Searching for the Ultimate Fighting Handgun

[tcmech]

I’m talking about what handgun would you want to augment your assault rifle in a post apocalyptic world where law and order no longer exist and there is no one coming to the rescue per se. Think of the movie "The Book of Eli."

Let’s say you have prepared well and have fared much better than most in the first six months after the fall of civilization and now you must venture out from your keep to forage for food and clean water.

You and three other close friends or family members strike out on a foraging party in search of food and water. One mile out from your base, you are detected and set upon by a roving gang of let’s say 12 armed men wearing makeshift body armor. They are armed with an assortment of assault riles, hunting rifles, pistols, edged weapons and bludgeoning type weapons.

In the opening moments of the engagement you and one of your family members are wounded. Your family member is wounded in the lower abdomen and must be carried. The thumb on your strong hand has been shot off and is now hanging by the skin only. You take cover inside an abandoned apartment building to rally but are quickly surrounded and pinned down. Your teammates have better weapons and armor but aren’t trained for this type of combat. An intense 20 minute firefight ensues, you and your teammates mange to whittle their numbers down to eight. Both you and your enemy are low on ammo. They quickly realize that while they still have the superior numbers they should storm the building and finish you off.

Your other teammates are already out of ammo and are using their pistols. You are down to your last assault rifle magazine and the engagement is about to switch to close quarters combat (CQC) in a darkened building with no power. And remember you have wounded to carry out.

What handgun(s) would you prefer to have at your side?

Going against that makeshift body armor I will take the model 29 and a speed loader since there are a dozen of them. My first choice would probably be a s&w 460.

Since I have not made it to the book of Eli yet I will probably keep carrying my glock 36.

 

[HandyHamlet]

I’m talking about what handgun would you....

hahahahaha! Thanks for the laugh.

If you are foraging for food and water a mile from your base you are an idiot red shirt in a crappy screenplay. Your pistol of choice would be a plank with nails in it. And most likely you would be dead in the first act. Caught in some sort of makeshift trap/ambush before Kevin Costner can save you....




Spoiler alert: He feeds the girl to his dog!

 

[45acpForMe]

In a post apocalyptic world you can look at your requirements two ways.

1) There would be no fear of over penetration or lawsuits so a 10mm or 460 or even 44 magnum become more desirable penetrating makeshift body armor.

2) Ammo availability would become a problem at some point so sticking with 45acp or 9mm might be advisable since it would be easier to find.

I think the premise is wrong to begin with in that each mission (day in a post-apocalyptic world) may be different so own several guns of several calibers and use the best for each purpose for each event. If you run out of 10mm ammo your go to gun becomes a 45acp etc. Just like I tell people that you don't have to own only one gun when they try to find the "perfect" pistol, the perfect gun will be different as conditions change.

 

[t33j]

In my mind capacity would be king. Hot 9mm and 5.56 would be my goto calibers.

 

[DevinWKuska]

I’m talking about what handgun would you want to augment your assault rifle in a post apocalyptic world where law and order no longer exist and there is no one coming to the rescue per se. Think of the movie "The Book of Eli."

Let’s say you have prepared well and have fared much better than most in the first six months after the fall of civilization and now you must venture out from your keep to forage for food and clean water.

You and three other close friends or family members strike out on a foraging party in search of food and water. One mile out from your base, you are detected and set upon by a roving gang of let’s say 12 armed men wearing makeshift body armor. They are armed with an assortment of assault riles, hunting rifles, pistols, edged weapons and bludgeoning type weapons.

In the opening moments of the engagement you and one of your family members are wounded. Your family member is wounded in the lower abdomen and must be carried. The thumb on your strong hand has been shot off and is now hanging by the skin only. You take cover inside an abandoned apartment building to rally but are quickly surrounded and pinned down. Your teammates have better weapons and armor but aren’t trained for this type of combat. An intense 20 minute firefight ensues, you and your teammates mange to whittle their numbers down to eight. Both you and your enemy are low on ammo. They quickly realize that while they still have the superior numbers they should storm the building and finish you off.

Your other teammates are already out of ammo and are using their pistols. You are down to your last assault rifle magazine and the engagement is about to switch to close quarters combat (CQC) in a darkened building with no power. And remember you have wounded to carry out.

What handgun(s) would you prefer to have at your side?

I think in book of eli type situation a good compound bow would be your best bet. Since lets face it every shot you fire out of a firearm means you are that much closer to not having any ammunition at all... ever! In your scenario I think the best bet would save a bullet and load it for the wounded comrade. The rest of the party should resort to melee weapons(board, pipe, knife) if we fail in our attempt the wounded comrade has a round to finsih himself before being brutally beaten or worse.

That being said I think you need to start working on some non firearm training! Krav Maga is used by the Israeli govt and has proven highly effective. Both in self motivation, self defense, improving hand an eye coordination, as well as use of lethal force(via strikes to strategic places).

As some others have already stated there is no perfect handgun, and your magazine capacity will fail you since it will be in your mind that you have lots off ammunition and will fail to count your spent rounds properly. I commend you on your prepardness but I believe your thoughts on the situation for which it may be called upon, would leave you found wanting. Good luck on your endeavors though! Let us know what you decided on.. we like pics too

 

[DevinWKuska]

In a post apocalyptic world you can look at your requirements two ways.

1) There would be no fear of over penetration or lawsuits so a 10mm or 460 or even 44 magnum become more desirable penetrating makeshift body armor.

[I]2) Ammo availability would become a problem at some point so sticking with 45acp or 9mm might be advisable since it would be easier to find.[/I] I think the premise is wrong to begin with in that each mission (day in a post-apocalyptic world) may be different so own several guns of several calibers and use the best for each purpose for each event. If you run out of 10mm ammo your go to gun becomes a 45acp etc. Just like I tell people that you don't have to own only one gun when they try to find the "perfect" pistol, the perfect gun will be different as conditions change.

These two statements seem contrary to each other. Carrying several firearms with different calibers would be problematic as if you spent all of one particular guns ammo.. it would be just extra weight. Your first statement I believe would be the safer bet. Find one or two calibers(probably Nato or Russian?) and make your offense/defense based on those 2. This ensures that you dont have to pack any more weight then necessary, and your ammuniton and or magazines would be inter-changeable.

This would really benefit you if your comrades carried the same caliber weapons. This means in a last ditch hold out situation as our friend has imagined... you could "Pool" your ammunition so that you keep everyone that is still combat effective in the fight. In our comrades scenario two of his fellows have run out of primary weapon ammuniton hand have switched to sidearms. THis tells me either the story teller is selfish(good way to get yourself killed) or is assuming his comrades have different caliber weapons. Same with sidearms... if he still had a mag left IMO I would toss them my pistol mags and take point to hold the staircase or most likely point of entry.

 

[HandyHamlet]

I would toss them my pistol mags and take point to hold the staircase or most likely point of entry.

Not likely.

The thumb on your strong hand has been shot off and is now hanging by the skin only.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTmyD-_pMVU


:monkey:monkey:monkey

 

[45acpForMe]

These two statements seem contrary to each other. Carrying several firearms with different calibers would be problematic as if you spent all of one particular guns ammo.. it would be just extra weight. Your first statement I believe would be the safer bet. ....

While yes standardizing on a common round is preferred, you may come across other ammo that can be "collected" for a rainy day. Havining other guns that can use the ammo would be nice.

I suppose if you were fighting bad guys and they were using other calibers, after you finished them off you could collect their guns and whatever ammo is left to store for a rainy day too.

While having all your buddies standardize on the same ammo is great for sharing during a firefight, it will drain that caliber from your depot quicker. I know, my daughter just started shooting 45acp like me and I am running low.

ETA: If the SHTF, I might carry a 44mag pistol for harder targets and my normal 45acp for everyday targets.

 

[DevinWKuska]

Not likely.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTmyD-_pMVU

In his scenario he has an assault rifle with a spare full magazine. last time I checked I could still fire my assault rifle reliably with either hand as the trigger hand, and you dont need your thumb to support the front(or atleast I dont).

While yes standardizing on a common round is preferred, you may come across other ammo that can be "collected" for a rainy day. Havining other guns that can use the ammo would be nice.

I suppose if you were fighting bad guys and they were using other calibers, after you finished them off you could collect their guns and whatever ammo is left to store for a rainy day too.

While having all your buddies standardize on the same ammo is great for sharing during a firefight, it will drain that caliber from your depot quicker. I know, my daughter just started shooting 45acp like me and I am running low.

ETA: If the SHTF, I might carry a 44mag pistol for harder targets and my normal 45acp for everyday targets.

Dont get me wrong if u have other calibers that you may want for specific purposes by all means go for it. I was more referring that from a group based tactical scenario standardizing ammunition like you said is preffered. As for spoils of war from your dead BGs... hey after a while your gonna have a nice collection of ammo and firearms(assuming your post-apocalyptic daughter doesnt shoot it all)

 

[45acpForMe]

... As for spoils of war from your dead BGs... hey after a while your gonna have a nice collection of ammo and firearms(assuming your post-apocalyptic daughter doesnt shoot it all)

She has caught the bug so she very well may. :lol:

 

[Arizona-Eric]

I'm a little blown away by this topic-

"ultimate fighting handgun" ?

This is a self defense and second ammend supporting website...

But if I had to choose.. I would go with a Glock 32 .357 with a fifty round custom made magazine..

And like someone else said.. "For ultimate zombie fighting" or w/e

Cheers

-eric

Edit: erased a exaggerated comment about world war 3

 

[matt2636]

I’m talking about what handgun would you want to augment your assault rifle in a post apocalyptic world where law and order no longer exist and there is no one coming to the rescue per se. Think of the movie "The Book of Eli."

Let’s say you have prepared well and have fared much better than most in the first six months after the fall of civilization and now you must venture out from your keep to forage for food and clean water.

You and three other close friends or family members strike out on a foraging party in search of food and water. One mile out from your base, you are detected and set upon by a roving gang of let’s say 12 armed men wearing makeshift body armor. They are armed with an assortment of assault riles, hunting rifles, pistols, edged weapons and bludgeoning type weapons.

In the opening moments of the engagement you and one of your family members are wounded. Your family member is wounded in the lower abdomen and must be carried. The thumb on your strong hand has been shot off and is now hanging by the skin only. You take cover inside an abandoned apartment building to rally but are quickly surrounded and pinned down. Your teammates have better weapons and armor but aren’t trained for this type of combat. An intense 20 minute firefight ensues, you and your teammates mange to whittle their numbers down to eight. Both you and your enemy are low on ammo. They quickly realize that while they still have the superior numbers they should storm the building and finish you off.

Your other teammates are already out of ammo and are using their pistols. You are down to your last assault rifle magazine and the engagement is about to switch to close quarters combat (CQC) in a darkened building with no power. And remember you have wounded to carry out.

What handgun(s) would you prefer to have at your side?

lol nice. to answer your question. the glock 21sf. i have one and its my everything gun. from carryin to playin around. its simple and easy to fix is something did break on it and the finish will never wear off on it. even aliens like the glock.

 

[since9]

Personally, I'd like a .45 ACP M10 with a noise suppressor, forward handle (or at least stock) and four 30-round detachable box magazines with three more 100-round backups on my belt. Or flips.

Technically, I'm not allowed, so I'll take my 4x16-round magazines in my CZ85B.