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The Florida water crisis, remains the focus of our discussion. However, we are going to hear about it from a different perspective. Pat Durden is a multi-generational Floridian, a cattlemen, and an outdoorsman. Pat is going to give his take on some the water issue Florida is up against, from the perspective of farmers and ranchers.

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Editor’s Note: This article contains graphic images, including offensive language.

An egregious act of wildlife vandalism has occurred in Missouri’s Lake of the Ozarks. The victims of said vandalism? Paddlefish.

Two separate fish were caught (live) with obscene language carved into the sides of their bodies, and one of the fish's prominent paddle-shaped rostrum was carved into a sawtooth pattern.

On April 13, guide and angler Austin McClure posted a message on Facebook featuring graphic photos of carved-up paddlefish and a call to action with a reward for anyone who can provide details on the culprit of such heinous behavior.

“This has to stop, and someone needs held accountable for this cruel act, no matter your stance on paddlefish,” McClure said in his post.

McClure teamed up with other local guides and fishermen to offer money for information. The prize is currently $5,700 and growing with support from folks in the comment section.

McClure, who’s owned and operated McClure’s Guide Service for over eight years, understands that the paddlefishing season in Missouri is controversial. Some folks don’t like how many fish are kept during the 45-day season, but he trusts the biologists at the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC) to monitor population levels and adjust accordingly.

He also understands the paddlefish his clients and other anglers keep are prized table fare. And the memories of catching such a unique, prehistoric fish are treasured. That kind of care and reverence for a species was clearly not shared by whomever decided to cut into these fish and release them back into the water.

“It looks really negative on the fishery as a whole,” McClure told MeatEater.

McClure said it’s not uncommon to catch scarred-up paddlefish. He said they're tough, resilient creatures—sometimes they’ll catch a prop and survive with scarring. He recently caught a fish that had been cut on something and, after consulting a local biologist, determined it spread into an infection across the skin.

It’s unknown if these fish would have been able to survive the carving they endured for very long. They could have become infected, and the severe cuts on the nose could have likely impaired feeding.

Five years ago, Florida wildlife officials were attempting to find the person responsible for carving the word “Trump” into a manatee’s back. Because manatees are protected under both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, prosecution would have resulted in a Class A federal crime with a sentence of up to a year in prison and/or a $50,000 fine. Unfortunately, those responsible were never found.

Hopefully, the culprits of this atrocious act of wildlife vandalism are caught and brought to justice.

MDC told MeatEater that they are aware of the issue, and conservation agents are currently investigating the situation. If anyone has any information, MDC asks that they contact the Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 392-1111.

Images via Austin McClure.

Blood Trails is a true crime podcast born in the outdoors--and in Season 2, we're going even deeper. From the grisly killing of a mountain man in Montana to the cold-blooded murder of a deer hunter in Florida to the strange disappearance of an angler in Texas, these stories delve into the recesses of the wilderness--and the evil of the human heart.

Follow the show now to get notified when Episode 1 drops, Thursday, April 16.  

Follow Blood Trails on Apple, Spotify, YouTube, iHeart, Pandora, Amazon.

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As promised, Brent's back with the second half of his trip to Mississippi. A hunt that has as many ups and downs as a carousel at the county fair. He's also telling a turkey story from years back in Missouri where equines and bovines played a pivotal part.

Thank you to our sponsors, Case Knives and Stor-Mor.

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For the first time ever, a captive-raised deer has been released into the wild whitetail population to slow the spread of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD).

The historic move is part of a program instituted by the Oklahoma state legislature in 2024. The Chronic Wasting Disease Genetic Improvement Program is intended to bolster wild deer genetics by releasing captive deer that have a resistance—though not an immunity—to the always-fatal disease.

But opponents say that meaningfully improving wild herd genetics would require releasing hundreds of thousands of deer. What’s more, those releases could have the opposite effect: captive deer are not tested for CWD prior to release and may end up spreading the disease to new areas or introducing novel strains.

“That's not how you mitigate the disease,” said Catherine Appling-Pooler, the director of policy for the National Deer Association. “People have grabbed onto this research because it offers hope against a disease that is 100 percent fatal. But hope should not get in the way of science. We need to make sure this can be repeated, that it’s peer reviewed, and that it’s accepted by more than just one scientist.”

The concept of fighting CWD by improving the genetics in the wild herd has been pioneered by a Texas biologist named Dr. Chris Seabury. However, while farmers did something similar to eliminate scrapie in sheep herds, the technique has never been proven effective—or even tested—in wild populations.

State veterinarian Dr. Rod Hall confirmed in an email to MeatEater that a captive-raised deer was released in Wagoner County, Oklahoma. The animal met the genetic requirements of the state’s new genetic improvement program but was not tested for CWD. Appling-Pooler tells MeatEater as many as five more deer could be released on low-fence properties in Oklahoma before the April 15, 2026, deadline.

The release of this deer was not approved by wildlife professionals at the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation (ODWC). Instead, as per the language in the 2024 bill, the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry (ODAFF) okayed the release according to their one-page list of requirements.

As MeatEater reported at the time, wildlife officials and hunting groups were shocked when the Genetic Improvement Program sailed through the Sooner State legislature. But not only did the bill pass on a nearly unanimous basis, it also left the ODWC with little input on whether and how these captive deer should be released into the wild. The bill said the wildlife agency “may” charge a one-time permit fee, but it gave the ODAFF the authority to promulgate rules for the program. It was unclear whether the ODWC also had the ability to impose permit requirements, and the agency never went through the rulemaking process.

Frustrated by this perceived lack of action, Oklahoma Representative Nick Archer introduced House Bill 3270 during this legislative session. This bill entirely removes the ODWC from the decision-making process and grants permitting authority solely to the Department of Agriculture (ODAFF).

At the same time, the ODAFF is moving forward with deer releases.

“It's completely removing wildlife professionals from the program and from the conversation and from, most importantly, the decision making. And that's what NDA and others oppose. Wildlife professionals should be involved in decisions that directly impact wildlife in the state,” Appling-Pooler said. “It's not just about CWD. It's an overreach by the legislature on the department's authority to do their job.”

The Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation Commission has not historically endorsed or opposed specific pieces of legislation, but they have come out against HB 3270.

“HB 3270 would authorize a practice that has never been implemented in Oklahoma and has not been adopted by any state wildlife agency as a management tool,” the commission wrote in a position statement. “The Commission finds that such action warrants comprehensive scientific review and careful consideration of all potential unintended consequences before any implementation.”

One of those unintended consequences is the potential exclusion of all Oklahoma deer from the Boone & Crockett and Pope & Young record books. These organizations have always excluded genetically manipulated animals from their records, and releasing captive deer into Oklahoma’s wild herd might disqualify the entire herd.

The Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Commission held a meeting April 6, to which they invited several wildlife biologists to speak to this issue. (It’s worth checking out in its entirety here). One of them, Dr. Jennifer Malmberg of the National Wildlife Research Center, laid out a model showing how many deer would need to be released in order to improve the genetics of the wild herd.

Releasing a number of deer equal to 1% of the wild population would have almost no effect on the wild herd. There are an estimated 750,000 deer in Oklahoma, which means even if 7,500 CWD-resistant deer were released every year for 10 years, it would have a negligible effect on wild deer. Releasing 75,000 deer each year over 10 years would have a greater effect, but it still wouldn’t make the entire herd resistant (which, again, doesn’t make them immune).

What’s more, this model assumes a best-case scenario. It assumes captive deer will breed and survive at the same rate as wild deer (which is unlikely) and that there will be no landscape fragmentation that will affect gene flow (roads, cities, etc.).

While releasing a realistic number of captive deer would create very little benefit, it could result in significant cost. Dr. Malmberg noted it could spread CWD into new areas of the state, but it would also dramatically alter the behavior of deer in the Sooner State.

“It can alter deer density and resource selection. It’s very likely that deer that are released from captivity into the wild will use human resources, and we know that that results in more CWD,” she told the commission.

The Oklahoma State House voted to remove the ODWC from the whitetail release program on a 68-21 vote. This might seem one-sided, but it represents a significant uptick in opposition from 2024, when only three legislators voted against the program. HB 3270 now heads to the Senate, where it sits before the Agriculture and Wildlife Committee.

Appling-Pooler says despite the large margin of “Yes” votes in the House, the Senate might present more difficulties for this legislation.

“I am more optimistic than I usually am on this issue,” she said. “I have heard more opposition from legislators. They've been hearing from their constituents, and they are listening to their constituents, which is always really appreciated. I'm encouraged by the constituent engagement we've had.”

If you’d like to be one of those constituents—which include residents of neighboring states who might have an opinion on pen-raised deer mingling with wild animals—you can contact state legislators here.

Mark is joined by diehard mountain buck hunter, Eric Crawford, to discuss the lessons he's learned chasing big woods big mountain bucks in Idaho and beyond.

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Brandon Brinkman from Garmin joins Rich and the crew for a conversation on building a life around the things that matter. They get into late-onset hunting, CrossFit, Western hunt lessons, Garmin tech, and why small wins are what keep people coming back for more.Brandon shares how ideas from Atomic Habits shaped the way he trains, hunts, and works. Instead of chasing one finish line, he talks about building systems you can actually sustain and stepping into the identity of the person you want to become. The conversation also dives into public land train wrecks, learning through failure, stacking fitness year-round, and how the right tools can make a real difference when you're deep in the backcountry.

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The Wyoming Game and Fish Department (WGFD) is looking to get creative in its elk management tactics on the National Elk Refuge: the agency says it would like to use data from GPS collars to help hunters target a specific population of elk.

Essentially, the WGFD would like to reduce hunting pressure on elk herds that migrate between the National Elk Refuge and the high-country of Yellowstone National Park and the Teton Wilderness. Instead, the agency says that hunting pressure can be increased on “Snake River Bottom Elk,” which aren’t migratory or only migrate short distances.

The reason for this is simple: the Snake River Bottom elk population is trending upward, while the long-distance migrating elk population has been dwindling. The local elk have higher reproductive survival rates due to less predation and are also hard to get to during hunting seasons because they spend a lot of time on private land. The migratory elk, however, have to contend with wolves and mountain lions and can be hunted on public land along their migration routes.

Historically, the WGFD has granted hunters who haven’t filled their tags permission to participate in the fall hunt on the National Elk Refuge, which encompasses more than 24,700 acres of winter range for some 6,000 to 8,000 elk near Jackson, Wyoming. Last year, the agency did so but also held its first late-season limited-draw December cow/calf hunt, which was instituted to distribute the harvest pressure among elk population segments. The success of that effort was unclear due to unusually mild winter conditions in the area.

This season, the WGFD will again hold the December limited-draw hunt and may also add a January opportunity on the same tag. But there will be a key difference: the WGFD plans to use data from recently GPS-collared elk to open and close zones on the refuge depending on where the data indicates different elk population segments are located. The WGFD is still ironing out the details and may issue closures daily or every couple of days.

While GPS collars are regularly used for ungulate research and management decisions, using them to try to actively manage which populations are open to hunting on a daily basis is unprecedented, and it raises questions about whether this unusual management tactic will be used elsewhere in the future. The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation declined MeatEater’s request for comment on the issue.

“[It’s going to be a] pretty unique and pretty intensive [hunt],” WGFD biologist Aly Courtemanch told Jackson Hole News & Guide. “I think we’re going to learn a lot this first year about opening and closing these zones, and if hunters like it or hate it.”

Some hunters love disappearing into the wilderness and hoofing it miles. Others don’t mind a little motorization to help them punch their tags. Last fall, a Can-Am Defender saved my flatlander legs and lungs while I tagged a bull elk in Idaho, especially when it came time for the pack out. Back home in eastern North Carolina, I’ve been known to use a UTV for all kinds of pre-season prep, from hanging treestands to schlepping corn.

Things can go sideways fast, whether you’re running an ATV or side-by-side in the backcountry or even your own back forty. Flat tires, dead batteries, broken belts, or leaky fluids can ruin an otherwise fine hunt. That’s why having a solid emergency kit should be a non-negotiable.

“When traveling off-road, it's crucial to be prepared for whatever the trail might throw at you. From inclement weather to changing trail conditions or even a dreaded mechanical issue, countless scenarios can play out on an ATV or UTV ride,” Eric Storz, with Can-Am Off-Road, told MeatEater. “As the old saying goes, ‘It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.’”

You don’t need to haul the whole garage with you into the woods. But a handful of practical stuff can keep a minor hiccup from turning into a full-blown disaster.

Storz recommends a kit stocked with jumper cables, an air compressor, a tire repair kit, ratchet tie-downs, duct tape, tow straps, zip ties, and a few cloth rags. That’s a solid foundation for handling most trail troubles.

Not up for piecing it together yourself? Can-Am sells a pre-assembled emergency kit with all the basics. It’s not everything you might ever need, but it’s a great place to start. From there, you can add whatever suits your rig, your trails, or your hunting style.

Here’s a closer look at what I keep in my ATV and UTV emergency kit and why each item earns its spot.

Flat tires happen. An ATV or UTV has an uncanny way of finding rocks, roots, and old fenceposts. Most of the time, they can handle them without breaking a sweat, but when they don’t, a basic tire repair kit can get you rolling again without you having to hoof it back to the nearest blacktop.

Pack a few plugs, a couple of patches, and the tools to install them. Throw in some gloves to keep your hands clean. A mini air compressor or hand pump is nice to have so you can inflate a patched tire without limping your way back to a full compressor.

Getting stuck happens. Especially when you cross questionable terrain. That’s why you should always keep a few heavy-duty tow straps and ratchet straps in your kit.

They don’t have to be glamorous, they just need to get the job done. Something that can drag a rig out of a rut, up a slope, or out of a mud wallow, or help a friend who got hung up. Can muscle get you and your ATV out of a mucky situation? Maybe. But having the right recovery gear means less sweating and more riding.

Having a basic first aid kit in your side-by-side should be a no-brainer. Cuts, scrapes, and bruises are a natural part of being outdoors. But when you add an ATV/UTV to the mix (and the fact that you may be miles away from the nearest ambulance), you probably need to up your game.

On top of the standard Band-Aids and antiseptic wipes, you should also add supplies to help you handle more serious emergencies. Bonus points for tossing a tourniquet, gauze pads, an Ace wrap, a SAM splint, and an emergency blanket into your kit. Even for short, easy trips, you should keep one of these on hand.

“Hydration and basic sustenance are often overlooked when it comes to ATV and UTV rides,” Storz pointed out. “Packing more water and snacks than you think you'll need is always a good idea.”

He’s right. An unexpected mechanical issue or one bad decision in a sticky mudhole can turn what should’ve been an hour-long ride into an all-day ordeal. Maybe longer.

It’s hard to make good decisions when you’re dehydrated and hungry. A couple bottles of water and some trail mix or jerky might not seem like much, but they can steady you and help you regain focus. And if you’re truly stuck, that small stash can bridge the gap until help shows up.

Some of the most useful stuff in your emergency kit is the least glamorous. Zip ties, duct tape, WD-40, and shop rags don’t exactly turn heads, but they earn their keep in pure utility.

Zip ties can secure a busted fender or tie up loose wiring. They’re also great for keeping gear from rattling around on bumpy trails. Duct tape is a true fix-all. It can patch a torn seat, double as a makeshift bandage, and hold just about anything together long enough to get you home.

Shop rags aren’t fancy, but they’re invaluable for sopping up grease, blood, mud, or engine fluid. And if you need to loosen something stubborn, a can of WD-40 can feel like a small miracle.

None of this gear is expensive. None of it is flashy. But these are the real heroes of redneck engineering.

An ATV or UTV can be one of the hardest-working tools in your hunting lineup. It’ll haul corn, stands, cameras, and sometimes a whole elk. But if things go south and you aren’t prepared, it can leave you stranded.

An emergency kit won’t take up a ton of real estate in your rig. And there’s a good chance you won’t have to touch it all season. But luck favors the prepared, and you’ll be glad it’s been collecting dust for all those months if a tire goes flat, a strap snaps, or a trail turns into a mud pit.

Because the goal isn’t to test your survival skills. It’s to get in, get out, and get back to hunting.

Nine millimeter semi-automatic handguns are the most popular type of firearm in the United States. You might not hunt deer with a Glock, but if you own a handgun for self-defense–as most gun owners do–it probably uses a detachable magazine and is chambered in 9mm Luger. Many hunters carry these firearms into the woods for protection in case things go sideways with another human, and you can make a solid case for their use against charging bears, too.

The popularity of 9mm handguns has incentivized gun companies to offer scores of models with a wide range of features, capacities, and capabilities. These days, it seems like every gunmaker (even those you wouldn’t expect) offer an all-black semi-auto. If you’ve been scrolling through sporting goods websites wondering how to narrow the field, you’ve come to the right place.

As I did with this article on 10mm handguns, I asked Scheels to send me some of their newest, most sought-after 9mm models, and I ran them through a gauntlet of testing to see how they stack up against each other. You might not agree with my assessment, but I hope the info below is helpful as you choose your first–or next–9mm.

Jump to: The Ultimate 9mm Showdown

There are so many 9mm handguns on the market, it’s nearly impossible to select a group to test without leaving out someone’s favorite (I myself am partial to the HK VP9). But I think this list offers a good mix of brand-new models and time-tested favorites: the Ruger RXM, Glock G19 Gen 5, Sig Sauer P320, Walther PDP, Canik Mete SFT, Springfield Echelon and the Smith & Wesson M&P 2.0.

As you can see, I left out sub-compact models designed specifically for concealed carry. You generally don’t need to conceal a handgun when you’re out in the field, so you might as well go for the higher capacity and easier shootability of a larger model. All of these guns land in the $500-$700 range, they all offer capacities between 15 and 18 rounds, and they’re all optics-ready (more on that below).

To choose a winner, I pitted these handguns head-to-head across eight categories:

1. Ergonomics

2. Controls

3. Iron Sights

4. Red Dot Compatibility

5. Trigger

6. Value

7. Accuracy

8. Reliability

Each pistol received a score from 1-7 based on their ranking, and their total scores are tallied at the end. If two guns tied, their scores were averaged.

But before we get to that, here are the major specs for each handgun.

Ergonomics describes how comfortable a gun is to hold and shoot. This changes from person to person depending on the size and shape of your hands, your personal preferences, and what you’re accustomed to.

I have medium-sized hands (I could never palm a basketball, despite my best efforts), so I tend to prefer handguns with a slimmer, less bulky grip. That meant the Springfield Echelon, Sig P320, and Walther PDP were the most comfortable. I could wrap my fingers around the grip without straining, and the shape felt like it was meant for human hands. The Echelon was particularly pleasant to shoot. The combination of grip shape, size, and texture facilitated a firm purchase on the firearm and allowed for easy recoil control as compared to the other guns with four-inch barrels.

And I don’t think my assessment is solely subjective. It’s clear that Springfield’s designers spent a lot of time on the grip shape. It will facilitate good shooting for almost anyone, and I think you’ll agree if you get a chance to hold it.

The M&P and Mete were slightly less comfortable, though neither was unpleasant to shoot. I preferred the Canik’s grip texture over the skateboard tape on the Smith & Wesson, though I’ve always been partial to how an M&P feels in the hand.

The Glock was a Glock, and the RXM is a Gen 3 Glock 19 clone, so it was also a Glock. I’m not a fan of the large, boxy shape. While I know many would disagree, I just can’t seem to get a good purchase. However, I did like what Magpul did with the texturing on the RXM. It’s rough enough to get a firm grip if the gun is wet or muddy but not so rough that it becomes painful after shooting without gloves on.

All of these handguns incorporate two primary control buttons: the mag release and the slide release. A mag release should be easy to reach and press, and the magazine should be ejected with force. A slide release should be similarly easy to reach and shouldn't require too much force to operate.

I preferred the Canik and Walther. Both guns feature large, easy-to-reach magazine release buttons with good tactile feedback. They also have slide release paddles (as opposed to smaller buttons) that offer plenty of room for your thumb without protruding from the firearm.

The Sig, Springfield, and Smith & Wesson are also fitted with large, tactile mag release buttons, but the slide releases are more difficult to operate. The Springfield’s is especially tough. The button is tiny and requires a fair amount of force to release the slide. This might resolve as the handgun is broken in, but it stood out compared to the other handguns.

The mag release buttons on both the Ruger and Glock were mushy, and the mag seemed to fall out rather than be ejected with force. The slide release buttons are small, though not especially difficult to use.

Red-dot optics have taken the world by storm, but many still prefer to use iron sights on their self-defense firearms. You don’t have to worry about irons running out of battery, and they can be dropped, knocked, and otherwise abused without losing zero.

All seven handguns come with a slightly different iron sight setup:

If you learned to shoot with the classic three-dot design, the Canik, Walther, and Smith & Wesson are your jam. The Walther is the only handgun with an adjustable rear sight, which is nice if you want to dial in your irons.

The Glock also provides contrast between the front white dot and the rear white box, which can make sight alignment faster.

But with all four of these pistols, you’re SOL if the lights go out. The Sig, Ruger, and Springfield take their front irons to the next level by offering a glow-in-the-dark tritium center ringed by some kind of easy-to-see circle. But while the Ruger’s outer circle is just painted white, the Sig’s and Springfield’s appear to be fiber-optic. This makes the sights stand out better in the light while the tritium is visible in the dark.

The Sig, Ruger, and Springfield also offer a high-contrast rear sight, though they do it in different ways. Springfield’s “U” is less common, but with some practice, might make for the quickest sight alignment. Unfortunately, the sights on this particular firearm threw rounds high and to the right. This happened with multiple kinds of ammunition and while being careful to achieve perfect sight alignment. This isn’t an inherent flaw of the system, but I wanted to mention it in case others experienced the same issue.

The Sig and Ruger feature more traditional, square-cut designs, though the Sig includes two small white dots ringed by black that also glow in the dark. This maintains a contrast between the front and rear sights while also allowing the user to line up all three dots for more precise shooting. I found that the Sig’s front sight is most visible in both daylight and lowlight, which earned it the top spot.

In my mind, a good pistol optics mounting system combines two things that are sometimes at odds. It should allow for a wide variety of brands and models to be mounted to the gun, and it should be durable. Obviously, the best setup is to use the optic that fits in the slide cutout without using any plates or pins. But since that's not always possible, each of these seven handguns uses a slightly different system to mount various red dots.

If you're looking for out-of-the-box compatibility, it's hard to beat the Smith & Wesson. But I don't love the polymer plates from a durability perspective--they're known for allowing the optic to shift after extended use. Canik's system would have the same problem, and you aren't even getting the wide range of mounting options.

If you're looking for durability, Sig's LOC system is the way to go. It uses five points of contact--including a cutout in the slide that locks the front of the optic--to hold the red dot firmly in place. The optic is secured via screws that are installed underneath the slide, which further protects against movement. Of course, you'll need to purchase a compatible Sig ROMEO red dot to take advantage of this system. You can mount other optics, but the LOC system is really made for other Sig products.

For my money, the Ruger and the Springfield do the best job balancing durability and compatibility. Neither system uses mounting plates (though both can accept them), which removes a major point of failure in most mounting systems. But they also accept some of the most popular footprints, so there's a good chance you already own an optic that will work. The downside is that both systems are new. I haven't seen many reports of failures, but it might take hundreds or thousands of rounds for those issues to arise. Both companies have solid, decades-long reputations, and the pin system appears durable. But only time will tell.

A good pistol trigger has a reasonable weight (not too heavy, not too light), but it should also be crisp (no creep or grittiness) and consistent. It shouldn't continue to move back once it hits the wall, and it shouldn't break at five pounds on one pull and six pounds the next.

I evaluated each trigger using the criteria above, and here were the results.

The Canik's trigger stood out among these seven handguns. The takeup was lengthy, but there was no movement once it hit the wall. The break was crisp, and the reset was extremely short while also being audible and tactile. The Springfield's wasn't far behind, though it lost points for having a small amount of creep.

The Sig stood out for not having a trigger safety and for its flat face. I realize there are differing opinions on both of those features, but they earn points in my book.

This category was called "price" in the 10mm showdown, but I thought that was too simplistic. You can see which handgun is the cheapest and which is the most expensive, but that's not the only consideration (if it was, I would've included a Hi-Point on this list). You're looking for the most bang for your buck, and while that's always going to be a subjective decision, I think I can make a case for the order I chose.

The Canik is a full-size, 18+1 capacity handgun with a great trigger and excellent accuracy. The fact that it comes in under $500 makes it a steal (especially considering all the accessories--including a holster--that come in the box). The Ruger wasn't my favorite gun to shoot, but I can appreciate the innovative optic mounting system, the good iron sights, and the decent trigger. The Sig rounds out my top three for many of the same reasons the Canik is #1. It's a full-size 9mm with a fantastic trigger and excellent accuracy--all for $500.

Whether you put shots on target with a 9mm handgun has more to do with your skill than the inherent accuracy of the firearm. But a more accurate pistol will give you more room for error, which is why I think accuracy testing is still important.

All handguns were shot from a Ransom rest positioned 15 yards from the target. Five, five-shot groups were fired with Sig Sauer's full metal jacket loads as well as their Elite V-Crown hollow point loads.

Even with a Ransom rest, the Canik's excellent trigger helps keep rounds on target. The same is true of the Sig's trigger and easy-to-see sights. But the fact that the Glock came away with the bronze in this category speaks to how much the rest removes the shooter from the equation. There's a reason Glock has earned a diehard following of serious gun owners: if you can get used to the grip and the trigger, these guns can shoot.

This category counts as double. Your gun can have a crappy trigger and terrible ergonomics, but it can still get you out of a jam if it goes bang when you need it.

I shot hundreds of rounds with these handguns, and they all ran flawlessly during my trips to the range--with one exception. When shooting hollowpoint ammunition, the Ruger frequently failed to load the final round. The cartridge would get stuck on its way up the feed ramp. A firm smack to the bottom of the pistol grip resolved the jam, and swapping mags seemed to resolve the issue, but the problem was consistent enough to warrant a mention.

That was the only failure I experienced during the course of my range testing. Every gun locked back on the last round, and I couldn't produce any jams during rapid-fire shot strings. That performance provided a good baseline for what to expect from a more rigorous kind of test.

I love watching firearm torture test videos, but in reality, you're probably not going to throw your pistol in a pond or drag it behind a car for a quarter-mile. But it might get muddy, especially if you take a sidearm on a backcountry hunt.

To test the limits of that scenario, I placed each handgun in a muddy bucket so that both sides were nicely covered. Each gun was loaded with two rounds in the magazine and a round in the chamber. I opted to do this test with a round in the chamber to mimic carrying one of these guns for self-defense. It might not be the most likely scenario, but a gun might slip out of a holster while climbing a ridge or get muddy in the holster after a tumble.

All seven guns struggled, but some struggled more than others. At the bottom of the pile were the Ruger and the Springfield. Both fired the first round, but the slide did not return to battery on the next two. The Ruger nearly returned to battery on the second round, but it failed to strip the final round from the magazine. Just as it did under normal testing conditions, the final cartridge stuck on its way up the feed ramp, and it took some force to drive it into the chamber. The Springfield locked all the way back, and I had to manually unlock it and push it forward to load the next two cartridges.

The next group of guns--the Glock, the Sig, and the Canik--failed to return to battery after firing the first round but then fired the next two normally. None locked back on the last shot.

The only two guns to operate almost flawlessly were the Smith & Wesson and the Walther. These guns did not lock back on the final round, but they fired all three rounds without issue.

I should point out that there is some amount of luck involved in this test. I tried to bathe each gun in the same amount of mud, but I'm sure some got a little dirtier than others. This mud test doesn't count as much towards the final ranking as reliability under normal conditions, but when you take a gun into the field, it's going to get dirty. It may not get quite this dirty, but a good semi-automatic handgun is designed to operate with some grit in the slide and the inner mechanisms. Some of these guns clearly performed better than others, and that performance gap is reflected in the rankings.

The Sig scored the top spot--but not by much. The Canik and Walther tied for second, the Springfield came in a close fourth, and the Smith & Wesson, Glock, and Ruger brought up the rear.

The only category the Sig won outright was iron sights, but it never dropped below fourth place in any other contest. That consistent performance earned it the victory, but only by a couple points. The Canik and Walther struggled initially but came through where it really counted--trigger, accuracy, and reliability. The Springfield struggled at the end, but it's packed with features, so it earned first- or second-place finishes in ergonomics, red dot compatibility, iron sights, and trigger. The Smith & Wesson was at the bottom of the pack until reliability, when it took advantage of the double points to leap over the Glock and Ruger.

The Glock and Ruger had a tough time outranking the other handguns in many of these categories, but they are nonetheless well-designed firearms with long track records of success (the Ruger is new, but it takes its design from a Gen 3 Glock). What's more, many of the areas where they ranked poorly (ergonomics, trigger, controls) can be improved by a wide selection of aftermarket parts. If you like tinkering on your handguns, Glocks have more aftermarket support than virtually any other model.

As I mentioned at the top, this isn't the be-all end-all of 9mm handgun rankings. You might disagree with some of the categories, results, or testing protocols. Maybe you think Glocks have great ergonomics or you question why iron sights is a category. That's totally reasonable, and I'd encourage you to re-rank the guns with your priorities in mind. But I hope this 9mm handgun showdown has given you some food for thought. There are many factors to consider when choosing a 9mm handgun, and I think these are some of the most important.