Several straight-pulls sell well here, of course, including units from Blaser and Merkel and Savage’s Impulse. To this array Beretta added the BRX1, after its introduction in Europe some years ago.

This was followed by a slew of modern designs, many of which are still in production, including the Beretta 92, CZ75 and SIG Sauer P220. The rise of the “Wonder Nines” marked a period when ...