Remington V3 TAC-13
One of the market’s biggest recent surprises have been home-protection firearms that look like shotguns cut short at both ends. Their stocks end in bulbous handgrips, and the barrels is hardly longer than a billy club. However, the federal government doesn’t classify them as shotguns. Instead they fall into an amorphous category many refer to as “any other weapon,” wording that comes right from the lawbooks. But because these compact “any others” fire shotshells and are highly maneuverable in tight spaces, many see a natural application as a home-defense gun.
Among the first such guns built on a semi-automatic action, Remington’s TAC-13, has a couple clear advantages over earlier pump-action models. First, you don’t have to manually retract the action to reload after shooting. Upon firing, the TAC-13 cycles itself almost immediately. Another plus is reduced recoil, since some of the force is diverted to work the mechanism, and in this design, a considerable volume of propellant gas is vented out the bottom. If you were to find yourself in a dire encounter with an armed, violent invader, those user-friendly attributes just might help to save your life.
TAC-13 specs show a 13-inch barrel and overall length of 26.5 inches. The metalwork’s black oxide finish matches the flat-black polymer stock. The V3 is outfitted with Remington’s advanced VersaPort gas system that reliably handles 12-gauge shells ranging from all manner of field loads to full-power buckshot and slug ammo. Unlike more-basic competing semi-autos, the TAC-13 wears with a vented rib barrel and front bead sight, as well as a barrel clamp to hold accessory rails for mounting lasers or lights. The suggested retail for this new entry is $915. remington.com.
Taurus TX22
If you are one of many handgunners who benefit (or would like to) from shooting a .22 pistol for fun and practice, the made-in-Miami-USA Taurus TX22 is a smooth-running, affordable option.
It doesn’t really have the look of a rimfire model—and that’s a good thing, at least for folks who want their .22 pistols to simulate their carry guns. Instead, the TX22 has the blocky lines typical of modern striker-fire polymer-framed compacts. Not any particular model, mind you, but definitely it springs from a related family tree, and in the hand, the feel is similar to more than a few EDC favorites. At 17.3 ounces and 7 inches long by 5.44 inches high, the TX22 indeed strikes a familiar profile.
Better yet is the function: a perfectly responsive single-action trigger breaking at about 5 pounds, with a quick reset, plus two serviceable 16-round magazines. There’s an ambidextrous safety and the mag release can likewise shift sides, meaning it’s ambi, too. The three/white-dot sights will also remind many of the sights on their 9 mms. You can fit a suppressor or muzzle brake easily thanks to factory threading.
All in all, there are ample good reasons to consider adding this versatile handgun to your regular range rotation or to backyard fun shoots. And remember: affordable. The MSRP comes in at $349. taurususa.com.
Glock 43X
How many out there might be interested in a subcompact Glock offering better ergonomics and more magazine capacity than the wildly popular G43? The company with roots in Austria and a U.S. base in Smyrna, Ga., is betting plenty of shooters will perk up for this one. The new 43X will hew to the Slimline frame and 6.06-inch slide dimension of its forerunner, but will boast an extra inch of grip, a modification bound to make the new entry easier to handle and settle back on target.
Where the earlier 43 is strictly a single stack with a 6-round capacity, the X model has enough room in the magazine column to accommodate 10 rounds of 9 mm in a staggered arrangement. And in a first for Glock, this newcomer, along with another new-for-‘19 Slimliner, the G48, will mark its initial foray into two-toned styling. Both of them are dressed up with Silver nPVD-finished slides that contrast handsomely with the brand’s customary, matte-black polymer grip frame, which is fashioned with a beavertail to protect the shooter’s hand. True to form, expect a short trigger pull, along with the firm’s familiar intuitive grip angle/sight alignment dynamic.
Available sighting options for the 43X include standard notch/blade, proprietary Glock Night Sights and Ameriglo BOLD. The MSRP is $449-$549 depending on sights. glockstore.com.
