We’re just going to come right out and say it: top five lists are hard. For us here at Personal Defense World, coming up with a list of our top five favorite new guns from 2016 was no easy task — especially given the number of quality releases from the top gun makers in the land — but we thought we’d give it a shot anyway.
Without further ado, here are our top five new guns released in 2016.
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Walther Creed
Walther makes some of the finest modern defensive pistols on the market. Just introduced, the new Creed pistol marries great Walther engineering with an incredibly low price tag. This 9mm pistol is a full-sized, hammer-fired handgun with a pre-cocked double-action trigger, a Tenifer finish and three-dot sights. Up front, the gun has an accessory rail for a light or laser. (waltherarms.com; 479-242-8500)
Remington RP9 & RP45
Remington is launching a new line of polymer-framed pistols. These striker-fired handguns will employ many of the features used in modern defensive handguns, including an optimized grip angle, an accessory rail, a light trigger with a short reset and an undercut triggerguard. Initial models will be available in 9mm and .45 ACP. (remington.com; 800-243-9700)
Ruger LCP II
Ruger has completely redesigned its renowned LCP in .380 ACP. The LCP II features a short, crisp, single-action trigger pull with a blade-style safety toggle that must be fully depressed for the pistol to fire. This way shooters can get a lighter trigger pull without the need for a manual safety. The slide features new contouring for easy racking, and the grip frame has new texturing to provide a comfortable and secure grip. The frame is also larger to help spread recoil forces better. Ruger has also included taller fixed sights with serrated rear faces to reduce glare. (ruger.com)
Kimber Micro 9 Stainless
Born from the need to shrink the venerable 1911 into a pocket-carry package, the Kimber Micro 9 Stainless is the ultimate in form follows function. With every corner aggressively dehorned, the stainless Micro 9 ships with handsome hardwood grips, a skeletonized hammer and a blended beavertail tang for ease of use. The aptly-named Micro is chambered in 9mm and feeds from flush-fitting six-round magazines. (kimberamerica.com; 888-243-4522)
Charter Arms Pitbull
Charter Arms chambers the Pitbull in .45 ACP. The design uses a dual coil spring assembly located in the extractor, which allows for the insertion and retention of a .45 ACP rimless cartridge in each chamber without the use of moon clips. This patented retention system allows the shooter to eject spent cartridges and immediately reload. (charterfirearms.com; 203-922-1652)
