What type of handgun would be best for a SHTF situation?

Originally posted by ldyserenity
reply to post by TheFinalTruth14

 

Well, I personally don't think it's really smart to have guns, what happens when bullets run out? can you make bullets? Do you even have the know how? I have personally several crosbows and a compound bow and several swords and daggers, those things are very good because one, yes I can make arrows and arrowheads, I can sharpen my daggers and swords, and I will never run out of ammo, as long as there is wood and stone.

lol, thats a loadout if your fighting the Romans, but is totally useless in the gunpowder age, someone breaks into your home and has a gun you have your nice broadsword, they are gonna shoot you and take your nice glistening sword as you lay bleeding on the floor, sorry but even the longbow and crossbow tactic aint gonna work either unless you always keep a crossbow and bolt loaded ready to go, do you think an attacker is gonna wait for you to load up your xbow before he shoots you? Come on dude step out of the cave and into the modern age of gunpowder, it make swords, armor, castles etc. obsolete for a reason.

Hand Guns are great protection.

I have Sig Sauer P220 NATO Version and P226.

Also Glock 40 CAL.

Now if your serious I suggest this one from HK The SP-89.

Have fun!

reply to post by Judohawk


I know, i wasn't having a dig at you dude.
It seems that airvice has a bee in his bonnet about my choice of Wildey survivor/ Automag hand-cannons.
Maybe some handguns are just too big for him?
Or maybe he's been watching too many Rambo movies.
I mean, a crossbow pfffft.
He would be toast before he even cocked it.
But i would remind everyone the thread is about choice of handgun.
Ultimately i would like a tank and an Apache helicopter but that's not what this thread is about.

"I know what you're thinking. "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement I kind of lost track myself. But being as this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"

Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood) 1971 film

Well Cosmic is right.

Forget concealed carry, just get a handcannon to keep around the house.

reply to post by Aliensdoexist


While I do agree with a 12 gauge for home protection, some of your ideas about penetration are dead wrong. If you want to see practical testing for penetration power take a look here. Some of the videos there show you exactly how much penetration a given round will have. 00 buckshot depending on range actually has a very small dispersal pattern, especially the reduced recoil rounds. Obviously when you hit the 10-20 yard range it will spread larger, but around 5 yards or so, you're looking at around 3-4 inches.

As far as wall penetration, it'll go right through the bad guy, 3 of your walls and more than likely your neighbors wall too. He's got some vids on there of how much protection being behind a car offers, none, unless you're being shot through the engine block.

As I said i'm all for the 12 gauge for home defense, you just have to be aware of your target and everything that's behind it. Shooting any weapon is not to be taken lightly.

Before just buying a firearm go to a local indoor gun range and try several different weapons. Many indoor ranges offer rentals that you can try out on their range. This will help you find what works best for you. Start out smaller caliber and work your way up.

In a SHTF scenario I plan on being mobile. No big cities. Stay low. Don't attract unwanted attention (less need for self defense weaponry). We need the basics: water, food, shelter. In that order.

WATER: stay near rivers if possible, use portable water purification.

FOOD: Hunt wild animals; small animals within 100 yd range .22 caliber or 9mm rifle. Mid-size animal; inside 400 yd range .223 (M4, AR15, good scope), may be able to use .22 or 9mm if close enough and can fire several rounds and be lucky (shoot em in the eye,... lol). Large animal; any range .308 or larger.
Weight of firearm and ammo should be a major consideration. Maybe chose a good quality .22 semi-auto rifle with scope and .22 semi auto pistol. You could use the pistol for close in self defense and protection from rattle snakes and such. You can put 5, 6, or 7 rounds into the target very quickly, easy to control (minimal recoil) able to hit what you aim at. Ammo is compatible with rifle. Not loud when firing so as not to attract attention. Be stealthy like Ninja or native American indian.

SHELTER: Think like your going mountain climbing. Light weight tent rated for cold weather, skip the bright colors, (think camouflage).

you never carry to many guns. my choices would be 1911 in a shoulder harness, a glock in a tactical holster and a .357 mag s&w 627 model in an ankle holster. a combat shotgun like the ones used by the army and marines will also be a good choice when facing groups of multiple targets.

I guess there are many types of SHTF situations.
Some may require concealment, others more overt.
But if we are talking straight gun-fight or intruder i would still go for stopping power.
The only other alternative i can suggest if your not such a good shot would be a sub-machine pistol with an extended clip, statistically at least one of your rounds should hit the target, or at least scare the crap out of them!
So, who's going to start the assault rifle thread then.

Hello,
very simple and direct answer from me,
What type of handgun would be best for a SHTF situation?

One that's fully loaded and that you can shoot straight.

Youre going to buy?
Test fire several.
Some people like revolvers, there's no jam threat.
Some people like mag fed semis.
You need to shoot both to see what you like, how it feels for you.
I have both.
Daddybare had a nice thread on cals and knock down about 2 months ago, do a search and read it, lots of good info.

It's gonna be your gun and your rear end, buy what you like.
I like the 410 rev, 38 rev, and 9 and 9short semis.
But thats just me.










[edit on 12-6-2010 by HappilyEverAfter]

Originally posted by justthefactsplz
We need the basics: water, food, shelter. In that order.

This is raw bunk.

When the SHTF, it might be nuclear or if it isn't it might become so after communicatiobs have gone down. In this case, you can have all the food in the world, but you will be dead in hours.

There is virtually no way to determine irradiated food and water, filled with deadly radiation by sight.

The most important thing you need is not food water protection etc, but a GEIGER-COUNTER. Indeed, if you are the only one around with one, then you can trade your services for everything else.

Most geiger-counters are old Cold War ones that are useless as they depend on being recharged from the mains electricity which won't be there any more.

There is a great alternative though, and that is MEDCOM.COM. They sell light, handheld, portable Geiger Counters that use ordinary torch batteries that, logically, could be recharged indirectly using a battery recharger, a booster switched into reverse and a car engine. ANd at $600, they're a snip!

Originally posted by randomname
you never carry to many guns.

You never carry too many guns? At the mall, when you go to pick up your kid at school?

And, what happens when you go down to cash a cheque at your local Bank Of America, brandishing your chaingun, .357, and automatic shotgun?

Pretty much what will happen when the SHTF My guessis. If youy want to go out in a blaze of glory, seeing your wife's guts sprayed all over the sidewalk, hey, that's the way to go!

The hands down best handgun in a SHTF scenario is going to be a glock or springfield XD. Don't believe me? Look up the Glock torture test or the XD torture test then ask yourself if you would feel comfortable with anything but the hands down best of the best. There are very very few guns that can run a glock type torture test. In fact one of my favorite manufacturers which is HK failed the torture test which made me rethink how much I really like them.

If I had to pick a best SHTF round I would go 9mm not because of knock down power, but because of availability. A revolver would be a great backup/hunting piece to keep handy as well, maybe in 44 mag or 357 mag.

For those that say go remington 870 for a shotgun, they will rethink their standing on that the first time they get their finger caught in the shell follower. Mossberg 500 doesn't have this issue, and in a stress fire situation it matters. 00 buck would be the all around best round for a shotgun in a self defense situation. If you arent familiar with what rounds are capable of what damage this site will clarify for many who don't know HERE.

reply to post by airvicemarshal


I'm thinking at 10 to 20 yards the chances of me surviving a geiger counter attack are fairly good.
(stay on point)
Youre correct a geiger counter would be great to have if nukes start to plume.

Youre an air marshall?
Carry a geiger counter?
Come on, dont derail the thread.

reply to post by randomname


Heavy Ankles, wow.
Just be done with it and go streetsweeper.

reply to post by HappilyEverAfter


LOL
You just made me spray beer all over my monitor. dang gonna have to clean up now.
Gotta watch those Geiger counters some-one could get seriously hurt.

I will make this easy; everyone here has been wrong. I will not go into why everyone here is wrong because there are 4 pages of nothing but opinion. If you want to know what the best weapon for you would be, or anything else about crisis scenarios, U2U me. I own a company that our entire focus is crisis situations from criminal behavior to full blown social insurrection, I am not advertising just want to show you or anyone else options on how to be secure and this website can be a good resource (it is still under construction but a good place to start)

Let me know if you want help with this not based on the opinions of the mob.

[edit on 12-6-2010 by Aziroth]

[edit on 12-6-2010 by Aziroth]

[edit on 12-6-2010 by Aziroth]

Home protection =12 gauge automatic shotgun sawed off to 1/4 inch above legal

Personal protection = 9mm automatic handgun (one that fits your hand well
and doesn't intimidate you)--lead hollow points.

also a 22 cal rifle (ammunition is cheap and easy to stock up)

One more thing guns are like pick-up trucks...you can get all the fancy
wheels and sights and grips and spend an awesome amount of money,
but when the SHTF knowing how to drive/shoot is of utmost importance.

the one you have in your hand

If SHTF and it was everybody for themselves...I think i would want a Crossbow instead....I understand guns are more effective but they also produce a loud noise which draws attention from elsewhere.
Personally.. i wouldnt want that attention drawn to the sound of my gun..id rather stay silent.....Crossbows and Swords.

My two cents