Major manufacturers such as Glock, Kimber, Ruger, Sig Sauer, Smith & Wesson, Springfield Armory and Taurus introduce new handguns practically every year. These guns get written up in all the major gun publications and are featured in numerous reviews on YouTube, such that they are hard to miss. If you are a gun guy or girl, you know about these guns or find out about them if you’re looking for a new gun for yourself or researching to make recommendations to a friend or family member.

The other day when I was working in my gun safe to put together some guns for a range trip, I pulled out three pistols I’ve acquired within the past couple of years that none of my shooting buddies had heard of. I know about them because I was sent each one from the factory to review, and after the review I decided to keep them. All three are 9mm mid-size, semi-automatic pistols that warrant consideration for anyone looking to buy a gun for personal protection or sport shooting purposes.

I would like to revisit these guns in no particular order just to let our readers know about them, or perhaps to just be reminded. The first is the Kiger 9C by Anderson Manufacturing. The Kiger 9C is a compact, striker-fired, semi-automatic pistol chambered in 9mm. It comes with a 15-round magazine. If you want more, Glock 19 magazines fit. The slide and barrel are made from 416R stainless steel with a DLC coating. DLC stands for “Diamond Like Coating,” and it’s a finish competitive with DuraCoat but with a hard shiny surface designed to last through years of heavy usage.

#1 Anderson Mfg. Kiger

Note: After writing this article I learned that Anderson Manufacturing has been purchased by Ruger and the Ruger has no plans to manufacture the Anderson product line, including the Kiger. Their goal in making the purchase was to acquire the manufacturing facility and skilled workers to increase their manufacturing capability. It’s possible Ruger will at some time add it to their product line, or another company will adapt it.  Meanwhile there are some of these pistols currently in the pipeline at various auction sites such as Gunbroker.com and GunsAmerica.com.                                                                                                                        

The Kiger frame is constructed from high-strength lightweight polymer. The Kiger actually comes in four different models. The one I have is the Pro. The Pro model adds a few features the standard doesn’t have. The 9C Pro has aggressive slide serrations, detailed frame stippling, and a trigger guard undercut that serves to make an attractive and useful pistol. The beavertail is extended as are the slide release and magazine release.

The slide includes three ports on either side and a window cut on top. The barrel is not ported but is fluted for weight reduction. It has a 1:10 twist rate, recessed crown and measures 3.91 inches long. The slide includes an RMR pattern optics cut and a set of blacked out suppressor height sights. I installed a Swamp Fox Kingslayer on my pistol. There is also a chamber-loaded indicator on the right side of the slide that is a pop-out extension of the extractor.

There is a suppressor-ready version of this pistol called Kiger 9C Pro SR that comes with a non-fluted, 1/2×28 threaded barrel and tuned recoil spring.

Shooting the Kiger held no surprises. There were no malfunctions and I found it quite easy to keep my freehand shot groups within a 5-inch circle from 10 to 14 yards.

#2 Rost-Martin RM1C

The husband-and-wife owners of Rost-Martin, Chris and Stefany Toomer, have a background with Springfield Armory—Stefany as a family member and Chris as an employee. They opened a new company in Dallas in 2020 and offered their first product, the RM1, in early 2024. The RM1 I have is the original model in two-tone black and gray. The Company has since issued a California model, a compensated model and a subcompact model.

The RM1C weighs 21.1 ounces, is 7.1 inches long and 5 inches high. The width is 1.22 inches. It ships with one 15-round and one 17-round magazine with an extended baseplate. Three interchangeable backstraps are included along with an RMR compatible plate for optic mounting. The RM1C is well-balanced, and the texture provides a secure grip which is not overly aggressive. The rear sight is a black U-shape, and the white dot of the front sight fills that notch when the sights are aligned.

The top of the slide has anti-glare serrations. A small window at the rear of the ejection port allows you to see whether the chamber is loaded. The back of the slide has another small opening which is filled with a red indicator when the gun is cocked.

The flat-faced trigger has the Glock-type safety lever. It was designed to break at under five pounds with a short take-up and reset. Mine breaks at just under four pounds according to my Lyman trigger pull gauge.

The RM1C is completely ambidextrous with slide lock and magazine release controls on both sides of the frame. The slide lock lever on each side is small but has serrations. It extends out (far enough) from the frame to provide easy access.

I’ve made several range trips with the RMC1 and used at least ten different ammo types. There have been no malfunctions. I’m impressed by the results I get when shooting freehand at ten yards. It’s a fun and easy gun to shoot and one that will make its mark in the gun world.

#3 GForce RPX9 Exodus

Although it is functionally the same as the Glock and is compatible with any add-ons or accessories for the Glock 19, the Exodus has some design features that set it apart. Yet it sells for $300. The RPX9 is chambered for 9mm. It comes with two 15-round (or 10-round) magazines. BTW, all three of these guns use Glock-compatible magazines. Empty weight is 1.33 lbs. Length of the RPX9 is 7.3 inches, height is 5.25 inches and the width is 1.5 inches—Glock 19 size almost exactly.

The RPX9 consists of an ergonomic polymer frame utilizing one of six color schemes topped with a 4140-steel slide. The slide on this one is finished in Bronze Tactical. Other colors are USA Flag, Tactical Gray, FDE, Bronze and Blue. The Exodus has both front and rear cocking serrations. The top of the slide is open. The slide is cut for a SHIELD RMSC. The slide lock is similar in size to the one on the Glock but with a bump that makes it easy to access.

Equipped with Glock Fiber Optic sights, the RPX9 facilitates rapid target acquisition and enhanced accuracy in various lighting conditions. Its compatibility with both GEN 3 & 4 Glock 19 parts and magazines offers versatility and convenience allowing users to personalize their firearm to suit their preferences. For safety, the RPX9 incorporates multiple layers of protection including a loaded chamber indicator, trigger safety and firing pin safety. I personalized mine with the same enhancements I did for my Glock 19. I replaced the stock trigger with a flat-faced, forward-set trigger from Apex. Then I replaced the trigger spring with a lighter pull spring kit from M-Carbo. When deciding if I’m going to wear my Glock 19 or this Exodus, I’ve been choosing the Exodus. The bronze slide and the enhanced look and feel make it an attractive gun that’s fun to shoot.

Any one of these pistols will make you a good defensive firearm, and they each cost around $400 or less where you can find them in stock.