Hand gun to take camping

[flippedrover]

I'm looking for opinion's on a pistol to buy to do a mix of target shooting and to take with me when the girlfriend and I go camping. I'll admit that I've never fired a pistol before so I know that I will need to take a couple different guns to a range and see what I think.

Thanks in advance.

 

[rovercanus]

Tyler, holding a gun to your girl friend isn't a nice way to get her to do what you want.
Try flowers.

 

[KevinNY]

Definitely a 22. Ruger Mark IIs are very available used for cheap.

 

[DiscoS2]

First, learn how to handle a pistol from a competent friend or range instructor.

For plinking, any long barrel, large capacity .22 auto is great. For something a little more potent, .22 magnum works for bare-bones survival/defense and it's still cheap to feed for plinking. If you're worried about bears, .44 mag is the way to go.

Mark

 

[rmuller]

A lot of ranges will rent you guns.. so try calling some local ranges and asking them about that..

 

[flippedrover]

Tyler, holding a gun to your girl friend isn't a nice way to get her to do what you want.
Try flowers.

Well I've tried the flowers and that's just not working.

I'm rather lucky I think the NRA headquarters is only 10 miles from my house so I'm planning on taking one of there training courses. Two of my friends both have good sized collections that they are willing to let me try to see what I like.

 

[Best4x4]

The Bersa Thunder 380 is a great pistol! The shape reminds me of a Walther PPK so it's not to big and not to small. It can fire off cheap ammo just as good as the more expensive ammo without jamming up on you. It also has a built in trigger lock so you can store it safely. It will cost you anywhere from $175.00 to $250.00 depending on the finish of the pistol.

Tad

 

[syoung]

I had a Bersa before- it's a close copy of a PPK/S... VERY good bang for the buck, so to speak. I suggested that one to my father, who bought a tacky two-tone version.
Stainless will be better for a campin pistol... but my "tuck in the bag in case there's a bear" gun is a trusty 357 magnum.

 

[Best4x4]

My trusty knock'em down and stay down = . 45 Ruger P90TH

Tad

 

[syoung]

Ruger semi's are love or hate. My former father-in-law gave me one he just couldn't love, and I in turn tried it and gave it to someone else. The people who love 'em really really love 'em though.

 

[Steve Rupp]

For a first gun you can't go wrong with a wheel. Colt Python .357mag 6" barrel.

 

[SmellyGuppy]

For a first gun you can't go wrong with a wheel. Colt Python .357mag 6" barrel.

Ill second the revolver, but the python is quite a bit of moolah for a camp sidearm and shooter, although it is THE .357 is you like to spend money.

I will recommend a ruger GP100 .357 in whichever barrel length is fiting for you. I like the 6" stainless. You can not make these guns fail, and its nice to be able to load up some .38 specials for the girlfriend to get the hang of it. The weight is right on, and recoil is not bad at all, especially in the longer barrels. find them for about 350.00 used, 475.00 or so new. S&W 686 is nice as well, but about 100.00 more.

The .22 is neat for for plinking, but it will get old quick, and I can't see how it is a good camp gun.

 

[GregH]

One of my favorites is S&W 686+ w/ 4" barrel

Stainless 7-shot revolver in .357 mag. Get used to it firing .38 spec. and move up to hotter .357 mag. later.

My 2 cents-

 

[mainerova]

Ruger semi's are love or hate. My former father-in-law gave me one he just couldn't love, and I in turn tried it and gave it to someone else. The people who love 'em really really love 'em though.

I shot the 45 last summer, couldn't hit anything, but its powerful. After firing off a clip at a bottle from 20yrds, I blasted it away with the 12g in anger.

I would say a .22,
Have you looked into nice pellet guns, just a thought?

 

[KevinNY]

First handgun should always be a 22 or you will never learn to hit anything, though .38 target loads are really mild to shoot too. I rarely carry, only when hiking real wilderness, but nothing says "nice guy but prepared" like the 45 Colt.

 

[FrankyRizzo]

I have always wanted a Beretta. So I bought this one. 9mm and fun to shoot.

 

[Eric N.]

Depending on your and my schedules I have a Walther P99 in .40 acp and a Sig 226 in either .40 acp or .357 acp (depending on barrel used) that you can run some rounds through...

 

[sven]

Definitely a 22. Ruger Mark IIs are very available used for cheap.

Yeah I agree. A friend of mine recently bought a "camper" version for $200. Very nice simple .22 auto.

 

[JSQ]

i'm with greg.
S&W .357
mod.60 maybe.

but ditch the combat grips.

 

[Leslie]

Tyler,

Are you looking for something for taking along and plinking while camping? Or are you looking for something defensive while camping?

The MarkII is a great plinker, but I'd want something bigger than a .22, and with a shorter barrel, for emergency defensive use. (Whereas, for planned defensive use, I'd want a rifle, but that's another story....)

Is the camping via vehicle, or are you talking about backpacking? The little .380 would be "okay", might even consider one myself for backpacking, but if you're talking about a defensive round while camping out of a vehicle, I'd go w/ a .45. I like 1911's, but S&W's Model 22 .45acp revolver is something that I'd give my eye teeth for... (just too many other toys ahead of it on the list).

-L


-L