Secret Operative TB writes in on the Czar’s review of a few .40 caliber handguns:

Sounds like you are qualified to give us your best-.40-4-teh-$ opinion. That is, if you’re willing to say, ‘cause you seem a bit reticent to give your opinions on things…

And, how ‘bout a best overall pistol for your benjis?

Yikes. Well, the Czar is not so sure he is qualified. Basically, right now, all firearms are way too expensive. Used ones are okay, in many cases, if you know what to look for. But the Czar thinks there is a bigger issue.

Handgun are potential life-saving tools. And you know what is more important than cost? That’s exactly right—saving your life. One would hate to imagine a situation where someone said, “You know, that P226 felt perfect in my hands, and I was able to hit the target nine out of ten with it. Yet the XD, with that funky grip, was too awkward for me and I hit the target only once. But the XD 40 is $150 cheaper, so I guess I better go with that.” No, we assume conversations like that never happen. Who introduces a sentence with the word “yet” anymore?

The truth is, they are all priced pretty close to each other: we are not talking about a $2,500 custom Kimber .45 here. Our advice is to try each of them out, as we are doing, and find which one you like best. For the Czar, he would put the XDM 40 on the top of that list and the Glock at the bottom; we know people who would flip that list exactly.

Perhaps the Czar would ask what are TB’s opinions?

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.