If you had to choose one...

[Old Shooter]

Mine would be a S&W model 66 in 4" barrel length. The one I own now is a 2 1/2".

Thanks for reminding me I need to look for and buy yet another gun!

If I had to choose TODAY it would be the 2 1/2".

 

[Carter]

Now, here's a question: If the gun you choose as "The One" over all others, but it isn't one you currently own.........
why don't you ???

Cause most people are too broke to buy their dream gun. I mean if I could afford it I'd probably take the SCAR, but my XCR (which needs to hurry up and arrive) will be just as good.

 

[ChCx2744]

Someone said earlier that a pistol won't stop a bear. More than likely, of course a pistol is not going to be as effective against a bear as lets say, a shotgun with slugs or high powered, big caliber rifle...However, even multiple shots of 9mm to the face is gonna let a bear know that you don't wanna be his friend. Even bears must breathe, see, smell and taste, therefore they have nostrils, eyes and mouths/throats; multiple shots to these soft and tender areas with even a 9mm will MOST LIKELY net some response. Would I ever want to be close enough to a charging grizzly to test my hypothesis? Hell no. However, is having something better than nothing...well...better than nothing? Most definitely.

 

[Carter]

Very true about the bear or other animals and soft targets. But shooting sensitive areas effecticely on a charging animal is hard...especially on curvy trails that you dont know what's around the corner or thick woods. But then again, if thats the case, you're probably already out of luck.

But we digress...

 

[Officers'Wife]

However, is having something better than nothing...well...better than nothing? Most definitely.

Two posts in a row where I'm quoting Bodel's theorems- When your weapon is not capable of stopping your immediate danger, it's better to run and hope it will lose interest than shoot and **** it off further.

 

[Rokman]

I couldn't because I am very indecisive. That question is too hard.

 

[Ala Dan]

For Those Times When The Chips Are Down

and I somehow survuved; but I need to protect my belongings, I would
turn to a good lounge chair and have with me my Rock River Arms LAR
Operator Elite in 5.56mm, and plenty of ammo - to wart off any temp-
tation by the thugs in my area~!

 

[NMGonzo]

4 inch .357 magnum.

 

[Carter]

Interesting only one person chose an AR.

 

[goon]

A .223 is probably less capable of stopping a bear in an outright charge than a .357 or bigger handgun loaded with hot hard cast loads. I know guys have killed bears with them hunting, but still...
But that doesn't make a semi-auto .223 a bad choice at all. You can't have everything with one gun and the 5.56/.223 brings a lot of good things to the table. It would be hard to fault anyone for choosing it, but it is still a rifle. Rifles are harder to conceal. You can't just untuck your T-shirt and cover it up when you show up somewhere that being armed might be forbidden but utterly necessary. A handgun lets you do that if you need to but you'd have to stash your AR in the weeds while you venture in for coffee and beans and just hope for the best.

As for why people don't own their "one" gun - maybe you don't need to narrow it to one gun if you plan to use three or four.
I made my choice by looking at what I'd need my ideal three or four guns to do, then trying to get as much of those capabilities as I could into one gun.

 

[Carter]

I wasn't asking for an all purpose gun, but the one that you would choose over all the others. Certain people would choose their m1a or fal over everything they own, others their AR, some their $200,000 SxS or OU (don't get me started), and then make it work for whatever they need to.

But good rational decision Goon.

 

[pmwizard]

I own a g19 and s&w 686 that carries 7 rounds. I wouldnot hesitate to pick the revolver because I am a lot more accurate with it than the glock.

 

[nelsonal]

For these types of scenarios, it seems like a good assumption that we're going to have a hard time trading (which is the basis for all the specialization that exists today. So, I am thinking hard about blackpowder, because I'd have a far better chance of crudely fashioning replacement parts, and know the recipe for making black powder the old fasioned way. Eventually, even that case of .223 is gonna be running low, and after that the gun is just so much weight.

 

[Carter]

Trading--don't you mean raiding, scavenging, and pillaging? Unless you want to remain gentlemanly, of course.

Trade would still be possible, but lets not hypothetical the hypothetical scenario.

I could even see a person saying no firearm at all and sticking with a bow. But wrong forum for that probably.

 

[David E]

Now, here's a question: If the gun you choose as "The One" over all others, but it isn't one you currently own.........
why don't you ???

Cause most people are too broke to buy their dream gun. I mean if I could afford it I'd probably take the SCAR, but my XCR (which needs to hurry up and arrive) will be just as good.

If you don't own the gun you consider "The One," then what makes you think it's the best gun for you?

If you have a valid reason to believe a certain gun is "The One," then logic dictates that it should be the first one obtained, everything else falling in line behind it.

 

[David E]

I was thinking more disaster type situation. End of the world, etc. Just only have time/room/weight for one weapon.

Kind of surprised people are picking pistols, but then again they are light and can carry alot of ammo. Won't stop a bear though

Maybe I missed it, but I don't recall any bear attacks during Katrina or Ivan or any other disaster type situations......so dismissing a gun because it won't stop a bear attack is pointless.

And if the parameters of the question keep changing, then this thread is pointless !

 

[grumpycoconut]

The only correct answer is a .357 revolver. My personal preference is my 4" S&W 686.

It's the perfect EOTWAWKI gun. It goes bang everytime you want it to no matter how much belly button lint gets in it. It won't rust no matter how much sweat you get on it. You can load it hot enough to hurt small bears and scare large bears (killing them's a whole different thing and who wants to go bear hunting during the zombie apocalypse anyway?). You can load it soft enough that your skinny 8 year old girl can shoot squirells with it if she really needs to. Every third house in almost every neighborhood (every 4th house in Chicago, DC and Canadia) has some .38 special ammo in the bottom of the sock drawer. Reloading the ammo is chimp simple. And most importantly of all, It's big enough and heavy enough to make an effective club when things really hit the fan.

 

[Carter]

They aren't really changing parameters but side notes. The bear thing came about because of a place I would consider going (due to own personal experience and preference) in a end of the world situation. We digressed, thread pulled back on track. And the reason I was surprised about pistols was because I have a different thought process. Different view points coming out is always a good thing and encourages rethinking.

 

[Kernel]

3" S&W model 686+, pre-lock.

 

[David E]

Ok, for a "disaster type" situation and I only had time to grab one, if the wife were with me, it'd be the M4-gery. If I was alone, it'd be the M1A Scout.

Both are ready to grab along with accessories at a moments notice.

(truth be told, I'd also be able to snag a handgun, too..............but which one? )

 

[goon]

I wasn't asking for an all purpose gun, but the one that you would choose over all the others. Certain people would choose their m1a or fal over everything they own, others their AR, some their $200,000 SxS or OU (don't get me started), and then make it work for whatever they need to.

But good rational decision Goon.

Thanks, but if you're going to have only one gun, doesn't it have to be a mulitpurpose gun?
I have the luxury of task specific guns for CCW, small game, big game, defense, offense, whatever right now - I can have all those tools. But if I only have one gun, doesn't it have to try to do all those things?

Or are you asking a different question - meaning what is the most important use we have for a firearm?
Because in that case, you'll get different answers. Some enjoy plinking and would choose grandpa's Winchester 62, some hunt and have need of their 7mm Mag's, some are black rifle nuts who can't go a day without fondling their AR, and some live in dangerous neighborhoods and can't walk to the car without a Glock in the waistband.

 

[Carter]

But if I only have one gun, doesn't it have to try to do all those things?

Or are you asking a different question - meaning what is the most important use we have for a firearm?

Sorry for the confusion. I meant the gun you would feel the most comfortable with in any given situation as listed. I wanted to avoid all purpose gun because IMO there really isn't one. But, yes that term could be used.

As far as people fondling their AR's, the same can go with FAL, M1 garand, M1a, etc guys. People naturally latch on to one gun type as their favorite. But those AR guys sure do love to fondle them and defend them to death. Good rifle, but its not the only one or best one out there.

 

[David E]

if you're going to have only one gun, doesn't it have to be a mulitpurpose gun?
I have the luxury of task specific guns for CCW, small game, big game, defense, offense, whatever right now - I can have all those tools. But if I only have one gun, doesn't it have to try to do all those things?

He said:

I was thinking more disaster type situation. End of the world, etc.

What gun best fits THAT criteria?


Of course, then he said this:

I wasn't asking for an all purpose gun, but the one that you would choose over all the others.

So I guess I don't know what the real question, much less what the real answer is....

 

[Carter]

What gun best fits THAT criteria?

Whatever your heart desires, and that is the point of this thread. What would you choose. Are you going to hunt for food (.30 cal), scavenge (widely common caliber that is probably going to be light .223, pistol calibers, etc), and so on...

Have fun with it and don't be too serious.

The reason why I asked is its such a hard decision to pick JUST ONE. But if you have a setting for what you'd be using it for it might be a little easier. Not to mention this particular setting brings in a lot of factors to think about. This can be as light or deep as you want to take it.

 

[David E]

What gun best fits THAT criteria?

I was asking that of Goon, not in general.

The gun selected depends greatly on the scenario. If I were heading for the hills and staying there and had to carry everything on my back, a strong case can be made for an accurate .22 rimfire rifle.

"disaster type" situation implies probable civil unrest and looting. .22 rimfire is out, AR or M1A is in.

What's the "most versatile gun" means different things to different people. An AR-15 with multiple uppers or a 1911 with multiple uppers would allow many different calibers to be used on one "gun" frame.

This is why this question needs specific, unchanging parameters.

Otherwise, it's like asking, "What's a good woods gun?" and have 100 posts saying you need one big enough to stop charging grizzly bears, debating beteen a .44 magnum vs. a .454, single vs double action, etc, etc.......without ever asking if the OP has bears of any kind in his woods.