Searching Handguns
There are three basic ways to search our Handgun Database. You can use a guided method through the Database link in the main menu, you can do a freestyle search using the Site-Search link in the main menu, or you can search using one of four Ranking Factors from a form on the Database Statistics page. Either method will ultimately get you to a Handgun Detail page.
There are two guided methods under the Database link:
Database Search - Here you are provided with a search form in which you can select from a list of various options to narrow down your search. You can use this form particularly if you do not have a specific model in mind, although you can select a particular manufacturer. You can also narrow the search by handgun type (pistol or revolver), trigger style, and caliber. Furthermore, you can filter your by selecting a range from one of three parameters: overall length, barrel length or weight.
Manufacturers - If you are interested in a handgun from a particular manufacturer, you can use this link to drill down to a specific model, type or caliber. After selecting a manufacturer you will be provided with various information tables where you can select available handgun types, calibers and models produced by that manufacturer.
Alternately, you can do a freestyle search using the Site-Search link.
Here you can enter a search phrase such as "Beretta compact pistol", "large frame revolver" or "night sights" and you will get "Google" style results of pages on our website containing matches to the phrase. This is a word-search tool which ignores numbers, so a phrase like ".45 caliber pistol" will only search for "caliber" and "pistol", missing the mark. If you are looking for numeric information such as caliber, weight or dimension, the better method is to use the filters in the Database Search form.
Finally, you can use the form at the bottom of the Database Statistics page which allows you to filter your search by handgun type, caliber and one of four ranking factors. Those ranking factors are Defense Factor, Power Factor, Recoil Factor and Concealability.
Comparing Handguns - My Handgun List
We have now integrated the "Compare Handguns" function into our standard search methods.
Whichever way you get to a handgun detail page, whether through the Database Search form, or by drilling down through the Manufacturers list, or simply by using the Google-style Site-Search in the navigation menu, on the main panel of the handgun detail page next to the Model Name there is a button with a plus [+] sign in it.
Pressing the button will put that gun in "My Handgun List". It will tell you that without an account you will only see the list on your current browser, which is fine if you are just doing handgun comparisons. If you want to keep a "favorites" list that works across all browsers and devices, you can now create a private account which will save your list in our database, the account will also allow you to rate guns and leave comments as well.
Once you've selected a few guns with the plus [+] sign button, just go to the My Handgun List option under Database in the navigation menu, or click on the View List button on the confirmed save panel after your last save. Since we are now mobile friendly, you can just hit the browser's "back" button from the handgun detail page to return to your previous search results list to make more selections.
If you choose later to create an account the website will automatically move the guns you've put in your local browser into your account.