It's an impossible task to pick a favorite out of them all. Each has their pluses and minuses with regards to workmanship, ease of use and carry, easy to work on, concealability, accuracy, ergonomics, trigger, sights, magazine capacity, and value for the money. On size does not fit all. I don't know, I'd have to break that down into categories? If I could only have one, it would have to be a semi auto that's for sure.What your most favorite gun that you own, out of all of them?
Disqualified - hahaha. Yes, too many favoritesIt's an impossible task to pick a favorite out of them all. Each has their pluses and minuses with regards to workmanship, ease of use and carry, easy to work on, concealability, accuracy, ergonomics, trigger, sights, magazine capacity, and value for the money. On size does not fit all. I don't know, I'd have to break that down into categories? If I could only have one, it would have to be a semi auto that's for sure.
Favorite polymer framed striker: HK VP series 9/40.
Favorite polymer framed DA/SA semi auto: HK 45 C
Favorite all steel 9mm DA/SA Semi auto: CZ Shadow 2, Beretta 92X Performance.
Favorite 45 DA/SA Semi auto: CZ 97B, Sig P227
Favorite all steel 45 1911: Cylinder&Slide "Adventurer", Sig TTT, Detonics Combat Master
Favorite alloy/steel 45 1911: Kimber Ultra RCP II
Favorite alloy/steel 9mm 1911: Wilson EDC X9 , Wilson EDC X9 S
Favorite pocket polymer framed striker: Glock G27, Sig P365
Favorite pocket alloy/steel 9mm: Sig P938 Scorpion
Favorite pocket all steel striker: Kahr MK 40
Favorite all steel striker: Walther Q4 SF
Favorite SA 380 semi auto: Sig P238 HD all stainless
Favorite DA/SA 380 semi auto: Walther PPK/S
Favorite DA only revolver: S&W Model 40 all stainless
Favorite DA/SA revolver: Ruger Redhawk 44 Magnum, S&W 629 Performance Center
Favorite SA revolver: Cimarron "Doc Holliday" 45 LC
Favorite mini semi auto: NAA Guardian 32
Favorite mini revolver: NAA 22 Magnum "top break"
Favorite useless but cool: Bond Arms Derringer 410/45 LC
For quality and workmanship: That would be Cylinder&Slide, Wilson, Walther Q4 SF and Sig TTT 1911 out of all the guns that I own. You do get what you pay for. However the Walther and Sig at half the cost are damn close to the Cylinder&Slide and Wilson with regards to fit and finish. I look for tooling, machining marks and sloppiness. If a gun feels like it's carved from a solid block of steel yet all the moving parts feel as if they're on roller bearings and it still feeds, fires and ejects all types of ammo you know you have well made gun.
Ruger revolvers are built like tanks and will withstand just about anything that you can put through them. But they don't have the fit and finish of a S&W or Colt revolver. However because of their strength they can take more of a beating and still keep on ticking.
Glocks are ubiquitous, reliable and probably thee most easy guns to work on. There are God only knows how many aftermarket accessories that are available for them. But when you compare them to an HK it's like comparing a Cadillac to a Mercedes. Both are great cars and will get you there in style but the workmanship of a Mercedes is that much better. I hate to admit that as I never have or ever will own a foreign car. But we are talking guns here.
Nice guns.![]()
I pick the one on top. DW Vigil Commander chambered in .45 ACP.
If I get a runner up choice It would be my SA Garrison on the bottom. Full size also in .45 ACP.
Where is your choice Super Moderator?![]()
My favorite usually is the last one that I bought that is until something else comes along and I have to buy another. Right now it's my 92X Performance. My only complaint is that I wish they made the gun in stainless steel instead of a finish that looks like it. I would have liked to have polished the flats on the slide to a mirror like finish to off set the matte finish on the rest of the gun. The only other issue is when I ordered the blue anodized grips which are thinner than the stock grips. They did not come with shorter grip screws and none are available. So I had to shorten the one's that I had by about three 32nds of an inch. Otherwise they would interfere with the magazine. If I used the washers the screws would stick out by the same amount and not fit flush with the grips and looked like hell. You'd think that they would have thought of that when designing the grips by making them the same thickness as the original grips? That's what should have been done. Or at least made screws to fit them?Disqualified - hahaha. Yes, too many favorites![]()
I guess good things come to those who wait? Not that you're planning on selling it, but because of supply and demand you can easily make a nice profit on it. It's certainly not something that you can just buy off the shelf.Nice guns.
I've owned a ton of stuff over 30years, and my "favorite" has changed over the years. But with what I have now, my Glock 34 John Wick Combat Master is easily my favorite
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Yes, they are going for more because many people don't want to wait. But, I didn't go thru that long wait to sell it. Heck, I sent them another Glock - a G19 - a month after I got this one. Waiting for the 2nd one to come in nowI guess good things come to those who wait? Not that you're planning on selling it, but because of supply and demand you can easily make a nice profit on it. It's certainly not something that you can just buy off the shelf.
Awesome gun. I am a Beretta nut, and have come so close to buying one of those many times. But with neck and shoulder issues, I find that handgun too heavy for me to hold out at arm's length. I looked at the Shadow and some other options before going with TTI. But that Beretta looks awesomeMy favorite usually is the last one that I bought that is until something else comes along and I have to buy another. Right now it's my 92X Performance. My only complaint is that I wish they made the gun in stainless steel instead of a finish that looks like it. I would have liked to have polished the flats on the slide to a mirror like finish to off set the matte finish on the rest of the gun. The only other issue is when I ordered the blue anodized grips which are thinner than the stock grips. They did not come with shorter grip screws and none are available. So I had to shorten the one's that I had by about three 32nds of an inch. Otherwise they would interfere with the magazine. If I used the washers the screws would stick out by the same amount and not fit flush with the grips and looked like hell. You'd think that they would have thought of that when designing the grips by making them the same thickness as the original grips? That's what should have been done. Or at least made screws to fit them?
You want to keep as many threads on the screws as possible. So it was matter of cutting, fitting and dressing the end of the screws. I had to do that several times, taking the grips on and off then tightening the screws down until the ends were flush with the inside of the frame. Instead of just guessing how much would be enough. It was about a 45 minute to an hour's job going back and forth until they were just right. A gunsmith would have to charge about an hour's worth of labor just to shorten those screws to fit. The screw heads still stick out a little bit. But there's nothing that I can do about that without ruining the structural integrity of the grips or the screw heads.
You can see from the bottom photo that the original screws were slightly countersunk on the original black plastic grips, they also had lock washers installed. The stainless steel screws that I had were the exact same dimensions and depth. Obviously I couldn't use the lock washers. All in all I'm very happy with the results, it's the little details that count.
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It weighs some 60 oz. or 3 3/4 lbs. fully loaded with 20 rounds in the magazine with the two round extension as pictured, 43 oz. or almost 2 3/4 lbs. empty. I just bought one of those 30 round magazines for my Beretta 92's. The CZ Shadow 2 coming in at around 48 oz. or 3 lbs. empty is even heavier. The brass grips add another 4 oz. At 52 oz it's 2 oz shy of my 7 1/2 inch Ruger Redhawk! Fully loaded with 18 rounds it comes in at around 68 oz. or 4 1/4 lbs. So I guess that you can scratch both of those off your list? The Beretta is probably lighter because of the open top slide. Because of the weight shooting one of these is like shooting a 22 except a lot louder. Both have outstanding triggers in both DA and SA mode. But I think I give the edge to the Shadow 2.Awesome gun. I am a Beretta nut, and have come so close to buying one of those many times. But with neck and shoulder issues, I find that handgun too heavy for me to hold out at arm's length. I looked at the Shadow and some other options before going with TTI. But that Beretta looks awesome![]()
Yes, I don't buy anything heavier than my Beretta M9A3. Right before the covid thing started, I looked at a shop in San Antonio. They had several of the Shadow models. I played with them all, and even saw the one with the bushing on it for around $2k. I found them heavier than I wanted. I also looked at the Steel framed Walthers. They were all heavier than I wanted, so I knew the steel framed Beretta would be heavier than I wanted (it was not yet out, at the time).It weighs some 60 oz. or 3 3/4 lbs. fully loaded with 20 rounds in the magazine with the two round extension as pictured, 43 oz. or almost 2 3/4 lbs. empty. I just bought one of those 30 round magazines for my Beretta 92's. The CZ Shadow 2 coming in at around 48 oz. or 3 lbs. empty is even heavier. The brass grips add another 4 oz. At 52 oz it's 2 oz shy of my 7 1/2 inch Ruger Redhawk! Fully loaded with 18 rounds it comes in at around 68 oz. or 4 1/4 lbs. So I guess that you can scratch both of those off your list? The Beretta is probably lighter because of the open top slide. Because of the weight shooting one of these is like shooting a 22 except a lot louder. Both have outstanding triggers in both DA and SA mode. But I think I give the edge to the Shadow 2.
I bought mine used unfired, they list for $1,455. According to my friend who managed the store, the previous owner traded it in for something lighter. The Shadow 2 Orange lists for $2,249 according to CZ's website. That's almost $800 more just for a fitted barrel bushing.$1199 for a Shadow 2 seems like a great price.
I see the Shadow 2 Orange listed around $2000 these days if I remember correctly. I don’t own a 9mm 1911 yet, and am debating between the Shadow 2 Orange and the Staccato C2 (or P).
I have a steel framed Walther Q4 the workmanship on that gun is just as good as my Wilson's. There's not a tool or machining mark on it. I was really impressed. The only thing I didn't like was the plastic trigger. I replaced it with one from Overwatch Precision. I don't like plastic triggers on any gun for that matter.Yes, I don't buy anything heavier than my Beretta M9A3. Right before the covid thing started, I looked at a shop in San Antonio. They had several of the Shadow models. I played with them all, and even saw the one with the bushing on it for around $2k. I found them heavier than I wanted. I also looked at the Steel framed Walthers. They were all heavier than I wanted, so I knew the steel framed Beretta would be heavier than I wanted (it was not yet out, at the time).
I also looked at a Sig X5, but the grip it came with was too big for my hands. They had a high end Zev Glock 34, and it was actually my favorite of all of them. But, I've read mixed stuff about Zev. And, if I wanted a high end G34, I knew I'd go with Taran Tactical.
I actually sold some of my autographed hockey memorabilia, and paid for that TTI G34. The hardest part was waiting 14 months.
Years ago, I loved heavy handguns. I used to have a Springfield Custom full railed 9mm Operator with a bull barrel. That thing weighed over 50 oz. And, it felt almost like shooting a 22. Now, I don't want anything that heavy because of physical issues. I think I would have definitely bought the CZ Shadow orange with the bushing years ago.
Thank YouNice collection!
I used to be a huge P99 fan - I've owned many over the years. So, the steel framed Walther have been tempting. Like I said, I would have jumped on that a few years ago....
Yea, when I got the TTI gun in, I knew I could have made $1k or more on it. But, that's not why I did it. In fact, I can't wait to get the TTI G19 backI am very happy with it.
Keep in mind I have owned 3 digits worth of guns over 30 years. Currently, there is really nothing on the market I want other than the SIg Spectre Comp 365. But, I'm not paying $1200+ for that gun, and I have 3 carry guns I love right now (Glock 19 Gen 5, S&W M&P Plus Perf Center and S&W Plus Perf Center 4"). I don't really need another carry gun anyway...