Australian & New Zealand Handgun

Australian & New Zealand Handgun has finally come of age as we celebrate our 21st birthday! Believe it or not it was way back in 2003 we published the first edition of our popular annual magazine for dedicated small-arms enthusiasts on both sides of the Tasman. For our cover story this time, senior correspondent Rod Pascoe has road tested the ‘Big Five’ from Canik and discovered they offer something for everyone. Guns under review include the latest from the Beretta stable – the M94A pistol – and Geoff Smith enlisted the help of three Beretta enthusiasts who’ve given a resounding thumbs-up to what looks like ranking among the best handguns the Italian icon has ever produced. Elsewhere Thomas Tabor has run the numbers on a couple of interesting options in the shape of Smith & Wesson’s Model 1006 and Colt’s Delta Elite 10mm pistol while Daniel O’Dea has turned the spotlight on the Holosun red-dot sight and put the Mantis training aid through its paces. And talking of training, seasoned hand-gunner Dick Eussen has weighed in with plenty of tips on how to improve your performance including ways to perfect that pistol grip and what it takes to make yourself a better shot.

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In Australian & New Zealand Handgun 19, Daniel O’Dea reviews the latest Beretta APX modular pistol – this the RDO model (Red Dot Optic) – where the polymer frame can be removed and swapped for one of a different colour, the pistol also coming with three interchangeable grips. Sticking with pistols, Thomas Tabor has written an excellent appraisal of the latest Glock Model 21 and, as he points out, this Gen 3 version comes with a host of upgrades. For collectors, enthusiast Mark van den Boogaart has three tasty articles which are sure to appeal, including the fascinating tale of a classic London Colt which dates back to 1854. Among our features is an insight into the 1956 Melbourne Olympics by Rod Pascoe, who conducted an in-depth interview with Peter Papps, one of the ‘men of the moment’. Handgun afficionado Geoff Smith has penned two interesting pieces on custom loads and accuracy, and with the Australian Army in the market for a new sidearm to replace the ageing Browning, John Maxwell has spoken with two of the key players at Army HQ in Canberra.

Australian & New Zealand Handgun magazine is back! In our 18th edition we have a mesmerising mix of all things handgun including a review of the Walther Q5 Match SF, the latest refinement in the PPQ family of pistols. And sticking with Walther, we run the numbers on the company’s LP500 Match Air Pistol which isn’t a cheap option but is one which will provide years of happy shooting. Other firearms under the microscope include Kahr Arms’ Premium P9, the Heckler & Koch P30LS, Ruger Blackhawk and the wonderful Smith and Wesson 686 revolver. For the handgun historians out there, Mark van den Boogaart has gained access to a couple of genuine rarities – the Colt Walker and a classic Collier flintlock. We also take a fond look back at the Remington Model 1858 revolver, Mauser’s C96 Broomhandle and the quirky Smith and Wesson ‘Lemon Squeezer’. Rod Pascoe has been across the Tasman and written a fascinating insight into shooting a Classic Service Pistol competition in New Zealand, Geoff Smith takes an in-depth look at the Hi-Tek method of bullet coating for cast projectiles and add to that a handful of tasty product reviews, how-to advice and book review and there should be something for every handgun enthusiast.

The latest edition of our popular annual features the usual mix of handgun reviews, expert tips for pistol shooters, must-have products to keep your firearms in top condition, a look back at some of history’s iconic handguns and we even turn the spotlight on one of Australia’s 2018 Commonwealth Games success stories. Our cover features the SSAA’s Kate Fantinel who takes us through her journey from novice to medal-winner and what it takes to firstly gain your Category H firearms licence, join a club and become a competitive pistol shooter. Rod Pascoe puts the new SIG Sauer P320 X-Five to the test and also under review is the Slovakian-made Grand Power X-Trim .22 which impresses Geoff Smith, Thomas Tabor runs the rule on both the Smith & Wesson .17 HMR 647 Varminter and Heckler & Koch HK45, while Daniel O’Dea finds the Smith & Wesson M&P9 2.0 ‘a good thing made better’. For the collectors out there, Mark van den Boogaart goes in search of his personal grail, the Pritchard pistol, and heads west for some collectable Colts. Henri Lach has history in his hands in ‘A Tale of Two Pistols’, Royce Wilson mourns the loss of the Browning Hi-Power but celebrates the beauty of the Beaumont-Adams double-action percussion revolver, while Daniel O’Dea gets his hands on some American steel with a couple of classic Smith & Wesson self-loaders.

Geoff Smith reviews Walther’s PPQ Q5 Match 9mm pistol and gives a lesson on reloading with MKE brass from Turkey. Rob Nicholls tests out the Heckler & Koch SFP9-SF Tactical pistol, Jeremiah takes to the Single Action shooting range with the Ruger Single-Six Hunter revolver and Dick Eussen looks at Breakthrough Clean Technologies gun cleaning equipment. Rod Pascoe investigates how to travel safely and legally with handguns from Australia to New Zealand, and explains how a Ransom Rest can help you find the perfect load. James Cheung breaks down the fundamentals of grip and stance, while Dick Eussen covers the importance of trigger pressure, and considers single-action versus double-action revolvers. Royce Wilson looks at the remarkable Colt collection at Cleaver Firearms, Mark van den Boogaart analyses an antique Parsons coat pistol and Dave Burgess details how joining a pistol club changed his life.

Sarah Jane Jacob finds out what makes Australia’s high-level IPSC golden girls tick. Communications Officer Sam Talbot investigates how shooters can take advantage of the Quiet Eye technique to improve their shooting accuracy, and then talks with Dave ‘Saddler’ Earle about how he combined his love of leather-making with Single Action shooting. Dick Eussen lists the best handguns to have in your battery for SSAA competitions, James Cheung takes us back to basics by going over trigger control and Alek Wadi offers advice for shooters who aren’t seeing things as clearly as they used to. We review the GSG 1911 .22LR Target, Pardini SP Rapid Fire and Browning Buck Mark Buckthorn pistols, Smith & Wesson Model 67 revolver and Red Hill Tactical holsters. Henri Lach looks inside the world of miniature pistol collecting, while Geoff Smith recounts an unusual tale about barrel repair involving 10 stuck bullets.

Assistant Editor Dave Rose speaks with Tiffany Piper, a New Zealand handgun champion who’s taking on the world of international Action Pistol shooting. James Cheung discusses how he upgraded his Glock 17A Gen 3 pistol in search of better shooting accuracy, while Geoff Smith and Dick Eussen share some tips for reloading handgun cartridges and buying secondhand revolvers. Alek Wadi shares his fondness for the SIG-Hammerli P240 .38 Special Wadcutter pistol, Leo Laden reminisces about a .45-calibre Japanese smoothbore matchlock pistol, and Henri Lach uncovers a curious invention, a .22 Short-calibre pocket-knife pistol. Our team of reviewers also test the Smith & Wesson M&P9L Pro Series CORE and Shield, Walther SSP-E, Beretta U22 Neos .22, Tisas ZIG M1 9mm and Kimber 1911 Rimfire Target Black .22 pistols, the Alfa-Proj 3561 Stainless .357 Magnum revolver and Hogue aftermarket handgun grips.

New South Welshman Sam Medway, featured in Handgun 7 as a youngster to watch, has certainly fulfilled that potential by becoming 2013 Single Action World Champion. ‘Savage Sam’ tells Rachael Andrews how he overcame adversity to do it. We then look at the Steel Challenge, which has added a new rimfire pistol class to its already exhilarating repertoire. This will bring added appeal for juniors and beginners. Daniel O’Dea reviews the Pardini SK12 Absorber PCP air pistol, Roy Cassidy looks at the Colt Marine pistol and a pair of antique French pocket pistols are scrutinised by Leo Laden. In our historical section, Henri Lach examines the quirky Chicago Palm Gun, a tiny, concealable arm that was used by many on both sides of the law as a last-stand item during the American Prohibition era.