The "one gun" I usually have near to hand

The one gun I usually have near to hand is the 1911 in .45 acp.

Today with the world as it is, I cannot realistically carry one of my rifles or shotguns everywhere, while the 1911 rides quietly in its holster ready to help me get to where my long gun of choice resides.

Tomorrow should The SHTF the 1911 will be riding quietly in a holster ready to help me get to where my long gun resides.

Because of the way things work in my life, I spend much more time doing things that a long gun even slung would make much harder so it usually is nearby, but the handgun is at hand, always. (well except when in the shower it is right outside, but I pick times when oldest son is in the other room to provide some security.)

Now I know not everyone has realized that John Moses Browning perfected the self defense pistol in 1911 (he did) but most of us do have some handgun that we feel is a decent defense weapon. It is the one type of firearm that can be with one about 100% of the time.

Because of this I have spent the time to master my chosen handgun to the point where I can make one handed head shots out to 50 yards and always hit my target assuming no other stress like ducking from incoming rounds etc.

I have drawn and fired so many times that I keep spare barrels for the ones that after about half their practical life is gone get semi retired into back up emergency status.

I value having a handgun so much that in addition to spare parts, I keep several duplicates of my 1911 and rotate them out daily so each one gets constant use / attention / practice.

I value having it so much that when I want to enjoy my revolvers they go into shoulder holsters with my trusty 1911 in the holster on my strong side.

Do I sub in other self defense hand guns? Yes from time to time, but my #1 choice is at least in a carry bag where I am so I can switch to it should things get grubby.

IF it is SHTF and I am at a trade ground, a handgun will be with me.

IF the neighbor in a SHTF shows up on the door step asking if I have any food left and demanding his "fair share" (TBH my neighbors are bigger survivalists / farmers than me so this isn't happening but you get the point) I have my handgun with me to help me be confidant of control of the situation.

If the car breaks down, I stop to help a nice little old lady with car trouble, or any other social encounter, I have the confidence of my handgun ready to make sure nothing ugly happens.

We can all dig up our ifs, or just watch the news. Every day bad things happen and had the victim had a firearm he would have had a much better chance of surviving the problem than had he been unarmed.

I love my long guns. My choices have changed over the years since I am no longer an active marine being sent to kill people and break things. AT one point I wanted my m14. Now I prefer my ruger gunsite scout rifle. The point being that many long guns exist and are mission specific and mission changes. The same / similar applies to shotguns for defense and food gathering and even to some extent to the 22LR weapons out there.

The constant is that a handgun as a backup or means of reaching our long guns makes sense to me and many others.

I advise everyone to own and master one. There is truth to the saying that the best gun is the one you have with you when you need one. The one gun you can have most of the time with you will be the handgun.

If you are a survivalist (or if you must - a prepper - to me a survivalist is many things including someone who prepares for things but that is just semantics ) will master both the best tool for the goal, and also master the compromise tool that can actually be carried constantly.

I have no intention of Getting into anymore fire fights. If fortune somehow forces me into a situation where break contact is needed, the handgun is probably what I will have and deploy first. I can draw in fire and hit a head size target in under one second consistently.

I have a SAK that i carry and use because it is in my pocket even though I have better knifes for specific tasks and will go get or carry them if I know I will need them.

I have better firearms, but the handgun is like the SAK always with me.

I cannot really think of any other firearm that offers as much for instant at hand availability, and still allowing one to live life instead of just be at combat ready with the belt in the pig and the assistant gunner grabbing some z's.

Thanks for letting me try to get my thinking out. If it helps anyone else welcome, if anyone else wants to add to my thinking welcome. if you dont like it, well thats cool too. Each of us is responsible for ourselves. I chose my way ya'll go yours in peace.

Thad.

 

Great post.

My go to is a Sig P220. I've wavered in what I've liked over the years, but have come to a point where that is my choice and it suits my needs.

My assortment of long guns is more complex, but I have a regular iron-sighted AR that maintains a place in the closet. It's simple and built for reliability. BCM, DD, and Geisele components. The only electro-gadget is a E-series surefire mounted to a magpul handguard-no rails. It's not frills, but effective.

 

Glock 19 on me......AR15 or Mossberg500 close at home, AR15 in the trunk when I travel away from home.

 

My 1911 or my XD. Always one or the other on me. Plus like TnAndy, I take my AR if I travel. Hanging on the wall above my headboard... my .44 mag mare's leg.

 

My pistol that I carry is a Rossi 38 w/158grain solids. Will upgrade to another pistol sometime though for now it's paid for and easy to carry. Carry an old 35mm film cannister in glovebox with 10 extra rounds in it. If need more than 15 shots, then I should have brought a rifle. Lol.

 

1911A1 or 1911 compact depending on weather.

 

Beretta PX4 storm and Mossberg 500 persuader.


Sent from my IPhone 4s

 

Glock 40 and North American Arms 22mag

Smitty

 

mod. 1300 pistol grip w/green dot and high base 6s buy my bed and a browning mod 1922 w/ fmj hardballs right next to me. The Browning also fits nicely in my front or back pocket.

 

The Glock 19 has become almost attached to my hip...it is always there, or on my desk or night stand if I am hanging in my robe or sleeping. Now that I am back in town without my gate and long approach, if you knock on my door at night, I will answer with it in my hand.

In a laptop case in my car beside my GHB is a KelTec Sub2000 that uses the same mags as the Glock with 5 33 rounders to keep it company...there is another on my wife's side of the bed and my favorite AR-15 is on my side. The Saiga .410 lives in the bedroom closet.

I know that many consider the Sub2K a toy. While it is not an MBR, it is (in my opinion and experience) a reliable tool that excellently fills the niche between the pistol and the AR...a tack driver to about 75 yards, with the hitting power of a .357 and easy to carry without being obvious.

 

I carry my P-64 every day and keep my Ruger MKIII 22/45 in my GHB in the truck. As for a long gun close at hand I have the AK-47 at home and take my M-44 with me when we go on camping trips ( it lives in the camper).

 

My Sig Sauer P238 .380acp. Sure its a lil pocket gun, but it is ALWAYS on me!! Even in my jammies it rides in my pocket. It may not be much but it'll be enough to get me to a more serious gun. Be it my 1911, Glock, .347magnum, Mossberg, AR-15, 30-30 leveraction, AR-15, or other. Its sole purpose is to be with me constantly so that when I need it, It can get me to my Bigger Guns that are not so convenient to carry.

Yeah its only 7 rounds of .380, but no one that makes fun of .380s has yet to volunteer to be shot by one.

 

Glock 22/27 on duty. G27 off duty.

 

I carry my glock 26 all the time off duty and as my back up on duty along with Glock 21 on duty. In my P.O.V. I have a Glock 17 under the dash...

 

I try to rotate any two or three of my collection to be on my person at all times when in the city. Usually it's one of my 1911's one of my Pythons, and a smaller pistol like my 327 Fed SP101, LCP, or LCR.

Around the yard, it's my .460 and Buckmark 22

On the trail, it's the .460, Buckmark, and M4 458 SOCOM

In the house, it's a whole 'nother story lol.

 

A single shot 12 gague winchester model 37 is my go to... it has a stock carrier with 6 spare rounds and speaks with authority... and other than a .22 is about all i have left with the current economy...

 

Les Baer TRS 1911 .45....
Created by John Browning, perfected by Les Baer.

 

As the business that I work for has a don't ask don't tell policy about concealed hand guns, at work I carry a Kel-Tec PF-9 with spare mag., and any place other than work and home I carry a S&W 5904 9mm with 2 spare 17 round mags loaded with Hydra-Shok 147 gn.. In the truck I keep my Draco with 10 mags loaded with a variety of hollow point, soft nose, and FMJ's. When I get home its my EAA Witness .45 with 2 spare mags and a variety of long arms depending on need. To each his or her own, just be sure and train with them all!

 

My P-64 is always close at hand because of its easy concealment; it has been very dependable - never have had a malfunction with it. I need to test some other ammo since I'll eventually run out of the good stuff I got for cheap 5 years ago.

At last weekend's gun show I was smitten by the Sig P239, but it's out of my price range. Going to have to start horse trading...