Friday Gun Pr0n #100

I wanted to do something special for the one hundredth Friday Gun Pr0n. I had originally intended to do some sort of group shot, either all handguns, or all Smith & Wessons, or all revolvers, or something, when inspiration struck...

My Favorites

Pump action shotguns and centerfire rifles,
Rimfire levers and shiny Colt autos.
Magnum revolvers that pack quite a sting,
These are a few of my favorite things

(with apologies to The Sound of Music...)

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Favorite Longarms

Shotgun: Mossberg 590. Since I'm neither a hunter nor a trap/skeet shooter (yet), my shotgun needs are simple: a large capacity pump-action with a short(ish) barrel. The fact that it will take a bayonet just puts the icing on the cake.

Centerfire rifle: Bushmaster XM15-E2S. In the year of the looming AWB and ever-rising prices on semi-automatic magazine-fed rifles, getting this for a decent price (and an excellent deal on 30-round magazines!) vaults it to the top of the list. Once I get my Garand, this choice will be much harder...

Rimfire rifle: Marlin model 39-A. There had to be at least one lever-action rifle on this list. The Marlin is just plain fun wrapped up in wood and blued steel, a 19-round-at-a-time plinker that can be shot all day long using the cheapest bulk ammo available. What's not to love?

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Favorite Handguns

Centerfire revolver: Ruger Security Six. This is the first firearm I ever purchased, approximately 35 minutes after getting my first MA permit (that's how long it took to get to the gun store). The tank-like Ruger construction means it's my go-to gun for first time shooters, as the longer barrel and extra heft tame even hot .357 Magnum rounds.

Centerfire semi-automatic: Colt Gold Cup National Match 1911. It had to be a 1911, of course. The Gold Cup is the natural choice, with accuracy that I can't match and fit and finish that is simply stunning. I enjoy shooting this gun more than just about any other, and everyone I've let shoot it has been quite impressed with its accuracy and reliability. And it's shiny...

Rimfire handgun: Smith & Wesson Model 17. Since I only have one (functioning) rimfire semi-automatic, it wasn't much of a contest, so I combined them into just rimfire pistol. The S&W gets the nod over the Colt, the H&R, and the NAA mini-.22LR for many reasons, but the first being that it is the first gun I give to a new shooter to start their journey. That's confidence right there...

CCW gun: Smith & Wesson Model 360PD. What's really great about the Snubbie from Hell™ is that it's such a versatile carry piece. It's chambered in the very manly .357 Magnum caliber, so it's got stopping power in spades; it's very light, so it gets carried a lot; and it's a Smith & Wesson revolver - as a wise man once opined, it's like a fork: You pick it up, it works.

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So there's Friday Gun Pr0n #100 - all of my favorites.

That is all.