The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

http://www.guns.com/distance-power-prac ... rifle.html

"The handgun was born out of necessity on the battlefield. A dragoon or cavalryman on horseback found a musket or rifle to be too cumbersome to wield so the pistol arrived on the scene. The handgun is now of course a whole different animal but how does it stand up against a rifle?"

It's all about where you can fit it.

Horses for courses really. Best tool for the job and all that.

Also, if we practiced every day with any firearm (or grew up with one) be it pistol, rifle or shotgun we all could achieve more with it than it was designed for.

"Beware the man with only one gun; he probably knows how to use it."


BTW Dragoons were originally mounted infantry. Rode horses for speed and mobilty on the battlefield, but fought dismounted. So carrying a rifle wasn't an issue for them until they became heavy cavalry.

A handgun is what you use to get to your shotgun to help you get to your rifle - which you should have brought with you in the first place.

Sandgroper, nowt to disagree with there mate.

Knowledge, skills and habits.

to quote something i watched not long back:

a handgun is a way to get to a proper gun ;-)

Looks like the Americans favour the hand gun at the moment,
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/201 ... uction-up/
Or perhaps it is easier to collect several handguns than it is rifles?

DM

Dangermouse wrote:Looks like the Americans favour the hand gun at the moment,
http://bulletin.accurateshooter.com/201 ... uction-up/
Or perhaps it is easier to collect several handguns than it is rifles?

DM

i don't know what its like in America, only what i can imagine, but if its anything like here, shooting long range is harder to do as it involves more travel and more cost... pistols would be the cheaper option, and rangetime easier to procure for pistol ranges.

not to mention the lesser space they take up in a gun vault/safe...

how i wish we could have pistols :(

I suspect the American market for rifles is largely recreational - people who just like to shoot/hunt whatever, whereas pistols are also allowable and used for self-defence. I would imagine that opens up a much bigger market.

I've always thought that if i lived in the US i would own and carry a pistol if i could, but my primary self defence weapon for the home would be a shotgun - pump preferably and 'considerable' loads. I never realised how devastating a simple pump can be at close quarters until training for close-quarter battle, room clearance, etc.

Shotguns are deadly in CQB.

I would have a Taurus Judge (amongst others) that take both traditional .45LC ammo and .410 shotgun cartridges. Loaded in alternate chambers, they would be highly effective for invasion.car jacking scenarios.