BHP and 952-2 at the range

I got my BHP out to the range today with a camera. Had a HiViz front fiber optic sight installed, a fixed rear sight, a C&S wide ambi safety and a trigger job. Also had the Bar Sto barrel chamber reamed.
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The front sight is a bit big for precision target shooting at 25 yards, but I was getting descent groups. It really works well for quick shooting steel plates.

The new 952 is settling in nicely.
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We had a warmish day with no rain. Ran a few hundred through each. Mostly 147 gr reloads.

Here's the problem, I really am having trouble keeping interested in the Sig 226 Sport Stock. It feels chunky to me. When I first got it it was head and shoulders above any of my other guns as far as the trigger and accuracy. It is the German built model with the over sized match barrel. I have added the LPA fiber optic sights. It is a sweet gun but doesn't fit my smallish hands as well as the BHP or for sure the 952. Thinking about selling it, but already know it will then be on the top of the list of guns I regret selling. Oh bother said Pooh Bear!

Here is the 226 from today.
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How about some comments on the S&W 952. I'm considering one but have not had the opportunity to take on to the range yet.

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Went out to the range again this afternoon with my shooting buddy. Put another 250-350 rounds through the 952. Shooting rounds taken out of a plastic bag so didn't keep a great count. Friend was shooting a few as well.

The 952 is a full sized all steel 5" slide gun. About like shooting a 1911 with an arched msh. I'm used to the flat msh so there is a difference. The trigger is exceptional. Single action. Feels a lot like my Ed Brown Exec Target or Les Baer PII. I was thinking about getting a 9mm 1911 and realized I'd wanted one of these for three or four years.

My slide to frame fit at the rear of the frame is tight enough to cause some failures to go into battery when it's dirty, like today, and especially shooting low power reloads. There are a few easy fixes. Clean the gun. Shoot stouter reloads. Wear the slide/frame in with shooting or slurry.

Accuracy is all as advertised. I'm not a great shot, I'm OK. I have no trouble shooting 6" groups off hand at 25 yards. Some groups are smaller, and there are often a flier or two out of 9 rounds due to operator error. It comes with LPA adjustable target sights. I like them.

So far I've shot mostly Bear Creek 147 gr flat nose as that's what I have loaded. I've got a bunch of low power stuff for speed steel with my CZ and BHP. I think this gun will like a bit faster round. I've got some 124 or 125 gr Hornady Action Pistol rounds which I'm going to load with Universal. I'll load them mid range and up a bit to see if it likes them a bit hotter. The loads I'm using cycle the gun, but are dropping empties at my feet.

When the weather warms a bit I'll take it and my .45s to the rifle range and shoot some at 50 yards. I expect it will run with the Baer with the 1 1/2" guarantee with the right loads.

Magazine capacity is 9 rounds. That's the trade off for the slimmer grips.

Sounds like a fine range weapon. On top of everything, it's a great looking piece as well!

Thanks for the update on your range experience. Helps me along with my decision.

I'm not sure what your experience has been, or what you are going to use it for. The safety is different from all my other guns. Slide mounted and down is engaged, up is ready to fire. That's backwards from the 1911s and BHP. I didn't buy it for games, mostly for precision range plinking, so that will not be an issue for me.

952's are very nice guns.

The safeties are odd though. There's the slide mounted safety, and a grip safety. Even with both in "safe" positions, the trigger can be pulled and the hammer will drop. But the firing pin will be locked and the hammer will hit a block so the gun won't go off. Still kind of weird to be able to pull a trigger and drop a hammer with the safeties on.

This also can occasionally lead to an issue as you don't know if you've got the grip safety off or not. On a 1911, if you fail to grip it properly, the trigger won't go back and you have immediate feedback that something's not right and you can take corrective action. Not so with the 952, the trigger will feel the same as if it were in "fire" condition.


To the OP:

Who did your BHP work?

Jeff at Range Master East of Albany, Or. He's a good guy, does good work and will say if he doesn't know what he's got going. For instance he sent my CZ back to Bar Sto for the fitting of the barrel since he hasn't done one of those. He has a BHP with his own trigger job that I got to try before getting the work done. It's very nice. Not quite a 1911 but there is a different mechanism involved.

I'm not sure what your experience has been, or what you are going to use it for. The safety is different from all my other guns. Slide mounted and down is engaged, up is ready to fire.

I'm just looking for a range gun that will give me a great trigger and good accuracy for my personal enjoyment... not competition.

The safety setup makes "perfect sense" to me with my current Beretta 92FS and PX4! :)

I also think the 952 is a great looking weapon!

The 952 will fit that bill perfectly. I really like it so far.