American Rifleman: Top Ten Handguns

Huh?

...the opening page which talks about their selection criterion and the limitations of a 'top ten list'...Opinions?

Well....without knowing the selection criteria the list is nothing more than that - a list - with zero meaning.

Perhaps, if you could favor us with that crucial bit of information
we might see some meaningful discussion.

John
 
this kind of a list is very subjective. it should be called the author`s top ten favourites.
plus i would beleive that making such a short list of the best handguns is not the best thing since there are so many models out there, and each of them has a different feature that would qualify it for the list of best
 
My List:

1. Browning 9mm Hi Power
2. S&W .357 Mag revolver
3. 1860 Army C&B
4. Walther PPK
5. Luger 9mm
6. Colt 1911
7. CZ 75
8. Colt 1873 PeaceMaker
9. Walker Colt (the original magnum)
10. Glock
9.
 
Any of you guys read this article? It was pretty interesting, especially the opening page which talks about their selection criterion and the limitations of a 'top ten list'.

A worthwhile read anyways, this magazine is a great little ancilliary benefit to a NRA membership.

1) Colt M1911, M1911A1 and variants
2) S&W Hand ejector revolvers
3) Glock Model 17
4) S&W Model 1 Revolver
5) Volcanic Volitional repeater
6) Colt Peacemaker
7) Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S
8) C96 Mauser Broomhandle
9) Browning Hi Power
10) S&W registered magnum revolver

Interestingly enough, the 1911 won by a long shot (92 out of a possible 100 point maximum). 2nd place finished with 53 points and 3rd place with 41 points.

Opinions?

#6 should be #2
 
We each have biases based on personal experience and preference. I have no problem with an American list having a preference for American designed arms but the omission of a toggle action pistol is glaring, even though the design has not been replicated in recent times. It also kind of bugs me that S&W's lock work is represented twice where there is no Colt DA revolver. Some might even argue that the Colt is the better design as the rotation of the cylinder is towards the frame rather than away.

Such a list begs the reader to display his own, and while I could easily manage 5 but 10 seems cumbersome. But it might look like this:

Colt 1911
Browning P-35
Colt Patterson
Modern S&W DA revolvers
ModernColt DA revolvers
Glock
PPK
P-08
1895 Mauser
Colt Lightning
 
I don't think the list is particularly biased in favour of American guns; four out of ten entries are in fact European (Glock, Mauser Broomhandle, Browning Hi Power, and Walther PP/PPK). If you count the Registered Magnum as another Hand Ejector, it rises up to four of nine.

Keep in mind that most automatic pistols today use a Colt/Browning tilting barrel short recoil operation, have double column magazines (Browning Hi Power), and either a double action (Walther) or striker (first used in the "Le Francais" pistol but popularized by Glock) trigger mechanism.
 
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