Purely hypothetical...a duel?

Which Caliber? Include a model, if you wish, in a post.

  • .45cal

    Votes: 9 32.1%

  • 40 s&w

    Votes: 2 7.1%

  • 9mm

    Votes: 4 14.3%

  • .357mag

    Votes: 4 14.3%

  • .44mag

    Votes: 8 28.6%

  • .38cal

    Votes: 1 3.6%
  • Total voters
    28
  • Poll closed .
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D

Da Butha

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Please no flames, only fun. It's my first post :)

I've been a lurker for some time, and when a fun and interesting question came up at work amongst a couple handgun enthusiasts, I thought of asking here.

If you had to duel somebody which handgun would you choose. The rules were simple. 10 paces, turn and shoot, yes, you can shoot multiple shots, move and shot, etc.

I did the poll as a caliber, but feel free to leave your responses as models.

After a bit, I'll try to tabulate the answers and post them in this post, the original.

Thanks!
 
Gentlemen didn't use sights

Welcome to the forum.

It was considered bad form at the least to actually use sights in a duel with the muzzle-loading pistols of the day. Duels were supposed to prove worthiness, not skill. "Proper" dueling pistols did not have sights.

It's a philosophy.

In the philosophy of TFL it might be considered ungentlemanly to discuss activities which in this country are illegal. And dueling is illegal in (I think) all states of the Union. Since I am not a moderator, maybe I am speaking out of place.

As I would not choose to go forward into a duel or gunfight voluntarily (unless compelled by duty and with the Law behind me), I choose to use deadly force only when in real fear for my life or the life of another, and then, discretion being the better part of valor, only if unavoidable.

Lost Sheep

Edit: Academically, it is an interesting question, though. Would your opponent necessarily be armed with an identical weapon? (As was the custom) Body armor permitted?
 
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Ummm... .25acp? .177 Crossman?

A duel? Seriously?

Since battleships are done with, about the only dueling these days is with artillery and tanks. I'm gonna avoid either if I can help it...

But, if you make me pick... Iowa or North Carolina class battleship against - well, whatever.
 
lost sheep, you sure? maybe some of the dueling was left 'on the books' so to speak. :cool: (just a thought)

I wonder what happened. I know dueling was originally with fencing before it graduated to pistols. I know some used their dueling kits as their home defense weapon back in the day to defend their families(basically you had two shots if both were primed correctly and ready to go)
 
No, not sure.

therealdeal said:
lost sheep, you sure?
Click to expand...
Nope, not sure. On the internet, hearsay is permitted.

I usually cite sources on things of which I do not have personal knowledge, but since this thread seems only semi-serious, I cut myself some slack.

Lost Sheep
 
Interesting question. I have to say I've never thought of it. I carry a .40 most of the time and a 380 some of the time. I voted for 357 because for repeat shots I believe I could get back on target faster than with a 44. Otherwise I would have picked the 44.
 
Thanks for the responses so far.

To answer a question that was asked: Your opponent would have whatever he would choose, so not necessarily the same weapon.
 
In addition to the no-sites on dueling pistols post. The majority of dueling was more so to step up to the challenge/honor, etc. Many duels would have different rules decided on upon the participants along with weapons. These generally were the 10 passes, turn shoot, and no reload. So you just had the 1 shot. Most of these duels both participants would intentionally miss.

Challenging someone to a duel most of the time was the equivalent of "I'm gonna kick yer arse!", but nothing ever happens of it, but it was considered very cowardly to back down from the challenge. Tempers usually calmed down by the time the duel actually took place, and neither participant usually wanted to get hurt or hurt/kill the other person so thats why they would intentionally miss. This obviously wasn't EVERY case, but a good portion of them occurred this way. You also have to keep in mind muzzle velocity of a flintlock pistol, and how terribly inaccurate they worth. Assuming you actually hit the person, it was rare that the round actually killed the person - it was usually infection from days later that did the deed.

The duels that each person was out for blood, generally allowed reloading or "no victor til death" type rule. Most people think of this type of duel because of how movies portrayed duels.

Sorry for the de-rail - back on topic though, I am pretty sure I wouldn't want to be caught in this sort of situation. Assuming I had to (thinking post apocalyptic gladiator ring, the 2 of you duel and the victor lives or the 2 of you die by our hands) I would probably want some sort of subgun. Something stable but full auto so that you can put a decent amount of lead in the air but fairly accurately. As I don't have much experiencing shooting this class of weapon I am not sure what I would choose, obviously the larger the caliber the better, but I would take accuracy & stability above all else. Would by no means feel under gunned with a 9mm coming out of an mp5.

If it had to be a pistol, probably gold cup race gun.
 
A duel as in a fair fight thing?,,,

Who was who said,,,
"If you ever find yourself in a fair fight, your tactics stink."

But for your question, I would be happy with a 9mm or a .38,,,
I want to get my first shot off fast, with a quick follow-up,,,
Low recoil would be my strategy.

But that's not a duel anyways,,,
A duel is traditionally a single-shot thing,,,
With the handguns you listed ammo for it's a gunfight.

.
 
Any of those listed would be fine. It really depends on what you shoot best with and what is reliable. If given a choice of a dueling pistol, it would be my Springfield TRP 1911.
 
NERF N-strike Raiders with 35 round drum mags, at dawn. :)

Moving would be classless though. The honor aspect of dueling society dictated that you stood your ground, tall and proud, and accepted what Fate wrought. It was also often considered somewhat barbaric to continue beyond 3 shots apiece or so. I guess the thinking was that if both of you were stillstanding after that to continue seemed somewhat pointless (or humiliating).

P.S. While there are certainly things in life worth risking your very life for, I've always thought personally that to die in a dual is just one of the most dumbarse ways one could go.
 
Duel should be with bowie type knives up close and personal . In Ky I read of a duel double barrel 12 gauge shotguns at 10 paces. No winner Was up around Georgetown area.
Another one in New Orleans the weapon picked was harpoons . Other person back out. . Man that choose that weapon was Captain of a Whaling ship.
 
You can't run around like a chicken in a duel! You get one shot from a set distance. Matched pair of pistols. I would think just an updated single shot pistol. The closest thing I can think of would be a scaled down Thompson Contender.
 
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