Joy after disappointment

[shooting on a shoestring]

I went to town (Austin) today to buy an automatic pistol. I am biased against autos, but wanted one for my upcoming CHL renewal. In Texas, if you qualify with an auto you can carry anything, qualify with a revolver and you're limited to carrying revovlers. Last time I rented an auto (Ruger P-95) and missed a perfect score by one point.

I looked at a CZ75B in .40S&W at Academy, $414. Decent pistol, good caliber, good price, squishy SA trigger pull, good DA pull, not a pretty gun, but workable.

Looked at a Browning High Power in .40S&W at Redds, $783. Beautiful pistol, good caliber, bad SA pull - I'll estimate it was 10 pounds!, bulky target sights - looked out of place on an otherwise slick gun, top end of budget.

Also saw a Kimber 1911 in .45ACP, stainless, $795. Fair sights, great trigger pull, great caliber, again top end of budget.

Moved on to Sportsmans Warehouse. No High Powers in stock, more $1000 1911s, looked at a new S&W 686 7 shot .357 in 4 inch $619. I got excited until I measured it. B/C gap 0.010", throats .357, DA dropped the hammer before the cylinder locked.

In my disappointment, I inspected a new 629 $Seven hundred and something. B/C gap 0.008", throats .429 to .430, cylinder locked as hammer fell. Could be OK, but thats about how I would expect a well worn 629 to measure and behave.

I looked at a 4" Redhawk in .44 $619 same as the 686. B/C gap 0.004, throats 0.430, cylinder locked well before hammer fell in DA. Almost bought it, but I didn't need a heavy .44, but kinda wanted it.

On to McBrides, no new High Powers, people everywhere buying stuff, could hardly see around the herd to look at the guns. looked at a used S&W M15, 4" Nickel, adjustable sights in .38 spl $325. b?C gap 0.012, throats .358", hammer would fall before locking the cylinder. Almost bought it thinking I could send it back to S&W to get the barrel set back and recut.

I almost left when I saw a Stainless Blackhawk, 4.625", in .357. B/C gap 0.002", throats 0.3583 to 0.3589, $480. I probably paid too much, but I'm happy. I fell in love. The stainless grip frame and short barrel feel great. That big NMBH frame and cylinder leaves lots of meat between chambers and in the top strap. It should stand up to .357s for years.

I guess I'll live happily everafter and rent another auto for my renewal.

I was really disappointed in the Smiths though.

[Scrounger]

Ruger has some nice autos. The KP345 (.45 auto) probably their best but the KP97DC is acceptable too.

[Buckshot]

[QUOTE=shooting on a shoestring;264949] I looked at a CZ75B in .40S&W at Academy, $414. Decent pistol, good caliber, good price, squishy SA trigger pull, good DA pull, not a pretty gun, but workable.[QUOTE]

The CZ75's and their clones (I have a Tanfoglio Witness) are usually very nice pistols. EAA imports the Witness and they offer several models. They will take additional barrels and slides so you can shoot several calibers from the same frame. I bought mine in 38 Super and then a barrel-slide kit in 45 ACP so I have both extremes :-). I posted pictures of it here the other day.

Seems as if the CZ meet your requirements except for the squishy SA pull. Well, and it also wasn't pretty? I'll bet that squishy SA pull could be remedied for less then $100 and the DA was already good.

................Buckshot

[9.3X62AL]

Congrats on the new dishwasher-safe Blackhawk! They might be the strongest mass-produced 357 Magnum now being made. I've run some pretty hairy loads through my Bisley Blackhawk, and no strain/no pain at all. #358156's at 1550 FPS, and cases fall free with a light tap on the ejector rod, at most. Sometimes they fall free from gravity alone, with the muzzle up.

I am VERY happy with my CZ-75B in 40 S&W. It is easily the most accurate 40 S&W I've ever fired, and it has 1-16" twist rate instead of the usual 1-10" or 4 turns/meter that the 40 usually comes with. VERY lead-friendly, too.

The tacticool mall ninjas with Gerber sheath knives clenched in their teeth don't think highly of the Ruger centerfire autopistols, but in spite of their low esteem among the Cammy Jammy Cadre--they are a pretty decent pistol. I have a P-89C, and owned it for over a year before trying out its 9mm barrel. Its swap barrel and spring for the 30 Luger was my reason for buying it. The 9mm barrel kept right up with my most accurate 9mm pistol accuracy-wise, a SIG P-226, jacketed and cast. If anything, it is better with castings than the SIG.

Most double-action autopistol triggers are pretty dismal when compared to a good 1911A1 trigger. SIG-Sauer triggers are pretty decent out of the box, but you're paying close to a grand for one of those now. I meant to get a P-226 in 40 S&W, and bought the CZ-75 as a cast boolit shooter/toy gun. No need for the mega-dollar 40 now, that CZ is just fine with me. It's a lot more than just a toy, for damn sure.

[bglz42]

Hey Shoestring! Happy New Year from a fellow Texan!

I'm a longtime S&W revolver guy, (PPC/Pins/Plates competitor for 20+ years off/on), but I took a chance on something last week. I bought a Sigma 9mm at Academy ($249 after rebate plus 2 free mags)...go figure. I always ragged my buddies about their "tupperware" Glocks. Said I'd NEVER own a plastic gun, yuk! But the freebies and the rebate drew me in.

My intention is to use it as a truck gun/boat gun, just utility stuff.

Well, wonder of wonders... I like the darn thing! :roll:Once you get used to the trigger, (it's not that bad, and easily made better), it's ergonomically superior to any thing I've ever shot except maybe an N-frame Smith. I've run 200 rounds through it with nary a bobble, and can hold 8 ring on a b-27 at 50yds prone. Pretty impressive for a cheap hicap with a lifetime warranty. And if I accidentally drop it in Galveston Bay, I won't lay down and cry.:-D



Jim in SE Texas

[454PB]

Now that Ruger has dropped the P-89, all the hard core Ruger guys that didn't own one are looking for one. Kinda reminds me of the Security Six searches.

[Dale53]

Al;
I am terribly disappointed! I was sure that Santa was going to bring you a 625-8 .45 ACP...

Now, I am just going to have to "shoot by myself" (sniff-sniff:(). Oh woe is me...:confused:

I am going to the basement and my Dillon to load up some more of those wondrous .45 SWC's just to experience that SWEET feelin' when it lights up and those big holes magically appear in the "X" ring.

I wish you a Happy New Year and will be thinkin' of you everytime I hit the range.

Dale53

[hpdrifter]

Puzzled. thought you was going after an auto to qualify with?????

The CZ seems like it fit the bill real nice.

[wills]

Happy New Year Shoestring from yet another Texan.

Good on you, that's a nice find on a fine shooting iron. With my eldest son running his latest sweetie up around Spring I don't do much gun shop hopping any more,
LongPoint

I escaped from Spring about 3 years ago.

[shooting on a shoestring]

Well, I know the CZ75 would do what I want, but, I wanted the short Blackhawk when I saw it. I'm very happy. I slugged the bore today and found its 8 groove 1:16 barrel right on 0.357 and no tight spots. The No. 5 Beltmountain base pin has been ordered.

I may get around to gathering up some $ and try to buy a CZ or perhaps the Sigma, but I would really be kicking myself now if I hadn't bought the BH. I think its pretty, and I love its deminsions. It'll be a long three days until range time gets here.

[mauser1959]

I will admit to loving my revolvers , and have both a black hawk in .357 and a super in .44 mag plus numerous other colts and Smiths. However my common carry gun is a CZ82 ( unless I have to wear dress clothes then it is a kel tec P3At), the price is right for the guns ( i own 3) , they are accurate and even though I can not reload them the ammo is cheap. I carry mine in a IWB by Redstorm holsters. I buy my ammo from J&G , and bought enough ammo to last me a life time. I bought mine when the guns first came out , but now they are even cheaper. I love the fact that they are a C&R , and I find the only problem with them is that they do not have a decocker. One other thing , can you qulify with a .22 auto in Tx , here in Missouri we can, and I expect that most everyone has a ruger mark II sitting around just for general cheap plinking .

For the holster for my CZ 82 ; and my makarov , the best that I have ever seen was .

http://redstormholsters.com/firebrand/Home.html

[Char-Gar]

I am also a Texas with a strong preferance for the sixgun, but there are some autopistols that make my heart flutter.

1) When I was young and limber, and could jump a four strand fence, a USGI 1911A1 sided me for many hikes, jeep and horsback trips through the brush and desert of Texas. Life just isn't in balance without a good 1911 AI. I have a 2002 Colt Govt. Model and two Norinco 1911A1s. Good pistols all. Should you run into a "Norc" at a good price, don't turn away. They are good solid pistol, well made from high quality material, fully equal to any 1911A1 produced for our troops. The frames are milled from forging and the slides are milled from bar stock. The steel is high quality and heat treated to perfection. I have trained my eyes, not to see the "Made in China" legend.

2) The Browning Hi-Power in 9mm is just pure elegance put up in steel. The trigger pull in a stock model is the pits, but it can be brought around to heel.

3) For all of that my carry pistols are a pair of SIGS (P239 and P220). Not much panache, tradition or elagance, just stone reliable tools on which to get your life.

4) I agree with the others that the CZ line of auto pistol offers tremendous value for the dollar and are solid, well built, reliable and accurate pistols. They are never a mistake.

[Crash_Corrigan]

I bought one last year for $545 OTD. It is a dandy! I have shot a 3 shot group of 1.26" AT 25 YRDS. It eats anything and is built solid with an ambi safety and goodies that cost more after you buy a basic gun. The trigger is now at 3.25 # and breaks like glass.

I recently bought a Belgian Hi-Power in 9MM. It is all steel and very sexy. The trigger was at 8.25# and my gunny changed out the trigger and worked on the innards and now the trigger is at 4# even. However this was not cheap! 747 OTD.

I have an old model RBH in .357/9MM convertible and a new model 45LC/.45 ACP. These are both fine weapons and accurate and built like a tank.

But buck for buck either a Norinco .45 ACP or a Taurus 1911 are both an excellent value and will last a lifetime.

[Topper]

No doubt you paid more at McBrides but if there is a problem, they will usually work with you and they been in the business forever.
For CCL purposes, don't overlook the Khar 45ACP.
I got to shoot an associates, and although the trigger pull was long, it was fairly smooth and consistent.
It's easily concealed and light weight.

[wills]

Wills
We use to make the gun show in Spring until they moved it back to Houston, the SAXET show I believe it was. Was a pretty good show. I think that was in Spring, right off I-45. As far as I'm concerned there ain't been a good show in Houston since they stopped having them at the Astrohall. Maybe I'm just getting older and pickier.
LongPoint

Bought an SKS there. lived about two miles west.