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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.
 
#221 ·
Things point, to where your brain knows to point them. Finger, gun, whatever. All the reasons for them not pointing where you point them, is simply the lack of experience with them, that your brain doesnt know where it should be pointing them.

Once you spend a little time with the few that are different ("most" are all pretty close), and your brain learns the gun, they all point where you point, and do so naturally.

Which is why its a very good reason, to shoot as many different types of guns as you can, and learn to shoot them well. That way, no matter what you might have to pick up and use, it will already be stored in the data banks. :thumb:


The only way to know if what you have works, is to shoot the snot out of it and prove it. Those that do, are the ones you can usually trust. Those will also be the ones you will likely shoot best, because you shoot them a lot.

Just buying any gun based on anything other than experience, is always going to be a crapshoot. While there are brands that have a great track record, and you probably could trust one out of the box, there are dogs in EVERY brand, so, until you prove otherwise, you wont know until you shoot it.

You also have to be at least a little realistic in what your choice is too. A pocket 380 or 32 is OK for a BUG, but its NOT realistic, for a primary gun. Unless of course, your only possibility of ever needing it, falls under the parameters that they excel at, which are very narrow in scope.

Then comes the part everyone tends to go quiet over and scatter when you ask. You do spend enough time in realistic practice, to be proficient with whatever you choose? Right?

The bestest gun in the world is about useless, if you are arent up to making it "the bestest". :thumb:

Im thinking if we started at the end here, and worked back, there would be a lot less bitching about stuff that doesnt matter, and probably different choices in guns as well. :cool:
 
#230 ·
https://youtu.be/Qyn87AMVXO4

https://youtu.be/BzKiAQaCpB8

From a guy who has verifiable time in the Unit, and who is actually hired by many of the top shooters in the world to coach them.

The pie chart was not based merely on bullseye shooting. It was developed for one-handed revolver bullseye shooting.

It's bunk because it's almost impossible to diagnose a shooter merely by looking at their target.

Just as an example, the placement on the chart you linked for "Anticipating Recoil" is almost never where you will see rounds actually hit when someone anticipates. Watch someone do a ball and dummy drill and watch their muzzle when they hit the dummy. The muzzle does not rise. It drops.

As another example, trigger finger placement is a non-issue. Almost all of the top shooters in the world sink their fingers deeply into the trigger guard (Rob Leatham being one).

Shrek covers it in his video, but people don't break their wrists prior to shooting. It's almost invariably post-shoot recoil management...which has zero effect on where the round goes.

There is a reason that diagnosing shooters correctly is one of the hardest skills to find in an instructor. If it was as simple as looking at a chart, everyone would be awesome at it.

You watch the shooter, then confirm by looking at the target. You don't look at the target without watching the shooter.
 
#232 ·
The basics are the basics...Top shooter still use the basic fundamentals of shooting. Sure they've refined them to a very sharp point but it's still the same fundamentals they started out with and are in essence the very same fundamentals a new shooter learns from a qualified instructor.
 
#233 ·
No pie chart of any type appears in the AMU Pistol Marksmanship Guide.

Additionally, figure 3-1 in said guide specifically shows differing trigger finger placements. One of which would specifically contradict one of the segments of the chart that alleges to come from them.

I have never seen a professional use one of these charts, and like I pointed out earlier, many of them have obvious errors.

Nobody is arguing that the fundamentals aren't important. Merely that the charts do nothing to improve your shooting. Those are two completely separate topics.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sou...FjABegQIChAB&usg=AOvVaw2-jjMYUC_Kd3zzmuYGd1GP
 
#234 ·
I just get a kick out of the idea that NEVER seems to come up when that chart is trotted out.

So Joe Shooter is banging away, getting GREAT groups, but they are low left.

Do we try to get him to quit jerking the trigger? Worry about tight fingers?

Or do we just adjust the freaking sights on the modern gun he is shooting, so his group is centered?:cool:
 
#243 ·
Ive always thought it would be fun and very interesting, to have a little friendly shootoff, but with a bit of a twist.

A bunch of different handguns are put into a closed box, and a match official reaches in and grabs a gun and hands it to you, and then you shoot the match with what you get. You draw the accessories at the line just prior to the start.

I can hear the carrying on and excuses now! :D:

In another life, we used to do something similar in side matches shooting military rifle shoots. You got a random club gun (M1) from the rack, and two sighters, and then you ran a random string. Might be slow fire offhand, standing to sitting rapid fire, whatever. Street clothes only too, no fancy gear.

The simplest things can be soooo, humbling! :D:
 
#250 ·
I inherited a 1911 years ago from my old man that he had some work done to. The work was done by a guy in the armory aboard the ship he was stationed on in the late '50s. I started shooting it in the mid '70s as a teenager. It has functioned flawlessly since I started shooting it. I grew into it about the time I joined the navy in '79. It feels good, functions without issues, carries in a variety of ways comfortably and it shoots everything I've ever put through it with better than acceptable accuracy while pushing out to more than what I consider acceptable ranges for self defense. So I'm quite happy with the colt. I'm also very happy with my 7.5" ruger vaquero .45lc for all of the same reasons although it's a new model vaquero, not nearly as old as the colt. The vaquero also has put down several deer and 2 black bears. One deer at 50 yards, the rest and the bears within 40 yards, they all dropped in their tracks. So that's a lot of fun. The more fun a gun is the more I tend to shoot it which makes me better with it. So, there ya have it.
 
#251 ·
i think the issue with 1911s have been discussed in another thread.. a lot of it has to do with a ton of people making them and tolerances varying between most of them.. do they really have a set in stone standard that users hold manufacturers to like with AR-15s?.. if someone has a 1911 that is reliable with the ammunition they've stockpiled, and has the means to fix the gun when it breaks down, then they're set
 
#272 ·
I think 1911s tend to be most reliable with good ol' 230 gr loads, even better with fairly stout ones to be sure they cycle consistently.

The trendy 185-200 gr loads don't have the same recoil impulse.

And it's more important for some guns to be cleaner than others to stay reliable. I've found my 9 mils to be supremely reliable. One reason no doubt is that there is a LOT less surface area friction to overcome while cycling a much smaller case.
 
#252 ·
I had problems early on with 1911's, but eventually found a couple that were reliable. So I can say honestly I do see both sides of that argument. That said, I'm certainly not going to let go of my 1911's...
As far as pistol/revolver preps go;
Beretta 92FS
Springfield 1911 loaded
Ruger GP100 4"
Ruger Mark II target model
There are others equally suited, that's just my list....YMMV
 
#253 ·
I've never shot another gun that is more pleasing to shoot than a well-tuned 1911/2011. That said, I've never seen a "quality" handgun go down more than 1911's/2011's.

I still own several. Each is finicky in their own right. Everything from the 1911 my grandpa carried on his European vacation in the 1940's, to Wilsons and Nighthawks, to STI's, to Springfields, Kimbers (including Clackamas guns), Les Bauers, etc. One will not run HST's but loves Gold Dots. One will only run with fmj. One likes only Wilson mags, another likes Chip Mccormick mags, some will run either. I literally have only seen one 1911 that will run any ammo out of any mag.

1911's are guns for professionals - not military/le "professional," the type of professional that will stay up on pm's and switching out springs/extractors. That makes them, in my opinion, a poor choice as a SHTF gun. Anything that is labor-intensive, and requires frequent parts changes falls into that category. If you have a deep stock of replacement parts, if you are religious about lube and cleaning, and if you are certain that will always be the case, AND if you have honestly tested your gun hard with the ammo and mags you have, it's a fine choice.

There is a reason why even guys like Larry Vickers (who I'm not a fan of, but who is one of the finest 1911 smiths around, and has carried the 1911 operationally more than anyone on this forum) and Hilton Yam don't recommend the 1911 as a carry gun for the masses.

Dunning-Kruger aside, are you one of the people who is capable and willing to do the work needed to make it a viable option? If so, go for it.
 
#254 ·
I know the ins an outs of a 1911.
So I guess I'm good to go. If one is willing to learn how to maintain a 1911 or any handgun for that matter, they can expect to get consistent (optimal) performance. If not then then they should expect to have issues from time to time.


I've read the stories about glocks digesting tens of thousands of rounds without being cleaned and that's all fine and well, but who does that? My guess, some one was looking to make a point. Yet I still wouldn't use that information (stunt) as an excuse not to clean or maintain a glock or any firearm for that matter.


Back in the day 1911's benefitted from a trip to the gunsmith to have the ejection port lowered, the feed ramp throated (beveled) along with the having the extractor tuned, beaver tail added and the tiny factory sights replaced. Now days those features usually come standard on most 1911's. So it is a wash as you're starting out with an upgraded 1911 straight from the factory. Which incidentally put a few gunsmiths out of business.
 
#255 ·
i always encourage people, no matter what handgun they have to learn how to fix/repair it and thats especially true right now.. like for example i see people say "well my 1911 has been having this failure to extract, so im going to send it in and have someone else fix it).. opportunities like that are perfect for people to figure out how their guns actually work, and how to make them work better.. all too often i see people pass up those opportunities to learn, in favor of convenience
 
#256 ·
That's all well and good, but you're talking about something that someone usually has a significant amount of jingle invested in, and the initial fix you might have to pay for is far less expensive than the fix you could end up paying for after you mess it up further.

Learning at the knee of an accomplished gunsmith, though, is a good idea, so you can handle those minor (and major) repairs later down the road.
 
#258 ·
1911s, Glocks, and Sigs is my choice. Carried a 1911 in .45 ACP for years with zero issues until my lower back started to give me issues. Glock 19 was then my choice after the 1911. It was much easier on the back. I then started to look at the cost of .45 next to 9mm ammo. Then my wife came into my life and she really like shooting the G19 and it made since for both of us to carry identical pistols. Now both of us carry a Sig P365 with 12 round magazines. The Sigs are very easy to conceal all day.
 
#259 ·
Fer me, after half a century, I'm back ta my first love- revolvers, in the form of my two Ruger Super GP100's. Together they weigh a little bit over six pounds, when loaded, hold eight rounds o' 158gr SJHP Remington RPT357M2 ammo each, an' are reliable, durable, an' dead nuts accurate, beyond a hundred yards... I'll take revolvers, unless a suppressor is needed. Then, my brace o' Sig P226 TACOPS will do...

One&Done
 
#260 ·
In the colder months ( at least this year) I carry my 5 shot Taurus Tracker 44 mag with a 4 inch ported barrel.

Why? Because it's fairly lightweight, accurate and it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to know I have around a thousand ft lbs of energy per round waiting to drop most any living creature if need be..... ALSO, the porting works incredibly well as my .44 tracker kicks far less than either of my .357 mags do.

In the warmer months I tend to prefer my Sig P238 with a tlr6 light/laser and a few mags of Underwood solid copper Extreme penetrators.

Why? Because it's small, reliable, and sexy..... Not to mention the Extreme penetrators do more damage than typical 9mm hollow points...... This takes care of the under-penetration/lack-of-perm-wound-channel thing that comes along with standard 380 ammo.

But my love of revolvers this year has me carrying a taurus 85 revolver over this past summer too. The 85 is one of the best value guns I own per dollar.
 
#262 ·
Sig P938 here. I prefer front pants pocket for ccw and I have 1/4 million rds thru cocked and locked SA autos. I've also got literally over a millon dry snaps ad draws. I extended the safety's lever and added a trigger overtravel stop.,and ground off all of the sharp corners, Now it's fast, accurate, reliable, has night sights, I carry the 85 gr silvertip 380 jhp bullet, loaded to 1450 fps, for reliable expansion in flesh and right at 400 ft lbs, while having no more recoil than 124 gr ball ammo.
 
#265 ·
I have had a lot of handguns and over the last 30 plus years I have carried many of them. But I keep coming back to 1. The Firestar M-45 in Starvel. An officer sized .45 clone, weighing about 2lbs loaded, steel construction, with a good single action trigger and rubber combat grips. This gun fits my hand perfectly. It is quite accurate for a sub 4" barrel and I just shoot it well. I like the caliber and this gun eats light JHP through full size loads without any issue. I have owned it since 1993 or so, I don't really recall, and I am sure this is part of the reason, familiarity.

I would grab another one in a minute. The only 2 reasons that keeps this firearm off the primary, daily carry is the weight and the fact that parts are getting a bit hard to find. Finding a holster was a chore, but I sucked it up a couple decades ago and had a holster made by Horseshoe Leather in England, by a real craftsman. The pancake holster holds it firmly next to the body. I love this gun. While many handguns have come into my life, in and out of favor, the Firestar sits there like a good friend, always ready when needed. I cant imagine ever getting rid of it.
 
#268 ·
S&W 669. I inherited it. It's Stainless lightweight, can handle a bunch of different magazines including a 30 round one. I have a nice shoulder holster and I can walk out the door carrying one 20 round mag in the gun and 3 15 round mags in the pouches. Did I mention it shoots well?
 
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