I had been saving up for a while to get either a new gun or airsoft gun. I tried to generate more interest in Airsoft but nobody really bit, so I suppose I can use the money to finally get a decent handgun to shoot out in the field/range.
I don't care if I get one for range or sport or combat or whatever, all guns should be able to put up with shooting paper targets or cans or anything non-alive I feel like blowing holes in. So, therefore, IE, comments regarding certain guns as a bad idea for the range will be treated with hostile comments about copulation with your mother.
Anyway, I was raised on two handgun calibers; the .45 auto and the .44 magnum. I like .22s but they largely bore me. I want to eventually get a nice target/range special match edition gold blah blah pistol, but for now I more want something I can plug old Macintosh computers with.
My contenders are absolutely totally different kinds of guns, and I like them for all sorts of reasons... (in no particular order)
1. Bond Arms Derringers
This is the Snake Slayer IV, it is a .45 colt revolver round and also shoots .410 shotgun shells. Its basically time for another good idea/bad idea.
PROS
-ammo isn't too expensive/there's a huge variety of kinds of the same calibers
-break action is (fucking) awesome
-10ish grip choices from factory
-over 10 factory holsters
-15 interchangeable barrels, from .22 to .357 magnum to 10mm auto, damn near everything
-tried and tested one of the most durable and reliable
things ever made
CONS
-it's fucking tiny (horrible for recoil/range use if you like to hit targets further than 25 feet away)
-decent sized grips cost more, and the larger you get, the fewer colors/materials/options
-price is almost the same as a good used revolver or auto
-different barrel choices require different sized holsters for the most part
-no actual sights, refer to photo
-more made for quickly shooting a bitch, something I don't plan on doing
Price: $350-550 New/depends on model
-----------------------------------------------------------------
2. Dan Wesson Revolvers
This is a Dan Wesson. They'd been making revolvers with interchangeable barrels and grips since the early '70s. They use a patented design that screws the barrel in, then a separate shroud goes around the barrel, then these are locked with a nut. This stabilizes the barrel at both ends causing better accuracy. The grips are one large piece of wood or plastic that fit over the butt of the revolver all the way around, so you can have small carry grips, target trips, combat grips, magic grips, whatever you want.
PROS
-proven accuracy
-infinite customization, no gunsmith required
-custom barrels are easy to make by gunsmiths if you like
-there are literally hundreds of grip types available
-barrels can be 2 inches to 15 inches long, and change in less than a minute
-sights are easy to swap, something that's horrible on most guns
CONS
-rare availability and price is
psychotically different depending on model, year, finish, and caliber
-calibers are literally offered in .22, .357/.38, and .44mag/.44 special, pretty much it, there are weird calibers like 357 maximum and 445 supermag but they all shoot the smaller bullets and can cost over ten bucks cheaper per box
-revolvers officially went defunct a few years ago, there are NO NEW ones
-.357/.22 calibers went defunct in the early '90s, only old used ones exist
-silver guns are rare in anything but .44
-no one makes holsters for them, only colt python/anaconda holsters fit well, but they are still different
Price: m15/715 (.357)-$250-700, m44/744 (.44 mag) $600-900, m22/722 (.22 cal) $450-?, 744 or 745 (dont remember) (.445 supermagnum) also designated "Alaskan Guide Special" $800-1200
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3. Thompson-Center Contender/Encore
Created to be a bridge between rifle and pisol, the Thompson/Center series of pistol/rifles is impressive in accuracy and versatility. Basically, these motherfuckers are pistols chambered in virtually any caliber that can be converted into rifles, if you wish. Single shot break action pistols are known for durability, and these have the break latch as the trigger guard, which is just a cool idea.
PROS
-any caliber
-huge amounts of stocks/grips/foregrips/barrels/scope mounts/sights for sale
-accurate for target shooting long range
-break action is (fucking) cool
-triggers can be adjustable depending on the one you get
-fewer parts = fewer shit that can break
-heavy, but this lessens recoil like nuuuts
-price is amazing for what you get, but they expect you to get multiple barrels and configurations
CONS
-they are the size of the Cloverfield monster, due to this, holsters are difficult to find/are uncomfortable as shit/Cloverfield monster in a holster is a funny image to me
-accessories can be expensive, can be
-only one shot, reloading can be fast or slow depending, but this may not matter
-never could you ever carry this in your car or in a holster for personal protection, unless you can prove a bear tried to steal your wallet
Price: $200-550 depending on model/amount of barrels/if it was a custom shop special
-----------------------------------------------------------------
4. Jericho (Baby Eagle/Uzi Eagle/Desert Eagle small frame)
Those two guns above are indeed the same guns, the Jericho is a sad story of an amazing design that was never marketed for any reason. Israeli design, like the Desert Eagle (did you know that?) and the Uzi (which i hate). It uses the same type of new age rifling in the barrel as the USP and DEagle, hexagonal rifing, which allows for many tiny twists instead of 6 or 8 main threads in the barrel, this pushes the bullet to spin faster, which causes longer range. The pistol is based on the Tangfolio Witness of middle east design, which is based on the CZ-75 of Czech design, which is based on the 1911, of American Design. That was long winded. Anyway, they've been imported on several names and have been produced all over the world, also named the Baby Eagle when marketed in the late 1990's to capitalize on the fame of the Desert Eagle.
PROS
-design is badass looking
-holds huge magazines of ammo
-severely reduced recoil, fires like a .22
-grip frame design looks weird but somehow fits the hand amazingly
-internals are hard as shit, these are meant for intense, sandy environments with Israeli Special Forces teams (still standard issue for them)
-comes in all steel black or silver, compact, semi compact, full size, and the first two come with optional polymer frame (first pic)
-price is insanely cheap for the quality (they dont manufacture the frames themselves so that save them manufacturing cash
CONS
-9mm, .40 cal, or .45 auto, that is all you can get
-45 cal versions have no holster or grips easily available in Americas
-tough to figure out which branded model is the best/tracking down variations is annoying
--rails, sights, and safeties changed several times over the years (previous point)
-heavy size is great for recoil, but carrying one around is a pain in the ass, especially when you can't find a holster
-stock grips are a fucking joke
-originals shipped with a .41AE conversion kit, which is nice, but they no longer make that ammo...anywhere
Price: 9mm/.40/.45 $300-600, .41AE $500-? (.41AE kits are collectible models, only made 2 years in limited production)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5. Uberti/Navy Arms 1875 Schofield
1875 Schofield revolvers were developed as a top break New Model 3 by Smith and Wesson in the late 1800s and was revamped by a certain General Schofield to quicker one-hand reloading while riding a horse, he accidentally designed the forefront all all modern revolvers. All modern double action revolvers are based on the idea of the cylinder folding out and all six shots can be expended and reloaded instead of the older style of the cylinder staying in place and each shell ejected and reloaded one by one. The ejector actually does shoot the empties out, and if you aren't careful they can hit you in the eye. That to me is fucking awesome.
PROS
-1875 design has not been changed in modern top break revolvers largely
-tough design
-low recoil
-accurate barrels in varied lengths
-quick, showy reloading will make you feel like a cool motherfucker
CONS
-1875 design does not have any goddamn safety features found on every other modern revolver
-the grips are comfy-ish, but I can imagine they would quickly get annoying, and you cant change them to a modern style target grip unless you have them custom made
-the sights are fixed, and since the rear sight functions as the barrel latch, its unadjustable and mostly for show
-only available as blued/case hardened by Uberti, they had silver editions for a while but those are so uncommon I've only seen photos
-comes in .44 russian, .44-40, which are awful, rare, useless calibers (but it also comes in .45 colt which is neither of those)
-can be expensive depending on where you get them
-'hot' ammo, that is +P high pressure high velocity ammo, can totally destroy the gun's hinged body to a point where it would explode and fly into your face
Price: $450-700 used/new, Smith and Wesson model 3's (not exactly the same as the Schofield because the latch requires two hands) are usually around $1,000 USD, and they never explain why (BECAUSE IT CAN BE).
Those are my choices! Vote in the comments section!
Thanks.
-KSL
