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Why do you prefer the handgun you do?

37K views 277 replies 143 participants last post by  bullwoods 
#1 ·
When people post a preference be it semi-auto vs. revolver or make vs. make or model vs corresponding models, seldom does anyone make the case as to why. I mostly assume it is because that is the one they own.

People are more clear when they do not like a particular gun. They have had a problem and this gives us all a heads up.

I would like to see post below with objective reasons why you prefer one or more guns.
 
#141 ·
Just like long guns, different pistols have different purposes.

I love my Colt Woodsman for snipping squirrels.

I will only have my Taurus 44mag in my chest holster when I am fly fishing in Grizzly country.

I like my tiny 380 for CC when I need ZERO imprint when in minimal clothing.


It's all about the right tool for the job.


.......
 
#152 ·
I agree completely. I like my 9mm Shield for CCW, my full-sized 9 with a light at my bedside, .357 Blackhawk for walking in the forest near my home, but if I am camping in black bear or grizzly country, I take my SA .41 magnum Blackhawk, and I like to plink with either my Mark III Ruger or SA Colt revolver. Thanks!
 
#142 ·
My current favorite is a Sig 226. Why? Because the instant I put it in my hand, it felt right. Just like a good woman...:)
And when I took it to the range for the first time, the first 20 shots made about 3 big holes in the paper...one shot on top of the other, and that's not bragging about my shooting, it was the pistol, it just shot itself if ya know what I mean....
But I have many other pistols that I would use for other occasions, i.e. old cowboy guns etc....
 
#143 · (Edited)
Like Hoodoo I have a P-226. It is very accurate and the grip is big which fits in my hand very nicely.

With that said it is not my EDC as I trained with a Ruger SR9C. I will never change as I have 10's of thousands of rounds of training with that firearm.

But, the P226 is nicer, smoother and more reliable,,, only second to my 1911 Commanders. These machined firearms are smooth cycling, accurate, and AMAZINGLY reliable. I have 1911's in Ruger and Colt and have not seen any difference in any aspect between the 2 brands.
 
#146 ·
Perhaps I can interject another perspective? I have the means to own any sidearm I desire. The sidearms I do carry have proven to be capable of "Bringing Me Home", at that time, the sidearms that have failed me afield I've had to work around in order to "Come Home" and I'd not wish that on any others. So your assumption is reliable.

But it's not exactly clear that someone else is going to make it "Home" just because they carried the sidearm that I did when I made it "Home". If your Coming Home due to your secondary sidearm, that means your primary has malfunctioned or failed Afield. There are so many differing skill levels with primary,secondary, and tertiary weapons that there isn't a guarantee that caring this Primary,Secondary, or Tertiary firearm/weapon is going to bring you "HOME". But caring the weapons known via experience to be defective by others, they give you less of a chance to make it home. So it's far easier to tell you what ain't effective, than try to tell you what is going to work for you in the future. JMHO. :thumb:
 
#154 ·
I love old threads! :)

I like my Glocks as go to guns for their simplicity, parts availbility, reliability, accuracy, armorers school and shootability.

I like my older Smith and Wesson revolvers (without locks) for their style, accuracy, reliability and familiarity.

The Beretta 92 series because of years of duty carry, style, training, armorers school, reliability and fit.

All the others I have owned (over 400) over the last 45 years have good and bad points but do not make my top ten list of personal favorites.
 
#161 ·
Perhaps an inexperienced audience? ;)

Why is it that they don't make firearms like we liked anymore? (perhaps you are getting to Old for current events.)

Not to mention which items are we discussing that future generations shall carry upon the "Battlefield".

But why are we conversing about firearms failures when there are so many improved versions to choose from today?

The open market determines what firearms continue into production tomorrow, irregardless of the skillset or experience of yesterday. Most of Tomorrow's marketplace will be shaped on the controllers of Today's Gamer's. LOL. :rolleyes:
 
#163 ·
Yup. That's why we have Jay-Z and Cardi-B instead of Dvorak and Brahms, Steven King and Maya Angelou instead of Shakespeare, Tolstoy and Joyce, Jackson Pollock and Marcel Duchamp instead of Rembrandt and Vermeer. Cheaply made plastic pistols instead of real steel Colts, Smiths, 1911s, Walthers and High Powers. The question was what do I prefer, and I prefer the classics. So many of which are sneered at by young philistines. By whom I don't much care to be lectured. I've heard it all before.
 
#164 ·
I prefer the handgun that I do because it is the most suitable handgun I have for the most common purpose I have. It was a gift, so it's not exactly what I want. I still would like a handgun with an external safety. But I have other, more pressing, firearms needs and the handgun I have is suitable. Some day I might get my preference. But it's some time in the future.
 
#165 ·
I prefer my EDC Glocks, but not because of some "Oh they are the best!" philosophy. I have a Glock 17 as my larger handgun, and a Glock 43 as my smaller. I like that they function exactly the same so no concerns about one having a safety and one not having one, etc. They only have about 35 parts in total so I can carry basically a full rebuild kit and rebuild a broken weapon in the field with minimal tools, depending of course on what is damaged. They are plenty accurate and reliable.

All that said, I do love my old Colt 1911...
 
#168 ·
A G19 because:

- I shoot it as good as anything else I've ever carried in "normal" two handed shooting;
- I shoot it better than anything else I've ever carried in one handed shooting;
- I shoot it way better than anything else I've ever carried in weak handed shooting;
- It's easier for me to manipulate in one handed/weak handed stoppage and reload drills;
- It's not the most concealable option but it is still reasonably easy to conceal;
- It's a Glock and my department issues Glocks (platform commonality);
- I went to Glock armorer school on my department's time and money;
- 9mm is reasonably effective;
- 9mm is reasonably economical;
- 9mm is reasonably available;
- 9mm is used by armies and government agencies if resupply comes down to "appropriating" ammo in EOTWAWKI.

If my strong arm is disabled, several shots to COM have been ineffective, and I need to make a headshot weak handed while down and wounded I want to do it with a G19.
 
#171 ·
I prefer a few different pistols simply because of a few different roles that they are primarily used for.

The first is a Ruger 22/45 LITE with suppressor.

Purpose: As a secondary weapon to " backup" an M14 rifle, and small game hunter.

Reasons:

1. Gun, can, and ammo are very light in weight/ compact. Important when the rifle you carry is chambered in 7.62x51mm with a loaded 20rd M14 magazine at 1.5 lbs each.

2. I actively hunt small game with it now, and have so for several years now, so it has met my requirements in terms of effective range and reliability.

3. Extremely quiet, 0 muzzle flash, and virtually no muzzle rise or felt recoil while firing it. Very easy to place pills with either hand via 1 handed operation in event that other hand/ arm becomes injured.

4. 22lr is very affordable, and our group already stocks it deep. Also have rifles chambered in 22lr such as the TCR22 and 1022.

5. 22LR as a " last ditch" up close defensive cartridge. ( Don't care if 9mm, 45acp, 357mag, or 44mag is a better in the defenses.....as none of them come remotely close to 7.62x51mm fired thru an 18in bbl semi-auto rifle)

The second = Ruger LCP.

Purpose: CCW, back up to a rifle or another pistol, deep conceal, or as a stand alone EDC .

Reasons:

1. Its a frickin pocket gun. Easy to carry every day in any type of clothing I care to put on.

2. Has passed my evaluations concerning reliability, terminal effects at close distances, and can use it one handed with either hand.

3. Not a 380 vs 9mm thing here. 9mm didn't meet requirements concerning weight/ space, and havent found a reliable 9mm mouse gun as small as the LCP yet...lol

Note: It has served as a back up to other handguns such as the Glock19, XD40, and GP100.


Last pistol mentioned here = An AK pistol chambered in 7.62x39mm.

Purpose: CCW, PDW, HD, closer quarters security, brush hunting weapon. ( Very handy to carry while both hands are being used for other chores around the farm here.)

Reasons:

1. Been around the AR types and 5.56mm my whole life, and use both currently in the Infantry. Wife has one around that she uses to teach others with. Other than that.....we have no use for either in a rifle, much less a pistol.

2. Mine are 100% reliable so far, and chew thru any type of decent ammo out of the various AK magazines I keep via AK rifles...including 75rd drums.

3. Meets my requirements via Terminal effects, barrier penetration, and body armor where 40snw, 9mm, 357mag, and 5.56mm fall short. ( Including 357mag fired thru an 18in bbl rifle)

4. As our secondary centerfire cartridge, we stock 7.62x39mm deep, and everyone in my clan has at least 1 AK with 21 or more mags. Ammo is very cheap to stock.

5. This is a pistol, so can be carried concealed with permit. It can also be kept loaded inside a vehicle while traveling. Something that is often illegal to do with rifles, shotguns, pistol caliber carbines, and short bbl rifles.

6. The design is very easy to use left handed, and immediate transition from one hand to the other is smooth/ fast.

Note: Also like revolvers as they are fun to shoot, and used to be cheap enough to buy them as cache guns chambered in 38spl.

11B
 

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#172 ·
What the hell, I'll pile on.... I see many preferences towards auto pistols and would probably use one until the magazines got lost or damaged. BUT, a revolver is an excellent tool because you can't lose the cylinder, if there is a misfire keep pulling the trigger until it shoots again and many revolvers can shoot ammo more powerful than auto pistols.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 
#177 ·
Not a cowboy or FUDD so no revolver.

Would own a Gluck after I have an IPhone, Tesla, skinny jeans and a RAP/Hiphop CD.

If found a high quality 1911 that was reasonably priced, might well buy one. In the meantime will stick with SW MP.45s though other brands would be as adequate a tool.
 
#178 ·
Not a cowboy or FUDD so no revolver.



Would own a Gluck after I have an IPhone, Tesla, skinny jeans and a RAP/Hiphop CD.



If found a high quality 1911 that was reasonably priced, might well buy one. In the meantime will stick with SW MP.45s though other brands would be as adequate a tool.
Many of us non fudds prefer revolvers for reliability, especially in close quarters.

Sent from my Note 8 using Tapatalk
 
#183 ·
Not a cowboy or FUDD so no revolver.



Would own a Gluck after I have an IPhone, Tesla, skinny jeans and a RAP/Hiphop CD.



If found a high quality 1911 that was reasonably priced, might well buy one. In the meantime will stick with SW MP.45s though other brands would be as adequate a tool.
Many of us non fudds prefer revolvers for reliability, especially in close quarters.

Sent from my Note 8 using Tapatalk
The 1911 is at least as FUD like as a revolver.

Revolvers are actually more reasonable than a 1911 for CCW. Similar round count. Easy to carry and conceal. Safe. Reliable.

I mean I carry striker fired polymer semi autos. But I’d pick a revolver before a 1911
 
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