Actually, I didn't know that. Thanks for clarifying.

Hmmm....I can think of a few things that a shotgun can't do. Shall I start a list?

I hate when people call guns "platforms" and that's usually when I stop reading a post. Nothing personal, my friend.

The one you have with you when it is needed.

Now we're living in Nazi Germany?

I'll go with a good quality .357 Magnum revolver.

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'Merica!

Bingo! The first task is to identify what a "do-everything" firearm has to do. The odds of us agreeing on that are about as good as the odds on us agreeing on what the particular model of gun would be! Some would say: "Bulls-eye? What's that?". Another might say they have no intention of ever shooting something as big as a deer. If we were all locked in a room and told not to come out until we agreed on an answer, perhaps the best we could do is: the gun you already own and shoot the best!

I'd want a Glock 19.

I went back and reviewed the first post . In addition to several mentions of Do EVERYTHING , and comparisons to shotguns, the OP specifically lists Hunting as a factor.

But this just reinforces my earlier post that setting the parameters is the real question. WVSigs categorically excludes handgun hunting . Barring hypothetical wilderness survival scenarios, that would be a legitimate life choice , and would change the discussion.

Not to extrapolate anything to WVSigs, lets say hypothetical poster Mr or Ms X doesn't care about hunting, or even recreational plinking. Their criteria is only personal defense, reasonable power, keep rounds in chest area of life sized target at 10yds, with bonus points for fit in pocket. Then we could have a spirited discussion between various flavors of J frames, and various flavors of subcompact 9mm.

If there really was a "do everything handgun"....... IMHO we'd all be carrying it!

Revolver....S&W 66-2 3" with an extra cylinder modified by TK Custom or Pinnacle Arms to take moon clips that will run .380, 9mm, .38 Super, 9x21, .356 TSW, 9mm Largo and 9x23 Winchester...

...with 9mm...10 yards DA...




Semi...Colt 1911 .38 Super with extra .45 Slide and barrels for 9mm, 9x23, .45 ACP and 400 CorBon. That along with a .22 Conversion Unit would be my #1 choice... One day I would like to add a DELTA slide to be able to shoot 10mm, .40 S&W and .357 SIG...if I can't find ammo to shoot, that means there is no ammo left to shoot...




If I was going "modern" ...it would be a Glock 19 with an extra 23 slide so it could shoot 9mm, .40 S&W, .357 SIG and would add a .22 Conversion Unit from Advantage Arms....

Bob

Best all around pistol?

1911-a1 of course in that 100 year old 45acp caliber.
CZ-85db in 9mm parabellium it's a amber dexterous cz75.
CZ-82/83 in 9mm makarov don't let this little Russian caliber fool you.

For the best all around revolver?

357 magnum, colt Python, ruger security six, s&w n frame m28/m27
41 magnum, s&w m57 / m58, ruger red hawk,
44magnum, s&w m29, ruger Redhawk, ruger SBH,

No plastic it will never last where I'm going.

In my opinion, the Governor. Fires .45 Colt, .45 ACP, and 410 shells. Name another handgun that does that.

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Inconsistently consistent

I would be my Glock 20, 10mm and my 40 S&W drop in KKM barrel. It would not be the best to conceal, but I could do it. Minimal tools and parts needed to keep it going.

In my case, it's my M60-15.

Accurate gun at short and longer ranges with 3" barrel and adjustable sights.

Versatile caliber - 357 Magnum.

Stainless steel so it's a good outdoor gun.

Light enough and small enough to carry easily.

I even pocket carry it sometimes.

Shown with the Buffalo Bore hollow point SWCs.

Expecting one handgun to do everything is quite a stretch. I do believe that you can do everything with two handguns though. Short answer; 640 Pro Series 357 and a Les Baer Thunder Ranch .45 acp.

Long winded answer justifying Two Gun Mike- first handgun is the smaller of the two; concealable, and COMFORTABLE that you will actually EDC and not just say so on the forum (I'll have the 32. Bob, Said Little Bill). It should drop into a pocket, IWB or ankle holster etc. My personally owned ones in descending order are; 640 Pro Series, 60-15 Pro Series [central fire kit gun ], Kahr P9, CW 9, 638, 442, model 38, Walther PP .22, 3913, Sig P232 Sig P6 [225], Ruger SP 101 in .22, pre model 36.

The second would be a full or midsize handgun capable of killing an up to deer sized animal at 50 yards or hitting a man sized target at 100. Again personally owned and in descending order; Les Baer TRS that has most of the bluing gone from the grip and edges and is quite battle proven-having saved my *** a number of times, mid size M&P 45 with an Apex trigger that is also battle proven, M&P 69 (so dang accurate), model 25 Mountain Gun in .45 Colt, 329 with 44 spl ammo, Ruger SS Speed Six 2 3/4", 3" 65, Kimber Compact Stainless II, M&P CORE in 9 with an Apex barrel and trigger. Hi Power.

Now that I'm retired and my cc handguns roll has changed to strictly defensive and as a food getter in a pinch. The days of chasing crooks, serving search warrants, zombie apocalypse or waiving my gun around while saying something cool are over for me. So if forced to pick just one, it would be my 60-15 357 3" adj sights. Most of the time loaded with BB +P 38 or a reload of 158 hard cast over some non +P WW 231 powder. A packed of shot shells left in the truck or backpack, round out the ammo.

I have an Oak Creek IWB and a gorgeous Threeperson style brown BW with safety snap for it I bought here on the forum. Spare ammo is carried in speed strips in my back pants pocket, an El Paso covered six loop belt slide and one HKS speed loader in a jacket or cargo pants pocket. All reload carriers are charged with non +P ammo, so no hot stuff snakes its way into a non +P rated oldster.

Only one shotgun? Benelli M2 12 gauge 26" barrel. Only one rifle? Marlin 336 Texan pre-cross bolt safety peep sight with both jacketed bullets loaded with Leverution and cast bullets with Rl 7. So thankful to live in a Country/State/County that doesn't restricts me to just one handgun.

.357 or 10mm would do pretty much anything you need

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an actual conservative

One pistol GLOCK. G 19

Everyone keeps saying 357 revolvers are the way to go. I dont disagree but 357 can be hard to find at times and those magnum revovlers tend to be more on the heavy side. The 45 ACP revolver would be a good choice for a survival self defense gun. This revolver does not need moon clips either you can just pop those cartridges in the cylinder. Also I never held a 45 that was this light before.

I'll second that opinion.
Geoff
Who leans toward the adjustable sights, but as I age I realize exact point of aim is more flexible than it was in my youth.

Well...since my last post a few above this one, I sold the Super Elite as it was just worth too much money...and replaced it with a Kimber Stainless Target II in 10mm.

After some reading discovered that the slide for the 9mm/.38 Super and 10mm/.40 are exactly the same....so I started adding barrels...

Long story short, the original gun will currently run 10mm, .40 S&W, .38 Super, 9x23 Winchester and 9mm LARGO. A 9x19mm barrel has been purchased but needs to be fitted. By total luck a complete {minus the frame} .45 Stainless Target II came up for sale on eBay and was purchased..and will be modified so the 10mm ejector will work with that slide. So the system will now also run .45 ACP and .45 Super and maybe one day .400 CorBon and or .40 Super...

I already have a .22 Conversion Unit so this gun will do everything from Bullseye to big game....





I've carried a 1911, either a GM, Combat Commander or Commander daily since 1976 so this will work 99% of the time...

Bob

They make light 357 too. Check out the 340PD. Only 13oz! Ruger has LCR is around 15oz.

The beauty of the 357 is that you don't necessarily need 357. I've never heard of 357 ammo being hard to find but if it is there is also 38 special.

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What gun is that on the left above?

The gun should be small. That rules out 4 inch revolvers (a 4 inch K-frame is roughly the size and weight of a 1911) for me.

1911's are too big to conceal in small places or on your person. You don't want the Gestapo to find it, it can't be an 8 inch by 5 inch pistol.

I'd say the following pistols are great, do everything guns:

1) Makarov PM (in 380). Extremely reliable, will last forever, very small.
2) J-frame or SP101 357 magnum. Small, reliable, ammo is available, powerful.
3) Beretta Cheetah 85/84 (380). Small, very reliable, good round count.
4) SIG P225a1 9mm: Small, powerful, and in a service caliber.

All of these guns are metal framed. I chose against plastic, because this may be the only gun you can pass onto your kids, and their kids. Polymer may be fine for 40 years, but i doubt it will hold up longer than that like a steel or alloy gun.

All good choices, but for me it has to be a S&W 686 or 686+ with a 4" barrel. Tough, powerful, .38 or .357 mag, stainless, no magazines to damage or lose...

Seven shooter...



or a six shooter...

I am so rural I cannot imagine more than three armed assailants at a time. How would they fit in the truck?
So Ruger Blackhawk in 357/9 mm is a posibility but 6 1/2" bbl puts it out. I am much more likely to see large 4 legged attackers than two so the CZ75 is on the light side.
That leaves the DW 357 4" or a 1911, Ok with either.

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Front sight and squeeze

Hard to argue with that rationality.

But seeing as though I divested from 9mm and sold my G19 a number of years ago, I'd have to pick from my S&W 66 4", S&W 65 3" or one of my 1911s. All of which seem to be in the running with many of the folks here.

and where is that? Will it melt...

I am 6' 180.. and my IWB holster carries my full size 1911 low in appendix comfortably.. and shirt untucked not easily seen..

Great target gun and can shoot IDPA with it..and they are handsome.. what more can you ask for

Mine is a Glock 29SF

Can be configured for concealed carry, recreational shooting, competition, or hunting. I have done all with mine. From heavy metal comp to deer hunting, to range plinking with reloads, to EDC

Multiple capacity configurations of 10/15/20

One handgun with one extra drop in barrel does it all for me in 10mm

From 10+1 concealed with a 15 round backup mag:





To hunting setup with 15 or 20 + 1 rounds:



To range or competition shooting



The glock 29 handles the recoil on the hot loads great.

Not to mention another extra barrel gives me 357 sig and is reliable



Or if I really want to get versatile I also get a 40 S&W barrel... again no mag changes. Just drop in an go.

In an awesome cartridge for self defense to hunting with a wide variety of bullet weights to choose from. In my personal opinion I do not believe there is an equal in versatility for a handgun. Inexpensive. Parts and magazines galore for it, and if you reload... heaven.





all that being said I carry a 442 and charter bulldog most of the time

Kahr

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Before the Makarov there was the Tokarev. That gun has been using plastic since the 30s. No problems. Still find plenty of them. And this is assuming that Soviet plastic technology was not as good as modern 2017 USA technology.
Savage 1907. Design 1905, built until 1928. Used polymer grips. Still plenty of them out there with none deteriorated grips. That's going on a 100 years.

Polymer degrades heavily in sunlight. This is why even thin plastics like soda bottles in land fills take hundreds of years to degrade when they are buried under more garbage.

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Is it the CW9 ?

No. CW, T, TP are polymer

I think steel is K frame

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The 65-5 in my avatar. No question.
Mouse-fart 38's to fire breathing 357's.
Short enough barrel for easy IWB concealment.
Long enough barrel for decent sight radius and ME/velocity.
Full length ejector rod.
Stainless steel durability and corrosion resistance.
Sweet trigger and smooth action.
Everything you really need and nothing that you don't.

Thanks. I didn't know Kahr even made so many different guns!

For me a do everything pistol does the following:

-Self defense
-affordable plinking
-hunt game of all species in my area

And the answer is easy. Glock 23. Carries like a sub-compact but handles like a full size. 40 is capable of taking deer or bear "if need be" and works great for self defense and is affordable. Adequate capacity at 13+1

Plus converting to 357 sig or 9mm is easy and affordable to broaden the spectrum of what it is capable of.

So many people select a pistol that is very limited and not adaptable to the situation but the Glock 23 can do anything I need a handgun to do

image

Sorry folks, but for do everything it's my Glock19

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Loving retirement!

These threads are so useless. But I guess it gives some guys a break from the Exlax.

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Si vis pacem para bellum.

Glockenspeels or wheel guns! Cant say I didnt see that coming. I always liked the 45 Liberator.. Cool idea of an old forgotten weapon.

For years, I would have said a 4" S&W Model 19. Now,with all the new ammo available, I'd probably pick the Glock 19.

YAWN!!!

"Semi...Colt 1911 .38 Super with extra .45 Slide and barrels for 9mm, 9x23, .45 ACP and 400 CorBon. That along with a .22 Conversion Unit would be my #1 choice... if I can't find ammo to shoot, that means there is no ammo left to shoot..."


I thought I was the only one to have that same setup. I have always been intrigued by the capability to change calibers if the need arises. Takes about two minutes to go from .45 ACP to 9mm. I have a fitted briefcase with everything needed in it, including recoil springs and spare parts. But I usually leave it in .38 Super as it's my favorite caliber. For me the least used caliber in that Colt is .400 Cor-Bon, but I even shoot that every so often. I suppose I could extend the list of calibers to .357 SIG, 10mm and .40 S&W but I have never been interested in any of those. I'd also like to get a 1911 barrel in 7.62 Tokarev or Mauser, but I haven't found one yet. BTW, I also have an EAA Witness set up to handle .38 Super, 9x23, 9mm, and .45 ACP but no .22 RF or .400 Cor-Bon capability (yet). The Witness is one of the few pistols having as one of its selling points the ability to quickly and easily change calibers.

I think it would depend upon my surroundings. If I was more in the country, I would choose one of my .357s, a model 27 or a 686+ Pro seven shot because of it's power and variety of calibers. If it's for everyday use and concealment is an issue, it would no doubt be my Shield. With the Apex Sear and Ultimate Striker Block, it is a sweet shooter and I can shoot it as accurately as just about any of my guns. It also has TruGlo Day & Night sights on it. But it would kill me if I have to give up my Colt Gold Cup 1911 .45 but versatility and practicality would have to prevail. Elliot45

That looks like the new Colt, only better.

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I’m your Boogie Man, uh huh.

Choices?

9mm pistol? CZ 75 or CZ85DB

357 revolver? Ruger security six, s&w m27/m28, Python.

41mag revolver,? Redhawk, s&w m57/m58.

44 mag revolver? Redhawk, s&w m29.

Gotta agree with a lot of the folks above...a 4" 686 or GP100 would be my do-it-all gun....

Given the criteria:

• Reliable
• Ubiquitous Ammo
• End user maintenance friendly
• Concealable
• Can be used to hunt

...and given the context of squirreling away a pistol in the unlikely event of the rebirth of Fascism with subsequent disarming of the civilian populace...

What I'm looking for is a tool. I want a handgun that has been in service long enough to have proven itself reliable. I want a semi-auto handgun because having less puts me at a disadvantage.



In a fictional world has gone crazy scenario can I harvest game with a Glock 19? Sure can. Is it ethical? No, but given the fictional scenario survival trumps ethics.

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-John

I agree. The model 66 is hard to beat.
I am still looking for that certain pre-lock 686 revolver to compliment my 66-2 .357 mag. with the 4 inch barrel.

Guess I'll say a USP Tactical 9mm - carryable, super accurate, crazy reliable, suppressible, fun to shoot, etc.

I'd suggest an all steel framed revolver or pistol. Mod 15, mod 19, and for steel framed pistols, 1911A1, Browning High Power and some of the CZ designed ones. And sneaking in a shotgun here either an older Rem 870 with cylinder bore or an old steel framed single barrel crack barrel shotgun in 12 guage. The latter had a full choke barrel but was cut down to 22" from 30". Frank

frank is right. my old model 15 is insanely accurate.
it can do a 2'' group at 50 yards.
not saying i can do that without a rest n a whole lotta luck, but someday i'll do that routinely
so, it will take a deer.
my clothes won't hide even a small pistol, so for me it's purse carry or open carry. anything less than a full size steel gun makes no sense.

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susie

All around for me would be this.
Model 29-2.

Counterpoint, just to be open about it-

I recently got a Savage 1907 (made in 1912 I think, based on serial). I'm kinda getting into the old .32 acps.... but that's a different tale.

One grip was missing, prior owner said it had broken. Other grip was very worn, you couldn't make out the details of the Chief's face.
It turns out, it was also very brittle. I ordered a replacement set of grips (thank God somebody makes them), and tried mightily to not harm the vintage grip when trying to remove it. Didn't matter, it snapped almost as soon as I attempted to remove it, and I had looked into the proper way to do so.

Plastic gets brittle over years. It doesn't have to be in direct sunlight, as I have seen vintage radios that stayed on shelves in closets crack and break on contact. Chemicals which may be used to clean a gun (variations of Ed's Red formulas, which likely would be your fallback option in times of need) can degrade it... I had a not-so-old bottle of lamp oil just crack and break recently, when all I did was sit it on a counter preparing to fill a lantern. Made a horrible mess.
The bottle may have been 5 yrs old at most, and had lived in a kitchen cabinet, away from sun or temperature extremes.

A Glock frame may be more resilient and thicker, and likely won't soak in something like that, but it will also face a whole lot more stress when used. I don't want to shoot one 50, 60 yrs from now. I likely won't be around then, but my grandkids would be.

I've shot that Savage, 100 yr old gun, no problem. I shoot an Argentine Mauser made in 1893 often, gun's over 120 yrs old, no problem. I wouldn't hesitate to shoot anything of sound design from WW1, onwards. I absolutely wouldn't want someone to try to shoot a 100 yr old Glock.

Great! I have a 30s Colt 38spl with wood grips that are worn smooth and brittle. Squeeze them and you can hear cracking. You can also see where the palm and fingers were because it's worn smooth.

Plenty of polymer HKs from the 70s still shoot fine today that's around 40 years. In Africa they're still using Russian polymer AK mags from the 50s and 60s. These mags have long ago went through professional services then sold to 3rd world states then made their way to pirates and warlords and all from 1950s Soviet plastics technology! Still running today, probably on original springs too

I guarantee you that unless you leave it in the sun for a decade that Glock will function fine a 100 years from now! And it works the same with metal! Try and have a bare metal gun for a 100 years and see what happens to it! It needs protection otherwise it corrodes

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