Rifle rich and pistol poor...

[CoElkHunter]

Self defense (2 legged predators): .40 Glock models 22 or 23, depending on your hand size. Loaded with 165gr. Winchester Ranger (the old Black Talon) or Sig Sauer V-Crown ammo. Trijicon night sights.
Self defense (4 legged predators up to and including black bear size): 10mm Glock models 40 (6” barrel), 20 or 29, depending on your hand size. Loaded with 220gr. Buffalo Bore or Underwood Hard Cast ammo. Trijicon night sights.
I didn’t even cry ONCE when arming myself with these? LOL

 

[shootist~]

There are about a gazillion choices. Try out as many as you can.
Reliability trumps everything else in spades.

A few good ones from my perspective (there are many more):

For tradition: A 5" 1911 in 45 ACP. (Preferably a Springfield for better quality out of the box, or Wilson Combat for a semi-custom at a price.

For uber reliable pocket carry (in a pocket holster). Smith J-Frame 38 Special. (+P rated Airweight.) Shoot 148 HBWC for practice, carry +P whatever you fancy.

As above, but in a uber small 6 shot semi: Glock 43 (9mm).

More full size / higher capacity 9mm(s): Walther PPQ (best trigger); Glock 19; Glock 17; etc.,

 

[Challer]

P226 and SW 686 are a must

 

[Still alive]

I too am rifle heavy and was handgun poor? I love my beretta 92, then came my anaconda 44. 25 years later I can’t get over the 1911. The perfect gun in every way. shoots very well. I do own a Glock? Not a big fan but it’s lite also a sw mp 40. Not a big fan but it’s is a nice gun in a holster. But for Alaska river fishing I carry a ruger 44 strapped to my chest. So basically I treat them all as tools and I’m a tool pig!!!! Happy wife, happy life!!!!

 

[freefall]

IMHO, the most all-round useful handgun a person can own (unless you live in grizzly country) is a 4" .357 revolver. If I didn't live in the land of 1000 lb bears, I would be content with that as one of my 2 only handguns, the other being a 4" .22.
My favorite .357 is the Ruger Security Six, which you can still obtain for $500 with a little searching. Smiths and Colts are also wonderful, but more expensive and IMHO a little more fragile.
That being said (hypocrisy warning) I most often carry a KelTec PF9 in my hip pocket or a Kimber Compact 1911 in a homemade Famous Jackass shoulder rig ripoff. If I feel a bear problem is more likely than a human one I carry a 5" .44 Super Blackhawk.
My best suggestion for you is to buy an hour or two of instruction from somebody who has several handguns you can try shooting. See what feels good to you and buy that.

 

[Fixfire]

Get the classic: Colt 1911 Gov Model 70 in 45 ACP. Heavy gun - eliminates much recoil. Not a carry gun. Will always hold much of its value since it’s a Colt!!

 

[DLSJR]

You can’t really do better than a Glock 17 for safety, dependability, firepower and accuracy. At least, that is what the operators of Delta Force decided about 2 years ago when they ran new trials to decide what to replace their Berettas with. They narrowed the trials down to a Sig (229 IIRC) and the Glock 17. Majority voted for the Glock as the new service pistol.

Those guys all literally shoot lots of bad guys with handguns, and every operator has more experience with handguns than any of us will ever achieve, so I think their decision is the last word on the subject.

One final thought…. The choice of handgun for Delta is very literally a life & death decision, they chose the Glock 17 for situations where they have to survive close quarters combat without using their rifle, which I’d always their first option.

 

[curtism1234]

 

[Berettaco]

I’d go try out a good striker fire - say a Glock 19 or 17 (9mm) and also a smith 686 (357) - actually just buy both and you’re covered for about anything.
I second the pistol training - not just a ccw course, but an actual defensive pistol course - Chris Costa (Costa Ludus) has some great classes, been to 6 or so of his and highly recommend

 

[Tanks]

You are in Texas. Get one of the STI 2011s, a Texas company. Very, very accurate handguns.

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I don't leave home without an earlier version, STI DVC Carry. Carry with 16 in magazines. My EDC below.

 

[mdsalern]

Mark IV is a nice pistol, but I would not consider it for a cry once felon stopper. WOOOOOO!!!

 

[robtattoo]

Sig P365 with an XL slide.10, 12 or 15 rounds of 9mm in a light, very concealeable, reliable & incredibly easy to carry package. I mounted a Streamlight R7 micro & Holosun red dot on mine, but after a few hundred rounds of draw & fire exercises i took the dot back off. In more accurate with it, but my first round hit rate is far quicker with irons. I carry AIWB & after 5 minutes, i don't even notice it.

I have a couple of revolvers for woods carry (4" .357 GP100 for around here & a 5-1/2" SBH stainless for out West) but my Sig goes everywhere with me.

 

[CoElkHunter]

View attachment 491622

$639 MSRP? The folks at Ruger must be smoking the same stuff that some of the other firearms manufacturers are.

 

[curtism1234]

$639 MSRP? The folks at Ruger must be smoking the same stuff that some of the other firearms manufacturers are.

The stainless msrp is 799!

I bought the same stainless 20 years ago and I want to say I paid $500 otd

You can buy the blued for 500 otd now

 

[crs]

CEH,
Did I hear you laugh at a 380 auto?
IMHO, that pistol actually has a place because it is easily hidden in small out of the way places.
A well placed bullet can kill you.

 

[Hunter4752001]

Aside from the choice of brand, also think about whether it can be easily fitted with a weapons light. Home invasions etc are more likely to occur during the hours of darkness. Many other situations occur in bad light.
Compact weapon lights have been one of the big game changers in defensive pistols.
Strongly second the recommendation to get some solid training.

 

[CoElkHunter]

CEH,
Did I hear you laugh at a 380 auto?
IMHO, that pistol actually has a place because it is easily hidden in small out of the way places.
A well placed bullet can kill you.

crs:
Not so much at the .380, but in a gold plated Desert Eagle? Now I want one! LOL But, preferably in .50AE. I’ve shot an acquaintance’s DE in that cartridge and with the 325gr bullet it gets your attention. I don’t think the recoil is quite as stiff as my Ruger .454 Casull though?
CEH

 

[Sourdough]

Glock. 43X if you want a church gun, otherwise an adult sized Glock. Why Glock? Because they just run, always in all conditions. Not enough of a reason? How about because the varsity teams run Glocks. And they can run anything they want.

 

[Inline6]

Aside from the choice of brand, also think about whether it can be easily fitted with a weapons light. Home invasions etc are more likely to occur during the hours of darkness. Many other situations occur in bad light.
Compact weapon lights have been one of the big game changers in defensive pistols.
Strongly second the recommendation to get some solid training.

If we are talking home invasion give me an AR any day. At home it is a no questions asked. Pistols are great CC, rifle are a more viable option in/around the house.

 

[jpr9954]

You can’t really do better than a Glock 17 for safety, dependability, firepower and accuracy. At least, that is what the operators of Delta Force decided about 2 years ago when they ran new trials to decide what to replace their Berettas with. They narrowed the trials down to a Sig (229 IIRC) and the Glock 17. Majority voted for the Glock as the new service pistol.

Those guys all literally shoot lots of bad guys with handguns, and every operator has more experience with handguns than any of us will ever achieve, so I think their decision is the last word on the subject.

One final thought…. The choice of handgun for Delta is very literally a life & death decision, they chose the Glock 17 for situations where they have to survive close quarters combat without using their rifle, which I’d always their first option.

There are many other pistols that I prefer to the Glock. That said, when I took a training class taught by the former Sgt Major for Training of 1st SOD-D aka Delta, he was using a Glock. When it comes to finding magazines at a reasonable price, nothing comes close to a Glock. If you want to modify it with different sights, different triggers, etc., Glock has more choices than anything else.