The 3.5 Guns Every Iowan Needs to Own

The 3.5 Guns Every Iowan Needs to Own

By Michael Ware

I had a bunch of guys in the shop the other day shucking and jiving and generally wasting my time. This happens more often than I’m happy with, but the reason I don’t get worked into a lather over it stems from the fact I’m a willing participant. Every now and again, I’ll catch myself and realize I’ve let a half hour slip away and then I generally start up a machine, welder, or bang on something with a big hammer. Typically that does the trick. When guys are trying to scream over the whirl of an end mill at 5800RPM, they find someplace else to shoot the bull.

As luck would have it though, some interesting stuff came out of the conversation. The group of minions that had assembled in my shop were arguing about the three weapons you absolutely have to own in your collection. When Patrick reached out to me and pitched the idea of a “short list of must have guns” it fell squarely into the realm of our group discussion not long ago. Simply put, there are a handful of firearms every Iowan should own and have plenty of ammo stored accordingly.

If you don’t own a 12ga pump shotgun, you’re nuttier than squirrel poo. There’s no way I can illustrate it to you all otherwise. A suitable shotgun in basic configuration will serve multiple purposes. A pump 12ga can be used for home defense. Many people load up really serious stuff like 00 buckshot and keep one in their bedrooms at night. I know the cliché of racking a shell into the chamber (schuck, shuck ) and how it sends a message is something you’re probably thinking right now, but in reality that’s a really bad idea in my estimation. Not only does it tell the bad guy where you are, but it also communicates clearly to him/her what you’re using and if they’re smart they’ll have an idea of the capacity of that same firearm. When an invader is in the home, you’re not the person that should be making noise. Some folks use slugs, but you don’t want to overdo it either. Keep in mind what’s behind that wall, the house behind that, and the city behind that. There are even ‘less lethal’ choices in ammo too if you just want them knocked on their rump. I don’t recommend this for home and self-defense, but the option is yours.

Deer, coyotes, birds of all kinds, and more can be harvested with a nice 12ga pump. I know plenty of folks that compete, whether that is skeet, sporting clays, or 3gun with a pump 12ga shotgun and do very well. The fact is, this kind of firearm is a really versatile and won’t break the bank. The shotgun itself and ammo are readily available and easy to find, so you really have no excuse to avoid picking up #1 on the list.

What about #2 you say? Well, that one is pretty simple too. I’m sure you guessed it or suspected anyway, but you’re a can or two short of a six pack if you don’t have a 22 rifle in your collection. Before anyone gets a case of red rump, I’ll concede that 22LR ammo can still be a pain to snag in the quantities we were used to before 2012. I’ll also capitulate when you do find it, that it isn’t as inexpensive as it once was. There. Let’s get that out of the way. Now, just because you can’t buy 500rds of ammo for $20 anymore doesn’t mean you’ve got the boiler room’s view on the Titanic. Come on people. So you have to pay $50 for 500rds. That’s still pretty affordable compared to anything else people.

Look at what you can do with a nice little 22 rifle. You can use it for putting food on the table. Granted, it takes more than one bunny or squirrel to fill a crock pot, but when was the last time you had a really good mincemeat raccoon pie like mom used to make? OK, I made that one up. My mother never made a raccoon pie. In fact, I’m not sure a fury garbage disposal would be my first choice for pie filling, but you get the point. A rimfire rifle is a great way to harvest that smaller game without destroying it. There are other chamberings, but the 22LR is still the king and even with reduced availability and costs that have risen the options from ammunition manufacturers is nearly endless.

You can use this handy little weapon as your ‘first shots’ program center piece with your children. Many of you have experienced the joy of instructing safety and then the first few shots from a youngster or person eager to learn. I hold memories like that in high regard. They claim the human brain only recalls memories 7 times in the average lifespan. Make sure you make that memory, and work to recall it often and thoroughly. You can’t do so if you don’t own and utilize a really great quality 22 rifle.

I know the article’s title reads “3 ½” guns. That’s for a reason. I can never decide on a clear #3 all by itself. I typically end up split between two weapons – a 9mm semi-automatic pistol or a 357 revolver. So I’ll leave the title as is, split the difference, and we’ll run with it.

I really like a trusty S&W or Ruger chambered in .357 Magnum. I even get a bit frothy at the mouth about some of the Dan Wesson stuff I see around. You can run a .38 Special for a bit less pop and cost, and they run smooth as silk. It’s hard to beat a trusty wheel gun, it really is. They’re rock solid in reliability and are a first choice for my favorite recommendations for home defense or a bedroom gun. There’s no magazine spring to get weak, no cycling issues associated with a poor grip, and no safeties to monkey with when your heartrate is up and your nerves are frazzled at 3a.m. when that intruder is making his way down your hallway. I really appreciate simplicity and power in circumstances like that.

That same revolver can be used for EDC (every day carry) if you want and also serves as a fine weapon to dispatch the occasional ditch goat (white tail deer) during the season. They are uniquely universal in this regard and very simple. You’ll have to work pretty hard to mess one up. In fact, you’d have to really work at it to break one. If you’re looking for the best way to do so, take the revolver in one hand with a firm grip, and use the other when the unit is open to spin the cylinder as fast as you can. While that cylinder is ‘whirring’ around, flick your wrist real quick and snap that cylinder home. That’s a sure way to ruin a really great gun. At a bare minimum it’ll keep your gunsmith in business. Other than that, they’re kind of tough to destroy all things being equal.

For my other #3 I love a great 9mm semi auto. It won’t matter whether you’re running the venerable Glock 19 or those nearly the same like the S&W M&P or the Springfield XD. There are tons out there that really do a swell job. Even the old S&W Police Department trade-ins do a super job and don’t cost much. While you’re locked out of deer hunting in Iowa with the 9mm chambering, if the chips were down you could still do plenty of work with one to put down the random zombie deer. I’m not aware of the DNR holding any specific regulations for such an occurrence. I probably shouldn’t have given them any ideas. Ugh. Now they’ll be some mysterious section in Iowa’s Administrative Code referring to the “dead game” rule and regulations.

Aside from zombie deer and elusive mutant black bear, we don’t experience that many fury threats. I would mention mountain lions, but luckily the DNR says they don’t exist in Iowa, so it’ll be hard for them to regulate, dead or undead, even when on the receiving end of my trusty Glock 19. A semi auto 9mm is a great choice for EDC. Most have pretty good capacity, consistent performance, and are versatile in terms of acceptance of lights, lasers, etc. Whether you’re open carrying or concealing your handy dandy 9mm they are a pleasure to shoot. Ammo choices range from cheap blasting fodder to really great self-defense rounds. Modern propellants and bullet choices bridge the gap from a place when “bigger is better” no longer holds validity. Grooming the next generation on handgun use is especially easy with a 9mm. Unless you choose a tiny gun, they really can be used well for handgun training and target practice. I find them just about as enjoyable as any centerfire handgun I’ve ever used.

You can see why I’m stuck on the last two. Both are really tremendous choices. I’m a fan of interactive articles. In this case you as the reader get to choose. I’ll stay on center with the 12ga pump gun and the 22 rifle, and you choose the handgun you think best suits the average Iowan. As always folks, don’t hesitate to get to the range. Make it a goal to take a new person out shooting with you and introduce them to safety and enlightenment. That’s how we win.