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My deal is that I'm at the point in life where I've got to ax myself what are the limits of what I can shoot effectively for the rest of my life, and likewise for my wife? The answer is "Let's get away from the magnum handgun cartridges."

I have to keep telling myself that despite the problems I have with picking up sights and tolerating recoil, at least I'm still here to have to deal with them. I can easily handle .357 Magnums in heavy revolvers like GP100s and L-frame S&Ws, but the last time I used full-house .357s in a K-frame, I decided that the "fun" of doing so had long since parted company with me. The old saw - and it was old even 50 years ago - that the best gun for the average person was a .38 Special with a 3 or 4 inch barrel sounds more reasonable the older I get.

The .357 LCR's extra weight makes hot .38 Specials feel okay (less outrage than when fired from the .38 Special LCR); I personally feel that .357 Magnum in the LCR is a bit much, but if a person considers the kick of .357s out of a light handgun to be pleasant, they will get their jollies in abundance. The 340 M&P will get your attention with .357 loads too, while - as with the .357 LCR - it is not too bad with the .38 Special loads most people have on hand.

I like the 2-1/4" Ruger SP101 for it's tractability, but it is a tad heavy and a bit large for pocket carry (at least for myself)... I wish Ruger would see fit to shorten the barrel at least a quarter of an inch and develop a grip that was less "pointy" at the lower rear so that it was more "pocketable," but that hasn't happened.

Mr. niteowl77

I feel your pain. Best handgun I ever had was a model 65, which is now gone... it pointed and aimed so naturally, I could actually hit with it.

But magnum loads were excessive, except for the Winchester white box 110gr loads, an old favorite of mine, except - you're not supposed to them in a K-frame because of the forcing cone issue.

So for now I'm just keeping it simple. A model 64, a couple of j-frames, which are a handful in their own right, and my wife has her SP101 stoked with +P's.

I find myself tempted by autos in various flavors sometimes but I can't settle on any single one, plus they throw your brass all over creation when you're at the range.

I'll just keep telling myself that my revolvers are enough, for now. Maybe someday I'll get that CZ75 compact I've been lusting over. Or maybe something else.

BTW, have you noticed how all the gun threads anymore are always about handguns, never rifles or shotguns, or handloading, or competitive shooting? Think of all the fun we're all missing out on. :)