Posted by Team Armscor on Aug 24, 2016 2 Minute Read
Protecting yourself, your loved ones and your home are all important to you. But when it comes to self-defense 1911s and other handguns, not all firearms are built to meet these needs. Luckily, there are a variety of ways you can find the ideal handgun for your own purposes that won’t break your bank or skimp on the benefits you need.
Before you start the search, we've got the handy guide you need.
It's not just a matter of grabbing the perceived "best" self-defense gun. This free guide was created to help you identify the most important features of your primary self-defense 1911.
In this guide, you will find tips on buying your defensive pistol, including:
Click below to download the free "Buying a Pistol for Self-Defense" guide.

The 10mm auto ammo delivers more velocity, penetration and energy than 9mm and .45 ACP, without giving up much magazine capacity. Rock Island Armory builds one of the industry's deepest 10mm lineups, so the real question isn't whether 10mm is powerful. It's which model fits how you shoot.
This 10mm buyer's guide walks through the tradeoffs, the ballistics and the Rock Island 10mm options built to handle them.

Let’s break down firearm trigger actions.
Single action only (SAO) requires cocking the hammer before the trigger works. Double action/single action (DA/SA) has a long first pull that cocks the hammer, then lighter pulls after. Double action only (DAO) has no manual cocking; every pull is the same weight.
These terms describe hammer-fired guns specifically, a separate question from striker-fired vs. hammer-fired. Here's what each one means, with real examples from the Rock Island Armory and RIA-USA lineups.

Ask ten shooters whether they prefer a striker-fired pistol or a hammer-fired pistol, and you will get ten confident answers.
What’s actually the difference between the two firing types?
A striker-fired pistol uses an internal, spring-loaded striker to hit the primer of ammunition. A hammer-fired pistol uses a pivoting hammer that falls onto the firing pin, igniting the primer. The practical difference shows up in trigger feel, how ready the gun is to break the first shot, and firearm maintenance needs.
This choice is one of the first forks in the road when choosing a handgun, right up there with caliber and size. There is no universal winner in the striker-fired vs. hammer-fired debate, only the choice that fits how you shoot. Learn more with John McClain from Team Armscor.