Perfect Packing Pistol Revisited

[leeroy71]

Mavracer is spot on. Actually making the piont I intended to make.

There really is NO PPP. And thankfully so. Then we would all be "One Gun Wonders". Diversity make this site, and others like it, so interesting.

My point was, although not clearly stated, refuting Taffin's PPP concept is a non-issue. Meaning, as he has stated in more than one article, YOUR choice or choices may vary from the concept. His PPP happens to be of single action variety, .44 spl mostly.

To critisize the "concept" is silly. That is my point.


BTW. PPP, in my case anyway, does mean Pistol Packing Preacher.
In God we trust,all others are suspect.

 

[mavracer]

There really is NO PPP. And thankfully so. Then we would all be "One Gun Wonders". Diversity make this site, and others like it, so interesting.

Taff's PPP concept is much the same as the time and again asked "If you could have only one handgun what would it be" without the silly notion that there is a universally correct answer and the painful notion that you can only have one gun ( I hate that one lol).

 

[ATLDave]

So, mavracer, it might be entirely appropriate for an individual to say that their Glock 19 is their PPP? If it's just another word for "your most indispensible pistol," then what's all the handwringing by the OP about people nominating unsuitable guns?

 

[goon]

Agreed - It's cool that Taffin is in a position where he can indulge his fantasies about the "perfect packing pistol," but that doesn't mean he has any more idea about what handgun will be more useful to you than your neighbor's kids.

 

[mavracer]

So, mavracer, it might be entirely appropriate for an individual to say that their Glock 19 is their PPP?

That all depends on the question asked.
If the question is prefaced with "PPP as defined by John Taffin" as was in this thread and the other thread then nominating a 9mm would be wrong because according to Taff's definition "Nine em-ems need not apply."

It'd be kinda like answering "whats the best 4X4 SUV?" with "A Toyota Prius"

Although I agree the OP is off base excluding autos, Taff clearly didn't do that.

 

[murf]

my ppp changes with the circumstances. quad riding it's usually the bhp or the 45lc blackhawk. elk hunting it's the 44mag super blackhawk. just out for a walk it's normally the bearcat. depends, i guess.

murf

 

[ATLDave]

mavracer,

OK, so it's not whatever a person deems their most indispensible pistol to be, or the "one pistol I can't do without." It is some other thing, as arbitrarily defined by Taffin, and which does not meet the plain-language description of a "perfect packing pistol." Which brings me back to my original point. Taffin may have a clear idea in his own head about what he means by PPP, but by choosing a combination of words that naturally have a different meaning, he creates confusion in many readers - as evidenced by this thread.

He may know a lot about guns, and he may be an otherwise good writer, but his attempted coining of this phrase just doesn't work. If the Taffin-ologists want to talk about PPPs amongst themselves, that's obviously OK, but don't expect the broader world, or even other gun guys, to understand the conversation.

 

[Prosser]

Come on, it's not that hard. It's a short barreled gun, with more power then a service caliber, that is light, and easy to carry, all the time.
For him, that's pretty much a custom .44 Special, but others may, and do apply.

What his term did do is make Ruger, and other gunmakers, start offering shroud length barrels, or a little longer, when, before, the shortest they would offer was usually 6.5". In other words, he defined, and created a specific market, and got the gunmakers thinking about it. Prior to that, you usually had to go to a custom shop for a shorter length barrel.

A good example is Magnum Research, BFR. The shortest barrel from them, for a LONG time was 7.5". That doesn't really carry in a holster easily, and I think that's the point of the PPP.

I was shocked and delighted to see they are offering two shorter barrels now:
one the .44 Magnum, and the other the shroud length BFR 45/410.
https://magnumresearch.com/Browse.asp?Category=BFR:Revolvers

Ruger is also offering more barrel lengths then before. It's less of a major hunt to find a short barreled PPP. In fact, if you look at this page

http://www.ruger.com/products/newModelBlackhawkDE/models.html

a bunch of the guns fit the bill. Problem is these are limited runs, as has always been the problem with Ruger and their specials, so get em while they are there, and, you end up paying a lot, since you won't just be able to order one next year.

 

[BSA1]

Come on, it's not that hard. It's a short barreled gun, with more power then a service caliber, that is light, and easy to carry, all the time.
For him, that's pretty much a custom .44 Special, but others may, and do apply.

I agree. For me it is a custom Single-Six in the wildcat 41 Special.

 

[goon]

But 4 5/8 and 5.5 inch barrels are a standard offering in the Blackhawk. IIRC, 6.5 and 7.5 are too, but the shorter offerings still exist and have for as long as I can remember. In fact, IIRC the 4.75 inch SAA dates to the 1870's (not as early as the 7.5 inch, but not too long after), so it's hardly a new idea.

 

[Prosser]

I don't think it's a new idea, just one he wanted back on the front burner.

While some shorter barrel 5-6 guns are made, they aren't really plentiful.
Seems like most 6 guns are 5.5" or long, and the shroud length pretty rare.

JT accomplished two things:
First he got people to make custom guns for him to test that fit that label, and,
he refocused the industry on making guns people can carry and work with. Try sitting down with a 7" or bigger barreled 6 gun, or finding a shoulder rig that's comfy.

Former is pretty hard, later is easy.

 

[mavracer]

Dave there's really two problems that seem to be causing most of the confusion.
First some people are confusing Taff's definition of a "packing pistol" with his ideas and preferences as to what he likes to pack.

To fit my definition of a "packin" pistol a handgun must be a revolver or semi-automatic that is relatively light in weight; have a barrel with a minimum of 4" and a maximum of 5 1/2" easy to holster; and especially be chambered in a caliber that can be depended on to do the job.

with caliber defined as

Viable factory calibers for packin pistols are .38 Super and .45 ACP in semi-autos; probably the 10mm should also be included but I have not seen one yet and it is too new to tell if it is really as good as it should be. Nine em-ems need not apply. In sixguns we can choose from .357 Magnum, .41 Magnum, .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .45 Colt, and .454 Casull. I would also include the .44-40 and .45 Auto Rim

The other is the tendency of so many on this board to be too self absorbed to answer a question as defined by another IE
A poster asks "I want a all steel 9mm what are some good ideas?" will invaribly be answered Glock 19.

 

[mavracer]

But 4 5/8 and 5.5 inch barrels are a standard offering in the Blackhawk. IIRC, 6.5 and 7.5 are too, but the shorter offerings still exist and have for as long as I can remember.

Not in all calibers. The .44 mag and 45 Colts wern't avaliable with a 4 5/8" until like the early to mid 80s IIRC