Posted on 11/23/2010 6:16:52 AM PST by Kaslin
It’s been awhile since I’ve written a column offering firearm recommendations. Some of my readers are getting so mad and whining so badly they sound like unarmed liberals. So I’ve written today’s column in an effort to appease them. Actually, I’ve written today’s column in order to fire off a few hints at those who intend to buy me Christmas presents. The following are presented in no particular order of importance:
1. Ruger Mark III Hunter (22 Long Rifle). My Ruger Mark II was the most reliable and accurate pistol I have ever owned. After thousands of rounds at the range I passed it on to my nephew. I am replacing it with this new Ruger Mark III. With a barrel nearly seven inches long this will make an excellent varmint hunting pistol. The cocobolo grips have a nice feel – better than the plastic grips on my previous model. I doubt I’ll be giving this one away any time soon. But I may be able to give away some coon skin caps after I take this one out in the woods a few times.
2. Smith and Wesson Model 629 (44 Magnum). I could have used this weapon last summer when I had an unanticipated encounter or two with some black bears in Colorado. There is a temptation to go with a longer barrel for greater accuracy. But with anything longer than five inches it gets harder to find a good holster – not to mention harder to balance while shooting. In addition to bear stopping, this also makes for a good home defense weapon when loaded with the more tame and controllable 44 Special rounds.
3. Remington 870 Tactical (12 Gauge). This shotgun will be a nice replacement for the old 870 Express HD I just gave to a friend. The seven shot tube will allow me to offer two rounds of number 6 birdshot to an intruder before I release five rounds of double-ought buckshot. I can release seven shots pretty quickly so I’m pleased this one has a compensated barrel.
4. Remington 1100 Tactical 4 (12 Gauge). I had a very difficult time choosing between this gun and the Model 870. Fortunately, as I was mulling the decision, the song “Free Will” by Rush (one of my favorite bands, by the way) came on the radio. One line of the song says “If you choose not to decide, you still have made a choice.” So I chose not to decide between the 870 and the 1100. I chose to get them both.
5. Ruger 10/22 Jacaranda laminate (22 Long Rifle). Sometimes I like to buy a gun just because it’s pretty. This one is no exception. I once had a guitar that was made out of this wood. But the guitar couldn’t kill the possums that get into my bird feeders. This one should get the job done. After picking one up and handling it at Bass Pro Shop I knew it felt too good to be kept off this year’s Christmas list.
6. Smith and Wesson M&P .357 Sig. I’m really getting sick and tired of all my friends telling me that their new Smith pistols are better than my Glocks and Sigs. So I’ve decided to buy one in order to get them to shut up. I’m also sick and tired of the whining noise coming late at night from that pack of coyotes that lives in my neighborhood. Actually, they live back in the woods near the inter-coastal waterway. So I’m going to get this full sized Smith M&P before I head out to silence those coyotes. I may not need all fifteen rounds to get the job done but, hey, better safe than sorry.
I’m already anticipating a lot of hate mail from my friends at PETA. But, don’t worry guys, I promise to send you pictures of everything I kill with my new Christmas presents. I may not eat those coyotes or make a coyote fur coat. But at least I’ll be feeding the turkey vultures – unless I get a wild hair and kill some of them, too (just kidding, Ingrid Newkirk.).
I’m also anticipating a lot of not-quite-hate mail from those who think my firearm choices were less than stellar. But I don’t mind those. Just send an email and tell me what you would have chosen instead. There are so many more Christmas lists to come. And so many more animal rights activists to irritate.
Thirty rounds of .22 magnum is sufficient to cause extreme discomfort.
I repeat. Get yourself down to the local range.
Best presents I've ever gotten. Not only do they mean a lot to me sentimentally, but they among my favorite possessions and great range toys.
Ruger SP101 .357 mag. (Also shoots .38 spec.)
Perfect!!!
Only if you miss. At self-defense range (<7 meters) I don't miss.
TROLL! DUer! BEEB STOONER!
(pant, pant, pant)
Somebody ping somebody important!
Gave my grandson his first compound bow..when they were here last week, it was his uncle’s when he was 10. He is old enough for a bb gun, but his dad said hold off on it another year...they are having grade issues and taking away things works better than a smack on the butt. He’s been a month with out a game machine or the computer.
Friends don’t let friends buy ANYTHING that is not chambered in .45 ACP. Accept NO substitutes!
An altogether fine choice ...
and I repeat - what good is that going to do me? I see no reason to go to a range when I get free range time whenever I want it. I can hit my target, my gun hasn’t had any problems with myriad of ammo. I point, I click, I generally hit what I’m aiming at. Unless I spend a boatload of money trying out all sorts of things until I find something I like or think I like better than what I already have, I really see no use. I could take courses, but money is an issue there also - besides my father was a marksman and I tend to do better than him now since he gets the same amount of range time as me. My real problem there is that he’s old school and doesn’t know the first thing about ACPs, and he’s never around. It would be nice for someone to pop in with some simple advice of “hey, buy this book, or go check out this web site”, but I guess I didn’t frame my statements properly. I did get one good upthread response about 1911s though...
My mistake. I thought you were serious about learning and using a 1911 before buying one.
Friends advise friends to buy the gun that best suits them.
I have one of those in 22mag bull barrel with scope. It’s a little hard to put on my shoulder but it sure is easy to carry and it’s accurate.
nice
looking at a .40 option, perhaps in Springfield. Currently own a Ruger SR9, and like it very much, but that .40 is on the wish list
It’s not whether I’m serious or not... It’s just that I would like some concrete statements backed up with some verifiable information as to why one is better than another. You know, things like brand, options capabilities, good for CCW or not, what makes it better than say a GLOCK (like firing pin issues, craftsmanship, aesthetics, etc...) - you know specific details as to why someone despises a GLOCK and likes something else based on their experience. I know I can go to a firing range and spend some money buying their ammo and using one of their guns, but I’d like a more meaningful reason to spend the money than simply “I despise/detest GLOCKs”. I’d like to know why someone has formed that opinion to help me determine if there is something I haven’t considered that perhaps I should have based on my limited knowledge of the myriad options that do exist.
I was trying to politely ask for a nudge in the right direction, apparently I hit a nerve somewhere along the line. Sorry about that.
From your first post you specified you wanted a 1911. At that point, most of your above points have already been decided. If you want a 1911, try it out under the instruction of someone that knows 1911's and see how you like it. Ask them the advantages, disadvantages of the 1911 versus other auto's or revolvers. Visit gun stores and talk to the staff.
Now as to your wanting a nudge, try google 'best defense handgun'.
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