Best All Around Defense Hand Gun

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4Freedom

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If a group of thugs were coming after to you to beat you to death and you had to choose one gun to save your life, what would it be? Some tell me a revolver is the only 100% trusted piece you can as semi auto pistols can fail easier.

Anyhow, I am looking to get a new handgun and want to know the best all around pistol each person prefers in the SHTF situation I have described. I am a new shooter, so I am not sure how I would handle a major recoil although I have strong enough arms, I would think.

I was thinking a Sig Sauer 9mm or something like this.. I know everyone has their preference, but I will be going gun shopping at the next gun show; seeing good semi auto rifles are just impossible to get now, I will start out with handgun and a shotgun.

I am going to post same question about shotguns on other forum.
 
The best gun for you may not be the best gun me. Gun fit is individual.

You need to find one that fits your hand and that you feel comfortable shooting. Then shoot it often enough that you feel confident that it won't fail.
 
I would say a Glock 19 or a 3" barreled revolver in .357 Magnum(Ruger/S&W). My duty weapon is a Sig and they have been hit or miss at our agency. I don't think they are as reliable as Glock. Fwiw, I carry a glock or 357 snubby off duty.
 
It really all depends on what feels right to you, hand size, balance, etc. Glocks, Springfield XDs, Kimber/Springfield/Colt 1911s... if you're looking for something you can conceal, remember the thinner the profile, the easier it is to conceal. 9MM is good, however you may want to step up to .40 or .45.
 
I bet my life on this one every day.

PO1.jpg

But that's my choice, yours might be differant based on hand fit, caliber preferance, action preferance, ammunition capacity requirements, etc. I can show you what I use, and tell you it is fantastic for me, but you need to go to a rental range and try some out before you plunk down hundreds of dollars on the latest whiz-bang supershooter that may never work quite right for you.
 
of thugs.

The best hand gun angainst a GROUP of thugs is a Glock 17 with 20 rounds of +P+ JHP. Along with a 33 round factory magazine in the back pocket. Nothing else can compete.
 
I carry a Glock 26 with Speer Gold Dots. I chose it because a) mine has been 100% reliable for me, b) I shoot it better than any other compact pistol, d) it functions with the 17 round magazine I carry for a reload, and c) no safety for me to have to remember under stress.

What you should choose should boil down to a) what you shoot wel and are most comfortable withl, b) what's reliable with your choice of good defensive hollowpoints, and c) you are willing and able to carry concealed all day.
 
A hi-Cap mag. and 1 mag reload would be
30+ rounds for this imagined scenario. However,
spray and pray and no hits isn't much of a deterrent.
A great psychollogical advantage would be one shot
& one hit for every shot, it might register in their
rat brins eh?

Putting aside the above - the advice of going to
a range and trying different handgun platforms would
pay off in getting something you like for fit, as well as
recoil. 9mm Parabellum/Luger aka 9x19 is about the
most economical (more polite than saying cheapest) for
getting plenty of rounds down range and practice, practice,
practice. Take a course in Basic Firearms handling and
after that a self defense handgun course.

Which to try at a gun show? Start with the Sig 226
it's their full size double stack 9mm x 19. The 229 is a
compact version of the 226, but I'd stay with a full size
for controllavility for a beginner.

You might also try the Beretta 92FS the current
civilian version our armed forces use in M9 guise. The
Coast Guard does use the SIg 226.

Another High Cap 9mm is the CZ 75B, which has a
good reputation for reliability, accuracy, and an ergo
friendly grip It also has available the Kadet .22 LR
conversion kit, swap out the centerfire barrel, slide
recoil spring and magazine and install the .22 LR
kit - which are the same parts designed for the low
recoil .22 LR and the ammo is $7 for 500 rds compared
to approx. $18.50/100 rds for Winchester White Box
at Wal Mart.

Then there's the options in polymer
Glock 17 full size
Glock 19 Compact version of the G17
S&W M&P
and several others, but the steel handguns
with the greater weight will haelp recoil
management in comparison to the lighter polyhmer
framed weapons.

The Ruger .22/45 semi-auto in .22 LR has
controls similar to the 1911 and would be a good
practice/plinker/learner platform as well in
case you decide on a platform that does not
have a .22 LR conversion kit available.

Do your homework, get the education for a
knowledge base from cerrtified instructors instead
of the variables of BS from the guys you may talk
to via the gun show, gun store or range.

Randall
.
 
A group of thugs? I really wouldn't want anything less that something shoulder fired that throws lead at least at 2000fps with a 20rd magazine a minimum. Its a pretty rare situation. Usually 5 or 6 rounds of .38 special +P or some mid range .357 loads would do the job for one or two of usual. Even with a higher cap semi-auto, I wouldn't expect to do well against a group. That said, shoot what you can hit with and practice just in case of groups.
 
A group of thugs? Once they see you brandish a pistol they will likely run to find cover or back off entirely. Your objective is to separate yourself from the deadly situation, not mow down the thugs. If you can avoid letting the lead fly, the better. Stray bullets can hit innocent bystanders, and don't forget that the thug that may have just wanted your wallet is now worried that he might get hit and if they have a weapon are returning fire in your direction. However if you get your pistol aimed in on them first, and they try to show you up by pulling out their own pistol......put some lead into them and be ready to drop his friend if they try anything.

The best pistol is the one that you have with you as often as possible. If it is too uncomfortable to carry, or is too bulky to remain concealed there is a strong possibility that you will not carry it as often as you'd like and it would not be with you when you need it. A full sized pistol won't be the one you have with you often. Even a compact sized pistol like the Glock 19, Sig P229, CZ P-01, or H&K P2000 won't be easy to conceal when you are wearing a light shirt during the summer. Consider a subcompact pistol if you wish to carry as often as possible. If you like Sigs, that would be the P239 9mm or the P232 .380acp. If you like Glocks, try the model 26 9mm. I have the P239 9mm for my off duty carry piece, even though I usually carry a P229 .40S&W on duty:

Guns001.gif

The P232 is more compact than the P239, but it only comes in .380acp which isn't quite as effective as 9mm. Which you choose all depends on how concealible you need your pistol to be and whether you want to give up the 9mm. If you go .380acp ONLY use Hornady XTP 90gr JHPs which is currently the only load to pass strict FBI testing for bare body and heavily clothed subjects. The new Hornady FTX Critical Defense load also looks like it could be a real winner, but there hasn't been any objective testing of it yet. If you are wanting a larger pistol that is a jack of all trades, consider the Sig P229 9mm or .40S&W. If you are wanting the most effective weapon you can carry for home defense, get a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun with full power 00-Buck.
 
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Good morning friends,

Just my opinion, but simplicity is best. The answer is different for each of us. Use the weapon that suites you the best. Personally, I find my S&W model 19 the answer to these types of questions.
 
Any quality hicap 9MM, .40 or .45 will suit you well. Guns by CZ, HK, Sig, Springfield, Browning, Beretta, Glock, Steyr, etc are fine. Pick one that feels good to you.
 
I believe the best all around size for a handgun is one with a 4" barrel. It can be concealed yet won't make you feel undergunned for home defense like a 3" might. I can recommend a Glock 19. It's a simple, reliable and affordable handgun with plenty of potential punishment for bad guys.
 
In this scenario, I'd take an XDm. It's too big to conceal carry (for most people) but if I had to pick a handgun for defense, the XDm would be it.

From another post of mine: "This is a formidable weapon. The XDm has a 16 round cap mag. That's 16 rounds of .40 S&W, and with several mags, it's almost like having a small, very controllable submachine gun."
 
CZ

Armoredman, and All -

CZ P-01 X 2!!
I've got a pair of them.

However, I'm not going to throw out any of

"This is the only gun" crap.

"The only gun" is the one that fits you,

And you're gonna have to figure that one out for yourself.


Isher
 
When the OP mentioned "a group of thugs", I remembered the adage that a revolver is good for defense and a semi-auto is good for offense. In the situation described, I would want a high capacity semi-auto chambered for a 9mm cartridge or larger. Next, I would want to avoid such an encounter if at all possible. Handguns were not intended to deal with this type of situation. Really, a high capacity semi-auto rifle coupled with many magazines is what is warranted here. Actually, a SWAT team or a group of commandos would be the best antidote.:D


Timthinker
 
If a group of thugs were coming after to you to beat you to death and you had to choose one gun to save your life, what would it be?

I take it that as they're unarmed as they are going to beat me to death for fun. The fun stops if I shoot one of them. I doubt the others will keep coming at you after one of them gets shot. I don't think high capacity is a consideration unless they are determined to get shot.

As others have said what's good for you is different from what's good for me. Any 38spl/9mm or up would do the job.
 
The best gun for you may not be the best gun me. Gun fit is individual.

You need to find one that fits your hand and that you feel comfortable shooting. Then shoot it often enough that you feel confident that it won't fail.
Click to expand...


Truer words have not been spoken.
 
The best gun for you may not be the best gun me. Gun fit is individual.

You need to find one that fits your hand and that you feel comfortable shooting. Then shoot it often enough that you feel confident that it won't fail.
Click to expand...

+1 Find one you shoot well and get even better with it.
 
Even a compact sized pistol like the Glock 19, Sig P229, CZ P-01, or H&K P2000 won't be easy to conceal when you are wearing a light shirt during the summer.
Click to expand...

Huh?

czandhbe.jpg

Same shirt, gun, and rig I use in Arizona summers. It's how you carry it. Cheap nylon, holsters that chafe, holsters that let sweat leak through and rust your sidearm, yeah, that can cause a problem, but well fit good material, no issues, even under a light t-shirt, (in a cammie/disruptive pattern to help hide any hint of printing), can do this trick, has worked for me for years.

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack, just had to address that. Again, find what you like, quality that works well for you, and fits your hand like a glove. It's as individual as a car, more so, actually.
 
I vote for the Glock 17 or 19, and several full-cap mags loaded with +P+ ammo. I have the 19. (Too bad my Para hi-cap P14.45 doesn't always work.)

----
 
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