How about an "if you could only keep two" thread.

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Cal44

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I was thinking about which guns I would keep if I had to give up most of them.

So.

Suppose you hit hard times and had to sell all your handguns except two:

Which two of the ones you have now would you keep?

For me, it would be my 36-1 and my 28-2.

The 36-1 could be carried and is easy to shoot.

The 28-2 is a good target, hunting, and home defense gun.

Together they pretty much cover the bases.

Both run on cheap ammo.

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I began my handgun ownership with a "I'll own just two" and got a Model 65 and a 6906. A little old school reliability and a little more capacity semi.
Just in case.
 
Since all my handguns are intended for SD, I would choose my 2-1/2" 66-3 and my 642. Both are pretty easily concealed, and since both can fire .38 spcl. and +P, it would simplify my ammo requirements.
 
That would take a lot of thought. Have to get back to you on this one!
Well, after much thought, the two handguns I would keep would be my 617-1 with 4 in bbl, and my 686-4 with 2.5 in bbl. However, I hope to never make that choice, and hope that my son has to make the choice for me.
 
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.44mag Mountain Gun and .44mag Vaquero. Versatile enough for hunting and personal protection against 2 and 4 legged predators. Double action for faster reloads, single action for simplicity and longevity of working parts. You can also use the Vaquero for hammering nails, tent stakes, etc. and still depend on it to function as a firearm ;-)
 
Cal44: My family has fallen on hard times twice and i had to sell my Entire handgun collection the second time.

But if i was in the position that your suggesting and i had a handgun collection i would keep these two.

The S&W Model 617 with a 4 inch barrel and a 10 shot cylinder
The S&W model 686 with a 4 inch barrel and 6 shot cylinder
 
Well, considering what I use my handguns for...

It would be a 6 inch S&W 617 22lr for plinking, range use, and most importantly - small game hunting. My old HS Victor would be another choice, except you can't use a semi-auto here in PA for hunting.

My S&W 4 inch 629 44 mag. Another excellent target and range gun, it is also a decent carry weapon, and will, and has taken deer. Again, if PA allowed semi's for hunting, my 1st generation Kimber Custom Target 1911 in 45 acp would be my real choice, as it will take deer at reasonable ranger loaded with hard cast 230 grain semi-waddcutters at about 950 fps.

Honestly, I would go without for a while (food, elec.) and insist on having a third dedicated carry gun - My Glock 26.

Larry
 
As I look around at the guns I have, I would go the other way... which one, then another, then another would I SELL, rather than which would I KEEP. In this way, I would try to control the decline. I would feel pretty much naked without access to my old K-22, my custom Gold Cup, my 686 and my custom Model 616. There are several others with great sentimental value that would be tough to lose, so I would really agonize over what to sell after the first half dozen or so. :rolleyes:

Froggie
 
Just a few years ago I would have had to list versions of the 1911 Colt in 45 ACP as my two choices. However, arthritis has raised its ugly head and I can no longer shoot 1911s. I've been reduced to only shooting revolvers (not completely bad - lol) which is fitting for the revolver section of the S&W Forum.

My choice of two revolvers to keep is simple. Both are customs by a close friend who's retiring from the gun smithing business but I manage to talk him into another one now and then.

First is my much beloved, blue steel Mountain Gun in 45 ACP.



It's a 25-2 that came to me with a Model of 1950 6.5" barrel installed. My friend cut the barrel to 4". Pinned the ramp to the barrel rib, then pinned the sight blade to the ramp just like Smith used to. He round butted the grip, beveled the leading edge of the cylinder then find bead blasted the whole thing before re-bluing. Naturally a trigger and action tuning went along with all this.

The second is this 681 that came with Magna Ports already installed…and allowed me to get it for a very good price.



My buddy cut the barrel back to 3" then installed a Novak Mega Dot front sight. He round butted the frame (it is a concealed carry gun), beveled the front edge of the cylinder and fine bead blasted the whole thing. He also did a trigger job, converting to DAO and bobbed the hammer accordingly.

I have three other revolvers he's done for me over the years and they are "keepers" in my mind but these two are hands down my favorites.

Dave
 
Well that's an interesting question because I would have different choices depending whether or not it was only being able to keep 2 handguns for financial reasons versus only being able to keep 2 handguns due to legislated reasons.

If for financial reasons, I'd hang onto the two that would take me the longest time to find and be the most difficult (even impossible) to replace after times got better... My 16-4 and a 1066 3rd gen 10mm Pistol.

If it was due to some draconian law being passed to limit me to 2 handguns, and assuming an equally draconian requirement of only have once chance at choosing and having to stick with them for the duration, then it would be my 16-4 that's been converted to .327 Federal, which gives me an option of firing a variety of .32 cal cartridges for light/medium uses (forget about .22LR with the way availability has been). And my 629-3 for the "hand cannon" aspect for hunting and seriously intimidating SD (aka the Dirty Harry factor).

As much as my 3rd Gen pistols mean to me, especially the 10mm ones and my 4566 Melonite, I would stick with revolvers. No long term issues to worry about such as a lost magazine, or a fatigued magazine, recoil or extractor spring that could render the gun inop or unreliable.
 
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Two Revolvers? 4 inch 66-2 and PC 4 inch full lug 14-6.

Two semi autos? 4506-1 (R4 dash 3) and 4513TSW V1

Regards 18DAI
 
I guess I would choose a .38 Special and .22 long rifle combo in either K or J frame:

15 / 18
14 / 17
60-4 / 63-5
 
I would have to cheat and make it these 3 sorry
just can't do without any of them.
1. One of these three Pre-17's for small game.

2. This model 66 with 3 inch tube for carry.

3. This 8" Dan Wesson 15-2 in .357 mag. for longer range
Deer size game for the table. Living in Indiana don't need
much bigger than this.


Chuck
 
I would end up keeping my Colt Government Model Mk.IV .45 acp and my S&W model 63 in .22 LR.
 
Comrad said:
I began my handgun ownership with a "I'll own just two" and got a Model 65 and a 6906. A little old school reliability and a little more capacity semi.
Just in case.
Click to expand...


If you started more than a year ago and still have only those two, you have my undying respect:-)

I refuse to participate. If things get that hard financially, I won't be all that worried about which guns to keep.
 
Ranger514 said:
Since all my handguns are intended for SD, I would choose my 2-1/2" 66-3 and my 642. Both are pretty easily concealed, and since both can fire .38 spcl. and +P, it would simplify my ammo requirements.
Click to expand...

Sounds like my solution for #2 and #3.

But my #1 gun is the Marlin 1894C. Now there is performance from 357 Magnum.
 
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sac-gunslinger said:
Sounds like my solution for #2 and #3.

But my #1 gun is the Marlin 1894C. Now there is performance from 357 Magnum.
Click to expand...

Aw heck... don't get me started on Marlins, the "JM" ones and not the "Remlins".

If the question was "if you were limited... what rifle/handgun combo would you pick", my Marlin 1894S .45 Colt would be the 1st part of that equation.
 
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