Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters All Time Favorite Handgun Ever!

For some reason I can't get as tied to the auto's as I can revolvers. With that I have a real liking for my 6" Colt Anaconda in 44mag. Fits my hand like it was born there and just seems to point like my finger.




While I love the look of the 29's they seem to pinch my hand (maybe another grip would cure this). My Redhawk hasn't quite done it although mine is coming out more and more once I had the trigger tuned and changed the grip.

Honorable mention to the Colt Diamondback. Again this thing is like an extension of my hand, a real pleasure to shoot.

The .32 guys are not yet represented. As much as I would like a 500 Maximum the limits of my shooting ability and pocket book keep that one out on the distant horizon.
My primary use for a handgun is just to carry around my place and shoot at rocks and grasshoppers. The occasional larger critter such as coyote, raccoon and rabbits make the 32 H&R Magnum a more versatile choice.

I am a big fan of the 32 H&R Magnum and the new 327 Federal. The first picture is of a Smith J frame and this is close to my ideal handgun. The port, key lock and mim parts prevent this nice little Kit Gun from becoming a �favorite.�



Here is a Smith 4 inch Kit Gun in 32 H&R Magnum but the polished stainless steel and the red ramp insert front sight prevent this revolver from achieving its true potential in the field. Bright sunlight on your back will stop all shooting.
Under the 32 Magnum is Terry Murbach�s 38 Special Model 36: �Trail Masterpiece� and I admit this one is close to perfect. I prefer the 32 Magnum cartridge but this little trail gun is just about flawless for �work carry.�



George Nonte had a 22 lr Model 34 re-chambered to 32 S&W long and Dave Ward had adjustable put on a S&W Model 31 in 32 S&W Long. Both wrote good words on their little Kit Guns and I am considering send one of these two Model 31�s to Hamilton Bowen to have an adjustable rear sight and a pinned front sight blade installed. I am assuming around $300.00 should cover the work.
At that point I may well have my �favorite handgun.�

Always liked the 32 H&R and fascinated by the 327 Federal, now kinda feeling an itch to get one!

Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum:

Slim,

I always learn something when you post. Much appreciated!

Sycamore

I admit to being torn among older N frame S&Ws, leaning strong into the Model 57s, but this 5" Model 27-2 worked into my heart over 32 years ago and hasn't let go:



I committed a terrible sin among collectors many years ago when I cut down the original stocks to fit my hand...but I still like them!

Thanks, don�t take computer advice from me!
The blue on the High Powers will turn your head and unlimber your wallet.
Nothing quite like a 5� N frame with Magnas and a grip adapter. A bit heavy tp carry around while working but easy to shoot well.

I have probably a dozen handguns (don't tell anyone) and my favorite is my Smith and Wesson model 52. It has the best trigger, best sights, and is the most accurate handgun I have ever shot. Recoil is nada, and it's easy to reload. Lead 148 grain hollow base wadcutters, or even bevel base wadcutters cost $40 for 500. You use 2 or 3 grains of Bullseye. For target practice, it's an absolute joy. For home defense, I've got a nice .45, and for walking in the woods, a nice .44, but for shooting, there's nothing I'd rather have.

My favorite handgun is the Browning Hi Power lightly gunsmithed for a good trigger pull.

My second favorite is a SIG P 220 single action in 22LR.

H&R 999

S&W M19-5. I've always loved the snubbies.

Almost ANY good quality 1911, especially if it's a Lightweight Commander in .45acp
But my Kimber full size 10mm 1911 would be the one if I was truly limited to 1 gun.
And since I grew up reading heavy doses of Elmer Keith & Skeeter Skelton, my 2nd & 3rd choice would be my Flat Top Ruger Blackhawk in .44mag or my S&W
N frame Mountain Gun with a 4" barrel in 45 colt, all though I wish it had a 5" bbl !!!
My 4th & 5th choice would be my S&W N frame .44mag with 6 1/2" bbl aka "Dirty Harry" special. And my new Ruger Stainless Flattop that has a 5 1/2" barrel & 2 cylinders 45lc / 45acp.
Last would be my Glock 32 in 357 sig, but my old Colt LW Commander in .38 super would be hard to leave behind... Or maybe my Glock 10mm
There is just no way in Hell I could limit my self to just one handgun!!!
I doubt that their are not many out here on 24C who could choose just one! And I hope we never have to. Thank God for the NRA!!!

I use to own SUPER 389

I have a good number of hand guns, I have sold and traded a whole bunch. One thing for certain, Ruger got the Super RedHawk right. I just wish it didn't use Ruger proprietary rings. If I could only have one gun, it would be a 1911.

Favorite revolver, my 4" Smith Model 29, a close second is my 4" Smith Model 19. Auto, Smith 1911SC.

Colt Police Positive, six inch barrel, 38 S & W.

I miss my S&W model 57 6" nickle pimp gun I was robbed a long time ago and never replaced it. My favorite no is my S&W 460 10 1/2" barrel it brought the fun back in hand guns for me

Ruger New Model Blackhawk .357 6.5"

S&W Performance Center 500 Magnum Hunter. This hunter has a 6.5" barrel; only 400 were produced in 2004. I've got speedloaders for it, pouches for the speedloaders and a holster with cartridge loops on the holster.

I've got a Glock 20 with a 6" barrel that was fit by Bar Sto to its 6" slide; it's a tie between these two weapons for my favorite.

Tough question!

1.) The 1st one that jumps out is my 4" S&W 629 (red ramp/ white outline sights). Don't have it handy for the "- number", but it was right after they went to the round butt/ Houge grip.

I run either 7.5 or 10.0 grains of Unique behind a 240 grain SWC about 99% of the time for 860 or 1080 fps repectively. It is such a "blast" to drop those big "shells" into the chambers while producing just enough recoil to know you shot something bigger than a rimfire, but not enough to be unpleasant, and putting out enough horsepower to do virtually anything needed. (Although I'd pick a different load if I were hunting big game with it.)

Interestingly to me anyway, a couple times I've coaxed a few, mostly female, relatives with virtually no experience outside to shoot, and started with, depending on what I owned at the time, a .22 (Walther P22 or Ruger MK I), went to a Kel-Tec .32, then a .357 snubbie (stoked with .38's) and/or a Kahr P9, and finally the S&W 629 (7.5 Unique/240 SWC @ 860 fps). They ALL shot the 629 most accurately and loved that gun! Who'da thunk it?

2A.) Now, that being said, if I pack my 629 up and down the steep hills of southern Ohio, the weight and bulk starts to get uncomfortable after awhile. So if being my "favorite" involves packing around a lot, but not necessarily shooting it a lot, outdoors, it would be a stainless 3" .357 revolver with adjustable sights... preferably the S&W 60.

I used to own two Scandium S&W 360's, one with the 1&7/8's?, the other with the 3" barrel, but unfortunately lost them in a divorce. With full-power loads, they'd bruise my hand and the cylinder latch would peel the hide off the inside of my thumb, but they sure packed nicely! The 3" model had the V-notch rear sight, and I never could get it to shoot as well as I'd like. Oh, and I did develop a much milder load using SWC's for general use! I currently have a 3" Taurus 605 with fixed sights and while it'll work, it's just not in the same class as a S&W.

2B.) For packing around a lot, but in everyday activity, my Kahr P9 with nightsites would get the nod. It flat out fits my hand perfectly, has enough power for personal protection, has never, that I can recall, jammed, and is compact enough to go virtually anywhere.