Handgunning
 

Over the years I’ve bought and sold(some very foolishly) hand guns.

My first was a Smith and Wesson 586, with a 6” bbl. she was a damn fine rig, shot hard cast 158’s with a moderate to light charge of Unique outta .38 spl cases to insane accuracy. One of the ones I regret selling.

Second one was a TA90(CZ 85 knock off) in 9mm and .41 Action Express.
The darn thing was a bit of a functional nightmare, the 9’s ran pretty decent, but the factory .41AE, 200 gr Samson ammo was so hot loaded there were all sorts of slide speed issues, and it ran pretty inconsistently. And reloading the .41 with bullets designed for a revolver didn’t help with functionality one bit. I was happy to have it hit the road.

There’s a serious time lapse till I get to the current handguns I own.

I fell into a super condition Ruger Mk 1 Target in .22LR for a steal from a guy getting out of the game.
https://i.imgur.com/lDfG2RD.jpg

Pretty easy to guess the date of manufacture on this one.
https://i.imgur.com/CYMxtKC.jpg

Then I stumbled onto the ugly duckling. You know it’s so beat to rat crap, but somehow it seems to tug at your heart strings.
It started life as a S&W Second Model Hand Ejector in .455, made in 1918.
Someone hogged the cylinder out to .45 Long Colt, and knocked the barrel back to 5”, added a set of adjustable combat sights, as well as a set of aftermarket grips. Softer 200 gr cast shoot ok, but if loaded with .454” cast bullets and a light load of American Select, 25 yd accuracy is outstanding. .454” 250’s and a moderately stiff load of Unique are good shooting and certainly an eye opener for recoil.
https://i.imgur.com/G1bKhPH.jpg

Lastly is my Browning Hi Power in 9mm.
https://i.imgur.com/hisiJzv.jpg

She’s had an aftermarket trigger installed, and the magazine disconnect is gone as well, aftermarket grips, and here she sits.
124gr cast pills with WW231 and a Dillon 550 press, and there we are.


So what’s your fav’s?

About the only one I truly regret selling was my IPSC revolver , a S&W 625-8 in 45 ACP.
I kinda liked that gun- oh and the Colt SSA in 45 long- dang and the Colt New Army , liked that one too.
Don’t get me going on my C&P single shots........:(:budo:
Cat

Had many over the years
regret selling
S&W Highway patrolman 357
S&W 686 won 3 shoots with that one
T/C Contender 357 max. and 30-30 win knocked the ram over at 200 yards
Beretta Model 1934 in 380 I would have a 12: 6 license

Don't regret selling
Ruger blackhawk .44 mag nasty recoil just to put a hole in a target
Heckler & Koch P30 ugly trigger, ejected brass back into my face my first and last poly pistol.

I’ve owned several over the years and don’t really regret selling any except perhaps my Ruger LCR in 357 mag. Had a Glock 19 and didn’t care for it. Traded that in for a bow. Sold a walther PPK/s in 380. First handgun I ever bought when I turned 21. Have a P220 Extreme in 45 I’m planning on selling as I haven’t shot it in 6 years. Just sold a Glock 43 last night. Have a Ruger SR22 pistol with a suppressor that is loads of fun! Can’t see I’ll get rid of that since it’s more the wife’s gun than mine! I just bought a Sig P320x compact for a edc. So far after 100 rounds through it yesterday I have to say I can’t see myself getting any others. I love that thing!! I wish work would get rid of our p226/229 and go to the p320s.

Had a great condition S&W 1917 in .45acp. My first .45 and I sure liked that cool revolver, had to sell to make rent. Would really like to get that one back.

Two I regret selling are
Early Model 66 S&W 6" , CN Police marked S&W Model 10, 4" would have given prohib status.

Last 2 I'll sell is a Early S&W K17 and a Brass Framed Ruger Single Action in 45 Colt


357

Here's a few Ruger's for the list.. top is an old model Vaquero 44mag, middle a NM Blackhawk 41mag and the bottom is a Bearcat 22 I have for trapline dispatch. Someday hope to do a trip for Moose & Caribou up to Alaska that i can bring my Vaquero along as a secondary weapon in the event I can close the range 50-75 yards & fill my tags with-that... sure wish a guy didn't have to travel out of country to hunt with our sixguns

Cougar to Montana is also on my list. Planning to use my 41 for that outing when it comes..

Attachment 157340

My current favorites are a couple of STI Edge in 40 and CZ shadow 2's in 9.
They get the most rounds thru them.

https://i.imgur.com/FcuZ7nM.jpg

Only one I regret selling is an STI grandmaster in 38 super. I planned on shooting open in 3 gun but never did so I never used the gun in competition but to me it was a pretty cool gun. Although it was extremely loud to shoot indoors which is ultimately the reason it went. That thing made my teeth hurt. :)

https://i.imgur.com/FehD8rq.jpg

Please save me a google visit, what is a magazine disconnect all about ?

Keeps the pistol from firing unless there is a magazine seated in the pistol. The disconnect will allow the pistol to fire without a mag.

Personally I try not to own a pistol with either a physical safety you have to take off or a magazine disconnect.

Thx for the explanation.
I remain ignorant though. What purpose of use is being able to fire with no mag?..perhaps single shot shooting with no clip?

A removed magazine safety was a requirement of the French army spec for the original GP35.
The Browning Hi-Power (or Fabrique Nationale FN GP35 - "GP" for "Grande Puissance" 1935) was the first 'high capacity' pistol, and is why it is called the 'high power'. In the civilized world, HPs carry standard 13 rd mags.

Ejecting the mag prevents firing, and (in the opinion of the French and other army & police forces) is an aid to safety, or at least an auxiliary automatic safety.
It does prevent the pistol from firing during a probably highly stressed change of a partial magazine for a full one in a pause of a firefight, or in preparation of further action which may require a full magazine.

Many untrained people incorrectly think that removing a magazine removes all ammunition from the firearm and makes it safe.

Many mag safety linkages are removed to improve trigger feel and pull force.

Good Luck, YMMV.

Ok Thx!!
That makes it crystal clear for me now.
That would never be an issue for me to have such a safety feature. Kind of a uncommon sense feature i wouldnt ever need, like a lawnmower seat safety switch. lol.

Some will submit all the above could qualify for the 'famous last words' contest.

Nobody ever NEEDS a safety, until they do.

Churchill said that
"A gentleman seldom needs a pistol,
but when he does,
he needs one very badly."

I have grown to prefer a 1911 trigger, and grip safety.
Some pin their grip safety, I do not understand why.
IMHO, a pin hinged trigger cannot be improved to straight pull performance by disconnecting the magazine safety.

Good Luck, YMMV.

I don't even own a 1911, but if i did, i already know that would be the gun i would most regret selling. Always loved the look of those.

Think LE or military doing a tactical reload, drop the mag and half way through reloading you have to fire. With no mag seated your screwed but without the magazine disconnect you can get at least one shot off to buy sometime as you finish seating the next mag.

Browning Hi Powers have a rather poor trigger pull out of the box. Modified and improved triggers usually involve the magazine disconnect being removed/disabled, as it essentially removes an extra piece of linkage in the trigger group.
It means the pistol now has a really smooth, crisp, and lighter trigger, than out of the box.

I thank Qwert for giving a great dissertation on what and why the Hi Power has a magazine disconnect.

I would certainly be going for the magazine disconnect upgrade!

It's easy to remove. I had to get rid of it on my sons 1911-22. (I just cut the tab off the back of the trigger) You can't "hammer down and holster" with a magazine in the gun :thinking-006:

edit: looks like the hi power and 1911 mag disconnect are quire a bit different :)

https://i.imgur.com/CRqkjjj.jpg

Awesome Pic !!!

That 1911 on the left is a pure Beauty.

Side note: One thing I could never get into was those ear muffs, once a person slides on
a pair of shooting/sun glasses, they immediately fail as suddenly there's a gap contact from a person's head.
Only the Orange type foam earplugs work best I find.

Thanks

I am not a big fan of the muffs either, I use the custom molded in ear ones. I have tried to wear the electronic ones for some training (to hear the instructor better) but I don't like it. I just end up taking the in ear ones out 100 times to hear the instruction .....

The boy prefers the muffs LOL

A pic of one of the best looking 1911 styles for me..when I get my Restricted, i'll be getting this
exact style to replace this 6mm air soft, gotto love the rubber grips lol.

Nice thread fellas. I'm enjoying the pics of some beauty guns and a dang handsome young feller whose father is a heckuva good guy. What a smile!

Got another one maybe on its way.......

Thanks for the kind words Shane. :)