A love of some older more experienced handguns.

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I've been owning and shooting handguns for well over a half century now but somehow the current trends in both revolvers and semi-automatics have passed me by. I'm not opposed to polymer frames and still have and love a Star UltraStar I've owned since 1994. I also had a Sig 2009 that I liked but that has moved on to a forever home. I don't like guns with rails on them since I cannot imagine putting anything on one. Also, in general I find almost every recent handgun introduced jess plain fugly.

This isn't really an issue since I doubt I would need to buy a new handgun again. But I do find it interesting.

There's a good possibility that all this is just generation gap, much like with today's cars. I don't want a car with an automatic transmission, electric windows or door locks, satellite radio (actually I don't use the radio anyway). I don't want to know where my friends are or what they ate or what they bought or who they a going to see or where they went. I think it's great that such things are available to them what want them but I do wish all those inanimate objects would quite asking me to share my latest purchase or review the product or the idea that anyone would actually care what my opinions might be.

But back to handguns. The last few days my primary carry has been my pre model numbers Chiefs Special "J" frame Smith. I have been using a leather Galco Miami Classic Lite shoulder holster for it. In my pocket has been an FN model 1906 6.35mm Vest Pocket. It's actually one of the few true pocket guns I trust even without a holster.

I do own some fairly new handguns, several of the newer micro 380s and even a pair of Sig P290RS; one in 380 and the other 9mm Parabellum but find it's my Sig P230 that actually gets to go walk about more often. I have a relatively new Charter Arms Undercover and a S&W Centennial Airweight so even some newer wheel guns.

Yet what I seem to carry most are older, more experienced handguns, ones that I've had for at least a quarter century and many even longer.

So to the question... anyone else here that tends to prefer older designs to newer more modern ones?

And the requisite PORN:

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To be vintage it must be older than me!
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim

Re: A love of some older more experienced handguns.

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Those are some fine looking guns!!!! At one time I wanted only ultra-modern guns. Now I am developing an appreciation for the older guns.
All religions united with government are more or less inimical to liberty. All, separated from government, are compatible with liberty.-Henry Clay
Both oligarch and tyrant mistrust the people, and therefore deprive them of their arms.—Aristotle

Re: A love of some older more experienced handguns.

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I really enjoy the more classic look to older guns. I thought about it the other day seeing a lot of people with custom AR’s, it’s basically hot rods vs classic cars. I appreciate that some people like a more custom/newer gun, but I like the look and history that comes with older guns.
I have a similar fascination with vinyl records, it’s kind of amazing that they work as well as they do.

Re: A love of some older more experienced handguns.

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AvengerDalton wrote: Tue Mar 10, 2020 3:51 pm Going to say again that I am new at this, but what revolver is that? Where’s the hammer? Very cool.
That is the Smith & Wesson Centennial Lemon Squeezer. The extension you see on the grip is the Grip Safety. But S&W provided a way for the owner to turn off the safety as well. The hammer is internal.

This particular gun is from 1957. It became the Model 40 and evolved over time into today's 642 line.

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Back to the safety. If you took the grips off there was a hole in the frame. Depress the grip safety and you found a hole in the safety that lined up and S&W provided a small blued pin (that has long been lost on most of the Lemon Squeezers) that you could move to lock the grip safety in the Fire mode.

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To be vintage it must be older than me!
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim

Re: A love of some older more experienced handguns.

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Love the Sauers. I have two, one made in 1941 and the other in 1942. The 1942 gun came from the estate of a guy that served in the 91st Infantry Division in North Africa and Italy so it had a relatively short service life. The 1941 gun finished the war and then was used by the East German VoPo. I did a thread once on the three Greman WWII 7.65 handguns, the Walther PP (and PPK), Mauser HSc and the JP Sauer & Sohns 38h.
To be vintage it must be older than me!
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim

Re: A love of some older more experienced handguns.

21
senorgrand wrote: Thu Mar 12, 2020 10:09 pm Love me some wheelguns, but I like the newer ones. I'd love a 1980's 357 Max.

My next three purchases will likely all be S&W revolvers. I really have a hankering for a 617 8" barrel...I think they stopped make those in the 1990s.

Eventually, I'll get a vintage model 10. I'd love a Python, but it would be about three years of gun funds to buy one.
The older Pythons were nice but the S&W Model 27 was IMHO far superior.

My Model 27 compared to my Model 28.
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They both shot the same and so for performance I picked the Highway Patrolman.
To be vintage it must be older than me!
The next gun I buy will be the next to last gun I ever buy. PROMISE!
jim

Re: A love of some older more experienced handguns.

24
sig230 wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2020 10:23 am
YankeeTarheel wrote: Fri Mar 13, 2020 10:09 am Does anyone here have one of the S&W 9mm police revolvers made in the '70's and '80's that don't use moon clips? The 547, I think.
No but I have a 9mm cylinder for one of my Western Marshall SAAs?

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Very nice but not what I'm thinking of...
"Even if the bee could explain to the fly why pollen is better than shit, the fly could never understand."

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