On the cover is Beretta’s new 92XI Squalo, a single-action-only 9 mm pistol designed for competition. Expanding on the base 92X series, this optics-ready pistol is built to race with an aluminum frame, 4.7-inch barrel and three included Mec-Gar magazines that each boast 18+4-round capacity. Further improvements are a flat-faced trigger, lightweight skeletonized hammer, extended takedown lever that functions like a gas pedal for your finger, ambidextrous safety, adjustable magazine release button, custom Hogue grips and Toni System flared magazine well for rapid reloads. The latter is removable for carry use. Read my review in Product Focus to learn more about this gun that’s tricked out from the factory to compete in USPSA’s Limited Optics division.
At SHOT Show 2024, held at the Venetian Expo Center in Las Vegas, Nev., this past January, many of your favorite companies had their latest products on display. Be sure to read our roundup of the best guns and gear on display at this year’s show, including new items from big names like Benelli, Browning, Bushnell, Colt, Hammerli, Kahles, Leupold, Smith & Wesson, Staccato, Swarovski, TriStar Arms, Walther, Winchester and more.
Under the leadership of Head Coach Karen Monez, the Texas Christian University Women’s Rifle team became the first all-woman squad to win an NCAA National Championship back in 2010. Since that time, TCU has become a powerhouse in collegiate rifle competition, capturing the NCAA’s top title two more times in 2012 and 2019, along with a slew of individual and team awards. Don’t miss Maggie Kelch’s interview with Coach Monez about the TCU Women’s Rifle team and its success on the firing line after she took over the reins two decades ago.
Field Editor Art Merrill provides a history lesson in his feature this month about parlor guns, also known as gallery guns or saloon guns. He recently purchased a “Flobert gun” that is a throwback to a time when shooting such a firearm in your living room was more acceptable. Learn more about these diminutive rifles in “Parlor Gun History,” along with why you should think twice before shooting one.
Online registration for the 2024 NRA National Matches is set to open Thursday, February 29, at the NRA Competitive Shooting division website. The NRA’s National Precision Pistol, Smallbore Rifle and High Power Rifle Championships will commence at Camp Atterbury, Ind., on Monday, July 22, and are scheduled to end on Monday, August 19. You can see the full NRA National Matches schedule in my article, as well as detailed information about securing Camp Atterbury lodging.
John Parker
Editor-in-Chief, Shooting Sports USA
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