One Handgun - Forever?

M

Mr.Blue

Moderator
If you could only have one handgun from your collection for the rest of your life, what gun would it be?

-Assume that garnering ammo would not be a problem, so uncommon calibers and common calibers should be weighted equally.

-Assume that you may need to use this gun for survival (ex. hunting and self defense).

-Durability and reliability should be of primary concern, as you will not be able to have a gunsmith work on this gun if it breaks.

Please keep it to ONE gun!

For me it would be my S&W 686 4 inch. .357 for hunting and .38 special for self defense. The gun is built as strong as a tank. While I thought about my CZ SP01, I like the revolver's simplicity. K.I.S.S..
 
Ruger Super Redhawk 454 Casull

This would be my one gun if it came down to it. 45 colt for defense or hunting, 454 for big game anywhere in the world and for recoil therapy if needed.
 
I'm thinking a SA revolver might be the best choice, as it is a simpler design with less parts to break. Good call.
 
Ruger GP100.


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I hate these threads so much.

For recreation, I'd prefer a full sized .22. This is impractical for self defense.

For self defense, I need a small gun that I can actually carry, and a defense caliber will probably make it unpleasant to shoot often.

If I wanted to take it hunting, a .22 would do for small game, but not anything bigger.

So, this means that I need to choose a pistol that offers modularity so it can compromise on meeting my needs, however poorly, rather than a pistol optimized for any of the above.

So, one option could be an EAA and a case of slides and barrels in different calibers, but I don't know how it would ultimately hold up.

Another option might be a TC single shot, but that would be poorly suited for carry and defense.

Or maybe a Dan Wesson revolver with a snub barrel and small grip for carry (still not ideal), and a full length barrel and proper grip for hunting and recreation, although it doesn't allow a rimfire option.
 
I have many that would work for me. How about my 4" S&W 610. Good power accurate and versatile. You said no gunsmiths but if I can have replacement springs I wouldn't have a problem with a auto.
 
Kozak6 - If you hate these posts, pass it by. That said, you seem to have put a lot of thought into your answer.

My main reason for the OP was to find the most durable, reliable, and practical gun out there. I did not want to use kooky apocalypse scenarios, so I set constraints and assumptions that would get me the info I wanted.
 
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An awful lot depends on the user's location, experience and abilities. I mentioned the Ruger because it's durable, accurate, the sights are bomb-proof and it is capable of handling heavy loads. I can also work on one 'in my sleep' as it were and could probably rebarrel one if a desperate need arose.

If a tad less power is required, a Ruger SP101 or S&W 640 would fill the bill. Again 'in a desperate need' there's no reason either of them couldn't get meat to 50 yards, once the shooter has mastered the sights. They're a staple defense gun with the ability to handle a wide array of loads.

I think a lot of shooters get so involved in the 'range gun' mentality that we lose sight of what a handgun really is; a tool for resolving desperate needs. That alone lends relevance to Blue's original question. Given your skills and potential uses, which one does it best for you?

Just a couple of thoughts from a long-time pistol-toter.
 
One of two options and I can't decide between them at the moment.

Option 1 would be a 4"bbl stainless steel .357Magnum DA revolver with adjustable sights. A Ruger GP100 would fill the bill.

Option 2 would be a 10mm pistol for which a .22LR conversion kit was available. The caliber conversion kit offers the versatility and fun of a rimfire. the native 10mm will match a .357Mag in terms of performance and with a caliber conversion barrel one could also use less expensive .40S&W for centerfire practice.
 
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