L Ross
Well-Known Member
I have been playing with handguns for 46 years. In 43 years as an LEO I carried a Model 15 S&W, then a Model 19, (my favorite), only to be "transitioned" to a semi auto against my will. I had a couple of centerfire semi autos during those years that I sort of liked, such as a Combat Commander. The Dept. mandated the S&W 469, a firearm I deeply disliked. Then I had a 6906, and finally the Dept. went to Glock and I chose a Model 36. I have done respectable work with it but I could never say I truly liked it. I did like the fact that it is very light, compact, and made an okay duty gun and an excellent concealable handgun. It just didn't feel good in my hand.
None of them, even the 1911, ever "felt" good in my hand. My favorite handguns as far as just feeling right in my hand, are Colt clone cap and ball handguns, clone Open Tops which are just cap and ball conversions. Colt SAA feel great, S&W K frames also, but semi autos, meh, none of them have the point and shoot feel like those revolvers.
Then a friend brought a Browning Hi-Power to one of my shoots for our buy, sell, trade, among friends gatherings. I picked it up and it felt great, just great in my hand. I made a trade for it and shot it a little and then stuck it in the safe. It is my only 9 m/m and that is the main reason I kept it, a gun in that caliber that I can load quickly and easily with a Dillon. The 9 is a dirt common caliber and every shooter should have one in their stable. The other day I was shooting my Glock 36 .45 acp in preparation to qualify for my HR 218 and I remembered the Hi-Power in the safe. I dug it out and stuck it in a holster and started shooting 4" squares off a rail at 10 yards and it was just a piece of cake! I had never shot the Hi-Power drawing from the holster, always just deliberate slow fire. I started out drawing and dry firing in a slow and smooth motion for form, then live ammo, then a little faster. Draw, thumb off the safety, and fire, and hit after hit. It points for me like a shotgun that fits. An absolute first for a semi auto and I didn't realize it until I started to push the urgency a little.
My only regrets is I did not figure this out sooner. I may have actually found a centerfire semi auto that I like as much as a K frame S&W.
None of them, even the 1911, ever "felt" good in my hand. My favorite handguns as far as just feeling right in my hand, are Colt clone cap and ball handguns, clone Open Tops which are just cap and ball conversions. Colt SAA feel great, S&W K frames also, but semi autos, meh, none of them have the point and shoot feel like those revolvers.
Then a friend brought a Browning Hi-Power to one of my shoots for our buy, sell, trade, among friends gatherings. I picked it up and it felt great, just great in my hand. I made a trade for it and shot it a little and then stuck it in the safe. It is my only 9 m/m and that is the main reason I kept it, a gun in that caliber that I can load quickly and easily with a Dillon. The 9 is a dirt common caliber and every shooter should have one in their stable. The other day I was shooting my Glock 36 .45 acp in preparation to qualify for my HR 218 and I remembered the Hi-Power in the safe. I dug it out and stuck it in a holster and started shooting 4" squares off a rail at 10 yards and it was just a piece of cake! I had never shot the Hi-Power drawing from the holster, always just deliberate slow fire. I started out drawing and dry firing in a slow and smooth motion for form, then live ammo, then a little faster. Draw, thumb off the safety, and fire, and hit after hit. It points for me like a shotgun that fits. An absolute first for a semi auto and I didn't realize it until I started to push the urgency a little.
My only regrets is I did not figure this out sooner. I may have actually found a centerfire semi auto that I like as much as a K frame S&W.