Gun Master
Member
Good choice, but I'm still not a "Glockie".
Wshington Times 15 best Handguns ever made!
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Gun Master
Member
Also, a good choice.
Gun Master
Member
Uh-huh !
Gun Master
Member
I'll take the P-38 (after 9 years improvement), and take the PP as back-up.
(Did Walther ever make an improved PPK that didn't break after dry firing ?)
Carl N. Brown
Member
Everyone loves to complain about these lists. "Best handguns ever made" or "the best and most influential handguns"? You are not going to please everyone.
I will call these better and more influential than most other handguns.
The real test of Best and Influential: has Internet Movie Firearms Database IMFDb spotted it on "The Walking Dead"?
yes GLOCK 17
yes COLT 1911A1 .45 ACP
yes SIG-SAUER P226
yes BROWNING HI-POWER
yes SMITH & WESSON MODEL 29
yes WALTHER P38
yes BERETTA 92
yes SMITH & WESSON MODEL 10
(For the record, some of our commentors faves do appear in "The Walking Dead": eg, Deputy Rick Grimes carries a Colt Python .357 Magnum through the series.)
I will call these better and more influential than most other handguns.
The real test of Best and Influential: has Internet Movie Firearms Database IMFDb spotted it on "The Walking Dead"?
yes GLOCK 17
yes COLT 1911A1 .45 ACP
yes SIG-SAUER P226
yes BROWNING HI-POWER
yes SMITH & WESSON MODEL 29
yes WALTHER P38
yes BERETTA 92
yes SMITH & WESSON MODEL 10
(For the record, some of our commentors faves do appear in "The Walking Dead": eg, Deputy Rick Grimes carries a Colt Python .357 Magnum through the series.)
MagnunJoe
Member
I wonder what the U.S. military thinks about their Beretta being #13
Gun Master
Member
Most of them sound good, except the 1st one.
Gun Master
Member
It shouldn't even be on the list.
Finally, the S&W M&P has a chance to prove itself with the government.
orionengnr
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You get my vote for "Post of the Week".
Gun Master
Member
Firearm sushi anyone ?You get my vote for "Post of the Week".
AustinTX
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It's more deserving of a spot on that silly list than a number of the other pistols on it.
rskent
Member
I think I was with them until they got to the Ruger single six. Please... 
I agree with Vern. How did they rate them?
Some of them were undoubtedly the best at one time. Others are just competitors of each other, some of which have come and gone.
At one time, the Colt Paterson revolver sold to the Texas Navy was the best. The guns we now call the Walker and Dragoons took that title. Later, the Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber took over, but the British Adams revolver was much more in demand after it came out. The SAA was great in 1873 and for a number of decades afterward, but why is it listed? Colt and the marketplace decided that it was obsolete in 1941--not that I don't like it a lot.
The Model 60? I have one, but I cannot imagine putting it on the list and leaving off the Detective Special.
I'll argue that the P-38 was never the best for anything, though I once thought differently.
Some of them were undoubtedly the best at one time. Others are just competitors of each other, some of which have come and gone.
At one time, the Colt Paterson revolver sold to the Texas Navy was the best. The guns we now call the Walker and Dragoons took that title. Later, the Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber took over, but the British Adams revolver was much more in demand after it came out. The SAA was great in 1873 and for a number of decades afterward, but why is it listed? Colt and the marketplace decided that it was obsolete in 1941--not that I don't like it a lot.
The Model 60? I have one, but I cannot imagine putting it on the list and leaving off the Detective Special.
I'll argue that the P-38 was never the best for anything, though I once thought differently.
Gun Master
Member
I agree with you Kleanbore, until the last two sentences.
The Colt Detective Special, I'm sure is a good choice, but it has a negative. The unshrouded ejector rod. I like my Colt Police Positive, which is very similar. I bought a Colt Army Special 32-20, which had the ejector rod head missing and the rod itself was bent. I fixed all this, but probably could have been avoided, if the rod had been shrouded.
I believe the P-38 was a very innovative autoloader, and a good gun.
It was one of the early DA semi's, and influenced the design of others.
Think S&W Model 39, for one.
I guess we aught to change the title of this thread to, "My Favorite 15 Handguns".
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WestKentucky
Member
They pretty much named all of the guns used by the US military over the years plus a few very notable exceptions. They skipped a lot of great guns like the PPK, Python, xd, m&p, and lots of old smith revolvers and steel framed smith autos.
Posted by Gun Master:
The trend in most police departments is away from the DA/SA. I'll never have one again.
The ones on the later ones were.
Early and innovative do not mean good. The Model 39 was based on the Colt, though it operated a lot like a PPK. The P38 led directly to the P1, which had a very short operational life. The P-38 also led to the SA Beretta Brigadier and to the 92. Model 92.
The trend in most police departments is away from the DA/SA. I'll never have one again.
Gun Master
Member
Unshrouded Colt Ejecter Rods & Inspiration for S&W Model 39
Regarding what Colt did on some of the later models (protection for their revolvers' ejector rod), I'm glad they did, but S&W did it at least six decades earlier.
I am at a loss as to where the idea that the S&W " Model 39 was based on the Colt, though it operated a lot like a PPK." came from???? The only relation between the 39 and the 1911 is that they are both semi-auto pistols. The P-38 and the PPK were (are) DA semi's , both made by Walther.
The S&W 39 was developed for the US Army service pistols trials of 1954. It didn't meet their standards, and was not accepted. The Model 39 later established itself anyway, and all the rest is history. I was a young adult shooter at the time, and "lived the history".
If that's not enough, look on the web Wikipedia under " S&W Model 39 ".
Regarding what Colt did on some of the later models (protection for their revolvers' ejector rod), I'm glad they did, but S&W did it at least six decades earlier.
I am at a loss as to where the idea that the S&W " Model 39 was based on the Colt, though it operated a lot like a PPK." came from???? The only relation between the 39 and the 1911 is that they are both semi-auto pistols. The P-38 and the PPK were (are) DA semi's , both made by Walther.
The S&W 39 was developed for the US Army service pistols trials of 1954. It didn't meet their standards, and was not accepted. The Model 39 later established itself anyway, and all the rest is history. I was a young adult shooter at the time, and "lived the history".
If that's not enough, look on the web Wikipedia under " S&W Model 39 ".
I misspoke. The Model 39 employed the later FN Browning locking system, which was more similar to the Colt than the dropping block locking system used on the Walther P-38 and P-1 and the Berettas. It did have a Walther-style single action/double action trigger and a hammer drop safety.
I have seen no evidence that the Model 39 did not meet Army standards. The program was terminated before the evaluation was complete. At one time, Elmer Keith opined that the Model 39 would have been the winner.
He preferred it to the Colt and to the P-38. One reason had to do with the grip angle.
The P-38 had a terrible DA trigger, but frankly, I don't like any DA/SA trigger.
Even though I had a Model 39 for almost five decades.
Not a bad list.
Mike Kerr
Member
It seems like a pretty good list. Not a ranking, just a list. Fun thread but sure takes a while to go thru all the clicks.
tipoc
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Well the list does say...
So best and influential. Some are both, some not.
It also is not a ranking. Just a list and has to start and stop somewhere.
But not a bad list on the whole. BUT...
I wonder why the Woodsman was included and then add the Ruger Mk I. Maybe I'm assuming that the Woodsman is there because it was the first truly successful U.S. made semi-auto 22 pistols. Maybe they added the Ruger because it was Ruger's first gun and established the use of castings in gun production. Influential to say the least. One or the other could be there but I'm not sure why both.
The PP/PPK deserve to be there. The first widely available and successful da/sa pistol produced in a variety of calibers and still made today.
The Walther P38 most certainly needs to be there. It's influence from WWII till today is unquestionable. Well one can question it but it's kinda like a little kid questioning why they have to brush their teeth.
I think the S&W Registered Magnum (Model 27) shoulda been on the list. It was the first "Magnum" gun. Beautiful and durable. It led the way. The model 29 and the Python followed in it's wake.
The Detective Special the first successful snubby concealed carry commercial revolver sold. There would have been no S&W Chiefs Special (M60) without it.
The Luger should have been there. If not the Mauser M96, the first successful semi-auto pistol used by a number of armies. Proved they could stand up on the battlefield.
I think the Ruger Blackhawk shoulda been there. The use of investment casting and it helped revitalize the single action revolver and strong good guns.
tipoc
So best and influential. Some are both, some not.
It also is not a ranking. Just a list and has to start and stop somewhere.
But not a bad list on the whole. BUT...
I wonder why the Woodsman was included and then add the Ruger Mk I. Maybe I'm assuming that the Woodsman is there because it was the first truly successful U.S. made semi-auto 22 pistols. Maybe they added the Ruger because it was Ruger's first gun and established the use of castings in gun production. Influential to say the least. One or the other could be there but I'm not sure why both.
The PP/PPK deserve to be there. The first widely available and successful da/sa pistol produced in a variety of calibers and still made today.
The Walther P38 most certainly needs to be there. It's influence from WWII till today is unquestionable. Well one can question it but it's kinda like a little kid questioning why they have to brush their teeth.
I think the S&W Registered Magnum (Model 27) shoulda been on the list. It was the first "Magnum" gun. Beautiful and durable. It led the way. The model 29 and the Python followed in it's wake.
The Detective Special the first successful snubby concealed carry commercial revolver sold. There would have been no S&W Chiefs Special (M60) without it.
The Luger should have been there. If not the Mauser M96, the first successful semi-auto pistol used by a number of armies. Proved they could stand up on the battlefield.
I think the Ruger Blackhawk shoulda been there. The use of investment casting and it helped revitalize the single action revolver and strong good guns.
tipoc
Gun Master
Member
Well said !
22-rimfire
Member
I'd dump the S&W M60 and insert Colt Python. It is actually a pretty good list overall for most influential and "best". I lump all of the S&W hand cannons with the M29 the most recognizable.
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