1. Les Baer Concept VIII.  I got a screaming deal on this gun used and it got me hooked on professional grade 1911's.  It goes with me a lot of places and after several thousand rounds through it, I feel confident that it has the accuracy and reliability to do it's job.

2. Kimber Custom Target.  The pre-series II version from way back when Kimber was building good stuff.  I won my first pistol match with one.

3. This is a tie between the S&W 422, which was my first handgun, and a S&W 2206TGT.  The 2206TGT is a 422 on steriods.  Accurate and easy to shoot.

4. Sig P226.  What more can you say?  A good quality gun that is amazingly accurate for a service pistol.

5. Colt series 70 Gold Cup.  Just a beautiful target pistol.  Built back when they were serious about turning out a good products.

6. Kahr E9.  This has to be the most abused gun I ever owned.  It has taken dirt bike rides in my fanny pack, ridden under the seat of whatever I am driving, fired a couple thousand rounds, and the only issue has been a broken front site.

7. S&W M&P 40.  The first "plastic" gun that I like and so far I like it a lot.  I will give it a while before I move it up the list but I have a feeling that it will climb.

8.  Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special.  A friend gave me a good deal on this one last year.  Even though it is built to run like a fighting pistol should, the finish is so nice that I cringe when putting it in a holster. 

9. S&W 745.  Another beautiful gun.  Awesome single action trigger.

10. S&W 686 357 Mag.  I am not a big revolver fan but this model does the trick.

Gonna start at the bottom. But these are my top 10 favorites. Not necessarily what I think are the best of all time.

10. A. Uberti Model #3 repro in .44 Russian: I don't know what it is about these revolvers but I must have one. And I will.

9. CZ 83 .380: Sure it's big but it also gives you 12+1 on tap. DA pull is nice too. And mad accurate.

8. S&W 1066 10mm: How I wish S&W would do a run of "classic" pistols. I'd buy one of these tomorrow.
 
7. Colt Cobra/Agent/Detective Special: The ONLY .38's that I would ever carry

6. 3" 629 "Trail Boss" .44 mag: My favorite carry revolver!

5. Springfield Armory XD .45 w/thumb safety: Doublestack .45 that feels like a 9. Will be converting to .400 Cor Bon

4. Browning High Power (tie) 9mm/.357 SIG: I've owned both. Classy and "all business" in one design.

3. Colt Delta Elite: My favorite 1911 variant

2. HK P7 M8: This is the sickest single stack 9 in existence. The M13 is grip heavy but the M8 is mind numbingly perfect

1. SIG 229 SCT 9mm: I am a Jedi with this pistol. I refer to it as "my 9mm Porsche"

Kimber Custom II
Glock 19
SIG P229 .40 S&W
CZ-75
Colt Series 80 Cmmdr.
Colt 1903 Hammerless
Ruger Mk. III
Colt Python .357
Browning HP
Dan Wesson CBOB Classic.

Some of these I have shot, if not, they interest me.  But I really couldn't tell something about each one.

They shoot like no other 1911 I have ever shot and I don't know why.

How so, and is it good or bad?

Anyway, here's my list. I've never actually touched, much less shot, a real gun, so these are just the top ten that interest me.

In no particular order.

S&W Model 29. Clint Eastwood carried one. Need I say more?
Bren Ten. Ten millimeter automatic. Col. Cooper invented it, Sonny Crockett carried it.
M1911A1. 98 years of non-stop production, and just as popular as it was when they introduced it. The world's first fighting handgun.
SIG P220. Don't know why, I just like it.
SIG P225/P6. Might, might be my first gun. Assuming my friend doesn't sell it before I get back from Europe in December.
FNP-45. 15 rounds of .45 ACP, and the grip isn't so big that you need to be Sasquatch to hold onto it.
Luger. Looks... exotic. And I've seen way too many "Ve haff veys to maik you tokk." WWII movies
Smith & Wesson Model 3 Russian. It's a top-break. I like top breaks for some reason.
CZ-75. The first real Wondernine. With a grip that fits just about anyone.
Colt Single-Action Army in .44-40. The Gun that Won the West. And Clint Eastwood carried one. Need I say more?

Wow, coming up with 10 pistols is gonna be tough. I haven't even owned 10 pistols.

#1. Sig P6. Best, most comfortable pistol I've owned and shot. I hesitated buying one since I had never heard of them before I saw one at a gun show. I'm so glad I decided to buy one.

#2. Sig P226 Elite. Second Sig I bought, and I've been shooting IPSC with it. The trigger is just plain sweet, for a production gun. Great, and beautiful gun.

#3. CZ-75. Ran into a co-worker at the range one day and he let me shoot it. Almost as comfy as my P6, but I never saw the target, so I don't know how I shot it.

#4. Beretta 1934. It's not the greatest shooter, not the most ergonomic pistol, between the oddball safety/slide catch and the euro mag release, but I have one, it's a family heirloom, and nobody said this list had to be objective. The last pistol I'll ever even think about selling.

#5. Browning Hi-Power. My buddy has one and it's a pleasure to shoot. Full size 9mm is real easy on the recoil, 1911 style ergonomics and accurate enough.

#6. Walther P22. Just bought one and it's good cheap fun. It's also built to accept a can, which it will eventually get, so that earns it some points.

#7. Ruger Mark X. Meaning Mark I, II, or III. I don't know them well, but they are just fun and enjoyable. The only points they lose on the Walther P22 is that they don't look like real guns.

#8. Beretta 92. Say what you want, but it's what they give me and I'm not totally dissatisfied. With JHP (which aircrew gets to carry) it can actually do some damage. I've seen guys shoot very well with them (I'm not one of those guys, yet) and it's not bad looking.

#9. M1911. I've shot Kimber's, Springfields, Colts, etc, and while I don't know the difference, really, the single stack, single action .45 is probably the basis, or at least the inspiration for all the guns listed above. I'll get one eventually. It's on the list of required guns.

#10. Sig P220. I've shot them and they're just as good as my other two Sig's, but they're basically the same as a 1911 (capacity and caliber) but without the iconic image and history of the old GI gun. It's on my list (along with the rest of the Sig catalog) but not in the near future.

Wait, aircrews get to carry hollowpoints? Why, and doesn't that violate some international treaty or another?

Maybe because they are not considered combat troops it's not a violation?

So do I read that to imply the outside the country you're issued different non-HP ammo?  Or do you not carry outside the country (which would be scary)?

Maybe the AF is unofficially giving the finger to the UN.

I mean really... a guy gets capped with a hollowpoint during a war, I don't think he's going to stop and shout foul.  More like just stop. 


-T.

I have shot one and it was a good experience but didn't have enough time with it to justify the list.

They shoot like no other 1911 I have ever shot and I don't know why.

How so, and is it good or bad?

All good.  Everything about it was smooth.

Hmm... I'm sensing a theme there...

Heh, I thought I was narrow minded.

Agreed. I don't even think a Glock fanatic would list all Glocks.

Well, I guess we'll find out if LL decides to post his top 10.

 

Nah, LL is somewhat reasonable. He'll throw the M&P .45 on there. It might be #10 tho.  

(and we all know what #1 is!) *psst!* g19!