Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Handguns "Kit Guns"

So what is a "kit gun" to you?

I know the classic definition, but these days I see people talk about .357 & .44 "kit guns". Makes me wonder, what is the role people assign to their "kit guns"?

If a kit gun is something you carry as a secondary weapon to your primary hunting long gun, then I have no kit guns.

Keep perusing the handgun forum.

kit gun means a lighter revolver, 2-3” barrel, usually 22lr, maybe 38sp, sometimes a couple of rounds of snakeshot. no mags to lug or lose, no springs to fly away in a quick fieldstrip, no finicky ammo misfeeds. my favorites are a s&w 317 or 642 j frame, ruger bearcat or lcr.

GunGeek: A "Kit gun" is a rimfire Smith & Wesson "J" frame revolver - in Models 34 (blued and nickel plated models), 63 (stainless) and 651 (stainless - 4" only). I have a bunch of these in 2" and 4" barrel lengths.
I rotate their "tag along" status so's not to show preferential treatment or for fear of "wearing them out" - he-he.
No hillary locks allowed on a "Kit gun" by the way!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Who the f#@k brainwashed you?....

Who the f@#k brainwashed you?

G44.

I don’t own any kit guns but I do own a bunch of handguns that are often carried in the woods with me. They range from a 22 to a 500 JRH including a SW Gov in .410.

I will princess, thanks.

I need to dig out my tackle box. Been a while.

A kit gun to me was just a small handgun I'd take along just for the sake of having it along.
Mostly fishing, hunting, & camping trips in somewhat isolated areas - with a friend, or alone.
But at the time I didn't think of them as - 'Kit Guns'.

These handguns listed in order through the decades:

1. A small vintage Beretta semi-auto pistol - .25 acp.
2. A Hi Standard DA Snub Nose Revolver - .22 lr.
3. A 'large' Colt Officers Model Match DA Revolver - .22lr.
4. A Ruger Bearcat SA Revolver.- .22 lr

The one handgun I thought was just perfect for
'kit gun' occasions was - the Ruger Bearcat . . .
For the 'fun factor'!

Well it's obvious you haven't drank the varmintgay koolaid....

FWIW, we just went over this topic in great detail earlier this year: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/14896370/kit-guns#Post14896370

Here’s a few that might qualify as kit guns. All 22 LR except for the Bisley on the left which is a 32 H&R. To me a kit gun is one carried to augment a big game rifle or shotgun for small game opportunities or dealing with snakes. Doesn’t have to be a 22. Could be any handgun with a mild or moderate load. Might be a handgun you carry while engaged in other outdoor activities, fishing, trapping, gathering firewood, berry picking, etc.

To me, a kit gun is a smallish handgun, for incidental uses. Part of your outdoor kit.

A couple of mine that fit that role,

Kahr CW9


Ruger LCRx 357


CW9 in that role, IWB.

Why did I know you would take exception to that comment

When I carry a handgun, it's because I need one, or want one. When I need one, it's generally for self defense and it's going to be an auto. When I want one and defense is very low on the list, then I just carry the gun I want to carry...But generally my "want" guns are revolvers because they're just cool.

I keep a wilderness survival pack in my truck, and I typically keep a .22 handgun in that pack. Either a Ruger 22/45 or a S&W 617... I guess those are my "kit" guns, but they're not what I'd call small & light.

One of these days I'll find a Beretta Model 70 .22LR that I can afford and I'll have the "kit gun" I've always wanted (I have always had a thing for those).

because everybody in the whole, wide world (except for VG and stert) knows there are many other kit guns besides the 34's, 63's and 651's that he espouses...... and some might even be those pesky semi-auto's that the various springs just fly out of, on those dang field strips....

Bought one of those for my daughter for her 21st birthday. She wanted a handgun and the CCW class, and she really liked the CW9 over all the others we looked at...nice little pistol.

Currently I have a LW Commander as a truck gun, but I have thought about the CW9 because in a pinch, it can drop in a pocket.