# One Gun: For whatever reason, you can only have one. What is it and why?



## TTT (May 3, 2020)

Who knows what the future holds, but for legal, economic and/or other reasons, if things became so desperate that you had to go down to one gun, what would it be and why? Whatever you choose (pistol, rifle, shotgun etc.), it has to be from your current inventory. If you want to also add a gun you don't currently own but you'd like for that situation, certainly mention that as well.


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## Budlight_909 (Aug 31, 2020)

i like my few 9's, and i LOVE my only 2 , .45 ACP's, my 1911, and my CZ 97 B..

but for magazine capacity, i'd prefer my CZ .45

why?

well, a bit more power than a 9, (although many may debate the power issue), and it just shoots great with very little to NO recoil, compared to any of my 9's


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## Cypher (May 17, 2017)




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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Ruger P95. Built like a tank, I have a large mag for it, and it’s never hiccuped on anything I’ve fed it.


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## Manster (Jan 30, 2016)

For the same reasons as RK3369, I choose the Ruger P93. Rock-solid reliable, built like a tank, and tolerant of dirt and\or the elements.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

I would choose my Remington 870. It will, with the proper ammo slay ANY animal on this continent.

It can be configured for everything from shooting trap to all out combat.

The ammo is almost always available.

I have owned one or another since I was twelve years old and have never had a failure of any kind ever.

GW


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

Great slug gun. Accurate as a rifle within a reasonable distance. Left mine with my BIL when I left the North. Should have brought it along. I’ve got A Mossberg pump now with short slug barrel. Pretty accurate also.


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## Cypher (May 17, 2017)

If I can only have one gun it would be my Glock 26. 

Small enough to conceal easily with variable capacity and plenty of after market support.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

Cypher said:


> If I can only have one gun it would be my Glock 26.
> 
> Small enough to conceal easily with variable capacity and plenty of after market support.


I am a fan of Glock pistols. I had a 26 and a 27, but for various reasons I did not shoot them well.

I have learned that for me, concealment is secondary to carrying a pistol that I am proficient with.

GW


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

Mine would have to be one of my Ruger 10/22's, with all the magazines I have, and all my .22LR ammo. I can do quite a bit with that one simple rifle, including defending myself.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

berettatoter said:


> Mine would have to be one of my Ruger 10/22's, with all the magazines I have, and all my .22LR ammo. I can do quite a bit with that one simple rifle, including defending myself.


That would be a top candidate for my second choice. That and an 870 can solve a lot of problems.

GW


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## TTT (May 3, 2020)

Cypher said:


> If I can only have one gun it would be my Glock 26.
> 
> Small enough to conceal easily with variable capacity and plenty of after market support.


I carried Glock 26's for many years. I LOVE that gun.


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## TTT (May 3, 2020)

Goldwing said:


> I am a fan of Glock pistols. I had a 26 and a 27, but for various reasons I did not shoot them well.
> 
> I have learned that for me, concealment is secondary to carrying a pistol that I am proficient with.
> 
> GW


Amen brother. Although I did learn to shoot my G26's well before I sold them, I only did so because I've learned to carry the largest guns I can conceal.


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## TTT (May 3, 2020)

I know I started this thread, but it really is a hard decision. The only thing I know with certainty is that my one gun would be a pistol, and here is why.

1. I can't conceal a long gun, and attacks don't only occur in one's home.

2. Although in terms of lethality and accuracy a pistol can't compete with a long gun, the right pistol can match or even exceed certain long guns in their ability to incapacitate. I know that flies in the face of what we're taught, but it's true. The Buckeye Firearms Association released a study by Greg Ellifritz about a decade ago now that took just as long to complete. As a police officer and LEO trainer, he took it upon himself to collect his own data as recommended by Massad Ayoob, and essentially compiled data from 1800 people shot over a ten year time period with various calibers. Although I appreciate his data, I don't necessarily agree with all his conclusions, but I do agree that the most important aspect is hitting your target. But most interestingly of all is how ineffective 12 ga. shotguns and centerfire rifles can be.

Although they are more lethal, people can continue to attack for 15 seconds or more even WITHOUT A HEART as one doctor put it. The important thing is incapacitation. The study revealed that shotguns failed to incapacitate 12% of the time and centerfire rifles failed 9%. 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP failed 13-14% of the time, and .357 SIG and .357 Magnum failed 9% of the time (tying centerfire rifles). These are with center of mass and head shots! So in terms of stopping an attack, the better handgun calibers are just as good at stopping people.

3. 22LR in the same study did not fare so well. It's true a lot of people are killed with .22LR. It can certainly do the job, but the failure to incapacitate was over 30% which is much worse than most handgun calibers. In fact, .22LR shot in pistols or rifles was only better than .32 ACP and .25 ACP with failed 35-40% of the time. Since .22LR was lumped in one category, it is likely a .22LR rifle with an 18" barrel is close to the standard handgun calibers (even .380 ACP and .38 Special only failed 16-17% of the time), certainly a .22LR stands to do even worse than .32 and .25, so that took a .22LR rifle out of the running for me. I hunt with bows, anyway, so for me it was easy to give up my shotguns and rifles so that I have a portable solution as well.

But what is my pick? I think I've narrowed it down to one of three choices:

1. My P229 Enhanced Elite chambered in .357 SIG, .40 S&W, and 9mm due to it's shootability and caliber diversity (which I appreciated even more over the last six months).

2. My Beretta PX4 Storm Compact in 9mm. It's the size of a G26 slide mated with a G19 frame (but shorter lengthwise). There are few situations I can't carry this gun, and carrying appendix it holds anywhere from 16-20 rounds.










3. My Smith & Wesson M&P9 M2.0 Subcompact. I carried the similarly sized M&P40c for almost eight years after I first started carrying in 2005. I've owned dozens of carry guns since then, but I recently purchased the M2.0 version in 9mm and it is perhaps the most versatile pistol I've owned to date. At 4.3 inches in height, it is shorter than any G26 in its 12+1 configuration (even when using Magpul 12-round magazines), yet unlike a P365, G43, etc. it maintains magazine compatibility with its larger brethren. It also comes with grip sleeves for them.

































I also considered my Shield since it's thin, but I decided not to include it because the Subcompact can conceal virtually as well on my body.









So what will it be? I just decided after going back and forth about it for a couple of days...

Drum roll please...

...

...

...

...

...

...

...

I can even hunt deer in my state with this gun if I can find someone to cut a 5" .357 SIG barrel for it...

The *SIG Sauer P229 Enhanced Elite in .357 SIG, .40 S&W, and 9mm*









Although this is one of the last guns I would own for practicing constitutional carry at various times in a shall issue state. I prefer my Ruger LCP II for that (and that's all I'm going to say). I carry the P229 extremely well AIWB. It will allow me to almost always be able to find ammunition for at least one of its three calibers which, unlike a Glock, change out with merely a swap of the barrels (.357 vs. .40) or the swap of the barrels and magazines (going from .357/.40 to 9mm). It is also worth a lot more money push comes to shove (even if only having to trade or sell of the barrels, grips, or other parts in an unlikely pinch). It's super reliable & accurate and powerful enough to rival the stopping power of an AR in most engagement distances (no, it won't be as lethal or as accurate, but for most situations, it has enough practical accuracy and stopping power to do the job just as well as demonstrated in the Buckeye Firearms Association study). Recently, I was even able to buy .357 SIG ammo for it cheaper than 9mm (that must be the first time in history).


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## stokes (Jan 17, 2017)

Depends on the situation/reasons.If it is because the leftists win and pass laws that restrict us to one gun,it would be my Glock 19.If a SHTF situation where concealment isnt really a concern it would be my Mini 14.


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## RK3369 (Aug 12, 2013)

stokes said:


> Depends on the situation/reasons.If it is because the leftists win and pass laws that restrict us to one gun,it would be my Glock 19.If a SHTF situation where concealment isnt really a concern it would be my Mini 14.


If I was restricted to one gun, I would have already sold all the extra ones I wasn't allowed to have......


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## aarondhgraham (Mar 17, 2011)

*FN-P90,,,*
No doubt.










30 or 50 round mags,,,
A truly nasty little cartridge,,,
The ergonomics of a fine handgun.

It's classified as a Personal Defense Weapon (PDW),,,
I believe it's the ultimate for my money.

Besides, if it's good enough for Major John Shepard,,,








It's good enough for me.

Aarond

.


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## berettatoter (Sep 1, 2011)

Goldwing said:


> That would be a top candidate for my second choice. That and an 870 can solve a lot of problems.
> 
> GW


I agree, but there can be only one...


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## Babbalou1956 (Sep 2, 2014)

My SIG P290 RS 9mm. My 2nd smallest carry gun & smallest of my 9mm guns.


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## rickclark28 (Apr 14, 2019)

My Ruger KP345PR. Solid and it works for me.


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## Cypher (May 17, 2017)

TTT said:


> Amen brother. Although I did learn to shoot my G26's well before I sold them, I only did so because I've learned to carry the largest guns I can conceal.


1. I'm limited to 15 rounds no matter what. So, I don't see any point in carrying a duty size pistol when I can carry my 26 with 13 rounds onboard and a Glock 19 magazine as a reload. Especially since I qualify expert with my 19 and my 26

2. 90% of the time I'm carrying in an NPE where concealment is THE most important criterion.

Since Coronageddon I don't really go anywhere but to work and the gym. If I do I carry my Glock 19


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

It would have to be a shotgun. Browning light 12. Did someone say .45 CZ 97b? For a handgun that's my choice.







11 shot's of .45 with minimal recoil for a .45 with hot loads. The Col Series 70 and Glock 21 are now second string.


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## fastreb (Oct 31, 2020)

For me, it would be a S&W Model 29 with a 4" barrel. It can use a variety of ammunition, from snake loads to hard cast loads for dangerous game. While large and heavy compared to some other firearms, it can still be concealed with a little bit of forethought. It's accurate and reliable. In short, it can be used for everything from pest control to self-defense and hunting.


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## DOUBLESHOT (Aug 19, 2018)

My Beretta 92fs. It runs better than a Timex watch and I have the 22lr conversion for it!


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## AnnieGotHerGuns (Oct 30, 2020)

@TTT or anybody else who has this gun

Am I understanding right that the Sig Sauer P229 Enhanced Elite is calibered interchangeably in .357, Sig .40 and 9mm in the same pistol?? If that is correct, that seems to me like having three guns in one, sort of.

If so, how difficult is it to make that change over?


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## Minorcan (Apr 18, 2020)

My Beretta 92FS with four 30 round and ten 15 round magazines all loaded with Hornady Critical Defense. With this load out and good planning I can get more weapons as needed. If I get into more trouble than that I’m already dead.


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## TTT (May 3, 2020)

AnnieGotHerGuns said:


> @TTT or anybody else who has this gun
> 
> Am I understanding right that the Sig Sauer P229 Enhanced Elite is calibered interchangeably in .357, Sig .40 and 9mm in the same pistol?? If that is correct, that seems to me like having three guns in one, sort of.
> 
> If so, how difficult is it to make that change over?


It's very easy. For .40 S&W and .357 SIG, I just need to change the barrels (they use the same magazines). For 9mm I change the barrel, magazines, and recoil spring (which takes no time to change since I have to remove the recoil spring to remove the barrel). It's super simple.


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## badge851 (Jan 29, 2013)

For me, it would be my Mossberg® Mdl 500C pump shotgun. Meets all of my hunting needs to include big game plus is a very viable defensive tool.


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## TTT (May 3, 2020)

badge851 said:


> For me, it would be my Mossberg® Mdl 500C pump shotgun. Meets all of my hunting needs to include big game plus is a very viable defensive tool.


But what about when you leave home?


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## badge851 (Jan 29, 2013)

TTT said:


> But what about when you leave home?


Pistol Grip


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## LostColo (Nov 8, 2020)

The answer is completely dependent on the 'whatever reason' part.
Whether it be $ available or zombies coming over the wall, which to choose is a big depends.

I think a good, reliable handgun and a good reliable rifle..kinda like a cowboy, once upon a time.


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## Goldwing (Nov 5, 2014)

LostColo said:


> The answer is completely dependent on the 'whatever reason' part.
> Whether it be $ available or zombies coming over the wall, which to choose is a big depends.
> 
> I think a good, reliable handgun and a good reliable rifle..kinda like a cowboy, once upon a time.


Agreed!
I just noticed your signature. When I was first stationed at Bergstrom Air Force base in Austin the boys were still flying the F-4s and I loved those loud powerful beasts. 
We used to grab some beers on weekend nights and watch them launch from a half mile down range. When they went full AB at night it was quite a show.
Thanks for your service and a belated salute for Veterans day!

GW


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## mdf983 (May 3, 2020)

mp 40 2.0


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## Tangof (Jan 26, 2014)

Much as I like my handguns and AR's it would have to be a Shotgun. 12 Gauge Browning A5. (I'd try like hell to hide my CZ 97B).


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## Shipwreck (Jan 26, 2006)

If I could only, only have one gun...... It would be my HK P2000 DA/SA


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

I have carried a 1911a1 since Dec. 1969 see no reason to change it can always help get another gun if needed


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