Blog

Bryant Ridge's Analysis: The Colt M1911 is perhaps one of the most iconic firearms in history, designed by the legendary John Browning. This semi-automatic pistol, introduced in 1911, was one of the first to use the short recoil principle in its operation, a system in which the barrel and slide move together for a short distance after firing before separating. This design allowed for greater reliability and simplicity, and it quickly became the preeminent operating system for centerfire pistols. …

Bryant Ridge's Analysis: After the Second World War, Czechoslovakia's Ministry of the Interior requested a new pistol design from Ceská Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod. The resulting gun was chambered in .32 ACP and designed by two brothers Jan and Jaroslav Kratochvíl. It combined elements from both the Walther PP and PPK. The pistol is fed from an 8-round single-stack magazine, located within the bakelite paneled grip. Small fixed sights are located on top of the slide. The pistol function …

Bryant Ridge's Analysis: The Browning BDA-380 is a sleek, semi-automatic pistol chambered in .380 ACP, with a history rooted in collaboration between Beretta of Italy and FN Herstal of Belgium. Originally produced under the FN 140DA designation, this model was marketed in the United States and Canada as the Browning BDA 380, offering an attractive combination of performance, reliability, and European craftsmanship. The BDA-380's design is heavily based on the Beretta Model 81 and Model 84, thoug …

Bryant Ridge's Analysis:The Astra 600 is a Spanish semi-automatic pistol that gained historical significance during World War II, particularly for its service with the Wehrmacht. Originally designed by the Spanish firm Unceta y Cia as a shortened version of the earlier Astra 400, the Astra 600 was chambered for the 9×19mm Parabellum cartridge, the standard issue for the German military at the time. The German government, recognizing the utility of the Astra 600 for their forces, requested that t …

Bryant Ridge's Analysis:The Beretta 21A Bobcat is a compact semi-automatic pocket pistol, initially designed by Beretta in Italy and introduced into production in late 1984 at Beretta's U.S. facility in Accokeek, Maryland. This model is a successor to the Beretta Model 20, which was discontinued in 1985. The Bobcat is available in .22 LR or .25 ACP (6.35 mm) calibers and operates on a simple blowback mechanism. It features a single- and double-action trigger system, along with an exposed hammer. …