Hi folks,
I'm shopping for my first handgun and could use some advice. I'm looking for something that can do it all. I know a gun like that probably doesn't exist, but I'd like to get as close as I can.
This is what I'm looking for:
1. It must be accurate for general target practice. I plan on putting a lot of rounds through it to better learn how to use it.
2. It must be a good open carry gun for hunting, hiking and camping. Big enough caliber to take down medium sized critters, but not so big that a coup de grace is messy. Ideally, it would even be able to be used as a deer hunting gun with the addition of a scope.
3. It must be utterly reliable.
4. It must double as a home defence gun with reasonable recoil so the wife can learn to use it confidently.
I've narrowed my selection down to a Ruger GP100 and a S&W 686. For real hunting that would mean that the barrel would probably have to be 6" which may make the gun unwieldy for other uses. Perhaps I'm foolish to hope that this gun really can do it all.
.357 is fine for hunting. .38 is manageable for the wife, and cheap to shoot. The wheel gun is reliable, easy to clean and maintain. It must be reasonably easy to carry on multiple mile walks through dense forest and briars.
I was planning on starting with a .22, but my brother just purchased a gorgeous Ruger Single Six and since we shoot together anyway I figured there is no reason to duplicate efforts.
I'd be interested in any thoughts you guys might have.
I'm shopping for my first handgun and could use some advice. I'm looking for something that can do it all. I know a gun like that probably doesn't exist, but I'd like to get as close as I can.
This is what I'm looking for:
1. It must be accurate for general target practice. I plan on putting a lot of rounds through it to better learn how to use it.
2. It must be a good open carry gun for hunting, hiking and camping. Big enough caliber to take down medium sized critters, but not so big that a coup de grace is messy. Ideally, it would even be able to be used as a deer hunting gun with the addition of a scope.
3. It must be utterly reliable.
4. It must double as a home defence gun with reasonable recoil so the wife can learn to use it confidently.
I've narrowed my selection down to a Ruger GP100 and a S&W 686. For real hunting that would mean that the barrel would probably have to be 6" which may make the gun unwieldy for other uses. Perhaps I'm foolish to hope that this gun really can do it all.
.357 is fine for hunting. .38 is manageable for the wife, and cheap to shoot. The wheel gun is reliable, easy to clean and maintain. It must be reasonably easy to carry on multiple mile walks through dense forest and briars.
I was planning on starting with a .22, but my brother just purchased a gorgeous Ruger Single Six and since we shoot together anyway I figured there is no reason to duplicate efforts.
I'd be interested in any thoughts you guys might have.