The thing is, if you have someone gunning for you, they may or may not show up at your home. If the shooting was at your place of work, they may instead go there.
They may follow you in a vehicle, or wait for you to walk your dog.
Heck, you may have a pure blind luck encounter, as Archduke Franz Ferdinand did.
"You win 100% of the fights you avoid. If you're not there when it happens, you don't lose." - William Aprill
"I've owned a guitar for 31 years and that sure hasn't made me a musician, let alone an expert. It's made me a guy who owns a guitar."- BBI
I'm down to one make/caliber for training/defense (Glock, 9mm), but it'll be a really bad day when I am no longer hip-deep in wheelies and vintage oddities. I mean, it's getting harder every year to find a mint flatgate single-six, a mint wartime Beretta M1934 or a 3" RB model 65. So, no.
I don't see how one gun could fit everything I needed, or all of everyone else's needs. However if two models were it definitely a G19 and a G43 or a G19 and a small Airweight J frame. That combo could literally do everything. J-frame for bug, discreet carry, exercising, lounging, winter/pocket gun, wearable in a Tux or nice suit, it also runs different ammo which I personally believe is important. G19 for everything else. Two different triggers is kind of a negative but on the upside nothing teaches trigger control like a DA revolver. The G43 could also probably serve all of the above as well.
I own lots of stuff now but at one point I had nothing but a few P2000's and M&P340's. I found these combos worked really well and covered all of my needs. I just ended up buying other stuff because I just enjoy shooting different things. Only thing I regret about having a fair bit of stuff is the amount of time it takes to keep everything oiled and cared for. I'm not the type that can shoot the piss out of something and leave it nasty for 6 months at a time.
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I'm a fiend for old Pocket Colts, so I know exactly what you mean.Originally Posted by Sidheshooter
"You win 100% of the fights you avoid. If you're not there when it happens, you don't lose." - William Aprill
"I've owned a guitar for 31 years and that sure hasn't made me a musician, let alone an expert. It's made me a guy who owns a guitar."- BBI
Pretty glib comment. It's not quite to the level of why do I even own a gun, but close. It wasn't that long ago we experienced long spells of ammo and firearm availability issues. Natural disaster, man-made disaster, political scares, aforementioned evidentiary seizure... choose your perfect storm before it chooses you.
I like voodoo man's plan. A lot.
I own one "operating system"--LEM/Striker/DAO. Too much muscle memory invested. Want the mechanics to be the same whenever I pull the trigger. After that, the numbers vary, but always have three of each.
Last edited by Hideeho; 08-03-2017 at 05:40 PM.
Great. Long guns are a good answer for when you're home. You going to pack one to the gun store the next day? If you're Zimmerman?
I get what you're trying to accomplish and I commend you for it. Just remember everything in moderation, including moderation. Going to just one physical handgun can bite you in the ass and there's been quite a few reasons listed here by me and others.
If you have 2 ARs set up identically, 2 carry handguns set up identically, and a BUG/NPE gun you've got most of your bases covered. I'd be hesitant to drop below that.
I gave up on the idea of streamlining to only one family a while ago, I just like guns too much to not own and enjoy a bunch of different ones. That said, I did settle on the Glock family as my main go-to for serious purposes and focused hard on getting proficient with them and getting them squared away as far as sights and such. All of my other guns could be pressed into service but for now they are only for fun and don't get brought out often. Then it occurred to me that if I'm going to concentrate on one platform it should be what I carry at work (M9) so I'm in the process of switching over to the Beretta PX4 and 92 and possibly a Smith 3914 as it has the same manual of arms as the PX4 and 90-series. I have no plans of only owning one of either of those families because, as others have mentioned, you need at least two or even three so that you have a backup in case something happens.
How I (try to) do it and what I recommend is pick one gun you really like that works for you, then get an exact duplicate of that gun to train with and shoot regularly. Then try to stay as close as possible to that gun if you branch out from it, like say you want a BUG or something smaller for when you can't dress around your favored gun or if you want a fullsize for nightstand duty. Perfect example would be with Glocks. Lots of people carry a 19 so you buy one to carry and one to shoot the piss out of. Then you buy a 26 and/or a 43 to supplement the 19 and a second to practice with. Then when the funds are available you might pick up a G34 to keep handy around the house with a light on it and eventually a second.
I've long had a gun-ownership motto: "any gun worth owning is worth having two (or more) of; one for use, another for a spare".
Unfortunately, it eventually gets out of hand.
"Therefore, since the world has still... Much good, but much less good than ill,
And while the sun and moon endure, Luck's a chance, but trouble's sure,
I'd face it as a wise man would, And train for ill and not for good." -- A.E. Housman
I'm currently a one pistol guy. A Glock 19 Gen4 is my current everything pistol. My only other firearm is my hunting rifle. I'd like to add a G43 and possibly a 17 or 21 for woods carry, but that has to wait for finances to catch up. Years ago I owned/used multiple handgun platforms, but times change. I'm grateful for the ability to protect myself and loved ones and will add the next pistol when able.
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