Better boat gun, S&W 65-3 or Glock?

[palmettosunshine]

As the title suggests, I'm wondering which of these two guns is the better choice for taking along on the boat. The Glock is the G27 which gives me 9+1 in .40 and, as I'm sure you all know, the Smith is a stainless .357 magnum, 3 inch barrel with 6 shots.

I actually bought the Smith for my "boat gun" as she was a little banged up but overall in great shape. I was thinking of the stainless finish being easier to maintain, and less susceptible to rusting in a saltwater environment.

I then acquired the Glock and have read that it's finish is almost impervious to corrosion due to environmental conditions.

So which of these would you carry along with you on the boat? Either one is in a watertight compartment inside the boat that my 5 yr old can't access. This is strictly a pleasure craft and I don't fish, but I want a gun handy as my wife and child are almost always with me on the boat and and my entire reason for carrying a gun in the first place is for their protection.

Thanks

[slide]

Which one do you shoot the best? That would be my choice.

[crowbuster]

I would have to say the g27, but Ilove mine, tough as nails.

[Combat Diver]

I would prefer the Smith but that is a personal choice. If you shoot one better then the other thats the one to stow away. Another consideration is if shot shells would be chambered? I prefer to carry a Smith K frame 3" or CA 3" Bulldog when canoeing as first two chambers are shot shells for snakes on fresh water streams/rivers. If your boating way off shore and worry about pirates then the G27 with pently of spare mags.


CD

[redneckdan]

I would go with the combat tuperware. If it fell over board I wouldn't feel bad leaving it.

[subsonic]

Glock. I'd probably get a larger model such as a 22 or 17, as I have found that larger "fullsize" handguns are easier to shoot accurately and the police trade-in G22s can be found very cheaply.

[waksupi]

I'd go with a Hi Point, for under $150. Impossible to destroy, and you aren't out much if it goes overboard.

[HiVelocity]

Okay, here's my two bits FWIW-

I favor a revolver for a "boat gun". You can easily make, or buy, snake shot in either 38 Special or 357 Magnum, lots of versatility here. Plus, if you can't kill your target with 6 shots from a revolver, 2 or 3 more from a G-27 won't help......... lol!

Put the Smith 65 in a good sturdy shoulder holster and enjoy.

HV

[429421Cowboy]

I am a revolver man through and through, but i'd go with the Glock this time. Can't make it burp, wouldn't feel (as) bad if it got dropped, would work fine if happened to be underwater a few days before it could be recovered. Plus you have to consider if you do get in that situation where you need to defend your family, there is nowhere to retreat to, any fight that starts pretty much has to be finished right there. This is why we like a long gun in the boat, usually a shotgun.
Extra mags handy and higher cap gets my nod with those weapons you are choosing between.

[Love Life]

I'd go with a Hi Point, for under $150. Impossible to destroy, and you aren't out much if it goes overboard.

What Ric said. Cheap as dirt, and strong as all get out. Plus the warranty is top notch. They will fix/replace it even if you almost blow it up by intentionally using a "Heavy" charge of bullseye.


******DISCLAIMER
DO NOT USE A "HEAVY" CHARGE OF BULLSEYE POWDER IN YOUR PISTOL/REVOLVER
******DISCLAIMER

[EDK]

NOBODY pointed out that the brass flying out of the semi auto might be under your feet AND you end up falling down. A small boat isn't a very stable platform at times.

:redneck::cbpour:

[dmize]

WOW!!! I thought I was the only person with a "boat gun".
Like anyother situation I wouldnt "overthink" it. I would go with the High Point for cost/loss possibilities if your open to that, or which one of yours you shoot the best.
I only boat for fishing and main reason I have one (P90) is for boat landings in desolate locations late at night,and as was said before in a situation like that you have to be prepared to end it on your own

[palmettosunshine]

Thanks for all the thoughts and ideas everyone. You mean everyone doesn't have a boat gun? Hmmm. I have car gun, a truck gun, a home gun, a suit gun, a jeans gun, wow, I have a lot of guns.

dmize, I think you are right, I need to stop "overthinking" it and just be sure I have a gun handy to protect my family. My first choice would be a marine shotgun loaded with a combination of slugs, birdshot and buckshot but I have a 5 yr old onboard with no way to properly secure a long gun, so handgun it is. I don't feel unprepared with a 3" .357 with 2 speed strips or the .40 Glock with 2 spare mags, so either way I'm good. Now lets just pray I never have to need either one....

[dmize]

All other things aside,kudos to you for thinking of the 5 year old FIRST,and mentionin g the marine shotgun.
We fish in central Missouri,"meth capitol of the state" I had an almost intimate encounter with a shxx head one night,luckily for me brushing my shirt away from the 45 caused him to leave.

[Lonegun1894]

First of all, I'm just glad that you're planning ahead and thinking. I would carry whichever you shoot best. Having said that, I carry a Glock 26 (9x19) in and around water because as has been said, it is nearly indestructible, and I like my revolvers better than I like it so dont feel as bad treating it like this, AND I got it for a song with the intention of using it for this specific purpose. Here is a twist on my use vs yours. I dont have a powerboat, but just a kayak and a canoe, so running is NOT an option if things go bad. I also carry this little 9mm when swimming, due to all the snakes and other critters around here that need dispatching sometimes. This means that it is not in any form of water proof container, but instead it is locked in a synthetic holster on my belt, with me wearing shorts and a t-shirt and conceals very well wheather I am wet or dry. Here is what I do for maintenance. When I get home, I take do a field strip on the gun to disassemble it like for standard cleaning, but then I COMPLETELY disassemble the slide, and put all the parts in a gallon size ziplock-type storage bag, and pour in enough denatured alcohol to have all the parts covered, and swish everything around to make sure the alcohol gets absolutely everywhere. The parts sit inside that bad for a few minutes, and then I remove, place on a paper towel to dry, relube everything, and reassemble. The denatured alcohol works as well as WD-40 to completely dry the gun, except dries with no residue whatsoever, so I pour it back in the can and save it for next time. The gun also cycles both above and under water with no issues or hickups. I prefer the Glock 27 to the 26, but for water use, I like the extra comfort that the thicker barrel walls give me, but can't claim to know that this makes it safer or not so may just be a mental thing. I know this may be a bit beyond what your question entailed, but my Glock 26 looks as good as the day I bought it, has had no damage at all from this kind of treatment, and even the finish still looks great, well, as good as a glock can be for an ugly gun. But like I said, I didn't get it for looks, I got it for performance and rough treatment, and it has performed well beyond what I expected and seems to thrive in these conditions I subject it to.

[paul h]

The only caveat with autoloaders and marine air is the magazine can rust and there goes your reliable feeding. I've taken my wifes 22/45 on our boat a few times, and even not leaving it on the boat the mags rusted just enough to cause inconsistant feeding. Hence I'd consider the revolver as a better choice.

Even though you have a water tight compartment, I would not leave the gun on the boat for prolonged periods of time, and I'd recomend regularly cleaning and lubing the gun. Also keep an eye on the ammo as brass corrodes as well as steel.

I have an .223 handi rifle that surves as a boat gun, I got it for next to nothing and it shoots better than it should.

[Lonegun1894]

Very good point about the magazines. Those also receive the same treatment as the rest of my water gun--just a PIA with Glock mags, so may be enough to make your decision easier in favor of the revolver.

[fishnbob]

FWIW, I keep a 357 stainless snubbie with a couple of speedloaders in the glove box of my bass boat. I remember my reasoning was the reliability of the revolver. I also remember the fall of 1993 when I was fishin' in October from a remote landing that I had to reach in the box and lay my hand on it, didn't have to show it, to clear out a bunch of drugheads blocking the landing, saying that they wanted to 'borrow' $10. There wasn't another vehicle at the landing and my cell phone was in my company vehicle. I don't leave home without either anymore.
IIRC, long guns are illegal in boats here in Virginia, except during hunting seasons.

[TCLouis]

If it were for social interactions off he coast, I would carry both.

I was wondering until Combat Diver brought it up whether that was what you planned to have in on board for.

[x101airborne]

I can say from personal experience..... The Glock is my choice.
I carry a 22 in my dry box. We went out 35 miles into the gulf and got caught in a summer storm. The seas were so rank on the way in, we were all sick (myself included). We cracked the boat hull because I was trying not to puke on my GPS and not watching the waves. When we made it in, I cleaned the fish and drug the boat home as is. I never thought to check my dry box. It had about 6 inches of water in it. Yep, with my glock in the bottom. About a month later, I wanted my charts to plan another trip. My BIL and I went to the boat and found my glock all slimey, but not rusted. I dumped the water out of the mag and my BIL said "Oh no, you think that thing will ever shoot again?" I said dunno and dumped the mag into the dirt without a hitch.

[FergusonTO35]

I was thinking about this topic the other day when gathering my stuff to go wade fishing in a local creek. I needed something that is dependable, hides easily in my fishing vest, and I wouldn't feel too bad about if it gets dunked. That gun was my little Jennings J-22. Believe it or not this particular specimen is super reliable and fully the equal of my Beretta 21 accuracy wise. It has 6 CCI Mini Mags on tap, too. No, the J-22 is not my first or even second or third choice of defensive handgun but its the right gun in my collection for this specific purpose.

As far as a boat gun goes, all advice so far seems good. I would just say check it for function and corrosion/damage regularly, probably couldn't hurt to make sure you have fresh ammo too. I would consider extra mags/speedloaders a must. When you're out on the water or in the woods help will take a long time to find you, especially if they only have an imprecise idea of where you are at. Some kind of less lethal option such as a big can of pepperspray would be a good idea too.

[Larry in MT]

When I canoed and boated in Alabama and Mississippi years ago I carried a S&W Model 60 (a 2" 38 Special in stainless) and thought it was about ideal for my small boat/canoe. I liked the revolver, as its main use was shooting Cottonmouths with shotshells (now CCI has 9MM, 40 S&W and 45 ACP shotshells also).

I had a buddy with a large sailboat and he carried a nickle-plated Rem 870 with an extended mag filled with 000 buck. I always thought that made sense.

My old Model 60 with Pachys on it.
http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab176/larrykay47/089475c5.jpg

[x101airborne]

MMMMMMmmmmm talk about eye candy. I have a 4 inch 60 and love it. Want to will that model 60 to someone? I am open.

[x101airborne]

BTW..... The Glock is not the most accurate handgun I own. And I own smiths, colts, springfields, pretty much one example of most major manufacturers. You cannot go wrong with the Glocks corrosion resistance. And, from a boat, my targets will be a LOT bigger then the accuracy standard for that auto. Count the number of moving parts in most autos and compare the numbers. I THINK the Glock only has like 8 moving parts during firing. I havent checked for sure, that is just my guess. No external safety and a sleek exterior with nothing to hang up on.

[Larry in MT]

MMMMMMmmmmm talk about eye candy. I have a 4 inch 60 and love it. Want to will that model 60 to someone? I am open.

Thanks for your kind words. I've had it since '85 (bought it especially for the boatin' detail) and still carry it around the place some. You don't see these older 2"ers with adj. sights very often.

Here's my 4" 357 ---- and this wouldn't be a bad boat gun either. It's a 66-2.

http://i861.photobucket.com/albums/ab176/larrykay47/fc4f9b2f-1-1.jpg

[garym1a2]

my Glock 22 is not the most accurate gun I own either. But its went bang the last 10 matches I shoot it in and lots of practice. Plus its accuracy is not that bad. Besides my 1911 worths 3x as much and the smiths listed on this page and my 686 cost more than 2x the price of the glock.
Lose the glock and I am sad, loose the 686 and I get upset, loose the 1911 and I cry.



BTW..... The Glock is not the most accurate handgun I own. And I own smiths, colts, springfields, pretty much one example of most major manufacturers. You cannot go wrong with the Glocks corrosion resistance. And, from a boat, my targets will be a LOT bigger then the accuracy standard for that auto. Count the number of moving parts in most autos and compare the numbers. I THINK the Glock only has like 8 moving parts during firing. I havent checked for sure, that is just my guess. No external safety and a sleek exterior with nothing to hang up on.

[BK7saum]

I usually carry an AR for a long gun or a smith revolver for a handgun. But I'm usually only worried about 4 legged varmints where I fish. The smith I carry is either a 686 4" or a 60 3". The 60 is lighter and smaller and usually gets the nod.

I've considered a Bond Arms derringer, but havent' taken the plunge yet to purchase one.

[tek4260]

I have a couple of thoughts on this. A boat gun doesn't have to get wet! I fish all the time and I nor my revolver gets wet, so the plastic/blued/stainless argument doesn't apply. I am going to wipe it down with an oil rag at the end of the day, and if it did get wet it would be completely stripped dried cleaned and oiled before anything else, including me cleaning myself up. If you are going to keep it in a tackle box or otherwise not on your person in a good holster, you need to get a lanyard and tie it to something that floats or the boat itself. Yea it will be slower to bring into action, but really how fast do you need to be when fishing? If a snake is close enough to need to be fast, the paddle or a quick slap from the fishing rod will work better than shot anyway.

[9.3X62AL]

Glock 22 or 23. They are corrosion-resistant, not corrosion-proof. After a day on the saltwater the boat--motor--reels--rods--and Glocks get a nice freshwater bath, then dried, then re-lubed if indicated (reels and Glocks). This includes complete strip-down of the mags, to bathe the springs. The Glock might be the single-best saltwater pistol ever devised. Can you say "lanyard"?

[Matthew 25]

I usually carry an AR for a long gun or a smith revolver for a handgun. But I'm usually only worried about 4 legged varmints where I fish. The smith I carry is either a 686 4" or a 60 3". The 60 is lighter and smaller and usually gets the nod.

I've considered a Bond Arms derringer, but havent' taken the plunge yet to purchase one.

Now I'm a huge fan of live and let live...but I'd advise against the derringer. I had a Bond Arms in 45/410. It simply wouldn't ignite the 410 primers. When the 45 fired, which is usually did, it was not pleasant. The barrels POI was a foot apart from 5 yards. It was heavy and ill-fit, ill-handling. I so much prefer the SP101...and now showing some favor to the new to me 696 for the handy thumper class.

[palmettosunshine]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and suggestions. I bought this one originally for our boat gun.
http://i237.photobucket.com/albums/ff1/palmettosunshine/smithwesson003.jpg

Although you can't see it in the picture, it has some pretty good holster wear so I wasn't worried about banging it up on the boat. It doesn't get wet as it is stored underneath a watertight compartment that houses the electronics but is fairly accessible if needed. If it gets wet, I have more pressing problems than needing a gun...

What got me thinking about all of this was my purchase of the Glock 27. I never would have thought I'd buy one but the allure of changing barrels and being able to shoot the .357 Sig finally got to me. That and the fact that hiding a 3" S&W under my sport coat at work is a chore. Not to mention heavy. Don't get me wrong I love the weight of the 65 but it does get tiresome with dress slacks. Now on casual Friday it comes to work with me as I get to wear jeans.

So I guess the answer is they will both get a turn now and then, depending on my mood and the moment. Although I could get another Glock anywhere if dropped overboard....