Why a sixgun, or a handgun at all?

I don't read as much as I used to, mostly because of lack of time, but I've become aware of a certain type of argument that has a lot of traction in current articles, which says in a fight, go long-as in gun. I admit to liking some types of long guns quite a bit. A well balanced side by side 12 gauge has got to be one of the best handling inventions known to man. However, I am puzzled that no one ever challenges this go long thought.
I suppose, if I knew ahead of time that a fight was a-coming I would want to have everything at my disposal, including a long gun-or two. However, I'm reminded of a couple times in history where long guns were hardly the game changers many folks think them to be.

Probably the best thing about long guns is power. No doubt a good scattergun load will outclass even the best of pistol cartridge shot shells. Even a "small" caliber rifle, of .25 or .30 packs way more punch than 99% of all handgun loads. However, any long gun-with the possible exception of an ultra short carbine-will suffer in tight quarters. Just try swinging your 28" pump in a narrow hallway, and you will immediately know what I mean.
The handgun has its place. It is extremely portable, fast into action, and of enough power in most cases to address the situation. A case in point-the story unfolded a little south of here, where some rough looking types descended upon the area. Driving up to meet them was a local man in his truck. He felt the need to head them off before they stumbled upon his house and family. In the conversation that followed, the men asked about work, and our local told them their best bet was to head into town. Being neighborly, and really wanting them out of the area, our local offered them a ride, which they accepted.
Now the drive to town was long, and our local noticed that the men seated beside him were far from relaxed. When they came to a quiet section of road the men made it clear that they intended to take his truck, and they backed up their words by pulling a knife. Judicious use of the brakes and wheel set those men in motion long enough for our local to produce his S&W model 66 .357 magnum.
The men decided it was better to depart than attempt to carry on with several new holes and slugs in their middle. Our local then drove to a place where he could call the sheriff, who later apprehended both suspects. Now, we can see here that a lil 'ol 2.5" barrel .357 was worth way more than any tricked out AR, or combat scattergun!

When my wife and I first got married in 1969, we lived in Havre, Montana. She started taking night courses at the local college and wouldn't get home until about 9 PM. Her car was a little red Porsche. One night when she was driving home, she stopped at a stop sign and heard the passenger side door open. I guy got in and said, "Where we goin', baby?". She reached in her purse and pulled out her nickel plated H&R 38 S&W and said, "No place, butthead,". She later told me she didn't know that a guy could crawl that fast. That's why a handgun. Period.
Now, we live, Tempororily I hope, in Mississippi on about 500 acres of hills and timber. We have a resident bear, at least two resident cougars (even though fish and game says there aren't any in MS. I know from living in Montana for 32 years what a cougar looks like), and hogs. When I walk the dogs in the woods, I always pack iron. In Montana, alost all the people that had bear trouble were unarmed. I never heard of anybody having trouble if they were armed, and carrying a rifle is tiring if you're just out hiking or fly fishing in the mountains. My most common handguns for that are a 3" barrel .45 auto or a .44 Special either S&W 1950 or a good single action.
 
 

Where I lived for many years in Western Washington it was just outside of a small logging town. I spent some years in Colorado (outsidea small town) and I am now in the sticks in NE Washington. I carried a .22 singe six from just out of high school until the first tme I ran onto a small meth operation on a logging road near a place a buddy and I would pan gold and shoot grouse. Way more grouse than even flecks of gold. Since that day I have never carried anything less powerful than a .357 in the woods and my 1911 or 4" model 29 in the city.
As theman said "People who carry gunsare paranoid......RIDICULOUS.....if you have a gn why would you be paranoid.

I don't know how many people I've known who have had the same conversation that I have, but I've heard of plenty.
 
I  think I was packing a S&W 629 or 66, up in the hills while the wife, daughter and I were picking out our Christmas tree.
We ran into someone we knew doing likewise. He fancied himself a bright guy and when I took my coat off and he saw the pistol (remember we were about 18-20 miles from the nearest paved road), he got smart,
 
"You packing some big gun like that, what'er you afraid of?"
 
"Not much of anything"

I do believe that to be truly ready to defend oneself one must be able and willing to squeeze the trigger.
I honestly think that for many, even for those who hunt, performing this task on a human attacker is  very difficult. One thing that separates the criminal element from the civilized one is the willingness to inflict violence, and to do it for personal gain. The bald truth is that this type of two legged animal will not respond to anything they interpret as weakness. They will only respect a greater power than their own. Staring down one of these critters is something most civilized types expect the trained authorities to do. They actually believe that guns in the hands of "regular folk" are a threat to themselves.
A friend of mine was confronted by an eatery owner because this owner heard a small piece of a conversation about self defense, and thought he might have a gun. It will never occur to this business owner that an armed citizen may one day be an asset to his establishment. It goes to show just how questionable the attitudes and concepts of so many civilized folk are. They honestly do not understand how their behavior makes them such easy targets for the criminal critter.
Anyone who has had the great misfortune to run into the criminal critter learns pretty quick that the rules of engagement are swift and brutal. For most civilized folk, God love 'em, this encounter will never happen. For those few who are not so fortunate, one's life will never be the same. No amount of innocence can ever be restored. It is very much a choice to carry a handgun. It must always be remembered that it is the man-or woman behind the gun much, much more than the gun itself. It all boils down to the ability to draw a bead, and squeeze the trigger. Personally, there are times when even I wonder if I have gone soft. It is a big responsibility to carry a handgun, and an even bigger one to have to use it.

For some of us the handgun is a multi-purpose tool. I got to thinking about it and created a list of my most recent (outside of practice/plinking) uses that come quickly to mind.
Two different vehicle injured deer
One bobcat that was pilfering the neighbors chickens and our quail population
Several feral dogs chasing stock
(With shotshells) rats in the barn. Can't do the chores with a rifle in hand
Put small game in the pot when up in the hills hunting.
 
Those are just the most recent reasons for firing a gun, then we have all of the times that it has been a "comfort" when the horses were acting up in the middle of the night, or the dogs set up a racket. Then there is just plain going to town (where the above mentioned deer were encountered) .  I don't know how it is where others live, but the smart ones around here make use of the "scanner" technology to stay aware of goings on. It is nice to have a handgun handy when LEOs ar beating the brush, so to speak (sometimes it's literal aroound here) looking for some "bad dudes".
 
Not being egotistical about it but I doubt that 99% of handgun owners in this Country put their guns to the uses that I do, but they also have the same need and right to have them for all of the potential uses I have them for as well. To be simple about it I see no difference between me using a framing hammer to fix the barn door and some housewife picking the hammer out of the tool drawer to smack a burglar reaching his hand in a window.  Better if she had a gun, but it is still applying a tool as needed. 
 

If you pull a gun for defense purposes and are not able to pull the trigger it should never come out.
Stage 1: IDENTIFY THREAT
STAGE2: PULL GUN ONLY IF NECESSARY
STAGE 3: ENGAGE TARGET WITH PISTOL FINGER ALONG GUARD
STAGE 4: IF NEEDED INSERT FINGER OVER THE TRIGGER AND ELIMINATE THREAT
 
NUFF SAID

I am in complete agreement with both opinions above. Talk is cheap, however, and dealing with actual threats is another thing entirely from jawing about it. I do carry a gun, tho not a concealed one, and I have had to deploy it. I have lost friends who chose not to be armed, and were sent 6 feet under by the element already described.

Yep, I certainly do see a good handgun as an item of many uses, already covered that in a different post, and nothing there has changed. However, I don't think everyone has the suitable temper to use firearms. I won't argue about whether or not its a learned or an innate thing, its just that I've been around a bit, and this is what I've seen. Some of the willingly unarmed have been ok, some have paid a little, and like I said, some have paid the ultimate penalty.

Guns scare and fascinate folks, and a lot of this comes from what they deal with in their own lives.
I've had to stand up to threats, and I always have to judge carefully what the appropriate action is. I've taken extra abuse just to avoid escalating a situation. Facts are, tho, that people come in all types, and some of them will only back down when you have your hand on the grip of your .45 Colt. I guess some folks relish the conflict, but as I get older, I seem to like it less.

All the reasons to pack mentioned above are valid & I'd even say neccessary. I have packed daily in law enforcement & now still do retired. There is another good reason too. I didn't see it listed, so here it is. it's because we can & want to. This is also a good reason. One never knows when trouble will call & haveing a good six-gun or auto at hand just makes sence to me.
Frank

Long before I started carrying a handgun on a regular basis I had read 'Sixguns'. Mr. Keith always talked about the handgun being a weapon of opportunity. Possibly for defense although, I feel he was referringmore to 4 legged threats. Living in the country I found that  his words were true and have harvested grouse and rabbit dinners often when I was younger and dispatched pack dogs and coyotes over the years. I was able to do s because I was equipped with the weapon of opportunity. I have had the unpleasent issue of drawing a handgun 3 times over the past 39 years and never escalted to the pointof having to use it. My fnger was alogside the trigger guard and I was ready to escalate  to protect myself if necessary. I thank God it wasn't but am also thankful that I was never a victim because of lack of for thought.

I have also been able to take game with the six-gun because it was with me when I wouldn't normaly carry a rifle or shotgun.
Frank

I have taken to carrying my little Bond Derringer in >45 Colt / .410 but it is almost always worn cross draw and along with a revolver especially during snake season. You do not have to travel very far from my home to bein serious rattler country. It truly is agun of opportunity with bird shot in it. Ifyou have never shot one you should give one a try. They are truly a 'hoot to shoot'. I find that carrying a slug in the lower chamber and bird shot on top work good for me. Either that or 2 bird shot. Buck shot and the new .410 defensive loads are cool also.

20' in the air soldering a busted pipe on this house we are trying to flip, thought gee, never thought about it before, but still got the kimber on my hip. Could have left it on the night stand, but that would be stupid, could lock it in the safe, but that's not a good place for a carry gun, could have left it in the work rig, but then I'd have to lock it up.
Hmm, answers to the age old questions, and the new one subject of this thread:
Why are you carring a .45? (cuz I don't have a 46!)
Are you expecting trouble? (No, if I was expecting trouble I'd have my 12 gauge as well!)
Why a sixgun or a handgun at all? (Why the hell not!!!)
I relinquish my remaining time and turn the floor back over to the esteemed gentleman from...

Yep, there sure is the pleasure aspect of carrying a handgun. For one thing, its fun to talk about the whys and wherefores that people pack guns. For another, looking at a classic handgun , one well made with pleasing lines, is a hedonistic enterprise. However, the one reason for packin always comes back to staring evil in the face. Don't suppose it'll always be you faster to the draw, and accurate with fire. Many a fine man has perished standing up to the evil. Still, if one is to meet our maker, it seems to me to be more satisfying to do so in a final act of courage, than withering away in a hospital bed.
I've never packed a gun 20' up a ladder, but I may try it sometime, sounds like a novel experience!

Maybe I need to see if one of my old "Hunter" rigs fits on my tool belt!

 

 
 

Nice holster. I really like that old leather.
Frank

Old leather is like an old shirt-if its still in good condition-chances are it fits familiar like, and reminds you of what you like about it. 

...nick and scrape could tell its story, old leather could talk your ear off!

I had a safe fun day at our local SASS/CAS match. I probably shot in the middle of the pack. A great time was had by all. When I finished loading my hardware back in the Jeep I strap on my carry gun and all is good. We are out in the boonies and unfortunatly I never saw a coyote on the way home. No rock chucks or other pesky varmits either. The point is, I was ready if I did.
Nice Hunter holster Al. I love my old Hunter holsters and have al least 3 or 4of them for different pieces.
HAPPY EASTER TO ALL

Glad you had a good time, any time shooting beats almost anything else!
HAPPY EASTER!!!
Frank