with two magazines as well as grip backstraps so that the gun can be adapted to the user’s hand. Visit SARUSA.com for more information. Nighthawk Custom Delegate Nighthawk Custom was also present at the Rendezvous. The one gun that really caught me attention was the new Delegate pistol. The Delegate is a powerful piece of machinery! The Delegate is a first-class machine, with its impressive sculpturing and carry bevels as well as its unique slide profile. The Delegate is a commander-size gun, built on a series 70-styled steel frame. It has a coned barrel that is fully supported and rakish styling by angling it’s recoil spring. The barrel’s crown receives a deep concave treatment. This gives the gun great styling points. Nighthawk smiths apply a deep bevel to the barrel’s bottom to keep it from cutting the shooter and expensive holsters. It also has reverse or raised cocking grooves at its front. To give emptyers every chance to exit the gun, the slide has a flared and lowered ejection port. Nighthawk Delegate in Depth Mark Stone, Nighthawk’s owner sent me home with a delegate to allow me to perform a more thorough evaluation than I could at Rendezvous. My test sample came with two tapered dovetailed plates and the Interchangeable Optics System. The one with the standard rear sight is shown, while the other has a Trijicon RMR miniature red dot. The single-stack frame is equipped with checkering at the center of its frontstrap. This is where it is most needed. It is also undercut at the junction of the trigger guard, frontstrap and trigger guard for a strong grip. It also features a strong, side-only thumb safety and a high sweep beavertail. Nighthawk’s flush fit mag well allows for quick and precise reloads without extending the frame. Nighthawk gives the gun a satin-nitride finish. My test gun’s trigger was able to break at 3.75 pounds with very little take-up. There was also no overtravel. I fired my groups from a seated position, with the targets at 20 yards. The aggregate group size of the Delegate was a remarkable.62-inch! This level of accuracy is not accidental! The Nighthawk Custom Delegate is priced at $3,899. It was designed for the 1911 connoisseur, who knows that quality and pride in craftsmanship are not cheap. NighthawkCustom.com has more information. Final Thoughts: The Athlon Outdoors Rendezvous proved to be a huge success! You can read about the new firearms, and accessories, which we were privileged enough to preview last October, here as well as in Athlon’s print magazines. You won’t want a single issue to go by! Sign up for the Personal Defense World newsletter today to stay in the loop! Sign up for our newsletter I have read and understood the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy and I hereby accept them. Athlon may collect, store, process, and transfer my Personal Data and Non Personal Data for the purpose of signing me up for the email newsletter. Next The BONEDRI Gun & Ammo bag provides moisture removal technology. Protect your firearm and ammunition against rust after exposure with the new… by Personal Defense World / Mar 17, 2022 WATCH RELEVING ZONE: Season 2 TrendingThe Wilson Combat SFX9 5 Inch is a performance-driven 1911 additionThe CZ Scorpion gets a complete overhaul with the 9mm 3+ micro pistolAthlon outdoors Rendezvous reveals the top CCW pistols of 2021. A Pocket Pistol & Laser Combo for Your Gun Collection Ruger’s pocket pistols, and Crimson Trace lasers are the perfect combination of function and technology.
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