One of the most interesting responses I got was from Steve McIntyre. Steve prefers the .38-40 caliber and says he'd like to see a fixed-sight, N-Frame revolver from Smith & Wesson in that caliber. Steve makes use of the large variety of .40 S&W and 10mm bullets to handload his ammunition. Since these bullets are intended for use in auto pistols they have no crimping grooves, but Steve takes care of that with a cannelure tool from CH.

And, finally, I heard from my old friend Charlie Pirtle from out in New Mexico. Charlie is a retired Border Patrolman and was a good friend of Skeeter Skelton's. Charlie is a pretty darn good hand with just about any handgun he might care to pick up. His preference, however, is for a First Generation Colt Single Action in

.38-40. Charlie's favored Colt has a 43/4-inch barrel, nickel finish, ivory grips, and a slicked-up action. Watching Charlie run a single-action sixgun through its paces would help folks realize that the single action is far from being an antique and thing from the past.

Several readers mentioned that some form of 1911 was among the guns on their short list, but I'm not surprised to see that most of the guns chosen were some sort of revolver. In this world of polymer frames and high-capacity magazines, the old revolver is still holding its own very well, including the single action. It's really not about how many bullets you can put into the air; it's about how many hits you can make. The modern revolver is a tough, reliable, and accurate companion for the handgunner.

And, of course, the whole one-gun debate is not about trying to convert someone to your way of thinking. It's really all about refining your own thinking and selecting a gun that actually fits your particular needs. Do you live in a rural or urban setting? Do you compete in shooting competition or handgun hunting? What are your plans for your own personal-protection program? These are the sorts of questions that we have to ask ourselves when deciding on the gun that suits our needs.

Finally, we ought to buy the very best firearm that we can possibly afford. A good gun, properly maintained, will outlive several generations of shooters. Through the years it becomes a familiar, comforting part of our lives.

It has been interesting to see the response to my one-gun column. But the important thing is that all of the guns mentioned are good guns. There's not a clunker in the bunch. And the fact is, I could make do with each and every one of them. I expect that you could, too, although I'm at a bit of a loss to figure out how to properly conceal that Model 94.

But I still shudder at the thought of actually being limited to one gun. We probably ought to take the time to be thankful that we live in a country in which that is not a reality. Maybe we also ought to be very careful who we cast our votes for so that some professional politician down the line doesn't force us to make that choice for real.