Hey, new member here and I’ve enjoyed reading all the posts. I’ve done a lot of shooting over the years and am looking at buying a handgun. Right now only I own a couple hunting rifles and a shotgun. This will probably be my one handgun as I have so many other things / hobbies/ soon to be grandkids that I could spend my money on . I am most familiar with the 9mm I carried in the military but have fired many other brands a caliber’s over the years. I have a couple preferences but was interested to know what you all would buy if you were only going to buy one.
This would be for personal defense along with fun at the range.
Canik is a maker of several reliable and affordable 9mm autoloading handguns.
Great ergonomics for extended time at the range, plus they come in several sizes, some sized to carry, and all will work for home defense. Many can be equipped with an optic if you like shooting with a dot sight (my old eyes do).
With the exception of .22lr, 9mm is still one of the least expensive calibers of ammo to buy (about 35 cents a round... Up from what it used to be of course).
Revolvers are nice too... Good for both purposes you mention as well. There are some, but not many, chambered in 9mm. Of course, a revolver chambered in powerful .357mag can shoot soft-shooting .38spl for range fun. My experience is that a 4" (or longer) barrel on a revolver is required for fun at the range.
Enjoy the search and be sure and try to hold or examine the model you intend to buy if possible... To make sure it fits your hand well.
No fun if the trigger guard, for example, bangs into your knuckle.
You painted yourself into a corner. The most “fun” gun I have that the whole family enjoys in the S&W model 41, 22 LR target 7” barrel. My street carry is a Kimber Ultra and woods carry is a Bond Arms Texan loaded with 2.5” 7.5 shot but I have 000 buck if needed.
The one that you can afford and you can shoot/ control comfortably and with confidence.
I have a few and some I would not cc or shoot daily, hard on wrists and hands as you get older.
I probably own more handguns than ten average men own. All of my handguns are, at one time or another, a favorite.
John Browning's M1911 is, and remains, an American classic, in all of its incarnations.. Its been used and copied for over a century.
I am enamored with every, metal, SIG-Sauer offering. They are rather expensive but worth every penny. I do not care for plastic fantastic firearms.
I like revolvers. I hunt big game with big bore revolvers. A Ruger or S&W revolver chambered in .357 Mag and wearing a 4" barrel should fit your requirements.
As mentioned above, the CZ 75 could, very well, be the pistol for you
All that being said, get to a shooting range that rents a variety of handguns and shoot as many different full sized offerings as possible. Your handgun should make itself known to you.
IF, there could only be one. For Me, it would be a Ruger Blackhawk Old Model with a 4" Barrel in 357 Magnum. It will handle 38 Spl wadcutter plinkers all the way up to full throttle 357 Magnum Fireball producing ear drum busters...
It is a simple tried and true design and Ruger did a real good job of putting them together. Again, I will emphasize Old model... I had a New Model Vaquero once. I gave it to a Nephew. I won't have another one. It's just a personal preference.
Since I reload and cast my own bullets for general use, and since I made it my business to acquire a lifetime supply of pistol powder and primers, I will never run out of ammunition....
Second choice would be a Ruger GP100 in 357 Magnum, for all the same reasons...
I have plenty of handguns, and like Mr. Popeye stated, at one time they were all a favorite. But the thought to limit myself to just one never entered my mind.
For a period of time I did just have one but that was from necessity not choice... Now I have some handguns that I have never shot and a few that I will never shoot. That doesn't bother me at all... It would bother me to only have the option of having just one...
IF, there could only be one. For Me, it would be a Ruger Blackhawk Old Model with a 4" Barrel in 357 Magnum. It will handle 38 Spl wadcutter plinkers all the way up to full throttle 357 Magnum Fireball producing ear drum busters...
It is a simple tried and true design and Ruger did a real good job of putting them together. Again, I will emphasize Old model... I had a New Model Vaquero once. I gave it to a Nephew. I won't have another one. It's just a personal preference.
Since I reload and cast my own bullets for general use, and since I made it my business to acquire a lifetime supply of pistol powder and primers, I will never run out of ammunition....
Second choice would be a Ruger GP100 in 357 Magnum, for all the same reasons...
I have plenty of handguns, and like Mr. Popeye stated, at one time they were all a favorite. But the thought to limit myself to just one never entered my mind.
For a period of time I did just have one but that was from necessity not choice... Now I have some handguns that I have never shot and a few that I will never shoot. That doesn't bother me at all... It would bother me to only have the option of having just one...
If I wanted, I could buy a lifetime supply of powder and primers for all my guns and am close to it. I just don't want to spend that much money right now to complete the job. If they every get "cheap" again, look out.
Colt Trooper Mk III 4" .357mag. carried mine for over 50 yrs. Never failed me in a shootout. When bad guys were shotting back. Drug wars on the southern border 1970-80's.
S&W model 29-2 6 1/2" .44 magnum carried it off duty and as a primary back up hunting gun for the same 50 yrs.
I don't trust internal striker autos when my life is on the line. If you are worried about ammo capacity you probably need to move to another neighborhood or practice more often. What ever you choose be sure to spend lots of quality time with it on the range. It is just a tool, your skill is what makes it lethal.
Aren't Grandkids great! Kinda wish I had had them first. Oh well....
I've been thinking about the "one handgun" original post. As I posted, I have a lot of handguns and limiting myself to just one is impossible. But... if necessary, I got it down to the two that I shoot the most often.
A Ruger LCR rated for .38 Special +P. (my carry handgun)
A CZ 75 with 17 loaded, full capacity, magazines. (my 'grab and go' handgun)
I can't pick a gun, but I can pick how I would like it to be.
A nightstand gun should be laser equipped.
Alongside the gun should be a high intensity flashlight.
If I were you, I would go to a range where they rent handguns to use at the range.
Then you can get the feel for ones you may be considering before you buy.
I doubt there is a wrong answer here....unless you want to use a Derringer.
But whatever you use for your personal protection, at home or on the road you have to commit to practicing with it as much as possible.
Situations pop up in a second......be prepared to act in a second.
I've also been re-thinking my "only" gun and second choice... Ima switch the GP100 to 1st place and drop a Glock 17 into 2nd for a grab and go. The reason for #1 is obvious to me, possibly not to others. The reason for #2 is purely pragmatic. There are a bazillion Glock 17s out there so there is always parts (although I have neverr worked on one). 9mm ammo is also out there as well. The Glock 17 is the SKS of handguns. They work under incredibly adverse conditions and can be cleaned in a pinch with a water hose... There are other guns that are prettier and smarter but when it comes down to the nitty gritty the 17 is going to cook... It's my ranch/tractor driving/brush cutting sidearm. The Old Model Ruger used to have that position but I felt I had to trade 6 shots for 34 in today's world.
Alan
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