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Bloody Semiauto Pistols!


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I confess I don't know much about semi-auto pistolas. I was raised around rifles and shotguns, but not handguns. I then inherited a S&W .38 from my dad, got interested in revolvers, then forthwith in single-actions, which brought me to SASS 15 years ago. Since then, I've accumulated a fair number of revolvers of all types and calibers.

Certainly there are aesthetics involved with guns, as with lots of things, and I've just always favored revolvers. I do have a Ruger Mark III which I really like.

Anyway, every time I've gone to the range with someone who brings semi-autos along, and I try them out, I get nicked, sliced, poked, or thumped, with resulting blood loss. Every little lesion on the hand or fingers seems to bring forth copious bleeding, stanched with a hankie, then with a bandaid; I now carry those in my kit. Especially with the little ones, like the .380.

Sure enough, today I brought a guy to the range and we had a good time. I shot his .380, and duly avulsed a bit of skin from my left thumb knuckle, which bled like crazy....Damned if I didn't later thump it with the slide on my Ruger Mark III and start it again!

Am I the only one with this vexation?

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You'll learn not to wrap your left thumb over the top of your right wrist when shooting semi-autos.  The thumbs should be parallel on the left side of the slide (if shooting right handed).  It's a hard habit to break but different style pistols require a different grip. 

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If not paying attention, it happens to the best of us.  A little super glue and you’re back in action.  Better than the finger burn semi auto guys get from fingering the cylinder gap.

 

Have you tried practicing with a full size frame model?  That helps with grip training and finger placement.

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Funny story.

 

I shot semiautomatics for years before SASS and after. But in 2002, I believe, I started shooting Duelist, Double Duelist then Gunfighter, then back to Duelist. I am a terrible left handed shooter (much better now).

Anyway, I started shooting all my guns one handed with no left hand support. 

Recently I find that my right wrist has severe arthritis. I commence to re-training  myself to shoot two-handed. 

 

First time at the range to start shooting with two hands again with my Glock was going well until I switched to left hand shooting with two hands.

I took a chunk out of my right thumb!

 

After all these years...I actually laughed at myself. It was funny...hurt like hell, but it was funny. 

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I am one of those individuals that have been declared as non-existent by gun pundits.  I can swap from different types and actions of firearms with no fumbling or awkwardness.  I never drew a revolver thinking I was carrying a 1911, or vice versa.  That said, I have yet to find a type of firearm that I'm uncomfortable shooting.  I carry double action revolvers, 1911s, and da/sa semi automatics.  I use singe action revolvers for CAS, and will carry one occasionally for self defense.  I'm not a big fan of striker fired guns, but I do have a couple.  

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30 minutes ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

I am one of those individuals that have been declared as non-existent by gun pundits.  I can swap from different types and actions of firearms with no fumbling or awkwardness.  I never drew a revolver thinking I was carrying a 1911, or vice versa.  That said, I have yet to find a type of firearm that I'm uncomfortable shooting.  I carry double action revolvers, 1911s, and da/sa semi automatics.  I use singe action revolvers for CAS, and will carry one occasionally for self defense.  I'm not a big fan of striker fired guns, but I do have a couple.  

I am very similar. WITH my right hand, obviously. :lol:

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Oh, let me add this on behalf of our hero, Red Gauntlet.

 

Recently I rented 2 of my Holy Grail guns (bucket list guns I have always wanted)

I rented a CZ75b, I believe. Completely UN- impressed in nearly every way. :unsure:

Then, I rented the gun I have wanted since was a teenager yet had never fired.

The venerable, the wonderful, the legend, the Browning Hi-Power! (Cue Angels Singing) 

On the first shot the hammer took a chunk out of the webbing of my right hand! Man, did that sting. And, no matter how I adjusted my grip the hammer got me.

 

I am so glad I rented those two. Taught me a lesson.

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8 hours ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said:

I confess I don't know much about semi-auto pistolas. I was raised around rifles and shotguns, but not handguns. I then inherited a S&W .38 from my dad, got interested in revolvers, then forthwith in single-actions, which brought me to SASS 15 years ago. Since then, I've accumulated a fair number of revolvers of all types and calibers.

Certainly there are aesthetics involved with guns, as with lots of things, and I've just always favored revolvers. I do have a Ruger Mark III which I really like.

Anyway, every time I've gone to the range with someone who brings semi-autos along, and I try them out, I get nicked, sliced, poked, or thumped, with resulting blood loss. Every little lesion on the hand or fingers seems to bring forth copious bleeding, stanched with a hankie, then with a bandaid; I now carry those in my kit. Especially with the little ones, like the .380.

Sure enough, today I brought a guy to the range and we had a good time. I shot his .380, and duly avulsed a bit of skin from my left thumb knuckle, which bled like crazy....Damned if I didn't later thump it with the slide on my Ruger Mark III and start it again!

Am I the only one with this vexation?

You're holding it wrong! Get someone to show you the way! They're great guns! I too like revolvers better but there's a place for semi autos and plus that they're fun to shoot!

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14 minutes ago, Rye Miles #13621 said:

You're holding it wrong! Get someone to show you the way...

 

This.

 

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How many times have you flash burned a finger from the blast out of the barrel/cylinder gap on your revolvers?  Did you do it again?

Old Navy saying:  "Ya gotta be smarter than the equipment you're operating."

Old movie saying:  "A man's got to know his limitations."

New saying I just made up:  "If thy semi-auto offends thee, don't shoot semi-autos."

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49 minutes ago, Smuteye John SASS#24774 said:

Bottom feeders are a passing fad.  Just like smokeless powder.:P

 

Besides, some of those bottom feeder fanatics are just plain creepy.

bottom feeders.jpg

That's an awesome van!!;):lol: I had one like that many moons ago!

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13 minutes ago, Joke 'um said:

How many times have you flash burned a finger from the blast out of the barrel/cylinder gap on your revolvers? 

Never.

 

I saw what that Colt revolving rifle did to Bull's arm in that John Wayne movie.

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5 hours ago, LawMan Mark, SASS #57095L said:

I am one of those individuals that have been declared as non-existent by gun pundits.  I can swap from different types and actions of firearms with no fumbling or awkwardness.  I never drew a revolver thinking I was carrying a 1911, or vice versa.  That said, I have yet to find a type of firearm that I'm uncomfortable shooting.  I carry double action revolvers, 1911s, and da/sa semi automatics.  I use singe action revolvers for CAS, and will carry one occasionally for self defense.  I'm not a big fan of striker fired guns, but I do have a couple.  

Ditto

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Well, I know I can do better with a little practice....

 

But the times I avoid slicing myself shooting, I will usually catch a staple while putting up targets, to the same effect! Just keep bandaids on hand-- hadn't heard about superglue....

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When I was 10 years old I shot my very first handgun... my dad's Ruger pre-Mark I. I made the mistake of wrapping my left thumb over my right hand, and the bolt took a small chunk out of the first knuckle. I still have a faint scar to this very day.

 

The second handgun I shot that night was my dad's .45 1911, and that one very nearly put another mark on my forehead! :o

.

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42 minutes ago, Sixgun Sheridan said:

The second handgun I shot that night was my dad's .45 1911, and that one very nearly put another mark on my forehead!

 

Let's not start about forehead marks....this would bring up the subject of scopes....

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Most folks don’t know this but I worked for the film industry for a spell

JW had 2 rifles with 2 different bbl lengths

 a shorty for spinning and a standard length 

 for screen  shots

i believe same for the rifleman but don’t have first hand knowledge

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To my certain knowledge, Duke only spun one in two flicks. Stagecoach, where Yakima Canute dreamed up the idea and cut a 92 down to 16" so he could do it. And "FILL YOUR HAND" True Grit. Both of them were 16".

 

He carried a full-size 20" one with a big loop in Rio Bravo and El Dorado. This site

https://www.rifleshootermag.com/editorial/how-hollywood-made-loop-levered-winchesters-popular/83946

claims he spun it in El Dorado, but I don't recall it. Had one in Hondo, The Shootist, Circus World, Chisum, Rio Lobo and Big Jake. Big Jake used the short one, but he didn't spin it.

 

As for Chuck Connors, he not only spun the 20-incher, but he could dpin it with either hand, or both hands at once.

 

s-l300.jpg

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For center fire handguns I started out with single action revolvers because that was all I had.  I eventually acquired a pre-Series 70 Government Model .45 that had been customized by John Giles, an old time pistolsmith.  At my club's awards dinner I received a plaque that said "Welcome to the XX Century."

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My favorite thing about the semi-autos is not the slicing of flesh, but the burning of skin when the hot bass goes down the inside of a blouse or shirt. 

I've seen Baptists dance!!  :o

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On 9/13/2019 at 1:38 PM, Sixgun Sheridan said:

 

The second handgun I shot that night was my dad's .45 1911, and that one very nearly put another mark on my forehead! :o

.

I remember bugging my dat to let me shoot a 1911A1 when I was about 5. Lucky for me he was smarter than me and only put one round in. I held it out with both hands and when it recoiled it smacked me right between the eyes. I don't think I shot a semi auto .45 until I bought my Colt Commander for my 21st birthday.

 

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On 9/13/2019 at 10:24 AM, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said:

Well, I know I can do better with a little practice....

 

But the times I avoid slicing myself shooting, I will usually catch a staple while putting up targets, to the same effect! Just keep bandaids on hand-- hadn't heard about superglue....

If your even a little accident prone I would pass on trying super glue for wound repair. 

Having a bleeding cut while trying to get your bandaids open while your fingers are glued together makes for lots of entertainment for everyone else that’s around. It’s hard for people to help you when they are laughing so hard they have tears in their eyes. 

 

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