What guns do you come back to because “It will be different this time”?

[awp_101]

For me it’s certainly Glocks and Berettas sort of.

I have XL hands and M fingers. I have to fight the Glock hump on everything but the 17/34 series. So I get a 19 every couple of years because “I have a better idea of what I’m doing and it will be different this time”. Then it’s not any different and I move it on for something else which is too bad because I really want to like them. They’re like the SBC of the pistol world, easy to work on and stock up parts for (in normal times).

I have a similar issue with the B92 but I’m still tempted anytime a BrigTac or LTT is listed at a nice price.

What about you?

[Crow Hunter]

For me it’s certainly Glocks and Berettas sort of.

I have XL hands and M fingers. I have to fight the Glock hump on everything but the 17/34 series. So I get a 19 every couple of years because “I have a better idea of what I’m doing and it will be different this time”. Then it’s not any different and I move it on for something else which is too bad because I really want to like them. They’re like the SBC of the pistol world, easy to work on and stock up parts for (in normal times).

I have a similar issue with the B92 but I’m still tempted anytime a BrigTac or LTT is listed at a nice price.

What about you?

Revolvers.

In the late 90s I bought a 686+4", a 617 4", 640 2.125" and a 686 6"powerport (all before the locks), I really tried to like them and work with them. I finally gave up on them and sold them off. They were always too heavy or awkward except for shooting at the range.

Since then I have gone back and bought a 642(hurt my hand), 60 3" (hurt my hand), 66-8 2.75" (16 lb trigger and hurt my hand). So they are all gone.

Now I have a 66-8 4.25", guess what? It also hurts my hand. So I took pictures of it yesterday to try and sell along with all my remaining 38 ammo.

I also have had but got rid of a pair of ruger vaqueros in 45 acp/45c (heavy and poorly regulated sights), blackhawk 9mm/357 convertible 6.5" (not accurate too big), a flattop 9mm/357 4.75" (heavy), a blackhawk 44 mag (hurt my hand), and Colt Cowboy in 45c (never shot it because of 45c prices).

I know I am going to get rid of this 66-8 and I will read something somewhere that will convince me that I really "need" another revolver and I will buy another one. Maybe I should favorite this thread for future use.

I love the panache of a revolver. I like all the benefits I read about a revolver. I like to hold and look at revolvers. I really like reading about revolvers.

Unfortunately my body and hands do not like carrying or shooting revolvers....😢

[JSGlock34]

For me it was RDS sights. I needed quite a few tries before it took. Now #RDSallthethings (https://pistol-forum.com/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=RDSallthethings) .

70034

[OlongJohnson]

Revolvers.
...

I know I am going to get rid of this 66-8 and I will read something somewhere that will convince me that I really "need" another revolver and I will buy another one. Maybe I should favorite this thread for future use.

I love the panache of a revolver. I like all the benefits I read about a revolver. I like to hold and look at revolvers. I really like reading about revolvers.

Unfortunately my body and hands do not like carrying or shooting revolvers....😢

You just need to find the right grips/stocks. Which might involve a new minor hobby of woodworking on your part.

Those legendary stock makers of SoCal LE in decades past didn't get that way by purchasing what they could buy off the shelf.

Lex Luthier
Maple Syrup Actual

The bolded part applies to single actions for me, but I don't even really like holding them, it turns out.

I haven't gotten too strong an itch to replace any of the guns I've sold, but I do wish I could like a G19. And I keep looking at small-frame revolvers I haven't owned yet.

[Crow Hunter]

You just need to find the right grips/stocks. Which might involve a new minor hobby of woodworking on your part.

Those legendary stock makers of SoCal LE in decades past didn't get that way by purchasing what they could buy off the shelf.

Lex Luthier
Maple Syrup Actual

The bolded part applies to single actions for me, but I don't even really like holding them, it turns out.

I haven't gotten too strong an itch to replace any of the guns I've sold, but I do wish I could like a G19. And I keep looking at small-frame revolvers I haven't owned yet.

I actually shot it yesterday for several rounds in just single action. While it didn't hurt the base of my thumb like double action, I did find it unpleasant enough that I don't think finding better stocks will improve my shooting experience. I don't know if I am getting arthritis or just skinny hands. I also turn of vibration on my Xbox games because I find it unpleasant. Maybe I just have sensitive hands.

I guess if I can't sell it for what I want I might hold on to it until I can find a gp100 to trade it for and see if I can get a more recoil absorbing grip that doesn't have too long of a trigger reach. Since it has a grip peg and is heavier than a k frame.

However, I had a s&w 60 3" with both pachmayr compacs and hogue tamer grips and I still found recoil of 130gr 38 unpleasant enough to get rid of both a standard 1st and the a pro version since i didn't learn my lesson the first time.

I really like my model 63 3" and wanted a companion center fire. The 63 doesn't hurt my hand at all. Even with wood grips. 😁

Eta

I "know" that I will wind up buying a lipsey flattop blackhawk stainless 45acp/45c knowing full well that i have no real use for it and it will probably hurt my hand too. But I know i will if i ever see them offered again. Even though my old inherited single six is the last .22 I ever grab for anything.

It is what i do.😕

[Totem Polar]

“J-frame, I wish I knew how to quit you.”

[Duelist]

I actually shot it yesterday for several rounds in just single action. While it didn't hurt the base of my thumb like double action, I did find it unpleasant enough that I don't think finding better stocks will improve my shooting experience. I don't know if I am getting arthritis or just skinny hands. I also turn of vibration on my Xbox games because I find it unpleasant. Maybe I just have sensitive hands.

I guess if I can't sell it for what I want I might hold on to it until I can find a gp100 to trade it for and see if I can get a more recoil absorbing grip that doesn't have too long of a trigger reach. Since it has a grip peg and is heavier than a k frame.

However, I had a s&w 60 3" with both pachmayr compacs and hogue tamer grips and I still found recoil of 130gr 38 unpleasant enough to get rid of both a standard 1st and the a pro version since i didn't learn my lesson the first time.

I really like my model 63 3" and wanted a companion center fire. The 63 doesn't hurt my hand at all. Even with wood grips. 😁

Eta

I "know" that I will wind up buying a lipsey flattop blackhawk stainless 45acp/45c knowing full well that i have no real use for it and it will probably hurt my hand too. But I know i will if i ever see them offered again. Even though my old inherited single six is the last .22 I ever grab for anything.

It is what i do.😕

Have you tried a different .38 Special load? Maybe a 148gr target wadcutter? A heavier load to compare the 130 to?

Do you want to borrow a pair of Herrett Ropers?

.38 was the first metallic cartridge I loaded for, and still the most frequent one. One thing I love about it as a hand loader is the flexibility I get from it: loads that barely recoil more than a .22 rimfire up to .38/44 loads (which I don’t shoot a lot of, but are nice to be able to have available).

One thing I load for is tolerable practice loads for my 642. What I’m using most right now is a hollow base 105gr .358 lead round nose with a light powder charge. In a 642, I can shoot that load for a whole box, or even more, and not think I’m an idiot masochist, unlike when inshoot full power 158gr lead or 125gr JHP +P. When I shoot it or even a bit heavier load in a steel K frame or my 28-2, they are just straight up fun.

I usually find that 130gr FMJ isn’t too obnoxious in heavier guns, but isn’t a lot of fun in a light J.

Just some of my thoughts on the .38 Special. I won’t be without one or more. I have ... a few. :cool: And I really just consider the .357s as .38s that can shoot any load I need to put in them, but I rarely shoot any .357s, even from my Marlin lever.

[LOKNLOD]

I’m married to Glocks, but it’s an open marriage.

I’ve strayed with P30s (twice, once LEM and once TDA), p320s, Px4s, and 92s. Each time I come back to Glock I shoot them a little better because learning to shoot others well rounds out different aspects of my marksmanship. Consequently it always feels somewhat effortless to pick up a Glock after shooting something else for a while. Especially true with the LEM or TDA (Less so with the 320 but that’s because Sig let me down on building a better mousetrap - shootability for the 320 is outstanding IMO, but i can’t trust them).

Right now I’m down to Glocks and 92s.

[fatdog]

HK, LEM in particular...while it remains Mrs. Fatdog's gun, HK and I are sorta separated right now.

[farscott]

CCO configuration 1911-pattern pistols is the one I have tried multiple times (original Colt CCO twice and Baer Stinger multiple times) with the same outcome. On paper, the short grip frame and longer slide make sense. In the holster, the short grip frame makes things easy. Shooting the CCO is where it falls apart, and I do much better with the full-size five-inch pistol.

[Trooper224]

For me it was the Browning High Power. I love the gun and think it's one of the sexiest ever made. Unfortunately, my hands are too big or the gun's too small depending on your point of view. I think I've owned four over the years. I guess about every decade I forget the issues I've had with it, or maybe I think FN's building them larger.

[Half Moon]

Dan Wesson revolvers. I've owned three, two in .357 Mag one in .44 mag, including a complete Model 15 pistol pack. Conceptually I love the idea of the flexibility but every time I go back to them I find the weight balance is wrong for me, I don't shoot them well in DA (though SA they're tack drivers), the forward cylinder release is not intuitive, and in the case of the .44 the weight is just too much for daylong field carry. Still I look at the listings for them every once in awhile...

[ccmdfd]

Another one here for Glocks.

Tried several models of Gen 3. Sold them all.

Rinse and repeat with Gen 4.

Now Gen 5, they just plain work. Not my favorite guns to shoot, but I appreciate them for what they are; tough guns with good capacity to size/weight.

[jetfire]

No matter what level of objective success I achieve shooting semi-auto pistols, I always seem to end up shooting revolvers again. I know lots of people think of me as "a revolver guy" and in many ways that's true. I almost made M class in USPSA L10, I finished 4th at IDPA Nationals in CDP, 9th in CCP, won a FAST Coin, made A-class in Steel Challenge, all with a semi-auto. But I keep coming back to revolvers like some kind of crackhead and I really don't know why. I love them sure, but like...am I doing this because people expect me to do it, or am I doing it because I love it?

[ccmdfd]

No matter what level of objective success I achieve shooting semi-auto pistols, I always seem to end up shooting revolvers again.
......

I love them sure, but like...am I doing this because people expect me to do it, or am I doing it because I love it?

Just preparing yourself for upcoming semi auto bans.

[Crow Hunter]

No matter what level of objective success I achieve shooting semi-auto pistols, I always seem to end up shooting revolvers again. I know lots of people think of me as "a revolver guy" and in many ways that's true. I almost made M class in USPSA L10, I finished 4th at IDPA Nationals in CDP, 9th in CCP, won a FAST Coin, made A-class in Steel Challenge, all with a semi-auto. But I keep coming back to revolvers like some kind of crackhead and I really don't know why. I love them sure, but like...am I doing this because people expect me to do it, or am I doing it because I love it?

For some reason I had a flash of Quigley Down Under there....:cool:

[19852+]

Glocks for me, at least 4 tries to make it work. Still no joy..

[Totem Polar]

I love them sure, but like...am I doing this because people expect me to do it, or am I doing it because I love it?

You’re doing it because watching you run a FAST with a revolver is like a religious experience.

Unless one doesn’t like revolvers, in which case it’s fucking silly. But there are people like me who love revolvers, so you keep on doing it. For the children.

[RevolverRob]

Like Crow Hunter and jetfire

Revolvers.

I love them, love them, love them. But objectively, I do not shoot them as well as semi-autos and in particular as well as various '11s. I want to shoot them as well, I try really hard, but timers and B8s don't lie...I'm not as quick or as accurate. I keep going back thinking it'll be different, it isn't.

To dissuade myself from spending too much effort, I've been storing all of my revolvers in long-term bags, in ammo cans, at the bottom and back of the safe with all the long guns on top of them. If I want a revolver, it's an ordeal to get one out right now, which generally dissuades me from getting them out. In fact, I've taken to doing this with all of my non-carry guns.

The other ones are all non-AR pattern semi-auto rifles. I don't know why I keep thinking I can make the AK or a FAL work for me. I can't, it's dumb, I still like rocking big chunk FAL mags into place and running the charging handle. Something about .30 caliber bullets feels 'right'. I think I've 'solved' this problem by going with .300 Blackout where I get my AR-pattern gun in the smaller AR15 size and .30 caliber bullets, without all the compromise inherent in opting for .308 over 5.56.

[JRB]

The HK USP series.

In a world with modern Beretta 92's and PX4's, CZ P09's, and HK P30's and HK45's, there's really no damn reason to love the USP. But I love them. In LEM they're LEM weird, with the Match trigger the DA is still trash, match hybrid LEM whatever is a great way to spend a Beretta 92D's worth of money on a trigger configuration that's still objectively worse than the Beretta 92D is out of the box. Nevermind the stupid USP proprietary rail.
Plus with L&M Precision retiring there's no way to RDS a USP anymore.

But whenever I pick up my USP45 I just love the fucking thing and I want more of them. Then I want to carry them. Then I think about a USP9C or USP40C as a carry gun and remind myself that the HK45C is already enough of a problem with holsters/mags/support etc so WTF am I thinking?

Then I go back to Glocks or Berettas for awhile, then I pick up the USP again..... lather, rinse, repeat.

[Nephrology]

Pump action shotguns. I have two very nice Rem 870s - one is an older '70s manf. police wingmaster, the other is an early 90s 870P. also grabbed a cheap posurp mossy 500A that smells like cigarettes (friends don't let friends Gunbroker drunk).

I probably spent close to $1k setting up the 870P, including the SF foreend, sidesaddle, magpul stock, etc. I put exactly 5 rounds of 00 buck through it and it has sat in my safe ever since.

In addition to all the reasons they aren't the very best longarm for personal protection, they're just... not really very fun to shoot.

I can see myself setting up a semi auto and enjoying that a bit more, but honestly, if I were to get another shotgun, it would be for the purpose of getting into the clay shooting sports or maybe 3 gun. For every other purpose, I'd way rather have an AR.

[dontshakepandas]

So mine isn't a gun, but I think it fits with the theme of the thread.

The Surefire X300U. I like this pistol light better than any other option currently on the market. I WANT to carry it AIWB, but it never works. Every time I see a new AIWB holster for it I tell myself that will fix the problem for me. Nope. Still sucks.

Hopefully I can convince myself that the light bearing Enigma isn't going to solve that problem for me and I can save myself $400 by not buying everything to try it out.

[Crow Hunter]

I’m married to Glocks, but it’s an open marriage.

I’ve strayed with P30s (twice, once LEM and once TDA), p320s, Px4s, and 92s. Each time I come back to Glock I shoot them a little better because learning to shoot others well rounds out different aspects of my marksmanship. Consequently it always feels somewhat effortless to pick up a Glock after shooting something else for a while. Especially true with the LEM or TDA (Less so with the 320 but that’s because Sig let me down on building a better mousetrap - shootability for the 320 is outstanding IMO, but i can’t trust them).

Right now I’m down to Glocks and 92s.

I am very similar.

I have and have carried a G19 for many years. I have owned G21, G30, G23, G22, G24, G26, G34, G42, G43X and of course G19s. I only have the G19 and G42 now. But I always feel like I can "do better". So I am always on the lookout for something better.

I have tried, and ditched:

-Beretta 92 (twice)
-Beretta PX4 (bad brass to the face :confused:)
-Sig P229 (always felt like it was going to squirt up out of my hands) also P228, P220, P232
-Browning HP
-Walther P5 (I really, really wish I had kept this and/or could find something similar today in size and function)

I have not ever tried the M&P but I am kind of itching to try the new Smith Shield Plus but I am concerned it will be too similar to the G43X, which I didn't like.

I am sure that I will find something else to catch my attention.

Being a DINK family in a VLCOL area and no other real hobbies affords me lots of options to waste money.:o

[Seven_Sicks_Two]

For me, it's the 1911.

In the last 15 years or so, I've had 4 of them, to include a Kimber, and Springer Loaded, RO, and TRP... but I've never been super happy with the reliability or my ability to shoot them well in anything other than slow-fire.

I've now convinced myself that I just didn't spend enough money when I bought previous 1911s and didn't take them seriously enough. So I've spent the last couple of months casually shopping for $2,500-ish 1911s.

It'll be different this time baby, I promise.

[Maca]

I keep coming back to an HK 45C with a light LEM trigger, carried AIWB in a 5ShotLeather SME holster. I think I am on my 6th one of these and every one of these guns has been 100% reliable.

In Massachusetts, where we are limited to 10rds, a neutered Glock, Beretta, etc. is “a lot of gun” to carry with 60% of its designed capacity. I also keep coming back to the realization that shooting a 9, really flat with really fast splits, might not be the end game for me. So 8 or 10rds of 45, carried in a very safe, “double action” hammer-fired gun that always goes bang, is not the worst idea I’ve had in many years of chasing the “one”.

[Jared]

CZ pistols. Good grief I’ve tried the P07, P09, Shadow II, P10, and at least one of the CS75 variants that wasn’t a Shadow. I’m finally over it for good, I think, but damn I tried and tried to make it work without much to show for it except throwing good money after bad.

Then there’s Glocks. I could write a damn book with all my thoughts on Glocks, all the ways I tried to get happy with it, all the ammo and dry fire and work. What I always got in return was shooting performance that was almost as good as what I can get from a 92 or a PX4 (except it takes a lot less effort for me with the pizza pistols). I’m pretty much over the Glock thing for good too (I think).

[Crow Hunter]

CZ pistols. Good grief I’ve tried the P07, P09, Shadow II, P10, and at least one of the CS75 variants that wasn’t a Shadow. I’m finally over it for good, I think, but damn I tried and tried to make it work without much to show for it except throwing good money after bad.

Then there’s Glocks. I could write a damn book with all my thoughts on Glocks, all the ways I tried to get happy with it, all the ammo and dry fire and work. What I always got in return was shooting performance that was almost as good as what I can get from a 92 or a PX4 (except it takes a lot less effort for me with the pizza pistols). I’m pretty much over the Glock thing for good too (I think).

What was your difficulty with the CZs?

I have often thought about trying out a CZ75 Compact or a P07 but they are pretty much non-existent in my local area. So I would have to order one.

I haven't had good lock with the Beretta's myself compared to Glock so I would interested in your insight.

Although I haven't tried the 92X Compact yet..... Hmmmm.;)

[Jared]

What was your difficulty with the CZs?

I have often thought about trying out a CZ75 Compact or a P07 but they are pretty much non-existent in my local area. So I would have to order one.

I haven't had good lock with the Beretta's myself compared to Glock so I would interested in your insight.

Although I haven't tried the 92X Compact yet..... Hmmmm.;)

Honestly, mostly a failure to manage expectations. Spend enough time on competition centric forums/discussions and it’s pretty easy to get the impression that all ya need is a CZ and it’ll practically destroy the x ring for you, all you have to do is feed it. Of course, that’s unrealistic. Sometimes I get it in my head that all I’m missing to break through to the next level is some Uber pistol. Honest self evaluation shows that’s not the case, but it’s still easy to be tempted to buy a shortcut.

Reality is there are no shortcuts. I know that, even if I temporarily like to conveniently forget it in the name of chasing something better.

That’s the subjective stuff. Objectively speaking:

I don’t like manually lowering a hammer on a range gun and flat will not do it on an SD gun. The decockers on the 75 series guns do not suit me to say the least. I’m not really fond of the decockers on the P-Series guns, but they’re better than the 75 series. I find the DA trigger reach to be a bit longer on the CZs than I do on a Beretta. I score better on every single timed and scored drill with a Beretta than any CZ I’ve ever tried, including running an LTT against a Shadow II. Seems like there are or were one or two more little things that I wasn’t really fond of, but I can’t recall them right now. It’s honestly been over a year since the last time I shot a CZ.

[Guerrero]

The other ones are all non-AR pattern semi-auto rifles. I don't know why I keep thinking I can make the AK or a FAL work for me. I can't, it's dumb, I still like rocking big chunk FAL mags into place and running the charging handle. Something about .30 caliber bullets feels 'right'...

We can hang out.

[RevolverRob]

We can hang out.

I told you to come visit me in Seattle. Was my garage hammock not good enough for you? ;)

[OlongJohnson]

The HK USP series.

In a world with modern Beretta 92's and PX4's, CZ P09's, and HK P30's and HK45's, there's really no damn reason to love the USP. But I love them. In LEM they're LEM weird, with the Match trigger the DA is still trash, match hybrid LEM whatever is a great way to spend a Beretta 92D's worth of money on a trigger configuration that's still objectively worse than the Beretta 92D is out of the box. Nevermind the stupid USP proprietary rail.
Plus with L&M Precision retiring there's no way to RDS a USP anymore.

But whenever I pick up my USP45 I just love the fucking thing and I want more of them. Then I want to carry them. Then I think about a USP9C or USP40C as a carry gun and remind myself that the HK45C is already enough of a problem with holsters/mags/support etc so WTF am I thinking?

Then I go back to Glocks or Berettas for awhile, then I pick up the USP again..... lather, rinse, repeat.

JMCK does a nice job with the USP9c, and you can now get 17-round factory mags that work with just an X-Grip adaptor, and factory 20-rounders for reloads.

[JRB]

JMCK does a nice job with the USP9c, and you can now get 17-round factory mags that work with just an X-Grip adaptor, and factory 20-rounders for reloads.

NOT. HELPING! :)

[OlongJohnson]

There's a USP40c with LEM, Big Dot night sights and six mags on GB right now, too.

[Darth_Uno]

No gun in particular, but I've had several bolt-action .308's. I buy it, don't shoot it, sell it, buy another one, and the cycle repeats.

It's like Powerball tickets. I know the odds, but I really do think I'm special.

[Hstanton1]

It’s not even a gun I’ve ever owned, but I desperately want a 9mm 1911 that just flat works and isn’t plagued by mag issues. From here and other places I’ve heard so much about what a magical gun that can be, and in shooting them I can absolutely see why, but everyone always caveats that with “but I wouldn’t carry it” and often they’ve got great reasons for saying so.

[Malamute]

No matter what level of objective success I achieve shooting semi-auto pistols, I always seem to end up shooting revolvers again. I know lots of people think of me as "a revolver guy" and in many ways that's true. I almost made M class in USPSA L10, I finished 4th at IDPA Nationals in CDP, 9th in CCP, won a FAST Coin, made A-class in Steel Challenge, all with a semi-auto. But I keep coming back to revolvers like some kind of crackhead and I really don't know why. I love them sure, but like...am I doing this because people expect me to do it, or am I doing it because I love it?


Just preparing yourself for upcoming semi auto bans.

Semi-auto pistols.

No matter how much I shot them or tried to shoot them as well as revolvers, Ive never been able to.

70093

[Maple Syrup Actual]

You just need to find the right grips/stocks. Which might involve a new minor hobby of woodworking on your part.

Those legendary stock makers of SoCal LE in decades past didn't get that way by purchasing what they could buy off the shelf.

Lex Luthier
Maple Syrup Actual

The bolded part applies to single actions for me, but I don't even really like holding them, it turns out.

I haven't gotten too strong an itch to replace any of the guns I've sold, but I do wish I could like a G19. And I keep looking at small-frame revolvers I haven't owned yet.

Not to derail things but since I was tagged...do you think there's a substantial market for custom grips that's not adequately served by established makers?

Up here they can take our lives, and they can and for the most part already did take our freedom, but they probably can't take my ability to make stuff out of wood. Or my experience shooting stuff.

[OlongJohnson]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of innovation, from what I can see. Herrett's latest hotness is older than either of us, as far as I can tell. I finally figured out a hypothesis that Nills Griffe wants to make every back strap into a K frame's round butt even if the gun is nothing like a K frame. (At least there's some rhyme/reason to it, I guess.)

I don't know that you could do much more than buy some extra ammo and maybe the little guy's first .22 with the proceeds, but I'd sure be interested to see what you come up with if you started doing some based on your own thinking.

[Doc_Glock]

Trying other guns, any other gun as a replacement for the pocket LCP.

Current it girl: RM380...

[JRB]

There doesn't seem to be a lot of innovation, from what I can see. Herrett's latest hotness is older than either of us, as far as I can tell. I finally figured out a hypothesis that Nills Griffe wants to make every back strap into a K frame's round butt even if the gun is nothing like a K frame. (At least there's some rhyme/reason to it, I guess.)

I don't know that you could do much more than buy some extra ammo and maybe the little guy's first .22 with the proceeds, but I'd sure be interested to see what you come up with if you started doing some based on your own thinking.

I've always wondered what might be done for revolver stocks using a CNC machine and chunks of G10 material.

[OlongJohnson]

I've always wondered what might be done for revolver stocks using a CNC machine and chunks of G10 material.

Here are some examples:

https://vzgrips.com/shop/revolvers/

But it's really expensive to design up a lot of variations, and if the person doing it doesn't share your thinking about designs, you're kind of out of luck. And it doesn't really address the "one size fits some" issue very well.

My understanding is that's how the old school guys like Hogue, Pachmayr, Farrant, Herrett, etc., got started: Custom grips on an individual basis.

CNC also has the challenge of unit to unit variation in frames. S&Ws aren't perfect, but Rugers are so different that Herrett won't even take a job on a GP100 unless you ship them the gun to fit it. Which adds a heck of a lot to the cost. Last I checked, it was ~$200 for the stocks, $100 for custom fit to the frame, and two-way shipping of the gun.

There's a guy in Houston making a few dozen variations of grip frames for Ruger single actions on his CNC, but they start at ~$350 each. The actual mate up to the contacted surfaces and fastener positions of the Ruger frames is very consistent, but the widths are highly variable, requiring each grip frame to be hand-fitted to the frame it's going to be paired with.

There's a guy in Michigan 3D printing handgun grips. I sent him my modified GP100 Hogue and got back an abortion. Fortunately, he was good about refunding what I'd paid him, so I only lost my time and outbound freight.

I guess something I would like to see, which might be the sweet spot of balance for CNC and hand made custom, would be CNC'ed blanks with all the inletting done, so the DIY guy could whittle as he wanted, but the precision work that isn't particularly interesting when you're trying to make the outside of it exactly what you want would be done well and efficiently for you. Rugers would have to be rough inlet, but that would still be a real benefit to have the internal cavities 95% complete, flat, uniform depth, screw hole piloted, etc.

[19852+]

For me it was the Browning High Power. I love the gun and think it's one of the sexiest ever made. Unfortunately, my hands are too big or the gun's too small depending on your point of view. I think I've owned four over the years. I guess about every decade I forget the issues I've had with it, or maybe I think FN's building them larger.

Me too... Same issues and I've had at least 4...

[ccmdfd]

Me too... Same issues and I've had at least 4...

I took a different approach, but came to the same realization with a HI Power.

Instead of purchasing one, trying it out, getting tired of it, selling it, then starting all over again; I purchased one, then sent it off for work, then sent it off for work again, then sent it off for work again. Each time to a different Major League gunsmith.

After doing this for over two years, I ended up with a gun that cost more than most custom 1911's as each trip to a smith was at least a grand, and still had a gun that I could outshoot with a standard out-of-the-box Glock, Sig, Beretta.

Just never could get it to work for me. Ended up selling it for a major loss.

[Casual Friday]

Revolvers and pump action shotguns. There are better tools for the job I would use them for but I still like them enough to forget and revisit them every few years. Then I'm reminded.

AKs. A crusty AK was my first semi auto when I turned 18 in 1998 and was my only rifle for many years. I still love them, and will always have at least one, but after spending as much time with an AR as I have over the last decade plus, there just isn't any comparison as to which one is the superior rifle. Not to mention, AK prices are retarded now.

Sitting on a mountain of 7.62x39 ammo, I dug my home built AK out of the safe a few weeks back to keep from shooting up my 5.56 stockpile. The whole time I was wishing it was one of my ARs. That has led me down the road of assembling a x39 upper as a way to conserve my 5.56 and work my way through this pile of x39 ammo. At the rate I shoot my AK, I'd probably never get through the ammo I have on hand.

[awp_101]

I took a different approach, but came to the same realization with a HI Power.

Instead of purchasing one, trying it out, getting tired of it, selling it, then starting all over again; I purchased one, then sent it off for work, then sent it off for work again, then sent it off for work again. Each time to a different Major League gunsmith.

After doing this for over two years, I ended up with a gun that cost more than most custom 1911's as each trip to a smith was at least a grand, and still had a gun that I could outshoot with a standard out-of-the-box Glock, Sig, Beretta.

Just never could get it to work for me. Ended up selling it for a major loss.
A much shallower money pit, but I’ve followed a similar path with Glocks. I haven’t sent any out but I’ve replaced the frame or built them from the ground up with P80 and Grey Ghost frames. I’ve got it in my head I need a “Glock” in the safe because of parts and magazine availability.

Now I’m looking at Shadow Systems and ZRO Delta hoping for a different end result when the smart thing would be to buy another couple M&P9s and dots. A 509T might even be smarter than trying to force this G thing.