For all of my passion posts, I have explained the guns I chose for that week. I have inserted a few opinions here and there about the guns as I wrote about them, but the readers can not give a proper ranking of my favorite guns (Well, you can guess my absolute favorite because I expressly say it). I could go on and on about the function and caliber, but the base function is relatively the same for each gun. For this passion blog post, I am going to show more passion and list my favorite guns in order. I figure this may be a nice way to change the pace for the final passion post.

Gun 1

As you may have guessed, my favorite gun of all time is the Winchester 1894. I absolutely love this weapon. Practically all lever action weapons make it into my top ten. However, I’ll keep a diverse portfolio for this ranking and list other types of guns – if I didn’t it would be just lever actions. The 1894 is just a smooth gun – if properly oiled. Firing a few rounds off in a row really makes one feel like a cowboy. The process of shooting the weapon is just phenomenal. The lever action system is truly something to experience yourself. There is a slight kickback since there is no buffer tube, but a strong shoulder counters that. After the kickback, the marksman pushes the lever down and pulls it back up in one fluid motion. It is just a fun gun.

 

Gun 2

Coming in at 2nd place is the Smith & Wesson Model 29 .44 caliber. Keeping with the cowboy theme, this revolver takes second with no contest. Again, it is just a fun gun to fire. There is a good bit of kickback so accuracy isn’t all that great – especially if firing with just one hand. The .44 caliber packs quite the punch. Just ask all the groundhogs that I’ve hit with the S&W 29, I’m sure they can attest that the 44 caliber is quite nasty. Overall it is a good gun. Granted, I am a little biased since it does fulfill the Western feel.

Gun 3

The Glock 34 long comes in at number 3. The G34 is about the same as the two Glocks I covered in a previous post. The defining characteristic that puts this Glock above the other two is its weight and look. The longer slide makes the weapon look much cooler than the other Glock counterparts. The added weight from the longer slide keeps the weapon level after firing off a round. This makes the weapon better for competition and more accurate. It is chambered in 9mm like the other Glocks I wrote about before. 9mm is kind of the gold standard for handguns nowadays, so I can’t complain too much.

 

 

Gun 4

Keeping up with modern weapons, the fourth place goes to the AR-15. While there are a plethora of other rifles I could have chosen, I go with the AR-15 for three reasons: upgradability, 5.56 NATO/.223, and I’ve not shot other rifles. The AR-15 is very upgradeable. It is possible to buy a cheaper, not-so-good AR-15 and then upgrade it to be state-of-the-art. It also can come in a variety of different looks. The barrel can be thin, as shown in the photo, or it can be roundish, like the military’s M-4 (photos found here). The barrel can be of different sizes: 16″, 10.5″, or 7.5″. 16″ is the nicest (disclaimer: bias is included as I haven’t shot the other lengths). The bump stock (piece at the end that makes contact with your shoulder) can be swapped out to something different. The only reason to do this is for looks. As for the upper receiver itself, the color can vary. I’ve seen some on the market from purple to white to orange.

The AR-15 is commonly chambered in 5.56 NATO. What is nice about this is that it can take 5.56 NATO and .223. However, if the weapon is in .223, it can not take 5.56 NATO. There are other ARs chambered in other rounds: 9mm or 7.62x39mm. Personally, I prefer the 5.56 NATO. 7.62×39 is for the Communists – AKs and other Slavic guns are chambered as such. 9mm is nice to have since it would be compatible with a Glock handgun.

The final reason is I have not shot any other rifles. The Steyr AUG looks really cool, but I have never had the opportunity to shoot it. Truly unfortunate.

 

Gun 5

For fifth place, I chose the FNX 45. I have mentioned the FNX before in a previous post. The FNX 45 is chambered in .45 ACP. It functions like the Colt 1911, yet is more modern and tactical. What I really like about the gun is the power. .45 ACP is a decently sized round. It is like a plus size 9mm, so the FNX does pack quite the punch. With this added power, it isn’t as nice to shoot as the Glock 34, but it is still very fun nonetheless. On top of that, the design is superb. I’ll likely always be a sucker for the exposed hammer design.

 

 

Wrap Up

Over the past eight blog posts, the reader can safely assume I like guns. These blog posts were never a pain because it was always something I enjoyed writing about. I hope each and every reader was able to learn something from my posts – that was the point of them after all: to inform. I know that most of the commenters usually wrote something like, “Wow, I know nothing about guns this is awesome.” While the reader may or may not be knowledgeable about guns, I would like to know your own rankings. It is fine if you only know the guns I’ve talked about in previous posts.