ONE good all around pistol

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Byrd666

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As I was going through and organizing my safe earlier, I realized something, I don't have a one can do all pistol. I have SD/HD guns, and concealed carry pistols, and plinkin' pistols, and range toys, and just plain Fun guns. Just not an everything pistol.

So here's my question, if you had to choose one, and ONLY ONE, semi automatic pistol for everything, what would it be? A pistol that can be used for home and self defense. A pistol that can be concealed for every day carry. A pistol that you can use for hiking, walking the back forty and hunting(everything from elephant to squirrel,(ie; survival food)) with. The same pistol can also be used as a range gun, a truck gun and a competition gun. And of course, a plinkin' gun.

I posted this on another site and got some really interesting answers. As well as the standard Glock answer stuff. This is a question that really pertains to thinking out of the box, while thinking within the same box. But, not of conforming to the realms of the box.
 
I really don't think there is "one" gun for every occasion but if I had to choose it would be a Sig P220. Rock solid, accurate and rock solid. What more could you want in a gun? I don't think it will stop an elephant though. I don't think many handguns will unless you count those things that double as canes or could anyway. You know the ones I mean. S&W makes most of them. Like one of their .460 magnums. Best to get the bipod option BTW. 21" long is almost long enough to be used as a cane isn't it? It only weighs 5 lbs. Heck I have rimfire rifles that weigh more than that and I know they won't stop an elephant. I am pretty sure you can bring down a squirrel or you can blow up a squirrel at least. :rolleyes: :)

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The closest thing I've got is a CZ75. It would fullfill many of the roles you mentioned... maybe not elephants.
 
Glock 26.

If I could only have one gun, it would be a Glock 26.

I've been carrying it daily, most of the time (Glock 19 filled in most of the rest), since 2005.

I've carried it hiking in the Rockies.

I've shot matches with it.

It's been my only HD gun.

It's been my HD handgun, in the nightstand, as a choice to supplement my HD long gun.


Easy choice. Glock 26.
 
I would not select a semi-auto.

My choice would be my Ruger 4 5/8" SS old model Vaquero in .45 Colt.

It's strong enough to shoot the heaviest .45 loads, small enough to be carried.

Elephants be damned.
 
You limited it to self loaders, they don't factor into my thoughts on a general purpose handgun. A 4" Smith 29 is as close as I've ever come to that concept. My neighborhood includes things that most people only write about on the internet though.

The Smiths are the most stone dead reliable handguns I've ever used. I used to think Ruger SA's were, but after breaking 3 transfer bars in 3 different guns, the Smiths come out ahead by a long ways in actual use over long term.
 
Only limited to semis I'd take the glock 20 10mm. If it was expanded to revolvers I would take a 4" 357. GP100 or s&w 686.
 
I only have the one centerfire semi auto, a Glock 20. It does everything I need it to do. Its a little large for comfortable deep concealed carry but it would still work with the right holster. It has proved to be a competent hunting sidearm having taken several head of big game and many varmints. When it comes to caliber compatibility the Glock 20 is among the most versatile auto platforms available, only rivaled by the 1911. Besides the standard 10mm I can shoot .40 S&W via a conversion barrel and I also have a .22 LR conversion slide for it. If I so choose it can be converted to fire upwards of a dozen different cartridges. I could live very happily for the rest of my life with just this one Glock 20 for all of my handgun needs.
 
justin10mm said:
I only have the one centerfire semi auto, a Glock 20. It does everything I need it to do. Its a little large for comfortable deep concealed carry but it would still work with the right holster. It has proved to be a competent hunting sidearm having taken several head of big game and many varmints. When it comes to caliber compatibility the Glock 20 is among the most versatile auto platforms available, only rivaled by the 1911. Besides the standard 10mm I can shoot .40 S&W via a conversion barrel and I also have a .22 LR conversion slide for it. If I so choose it can be converted to fire upwards of a dozen different cartridges. I could live very happily for the rest of my life with just this one Glock 20 for all of my handgun needs.
Click to expand...

Just curious...what clothing do you wear when concealing that G20?
 
1911 Commander with a small radius firing pin stop and a heavier main spring, coupled with a ramped bbl with a fully supported chamber. I'd set it up that way for running .45 ACP and .45 Super.

Otherwise I'd probably buy a stock HK45 and deal with the funky mag release so I could likewise run .45 ACP and Super.
 
To cover it all, it must be a service caliber, 9mm or above, large enough to shoot well yet small enough to carry regularly.

In a revolver, a .357 would do well. The option exists to load it with .38 Spcl. Once you get into the .40 something calibers, the cylinders are large enough to make CCW a little dicey for most. Some do, though. Depends on body shape and willingness to compromise wardrobe and possibly comfort.

In an auto, the 9mm, .40S&W and .45ACP are all top shelf choices. The inadequate performance of 9mm is a thing of the past with modern bullet design.

Personally, I've settled on the 1911 as my "do all" pistol. I own several handguns, all but one are 1911 types. It's a .22 revolver on semi-permenant loan to a relative.

The general answer, though, is the largest pistol you can conceal in the largest caliber you can manage in a design that fits you decently, if not very well.
 
My answer...

In short, Id say in 2014, a Gen 04 Glock 23 .40S&W.
It's compact but takes full or compact magazines. It's light but balanced for most shooters. You can add white lights or laser aiming systems. It's proven & has a well known history in real lethal force events.
Glock 23s can also be custom fit with after market parts or be converted from .40 to .357sig, 9x19mm or with a kit, the .22LR.

Holsters & accessories are easy to find for Glocks too.

Rusty
 
For me the Glock 23, preferrably Gen4. Big enough to fight with, small enough to conceal. Has good capacity, good firepower and carries nicely IWB or OWB. You can plink with it, shoot competition with it, carry it for self defense, load it up warmly for woods use and keep it on the nightstand for home defense use. To me, it's the ultimate do-it-all size and caliber weapon.
 
As soon as I read the OP I thought it has to be a 1911 and I see there are many who already said the same. Are we allowed to have a .22 conversion for that 1911? If yes it makes the choice even better!
 
"I don't have an everything pistol."

You don't have an everything pistol because it doesn't exist. Any pistol can be used for HD, EDC, range/target use, hunting, and plinking around for fun - from a government 1911 to a Ruger LCP and everything in between - but there is no single pistol that will perform very admirably in all of those areas.

To get as close as possible, you need to choose a subcompact. These guns can be CC'd well enough, but they usually also have enough of a grip to comfortably shoot hundreds of rounds in one outing. They're available in everything from 10mm through .380 ACP. And many manufacturers produce a subcompact model that's accurate enough to be used as a dedicated range toy or primary USPSA/IDPA handgun.

That said, you need to accept that even the best of the subcompact offerings will not be a "top choice" in any one of these areas. They aren't designed to fill any of these roles - they're designed to be "everything" guns. Just as with anything else, a Jack-of-all-trades is generally a Master of None.

So what are your options in subcompact guns? Off the top of my head, a Commander or CCO 1911, Glock 19/23/29/30, or SIG P229. I know there are many others, but even this short list gives you caliber, action type, and cosmetic/aesthetic variety. Pick one.
 
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