Limited Gun 5" or 6"

[lgbmike]

I am going to have a Limited gun built sometime this year. Have not shot a 6" but after talking to Benny Hill I am very interested in a 6". I have always looked at what the top shooters use to find out what works. I do not believe there are that many top shots using a 6" gun. Suggestions and recomendations please.

Thanks,

Michael

[ogiebb]

Rob leatham used a 6" limited gun before...when NY allows me to purchase another Blaster i would probably have Benny build me a Fat free 6" gun....try one first and see

im having a Sight tracker type STI built in 5" though

Edited May 10, 2007 by ogiebb

[Putty]

Buy a $1600 5" STI Edge from dawson or somesuch and bang away.

[HSMITH]

I have both and don't want to shoot a 5" gun any more. The 6" gun is far better for me.

[kellyn]

Tough choice. If you're ever planning on shooting Standard in IPSC, get the 5 incher. 6 inchers are verboten.

I love my Benny Hill Fat Free 6 in. I definitely shoot better points with it. It's easier to make major. It did take a bit of getting used to as it "appears" to recoil more since the front sight rises to a higher point than a 5 inch. It's all visual though. Once I acccepted this (maybe 1000 rounds), I was hooked.

Rob is a big fan of the long sight radius limited gun. Since I'm no great pistol shooter, I just copy him. I've shot his 6 in Springfield quite a bit (all metal frame, lightened slide). The Fat Free is substantially lighter, shoots a bit snappier and looks cooler. His is heavier, recoils less, and has slightly better trigger. There are a great many very good Limited shooters who rely on 5 inchers though: Taran, Phil, Bruce, Manny, Mike Voigt, Ted Puente all come to mind. The majority of the Limited field uses 5 inch pistols.

Note that Rob is a Bianchi freak whereas many of the other great Limited shooters are not so maybe that's where the preference for the longer slide comes from. Maybe it's age? (longer sight radius better for older eyes) A prediliction for shooting points? Or just to be different?

[Merlin Orr]

Let me preface all my comments by saying all of my 6" guns are Fat Frees built by Benny Hill. I have several fat bodies in both 5' and 6". To me the 6" is a clear winner. I personally feel the 6" has less apparent and real recoil. You can make major with a couple of grains less powder. The sight radius is 20% longer - easier to line it up and (to me). This gives me an added measure of confidence and makes it much easier to make the longer and harder shots. The gun is lighter than most 5" guns and much lighter than an Edge type gun with the full dust cover.

All that said I do not believe a non modified (read full weight) 6" is beneficial to most shooters. I would not shoot a "regular" 6" gun.

[lgbmike]

All good info gentlemen. I wish there was a Fat Free in my area for me to test drive.

Michael

[eric nielsen]

Me too.

I badly want to shoot a Fat Free, then a 5" Sightracker, then a 5" Edge, all in a row.

[Squishy]

I have been shooting a 5 inch sv for over 10 years . I finally got to shoot a 6 inch sti last Sunday . WOW! What a difference . It is lighter than my standard frame 5 inch. Has a different recoil than my 5 in. gun . Not more not less just different. Didn't take very long to get use to it. Sight picture is more forgiving than my 5 in. I have been dieing to go to the range and ring it out. HSMITH, built it and he gave it to me to shoot for a while. I am going to work up a bunch of different loads and see what works best. What are some of the loads you guys are using for your 6 inch guns? PM me please. Thanks

Darryl

[bulm540]

I didn't try one but I got one ( call it impulse buy) and have not regretted my decision ( who does). FAt free guns by Benny are second to none.

My current load V V 320 ( 4.4 Grains) precison black bullets-185s

1.190 OAL - 171 PF.

Edited May 11, 2007 by bulm540