Live From the Gathering 2022 – New Handguns Galore

SIG SAUER P210 Carry and P210
SIG SAUER P210 Carry and P210

U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)–  The Gathering 2022 is the second incarnation of the event hosted by Palmetto State Armory in South Carolina. The event is open to the public and allows companies to show their wares directly to consumers. Today we are going to look at the best handguns from the Gathering.

Taurus Raging Hunter

The Gathering 2022 brought us several new handguns, with Taurus making a big show between Heritage Manufacturing, Rossi, and Taurus proper. From the new versions of the Rough Rider to new models of the G3. However, one of the more eye-catching firearms at the Taurus booth was the Raging Hunter. The Taurus Raging Hunter is the latest XL-sized revolver to come from Taurus.

The Raging Hunter comes in a wide variety of calibers, including 44 Magnum, 357 Magnum, 460 S&W, and 454 Casull.

The Raging Hunter was extremely mild and easy to handle

I got hands-on the 357 Magnum model loaded with seven rounds of 38 Special. Barrel lengths vary, and you can choose from 5.12 inches, 6.75 inches, and the beastly 8.37-inch model. Mine was the just-right 6.75-inch barrel.

The little gun handled like a dream. Recoil was minimal, accuracy was exceptional, and I went seven for seven in double-action mode. That double-action trigger is surprisingly nice and rolls rearward smoothly. The ported barrel and weighty design kills recoil and muzzle rise. It handles like a down pillow, you know, it’s soft.

The SIG P210 Carry

The original SIG P210 came to be in 1949 and became a well-respected military firearm that would influence countless other designs. As you’d expect, the SIG P210 used a single stack magazine and chambered Europe’s favorite cartridge, the 9mm parabellum. These handguns served for a surprisingly long time, but these days are regulated to collector’s status.

SIG reproduced the P210, and its been a successful pistol, so you’d expect to see follow-up models. What I didn’t expect was a P210 Carry model.

The P210 Carry reduces the profile of the P210 to something concealable.

Who’s going to carry a P210 in the face of every other modern pistol? I wasn’t sold on the gun until I fired one.

The P210 Carry isn’t a subcompact pistol but is considerably smaller than the P210 standard. It’s less bulky lighter, and while it could be carried, it seems more like a fun range gun. The P210 Carry delivers a premium experience with an excellent trigger, an extremely ergonomic grip, and is extremely accurate. After sending some 9mm downrange, I became a believer and convert to the P210 Carry.

The Springfield SA 35

Springfield pulled out of SHOT Show 2022 at the last minute and left many of us clamoring to try out a number of their new firearms. The Gathering fixed that, and the first gun I fired at the Gathering was the SA 35. The SA 35 is Springfield’s take on the classic Browning Hi-Power. Browning quit producing the pistol years ago, and a gap in the market needed to be filled.

Springfield filled the gap but did so but also didn’t just clone the Hi-Power. From the factory, they addressed several common complaints with the platform.

Springfield cleaned up the Hi-Power quite well.

This includes eliminating hammer bite, ensuring the magazines are drop-free and fixing that trigger by removing the magazine safety.

After tossing some lead downrange, I’m a fan of the changes. It’s a smooth shooter that’s ergonomic, soft shooting, and accurate. I’ve fired Hi-Powers before, but the SA 35 is a cut above your basic design, especially in the trigger department. Not only was it the first gun I fired, but one of the few I double-backed to fire again.

Langdon Tactical PX4 Storm

Langdon Tactical takes Beretta firearms and just makes them better. Ernest Langdon is the Beretta guru, and he serves as an instructor pro shooter and runs a custom shop that takes several platforms forwards. One is the historically underrated PX4 storm series. The Gathering gave me my first opportunity to try a Langdon Tactical gun, and boy was I not disappointed.

The PX4 Storm from LTT comes in numerous configurations, and users can choose from multiple options from Langdon Tactical.

Langdon Tactical perfects Berettas

The PX4 Storm at the Gathering wore a red dot optic with the LTT RDO cut. The hammer had been trimmed and the spur removed for easier carrying capability.

The LTT trigger job ensured the weapon had an absolutely brilliant double and single-action pull. It’s one of the best double-action triggers I’ve ever experienced. The accuracy was outstanding, and as long as the dot sat on the target, I could hit it. Even the tiny targets at 25 yards or so proved not to be a challenge.

The Canik SFx Rival

Canik has come a long way since the early weapons hit the states. Originally they were clones of the Walther P99 design, but over time evolved and grew into their own. The latest is the Canik SFx Rival. The SFx Rival offers shooters an out-of-the-box platform designed for competitive shooting. This is a race gun that comes out to be incredibly affordable when compared to competitors.

The Rival from the factory in a configuration that fits the restrictive nature of the IDPA, IPSC, USPSA competition regulations.

The Canik series has come a very long way.

The gun comes with adjustable sights, is optic ready, comes with two magazines with optional aluminum baseplates, three magazine releases, three backstraps, and more. Heck, you get a regulation holster with the gun, and it’s still priced at $679.99.

At the range, the weapon proved to have an amazing flat-faced trigger that requires a slight takeup with hardly any weight behind the break. The high sights are easy to align and small enough to see small targets at various distances. Controlling the gun is supremely easy, and shooters won’t have issues with fast follow-up shots. I ignored the Canik for some time, not for any personal reasons, but the SFx Rival captured me.

Handguns For Days

I tried to keep the list somewhat succinct, or I’d drone on and on about all the guns at the Gathering. These five are a mix of my personal favorites and what I found to be the most useful for the broadest group of shooters. Did anyone else attend the Gathering? If so, let me know below what your favorites are, and if you haven’t gone, it’s well worth the pilgrimage.


About Travis Pike

Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor and is the world’s Okayest firearm’s instructor.

Travis Pike

 

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Rock

Some VERY nice machinery shown there !!!