Perfect Packin' Pistol

[ImprovedModel56Fan]

An "everything" gun has start with a ".4" in many parts of the country, and I consider a .44 Special marginal unless you load your own with 240gr bullets moving fairly fast. For me, the obvious choice is my 3" double-Magnaported PC 629 with Fishpaws (even fit to be worn to a BBQ) in a DeSantis OWB holster. Second place is my 4" RB 25-2 with plenty of moonclips and some hot .45AR loads in bear country.

But I mostly don't hang out with bears, so it seems to me that the discussion is back to what to carry when some people may not behave. That opens the field of usable handguns up so wide that it seems pointless to rehash a half century of gun rags and a little less time on the 'net.

 

[ENGINE18]

When out in the desert or mountain area, either a 696ND or 65-5 3-inch. Plus I always have a j-frame CCed! Lately it's been my 640-1 and the 65 because of common ammo! If I had to pick one for overall, anywhere, any time, it would probably be the 65.

 

[Bob D]

It would have to be a 4" Mod 66 for me, loaded with 158 gr semi-

wadcutters. As far as penetration goes a miss will probably penetrate

out to 300 yards.

 

[JT]

Semi-auto (CCW):
H&K USP .45C
Glock 27 BUG

Semi-auto (Woods):
Glock 20 or 29 10mm

Revolver (CCW):
S&W 696 ND
S&W 442 BUG

Revolver (Woods-Black Bear):
S&W any Mtn. Gun; 624 3 or 4in.

Revolver (Woods-Griz)
Ruger Bisley or Redhawk .45 Colt

 

[bwickens]

In a perfect world, you could pack whatever, where ever you wanted...and wouldn't need to. That said, this seems to break down to a rural carry vs. urban carry issue, or open vs. concealed carry. My opinion, the best compromise would be a 4" .357 K or L frame.

 

[TxCol]

In a revolver:
3" 60 in .357
3" 65 LS
4" TR .44 spec

Auto
4" PO LDA with Officers model grip
3 1/2 PDA LDA 9mm

 

[MMA10mm]

Well, I took the OP's meaning, based off John Taffin's writings, to mean a perfect packin' pistol for out in the woods. That said, I'd say it still depends on what woods we're talking about. The pine forests of the Carolinas are gonna be different than the scrub of Texas, and Idaho mountains are going to be different from both of them!

To me, for anything East of the Great Divide, a Glock 20 is ideal. With a 4.6" barrel, it's already more compact than a 1911 (length-wise, I'll grant you it's a lot thicker, and the heighths are about the same), but it carries 15 rounds of 10mm power (if loaded properly). And, the eastern parts of the US seem to have a bigger chance of bumping into someone in the woods who may be up to no good, like 'shiners, tweakers, or just plain badguys.

Now, if I were going up in the mountains out West, I'd leave my 10mms at home. And, while my ultimate, dream-gun is a custom 696, I have to consider what John Taffin (and the Orig. Poster) was talking about with emphasis on the word "PACKIN'." My thinking, in that case, is something that you pack along, but it's not your reason for being in the woods. You're out there camping, hiking, working -- whatever, but you're not there hunting or shooting as your main point of being there. In that case you want something powerful enough for the job, but light enough to stay out of the way. I have to go with John Taffin's choice for that type of pistol, which I believe was the 329 w/ CTC lasergrips. That pistol makes a whole lotta sense.

If'n a gun is anywhere near too heavy, it will eventually get left behind, and then it's doing you no good. That's why the Glock and a 329 are my two choices.

 

[semperfi71]

M657-4 in a high ride hip holster loaded with the Hornady 210 grain FMJ bullet [no longer made I have a stockpile] to about 1100 fps. With two speedloaders on the offside. Old pic, sixgun now wears Pachmayer rubbers for control.

 

[Iggy]

10mm in a CCO Configuration 1911

 

[Mule88]

Probably go with my 629 mountain gun but my 696 would be ridin on its tail.

 

[Smee78]

I think I would have to go with my 625 in 45lc/cut for moon clips 45acp.

 

[old tanker]

What else would an old tanker carry?

According to the serial number it left Hartford in 1913 and was shipped to a cavalry unit in Arizona. It came to me fresh from overhaul at Rock Island Arsenal in 1961 for the princely sum of $28.50, postage paid, through DCM Sales. I wonder where all it was during it's first 48 years of Army life, but it spent 20 years in the Army with me after it left the books. That DCM paperwork sure disappointed a few MPs and a few Customs guys whose eyes initially lit up on seeing the "United States Property" markings. After fifty years changing to something else would be tough on the 'muscle memory.'

 

[semperfi71]

old tanker, excellent choice.

I have a Auto Ordnance 1911A1 in .45 ACP that I considered listing here. It is loaded with the Hornady 200 grain FMJ semi-wadcutters to about 900 fps. It shoots into 2 1/2 inches at 25 yards. It will penetrate animals and certain parts of people's autos if needed.

 

[CWH44300]

A 4" 629 loaded with RCBS 250K's to about 950 also I keep an ammo wallet with the same bullet loaded to about 1300 fps

 

[Robert B]

PPP

My Ruger Alaskan 2.5 inch stainless 44 magnum loaded with buffalo bore 305 grain LBT cast LFN at around 1150 fps.

 

[BrianE]

Good for concealed or open carry, 3" bbl., 7-shot, .357 Magnum.

Nice business set up...

 

[armybass]

I would have to say my last carry gun... a 3" M65 and my current carry gun, a 3" M696.

 

[endgameAK]

PPP ....

November thru March ... S&W 396 Mtn Light 44 special ...
Buffalo Bore Heavy 44 special loads ...
255 gr. hardcast GC @ 975 fps.

April thru October ... S&W 329 PD (4") 44 mag ...
Buffalo Bore "Reduced Recoil" 44 mag load ...
255 gr hardcast GC @ 1260 fps.

Around here, moose are the winter issue; the rest of the year, bears, and maybe a protective cow moose w/ calf.

 

[jds3]

perfect no matter how I am dressed. Great little gun!

 

[revolvergeek]

I like packin' these...Any ol' day,

Su Amigo,
Dave

Dave,

What is the story on that fellow on the left. He looks interesting.

Thanks,
Danny

 

[Dogmann]

I like packin' these...Any ol' day,

Su Amigo,
Dave

What model is the fixed sighted one??

 

[odis]

I've had a few that fit the bill over the years but I think a couple of months ago I bought what will be my constant companion and thats a Lew Horton 624, the only thing wrong with it is that its a 624 and not a 24, blue steel looks better with ivory grips, as to leather I make my own and I am in the process of making a Threeperson holster for it. Wish I knew how to post pics.

 

[roaddog28]

It would have to be a 4" Mod 66 for me, loaded with 158 gr semi-

wadcutters. As far as penetration goes a miss will probably penetrate

out to 300 yards.

+1. My M66-4 4 inch loaded with 158gr SWC will do the job. And the M66 as well as the M19 was the lawmans dream carry revolver for years. I hate to clone the saying but "Everything you need in a revolver and nothing you don't need".

Still one of the best all around revolvers.

Howard

 

[SP20]

I'm not bothered by weight when carrying a gun in the mountains and so for a long time I carryed a ruger superblackhawk .44 with 4 5/8 barrel. I then switched to 10mm (g29 or Colt delta elite) I just picked up a model 686-5 mountain gun in .357 and am so happy with it that I think it fits the the PPP. I used to never carry anything but revolvers but for a time I got caught up in semi autos. It dawned on me one day at the range that I had never had a reliability issue with revolvers. They always fired with minimun maintenance. Semi autos with one exception have had issues at one time or another. I think starting in the spring I'm going back to the revolvers full time. Now if we were just talking about two legged critters and not four legged that could eat you, I'm fine with a beretta 92. Since 83 I have never had one not fire. Now the calibers I choose fit where I live. Some where else I might choose otherwise.

 

[feralmerril]

I like my 24-3 4", my 66-3 3" lew horton special. Knowing what I know and if somehow I had no guns, I would get either a model 21 or possibly a 22. (Do they make similar in .45 colt?) I also have a 4" 25-5.
44 special, 45 acp or 45 colt. Take your choice, I doubt you could tell the difference. A fixed sight 4" tapered barrel N frame in any one of them would be close to idea once you had a favorite load worked out to hit your POI. If you didnt reload, probley you would be best off with the model 22 in 45 acp.
I probley wont be buying one though as I have similar.

 

[Sprefix]

My PPP............

My two cents has me packin' a 1911 in .45 acp. I usually have my Wilson Combat CQB in tow. It is under my left arm as I type in a Galco Miami Classic. J.M Browning was/is the inventor of the most incredible sidearm ever---IMO. As for a revolver, there is no doubt that mine is a -6 model 625 in 45 Long Colt(Mountain Gun) with a 4"bbl. Capable of loafers at @750fps or bear stoppers......Again, JMO.

 

[jframe]

Out of all the guns I've owned, of all brands, I tend to keep coming back to one model in particular. It embodies all the characteristics of a packin' pistol to me. I have an early 642-1 now, but I've owned countless variations of it in the past, and I just keep coming back to it. I've tried short barrelled K frames, which I LOVE, but simply don't carry because of weight. I've tried Glocks, Government 1911's, Brownings, Sigs, even N frames, and a Colt Agent. The 642 is stainless, so it can be carried in all climates, and all weather. It's light in weight, so it can be pocket carried, belt carried, shoulder carried, or any other imaginable way and it's still comfortable. Mine is plus "p" rated, which means that any commercially available loading will function in it EVERY time with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Without a doubt, the one gun I have EVERY time, EVERY day, rain or shine, hot or cold. How many other guns can say that they get carried in such a fashion?

 

[Jimmymac46]

Out of all the guns I've owned, of all brands, I tend to keep coming back to one model in particular. It embodies all the characteristics of a packin' pistol to me. I have an early 642-1 now, but I've owned countless variations of it in the past, and I just keep coming back to it. I've tried short barrelled K frames, which I LOVE, but simply don't carry because of weight. I've tried Glocks, Government 1911's, Brownings, Sigs, even N frames, and a Colt Agent. The 642 is stainless, so it can be carried in all climates, and all weather. It's light in weight, so it can be pocket carried, belt carried, shoulder carried, or any other imaginable way and it's still comfortable. Mine is plus "p" rated, which means that any commercially available loading will function in it EVERY time with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Without a doubt, the one gun I have EVERY time, EVERY day, rain or shine, hot or cold. How many other guns can say that they get carried in such a fashion?

In summary, I would have to agree...... the perfect packin' pistol is in fact the one you will carry every day regardless of performance.

 

[Dogmann]

What model is the fixed sighted one??

Anyone know what model these are???

 

[Cooter Brown]

Anyone know what model these are???

I suspect Mr. Keith mighta done a little work in the machine shop on those two.