Talk me out of (or into)

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Justin.T

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I posted a while ago when I was shopping for a rifle and you guys were very helpful. I got something that works really well for me. In that post I explained I'm a minimalist. I'm never going to own more than 3 guns. A rifle, shotgun and a handgun. I have no need for more and like to keep my life simple.

As far as a handgun goes I have a Kahr CW9 and I really like it. Functions flawlessly. Fits what I need for the most part (this is the direction we are going) and is what I am used to and proficient with.

I'm going to be inheriting from the family a s&w 640. I was thinking about selling it because they hold their value quite well.

However, I moved out west a couple years ago and if I'm out camping I'm not sure if the 9mm would be the best protection against the bigger predators such as black bear and mt lion.

I know this has been discussed before but lets see if my thought process is flawed or makes sense.

I don't care to much for the 640 but I was thinking I would like the sp101 with the 3" barrel for the woods and camping. 357 snubbie just isn't my preference. I don't really ccw so the occasional open carry I'd do, either would work. It's mostly for home defense anyways. If I went with the sp101 I would sell both the 9mm and the 640. Do you think carrying something for self defense in the woods with the extra stopping power of the 3" 357 is worth giving up the capacity of the 9mm, going from 8 rounds that I can quickly reload to just 5 rounds that takes longer to reload? What about the other way around, when not in the woods is that a huge disadvantage for home defense. To me it seems like a big disadvantage but maybe 5 rounds of 357 is plenty in that situation.

Thoughts?

I know a lot will say keep both but if I'm not going to do the swap I will probably just sell the 640 and keep the 9mm and get some double tap ammo for when camping.

Thanks!
 
When I say I'm not into the snubbie that comes from my understanding that the 2" or less barrel undersells what the 357 can do anyways.
 
chicharrones said:
If you like or admire the person you're inheriting the 640 from, I'd keep it. Could be a source of good memories of that person, especially if you shot it with them.
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Maybe inheriting is the improper term because it belongs to my grandmother who is still alive but just can't handle it anymore and now has a .22 and other non firearm means to protect her home. It's not that sentimental of a piece in all honesty. There's much more important things of hers that I will hang onto.

I'm just not sure either of us want the thing or have use for it anymore and she'd be just as happy with me putting the money towards my current education which is probably the most likely outcome.

I'm also just on here because when I get these ideas they are kind of fun to talk about.
 
If you're not going to carry concealed, I'm curious as to why you're looking at an SP101 rather than a GP100 or 686. The SP101 isn't that much larger or heavier than the 640. For home defense, you're better off with a long gun than a hand gun, so I'm not factoring that in.
 
Justin.T said:
I posted a while ago when I was shopping for a rifle and you guys were very helpful. I got something that works really well for me. In that post I explained I'm a minimalist. I'm never going to own more than 3 guns. A rifle, shotgun and a handgun. I have no need for more and like to keep my life simple.

As far as a handgun goes I have a Kahr CW9 and I really like it. Functions flawlessly. Fits what I need for the most part (this is the direction we are going) and is what I am used to and proficient with.

I'm going to be inheriting from the family a s&w 640. I was thinking about selling it because they hold their value quite well.

However, I moved out west a couple years ago and if I'm out camping I'm not sure if the 9mm would be the best protection against the bigger predators such as black bear and mt lion.

I know this has been discussed before but lets see if my thought process is flawed or makes sense.

I don't care to much for the 640 but I was thinking I would like the sp101 with the 3" barrel for the woods and camping. 357 snubbie just isn't my preference. I don't really ccw so the occasional open carry I'd do, either would work. It's mostly for home defense anyways. If I went with the sp101 I would sell both the 9mm and the 640. Do you think carrying something for self defense in the woods with the extra stopping power of the 3" 357 is worth giving up the capacity of the 9mm, going from 8 rounds that I can quickly reload to just 5 rounds that takes longer to reload? What about the other way around, when not in the woods is that a huge disadvantage for home defense. To me it seems like a big disadvantage but maybe 5 rounds of 357 is plenty in that situation.

Thoughts?

I know a lot will say keep both but if I'm not going to do the swap I will probably just sell the 640 and keep the 9mm and get some double tap ammo for when camping.

Thanks!
Click to expand...


1. A .357 out of a 2.125 b bl has little to no more 'stopping power' than a good 9mm.
2. Load up your CW9 with 147 gr. Federal HST Tactical +P
3. If you're worried about an animal attack, your biggest worry is reaction time because they will ambush you. In this case a revolver can be an asset as you may be firing with your gun hard pressed against the predator.
4. Personally I would get TWO pistols, one for the woods and one for home defense / ccw. One other thing to think of is where you keep your home defense guns. I have mine stashed around generally a couple of feet from where I'm likely to be. Three guns wouldn't cut it for me.

PS. 6 shots of .44 mag 629 (e.g. Trail Boss) or 7-8 shots of .357 mag 327 / 627 or 686+ would be my choice with a 4" min barrel.
 
ugaarguy said:
If you're not going to carry concealed, I'm curious as to why you're looking at an SP101 rather than a GP100 or 686. The SP101 isn't that much larger or heavier than the 640. For home defense, you're better off with a long gun than a hand gun, so I'm not factoring that in.
Click to expand...

Just seems to fit in my hand and on my waist the best. I also feel like I could move around the house better with a handgun over a long gun.

Is there any factual evidence that the 3" barrel would allow the round to perform better than the 2"? The gp100 is a 6 shot correct? I held one and it just felt really big and unbalanced in my hand with how girthy the cylinder was.
 
SharpDog said:
1. A .357 out of a 2.125 b bl has little to no more 'stopping power' than a good 9mm.
2. Load up your CW9 with 147 gr. Federal HST Tactical +P
3. If you're worried about an animal attack, your biggest worry is reaction time because they will ambush you. In this case a revolver can be an asset as you may be firing with your gun hard pressed against the predator.
4. Personally I would get TWO pistols, one for the woods and one for home defense / ccw. One other thing to think of is where you keep your home defense guns. I have mine stashed around generally a couple of feet from where I'm likely to be. Three guns wouldn't cut it for me.

PS. 6 shots of .44 mag 629 (e.g. Trail Boss) or 7-8 shots of .357 mag 327 / 627 or 686+ would be my choice with a 4" min barrel.
Click to expand...

That all makes sense. I've never felt the need to have guns stashed all over my house, might actually feel uncomfortable with it. Whatever lets you sleep better though!

I semiauto would really really have to be pressed firmly against something to not cycle right?
 
Justin.T said:
Just seems to fit in my hand and on my waist the best. I also feel like I could move around the house better with a handgun over a long gun.

Is there any factual evidence that the 3" barrel would allow the round to perform better than the 2"? The gp100 is a 6 shot correct? I held one and it just felt really big and unbalanced in my hand with how girthy the cylinder was.
Click to expand...

approx 250 fps per inch depending on bullet weight:

http://www.ballisticsbytheinch.com/357mag.html
 
Justin.T said:
That all makes sense. I've never felt the need to have guns stashed all over my house, might actually feel uncomfortable with it. Whatever lets you sleep better though!

I semiauto would really really have to be pressed firmly against something to not cycle right?
Click to expand...

yes, like in a bear that's on top of you or a cougar that's got you by the head.
 
An upgrade from a 9mm to a 3" .357 isn't enough of an upgrade for me. I'd get two handguns too, and for my "woods"/camping/big bullet thumper gun I'd probably go for a .44 Mag., or at least a 6-7 shot .357 with a longer barrel. Of course... I'm not as much of a minimalist. I have my woods gun (my bear woods gun, my cougar woods gun, my coyote woods gun, my rabbit woods gun), my carry gun (my IWB carry gun, my deep carry gun, my open carry gun), my competition gun (my IDPA gun, my USPSA gun, my Steel gun [and I haven't even ever shot Steel yet!]), my...

You get the idea. There is some overlap, but I specialize.

If you don't concealed carry, I would ditch the Kahr and get something bigger. The Kahr is made for concealed carry. You can get eight rounds of .357 in a revolver. It is big, but if you aren't carrying concealed, a good holster outside the waistband will make that a non-issue. You can get a .45 or 10mm auto with more bullets, that is bigger, but quite possibly easier to shoot because of the size. You will need to practice, but the Kahr just doesn't appeal to me as a "one handgun to rule them all" minimalist thing.

Over all............

man... this would be so much easier if you were okay with more than three guns!
 
Only three guns? I bought more than that last year! There was a point in my life where I moved 15 times in 7 years so I understand the desire to be a minimalist.

If I HAD to pick only one handgun it would definitely be a revolver. Reliability to cycle being one issue they also seem to fly under more gun control measures than semiautos. Also being able to use different calibers in the same gun would be a big plus to me. If I can't/won't have options with the gun then I'd want the options with the ammo at least. I'd go with either a sp101 in 327 fed or a s&w 627 (I think) for the extra capacity.

Good luck.
 
You could maybe have every firearm you "need" with a dozen. Three will just not cover every category .
 
I like to embrace the short barrel of the snubbie, for CC. But for the great outdoors, I prefer the additional MV a 6" barrel provides.
Full leather holster with a strap or a flap. But that's just me.
 
I see used 3inch SP101s for well under $500. while a used 640 sells for over $500 so you would not need to sell both guns to get an SP101. As stated above though. If I was looking for defense against a bear or Mt Lion I would want a 6 shot 357 with a 4 inch barrel, not a 5 shot with a 3 inch barrel. If you insist on a 3 inch barrel at least check into a 3 inch GP100 or 686 so you get 6 shots. In the 686 line they make them that hold 7 shots which would be better yet
 
He likes the SP101 and already stated why he doesn't like the larger framed revolvers.

Anyone that recommends something that doesn't fit the shooter is doing disservice.

3 guns is his choice. For heavens sake people... let it be.

I did quite a bit of camping, all out west including black bear and mountain lion country, with just a 22 rifle as that's all I had and then I added a 9mm about a decade later.


Having said that, keep in mimd that there's darn good reasons for having different tools for different jobs.

Having a small cresent wrench and a large cresent one is a great idea when you dont have alot of tools. Sure, there is some overlap but is still minimalist and they both have purposeful usefulness.


as already mentioned by someone above, you could likely get the SP101 with out having to sell the Kahr.

That's what I recommend you doing to start and see where it takes you.

Don't sell the Kahr until you're good with the revolver and feel comfortable with it.


From what you've said, I'd probably keep the kahr, sell the 640 and get the SP101. It's still pretty minimal while covering a lot of bases.
 
Justin.T said:
I'm never going to own more than 3 guns. A rifle, shotgun and a handgun. I have no need for more and like to keep my life simple.
Click to expand...
Then the guns you want are an M1A Scout Squad, an 870, and a 1911. If you insist on a revolver, a 4 or 6" Ruger GP100 or Smith 5/686 would suffice. The SP101 only holds 5, otherwise if it fits....
 
Justin. T

I would go along with what danez71 wrote:

From what you've said, I'd probably keep the kahr, sell the 640 and get the SP101. It's still pretty minimal while covering a lot of bases.
Click to expand...

Based on your own criteria and minimalist gun choices, the Kahr CW9 and the Ruger SP101 would fill most of your handgun needs. Go with what works and feels the best for you.
 
Get the sp101. It's a tank of a gun . I LOVE mine, and don't forget about speed loaders if your worried about a fast reload. They can be very quick with some practice. There are alot of grip options for the sp101 to help it fit your hand too. A 3" sp101 is a great all around gun. It's a no nonsense goes bang when you need it kind of gun.
 
entropy said:
Then the guns you want are an M1A Scout Squad, an 870, and a 1911. If you insist on a revolver, a 4 or 6" Ruger GP100 or Smith 5/686 would suffice. The SP101 only holds 5, otherwise if it fits....
Click to expand...


If you switched the 1911 for a Glock I would completely 100% agree but cost is a limiting factor. I have a 336, 500 and the cw9. It's kinda like the poor man's version.
 
SharpDog said:
If you're worried about an animal attack, your biggest worry is reaction time because they will ambush you. In this case a revolver can be an asset as you may be firing with your gun hard pressed against the predator.
Click to expand...

This is the most probably scenario in a wild animal, especially a bear, attack. A bear can cover 100 yrds in under a minute. The reason a 44 revolver is so popular up here in Alaska is that you may only just barely get the gun out of the holster before you're on the ground. The revolver will always fire, even pressed against the animal, and if the round misfires (bad primer perhaps) all I have to do is pull the trigger again, which I can do with only one hand. No rack, tap, slap, crap. (Which required both hands when I may only have one hand available to me. I've heard of a few guys carrying 10mm Glocks up here, but I can't imagine why.

Justin.T said:
The gp100 is a 6 shot correct? I held one and it just felt really big and unbalanced in my hand with how girthy the cylinder was.
Click to expand...
The GP100 is a beast. If you're going that rute, just move on up to the Redhawk in 44 Magnum. If you don't need that much power, look for a Security Six (used market) or some other K frame-ish standard duty-sized 357 revolver. (686 etc)

SharpDog said:
yes, like in a bear that's on top of you or a cougar that's got you by the head.
Click to expand...

Pretty common M.O. for those guys.

Tallball said:
The three gun rule is a self-imposed arbitrary problem. Never sell a gun you like.
Click to expand...

Never sell a gun. Period. (Although, I did sell that POS Nylon 66, but there's an exception to every rule.)
 
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