Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns If i Could Only Have One Pistol for Self Defense

The tactical situation was not defined so that's my choice as well since it's what I carry as a concealed weapon. Any other handgun would be openly carried for sporting use and not so much for self defense.

When in the house the defensive weapon is not a pistol but a Remington 870 with buckshot - Federal Personal Defense loads to be specific.

If I can only take a pistol , (not a rifle or shotgun) it usually is a Glock 20 with 2 extra magazines .

Liking your choice and, above all, being able to shoot it well, are the qualities that make one's choice the best for them.
Mine is the SIG 220 Combat. Built with internal coatings to resist corrosion, proven as reliable as anything out there, and even useful as a club, are why. But, above all, I shoot it under combat conditions better than any other I've shot.
If I really need a lighter gun, or one that holds lots of ammo, then it would be the 5.7 FN. E

If the concealment thing isn't too important, I could also go with my old LAPD issue 92 Beretta. No malfunctions or other problems to date. And I shoot it quite well.
Bob

Wilson or Christensen 1911............really no difference between the two other than that the Christensen is a Commanders size.

Or a S&W E-Series Commander.

After than, probably a Betetta 92.

Or a G-19.

Lots of good pistols & I'm comfortable will all the guns I own; I would not feel handicapped with any of them.

MM

I resent this post!!!Don't believe anthing my WIFE ever says! Oh,BTW,I would opt for a G19 with proper ammo.Easy to work on and maintain,high cap with joy sticks available not to mention G17 mags.If its confined to an evidence locker for a while,no big deal they make 'em every day.

I don't know about being "the only one," but the Sig P938 here in the Scorpion model, is eminently concealable, and handy.

There is someone out there that likes those.

Bob,

I really like that pistol. You are right, they are very reliable.

Stan

Glock 20. Carried the one that sits on my bedside for 16 years as a Deputy Sheriff in Texas. If I could only have ONE Pistol for self defense it would be my Glock 20.

Sig 229 Stainless Steel Elite. That would work just fine.

Well, since this is a fantasy thing I'll throw another one into the mix...this one is a Colt accurized .45, set up for service pistol competition. Work was done by Jim Hoag in LA. It's now on its 2nd barrel, fitted by the AMU (Army Marksmanship Unit). No malfunctions with somewhere over 10,000 rounds downrange. The caveat is that they were all ball, mostly Federal 230 grain stuff.

Even though it's a match gun, it's reliable. And there's precedent...Bill Allard, NYPD stakeout squad, shot most of his suspects with an accurized Colt like this one (Bill has been in more gunfights than any other cop in the history of the NYPD).

Great pistol that I have a long history with.
Bob

I'm no expert on pistols or tactics but when I think "self defense," I think last moment, last option, breath-smelling distance. Outside of very close quarter threat to life and limb, my nine out of ten preferred options are fleeing or extricating myself or loved ones in any way from the threat.

To me, this dictates always carrying which excludes the bigger guns. My P226 would certainly work but outside of winter it's hard to carry covertly and comfortably and is fairly heavy. This is why I picked the P938 which is very comfortable and concealable in a IWB carry. Also as a lefty, it has an ambidextrous safety and is accurate.

I'm really liking my Springfield XD Mod.2 in .40 S/W. If I could only have one, it might very well be it.

I would trade it for a Witness Protection Ithaca 12 gauge. Target shooting at paper that doesn't shoot back is all fun and games.
If somebody is trying to kill me or rape my children and beat up my wife the adrenaline would be flowing and I want the first shot I fire to be #4 buckshot from a short barreled 12 gauge.
Let the FBI carry the 9mm. I want a 12 gauge pump.
whelennut

The Governor. Have to like being able to deliver 24 quick .41 caliber lead balls on target out of a single loaded cylinder. Short of an extended mag, that beats a service sized Glock on firepower at the ready.

It's ironic that after all the years of Taurus and other companies ripping Smith off, Smith took Taurus' concept, that they just couldn't execute properly, and ran with it.

Very true.