I’ve been eyeballing a certain .357 Magnum in the gun case for some time now. It’s growing on me. The gun in question is a simple S&W 686SSR.
Tag Archives: Handguns
Top 5 1911’s
One of The Horde has asked for a Top 5 1911 list. This is difficult, because saying 1911 is like saying Pickup Truck. There are different types, classes of truck. Class wasn’t specified. So this is going to be an overall pick, cross classes.
1. Springfield TRP
2. SIG 1911 TacOps
3. Dan Wesson V-Bob
4. STI Ranger II
5. Springfield 1911 GI
Three of the five selections are full sized, 5” guns. The other two are Commander length guns. There are no three inch guns on my list for a reason. The smaller sized guns get more finicky in terms of reliability and for me, that’s a huge disqualification. The full size and the Commander length guns are where it’s at.
If I was going to pick a few more, the other guns on my list would be the guns in the Colt CCO type configuration with a Commander length barrel and slide on an Officer’s length frame. Such as the SIG C3 and RCS. Both would make the list for sure. Also, if I had another spot, I’d have to put an STI Tactical 4.15, which would also be the only double stacked 1911 on this list, and the only one in 9mm.
If I was going to pick something on the more Budge Minded level, the options are fewer, but some stand out. The pistols from ATI have a strong showing with tolerances on par with guns that cost 3 times as much. The newish Remington R1 is a nice pistol, if you can find one. The Para GI Expert is a very similar gun at a similar price point, and it’s a good one. Then there are the guns from Taurus which are solid values and surprisingly good shooters.
Notice I am not talking about the Semi-Custom Production guns from makers such as Wilson Combat, Les Baer, and Ed Brown. They are certainly good, but the cost level is puts them far and away above the reach of a lot of shooters, without a drastic or tangible increase in returns for the money.
The NAA Ranger Mini .22 Mag
North American Arms has really slammed a home run with the Ranger.
It’s finally an NAA Mini that you can pop open and empty the brass with one hand, and then use the other hand to quickly feed the new rounds in. We are talking about a 4 second reload.
If NAA made some sort of mini speed-loader – that would be wicked cool. Kind of pointless, but still, very cool.
I would like to see a version of the Ranger with a longer barrel, but as it sits, this is the world’s coolest .22 Mag.
More on the 1911
ToddG from Pistol-Training.com knocked it out of the park. This is well said.
I look at the 1911 much like Muscle Car. You can buy faster modern cars, but they just don’t have the class and style that a classic muscle car has.
As much as I love my G23RTF2, it doesn’t evoke the romance and the passion that my 1911’s inspire.
The 1911 is for the Aficionado and the Professional. It’s not for the rank and file foot-soldier. Yes, there is an Elitist aspect to it.
NC Alcohol Bureau’s 1911’s
NC Alcohol Bureau has to ditch their unreliable weapons.
This is an interesting article and needs to be read. To see what these guns are, take a look here. As you guys know, I am a huge fan of the 1911. It is a romance kind of thing. I can’t help myself. However I am also a huge fan of the Glock, because, well, Glocks take away doubt. Doubt about reliability. Doubt about reliabilty can really put a sour taste in my mouth about any gun.
As much as I love the 1911, one company has caused more than one raised eyebrow for me. And that company is Kimber. About two years ago I started seeing some Quality Control issues with Kimber. Some of them minor details, others glaringly obvious factory fumbles. I had to send two guns back to the factory that had just arrived. In my Defensive Pistol training classes, I had a couple Kimbers come through that didn’t want to run… one in particular, a full sized SIS, just about refused to function altogether. That thing jammed like a jazz band.
Hello Glock Talk
Shout-out to Glock Talk. Howdy fellas. Thanks for the hits. Just so you know…
On my hip right now is a Glock 23 RTF2 modified with Warren Tactical night sights, 3.5# Disconnecter and the NY1 Spring, riding in a Sharkhide custom holster from Adams Holsters. Carry loads are Winchester PDX1 JHPs. Backing that up are two G22 mags, one loaded with more PDX1’s and the other with 135 grain Cor Bon’s… namely because I ran out of PDX1’s because I’ve a bad habit of killing prairie dogs with my carry loads.
So, thanks for the kind words. They are appreciated. Cheers!
Magnum on the Mind
I need a revolver. A full framed 686 with a 4 inch barrel, in .357 Magnum. The one main reason that I need one, is that I don’t have one. J-Frame Snubs are great, but the full size, no compromise feel, comfort, and accuracy of a 686 is on a whole other level. Especially when shooting magnum loads. Now, I like .357… I’m one of the few who actually really do like it and dont prefer to fire .38’s out of it. .44 is great, but the cost per shell is significant higher… and if I was going to go there, I would personally rather step up into the .460 Magnum. Yes, I know it’s a much bigger and heavier frame, but its precisely that frame that makes the .460 shootable. But now I come around to consideration of what I would do with a .460 as its now too heavy for any comfortable daily carry type work… which is where that .357 686 comes into play as a great packing gun. Our good friend Mike Kupari is a big time advocate of the wheel gun, and of the .44 magnum. I think I can put the blame on him for this itch in my brain. The other great thing about getting a .357 Mag Revolver is that it would go very well with my .357 magnum M92 Lever Action that I plan on getting… probably next.
North American Arms Ranger
Ken from North American Arms sent me their new little “RANGER” .22 Mag revolver.
The Ranger is very unique for NAA… it’s a top break with an auto ejector, just like a little Schofield. It’s also unique in that its the only top break being made in the US right now. (The others are from Italy) So far my impression is very favorable. Unfortunately its been too cold to hit the range! Hopefully I can get some shots in before the Big Game.
You gotta love Mas!
You gotta love Mas. (Massad Ayoob) The man gets it. He wrote an article about getting reacquainted with the 1911. This is something I’ve just experienced myself… “Coming Home.” I spent much time away, but my roots are forged by Browning. For daily CCW carry, I can’t get away from my Glock 23 Reaper. The balance of firepower, size and weight are just ideal. But it’s like fast food. Breaking out one of my 1911’s is like Prime Rib… with bacon. Now, when I’m instructing, I’ll continue to use the Glock and the reason being is that it illustrates that the weapon is just the tool and it’s all about the shooter’s application of skill. I don’t want a student thinking that he can buy skill by splurging on a 1000 dollar plus handgun. My 500 dollar Glock gets the job done. Just like gobbling down Whopper kills the hunger pains… but real satisfaction comes from that Prime Rib with the sides and the whole spread… Oh yeah, baby. Other guns do a lot things well, but the 1911 does something better than anything else. Hitting first, hitting hard, and hitting right precisely where I want to it. Coming out of the holster, coming up on target, and drilling the target with a .45 caliber slug. It follow’s Sun Tzu’s directive. Hit first, and hit so hard that the enemy can’t hit back. That’s what the 1911 is all about. Now let’s look at the other qualities that “Old Slabsides” has. The way it looks… like a BMW, the lines are just “right” in the blending of form and function… it looks sleek, because it is. It looks authoritative, because it is. It looks menacing, because it is. The 1911 looks like perfect. The way the barrel and bushing mate together giving it the distinctive muzzle characteristic that no other handgun can ever have… it’s iconic. Now the way the 1911 feels… this is the greatest thing about it… you can make it feel precisely how you want it to feel by changing the grips and the main spring housing and the grip safety… you can tune it. Well beyond what any “Small, Medium, or Large” backstraps can afford. The only gun that can do this is the HK P30 and for the price of one of those you can get into a 1911. Let’s face it, the 1911 is classic American Muscle. It’s the American Hot Rod. It’s the Classic Rock. All wrapped up in what is easily the most successful handgun in the world. It’s foundational. Everything the American Shooter is all about.