Sure, but that was user error (stupidity). I have never seen a malfunction due to an S+W mfg. error. To quote Bill Jordan, "Suppose we are adversaries + confront each other in an alley; you have a semi-auto + I have an S+W dbl. action revolver. We both pull on each other + both simultaneously have a misfire. Who is going to walk out of that alley?

I can make some thing that either one can lose because I am making it up

P-dog, I understand that Bill Jordan was being hypothetical + "what are the odds" but his premise was the overall reliability of the revolver over the semi-auto. Although I own several 1911's + other autos + enjoy them all; I can associate my feelings + thoughts about revolvers V/S autos the same way I view the soviets; I grew up in a time to trust one + not the other. And old habits die hard.

When I started in police work revolvers were king.

Everybody was amazed when I carried one of my Hi-powers.

I worked for a small dept. that had no rules or regulation on the type ect. Of the handgun you carried.

I switch carry guns often because I could.

I had two handguns that gave me problems out of the box one was a Ruger security six the other was a special run Hi-power.

The Rugers problem was to tight a cly gap easily taken care of.

The Hi power was not I tried my best to figure it out. Out of the box it would not reliably feed through a magazine.

Sent it back to browning seemed to work well after that.

Sold it shortly there after to someone who needed it more then me.

I couldn't bring myself to trust my life to it.

Buyer was fully informed of its history. He wanted it any how.

I still have the security six it has well over 50 thousand rounds through it maybe 100 thousand. Ten times that amount of dry firing.

I started having problems with it a few years back sticky cly rotation.

Finely solved it firing pin hole was deformed a little bit.

A couple swipes of a hone took care of the problem.

I won competitions with both types I carry both types daily.

When I go for my morning walks either a L frame 357 smith or a Ti 41 mag.

After that I carry a old Glock 23 when working around the place. The finish is beat I can not hurt the value any more.

I don't mind it scraping on the ground crawling under something as I am working on it. Of just getting the bumps and dings a every day working handgun gets.

Going to church or something special I carry my Ruger SR1911 .45.

They are the few among the many I switch out and carry every day all day.

As the mood strikes me.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

I've experienced more than a few catastrophic failures with S&W revolvers.

I would like to know what you consider a catastrophic failure in a S@W revolver.

I don't know what the original poster meant, but I have had a couple of S&W revolvers tie up because of bad (factory) ammo. They were both shooting UMC .357 loads. The bullet(s) remaining in the cylinder jumped the crimp on the first shot and tied up the cylinder. Would be catastrophic in a fight or with a dangerous animal attacking.

quote:

Originally posted by skl1:

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:

quote:

I've experienced more than a few catastrophic failures with S&W revolvers.

I would like to know what you consider a catastrophic failure in a S@W revolver.

I don't know what the original poster meant, but I have had a couple of S&W revolvers tie up because of bad (factory) ammo. They were both shooting UMC .357 loads. The bullet(s) remaining in the cylinder jumped the crimp on the first shot and tied up the cylinder. Would be catastrophic in a fight or with a dangerous animal attacking.

I see that as a ammunition induced failure not a failure of the firearm its self.

One can hardly blame the firearm for bad ammunition.

I agree.

I've only acquired two 1911s in the 20 years I've been buying, but I'm content with both. My first was a 1976 mfg. Colt Lightweight Commander. The other I bought a few years later was a 1927 Colt-mfg. Argentine contract. It's arsenally refinished, but I always wanted a pre-war 1911A1, and couldn't bring myself to pay $2500+ for one I intended to shoot at the time.

Both I happily use at the range without hesitation. If by some chance I use them enough to wear them out, I'll be even happier! I'm not averse to newly manufactured 1911s, but I do prefer having Colts if I only have a couple.