If you could only have one handgun...

Hmm, you pose one of those difficult questions, Six Star - Rather like: If you could only own one car, which would you buy?

So, for my purposes: Where a handgun exists solely for the purpose of fighting your way back to the rifle that you never should have put down in the first place; or, alternately: If you are forced to only have a handgun, and are attempting to negotiate in particularly negative social situations in a crowded elevator....

I prefer a semi-auto, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I HAVE TRAINED WITH, but others would benefit from a revolver, for the same reason.

Caliber must be at least 9 x 19mm. I too prefer .45ACP, but 9mm will work with the right projectile... Perhaps two doses instead of one, for the average adult goblin.

1911s should stay the heck away - To those who love them: Bully for you. I hate them - It doesn't matter why, specifically; Suffice it to say that I have owned one, shot three, and will never like them - If I don't like the tool, I am unlikely to use it well, no matter how good it is.

I don't currently have any objections to anything striker fired, or plastic, excepting that I do find the Glock grip angle strange - Intensive training would overcome this, but why bother if there are more naturally fitting options available? I have also found recoil from .40 or .45 to be a bit stiff out of tupperware guns, compared to all metal counterparts. XDs are neat, except that they are all too small for my gynecologist-wanna-be digits (yes, even the .45).

So.... I'll stick with my Sig P220 for now. When and if the frame fails, I may go for a stainless replacement, or I may start my own pistol replacement trials.

Of course, .357mag is a really groovy round....(!)

YMMV,

Neal

OOH! OOH! I just noticed: MY DEVIL POST!!!! 666!

:)
 
nelly said:
Hmm, you pose one of those difficult questions, Six Star - Rather like: If you could only own one car, which would you buy?
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As is well known, I feel nothing but...well...pity for anyone who drives anything other than a Subaru. :D

nelly said:
So, for my purposes: Where a handgun exists solely for the purpose of fighting your way back to the rifle that you never should have put down in the first place; or, alternately: If you are forced to only have a handgun, and are attempting to negotiate in particularly negative social situations in a crowded elevator....
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I guess this is what makes the choice of a handgun for "one gun fits all" purposes very difficult. Does one actually exist?

nelly said:
I prefer a semi-auto, BECAUSE THAT IS WHAT I HAVE TRAINED WITH, but others would benefit from a revolver, for the same reason.
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I'd say that the modern semi-auto is more reliable than a revolver...no contest there. Discuss, anyone...? :D

nelly said:
Caliber must be at least 9 x 19mm. I too prefer .45ACP, but 9mm will work with the right projectile... Perhaps two doses instead of one, for the average adult goblin.
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Much ink has been devoted to the concept of "stopping power". Perceived "lack" of a cartridges so-called stopping power can be overcome quite simply by shooting twice (or indeed thrice).

nelly said:
1911s should stay the heck away - To those who love them: Bully for you. I hate them - It doesn't matter why, specifically; Suffice it to say that I have owned one, shot three, and will never like them - If I don't like the tool, I am unlikely to use it well, no matter how good it is.
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I'm sure that 1911 aficionados will be outraged by my opinion, but a 1911 is nowhere near as reliable as a modern striker-fired polymer pistol. Hence my first choice being a Glock G17

nelly said:
I don't currently have any objections to anything striker fired, or plastic, excepting that I do find the Glock grip angle strange - Intensive training would overcome this, but why bother if there are more naturally fitting options available? I have also found recoil from .40 or .45 to be a bit stiff out of tupperware guns, compared to all metal counterparts. XDs are neat, except that they are all too small for my gynecologist-wanna-be digits (yes, even the .45).
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I'm wondering if the fattest backstrap installed on an M&P might work for you...?

nelly said:
So.... I'll stick with my Sig P220 for now. When and if the frame fails, I may go for a stainless replacement, or I may start my own pistol replacement trials.
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A SIG would be my 2nd choice, only bumped into 2nd by the weight advantage of the G17

nelly said:
Of course, .357mag is a really groovy round....(!)
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Yes, it is. While it's no .357mag, and if .357sig was more 'mainstream', I'd seriously consider a Glock in .357sig as my 'one gun'.
 
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Six Star:

The "modern" semi-auto may be statistically more reliable than a revolver, but as we consider IAs and stoppages, the revolver is leaps and bounds ahead in simplicity for the operator.

Also, while a pistol itself may be reliable, it is hamstrung by the reliability of the magazine - I worry about the logic of those who would spend $1000 on a handgun, only to cheap out on the magazine, and thus be left with a rather expensive paperweight. Another potential bonus of the revolver.

That said, revolvers are bigger, harder to conceal, and yes, harder to reload. I still wouldn't want to get in a gunfight against Jerry Miculek!

And Six Star - I just had a thought: Didn't you more than once in relatively recent past refer to the XD as "the thinking man's Glock"? Why now have you stated that the G17 is your personal pick for one only? Springfield screw you over? Just curious....

:)

Neal
 
I would normally say the P7M8, best handgun ever made but with it's relatively low capacity (for a 9 mm) I think I would opt for the Glock 17. No need to be classy in a SHTF scenario.
 
HK Mark23 :D

Because i already own one, have lots of practise with it, and it shoots & fits very well for me :D

Its also got utter reliability, its very accurate, and have a very long service life.
 
nelly said:
Six Star:
And Six Star - I just had a thought: Didn't you more than once in relatively recent past refer to the XD as "the thinking man's Glock"? Why now have you stated that the G17 is your personal pick for one only? Springfield screw you over? Just curious....:)

Neal
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Yes, the XD is indeed the thinking man's Glock, but then again, I never claimed to be a "thinking man"... :p:D
I was quite enamoured with the XD40, which I shot very well imho. That was before the ejector tip broke off and I couldn't get parts for it. :(
Wolverine Supplies came to the rescue, however, and repaired it for me.
That's why I give the nod to the indestructible G17.
 
Ah - All is now more clear.

If only the Glock mags worked more reliably when kept loaded for long periods.

I have it on good second hand authority that the tribal forces who cycle through RCMP Depot carry the Glocks..... And the mags spread so badly that members are issued new mags on ARRIVING for the 6 month course, and on DEPARTING for duty, as they have usually failed catastrophically within that time period, or spread laterally so that they no longer drop free from the grip.

From a source I have NO reason to doubt, but I haven't actually seen this with my own peepers.

I guess with time, I could learn to love a Glock. I would replace the sights, and put a grip sleeve on... But then again, a Browning HP would do me better, personally!

Sorry to hear of your XD woes.

Neal
 
nelly said:
Ah - All is now more clear.

If only the Glock mags worked more reliably when kept loaded for long periods.

I have it on good second hand authority that the tribal forces who cycle through RCMP Depot carry the Glocks..... And the mags spread so badly that members are issued new mags on ARRIVING for the 6 month course, and on DEPARTING for duty, as they have usually failed catastrophically within that time period, or spread laterally so that they no longer drop free from the grip.

From a source I have NO reason to doubt, but I haven't actually seen this with my own peepers.

I guess with time, I could learn to love a Glock. I would replace the sights, and put a grip sleeve on... But then again, a Browning HP would do me better, personally!

Sorry to hear of your XD woes.

Neal
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I don't know what you smoke or who feeds you your intel. I still run the original mags that came with my Glock 17 (over 23,000 rounds ago) and I've left mine loaded(with the occasional unloading at the range) for extended periods of time. One was left loaded for well over a year thanks to misplacing the loaded mag. All my mags are capable of being dropped loaded with no rounds ejecting and all drop free, loaded or not. My only complaint is with the plastic followers. I'm managed to break the corners on three of them. Preventing the slide from locking to the rear upon last round. They still worked. The followers have since been replaced.

TDC
 
Pietro Beretta said:
Me three to the G17...I love the 17-shot clip also
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You didn't just call the magazine a clip did you???


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TDC
 
The HK USP in 9mm is an excellent choice, but I'd have to go with the Walther P99 in 9mm. It's a great gun to shoot and nobody else has chosen it yet.
 
If I could only have one gun, I would just tape all of my handguns together at the barrel, and call it a super gun. A little 9mm, some .45, .357, depends on how you hold it.
 
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