To trade or not to trade, that is the question
 

I have a serious internal debate going on inside my head. First the background. During a trip to the local Bass Pro Shop in the spring of 2009(which I have absolutely no problem getting my wife to go shopping there with me, she loves it), I was looking over the handgun selection, not really looking to buy, when I saw something that made my heart skip a beat and angels sing from wherever they hang out - a NIB Ruger Super Redhawk .44 Magnum in SS with a *GASP* 9 1/2 inch barrel.

I used to hunt with a Super Blackhawk .44 Mag, 7 1/2 barrel, but had to sell it during a time of unemployment. So instantly I wanted, nay, I lusted for this Redhawk. Visions of whitetail deer falling to the 300 grain bullets propelled from the gun's shiny throat dancing in my head, I sweetly suggested to Darling Wife that since my birthday was just a couple of weeks away, maybe???? And she laughed and said go for it. So I did. $729 plus sales tax, call it just under $800.

But it is one heavy mutha. And the grip on a Redhawk doesn't do as much to deflect recoil as did the smooth, curved cowboy-style grips on the Blackhawk. I'm a big feller, and don't mind the recoil so much, except that the Redhawk jars straight into my wrist (fortunately my right hand and wrist, not the left wrist that had to be screwed back together 2 years ago after a fall on the ice ), and after 3 or 4 cylinders of rounds, I'm ready for something lighter, like my Para-Ordnance .45 ACP.

So to my dilemma - I'd like to get a .22 handgun for plinking, and also since I'm working on getting my CCW, something smaller and lighter than the Para for carry in the summer when I'm in lighter clothing, and preferably in stainless since I'm a prolific perspirer. But money's tight at the moment, and I really can't justify new guns right now. So I'm trying to decide whether to keep the Redhawk, knowing that it won't be fired much, or trade it at the Wanenmacher gun show next month for something else, like a Browning .22, a Ruger LCR, or something equivalent, that I'll shoot more. I like the Ruger, but it isn't so practical. Kinda hard to CC a hand cannon of that size, y'know.

From left field (for me, anyways).

Have you looked at the latest Walthers? .22 and .380 in similar packages. Highly sweat resistant (though not immune). Stainless Steel is may fit the bill, but then the shorter barreled 1911's seem to have a little more felt recoil than their longer brothers.

Well if you are gonna trade that Redhawk in on a smaller, reliable carry pistol, my suggestions would be either the Ruger LCR or Sig 238. Both would be great BUG's or lightweight summer/shorts carry pistols.

The Ruger comes in a .357 caliber now as well. Now as far as the deterrent to the perspiration problem, the Ruger is aluminum and poly and the Sig is SS slide and aluminum frame, and both would be fairly inexpensive to feed.

http://ruger.com/products/lcr/images/5450.jpg

http://www.gunsholstersandgear.com/i...ig_p238_02.jpg



When carrying the smaller caliber guns for CCW, it is imperative that when the situation to use one comes up, your shots are very well placed and many, of course that would ring true for any caliber of handgun, as well! ;)

Decisions, decisions, decisions. :confused:

dont trade the 44magnum
it is the best all around round there is
just use 44 special or get other lighter magnum loads like speer's
you won't shoot the LCP much - it's not much fun for a lot of loads - i owned one
the LGS guy told me that the sig 238 is very much fun to shoot
for 22lr - get the buckmark or the ruger mkiii or a ruger single six

Trade it. A gun you won't use is... well... useless.

That's kind of my take on it. Not that I'd never shoot it at all, but not often. It was one of those purchases you look on later with a puzzled "WTF made me think I had to have that?" :confused: I've already decided that I'm not going to hunt with it, because around here it's too limiting , and I've already taken one deer with a handgun, so I don't feel the urgency to do that anymore.

Trade that rascal.

one of the things i remember my dad sayin when i was growing up is " I never sell a gun unless i cant use it or there is something wrong with it." shortly followed buy "im sellin this pos" lol. like ScottA said a gun you wont use is useless... get somethin that doesnt hurt you to shoot.

i really want a .22 pistol right now since there cheap and ammo is cheap and i can shoot the hell outta it all day long and not be sore the next day and lets face it there fun. but there is no way i would carry a .22 as a ccw. personally 9mm is the smallest id go. there are some small ones out there that arent that exp. and are great guns ie. xd9mm sub compact. sorry im a xd fan:D just my .02...

also if you paid 800 for the .44 why would you trade it for just one gun? id try to sell it or trade for 2 or 1 and some cash... again just my .02

well - in that case....
sorry for your impulses
:)

I don't intend to trade a $800 gun for one that costs half as much. But a twofer is the goal, or one worth an equivalent amount.