Tuesday, July 19, 2011

"Go-To" Guns...

Yesterday's post on "Gunnie 'comfort foods'" - and some of the comments - got me to thinking about "go-to" guns. Now, I don't mean what gun you would go to in the event of a home invasion, or to carry, etc. I mean the one(s) that manage to find their way into your range bag on a regular basis, even if they don't build muscle memory on your carry gun or train your shooting for bullseye.

These are the guns that are just plain fun to shoot.

For me, they're mostly .22LR - part of the fun is not spending a ton of money and still shooting for a good chunk of time. Ruger 10/22, Remington 572 pump-action for rifles; Colt Official Police and Smith & Wesson model 17 for pistols. Lately, the SIGSAUER P226 has been working its way into the rotation as well - there's something really sweet about swapping between the centerfire 9mm slide and barrel and the .22LR set-up.

With the P226, I'll toss in one of the numerous .357 Magnum revolvers - K-frame model 19 or 13, N-frame model 27; sometimes the Ruger Security Six for nostalgia's sake. The beauty of the .357 Magnum revolver is that you can shoot bone-rattling 110 grain 1300 FPS .357 Magnum screamers, 158 grain .38 Special +P FBI loads, and powder-puff 148 grain .38 Special rounds. In a big gun like the Security Six or the N-frame, even the hottest rounds have essentially zero recoil; in smaller guns like the 19, the light loads are barely equal to .22LR out of a polymer-framed autoloader.

And when there's shotguns, there's the Mossberg 590, because a shotgun without a bayonet is like a day without sunshine.

That is all.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ruger 22/45 and a brick of ammo, never leaves my range bag. If I'm going up to the rifle range it's the 10/22, plinking golf balls at 120yrds is always good fun!

cybrus said...

My SKS is on my list!

Fred said...

Agreed on .22lr. It's stupid not to take one and a brick along really.

The silly little P22 with it's crap-tastic sights is almost always there. Eventually (later this year hopefully) it'll get retired in favor of an M&P22 though.

I am heading up the road a bit to pick up a Taurus M94, and if that one works, it'll be right up there.

The M&P15-22 has eclipsed all my other .22lr rifles though, especially when you've got over a half a dozen mags handy. Besides, the girl claimed the 10/22, so I doubt I'll ever get to shoot it again.

Eric said...

+1 on the M&P-15 22. S&W knocked it out of the park with that one.

Add a Glock 19 and a couple hundred rounds of 9mm and I could spend the day.

Odysseus said...

My CZ-52 it's hard to shoot well and makes me clean the corrosive ammo right afterward, but I love it for some reason.

Starik Igolkin said...

CZ 75 SP-01, which also happens to be my carry gun. Because it's dead on accurate, so when I miss, I don't have anyone but myself to blame. And when I don't miss, "drawing" smileys on the targets is fun.

Butch Cassidy said...

Beretta 96 - I don't carry it anymore, and the grip angle is counter to my G23, but I love it.

Beretta 1934 - Silly little thing is a hoot and a half.

Stevens 53C - Single-shot + 22 LR + diopter sights = My perfect rifle. It is with me at the range 99% of the time.

S&W model 10 - Because I am a revolver guy at heart and it is a tack-driver.

Henry youth size .22 lever-action - One of my most fun rifles.

My wife has cleared me to take her Colt Match Target to the range whenever I want. It ALWAYS goes.

God, Gals, Guns, Grub said...

I still love shooting my Ruger MKII Stainless Government Target Model with a 6-7/8" bull barrel. Also enjoy pulling my first gun, a Marlin 60 out of the safe now and then too.

A little post about my first gun:
http://godgalsgunsgrub.blogspot.com/2011/06/my-first-gun.html

Dann in Ohio

Braden Lynch said...

That Mossberg 590A1 SPX is a heavy beast and mounting a light and the bayonet at the same time is dicey, but I would not trade it for the world.

The CSGV and the BC can try to pry it from my hands!

Atom Smasher said...

Ruger Blackhawk with the 7+ inch barrel. Just TRY to miss with that thing, I dare ya. :)

Comrade Misfit said...

Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt, 5.5" barrel, one of the older models with a casehardened frame. I don't shoot it a lot, but it puts a huge grin on my face when I do.

I'd make reloads with black power if the local indoor range wouldn't go apeshit over that.

Roger said...

One or both of my Browning Hi Powers. One in .40 S&W, the other a 9mm. The Ruger Vaquero Bisley in .45 Colt is right there too.

Anonymous said...

Ruger Mk II and a lot of .22 rounds

and how can you make us do this!!??

Meanie!! I have so many!!
SKS, GP-100, Mosin(s), and and

Okay .22s is I must...at least 500 rounds....

Michael in CT said...

The Martini Cadet re-barreled to 22 LR gets to go the range a lot, cute, neat and so disgustingly accurate that you have to make an effort to miss.
The Mauser Broomhandle gets to go a lot too, mostly because it is a Mauser Broomhandle.
The H&K P7M8 goes to the range a LOT too

Rifleslinger said...

The rifle that "just feels right" is a Sako 75 chambered in 30-06.

As far as pistols: Colt Govt. model.

WW Paul said...

A Buckmark Camper with a Bushnell sight, A .40 HiPower and a Savage .22.

I shoot .22 10 to 1 over everything else.

John B said...

ruger 10/22
s&w 22 pistol and brick of ammo.

H&R Defender .38S&W just because.
refitted for 9mm and S&W moon clips. any of an assortment of tokarevs CZ52s some High Points and Kel Tecs.

I seem to only bring out the name brand guns when I'm trying to impress someone.

John B said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Ed said...

The Ruger Mark II .22 LR lives in the range bag, ready to be carried to every outing for economical shooting.

The Sig P228 9mm, for a bigger bang at a reasonable cost for a centerfire ammo round.

The Sig P239 .40 S&W, for when a still bigger bang is wanted. One time at an indoor range the guys shooting a 12 gauge shotgun were wondering what it was that I was shooting as it was audible competition to their shotgun.

jason237m said...

My STI

http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b29/jason237m/STI.jpg