Could someone talk me out of this?

[ditchbanker]

Trading my Colt Officer's ACP for a revolver.

Here's some personal info. I'm a police officer. My duty gun is a Glock 21. Don't like it. Crummy trigger, doesn't fit my hands. It has been 100 percent reliable though. Nothing I can really do about it, so I've resigned to quietly mumbling about it and carrying a gun I like off duty. That's where the OACP comes in.

I got the gun almost a year ago. It had a lot of problems initially. New springs and mags fixed them for the most part. Then I started having some other issues. Still trying to figure out if I've fixed them or not. I've always loved the 1911 design. However, instead of being a collection piece, this is a gun I carry ALWAYS (it was a 9mm on my belt before I got this one.) The possibility that there is ANY chance the gun won't work makes me very nervous. That said, I've gotten to a point where the gun is, physically, very comfortable to carry, when you consider that it is steel gun.

I've always also liked revolvers, although both of them I've owned have been single action. I got to thinking that a double action might be nice to have. In particular something in .357 with a smaller 5 shot cylinder and somewhere in the neighborhood of a 3" bbl. But I'm seeing some real down falls to owning a DAO (It would be spurless). First, I've been trained and have practice on auto reloads. Second, round count will obviously be lower. Third, trigger will be heavier (although not as nasty as my glock... sorry, I'm biased). Fourth, I'm concerned that the cylinder will be less comfortable on my hip. Like i said, I rarely leave the house unarmed.

Pluses, I would like to have one. It's going to be reliable. I would be able to get SOME kind of dry fire practice (the primary type I'm getting right now) with double taps. I know, not totally the same, but more realistic than with an auto. Finally, it should not be hard to trade my gun and holster for a revolver and holster and maybe even get some extra cash. Kind of indifferent on that one.

I know, the decision isn't rational. That doesn't keep me from wanting to do it, though.

Please, talk me out of this.

 

[TimM]

You will probably regret the loss of your pistol but you won't regret the addition of the revolver. Why not just be patient and save to buy the revolver instead of trading a gun you clearly like?

 

[MMCSRET]

I agree, don't trade, just add the revolver to your inventory. You will never regret the addition.

 

[Mike J]

I agree with everyone else-start saving your up for a revolver. Why have just one gun you like when you can have two? Also sometimes you can get a lot better deals having cash than trading.

 

[Palu]

New SP101's are ~$450. Little less if used. That is my next gun (2.25", DAO).

I agree with others - save up a little instead of trading.

 

[tkopp]

You know you like the 1911.

You think you'll like the 357.

What if you're unhappy afterwards? There aren't any take backs.

 

[MR_A]

Dont trade - save up - find revolver that fits you hand and you can never go wrong with the 357, i would recommend ruger or taurus, smith has problems with it's locking mech. Nc dcc had mega problems with smith revolvers when replaceing the old mod 65 with new smiths and they were replaced with the m&p 40 which are about as good as it gets.

 

[rondog]

I agree. In the meantime, put as many practice rounds through the OACP as you possibly can, to both break it in more and get to know it better, so you'll feel more confident with it. I'm not a LEO, but I carry a Rock Island Compact model, which is a clone of the OACP. I find it very reassuring to have it snuggled up to my side.

 

[HuntAndFish]

JMO, I would trade the short 1911 in for a full size (5") 1911 instead of a revolver. Maybe one with an alloy frame as well so it's easier to carry, but an all steel gun isn't tough to carry either. The short 1911 guns have a reputation for being undependable (although there are exceptions).

If that didn't work out for me, then I would consider the revolver.

 

[ditchbanker]

Thanks for all the input. I'm heading out in a few hours to put some rounds through the little .45. I'm hoping for 100% reliability, but am not expecting too much. The rounds I have squirreled away are what I was able to buy from the department before they quite being able to get their ammo orders filled, and it's blazer ammo, not one that's worked best in my gun. If I have any failures, I'll probably clean the gun and put it in the safe in the spot currently occupied by my Taurus P111 9mm, which will find regular service again until I get something else. It's funny that people insult an inexpensive gun like the PT111, but the only failure it ever gave me was when shooting in cold weather and I got my glove stuck in the action and it wouldn't fire when not in battery. Lousy piece of garbage . Compared to the Colt that cost about 2X as much (although with a holster) I've been much happier with it. Sigh. I really liked carrying my .45 when I knew I could trust it. Ammo's getting too tough to find to slowly get a gun to where you trust it.

I'll probably save up for a little .357 if I'm not happy with the .45 today.

 

[jim243]

DB

A couple of observations. The Colt is a Collectors Gun not a carry peice. There are a lot of good 1911s out there that shoot exceptionally well to POA. Most 1911 are all steel and will be heavier than others (around 38 ozs).

I don't know if you have shot DAO's since you indicated that your revolvers are single action (SASS types), but a DAO is MUCH different about 8 to 10 pounds of trigger pull and a 2.5 or 3 inch revolver is MUCH harder to shoot well (control) than a 4 or 5 inch which are not really CCW type guns. If you don't mind size, a 4 inch Ruger GP100 is about the best out there for .357 shooting, but it is a heavy all steel gun. I use a Ruger SP101 stainless in .357 2.25 inch (5 shot), but it will require a lot of pratice and is a pain in the wrist when using .357 cartrages out of it, but 38spl +Ps work fine.

Your PT111 is a good reliable gun, but if you are looking for more power, you might want to look at the PT840 (I am), 15 +1 Rounds, lighter frame, SA/DA, Decocker/Safety, 4 inch barrel, Novac sights (three dot), external hammer (can be carried locked and loaded), thin enought to use with a IWB holster, large pistol grip, and is large enought to shoot well and small enough to carry. I currently have a PT140 but am looking for something larger than a 3.25 inch 40 S&W to carry (more range and do not like the Heine sights).

I use 155 grain hollow points in 40 S&W, that's 1,125 grains less lead that I have to carry around all day if I was using 230 grain 45 ACP, that really makes a difference. You could use 180 Grain bullets, but I perfer the lighter faster bullet (just my preferance).

Keep the Colt and get a 40 S&W, I don't think you will like the trigger on the 24/7s that's why I would recommend the PT840 or PT940 (better yet but only 10 rounds instead of 15 and a 3.5 inch barrel)

Jim

 

[ditchbanker]

Thanks for the input. Unfortunately, the lousy .45 went bang every time I pulled the trigger, fed and cycled reliably and put the rounds darned close to where I wanted them at ranges that are pretty far for a much larger pistol, and did it all with second rate ammo. Crap, there goes my justification for buying a new gun. It looks like the last mod I had the 'smith make to it did the trick. I even had a friend who's not really familiar with pistols much shoot it, thinking that he might be more likely to induce a problem with a less secure grip and it just kept going "bang" for him.

Well, time to go clean it up and put the Taurus back in the safe for now.

 

[ditchbanker]

Oh, one more thing about the colt as far as a collector's piece. It's one of the series 80 Colts (the only ones my department will let me carry), so it can't be THAT old to be a collector. Now the Ithica sitting next to the Taurus... With a modern magazine it still goes bang every time, too, not that I'd shoot it, of course

 

[BCRider]

It's funny that people insult an inexpensive gun like the PT111, but the only failure it ever gave me was when shooting in cold weather and I got my glove stuck in the action and it wouldn't fire when not in battery. Lousy piece of garbage .

LOL Oh yeah, life's tough all over aint it! ! ! ! LOL

Just another "DON'T TRADE! ! ! ! BUY ANOTHER" here. Just because you have taken a long time to get the OACP running well. And that it may still have some issues doesn't mean that it can't be fixed and become a highly reliable piece. It may just be that in the end you need to send it off to get some of the little things that have evaded you corrected.

But none of this should prevent you from buying a nice revolver. Shooting a revolver in double action is a far cry from shooting a semi in double action. I have shocked myself a few times now by being able to shoot tighter groups with my Models 19 and 28 in double than in single. Likely because I tend to concentrate more when shooting in DA. But the point is that the geometry of the revolvers makes DA shooting far easier to shoot well than a DA semi. I've used my 19 for a couple of Speed Steel matches we have here locally and it's freakin' deadly to the steel even in DA. And I'm getting pretty good times for a one year only shooter to boot. Not a winner but on the top end of the mid pack. So don't let the misconceptions about revolvers hold you back. For a good glimpse at what is technically possible with a revolver check out videos of Jerry Miculek shooting in his cyborg like superhuman fashion. Semis? Who needs them if you can shoot a wheel gun THAT way!

 

[sebtool]

ANOTHER don't trade it off!

I had a s.s Officer's model, series 80 like your's, and traded it on an M1A back about 10 yrs ago. I never had a problem with reliability, and it was a comfortable piece to carry. You're finally working out the bugs, don't quit on it just when she's finally getting to the point where she's fully reliable - all you're going to be doing is giving someone else a bargain, and making a tidy profit for the shop where you'd be trading!

Oh, and BTW - shoot the Ithaca! My father carried mine in Korea, actually pulled it on a general who was doing a 'morale booster visit' to the hospital in Hawaii when he woke him up - apparently scared him 1/2 to death! At least that's his story, and seeing as he's not around anymore to change it, it's officially gospel.
That old parkerized Ithaca is loose as a goose, goes BANG EVERY single time, and will put every shot in a 4"-5" group at 25 yards all week long. I've let a couple of guys shoot it, and every one of them has tried to buy it from me! Thankfully, I'm not that broke yet - I'd have to be eating my dogs, well, maybe the neighbor's dogs 1st!

BTW - I just picked up a SP101, and already have a GP100 - both are great guns! The SP101 is a good carry gun, and seems to conceal better than many autos, Glocks in particular. I'd hate to have to use them every day. Good thing I'm not a cop!

 

[Noveldoc]

You may not have a gun problem but rather an ammo problem. Reload. You can set up with a single stage press complete kit on EBay for a bit over a hundred bucks. Then you get all the 45 ACP ammo you want at about 10 bucks a box, $8 if you can scrounge once fired brass at a range.

Lots of autos need a lot of break in and shoot better the more you shoot them.

Tom

 

[jackstinson]

Don't do it.

There, did I talk you out of it?

 

[ditchbanker]

Yep, we're good, gun's safe. It's going to continue to be on my hip for a while.

I'll be honest, a lot of the reason I got nervous is that when we qualified at the range last week another guy's G21 was giving him a lot of fail to fires. Problem ended up being firing pin related and was semi-similar to the last problem I'd had with the Colt. Watching him pull his duty gun for the first time that day and get, "click, tap rack, click, tap rack, click..." gave me a really sick feeling in my stomach. Once I was able to go out again and assure myself that the Colt was still pumping them out I felt better. I'd still like a revolver, but right now it's at the level of a neat thing to have, not having a gun to protect myself and my family. I may have to carry the G21 when I get to work, but I carry the Colt on my way there.

 

[WC145]

I agree with keeping the Colt if you start looking at revolvers again, just because some things are easier to keep than to try and get again later. However, if you decide that you just can't trust the Colt, I think you'd be well served by a revolver and I wouldn't be concerned with being undergunned, particularly for off duty use. I carry a Beretta 9mm on duty but my BUG and off duty guns are revolvers. Both use moonclips for fast reloads and both are 110% reliable. I've never questioned whether or not they'd function, regardless of the circumstances or ammunition.

 

[ditchbanker]

Oh, still considering, just not as hurriedly as I was before. The idea of a doa sp101 or s&w 60 with a 3" barrel sounds like it would be great around town and for when I head out into the boonies. Based on what I've read, if i find a dealer who allows dry firing, the 60 will likely come out ahead. But, this could be a ways off now that it's just a fun purchase.

 

[svtruth]

Seems to me

that trading a gun no longer manufactured for one in current production has certain drawbacks.
Just my 2 cts.
Good luck.

 

[texas bulldog]

New SP101's are ~$450. Little less if used. That is my next gun (2.25", DAO).

i got mine brand-new for $399, and later saw one new for $359 (and promptly kicked myself). if you look around, you should be able to get a good deal on one. it's an excellent carry revolver for a reasonable price, especially if you're not into the uber-lightweight S&Ws (i'm not).

i'd keep the colt and save for the ruger.

good luck.

 

[ditchbanker]

Hey, as long as I've got people willing to answer questions for me, is there a general consensus on the quality of Charter Arms revolvers? The new ones for next year chambered for auto cartridges sound kind of interesting. Didn't I start this thread because I said I wanted a .357? Huh.

 

[makarovnik]

I like the Officer's model and find it easy to carry. The SP101 is a fine revolver.

I agree with the others; keep them all and save for the SP101.

 

[Guillermo]

There is not a bigger revolver fan than me but I would wait until you have saved up enough.

Also I firmly believe that the 4 inch 357 is the basis of any revolver stable. And you sound like you are going to have a full gun safe the way God intended