May 21, 2013
By Dylan Polk
If you're anything like us, you want to show your dad just how much you care this Father's Day, and what better way to tell your favorite shootist, "Thanks for everything," than with a brand new handgun?
We know times are tough and money may be a bit tight, seemingly making an addition to your father's collection a bit out of reach. However, there are a few options out there that your father will want to take down to the range right away, and won't put you in the poorhouse.
Beretta Nano Beretta's first striker-fired pistol, the
Beretta Nano is small, sleek and smooth with no external safeties or slide lock levers, making it very easy to carry and draw. This 9mm also features a recessed striker-deactivation button, which deactivates the internal striker mechanism and allows the user to disassemble the pistol without pulling the trigger. In addition, the Nano features a removable sub-chassis that can be swapped out for complete grip frames, allowing users to customize the Nano according to hand size.
Price: $475
CZ P-07 Duty Available in both .40 S&W and 9mm,
CZ-USA's popular P-07 Duty packs concealable firepower in a compact, polymer frame. Boasting CZ-USA's new Omega trigger system, the P-07 Duty features a smoother trigger pull while allowing the user to shoot with either a decocking lever or manual safety. The P-07 Duty features a 12-round capacity in .40 S&W, and 16 rounds in 9mm. The 9mm P-07 Duty is available in black polycoat and OD green frames, while the .40 S&W model is available only in a black finish — all are priced under $500, but a suppressor-ready model exceeds that mark.
Price: 9mm Black Polycoat, $483; 9mm OD Green, $489; .40 S&W, $496; Suppressor-Ready, $528
Kahr CW380 New from Kahr for 2013, the
Kahr CW380 boasts a slim profile, short overall length and a lilliputian weight, making it a great concealed carry candidate. With a 6+1 round capacity, this new .380 ACP pistol weighs just 10.2 ounces unloaded with a 4.96-inch overall length and a .75-inch slide width, plus a 2.58-inch barrel with conventional rifling. Complete with a six-round magazine, the CW380 is a worthy consideration for Dad's new CCW.
Price: $419
Kel Tec PF-9 Another ultra-concealable option, the new
Kel Tec PF-9 is touted by the company as one of the lightest and most slim 9mm pistols ever produced, weighing just 12.7 ounces with a width of .88 inches. Wafer-thin and ultra-controllable, the PF-9 comes with a seven-round, single-stack magazine, and is priced under $400 in all three variations.
Price: Blued, $333; Parkerized, $377; Hard Chrome, $390
Ruger LC380 Based on Ruger's successful LC9, the brand new
Ruger LC380 features a .9-inch width with a weight just over 17 ounces. The LC380 also features a dovetailed, high-visibility 3-dot sight system, plus an internal lock, manual and magazine safeties, and loaded chamber indicator. In addition, the LC380 comes with a finger grip extension that can be added to the magazine for better comfort and grip.
Price: $449
Ruger SR45 Another brand new offering from Ruger, the
Ruger SR45 packs .45 power in a slim profile. Featuring an ergonomic grip and a 1.27-inch width, this sleek new offering features ambidextrous safeties and mag releases, plus reversible backstraps and a 3-dot sight system. The SR45 also features a mounting rail in front of the trigger guard, allowing users to mount lights, lasers and other accessories, plus a 10+1 capacity
Price: $529
SCCY CPX-2 Touted by
G&A Handguns Editor Patrick Sweeney as "reliable, accurate, low-cost, but rugged," the
SCCY CPX-2 features a 10+1 round capacity in a tiny 15-ounce pistol. This new 9mm features a 3-dot sight system, and is shipped with two magazines, a trigger lock and spare baseplates — all for well under $400.
Price: $299-339
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield Unveiled at the 2012 NRA Show in St. Louis, the
Smith & Wesson M&P Shield series was immediately hailed as Smith & Wesson's ultimate personal protection pistol, and probably for good reason. This compact semi-auto, available in 9mm and .40 S&W, features the full-size M&P's short trigger pull and 18-degree grip angle, but in a slimmer profile, making the striker-fired Shield an ideal concealed carry candidate.
Price: $449-469
Taurus Millennium G2 Part of Taurus' Carry On series, the
Taurus Millennium G2 features a thin profile with a light weight, tipping the scales at 22 ounces. The 9mm model, the PT 111, features a 10+1 round capacity, but is also available in a .40-caliber model — the PT 140.
Price: $349
Walther PPX Brand new for 2013, the
Walther PPX is a compact, hammer-fired personal defense offering measuring just 4 inches long. The PPX features a loaded chamber viewport and three different safety systems, including a firing pin block. Chambered in 9mm, the PPX is available with a 16-round, double-stack magazine, but the .40 S&W model comes with a 14-round mag.
Price: $449-499
Springfield XD-S At last, a compact, single-stack pistol chambered in the venerable .45 ACP. A sleek, 1-inch profile, overall 6.3-inch length and plenty of knockdown power make the
Springfield XD-S an ideal concealed carry candidate. The XD-S comes standard with a five-round magazine, though an extended seven-round mag is also included. Safety features include a grip safety and a loaded chamber indicator. Available in black or bi-tone finishes.
Price: Black, $599; Bi-Tone, $669
Tell us why your dad is the ultimate sportsman for a chance to win a $2,500 Cabela's Gift Card and other prizes. You'll receive a promo code for $20 off your next $150 purchase just for entering .
