Practical "well rounded" handgun battery.

[David E]

What is a practical well rounded handgun battery to YOU ?

(by "practical," I mean within reason, as it's not helpful to say, "buy 'em all!" as very few among us can do that. Further, I mean what guns and calibers would be enough to fill most practical, realistic uses for you.)

Please state cailbers and guns to go with.

For me, the calibers that make up a practical "well rounded battery" has .22 LR, .38 spl, .357, 9mm, .40, .45 acp and .44 magnum. Any of the guns listed should suffice nicely for the caliber for the uses _I_ envision for myself.

.22 LR - Ruger auto, Buckmark, Walther P-22, S&W Model 34/63, Single action Colt or Ruger.

.38 spl - S&W J frame, S&W Model 12 2" RB, or Colt Detective Special/Agent

.357 - S&W Model 686 4", Ruger GP-100

9mm - Glock 17/19/34, S&W M&P 9/Pro, XD/XD-m 4"-5", Browning Hi Power, Sig 226/229, Beretta 92

.40 - Glock 22/35, M&P40, XD/XD-m 4"-5". Sig 226/229, STI 2011

.45 acp - Colt/Kimber/Para/Springfield 1911 Govt.

.44 Magnum - S&W Model 29/629 w/ 6" barrel, Ruger Redhawk 4" to 7.5" barrel.


I'd call this a good start !

.

 

[gbran]

.22lr thru 454 Cassul

 

[Ringer]

It will be interesting to see what practical means to us.

To me "practical" would be multiple guns of a small number of calibers. So I'd say:

.22LR - one each revolver and semi-auto (minimum 1 each)

9mm - 2 G19's for concealed carry. PM9 for deeper concealment. M&P9F as a house gun. (again, minimum)

.38/.357 Mag - One short barrel as another option for conceal carry. One longer barrel just because everyone should have one. Then add as many more as you like. Makes a good combination with a .357 Lever Action Rifle.

.45ACP - I might add a couple of these for when you need/want a bigger bullet. Plus it's just a good shooting cartridge.

All the semi-autos, except maybe the .22 would be DAO. This way all my defensive guns (revolvers and semi-autos) have the same basic manual of arms. That seems practical as well.

 

[David E]

I am trying to establish calibers and firearms for a "well rounded" battery.

Note that "well rounded" does not mean "thoroughly complete."

If you were advising someone who wanted to assemble their own "well rounded battery," what calibers/guns would you suggest?

For the sake of parameters, let's say EIGHT handguns max.

.

 

[.41Dave]

8 guns max... Ok:

.22LR - one S&W model 17 or 18, one Ruger Mk II 2 total

.38 Special - one S&W model 442 or 642 1 total

.357 Magnum - one S&W model 19 or 66, one S&W model 27 or Colt Python 2 total

.41 or .44 Magnum - one S&W model 57, 657, 29, or 629 1 total

.45 ACP - one 1911 of whatever flavor, one S&W M&P 45 or Springfield XD45 2 total

 

[David E]

No 9mm ??

 

[Rangegod]

If I had to build or rebuild a handgun collection now, knowing what I've learned over the last 50+ years from the 300 or so that have passed through my collection it would be these obtained in this order:

1. S&W 686+; A 4" .357 can do anything that can be reasonably expected from a handgun, from firing wax loads to 180 grain deer stoppers while being big enough for a fight and still small enough to conceal if needed.

2. S&W 617; A 4", 10 shot 22lr. is an excellent small game gun, range trainer and fun plinker.

3. S&W 642: arguably the best CCW in existence.

These three would cover everything I have ever needed a handgun to do. After obtaining these I would add a 9MM BHP and a Commander size 1911 just because I like them.

JAC

 

[Landric]

For me:

1- .22LR/.22Mag, Ruger Single Six w/ 4 5/8" barrel

2- .38 Special, 1- J-frame Airweight

3- 9x19mm, 1- Beretta M9A1, 1- M&P9L, 1- HK P7

4- .357 Magnum, 1- L-frame 4"

5- .44 Special, 1- N-frame 4"

6- .45ACP, 1- M&P45 4"

For me the uses are:

-Single Six, plinking, general fun, cheap shooting, and with .22 Mag cylinder, small game hunting

-J-frame Airweight, pocket carry/BUG

-Beretta M9A1, Home defense and IDPA-SSP

-M&P9L, IDPA-ESP

-HK P7, Carry

-L-frame .357, Home Defense, IDPA-SSR, and plinking/fun shooting

-N-frame .44 Special, Home Defense, general fun shooting, and with handloads, possible handgun hunting (one could replace it with a .44 Magnum, but the me the .44 Special is truly special and all I feel I need)

-M&P45, IDPA-CDP, Home Defense, and Carry

 

[mavracer]

I can name that tune in 4 notes.
Ruger 22LR IE MKII
S&W M&P 340 357mag
1911 45acp
S&W M29 44mag

 

[wanderinwalker]

8 gun battery:

.22LR - S&W M-18, 4" 6-shot DA revolver AND a Ruger Mk of some sort, preferably 4-5 1/2" barrel

.38 or .357 Magnum - S&W M-15 (.38 Special) or M-19 (.357 Magnum), 4" barrel

.44 Magnum - S&W M-29 or 629, 4" barrel

9mm - Glock 19; 15 +1 in a gun big enough to be shootable, small enough to conceal

.45 ACP - One good 1911 Government-sized, like a Dan Wesson or Kimber Series 1.

Then still have room for a couple of others, like a sub-compact 9mm or a .38 snub-nosed revolver.

 

[dmazur]

A well-rounded battery with only 3 -

Ruger MarkII (.22 LR) - plinking
Colt 1911 (.45 ACP) - 2-legged problems
Ruger SBH (.44 Mag) - 4-legged problems

 

[9mmepiphany]

well rounded, mostly picked based on accuracy and function

.22lr - 4" Colt Diamondback; Honorable Mention: 6" S&W M-17

9mm - service gun - Springfield XDm tactical - if your going high cap, you minds as well go full sized barrel; HM: Sig X-Five
9mm - carry gun - H&K P7; HM: Kahr

.38spl/.357mag - Dan Wesson Model 15 Pistol Pac (2.5"-10" bbls) - most flexible package for the most flexible calibre; HM: S&W M-627 8 shot w/moon clips

.44spl/.44mag - Freedom Arms - the finest quality and most accurate wheelgun; HM: there is nothing close

 

[.41Dave]

No 9mm ??

I'm not a big fan of the 9mm. Not knocking it, just never had a need for one.

 

[steveracer]

I was thinking like this:
Model 17 in .22LR.
Buckmark in .22LR
K-frame with 3" or shorter barrel and round butt, for summer carry. 10/13/19/64/65/66 etc.(Substitue 12 if you MUST have lighter weight.)
1911 (Commander or full sized) for winter CCW.
29-2 or newer N-frame Smith in .44 Mag for hiking/hunting/killing cinder blocks.

 

[2ndamd]

Man you don't need 8 guns to have a complete battery.
SP101 .357 mag 2.25"
GP100 .357 mag 4"
Marlin 1894c .357 mag
Now, get a back-up for each one and there you go.

 

[levrluvr]

S&W 18 .22lr
S&W 48 .22wmr
DW 15 .357mag
Ruger Service Six .38spl
Marlin 1894c

 

[LoneCoon]

Ruger 22/45 in .22lr
Dan Wesson in .357 (Multiple Barrels FTW)
Glock 19 9mm
S&W 1911 (.45)
Colt SAA in .45LC

All your major calibers represented, lots of manufactures. A well rounded battery to be sure.

 

[10-Ring]

IMHO, a good battery would include at least a classic but surely versatility -- as for members to that battery --
22lr -- a good & reliable wheelgun or semi auto -- S&W 17 or 18 or 617 or one of the usual suspect of the semi auto variety
357/38 -- lots of sample out there from S&W, Ruger
9mm -- lots of options here from the group that use to be called wundernines to the xd's & newer m&ps
45 acp -- traditional American caliber w/ alot of platforms -- but you have to have at least one 1911
honorable mention -- 44 magnum -- S&W or Ruger would be my choice here

 

[chris in va]

22, 38, 9mm, 45. I'm not rich so that's about the best I can do.