The best all around handgun?

[DWARREN123]

I do not believe that you can get a CCW and a hunting handgun in the same package. There are conflicts in what the firearm would have to do, such as easy to carry against heft and long barrel for accuracy.
I like the Ruger SP-101 for carry but would go for a 6" barrel revolver of 357 mag or larger caliber, more like a 44 mag.

 

[S&Wfan]

Welcome to the wonderful, wonderful world of handgun ownership!

Either gun on your list will be a great first gun. However, I would opt for the revolver as a first gun.

They are so simple to use.

They can be safely unloaded much easier, and it it easy to confirm that there is not a round in the "chamber," since you can open the cylinder to make sure.

There's virtually no chance of it normally jamming.

They are very accurate.

Of the two, the GP-100 is your safest, easiest to learn with choice! An auto opens a lot of extra things to worry about.


WARNING . . . once you get "bitten" by the bug, you'll always want more handguns!

So, once you've mastered your revolver you'll have plenty more guns to lust for . . . maybe even that big grip Glock 10mm!

T.

PS: Just like an adjustable wrench in a tool box can do a lot of jobs but is not the best for any, neither of these two guns is "perfect" for both CCW and hunting . . . though I guess either could do both tasks somewhat.

Later you can add a .44 magnum for a hunting revolver, and a small and light auto or wheelgun for concealed carry. Until you can add these two, the GP-100 will serve you well to fill in all the tasks!

In either event, you'll STILL not part with the GP-100. You'll find it an excellent gun to carry exposed in a holster, your first choice if someone is breaking in the house (vs. a small, concealed gun), and first on your list to take target shooting with.

 

[Ala Dan]

My Vote Goes To

the S&W model 10~!

Kind'a like the 1911, its been around a long-long time; and it ain't about
too go away any time soon~!

 

[jad0110]

Unless you plan on getting into reloading anytime soon, I'd stay away from 10mm anything. Around here, the ammo is tough to find and when you do, it will empty your wallet faster than a teenie bopper at the mall.

Do rent before you buy, if possible. In addition to the GP100, try out a 586/686. Like me, you may find it balances in your hand more to your liking. But as nice as the L Frame Smith (I do love my 686) and GP100 are, I wouldn't want to tote either of those pigs around CCW for long. Like others said, it won't be long before you buy more toys for your collection .

For a do everything well gun, I'd also keep my eyes open for a nice used K Frame Smith. If you are going to CCW and hunt with the same gun, a 3" K Frame may be a good compromise. With 357 ammo, stick to 158 grain stuff and higher to avoid cracking the forcing cone, the only weakness of the K Frame. Check you state's regs on handgun hunting however. A 3" Ruger SP101 would also be a top pick.

Then there are the used Rugers like the Security Six. Every bit as tough as the newer GP100, but not as bulky. To me anyway, it is superior when compared to the GP, but that's just my opinion.

Enjoy your search, and welcome to THR! Your gonna like it here.

 

[tango3065]

I have several handguns and really like my brand new glock the best but if I could only have one it would be my 642 because when the door rings in the middle of the night I can just toss it my lounge pants pocket, when going out I can do the same and its so light I forget its there, if I was to get a bad round just pull again, wife can use it but can't pull the slide on any of my autos, and I just like it.

 

[depicts]

I'd go with the Ruger GP100. I have one, and it's rugged and accurate with a 4" barrel and adjustable sights.

I'm small, but carry the Ruger concealed quite well in a Strong (brand) pancake holster (Other top quality pancake OWB hollsters will do the job) and a good gunbelt.

I've hunted with mine and feel comfortable with up to Deer size animals, but only shoot as far as you can hit a pie plate in the center every time.

The GP100 has great neoprene grips that absorb recoil for practice with .357, and you can shoot cheaper .38 caliber for LOTS of practice.

One final note, I think you can learn the fundamentals of shooting far better with a .22 revolver than a .357. I made my first pistol a Ruger Single Six, and taught myself to shoot, and as soon as I could afford it, I added the GP100. I have a couple of them now, and love them. It's what I use whan I want to teach someone to fire centerfire handguns.

 

[.38 Special]

IMO a double action .357 revolver is the closest thing there is to a "best all around handgun" -- be it Ruger, Smith, Dan Wesson, Taurus, or whatever. (Certain cheap foreign pieces of crap excepted, of course.)

Compared to those, any semi-auto -- especially one in 10mm -- is a specialized and limited-purpose handgun, again IMO.

HTH!

 

[Wedge]

T-Main, your requirements sound VERY similar to mine when I bought my first handgun. Unfortunately I learned that what makes a good hunting piece makes for a poor CCW. I ended up getting a Ruger Blackhawk in .45 Colt (5.5" barrel) and it makes for an AWESOME hunting sidearm but poor for CCW.

The 4" Ruger GP-100 is one of the guns that I wished I had bought instead of the .45 Colt. Probably the closest to a do it all gun you can get. However, I would base your firearm decision on what you plan to do with the gun 99% of the time. If it is hunting then get a hunting gun. If it is CCW get a great CCW.

Any odd caliber makes for a poor first gun. I learned that the hard way and ended up having to get a reloading set up to afford shooting my .45 Colt. 10mm Auto will be the same way.

So I guess I would vote 4" .357.

 

[Jeff Timm]

The best feature of the .357 GP-100 is the ability to shoot loads from the 148 gr low velocity wadcutter target round, up to the heavy 180gr .357 Magnum hunting round.

More common ammo is inexpensive. Winchester White Box 130 gr jacketed range ammo at Walmart is about $13 per 100 round box (local pricing applies) to FEDERAL 357 MAGNUM 158 GR. JACKETED SOFT POINT HIGH VELOCITY $189 per 500 rounds from http://www.ammoman.com/ and can take anything on the North American Continent you would use a handgun to hunt.

Geoff
Who is not a hunter.

 

[saspic]

Well, the best all around handgun is the GLOCK 19, but hunting is where the G19 meets its limitations.

.357 Magnum and 10mm were the first two calibers to come to my mind as well, but you should also consider a .44. You might use .44 Magnum for hunting and .44 Special for self defense. S&W model 29 and 629 are great choices.

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15706&isFirearm=Y

http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/...angId=-1&parent_category_rn=15706&isFirearm=Y

If you are leaning towards a semi auto, don't forget a simple barrel change is all that's needed to shoot .40 S&W in your GLOCK 20. That's helpful if ammo price and availability is a concern. 10x25 ammo itself runs the gamut from .40 power level to moderate .41 Magnum power.

 

[420Stainless]

I have a strong dislike for polymers and don't own any, but if you put those two choices on the table and said I could only use one of them for all my carry needs I would have to give the Glock a try. I am one to compromise weight for other qualities when it comes to carrying. Would prefer the option of having a concealment piece and a field piece, but if limited to one I'd swallow my chaw and give the Glock a try.

 

[jlh26oo]

b/t the gp100 and g20, g20 easy. Especially considering you plan to carry it.

 

[jad0110]

Winchester White Box 130 gr jacketed range ammo at Walmart is about $13 per 100 round box (local pricing applies)

Dang, WWB 130 gr at Walley World in my area sell for $19.98 per 100! :banghead: 9 mm WWB sells for $12.98.

 

[treeprof]

I own both, and for all around use I prefer the G-20 because with a 40 S&W conversion bbl and the Advantage Arms .22 conversion kit the Glock will do pretty much everything I want from a non-hunting sidearm (for which I prefer my scoped 7.5" Super Redhawk). However, a G-20 with some decent sights, a conversion bbl (so you can shoot cheaper ammo if cost is a concern) and a .22 kit (for plinkin and really cheap practice) costs some serious coin - close to a grand - whereas you can be in a GP100 for the mid-$400's. Size-wise the G-20 is closer to my 2.5" S&W 686 than it is my the 4" GP100. I'm pretty fair-sized (6'3", 210 lbs) and the G-20 conceals well enough for me, but the GP is more difficult to conceal (esp. here in the hot South) and is used strictly as a field gun.

 

[MachIVshooter]

While one simply cannot do everything with only one handgun, there are some that are useful across a much broader spectrum than others.

If I could only keep one pistol, it would be my S&W 1006. A bit large for CCW and also at the low end power-wise for a hunting handgun, it is about as versatile as a handgun can be, IMO. It truly is a full size combat pistol, but could succesfully fill most any handgun role. For CCW, one would have to wear more clothing than may be comfortable in warm weather. As a hunting handgun, the 10mm should be used with top loads at relativley close range (<100yards) on larger game (I don't think I'd go bigger than mule deer with it). But a lesser cartridge cannot be considered adequate for medium/large game, and a bigger handgun would make CC a real PITA.

Fortunately, we live in the good old US of A, where we don't have to choose so carefully.

 

[Maximum1]

The one you carry all the time

 

[Maximum1]

Best advice I can give you is to go to a local gun shop or even better a local (large) gun show and handle a lot of guns....guns are like baseball gloves they fit most but not all fit well. That's why I recommend folks first handle different styles of guns to see which feels better in their hands....I also recommend you stay with a medium caliber to start: 9mm or .38.

You'll like find one that fits you oh so like that nice fitting glove then with some luck maybe your local gun range will have one for rent so you can try first before buying. One last point, stay with NAME BRAND MANUFACTURERS but stay far away from "Saturday Night Special" i.e. cheap crappie guns.

In closing, I'm actually surprised by those of you who suggested a 357 as a first gun :banghead: In my opinion too much pistol for a beginner it can give one all sorts of bad habits as a result of its weight and recoil.

 

[Arcticfox]

Get a 686 4 inch and call it a day!