Steel frames certainly have their place, and I enjoy having them to dampen the recoil, and change the balance of my longer barreled handguns. Currently, all of my .44 Mags, one .45 Colt, and my .454 are all wearing steel grip frames. I do like the lighter frames for all day holster carry since the force of recoil is brief, and the force of gravity is forever. If you carried a gun in a holster all day, you would understand the importance that several ounces makes to your comfort......... I will agree that if I were still in the condition I was in Vietnam, that holstered guns wouldn't bother me much, but I carried one every day, all day, and that makes a difference too. Of course my 1911 weighed something like 39 ounces anyway. It is a slippery slope we are talking about here, but I think the break point for real comfort is between 35, and 40 ounces. Just think about how many folks won't carry a Ruger SP101 because it is "too heavy" at 26 ounces. I'm certainly not trying to talk anyone out of lugging a 54 ounce handgun all day, and I have, but I don't do it for pleasure. The most macho thing about using any hangun is being very proficient with it, and using it with very good judgement. In my experience, those that have become very good handgun hunters are very good hunters, that exercise good judgement, and are proficient with their handguns. I have one friend that regularly takes deer, and large ones sometimes with his old 1917 .45 ACP. To me, that guy is a macho handgun user, and he doesn't have to buff up, or carry a heavy gun to prove it. You know, come to think of it I wouldn't want to tangle with him on a dark street with his 1911 either........... not that I haven't done that kind of tangling long ago, and far away.
