Was the 1911’s Grip Safety a Mistake?

The 1911 has now been with us for a century and a decade. Throughout that lifespan, there’s been no point at which it was not beloved by huge numbers of soldiers, law enforcement agents, and civilian shooters. Astonishingly, perhaps implausibly, the 1911 remains a darling of serious pistol...

By Clayton Walker

First Look: 1911 Garrison Target

To say that no other handgun has been as celebrated, discussed, coveted and produced as much as the Model 1911 by gun designer John Browning is an understatement. Long past the century-old mark, this ubiquitous firearm design shows no sign of fading in popularity or practical use. Sprin...

By Justin Opinion

Get a Free 10mm Pistol? Model 2020 Gear Up

Since its founding, the Geneseo-based Springfield Armory has earned a reputation for offering extremely high-quality firearms for a wide range of disciplines and applications. And now Springfield is offering an amazing deal for its fans. If you’re looking to purchase a qualifying Springfield Ar...

By Mike Humphries

Springfield Armory 1911 Ronin AOS Review

More than a century after the debut of John Browning’s most celebrated handgun design, the year 2020 marked the beginning of Springfield Armory’s most recent 1911 makeover. Long known as a premium purveyor of the .45-caliber, two-time World War champ, Springfield’s catalog of 1911s had grow...

By Joe Kurtenbach

First Look: Julie Golob Reviews the 4″ SA-35

The new Springfield Armory 4″ SA-35 is here and multi-time world and national shooting champion Julie Golob delivers a full review of the gun. The compact handgun combines old-world elegance with modern amenities, all with a 15-round magazine. The company provided the gun to the author for revi...

By Julie Golob

Ayoob: Can You Shoot Your 1911 Backwards?

The 1911 is truly a classic gun. It is robust, reliable and easy to shoot well. Well, it’s easy to shoot for right-handers, that is. Historically, the 1911 pistol has been a right-hander’s gun. Now, the history books tell us there was a time in America when a teacher would rap a naturally lef...

By Massad Ayoob

Understanding Pistol Red Dot Footprints

DPP, RMSc, RMR, ACRO, and Doctor Optics: all similar but different red dot footprints. Are you confused yet? The world of optics footprints is messy and confusing. The naming conventions sometimes overlap, also adding to the quagmire. In this article, we’ll sort through it all to provide a clea...

By Cory Ross

Springfield’s 10-8 Performance Master Class 1911

To readers of The Armory Life and many 1911 afficionados, Hilton Yam is going to be a familiar name. In the company of the many great gunsmiths and competitors who have built their professions around the construction or use of 1911 pistols, Yam offers a very unique perspective...

By Joe Kurtenbach