Handgun selection

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minirunner

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Southeast Minnesota. Beautiful bluff country.
I have been searching and researching for a handgun. I am looking for a kind of do it all gun. I want something to keep by the bed @ night. Just something to grab to get to the closet for my shotgun. To carry in the woods with me. Not to blow something away just more safe feeling than a .22. And something that I can cc eventually and not leave it @ home. I know there isn't a really a do all, but I am leaning towards a .38. I also want to be able to afford it and the ammo, and be able to easily get the ammo. I have my eye on sp101's and j- frames. But money is tight so I have checked out taurus also. I guess Im just looking for opinions and advice from an outside source other than the wife. A .38 j-frame airweight may be the way to go.
 
A 4" K or L frame sized 357 is about the best all round handgun. various power loadings for whatever is at hand or what you can handle. I have Ruger, Taurus, and S&W 357s and all operate well and have good features.

A J frame is far from an all around gun. Hard to shoot well and recoil is much more than a heavier K or L frame. Recoil is even worst with an airweight.

The SP 101 may be a great comprimise. Its smaller than the K frame but heavier than most J frames (25 or 28 oz). The 3" barrel will be much easier to shoot than the 2".
 
I have my eye on sp101's and j- frames.
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Pretty decent choices here. Is this for your wife, too? Regardless, try renting each before you buy, though.

Depending on how much you see yourself carrying, also consider a 3" k-frame, if you can find one. Adjustable sighted versions are exceedingly rare, but fixed-sighted versions (the model 64 (.38spl +P) or the .357mag model 65) are out there, and are outstanding all-arounders. The extra weight helps tame recoil, but might be heavy for extended carry. IIRC, the 3" 64 is still available new.

But money is tight so I have checked out taurus also.
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Again, depending on how often you plan to carry, there are some good deals to be had on trade-in 4" DAO M64s. A gun rendered DAO may be an issue for some, but IMO, it's not a bad feature for a SD revolver to have. Check out the J&G Sales link below.

http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/sm...1_431?osCsid=572143b47392a1456a939996d9b87af8
 
Yea I really like the sp101 in the 3 1/16" barrel. Im just afraid of it being heavy and not wanting to carry it. Im not looking for a target gun or anything. Just to have in the woods or by the bed as stricltly self defense. And I just moved to Minnesota so eventually I will get a carry permit. I have my shotgun as a primary HD. But just want something small to have as a piece of mind and will have no problem carrying all day. Thanks for all your opinions. I also kinda like the LCR, but am leary of getting the first model year out. Thanks again.
 
oh yea, my wife won't touch the gun. She likes my Daisy lever action BB gun, that's about it though. And the shotgun above the bed is out. She won't go for it and my 2.5 yr old will be too in to it. Eventually I want a single action Ruger Blackhawk in .357 for the range. But now I just want some protection in a life or death with a 2 or 4 legged creature. Where I am the bears are farther north but still around, so a cat, coyote, or crackhead is gonna be my biggest worry in the woods and around my house.
 
Again, depending on how often you plan to carry, there are some good deals to be had on trade-in 4" DAO M64s. A gun rendered DAO may be an issue for some, but IMO, it's not a bad feature for a SD revolver to have. Check out the J&G Sales link below.

http://www.jgsales.com/index.php/smi...939996d9b87af8
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Another vote for these M64, a great deal on a great all around revolver. Parts are available, they can handle +P's and any decent gunsmith knows how to work on them...
If you're going to carrry it I would try to get one with a round butt.
 
And the shotgun above the bed is out. She won't go for it and my 2.5 yr old will be too in to it.
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Where will you keep a handgun that is readily accessable to you in the dark, and not accessable to your 2.5 year old?

Use a stout bungee cord. Screw it to the frame at the bottom of the rack, bring it up and attach it to another hook above the gun. With the rack firmly screwed to the studs in the wall, it will take an adult to access that gun, but a strong man can do it quickly.
 
Eventually I want a single action Ruger Blackhawk in .357 for the range.
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If that's what you want eventually, just get it now insted of something you don't want as a stop-gap measure.

A .357 Blackhawk will serve you well in many rolls, and you won't live long enough to wear one out.

If you look around you might even still find one of the .357 flat-tops they made for the the 50th. anniversary. They are a smaller frame then the regular new model Blackhawk and a very satisfactory size all-around six-gun.
http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=140370291

rc
 
I could do that with the shotgun I guess. But I was thinking more of the gun staying in the rack all day. Didn't really think about that. But still I am looking for a pistol not just for HD. Thanks for the ideas though. I really don't want a single action for carry. I want something in the smaller sizes. I did some more thinking/ research and I think my best bet is a sp101 2 1/4". Not as light as a smith but way smaller than a gp100 or blackhawk. And I can carry it in town, camping, and keep it in a lock box during the day and in a holster under the bed at night. Plus it will take whatever I can dish it. Thanks again for the suggestions.
 
This is a call that only you can make. Lots and lots of advice, much of good, can come your way via this forum, but in the end it's still up to you to decide which gun best fits your hand and eye. The best advice I can offer is to be patient, do your research, and then test-drive a number of possible guns that strike your fancy until you find the exact one that is right for you.
 
It is more important that you are able to hit what you are shooting at then what you are shooting. Then I was younger I bought a Ruger P90 which is a huge .45 from a buddy in the army. I could not hit anything with the thing it was way to big for my hand so I could not control it well so my follow up shots were all over the place. My next gun was a Glock 17 9mm. True I could blow a hole the side of a small truck in a person with my first round with the Ruger after that the best I could have hoped for was a lucky shot or I scared the person away. With the Glock I could put all my rounds on target. In the end I now have the best of both an Smith and Wesson MP45 that fits my hand well and allows me to put all ten rounds on target.
 
I own 686 S&W 4' and can shoot both .357 and .38, and the recoil is very minimum with .38 special. It's like you shoot 9mm. I know I can never accurately hit a target with .357, especially stress, because recoil is too great.
 
I also shoot a S&W 686, the 7 shot version with a 2 1/2" barrel. Using .38 Special in it is easy on the recoil, but if I move up to .357 Magnum, it isn't so bad, either. The gun is very accurate and it's action is pretty slick. As a matter of fact, I've owned an awful lot of Smiths and this gun has one of the best triggers, not bad considering it has the lock, which BTW, has never caused me a problem.

Good luck in your search!
 
I went through the same process recently. It is difficult to get a all in one. The closest I would say is a Glock 26. Simple, concealable, larger mags, not too expensive.....

I ended up with a Kahr PM9 but only because I found a good deal on a used one. Then we shortly got a Ruger LCP for concealed carry for my wife. The Glock 26 is next.
 
Hi guys! New to this forum. Have the 357 mag, 45 and a 44 magnum that Clint himself would brag about, But, for home security, about to purchase a 226, 40 cal Sig elite stainless for my bedroom. Your thoughts?
 
I disagree. I have the same 357 and have great accuracy. It is the 45 that I can't hit the side of a barn! :)
 
Wow Thanks

Thanks everyone for the advice. I am still torn and have been thinking about it all the time. I have thought of the SP101 2 1/4 and 3 1/16. Or going the auto route and a Kahr CW9, because all I ever see at the store now is 9mm and hard to even see .38 or .357. But not sure of the 9mm auto for camping/hiking. I have also pondered the Taurus Judge Public Defender. But am worried about the reliability and quality of Taurus. Like I said it's for self defense and not for target. But I would like to be able to hit what I am shooting at. I would practice with it but not a lot. Just enough to be confident in a life or death scenario. I know there are a lot of people who think to be profecient you have to practice monthly even weekly. But in real life due too time and money I may only shoot 3 to 5 times a year. So I am still un decided. The SP101 in 3 1/16" is to me reliable, reasonable, and easy to operate/maintain. Plus I can still conceal it and carry with .38 and go in the woods with .357. Maybe that's my best choice. Again thanks everyone.
 
How about another option:
Glock 23 .40SW $399 new then a .357 drop-in barrel for $100 more. It is a great all round gun, simple, reliable, & very rust/wear resistant. It will function as a CCW, HD, camp defense, or plinker. Oh yeah that price it is through Glock Sport Shooting Foundation $30 annual dues = one glock pistol annually at cost :
http://www.gssfonline.com/

Good luck on a tough decision.
 
The SP101 in 3 1/16" is to me reliable, reasonable, and easy to operate/maintain. Plus I can still conceal it and carry with .38 and go in the woods with .357. Maybe that's my best choice.
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I think it's a great choice for an all-arounder.
 
How about something like an XD 9 Subcompact?
It comes with one magazine that is flush with the grip, easier for ccw. And another with a grip extension making it more like a full-sized grip, for the nightstand or range.

Other than that, you might have nailed it with the SP101.
 
If I were to go the auto route I would want a double action 9mm. I have been looking at the Kahr CW9. I kinda like it but don't know too much about the brand. Does anyone know how good they are? I would want a double action cause in my own personal opinion I wouldn't feel comfortable with one in the chamber and hammer cocked when I would carry. I like the options with an auto of one in the chamber, magazine inserted chamber empty, or stored with chamber empty magazine full but out. With the revolver it's either loaded or empty. I could keep it with a full speed loader though. So many decisions. But I want only one gun because I don't have the time to shoot many, let alone afford more. If im gonna go shoot it's gonna be the one I use for protection. It will force me to become profecient with that particular weapon. Ill get her figured out soon enough.
 
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