Les Jones

Guns > "Only One Gun"

Anarchangel has an interesting variation on the "only one gun" theme: which gun would you choose for each of these categories?

1. Rimfire Handgun - I don't have much passion on this one. My Browning Buckmark would be fine, but so would a Ruger Mark II/III with a good trigger job or replacement trigger. (Countertop has a Mark II with an amazing trigger.) I'm tempted by a K-frame S&W .22 revolver.

2. Rimfire rifle - My Winchester 170. It's not necessarily the best, and I wouldn't expect anyone else to choose it, but it was my first gun and I don't ever plan on selling it.

3. Centerfire hunting rifle - No strong feelings here, either. I'd probably sneak in the Lee-Enfield No. 5 Jungle Carbine.

4. Centerfire carbine (either hunting or defensive) - Probably an AR-15, if I could think of a reason I'd use one. I tend to think the cheaper Kel-Tec SU-16 has more practical uses, and it uses the same ammo and magazines.

5. Shotgun - My Mossberg 500 pump in 12 gauge suits me fine, and I've got both a slug barrel and trap/field barrel for it. The only reason I'd want anything else is if I took up skeet and wanted to be competitive with the guys running $10,000 over/unders.

6. Battle rifle - M1 Garand. As with the AR-15, I don't have much practical use for a gun like this, but the Garand has historical value, and many clubs sponsor Garand matches that are beginner-friendly. This is on my near-term buy list.

7. Milsurp rifle or handgun - Probably a 1911 (I'm sort of cheating it in here), but my SKS is an awfully handy and inexpensive trunk gun. A trunk gun would a good 10th category.

8. Pocket gun/Concealed carry handgun - My S&W 642, a small, snub-nosed, 15 oz .38 revolver.

9. Open carry handgun/service pistol/general duty sidearm - Probably my S&W 686 .357 revolver, though I'm tempted to go with something shorter than its 6" barrel.

UPDATE: I forgot that I was supposed to pick one gun if I could only have one. I'd go with a .357 Magnum revolver with a 3" barrel. Powerful, versatile, and it'll fit in a pants pocket if it has to. My 3" 64 .38 Special is almost there, but I'd probably swap it for a 3" 66 in .357 Magnum with adjustable sights.