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subcompacts are best worn on the belt. Since you need to wear a cov- ering garment anyway, get a holster that effectively hides the slightly larger compact and you’ll be better off in the long run. Physiques, gen- der, holster style, and of course, the gun itself, play into the success equa- tion, but it can be done.


Pick Of The Litter As I closed in on retirement from


my law enforcement job, I picked up a Glock 19 to serve as my primary carry piece. In view of the fact I car- ried the service size Glock 17 for 20 years, a compact version of the same pistol made a great deal of sense. To date, my Glock 19 has proven to be entirely reliable and performs every bit as well as the full-size pistol. Like many shooters, it took me


a while to warm up to the concept of a polymer-frame pistol, but any question as to durability has been re- solved long ago. The various “plastic fantastics” weigh considerably less than steel-frame pistols and their lightweight makes them well suited for concealed carry. In addition to striker-fired pistols like the Glock, double action, double-action-only and even single-action pistols are available with polymer frames. Be sure to check out the Heckler &


Koch P30 family. A few months ago, I had the opportunity to test and eval- uate the HK P30S in .40 S&W. This pistol features both interchangeable backstraps and grip panels to opti- mize fit to a wide range of hand sizes. The P30S is also equipped with HK’s proprietary recoil reduction system that effectively tames the recoil of the hottest .40 S&W loads. Yet another contender is the SIG


SAUER P250. The P250 is a truly modular pistol, where one can swap out the fire-control unit to different size grip modules, slides and barrels. Set up as a compact, I enjoyed very good results with a P250 chambered for the 9mm. I’m not especially fond of double-action-only pistols, but the P250 may be the exception to the rule Springfield Armory’s XD pistol


has attracted quite a bit of attention for all the right reasons. I picked up a .45 ACP XD Compact a few years back and sent it off to Bowie Tactical Concepts for a number of enhance- ments. David Bowie took a very good pistol and essentially turned it into a world-beater. To my think- ing, my Bowie XD is a 21st century rendition of the Commander concept launched 60 years ago.


Light Heavyweight Champ Six decades after its introduction,


WWW.AMERICANHANDGUNNER.COM 73


BETTER GRIP HIGHER CAPACITY


Springfield XD45ACP


S&W-M&P 9/40


Kahr P&PM9, K&MK9


New A&G Grip Extenders for Springfield XD45ACP, S&W-M&P 9/40 and Kahr P&PM9, K&MK9 provide better control and stability for subcompacts. Like all other A&G extenders, they can be removed in seconds to convert your full-size magazine back to your duty rig. A&G extenders also available for all Glock subcompacts and compacts as well as the Springfield XD 9/40.


A&G Supply Company, Inc.


SEE YOUR LOCAL DEALER P.O. Box 254, Alstead, NH 03602 •


FAX 603.835.7819


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