Best pistol caliber

[OVERKILL]

You can pick up to 2 so can have a main pistol and a backup, feel free to explain why you chose each one.

[ZOMBIE_EXTERMINATOR]

Well i have a Walther ppk (.380acp) and a s&w 9mm  semi (9mm but I don't know the name) I know they'll probably jam cause their not glocks but what ever I still can go James bond on zombies' asses with the ppk!!!!!!!!  (The gun that shaun connery utilizes in the james bond movies!!!)

[OVERKILL]

 Naw, the Walther and the Smith&Wesson are both pretty good. Don't own either, but if the 380 performs like the 32 acp Walthers then the gun shoots better than I can hold it. I'm more of a revolver guy so I chose the 357 Magnum and the 32 H&R, not better or worse, just different. Most people prefer revolvers because they are more powerful, but I'm actually kind of a wuss and don't like much bigger than the 357 in a handgun. I was real close to choosing the 9mm as well, so I feel like you made an excellent choice.

[Thumper]

well i voted true, against zombies, these are not my favorite rounds, actually i have none and plan on not having them anytime soon at least. but any .44 or .41 special rounds and .45 big slow moving bullets to do lts of damage.

[OVERKILL]

 Thumper, your post made me think- you may need something more powerful or less powerful depending on the situation. You're not only going to face zombies but possibly looters and predatory animals as well. I assume logging and mining will stop, unless loggers and miners are way more hardcore than me. Without deforestation and the continual intrusion of concrete and asphalt I assume wildlife will flourish. May have a high powered rifle with me and need a lower powered pistol for small game and vermin. I feel as if I now look at this with an
even scope.

[oldnick]

i'd say something in the 9mm/38spcl/.380 range. these are common calibers, they're powerful enough to do the job (we're talking about stopping power vs a zombie... not vs a human), and they're not SOOO big/powerful that the recoil will be too much for the average person to handle accurately (remember we NEED headshots here)

[phantasm74]

I have to go with ammo that is plentiful so I chose 22 and 9mm.  The 22 ammo is small and easy to store lots of it, and the 9mm is easy enough to get and has decent stopping power. 

A 22 should down a zombie with a headshot also since the bullet can easily penetrate a skull.  That coupled with the ease of carrying massive quantities of ammo make it a good choice.  The 9mm is powerful enough to shoot at looters and an attacking animal if needed.

[OVERKILL]

 With Thumper and Oldnick's posts I'm thinking I may have put more mild mannered rounds up there. The biggest magnum caliber I own is a 357, but most people think "bigger is better" I've never shot the 41 special, but the 44 special and 45 colt and 45 acp are pleasurable to shoot and still hit hard. The only loads through my SAA clone that came close to being uncomfortable were loaded with blackpowder. Anybody else got any thoughts on the low speed, big bore rounds?

[oldnick]

I love shooting my .45 colt. The recoil is light and it's accurate enough to give headshots at a reasonable range.  The only problems I have with my particular weapon as an AZW are 1) it's a single action cowboy replica. therefore reloading is slow. and 2) .45 colt isn't available at a lot of stores.
If you get something like a blackhawk, i believe the cylinder swings out like a modern revolver. Also, taurus makes a pretty sweet looking .410/.45 colt combo revolver. If you can't find .45, you can throw some .410 shells in it and go.
Another thing to look into would be a pistol chambered in something heavier like the .460 s&w magnum or .454 casull.  the .454 casull will fire .45 colt and the .460 will fire .454 casull AND .45 colt.  (Just like a .357 will chamber/fire .38 special)

[OVERKILL]

If you get something like a blackhawk, i believe the cylinder swings out like a modern revolver.

 The Blackhawk has a fixed cylinder with a loading gate, just like the Colt Single Action Army (and clones), but you don't have to put the hammer at half cock, you only have to open the loading gate to free the cylinder. Sounds easier but the chambers don't automatically line up with the gate (Oldnick will know what I mean). The Ruger Redhawk is the DA with a swing out cylinder, not your fault that Ruger names it's pistols so alike. What model repro ya' got? I had an extra cylinder for an EMF New Dakota that allowed me to use 45 ACP's, which are much more widely available. Post the model and I'll see if I can find a link for you.

[oldnick]

the particular model i have is the Uberti 1873 Cattleman Hombre

http://www.uberti.com/firearms/single_action_cattleman.php

it's definitely not the flashiest model they make, but i was able to pick it up brand new for 299.

I'm still kicking myself over a taurus .45 acp revolver that i didn't buy when i had the chance.

[†CrimsonKing†]

Well i went with the .22 and the .38 because i have both and ammo is plentyful. There is little to know recoil and head penetration will be a breeze. Expecially after training on scarecrows with heads about the same size as a humans. Both are light weight, easy to maintain, rounds easy to find and carry, i think they are perfect for zed survival. But thats just me. I do carry a rifle though, a good .30-30 does me fine. (its got a scope too which ive trained with so its pretty sweet to me)

[OVERKILL]

the particular model i have is the Uberti 1873 Cattleman Hombre

http://www.uberti.com/firearms/single_action_cattleman.php

it's definitely not the flashiest model they make, but i was able to pick it up brand new for 299.

I'm still kicking myself over a taurus .45 acp revolver that i didn't buy when i had the chance.

Sorry to get back to you so late, but to make up for it......
Here's a couple of links
http://www.vtigunparts.com/store/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=23&cat=Uberti+1873+Cattleman+SAA+and+Target
http://www.brownells.com/aspx/ns/store/ProductDetail.aspx?p=14155&title=CYLINDER
VTI has the best prices unless you have an FFL to get a discount from Brownell's, then it's about 7 bucks cheaper. Brownell's is a great company, or at least has been when I've ordered from them. Never ordered from VTI, I was going to order my cylinder from them but they were out of stock and did not know when the next shipment would arrive. Rather than try to sell me a cylinder that wouldn't fit they told me to check with another outfit that sold those cylinders. That really won my respect. Don't feel bad about having a "lesser finished" model. Mine was color case hardened, and I don't know how many people would ask me,
"When you gonna fix that?"
"Fix what?"
"That frame,how it's all faded and uneven"
Kids nowadays.
Local pawnshop has a refinished 1917 Smith&Wesson I can pick up for 500 bucks, anybody got any advice "yay or neigh"

[thatguy1590]

45 is best large slow bullet that stops anything

[Admin]

Local pawnshop has a refinished 1917 Smith&Wesson I can pick up for 500 bucks, anybody got any advice "yay or neigh"

The price is okay for a decent 1917 retail, but a "refinished" one could be worth a lot less depending on how the refinish was done.

Even a hot tanked one should be about $450 or less. Talk to the pawn shop owner, they'll usually make deals, especially if you don't seem stupid (and from what I can tell, you don't seem stupid)

If they're one of those "Chain" pawnshops, they might be harder to get a deal from, but if it's been in stock for a while, they'll probably give you a deal as well...

If it's in really good shape, start your offer about $300, and go from there, explaining that the refinish has removed any collector value from the gun, and the blue-book would have given collector value based on original finish, not a refinish.

If they don't know guns, they might not buy it, (even though it's true) and if they do know guns, they'll respect you for knowing that...

If it's a locally owned place, you can also mention your FFL and probably get him to deal with you better, but there's no telling!

Either way, I feel like $500 is too high, but they are great guns!