Arcus 98DA 

Everyone I know who has carried a gun for serious business rates reliability as the most important characteristic, but the cheaper the gun, generally the less reliable it will be. There are exceptions, though. Arcus, a Bulgarian arms manufacturer, has been making pistols, revolvers, grenade launchers, grenades, artillery rounds and mortars for the Bulgarian army and police for years.

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And if the Arcus 98DA I tested is indicative of all Arcus 98 pistols, then the company’s expertise has resulted in a rarity—a reliable and inexpensive double-action semiauto.

The Arcus 98DA is a full-size, short-recoil, locked-breech pistol chambered in 9×19 Parabellum with a frame, slide and barrel CNC machined from steel forgings. The sample gun featured stippled rubber grips that provide a very slip-resistant surface that will help prevent this solid piece from squirming out of your hand. The matte blue finish, while not fine, is evenly applied, and there were no sharp edges on the gun.

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