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My camping, hiking, and hunting sidearm is a replica of the Colt SAA in .22 WMR loaded with heavy, magnum tumbling bullets. I can keep up with the semi-auto guys and even beat some newbies in shooting competitions as long as I can carry 2 of 'em instead of an extra mag. There is zero recoil because it is a really heavy gun shooting .22. If I fan my thumb really fast, there is no need for target reacquisition because there is zero recoil. The expanding bullets don't penetrate deeply enough. However, the tumbling large bullets penetrate deeply and tumbles for maximum terminal effect. It's a great little gun and is my favorite handgun even though it is my cheapest one.

I've also seen a guy on another forum who uses a Mauser broomhandle for a CCW.

Those Russian revolvers from the turn of the century are only $100. Nagents.

I've been shopping for an old Colt with ivory grips, ideally with a scantily clad lady carved on the handle. With nickle plating. A real 19th century pimp's gun.

Anybody else carry an antique or copy?

drjoker wrote: Those Russian revolvers from the turn of the century are only $100. Nagents.

Actually, the Nagant revolvers sold by AIM and others are from the WWII era, even though they are the Model 1895, and all have been arsenal refurbished to new condition. Mine is a 1944 Tula. Some have bright shiny bores but others can be dark. I paid the extra $10 for hand selection. I enjoy shooting my Nagant. It is extremely low recoil, and accurate, but that's because the round is so anemic. I wouldn't CC it for that reason, but mainly because of the extremely lengthy reloading process. I do have a friend who occasionally does CC his.

Taylor's 5.5" .357 magnum SAA clone, and a S&W 4" model 1905 .38 from 1923 (belonged to my great grandfather) on occasion. Also thinking about picking up one of the milsurp pistols on my C&R to toy with; something like the CZ82 or P64.

I sometimes carry a 1911, a modern replica of a 100+ year old design.

I'm thinking that 8+1 rounds beats a Colt SAA replica, and I'm thinking that .45 ACP beats .22 magnum.

I saw one of the John Wayne signature revolvers at a show a couple months back. Thought it would be cool as a BBQ rig with the western holster and everything.

There's an argument to be made for carrying whatever you're most comfortable with.

As long as you're aware of what you're giving up. Lower capacity, reloads slow enough to be almost an impossibility, likely very inferior sights, non-availability or custom only options for night sights, lights, lasers, limited options for carry holsters, etc.

I would probably caution that, while your carry gun may be an old design, your ammo choice should be a modern self defense design.

I wanted to add:

If you want to carry an antique, or antique replica, revolver in .22 because it floats your boat, that is fine. BUT.... I can't accept your rational that it is a good choice because you "can beat the semiauto guys" IF you do everything just right. Here's why..... I own a pistol like the one you're describing. It holds, what, 8 or 10 rounds? And, .22 WMR does NOT throw "heavy magnum tumbling bullets." First of all, NO .22 throws "heavy" bullets, not even an AR15. Second, a .22 LR or .22 WMR bullet only tumbles if it hits something solid, like bone. Third, and having worked in an ER long enough, I can attest to this, but you may have to shoot somebody with all the bullets in both your guns to STOP them with a .22. Fourth, what if the other guy carrying a Glock 19 ALSO has a "mexican reload" 2nd pistol handy? Fifth, if you carry ONE Glock 19 (for instance) you've already got MORE bullets in one magazine than one of your revolvers, in a much more powerful caliber, and with practice, you can reload just about as fast as you can get a second gun into play......and that means 30 rounds instead of 16 or 20 (2 revolvers in .22). Sixth, one Glock 19 (again, for example) weighs no more than your revolver, probably less. One Glock 19 with one spare magazine weighs considerably less than two revolvers.....in an inferior caliber.

SAA replicas are very cool, no doubt. But my carry gun choices aren't based on "cool." They're based on practicality, ease of carry, and effectiveness of caliber. If you want to insist on carrying a .22 WMR pistol, then a FAR better choice would be a Kel-Tec PMR-30, with 30 rounds in one magazine, plus another 30 on tap with a reload.

That's just my 2¢. Like I said, SAA's are cool. But I don't want to stake my life on cool.

Although now I am kind of like TAM, I carry a 1911 for concealed carry. Prior to the current laws authorizing concealed carry or even having a pistol next to you, I bought and had a Blackpowder Dragoon replica when I traveled. Remember it wasn't too very long ago when Texas was very unfriendly towards pistols. I know now that one could carry while traveling, but my experience (only through word of mouth), was you best not be caught. Anyway on with the story, my wife and I were on 40 going from Amarillo to Indie when we stopped at a rest stop. An individual robbed us while we were sitting in our car. I promised myself I would never put my family at risk again. I was an active duty soldier during that time and the Military really frowned on their soldiers getting arrested, so loss of clearance as an NCO meant loss of career. I searched the laws of Texas along with some of my L.E. buddies and seen that carrying a knife, (that satisfied self-defense), had the same punishments as carrying a pistol; but also found out that Blackpowder/replica revolvers were not considered firearms. I figured that these firearms did their work 150 years ago why not now? So, I started carrying, while traveling at least, a .44 cal Dragoon. Practiced with it until I felt comfortable, and never felt powerless against evil again.

The Annoyed Man wrote:I sometimes carry a 1911, a modern replica of a 100+ year old design.

I'm thinking that 8+1 rounds beats a Colt SAA replica, and I'm thinking that .45 ACP beats .22 magnum.

Same here! weather permitting its my first choice.

snakeyez78 wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:I sometimes carry a 1911, a modern replica of a 100+ year old design.

I'm thinking that 8+1 rounds beats a Colt SAA replica, and I'm thinking that .45 ACP beats .22 magnum.

Same here! weather permitting its my first choice.

Well, as much as I love my 1911s, they aren't my first choice for carry anymore—too heavy, and not enough capacity. My EDC was a Kahr CW45 for a while—which is lighter and a little smaller than my old 3" Kimber was—and more lately it has been an XDm45 Compact, which is still a fairly compact pistol, but has a much larger capacity.....9+1 or 13+1, depending on which magazine you're using. But I still pack my 5" Springfield once in a while. It is a bigger gun, but it is nice and flat.

Been testing carry on a g17, as a matter of fact Saturday it carried much better than I expected.. still trying to figure what holster to use..
as for my 1911 with my heavy belt and the crossbreed it hasn't ever been too much of a issue for me.. yet lol

I have carried a Model 1911. Not at -A1, not a commercial copy, but a 1911 made in 1917. It did have aftermarket sights and a 1911A1 grip safety. I knew that pistol to be reliable and well-maintained.

A relative occasionally carried a Webley Mk1 (ca 1890?) in his vehicle. The old warhorse had been converted to accept .45 ACP in half moon clips or .45 Auto Rim. He used lighter loads in that one ...

The Annoyed Man wrote:I wanted to add:

SAA replicas are very cool, no doubt. But my carry gun choices aren't based on "cool." They're based on practicality, ease of carry, and effectiveness of caliber. If you want to insist on carrying a .22 WMR pistol, then a FAR better choice would be a Kel-Tec PMR-30, with 30 rounds in one magazine, plus another 30 on tap with a reload.

That's just my 2¢. Like I said, SAA's are cool. But I don't want to stake my life on cool.

or an FN FiveseveN and then you get the lower recoil high capacity and cool factor all in 1 package

I'm glad the OP got tons of responses on everyone's opinion of whether they think it's a good idea or not... Oh wait, he didn't ask that. Another derail on something that could have been an interesting thread.

zero4o3 wrote:

The Annoyed Man wrote:I wanted to add:

SAA replicas are very cool, no doubt. But my carry gun choices aren't based on "cool." They're based on practicality, ease of carry, and effectiveness of caliber. If you want to insist on carrying a .22 WMR pistol, then a FAR better choice would be a Kel-Tec PMR-30, with 30 rounds in one magazine, plus another 30 on tap with a reload.

That's just my 2¢. Like I said, SAA's are cool. But I don't want to stake my life on cool.

or an FN FiveseveN and then you get the lower recoil high capacity and cool factor all in 1 package

i shot a FiveseveN the recoil seemed higher or maybe it was the grip texture i didnt like