Perfect Combinations?

[Peter M. Eick]

Perfect combinations, What are they? In my mind they are guns and rounds that just work great. Not to much power for the gun, but then again, not to much gun for the power. What is a good example of an "almost" perfect combination? The 38/44 Heavy Duty. Great gun, I love them, but even with 38/44 rounds, it is just to much metal for a hot 38 special.

So what are some perfect combinations?

Well I was out with my 229 sport this morning. After 500 rnds, I figure this is a perfect combination. The sport and the 357 sig are just made for each other. Great trigger, lots of power on tap, accurate, easy to shoot. Plenty of firepower. Virtually no real recoil because of the comp. Just a perfect combination. It got me thinking.

Another SIG perfect combination is the 210 and 9mm. The 210-6 is just heavy enough to make the 9mm a pussy cat to shoot. No real recoil. One of the best triggers ever, accurate beyond belief. The gun was just perfect for the round.

What other perfect combinations are there?

What about the 1911 and the 45 acp. Here you have another perfect combination. Go to a 10mm and you start pushing what the 1911 can handle gracefully. Go to a 9mm in the 1911 and it is just to much metal for the round.

What about the 357 Mag and the S&W N Frame like the Registered Magnums. Just about the perfect combination of metal to round ratio. Particularly in the 6.5 to 8" barrels. Put the 357 in some scandium k frame and it will hurt a bunch to shoot. Put it in a hand built N frame and it is great. Just perfection for the round.

The 30/30 and the Winchester 94 come to mind. Heck, the 30/30 is no great round, but put it in a 94 it works to perfection because the gun and the round matches. Accurate enough for the round with iron sights yet not pushing the capabilities of the round in dense forest.

The 7.62 Nato and the M-14. Put a hot loaded 7.62 into you M1A and you can tell it does not work. Put a wimp load in and it just feels all wrong. The 7.62 and the M-14 are just perfection. Accurate, easy to shoot well, just enough recoil to give you sense of satisfaction, but not like a 300 Ultra mag so it is no fun to blast off a dozen mags in a range session. Again, just perfection in round and rifle.


So what other perfect combinations are there?

 

[jc2]

The Colt .357 Magnums built on their .41 frame (.357, Trooper, Python, etc.--and maybe even their newer Mk III and V siblings). I think they are probably a "more perfect" match than the N-frames.

The K-frame and the .38 Special is just about perfect (as is the Colt D-frame and the .38 Special).

The flattop and the .44 Magnum.

The .30 calibre and its carbine.

The Single Six and the .22 (or maybe the Bearcat and the .22).

The P35 and 9x19.

The 4006 and the .40 S&W.

The P225/228 and the 9x19.

The 3913/14 and the 9x19.

Less than perfect:

The Glock 22/23 and the .40 S&W (considerably less than perfect).

The Beretta 96 and the .40 S&W.

The Glock 31/32/33 and the 357 SIG.

 

[rockstar.esq]

I tend to think that the Browning Buckmark is a perfect blend of weight and accuracy. I know that it would be classified as a "pussycat" round, but I tend to think it's a great pairing that lends itself well to shooting. I would also submit the PT92 from Taurus as it fits my hand well, recoils gently and cycles without torque.

 

[Double Maduro]

9x18 and Makarov
.22 and Ruger Mk512

A Monte Christo #5 and a glass of good single malt scotch (eg. Oban).

DM

 

[critter]

Colt SAA and .45 Colt

 

[ewb45acp]

+1 for the 1911/.45ACP

Also... Ruger MK series .22s. I've always thought they were just about a perfect handgun.

 

[Black Majik]

Of course, the 1911 and the .45 ACP

Glock 23 and the .40 S&W (perfect concealability and firepower)

BHP and 9mm

SIG P226 and 9mm

 

[Harry Paget Flashman]

The perfect combination is the Ruger Old Army and the .457 round ball with as much fffg as you can compress.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

+1 for the 1911/.45ACP

Also... Ruger MK series .22s. I've always thought they were just about a perfect handgun.

You are a gentleman and a scholar.

 

[KriegHund]

9x18 and Makarov

Have to agree there.

 

[Bacon]

.44 Special & S&W L-frame (Model 696)

 

[Majic]

The .44 spl and the N-frame.
The 10mm and the Colt Delta.
The .41 mag and the N-frame.
The .44 mag and the Redhawk.

 

[Marko Kloos]

The K frame and the .38 Special are perfect for each other.

The more I think about it, the more I think that nobody has improved on that particular combo since 1899.

 

[Sharps Shooter]

I'll have to go with the pre-64 Model 70 Winchester and the .270 or 30-06. The new Model 70s with the "classic" actions chambered for either cartridge also qualify IMO. And I'm not much of a shotgunner, but it seems like the Remington 870 and 12 gauge must be a pretty good combination seeing as how there has to be millions of them around.

 

[Candiru]

The 1911 and .45 ACP go really well together, as do 9mm and the Browning Hi-Power. The Baby Browning is about the perfect size for .25, too. Hey, it's like this Browning fellow knew what he was doing or something!

 

[Smokey Joe]

Perfect combo

Somebody already said the Ruger Mk I/II pistol and the .22LR target round. +1 on that. The III's are a useless embellishment of the II's, except for the magazine release. But it's still mostly the original William B. Ruger brilliant design.

May I place in nomination the 1903-A3 Springfield and the .30-'06 round.

While we're at it, the SKS and the 7.62x39 round.

Oh, and the .50 cal. BP rifle, slow twist, with a patched round ball over about 70 gr. of FFG. Match made in Heaven.

 

[Brian Williams]

Althought I like the Ruger MKII I prefer the Colt Woodsman 6" 1st series. The Win 1892 and a 38/40 or 44/40 are pretty sweet although I would prefer a 45 Colt. A Marlin 39M makes for about the best 22 rifle for me.

I agree with;
.45acp and the 1911
9mm and the BHP
9mm and the Luger
45 Colt and the SAA
38Spec and a K Frame
357 on a 4" L frame for carry
357 on a Reg Mag for WOW


An 1894C Marlin makes a 357 a whole nother thing.

and I still think a Win 1885 LoWall is just down right pretty

 

[Ky Larry]

The .50 cal. Hawken rifle, T/C Mag Sabots 240 gr bullet, and 90 grains of Pyrodex.
The M1 carbine and the .30 cal carbine round.

 

[W Turner]

.223 in the AR
7.62x39 in the SKS
.308 in the Steyr Scout and the M1a/M14
16ga. and the Browning Sweet Sixteen
12 Ga. and the Browning A5
1911 in .45ACP
.38spl. in the Kframe
.357 in the Ruger GP100 series
.380 in the Colt Mustang
.22LR in the Ruger Mark II or 22/45
.45LC in the SAA
.44spl. on an L frame SW

W

 

[Rob1035]

.22LR in a Ruger MKII of course

9mm in a G19

 

[Souris]

.45 acp in a 1911
.22LR in Winchester M62 or 06
.30-06 in a 03A3, M1917, Garand or pre 64 M70 Featherweight
9mm in a S&W 39-2
12 gauge in a SXS or Winchester 97

 

[BigG]

44 Magnum in a S&W Model 29, especially with a 6.5 or 8.375" bbl.

12 Gauge in a shotgun (period). Browning Superposed or Automatic Five or Winchester Model 1897 if you MUST shuck your shells. Also, a well balanced 12 gauge side by side is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

 

[buzz meeks]

Has no one said Swedish Mauser in 6.5x55 or the Marlin 39 in .22?

Or the Ithaca 37 in 16 gauge?

Oh wait. We're in Handguns. Anybody who said 1911 in .45 ACP or a S&W Model 10 (or 15 or 64 or 67) is right on. Ditto for the Browning HiPower and Luger in 9mm. Did anybody mention the j-frame Smith and the .38 Special?

 

[Smokey Joe]

Yeah, we're on handguns. But...

I think the 1911A1 and the .45ACP got the most votes so far. Right behind are the various S&W's in .357mag or .38spl. Gotta get me a 1911. Already have a Smith.

There ARE some non-handgun "perfect matches," too. And as long as we're "what-if'ing"...

No one so far has said the 12 ga shotgun round and the Win Mdl. 12.

+1 for the Ithaca Mdl 37--That is a beautiful, and under-appreciated, piece of machinery. Prob. 20 ga. fits it best of all.

Mauser 98, and the 8x57JS round.