Clipper
Member
Gotta agree with the Phoenix HP-22. That little POS is amazingly accurate, and very reliable, as long as you keep it clean.
Best off brand handgun you've ever owned?
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Sniper X
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Norinco 1911, and a (not Handgun) Norinco 870 knockoff which consistantly outshot the other guys at 3 gun till one of them bought it for twice what I paid and to this day does better at 3 gun then he ever did before.
ModernTechnician
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EAA Witness Sport .45
I had an EAA Witness Sport .45acp, stainless bottom, blue top. The factory adjustable sights could be moved from side to side for more than a half an inch on either side so I shimmed it up with some thin steel sheeting. Stopped the movement but I was never really comfortable about it and intended to have it smithed.
The thing could shoot half dollar sized groups at the bench at 15yards and moving back to 25 didn’t open the groups up very much! (That was with some old Frontier 230 grain FMJ truncated cone factory ammo that I had once purchased a truckload of.)
I thought they all would do that, so when cajoled into letting a good friend have it, it got a new home. The replacement some months later was a blue standard model that rarely shot into a double fist sized group at 15 yds.
No good deed ever goes unpunished…
I had an EAA Witness Sport .45acp, stainless bottom, blue top. The factory adjustable sights could be moved from side to side for more than a half an inch on either side so I shimmed it up with some thin steel sheeting. Stopped the movement but I was never really comfortable about it and intended to have it smithed.
The thing could shoot half dollar sized groups at the bench at 15yards and moving back to 25 didn’t open the groups up very much! (That was with some old Frontier 230 grain FMJ truncated cone factory ammo that I had once purchased a truckload of.)
I thought they all would do that, so when cajoled into letting a good friend have it, it got a new home. The replacement some months later was a blue standard model that rarely shot into a double fist sized group at 15 yds.
No good deed ever goes unpunished…
45Broomhandle
Member
Would These Fialas Count?
I couldn't resist posting to this one. I'm hung up on the old Fiala Model 1920 pistols made in New Haven, Connecticut for just a few years in the early 1920s by several different owners. Any one of FOUR different brand names may be found on them: Fiala, Columbia, Schall, and Botwinik. Rumor has it there may even be a Blakeslee out there. I reckon any of these would be considered off-brand.
I took the picture below earlier today of my stocked pistols wearing their 20" barrel. Each of the top five guns have a 3" bbl for concealed carry, and a 7 1/2" bbl for range, plinking, etc.. The 3-bbl sets were available in a hard, fitted case with lock/latches to keep the kiddies out. These walnut buttstocks are detachable, of course. The pistol at bottom is a "Special Order" 12 1/2" barrel.
These pistols pictured are ALL marked Fiala Arms & Equipment Co.
Fascinating old guns. ---45Broomhandle
I couldn't resist posting to this one. I'm hung up on the old Fiala Model 1920 pistols made in New Haven, Connecticut for just a few years in the early 1920s by several different owners. Any one of FOUR different brand names may be found on them: Fiala, Columbia, Schall, and Botwinik. Rumor has it there may even be a Blakeslee out there. I reckon any of these would be considered off-brand.
I took the picture below earlier today of my stocked pistols wearing their 20" barrel. Each of the top five guns have a 3" bbl for concealed carry, and a 7 1/2" bbl for range, plinking, etc.. The 3-bbl sets were available in a hard, fitted case with lock/latches to keep the kiddies out. These walnut buttstocks are detachable, of course. The pistol at bottom is a "Special Order" 12 1/2" barrel.
These pistols pictured are ALL marked Fiala Arms & Equipment Co.
Fascinating old guns. ---45Broomhandle
[email protected]
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ummm
firestar .45 but wear ear plugs. extremly loud
firestar .45 but wear ear plugs. extremly loud
twinhairdryers
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- Joined
- Feb 7, 2006
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- 147
HP-22 phoenix arms. cheap, accurate, fun.
Tanfolio Witness P, compact. short 45acp that shoots accurate now - 2500 rounds with 2 FTB, which I think were limp wrist caused. Great little gun.
Tanfolio Witness P, compact. short 45acp that shoots accurate now - 2500 rounds with 2 FTB, which I think were limp wrist caused. Great little gun.
jakk280rem
Member
oddballs
FEG PA-63 9x18 makarov. great gun. paid too much for it though.
FEG PA-63 9x18 makarov. great gun. paid too much for it though.
Todesengel
Member
Taurus PT99
skinnyguy
Member
Bryco Model 59 9mm.
Takes anything I feed it with the sole exception of Wolf. Easy to clean, easy breakdown, not the most accurate in rapid fire, but 10 stopping hits with 13 shots at 15 yards are not at all uncommon.
Takes anything I feed it with the sole exception of Wolf. Easy to clean, easy breakdown, not the most accurate in rapid fire, but 10 stopping hits with 13 shots at 15 yards are not at all uncommon.
firestorm
jrfox HAS MY FIRESTORM. I am convinced the short life of the gun-type was because after the cessation of the STAR operation, they decided to use what capacity they had remaining to consume the last of their resources, and used that to the make a single run of FIRESTORMS and then quit the plant for the receivers.
They appear to have done it with some pride. Mine is idiot proof and is easy to use and clean and shoots excellently.
I fell in love widdit at the show and it hasnt received as much attention it deserves, for it is an accurate dependable gun, but dividing up my time between it, and another .45 acp oddball (FEG GKK .45 acp) and my home made .45 on a DoubleStar Frame gives it merely a place in the stable waiting its turn.
yodar
jrfox HAS MY FIRESTORM. I am convinced the short life of the gun-type was because after the cessation of the STAR operation, they decided to use what capacity they had remaining to consume the last of their resources, and used that to the make a single run of FIRESTORMS and then quit the plant for the receivers.
They appear to have done it with some pride. Mine is idiot proof and is easy to use and clean and shoots excellently.
I fell in love widdit at the show and it hasnt received as much attention it deserves, for it is an accurate dependable gun, but dividing up my time between it, and another .45 acp oddball (FEG GKK .45 acp) and my home made .45 on a DoubleStar Frame gives it merely a place in the stable waiting its turn.
yodar
Richard
Member
A great but tough poser. My candidates are the Norinco 1911A1, Bersa Thunder 380 and 45, Star BM, and Ballester-Molina. These pistols have all amazed me with their reliability, accuracy, and ergomics. If you haven't tried them, give them a shot. Regards, Richard
Norinco 1911A1:
Bersa Thunder 380:
Bersa Thunder 45:
Star BM:
Ballester-Molina:
Norinco 1911A1:
Bersa Thunder 380:
Bersa Thunder 45:
Star BM:
Ballester-Molina:
Ruger P85 9mm. Total POS. Inaccurate and weighed about as much as a boat anchor. It handled like a brick. Seemed like a high school shop project. Others also had AD's at the range when dropping the hammer due to some firing pin problem. Then Ruger became part of the Brady Bunch to boot. I was glad when we later switched to a 92.
2nd choice- Davis .380. At least it has some usefulness as a pocket pistol or "Oops. I lost it but don't really care gun."
2nd choice- Davis .380. At least it has some usefulness as a pocket pistol or "Oops. I lost it but don't really care gun."
MCgunner
Member
That's funny, cause my P85 is 100 percent reliable with anything I feed it and 2.5" at 25 yards accurate. It's heavy, but with Hogue grips, it handles GREAT! Just goes to show, some folks will badmouth even the best.
I won't deny my P85 is chunky and not as ergonomic as other pistols but you've got to admit that's a subjective complaint not an objective knock. There is also a fix for the problem you speak of.
Remember, the P85 was the first of the series, it's the one that has all the bugs. Mine outlasted its first owner, and I think it's gonna outlast me too.
I swear it said worst off brand handgun this morning. I'm gonna have to get more sleep. I don't think inaccurate is a subjective. That was odd because it was a good sized gun with a long site radius. Chunky definitely is subjective. And I think the firing pin problem was well documented. And objective. Definite POS. I'm glad its gone. The newer ones may be better, but I don't buy guns from Sturm Brady Ruger.
That's my choice and your mileage may vary.Firestar, EAA Witness
Another vote for the .45 Firestar - I used one for my carry gun in a Milt Sparks IWB for several years from about 1990. Solid, reliable - I traded it on a Glock 27.
I still have a 9mm EAA Witness Compact that I paid about $225 for years ago. It had some kind of clunky smooth wood grips on it, so I put some slim, checkered grips on. That is one heck of a fine little gun; solid and dependable, good shooter.
Another vote for the .45 Firestar - I used one for my carry gun in a Milt Sparks IWB for several years from about 1990. Solid, reliable - I traded it on a Glock 27.
I still have a 9mm EAA Witness Compact that I paid about $225 for years ago. It had some kind of clunky smooth wood grips on it, so I put some slim, checkered grips on. That is one heck of a fine little gun; solid and dependable, good shooter.
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