The power of evidential beauty is on full display in the Nov/Dec issue of American Handgunner, courtesy of the expert craftsmen at Santa Fe Stoneworks. What makes this stunning Colt .38 Super 1911 so unique is that the components of this pistol are made from … rocks!

Turquoise harvested from mines in Kingman, Ariz. is combined with obsidian and other natural stones, compressed together and then injected with a liquid bronze material to fill empty voids. Without this crucial treatment, these beautiful grips would be far too brittle for use on a pistol. Having developed the turquoise grip process on knives and other tools, Bill Wirtle and company showcase their talent with a luxurious set of grips on a Colt bright stainless .38 Super.

Some might call the Steyr M9-A2 MF the “other” plastic Austrian pistol. Will Dabbs, MD reveals how this shockingly advanced, modern, polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol stands up against the competition. As he lends, “It may be the best tactical pistol you potentially never heard of. There are some fascinating reasons for that.”

Autoloading pistol design creativity reached new heights in the later days of the Cold War. The Automag Pistol is a classic example of “let’s see what we can do with a large handgun.” Clayton Walker explores an interesting variant — the Automag III — chambered in .30 Carbine that delivers plenty of boom.

A DE1911GSS by Magnum Research tops the Nov/Dec firearms package giveaway. The .45 ACP single-action pistol has a 5" stainless steel match barrel, skeletonized hammer, lowered and flared ejection port, Novak-style sights and more. Valued at $1,152, readers are encouraged to enter the free drawing at AmericanHandgunner.com/giveaways.

Additional highlights of the Nov/Dec issue include a perspective from Pat Covert on how Kershaw Knives has endured over five decades to celebrate its golden anniversary in 2024. In the Apparatus Insignis column, Frank Jardim shines a light on the Einhand: the one-handed autoloading pistol invented by “practical genius” Witold Chylewki in 1914. And though they are currently all the rage, Massad Ayoob warns it’s imperative to stay on top of red dot pistol sight issues — such as battery failure, a lost zero and improper mounting — in the Cop Talk installment.

Exclusive online articles can be found at AmericanHandgunner.com. Purchase the Nov/Dec issue or order a subscription at fmgpubs.com. Digital versions are also available.