quote:

Podbyrin 9.2mm

I had to "google" that one!

If it had to be a handgun, it would be one of the few I keep around or on me anyways, and those would be a G45, G17, or G22. In recent years, I've gravitated away from the compact Glocks in favor of the full frames, and I have probably all the G17 and G22 magazines I'll ever need.

Does a Glock 17 in a CAA MCK count? This thing is stupid accurate and a blast to shoot with an inexpensive red dot on it. I wish I could shoot as well without the unit on it.

Other than that the normal guns work-ar-15, shotgun and a couple other striker guns.

In order of preference. All in 9mm.

SIG P226
SIG P228
SIG P229
GLOCK 19
Browning Hi Power
Beretta M9
HK P2000
Smith & Wesson 5906
Ruger P89
CZ 75B

HK USP 45
SIG P226 in 9mm
Steyr L9A2
Springfield 1911

for the most part anything that's seen as typically reliable. if you remember there used to be good cars, and bad cars just like good guns and bad guns. with modern design and manufacturing We don't have a whole lot of genuinely bad any more. For example lets say there were a situation where you needed a gun, and a highpoint 9mm was all that you had access too in that moment, you might not be happy with the choice, but you'd be able to reliably expect it to go bang.

That said, I can't foresee any non P365 versions in my buying future.

If I knew in advance I would have to defend my family with a handgun, I would only have one.

I know an expert clays shooter and bird hunter who only shoots one specific shotgun, and has only ever shot this one gun model as far as I know. It's not an expensive gun but he hits near 100% of his targets in skeet, clays, five stand, distance trick shooting (if he were to shoot FITASC), and live birds of any kind at any distance.

So there's probably something to be said for the one-gun man. I don't know about professional snipers but I imagine they don't have a bunch to choose from when they go to work, and I'm pretty sure that's on purpose.

Any 9mm Glock!!

quote:

Originally posted by wrightd:
If I knew in advance I would have to defend my family with a handgun, I would only have one...

There used to be a saying, "Beware of the man with just one gun. He probably knows how to use it."

Top 10 shouldn't be any surprise: guns from Glock, SIG, Beretta, S&W, CZ, Colt, etc.

My daughter has shot a variety of my handguns- semi and revolvers.

She surprised me by asking for my Glock recently, as it was the one that she remembered how to use the best, she said.

I will try to get her to ALSO take her grandpa's .38Special revolver, so that her and her husband can have a reliable handgun if someone kicks in a door in Los Angeles.

I'm late, of course. I own these, so my top few choices (1-7) are how I have it set up inside the house.

1) Gen 5 Glock 22 .40 w/ X300U (bedside)
2) S&W 66-1 .357 (wife's bedside; loaded with .38 Gold Dots)
3) Gen 5 Glock 23 .40 w/ X300U (bedroom safe)
4) Gen 5 Glock 45 9mm w/ TLR-7A (bedroom safe)
5) S&W M&P 2.0 .45 with X300U (bedroom safe)
6) Gen 4 Glock 21 .45 (hidden by front door; hollow book)
7) Remington 870 Police (hidden by front door; top of bookshelf)
8) Sig Sauer P226 (main gunsafe)
9) Gen 5 Glock 47 MOS (main gunsafe)
10) Sig Sauer P228 (main gunsafe)

I have others, but these would be the ones I'd grab first.

In early 2024, any weapon with a longer-stroke double-action trigger became ineligible for “top” status, when arthritis moved into the second joint in each of my trigger fingers. My days of dry-firing almost every day, with a factory-stock Ruger GP100, ended in March of 2024. Smaller DA weapons remain usable, for now, due to the first knuckle doing a significant share of the work. I can, of course, still cock a DA weapon that has a hammer spur, but, that removes it from “top defensive” status.

So, my remaining candidates for top defensive handguns:

Ruger SP101.

S&W J-Frame, preferably .32, rather than .38 Special.

Glock 17, Gen4 or Gen5. My “orthopedic” pistols. Thus far, immune to “limp-wrist” malfunctions, in my hands.

Full-sized, 5” barrel, all-steel Les Baer 1911 pistols. Steel damps recoil. The bore axis is quite low. The Les Baer frame lets the weapon sit even lower in my hand than a stock 1911.

Single-Action Revolvers, Colt SAA pattern, for the day when “limp-wristing” autoloaders becomes a problem. The nicely large, well-contoured hammer spur facilitates cocking, with either thumb.

Ruger Single Six, for the day when I become really feeble.

Notice the lack of “compact nines,” and other such small autoloaders. As a class of weapon, they have been annoying my gimpier right hand and wrist for more two decades. I do still use 9mm G26 “baby” Glocks, with good results, but I only shoot them left-handed, which keeps them out of “top” defensive status.

No need to list 10, a P229 9MM, 1911 45ACP, and for that guy hiding behind my neighbors fridge either a Ruger 41 Mag or a 44 Mag Blackhawk will get the job done...

P226 X5 Legion

TAURUS JUDGE
SIG X MACRO
SMITH M&P 2.0

ALL WITH RED DOTS

43x. It has for me before.

Whatever I have on me. Usually a p938, p365xl or g19.

Over the years, I’ve gone back and forth between several pistols in my modest collection.

I seem to always go back to Glock 17, Sig P226R in 9mm or .40S&W or P220ST.

In all honesty, the only pistols that I own that I don’t trust to do defensive duty are the ones that I haven’t gotten the opportunity to shoot yet. I prefer to have at least 200rds through a pistol before I feel comfortable with its reliability. Even than, 200rnds ain’t much.

Glock 19
CZ P-07
Kahr CM9
Sig P365

The CZ is my favorite, but the G19 carries better for me, and I have a ton of rounds thru it.