ESquared wrote:GFK wrote:ESquared, I am assuming you are happy with either SA or DA? Curious, do you fair better with a pistol? Or, are you more of a rifle man?
By FAR, better with semi-auto pistols. Got my first Sig nearly 20 years ago and have had several more over the years, almost all the DA/SA classics, like 226, 229, 239. Started out in '99 with the P225, which I still have. Loved them all to varying degrees and got to be very handy with them all.
Within the last 12 months, I've gravitated toward some 1911s, and have a 45ACP and a 9mm, both bob-tail commanders. I shoot them better than the Sigs. Don't know whether it's the guns/workmanship or what, but I don't think I became a whiz-kid overnight. In fact, I'm sure that's not the case. So, SAO has found its place with me, and I swore for years I'd never go there.
Which gets back to your original question, the answer to which is, I'm good with both DA AND SA, but, for whatever reasons, have never mastered the vaunted wheelgun. Wanted to, bought and owned three of them now, and this is the third one out the door. Don't know why, but I'm waving the white flag at this, once and for all. I even installed a new mainspring and rebound spring in this one, hoping it would help, but it's not the gun, it's my head, at this point.
Henry and this place has made me a rifle-man, I'm happy to say, so life provides yet another tradeoff!
There is something to this shooting or, for a better word, "shoot-ability" advantage of a semi auto. I know, I know, it may come as a shock for some of you to hear this, coming from a revolver nut like me, but it's true. Semi-autos have some features that help you shoot, better.
One, of course, is the minimal sight disruption on follow up shots for the semi-auto. Being able to maintain the exact same grip without having to change pressure points on the grip for every shot with a gun that cocks itself is a shooting advantage. Having those sights instantly back on target is also a shooting advantage. I find that when I get in that "semi-auto" groove, I can just keep pouring shot after shot into the target by coordinating my trigger break with the sights as soon as they line back up on target. My offhand scores do, indeed, tend to be better with semi-autos than with revolvers. I even notice this when shooting semi-auto rifles, at times.
Another advantage of the semi-auto is the more shooter friendly ergonomics. For instance, on my 1911s in 45 auto, the center line of the bore lies a scant 1" above my trigger finger. When shooting my S&W 625 in 45 auto revolver, that bore line is a full 2 1/2" above my trigger finger, meaning that bad trigger technique will usually pull the bore farther off the target with the revolver than with the semi auto.
The grips on semi-autos tend to lock your hand into one position more consistently than a revolver grip and the grip on semi autos also places your trigger finger in a better position for a straight back trigger pull. Using these same two guns as an example, when shooting my 1911, my trigger finger is in a perfect straight line, parallel to the bore. When shooting my 625 revolver, using a high grip which is regarded as the best for shooting a revolver, my trigger finger points down at an angle to the trigger.
Okay, not telling anyone to rush out and trade their revolver in for a Glock or a 1911, but there is a reason semi-autos have long dominated in bullseye target competition, even though that sport is open to revolvers, too. Same in many of the action shooting sports that allow the use of both types of handguns. All in all, when I hear people say they can pick up a semi-auto pistol and shoot it better than a revolver, then, I am not surprised. Worked that way for me, way back when I picked up my first semi-auto, a Ruger Mark Standard, after learning how to shoot handguns with a revolver. Amazed me how much better I could shoot that old Ruger Standard.