Heavy Hitter Carry Guns

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BSA1

BSA1

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Are you, like me , tired of reading yet another thread about what is the smallest handgun I can carry or I only shoot one magazine of ammunition through my self-defense gun because I don’t what to wear it out or when I was cleaning my new gun after shooting a box of ammunition through it I noticed the frame rail has a shiny spot where the finish wore off. Should I send the gun back to the factory to be refinished?

Are you the type of person that believes the stakes are so high that a self-defense encounter requires a serious, fighting handgun for the best odds of surviving? Do you believe that there are no second place winners in a gunfight?

Then this topic is for you. Post a picture or pictures of your full-size, heavy hitter carry handguns. By heavy hitter it should be 9mm, 38 Super, 40 S&W, 10 mm, .357, 41, 44 Magnums, 45 Auto and Colt, 357 SIG or make a case for a cartridge I overlooked.

Expect naysayers or being called liars or a one forum member called me “grandiose.”

I’ll go first. I believe in Two is One and One is None so my heavy hitters are in pairs. Starting at One O’Clock;

Stainless Steel Springfield Armory 45 Auto. I followed Jeff Coopers advice with good trigger ( different trigger, sear and hammer), good sights (Wilson Combat carry sights), action job and beavertail grip safety. It has a extended thumb safety that I have decide I don’t like, Just have never got around to having the factory thumb safety fitted.

Beretta 92FS made in Italy in 2014. Customized green fiber optic sights and Beretta D Spring.

S&W Model 27 .357 Magnum 4” barrel.

Springfield Armory 1991A1 45 Auto. Lot of custom features on this gun including usual action job with new trigger and sear, Bar-Sto barrel tuned to shoot 2” groups at 25 yards, stippled frontstrap, Novak Adjustable Rear Sight and some other misc. parts.

Beretta 92FS made in 1996. Night sights relamped in 2016 and has a action job.

S&W Model 29 .44 Magnum with 4” barrel.

I have a several more heavy hitters but there wasn't room on the table for them.
 
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BSA1 said:
Are you the type of person that believes the stakes are so high that a self-defense encounter requires a serious, fighting handgun for the best odds of surviving? Do you believe that there are no second place winners in a gunfight?
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I don't find many shooters that will say it like that. But, yes am a long time student of Bill Jordan's mindset. I like Glocks and 1911's and they are nearby, if not worn. My woods guns are .44 Vaqueros, and usually they are worn in tandem with another pistol. I like my hide with no extra hole in it, thanks you! :thumbup:
 
I like this old war horse. Next year it will be 100 years old. I have a pancake and a shoulder holster for it.

IMG_0442_zpskot1rvdm.jpg


This is another heavy hitter. Just a OWB holster for it. Smith 686 .357

SW586014_zps7e274dd8-1.jpg
 
For me it is one Smith 43C in the pocket and an identical one on the belt.... I am on the range between 3 and 5 times a week and typically put 500+ rounds down range each week. I feel fairly comfortable with this particular combination, and shoot them reasonably well; but i respect completely the decision of most others to carry a heavier caliber for self-defense.

BOARHUNTER
 
I suppose I always prefer more gun than most. The g19 is probably as small as I usually carry, though sometimes the situation dictates more than my preferences do.

Probably my favorite full size heavy hitter is the Glock 20, or the Glock 40 RMR for when I do not want to go wheel gun. Either one of these guns are stoked with 200g xtp at about 1250 FPS. The G40 is a hoss, but very easy to get hits at extended range with the dot sight, and the longer barrel and frame seems to help absorb a bit more recoil compared to the g20. The glock 20 goes to town sometimes, but I swap the loading to 180 gold dot at 1300 fps. With a slight grip reduction I think these both would be about perfect for me.

If I feel less rounds and more horse power is needed the SW mountain revolver in 44 mag comes out. 310 hard cast at moderate velocity is very controllable with enough oomph to vent most things. Supersonic XTPs are an option too of course!

Have you guys seen the lehigh maximum expansion bullets designed for the judge revolver? THOSE make an interesting hole from a heavy hitter. Looks like an expanding broadhead wound with about 11 inch penetration through gel. Definitely interesting and a cool idea to make use of all the extra cylinder in that gun. Probably worth a look if anyone happens to pack one of those.
 
BSA1 said:
Are you, like me , tired of reading yet another thread about what is the smallest handgun I can carry or I only shoot one magazine of ammunition through my self-defense gun because I don’t what to wear it out or when I was cleaning my new gun after shooting a box of ammunition through it I noticed the frame rail has a shiny spot where the finish wore off. Should I send the gun back to the factory to be refinished?

Are you the type of person that believes the stakes are so high that a self-defense encounter requires a serious, fighting handgun for the best odds of surviving? Do you believe that there are no second place winners in a gunfight?

Then this topic is for you. Post a picture or pictures of your full-size, heavy hitter carry handguns. By heavy hitter it should be 9mm, 38 Super, 40 S&W, 10 mm, .357, 41, 44 Magnums, 45 Auto and Colt, 357 SIG or make a case for a cartridge I overlooked. .......
Click to expand...

Here's one of my EDC's. It's a Glock Model 21 w/ an extended 5.125" Bar-Sto Precision barrel along with a significantly modified internal trigger mechanism. Like it's twin, this one has 25 or 26 thousand fired rounds through it and has been carried, on and off now, for the past 15 years.



(Click over either picture to expand.)



I often practice with these pistols; and they've seen a lot of use. Over the past several years I've started to call them 'My Lucky Guns!' Personally, I'm reluctant to trust my life to anything smaller; but, sometimes, I do carry a G-19 in an almost identical configuration. People tell me that these pistols seem to hit unusually hard for 45 ACP's. I don't know exactly 'Why'; but I've noticed it too.
 
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Two of my full size "heavy hitter" handguns are Colt Governments (one of them is a Lightweight Model), along with a Colt Custom Gun Shop Combat Commander; all in .45ACP. I also occasionally carry a Browning Hi-Power, a SIG P229, and a Colt Commander in .38 Super. My backwoods carry revolvers are two Ruger Blackhawks; one in .357, the other in .44 Special, along with a S&W Model 686.


















 
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DDDWho said:
I like this old war horse. Next year it will be 100 years old. I have a pancake and a shoulder holster for it.
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DDDWho, I can only dream I look that good at 100 years old.

Tallball said:
Does 44 special count? It makes a big hole.
Click to expand...

Only if you post a picture of your gun.

Glock Doctor said:
Here's one of my EDC's. It's a Glock Model 21 w/ an extended 5.125" Bar-Sto Precision barrel along with a significantly modified internal trigger mechanism. Like it's twin, this one has 25 or 26 thousand fired rounds through it and has been carried, on and off now, for the past 15 years.

I often practice with these pistols; and they've seen a lot of use. Over the past several years I've started to call them 'My Lucky Guns!' Personally, I'm reluctant to trust my life to anything smaller; but, sometimes, I do carry a G-19 in an almost identical configuration.
Click to expand...

I have a close friend that has a lot of guns but most of his pairs are by accident rather than design. However a while back he brought a second Glock 21 to have a matched pair of self-defense pistols. He is a Glock certified armorer and likes heavy hitters also.

It was a result of him buying a second Glock 21 that got me really into the “One is None, Two is One” concept.

bannockburn said:
Two of my full size "heavy hitter" handguns are Colt Governments (one of them is a Lightweight Model), along with a Colt Custom Gun Shop Combat Commander; all in .45ACP. I also occasionally carry a Browning Hi-Power, a SIG P229, and a Colt Commander in .38 Super. My backwoods carry revolvers are two Ruger Blackhawks; one in .357, the other in .44 Special, along with a S&W Model 686.
Click to expand...

Very nice selection of heavy hitters. I am glad to see you included single action revolvers. I have a pair of Vaqueros in 45 Colt that I did not have room on the table for in the picture.

Come on guys. This is a heavy hitter picture thread. Don't be afraid of embarrassing the little guns on the forum. :)
 
In 45 colt, i have a ruger vaquero and a Taurus 450, in 44 magnum a smith and wesson model 69 4", in 44 special a charter arms boomer. In 10 mm a Glock 29. I just ordered a Glock 36 in 45 ACP.
 
I used to be a big believer in the ol' saying: "Two is one and one is none" until a good buddy pointed out that the new rule is "A pair and a spare!" Of course, that meant I had to buy more guns....

BOARHUNTER
 
Well you mentioned 9mm, and didn't specify capacity so...here is my "little" heavy hitter and carry configuration. 9mm and same capacity as a 1911.

If you meant "heavy hitter" as in a big heavy gun to club someone with then I'm sorry to disappoint. :)


 
Good Ol' Boy,

Full size handguns at least 9mm or larger. Full size in semi-autos depends on the manufacturer. For some guns it might be a 4" or, in the case of the Beretta 92, 5" barrel. Capacity doesn't matter as while the SIG P220 is a single stack 45 it is no way a compact gun.

Revolvers generally a 4" barrel chamber in Magnum or big bore round. My S&W Model 10 square butt grip has a 4" barrel but doesn't qualify because it is only chambered for the 38 Special.
 
Any combination of these have been carried at one point or another except the Colt LW commander, as it's too new to me. I don't own any smaller guns, I think these all qualify as heavy hitters. Some just heavier than others.

Mt62sBS.jpg

Springfield Loaded Champion with factory Trijicons (just refreshed a few weeks ago) and a Colt Wiley Clapp lightweight commander. Both need wrung out some more. Both in 45acp.

pfO1cAf.jpg

4" 625-8 45acp and a 5" 629-6. The 625 has a horribly gritty trigger and a polygonal barrel, but shoots 200gr LSWC's like a champ! The 629 has a Burris Fastfire III waiting for the mount to arrive and is my go-to for deer season.

Do5KenQ.jpg

My CZ P01 just got a set of TruGlo TFO's installed and a new IWB holster. It's been seeing most of my carry time lately.

mEotHNI.jpg

Finally, a pair of 19-5's. I've been referring to them as the Ying-Yang twins. They get stoked with 158gr 357 JHP's and typically get carried OWB when I'm in the woods outside of hunting season.
 
BSA1 said:
Good Ol' Boy,

Full size handguns at least 9mm or larger. Full size in semi-autos depends on the manufacturer. For some guns it might be a 4" or, in the case of the Beretta 92, 5" barrel. Capacity doesn't matter as while the SIG P220 is a single stack 45 it is no way a compact gun.

Revolvers generally a 4" barrel chamber in Magnum or big bore round. My S&W Model 10 square butt grip has a 4" barrel but doesn't qualify because it is only chambered for the 38 Special.
Click to expand...




I'm not sure what difference it makes whether someone is shot with a compact 9mm, .38/.357, .40, .44, .45 or 10mm versus a full size in the same calibers, but I won't disrupt your thread any more.

Carry on...
 
BSA1 said:
Good Ol' Boy,

Full size handguns at least 9mm or larger. Full size in semi-autos depends on the manufacturer. For some guns it might be a 4" or, in the case of the Beretta 92, 5" barrel. Capacity doesn't matter as while the SIG P220 is a single stack 45 it is no way a compact gun.

Revolvers generally a 4" barrel chamber in Magnum or big bore round. My S&W Model 10 square butt grip has a 4" barrel but doesn't qualify because it is only chambered for the 38 Special.
Click to expand...
So a 9mm 4" is better than an SP101 2.25" in 357 mag?
 
45 LC 2.jpg 29.JPG model 28.jpg 586.jpg sp.jpg Security Six.jpg

From the top: S&W Model 25 .45 Colt, S&W Model 629 .44 Mag, S&W Model 28 .357, S&W 586 .357, Ruger SP 101 .357 & Ruger Security Six .357. Around town I carry a .38 SP J Frame or .327 LCR. Walking the family property in South Texas it's one of the above, usually the .45 Colt, and a J Frame in my back or jacket pocket.
 
Looked at a 329 PD................today. Hate the sights. Think maybe a 4" Scandium L frame might be worth a serious look (if it has normal sights).
.357 I don't consider big though.

25 yrs ago I was in drugstore when 3 idiots came in. I had a 629 in a shoulder holster. They ran as I had the drop on the lead would be robber. No shots fired.
Decided I needed a 1911 after that (more rounds, faster reload).

Figured luck might not be with me next time.

Still have that Commander :)
 
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