dakota1911
New member
I would vote TC Contender or maybe an Encore.
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Most durable handgun you can think of?
- Thread starter David spargenator
- Start date
Terminatorret
New member
Most rugged? Most reliable? The ones I trust to function with every pull of the trigger?
Ruger and S&W revolvers...any flavor.
9x18 com bloc pistols...any flavor.
Ruger and S&W revolvers...any flavor.
9x18 com bloc pistols...any flavor.
There are trade-offs in every design. The 1911 and Glock are both VERY durable, but like any machine, may break. When they do break, you can get replacement parts for either of the two designs very readily from the manufacturer or aftermarket. And both designs can be adapted to meet your needs if you find them lacking.
A lot of folks are recommending the Ruger revolvers. Keep in mind that while there is A LOT of steel in these guns, that steel can still be brittle and crack. The Ruger revolvers are made out of stainless castings, and while rare, there can be voids or irregularities that could cause structural damage at some point. Ruger has an outstanding reputation with their customer care, and will usually always repair or replace whatever you send them provide you were not obviously abusing or misusing the gun. But the key point here is that Ruger will do the work, not you. You will not be able to get, fit, or install most internal parts for it. Also, Double Action revolvers are typically very reliable....Until they lose timing or you drop them on an open cylinder......They are not impervious to breaking.
On this note there are also some very robust designs out there such as the HK USP, Sig Sauer P2XX series, S&W 3rd Gen Semi Autos, etc, etc, but they too may require factory service for certain types of internal repairs. That being said, good luck breaking them. You'll need a mountain of ammo and complete ignorance of maintenance schedules.
In Short:
1911 & Glock will give very good durability but will offer you the ability to do virtually all maintenance and repairs. The Glock obviously being much easier to work on than the 1911.
Revolvers are good and strong, but are not the end-all of durability. They have their weak spots, and if they go down, they go down hard with little a home or hobby metal shop can do to fix them.
Other good robust guns are Hk USP, Sig Sauer P220, 226, 228, 229 M11A1. S&W 4006, 4013, 4053, 4506, 4566, 4516, 4513, 457, 910, 915, 3913, 3914, 3953, 6906, 5906, etc, etc, etc. It is rare that these break and can be bought lightly used for a very fair price.
A lot of folks are recommending the Ruger revolvers. Keep in mind that while there is A LOT of steel in these guns, that steel can still be brittle and crack. The Ruger revolvers are made out of stainless castings, and while rare, there can be voids or irregularities that could cause structural damage at some point. Ruger has an outstanding reputation with their customer care, and will usually always repair or replace whatever you send them provide you were not obviously abusing or misusing the gun. But the key point here is that Ruger will do the work, not you. You will not be able to get, fit, or install most internal parts for it. Also, Double Action revolvers are typically very reliable....Until they lose timing or you drop them on an open cylinder......They are not impervious to breaking.
On this note there are also some very robust designs out there such as the HK USP, Sig Sauer P2XX series, S&W 3rd Gen Semi Autos, etc, etc, but they too may require factory service for certain types of internal repairs. That being said, good luck breaking them. You'll need a mountain of ammo and complete ignorance of maintenance schedules.
In Short:
1911 & Glock will give very good durability but will offer you the ability to do virtually all maintenance and repairs. The Glock obviously being much easier to work on than the 1911.
Revolvers are good and strong, but are not the end-all of durability. They have their weak spots, and if they go down, they go down hard with little a home or hobby metal shop can do to fix them.
Other good robust guns are Hk USP, Sig Sauer P220, 226, 228, 229 M11A1. S&W 4006, 4013, 4053, 4506, 4566, 4516, 4513, 457, 910, 915, 3913, 3914, 3953, 6906, 5906, etc, etc, etc. It is rare that these break and can be bought lightly used for a very fair price.
Let me say first that I have no data to support this....
However I am guessing when it comes to revolvers esp. Double action even the best of designs will wear the lock work to the point of needing service offten before the bore is shot out, the frame streatched or other such injury that ends the guns useful life.
Sure there are more rugged designs such as the redhawk of which I am very fond, however the mechanism of the action is such that say in a 357 redhawk I cant't help but think that the lock work will fail first.
I know in my used gun shoping I seem to see many usually big bore revolvers theat seem to not have been shot much but have worn actions and or peened bolt stops. I always guess excessive dry fire or playing with the gun has a role in rhis wear.
Also when talking about round cout in military 1911's remember back in the day the whole top end was considered a wear item....
However I am guessing when it comes to revolvers esp. Double action even the best of designs will wear the lock work to the point of needing service offten before the bore is shot out, the frame streatched or other such injury that ends the guns useful life.
Sure there are more rugged designs such as the redhawk of which I am very fond, however the mechanism of the action is such that say in a 357 redhawk I cant't help but think that the lock work will fail first.
I know in my used gun shoping I seem to see many usually big bore revolvers theat seem to not have been shot much but have worn actions and or peened bolt stops. I always guess excessive dry fire or playing with the gun has a role in rhis wear.
Also when talking about round cout in military 1911's remember back in the day the whole top end was considered a wear item....
Also, Double Action revolvers are typically very reliable....Until they lose timing or you drop them on an open cylinder......They are not impervious to breaking.
I was thinking about the same thing that DanTSX said. I used to be a die-hard revolver guy, thinking they would always work, without the feeding and jamming problems I imagined plagued autos. But then I realized, I think after reading FerFAL, that in many ways a revolver is probably more susceptible to damage from being banged around than an auto. If I was in the army I would trust an auto to withstand dropping and banging around and getting muddy, because a lot of the more delicate parts are tucked inside.
So I still own a couple revolvers, including the venerable Security Six, but trust the autos (Beretta 92 and 3rd Gen S&W) for ruggedness more. And I get the extra capacity and ease of reloading as a bonus.
David
I have/have had a bunch of revolvers, and really cant remember them "breaking". The exception being a couple of early S&W 940's, which had issues from the start, and I think that was a design flaw, not really wear and tear at under 200 rounds.
The bulk of mine have been Smiths, with a couple of Colts and Rugers in there too, and they have been shot a lot, and dry fired even more.
What I have experienced with them all though, and contrary to popular belief, is they are not infallible, and when they stop running, and they do for a number of reasons, they tend to done right there, and are out of the fight until you can get them sorted. There is no TRB for revolvers.
The bulk of mine have been Smiths, with a couple of Colts and Rugers in there too, and they have been shot a lot, and dry fired even more.
What I have experienced with them all though, and contrary to popular belief, is they are not infallible, and when they stop running, and they do for a number of reasons, they tend to done right there, and are out of the fight until you can get them sorted. There is no TRB for revolvers.
Doc Holliday 1950
New member
My 1966 Colt Python 4" 357 AND HOPEFULLY MY RUGER GP 100. At this stage of the game, I think the Python will be the one that lives after I'm gone. This baby i'm giving to my brother who's in the US Army. He is a Night Stalker(160th.) & a Delta Force Member. Our Last names are not the same.
Go ARMY.
Go ARMY.