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Bloviating Zeppelin: These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things

Bloviating Zeppelin

(in-ep-toc'-ra-cy) - a system of government where the least capable to lead are elected by the least capable of producing, and where the members of society least likely to sustain themselves or succeed, are rewarded with goods and services paid for by the confiscated wealth of a diminishing number of producers.

Saturday, July 19, 2008

These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things


Over the years I've had the pleasure of carrying a large number of handguns on duty and off duty, from S&W Models 28 & 29 to Series 80 Colt .45s. I have also had the pleasure of being the Sergeant Rangemaster to my department's 2,000+ officers, as well as its current EVOC Supervisor.

My three favorite handguns (as pictured) include my first-ever wheelgun and two semi-autos, all of which I still own.

At this point my department only allows the Sig Sauer semi-auto system to be carried, in .40, .45 and 9mm calibres (with the .380 reserved for Exec and Management Staff). Approved models include the P220, P226, P229 and P232.

Top:

Colt Python, .357 calibre, 4" bbl, blued
My favorite rollergun, I carried this weapon first as a Reserve Deputy Sheriff in 1975 for a number of years until I acquired the Chrome Bumper (no longer owned), which was a 6" bbl Colt Python slathered with liberal doses of pimp-chrome. Reserves were not supposed to carry a long-barreled handgun but, for whatever reason, no one objected. I also carried the 4" Python for a short time when I worked for the FBI.

Ah, memories: for years my department's officers only shot wadcutters for qualifications. One day in the late '70s a clear-thinking Rangemaster postulated: "Hey, since we shoot factory rounds in the street and not wadcutters, perhaps we should qualify with factory rounds?" Imagine the chagrin of some officers who lost their vision during night-quals due to the bloom from a Full Chat .357 round! Some officers who'd never had to fire a factory round in the street were shocked -- shocked -- that the Full Chat .357 round was a wrist-wrencher! Makes me giggle.

Middle:

Sig Sauer P220, .45 calibre, blued, Euro-release, single-stack mag
I carried this handgun the bulk of my time in Patrol. I had a double-mag pouch on my Sam Browne which meant I carried four magazines within immediate reach. A very light-framed handgun with a potent round, the P220 was balanced very well and shot accurately. It was hardy, durable and the large hole at the end caught many a person's attention.

Bottom:

Glock 17, 9mm calibre, blued, double-stack mag
For whatever reason, I shot best of all with this handgun. I also carried this for a time with the FBI. Called the "plastic gun," scuttlebutt at the beginning of its life included the falsehood that it could pass through metal detectors -- which it could not and still cannot do. The frame is a poured polymer, but the slide and various other critical parts are metal, plain and simple.

My department eliminated the weapon for optional carry because, for cleaning and stripping, you had to be smarter than the gun. That eliminated a certain number of personnel from my department -- those who managed to put a few holes in the cleaning shack adjacent Range 1. One must depress the trigger in order to release the slide (Glock, what were you thinking??) but, as any logical and safe gunhandler knows, you must first drop the magazine, lock back the slide and clear the well and throat. Heavy sigh. I miss my Glock.

Yes, these are a few of my favorite things. Yours?


BZ

20 Comments:

Blogger Ranando said...

My dad's Winnchester 30-30 which I have now. He bought it when he was sixteen and it always hung over the fireplace in our family room.

It is truly one of my favorite things.

Sat Jul 19, 12:00:00 PM PDT  
Blogger TexasFred said...

This comment has been removed by the author.

Sat Jul 19, 12:02:00 PM PDT  
Blogger TexasFred said...

If you get a Springfield XD-45 Tactical and practice a bit, you'll be able to hit that POS Glock every time, no more misses...

Great grips on the Python, I have Hogues on my Model 28, Pacs on the S&W 586 but I have always liked Pacs, I just like Hogues better...

Can't say a bad word about a Sig either, great weapon, but I know a range master that just got rid of one in Sig .357 to purchase a new XD-45 tactical for his duty weapon...

Glocks?? Would give you $10 for a dozen of the bastards...

I have been a serious hand gunner for almost 40 years, I have been in a couple of rather serious situations over the years and the ONLY gun I ever had jam on me, and damned nearly got me killed, was the ONLY Glock I ever had... The damned thing would *stove pipe* and empty about every 6th or 7th round...

Glock guys told me it was because I didn't know how to properly grip a pistol, well, that's a crock of SHIT, and I told em so, and they were like, "Well, Glocks don't jam"...

BULL SHIT...

My Son, when he was a fresh out of the academy rookie, was carrying a POS Glock in 9mm, department issue, as was his wife and he was all full of the academy bullshit and propaganda, you know what I mean BZ, and he told me, TOLD ME, "Dad, it must be you, Glocks are perfect pistols and they don't stovepipe"...

Not long after that he called me one day, I could hear all kinds of rounds going off in the background, he was on the range and Glock was out there trying to sell MORE of their POS pistols and giving demonstrations, with a Glock MASTER doing the shooting...

Guess what happened??

The Demo gun was one of those POS Glocks that has the inherent tendency to stovepipe every 6th or 7th round, and it did, to a goddamned MASTER Armorer..

My son was like "Uh, Dad, I owe you an apology... "

He went the very next day and bought a new XD-40 with a 4" barrel, has fired over 12K rounds with NO malfunctions and has since upgraded to a new XD-45 Tactical, as has his wife...

The XD will make a believer out of you...

Deleted the 1st post, I had a model number typo... I HATE typos...

Sat Jul 19, 12:03:00 PM PDT  
Blogger There's A New Sheriff In Town said...

I just bougt a CZ 75 SemiCompact in 9mm that is a real sweet shooter.

Sat Jul 19, 12:55:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Robocop said...

My favorite things in this context include my Glock 22C (.40 S&W), Glock 21 (.45 ACP), Beretta 96 (.40 S&W), Loaded Springfield Armory 1911A1 (.45ACP), and my old S&W Combat Masterpiece (.38 Special).

Sat Jul 19, 01:01:00 PM PDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Last year, the wife got a nifty little Kahr P9. I wasn't that impressed at first (she chose it to fit her small hands). After firing a couple hundred rounds through the P9, my nightstand Taurus 605 seems to have lost some of its shine...

;-)

Sat Jul 19, 03:19:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Gary said...

Cousin carries a Sig whilst killing bad guys for the USN SEALs. Another friend, (Marine type) thoroughly enjoyed the same weapon in Iraq, though he was required to swap it out for the current Barreta.

I lost my wedding ring finger and am left handed, so the double stack Glock grip is a little too big to hold, so I'll likely purchase P220 in the .45 ACP flavor. now that is one of my favorite things.

PS One my 21st birthday, I secured a Montgomery Wards credit card and used it to purchase a S&W Model 629 for $489.00, (Only thing I ever bought from MW). Now that was fun to shoot, and with about 10 inches of flame at the muzzle, it garnered the attention of everyone on the range, LOL!

Sat Jul 19, 03:45:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Mark said...

I used to like to shoot long range pistols, last fall I dusted of my old Thompson contender and took it to the range. well, I found out my older hands don't like shootin a 30-30 pistol nearly as much as my younger hands did. and the crosshairs in my scope wiggled around a lot more than I remember too. jeez, I guess I need to be out looking for a new longarm if I want to do any hunting anymore...

Sat Jul 19, 04:48:00 PM PDT  
Blogger TexasFred said...

Mark, gettin' old ain't for sissies..

I have to remind myself of that damn near every morning...

Sat Jul 19, 05:08:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Mark said...

sad thing is Fred, I'm really not that old. oh, yeah I've got teenage grand kids who try to make me feel that way....but, jeez, I guess Arthur Itis has paid a visit to my right wrist and thumb, and that dull ache and stiffness sure turns into some throbbing, stinging pain under heavy recoil. I'm thinkin my contender days are over, I'm just not steady enough for 100yd. pistol shots anymore anyhow. I do have a real fondness for single action wheelguns, and those Ruger blackhawk hunter models with the bisley grip frame look kinda spiffy! and a puny little .44mag shouldn't hurt as much....

Sat Jul 19, 05:54:00 PM PDT  
Blogger ABFreedom said...

I have access to a bunch of oldies, .44 and .357, and some you can't even get rounds for. When visiting LP, she pulls out her Glock every once in a while... just seems a little small, but it's got a good punch.

As you know, up here, we ain't allowed such things, and anyone that has them.... says nothing... ;-)

Sat Jul 19, 06:03:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Ranando: and the fact that it's been in the family makes it even more special!

TF: I am well aware you dig the XD-45 and thanks for the pix! For some darned reason, maybe mental only, the Glock just shot very well for me. However, in terms of jamming, my former district partner was confronted by a knife-wielder and had his Glock stovepipe when he limp-wristed it. That was a contributing factor to the demise of the Glock on my department -- allegedly -- though I know for a fact it was POLITICAL and DOLLARS were involved.

ARWC: hey, welcome aboard and THANKS for commenting! You use the CZ concealed? My WIFE (of all people!) bought me a SWEET Sig P239 that I carry concealed off duty many times.

Robocop: hey, THANKS for stopping by and welcome aboard! Sounds like a VERY nice inventory! And a Combat Masterpiece - heavy sigh. Those were the days.

Henry: don't know much about the Kahr, except that, if I'm not mistaken, to me it looks a bit like a stubby Sig. Hey, but you gotta go with what shoots best!

Gawfer: in Patrol, I just enjoyed the hell outta my P220, mostly because NO ONE ELSE on the entire department carried one, and everyone wondered how I "got used" to the Euro release. Easy. Nice shooter, love the big hole. 629! Dude! Make way for the Flamethrower.

Mark & TF: concur. Age ain't for the timid. My Super Redhawk in .454 Casull and my Desert Eagle in .50 AE got put away because I value what little hearing I have left, not to mention my wrists. Double heavy sigh.

BZ

Sat Jul 19, 06:05:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

ABF: says what? I didn't hear you say anything. . .

BZ

Sat Jul 19, 06:05:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Mike Pittman said...

Oooooh! Guns! That'll drive the lefties nuts, write about guns! Good Call, BZ!

Sat Jul 19, 07:02:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Mark said...

BZ, Wow! I'm gonna have to show my wife your comment so she can learn what kind of presents Wives ought to get their husbands! and yeah, those big Casull's and that .50 smith are for those young bucks who need the ego boost and bragging rights. I've never shot the desert eagle in .50, wouldn't think it would be such a bad kicker being an auto. one of the smoothest, mildest, great shootin guns I've ever shot was an old AMT auto-mag. that action just soaked up all the recoil, that was just one fine gun, I'd have given my eye teeth for it, but the owner would not part with it, but he was kind enough to let me bust a few caps with it.

Sat Jul 19, 07:10:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Bloviating Zeppelin said...

Mark: all those things are just plain heavy and unwieldy -- at least at my age. I'll just take my nice Unertl-scoped Remington 700 tweaked by my local former FBI HRT gunsmith and call it even.

BZ

Sat Jul 19, 07:22:00 PM PDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I do not know much about guns. My Dad had a shotgun for hunting when I was very little and as an adult my Uncle had a pistol. I did not know he even had it. He became very ill and was dying. He told me he had the gun and it was under his pillow and that he was thinking about killing himself.

I cussed him out big time, even though he was very sick. I told him, "real good one - I help to take care of you and I will come back in the morning to find you with your brains blown out - call the cops and for all I know I will be accused of doing a mercy killing. Thanks for thinking of me - how selfish are you?"

Poor guy got back his senses and gave me the pistol, which my Dad ended up giving to the police. That same evening I had him taken to the hospital and he died six days later.

My experiences with guns as I said are limited. My grandma had a small pistol for protection too.

I am considering getting one when my son grows up-for protection. Right now I do not want one in the house with a ten year old - though I know he would know better, I just cannot take that chance.

I believe in the right to bare arms for personal protection and to protect this country.

As for your collection it is a beauty.

Sat Jul 19, 07:25:00 PM PDT  
Blogger Isaac said...

Their beautiful BZ. I just wish my country would allow them.

Sun Jul 20, 04:45:00 AM PDT  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

H&K .40, S&W 626 7" barrel, Glock 21 and H&K 91 (.308) with scope

I would like to get a Remington 700, pretty much just for the memories. 3 friends of mine had them in high school and we had many good times with them.

I never was a fan of the Sigs.

Mon Jul 21, 07:19:00 AM PDT  
Blogger Alaska Steve said...

M1911 ACP, no question. Lost one in a fire and mourn it daily. My brother is a wheel gun man, so his response would be different, and he's the ex-cop and current licensed carrier so I defer to his judgement as well. I think my final answer would be whatever I have in my hand aiming down range . . .

Sun Jul 27, 01:35:00 AM PDT  

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