Your essential handgun picks.

[OneSevenDeuce]

Anyone read the article in the latest G&A entitled "A Handgunner's Battery"? In it Robert Kolesar selects his essential in handguns in various calibers. I thought it might be fun to pass the talkin' stick around and see what you guys have to say about this. Let's use the calibers in the article of 22lr, 9mm, .357, and .45 ACP. Feel free to add your own favorite caliber though. What do you think are MUST HAVES in anyone's handgun collection? Here are my picks...

22lr:



Ruger MK III 6in blued. These guns just look sweet, fun to shoot and mess around with.

9mm:



Beretta 92F. This pistol is built like a tank. Sturdy, reliable, a little on the heavy side, but worth it. The recoil is slight and it is about as accurate a 9mm service pistol as there is.



Glock 17. I haven't fired this a whole lot yet, but I am loving it. Feels great, shoots great, and there is just something about the look of a Glock that I love.

.357:



S&W 649 Bodyguard. This thing is all kinds of badass. Some people consider the big hump that shrowds the hammer ugly, but I think it gives it character.

.45:



Colt 1911. You knew this was coming. When you talk about the .45 ACP the gun that comes to mind is the 1911. Proven in countless wars and enjoyed today. The 1911 is THE classic American pistol.



H&K USP. I didn't give much thought to anything H&K had produced pistol wise until a few years ago when I fired one for the first time. Boy was it sweet. The ergonomics were superb for a .45, especially for someone with very average sized hands.

Those are my picks. How about yours?

[Lead-Thrower]

+1 on the USP. That is one fine weapon.

[Greg-Dawg]

Glock baby!!!

[In_this_city]

Sig Sauers!

[Mr_Monkeywrench]

Man I Love my Sig Sauer P228!!

[rojocorsa]

Glock, SIG, a dependable 1911,, and a good .357.

[Greenbeanz69]

22lr:
Buckmark or Ruger series of auto loading 22 pistols.

as an option a 22 conversion for handguns is appropriate. Cheap and valuable training on the same platform.

9mm:
CZ 75. Any of the CZ variants are wonderful. I specifically go for a sp01 with the competition hammer and trigger job. It is a dream to shoot. points naturally, really reliable, and shoots amazingly accurate. My sp01 has the competition hammer and sear and I polished some internals. Right now the trigger is at around 2.5 pounds.

also acceptable is a glock 17 with the 3.5 pound trigger peice and extended controls and lightly polished internals.

45: The classic, as OP mentioned, 1911. Everyone should own at least one, or two, or more! I have a dan wesson bobtail combat commander which is fun to shoot and a Springfield Armory Trophy Match with a fiber optic front sight and Peirce rubber grip front for long distance shooting.

I personally find im most accurate with my sp01. a full size all steel handgun which shoots 9mm doesnt recoil or muzzle flip much and gives you option of shooting +p+ loads that it was made to handle that can reach the 357 magnum power!

[OneSevenDeuce]

CZ 75.

I have heard a lot about CZ in the last few years. I may have to give them a serious look. The 75 kinda sorta looks like a High Power too, which is cool in my book.

[dellgsg5]

HK USP 45 and Sig Sauer 226 for me.

[l8apex]

22 | Smith Wesson Model 41, Ruger

9mm | Glock, Smith Wesson M&P, HK USPc, Sig 226/229, Browning HP, HK P30 LEM, Beretta 92

.357 SIG | Sig 229, HK USPc

.40 | Glock, Smith Wesson M&P, Sig 229

.45 | Smith Wesson M&P, HK45, and of course 1911 [Ed Brown or Nighthawk]

[OneSevenDeuce]

Browning HP

If I had listed three 9mms the High Power would have been on there. Great gun.

[Regulus]

.22lr: S&W 617 4" Stainless 10rd

9mm: Beretta 92fs (newly refinished by CCR )

.357: S&W 686 4" Polished Stainless 6rd

.45: H&K USP (all)

[den888]

For me, a Glock 23 (.40 and 9mm with a conversion barrel and magazine), a .357 magnum revolver and a 1911 in .45 ACP would fit my needs...

[Super Spy]

22LR Ruger as mentioned by OP
9MM CZ75
357MAG A nice pair of matched SA Cowboy Guns
45ACP 1911 of course

[OneSevenDeuce]

A nice pair of matched SA Cowboy Guns

A Single Action Army is on my short list. If they didn't cost so much I'd probably have one already.