Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns Favorite range gun / most fun

Oops......senior moment.........

Here's a favorite "range" gun: Ruger .357 Maximum, 10.5" barrel. Wonderfully accurate at 200 meters, where it has to be to take down the Rams in IHMSA competition, which is where I use it most. H4227 under a 180gr Hornady XTP in Starline brass with Remington 6 1/2 primers.

Short barrels are no hindrance to enjoyment at the range. 3.5" S&W M27-2 with a gold-bead front sight and Ivory micarta grips by John Culina paired with a Tyler T-grip. 180gr Laser-Cast truncated cone bullets over Power Pistol in Starline brass.

Few things beat an accurate rimfire, and this Anschutz Exemplar 22lr is that in spades. I've replaced the Leupold 2.5x-8 and the Ken Light riser mount with a Bushnell 3200 2-6 scope mounted on a Weaver adapter in standard position over the action.

In centerfire trim is a Remington XP100 in 7TCU in a custom laminated stock with BoMar sights. 139gr Hornady's over H322 in Lake City brass makes for an accurate, gently recoiling round that hammers Rams at 200 meters.

By the by, in my experience once someone has the opportunity to hit targets at 200 meters with a handgun--and I've seen first time shooters do this when provided with the proper guns--the idea of shooting decently sized targets at 50 yards hardly seems to be "long range."

Also one of my favorites. Bust 'em on the 50yd berm with handguns first, then pick off the little fragments with the scoped 452.

I just had my 5.7's trigger reworked. Not perfect like the old smiths could be made, but a lot better. E

My favorite handguns, of all time were the K-38 S&W, 6 inch I had back in the 60's, and my current Kimber Stainless Custom Target. Very accurate guns. From a rest, the K-38 would put all 6 into an inch, outside spread at 25 yds. with the old WW, Western .38 Target Ammo. With both guns, off hand, two handed on a good day, I could 1.5 inch groups at 25 yds.
Had a Browning H-P that used to put my 90 Sierra handloads into an inch s well. Still kick myself for letting both it and the K-38 go. E

Now that I've accumulated several hundred rounds of factory brass, this one is getting a lot of play at the range. A Herters 401 Powermag. I'm using 200 grain SWC from an Arsenal mold and waiting on an LBT mold for a 240 grain WLN. Its a well made and strong revolver though a little ungainly looking. I wasn't sure about the large grip frame but after shooting it and my Powermags in 357 and 44 with heavy loads, I find I like the Powermag grip. It seems to handle recoil on a par with the Ruger Bisley grip frame, which I prefer for heavy loads.

The 401 has been a fun project and very enjoyable to shoot.

Very cool Mart! I remember the Herter's ads for those from when I was a kid.

If I had spent as much time studying my school books as I did the Herters catalogs, I might have gotten better grades.

This old Mountie is hands down one of my favorites.



Plenty of guns that cost more, but I consider few as fun.

The funny thing is that when hunting, it has become so second nature to work the action, that sometimes, I will shoot at a jack, then go a bit further and then look down and see that the hammer is down. Then I have to see if I have worked the action, and then let the hammer down already. Often, I have done it, not thinking about it. Just thinking about where the bunnies are going to pop up next.

That gun is hell on empty shotgun hulls too. Great fun trying to see how far you can launch them into the air.


A suppressed .22 shooting subsonic ammo is hard to beat, especially camping. I like to enjoy the peace and quiet while in the mountains, so if I can shoot a couple of boxes of .22s at pine cones and whatnot, and not disturb anybody, as well as not let anyone know I am even there, then that is all the better.



Crimson Trace laser grips have led to the demise of many a critter.

Springfield 1911 9mm and Colt Gold Cup 22lr threaded.
Both are fun to shoot, accurate, and great triggers.

1911 in 45 Super.

ruger 10-22 and mk II

glock 19

sa m1a1

nula 7mm-08


hmmm I've got a 29 loaded for the weekend along with a kahr 9mm a win .30-.30, am thinking I need to load up some .22's as we'll have grand daughters with.

Tough to beat either of these. Buckmark with can and a 9.5" Single Six Convertible.

That Buckmark is too much fun.

Mine has to be my Ruger Blackhawk .44 Special with 5.5 inch barrel. 240gr. SWC with any powder in my collection works good.