Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Lay Down More!

The S&W/GUNSITE scandium Commander is still percolating along — no stoppages of any kind — although today was a painful reminder that I need to spend MUCH more time on "positional" shooting...kneeling, prone...especially prone. Tomorrow is the Playhouse and some simulation stuff on one of GUNSITE's signature donga courses. Big Fun coming!

Been spending some great catch-up time with old pals Wayne Novak (think Novak sights) and SWAT Magazine editor Denny Hansen, who I used to write for back in the day. I've also been able to hang with the guys from Blade-Tech. Hopefully, by tomorrow, I can convince them to make me a nice crossdraw driving holster.

Also, in our YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST, BUBBA department, S&W is introducing a fixed sight .45 ACP N-Frame revolver, the M22. It's YET ANOTHER Thunder Ranch special, except that the logo is small and ONLY on the grips (which are, amazingly enough, square butt). HMMMMMM...who says big companies don't listen to us little people, even if someone else gets or takes the credit. Next, Thunder Ranch milk and cookies! This gun ought to be a MONSTER for IDPA competition, as well as a bedside gun extraordinaire. It's going to have to wait before coming to my house, though, because I ponied up for the S&W GUNSITE special I've been shooting, which pretty much shoots the HELL out of the new gun budget for awhile. Besides, I must order one of the new Rugers...oops, can't say that yet!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

A square butt? What a dumb idea. With the advent of round-to-square conversion grips, any round butt revolver can be stocked with square butt grips. But it doesn't work the other way around.

Anonymous said...

From a marketing standpoint, I think the first poster has a point.
I don't care about it not having RB grips, my hands are too big anyway.

I thought a dumber idea was 45 ACP!
Why have a large frame revolver firing such a weak round?

Sorry to step on 451 fanaticism, but it's only good for something up to man size, and that's at closer ranges than what might be required in a rural STHF scenario.
Taking down game is something other calibers do better also.

If I'm going to buy a revolver that can shoot rounds that would require a Desert Eagle crew served weapon in a semi-auto, it's going to be in 44 mag not 45 ACP.

I don't have the money to buy a handgun so specific. I can load cream puff 44 loads that will be the equivalent of 45.
If I'm wanting something for defense, there have already been better choices made.

Michael Bane said...

I don't know this for sure because I haven't handled the gun, but I assume [ass*you*me*etc] that the grips on the M22 are round-to-square conversion grips. I believe S&W said a few years back that they were standardizing on the RB frame configuration, and since then there's been a fairly steady RB vs SB controversy. I prefer a square butt config for a heavy recoiling handgun, .44 Mag and up. Neither the .45 ACP or the .44 Special are particularly heavy recoilers — I don't have trouble with the round butt Ahrends-style grips on either my M21 .44 or my snubby 1917 .45. My old M29 I hunted with has rubber SB Pachmayrs to soak up a little of the hit.

RE: 45 ACP, I think that handguns have a fairly limited and specific role in self-defense, and in that the .45 ACP shines. It's primary advantage over .44 Mag in a revolver is its ability to use moon clips for speedy reloads..OTOH, I sleep with a .44 Special loaded with Win SilverTips by my bed (along with a SIG 226 loaded with 15 rounds of Hornady TAP 9mm, so I don't have to reload the .44 wheelgun at all). The function of those guns is to get me to the rifle in the closet...

mb

Anonymous said...

Interestingly, the S&W web site describes the Model 22 as having an "authentic square butt frame." While I too would prefer the round butt frame, simply for the flexibility it offers, I still find the new model immensely intriguing.

I had a Model 625 for a while, and although it was a great shooter it always seemed like just too much hardware to have in a holster while wandering around the woods. This new one, though, should do just fine, and the fixed sights won't matter at IDPA distances.

Anonymous said...

It is a real square butt. Check the photo here....
http://www.gunsamerica.com/guns/976654158.htm

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