I have to say, my M57 has become my favorite handgun. The double action is glass-smooth, the single action only requires a breath to drop the hammer. As good as all my S&W's actions are, this one is the best. It's flaw is its size. If I lived in Dodge City in 1875, it would definitely be my EDC, but carrying it around today, everyone would think I was a terrorist. Too big to conceal except in the winter. I don't mind its weight, the balance is very good, and the weight soaks up a lot of Ka-pow, which it has in spades.
I like several, but here is one choice: Wilsonized Colt Series 80 Combat Elite Issue: it is merely a single stack .45 ACP.
Honestly can't say I have a favorite. I have several in the carry rotation, others I prefer for the range, one purposed for hunting. I like them all but am not attached to them. I get more invested in rifles.
If I had to choose one, and only one, it would probably be my recently bought S&W 625 4" .45 ACP. It's smooth as glass, soft shooting, and at this point in time with bad eyes and shoulders, I can probably shoot it better than anything else I have. When my eyes get fixed early next year, I hope I can shoot close to what I used to shoot when I was say, 20 years younger.
A Colt Python Ive had for nearly 50 years. Only thing I don't like about it is that if something ever breaks I don't know anyone near me that I trust enough to work on it.
Favorite revolver? Gp100. Flaw? Forcing cones fail. Semi auto? 1911 flaw? Single stack, and 2011s are pricey. Rimfire? Either my single 6 or volquartsen scorpion. Single 6 flaw? Single action reloading. Volquartsen flew? Putting one back together for the first 3 times will make a morman have verbal diarrhea.
Mmm. S&W Mdl 10. Accurate, reliable, easy to use. Only flaw is the same flaw as all revolvers- capacity.
I’ve been telling people about your 45 snub “invention.” It’s the revolver I aspire to own, someday. I’m assuming you’re the same guy who did a whole thread about it.
“Favorite” is tough. My go-to for running a box through at the range or home defense is a basic Springfield 1911. But I most enjoy shooting my .32s... and I spend a lot of time fondling my other guns, that arguably have my commercial 1911 beaten soundly in terms of looks and history. But a Luger or CZ-52 or Nagant doesn’t exactly make for a practical tool.
Out of the handguns I've bought the top honor goes to my first 1911. I worked out a buget and stuck to it down to the penny. Took me two weeks to save for my Kimber Custom II. I that I lost it when I had to sell it to my dad to cover a family emergency. He used to torture me by saying this person offered him some much for it and he may get rid of it. Every time I had the money to buy it back he'd say I don't know if I wanna sell back to you. After awhile I just figured it was a gone. After dad passed my .45 was the only handgun unaccounted for so I figured yup the old man sold it. I wasn't upset or even disappointed to my own surprise. Time passed and I inherited several fine handguns from dad. But to me those were still dad's. I couldn't bring myself to reset the adjustable sights an zero them in for my eyes. Then covid swept through and I refused to go to mom's house just in case I had gotten infected because I was the only one in our house that could go shopping. My wife has underlying conditions. It was right in the middle of our mandatory live like a hermit time that I got a text from my mom's say that she needs me to come over she has something for me. I talked it over with my family and it was decided that as long as the visit was kept short and outside everything would be alright. I went over to mom's and she had the Kimber sitting on the table. The auction hadn't happened yet so I asked her if she wanted me to take it to the auction place to be included in dad's estate sale. She shook her head and told me that dad must have put it away for me and assured me that it was mine. It will not leave my possession again. The flaw- it shoots as well as I can hold it otherwise I'd have night sights installed on it.
For general shooting, small game, woods carry and so on, my Colt Woodsman. For self defense, my Kimber Custom Classic. For serious woods carry, deer hunting and so on, my Colt New Service -- with adjustable sights.
Quite frankly, with most of my pistols (I have several dozen) whichever one is in my hand at the moment is my favorite pistol. Sorry, but I have no single favorite. EDIT: Decades ago, when I only owned a few pistols, almost all of them carry pistols, I do not recall having one favorite. I do not even recall thinking that any of my pistol-types were better or worse that others. I realized that all pistols sport their own particular good & bad design features.
It's hard to chose a single favorite, but I think I'd go with my 1955 High Standard Sentinel. My Dad taught me to shoot with one just like it. We shot that little pistol for years. Thousands of rounds later, when I was about 20 years old, it finally broke. The top strap fractured and popped right off. Sadly, there was nothing to be done about it. I really missed that little revolver. Fast forward 25 years to 2019 and my Dad presented me with a gift... He had found an identical Sentinel in a pawn shop and bought it for me as a Christmas gift. For some reason, my Dad had even kept the leather holster he bought for the original gun. That holster had sat empty for 25 years and it finally had a use again. It was like getting a piece of my childhood back! For the sake of the OP's question, I honestly can't think of a flaw to complain about on this gun.
Yep -- I have one of them, too. My DS is my Sunday-go-to-meetin; gun because it conceals so well under my church clothes.
