Editors’ Picks 2018: Heizer PKO 45 Pistol

by
posted on April 30, 2018
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
newgun13.jpg

Heizer’s PKO 45 is a compact, all-metal, internal-hammer-fired, semi-automatic .45 ACP pistol that measures only eight-tenths of an inch wide. Manufactured by aerospace fabricator Heizer Defense, makers of the similarly slim PAK1, PAR1 and PS1 single-shots, the PKO 45 is unconventional, with a fixed, ported, 2.75" barrel whose axis lies below that of the guide rod assembly and below much of the slide’s mass to enhance accuracy and reduce muzzle flip, respectively. Magazine capacity is five rounds in the flush-fit style or seven for the extended style. The PKO 45 features a manual, bilateral, frame-mounted safety and frontstrap-mounted grip safety along with slide-stop and magazine buttons. Both front and rear sights are dovetailed to the slide. The aluminum-frame PKO 45 weighs approximately 25 ozs. and is available in Ghost Grey, Copperhead and Tactical Black. A titanium-frame variant is in the works. heizerdefense.com

Latest

Beretta APX Ported 01
Beretta APX Ported 01

New For 2026: Beretta APX A1 Ported

Beretta first entered the polymer-frame, striker-fired pistol market in 2017 with its APX, and nearly 10 years later, the company has added the APX A1 Ported to the lineup.

CDC Restores Basic Armed Citizen Data

As of Aug. 24, 2026, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s webpage is again providing defensive-gun-use data.

Rifleman Review: Taurus GX4 Strike Bravo

Since Taurus USA joined the micro-compact market with its GX4 in 2021, the company has expanded the line to include a number of different options, and the latest, the GX4 Strike Bravo, incorporates a unique chassis design.

Old (Un)reliable: Finding a Magazine that Works for Your 1911

There have been more than 100 manufacturers of 1911-style pistols and magazines, some more faithful to the original drawings than others.

3 New Shotgun Suppressors for 2026

Just because you're in the field hunting for upland game or busting clays at your local range doesn't mean you can't protect your hearing.

First Breach Begins Trading on NASDAQ Under "FBDT" Ticker Symbol

In August 2026, First Breach Defense Technologies, a producer of ammunition and unmanned aerial systems based in Hagerstown, Md., announced that its common stock had begun trading on the NASDAQ capital market under the ticker symbol "FBDT."

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.