Lightweight handguns...good for range or not?

[at-home-daddy]

Do you think a lightweight gun is better or worse for range fun? Or, in the end, does it essentially make no difference at all?

I know of course it's dependent on several personal factors -- what condition one's arms/body is in, how polished one's technique is, etc. -- but just generally speaking, is a lightweight pistol as-good-as-or-better in that there's less weight to fatigue one's arms and ultimately insure a better aim (especially in longer range sessions)...or worse in that the less weight means less dampening of the natural movements/shakes one has? I'm putting aside all concerns about carrying and/or recoil -- just wondering about how actual weight affects aiming in a normal and/or extended range session.

Specifically, the pistol I'm considering a trade-in on is a SW1911Sc, the Scandium commander, which weighs in at 28 oz. which is 8 to 12 oz. lighter than any of my other handguns.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

I'm a small sized woman and I've had no problems having a blast for more than an hour at a time with a 686 4," a 92FS full sized gun, or the Beretta Storm. I hate lightwight guns. They're hard on the hands and the shells bounce off your head. No thanks. I had a 15 ounce 442 and sold it -- hated the gun more than words can say.

 

[Jim Watson]

M. is correct.
The best gun for SHOOTING is the heaviest you can hold up long enough to break the shot. If you can't fire many shots, exercise. Light guns are for comfortable carry. You cannot separate the question of recoil from shooting performance. Excessive recoil will cause more fatigue and generate more flinches and other bad habits than gun weight ever can. I have a custom 9mm at 32 oz that I am now working up for IDPA, and it is a good shooter, but my .45 weighs the maximum allowed 41 oz.

I have an old Colt Commander, the gun the S&W SW1911 Scandium copies, and it goes to town but the steel guns go to the range.

 

[R.H. Lee]

I do better with heavy long barreled handguns, although I own a coupla snubbies, one lightweight. They don't go to the range with me very often.

 

[gbran]

Heavier is better

Pro target handguns are almost always 40 oz or more. Many, very much more. The real reason is that with a lighter gun, every shake or even slight movement is maganified thus ruining aim. I first found this out when I got into handgun hunting. I bought a polymer .22 semi auto that weighed about 15 oz. It was very accurate at benchrest, but was so light that it wavered on the target. Kinda like a rowboat vs. a big ship. It takes a lot to get the ship off target.

 

[JoeHatley]

Yup. They work just fine.



Well under 2 pounds loaded, and lovin' every bit of it....

Joe

 

[Brian Williams]

Joe what loads are you using for that group and how does she recoil.

 

[at-home-daddy]

Thanks for the input. All good points, though I have to wonder without my having yet fired one, if the SW1911Sc actually falls into the category of "lightweight" guns or not. While the difference would certainly be more pronounced with a Kel-Tec or Kahr or Airlite snubbie, is the 6 or 8 oz. difference between this and an all-stainless Kimber HD Carry II or Springfield Champion enough to make a difference?

Or am I just getting cold feet?

 

[Majic]

General rule of thumb is range gun is steel and carry gun is a light weight material. The heavier range gun will be more comfortable shooting over extended periods and durable. Weight helps soak up recoil and since it won't be carried on your body all day then the heaviest you can handle the better.

 

[NMshooter]

There is a noticeable difference in the recoil of a lightweight commander and a steel framed commander. Some folks don't mind, some do. Can you shoot something similar to find out whether or not you like it?

 

[Zeke Menuar]

I have a LW Commander. Years ago I hung a bunch of stuff like a steel mainspring housing and a FL guide rod and some other steel stuff off of it. That was when it was a competition only gun. The extra weight made it easy to shoot, especially when shooting 300-500 rnds a month through it. Now it is retired from IPSC, but it is my main carry pistol. I left all the heavy steel stuff on it.

I have had a super lightweight alloy framed snubby. It was easy to hide but a real pain to shoot literally and figuratively. I hated to shoot it and as a result I wasn't very good with it. So I went back to heavier guns that were fun to shoot at the range. A little weight on a carry gun isn't a bad thing. I would rather have a heavy gun that I trust to shoot in a hurry than a super LW gun that feels like a grenade going off on my hand every time I shoot it.

In other words, my main carry gun is also my main fun can-blasting gun.

This is my opinion, Your opinion may vary.

ZM

 

[MrMurphy]

I have no problem shooting lightweight guns (polymer frame, etc). Especially since this is what I carry.

However, shooting a Titanium or Scandium gun routinely at the range would be kind of hard on the hands. This is why in revolvers, I go no further than the Airweight aluminum frames. Easy to shoot AND carry.

 

[Berg01]

I haven't tried out the SW1911Sc, but I have the SW1911 with adjustable sights, and can attest that it is an excellent range gun. The Scandium 1911 is probably very close to a Kimber Pro Carry in the way it handles, and I think the Kimber Pros are decent range guns.

 

[Pappy John]

I'm sure that you'll be paying a premium price for that scandium alloy frame. I would suggest that if you're not going to carry the gun, and are using it for the range only, the cheaper, just as accurate, more comfortable to shoot, all steel gun probably makes more sense.

 

[Black Snowman]

For accuracy I do best with my full lug 6" Taurus 669 (357 or 38s) and my Buckmark 5.5 Target. Neither are light guns.

I shoot my RAMI 1st and my Desert Eagle last at the range. I can't put more than about 3 - 4 mags down range with the eagle before my arms get tired. Need to work out more. Or at all

 

[Piney]

The range pistol I enjoy most is 357, 3lbs loaded with a 6-1/2†ported barrel. You can shoot it all day with full loads, besides being very accurate.

 

[dairycreek]

I often carry a S&W 386......................

which is a 7-shot TiScan 357/38 and weighs in empty at 18oz. Of course, no carry gun is any good at all unless one is, at least, competent with it. And that is what I try to be with the 386 gun - competent. I use 38+P ammo and it is not too bad on the range. So, I practice accordingly. I would never, never have a long range practice day with hot 357 stuff - just too uncomfortable. So, FWIW unless you are willing to do what it takes to become competent with your carry gun - don't carry that gun. Good shooting

 

[at-home-daddy]

So, FWIW unless you are willing to do what it takes to become competent with your carry gun - don't carry that gun. Good shooting

Guess I should have clarified a bit more -- I already have a carry gun...this would just be another pistol added to the collection for range-time fun. I have a regular SW1911 and am enjoying it so much, I figured a commander-sized 1911 would be in order. Have looked at the Kimber Pro Carry HD II and Colt XSE Commander and a few others (Dan Wesson, Springfield Arms Champion, etc.) -- all w/ s.s frames and slides. However, since I've been so pleased with my SW1911 and the Sc model has everything I want in a commander model (yes, I even like forward slide serrations ), I couldn't help but throw the Sc model into consideration. But being the only lightweight in the bunch -- and seeing that its use will be for range only -- it gave me some pause....hence my original question.

Since the original posting, I've had a chance to fire the SW1911Sc and found the recoil to be not unlike the standard SW1911...a bit more robust perhaps, but still very solid and quick. I can envision a substantial range session with the Sc and feeling virtually no difference in overall wear in the hands. The dampening of shaking/motion upon aiming was less present in the Sc, but it seemed so minimal that I don't imagine it'll have much impact...especially not with my limited skills.

The more I consider the SW1911Sc, the better it becomes...

 

[GEM]

I carry a 642 quite a bit. I find that if I fire 50 Winchester Walmart White Box 38 SPL FMJs, my hand hurts. No pain after 200 9mm from a semi auto.

Thus, the gun is not fun for practice.

 

[thatguy]

Several replies mention increased recoil/diminished enjoyment of fun shooting an alloy gun but nobody has mentioned another important fact. The lightweight guns wear out faster with heavy use. I have a beautiful LW Commander made in the 1960s but I don't shoot it often because I know how much sooner the frame will stretch or crack than will a steel gun. I should sell this and get a steel framed model since I don't carry a 1911 and this is really a carry piece rather than a plinker.

 

[armoredman]

My CZ75 PO1 with alloy frame is a joy to shoot and carry. My wife loves here CZ2075 RAMI too, no issues with recoil.