As it turned out, my choice of the Black Hills 200-grain lead semi-wadcutters for the turkey hunt at White Oak was prophetic. Not only did this ammo produce groups just over one inch, but the point of aim and point of impact were less than a half inch apart, at least at 50 feet.

This young lady had no trouble controlling the KZ with 230-grain fmj ammo despite having to slightly adjust her grip. The gun is in full recoil, with an empty case clearly visible. Her grip is slightly altered on the KZ (thumbs held lower) from the grip she uses on her personal single-stack 1911, but she was able to control the gun during firing.

Running neck-and-neck with the 200-grain lead semi-wadcutter loads in accuracy but printing about one inch lower was Hornady's 230-grain jacketed hollowpoint load. The most notable achievement, particularly for a combat weapon, was the KZ's ability to keep 10 rounds of mixed ammo ranging from 200- to 230-grain bullets inside two inches. I could feel a slight difference in recoil between the different rounds (or at least I thought I could), but the gun gobbled up everything and functioned without a single stutter or glitch.

For some time, the objective part of me has appreciated the utility of polymer handguns, but not one of the models or brands I've handled has touched the inner me or made my heart skip a beat. That has changed a bit since working with the Wilson KZ.

The polymer frame doesn't compare aesthetically with a steel or aluminum gun, but it's attractive enough that I can't make myself refer to it as plastic. The physical interface between hand and gun was good enough that I felt there would be no loss of capabilities or fatal hesitations/stutters if my nervous system reverted to autopilot, an event that regularly happens in moments of stress.

With its 10-round magazines that can be loaded to full capacity without undue stress on fingers and thumbs, the KZ offers some serious advantages in a defensive carry gun anywhere hi-cap (more than 10-round) magazines are banned, such as here in California. Even where hi-cap magazines are allowed, the ease of loading the 10-round magazines and their total reliability make the KZ competitive with a gun that carries a couple more rounds.

The only thing that keeps the KZ from being my first choice for concealed carry here in California is the difficulty in concealing the wide frame's extra bulk during the months of warm weather we enjoy. Perhaps if I get used to a shoulder holster, I might change my mind. Certainly, the KZ is the quality kind of handgun that would make me reevaluate my carry preferences. Imagine getting all that Wilson quality and reliability for several hundred dollars less than Wilsons have previously cost.

CONTACT: Wilson Combat; (800) 955-4856: www.wilsoncombat.com