What handgun would be your choice if you could only have one? And why?

Mine would be my .357 Colt trooper with a 6" barrel. Why? It is enough to shoot bigger deer sized animals. Small enough to shoot rabbit sized animals. Will shoot shot shells and low powered 38's. Big enough for self defense. I love reloading these. Numerous sizes of bullets, easy to mold from lead. Uses about any powder known to man.
I thought about a good 22 pistol, but there are too many limitations. So the .357/38 has my vote. I am not dead set on the trooper though, i would go for a S&W, or a Ruger.

Contender in 375JDJ or a Ruger conversion in 454. The 375 because it can be loaded to take everything from Coyotes to Elephant and it's a true 200yd+ cartridge and I prefer the G2 to the Encore because of size. The 454 for similar reasons, you can fire 45LC BP rounds all the way up to Elephant killing monster loads with solids.

My Colt Gold Cup National Match .45. Deer season is only two weeks long, personal protection is every day. If restricted to one hunting handgun, it would be my XP-100 .308 because it will kill any game I might hunt at any reasonable range.

my 7.5" 454 FA 83. covers everything, easily.

scope sighted s&w 12 inch 460 s&w mag.any thing from mice to t rex if loaded right.plus,5 shots.

7mm SAUM XP-100.
It will do everything I ever want.
If barrel life was an issue: 284 Winchester
If barrel life is of no concern (can re-barrel as much as I desire): 7mm Dakota or 7mm LRM.
I sort of like 7's

my single six just out of loyalty. 30 plus years have to count for something. besides its always done what ive needed it to do.

Ruger SRH 454 Casull. Can crank her up, but if you would rather you can still shoot the 45 Colt.

I am with wheeler,my 45 acp, because personal protection is everyday while hunting is a limited time, and all this is if just one gun. If one for hunting only 4 5/8 45 colt. Cowboy loads for the light stuff and a good bullet in the 335-350 range at 1200fps will handle the rest.

S&W 686 357mag with 5" barrel. Holds 7 shots and is stainless.
Why?? Sketter Skelton`s article "If I could only have one"....

375 JDJ; for reasons stated previously.

Since this is a handgun hunting forum and not a personal protection forum.....;-)

Of the handguns I have now, my 45 Colt Bisley would prevail. It can be loaded mild to wild and is capable of taking any game that I will ever hunt.

My .45 Blackhawk with 2X Leupold. It has taken more head of game than I can remember. 1.5" groups at 100 yards. reflex264

Why have only one? I'm very happy with both of mine.

It's funny the one that I would choose is the one I currently shoot the least. If I had to choose one ( thank goodness I don't have too )it would be my 6" FA's 454 with extra 45 colt cylinder.

Performance Center X frame 460 12".

Good answers so far.

My Dixie Firearms custom .475 Linebaugh.

Because it will work for ANYTHING. Including that marauder in my space (be it two legged or 4 legged.)

For hunting it has proven itself handily: Two big bull elk and 3 great mule deer bucks in two years.

If getting technical, I can adjust the load. Light or heavy.

Freedom Arms .454 - 10" barrel, Leupold 2.5x8

Like it so much, I have 2!

I would have to go with my 7 1/2 inch FA 454

It looks like you like Magna-Port as well. How much of a difference does it make in that caliber and barrel length?

I would have to take my 45-70 contender as my only handgun. It has never failed me and I can buy ammo anywhere. I love my 375 JDJ but reloading components can be limited at times. The 30-30 contender would be second choice but I have little faith in factory ammo.

If I had ordered them from the factory, I probably wouldn't have gotten porting - but since both were purchased used, and at the right price...sold!

They do have less "whip" than my unscoped 7.5" FA in .454, but I attribute that to the longer barrel and weight of the scope moreso than the porting.

When given a choice, take both...

Its interesting to see how other folks respond to threads like these but it is so hard to pick "one". My pick seems to change yearly. Right now, put me in the .454 crowd...I'd go with my 6" FA with Trijicon RMR:

I'd have to go with my Ruger SBH 7-1/2" 44 mag

Hmmm, decisions decisions. Thought about my BFR in 4570 as it can handle anything walking, but the size of it is its limiting factor. So I would have to say the Ruger Bisley in 45 colt. It too can handle anything that walks but in a much more compact size then the BFR. Plus ammo is readily available for it. And it's an easy round to reload.

I would go with my Ruger SRH 454 Casull.

Most everybody is thinking big to huge bore pistols. Are there any out there that would choose a Glock or a hi-power

As it was mentioned before this is a handgun hunting forum, not many people hunt with a Glock or a hi-power.

FA .475 w/ Leupold 4X - it's become my favorite.

Most every animal that i have shot with a pistol, and there have been many, would fit in a stew pot whole. While i love all these hand cannons, they would not be very practical if you had to survive with only one handgun. I am thinking the most practical and useful handgun would be a whole lot smaller.

Kimber Eclipse Target full size, or SBHH in 45 colt.

I'd have to say my Ruger Bisley Blackhawk in .45 Colt. It works well on edible critters, and I don't suck with it.
I would like it worked over by Bowen Classic Arms, but that's a pipe dream.

I hunt some with a G20. I wouldn't want to hunt anything bigger than a deer with it. Right now out of my lineup I would go with my SRH in 480. As far as practical and survival goes I hunt with a handgun because I enjoy everything about it from drooling over them before I buy them to practicing, working up loads and last but not least successfully killing game with them. When I run out of meat we go to the store and buy more but If I had to depend on a gun to feed my family with it, it would have a stock.

I would have to say my 357 NBH, you can load a ant fart 38 for any small game but then you can load a hot 180 /200 grainer and kill all the deer species...

I could live with my 21SF Glock converted to 460 Rowland. Shoots everything from .45 ACP to full power .460 Rowlands.

In a word, no.

Now see here!!!!!!!!!