Posted on 07/08/2020 7:07:54 PM PDT by deek69
Probably not the best 1911 available but out of the box was the best shooting one I own and could afford. A matter of fit form and function for me. Biggest frame I could handle with smallish hands. Pleasantly surprised the first and every time I have used it. For me, an older person, being on frame is much more important than a large mag. If I don't get the job done with 10 shots, it's probably not getting done. I have the obligatory Glock 17 Gen 4 and it is OK but for me with small hands I tend to get a slide drag occasionally and will do for a back up.
Petunia was the name of my mother’s pet piglet when she was a little girl.
Unfortunately, the family was poor and they had to kill, cook, and eat Petunia at some point and my Mom had a tough time moving on.
I have an old black and white picture of her with Petunia. It’s a great photo.
Here, here. I absolutely love my Ruger SR1911. Perfectly straight shooter every time
.44 magnum is often considered the gold standard for bear defense out of a handgun, and it certainly has the most extensive track record in published bear attack cases. An informal study on AmmoLand found the .44 mag used successfully in 12 out of 12 published bear attacks reports. However, I’m not sure I would recommend it as a caliber for a first gun for someone who hasn’t shot in 40 years.
Still, if you want to go that route, you can find a Smith & Wesson 629 with a 4” barrel that should be more than enough gun and relatively compact. If you want a snub nose, theres the Ruger Super Redhawk Alaskan. These are pretty pricey guns, though, and .44 magnum is pricey ammo (though maybe easier to find than 9mm right now).
I don’t own a .44, but if I went somewhere where I wanted a concealable pistol for defense against bears, cougars, and/or two-legged predators, I’d carry my 1911 in .45 Auto loaded with 230 grain FMJ.
A 9mm will be much easier to shoot well, training ammo is plentiful and cheap during normal times, and there is a wide selection of affordable, quality handguns to choose from in this caliber. But with the run on 9mm ammo lately, and if I lived in California where the magazine capacity laws negate the main advantage of 9mm, I’d go with something else.
My 2 cents on ammo: if you are concerned about bear, do NOT load hollow points regardless of caliber. Penetration is king, and handgun-caliber hollow points are generally designed for anti-personnel or maybe medium game. They do not reliably penetrate to vital organs in bears. Carry FMJ in the largest bullet weight commercially available for the caliber. That means 147 gr for 9mm, 230 gr for .45, 240 gr for .44, 158 or even 180gr for .357.
Speaking of which, I’ll need to disagree with the other poster regarding the SP101. For bear, you want a heavy bullet in .357, and as an owner of a S&W model 60, recoil from heavy-bullet magnums in small frame revolvers is brutal. If you are shooting the 158 or 180 grain bullets you want for something like bear, you want a larger revolver like a S&W 686 or Ruger GP100.
Honestly, if I was going somewhere where I felt I was actually likely to be attacked by a bear, I’d probably want my Marlin lever action rifle in .45-70 Government. Not exactly concealable, though.
My favorite pistol is my Ed Brown 1911. Most expensive handgun I own by far, but also the most reliable and by far the best trigger. In .4-by-God-5, of course.
My favorite revolver is the Colt Python, but I don’t own one. The only revolver I own is a S&W Model 60 Pro Series in .357 magnum. Great carry gun.
Gen 2 Kel tec sub 2000 in 40 A&W. Folds up to `6 inches for a back pack carry and there are twenty and beyond mags for it from Hlock.
my fav revolver would have to be my SS python 6” that I ported.
My fav pistol would have to be my kimber 1911 combat comp pistol.
My fav rifle is my 280AI built on a rem 700 action that is now sitting in a chassis stock and knocking everything over out to 900 yards. With a change of scopes and a change in bases, it will easily be working well at 1K yards/meters. This is my latest custom long range rifle build and built into it is 50 years of long range shooting experience and 40 years of long range rifle building experience.
FN Five-seveN. Light weight, low recoil, extremely reliable, insanely accurate even at long distances, 20 round standard mag (or 30 round extended). Only downsides are the size of the firearm, ammo availability, and ammo price.
For carry, the HK USP Compact is wonderful. Small, reliable, accurate. Just a total joy.
If you are gonna shoot, shoot -- the dancing red dot will never be noticed.
If you're gonna talk, the dancing red dot is great. "You better hurry up and do what I say, sometimes my finger gets spastic."
Seriously, hold the gun with both hands near your body, almost in a praying position. It steadies the gun and helps with weapon retention. Advice is only good for laser sights.
Right now I carry a Glock 23. But since 9mm ammo has greatly improved over the years, I would get a Glock 19 today. I would never carry a revolver, as they are much too limited in their capacity. Five or six rounds and you’re out of the fight and you’ll never reload in time to get back into the fight. I carry two spare magazines and can swap them out in a second or two. I’d rather have 40 rounds and not need all of them than have five or six rounds and need more.
Sig Sauer P365 with 12-round magazine for everyday carry. I’ve got a stainless steel S&W 60-15 revolver for ventures into California.
Kimber .45.
Cause it has a built in laser and packs a powerful knock down punch.
The model 19 was my first duty weapon.
I said Sig 226 and Model 19 Smith but I’ve picked up a few more revolvers since the first of the year.
Ruger Blackhawk convertible in 45 LC/ 45 ACP.
Ruger Blackhawk convertible in 357/9mm
Ruger Single 7 in 327 magnum, also chambers 32 mag, 32 long, 32 short and 32 ACP.
Ruger Single 6 convertible in 22 LR/22 mag.
I do like my single action revolvers.
As much as I like Browning Hi-Powers I’m amazed I’ve never owned a CZ-75. I don’t carry a Hi-Power but I do have several in 30 Luger, 9mm, 40cal and one in 357 SIG built by NOVAX.
Thanks,
Always like Ruger.
Roger...
I’ve had my P-85 for over 25 years. Keeps ticking.
Just bought the SR40 two years ago. Nice pistol.
Then I have my tried and true S&W Model 28 highway patrolman. Inherited from my dad.
Dang it.....RUGER!!!! iPads suck for commenting.
Revolvers are pistols.
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