What is the best gun acquisition you have made?
- Thread starter Pond James Pond
- Start date
Dragline45
New member
Got a 640 no dash for $300 which was a pretty decent deal. Although the best gun deal I ever got, although not a pistol, was a Carcano for $60 last year.
Well, I'm just not going by low price or "right time/place opportunity." I'm also fixin' to get yelled at by the OP for adding another. Anyway...
I'm still awfully happy how my blind swing at the EAA-imported Tanfoglio Witness Elite Match has worked out for me. I had wished and hoped for an accurate 9mm pistol. It seems (to me) that the lion's share of 9mm-chambered pistols on the market are built to 'combat-accurate' standards but I was interested in finding a handgun in this caliber that was capable of producing small groups on paper when I do my part.
For sure, I know there are some out there. Some Hi-Powers, some 9mm-chambered 1911's, the HK P7 series, and that's saying nothing of the true champion guns like the Sig P210, the S&W 952 and other extremely expensive guns.
What I wanted was a very good trigger, an all steel gun, adjustable sights, accurate, and in 9mm. The Tanfoglio guns certainly have a following in some competition circles, but are -far- more popular in Europe, with European competitors.
My only experience with one was handling a used Elite Match that was chambered in .45 Auto, and trying the trigger on that one. The trigger, the (apparent?) build quality and the feel of the pistol and the movement of the slide inside the frame rails said to me "take a chance on one of these."
So I'd been on the lookout for an Elite Match in 9mm and to this very day, I've never, not EVER seen one sitting anywhere I've visited.
Don't buy a lot of new guns, I'm far more the used gun kinda guy. And these things aren't really all too easy to find new, either. But I found a dealer in Minnesota that sells new guns via Gunbroker and I went for it.
The pistol has given me nothing but grins over the (almost exactly...) three years now I've had it, and four thousand rounds through it.
No picture... but it's not all that great looking anyway. But what a shooter.
I'm still awfully happy how my blind swing at the EAA-imported Tanfoglio Witness Elite Match has worked out for me. I had wished and hoped for an accurate 9mm pistol. It seems (to me) that the lion's share of 9mm-chambered pistols on the market are built to 'combat-accurate' standards but I was interested in finding a handgun in this caliber that was capable of producing small groups on paper when I do my part.
For sure, I know there are some out there. Some Hi-Powers, some 9mm-chambered 1911's, the HK P7 series, and that's saying nothing of the true champion guns like the Sig P210, the S&W 952 and other extremely expensive guns.
What I wanted was a very good trigger, an all steel gun, adjustable sights, accurate, and in 9mm. The Tanfoglio guns certainly have a following in some competition circles, but are -far- more popular in Europe, with European competitors.
My only experience with one was handling a used Elite Match that was chambered in .45 Auto, and trying the trigger on that one. The trigger, the (apparent?) build quality and the feel of the pistol and the movement of the slide inside the frame rails said to me "take a chance on one of these."
So I'd been on the lookout for an Elite Match in 9mm and to this very day, I've never, not EVER seen one sitting anywhere I've visited.
Don't buy a lot of new guns, I'm far more the used gun kinda guy. And these things aren't really all too easy to find new, either. But I found a dealer in Minnesota that sells new guns via Gunbroker and I went for it.
The pistol has given me nothing but grins over the (almost exactly...) three years now I've had it, and four thousand rounds through it.
No picture... but it's not all that great looking anyway. But what a shooter.
Pond James Pond
New member
Way too early to yell where I am right now...
Pond James Pond
New member
Not necessarily. Yo can just upload them from your computer as a file using the manage attachments function in the post editing page. The only downsides are that the file in question needs to be a certain size or smaller, and that the image comes up as a link, not a picture on screen.
Check out my OP for the picture I added to see who it presents.
Dragline45
New member
You an also upload to www.tinypic.com and it requires no membership.
this site allows that but others don't. I didn't want to advise and then have the guy find out it doesn't work at all forumsProbably not all that exciting, but mine is a very clean police trade in S&W 5906. This was originally in my top 3 list but for some reason I had never bought one. Stumbled across this one and debated for a bit. Every time I shoot it, I can't believe I almost passed it up. These things are amazing.
BTW -
I still remember when Aaround got the Tmava Zena and Mala Zestra , some posts you just never forget.
BTW -
I still remember when Aaround got the Tmava Zena and Mala Zestra , some posts you just never forget.
Redhawk500
Inactive
Carry guns first
I have a nickle plated model 57 S&W 6 inch I got my first deer with which launched my handgun hunting passion, recessed and pinned, the original serrated trigger was replaced with a .312 smooth combat trigger and a set of Pachmyers replaced the Magna grips. The most important would be my wife's carry gun, an air weight S&W J frame, because I spent years trying to get her to carry something she had with her all the time. My final violation of the original one gun premise would be my carry gun, a Glock 20SF. It isn't the most accurate, it isn't the most powerful, it isn't the prettiest but it does enough well it is carried most.
I have a nickle plated model 57 S&W 6 inch I got my first deer with which launched my handgun hunting passion, recessed and pinned, the original serrated trigger was replaced with a .312 smooth combat trigger and a set of Pachmyers replaced the Magna grips. The most important would be my wife's carry gun, an air weight S&W J frame, because I spent years trying to get her to carry something she had with her all the time. My final violation of the original one gun premise would be my carry gun, a Glock 20SF. It isn't the most accurate, it isn't the most powerful, it isn't the prettiest but it does enough well it is carried most.
I have three:
1) Smith and Wesson M60 (no dash) that was my father's. Growing up I always remember this one in his nightstand drawer or in the glove box on family vacations. He sold off his entire collection before he passed with the exception of this one. Ironically he gave it to me just after I became Chief.
2) Smith and Wesson 649-2. Purchased used from a local guy. Carried a lot but shot very little. Plan on using it for my CCW.
3) Smith and Wesson 66-1. Purchased last week from the same local guy. In great condition for a 1978. This one will be given to my son on his 21st birthday, although he doesn't know it yet.
1) Smith and Wesson M60 (no dash) that was my father's. Growing up I always remember this one in his nightstand drawer or in the glove box on family vacations. He sold off his entire collection before he passed with the exception of this one. Ironically he gave it to me just after I became Chief.
2) Smith and Wesson 649-2. Purchased used from a local guy. Carried a lot but shot very little. Plan on using it for my CCW.
3) Smith and Wesson 66-1. Purchased last week from the same local guy. In great condition for a 1978. This one will be given to my son on his 21st birthday, although he doesn't know it yet.
Pond James Pond
New member
"The best", being a superlative, means only one!!!
As such I would nominate the S&W M66-1 as it looks like a shiny version of my Astra 680. Even the side plate looks the same.
OK, after thinking about it a rereading this thread, I changed my mind. Overall my best acquisition was the 6" S&W P&R Model 27 I bought from an old friend years ago.
It was from the bad old days of Bangor-Punta, and wouldn't hit the side of a barn if I was shooting from the inside. So it went into my safe.
Then at a gun show, I ran across a recessed .41 magnum M57 cylinder and a pinned 5" M57 barrel, and thought, "Hmmm..."
I scooped them up and had a local shop put it together, and it shot great! Then life happened and it went back into my safe.
Fast forward a few more years, and a buddy graduated from CST in gunsmithing, so I sent it to him for polishing and bluing (and a few more tweaks), and this is the result.
So overall, this is my best acquisition.
It was from the bad old days of Bangor-Punta, and wouldn't hit the side of a barn if I was shooting from the inside. So it went into my safe.
Then at a gun show, I ran across a recessed .41 magnum M57 cylinder and a pinned 5" M57 barrel, and thought, "Hmmm..."
I scooped them up and had a local shop put it together, and it shot great! Then life happened and it went back into my safe.
Fast forward a few more years, and a buddy graduated from CST in gunsmithing, so I sent it to him for polishing and bluing (and a few more tweaks), and this is the result.
So overall, this is my best acquisition.
My best acquisition was this no dash 586 a couple of years ago. Traded a TC muzzleloader I'd stopped using (stopped hunting) for a nice medium-heavy frame .357 I shoot at least twice a month, sometimes once a week. I originally picked it up thinking I would use it mostly for .357s and shoot .38s out of my K-frame 357, but I find most of my .38 and .357 ammo goes through this monster now...
The blond maple grips are from Ahrends, I added post-purchase as it came with a set of ugly Pachmyers. I still need some good leather for it, but I haven't decided if I want something concealable like a Milt Sparks OWB or a more open carry/range oriented holster.
The blond maple grips are from Ahrends, I added post-purchase as it came with a set of ugly Pachmyers. I still need some good leather for it, but I haven't decided if I want something concealable like a Milt Sparks OWB or a more open carry/range oriented holster.
My grail gun, a Royal Blue 6" Python.
Was in my lgs where I had traded in my Kimber Custom II on a Springfield Officers model. Was going to make a payment on the layaway when my son and I spied the snake. Oh what beauty. After speaking with my salesman, all money was applied to the snake and the next payday she came home.
The Python was part of a trade in deal, is still a 98% gun (the 11-87 also traded in was equally as beautiful) and I'm the third owner. Second owner had it for 25 years and never shot it. If the first owner did, it doesn't show. I haven't and won't. While I didn't get box and paperwork, I'm not crying about it, lol. It's a 1961 hollow underlugged thing of beauty. The checkering on the original stocks is worn and there's a faint turn line, but otherwise she's flawless. I will get her out, dry fire her a few times just to feel the quality of workmanship, wipe her down and put her up. The original wood is put up for now and she wears a fancy set of combats. And cost? I have about $1200 invested.
I did add a 4" Royal Blue Python, 1974 vintage, to the stable later. $850 bought me some muzzle wear and a beautiful shooter. Neither one of them will ever leave if I can avoid it.
Was in my lgs where I had traded in my Kimber Custom II on a Springfield Officers model. Was going to make a payment on the layaway when my son and I spied the snake. Oh what beauty. After speaking with my salesman, all money was applied to the snake and the next payday she came home.
The Python was part of a trade in deal, is still a 98% gun (the 11-87 also traded in was equally as beautiful) and I'm the third owner. Second owner had it for 25 years and never shot it. If the first owner did, it doesn't show. I haven't and won't. While I didn't get box and paperwork, I'm not crying about it, lol. It's a 1961 hollow underlugged thing of beauty. The checkering on the original stocks is worn and there's a faint turn line, but otherwise she's flawless. I will get her out, dry fire her a few times just to feel the quality of workmanship, wipe her down and put her up. The original wood is put up for now and she wears a fancy set of combats. And cost? I have about $1200 invested.
I did add a 4" Royal Blue Python, 1974 vintage, to the stable later. $850 bought me some muzzle wear and a beautiful shooter. Neither one of them will ever leave if I can avoid it.
I don't know much about Python revolvers. Are you saying that the massive barrel is not solid underneath the rifled tube? I know my 686 certainly is. Is it hollowed-out in a Python?
As for the grips, I understand trying to keep pristine wood in perfect shape on an investment grade gun... but if you don't shoot it and don't ever intend to shoot it, why not keep the original stocks on it? Just curious.