The HS 2000 is a new polymer-frame auto pistol from Croatia. It's a modern design that has a number of significant features.

Action Type
The HS 2000 is a striker-fired semi-automatic pistol that employs a short recoil, locked-breech mechanism of the Browning's cam-operated tilting barrel system. A dual-tension recoil spring system is used; the spring being captured on the guide rod. The pistol has a double-action-only trigger. The pistol is available in 9x19mm Luger, .357 SIG and .40 S&W chamberings.

Construction
The HS 2000's frame is a high-impact polymer injection molding. The rails are incorporated as part of the steel housings that contain the trigger and hammer mechanisms. These are secured in the frame by steel roll pins. The slide is fully machined from steel and is heat-treated and Bruniral coated. The Bruniral coating is a special black oxide type of finish that is more durable and corrosion resistant than ordinary blueing. The barrel is cold hammer forged steel.

Controls And Features
The pistol has the usual controls of takedown lever, with the magazine catch and slide stop all positioned on the left side of the frame. The ambidextrous button-type magazine catch is behind the trigger. When it is depressed, the magazine does not drop free on its own. The slide stop is located on the top of the frame behind the trigger and releases the slide when the slide is locked open on an empty magazine. The pistol has four safeties a firing pin block and a disconnector that prevents firing if the action is not fully closed. The two external safeties consist of a lever in the trigger that locks the same until engaged, plus a grip safety on the backstrap. The sights are fixed and dovetailed in the slide. They have tritium luminous inserts for night shooting. The pistol's front strap and back strap have a compination of ribs and checkering for a firm hold during firing and cycling the action.

Field Stripping
First ensure that the pistol is unloaded. Lock the slide open and remove the magazine. Rotate the takedown latch 90 degrees upward. The slide and barrel can now be removed. Once this is done, the recoil-spring assembly and barrel can be taken out of the bottom of the slide. This completes the stripping procedure. Assemble in reverse order.

Fit And Finish
The pistol we tested was well made, boasting good fit of all major parts. The metal parts showed no evidence of casting or machine marks; all had an even coating of matte black finish. The trigger had a very short stroke of about 1/2 inches and a pull weighing some 7 1/2 pounds. The trigger reach was 2 1/2 inches-enabling me to properly access the trigger with my index finger. The grips were comfortable and provided easy access to all the controls.

Shooting Performance
The pistol was tested with a variety of 9mm ammunition listed in the accompanying chart. Shooting was done at 25 yards using a Millett Benchmaster rest. The pistol produced acceptable combat accuracy. The best group of 2 1/2 inches was shot with the Black Hills ammo. The Remington loads produced the best average accuracy of 3 3/16 inches. The pistol was very pleasant to shoot and the sights provided a nice clear picture. Recoil was miled and the trigger easy to control. These last two factors were evident on the combat range where I was able to shoot fast two-shot strings back to 20 yards keeping all but two shots in the 10 ring of a B27 target center. This is excellent.

Reliability
The HS 2000 test pistol had no malfunctions. My assessment of it? It's a very reasonably priced, well-made pistol that is reliable, delivers acceptable combat accuracy and is easy to control. The HS 2000 is an eminently suitable choice for defense.