Posted on 11/23/2010 4:41:59 PM PST by pepsi_junkie
There’s a nice .416 Merkel double at a local shp for $8K.
I’m tempted, even though mastadons died out in NM about 50,000 years ago.
Yes, Slim is a bit of a gun snob.
You’re just mad because the NRA is getting called on their support for people like Harry Reid.
Like many replies already here, I am a fan of the “wheel gun” or revolver and would suggest such. I purchased a Taurus .38 small frame new a few years ago for $285 as carry/defense gun and it’s mind-numbingly simple to shoot and take care of. I would suggest the same for someone new to handguns or who would be a self-defense only type shooter with minimal gun knowledge.
Funny, I get the same effect from watching the news.
Isn’t a .45 a bit big for most women? My wife has only put about 20 rounds through a .45 before she went back to the 9mm. If he’s looking for a gun for him and his wife ... I’d lean toward recommending the 9mm over the .45.
SnakeDoc
I was gonna say watching the news makes me want to ‘use’ one but that could be misconstrued. So I’ll just quietly agree and mourn the loss of my modest collection.
Yeah, the MK23 is just a bit overkill, like the Eagle. Just nowhere near as gawdy in the silver or gold.
That is also my recommendation to the novice or someone who doesn't train as much as they ought (I am beginning to qualify for the latter). There is a factory load that will work reasonably effectively in them for almost everyone as far as recoil tolerance goes, and if a round doesn't go off for whatever reason, the solution is quick, instinctive and wonderfully simple. Best handgun in the world? No. Perfect for everyone? No.
But for a lot of "average" people, it gets the job done with as little fuss as nearly anything out there. I must confess that I didn't really appreciate the utility value of a .38 revolver until I became an old timer myself... shame on me.
Mr. niteowl77
It makes my ears bleed just to look at it!
The Eagle is good for drug dealers and pimps ... the Mk23 is better for SEALs.
SnakeDoc
No, It's a Dancing With the Stars discussion forum. With some poetry thrown in.
Yea! And then you had to go on about drillings. I LOVE drillings.
8K is right in there. That is sort of doable compared to the classic English doubles. I think Ross Seyfried recommended the Merkle back when he wrote for G&A. I miss his articles about boomer handguns.
If price is an issue, you got pretty much 2 brands to choose from...
Charter arms
Rossi
Both are revolvers as that’s the best for newbies. There are cheaper guns out there but they will be either very scarce, oddball calibers, or questionable quality or all the above(generally).
I would try to steer you towards a stainless revolver of one of the above two brands. A stainless revolver is nice because you can be really lazy on cleaning/oiling/maintaining your firearm without much ill effects. It’s common for a semi auto that sits ignored in a drawer for 15 years to not work when you need it. Not so much for a revolver. Taurus also makes good reliable revolvers at fairly reasonable prices but not as reasonable as the above two brands.
But first thing you need to do is get your wife to a shooting range and rent some guns of various calibers to see what she can handle comfortably.
btw, charter arms has one advantage over rossi...it’s made in america. Unless you know what you are doing, stay away from used charter arms revolvers though. Some years they were making really junky guns.
“What do you think of the Ruger Mk III for target practice?”
Good shootin’ iron! I have 2 of the Mark IIs
Ammo is cheap (relatively), so you can develop basic skills without getting beat up by recoil or going broke.
Buy extra mags - .22 cal runs through those fairly quick...
Never shot either of those. I’ve tried to stick with the major brands despite the cost.
And, of course, one must be possessed of uncommon expertise to be able to distinguish between the two! The man asked for opinions not technical data!
My standard recommendation for someone who wants a handgun for home defense, but isn’t particularly “into” guns: Ruger GP100 4” barrel .357 Magnum revolver(or similar revolver)
It’s simple to operate and gives you a wide range of options for ammo. You can shoot everything from powderpuff 38 Special range or target ammo to 38 Special +P defensive ammo
to high powered 357 magnum ammo.
Nothing wrong with 9mm if you’re interested in a semi-auto. I’d suggest checking out the Ruger SR9, Springfield XDM9, or the Smith & Wesson M&P 9 models with a thumb safety. Can’t say I’m a fan of semi-autos that have a relatively light trigger pull and only have a trigger safety for a beginner. Here’s a photo of a competition shooter with “glock leg”(some of his t-shirt got into his holster when he holstered the pistol and pulled the trigger when he moved) http://myweb.cableone.net/uziforme/gsw.jpg
FWIW, I have semi-autos from 22LR to 45ACP and revolvers from 22LR to 45ACP, but a Ruger GP100 loaded with 38 Special +P hollowpoints is my primary defense firearm because it’s what my wife prefers to shoot and I know it’s effective enough to get the job done.
The new ones seem to be good quality. Some of the older ones not so much.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.