Quote:
Originally Posted by Seahawk
I am shedding a whole bunch of handguns. Well, "shedding" means giving them to my son.
I decided to focus on two handguns, my Belgium Browning 9m and my Ruger Vacaro in Colt .45.
The Vacaro is my home defense weapon and I am extremely comfortable with it. It fits me well and has features that make it extremely practical in the role I have assigned it.
The Browning I bought in 1988 from a friend of mine. It was my SV2 carry pistol on two cruises and during GW one. It has a lot of memories in the magazine. That plus it is easy on my wrists!
I also decided to get really competent with one specific pistol. I had a lot of work done to the gun by a custom shop in Virginia and I could not be more pleased. In the past year I have put a lot of rounds though it and, with my son's instruction, have become very, very proficient with it: The beauty of having you own range 
Again, I appreciate all the input. Jack is a really solid young man and this is his choice and my pleasure to get it for him. |
I love it - what a coincidence, my Vaquero is my "home defense" handgun as well. Some folks might question the use of a single action for this duty, but, as you have found, they have a lot going for them.
The biggest (smallest?) issue in my house is the size of my wife's hands. Even a Model 19, or even a gun like Denis's, is simply too big for her to comfortably reach the trigger. A single action is about all she can hold comfortably. That is our biggest driving factor.
Beyond that, its simplicity of operation and its dead reliability are appealing as well. They are also one of the "safest" action types to keep around fully loaded. And, finally, there is nothing wrong with the grand old .45 Colt as a defensive round. In a bigger, heavier gun like the Vaquero, its recoil and blast are not too intimidating for a lady to practice with, which is a big deal as well.