Top 5 Combat Handguns

[MrBuckwheat]

I am really impressed with the number of 5.7 x 28 so far, I guess I am not the only one who appreciates the virtues of that FNH gun and caliber.

I love mine and if you reload you can make some interesting bullets. It is very accurate.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Ramjet]

I have hundreds of rounds of empties but will continue to purchase ammo this thing reminds of reloading the 221 fireball touchy to say the least. I actually have 2 one is my wife's of course but I thought so much of hers I bought one and the SD ammo is available. I just wish they would make compact version of that caliber.

[pangloss9]

In terms of actual record probably something like this:
1911, BHP, Beretta M92, CZ-75, Makarov.

[azchevy]

Glock 17
1911 GI Spec
Sig 226
Browning Hi-Power
Smith and Wesson model 19

all tried and true

[Adam42]

Mine would be,
1911
D Wesson .357mag
Beretta Px4 9mm
Browning Hi Power

[gunthorp]

If I were in combat in:
Civil War - 1851 Colt Navy 44
Spanish-American War - 1873 SAA
WWI, WWII, Korea, Nam - 1911
Sand Box - M9
Current or future dynamic engagements with my choice,
RH: 5" Series 70 GC
LH: 4 1/4" Series 80 CC
BUG: 3" CDP

(These are listed because I have them, but you put anything in my hand, and I'll be glad to warm it up.)

[BIGSAM]

1911 TCM .22
sar k2 .45
USP .45
1911 .45
5.7

[l1a1]

The H&K wasn't made in 1965. The rest of them are still very functional.

Your list strikes me as functional. But I have to ask, why does Walther make a designated barbeque gun?

Sign me up for the BBQ gun. Is the BBQ included?

[TWO GUNS]

Colt 1911
H&K USP 45
H&K HK45
Glock 21
Sig P220
As you can see I like 45's

[grouse]

1. Colt combat goverment model .45acp (mine is sort of tricked out)
2.Kimber pro Raptor .45 acp (lot of of custom stuff)
3. Browning hi Power 9mm
4.Kahr K9
5.Ruger Sp101 3 inch barrel .357 mag.

These 5 are all out of my personal battery so I know they work.

[Archie]

Sixto mentioned only picking guns one owns. That is true in my case for the simple reason if I haven't shot and evaluated pistol 'A', I'm not going to select it as my 'go to' pistol. In my defense, I must point out I've tried a few. At the risk of being less than humble, I present photographic evidence of my experience: (Click for larger image)
DSC00074.JPG
I'm sure there are those who have shot more different types of handguns, more often, than me. But I've some legitimate experience. These are the ones (most of them, anyway; there are a couple in gunboxes, one on my hip and a few in the bedroom) I have purchased, shot, evaluated and kept. There are also a number I have sold off or disposed in some manner. Any pistols I owned and didn't like, I didn't keep. Also not shown are several issued pistols which were reclaimed by various agencies at their pleasure. I have also shot and fiddled with other handguns belonging to friends and relations over the years; and benefited from their various experiences on the subject. I cannot think of any pistols I had, didn't like, got rid of and now think, "That's the gun I'd take to defend myself!"

The same applies to the person with only one pistol. If one owns a pistol, has shot it and worked with it for a while, likes it and feels it is dependable and useful, why would one select something only heard of as a 'favorite'?

And Saints preserve us from those who would recommend anything on the basis of a video game.

[Archie]

Archie,
I was just kidding, I love all of those firearms you mention. I have quoted many times that there are no better shooters then a 1911, or a revolver with a smooth trigger. I have also been quoted as saying life is too short to buy Ruger! I love Colt and S&W revolvers.

Getting to a Walther BBQ gun, I wouldn't mind taking this one to a BBQ.

Yeah, C hawk; I think I picked up on the bantering tone of your post. No offense taken or observed.

Is that a PPQ? Silly me, PPQ, not BBQ. Or is that the .45 ACP conversion done some years ago? I answered my own question, partially. It is not a PPQ. I looked up a PPQ on one of the auction sites. A PPQ looks like a 'Glother' or a 'Walck'. (Like the Sigma was called a 'Glock & Wesson'; but that never caught on.)

So, is that the P-38/.45 ACP or something else? It looks like a nickel finish.

[Archie]

For a combat type encounter I would probably want more capacity than I now have with my 1911 or snubbie 44 spcl that I presently carry for self defense. I would have to go with a high-cap in 9mm in that situation.

Am I wrong to believe that combat and self-defense are two entirely different situations with two entirely different needs?

Michael

Nope, not in my book.. Two totally different types of situations.

I'd rather not guess, Gottabkiddin; can you give a little bit of why you see the two situations as '...totally different...'?

[DUNDEM]

HK45
FN 45 Tac
M&P 45
NightHawk GRP
USP Competition .40

[Lockback]

25 years of shooting, and you can only come up with 3 out of 5? j/k Welcome to the forum!

Okay ... here are two more ...
4) Browning Hi-Power
5) Virtually any of the current breed of polymer pistols, including Glocks, Rugers, Springfield XDs, S&W M&Ps, etc., etc.


We live in the Golden Age of semi-automatic pistols. There are few really "bad" ones out there.
As much as I love John Browning's M1911 and Browning Hi-Power designs, Glock led the revolution a quarter century ago into a Brave New World of polymer-framed handguns. It cut manufacturing costs, provided an almost indestructible frame material (that also happens to absorb recoil), chopped weight and proved to be the wave of the future. Now everybody makes them and most of them are really, really good.
I do have a soft spot for Glocks though.