Five Revolvers You Should Shoot Before You Die
Every enthusiastic shooter and collector has a list of guns they want to own, or maybe just to shoot. How to narrow it down?
Well, that is not easy. But I have managed to narrow my recommended list of revolvers down to five. So, without further ado, here are five revolvers you should shoot before you die, in no particular order.
Colt Single Action Army/Model P
If there is a revolver more famous than the gun variously known as the Model 1873, the Model P, the Peacemaker, the Frontier Six-Shooter, or the Single Action Army, I do not know what it might be. It is a worthy first for this list. Here’s why:
Not only is the Model P a staple of almost every Western movie ever made, it is without a doubt the most iconic, the most beloved single-action sixgun in the American shooting world. It is not as modern as the Ruger Blackhawk, or as powerful as the various behemoth magnum wrist-breakers that seem to escalate up the power scale every few weeks. But the Single Action Army, no matter what your personal firearms might be, will draw an interested second look from almost any shooter.
Introduced in 1873 and still in (Custom Shop) production today, the old Colt has never quite outlived its usefulness. You can find these in a variety of liveries, from the 3-inch ejectorless “Storekeeper” to the 12-inch-barreled “Buntline Special.” In the early 20th century Colt built some 1st generation guns in a “Flat-top” target version with better sights, and from 1894 to 1912 they made the Bisley model, also intended as a target gun. From 1961 to 1975, Colt offered the 2nd generation gun with a flat top and adjustable sights as the New Frontier model, which may or may not have been an attempt to cash in on John Kennedy’s campaign slogan.
The Single Action Army not only saw use on the American frontier and in the hands of U.S. soldiers, but also in a wide variety of other places. The gun spawned a plethora of copies (imitation is, as they say, the sincerest form of flattery) and found celebrity endorsers from Elmer Keith to John Wayne. It remains, today, inarguably the most famous revolver in American history – maybe world history.
An SAA will set you back a tidy few shekels today, whether you are buying new or used, but there are plenty of replicas and modernizations out there. But sometimes there is nothing like an original. If you get the chance to shoot one, do not pass it up.
Beauregard LeMat “Grapeshot Revolver”
What could be better than a nine-shot revolver that substitutes a 20-gauge shotgun barrel for the cylinder pin? Uniqueness alone makes this a gun worth a further look. Here’s why:
Made from 1856 to 1865, the “grapeshot revolver” was designed by a Frenchman, Jean Alexandre LeMat, and featured a nine-shot cylinder in either .42 or .36 caliber around a .60 caliber (20 gauge, more or less) shotgun barrel. Towards the end of the run a pinfire cartridge and, supposedly, a centerfire cartridge version was produced, although these are as scarce as honest politicians. Today, Pietta of Italy makes a reproduction in .44 caliber/20 gauge, although these seem scarce (and pricey) as well.
Combination guns have been a thing for a long time in long arms, from the old German “Cape guns” (one rifle barrel combined with one shotgun barrel) and “Drillings” (two shotgun barrels and one rifle barrel) along with various other combinations, right up through the rather more well-known Stevens 24. But the LeMat was something different, intended as a cavalry piece and well suited to it; three more pistol-caliber rounds than the usual piece of that time, and in extremis, when hard-pressed by an enemy, exploding that shotgun barrel in their face would be terrible on the opponent’s morale, not to mention his dental work, although it may be a windfall for the local undertaker.
I have not yet had the chance to handle or fire a LeMat, having been no closer to one than examining one behind glass in a museum. But it is on my bucket list, and I recommend it be on yours; whether original or replica, firing one of these should be memorable experience.
Colt 1860 Army
The Colt Army revolver was perhaps the single most popular sidearm for both sides in the War of the Northern Aggression, and for that reason alone is worth seeking one out for a try; but that’s not the only reason it’s on the list. Here’s why:
The ultimate development of the martial cap-and-ball revolver, the Colt’s Army, as it was known in the Civil War era in which it was popular among both sides, combined the grace of the 1851 Navy with the punch of the big Dragoon revolvers.
The reason for the gracefulness was simple; the 1860 Army used the same light frame as the 1851 Navy, cut back some to allow for a rebated cylinder for the bigger .44 caliber balls. The Army used the same lockwork and had the same balance, the same slickness clearing leather, the same reliability and accuracy. Between 1860 and 1873, about 200,000 guns were made, but today, there are several companies making middling-to-excellent replicas.
There were only a few basic variations on the 1860 Army, although one popular option was the detachable shoulder stock. Some such stocks were hollow and meant to serve as a canteen; these were rather unimaginatively known as “canteen stocks” and were presumably handy for carrying a supply of fresh water – or whiskey.
There is something very satisfying about firing a black-powder revolver. The BOOM, the cloud of smoke, the slow push of recoil, all form a satisfactory payoff for the laborious process of loading. Try it!
Colt Detective Special/Smith & Wesson Chief’s Special
Both Colt and Smith & Wesson made damn near identical versions of the classic small-frame .38 snubbie, and both are decent sidearms, if accuracy outside of rock-throwing distance is not too much of a concern. But they still are singular arms. Here’s why:
The story of the “snubbie” begins around 1925, when a Colt Firearms employee named John Henry Fitzgerald came up with what would be known as the “Fitz Special.” This was a .38 Special Colt Police Positive, with the barrel shortened to two inches, the ejector rod cut short to match, the hammer spur bobbed, and the front of the trigger guard cut away. The result was a lightweight hideout piece, of which Colt made somewhat less than two hundred; the exact number is unclear.
Then, in 1927, Colt legitimized the Fitz Special, keeping the two-inch barrel but also retaining the entire trigger guard and the hammer spur. This was the Colt Detective Special, the first mass-production snubnose revolver.
Colt’s primary competition in those days was Smith & Wesson, who inexplicably waited until 1950 before introducing their own snubnose revolver. For this purpose, they designed a new frame, which would be known as the J or “.32” frame, but the new snubbie was designed around the .38 Special cartridge. This resulted in a powerful gun in a small package, but also limited the gun to a five-shot cylinder.
The Colt Detective Special ceased production in 1995, while the Smith & Wesson snubbie, now made as the Model 36, is still in production. Both are interesting pieces, both still to this day make good carry pieces.
Smith & Wesson K-22
In (year) Smith & Wesson introduced one of the best rimfire sidearms that had ever been made to date. The gun came to be known as the K-22 due to the use of the K or “38” frame, and later was designated as the Model 17. A .22 sidearm has a place in any collection, and this one is one of the best. Here’s why:
In 1930, Smith & Wesson brought their first .22 revolver on the K frame, calling it the K-22 Outdoorsman. The original model had a six-inch barrel, fixed sights and was guaranteed to shoot into an inch and a half at 50 yards.
In 1939, Smith & Wesson brought out an improvement, which they called the K-22 Masterpiece. These improvements included a shorter action for faster lock-time and a micrometer rear sight. Only a tad over a thousand of these were made before World War 2 interrupted the sale.
The shooting community saw a burst of development among American gunmakers in the years immediately following World War 2. The industry that was until recently engaged in producing martial arms was now released to seek civilian customers, and millions of returning servicemen had their pockets full of demobilization pay.
Smith & Wesson’s answer was to bring back the K-22 in 1947. In 1949 they introduced the K-22 Combat Masterpiece, a four-inch version, and eventually versions were marketed in stainless steel and also chambered for the .22 WMR and even in the .22 Remington Jet, with steel inserts to allow the revolver to handle the .22 Long Rifle.
The K-22 is a remarkable revolver. It can hold its own on a target range or in the game fields. It has a well-deserved reputation for accuracy, and while the K-frame lends enough heft to the gun to allow for a steady hold, it remains light enough to carry all day in a belt holster.
I have been watching for a good example of the Combat Masterpiece for a while now, as a companion piece to my 25-5. The gun is still manufactured today, after a short hiatus, but as a pricey “Classic” item. There are plenty of examples for sale, but ones in decent conditions rarely go for under four figures. So, I watch and wait.
In Conclusion
Anyone who has read much of my work knows I am a wheelgun man. I like big-bore sixguns, and when bumming around in the mountains almost always have a .45 Colt sixgun secured at my belt. I generally choose the big N-frame Smith & Wesson 25-5 but occasionally go for the Vaquero, just for variety.
Revolvers have a couple of advantages over semi-autos; they are less finicky about ammo (you can run a .38 Short Colt through a .357 Magnum, and thus have good capability for game from rabbit to deer) and can generally handle stouter loads. They are simpler, therefore generally easier for many folks to learn and operate. The five mentioned here are no exception, and if any of you have the chance to handle/fire one of them, I am sure you will enjoy the experience.
Still, in this modern age, most of this argument of revolver vs. pistol is just a matter of preference. I have some of each and find my full-size 1911 to be just as good a belt companion as my sixguns – and by good companion, I mean ‘something I can rely on to save my bacon if need be.’
Speaking of which, next week: Pistols.
A LeMat was Ed Harris’ pistol in Westworld.
Yes, except it was converted to cartridges.
I believe it is the Italian repo that Animal mentions in the text.
Those are percussion cap, the one in WW was one of those, further modified:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9QIvy3T8kg
IDK if it’s actually fireable.
I used to CC a Smith & Wesson J frame. It was recommended to me by a police detective who I met while I was in college (times sure have changed, huh?) He liked that it was small but still packed a decent .38 punch. Also he showed me that you could conceal it in your coat pocket and shoot right through your coat if you were in a tough situation.
Mine was fun to shoot at the range and extremely reliable.
How many coats did you go through?
Fortunately I never found myself in a tough situation. He did warn that your coat would probably catch on fire though.
You mean you didn’t practice that shot at the range?
The only guns I have right now are revolvers, a model 27, 29, and 17 – I love the blued smiths
BLUED SMITH LOVE YOU TOO. BY LOVE, MEAN RAPE BARRELS OF REVOLVERS.
BLACK AND BLUED SMITH.
I’ve been looking to pick up a 2nd K-22.
Ruger Single Six 22 is one of my favorites. Interchangeable cylinders means it will fire 22LR or 22 WinMag.
That’s a classic – my brother and I did a lot of shooting with his growing up. The bearcat looks fun to plink around with as well
I would need a yuge hand-cannon in my list, something like a Cobra or 686 or 29 or Red/Blackhawk.
Another thought are the break-tops like the Model 3 and the Webley.
Not a (working) revolver owner. I do have my grandfather’s revolver, which participated in many adventures straight out of Lonesome Dove, on display. Need to confirm, but I’m abut 90% sure its the Colt Single Action.
No plans to get one. My firearms budget is currently aimed at optimizing what I have and accumulating ammo, which will also have the dual purpose of serving as trade goods if things really go to shit.
Make that great-grandfather. I need to get Pater Dean to record his stories about the old guy, who rustled cattle in Mexico, busted a guy out of a Mexican prison, ran down and shot (likely killed) a cattle thief, etc.
You really should, I often think about my grandpa, all the stories that he had, that are now lost
I’ve told my kids, grand kids, nephews, nieces to ask their questions now, while I can still relate their grand parents/great grandparents (to some degree) stories and history. Doesn’t seem to be much interest, not when you have a cell phone.
I know I got tired to listening to my grandma’s and dad’s stories that she told over and over again, but there are details I have been able to pull out and use in my books for sharper “authenticity” and world/character building.
Record them anyway, just like if you were telling them at the dinner table.
They may not be interested now, but I suspect they will be very grateful later on.
Have to second this. A friend of my father’s recorded on DVD his stories from when he was in WWII. Turned out that nice old man was a member of the Black Sheep Squadron.
Don’t own any revolvers… yet.
When I do, the first two will undoubtedly be Uberti/Cimmaron/etc. replicas tunes for cowboy shooting. That way I can join the crowd that’s across the street every weekend. Of course, the rules say I’d need to create a character. I’d definitely go with a top hat since I’ve already got the monocle.
Even as someone who plays role playing games, this strikes me as expecially dweebish.
Yup. And they are srs about it too.
I’d rather compete as myself. No need to pretend to be something or someone I’m not.
There is a guy that’s been in my squad several times that also does SASS, and he competes with his real name and some modifier, like “Six-gun Arnie” or some such. It’s always fun to shoot with him because he brings revolvers (a couple of times he used a first-run Python). He also pre-plans his runs (like on paper) since he has to reload more.
You could be the UnCivil Sheriff.
I’ve got a nice .357 stainless. It’s a good workhorse. The first time I shot it, I wasn’t expecting that kind of noise. Damn it’s loud.
I stay the hell away from magnum pistol rounds. I don’t need a flinch, and after a couple shots with a .44, I knew it would give me one if I kept shooting it, so I handed it back to its owner. The .45 and 9mm are plenty for my foreseeable needs.
*begin pedantic needlessly-picking-a-fight mode*
A blowback semi-auto (Ruger Mark, Hi-Point, Walther PP etc.) is simpler than all the timing/lockwork on a revolver.
*waits to see what happens*
Sh*t F!rearm Owners Don’t Say
Related: The definitive EDC guide
I moved to a pistol grudgingly, mostly for profile and capacity, but I remain a revolver man at heart.
I wouldn’t argue simplicity; I’m more a PFMEA guy, and it’s all about the process.
RPN = Severity * Occurrence * Detectability which I’ll convert to
RPN = Severity * Occurrence * Recoverable
Revolver failure to time/revolve = 10 * .0000000000001 * 10
Pistol failure to load = 8 * .02 * 4
Pistol failure to eject = 8 * .02 *2
The Baysian probable cost of the pistol failures is just higher . . . in the first six rounds.
I question some of the assumptions used in your calculations.
I wonder what the observed failure rate at ICORE matches is. I see plenty of failures, but I don’t know that I’ve seen one that wasn’t due to PEBKAC, whether straight up operator error, crappy ammo reloading, or bubbaing “upgrades.” I’ll put caliber conversion kits in that last category.
how many cylinders failed-to-advance/sync at this ICORE thingy?
SOD aren’t necessarily linear: make them what you like. I’m really watching House with NewWife on the couch and barely paying attention, so I didn’t find time to convert this more to a PPM basis.
The other thing to think about in PFMEA: what is your process? For me, the only thing that matters is satisfying the client’s needs through specs . . . . flawlessly, including delivery of the proper amount on time to the correct location . . . the VBP (very big picture). For me, therefore, supplier quality is part of my process, I’m on the hook for it, and the robustness of my process (Goes Bang Every Time) include accountability for ammo quality.
I’m just saying that (and I’m admittedly relying on the Rule of 3) revolvers go bang more reliably: the client is more satisfied/survives.
But I’m just having fun with this . . . don’t have data on any of the bits . . . other than my 686 has never in 30 years failed to fire.
ICORE is like USPSA, but for revolvers. The reason I was wondering about that specifically is that during one my my club’s matches, I’ll witness >2000 rounds fired, by people trying to move really fast, so there will be a goodly number of opportunities for fuckup. It would be a more fair comparison than my observations at the range. Especially since I’d wager that even at the range, an autoloader shooter will put more rounds downrange in a given period of time than his revolver-practicing counterpart simply due to reloading time.
And apparently you can break a revolver by reloading it roughly?
*shouting as if it were an anime attack move*
SPEEDLOADER SMASH!
How do you see failure to fire? For a revolver vs automatic. If you assume fully functional ammo in both cases and if a round is cycled (either by cylinder or stripping and cocking of the round from the magazine) what is the probability of a misfire? Hammer or striker failing to strike the primer with enought force to result in a fire.
The M3 GreaseGun is the simplest tool known to man. More simple than a wedge.
The Sten gun in the back is giving you a disapproving look.
I’ve never had much opportunity to shoot revolvers. However i’ll say that i’ve always found the old Smith and Wesson and Colt revolvers much more palatable to the eye than the modern day snub nosed ones.
She’s also a mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking girl. I mean, that’s a storybook, man.
U.S. District Judge Cormac J. Carney has stepped down as Chief Judge of the Central District of California because he complimented a black court official for being “street-smart.”
Carney will remain a judge, but will yield his senior post as leader of the country’s largest federal court jurisdiction.
The Los Angeles Times reported Sunday that Carney, a George W. Bush appointee, had attempted to praise court executive and clerk Kiry K. Gray, who has worked for the court for 35 years.
You literally cannot compliment someone in woke 2020. When everything is racist, nothing is.
For all their talk about lived experiences, the only way it seems to matter is the way in which white people have deficiencies.
I have a firm rule against complimenting anyone at work for anything other than a specific piece of work product (including running/managing a meeting or project).
Other than to shake hands during the Before Times, I have not initiated any physical contact with someone at work for decades.
Sad, but unfortunately I think its prudent.
Compliment in public, counsel in private. I always kept the compliments to work related and usually group oriented.
“You guys really kicked ass on Sat” type of thing.
Crest Introduces New More Socially Conscious Tooth Blackening Paste
Doctors Recommend Locking Down And Reopening Repeatedly Until Everyone Has Nervous Breakdown
Have you tried turning the economy off and on again?
I shot a revolver once. I don’t know what it was, but compared to 5-year-old me, it was huge. I have a picture of me holding it, but the pic is at my mom’s house.
The only revolver I’ve ever fired was a 7-round S&W Model 10. It helped me realize my eyes could use iron sights anymore.
I like revolvers. Have a .38 snubbie as a bedside gun, and I’d love to own a top-notch big bore .357 or .44. Those things are so damned expensive, though/
The high-capacity .45 is out of mothballs and back in its rightful place in my bedside table. I had been keeping the 9mm carry gun there, but its getting more time out of the house these days.
Hey, remember when Jerry Taylor was a libertarian, and sane?
If you dare try to show that you will defend yourself, i’ll kill you!
It’s just such a stupid, bizarre comment. I made the mistake of actually going to his twatter after that (he deleted that particular one, though) and there are gems like that all over the place.
etc, etc, etc,
The roots of AntiFa was Action Directe and the Red Army Faction. Consider yourself corrected.
??
Even Wikipedia agrees with that and it’s edited by progs.
That [29] reference number points to Jacobin Mag, hardly a right wing disinformation outlet.
, students’ anti-authoritarian – I think the general use of anti-authoritarian in English is opposed to what I think the word should mean.
Well, in general, the “anti-authoritarians” would install a committee to play the role of Ceausescu. That’s much better than putting it into the hands of one man.
Tailoring your response for your specific audience is really going the extra mile!
Somebody ate the wrong shrooms.
Stroke? Traumatic brain injury?
“Correct me if I am wrong…” Ok Jerry. You are wrong.
Do a search for Soviet paradise, you dumb shit.
*When the Nazi’s invaded Russia they had to march through Ukraine. They were horrified at what they saw. Get that? Even the Nazis were horrified at what the Soviets had done.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but the roots of #antifa was Normandy Beach.
Don’t mind if I do.
You’re wrong. It predates WWII, going back to the blackshirts v brownshirts in the streets of Germany, with a geneaology that runs through various communist front organizations.
In the world of “fascists” and “anti-fascists,” I’m with the latter.
What about the world of communists v anti-communists?
Well you see communists were well intentioned , but the movement was co-opted by [Lennin/Trotsky/Stalin/Mao/Pol Pot/Che/Maduro/Castro].
Further evidence that the Niskansen center is at IQ level 70 version of politics. Anyone parroting the “Normandy invasion was anti-fascist” are so below intellectual capacity that talking with them is hardly worthwhile. It is clear that to modern american left the only thing that Hitler did wrong was the holocaust. And to large segments of the left, they don’t even think that was wrong, except that it was for nationalist reasons.
What about the world of communists v anti-communists?
This.
Another jewel:
No link or source, of course.
When he got Niskanen running, I thought he was just an opportunist looking to sell think-tank arguments to the center left. Now I think he may just be nuts.
The fact that Niskansen dropped the “Liberatian” characterization was a victory for people trying to keep the word meaning what it should mean.
pinned tweet
NEW ESSAY from @Lindsey_Brink
: The flawed ideology of the free-market movement is the belief that a “free-market” will be successful when it’s completely unregulated.
Free-markets need government regulation to thrive.
right….
Free Markets need to not be Free Markets! It just makes sense!
the issue is that the thread contains all sorts of stupid shit. Maybe you can make a case for regulation but not that way. It does not address any of the actual counterarguments. It works for people with very little thought process.
Brink Lindsey was always a fraud.
“Protestors”
White people shooting and killing protesters “buried in the news” – I’ve heard Covid can cause delusions.
Even leaving aside his word choice there – what protesters have been shot by “angry white people”?
Who?
He used to write articles for Reason and National Review, was with CATO for a long time, turned into a lefty shithead and was one of the founders of the Niskanen monstrosity.
A former idiot writer at Reason came out of the closet as a lefty?
I refuse to believe that.
From one of the replies: she might be the sanest human being on twitter
https://twitter.com/RealTargetTori/status/1277338983551438854
Unfortunately not saying anything is now a political stance. And not only that, it’s the stance of the dirty racists. Does she want to be a dirty racist? Maybe Target should have fired her.
Looks like a situation that may benefit from the brandishing of a nondescript rifle of color.
I don’t know who that is but that was a mighty fine self own. Mighty fine…
No.
OK, so I’m not technically 0 for 15.
I have shot the J frame snubby and I used to own a K frame Model 10.
So that’s like 1.5/15.
I predict I will go 1 for 5 next week.
Pretty sure I’m 0 for 15. I’ve shot a depressingly short list of firearms. In my defense, the ones I’ve shot, I’ve mostly shot many times. There’s a couple that I have tried at the range, but I mostly shoot my own guns.
I only shot 2 guns in my life. One was I think some sort of beretta and one something Israeli.
When covid is over I should go to a range again
You got me on this one Animal.
I dont have a Lemat. I have never shot a Lemat. I very much want one.
#metoo
Following Animal’s clues led me to some very beautiful handguns https://www.pietta.it/lemat-eng
The Eyetalions do a lot of things wrong but gunsmithing isn’t one of them. They make some beautiful stuff.
https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/scheda-prodotto.asp/l_en/idpr_23/pistols-continental-duelling-continental-duelling-percussion-model.html
I really like my Italian Floor Corker. It’s fun to say I have a Ferrari in bright blue.
Wut?
Slime green
Dafuq Italians have ever heard of okra?
in Romania they are called bame. My aunt used to cook em. Disgusting.
Recently I think I saw an okra in tomato sauce jar in a supermarket.
*facepalm*
I pick them when they are about the size of my little finger. I cook them in chicken stock with bacon. Since I am the only one around that likes extra slimy okra I take the pot and a fork and eat them all by myself.
Dont like slimy okra? Fine, that’s more for me.
Fried okra is damned delicious.
Fried okra – never tried it fried. I think either boiled or sauteed
Sliced into rings, breaded in cornmeal and fried is a classic Southern USA prep. You can find it at fried chicken and soul food places.
Behold!
I thought she’d have been scrubbed from the internets by now.
Fried, Slimy, Pickled; all are yummy.
Pickled okra is the best way imo.
+ 1 brand new Beretta 1301.
Nice. That is the one you went with?
Cant beat that with a stick.
Capacity? Will it feed minis?
Currently capacity is 5+1. Will get my mag extender this week and have 7+1.
Word is it doesn’t like minis. No surprise. Don’t have any, not planning on getting any.
It has surprising range when tested with the 00 shells I acquired – Federal LE. Basically a slug out to 10 yards or so, with good patterning on target out to 50(!) yards.
I’m a big fan of red dot sights. Will be putting my currently unoccupied and somewhat venerable AimPoint on it, once I get fresh batteries and confirm it still works. Pondering a low-profile reflex sight – I like the concept of the Trijicon no-battery RMR, but need to see one in person before I drop any coin on it. And yes, you can get them somewhat cheaper than list. If it ever needs to be used for reals, I think the instinctive red dot aiming will come in handy.
EOTech holosights for the win
I had one once, awhile back. Can’t recall where it wandered off to. Liked it well enough; I’ll have to check in on them. Probably the last thing I will settle on for the Beretta is the sights.
The no-battery thing on that Trijicon is what really has my attention. Plus, the ACOG on the battle rifle is just a fine piece of optics, so I’m a fan.
Not a fan of ghost rings, but that’s a great gun by all accounts.
It is a 12 gauge designed for close combat. You dont really need sights.
That’s the problem. Ghost rings are too slow. Nice to have for extended-range slugs though.
Hawt. Does it come in flintlock?
Nice!
Well, I haven’t fired any of these weapons in this series.
But, I did order half a dozen 32-round magazines for my PC9 last night.
I’m sorry, but any top five list of revolvers that does not include the old model Ruger Single Six is simply wrong.
My favorite plinking pistol is my Ruger Single Ten.
There are a fair number of good candidates that didn’t make the list. I would have put any of the N-frame S&W’s on the list, the model 29 most of all, but which one would you displace to put it in?
Honestly? The Colt SAA. It’s a critically important historical piece, but as a shooter it’s wildly overrated.
(Yet another in the continuing line of EvilSheldon’s Unpopular-But-True Opinions. Stay tuned for next week’s episode – ‘Why Italian shotguns are so much better than American ones’.)
What about Turkish?
Yeah, Italian shotguns are better than Turkish ones, too.
I guess I’m just a Beretta fanboy. I’m actually shopping for a sporting clays over-under right now.
Really? I have a dozen of them in .22, .32, .41, .44 and .45.
Your opinion is not unheard of. My father said the same thing. “Why do you want all of those?”
Me- “Come see”
We went out back and burned through a couple hundred rounds of 45 colt.
His new opinion: “Damn, you are right. That really is a lot of fun. “
I left out .357.
In that caliber I wish I had bought the one with the 7-3/4″ barrel.
You don’t want .357 in a 1 7/8″ barrel and an ultralight frame except as defensive carry. SAA, no problem. One of my “One of these days” guns is a Vaquero in .357/.38
Conspicuously missing from your list of revolving cylinder firearms. ///jk
Another incident of a driver deciding not to be a Reginald Denny
https://www.koin.com/news/protests/day-31-protests-outside-the-justice-center/
marching to Portland City Hall on Southwest 4th Avenue. Once there, demonstrators knocked down security cameras as others pointed lasers at the cameras to obstruct the view. Protesters also spray painted Black Lives Matter graffiti and other things on City Hall; meanwhile, a flag was burned across the street.
Removing and hindering security cameras goes
beyond just peaceful protests. Clearly prepping for something more like taking over the city hall.
I’m always startled by the number of people who seem genuinely surprised by drivers mildly panicking and driving thru the crowd after they’ve been beating on their vehicle and surrounding it.
They are peacful protesters, and some may even be astute religious scholars.
I haven’t shot any of these revolvers but I like my S&W 686.
Another good candidate for any list of ‘best guns’.
I have the 4″ 586 and the 6″ 686. I gave the 686 to my brother. He carries it every day, even bagged a hog with it last winter…..on a quickdraw at that.
We did abortion in the links, lets do the Civil War again!!!
https://twitter.com/baseballcrank/status/1276978062383632384
“One of the cruel ironies of secession over slavery – and yes, secession was about slavery – is that slaveholders were themselves a small % of the population. In Virginia, 4.7% were slaveholders; 3.6% were free black Americans.”
That’s truly staggering. I confess, I thought the exact amount was somewhere around 30 or 40%, with the vast majority of those slaveholders owning one or two slaves.
I mean, that’s basically like if libertarians had the power to plunge the nation into war.
4.7%? We wish.
??
lmao. Yeah What did Gary get in 2016?
About half of those were never Trumpers.
I thought the Never Trumpers voted for McMuffin.
A little over 3%. 10% in New Mexico.
I think if the ballot had a single transferable vote, the LP could crack double digits.
This is a kind of bait and switch argument. If you say, “Yes Slavery was a part of why the south seceded” they will say “Yes, see you agree it was all about slavery”, which it certainly was not. There were many complicating factors.
Also it ignores that Virginia rejected secession until Lincoln raised the Army against South Carolina.
There were many complicating factors. – it was mostly about slavery though. Other factors were quite smaller. And can be ignored in the grand scheme of things.
Sure, if you’re painting with broad strokes you could use the shorthand.
The base further stolen is that because the South seceeded over slaver, that the North invaded the south over Slaver, which it did not.
those two are different things.
I am sure at least some people in the north were motivated by ending slavery but that does not mean it was the deciding factor.
Exactly, we’re painting with broad strokes. The south seceeded over slavery, and the North waged war over secession. The war is often painted as being about slavery, but it was only about slaver for one side.
it was only about slaver for one side. – well one side is quite enough I would say
Its just as valid to say the war was about Self determination of states.
It is not just as valid. Because the states did it for a reason not randomly decided they would like to divorce
Why does this not apply, when we characterize the war by the reasons for the North waging it?
So? If we’re characterizing the war base on how one side saw it then both slavery and forced political union are equally valid reasons for the war.
The Slavery issue was the (very heavy) straw that broke the camel’s back.
But slavery was dying on it’s own, and secession was still a significant risk of happening without that issue.
Automation and cheap immigrant labor would have killed slavery, but would have probably led to a fixed caste system without the Civil War pushing the emancipation issue.
The original Southern Colonies were the least invested in the Union and had an ongoing issue with the secession question for most of the 70+ years since the ratification of the Constitution.
I’ve done a fair bit of family tree research in my day. I had one grandparent whose family was here at the time of the Civil War, my maternal grandmother, whose family roots were entirely in the south – Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. I’ve found a few hundred of them, and out of all of them I think I’ve found evidence of maybe 3 of them owning slaves. This wasn’t terribly surprising as I know most of Grandma’s family was mostly poor dirt farmers.
and yes, secession was about slavery
But was it? Let’s ask Lincoln!
…I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I have no inclination to do so.
Those who nominated and elected me did so with full knowledge that I had made this and many similar declarations and had never recanted them; and more than this, they placed in the platform for my acceptance, and as a law to themselves and to me, the clear and emphatic resolution which I now read: …
I therefore consider that in view of the Constitution and the laws the Union is unbroken, and to the extent of my ability, I shall take care, as the Constitution itself expressly enjoins upon me, that the laws of the Union be faithfully executed in all the States. Doing this I deem to be only a simple duty on my part, and Ishall perform it so far as practicable unless my rightful masters, the American people, shall withhold the requisite means or in some authoritative manner direct the contrary. I trust this will not be regarded as a menace, but only as the declared purpose of the Union that it will constitutionally defend and maintain itself.
In doing this there needs to be no bloodshed or violence, and there shall be none unless it be forced upon the national authority. The power confided to me will be used to hold, occupy, and possess the property and places belonging to the Government and to collect the duties and imposts; but beyond what may be necessary for these objects, there will be no invasion, no using of force against or among the people anywhere. Where hostility to the United States in any interior locality shall be so great and universal as to prevent competent resident citizens from holding the Federal offices, there will be no attempt to force obnoxious strangers among the people for that object. While the strict legal right may exist in the Government to enforce the exercise of these offices, the attempt to do so would be so irritating and so nearly impracticable withal that I deem it better to forego for the time the uses of such offices.
Interestingly the twatter’s own data linked data does not support his conclusion.
Lincoln has nothing to do with it. You can say his wish to maintain the Union had nothng to do with slavery. But this is not the reason for secession.
To some extent you’re correct, but the simple fact remains that without the issue of slavery, there would not have been secession.
It was the central feature of every declaration of secession. Even Texas was explicit on this point.
I suspect Lincoln didn’t want to make the war about slavery because it was marginally popular in the North, and he didn’t want to lose any support from Northern non-abolitionists.
This is pure speculation on my part.
Lincoln’s own words and actions betray both of you guy’s positions. He was only against slavery to the extent of being against its spread into new territories so as to limit the influence of the Democratic party (3/5 compromise). The tariff on imports was doubled immediately prior to Lincoln’s ascension to the throne. He went to war to collect taxes, as he so eloquently stated in his first inaugural address.
Even Texas was explicit on this point.
It was a legal argument made at the time. But as shown above, nobody thought the Lincoln admin. was against the practice of slavery. And I doubt very seriously that average-Joe
cannon-fodderinfantryman was fighting for the preservation of slavery.Lincoln consistently said throughout his public life/career that he opposed slavery and thought it morally wrong. He also, at least before the later stages of the war, affirmed the belief that the white race was intellectually superior, and several times supported schemes to send freed slaves back to Africa or to newly formed black colonies. And, of course, he outright said that he would accept slavery’s continuation if it preserved the union. I don’t doubt that the less noble motivations you cite also applied to his opposition to slavery, but I’ve never read anything that indicated he was anything but opposed to it on a personal level.
The relationship between secession and slavery was symbiotic. Without slavery, there would have been no secession. Still, the North didn’t go to war in 1861 to end slavery. The Emancipation Proclamation wasn’t issued until September 1862, and even then only applied to slaves in Confederate states, not Kentucky and Maryland and Delaware. It wasn’t until late in the war when Lincoln began to emphasize abolition as a principal aim of winning the war.
I see no mention there of how many blacks owned slaves. They are always conveniently left out of these conversations.
is that relevant?
Yes. The issues of slavery and racism were seen through a completely different lens then than they are now.
Trying to argue those issues as we view them now is pointless.
Likewise history hath forgotten that whole Liberia debacle.
It is still ongoing and still being ignored.
When GenderTraitor and I got our first carry guns they were J-Frames. Hers is an Airweight (I forget the model number), mine is an M&P 340. It’ll do .357 but you don’t want to do that very often. Never intended to be terrifically accurate, GT gathered a crowd when she qualified for her CCW as the instructor kept moving the target out-out-out and she was still hitting an 8 inch circle out to 25 yards. 48 out of 50. I do my best to stay on her good side.
Had a chance to fire a very nice Uberti copy of an 1873, black powder 45LC. I was surprised at how softly it shot.
You cant do better than a J-frame S&W. The exposed hammer is Model 36…I think. I think the models are 36-X, 36-Y, 36-Z etc depending on target/combat sights, triggers, barrel length, exposed/shrouded hammer. Then there is steel and aluminum or titanium frames. There used to be a bazillion combinations.
As for the BP pistols…yes, the revolvers dont hold much powder and shoot about as hard as you can throw a rock. The muzzle loaders can be loaded up a bit more to the point where they recoil about like a 38+P.
I remember reading about a prison warden who kept a .32 rimfire (black powder) revolver in his pocket. A prisoner attacked one of the guards and the warden shot the prisoner point-blank in the ear. The bullet lodged in the guy’s ear without penetrating his skull. It could be easily seen in his ear canal. The warden said it was still in his ear three days later when they hung the guy.
That is pretty wimpy.
Cowboy construction can stop black powder projectiles, but not modern loadings:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CdYGReN_Pgs
A couple of years ago I got a steal of a deal on a nickel plated Ruger Single Six chambered in .32 H&R magnum. I had never had a .32 before and not much regard for them. The best 32 round is the 30 carbine. It is a terrible rifle cartridge but in pistol it really shines. The other 32 rounds seemed very underpowered to me.
Anyway the pistol was beautiful so I bought some rounds for it and took it to the back yard. I shot at a 55 gallon drum about 50 yards away from me. I expected the bullet to penetrate the front wall, dent the back wall and fall in the barrel.
Nope. Holy shit. There was no perceived delay from the sound of the shot to the bullet hitting the barrel. I dont think the damned thing even slowed down after hitting the barrel, it zipped right through side to side. The damned thing shoots like a rifle.
That was a fun video but he left one thing out: The old log cabins were made almost entirely of heart-pine that was as hard as stone, not the soft, papery lumber we buy now.
I never pegged you for an sjw.
In an interview with The Observer — the Sunday sister edition of the British left-wing newspaper The Guardian — Pegg joined the growing chorus of rich white Hollywood elites to pledge their support for the BLM movement.
“Anyone that’s complaining about it should just shut the fuck up because it’s time,” Pegg said.
“The film industry would be such a healthier, more interesting place if there were more voices, different stories, different experiences. It’s so dominated by one particular voice and colour of face, it just perpetuates a bland mono-voiced cultural landscape,” he claimed.
I don’t think that is correct.
So, how about diversity of thought, Simon?
Imagine what that would do to the stale and vapid product your industry keeps reverting to.
See this is where the idea that all leftists are postmodernists is wrong. There is a split. You have the Technocratic leftists, who’s principle for shutting down dissent is “There can only be one Truth, so why would we want to allow people speaking lies to have a platform”. This is the more common and pernicious form. The smaller, more vocal and more seen “Postmodern” argument is that “Truth” is racist, and that those diverse opinions are inherently violent to minorities, and that is why it mush be shutdown.
all them white people have the same voice
Well, I for one ain’t never seen no color person in no movie, or on no TV! It’s a conspiracy I tell you!
Lets see.
Bad Boys, Blue Streak, Big Momma’s House – watchable
The World’s End, Absolutely Anything – not so much watchable
Your results may vary because you know…we are individuals and to each their own.
Another great Animal article. Haven’t had a chance to shoot any of your fave revolvers but have had a couple of 29s or so along the way. Always wanted a 22 but time has passed me by. I’ll keep my Hi-Standard for the pest in the yard.
Thanks for all your efforts, I always enjoy reading your stuff.
*grabs popcorn*
Twitch, a streaming platform owned by Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos, has temporarily banned President Trump’s account for “hateful conduct” stemming from footage of the president’s speeches.
“Hateful conduct is not allowed on Twitch. In line with our policies, President Trump’s channel has been issued a temporary suspension from Twitch for comments made on stream, and the offending content has been removed,” a Twitch spokesperson told Fox News.
A rebroadcast of Trump’s 2015 campaign launch — when he famously criticized people crossing the Mexican border to illegally enter the United States — and comments Trump made at his recent Tulsa rally were flagged by Twitch.
Twitch told Fox News it warned the Trump campaign in 2019 when it joined the platform that it would make him adhere to the platform’s terms of service and guidelines.
One wonders how much anti-Semitic and anti-white content is on Twitch.
Twitch’s “Trust and Safety” council is notoriously staffed with left-wing lunatics that have axes to grind.
Get a load of this bit of crazy.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8C1-dUutYE
I have no idea what twitch is, who any of those idiots are and no idea what they are talking about.
Yeah, this is like reading about a political incident that just happened on Jupiter’s moon Io. It’s the first I’ve heard of any of these things or people.
Didn’t the SC rule Trump couldn’t ban people off his Twitter because it’s considered a public forum? Seems like Twitch has decided to eliminate a public forum in this instance which may actually be unlawful (the arguments of private company so can do what they want aside).
However very much annoyed I get, mice still occassionally break into my house, but I just had what rates as one of my odder mouse encounters.
At first I thought the thing was already dead, as it was sitting still by the back door, and wasn’t moving while I was a mere three feet away. After I got a glove to pick up the corpse and throw it away, the thing did move, but only six inches.
Rather than pick up a live mouse, I went and got my pellet rifle, finding it still in the second spot. I finished it off and disposed of the corpse, but I’ve never before seen a mouse that didn’t try to escape, even those in traps will do something other than shuffle along a grand total of six inches in a minute.
It was probably dying.
But of what, and is it something humans can catch?
Anything a rodent can catch just assume humans can catch. There is a reason we use them in lab experiments.
Did you notice any fleas jumping off the corpse?
No fleas, no other critters (visible)
I did spray down the whole area with clorox.
Though while cleaning up I did notice that the bits were shockingly bloodless. As in, I was expecting more red. Wonder if it was warfarin poisoning and most of the blood was already gone.
VAMPIRE MICE!
I hope you cut off its head, stuffed The Host in its mouth, then buried it upside down with a stake through its heart. A toothpick should work great.
Strongly recommend outdoor bait stations. Our indoor problem has gone to basically zero after doing that.
Maybe it was too full from raiding your cupboards.
Impossible, there’s no food in them.
Yikes. That is a very bad sign.
Use bleach.
I love when reporters spout out how “Dangerous” it is to call the media, “The Enemy of the People”, but have no problem spurning on racial animosity. Almost like they are …
So Reddit decided to purge a ton of subreddits today. The lefties are really playing their hand too soon imho.
But they said it was only for the Hateful ones. Why do you love hate?
Because I am a hateful son-of-a-bitch?
Don’t worry though. https://old.reddit.com/r/LateStageCapitalism/ Survived.
Did the purge actually happen or was it just a rumor?
Speaking of people shot to death at “protests”, this doesn’t seem to fit the “angry wypipo massacring POCs” narrative:
His name is Steven Nelson something or other. Sounds like an angry White guy to me.
The Detective’s Special looks like a good home defense gun for apartment dwellers.
https://twitter.com/therecount/status/1277635846359875584
These are the people winning the culture war?
*facepalm*
It astonishes me how infantile they genuinely believe the people they rule over are. I wonder if the Cuomo brothers ever had an IQ test and what their scores were.
People voted for that guy and they are getting exactly what they voted for.
*yodeling intensifies *
Appreciated.
Since this a firearm page, where is the preferred place to buy from? gunbroker.com?
Gunbroker has worked well for me. I also have several local stores I like to frequent, and the local Oaks gun show too.
I might have a problem.
I was going to take a drive to Adventure Outdoors, but the rifle I wanted is not in stock and they are completely out of ammo anyway. I was going to buy and M&P10 when CCP virus hit, and it was $1,039. Gunbroker has it for $1439 now. This is bad.
These runs on guns and ammo always blow over.* I was really struggling with paying a premium rather than waiting it out, but I already had adequate tools for the job.
*One scenario where it doesn’t: If the Dems run the table, or even just get into the White House, it will really kick into overdrive. A Dem President will undoubtedly go wild with executive orders and regulations to get as close to full bans/confiscations until they can get bills passed through Congress. After they get their virtual bans in place, it will only be five years until Roberts approves them as exercises of the taxing authority. So, a crazy buying spree until the marketplace is shut right down.
Mandatory federal registration will present quite a quandary. I need to start gaming that one out.
Check you local(s) first. For current production guns, GunBroker these days is for if you are willing to pay a premium to get something sooner than your local can get it off backorder. I saved probably $400 or so on my new shotgun by getting it locally (admittedly, a stroke of luck) rather than ogg GunBroker.
Do you have a state gun website? I’ve gotten stuff off of pafoa.org’s (PA firearm owners) classifieds too.
Gun broker is good if you are buying anything not commonly found on the shelf but the prices are a bit high. If you aren’t in a hurry or looking for something unusual find a local guy that isn’t a jerk and order through them.
You can find good deals on Gunbroker – I just did last night. You have to be dogged and patient though.
I don’t like buying used guns. Not for any particular reason, I just like to be the original owner. Plus, I have a pretty good and inexpensive FFL right down the road from my house.
When I want to buy something, I usually have it shipped in from GrabAGun.com.
WikiArms and Gun.Deals are useful to look at when you’re shopping around.
I don’t know about all these guns. Seems you get one, then you get a boating accident. All those boats start to get really expensive!
Fuk the wut?
LOL, fucking Rand Paul, I love that guy, I don’t care what anyone thinks!
Have to sign up to see it. Wasn’t that you wondering why Parler wanted a phone number? Did it accept a fake number?
I used a digital number to sign up.
I think they need to stop doing that because there is some great content there. Rand Paul is killing it.
Basically, Liz Cheney posts a pic of Dick wearing a mask and telling people ‘wear a mask’ and Rand said he likes Dicks’ original mask better and he posts a pic of Darth Vader.
You’re going to have to post excerpts because Parler walls off the links from the general public.
I don’t see an external link for it. Bummer, everyone should see that.
https://www.amazon.com/Hippies-Ronald-Reagan-Conservative-T-Shirt-Adult/dp/B017OA5BFC/
I kinda want one
Ha! Me too. I want mine to say “I smell commies” and RR needs to be holding a rifle.
The bombing will begin in 5 minutes.
LOL That’s awesome.
I have a couple of Rand Paul shirts. One says “The NSA knows you have this Rand Paul shirt.”
Doesn’t go up to size “Fat Bastard” 🙁
Fantastic article, Animal! Love the history lesson and the recommendations.
Took my lovely and talented girlfriend to the range for the first time when I was home for the holidays last year. Being that her brother is a gun nut of no modest inclination I was shocked that she hadn’t been before. She shot my Sig and Makarov, my brother’s Five-seveN, and my mom’s revolver (an SA/DA S&W in .357), and thought that the wheelgun was the easiest and most fun to shoot.
Being that she lives in the People’s Republic of California, it might be the most feasible one for her to own without running afoul of the various and sundry regulations there. Haven’t done the most thorough research though.
With one or two exceptions, I am moving over to revolvers. I now have five, from .45 (Colt New Service) to a K-22 masterpiece. Three Smith and Wesson K-frames fill out the rest – Combat Masterpiece, Standard .38 and an M&P .32-20.