ScottDLS wrote:
One question I have for 1911 aficionados.... I seem to remember Gold Cups (Series 80) going for $800+ even 30 years ago...but I seem to remember Kimbers being cheap and considers by Colt fans to be way inferior. Were Kimbers lousy and they just got better? Or were they always good. Seems now they are considered premium guns.
Kimber is on of of those love/hate brands, better yet Kimber is like a political affiliation, in that regard. Rarely do you find someone neutral on them.
On the other hand, Colt fans (Much like Kimber fans) are usually pretty fanatical!
Many Colt/Kimber fans consider the other to be a waste of money. I'm more in the camp that likes either, when they are well build and run. (which isn't always the case, with either) And I'm not a fan of the series 80 or the Schwartz safeties.
S&W M&P Mod 2.0 9mm 5inch in flat dark earth. Carry, range, home, everything. Works for me. Your mileage will vary.
O. Lee James, III Captain, US Army (Retired 2012), Honorable Order of St. Barbara
2/19FA, 1st Cavalry Division 73-78; 56FA BDE (Pershing) 78-81
NRA, NRA Basic Pistol Shooting Instructor, Rangemaster Certified, GOA, TSRA, NAR L1
If I HAVE to make a choice... Which is almost impossible due to the exceptional range of quality firearms out there. And limited to what is sitting in my gun safe, Then this is my current two favorites.
I don't care. As a 1911 afficionado, I will include the 1911 in my personal, totally subjective rankings of top handguns for me. Of course, I own all of these, but it makes sense since I would buy what I feel are the best before I start buying lesser ones, right? Fortunately for the OP, the 1911 is only in 3rd place. It's the most ergonomic handgun (for me anyway) that I own thanks to my model being a double stack with a hogue grip and high ride beavertail. It weighs 3lb 10oz loaded, so it's nice and beefy. Number 2 goes to the FNX-45. Great range toy, and it just looks stupendous. Recoil is very manageable. It is also super reliable. But it is difficult to conceal carry due to its oversized dimensions. Number 1 goes to the Five-seveN. Why? 20+1 rounds of goodness. Easy recoil. It's snappy, but super easy to control. Despite the size, it is surprisingly easy to conceal with even the thinnest cover garment. It's very lightweight, extremely reliable (only pistol so far that I never had a malf with), and is a serious tack driver out to at least 25 yards. At that distance, I can group a fist sized target without even trying. The only downside is the insanely high MSRP for what it is. But if you have the funds to boot, it is totally worth it.
Now of all my handguns, my favorite didn't even make it to the top 3. Recoil is insane on it. You pretty much need to wear gloves, but it is difficult because a gloved finger will barely fit inside the trigger guard. It only holds 5 rounds. No muzzle brake. But it is shiny (I polished mine) with custom mongolian stag grips. SAO too. It's a BFR chambered in 500 S&W. It looks super classy, and when I get enough courage to pull the trigger, the immense bang that it produces and the awful amount of smoke that comes out of the barrel makes it totally worth it. It's a very satisfying handgun to shoot... with gloves. Without, I never fail to start bleeding.
I love 1911’s but I knew it would be a lot of people’s favorite so that’s why I excluded them! But list them if you want! I just like to stir the pot a little hehe.
Best carry gun (excluding 1911s): Springfield XD in 45
Best target gun: S&W model 25 revolver with a six inch barrel in 45 ACP. Really wish I had not gotten rid of it and would buy another in a heart beat.
Second best is a tie between the Ruger 22 (mine is a mark II but I don't know if the newer are better) and the Browning Buckmark. Great plinkers and loads of fun.
Have to give honorable mention to an AR pistol. Never thought too much of them before, kind of a solution looking for a problem type of thing. Shot a frriend's this morning for the first time. Loads of fun to shoot.
I might be the only person on this forum who will not trust his life to a 1911 (Flame Suit On) . I have had way too many reliability issues with them over the years.
Just my .02,
LeonCarr
"Whitetail Deer are extinct because of rifles with telescopes mounted on them." - My 11th Grade English Teacher