American shooters should be quick to realize that the Caracal F can satisfy their defensive and sport shooting needs at an economical price. Shown here accommodating an Insight SSL-1 tactical light.

Caracal made a big splash this year at a major industry trade show. One couldn’t ignore their heavy advertising, models and banners that seemed to be everywhere. I’d only heard of the company the day before at a media shooting event. Caracal, which incidentally is the name of a long-eared desert lynx that ranges throughout the Middle East, had a tent set up with a sampling of their pistols to try.

While the Caracal brand of guns may be new to shooters in the U.S. it is not a brand new company. Back in 2003 Wilhelm Bubits, who had previously worked for Glock and later designed the Steyr M and S pistols, led a team of designers, with feedback from a group of serious weapons experts in the United Arab Emirates, to develop a new line of modern fighting pistols that incorporated a number of innovative design features.

The low bore axis combined with an arched backstrap that pushes the shooter’s hand into a high grip helps to negate muzzle flip.

These guns were subjected to grueling tests by the Federal German Armed Forces Testing House in Meppen, Germany. Evaluations included metallurgic and composite analysis, functional fitness-for-purpose and quality evaluation, endurance firing, environmental exposure, safety and accuracy tests. Caracal pistols comprehensively passed all tests. The company was officially launched during the 2007 IDEX exhibition in Abu Dhabi and introduced the world to their F (full-size) and C (compact) pistols.

The full-sized 9mm Caracal semi-automatic pistol features an impressive capacity of 18+1 rounds.