Shot Some of my Newer Acquisitions Today

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Tallball

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I went shooting with my FiL this morning. We like to shoot at a local outdoor range. Lately he's preferred to to shoot at seven yards. I brought some handguns that are new or newish to me. I brought six, as usual, but only shot four of them.

Ruger P89 9mm
I also have Ruger P series pistols in 40 S&W and 45acp. It's pretty much like the other two. It's a stainless version in very nice condition. I won it for a $232 bid on Gunbroker. It's a lot of pistol for that kind of money. It will probably last longer than I will. My main problem is that the DA trigger is appalling. It's long and stiff beyond all reason. The SA trigger is good but not great, probably the best of my three P series. The sights are okay, but I wouldn't mind of they were a little taller. The slide release is not easy to reach, even with my giant gorilla thumb. The "double-wing" safety/decocker is a bit awkward. It shot 50 of my FiL's reloads without any problems. Accuracy was okay for a service pistol. Not as good as my Sig P229 or my favorite CZ's, but better than the ones that don't fit my hand well. I put about 30 out of 50 shots into a lump the size of my fist, maybe fifteen an inch or so outside of that, and maybe five flyers an inch past that when I had some sort of twitch or cranial/rectal inversion.
I would give it a grade of B. It's a good value for the money and a decent shooter for a service pistol, but the DA trigger is bad and my overall accuracy with it is mediocre.
View media item 1943

Charter Arms Pit Bull 45acp
I got this maybe six weeks ago, went to shoot it, and the cylinder locked shut. Charter Arms fixed it for free. I took it back out to the range today. It functioned just fine. The little spring-loaded things that hold the shells in place work well, but are not ideal. I had to hold the ejector rod in just a little bit, to lift the extractor star just a little bit, to load it easily. (There may be a better way to do this that I don't know about.) It ejected just fine. If you fumble around a bit it's not impossible to get a shell under the extractor star. The DA trigger is quite good, and the SA trigger is very good. The fixed/groove sights are better than average. The grip fit my man paws just fine. Shooting it took a little bit of getting used to, being that it's a 22 oz snubby shooting 45acp. The recoil didn't hurt, but my first few cylinders were in the area of maybe a 6" paper dessert plate. After I settled down and concentrated, I got a few cylinders into an area the size of my big fist. I prefer a DAO handgun for CC, but would feel okay carrying this one.
I would give it a grade of B. It's not an outstanding firearm, but I believe it will go bang every time, its accuracy is fine for SD, and it shoots a cartridge I have confidence in.

Ruger Standard 22lr
I wanted a shorter-barreled 22 semiautomatic pistol for shooting at shorter ranges. I bought an SR22 and really don't care for it. I paid more than I wanted for this 4" Ruger ($265 Gunbroker bid), but it's in nice shape other than the scrape on the right grip. It's from 1982, the last year before production started for the Mark II. It balances very well. The magazine is a little tight at the top and mildly annoying to load. The trigger is extremely nice. The fixed sights are good. I shot it very well. I put 100 rounds of Remington Golden through it. I brought some other 22lr ammo, but felt no need to use any others. I shot roughly five groups of 20 rounds apiece. The groups were all roughly the size of my thumb. I'm not a terrific shooter and my hands were a little shaky today. It shot pretty much to POA, maybe an inch or less to the left. I don't need to look for another 22lr semiautomatic with a moderate/short length barrel. I am very pleased with this pistol. The fit and finish are very nice. It's a high-quality pistol.
I would give it a grade somewhere between A and A+. The magazine is mildly annoying, and fieldstripping/reassembling is aggravating. But it sure is a nice shooter.

Smith and Wesson 625-2
I got this one more like four months ago, maybe six. The DA trigger is merely okay. Everything else is ridiculously good. The fit and finish are excellent. The SA trigger is excellent. The sights are excellent. It's an N frame, so it fits my XL hands very well. I am not that great of a shooter. This revolver makes me look good. I shot most of a box of 50 45acp reloads, and it made one big hole. The bullseye disappeared. I just couldn't miss. This is one of four handguns I own that I consider to be absolutely outstanding.
The grade is obviously A+. It's a truly excellent handgun.
 
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I went shooting with my FiL this morning. We like to shoot at a local outdoor range. Lately he's preferred to to shoot at seven yards. I brought some handguns that are new or newish to me. I brought six, as usual, but only shot four of them.

Ruger P89 9mm
I also have Ruger P series pistols in 40 S&W and 45acp. It's pretty much like the other two. It's a stainless version in very nice condition. I won it for a $232 bid on Gunbroker. It's a lot of pistol for that kind of money. It will probably last longer than I will. My main problem is that the DA trigger is appalling. It's long and stiff beyond all reason. The SA trigger is good but not great, probably the best of my three P series. The sights are okay, but I wouldn't mind of they were a little taller. The slide release is not easy to reach, even with my giant gorilla thumb. The "double-wing" safety/decocker is a bit awkward. It shot 50 of my FiL's reloads without any problems. Accuracy was okay for a service pistol. Not as good as my Sig P229 or my favorite CZ's, but better than the ones that don't fit my hand well. I put about 30 out of 50 shots into a lump the size of my fist, maybe fifteen an inch or so outside of that, and maybe five flyers an inch past that when I had some sort of twitch or cranial/rectal inversion.
I would give it a grade of B. It's a good value for the money and a decent shooter for a service pistol, but the DA trigger is bad and my overall accuracy with it is mediocre.
View media item 1943

Charter Arms Pit Bull 45acp
I got this maybe six weeks ago, went to shoot it, and the cylinder locked shut. Charter Arms fixed it for free. I took it back out to the range today. It functioned just fine. The little spring-loaded things that hold the shells in place work well, but are not ideal. I had to hold the ejector rod in just a little bit, to lift the extractor star just a little bit, to load it easily. (There may be a better way to do this that I don't know about.) It ejected just fine. If you fumble around a bit it's not impossible to get a shell under the extractor star. The DA trigger is quite good, and the SA trigger is very good. The fixed/groove sights are better than average. The grip fit my man paws just fine. Shooting it took a little bit of getting used to, being that it's a 22 oz snubby shooting 45acp. The recoil didn't hurt, but my first few cylinders were in the area of maybe a 6" paper dessert plate. After I settled down and concentrated, I got a few cylinders into an area the size of my big fist. I prefer a DAO handgun for CC, but would feel okay carrying this one.
I would give it a grade of B. It's not an outstanding firearm, but I believe it will go bang every time, its accuracy is fine for SD, and it shoots a cartridge I have confidence in.

Ruger Standard 22lr
I wanted a shorter-barreled 22 semiautomatic pistol for shooting at shorter ranges. I bought an SR22 and really don't care for it. I paid more than I wanted for this 4" Ruger ($265 Gunbroker bid), but it's in nice shape other than the scrape on the right grip. It's from 1982, the last year before production started for the Mark II. It balances very well. The magazine is a little tight at the top and mildly annoying to load. The trigger is extremely nice. The fixed sights are good. I shot it very well. I put 100 rounds of Remington Golden through it. I brought some other 22lr ammo, but felt no need to use any others. I shot roughly five groups of 20 rounds apiece. The groups were all roughly the size of my thumb. I'm not a terrific shooter and my hands were a little shaky today. It shot pretty much to POA, maybe an inch or less to the left. I don't need to look for another 22lr semiautomatic with a moderate/short length barrel. I am very pleased with this pistol. The fit and finish are very nice. It's a high-quality pistol.
I would give it a grade somewhere between A and A+. The magazine is mildly annoying, and fieldstripping/reassembling is aggravating. But it sure is a nice shooter.

Smith and Wesson 625-2
I got this one more like four months ago, maybe six. The DA trigger is merely okay. Everything else is ridiculously good. The fit and finish are excellent. The SA trigger is excellent. The sights are excellent. It's an N frame, so it fits my XL hands very well. I am not that great of a shooter. This revolver makes me look good. I shot most of a box of 50 45acp reloads, and it made one big hole. The bullseye disappeared. I just couldn't miss. This is one of four handguns I own that I consider to be absolutely outstanding.
The grade is obviously A+. It's a truly excellent handgun.
The p89 was the first pistol that I owned. 1991 I think.
 
Has anyone else shot a new or new-to-them or newish handgun lately? :)
 
Has anyone else shot a new or new-to-them or newish handgun lately? :)
Hmmmm, last week I tried to shoot my '98 police trade in 92f for the first time- turned out the firing pin channel was packed full of old, rock-hard cosmoline resulting in no primer strikes!:what: Good thing I wasn't trying to use it as my nightstand gun without actually firing it first! There is a morale to that story......

Had to detail strip the slide to get it cleaned up- should work fine next time. Lol.
IMG_20181001_203702.jpg
I did get to shoot my new-to-me .357 Redhawk. Discovered it hates .38 cartridges, but was grouping well with 110 and 158gr. Magnum loads. Unfortunately, I didn't have a small enough screwdriver with me to adjust the windage screw.:(
IMG_20180910_061905.jpg
 
Jonwill - I will probably get one in 40 caliber eventually. I shoot 40 caliber semiautos pretty often (especially my Sig P229) and would like to have a revolver in that caliber. Too bad the Blackhawks cost an arm and a leg.

Eric - Those are very nice revolvers. I'm glad you got to shoot it. It's on my list of handguns I want to get.

NightLord - My FiL has one of those trade-in Berettas. Some days he shoots it well, and some days he can't hit a barn. I just ordered new springs for him. I have the Taurus version, and a Beretta 96. IMHO they are very good pistols. Mine don't malfunction and shoot better than most service pistols. The Redhawk is gorgeous. I am jealous. There was one at my LGS and I foolishly waited a few days before I started begging the owner for a "friend discount". He laughed at me because it only lasted in the case for two days. I would love to have one.
 
View attachment 812783 Tallball,

I just recently shot a S&W model 36 for the first time. Nice little revolver. It belongs to my FIL and he had no clue what model it was.
Wow, that nickel doe!
I wanna play!
IMG_20180308_231107 (1).jpg
Ashamed to say, I haven't shot either of these yet, though I do have another M39 and a snubbie M19 which I do shoot.
 
I had a Pitbull in 40. It definitely had more recoil than a Semi in the same caliber.
I had the opposite experience with the Taurus I had. The revolver was a bit snappier, but the slide slows down recoil which gives a longer impulse so it felt a lot heavier (to me) in the auto. My Taurus was very accurate, if the charter does well I might buy one. Seems easier to find, and I haven’t had a charter in years.
 
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