CLASSIC12
Member
My very first gun at the tender age of 20 was a S&W 422. The head of the local bureau of arms recommended it for a beginner. I never warmed up to it, and I traded it for a S&W 66 six months later; it didn’t look like the pistols in the movies, was not pretty, didn’t have an external hammer, and shooting .22s was unimpressive for the young guy looking for a thrill.
Three weeks after buying the 422, I bought a Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum, talk about a giant leap. At first I adored this gun, the size, weight, look, technology, reputation, and the power... It was pricey at $ 1100 in 1989
However the honeymoon did not last very long. It jammed at least once per magazine, and that’s seven rounds if I recall correctly. I tried every commercial load I could find, no difference. Then I started reloading, all kind of bullet weights, shapes, powder charges. I came to the conclusion that rimmed revolver cartridges were not suited to semi automatic pistols. Then the slide broke where the gas piston pushes on it. Another $ 300 down the drain. I got rid of it after six years of frustration. A tyre seller I knew traded me for 4 rims and winter tyres for my Audi S2 Quattro. I gave him full disclosure but he said he didn’t care, he bought it mostly to fondle it.
However the desire for a powerful semi auto was still there, and in 1997 an LGS sold me this like new LAR Grizzly Mark I in .45 Winchester Magnum with a 6.5’ barrel. This gun has been very reliable and is accurate. I’ve shot it regularly throughout the years.
5 years ago I acquired one of my graal pistol : a 44 AutoMag. It’s a TDE model 180 made in North Hollywood. I believe it was made in 1971, however I am not certain. When I was young I saw a good number or Automags at gun shows, in fact I was told of a Swiss gun collector who had every model imaginable. However typical price was $ 4-5000. I bought this one for $ 2100 at an auction. It is not in pristine condition hence the price.
A word of caution
Markings are quite faint. I suspect the box foam disintegrated, a well known problem, and the previous owner got a bit heavy handed with the cleaning and scrubbing
They are both very accurate pistols. The problem is not to flinch, especially after the first shot. 25 meters.
Three weeks after buying the 422, I bought a Desert Eagle in .44 Magnum, talk about a giant leap. At first I adored this gun, the size, weight, look, technology, reputation, and the power... It was pricey at $ 1100 in 1989
However the honeymoon did not last very long. It jammed at least once per magazine, and that’s seven rounds if I recall correctly. I tried every commercial load I could find, no difference. Then I started reloading, all kind of bullet weights, shapes, powder charges. I came to the conclusion that rimmed revolver cartridges were not suited to semi automatic pistols. Then the slide broke where the gas piston pushes on it. Another $ 300 down the drain. I got rid of it after six years of frustration. A tyre seller I knew traded me for 4 rims and winter tyres for my Audi S2 Quattro. I gave him full disclosure but he said he didn’t care, he bought it mostly to fondle it.
However the desire for a powerful semi auto was still there, and in 1997 an LGS sold me this like new LAR Grizzly Mark I in .45 Winchester Magnum with a 6.5’ barrel. This gun has been very reliable and is accurate. I’ve shot it regularly throughout the years.
5 years ago I acquired one of my graal pistol : a 44 AutoMag. It’s a TDE model 180 made in North Hollywood. I believe it was made in 1971, however I am not certain. When I was young I saw a good number or Automags at gun shows, in fact I was told of a Swiss gun collector who had every model imaginable. However typical price was $ 4-5000. I bought this one for $ 2100 at an auction. It is not in pristine condition hence the price.
A word of caution
Markings are quite faint. I suspect the box foam disintegrated, a well known problem, and the previous owner got a bit heavy handed with the cleaning and scrubbing
They are both very accurate pistols. The problem is not to flinch, especially after the first shot. 25 meters.
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