Archon Type B Review: Off the Charts
Weight. Size. Capacity. Features.
These are things you can quantify. These are things you can put into spreadsheets, marketing briefs and reference charts. These are things that brands can sell—on a shoestring budget, with zero creativity.
As a result…
These are the things that now dominate our perspectives—and our priorities—as it relates to handguns. But when it comes to the Archon Type B…
None of it matters.
No chart can hope to contain the Type B’s subjective awesomeness
Because there’s no way to objectively quantify what makes the Type B kick so much @ss.
So, my fellow gun hipsters, close your spreadsheets, put away your calipers and discontinue your handgunhero.com size comparisons… we about to get reeeeal subjective up in this b!tch.
Besides…
Charts are boring.
What makes the Archon Type B hipster worthy?
The Type B transcends the sum of its specs and features, delivering intensely visceral shooting dynamics that make speed and accuracy feel instinctive.
The Type B puts you in the shooting experience.
It sits low in the hand. It feels intimately connected to your point of aim. Somehow, you feel closer to the shot you’re about to take.
BANG!
The recoil impulse hits you head on. No muzzle flip. No waiting around for your sight picture. Just a racy jolt of tactile feedback…
BANG!
…and the intractable urge to cook off another shot.
BANGBANGBANGBANG!!!
Try marketing that as a “feature.”
Holding the Type B evokes a sense of purposeful austerity. The low-slung slide. The rakish lines. The exceedingly solid build quality. It looks—and feels—like it was meant to do one thing, really, really well:
Relentlessly pummel targets with gratuitous salvos of well-placed 9mm bullets. And that… it does. Furthermore, the gun seems perfectly reliable. Even in the face of moderate neglect (which we’ll get to).
But lest you think the mighty Archon is infallible…
Racy, rakish… and totally rad
No, it’s not perfect. Yes, it has some things that leave me wishing for more, less or different. But in the sense that it so effectively delivers on the intent of its design, I think it’s an amazing pistol. And given the distinctive engineering that goes into these things, the ~$800 price tag (new) doesn’t seem unreasonable to me.
Speaking of distinctive engineering…
To understand the Type B’s unique shooting dynamics, you’ve gotta understand its unique mechanical characteristics. Because, in this case, function follows form.
Speedlock Talk
You’ve probably heard of the Arsenal Strike One pistol. And you probably know the Archon Type B is related to the Strike One. Basically, they’re the same gun, made by different companies.
We’ll talk more about the insane backstory here in a bit.
The Archon’s sibling—the Arsenal Strike One (IMFDB.com)
In any case…
The Archon/Arsenal design centers on a unique beech-locking mechanism called the “AF Speedlock.” It’s what makes these guns what they are. It’s what makes them feel, handle and shoot so differently.
Long Story Short: The barrel doesn’t tilt to unlock from the slide. As it does in most locked-breech pistols.
Instead, the barrel moves straight back under recoil until a small “locking piece” cams down, disengaging the barrel and slide. Compared to tilt-barrel pistols, this reduces the amount of mass shifting up and down during the recoil cycle.
This is the piece that locks and drops—note the cam slot
If you’re a gun nerd, you might be thinking this system sounds kinda like the Walther P38 / Beretta 92 falling-block system (which also uses a non-tilting barrel). Yes—there are similarities, in principle. But the AF Speedlock simplifies and shortens the unlocking cycle. The piece only drops a few millimeters to unlock. Thus, the barrel doesn’t need to retract as far as it does in a P38 / 92.
So, shot to shot, there’s just less stuff moving around inside the gun. And what does move… moves less.
Net: The Archon cycles faster than a coked-up cheetah chasing a Ducati.
And it has three telescoping recoil springs (yes, three!) to help it manage that supersonic slide. Thus, I suppose “AF Speedlock” is an appropriate name. And if you hadn’t guessed, the “AF” stands for Arsenal Firearms.
Interestingly, you see a similar design on the Bergmann-Bayard pistol of 1901. It too uses a dropping block to unlock the barrel from the bolt.
Neato.
Locking piece installed, w/ triple recoil spring
Keep it on the Low
In addition to increasing the cyclic rate, the Speedlock changes how the pistol’s core components can be laid out. For instance: The lack of “tilting apparatus” under the chamber (lugs, links, etc.) means the barrel can sit lower in the frame.
Which it does. Like, a lot lower that most other handguns.
But WAIT there’s more!
To get the bore axis even lower, the Archon’s striker-release (i.e., sear) mechanism moves sideways. So, it’s flatter and occupies less vertical space in the gun—which means the thickness of the frame between the top of your hand and the bottom of the slide can be drastically reduced.
So much, in fact… if the Type B didn’t have a built-in beavertail, even small hands would be mincemeat.
The flattened sear mechanism pivots sideways
And when you combine the Type B’s incredibly fast cyclic rate with its low-rider ergos… you can almost taste the double taps.
BANGBANG! BANGBANG!
It’s invigorating. It’s fun as hell. But that’s NOT what intrigues me most about the Type B’s shooting dynamics…
It’s the gun’s incredibly direct feel. And, more specifically, how that feel informs and elevates the gun’s unique brand of shootability.
Primal Precision
The high-cut grip. The low-riding slide.
You get the sense you’re gripping into the gun. Not on it.
As you apply tension, your hand naturally snugs upward, further accentuating the gun’s low-and-level feel. Peering down the sights, finger on the trigger, it’s almost like you can touch what you’re aiming at…
BANG!
…and feel what you hit.
The only gun I’ve shot that feels so innately direct is the HK P9S—but it achieves that in a more tempered, insulated way.
The Archon feels more raw. Served up through its exquisitely low-bore axis, the Type B’s recoil manifests as a short, linear pulse. It’s immediate. It’s intense. It’s informative. You feel more of what’s going on with each shot, compared to other guns.
BANG! BANG!
The muzzle hardly rises. The slide’s back in battery before you consciously realize it. Yet the directness of the recoil engages your senses. It plays to your instincts and activates your intuitions.
Aim becomes tactile. Shooting becomes a reflex. Speed becomes effortless.
BANGBANGBANGBANG!!!!
But then, you realize something truly incredible:
You actually hit some sh!t.
50 rounds @ 10 yards
Best of Both Worlds
If you’ve read anything about the Archon/Arsenal pistols, the hoopla kinda centers on how fast they shoot. And, in lieu of all that esoteric, touchy-feely, mumbo-jumbo you just read…
“Word.”
These guns can rip through some 115gr / 124gr slugs like nobody’s business. The hype is real, in that regard.
But don’t misunderstand. The Archon pistols aren’t just overpriced mag-dump machines. They’re very accurate—likely a function of the non-tilting, rigidly supported barrel. And, compared to most pistols, they seem to retain a greater proportion of their accuracy as shooting speed increases.
In other words, your double taps land closer together. Your mag dumps find center mass. And when you do slow down and make a conscious effort to stack holes...
It’s hard to miss.
The thing piles rounds into the 10 ring without breaking a sweat. It never feels forced. It never feels like you’re fighting the gun to get rounds on POA. And one reason for that, I think, is the trigger.
While it’s not a competition-grade affair—there’s some creep, there’s some squish—it seems uniquely forgiving. Whereas some pistols require a certain measure of delicacy as you negotiate the break… all the Type B asks for is a firm hold, a decent sight picture and anything short of a total flub of the trigger press.
Nevertheless, as accurate as it is…
I wouldn’t say it’s a bullseye gun, per se. Not that you expected it to be.
The trigger is short and crisp, with a touch of “squish”
So I creep, yeeeahhh…
To me, Type B excels at accuracy within a certain envelope. It’ll make 10 rings in silhouettes disappear—and you don’t even have to try that hard.
But at the same time, that very forgiving trigger becomes a bottleneck for absolute precision. I can’t quite dial in the break, like I can with a hammer-fired pistol. Or a Walther P99—which shoots like a hammer-fired pistol.
On the Archon, the break is kind of elusive. Lurking somewhere within a few millimeters of squishy creep. You think you’re up on it. Then…
BANG!
Yeah, there’s a hole basically right where you wanted it. But if you’re expecting a literal bullseye… you might want to look elsewhere.
I’m not trying to say the trigger is bad. It’s not. It’s fairly light. It’s pretty short. And once you get to the break, it’s crisp and direct. It’s very shootable. And as the cluster of holes begins to envelope your POA, you realize something else:
The sum’bitch kinda kicks.
Low, not Soft
The internet wants you to believe “low bore axis = low recoil.”
That’s not true. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. With a lower bore axis, more of the recoil energy comes back AT you—and into your bones—instead of flipping the muzzle up.
To me, guns with more muzzle rise have a “soft and bouncy” recoil sensation. A Sig P226 feels like the ballistic equivalent of a well-used 1980s Crown Victoria… whereas a low-rider like the Type B is a slammed ‘n stanced GTI.
You feel the proverbial road, bro.
And if you’re an enthusiast… that’s generally a good thing. It contributes to your sense of control and reduces recovery time between shots.
But a soft shooter the Type B is not. To me, feels somewhere between a Beretta 92 and a straight-blowback pistol (like a Walther PPK or a Makarov). It has that satisfying linear “wallop” you experience in a 92—but it’s quicker, punchier and firmer. Though it’s still not as abrasive as an actual blowback system.
There’s nothin’ “soft” about this bad boi
Don’t get me wrong: if you’re a shooter, the recoil will NOT bother you.
That’s not what I’m saying, here. I just want to set the record straight on what “low bore axis” actually means, for the shooting experience. The recoil is different…
…but it’s certainly not less.
Grip Gimmicks
In terms of the shape, the angle and the proportions… I really like the Type B’s ergonomics. It’s not quite the “hand-gasm” you get with a Browning Hi Power. Nor does it offer the gloriously short trigger reach of the Walther P5 and the Daewoo DP51.
But it’s damn good, nonetheless.
The grip fills the hand, without overfilling it. It’s wide enough to give you lateral stability. Yet it still provides a manageable trigger reach, even for small hands. Plus, as I’ve said, the low bore axis gives the gun a very close, connected feel.
The ergos are good—so is the trigger reach
All that said…
If there’s one thing I’ve learned, shooting a bazillion handguns:
It’s that you can’t make plastic “grippy.” Studs, nubs, points, spurs—it doesn’t matter. Aggressively textured plastic feels like sh!t in your hand. And it still slips.
And that’s precisely the case with Archon’s fancy “Grip-Mapping” texture. It consists of pointy nubs, asymmetrically angled so they “dig in” against the direction of the recoil impulse.
But they’re plastic. And plastic slips (because it’s plastic). So, it manages to provide zero useful traction, while still feeling like fresh Chattahoochee gravel in your hand.
So, I put sandpaper tape on mine. Problem solved. Not only does it offer superior traction, but it actually feels less abrasive. My groups went from “good” to “goddaayyyumm!”
As of 2023, Archon pistols are available in a “Gen 2” format which dispenses with the Grip-Mapping texture. Personally, I think it’s a step in the right direction. Nice work, y’all.
But, unfortunately, that’s NOT the only ergonomic gimmick you’ll find on the Type B.
You can see some of the “Grip-Mapping” texture under the sandpaper tape
Tactical Tendonitis?
I don’t know if this “feature” has a name, per se. But, basically, there’s this ridge under the beavertail that’s supposed to poke into your tendon, thus forcing your hand to clasp tighter on the grip.
It…
Well…
Doesn’t.
At least I don’t think it does.
I barely notice it’s there. Until maybe ~100 rounds in. It doesn’t hurt. It’s not really a bother. But for me (and likely you) it just seems unnecessary.
Yeah, I’m not convinced
Button Bloat
However, the gun’s egregiously oversized mag release isn’t quite as benign. I’ve heard this complaint from others, so it’s not just me.
When you grip the Type B, your middle finger (strong hand) curls around and clips the bottom-edge of the mag release. Which is absolutely massive. And fairly sharp.
It’s not that big of a deal—you just tuck your finger under it and get on with your life. But it can be distracting. Hopefully we’ll see a less obnoxious button in the future. Or an aftermarket option. Seems like an easy fix, to me.
Okay. I’m done bitching about nitpicky bullsh!t now.
Unconventionally Excellent
It’s quirks notwithstanding, I love the Archon Type B.
Superficially, it’s a big, fat polymer-framed, striker-fired pistol with unremarkable specs. And I hope the shooting community has the gumption to look beyond that.
Because, fundamentally, it’s one of the best-shooting pistols I’ve experienced. Period. And it achieves that through its unconventional, unorthodox mechanics. That brings us full circle…
Because unconventional ideas often have unconventional origins. And that’s certainly the case with the Arsenal/Archon family of pistols.
Uncharted awesomeness
So, without further ado…
Here’s the complex, convoluted backstory—loosely chronicled by year—of how these unique weapons came to exist.
A Brief History of Arsenal and Archon
Pre-2011
The story begins with a guy named Dimitry Streshinksy. He’s a wealthy Russian entrepreneur who may (or may not) have been in a special-forces unit, and may (or may not) have participated in illicit arms deals with Erik Prince, former CEO of Blackwater.
And while it’s hard to pin down concrete facts based on the iffy tidbits Google serves up, one thing seems clear: before making real guns, Streshinksy specialized in designing and producing miniature replicas of firearms.
Streshinksy (left), Bandini (right)
At some point, Streshinksy decides he wants to make actual guns. Presumably to win contracts with Russian military/police. To make this vision a reality, he partners with an Italian dude named Nicola Bandini—previously a journalist before becoming a gun designer.
Now, it’s unclear to what degree the design of the Strike One/Archon pistol existed at this point. The IP may have been purely a Streshinksy thing? Or it may have been a collab between Streshinksy and Bandini?
I’m guessing it’s more the latter.
2011ish – 2015ish
Regardless of who originated the design, Streshinsky and Bandini founded their own company around 2011: Arsenal Firearms (which has NOTHING to do with “Arsenal Inc.,” the US maker of AKs—more on that later). To make a splash, they introduced that freaky double-barreled 1911 we’ve all seen.
Shortly thereafter, the “Strizh” pistol shows up in Russia—which is basically identical to the “Strike One” we have today. “Strizh” means “Swift” in Russian. It refers to a type of bird that is… well… swift.
The “Strizh”—Russian version of the Strike One (Wikipedia)
For “reasons”—which may (or may not) involve international criminal charges and/or refusing to bribe Russian authorities—the pistol goes nowhere in Russia. But Streshinksy and Bandini keep the dream alive.
By 2014ish, they get Tanfoglio (in Italy) to manufacture “Strike One” pistols for commercial sales. As far as I know, Tanfoglio has been—and still is—the sole manufacturer of commercial Strike One pistols. Around this time, Larry Vickers releases a few videos teasing the Strike One and everyone got a massive tactical hard-0n.
Finally, at some point in 2014/2015, US importation of the Strike One pistols begins. Then, after a year or two…
Poof. Nothing.
Until…
2016ish – 2018ish
Salient Arms International—ill-fated maker of Gucci Glocks—partners with Arsenal around 2016, forming the Prime Manufacturing Group (PMG). Salient essentially “re-skins” the Strike One with a darker, edgier aesthetic. They also add in a few “tacticool” gimmicks (like tendon depressors!) for sh!ts and gigs.
Initially, PMG calls this new iteration of the Strike One the “Stryk.” However, the whole PMG/Stryk initiative stalls for a while…
Until we see a branding change in 2017:
The “Stryk” is renamed “Archon” and PMG becomes “Archon Firearms.” Allegedly, this was because of a trademark dispute (presumably with “Arsenal, Inc.”). Subsequently, all Arsenal/PMG/Stryk branding disappears from the Archon website. And in 2018, US importation of the Archon Type B begins.
The “Archon” was originally the “Stryk”—note the Arsenal branding
But, unlike the previous Strike One pistols, the Archon pistols are NOT made by Tanfoglio in Italy. They’re made by international Swiss defense contractor, RUAG, in various locales where RUAG has factories (e.g., Germany, Hungary, Czech Republic).
One theory is that Streshinsky and Bandini parted ways. I guess Bandini had the relationship with Tanfoglio, so Streshinksy worked a deal with RUAG to build the new Archon variant of the pistol. But that’s speculative. It’s also unclear if “Archon” retained any affiliation with “Arsenal” after the re-brand in 2017.
As an interesting aside… there’s recent videos of Nicola Bandini promoting an entirely new pistol that uses a rotating variation on the Speedlock design (I don’t think the barrel rotates—just the locking piece). It’s called the XDB Rapax. I guess Bandini started a new company (XDB), separate from Arsenal and Archon. We’ll see if it goes anywhere.
Anyway, back to the story…
2020ish – Now
The first “round” of US Archon importation stopped in 2020/2021. Then, in 2023, Archon resumed US importation, through PTR—the company known for making G3 rifle clones.
With the resumption of imports in 2023, PTR begins offering a “Gen 2” version of the Archon, which dispenses with the “Grip Mapping” texture and offers configurable grip lengths, using a system of spacers. Neat.
As of now, the Archon pistols imported through PTR still seem to be coming from RUAG in Europe. However, Archon did announce that, soon, PTR would be making the guns in the US. So, maybe the RUAG contract is expiring? Tough to tell.
MEANWHILE…
Around 2022ish, Tanfoglio resumed production/exportation of the OG Strike One pistols. I think everyone (including me) thought the Archon variant had REPLACED the original Strike One. Apparently, that wasn’t the case.
So, as of 2024…
You can buy a new Tanfoglio-made Strike One, from American Precision Firearms, for ~$850
You can buy a new RUAG-made Archon, from PTR, for ~$800
Is one “better”?
That gives us a nice segue to the discussion on reliability.
Real Reliability
I’ve put about 500 rounds through my Type B—which I purchased used. I think it’s a 2018ish model, from before PTR got involved. Though it does have an optics cut? Which came later?? So, I can’t be sure when mine was made.
In any case…
I’ve had zero failures. The gun runs like a top.
What’s more, I didn’t clean or re-lube between the last three range trips. And it sat for several weeks between those outings… as the oil and gunk congealed into a thick cesspool of “post-tactical” filth.
Didn’t matter. The thing ran.
Note the caked-on filth—didn’t stop the Archon
And while I have no personal experience shooting an Arsenal Strike One, I can tell you this:
Based everything I’ve gleaned over the years, I’ve heard/read/seen more reports of issues with the Strike One pistols vs. the Archons. Please note: this constitutes an unscientific assessment, based purely on anecdotes.
But if you watch a few YouTube videos on Strike One pistols, you don’t have to look too hard before you start seeing people having feed issues. Or talking about it on forums, etc. At this point, I’m inclined to think RUAG did a better job building these things than Tanfoglio.
All that said…
Early imports of the RUAG/Archon pistols DID ship with out-of-spec firing-pin springs. This is a well-known fact. You’ll see videos from Honest Outlaw, Talon Sei and others (from around 2018) where they’re experiencing light primer strikes galore. This was rectified almost immediately, and—since that—I don’t think I’ve read any negative reports about the Archon in terms of reliability.
Also…
Most of the reports I’ve seen/read on the Strike One cover the first batch of imports, from around 2014. Maybe the 2022+ Strike Ones are better in terms of reliability/consistency? That certainly could be the case.
So, yeah…
The Archon Type B is a tough, reliable, accurate, uniquely shootable pistol. That means I’m gonna carry it, right?
Probably not.
Practical Tactical?
I know this pisses a lot of people off. Especially since Eric Bana so poignantly extolled his wisdom on manual safeties in Blackhawk Down. Memes like this capture it so well:
Nevertheless—despite the “Great Gospel of Blackhawk Down”—this isn’t a gun I’ll carry without a manual safety.
I’m just not gonna cram this thing—chamber loaded—in my pants; its trigger is too light and too short for me to feel comfortable. Same deal with Walther PPQs, PDPs and HK VP9s. YMMV, of course.
Now, I could maybe get there with an SCD and a rigid holster? But, even so, the gun is biiiig. I know the Type B is the “compact” and the Type A is supposed to be even larger. But the B is still fatter and larger than a Glock 19. It’s almost as big as a 17. Not that you can’t carry a full-size gun.
But, to me, guns this large (and wide) push the envelope of practicality for civilian carry. I see the Archon as a combat sidearm intended for OWB carry by soldiers; and maybe, in that role, a manual safety is less important.
I vaguely recall reading about a more compact Archon variant in the works? I can’t find anything on it, though, at the moment. Maybe it’s my imagination. Though, at the very least, the Gen 2’s new modular grip feature will give you a subcompact-ish grip length—though you’re stuck with the Type B’s slide length.
Conclusion
The Archon Type B offers a truly unique shooting experience that you just can’t objectively express, on paper. So, yeah—it’s definitely off the charts. Or “da chain.” Or “da hook.” Pick your colloquial metaphor.
There’s things I’d change, sure. There’s some eye-roll-inducing features, yeah. But I truly enjoy, appreciate and respect this pistol.
Still off the charts
At the end of day, I think it’s an excellent product—and it represents a triumph of out-of-the-box thinking. So, I sincerely hope Archon/PTR keeps evolving the platform to offer more variants and options to suit a wider range of preferences and roles (psst—manual safety! Or DA/SA?!)
Bottom line: Grab one. I think you’ll dig it.
Thanks so much for reading.
What are your thoughts on the Archon Type-B? Experiences? Opinions? Scathing condemnations on my review? Feel free to share below…
#hiptac
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