-LEGENDARY- handguns that you think are over-rated

[Mike Irwin]

"Lousy for shooting .357 Magnum."

Remember what the 19's purpose was...

It was to bring to market a gun that was lighter and easier to carry than the N-frame .357s and be cheaper.

It wasn't designed to fire a steady diet of .357 Magnum rounds.

It was targeted primarily at police, who had been requesting the cartridge in a smaller, lighter, more affordable package.

The vast majority of what I put through my three Model 19s isn't .357, it's .38 Special.

But when I carry one of the 19s, either the 2.5 or 4", it's .357 Magnum rounds. That dual purpose versatility adds to the 19ths flexability and usability.

[Sevens]

I believe said exactly that in my own words. The 19 is a legend when being discussed at length and on a gun show table laying on a blanket of felt.

The 19 is, IMO, wildly over rated when at the shooting range making noise.

[TruthTellers]

Originally Posted by boondocker385

Ruger revolvers and most 1911s.

I don't know of any Ruger revolvers that are "legendary." The most iconic revolver Ruger makes is probably their single actions and even S&W fanboys who like SA revolvers will say that the Rugers are really good.

Mind clarifying which Ruger revolvers are overrated?

[Mike Irwin]

"The 19 is, IMO, wildly over rated when at the shooting range making noise."

I'll remember that the next time I'm at the range, surrounded by guys punching holes in the ceilings, floors, and lane barriers with their semi-auto dujor. I'll chuckle softly and take the center out of another target with my wildly overrated noise maker.

[Mike Irwin]

"I believe said exactly that in my own words."

Heh. You did. We were both posting at the same time. I never saw your explanation until just now.

Here's how I know that the Model 19 isn't overrated, at least in my universe...

I own close to 70 handguns of all stripes and all calibers.

All of them could go away.

The only one I will NEVER part with, under any circumstances, is my 4" Model 19.

My P7PSP? My Colt Official Police? My Springfield 1911? My Hi Power? The various other Smith .38s and .357s?

All expendable.

[Sevens]

My 4-inch 19-4 and my 4-inch Texas Rangers Commemorative 19-3 plus SN-matching big gaudy knife in slick wooden display box were both very nice K-frames and I couldn't keep either. Meanwhile I have a circa 1990 former DOC 4-inch HB Model 10-10 that has an armorer's rack number carved in to the bottom of the trigger guard with what had to have been a rusty nail and that revolver won't ever go anywhere as long as I'm around. It is a better shooter than either Model 19 that I sent away.

[Glenn E. Meyer]

If you curse the 19s (Glock 19 and SW Model 19), I will gladly accept them as a donation to your mental health.

[Armybrat]

And I will gladly adopt anyone’s overrated Colt SAA and Ruger wheelguns. Will even pay overnight shipping so as to get the horrid things out of their sight ASAP.

[pete2]

Glock.

[Model12Win]

Originally Posted by Mike Irwin

Colt 1911.

Sure. Good handgun, but antiquated design. Much better options these days, even in .45.



Really have to disagree with those listing the S&W Model 19 as overrated. It is simply the best combination of power, ergonomics, and size every combined into a general duty revolver.

Antiquated design?

Funny. I sure don't think the U.S. Marines still pack and double-action revolvers. THOSE are obsolete.

Certain units still carry 1911s (Colt M45A1) FWIW.

[Mike Irwin]

Yes. Antiquated design compared not to revolvers, but to other semi-automatic handguns.

But, take heart. Compared to a rock on a stick, the 1911 is positively cutting edge modern.

[CajunBass]

I hope you people who think the "Combat Magnum" is overrated will spread the word and bring converts to your side.

I'd like to pick up a couple more, and if y'all could drive down the price a bit, it wouldn't hurt my feelings.

[pblanc]

There are three handguns, none of which I have ever owned but always sort of wanted, that really disappointed me the first time I shot them. They have already been mentioned.

Colt Python. Maybe I just expected some sort of other-worldly experience based on all the hype. Or maybe the one I shot was simply not that good. I shot a friend's back to back with my Ruger GP100. I honestly did not feel that the Python trigger was superior in either DA or SA. I would still like to have one because of the insane prices they now command, but I would never consider paying even a fraction of what they are now going for.

Browning Hi-power. I have shot a few of these. They are pretty comfortable in the hand but for an SA trigger the action is simply awful, IMO. I understand they can be made better, but before they quit making them they were going for over $800. For that price, I expect a decent trigger out of the box.

Walther PPK/PPK/S 380 Auto. I have always loved the looks of these and still do. I expected being chambered in .380 they would be a pleasure to shoot. Not so. I found them to be quite harsh. If I owned one I would probably look at it and fondle it and never, or very seldom shoot it.

[Erno86]

I would put the Swedish made Sig Trailside 22lr semi auto pistol at the top of the list; including both the short barrel, long barrel and competition models. Not to downplay the accuracy of the Trailside...which was very good, due to the intergrally made barrel and receiver.

An NRA magazine had a good review on the Trailside, so I bought the new long barreled field version...some years ago. The main negative was the plastic composite made 10 round magazine, that wore out the feed lips after 900 rounds.

I was frequently calling Sig (that had a long phone backup list) for free magazines. So I think the Swedes eventually realized the problem, an so they stopped the production of the pistol and magazines; with other spare parts for it almost impossible to find.

I then broke my thumb safety on the Trailside...an my gunsmith (due to lack of parts) tried to glue the thumb safety back together. It lasted about 10 rounds at the range before the safety broke again.

I then gave up on the Trailside pistol an put in in the spare parts bin.

[Sevens]

I bet the Swedes were quite irritated at being blamed for everything the Swiss had done!

[2damnold4this]

I bet the Swedes were quite irritated at being blamed for everything the Swiss had done!

^+1 Danged ole Ole and the rest of those Swedes.

[Scorch]

Lugers- I will agree wholeheartedly. Over-rated. Hard to load and shoot, hard to disassemble and clean. Hard to carry. Hard to get into action quickly. Iconic, but over-rated. I wanted one when I first saw one in an old movie, so sleek and sexy, so wickedly threatening. It was love! But like young love, it soon faded once I owned one. Tiny sights. Squishy trigger. 8 rounds?!? And you have to pull the follower down with your thumb? It was great while it lasted, but I traded my first Luger for a FN P35 (Hi-Power) and never looked back.

Browning Hi-Power- Over-rated. I have owned several over the years. They are chunky, they have poor triggers, they don't shoot all that well, but yes, there is something about them. They are a beautiful gun, very reliable, and I carried one for a while when I was doing personal protection work. That said, I don't own any, got rid of my last one about 25 years ago. Occasionally, I hear that siren's song and get all misty-eyed over one, but I get over it pretty quickly when I have to do trigger work on a customer's Hi-Power.

HK- Over-rated. Any HK. Pick one. From the awful VP-70 to the awful P3 to the awful P4 to the awful P7 to the awful VP9. All over-rated. High-priced, heavy, overly complex "just because we can".

S&W K frames- yes, over rated, and hard to handle with full house 357s. But the gun was originally designed for police work in the 1920s and chambered in 32 Long. Later adapted to 38 Special, it served admirably if not elegantly. The 357 Magnum version is a handful, and a steady diet of full-house loads will shoot it loose or crack the forcing cone. Many, many S&W K-frames out there, many, many in service over the years, many, many used in self-defense over the past century. One of those "it works" guns. But history is passing it by, like most revolvers.

Colt Python- Not really over-rated, I think of them as "period pieces". At one time, it was "THE" revolver. The frame is larger than the S&W K frame and better suited to the 357 magnum cartridge. It can take a steady diet of 357 Magnum, no problem. And accurate! When it came out, it was revolutionary: most revolvers of that era and earlier had slender, lightweight barrels that climbed to the sky with a 357 Magnum load. The Python had the heavy barrel underlug, allowing faster recovery after a shot, which made it a desirable duty gun (except for the price). But when S&W came out with the 586 in 1985, the Python was doomed. The S&W has better lockwork, and the L frame was built the right size for the 357 Magnum. I had 3 of Pythons at one time, sold my last Python two years ago.

Glocks- really? The best selling handgun in the world is over-rated? I have to disagree. I admit, they are about as sexy as an adobe brick, and shaped kinda like one too. They have terrible triggers, and the factory sights are just pathetic. BUT THEY SHOOT REALLY WELL!! And for the price, they are hard to beat. I prefer my Colt Combat Commander, but a Glock might be my carry gun pretty soon.

And I'll disagree again. 1911s are not all created equal. Older Colts had some of the best finish work you will ever see. But the newer 1911s? Some of them are awful, the finish is so rough they look like they were dragged down the road. They are not easy to carry concealed. And they are heavy. And they have very noticeable recoil. And they only carry 7 or 8 rounds. All true. But they are dead reliable, and it's hard to make one quit once it has been set up right. Some of the cheapest ones are the best available, and some of the high-priced ones are beautiful to look at, but I would never depend on one. They are too tight, so they foul and jam. Older, looser 1911s run forever, and some of the new ones are just as good. I may be a little sentimental over 1911s, so forgive me.

My vote for the most over-rated handgun? Anything by Springfield Armory. They bought the name so they could claim to be "America's oldest gunmaker", and they have all of their guns made overseas. I won't own one.

[lee n. field]

Originally Posted by Sevens

I believe said exactly that in my own words. The 19 is a legend when being discussed at length and on a gun show table laying on a blanket of felt.

The 19 is, IMO, wildly over rated when at the shooting range making noise.

my 4" S&W 19 is a huge huge gun, for shooting .38s. I've got much better things for carrying. (Wonderful trigger, though.)

[BBarn]

I prefer more descriptive terms than "overrated" for describing guns. I would rather refer to some guns as simple, complex, reliable, problematic, clunky, comfortable, etc. And nearly all guns have some positives to go along with their negatives. The term "overrated" doesn't convey much as far as to suitability for a particular purpose.

[Bob Wright]

ChuteTheMall sayeth:

Anything with a picture of a horse on it is over-rated.

WHOA! WHOA! WHOA! The Colt New Frontier is one of the finest Single Action revolvers made, and is the ultimate version of the Single Action revolver. Its clearly inspired by the Ruger Blackhawk!

And the New Service from Colt was the finest example of a DA revolver. So don't condemn the whole stable for a few prima donnas.

Bob Wright

[Mike Irwin]

"And the New Service from Colt was the finest example of a DA revolver."

Nope. New Century by Smith.

[stephen426]

When I discovered that the Walther PPK did not in fact hold unlimited rounds, was incapable of instantaneous one stop shots, and was only laser accurate in the hands of people with 00 clearance, I was greatly disappointed. LOL

[Sevens]

I prefer more descriptive terms than "overrated" for describing guns. I would rather refer to some guns as simple, complex, reliable, problematic, clunky, comfortable, etc. And nearly all guns have some positives to go along with their negatives. The term "overrated" doesn't convey much as far as to suitability for a particular purpose.

Seems like a quality thought... doesn't have any place in this discussion. These guns are legendary, they are highly regarded and much sought-after, many of us own many of these guns, or we have certainly owned examples of them in the past. We aren't discussing their suitability for any particular purpose so much as we are trying to get past the lofty status of some of them and see if it's truly steak or sizzle.

[stephen426]

Dons Flame Retardant Suit...

Beretta 92

They are decent handguns, but a bit over-rated in my opinion.

[Charlie98]

Mind clarifying which Ruger revolvers are overrated?

The Ruger single-actions. Yes, they are built like a tank. Yes, Ruger has produced them in crazy cartridges that make everyone want one. Yes, they are reasonable looking, and have lots of nice features like the Bisley grip. But. Their quality control SUCKS. I've had 9 Ruger SA's over 30 years... none of them... NONE... have shot worth anything. This includes a single-six, 3 7.5" barreled .45 Colts, a beautiful .41 stainless Bisley, and my current .44SPC flattop... which arrived with mismatched cylinder throats and a torque bulge in the barrel. The cylinder throats are a common item, so common that I have to scratch my head and wonder why Ruger hasn't paid a little more attention to it. So is the torque bulge.

I also agree with the PPK/s. Yes, I know James Bond carried one. I've shot my brother's side by side with my Colt Gov't .380... the Colt and it's locked breech smoke the PPK/s with it's snappy recoil and greater weight.

I also think the S&W 29 is overrated. Yes, it's very powerful... but at only .429" it's marginally bigger than the .41 Magnum. Hollyweird has catapulted the 29 and the .44 Magnum into super-legend status. Yes, it's a good round, but it's not All That and a bag of chips.