Survival handgun opinions

[jbrooks19]

I currently have a Walther P99 AS, i LOVE the gun but, mags are expensive and i can't stock up on them like i would like to. I currently have the opportunity to trade it for a Glock 22, which mags are cheaper and easier to find, plus i can buy spare parts for the Glock, now from a survival stand point on the matter, which would you choose?

 

[the1kidd03]

From the two; Glock

Not only are mags maybe cheaper, but it'll be easier to find/scavenge spares and replacements if it ever came to such a need.

 

[EricG]

^ This is my thoughts on a "survival" pistol. After ammo, maintenance/service comes next on the priority list.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

I was once in your similar position...

I had a P99 AS (well, two of them) - but hadn't yet decided upon a "real" carry gun. I think I carried a KT P11 at the time.

I was trying to decide if I wanted to invest in a good holster and carry the P99....and risk breakage; or invest in some other much more common carry platform for the availability of replacement parts.

I never did carry the P99.

-J-

 

[1mil-high]

Glock:
Common
Readily available parts
Mags everywhere

I like the Walther as well, but it this situation the Glock has an advantage

 

[VERT]

I like my P99.

The gun I would grab if I had to leave my home and hit the highway would be my Glock 23 with the 9mm conversion barrel. For $100 you could get a conversion barrel for the G22. Just add a 9mm magazine and a person can shoot either 9mm or .40S&W. Also magazines, holsters, parts are everywhere for the Glock.

 

[Exodus]

How many mags is enough? I know you can really never have enough. I currently have 4 for my pistol. Would like to have 10 eventually.

 

[the1kidd03]

How many mags is enough? I know you can really never have enough. I currently have 4 for my pistol. Would like to have 10 eventually.

Depends on your personal situation, preference, planning, and what you think is likely to be needed.

I believe in the "never have too many" mantra, however I strive to achieve a minimum I feel comfortable with. That is based on the guns purpose. For a primary defense rifle I prefer to have two full combat loads available per rifle. That number varies on the person, but for me that's basically 3 full double mag pouches or 6 mags per rifle is a combat load. Making my minimum 12 mags per rifle.

Of course, this depends on a lot of factors and it will certainly change with the weapon's purpose. For EDC, I like to have 2-3 on me, spares in the vehicle, and additional at home. The idea being that there is theoretically and hopefully enough there to get me home where everything else is.

3 mags to get me to the car, mags and ammo there to get me home, etc.

 

[cosermann]

Depends on what you mean by "survival" handgun, what your intended purpose for said gun is, what your planning strategies are, tactics are, etc.

FWIW, as an example, U.S. RSOG, for their intended use, has chosen a heavy barreled, match grade, .22 caliber pistol.

For their rationale, see below:

United States Rescue & Special Operations Group Survival Website & Forum

 

[teddy12b]

I don't think your intent is to wonder into the woods and live off of what you can shoot with your pistol for weeks on end. I think you're asking what pistol would you want by your side when the gun stores are empty and choices don't exist anymore and you're stuck with what you've got. In that case, I think a glock of any kind is going to be your best best. I'll be the first to say that I chose the glock from a purely practical standpoint. It's reliable and accurate with a reputation of beign to take all kinds of abuse. There's other pistols I like the looks & feel of better, but the glocks got their reputation for a reason.

When this last round of panic buying went through I didn't feel any panic personally because I had a G19 and G26 with a comfortable amount of mags for both. For me, I like to have 6 mags per pistol. I have at least that many per G19 and my G26 can run those same mags so I've only got a few of the 10rd mags.

 

[maxmayhem]

22 revolver --smith or ruger...no mags needed

 

[indiucky]

22 revolver --smith or ruger...no mags needed

^^^^^^
That's what I love about revolvers...

 

[Sailor]

My survival gun is a Glock 19 IWB daily.

Unless you plan on getting the memo of when you will need it, make your survival gun your daily carry.

 

[BigMatt]

22 revolver --smith or ruger...no mags needed

Me too.

 

[indyblue]

I wouldn't want either (OK, I'm not exactly a Glock hater but I don't like them at all).

Aren't 1911's fairly ubiquitous and the parts relatively interchangeable between makes?

Its one of the reasons I love the AR platform, you could just about pick any kind of one off the ground or a dead body and have spare parts for it.

BTW, how interchangeable are Glock parts between versions/models?

 

[Manatee]

If I could have only one handgun for the rest of my life….it would be a Ruger revolver (except the LCR's).

 

[Birds Away]

CZ 75B is one of the finest all purpose handguns you can have. They are super-accurate, reliable, durable, they have a very rugged finish and have excellent magazine capacity (with after market mags you can carry 19+1). With the right belt and holster they carry very nice and there are a lot of after market parts available to tune it up to the level you want including a race gun. A used 75B can oftern be found online at the $400-$450 price point. Hard to find a better or more versatile gun for the money, IMHO.

 

[phil1640]

Of the 2 I would say with 9mm ammo should be easier to get.

 

[Archer]

I would go with the Glock. $22 per Glock factory magazine vs. $41 for the Walther. Plus I'm a fan of the Glock's for their simplicity and reliability. Not to mention that you can very easily replace most parts in a Glock with no tools and can keep spare parts on hand without breaking the bank.

 

[Iroquois]

I would second the motion for a revolver as a SHTF handgun. Maybe as a second handgun. You don't need a mag, they are less fussy with [properly] reloaded ammo, and large caliber revolvers can use black powder and still be effective. JMHO...