say what you want about the italians...

...but they know how to make 'em pretty.



The only Nine currently in my stable, an Italian-made Beretta 92FS. There are 9mm pistols that are smaller, lighter, hold more bullets, or have more extras like luggage racks and spoilers, but few autochuckers are as pleasing to the eye as a Beretta 92. They're also very reliable, and easy to shoot thanks to low recoil.

Back at the gun shop, we had a theory going as to why the Italians put emphasis on making good-looking firearms. I came up with the explanation that surrendering a pretty pistol to an enemy puts them in a good mood. If that is indeed a valid theory, someone needs to tell it to the Frogs, who apparently have "homeliness" at the top of the list of their iron-clad gun design rules.