what handgun to get

[Elk-aholic]

Tanfoglio Witness "Stock" 10MM. 15rd capacity.

[fisheral87]

Sweet. 

[woodywsu]

I pack a Springfield XD .45 4 inch barrell and love it. With high capacity round, you can hold 13. If you can't protect yourself with 13 rounds, then good luck.

My wife loves the 45 also. So home defense isn't a concern.

[GoldTip]

My wife carries a Taurus Titanium frame snubbie 5 shot 357mag, I load 38special rounds in it for her for practice, but she gets in plenty of rounds each year of full boat loads as well.  She carries it with 357mag rounds when she's out hiking or 4 wheeling and I am not around.  General carry for me is my 45acp Colt Commander LW both in places I want it seen and places I don't want it seen, but sometimes I will change that up with my Glock 9mm as well.  For real serious knock down when I am in Montana it's my Ruger Alaskan in 454 casull.  Best thing you can do with any of these or whatever you purchase is make sure it's something you want to shoot a lot, cuz when you need it, your gonna REALLY need it.  I put at least a couple hundred rounds thru each one of those guns every year to always be familiar with them.

For what you've proposed you want the gun for, I'd go with one of the lightweight 357mags, hard to have a wheel gun fail on you when you need it.  Can practice with cheap ball ammo in 38 special with very little recoil.  I would maybe look at one of the scandium framed S&W revolvers, very lite and small.  Spendy but worth the pennies.

[FC]

Does anyone shoot the .357 sig? Everything I have read has said it is not any better and probably worse than other offerings. My impression is that it does not compare to the .357 mag as far as knock down power.

Do some more looking, 357 sig and magnum are close in ballistics with the advantage of heavier bullets going to the magnum but for 147gr and down it's pretty close with the advantage going to the sig due to capacity. If you haven't shot a 357 sig you should rent one next time you are at the range, you might just be surprised how much you like it.

[DaveR]

Tanfoglio Witness "Stock" 10MM. 15rd capacity.

that sucker is nice!
I want a FA 500 Wyoming. It would be like my 454 though. It mostly just goes to the range. Another vote for the 357. If I do pack in the woods. My Dan Wesson is what usually goes along. I plink with it way more than any other centerfire handgun i own. I load them down with cast bullits, but shoot full power loads quite a bit too.

[ridgefire]

i ended up buying a xd40 sub compact from dougs boats in woodinville. he had it for 489 bucks, seemed like a pretty good price cant wait to get it and start shooting.

[FC]

i ended up buying a xd40 sub compact from dougs boats in woodinville. he had it for 489 bucks, seemed like a pretty good price cant wait to get it and start shooting.

Not a bad choice on an XD40 sc, they are extremely reliable guns. Are you going to get your CPL too?

[ridgefire]

yeah, i tried making it to everett this week to do the paperwork but did not make it in time so will probably wait till after x mas now.

[FC]

It's pretty quick and easy and after that you walk out with your new handgun on the same day you buy it!

[Whitelightning]

ridgefire,
Good choice on the XD I have read nothing but good about them. I went with the XDM 3.8 40 S&W.

[high country]

Tanfoglio Witness "Stock" 10MM. 15rd capacity.

I used to have a tangfolio in 45. funny how under rated they are. it fit me like a glove.....although a bit heavy. I miss mine.

[Elk-aholic]

Tanfoglio Witness "Stock" 10MM. 15rd capacity.

I used to have a tangfolio in 45. funny how under rated they are. it fit me like a glove.....although a bit heavy. I miss mine.

I agree, the ergonomics of the CZ 75 design are what draw me to the Witness line, they just feel good in my hands. The weight is a little on the heavy side but I don't think it's worse than any of the Sig's I have. I would love to find a Israeli Jericho in 9mm... 

[Schwag173]

Unfortunately, I think you're asking too much of one handgun.  Concealed carry and the woods call for two completely different kind of handguns.  The woods calls for beefy cartridges and this necessitates a larger/heavier handgun, which is exactly the wrong thing for a concealed-carry weapon.  I've been carrying handguns for business and pleasure almost every day for the past 20 years.  My off-duty concealed-carry gun is a Glock 27 .40 and my woods gun is a S&W 66 .357 Magnum (180gr lead handloads) that rides on my hip.  If you buy too large/heavy of a gun, you'll soon grow weary of carrying it (concealed).  Regardless of what you get, get something (or two) that feels good and that you shoot well. 

[Phantom Gobbler]

Hey Ridgefire,

The stuff I have read says to go for a minimum of .41 Mag for backwoods carry (Bears, etc.).  I have a .44 Mag Ruger Blackhawk with a 4 5/8 inch barrel.  It is a little on the heavy side for backcountry carry, but was nice to have when we ran into some crazed rutting moose in Idaho.  S&W makes a .44 Mag Mountain Gun with a lighter weight (Titanium) frame that might be looking into ... for taking it steep and deep.

For in-town carry, make sure you are comfortable with the size and weight of your choice.  Your Dad's S&W .38 Airweight (without an exposed hammer) is really a slick way to go for in close personal protection.


I have an XDm 3.8 in 9mm (20 Rds) for in town work, but find that it is a little large for "easy" concealment.  I am planning to pick up something like the .38 S&W Airweight or possibly a .380 Auto (Sig or Bersa) for easy pocket carry.  Dakota Dave picked up a Bersa Thunder in .380 and seems to have it wherever he goes in town or in vehicle.

Good luck and let me know when you want to go shooting!