I notice now most of us older guys (50+)

[F1]

"This makes me wonder about limp wristing...personally I think guns were designed to shoot with a firm grip."

What kind of grip do you think you're likely to have in an emergency situation? Any gun that requires some kind of special grip to function is NO GOOD as a defensive weapon.

 

[TexasRedneck]

MCgunner, the problem is YOU said "don't" - not me. You did NOT qualify it. Is it that hard for you to say "oops"? And FYI, since it's apparently escaped you, Coonan has claimed their .357 is coming back.

And I didn't "forget" anything - I just tossed out some easy ones for ya, because I figgered more would be confusing......

 

[Stainz]

Okay, enough. At 61, it finally dawned on me why I have only revolvers at this point in my life. It is simple - I don't have to impress anyone. At my age, I can have what I want - and can afford - without apologies. I fell in love with revolvers as a child - watching TV cowboy shows - especially, Richard Boone as Palladin -n 'Have Gun; Will Travel'. I never liked 1911's - especially the ones I carried on watch. I tried rude-case-tossers... my G21 was just boring... my wife's 9mm CZ-75 was okay, but even she tired of it. I have fewer handguns these days - but they are all S&Ws - and all revolvers - and I don't have to try to impress anyone.

Last night, the house was dark - we were in bed - the front door rattled as someone beat on it. I grabbed my loaded 4" 64 and Olight M21 Warrior light - 350+ Lumens - and went to the door - nothing. Checked the other doors, windows, and back yard - nothing. I felt very comfortable with 'just' a .38. My wife had her 10, too.

Stainz

PS My neighbor just wanted me to make him a checkerboard. Too many 'home invasions' - folks are on edge around here.

 

[joepav]

I am 26 years old I own a Rossi .357 and a S&W semi auto 22. No reason thats just what I like. Nothing to do with age.

 

[NWCP]

With 59 coming up pretty fast I'll have to disagree. I own revolvers and autoloaders. I've yet to have any of my HKs fail on me. Not a one. I like single stack pistols as well as double stack. I still carry a second generation Colt Detective Special on occasion and a Ruger SP101 can be found in the nightstand. One of my favorite camp guns is my Ruger Single Six with the .22WMR cylinder installed. Yet when it comes to concealed carry I almost always have a double stack HK USC in my holster.

 

[ziglew]

Very interesting thread. My first pistol was a 9 shot H&R .22 cal, which I thought was the cats meow,
next came an original Colt 3rd model Dragoon (well actually this was my dads) came to him from his
Grandfather,that was 4 + lbs of hand cannon and a lot of fun to shoot.

After joining the Marine Corps and arriving in Korea I found myself in possesion
of a 1911 (.45 cal of course) this was in addition to an M1A1 carbine (a pc of
junk IMOP). At the same time I had the opportunity to obtain an original 1st
generation Colt SAA in .45 LC which I eventually sold to my company gunny.

Fast forward to 1957, this is when I started to be serious about
competition shooting, 3 gun bullseye, .22, center fire(generally .38 cal Colt Combat Master Piece or Colt Python)
and the ubiquitous 1911/A1 .45 cal hardball (this was the Nat'l Match leg course).
For civilian matches we generally changed to a customized 1911 that would function with reduced load SWC
ammo.

Now, we come to 2010 and at 80 yrs young I still participate in competitive shooting,
of course now I am in the senior class and do fairly well.
I have an equal balance of semi-autos and revolvers. As a matter of fact my
most recent acquisitions are a 1962 mfg Nat'l Match with Clark Custom long slide conversion
and a 3rd Generation SAA in 38-40 cal.

Whew, a long post for which I apologize. Just felt it worthy to let people know that
age is no deterrent to enjoyment of guns and the shooting of same.

If any one wonders, USMC 24yrs active, 1950-1974. Be well and shoot straight.

Fred

 

[Hawk]

I've been skeptical of stereotypes that cast older shooters as more comfortable with the old ways.

But I've recently come across a quotation that seems aligned with the OP and the concept in general:

You can judge your age by the amount of pain you feel when you come in contact with a new idea.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Well, shoot - then ah'm still a young'un! Bluetooth cell-phone interface on the motorcycle, GPS in the truck, car an' bike - an' my nickname at the office is "Mr. Gadget"!!

 

[bobland]

I bought my first revolver about 8 years ago when I began to get stiff in all the joints (except the one I really needed). I was shooting at a very crowded range and picking up brass was getting to be too much of a chore.

Got a 625 in 45 which I ultimately "converted" to AR. The fun things was loading the gun up to probably near dangerous loads, kinda past the standard 44 Mag range. Gun and brass handled all with no sweat. I ended up getting a FA Field Grade 44 Mag so I wouldn't beat up the 625.

Since bought a 357 snub. Now looking for an 8 shot 357. Hardly shoot my Sig anymore tho I'll never sell it.

 

[Sidon67]

Wheelguns vs. Autos

I'm going to weigh in with many of the other over 50 folks here. I've been shooting handguns for almost 30 years and revolvers are the ones I love. I have a few autos too but if I had to choose between all of them, the wheelguns would win hands down. I have a very small collection of Smith's and Colts which I cherrish almost more than anything else I own. I just found a M-18 at a gun show and thought I had died and gone to heaven. There is something "open and honest" about a revolver that I like. You can see most of the parts and watching that cylinder turn when you cock the hammer is just plain beautiful. The simplicity of the basic design is appealing as well. There is really very little to go wrong with a revolver. About the worst problem I've had was a cylinder which got bound up after the first shot on a Taurus M-445. I had just bought the gun (used) and apparently the previous owner did something to it which caused this problem. Taurus fixed it for nothing. Years ago I had the barrel replaced on a M-19 because it was spitting lead between the face of the cylinder and the breach end of the barrel, but I don't think Smith charged me for this either. It's been fine ever since. While many of the "Glock type" autos function very much like a double action revolver, most of them are so ugly I can't bear the thought of owning one. The 1911A1 is what an autoloader should look like. And when I pick up a handgun I want to feel the weight of something made of steel, not plastic. Plastic is for toys.

 

[gmh1013]

I spent the past 2 days at the range and I still see more over 50 guys with Revolvers and youngin's with Auto's only.
I fact today I saw nobody with a Revolver except for me.
Seems like all the advances are in Auto's now and Revolvers are taking a back seat to them.

 

[W.E.G.]

Seems like all the advances are in Auto's now and Revolvers are taking a back seat to them.

I completely disagree with that.

Even Ruger has started putting the BILLBOARD on the bottom of the gun.
I bought one just in celebration of that.

Have you seen some of the awesome reproductions that were not available just a few years ago?

What sort of "advancement" are you looking for in a six-shooter?

You want a plastic one?
They have them now.

You want one that is so lightweight that even .38 wadcutters are painful to shoot.
They have those too.

High-end new revolvers are NOT cheap.

Custom gunsmiths are turning-out masterpiece revolvers.

Look, I carry a Glock all the time.
Its not an art object, and I have no feelings of nostalgia for it.

The plastic-fantastic autopistols have their place.
But, to me, the revolver is classic.
With what is available now for revolvers, its like they are re-making the 1970 'Cuda.
You'll pay for it, but its worth it in coolness.

The 350Z will stomp the 'Cuda on any road track, but that doesn't make me want it any less.

Nobody names their kid Elmer anymore.

 

[gmh1013]

I just want Colt to start making DA Revolvers again.....I really think S and W are not worth the money and that just leave me with Rugers.

 

[dagger dog]

I have to admit, just turning 63 in April, and reading all the posts in this thread, it's kind of changed my mind about those auto loaders, I think I could probably take a look at one of those LUGER pistols!

 

[Sniper X]

I think it is a cultural thing (for the younger guy's) who have been brainwashed into thinking that if one doesn't have 12~19 rounds in a handgun they are SOL in a gunfight. Both from the movies, and current mil stuff being used by police.

 

[W.E.G.]

I'll go so far as to say when it comes to real "gunfights," most of the "fight" is over after the first shot.

If not over by then, the second or third shot is likely the end of it for certain.
I'm not sure where people have gotten the notion that every goon is The Terminator or some sort of zombie.
From most accounts, getting shot seems to spoil the thrill for most felons.

Autopistols are great.
I have quite a few.

I would hate to think that is a good reason to not own revolvers.

I've been collecting and trading guns since I was 9.

I hope to be doing the same when I'm 99.

I have a certain distaste for bolt-action shotguns.
After some 30 years of uncertainty about it, I finally put mine on consignment.

 

[Steve 48]

Who wants to bend over and pick up brass for an hour. With a revolver, you just eject them in a can and that;s it. I prefer them because they just have more power and are more accurate.

 

[TexasBill]

I'm 60 and I have more autoloaders than revolvers. But that's more a function of what I can find here locally. I haven't found anyone in my part of Houston that has any real stock of wheelguns except for SW snubbies, the S&W .500, some Taurus and some Rossi.

Since just about all the handguns on my wish list are revolvers, it looks like I'll be turning to the Internet for future purchases. Guns on my want list include the S&W M1917, Model 64 and a real Model 27. About the only autoloader I would really jump through hoops to get is one of the Interarms Mauser P08s from the 1970s. I had one and a 1942 German Luger with all matching parts, but I let them get away.

Carry guns? My most frequent companion is a S&W M637 with grips from a Model 60 Pro.

Yes, I wish someone would bring back the Colt DA revolvers. But then I'd have to mortgage my house.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I have several revolvers from .22LR up to .45 Super but my CCW and companion around my place is a Makarov. and my .32acp Beretta.
I take my revolvers into the woods though. my GP Ruger and S&W 625 get the nod for 'stopping' loads.

 

[22-rimfire]

You ain't livin' until you have at least one medium to large frame revolver made by Smith or Colt. Okay, Ruger's are okay too.

 

[Dirty Bob]

...And the handgun I'm lusting after these days is either a S&W Model 64 or 65, or a Ruger SP101 with the longer barrel. The .38/.357 revolver is not at all hard to CCW. I'm looking for a cool-weather supplement for my "always" gun: a Kel-Tec P-11 in 9x19mm.

A DA revolver is also a wonderful teaching tool, and I find .38 Special to be my favorite cartridge for reloading.

BTW, I'm 48.

All my best,
Dirty Bob

 

[touro1979]

I am 30 and I love my gp100. My favorite gun. I am a new convert to wheelguns with all my previous experience being with autos. One day I jsut got the bug to buy a revolver and it is my new favorite gun. I prefer to shoot it over my AR and my xd. I like to take my time and aim. I feel like when I shoot my XD I am just pointing and shooting since the sights suck. With my gp100, the sights are very good.

 

[3845]

I'm 60 and just realized, due to this thread, that I have 11 revolvers and 11 autos. Of course, I also have two dogs and two cats. I guess I can't make a decision.

 

[Chasbo00]

I bought my Glock 19 about 20 years ago when I was still a youngster in my 40s.

 

[XxWINxX94]

For reliability and simplicity, I prefer a wheelgun. However, I do enjoy shooting older semi-autos, like a Luger, P38, PP, 1911, etc.