Pro Tips: Choosing an Action Pistol

by
posted on December 5, 2016
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
fullsizerender.jpg
Julie GolobAction Pistol Champion
I prefer firearms that do not have finger grooves since they are just someone else’s idea of a perfect grip. Grip size is critical for me because I have small hands. Easily reached controls are another priority for me. I started on 1911’s so I am partial to that grip angle. Not having to have to carry a full tool box to disassemble a gun is also a perk. I am not a fan of polymer magazines because where the notch sits for magazine release can get buggered and cause issues.

Bruce Piatt—Conventional/Action Pistol Champion
For iron sighted guns, the main things I watch for include: accuracy; trigger weight at or just over legal weight, reach, and feel—either a clean break after a roll or two-stage; consistency; balance—too much weight in the rear tends to cause front end shake; sight radius—the longer the radius with iron sights, the easier to detect sighting errors; sight picture—white outlines and 3-dot combat sights aren’t very practical for competition; and adjustability—must have. Lastly, the grip purchase must give the shooter control during recoil.

Latest

Claycoptertower 2
Claycoptertower 2

Caldwell ClayCopter Surface-to-Air Wins Top Innovation Award

Caldwell’s hands-free ClayCopter Surface-to-Air launcher wins 2026 Frank DeSomma Innovation of the Year Award from the Industry Choice Awards.

Ammunition Depot’s AmmoVault Bets You’ll Want The Ammo Before You Need It

Ammunition Depot’s new AmmoVault service lets shooters buy ammunition over time, store it insured off-site and request shipment whenever they want.

NRA Gun Bus Rolls Out of Fairfax on 63-Stop Battleground Tour

NRA-ILA’s first national bus tour left Fairfax on Aug. 27, bound for Montana and 62 more stops across 13 states.

Peiser, Zaun Win Smallbore Titles at 2026 USA Shooting Rifle Fall Selection Match

Braden Peiser and Katie Zaun won 50m rifle three-position titles at the 2026 USA Shooting Rifle Fall Selection Match in Colorado Springs.

Real Avid and Doug Koenig’s Range Ready Handgun Series Starts Before the First Shot

Real Avid’s Range Ready series features handgun preparation with a new Doug Koenig video run covering setup, fundamentals, maintenance and more.

Daisy Puts Bone Collector Branding On Its 1999 Lever Action

Daisy’s Bone Collector 1999 Lever Action BB gun brings True Timber camo and Bone Collector branding to a sub-$50 youth trainer.



Get the best of Shooting Sports USA delivered to your inbox.