Most Iconic Gun

[Harrylee]

Let stir things up TheTman got me thinking about this. What is the most classic gun, as a icon the 1911 always shows up but we always have to look at the peacemaker as they crossed paths when army wanted a auto with the hitting power of the 45 SA and so the 1911was in play. From Colt to Browning single action to semi auto both were class acts of the time

http://sweetheartsofthewest.blogspot.com/2011/03/peacemakerthe-history-of-colt-45-and.html

http://www.browning.com/library/infonews/detail.asp?ID=301

[chrish]

Man, tough one. So hard to pick just one icon gun. Yea, gotta include the 1911 from war movies, the various peacemaker-ish revolvers from westerns. But, gotta toss out the old .38s and Tommy Gun's from ganster movies too.


In the end though, going w/ the lever action rifle. Westerns are king w/ me.

[ParabellumJ]

1911. That's all I have to say about that.

[Longitude Zero]

Peacemaker and the 1911 are the only guns to fit the bill. IMHO

[JohnR]

M16, AK47, Winchester 1893, all on the list but at the top would be a revolver or 1911.

[muggsy]

I'd add the Luger pistol, the Mauser Rifle, The M-1 and M-14, the Thompson, and the Kentucky long rifle and Sharps as just a few more Icons.

[jocko]

Kel tek P32

[jocko]

Jenings J22

[jocko]

Rohm RG10

[Bawanna]

Walther PPK. Bawanna, James Bawanna.

Seriously I'd have to go Peacemaker, 1911, and Winchester 73.

[WLEEP]

Colt Python.

[getsome]

S&W model 29 .44 magnum Do you feel lucky, well do ya punk

[JimC]

I'm a BIG fan of the 1911 but that being said, I have to go with the SAA aka Colt Peacemaker.
There's just something about a SAA w/a 7 1/2" bbl. in .45 Colt. ;)

Honorable mention to:

1911 Govt. Model
Colt Python
S&W M29

[chrish]

I forgot Han's blaster. Does that even count?

[kwh]

Just wondering ,does it depend on the age of the person asked. Old timer or young whippersnapper i.e. Colt Peacemaker vs. Glock ,Metal vs. plastic?

[chrish]

I don't care how many of them are out there and how recognizable they are. If a Glock makes this list, I'm taking my ball and going home :D

[VN Vet]

As handguns go, I think the three most iconic silhouettes are the Colt Peacemaker, the Luger P08 and the 1911. These can be ID'd at a quick glance.

I think most of the more modern handguns have too many similar silhouettes to be ID'd at a quick glance.

[RevRay]

Kel tek P32

jocko never stops joking.

P.S. This would make a good "poll" question.

[otium]

Colt Peacemaker and repeating rifles like the 1860 Spencer Repeating rifle.

In the case of the Spencer the ability to fire multiple shots (15 per minute) in the age of muzzleloaders (up to 3-4 shots per minute) would certainly shift the balance of many encounters. The Spencer was slow to reload until an invention by a man named Blakeslee, which was a tin container that held 7 rounds and slipped in to the magazine as a unit, greatly speeding up the reloading process. A soldier was issued 10 of these tubes in a leather case giving him 70 rounds. Guess that would be considered a speedloader of the day.

I would add the Gatling gun from 1862 and later the Maxim in 1883. Both guns were used to devastating effect when they were added to the battle field.

[garyb]

Re Jocko's joking....I know. I read Keltek and I thought...what the>>>>>
It made me laugh. But then again, so much of what Jocko writes does that to me. Ha ha.

Anyway, I guess I'd go with the original Hawken .50cal rifle to represent the mountain man era as my first choice. Followed by the Peacemaker and Winchester 1894 lever rifle to represent the old west. (In my Winchester collection, I have an 1892 lever, saddle ring carbine, 25-20cal. and an old box of 86gr Win ammo for it in the original box. It is a cal that is no longer made. It was used in a saddle down in Florida to protect cattle from predators generations past. I've been offered a good penny for it and it does not get shot by this Queen...haha.)

[O'Dell]

The 1911, definitely! The Peacemaker predated the 1911 by less than 40 years, but how many of you own or carry them today?

[Jeremiah/Az]

I like the "Peacemaker types" of which I prefer Ruger single actions & the Winchester 1894. I have several of both.

[AJBert]

I agree with a few that have been mentioned already but surprised no one has brought up a true "American" icon, the old side by side 12 ga. Perhaps the most feared firearm in the Old West. Pick your manufacturer as there are plenty of them out there.

[b4uqzme]

I agree with a few that have been mentioned already but surprised no one has brought up a true "American" icon, the old side by side 12 ga. Perhaps the most feared firearm in the Old West. Pick your manufacturer as there are plenty of them out there.

+1 sbs. Twas the best man at my wedding...just sayin

[Bawanna]

I can relate.

http://i1138.photobucket.com/albums/n538/hopke5/TheSeafords0353.jpg (http://s1138.photobucket.com/user/hopke5/media/TheSeafords0353.jpg.html)

[Harrylee]

After seeing this I should have said the most iconic American hand guns but this has been a fun ride also. Hey Bawnna you weren't smiling in that wedding picture:)

[Bawanna]

All the handguns are under the jackets / penguin suits.

[Flieger]

If it's contemporary Hollywood, movies made in the last 20+ years, it's either a Glock or a Sig.

I actually get a kick when the prop department has the good/bad guy or girl with a Glock in one scene, and in the next they have a Sig.
Almost like they just say "Grab the Black Gun".

All time has got to be either the 1911 or a generic revolver like a S&W mod. 10.

[CJB]

Most iconic....Colt SAA. Then Luger. Then any old time DA snubbie.

[RevRay]

I've been thinking about this a lot today ... and I realized that without more clarification, the answer can vary widely. For example, put the question to a non-gun owner and I bet it would be very different from a gun owner. I'll give you a personal case in point ... when I was first in the Army I was in the Infantry. I qualified Expert with a .45 cal pistol. But I thought it was a big old heavy clunky gun that I wouldn't have taken to keep if they gave it to me for free. I wore it when I had to but I didn't like it. So I would never say that a standard Army issue Colt .45 was an icon. To me an icon would be something I had seen on TV or in the movies growing up ... maybe a Winchester lever action rifle, or a Colt revolver, or a .38 police revolver or maybe an old German Luger.

[tv_racin_fan]

First thing that popped into my head was Tommy Gun.

[TheTman]

I'll agree the peacemaker, 1911, and the 08 Luger, as probably the most iconic handguns. I think we should separate handguns from long guns.
For long guns, the M1 Garand, and the K48 Mauser, and the 1873 Winchester (the gun that won the west?), The Thompson Sub Machine Gun, and AK47 and M16. Almost anyone would recognize these guns, except maybe the 1873 Winchester, and probably call any lever action gun in a western an 1873 Winchester.

[ltxi]

Peacemaker and the 1911 are the only guns to fit the bill. IMHO

I do gots your back on this one.