The Strike 1 pistol from Arsenal is one of the more interesting new pistols to come onto the market in recent years, with its development for the Russian armed forces and its commercial manufacture in Italy. It feature a clever and nearly unique locking system, and a remarkably low bore axis. The question this raises, of course, is whether you should buy one.

Karl and Ian put nearly a thousand rounds through one in a series of practical shooting matches to answer the question. Their answer? If you like the looks and the mechanics, go for it! The Strike 1 functions well, although it has quirks like every design. If it were priced competitively with the $500-$600 range of polymer-framed pistols it would be a definite winner, but at its $800 MSRP it is hard to justify in practical terms.

Thanks to Battleground Firearms for providing our review pistol!

http://www.BattleGroundFirearms.com