Among gun enthusiasts, there is a national fascination with large handguns. Maybe it’s the subversion of expectations. After all, semi-automatic pistols and revolvers are expected to be small-caliber firearms, while long guns are expected to handle the bigger bores. So, when a pistol is chambered in a real thumper of a cartridge, it garners some attention. However, the size of a pistol is not always determined by the size of its chambering. Consider bigger pistols like the MAC 11 gun, chambered in the modest 380 ACP. Here are a few large-sized handguns worth checking out.
Hand Cannon: Desert Eagle Chambered in 50 AE
At this point, the Desert Eagle chambered in the whopping 50 AE is among the most infamous of the large caliber handguns. While the Desert Eagle is chambered in 357 Mag, 44 Mag, and a few other formidable calibers, it’s the 50 AE that gets the attention. Part of the reason this hand cannon is so large is all the extra weight added to help guard against some of its thunderous recoil.
Two-Second Mag Dump: MAC 11 Gun
Technically, the MAC 11 is a machine pistol, but that still qualifies as a pistol. This large machine pistol was designed to be simple to manufacture and easy to use. However, the rate of fire is so high that it requires impressive trigger discipline to be truly effective. That rate of fire also means that a shooter can dump the 32-round stick mag in under two seconds. Effective or not, that makes for a whole lot of fun at the range.
Plinking Star: Kel Tec CP33
The Kel Tec CP33 is the embodiment of a large pistol not necessarily guaranteeing a large caliber pistol. This star of the plinking constellation is chambered in 22 LR. Its innovative quadruple-stacked magazine also means that it has an out-of-box capacity of 33+1. Additionally, the Kel Tec CP33 is a true tack-driver (the CP stands for “Competition Pistol”). Plus, it’s threaded for a suppressor and has the rails for a world of accessories. This firearm packs a full day’s worth of fun into a single package.
Iconic Revolver: Webley Mark IV 455
Oversized pistols are not a new phenomenon. There’s the behemoth and ultra-sought-after Walker Colt, which fired a 451 caliber ball at 1500 fps. A more common and more recent example of a big wheelgun is the iconic Webley Mark IV, which fired the beefy 455 Webley. Since the Webley revolver was the official sidearm of the British Empire for decades, this pistol saw action worldwide.
For one reason or another, a significant proportion of the Webley revolvers chambered in 455 Web had their cylinders shaved down to accommodate the more common 45 ACP. If you are lucky enough to pick up one of these modified revolvers, there’s something important to keep in mind. Webley revolvers were not built to withstand the pressure of the modern 45 ACP load. Some people have run hundreds of modern 45 ACP cartridges through their Webley revolvers with no issues. For others, the Webley explodes in their hand on the first shot. As a result, some enthusiasts just want to add this gun to their collection without ever firing it.
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