Is There Any Possible Situation Where a Pistol is Superior to a Long Gun or SMG

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Gunnut17

Moderator
Hi, me again, let me just say in advance, I am aware getting tactic ideas from a video game is ridiculous, but this poses an interesting question.

Now, in the 2010 video game, Splinter Cell: Conviction(An awesome title, I might add.), the main character is almost always using a pistol, instead of the submachine gun, shotgun, or assault/battle rifle that is often hanging on his back. And it made me wonder why someone would use a semi-automatic, low capacity pistol(Such as a USP45 or Desert Eagle.), over a high capacity, select-fire, accessory compatible, often easier to shoot, longer ranged rifle, SMG or shotgun(SCAR-H, MP7A1, Benneli M3 Super 90). Is there any situation where a pistol with a suppressor is better?

Mods, feel free to move this as necessary.

Thanks!
 
Massad Ayoob gave an actual case he experienced . Going down a very steep slope he had to hold onto branches with one hand while he shot at the perp IIRC.
Give it some thought and you'll realize that there may be many such cases .
 
When moving through wreckage - like a badly bombed building - a pistol for at least the guy on point is not a bad idea. Like the post above, there are times when you need a hand to help you move. There are people behind you with heavier weapons.

Also, while not in video games and probably not much of a concern to you, when you go into someone's home or office and are - at least in principle - supposed to be friends, a holstered pistol makes a better impression than an assault rifle slung at the low ready.
 
Try to walk around downtown carrying a Draco pistol or a short shotgun, I'm sure quite a few 911 calls will be made. A regular pistol might get you some weird looks, but at least you won't be hassled by the police.
Another situation, a weapon shooting rifle rounds at close range isnt going to be very effective.
Only situation I can think of wanting something other than a regular pistol is maybe home defense, but only shooting weak shotgun loads or if it's rifle use handgun rounds. But even then, a handgun still has some benefits.
Why use a lower capacity handgun instead of a higher capacity one? Maybe balance, or the feel of the gun. It's just what some people prefer.

I think the perfect close range rifle would be the Thompson or something similar to it. Short, higher capacity, and a big yet slow bullet.
 
the main character is almost always using a pistol
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Correct me if I'm wrong on this but...
He's a mostly indoors, close up and personal, information thief, assassin, escape artist... right?
And he wears a "stealth suit" where he can be nearly invisible... yes?
He can also effectively stab, throat cut and karate chop someone too... correct?

So why carry all that clanky, weighty hardware and ammo if he doesn't have to? :D
I always laugh when a protagonist is allowed to carry a pistol, SMG, assault rifle and sniper rifle... plus hundreds of rounds for all. And 3 kinds of grenades, and really nice binoculars, and 5 first aid kits.

C
 
Best example: tunnel rats in Viet Nam, . . . used .22 auto pistol in at least some cases.

Personally, . . . would much rather have my 1911 for CQB if we are talking bad breath distance or shortly ouside of that.

Handgun is sooooooooo much easier to maneuver and protect.

YMMV, . . . but even in the service, . . . I preferred a handgun when I could get away with it.

May God bless,
Dwight
 
Gunfight in a phone booth!
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What are you talking about?

Anyway, I do see everyone's points, whenever I play Splinter Cell: Double Agent(less awesome title.), I almost always use the pistol, it's quieter than the 5.56mm rounds in the rifle, and can be used while holding a hostage or from a pipe, while maintaining near identical accuracy to the rifle. Though I do prefer hand-to-hand kills.
 
Handgun is sooooooooo much easier to maneuver and protect.
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Yes and I think the protect part is often overlooked. The shotgun is supposed to be the best home defense weapon, but I have read many stories that included two men wrestling over a shotgun or rifle.
 
Is There Any Possible Situation Where a Pistol is Superior to a Long Gun or SMG?
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Yes, and many of us are faced with that situation every day.
It is called "concealed carrying"... it is not possible to conceal a rifle or a shotgun (okay, nothing is impossible...but it is highly impractical).

Carrying a handgun every day, everywhere legal to do so...that is the situation where a pistol is superior.

Even if it were the only one...it's a biggie. It allows me to go armed, every day, with no-one the wiser.
 
A lot of that depends on your tactics, training and the situation you are faced with. It is always nice to have the option. A holstered pistol is usually faster into action than a slung long gun. A pistol can be easily controlled with one hand, and thus allows the use of the other hand for other tasks.

I do not carry low cap handguns anymore for anything but hunting or a BUG.
 
Situation where a pistol is better then a long gun???

Based on my experience I can think of a few. In SE Asia we had to crawl through tunnels built to be used by littel fellows. There wasn't room for a rifle, you crawled through on your belly with a flash light in one and in a 1911s1 in the other. Bearly room to use the pistol, it would have been impossible for a rifle.

In LE, be did our own building searches, most of the time alone. Every time I tried to take a shotgun it ended up being in the way, you have too many other things to do with your free hand.

I carried a Model 28, I found that if it was in range of a shot gun, I'm well within in range of my revolver. If I'm out of the range of the shot gun, I 'm still in range with my revolver.

Sure there are plenty of times where the rifle is better, but any time I had to actually use my pistol/revolver, I never felt under gunned.
 
Correct me if I'm wrong on this but...
He's a mostly indoors, close up and personal, information thief, assassin, escape artist... right?
And he wears a "stealth suit" where he can be nearly invisible... yes?
He can also effectively stab, throat cut and karate chop someone too... correct?

So why carry all that clanky, weighty hardware and ammo if he doesn't have to?
Click to expand...

Love the splinter cell game series, and your pretty much spot on. In the Splinter Cell series Sam Fisher is a SIGINT ninja, ill go through most levels without firing a single shot.

Man do I sound like a nerd but I am not ashamed to say I still love video games.
 
Dragline45 said:
Love the splinter cell game series
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I've been going through colon cancer, so I haven't gotten out much in the past year or so.
My wife (bless her evil little heart), recently bought me an Xbox 360 'cause my computer is getting long in the tooth and I have issues with the newer games.

I have the first few Splinter Cells for PC... and this thread reminded me how great Splinter Cell is. The best part is now I'm gonna' go to Game Stop and buy all the Splinter Cell games... used for about $30. :D

What better thing to do for a Creeper... than creep around, right?

C
 
If onlies don't count!

With a 6" Highway patrolman and some full house loads in hand, you will out range most shotguns with ease. Problem lies with most scenarios where a handgun applies, you are well within 12 gauge effective range. Barrier penetration is probably another avenue for advantage. Take cover, then demonstrate the difference between cover and concealment. All of this works much better in a gaming environment. No reset in a gun fight. I still dig the model 28, though. I just don't know about being able to beat a seal with an MP5.
 
My present abode does not lend itself to using long guns, and a pistol is much preferred. It is rather small, on 3 levels, and pardon the expression, full of crap, and my EDC suffices perfectly. My new house is larger, all on one level, and rather sprawling, endearing to me use of the long gun. I have both shotgun and carbine, am proficient with both, so it's just a matter of which I'll prefer when I move. And I won't have the clutter in the new place, I promise.;)
 
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