Disclosure: Powder & Lead may earn a commission on purchases made through affiliate links in this article, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products we believe in.A Bufferless 9mm AR for Under $500. Seriously.The first time I saw Bear Creek Arsenal's bufferless BC-9 pistol, I had the same reaction most people do:...
Category: Pistols
The Volcanic Pistol: How a Gun That Couldn't Kill a Rabbit Created Winchester and Smith & Wesson
Two of the most iconic names in American firearms history — Winchester and Smith & Wesson — share a single origin point. Not a common era or a common city, but a single failed company that produced handguns so underpowered they generated roughly the muzzle energy of a modern air rifle. The Volcanic Repeating Arms...
The Reichsrevolver: Germany’s First Standard Military Sidearm
When the German Empire unified in 1871, it inherited a logistical headache that would have made any quartermaster reach for a bottle of schnapps. Prussian officers carried one sidearm, Bavarians another, Saxons something else entirely. The Franco-Prussian War had exposed the absurdity of fielding an army where even the revolvers spoke different dialects. The solution...
The Mauser C96 Broomhandle: The Pistol That Won Wars
The Mauser C96 Broomhandle is one of the most recognizable firearms ever made, and also one of the least understood. That boxy frame, the long barrel, the integral box magazine ahead of the trigger, the round wooden grip that earned it the nickname "Broomhandle" -- there is nothing else that looks like it. It was...
The Browning Hi-Power: It Armed Both Sides of WWII
John Moses Browning designed more successful firearms than any other person in history. The M1911, the Browning Automatic Rifle, the Browning machine guns, the Auto-5 shotgun, the Winchester lever-actions -- his catalog reads like a history of 20th-century small arms. But the last handgun design he worked on may be the most consequential of all:...
CCW Training Essentials: 7 Skills Every Carrier Needs
Quality CCW training is the single most important investment a concealed carrier can make. Getting your concealed carry permit is not the finish line. It is the starting line. Quality concealed carry training goes far beyond fulfilling a permit requirement — it builds the skills that matter when seconds count. Affiliate Disclosure: Powder & Lead...
Best Concealed Carry Holsters in 2026: Top 14 Reviewed
The holster is the most underestimated piece of gear in concealed carry. People will spend $600 on a pistol, $300 on a red dot, $200 on a weapon light, and then stuff the whole package into a $25 nylon sack from the gun show because "it fits." That's backwards. A bad holster doesn't just make...
Best Gun Belts for Concealed Carry: Top 6 in 2026
Key Takeaways Why Your Belt Matters More Than You Think Here's a truth that experienced concealed carriers learn and new carriers often ignore: the best gun belts for concealed carry are the foundation of your entire carry system. Everything else -- your holster, your gun, your clothing choices -- sits on top of that foundation....
Drulov Model 70 .22 Target Pistol
The Drulov Model 70 stands as a clear expression of free pistol design stripped to its essentials. It demonstrates that elite-level accuracy can be achieved through conservative engineering and careful manufacture rather than complexity or luxury.Its enduring reputation rests on quiet competence. As a training arm, a competition pistol, and a historical artifact of Cold...
Ruger New Blackhawk in .41 Remington Magnum
The 4.62 inch .41 Magnum Blackhawk represents one of the best power to weight ratios in the revolver world. It remains for its balance on the belt, its strength under pressure, and its ability to transform the potential of the .41 Magnum into real world performance.Its significance lies in several factors.It is strong enough to...