By Diego Cesarei
It took them more than a year and a half from order to delivery. That’s kind of a long wait for pretty much anything industrially made, particularly for a gun. Well, the wait is over. I finally got my brand new Arsenal Firearms Strike One, one of the first 200 produced, the first passing the Swiss border. And in the last week I have been shooting the hell out of it to see if it was worth the wait. But before the evaluation of the tool, a little about the gun itself . . .
To dispel a few rumors, the gun is made and designed in Italy. All the guns marketed outside Russia and its satellites will be made in Italy — the company is multinational with facilities and shareholders in different countries. Several sources confirm that the Strike One will replace the venerable Makarov in the Russian arsenals for military and police applications. Apparently the Russian (or Strizh) model will be exactly the same but with a manual safety and will be locally produced.
On a first look, the Strike One looks to be a common full-size polymer frame, striker-fired, 9mm pistol. It comes in a stylish case with two 17-round magazines (double-stack Mec-Gar) and a very handy cleaning kit.
The frame is made of polymer reinforced with fiberglass, carbon fiber and elastomers mixed up in a property formula to maximize performance in the most adverse conditions. A quite long MIL-STD-1913 rail is there under the barrel and the pistol has a prominent beavertail to increase control and protect from “slide bite.”
The slide and the most important metal components are machined from a solid billet of 42CrMo4 steel hardened at 44/46 on the Rockwell scale. The other metal parts are the result of a metal injection moulding or investment casting process.
The single-piece chassis is embedded in the frame (not sure if it’s possible to remove it or if the frame is moulded on top of it) and includes two long, slim rails and all the lodgements for pins, springs trigger mechanism etc. Most of the metal parts have a 75 Hrc surface nitrite treatment or are chromed. The 5-inch barrel is made of 36NCD4 steel, is cold-hammer-forged and has six conventional 1:10 rifling. The magazine-release button is reversible. An additional button is provided with the gun in order to use the patented ambidextrous mag-release mechanism. It’s pretty easy to install without tools or gunsmith intervention.
With the gun cocked, the firing pin protrudes from the tail cap and works as a visual and tactile indicator. The tail cap is one solid piece that includes the rear sight. This isn’t a good idea as it will make customization far more difficult and expensive. I doubt if this design adds anything in the way of structural strength.
With no external safety, prevention of unintended firing is handled by but automatic systems in the trigger and the firing pin. In particular the trigger safety engages if pressure on the top half of the trigger is applied. This differentiates the Strike One from its main competitors because the “second little trigger” in the middle of the main one is absent, not that I minded it on the other guns.
Overall quality is in at least as good as other handguns in the the price range. The Strike Once retails in Italy for 695 Euros — that’s about the same price of most of the plastic guns on the market. I understand that US MSRP is in the $799 neighborhood, putting it a little higher than its competitors.
Mine arrived in perfect condition except from a few scratches inside the magazine well. This isn’t a tragedy because there’s no way to see it without a detailed inspection of the inside of the gun and it doesn’t affect gun functionality or safety. Still, it’s the kind of thing that firearms enthusiasts don’t appreciate.
Overall, the general impression is that a great deal of attention was given to the sturdiness and strength of the pistol in order to pass the Russian military tests. All in all, the design seems to be a good blend of Italian craftsmanship and Russian pragmatism.
Once disassembled, the gun reveals its true peculiarity: The locking system is a genial yet simple modification of the classical Browning short-recoil, tilting-barrel (modified Bergmann system) system. The barrel moves horizontally, without tilting, the locking block that drops to unlock the barrel after few millimeters of backward movement and then pushes it back in battery, sits before the cartridge chamber and not directly below it. The result is one of the lowest bore axes in the industry (12mm) with what should be an increase in accuracy, service life and reliability.
The trigger is a very light single-action two-stage affair with a short reset. Another way to describe it is as a “dirty” single action — it’s a bit raspy. The two stages, the first one in which the trigger rotates and, I believe, disconnects the safety (a first click is audible) and the second one which engages the transfer bar and moves horizontally. This stops being an issue after the first couple of magazines, particularly in rapid fire.
What really astonished me is how light the trigger is. I experienced a similar one in my old Tanfoglio Stock customized for IPSC competition. I have no experience in the military or law enforcement, but the trigger maybe a bit too competition-oriented, especially considering the lack of any manual safety and the enormous space the trigger guard leaves in front of the blade. Yes, I know that guns don’t go off without human intervention and that a manual safety isn’t always popular. Just a consideration looking on what is currently in service around the world.
Another thing I appreciated the first time I handle the gun was the trigger’s flat, large metal surface with grippy serration lines. I changed my mind after the first 200 rounds fired and I had a sore finger. Probably the wide trigger guard and the serrated trigger are engineered for military and police operators who use gloves or work in cold or extreme environments.
Reliability has been very good. I shot 500 rounds of ammo with no malfunctions and an entire magazine fired with a very limp wrist. I shot it upside-down and horizontally, with the ejection port up and down and the gun always cycled correctly. I was only able to use FMJ because that’s all that’s available here. The Swiss follow the Geneva conventions — no surprise there.
Field stripping the gun is easy enough, can be done without tools. The main takedown pin is captured. Full disassembly seems more complicated than steel- or aluminium-framed single/double-action guns, but I wouldn’t say that this is mandatory to guarantee the normal maintenance and cleaning of the gun.
The Strike One is both accurate and fast. More accurate and fast than I am. The factory sights with three white dots are OK and except for the fact that the rear sight is part of the tail cap, nothing good or bad to point out. The in-line barrel movement and the decrease number of moving masses as well increase control and accuracy.
In term of ergonomics, the designer (Nicola Bandini) did its homework. Controls are all within reach and spot-on in terms of dimensions. Lefties can install the provided ambidextrous magazine release. The Glock-like low-bore axis and beaver tail make the gun very controllable. The grip is grippy, but not too aggressive (probably not enough for competition shooters, though). The angle between bore and grip allows for instinctive aiming. The magazine well is oversized making magazine changes super fast.
What I was told by the company, during one of the many enquiry calls to investigate where my Arsenal Strike One was, was that the company is young and the product is new and I had to be patient, so patient I was … and I don’t regret it!
SPECIFICATIONS:
Action: Semi-automatic pistol
Caliber: 9mm Luger
Barrel Length: 125mm
Overall Length: 210mm
Max Width: 33mm
Weight: 750 grams
Capacity: 17+1
RATINGS (out of five stars):
Accuracy: * * * * *
The gun is accurate and fast. More accurate and faster than I am. The three-dot factory sights are OK. The in-line barrel movement and the decreased number of moving parts means better control and accuracy.
Ergonomics: * * * * *
Everything is right where it should be, easily within reach. The low-bore axis and natural grip angle make for accurate, instinctive shooting.
Reliability: * * * * *
500 rounds without a hiccup. Again, due to local restrictions, I haven’t tried JHP. But so far, no problems to report.
Customizable: *
No accessories or mods are available yet as far as I know. I was provided with the gun with a pretty basic holster. The rear-sight design doesn’t exactly lend itself to easy customization. I guess the availability of mods and accessories will depend on the Strike One’s success in the U.S. market.
Innovative: * * * * *
It combines what’s great in the Browing design with the best of fixed-barrel guns, keeping the whole thing simple. What more do you want?
Overall Rating: * * * *
The Strike One is a very well-designed, comfortable-shooting reliable pistol. Period.
More from The Truth About Guns:
Gun Review: Beretta 92 FS Compact L
Thanks, I think you win the Internet for first review posted online of an actual production model.
I was intrigued when I first saw it on Larry Vicker’s TV show, the very low height over bore axis is particularly appealing to me.
Low Bore Axis isn’t that important and is over emphasized constantly. I’m so tired of hearing it parroted over and over again. This one drives me nuts. I was reminded of it in a comment posted on FB on a picture of a Sig pistol, where someone said “the bore axis is too high for me” which is kind of like a 16 year old with a brand new driver’s license saying they don’t like how much body roll their mom’s Camry has in decreasing radius turns. Let’s look at a few guns that people say have a bore axis that’s too high: the Sig Classic P-Series and most of the HK lineup. Hmmm…what else do those guns have in common…oh maybe it’s that they’re some of the widest used service pistols in the world? In fact, if you crunch the numbers on bore axis, it turns out that the HK45, commonly decried as having a high bore axis, is in fact only a few fractions of an inch higher in axis than the 1911. It’s all nonsense. There are so many other factors which are important to the shootability of a pistol before bore axis; using it as a complaint is basically ridiculous
That’s all well and good but I shot this pistol for the first time yesterday and the bore axis was the first thing I noticed and the most notable “feature” of the gun overall. It was the most distinctive factor, for me, in putting rounds in the same location really fast. It is noticeable and important.
“Low Bore Axis isn’t that important and is over emphasized constantly.”
Tell that to anyone that shoots a verity of handguns and then fires a few rounds through a Steyr and says “well that’s different” with a grin on their face.
Which will be available here first, the new Caracal or the Strike One. Both are on the purchase list.
I doubt we will ever see this in the US due to our ongoing issues with Russia
Bob, I don’t think so, as per the article:
“To dispel a few rumors, the gun is made and designed in Italy. All the guns marketed outside Russia and its satellites will be made in Italy, the company is multinational with facilities and shareholders in different countries.”
WRONG. The pistol was designed by both Streshinskiy and Bandini as evidenced by the patents.
Wrong…………
JUNE 30, 2014 09:19 – NEWS
Arsenal Firearms is proud to announce that the United States Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) has approved the AF-1 Strike One semiautomatic pistol for imports in the United States of America. The revolutionary lock and higher performance pistol, entirely manufactured in Italy by Arsenal Firearms, already on widespread distribution worldwide, will soon start shipping to the USA as well.
Arsenal Firearms, through International Firearm Corporation, will soon start selecting Authorized Arsenal Dealers across the United States. International Firearm Corporation’s new shipment of AF-2011’s and the highly anticipated AF-1 Strike One in 9mm is expected by September 2014. All Arsenal Firearms products and accessories will be channeled to the US market via the newly consolidated partnership with Mr. Raymond “Tony” Mussatto, owner and CEO of Tony’s Custom Creations LLC (importer of record) and IFC (International Firearm Corporation). Both companies are located in Oklahoma City, OK, an ideal city as it is strategically and centrally located in the United States. This location will allow for great flexibility in distribution and service to all parts of the U.S. America will quickly take note of a newly-formed company that places customer service at a level that surpasses any in the United States’ firearm industry.
Tony’s Custom Creations and International Firearm Corporation will also act in total synergy and tight contact with Arsenal Firearms of Italy as a state-of-the-art warranty service center while also providing spare parts and accessories. IFC will also be Arsenal Firearms’ U.S. custom shop for all firearms imported to the United States. IFC will offer specialty accessories, engraving capability, and an exclusive line of AF products. For more information, please contact International Firearm Corporation in Oklahoma City, OK at [email protected] or call 405-642-9975, or 405-642-2394.
You can also go to http://www.arsenalfirearms.com/. Change is coming to the United States of America. Stay connected.
It seems you are wrong :
“THE ARSENAL FIREARMS AF-1 STRIKE ONE HAS BEEN APPROVED FOR IMPORTS IN THE UNITED STATES BY THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND EXPLOSIVES (BATFE).
ARSENAL FIREARMS IS ALSO PROUD TO ANNOUNCE THE SIGNING OF A STRATEGIC ALLIANCE WITH ITS NEW IMPORTER OF RECORD AND FEDERAL DISTRIBUTOR, RESPECTIVELY TCC Corp (Tony’s Custom Creations Inc.) AND IFC (International Firearm Corporation) in OKLAHOMA CITY, OK”
See home page of firearms website http://www.arsenalfirearms.com/
My initial impression is favorable. though as a Glock 19 fanboy, I’d like to see a 4-inch, reduced length grip version.
That low bore axis is the really attractive part.
You see, a low bore axis is exactly why it will be hard getting a “Glock 19” size.
A low bore axis means there’s less overall height. Meaning there’s less space for the magazine, meaning the grip needs to be made longer. The 17 round full size Strike One has a longer grip than a G17 or M&P9 because of it’s low bore axis.
This is the same reason a PPQ conceals the same as a Glock 19. Despite the PPQ being a little taller, all of the extra height is in the slide, thus conceals in the holsters, while both the G19 & PPQ have the same grip size and print similarly.
Hi,
Not sure if what you say is true in this case. As you can see in the picture of the gun disassembled and the picture in which you can see my finger there is no feed ramp on the barrel. The magazine head sits very high almost in line with the chamber. The handle is very bulky though, so you may be right, I would like to compare it with a G-17.
Ciao
They have a compact model already done in Italy. They just need to submit it to the ATF for import approval. Size is comparable to a Glock 19.
Now a _compact_ version would be of great interest! What do you reckon the capacity would be?
That ‘tail-cap’ design is right off of the first -gen Caracal. It’s been superceded by the forthcoming design, which will allow for routine rear-sight replacement/upgrade as with the vast majority of today’s pistols.
Yet another product improvement on the worn out Glock. Let’s see…no funky azz butterfly trigger, lower bore axis, a finer trigger, and no ridiculous heel hump…if they only came with the manual safety, I’d be all over it. Do it in .45 with a manual safety and it would sell in heaps.
The Russians use a very hot 9mm round, I assume that this pistol was designed to shoot it. So it should be a very strong pistol capable of handling +p+ ammo.
Or am I wrong again?
Apparently the Strike One can come in a lot of different flavors, including 9×21 IMI. The Russians run their armor-piercing 7N21 (147 gr. @ 1,509 FPS) and 7N31 (125 gr. @ 1,969 FPS), which is loaded to +P+ pressures.
Thing is, it’s not clear whether the 9x19mm version is identical to the one that was offered to the Russian military. That one can definitely use overpressured Russian military ammo, but the commercial version might not, especially if it’s actually manufactured elsewhere as the article implies.
9mm 125gr at 1969FPS?! That puts it over 1000ft/lbsf, competing with the big boys like 10mm Auto and .460 Rowland.
Russians are insane.
Those numbers are completely wrong.
7Н21 is defined as a bullet of 5.3 grams (83 grains), with a muzzle velocity of 430 m/s (1410 fps), out of a 93.5 mm (3.7 inch) test barrel, producing 490 J (361 ft lbs) of muzzle energy. Out of the actual firearm, it’s more like 460 m/s (1509 fps), and 560 J (413 ft lbs). That’s precisely why it has the unusual (for a 9mm round) armor piercing qualities – because it’s a light, fast bullet with a hardened steel penetrator core.
Americans sometimes get confused because the entire round weighs close to 147 grains, and that number then gets mistaken for barrel weight.
Also, being overpressured, it can go significantly faster than that out of a longer barrel, such as that of a submachine gun. However, the pressure is your “normal” +P+, somewhere around 42K PSI, so it’s true of any similar lightweight +P+ round: try 90gr +P+ Cor-Bon out of a pistol carbine some time.
Most modern handguns can easily handle +P+ tolerances.
Something possibly better than a CZ for point shooting? I need a moment… To rethink life decisions.
Also, Hague not Geneva convention.
Probably shouldn’t shoot a POW with it. Hollow point or FMJ. Just to be on the safe side.
Confused.
You mean POW as in Prisoner Of War? Hague convention says HP, SP and the like are no-no while the Geneva convention is about POWs.
Yep, I caught that as well. Hague Convention of 1899. Also, use is only prohibited during war between signatories of the Convention.
it y’all don’t realize, wat is a game of the elites and we are pawns which send off our sons and daughters to be slaughter in their game to make them rich and us well u know, so called useless eaters by them
“In particular the trigger safety engages if pressure on the top half of the trigger is applied.”
This statement makes it sound like you have to finger the trigger to activate the safety. I hope this is some translation error or flatout mistake because this sounds like a HORRIBLE idea to me.
You see the little pin on the trigger? Basically the safety disengage if you push the trigger anywhere from the pin downward. Sorry if didn’t make myself more clear.
So it functions in essence like a Glock brand Glock trigger then, always on unless your finger is on the trigger. That makes MUCH more sense to me.
With a feed ramp that shallow, I’d expect zero problems feeding hollow-points through that gun. Very interested to see one in the wild.
Great review. Could use a little editing for spelling and grammar, though.
I stopped reading The (Other) Firearms Blog in part because their horrible editing of simple mistakes felt a little insulting to the reader. I’m really glad that TTAG is usually very good about that type of thing.
It’s one thing if it’s in 8th grade twitter-speak. You’re on the internet. English isn’t everybody’s first language.
I was under the impression that RF and Dan Zimmerman spoke English as their first language.
I would assume so, but unless one of them started writing under the name Diego, you can’t blame them for the writing. Editing, on the other hand…
I’ll give a lot more slack to someone in that regard if English isn’t their first language.
I appreciate good grammar like everyone else but to stop reading TFB over not so important errors is a bit harsh since they always have something interesting. I completely understand your disdain when something is written in a way that you have to decipher it before reading it.
If you bring up grammar at tfb, they will tell you either “yeah we’ll be more careful” or “shove it up your ass”.
Thank you for the compliment and sorry for the grammar, i’m not english mother tongue but I spent 4 years working in Ireland, my drinking capabilities really improved but I’ve always been very bad with languages, now I need to take over French or German at work… probably in 20 years I will reach an elementary level…
LOL, Diego, your English is quite good. And, your review was great. I am one of those Americans looking forward to buying a Strike One when they come to stores here. Your review has helped me make my decision. Thank you, and do keep writing!
Your Inglese is muy better than my Espanol. Spell checkers change words on us if we get them even slightly wrong, sometimes resulting in us saying the opposite to what we intend.
An Italian designed plastic pistol designed mated to Russian indestructabiliy — What is there no to like. I am not interested in another 9mm but I like it.
So it’s another Glock spin-off. Yawn.
Please explain how it is a Glock knockoff? Only similarities are that they both have polymer frames and a “safe” trigger (a safety mech on the trigger that has to be pressed before the trigger can be pulled).
They don’t even look like another fer crying out loud.
… which are the main features of the Glock.
Oh my bad. The stippling is different. And it has extra cutouts on the slide “to make it rack faster”. Go-fast cutouts maybe?
Seriously though; I realize it’s not the exact same gun nor design; but I don’t see anything revolutionary here and it’s in fact not that different from a Glock or similar modern polymer framed semi-autos. Like you said – Safe action. Polymer frame. Striker-fired. Metal parts have a treatment to make them indestructabilish. So it’s missing the “middle finger” trigger, big deal.
The only real difference I can see is the locking design of the action with the non-tilting barrel; and while interesting I can’t see why this is really going to matter for most users. Feel free to chime in if you have a reason or I’ve missed something major.
It’s probably a decent enough gun; but will lack accessories, sight options, and what not. Given that and that established polymer frames are relatively inexpensive; what is the reason to rush out and buy one? None that I can see.
The difference is the different mechanism, low bore axis and the much better trigger (seriously, make the thing out of metal and 40% is already done). I wouldn’t call it revolutionary like the assault rifle or caseless ammo but it is still a step forward, a long step forward considering ammo technology isn’t going to change in a long while.
Just like my Kia Sorento is the same as a Lambourghini El Dorado. They both have 4 wheels and doors. So what if theres a different engine under the hood right?
Not to knock it’s cabailities or functionality, but that is one hell of an ugly pistol.
Uglier than a Glock?
I believe it would look nice with a white/light gray frame and stainless slide assembly. The tan frame version in one of the pictures looks kinda nice IMO.
This pistol is phenomenally ugly whereas a GLOCK is just ugly and boring looking. That said, a GLOCK is still a great gun.
Allow me to translate something:
“…a solid billet of 42CrMo4 …”
Not a billet, but bar stock. No one puts “billet” or even a chunk of billet into a mill to make parts for guns. Billets are rolled out into bar stock much closer to the size of the part to be made, in various shapes (flat, round, square, etc).
The steel spec is a Euro-weenie way of saying 4140 steel – perhaps the most common steel used in firearms today. ie, nothing special.
What does 4140 mean? I mean the numbers have to stand for something.
4140 stands for:
41XX series: Chromium/Moly steel
“40” means “40 points of carbon,” or “0.40% carbon” meaning it is a medium carbon steel with other alloying elements.
http://www.keytometals.com/page.aspx?ID=CheckArticle&site=kts&NM=333
The AISI/ANSI/SAE method of steel alloy designation allows you to see the carbon content immediately without having to unpack the alloying elements from the designation.
Looks like a Glock and a Kel-tec PMR got drunk and swapped bodily fluids (CLP?).
Pretty much my thoughts as well. Looks remarkably like my PMR-30.
Went to the range last Sunday. The guys in the next booth over had a PMR-30. Was astonished to see one in the wild.
Great review. One question, does grip angle mean more like 1911, vs Glock?
Thank you. That is a difficult question. What I meant in the review is that the gun points naturally to the target. Although different I had similar results with a Steyr M9 that maybe fits the hand a bit better. I like both 1911 and Glock but to me it took a lot of soothing to start enjoying the Glock and feel it as a natural extension of my hand. I hope this answer your question.
It’s going to replace the Mak? Does that mean we might at some point see surplus Maks flooding in?? 😀
Makarov has already been steadily replaced by MP-443 Grach since like 2008. It’s not complete yet, but they’re getting there.
Strike One (or rather Strizh, the internal version) was considered as a future replacement of both Grach, and the remaining Makarov pistols, sometime in 2012, but that plan has been long dropped, and there weren’t even any trials, much less adopting it as a replacement. As of 2014, the Ministry of Defense of Russia keeps buying Grach.
I was thinking if I should engage in to the discussion with you and decided I should… Your information is only partly correct – NO MORE STRIZH in Russia.
The rest of your info is inaccurate – we have passed initial mil tests in Russia in Tsniitochmach… It can be easily proved cause it’s all documented.. We had only two relatively small problems (already solved BTW): the plastic frame slightly cracked in the trigger guard section at -50 degrees Celsius during intense shooting with 7N21 and 7N31… And during dusting procedure absolutely dry (every metal part was wiped with kerosine and dried by hairdryer ) pistol stop cycling after one magazine…
We have favorable reviews of Russian MOD and MOI..
The departure from Russia was my personal decision I rather not discuss here. And as you can see now time proved I was right..
Thank you for the information Dmitry. I was going based on the information obtained from public (and visible) sources, but it’s no surprise that those can be misleading or inaccurate, esp. in Russia. It’s always best to hear straight from the source!
Speaking of which, can you comment on the support of overpressure 9mm variants by the commercial version of the pistol?
I hope you find success on the American market. It’s a much better one for firearm entrepreneurs in any case – there’s no BS politics, either your gun is good and the gun owner crowd appreciates it, or it’s not, and they tell you why. And I suspect the rewards for a well-executed product are also bigger here.
Anybody know the reason for the switch. The Grach (CZ copy) was adopted about 2 years ago. Why switch again so soon?
There’s no switch. They mulled about it in 2012, but nothing came of it. They didn’t even run the trials.
It’s a good thing that it has a beavertail, because it looks as though you REALLY need one. The run of the slide looks a mile long to me!
Save 300 bucks and just buy a Diamondback FS 9mm. lol
Or a CZ P09
bu sılah fıyat nedir
Italia – 695 Euros.
The guns are Being imported by “International Firearms Corporation” of Oklahoma City, the only dealer taking pre-orders is “Tony’s Custom Creations” also out of Oklahoma City. ETA is early September and they are nearly sold out of pre-orders.
I really wanted one of these but not for $799
I’m hoping it’s in Namibian dollars.
I think you guys need to do a bit more editing before posting some of this stuff. Parts of this article were difficult to comprehend.
The writer of this particular article is Swiss. English is not his first language. Considering that may change your mind about the minor errors.
well actually it’s not first review available – there is good article on all4shooters.com and we just did some lame review on youtube. It’s in polish (sorry guys, we will include dialogue list soon) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hza9rltwmcE
I’ve been intrigued by this firearm for a while now. I hope when they make it to the USA the slides are dovetailed for easier sight customization.
-D
Does TTAG employ an editor?
Great review.
this Strike One looks (and sounds from review) to be a real winner. Too bad i already have a bunch of Glocks, with dozens of mags. If this could take Glock mags., i would jump on it.
Turning on annoying pedantic mode: i think you mist mean rhe Hague Conventions? Although, im certain the Swiss would treat POWs properly as well.
The Swiss didn’t see too much combat in WWII. In 1940 Hitler asked his general staff for a report on the feasibility of attacking Switzerland. They came back saying every Swiss adult was armed and living in steep alpine valleys. They said the losses in any invasion would be unacceptable, and success doubtful. They told Hitler he would lose his Army. There were a few air battles in which the Swiss lost a few aircraft, but mainly the Germans left the Swiss alone. Several German deserters and Allied airmen were interned by the Swiss, and all were treated very well.
This is a really simplified story (and partly a myth perpetrated by the Swiss themselves).
It’s true that Guisan’s “National Redoubt” plan boiled down to essentially that – retreating from hard-to-hold cities to mountain strongholds, where every tree and rock would have Swiss marskmen behind them enacting their toll on the occupants, the idea being that at some point it would have become too hard a price for Germans. However, there’s no evidence to indicate that Germans thought about it in those terms, or that the expected resistance is what deterred them.
It’s true that Hitler asked for – demanded, in fact (he had a very personal hatred for the Swiss society, since the sight of Germans commingling with French was disgusting to him, as was their democracy) – and he got it in form of Operation Tannenbaum. There’s nothing in that plan that indicates Germans expected heavy losses – in fact, quite the opposite, the planners anticipated “a nonviolent Anschluss”, because Swiss “might accede to ultimatum demands in a peaceful manner, so that after a warlike border crossing a rapid transition to a peaceful invasion must be assured”. And as the development of the plan progressed, the high brass actually revised the estimate of the number of troops necessary down, not up.
Hitler never followed up on the plan, though, and exactly why he didn’t we’ll never know. Apparently, the plan was still underway in late 1941, as Himmler was compiling lists of people he would place in charge of the annexed Switzerland then. Most likely, as the war on the Eastern Front kicked into high gear, and Germans discovered that their vaunted blitzkrieg stalled, and they were in for several years of a slow grind, it was just put on the back-burner.
Whether the Swiss plan would have actually worked if they were invaded is another interesting question. It’s quite possible that it would. In effect, it was a plan for a nation-wide guerrilla warfare, using military resources of the entire state. Soviet and Yugoslavian partisans have enacted quite a toll on occupying forces in their respective areas, with significantly less resources and meager training.
The Russian version of the gun is called
“Strizh” which i believe is translated from Russian as a Trimmer.
No, it means “swift” (as in, the bird).
I have been tracking the Strike One since Arsenal showed they could come up with something more useful than the Double 1911.
I fail to see a Browning contribution to the design. The locking block is an uncommon departure from the widely used Browning tilting barrel. It is like a Bergman or Lahti turned inside out.
Have to say I really had a hard-on for this gun for a while. I decided instead of suffering priapism, I’d just get a CZ P09. I have to say, now that I see an actual review of the Strike One, I really don’t regret my decision. I saved 300 bucks and don’t feel I’m missing anything. P09 also has a low bore axis and apparently a better trigger. Mine is FDE with Tritium too – oh and holds 19+1. All for $500. Nothing against the StrikeOne, it still looks pretty bad-assed, but I am happy with my P09 and have no regrets. I think P09 is the pistol to beat in this category right now. Of course, YMMV. Peace out.
You can’t really compare a cz p09 to this pistol. The cz is a single/double action with a hammer and the Strike One is a striker fired….the trigger pull is completely different. Also I don’t think you can beat 12mm of bore axis compared to the P09…I see the money benefits of the CZ but you are trying to compare an apple to a carrot here.
^This.
Excellent review – definitely on my shopping list.
A seller on ArmsList claims to have some. They say that their website is at soonerstatearsenal.com, but the domain is parked.
http://www.armslist.com/posts/2900652/oklahoma-city-oklahoma-handguns-for-sale–arsenal–strike–one–semi-automatic-pistol—order-yours-today-
We were previously “Tony’s Custom Creations”, we are in the middle of a name change.It should re-direct you to http://www.tonyscustomcreations.com, new site will be up in a few days. We are Arsenal Firearms premier US dealer and sold more AF2011’s than anyone else in the US. Thus we can take pre-orders on the Strike-One, they are expected in September. My name is Blake and I’m the retail shop manager. Feel free to give me a call at any time. 405-642-3183
OK, thanks for clarifying. I had no idea that the AF2011 was actually available here.
It looks slender, elegant, and accurate. I like it!
My problem with polymer frame firearms is the several 100 plus year old antiques that I inherited from my grandfather and my dad. They look and function every bit as good as they did when they left the factory. Will a polymer pistol be there for my grandchildren, or will it be a pile of dust by then?
Durability is measured in years, not rounds.
Charlie
Polymer doesn’t biodegrade like wood. Yes, it will be here for posterity provided you look after it.
It looks like RoboCop’s gun. Therefore, I want it.
It’s a very nice pistol, I’ve had mine for about a month now. I disagree with the article about the trigger, mine does not click when you “rotate” it. Mine’s also very smooth. Though both might be the result of about 1500-1800 rds shot.
Got a couple of videos up at my youtube channel if anyone’s interested https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi2i1rw6Q_yJrl8LPbQp0450mVwtMy6_T
Hey man,
The video in which you take off the firing pin was very helpful. Now my concern is why my gun clicks twice?
What about reliability after more 1000 rounds?
Where did you get your holster?
I have problems with Fiocchi 130gr leadless ammo, I believe that the primer is to hard(I’m no export on ammo) which causes failure to ignite the primer. But Magtech and Sellier Bellot 124gr work very well, never a click.
Only issue I have is the occasional failure to eject, I’m waiting on a reply from Arsenal Firearms about the extractor grip on the cartridge rim as my belief is that it should grip a tiny bit firmer.
A side note is that Arsenal Firearms have been a great experience, the customer service is excellent.
I’m totally loving this gun!
Just wondering is it possible to modify magazine to 15rd? Putting some kind of limiter?
never tried that, but it should be mechanically easy thing to do, just adding som spacer between baseplate
So how would you compare the trigger reach to other 9mm’s like the Glock Gen 3 and Gen 4, the M&P 9, etc.?
Also, how many pounds would you say the trigger pull weight is?
It’s five pounds.
What about trigger reach, can you compare it to another gun, like Glock, etc..?
The Strike one trigger is wider, it has no safety on the front like a glock trigger. The trigger has a little bit of travel but it’s very smooth, breaks very crisp at a light five pounds. I love it actually. I like it much more than the Glock, CZ (im a HUGE CZ fan btw), XD/XDM, M&P, PPQ. The only trigger I’ve felt that i like almost as much is the H&K’s VP9 but it is a tad heavier and has the safety on the front like a Glock.
Nice little writeup. How would you say that the grip size is compared to other common pistols?
Regarding the sights, there will also be a model with adjustable rear sights, and those are dovetailed in like normal on most other pistols. I have a picture of it if anyone is curious, but I am not sure if I can post it here?
Looking forward to trying out this gun, will get my hands on one the coming weekend if all goes according to plan. Here in Norway the price will be similar to a Glock 17.
A company out of Oklahoma City is now importing and distributing for Arsenal Firearms of Italy. They have the Strike One and AF2011 (double barrel pistol). http://www.internationalfirearmcorporation.com
Just picked up two strike one pistols from sooner state arsenal arms in okc.
http://youtu.be/SkcBYBzYNuk in oklahoma
http://youtu.be/q59iBOFentg?list=UU0HfEkufsJAGteCCbes8YFg Also in oklahoma
Shot the strike one with a cz-p09 and a glock. Less recoil than both and better trigger.
Fist 500 rounds with zero problems. Break in card says to use fmj round nose for first 500 rounds. Gonna do another 500 rounds today
I don’t know if the European guns in the review are different from the ones we get in America, but my Strike One’s trigger is not light, and not that great. The reset is extremely long, literally the entire length of trigger travel. Weight started at 6-6.5lbs, and after around 400 rounds it smoothed out to 5.5lbs. Lots of creep before the break finally happens. It’s smooth, but in my opinion, the weakest part of the gun. Otherwise, the gun is accurate and a good shooter but the trigger is disappointing.
(Also, the review and Arsenal Arms claim the weight is 750gr, or around 26oz. That’s wrong – it weighs a little over 32oz.)
Didn’t Steyr already do all this with the L9?
Was very disappointed at first with mine, first 250 Rounds I had multiple (20-40%) failure to feed malfunctions in both magazines first time out of the box. Same thing on the second time. I had the Range Master and two range buddies give it a go and the same thing happened to all.
Changed my Ammo from American Eagal 124g FMJ to S&B 115g FMJ, not one malfunction!!! Switched back for one magazine of AE and 3 of of ten failure to feed.
With that fixed, here is the rest of my two cents. I wear size Lg gloves and the Strke One grip is too narrow for me so I added a Hogue grip for a Glock and I’m much happier with it.
The sight are less than desirable since there are no other choices right now and they are not night sites.
The trigger is very smooth (not as smooth as my CZ 75 SP-01 Tactical) but has a very long reset. If your use to the reset on Glock’s, it’s much longer.
Muzzle lift is minimal as is the recoil making burst shooting fun with a Shoot-N-C 6″ targets landing all shots inside the 8 ring or better.
Both my daughter and I like the Strike One over the Gen 4 Glock 17 and 34 stock out of the box.
Once the aftermarket products pick up for these guns like trigger reset, suppressor sites for RMR placement, and grip options, my Glocks will be for sale. Until then, I will continue to practice with Strike One, Glock, and CZ.
Shot 100rds, 9MM fmj. Unbelievable accuracy 7/15/25yds. I’m old school, and would take the Strike One into combat over any other 9mm. Brought back old memories of the Belgium Browning Hi-Power.
Let’s see… $869 makes this pistol more expensive than similar offerings from well-established companies like Glock, Smith & Wesson, Walther, H&K, etc. And the worst part? Only 1 year warranty! When competition offers lifetime warranties. Yeah…thanks, but no thanks. Looks interesting, but not interesting enough to be a sucker.
if the price is all you care about, by all means buy something else. Hi-Points have a lifetime warranty too… Of course the likelihood you will use hi-points warranty is much greater…….
I trust hi-point far more than I trust the overpriced garbage Arsenal puts out.
@ John, Garbage? You clearly don’t know jack shit about what you speak.
Yeah? You own one El Mac? Because I have and I hated it. My strike one was the mayor of light primer strike city, and when it did fire the magazine dropped out. My experience with this “gun” was wholly negative, no QC whatsoever from what I saw. Plus Hi-Point has a better warranty lol the AF2011’s were an unmitigated disaster as well, rear sights falling off and more types of malfunctions that one could count. In all seriousness Arsenal Firearms makes GARBAGE and makes you pay out the nose for it. If you buy an AF product you are a rube.
@ Blake, yeah I do. My experience has been the exact opposite. It’s been a rock solid pistol for me.
Lucky you, congrats. My experience was bad enough to swear me off of any Arsenal Firearms product. Mine was serial #222 and it was terrible. As were many of the initially imported guns.
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