I Might Go Back to Wheelguns

[Ole Joe Clarke]

Went to the range today to test some 40 cal loads in a couple of pistols. The wind was blowing like crazy, blew the brass catcher over. I shot a few rounds and decided to stop.

I had carried my "backup", a 686 with 4" barrel, purchased about 1985/86. Shot a lot of reloads through it back in the day, not sure if I have ever shot a factory round through it. I broke it out and touched off a few rounds, (didn't have to shag brass!) and it still shoots where it's pointed. Then I started on the steel targets, and didn't do bad for an ole guy. The Lyman 358156 GC knocked the targets over, they didn't just fall. It brought back memories of the time when I wouldn't have missed any at 25 yards like I did today.

To finish the day, the guy in the pistol range over was really running through some shells, and when he left I took the bucket over there and picked up almost 300 empty, once fired 40 cal Federal hulls.

In spite of the wind, not a bad day at the range.

Have a blessed day,

Leon

[Lead Fred]

I have a fine 45 ACP that I wish was a 45 Colt

[Silver Jack Hammer]

Back in the late '80's us LEO's turned in our real guns for semi autos. I'm retired now and carry the .45 Colt revolver almost exclusively. After 25 years I've give up on the bottom feeders and shell schuckers. If it weren't for the Colt SAA I'd probably go with the 586.

[captain-03]

... never left 'em!! got a few brass throwers here but they rarely get used ...

[dkf]

I time you save not picking up brass you spend cleaning. So it is a wash for me.

[PS Paul]

Only handguns I really shoot much these days are the revolving cylinder type. Just hated thinking about where my brass was sailing off to, so I offed the auto-loaders years ago.

[Mica_Hiebert]

My first hand gun was a single 6 that I should have never sold! Then I got a 22/45 s&w 40 that I hated and got rid of it for a springfield xdm40 then a xdm9 and a xdm 45 and a kahr cw40... now I have 5 wheel guns and only the 22/45 and xdm 40 left. I enjoy my revolvers allot more.

[Scharfschuetze]

I enjoy both designs; but in the end, I like the wheelguns best.

[NC_JEFF]

Wheelguns are very beloved here. I love my 1911 but if I could only choose 1 handgun, it would my 686.

[GPappy]

Shot a lot of IDPA competition until a couple of years ago. Liked shooting my Glocks and got pretty good with them. Started shooting revolver and fell in love. It was a hoot to beat the bottom feeders with a wheel gun. Still have my 625's and the 686 that I purchased but never competed with. Hoping to get into Cowboy Action shooting and picked up a couple of Vaqueros so looks like I may be shooting revolvers again soon. There is just something about mastering the wheel gun that appeals to me.

[tazman]

I time you save not picking up brass you spend cleaning. So it is a wash for me.

That is true to a point. As I get older, the floor gets much farther away and harder to reach. Cleaning my revolver can be done seated comfortably at my bench.

[Ole Joe Clarke]

I hate cleaning any kind of firearm. But I do it after each trip to the range. It's like keeping new line on your fishing reel, keeps you from losing the big un'.

[johnson1942]

the only semi auto that i miss out of all of them ive sold off is the high standard supermatic trophy. kept the smith model 17 target and will never sell that. two years ago on thanksgiveing my two grown son visited with their families for a few days. one is a cop and the other is a minister. they brought a trunk full of semi autos each as they both love to shoot them. i was surprised that they were harder to hit what your shooting at then what i remember revolvers to be and that smith model 17. soooo i decided to sell off a couple of extra things around this place and bought 3 cowboy guns. a uberti man with on name 38 special, a 1871 1872 open top 38 special. a ruger old army and put a conversion cylinder in it. love them and they shoot holes in holes way better than the semi autos my boys have. when they came back this year for thanksgiveing even my 14 year old grandson got better groups with my cowboy guns that the adults did with their kimbers, smiths and whatnots. in the military in the early 60/s in africa i had to do escort duty for 6 months. the gun i carried was a smith 38 special with a nice shoulder holster. i chose that as when i qualified with a had gun and i tried that one and the 45 auto i got a perfect score with that old smith. hitting and bullet placement i thought was better than firepower. my closest friend in nebraska has a carry permit. he owns a smith 10 mm and a old highway patrol smith 38 special. he carries the old highway patrol in a shoulder holster. ive shot it and you can drive nails with that gun, man is it accurate and easy to shoot. he told me the other day he is going to put up his semiauto up for sale and get another smith revolver. also i used to live in n.dak. wheel guns will work is 30 to 40 below 0 weather, semi autos sometimes dont under those conditions. never had a revolver fail on me ever. want one more some day when i find something to sell around here. i want another uberti 1871 1972 open top but in 45 long colt. those guns point like a finger and feel really good in the hand.

[725]

I'm a wheelgunner. Carry one daily. But the continual decline in the culture and increase in random violence, I may switch over to a bottom feeder just for the increased capacity. I was lucky enough to buy both my issued six gun of old, and my issued Glock 17 after retirement. I prefer shooting the Mod 64 and feel very confident with it. I'm not really a 9mm advocate, but with today's ammo, I accept it as reasonable, and did put up some top scores with the Glock.

[bangerjim]

Revolvers........my favorite type of gun! I really despise semi's that throw brass across the area. I have a lot of them and rarely shoot them any longer. The most hated is the 1911 45ACP. I have a couple styles of catchers and they still spew brass around the catchers!!!!!!

Give me a good old 38/357, 44spl/mag, or 45Colt 6 banger any day. If 'ya can't get 'er done in 6 shots, you might as well just throw the gun at them!

Semi's may have their place.......just not in my lil' slice-o-heaven.

And I always come home with the same amount of revolver brass I went with! And tons of pick-ups from newbee shooters spewing brass showers from semi's.

[Walla2]

I have a couple of self loaders but only use them for concealed carry. Wheel guns for me all the way. Too old to even consider changing.

[captain-03]

.. I love my 1911 but if I could only choose 1 handgun, it would my 686.

GREAT Choice!!!!!!

[palmettosunshine]

Took the wife's new Sig P938 out today along with my new LCR in .38 and my old trusty S&W model 65-3. Hated the Sig, trigger has to be 15+ lbs, no way in hell wife's gonna be able to hit anything with it. LCR wasn't bad, could put all five where they count from 7-15 yards, got much better after installing the Pachmayr Diamond Pro grip. It made even +P tolerable. The 65? Heaven on earth. With a variety of .38 wadcutters from factory to wild, it was amazing. Even ran a few cylinders of 110gr. .357's through it. I was making a can dance like I was a pro. If I could conceal it like the LCR I wouldn't even bother with the LCR...

[dkf]

That is true to a point. As I get older, the floor gets much farther away and harder to reach. Cleaning my revolver can be done seated comfortably at my bench.

I want to get one of those wire nut picker upper things to try. They say they are supposed to pick up brass pretty good. My local farm supply place has one for around $50, just didn't buy it yet.

[tazman]

I want to get one of those wire nut picker upper things to try. They say they are supposed to pick up brass pretty good. My local farm supply place has one for around $50, just didn't buy it yet.

One of the indoor shooting ranges I frequent has a roller device that looks like a giant round hair brush with the plastic fingers close enough together to grip shell casings. There is a wire mesh basket mounted on the front of it that has wire fingers that go into the grooves between the plastic fingers on the wheel to pop out the cases and direct them into the basket. It has a handle on it like an old push type lawn mower. I haven't seen it in use yet but it should certainly work.
Not sure how well it would do outside though. I expect small rocks and twigs would be an issue for it.

[snowwolfe]

The older I get and the more concerned over safety I become the more I revert back to double action revolvers. They are the easiest firearm to master in a self defense situation, just pull the trigger.

[Low Budget Shooter]

The difference between dumping the empties out of the cylinder into the coffee can versus crawling around in the gravel picking up brass convinced me a few years ago to stay with my wheelies.

[Silver Jack Hammer]

I hate cleaning any kind of firearm. But I do it after each trip to the range. It's like keeping new line on your fishing reel, keeps you from losing the big un'.
Another reason I like the Colt SAA, it can be shot all summer long without cleaning. This gun was designed to run regardless of fouling. Caked with Alox, burnt Unique and wheelwright resedue my Colt SAA's never miss a beat.

Last year I ran the retirees qual, almost everyone had their revolvers. Just the year before almost everyone had their bottom feeders. I qual'd with a semi auto as I was retiring but carry the Colt revolver now.

[dkf]

One of the indoor shooting ranges I frequent has a roller device that looks like a giant round hair brush with the plastic fingers close enough together to grip shell casings. There is a wire mesh basket mounted on the front of it that has wire fingers that go into the grooves between the plastic fingers on the wheel to pop out the cases and direct them into the basket. It has a handle on it like an old push type lawn mower. I haven't seen it in use yet but it should certainly work.
Not sure how well it would do outside though. I expect small rocks and twigs would be an issue for it.

This is basically what I am looking at. I shoot outside, usually on hard packed gravel so I think it will work ok.

http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1310

[Murphy]

Oh my beloved revolvers!

Without going into great lengths, simply stated I would feel less than prepared if I didn't own both a S&W revolver (38 caliber or above) and a 1911 in 45 auto.

The vast majority of my needs for a carry gun I'm fairly certain I can handle with a revolver. Then, there are times of unrest when I feel there 'may' be a need for more fire power. Weather permitting, a good inside the waistband totes my 1911 and a Galco Miami Classic is my go to for my 2nd gun.

All in all, a fella with some age on him who carries an old revolver that has a good deal of character on it...is not to be taken lightly. He probably knows how to use it quiet well.

Murphy

[tazman]

This is basically what I am looking at. I shoot outside, usually on hard packed gravel so I think it will work ok.

http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1310

The one at that indoor range is about 3 times that wide and twice as tall without counting the basket and undoubtedly much heavier. Probably too large for easily carrying to the range.