Rumors of the Springfield XDS 40 have been floating around since the introduction of the original XDS 45 at the 2012 SHOT Show. Â At the time of this writing, there has not been any official word from Springfield Armory, but people believe an announcement is close. Â I would expect the .40 caliber version to be rolled out in January at SHOT Show 2014. Â But, I would not be surprised to see the gun at the 2013 National Association of Sporting Goods Wholesalers (NASGW) show this fall.
On display at the recent special forces competition in Russia was the Strike One pistols from Arsenal Firearms.  The Strike One is a polymer framed handgun from the same company that introduced the double barrel 1911 pistol last year.
Arsenal Firearms claims the Strike one is “…the fastest, most controllable, most accurate and hard hitting service pistol available today on the world market.” Â Those are some pretty big claims considering the excellent alternatives from Glock, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory and others.
We all know that the 1911 platform is a fine weapon, and we also know that they can be picky about the kinds of ammunition they will run. Â That is one of the many reasons why more than a few firearms instructors suggest guns other than a 1911 for self-defense purposes.
For years, I have seen gunsmiths offering a variety of packages to improve the reliability of the venerable 1911.  But, I did not realize that Colt offered one of those same packages at the factory. The Colt Enhanced Reliability Package is a deal offered through the company’s custom shop and can be purchased prior to the acquisition of the firearm to get it tuned before delivery.  Also, current Colt owners can ship their existing 1911 back to the shop for improving reliability.
The new Beretta Pico was announced today at the 2013 National Rifle Association’s Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Houston, TX. Â The new gun is intended for the concealed carry market and comes to the table already looking like a mature platform with multiple options, frame colors and accessories ready to go.
The Pico is being called “ultra-concealable” by the company, and at the widest point, the Beretta Pico is only 18mm. Â For those of us stuck still using the king’s system of measurements, that works out to be less than 0.71″ wide. Â That is pretty darn thin.
Additionally, the pistol has many of the edges rounded to prevent snagging on garments when drawing from concealed locations. Â Additionally, the slide release is flush with the frame, meaning it does not protrude beyond the width of the frame.
One of the distinguishing characteristics of the new handgun is its ability to change between 380 ACP and 32 ACP with a quick barrel swap. Â In less than a minute, the shooter can move between calibers with a single gun.
In both calibers, the barrel only tilts 1.4° during the firing sequence.  According to Beretta, this increases reliability of feeding.  Additionally, by having limited tilt, the company states this dramatically reduces felt recoil.  One Beretta spokesperson stated this gun was unlike other subcompact .380 pistols on the market, because the recoil was so low you would actually enjoy shooting this gun.
The new Pico has the ability to swap frames as the company’s other pistol, the Nano, does. Â The frames are polymer. Â Ready immediately for the new pistol are frames in black, purple, white, pink and flat dark earth. Â The Pico is able to do this by using a chassis system like the Nano.
Image of the HD1 courtesy of Heizer Defense via Twitter.
Heizer Defense is developing a single shot pistol they call the HD1 Pocket Shotgun. Â The pistol is chambered to fire both 45 Colt and .410 bore shotgun shells like the Taurus Judge. Â Unlike the Judge, the HD1 is smaller, flatter and fires…well…only one shot.
From a tactical standpoint, I would never recommend anyone rely on a single shot firearm for self defense. Â I don’t care what caliber it is, or even if it uses mercury-filled, exploding-tip kryptonite rounds. Â Relying on a one shot stop is poor tactical doctrine. Â But, does that mean this handgun doesn’t have a place in someone’s self defense arsenal?
I could possibly see carrying this as a third pistol. Â As a backup, I’d prefer a five-shot Smith & Wesson J-frame as a minimum. Â This would make a decent contact weapon since there is no slide that could be pushed out of battery. Â But then, my J-frame covers that specific shot pretty well too.
I am amused by the fact they are calling it a “pocket shotgun.” Â If I understand the legal ramifications of the production of these types of firearms, the barrel has to be rifled to avoid being labeled a shotgun and the 18″ barrel requirement. Â While I understand the marketing angle, technically it cannot be a shotgun unless the company goes all NFA with it. Â According to the Heizer Defense Facebook page, they are currently testing rifling with a 1:10 LH twist with six grooves.
The pistol will be available in both a stainless steel frame and in a titanium frame. Â The butt of the gun opens, allowing for the storage of two .45 Colt cartridges. Â The pistols should be available this spring. The new guns should be at the SHOT Show.
Heizer Defense is also showing another pistol called the HD2. Â The HD2 appears to be the same pistol they were developing with DoubleTap Defense. Â It is chambered in either 9mm or .45 ACP. Â The barrels swap out, allowing the shooter to change caliber as his or her taste dictates.
Even though the HD2 appears to offer twice the ammo capacity of the HD1, I still would not feel comfortable carrying it as a primary or backup weapon. Â Your mileage, of course, may vary.
What are your thoughts? Â Is a single, or even double, shot 45 Colt/410 handgun a viable self defense option for you? Â Under what circumstances?
