Only one ... handgun?

[SHOOTALL]

If I can have only one HG but also a long gun then a J frame or such would seen best as it would fill the hide out gun role best. The post here have made me consider other reasons though.

[RB Rooson]

In a Survival vein (considering that everything as we know it is gone), probably the Ruger Single Six in .22/.22 magnum.  Extremely reliable, ammo could be found almost anywhere (remember you won't have Wal-Mart to go to....), alot folks have .22 ammo loose in car ash trays, junk drawers at home, in the pockets of old or winter jackets, etc. and you can carry a 100 rounds in your jeans.

The important thing would be to be armed.  You don't have to have the biggest and baddest gun made.....try to find .40 ammo when that first 50 are gone in a
"end game scenario"!!

The same can be said for a 12 gauge coach gun.  Simple and easy to operate, not complicated to repair and shells can be found almost anywhere.  Remember you may love your .223 black gun, but after the initial in your possession ammo runs out - where are you going to find anymore?  Oh, I know you are going to say "Well, I know alot guys who have .223's...!!"

Yah, but alot more people have 12 gauge shotguns!!

[Avyctes]

It seems many of the posts are theorizing about what the best all around gun would be rather than what do they have on hand that they would want to grab and run out the door with - but if we go back to the OP's statement of you have 30 seconds to grab one hand gun and hit the road, what would it be - it would have to be my bed side gun fer sure.  I keep a Walther P99 in .40 S&W holstered beside the bed, with 3 full mags (I cram the 3rd mag into the vertical velcro belt slots on the back side of the holster.  I also keep the remainder of a box of shells beside the gun, so I'd have that piece  in a holster, 3 mags, and 50 rounds of ammunition if I had to grab it and skedaddle.

Now before we get into 'I'd like to see you hit a squirrel with a P99 at 80 yards' while living on the run from zombies or what not, I'm not proselytizing the merits of the P99 as the ultimate survival gun.  This is merely what I have as my bed size gun, all the rest of my handguns being more out of reach.  I have a couple of smallish pistols I keep for carry, but one is hanging in a concealed carry vest in the hall closet (and yes I could snag it on the way out the door but it's only a Pa63 in 9x18 and why would I grab it over the .40?) and the other is a Ruger LCR, and only has the 5 rounds in the cylinder (and why would I grab it over the .40?).

I like the idea of the accuracy of my Ruger Mk1 for varmint sniping, but unless it can step up and be my bedside gun, it probably would not make it out the door, because in this scenario after all, There can be only One.

That's my two cents. 

[SHOOTALL]

Avyctes , better yey I have a J-frame in my pocket with some HP's and snake shot . Who said We would be home at the time SHTF ?

[Avyctes]

Shootall, I agree, and more than likely it will happen when you are away from your supply.  I was just answering the question as it was  put - "If I had 30 seconds to leave the house" - what do you grab.

Actually, I'd love to have included my AK in my list of guns I'd grab. 

[reliquary]

As I've said in another post, I'm getting too old to bug out, and have a semi-invalid wife that I wouldn't leave behind.

 Having stated that, if I had 30 seconds to leave, I'd pick up my carry piece (.45 stainless Commander).  With it, in a bag on the shelf, are: several loaded mags...100 mixed rounds of .45 ACP...a Ciener conversion kit...a brick of high-velocity .22s...a couple of SOS 3600-cal food bars...some bottled water...el cheapo cell phone.

[Couger]

IF a 'body' isn't home when the schumer smacks the fan ...... ??!!   

If a fellow had unlimited resources I could seen having at least "four"-ish "perfect" one-handguns!

1.  The one in or on or by the nightstand for noises in the night.

2.  The by the front door with or near the BOBag/scram pack.

3.  The one that ALWAYS stays in the vehicle/S - (more than one piece if that rich dude could afford enough one-handgun-per-vehicle!).

4th scenario ..... Yeah you're away from home when the schumer hits ...... and when you try to get back there find the home destroyed or a hindrance/obstacle from getting there the last few steps and "inside" ..... What about a 'survival piece' cached within 100-200 yards from the abode, that could escape detection/confescation, but a back-up of sorts?

I have met a couple fellows who bought vehicle guns (considered semi-disposable - as in "it would NOT be "that bad"  if it was lost or stolen because they had found a hot deal in a handgun for less than $300 ...... or similar).  I understood their goal and philosophy.  Both instances the pistols were 9mm's.

I have also wondered about being confronted in my driveway or front step ...... or the need to flee if a mob was coming (I am not a law breaker, so cops are not my real concern here!).

Instead of having all eggs in one "bugout basket,"  I honestly think its worth thinking about caching a couple "tools" around the abode if one had to vacate the family home, but still withing sight of it!  Esp if the family had to vacate, but was able to come back later .....  One huge concern I have is indeed being "confronted" and not being hidden or isolated enough in a SHTF scenario (if society went to crap and anarchy reigned).  I hope to bugout in such a case, but ON MY TERMS!

Answering this thread I can see picking one of four 'basic handguns.'  For defense a semi-auto in 9mm, .40 or .45 for multiple threats (homies and or gangs) might be a good choice when a sixgun wouldn't be 'enough' shots ...... or the sixgun when it would be enough!  But bigger bullets are called for over .22's.

Also the Single-Six Rugers when it is desired to shoot .22 Mags as well as Long Rifles would indeed be an excellent food gathering tool with a limited defensive capability.

Otherwise a Ruger Mk2 semi-.22 is a helluva rugged, dependable .22LR as dependable as the Energizer Bunny and Timex watch!  (as long as you don't run out of ammo).  The Mk2  also could have limited 'defensive ability' if loaded with a round like the CCI Velocitor.

[reliquary]

I agree with the idea to "cache" a hand tool or two somewhere near the homestead.  Being in a rural area, there are plenty of woods nearby for just that purpose.

 I scrounged some 6" PVC pipe; had to purchase an end cap that glued on and one that would unscrew.  Got a Mossberg Plinkster, blue/synthetic at Academy on special for $99.  Lubed well and with dessicants in the container, it should keep awhile.  Ammo goes in tupperware/ziplock layers. 

A HiPoint carbine in 9mm might also work; haven't checked the dimensions.  Used ones are inexpensive, locally, since the .45 came out.

Not wanting to start a heated discussion about pistol quality, but if you could get, say, a used Hi-Point 9mm pistol...fire a couple of boxes through it to check reliability...and store it with a couple of boxes of ammo, that would work, also.  They're going for $125-150 around here.  I got a Rossi .38 at Academy a couple of years ago on closeout for $199 and something like that would be okay for underground storage.

[dks7895]

sorry... but it's 2 for me.  Ruger Blackhawk and Marlin 1894C... both in .357 MAG.

and as much ammo that i can carry!

[bilmac]

Reli  Did you bury your pipe threaded end down? It is amazing how water can seep into tight closures. I can't remember what I buried that way once, threaded end up, but it leaked. I think burying the top down would be less likely to seep.

[Bugflipper]

Teflon tape on the threaded end might be a good idea. Even a bead of silicone after it is tight. Would be easy enough to cut the caulking with a knife.

[reliquary]

Mine's horizontal, a couple of  feet or so deep.  I keep a folding entrenching tool in the truck, but didn't want to have to spend a lot of time digging if I needed it in a hurry. 

Found a big stumphole, sandy loam soil made for easy digging, piled up some debris over the place afterward, some leaves scattered on top; looks natural after a couple of rains.

I used some bearing grease on the threads...it's what I had handy.  Never thought about Teflon  tape, but that would work fine. 

Digging a 3-4' deep (vertical) hole with posthole diggers is a lot of trouble.

Got to thinking after a trip to our Redneck-friendly Wal-Mart...they had a NEF youth model pump 20-gauge for $160.  If it's still there next time I go to town, that would be a good "hole card."