“What’s so special about yet another 1911 pistol?” asks Frank Jardim in the Dec. issue of GUNS. As he sets out to explain, Savage Arms’ new Government Style Two-Tone with Rail delivers a lot more than expected for the price.

Everything about the Savage 1911 is distinctive, Jardim contends, from the forward-slant grip grooves to the scalloped glare-reducing top to help keep your eyes squarely on the Night Fision sights. For a company that last produced a .45 ACP in 1907, they “hit a home run on the first pitch with their new 1911.”

Suppressors aren’t just for Navy SEALs or competitors. For anyone looking to protect their hearing or possibly eliminate the shockwave caused by a gun blast, Alan Garbers shares why he’s a recent convert and offers practical tips on “How To Buy A Suppressor: The Beginner’s Guide To Buying Your First ‘Can.’”

Up for grabs in the GUNS Dec. firearms package giveaway is a Springfield Armory 1911 DS Prodigy Comp “Fueled by Ed Brown.” Customizations to the 9mm include a beavertail grip safety, ambi thumb safety, EDM trigger components, recessed barrel crown and more. The winner will also receive an Ed Brown/VZ G10 Dagger, Ed Brown “Pro Light Rail” holster and 500 rounds of Nosler 115-grain JHP Assured Stopping Power. Valued at $3,244, readers are encouraged to enter the free drawing at GUNSMagazine.com/giveaways.

Elsewhere in the issue, Will Dabbs, MD gets into the spirit of the holidays by examining the weapons from every gun nerd’s favorite Christmas movie, “Die Hard.” Wayne van Zwoll explains the bino basics in the Optics column: “A binocular has two barrels. I carry just one binocular … because I don’t have four eyes, a pair of binoculars would be no more useful on the trail than four shoes.” If a time traveler from the past held a rifle from today, handling it would be second nature. Dave Anderson reflects on rifles old and new in “Back To The Future?”

Exclusive online articles can be found at GUNSMagazine.com as well as a collection of GUNS Magazine Podcast episodes like, “To Fire Or Not? The Truth About Warning Shots.” Purchase the Dec. issue or order a subscription at fmgpubs.com. Digital versions are also available.