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Thread: Durabitlity and reliability, which handgun is the best?

  1. #41
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6bg6ga View Post
    Well, you opened up a can of worms with this one. Your going to end up with every make and model being mentioned simply because their owners feel their particular gun is the best.

    The best gun is one that goes boom when you pull the trigger. enough said.
    So far this thread hasn't surprised me one bit. Everyone is claiming their pet jewel is the best out there. In all reality one canot really say for example if the Glock with 5 rounds thru it or 5K rounds thru it is going to fail or be any better than say someones S&W with an oversized magazine sticking out the bottom of it. You can be assured that when it hits the fan their all going to fail sooner or later and we probably won't have a parts stash for our prized pet unless we bought 2 of said prized animal.

    So, buy two and strap on two holsters and use the one on your dominent side. The other is your backup and now you still have a 50/50 chance of failure.

  2. #42
    Boolit Master Hannibal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6bg6ga View Post
    So far this thread hasn't surprised me one bit. Everyone is claiming their pet jewel is the best out there. In all reality one canot really say for example if the Glock with 5 rounds thru it or 5K rounds thru it is going to fail or be any better than say someones S&W with an oversized magazine sticking out the bottom of it. You can be assured that when it hits the fan their all going to fail sooner or later and we probably won't have a parts stash for our prized pet unless we bought 2 of said prized animal.

    So, buy two and strap on two holsters and use the one on your dominent side. The other is your backup and now you still have a 50/50 chance of failure.
    I strongly beg to differ. Based upon my observation of 14-15 individuals utilizing both revolvers and semi-autos on the same day, I observed that the likelihood of problems is SIGNIFICANTLY reduced with the simplicity of a revolver as compared to a semi-auto.

    I consider this to be as 'Real World' a test as one is likely to find.

    Just my opinion. But you'll not change it.

  3. #43
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    A big bore revolver 44mag? and a 9MM glock probably my G19.

  4. #44
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    Guns are just machines with parts and all of them can break. For all the durability Ruger revolvers are reported to possess, I have had them break four times on me. Three were Ruger single actions. One transfer bar and the rod/plunger on the bottom of the hammer broke on a .22 new model and a centerfire old model. A Security Six broke the trigger spring while I was shooting it. I'm not knocking Ruger revolvers; I like them. But I don't have illusions anymore.

    Just one little part breaking will completely take your gun out of action, even a Glock.
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  5. #45
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    1911, no question. For the topic in question, I regard everything else as. . .well, everything else.

    Partly because it's a REALLY rugged gun to begin with, but also because it's very easy to work on without a lot of specialized whoop-de-doos. If I'm REALLY planning for TEOTWAWKI, I'd ensure that the plunger tube was really locked down tight and there was a spare $20-30 bucks worth of spare parts in with my MRE mac & cheeses (because everything breaks eventually). It's also one of the few I'd be semi-comfortable improvising fixes for.

    I would want as few departures from the original guts as possible: no match-tuned hammers or sears with wimpy engagement; no ambi safeties with their relatively wimpy dovetail shafts. Springfield does a nice job with the narrow .38/.9mm firing pin being the only major departure; Rock Island is nice because they don't bog you down with unnecessary tight tolerances; Ruger is nice because they have straight GI internals but somewhat enhanced externals and a plunger tube integral to the frame.

    I do love me some DA revolvers. They are a very durable breed in general, but when they quit, it's not uncommon for them to quit HARD. . .and then the search for specialized whoop-de-doos and a man with the know how to use them begins. Without any kind of support structure, that constant getting rotation of six separate holes to lock up aligning the same way each and every time forever is more consecutive miracles than I'd want to count on long term.
    WWJMBD?

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  6. #46
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6bg6ga View Post
    So far this thread hasn't surprised me one bit. Everyone is claiming their pet jewel is the best out there. In all reality one canot really say for example if the Glock with 5 rounds thru it or 5K rounds thru it is going to fail or be any better than say someones S&W with an oversized magazine sticking out the bottom of it. You can be assured that when it hits the fan their all going to fail sooner or later and we probably won't have a parts stash for our prized pet unless we bought 2 of said prized animal.

    So, buy two and strap on two holsters and use the one on your dominent side. The other is your backup and now you still have a 50/50 chance of failure.
    I do not own any of the guns I suggested. I've owned Glocks, decent guns for sure, but in this scenario I'd want all stainless steel. I suggested the Sig because it's proven and rock solid. There are also some good deals on used P226's with everyone going to the flavor of the month.
    An 8 shot revolver in SS, how can you really go wrong? Simple, durable and multiple types of ammo choices in .38/.357. He could hunt squirrels up to decent sized deer by changing the load. Seemed to me it met the OP's criteria.
    I have a 1911, they are too finicky for me to choose in this scenario with limited ammo choices, certainly in 10mm.
    I also have a Ruger LCR, great gun for what it's intended for, but I wouldn't want it in this scenario either, it might drop a deer, but it'd be sketchy at best imo.
    Quote Originally Posted by sniper View Post
    Irish Proverb: Never approach a Bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or an Idiot from any direction!

  7. #47
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    6bg6ba - I have to agree. Everyone is selling their own pet gun.

    The reason I asked the OP to clarify his question was to get to the root issue. The OP is NOT looking for some prepper toy for the end of the world but rather a handgun that will survive extensive training. That's a good path to go down.
    There's a sticky on the forum concerning 75,000+ rounds through a S&W model 27. I think something along that line is closer what the OP is seeking.
    There are a LOT of guns that will survive extensive use.

  8. #48
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    My old Ruger MK2, best Rabbit handgun I have. Besides I would have my AR for protection.
    Last edited by garym1a2; 08-14-2017 at 06:14 PM.

  9. #49
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    Some interesting reading, a link to thread similar to this one from another website. It's titled " High round count pistols (100,000+) observations". The poster of the thread owns a gun rental in Las Vegas. People come in and can rent pistols, rifles, uzi's, etc. They rent most of the common pistols out there, brands like glock/cz/sig/1911's/revolvers/s&w mp's/etc. The pistols get 1000's of rounds thru them every month and the owner of the shop (Henderson Defense) was kind enough to post real world results from the firearms he rents.

    http://www.ar15.com/forums/t_5_4/160...ervations.html

    The only pistol I have really put thru the ringer was a s&w 586-1. I've shot a lot of rounds in 1911's but most of them were "target" loads and the 1911's were routinely maintained. That 586 on the other had was just a workhorse getting a steady diet of anything from mild to wild with most of the reloads being wild. It pretty much got a steady diet of the lyman 358311's and WW820 pull down powder. Pat's reloads used to go to the local gunshows and I'd buy #32 cases (multiple times) of WW820 off of them. Needless to say, free lead & cheap powder turned into a lot of trigger time.

    At the end of the day the s&w 586 got extremely used and abused:
    100,000 round mark, got sent back to s&w & had the timing redone and the forcing cone re-cut
    200,000 round mark, got sent back to s&w & had the timing redone and the forcing cone re-cut
    275,000 round mark the bbl gave up the ghost and the cylinders were ringed where the carbon ring forms in them. It was loosing over 100fps with the same loads it's shot/chronographed for decades.

    There's a lot of reading in that link above with real world results with 30+ different pistols/mfg's. Along with 22 conversions, 22 pistols, suppressors & pictures of the firearms/failures.

  10. #50
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    Perhaps a bit of further clarification is in order. Any SHTF scenario for me will be short term and fairly close to my home. I am too old and no longer mobile enough to consider any long distance or long term problems.
    I am thinking more along the lines of needing to keep things together for a couple or three weeks under stressful circumstances rather than TEOTWAWKI.
    I plan on shooting the handgun(s) plenty to stay familiar with them and as accurate as I can be. I just need to be able to rely on them to get me through whatever problems arise. I want to purchase once and use them for the rest of my life if possible.
    I am currently shooting 200-400 rounds of pistol ammunition each week to get and keep my accuracy up where it needs to be. I started shooting handguns too late in life to be really good at it. I don't have the eyes, steadiness, and co-ordination any more to be super accurate. I just do the best I can.
    Those are the reliability and durability parameters.

  11. #51
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    Several respondents mentioned Gen 4 Glock 19. I have had a Glock 19 since Gen 1. Why, from a practical standpoint, is Gen 4 more desirable than Gen 1-3? In the context of this thread.
    John
    W.TN

  12. #52
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    Although I am a S&W revolver fan and think they are the best revolver out there and would probably choose a model 10 as my choice, I think that for all around reliability, ease of getting ammo, and ruggedness I will have to go for the Glock 17. I carried one for 20 years and shot thousands of round without a hiccup. I think they are without a doubt the ugliest weapon made but to me they are a tool not a thing of beauty.

    Ken

  13. #53
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    That is a great thread that was linked

    "Some of the most recent Glocks to fail have done so in the 20,000-30,000 round count range. We have at least five Glock down right now because of cracked slides"

    So the Glock Fanboys would have been really happy with the thread and then the reality sets in. The 92 proven to be kick ****. The 320s looking like German Perfection

  14. #54
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    My S&W Highway Patrolman. Two calibers right?

    My Glock 23 with 9mm, .40 cal and 357Sig barrels. Three calibers right?

    Two very reliable guns and FIVE caliber options.

    Do I win?
    I am accountable for my actions....

  15. #55
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    revolver
    ruger sbh in 44mag(4 5/8" barrel)

    semi
    1911 style(don't matter) in 45acp

  16. #56
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    Durabitlity and reliability, which handgun is the best?

    I have to laugh at the people suggesting a 1911. They are finicky guns that require hand fitting the parts. They require quite a bit of maintenance as well. Time has passed the model by. They are still great guns but in the context of this thread I don't know why anyone is suggesting one.

    The real answer is; there is no best. Buy and use what works for you. Personally I'd buy a Beretta 92 variant and follow the maintenance instructions. Or buy a Glock along w/ a bunch of spare parts. The thing about them is that there isn't a lot of parts in them to fail. The parts are cheap enough to have replacements on hand. Kind of like an AR15.

    I could tell you what my favorite pistols are. But, I never attempt to take the triggers apart because they are a puzzle and then some. One would eventually break and I'd have to fix it. I can change out the trigger on a Glock quite easily. Ease of working on should be high on the list.

  17. #57
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    Quote Originally Posted by BZimm View Post
    My S&W Highway Patrolman. Two calibers right?

    My Glock 23 with 9mm, .40 cal and 357Sig barrels. Three calibers right?

    Two very reliable guns and FIVE caliber options.

    Do I win?
    I have an N frame with a bubba head space tab chambered to headspace 45 Schofield on the case mouth while retaining it's moon clips .
    45 AR, Schofield, GAP ,ACP , Roland and a couple of others . So 1 gun 4 cartridges .
    Have a BlackHawk 45 Colts Convertible 45 Colts , Schofield . An ACP cylinder and a 3rd cylinder waiting for me to make up my mind what it should be . There's 4 more options in a single action that will share ammo with the double action . Both of which will feed 2 completely satisfactory lever action rifles and and auto carbine . If I could lay my paws on a moonclip compatable 357 and a 9mm carbine to go with the 38/357 1894C then I'd have another trio capable of sharing 3 factory common as dirt cartridges and a revolver that would run 4 dirt common cartridges and 6-7 less common but commercially available cartridges from 38 Short on through 357 mag via 38 super auto .
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  18. #58
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    Laugh? The 1911 was designed for drop in parts for armorer service at the field level. Any hand fitting needed is minor and on most pistols is not needed. They go for a long time without breakage. Since that is my experience and that of others that recommended it, I will let others here be amused on their time, not mine.

    I know better.

  19. #59
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    Quote Originally Posted by 35remington View Post
    Laugh? The 1911 was designed for drop in parts for armorer service at the field level. Any hand fitting needed is minor and on most pistols is not needed. They go for a long time without breakage. Since that is my experience and that of others that recommended it, I will let others here be amused on their time, not mine.

    I know better.
    35remington, you are absolutely right. In all the years I have owned them the only part I hand fitted was a beavertail grip safety. All stock parts are drop-in.

  20. #60
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    "I know better."

    Sure you do. Keep knowing better
    So the 1911 is doing 300,000 to 500,000 rounds
    Without a single part replacement
    That is the discussion
    Not how many times you can fix the gun

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