Five Favorite Handguns

I’ve owned quite a few handguns and I’ve shot quite a few more.  These are my five all-time favorites.

Colt 1911 Government Model

What can I say?  I waxed eloquent about the 1911 in several ExNotes blogs.  I’ve owned several 1911s, and I still own my first, the MacManus Award Colt 1911.  My mid-1980s bright stainless steel 1911 is a real honey.  It’s hard to go wrong with any 1911.

1911 Government Models can be phenomenally accurate handguns, I love the .45 ACP cartridge, and the 1911 is part of America.  I carried a 1911 in the Army and I carry one today (see below).

Rock Island Compact 1911

The Rock Island Compact checks all the boxes for me.  It’s under $500 (I picked  up mine new for an incredibly low $425).  While not quite as accurate as a full-size Government Model, it’s accurate enough and it’s easy to carry.   Like the bright stainless Colt 1911 above, my Compact has been lightly customized by TJ’s Custom Gunworks, with a polished barrel and chamber, engine-turned chamber exterior, Millet sights, and other mods to improve reliability (new extractor, recut ejector, etc.).  It feeds anything.  I like the Parkerized finish; it’s all business and it reminds me of the 1911s I carried in the Army.  I call it my American Express gun (I never leave home without it).

My favored Compact 1911 loads are a 230-grain cast roundnose with 5.6 grains of Unique, and a 185-grain semi-wadcutter with 5.0 grains of Bullseye.  The 185-grain SWC load is crazy accurate for a snubbie .45.

Colt .22 Trooper 

This is an unusual one.  I bought it in the 1980s.  The Trooper is the same .357 Magnum that Colt manufactured for police duty, except it’s chambered in .22 Long Rifle.  The barrel and the cylinder have the same external dimensions as the .357 Mag, which makes it heavy and that translates into stellar accuracy.  It is the most accurate .22 handgun I own.  Mine has custom rosewood grips.  I love shooting the Trooper, and it does well with every brand of ammo I’ve put through it.

I paid $200 for the Trooper back in the ’80s.  If you check what they go for today on Gunbroker.com, I think you’ll agree it was a good investment.  But like all the other guns in this blog, it is not for sale.

Ruger .357 Magnum Blackhawk 

Ruger Blackhawks are exceptionally accurate revolvers, they are easy to shoot, and they are just plain cool.  I’ve shot loads in mine that run the gamut:  148-grain wadcutter target loads, 110-grain max hollow point loads, 158-grain max loads, and metallic silhouette 200-grain cast roundnose loads.   The Blackhawks don’t care; they handle all of them with target-grade accuracy.

I used to say Blackhawks last forever, but I have to tell you I can’t say that anymore.  My stainless steel Blackhawk finally wore out.  When I sent it in to Ruger for repair, they were surprised, too, and they backed up their surprise with an even-more-surprising offer to buy the gun back (an offer I accepted).  I’ve got my antenna up for another .357 Blackhawk, and when things calm down a bit in the gun world, another one will find a home with me.

SIG P226 Scorpion

The SIG P226 is an amazing handgun. At $1200 (and that’s a pre-pandemic price), they are not cheap, but I feel like I spent my money wisely on this piece.  I love the SIG’s finish and grips, and I love its accuracy (it is the most accurate 9mm handgun I’ve ever owned).

I first learned just how good the SIG is when I fired good buddy Python Pete’s, and it wasn’t too long after that I bought the one you see here.  It did better than any of the other 9mm handguns in the load development comparos (for both cast and jacketed loads).  Trust me on this…if you want a fine handgun, you won’t go wrong with a SIG P226.

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