So, I’m thinking of replacing my aging S&W .38 revolver with something newer. A semi-auto, for sure. Before the wackos pass a ban on them. I doubt they could but, then, I never thought Barry, the high-unemployment, food-stamp president, could be re-elected.
Since we’re talking home protection here, rather than range or carry, should I shop for stopping power or would that be, ahem, overkill? Maybe a 1911 like the one I carried in the Army, but spiffier in, say, all-black, or would a .32 Baretta be nicer? Smaller, for sure. Could do with a smaller gun safe.
Glocks just seem too trashy, too Saturday-night-specially. Or am I being prejudiced or something?
Meanwhile, it is to laugh that Barry & the Looners (sounds like a grunge band) are out to ban “assault rifles” and high-capacity mags. Heh. Go for it, morons, I say. It’s strictly feel-good legislation to make the Progressives think they’re getting closer to the totalitarianism they so crave.
THE TEXAS SCRIBBLER 
You’re being prejudiced. Glocks are great guns, very reliable. I recommend them to almost all casual shooters who ask me. I don’t care for the grip angle on the Glock, though. I prefer the 1911 grip angle. If you do, too, since you trained on it, and want a high-capacity 45, try the Springfield XD. Comes in 40 and 9mm, too. I can’t speak to the reliability, as they are newer than the Glock, but I reckon they’re close enough. The Beretta 92FS is the current sidearm for the US military, so you might consider that, as well.
Go to a range that has rentals, and shoot all of them you care to. Try before you buy. I recommend that to all new shooters, too.
You might know that you’re buying damn close to the peak of the market, old boy. I don’t know if it will drop off, though, given current conditions. It might be the best time to buy is right frigging now.
About that “aging” 38…
The current military does not impress me, nor its Beretta. I’ve read of cops trading in their 9mm for 1911s. Supposed to be the same round but seems not to have the stopping power of the .45 cal.
Thanks for the advice on a range rental. Didn’t know you could do that. Does seem like the best time to buy, especially if Obozo succeeds in requiring national registration, which could be then turned over to his media cronies for public shaming. Not that I think it would work, but who needs the aggravation.
What about the aging 38? You mention the Glock’s grip. The 38 seems front heavy to me. As if the grip ought to be heavier to balance out the barrel. It would do the job, I know, and I’ll certainly hang onto it. Any new gun will come with a federal checkup, a form on file somewhere deep in the federal bowels, the precursor to national registration. The 38 isn’t on anybody’s register and never will be.
I don’t want to get into a caliber war, because I’m too dumb for the arithmetic of ballistics. It has a lot to do with bullet shape & composition, too. I’ve always gone bigger because I was a beefy guy. Nowadays, though, that 9mm is looking pretty good. As they say, anything is better than nothing.
I was going to make you an offer for that 38. I like the aging part because my uncle’s nightstand gun is a damn Webley from the Boer War or somesuch. A 38 S&W probably has another good hundred years in it unless you shoot the barrel out of it.
I expect it’s only about 50 years old. It’s a long barrel Special with polished walnut grips.
I was reading a site on rifles and handguns (www.chuckhawks.com/forgotten_38SW.htm) which distinguished it from the .38 S&W. Specials, they say, are not particularly valuable because so many were made. The Webley, which they call a “Kyber Pass Special,” is because of its history of use by British colonials.
They did say any revolver was more reliable than any semiauto simply because there are fewer moving parts. And a jam can be eliminated with a second trigger pull. They also advised buying an old S&W made before 1899. The feds apparently consider such an antique rather than a firearm and no paperwork is required.
I also have my grandfather’s chromed .38 S&W Special with pearl grips. It was made in 1908. I took it to a gun store here once to see if they thought the barrel was too old for modern loads, such as hollow points. They said they weren’t metallurgists and had no idea. Did sell me a box of 150 grain, round lead. Even with those, I’d hate to damage it. Not to mention winding up in the hospital.
If you want to chat more about this, shoot me an email.