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Single handgun for HD, CC and Hunting...
- Thread starter ATN082268
- Start date
Obambulate
New member
3" S&W Model 60 .357 is the best compromise, IMO.
Don Fischer
New member
looking for the jack of all trade's, doesn't exist. You think you have it and you'll find to do one job it really will have to compromise another! My home defense gun would be my Ruger P-89, lot of fire power, doesn't need concealed and weight no bother as I seldom carry it. My hunting or pinking hand guns are several. Have a High Standard HD military, smith K-22 combat master piece, Smith mod 16 in 32 Long shoot's cast bullet's and a Smith 38/44 that also only shoot's cast bullet's. Hum, hunting, take your pick! For concealed carry I use a Smith MP Shield 9c. Can't hit squat with it much beyond ten yds but don't ever plan or shooting at someone farther than that. At 10 yds I can hit a watermelon!
edit: I think there may be better options that the 9mm for a carry gun but recoil get's the better of me I don't want to find out I really can't handle it in a situation where I actually need. it. Bigger heavier bullet's mean better stopping power. To me, 9mm 124gr JHP equals adequate fire power in a very light weight concealed gun.
edit: I think there may be better options that the 9mm for a carry gun but recoil get's the better of me I don't want to find out I really can't handle it in a situation where I actually need. it. Bigger heavier bullet's mean better stopping power. To me, 9mm 124gr JHP equals adequate fire power in a very light weight concealed gun.
For fun I have a .50ae Eagle in a vertical shoulder rig. Doubt I'd ever pull it, and I don't carry that thing very often (couple times a year). I'm a big guy (6' 2", 245lbs), plus an ego to match my physical size - so it works out.
I'd have to agree with other posts on here, though - Glock 20 would do a good job to fit that bill.
I'd have to agree with other posts on here, though - Glock 20 would do a good job to fit that bill.
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As a few of you have said the better a hunting gun it is, the worse it will likely be for CC. I've carried a full-size double stack pistol and it is very taxing and tiring (i'm a tall female so YMMW) but if i had to hunt and CC and home defense, i'd probably opt for a Glock 19. I could always load it up with less than a full magazine in order to keep the weight down and still easily have more capacity than any revolver. It has a long sight radius of a solid 6" or so, hence you should have a shot at game from a reasonable distance (<25 yards).
Obviously the 44 magnum out of a typical 4" barrel is easily more potent, but you're going to have half the capacity and 70% more weight (25 oz for the G19 and 41+ for a 4" model 29) which you'll be lugging around all day whether hunting or for CC. I mean the G19 weighs less fully loaded with 15 and 1 in the pipe than the model 29, 4" 44 magnum does empty...
I do actually hunt, just not with Glock 19's or any other handgun...
Obviously the 44 magnum out of a typical 4" barrel is easily more potent, but you're going to have half the capacity and 70% more weight (25 oz for the G19 and 41+ for a 4" model 29) which you'll be lugging around all day whether hunting or for CC. I mean the G19 weighs less fully loaded with 15 and 1 in the pipe than the model 29, 4" 44 magnum does empty...
I do actually hunt, just not with Glock 19's or any other handgun...
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Pond James Pond
New member
If purely hypothetical then I think I'd go for a 10mm...
Probably a 1911 of some kind as it would be slimmer than most other semis allowed CCW, but still have the barrel length and trigger for hunting.
In reality, I'd either somehow learn to conceal my 4" .44Mag Redhawk, or buy a .41Mag or .357 Mag....
This is because over here, we are not permitted to carry semis in higher states of readiness than condition 3, making revolvers a better CCW option from a safety point of view.
Probably a 1911 of some kind as it would be slimmer than most other semis allowed CCW, but still have the barrel length and trigger for hunting.
In reality, I'd either somehow learn to conceal my 4" .44Mag Redhawk, or buy a .41Mag or .357 Mag....
This is because over here, we are not permitted to carry semis in higher states of readiness than condition 3, making revolvers a better CCW option from a safety point of view.
For Home Defense, Concealed Carry and Hunting are too broad, best advice is to narrow down what you mean by these three things...
If you want a quick answer, here's some food for thought...
1. Home Defense - the gun will be on a nightstand and used when things go bump in the night. That means you need ammunition that will not blow your ear drums out or have too bright a flash which will blind you and make follow up shots very difficult. Fast Reloads are also key.
2. Concealed Carry - you want something that you will always have with you, will be light enough to carry, yet powerful enough to get the job done. How you carry extra ammo is also a consideration, as well as the weight of that ammo. Fast reloads are also good to have.
3. Hunting - I have to assume that you will use this gun as a back up to a rifle, or to have on your belt around camp for targets of opportunity or if you run into an angry bear...
Given those parameters, which are still very broad, there are a lot of trade offs you will have to make, so, I'd suggest a Glock 29 sub compact in 10MM.
The 10MM is a powerful cartridge and you get a lot of them in the Glock. The G29 is easy to conceal and carry. Ammunition weight is not onerous, and it will stop an angry black bear with multiple hits, or take down a deer at close range.
Hope that helps...
If you want a quick answer, here's some food for thought...
1. Home Defense - the gun will be on a nightstand and used when things go bump in the night. That means you need ammunition that will not blow your ear drums out or have too bright a flash which will blind you and make follow up shots very difficult. Fast Reloads are also key.
2. Concealed Carry - you want something that you will always have with you, will be light enough to carry, yet powerful enough to get the job done. How you carry extra ammo is also a consideration, as well as the weight of that ammo. Fast reloads are also good to have.
3. Hunting - I have to assume that you will use this gun as a back up to a rifle, or to have on your belt around camp for targets of opportunity or if you run into an angry bear...
Given those parameters, which are still very broad, there are a lot of trade offs you will have to make, so, I'd suggest a Glock 29 sub compact in 10MM.
The 10MM is a powerful cartridge and you get a lot of them in the Glock. The G29 is easy to conceal and carry. Ammunition weight is not onerous, and it will stop an angry black bear with multiple hits, or take down a deer at close range.
Hope that helps...
Tacticool1976
New member
I have Glock 20 and it would be in that, if i could only have one type of handgun... or a 1911 10mm or 45 would be my all around gun...
For Heaven's Sake...don't let our wives find out that one gun is all we need. After many years I have convinced her I must have a different gun for small game hunting , large game hunting, NRA Bullseye Target shooting , concealed carry , open carry , bowling pin shooting , steel plate shooting , long range target , IDPA Match , nightstand / house protection, not to mention how I need double action, single action , single shot , double action only and semi-auto's .... My word , She has more than one pair of shoes.
Now she's going to hear that I only need one gun to do it all with....That's not fair !
Now she's going to hear that I only need one gun to do it all with....That's not fair !
Elliottsdad
New member
The poster above that said Glock 29 is spot on. A concealable 10 mm. It meets all your requirements.
However, I have to agree that this whole idea is a compromise. It's hard enough to handgun hunt with a full size pistol, nevermind a subcompact. And a hunting-power cartridge in a CCW would have it's own set of problems: over-penetration, uncontrollability, etc.
I think you'd be better served with a subcompact pistol in .380 or 9mm, or revolver in .38 special for CCW, and a separate .44 mag revolver for hunting.
The 29 can do both, but is the best at neither. If money is the issue (it often is with me), choose the need you most immediately need to meet, and find the gun that meets that need best for you. The secondary need can come later.
But if you must keep it to one gun: Glock 29
However, I have to agree that this whole idea is a compromise. It's hard enough to handgun hunt with a full size pistol, nevermind a subcompact. And a hunting-power cartridge in a CCW would have it's own set of problems: over-penetration, uncontrollability, etc.
I think you'd be better served with a subcompact pistol in .380 or 9mm, or revolver in .38 special for CCW, and a separate .44 mag revolver for hunting.
The 29 can do both, but is the best at neither. If money is the issue (it often is with me), choose the need you most immediately need to meet, and find the gun that meets that need best for you. The secondary need can come later.
But if you must keep it to one gun: Glock 29
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The poster above that said Glock 29 is spot on. A concealable 10 mm. It meets all your requirements.
However, I have to agree that this whole idea is a compromise. It's hard enough to handgun hunt with a full size pistol, nevermind a subcompact. And a hunting-power cartridge in a CCW would have it's own set of problems: over-penetration, uncontrollability, etc.
I think you'd be better served with a subcompact pistol in .380 or 9mm, or revolver in .38 special for CCW, and a separate .44 mag revolver for hunting.
The 29 can do both, but is the best at neither. If money is the issue (it often is with me), choose the need you most immediately need to meet, and find the gun that meets that need best for you. The secondary need can come later.
But if you must keep it to one gun: Glock 29.
Actually, the "compromise" among the three 10mm Glocks would be the G29 but with a spare 6.2" "hunting" barrel - to comply with state handgun hunting regs where they allow the 10mm cartridge, but require a minimum barrel length of 6".
I still think that among the 10mm Glocks for the O.P.'s stated uses the G20 (again, wiith a separate 6.2" tube) is the best compromise, but no doubt the G29 is somewhat easier to conceal for EDC.
johnwilliamson062
Moderator
Did DW make a 357 max with change barrels?
ShootistPRS
New member
If you have an auto-loader that you trust the 10mm with a 6" barrel would be a good choice. Ballistically it is a match for the 357 in a slightly larger caliber. I don't know that it would be the best home defense gun but it would definitely do the job.
I think if I could trust a semi-auto it would be my choice for carry and hunting.
I think if I could trust a semi-auto it would be my choice for carry and hunting.
How many golfers have ONE golf club? How many women have ONE pair of shoes? How many Arborists or Loggers have just ONE chainsaw??? That being said, Skeeter wrote an article when I was a kid, about a .357 magnum being perfect for a one gun man. I think he preferred a 5", but for overall utility I would get a 4", perhaps even a 3" or 2.5" 686 Plus.