Handgun questions

I'll second a lot of other peoples opinions.

A full size revolver - preferably something in a magnum
A government issue gun - maybe a 1911, but something that served
A CCW - something small
A modern auto - hk, glock, sig, walther etc.
A crazy gun - Rhino, something with a can, a desert eagle, etc
An old gun - SAA, cap and ball, maybe something from the first world war.
A target gun - probably a .22 so it's cheap

I think if you had those 7 it would make a pretty well rounded collection.
 
You and I need the iconic guns!!!

S&W 10, 19, 29, 629
Colt 1911
A custom 1911
A Ruger SA in 44 mag or 45 Colt
A 22 target pistol
Glock
T/C Contender
XD
SIG 250 or similar
HiPoint ...<- NOT
 
I thinks it's impossible to give a right or wrong answer to this. It depends somewhat on what roles you want your handguns to play. Some are best suited for range only and some are ideal for concealed carry. A pocket pistol might be great for CCW but not much fun to shoot.

I do think a variety is good though. IMO you should definitely have a .22 for fun shooting. That's one of the only calibers I'd say every one should own. Other than that I say have a blast, pun intended. Go big, go small. Variety is the spice of life.
 
I think the answer from the perspective of a shooter may be quite different from the perspective of a (potential) collector. There are lots of current, very shootable (is that a word?) handguns that aren't "collectable" now and may never be. The converse, however, is not generally the case; any handgun that reaches "must have one in my collection" status is probably very shootable.

A few "iconic" handguns:

  • Colt black powder revolver (any of several pre-Civil War models)
  • Colt Model 1873 Single Action Army
  • Colt (or other official maker) M1911 and/or M1911A1
  • Browning Hi-Power
  • Smith & Wesson .44 magnum (the Dirty Harry revolver)
  • German Luger
  • Broomhandle Mauser

Just for starters ...

Of course, there's a huge difference between a "collector" and a person who owns a lot of guns. Most truly collectable guns are never shot and probably should never be shot. I own more than one 1911 (but nowhere near a hundred, and real collectors may own several hundred, with hundreds of thousands of dollars invested) but I am not a collector in any sense. None of mine are collector grade. I refer to myself as an "accumulator."
 
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Kylez
My question is - What are some handguns that everyone should have in their collection?
Click to expand...
Since this is a handgun forum, I'm limiting my list to handguns:
a .22 revolver (like a S&W J or K frame)
a .22 semi-auto (like a Colt Woodsman or a Ruger)
a major caliber (38 - 45) center fire double action swing out cylinder revolver
a major caliber center fire 1911 semi-auto
a Colt Single Action Army in .45 Colt
 
When I first started collecting handguns, I chose to select my guns by caliber. I made a list of the calibers I wanted and selected a gun for each after a bit of research. I like the classics and went in that direction.

I'm into vintage cars, guitars, and guns. They are pretty much the same in that pristine examples command a premium. Due to supply and demand, lesser conditioned, projects, reblued, etc. become more appealing budget wise. Another benefit of them is, you can shoot them and not lose sleep when they show honest wear. There are plenty of good handguns with duty holster wear with low round counts out there.

So, collect for investment, to shoot, or a balance. The sky is the limit and your taste is unique. In the end make sure you have fun!
 
IMHO, all you need is a .22;.357 and 45acp
in any reputable make.
Be very careful this whole gun "thing" is very addicting.:)
 
Thanks for the replies. All guns will definitely be shot, and shot a bunch. I should have clarified that.

Some great info in your posts. Thanks again.
I think I am headed in the 1911 direction...
 
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