Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns How?

I often hear peolple say that a handgun is only for "fighting their way to a long gun". My question is how is this done? How many rounds does it take to get to a long gun and why not end the fight as quickly as posible with the handgun?

Thoughts?

Well, I kinda agree with what I think you are saying...heheh I always thought it was drama. You got what you got when the SHTF and that's just how it is.

A handgun is only carried because its convenient and can be hidden.

If at anytime a fight breaks out my pistol is only to get me to my rifle. Once the fight is on my only thought will be to get to a rifle as soon as I can.

I am not afraid to fight with my pistol but its only until I can get to a rifle.

Dink

You cant carry a shotgun everywhere.So we have handguns.

My only thought would be to kill the [bleep] ASAP.

Once the fight is on, my only thought is to win the fight. Using a rifle might be the way to do that, or using a pistol might. Maybe using a rock.

I think it's more of a sentiment than an actual tactical mantra. It's just a way to emphasize that if a long gun is even a remote option, it's a better option. "If I have to fight my way to the long gun"

But yeah in reality, when the fight starts, 99.9% of the time, you'll have to fight right there with the equipment you have. This is why there is so much emphasis placed on handgun training for LE rather than long gun training.

I think the theory behind "fighting your way to your rifle" is that you're in a fight that will take more than a pistol. If you can end the fight quickly with the handgun, then great. You were not in a fight that required a rifle. But the old saying comes from the premise of a larger fight with greater numbers.

If you are at a point where you're having to reload a pistol, then yeah, you probably should be using a long gun at that point. The pistol is carried to prevent you from being completely unarmed since you can't carry a rifle around with you.

In many places in Europe, LE's carry SMG's rather than handguns. In Israel most cops carry rifles or SMG's rather than hanguns; there are very few who carry handguns in Israel, and in general, the Israeli's place very little value on handguns. They don't even have ONE military pistol, rather several, because they just don't think too highly of handguns.

In the US, we're some sort of all warm and fuzzy society and are offended when we see cops carrying long guns. Any time I've ever seen a cop carrying either a shotgun, rifle, or SMG, you can bet that someone is making some sort of comment about it. I guess we consider a handgun a last ditch gun, just in case someone gives fight. In Europe, they kinda figure that if there's a chance for a fight, then by God give the man something to fight with. But then again, law enforcement is a bit different in Europe, and a whole lot different in Israel. In the US we carry handguns because it fits well with the role of the American LE officer.

Actually, it does not fit well with the role of the American LE officer. We carry them because the American people are not prepared to see their cops carrying carbines. Which is what I think you meant.

That's part of the role.

I have always thought it was kind of a lame saying most often repeated by mall ninjas and wannabe operators.

I have a different perspective. I will fight with a shovel or a rock if need be and will take the fight on the offensive immediately, if it is advantageous to do so.

I do not see a pistol as purely a defensive tool. But then I do not try to put parameters or labels on situations.

People want clear definitions and absolutes, in regards to stuff like this.

Usually there is only interpretation of the events.

Most often it is colored by where you are as an observer or participant.

handgun, knife, keys, elbows, forehead, teeth, whatever gets you the hell out of there

Fight with whatever have. I agree but if you are trying to fight multiple armed people with just a handgun the chances are high that you will loose. There is also a big chance that if you kill one the rest will decide they need to be somewhere else.

As soon as there is any stop in the action I am either getting the [bleep] out of there or I am going to continue to fight with a rifle.

Dink

...this came from the mouth of Clint Smith quite a few years ago...

I have seen this same attitude expressed by some who carry a "mouse" gun in their pocket stating that their "full size" is in the car and they will some how get back to it....

When the fight starts what you have at hand is what you are going to finish the fight with.

Bob

Yep.

And, an e-tool can be a wicked SOB if push-comes-to-shove...

Fight their way to a long gun ? ... hmmph...keyboard theorizing


Mike

Yep! Nothing is an absolute death ray of intsant incapacition, specialy a handgun. My go to home defense weapon is a shotgun. Its cheap, dont care if i need to use it for a club when it runs dry, and IMO a shotgun is about as good as it gets. No handgun can match that kind of firepower.

It's just a clever way of saying that you're much better equipped with a long gun than with a handgun, so know the limitation of the handgun and work with it using that knowledge, e.g., don't assume that someone shot with your handgun is out of the fight as you might if you landed a solid hit with 00 buck or .223.