The holiday season is right around the corner and now is the time to find a great gift for the competitive shooter in your life. To make choosing a present easier, here are five competition pistols we’ve found over the course of 2024 that wowed us. They are listed below in no particular order.
Walther Arms PDP Match Steel Frame
An optics-ready pistol chambered for 9 mm Luger, the striker-fired PDP Match Steel Frame from Walther Arms is built on a machined steel frame and slide. Operating controls include an oversize magazine release that is reversible. Field Editor Chris Christian described this handgun as “probably the most accurate 9 mm Luger semi-automatic I’ve yet tested.” One 20-round and two 18-round magazines are included with purchase. $1,899, waltherarms.com
Beretta 92XI Squalo
Building on the base 92X series, the optics-ready Beretta 92XI Squalo single-action handgun chambered in 9 mm Luger is loaded with action-pistol-friendly features, including a 4.7-inch barrel, flat-faced trigger, lightweight skeletonized hammer, Toni System flared magazine well, fiber-optic front sight, extended takedown lever, ambidextrous safety and adjustable magazine release. Plus, three Mec-Gar 18+4-round magazines are also included with purchase, giving the 92XI Squalo a beefy 22-round capacity. Perhaps best of all, its made at the Beretta USA facility in Gallatin, Tennessee. $1,329, beretta.com
Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 327 WR
The Smith & Wesson Performance Center Model 327 WR revolver chambered in 9 mm Luger was inspired by Jerry Miculek’s NRA World Record shooting performance at the grand opening of Smith & Wesson’s new headquarters in Maryville, Tennessee, in October 2023. Built on a scandium N-Frame, the Model 327 WR from the Smith & Wesson Performance Center includes an eight-round titanium cylinder, laminated wood grip, brass bead front and adjustable rear sight package, plus a Vortex red-dot sight and C.O.R.E. optic-plate system. $3,499, smith-wesson.com
Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS
The Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS is chambered in 9 mm Luger and sports an integrated, single-port compensator on the top of the hammer-forged slide and five-inch bull barrel that aids in reducing felt recoil and muzzle rise. Additionally, the slide is cut for Springfield Armory’s Agency Optic System mounting plates. Each 1911 DS Prodigy Comp AOS pistol comes with one 17-round flush-fit and one 20-round extended magazine, with optional 26-rounders also available. $1,599, springfield-armory.com
Canik TTI Combat
A collaboration between Taran Tactical Innovations and Canik, the TTI Combat pistol made its debut at SHOT Show 2024 to much fanfare. Chambered in 9 mm Luger, this polymer-framed handgun features aggressive grip texturing and slide serrations, a ported and fluted barrel, diamond-cut and flat-faced 90-degree break trigger, along with a compensator. A new slide release, fiber-optic front sight, Taran Tactical Innovations +3 magazine base pads and a low optics cut round out this competition handgun. $949, canikusa.com
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