What is a good all around pistol?

M

Mastergunner

New member
I plan on bow hunting this year and want a weapon I can use for hunting, self defense, and target shooting.

I am under aged too own a pistol, so my dad said I can get a bear or cugar tag and take that with so If I do purchase a pistol I can carry it legally, because it is only legal to carry it if I am hunting.

Basically, I am cutting corners.

I found a Smith and Wesson model 19, .357 mag that I have very good things
about.

Anyone have a 2 cents to put in?
 
If you can afford the 19, and it doesn't resemble a rusty boat anchor, absolutely positively buy it!

It's a S&W K-Frame, so it's a great gun. It isn't recommended to fire full-blown magnums out of it all the time (K-Frame wasn't built for that abuse) but for .38s during practice and .357s on your hunting trips, it will hold up and last a very long time.
 
Self defense as in concealed carry?

I got a Ruger GP100 4" for hunting and home defense. Absolutely no way i could ever conceal that thing though.
 
Wouldn't this belong in the handgun forum?
Anyway, as it looks you want a revolver, you don't need to worry with any Smith & Wesson that's in good condition. Almost all revolvers are DA, except the ones with internal hammer which are DAO. I agree with Crazy88Fingers, 38 Special does just fine for nearly every task, only for hunting 357 mag seems like the better choice.
 
S&W 686. You cannot go wrong with it. It is sturdy, accurate, and pretty. It is fairly comfortable to shoot .357's out of and .38's feel like you're shooting caps.
 
A good Model 19 S&W revolver is hard to beat for general use as a personal protection tool or for putting down medium size animals. If the revolver is in good quality, I'd go with it. Just remember to get some speedloaders, 3 or 4 of them, to help in fast reloading
 
You are on the right track. A 357 is a very versatile handgun. I would check out a few different models to see what feels right in your hand but it is hard to go wrong with a S&W or a Ruger.
 
Dude - man up and get a S&W .500 magnum !!!

If you were already old and had kids and already gone through the macho phase and all that - you could afford to get a .357 magnum.

But you are in the springtime of your youth!

Don't pass up the chance to be super-macho. If you get the 500 magnum, you can always look down on other males and sneer at them as you say "This is the most powerful production handgun in the world".

And of course you can make up some story of why it's practical for you to have it - like there are bears or wolves in your area, or say you use it for hunting wild boar or something.
 
She's real keen, my Model 19

Mastergunner:
I am under aged too own a pistol, so my dad said I can get a bear or cugar tag and take that with so If I do purchase a pistol I can carry it legally, because it is only legal to carry it if I am hunting.
Click to expand...

Even though I'm just a teen (Giddyup, Giddyup Model 19!)
I'm gonna buy me a Model 19 (Giddyup, Giddyup Model 19!)
A 6-round, K-frame, Smith & Wesson Model 19!
[to the tune of "She's real fine, my 409"]

You can't go wrong with a Model 19; it's a classic. As other posters have suggested, fire .38 spls. in it and it'll last you all your life. Along the way you may actually become a "master gunner"!

Are you still in school? I get the impression you're daydreaming about guns and hunting instead of paying attention in English class.
 
C0untZer0 -

Shame on you for making a suggestion that he might take seriously.

Mastergunner -

The S&W .500 is not a good pistol for your situation, it's outrageously expensive both to buy and to shoot, ammo runs well over $1 per round. A good .357 like a Model 19 or Model 686 is an infinitely better choice.
 
Full sized 1911's are accurate and good at a decent distance...i've taken down a lot of game with mine

and any 357mag with at least 4 inches of barrel makes for a great hunting sidearm

and dont balk but my dads taken deer with his S&W 9mm semi auto



Its all about what you shoot comfortably and accurately and where you put the bullet!
 
If the model 19 is in decent shape, I'd buy it in a heartbeat. Easy to carry, easy to shoot, and adequate for your purpose.

I'd be hard pressed to find a better all-around handgun for a beginning shooter...or an experienced one, for that matter. My "only" handgun for many years was a .357 mag, and it served me well.

Daryl
 
You guys seem to think the model 19 are hard to get ahold of, if I cant find one can you all give me a idea of what I should look for if I can't find a model 19?

My favorite gun shop is kinda like the gamble because you go in one day and they have nothing, then the next day someone comes in with a gun and wants to trade it in for somthing else, they always have something new.

So if I know what I should look for, Ill know what a good deal it.

Someone said somthing about a ruger GP 100, but I want a single and double action pistol.

Anything helps, :) thanks
 
I still say a 4 inch S&W 686. Have you ever shot a magnum? The heavier the gun, the less the recoil. I think the 686 is 6-8 ounces heavier than a comparable model 19.
 
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