TNWNGR

Yep. S&W M&P, there were no model number's at the time this revolver was made and yes, it is a K frame. Very nice example of a good looking S&W, I wouldn't mind having it myself, your friend has a gem there.

Picture's would be helpful but at a guess your friend has either a 6" Military & Police 38 Special or a 38/44 both of which were 38 Special's and five screw model's as well. The early K frame M&P will be a bit smaller and lighter than the larger N frame and more M&P's were made than 38/44's.

For what it's worth I had an opputunity to view a really nice Walther PP that looked fantastic. It was a 32ACP and in blued steel, one of the nicest post WW II Walther's I've seen in a while. Oddly it's a little larger than most of the so called pocket 9mm pistols on the market now.

I can't remember ever sending one in on a firearm that I'd purchased and have only done so on some optical equipment. As for warrenty repair it's never mattered, RCBS and Dillon were a no question's asked kind of company and took care of the problem. Keltec, Ruger, Colt and Smith and Wesson have all done the same as well. As far as I'm concerned keeping your bill of sale for a new firearm or anything else is all the proof of ownership needed with any company. Used firearms, reloading equipment and optic's will generally always be covered to some degree or another if you weren't active stupid or an ass with the customer service rep.

http://www.waltherpistols.com/category/3234-Walther_PPQ_Pistols.aspx Sort of an updated P99. Kind of nice at that.

I owned a stainless steel PPK/s and carried it as an OD/BU for a while as well. The PPK was designed and intended to be a 32 ACP but was later chambered as a 380 ACP. You'll find out it is somewhat uncomfortable to shoot in 380 ACP and the slide will cut the web of your hand like a razor. Still, it is one of those pistol's that I believe every shooter should have a chance to handle and shooot.

The PPK is the pre-1968 GCA version and the PPK/s the post 1968 GCA version. It all factored into a numbered point's system in order to import smaller "concealable" pistol's.The PPK/s used the larger Walther PP frame in order to be importable while the PPK had a smaller frame. You may recall seeing the PPK being used in the older james Bond movies.

Nice looking grip's for a nice looking pistol. It's not hard to tell that you've shaped enough knife handles to make making grip panels easy.

You won't have any trouble with the SIG p.238 and more importantly it has enough mass to make it very tolerable to shoot. Good selection and good choice.

I still remember all of the buzz in the gun rags on the M59 when it first came out and how good it looked to everyone in the pictures. A lot of reference's were made to an experamental earlier version of it being used during the Vietnam War. I consider the M59 to have been a very good transitional gun for S&W as they matured it into much improved model's. It's good to see a nice example posted and read so many other shooter's experences with them as well.

A pocket pistol is of no use to its owner if they have no confidence in its reliability of their own ability to use it effectively. One problem can be solved by a fully reliable pocket pistol, either by way of repair work or replacement. The other can only be solved through training and frequent practice. I recently purchased a Ruger SR22 to use as a training and field gun. It has enough similarities to my LCP and Lc9 to make it very useful, not to mention its fun to shoot. From what I’ve been told the Ruger LCR 22 and LCR 38 complement one another very well in this manner as well. Whatever route you choose to take pick something that you feel comfortable with. Look at as many different pistols or revolvers as you can find, rent or borrow those that are available. Once you’ve found the right pocket pistol for your needs then shoot it enough to be proficient with it.

Of the three pistols’ you’ve indicated my preference would be toward the G-19 due to its proven performance history and availability of aftermarket items. You can either go with a used Gen 2 or Gen 3 model or the more ergonomic Gen 4 model which would also be my preference. With the G-19 you have an excellent sight radius and a reduced height grip that is still hand sized which doesn’t require extensions. It is light weight, but still comfortable to shoot with +p or +p+ ammunition and also very comfortable to carry. Overall for the money invested I consider it an excellent pistol for a shooter to purchase.

Heck, if the price was to good to refuse I'd have bought it too, beside's it look's pretty darn cool and is the kind of rifle that will make other shooter's smile when they see it. That's not a bad thing though because people will want to know about the gun and how it shoot's which might draw other's into the shooting sport. I'd say that's a win win.

I like the Gen 4 Glock's and I've owned Gen 1, 2 and 3 Glock models. The Gen 4 G-17 & G-22 are doing really well now and the problem's with the Gen 4 models are known. They're also solveable and the company has done a lot to adress these matter's. Glock isn't alone in this either, S&W has had and continues to have problems with the M&P. Either go with aftermarket parts for a fix or return the pistol to the factory to be updated or corrected. I don't know of any firearms platform that hasn't had problems when first introduced or with updates to the line.

The Mdl. 59's tended to have a really bad DA/SA trigger pull that didn't improve much over time, the 5906 finally got thing's right and was the best of that breed. I purchased a M59 when S&W first marketed them and tried to make myself like it but just couldn't. I loved the way the M39 felt and shot, thought the 3913 was perfect and regret not buying a 5906 instead of a Beretta M-92, which BTW is also a better pistol than the M59.

Nice color combination, an LCR is on my "to buy" list for sometime this year, congrat's on your new purchase.

I handled one for a few minutes a couple of month's ago in TN Gun Country that a customer had brought in. The overall fit and finish were excellent, as was the weight and balance, it was a small handful of a 9mm pistol. With the right pant's and pocket's it is every bit a pocket pistol, not as thin as my Ruger Lc9 but height and length wise it was smaller. The trigger pull was pretty smooth and even, I liked it quite a lot and was suprised to see something like this from Kimber. All of this aside the overall reliability and how it does on a qualification course are something I'd like to know more about.

Pretty much mirrored the P11 and P3AT but do offer an alloy frame on the 380acp.

If you shoot well with the full sized M&P and are happy with it then keep your M&P 9. Before you purchase a more compact 9mm try to handle a Ruger SR9c, Glock 19 4th gen and a S&W 9c, there are other fine pistol's by other's but these are the three I have confidence in.

If you choose to go with a pistol in the caliber's indicated then I suggest a Taurus PLY 22, Keltec P32 or a Ruger LCP. Should you instead choose to go with a revolver then I suggest the NAA 22, Ruger LCR 22, Ruger LCR 38 Special or the S&W 442. S&W does offer a J Frame revolver in the 32 H&R Magnum or 327 Federal but I can't recall the model number's. The only other recommendation I have is something graycrait has discussed here, with a pocket sized pistol/revolver ensure that it is one you can shoot well enough to keep all round's centered with one hand at very close range. I practice at 7, 5 and 3 yard distance's with my LCP but can do required qualifacation's with it at greater distance's. I've not encountered any other trained shooter who couldn't do the same.

TRD has hit all of the highlight's on product inventory and customer service has also been covered. I recommend that you also make your shop female shooter friendly. By this I mean that you try to maintain holster's, purse holster's and hearing protection in stock for them. Also don't "tell them" what they need to purchase, encourage them to look around and handle different handgun's. Answer question's but don't subject them to war stories or personal opinion's. You'll find that the word get's out on this and more female shooter's and prospective shooter's will visit your store. Their husband's, boyfriend's and family member's will also visit.

Ruger 22/45 with or w/o a rail, it's no big deal to drill and tap one and install mount's or an aftermarlet rail.

On a used 1911 have a friend go with you who is very familiar with the 1911 and can advise you on any aftermarket part's and the overall fit and trigger pull. The friend should also know what to look for in case the pistol has been throated and ported by someone who has done so incorrectly. If it's factory spec pistol than check the trigger for push off and ensure nothing is binding. This may sound complex but it's really not because it's pretty much basic stuff. Overall I've rarely run across someone who would knowingly sell a problem gun to someone without being upfront about it.

I really hope that your wife picked out the pink LCP, otherwise I hope your ready to carry it yourself.;-) All kidding aside I think the LCP is fantastic, both my wife and I have one and both pistol's function very well.

I've used the wolff spring kit's and like what I've read about the shim's in this forum thread, somehow i foresee a bit of tweaking on my wife's SP-101 or a GP100 3"fixed barrel being added to my want list...