WHY I ABANDONED MY BELOVED M60 AFTER 40 YEARS

[chief38]

After 40+ years of carrying a 2" M60 and then a M60-7 I retired it in exchange for a Sig P365 9mm Micro Pistol. Prior to my ownership of the tiny Sig, I did not own any "plastic pistols" and was relatively content with my Chef's Special. I had never had any issues with it but as I got older I just disliked the
"uncomfortableness" of shooting SD loads - and I know practice is always essential!

Each time I took the M60 to the Range for a practice session I would dislike shooting it more and more - especially when shooting a few +P's for familiarity as that is what I carried in it. I did not use rubber style grips (yes they do reduce recoil) but they are large, bulky and not pocket carry friendly.

I was at our Club's Range about 3 years ago when one of my good friends showed me his brand new P365. After shooting about 50 rounds from it I fell in love - lol. It was super accurate with great night sights, soft recoiling, supper easy to shoot, lighter than my M60-7, thinner and smaller too. After seeing it held 10+1 rounds (more than double my M60-7) and could be easily reloaded in a few seconds - I could no longer not own one.

I waited a few months for my LGS to get one of the new upgraded versions in and I bought it. I have to say that after 3,500 rounds of all types of ammo put through it (including hand loads) it has been totally reliable, a pleasure to shoot, small, lightweight, compact and as accurate as any full sized large pistol (better than many). The fact that it more than doubled the on-board rounds and together with the great 9mm self defense loads being made today - I don't think I could go back to EDC-ing a revolver.

I did have to send it back to Sig once because I noticed the glow in the dark front sight vile had gone missing. They sent me a call tag, I UPS'd it to them on a Monday. They replaced the front sight, test fired it, sighted it in, went over the entire gun and I had it back 3 days later on Thursday. Because I did not include a magazine with it when I sent it in, they used a new one and sent me that as a bonus when it was returned. While the Sig P365 was out for sight repair I put the M60-7 back into service but felt like I was at a huge disadvantage. Thankfully that only lasted 3 days!

This is still my only "plastic gun" with no plans for another one but I have to say sometimes technology just blows away even the best of yesteryear.

 

[Breakaway500]

Some times you feel like a nut..sometimes you don't.

 

[stansdds]

I'm still a holdout, bitterly clinging to my all-metal guns.

 

[ladder13]

Can’t blame you, many have discovered the P365.

 

[petepeterson]

I love shooting revolvers.
I carry a 365. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

 

[M29since14]

I never really felt comfortable when I carried a Chief. Great little revolver, but just not quite what I really wanted to work with if the worst happened. I favored a Commander, and back then I had the shape that allowed me to carry it unnoticed, IWB. Carrying an extra magazine was always a nuisance.

When 9mm ammo started to improve, I experimented with both the 6906 and 3913 - both excellent weapons, except for the safety lock. On both guns, they are in the wrong place, and operate in the wrong direction. As the micro-9s came along I either purchased or was able to borrow and experiment with a few of them, notably the Kahr PM9, the Kimber Solo, the Springfield XDS, and later, the Shield. The first two were uncomfortable to shoot. The XDS I could never warm up to - no thumb safety. And the Shield I owned started off on a very sour note with completely unreliable magazines.

Finally the P365 came into the picture and I waited quite a while to buy one. When I did, I was not really able to find anything about it to complain of. Of course it’s not a .45, but you can’t have the cake and eat it too. If you want a truly compact pistol with good capacity, a .45 is just not in the cards. Other than that - perfect sights (for my eyes, at least), decent trigger, properly sized and located controls, big enough and heavy enough to hold on to, reliable, accurate, and recoil is very tolerable (unlike the little Kahr and the Solo).

It’s still a nuisance to lug around a spare magazine. Some might say the 365’s capacity is such that you could forego that. Possibly. Unfortunately, magazines are unnecessarily pricey. From a styling point of view, the gun is, well, “a bit modern,” and personally, I would prefer my gun had a magazine safety. Those three things are the only critical comments I can make about it, and the magazine thing (other than cost) is not really a criticism of the gun itself. It’s a great little weapon - the best of its type I have seen in the last fifty years.

 

[scruffy]

My experience exactly!!

After 40+ years of carrying a 2" M60 and then a M60-7 I retired it in exchange for a Sig P365 9mm Micro Pistol. Prior to my ownership of the tiny Sig, I did not own any "plastic pistols" and was relatively content with my Chef's Special. I had never had any issues with it but as I got older I just disliked the
"uncomfortableness" of shooting SD loads - and I know practice is always essential!

Each time I took the M60 to the Range for a practice session I would dislike shooting it more and more - especially when shooting a few +P's for familiarity as that is what I carried in it. I did not use rubber style grips (yes they do reduce recoil) but they are large, bulky and not pocket carry friendly.

I was at our Club's Range about 3 years ago when one of my good friends showed me his brand new P365. After shooting about 50 rounds from it I fell in love - lol. It was super accurate with great night sights, soft recoiling, supper easy to shoot, lighter than my M60-7, thinner and smaller too. After seeing it held 10+1 rounds (more than double my M60-7) and could be easily reloaded in a few seconds - I could no longer not own one.

I waited a few months for my LGS to get one of the new upgraded versions in and I bought it. I have to say that after 3,500 rounds of all types of ammo put through it (including hand loads) it has been totally reliable, a pleasure to shoot, small, lightweight, compact and as accurate as any full sized large pistol (better than many). The fact that it more than doubled the on-board rounds and together with the great 9mm self defense loads being made today - I don't think I could go back to EDC-ing a revolver.

I did have to send it back to Sig once because I noticed the glow in the dark front sight vile had gone missing. They sent me a call tag, I UPS'd it to them on a Monday. They replaced the front sight, test fired it, sighted it in, went over the entire gun and I had it back 3 days later on Thursday. Because I did not include a magazine with it when I sent it in, they used a new one and sent me that as a bonus when it was returned. While the Sig P365 was out for sight repair I put the M60-7 back into service but felt like I was at a huge disadvantage. Thankfully that only lasted 3 days!

This is still my only "plastic gun" with no plans for another one but I have to say sometimes technology just blows away even the best of yesteryear.

 

[Electraclyde]

I have carried a J-Frame in one form or another since 1980 (currently a 442PC) I did buy a Sig P365 early on. It was a great gun, but I could not shoot it as well as my 442. I could shoot the 442 faster and more accuratly out to 50Yards, Yes, I said 50 yards.
I have sold the Sig.

 

[SF VET]

One of my usual carry pistols in a dead reliable 365, with safety. But when I saw the post title, for a moment I thought someone was keeping an M60 machine gun in their car or home, and wondered what the heck was going on. I am not at all familiar with S&W model descriptions, but I now know the OP isn't lugging a belt-fed 7.62 M60 machine gun around. I have more than a little familiarity with that weapon.

By the way after about 300 rounds, the barrel of an M60 will begin to glow dull red then almost white hot, and the tracers will start to ignite in the barrel. All good here, SF VET

 

[hyena]

I like the P365. I rented one with my buddy, and we each put two boxes of shells through it. He bought one, and started to carry it. Then said the spare magazine in his pocket felt like a brick, compared to his single stack P938. I noticed he has gone back to carrying either his P938 or P238.

Me, I decided to stick with my 642 and Bodyguard 380. I'm very comfortable with their limitations.

 

[SS336]

I have been carrying a P365XL w/safety since January. It “replaced” my 649. Still carry the 649 on occasion, but the P365 is better for it’s intended purpose, I think.
It is my only “plastic” handgun and I don’t need another. It doesn’t make my as happy as my revolvers, it is just a tool, a very good tool.

 

[waffles]

Just gonna steal my own post from another recent thread on it

Welcome to the dark side. During my last rodeo trying to get a defective 340SC repaired, I got a P365XL. I've not had a scenario in which I can't carry it in which I could carry a J frame, I have more than twice the ammo, faster reloads, the ability to mount a dot and/or light, it's easier to shoot well quickly, and I'm not worried about the various durability issues I've had with J frames. I don't think I'll ever go back at this point.

 

[jimmyj]

3,500 ROUNDS !
WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT MUCH AMMO ?

 

[AJ]

After 40+ years of carrying a 2" M60 and then a M60-7 I retired it in exchange for a Sig P365 9mm Micro Pistol. Prior to my ownership of the tiny Sig, I did not own any "plastic pistols" and was relatively content with my Chef's Special. I had never had any issues with it but as I got older I just disliked the
"uncomfortableness" of shooting SD loads - and I know practice is always essential!

Each time I took the M60 to the Range for a practice session I would dislike shooting it more and more - especially when shooting a few +P's for familiarity as that is what I carried in it. I did not use rubber style grips (yes they do reduce recoil) but they are large, bulky and not pocket carry friendly.

I was at our Club's Range about 3 years ago when one of my good friends showed me his brand new P365. After shooting about 50 rounds from it I fell in love - lol. It was super accurate with great night sights, soft recoiling, supper easy to shoot, lighter than my M60-7, thinner and smaller too. After seeing it held 10+1 rounds (more than double my M60-7) and could be easily reloaded in a few seconds - I could no longer not own one.

I waited a few months for my LGS to get one of the new upgraded versions in and I bought it. I have to say that after 3,500 rounds of all types of ammo put through it (including hand loads) it has been totally reliable, a pleasure to shoot, small, lightweight, compact and as accurate as any full sized large pistol (better than many). The fact that it more than doubled the on-board rounds and together with the great 9mm self defense loads being made today - I don't think I could go back to EDC-ing a revolver.

I did have to send it back to Sig once because I noticed the glow in the dark front sight vile had gone missing. They sent me a call tag, I UPS'd it to them on a Monday. They replaced the front sight, test fired it, sighted it in, went over the entire gun and I had it back 3 days later on Thursday. Because I did not include a magazine with it when I sent it in, they used a new one and sent me that as a bonus when it was returned. While the Sig P365 was out for sight repair I put the M60-7 back into service but felt like I was at a huge disadvantage. Thankfully that only lasted 3 days!

This is still my only "plastic gun" with no plans for another one but I have to say sometimes technology just blows away even the best of yesteryear.

I too carried a snubby for quite a while. I carried a S&W 342 Ti and shot it on a regular basis to stay proficient with it. However, arthritis in my shooting hand and wrist were causing discomfort (read pain). Shooting a couple days a week, IPSC shooting for about 15 years and a boating accident were the causes of the arthritis. Thinking of going to a .32 of some sort in a snubby. I have a S&W 351C for pocket use now and carry a M1911 in the car.

 

[mikerjf]

Just discovered a Glock 19 fits in my jeans front pocket. Never thought to try that before.

10+1? Meh...

 

[chief38]

3,500 ROUNDS !
WHERE DID YOU FIND THAT MUCH AMMO ?

I purchased the P365 over 3 years ago when 9mm FMJ (practice rounds) cost me $7.50 per box of 50 rounds. I bought them by the case. I also bought (defensive rounds) Federal HST and Speer gold dot by the case as well when they were cheap. As for the rest, I own a Dillon Press and roll my own.

 

[Iggy]

I migrated through revolvers, 1911s, lc9s, 3rd Gen S&Ws,
Kahrs, and finally wound up with a Sig P365 with a safety.

I finally found the EDC I have been looking for for over 20 years.

Hogue grip sleeve specifically for the P365 best fit in my hand in 50 years of concealed carry.

I’m done buying guns. I’ve got the one I need.


I have since used Magguts conversion kits to create 12 round mags out of the 10 rounders that still fit in my pocket when needed.



I also have an optional 12 round mag that could be converted to 14 rounds using a Magguts kit, but if I run out of shells after 37 fired and some of us ain't down, nobody was very dangerous.

 

[ISCS Yoda]

I still carry a M649 in my pocket most days but I sometimes put it in a holster and belt carry it. I have no issues shooting it but it's just a happy little .38 Special designed to get me out of bad spot if it happens.

However, if I feel like I need extra firepower then I can choose between a variety of small pistols and one happens to be a Walther CCP. Okay, it's plastic.....it's a tool as someone else noted....

 

[Keith Merrell]

2 Parts to concealed carry - Concealed & carry. Whatever way you can meet both criteria, I think that's good. I've always believed a .38 J frame to be adequate for civilian use, but I feel more comfortable with an M&P 9mm compact with 15 rds. Whatever works for you!

 

[sipowicz]

I almost bought the P365 but in today’s litigious society where even a justified shooting will likely wind you up in court, I felt 10 rounds would likely mean I have double the chance of being sued after a gunfight. I’m even thinking 5 is too many and may start carrying a derringer.