DoubleStar PhD

If you're in the market for a 1911 for defensive uses, the name of DoubleStar's newest pistol says it all: PhD stands for Personal Home Defense. To that end, one of the unique features on this gun is the XS Express sight setup — a big white outline tritium dot in the front sight teamed with a shallow V-notch in the rear featuring a vertical white line. This "lollipop" sight picture is very quick to acquire and is a great choice for defensive uses. The gun also features a Wilson high-ride beavertail, which permits a high, recoil-controlling grip on the gun.