Jerry Miculek – One Gun for the Rest of His Life?
BY Herschel Smith
2 years, 6 months ago
His answer was the same thing I said not too many months ago if you recall. Although I have to say that the idea of unreliability of semi-automatic firearms is very dated and incorrect now with shotguns like Beretta makes. I’d prefer a semi-auto shotgun to a pump action for a number of reasons, including recoil management and the breakage of sight picture to work the pump.
But I do like the idea of reliance on a wheel gun.
On June 2, 2022 at 3:18 am, Old Bill in TN said:
I’ve been an automatic guy all my life. I like wheel guns, but I wouldn’t choose one for my “Forever Gun”. This is a question on which honest men can disagree. Much of your answer depends on your experience/training.
The fact is there are very few makers putting out poorly made guns anymore. There are some, if you look, but mostly they’ve been squeezed out by the better products.
MY answer? For a one-and-done, probably a GI 1911. For one-of-each-kind set, an AR15 carbine (too many specifics to list), a 12ga trench gun, and the said 1911. “Old School”? yeah, but I AM 60, and this is what I’m comfortable with & is (IMHO) dead reliable.
Others will have different opinions, and they won’t necessarily be wrong.
On June 2, 2022 at 4:40 am, skybill said:
Hi Herschel!!!,
Like yer’ take on Auto Shot gunz over autoz .. however .. by the time i get to my shot gun there will be plenty of bodies to police up after i run out of ammo in my .9mm, my .45ACP … lotz of .22 ..so…
Whiskey, Tango, Foxtrot??????
The way things are gitten’ semi’ or full auto or good ol’ sngle shot break barrel shotgun?? Pal!!! I got some $$$ left on the pay check I’m at the GUN STORE!! Nevr mind Gold, Or Silver… try, Lead, Copper and Brass…
PS There is not one Gun That I own that has not at least doubled in value from what I pad for it and ….you know the drill!!
skybill
On June 2, 2022 at 9:39 am, Furminator said:
I’ll take my 7.5″ 629.
On June 2, 2022 at 10:23 am, George 1 said:
Hard to find fault with Miculek’s posit of the one gun for life. I think you can best think of this in the context of the “end of the world as we know it” or the SHTF scenario. A good revolver is going to last and is very flexible, especially with the 357 Mag caliber.
My one small interjection would be that previous to about 30 years ago I never saw or heard much of any problems with revolvers and I was around lots of them. However now days I have seen and heard of many of them having issues with timing and other problems. I have seen this with S&W and Ruger revolvers. I don’t think they are made like they used to be. I have had gun smiths I trust tell me as much. To be sure if you buy a new Model 27 or 686 you can replace the MIM parts with quality parts and probably have a bomb proof gun. Always inspect a new purchase. I have seen a few with canted barrels off center cylinders and such.
Regarding shotguns, back in the days when I shot them a lot I would have never trusted a semi auto as a combat shotgun. But they have come a long way since then. Most of the quality ones, at least those you would consider for a defense gun, seem to be reliable according to the reviews I see. They also seem to be as easy to maintain as a pump gun. I only have a little experience with the semi autos.
But, I have seen Remington 870s put through hell for long periods of time with little maintenance. You just can’t wear them out. Not talking about the later cheaper 870 models they produced like the “Express.” I have a 870 Police Magnum that I bought 35 years ago that was well used when I got it. Not sure you could produce a shotgun that is more reliable. After many rounds the rail that the bolt rides on can wear out on them and then you need a smith to tack it back in place. I saw that happen maybe twice in all of the 870s that were around when I worked with them.
The Mossberg 590 A1 is another shotgun I have. They solve the problem of the rail that the bolt rides on by having a replaceable part that you can change out if you ever need to. They do that because the Mossberg has an aluminum receiver where the Remington is a steel receiver. the 590 is a tank of a gun. Thick barrel. With minimal maintenance it will last several generations.
On June 2, 2022 at 10:26 am, Thomas Madere said:
If I shot a wheel gun as much as Jerry I would pick it too. Unfortunately no one pays me to do that so I will go with my Glock 19 that after 5000+ rounds has only malfunctioned once and can accept a 30 round magazine.
I own a Colt 1911 but it has become a safe queen since I got the Glock. I am 78 years old and shot a 1911 for for 69 of those 78 years, it is possible to teach an old dog new tricks.
On June 2, 2022 at 12:09 pm, Don't mind me said:
A wheel gun in Jerry’s hands might as well be full auto.
On June 2, 2022 at 5:05 pm, Chris said:
Pump shotgun..breakage of sight picture to work the pump.
This is a Gun Running issue, it can be trained thru.
Its funny how many of us pay to learn/train on Carbine and Handgun but not many do shotgun courses. Might be worth considering kids. To include myself.
I had a trainer at a large well know facility tell me…
“The Shotgun Course is basicly a Manual of Arms/Running the Gun course. MalfunctionDrills, Constant reloading under all conditions and learning to Drop Specialty Rounds IN on Command.
And not many enjoy being pounded by a 12 for 4-6 hrs.”
All made sense to me.
On June 2, 2022 at 9:57 pm, Herschel Smith said:
Chris,
Why do that when semi-auto shotguns are as good as they are today? Why do that when training can never accomplish the perfection of letting the machine do the work so you can maintain grip and sight picture?
I don’t disagree about the suggestion to take shotgun courses though.
I’ve looked around for a tactical shotgun course where I live and there’s nothing worthy of consideration. I’d like to go for a two or three day course where I shoot five hundred rounds (without travelling out West).