Best handgun in any game and why (other than the Halo pistol, please)

[Baneat]

If a game concerning a resistance fighter being sent into a german camp, sneaking around the quarters, and waiting for a patrolling soldier - so that you could sneak around him and use the disposable one bullet pistol that costs 2.5$ to make, and then escape the camp with what you came in for in the first place, then that disposable one bullet 2.5$ pistol would be my choice.
It's called "FP-45 Liberator".

Like the EZ gun from MGS3?
1 inch, non rifled barrel, probably wouldn't kill beyond 5 meters, based on what happens if you cook a bullet (It wouldn't pierce your skin if it hit you, even an AK round)

.357 from HL2
D.Eagle from CoD4
. 44 Magnum from MW2
G18 from MW2
Naked Snake's M1911A1 custom

 

[SoranMBane]

Despite getting ninja'd in the first post and the fact that it's really more of an industrial cutting tool that happens to work exactly like a pistol than an actual pistol, I'm gonna have to go with the Dead Space plasma cutter. It's very practical yet extremely awesome, and that's the best combination of traits I can think of for a weapon to have.

 

[Foxblade618]

- The Mauser from Red Dead Redemption. God, that thing is powerful.

Yeah...ok...I think you've sold me on this instead of the Blacktail (especially with deadeye, you can drop a damn army with this gun)

 

[No_Remainders]

PS20 from Deus Ex if it counts.

It was a one shot disposable plasma gun

 

[Wintermoot]

the .375 from HL2 it,s a literal Hand Cannon
or the Laser Pistol from FO3/NV it can turn your enemy into ash!
I also like the Glock 17/Berreta from HL1/BS and the USP Match from HL2 (first pistol in the game) I don,t know why but I like them even using the mid game to dispatch Combine soldiers

 

[Trivun]

The laser pistol from the Fallout series. Seriously, it turns people to ash, how is that not awesome?!?!?

 

[MagicMouse]

Pre-Patch 1911 in Bad Company 2.

It was 100 percent accurate and killed in 2 shots at any distance, with no fire rate cap.

 

[Denariax]

Seriously though, if we put this into basically handgun ever in anything, it'd be the Blame! handgun, because it can destroy the planet in one shot.

 

[Quicksilver_Phoenix]

Pistol in Star Wars: Republic Commando. It never runs out of ammo.

"That's got to count for something in a firefight, huh?"

 

[AJax_21]

The m1911 from Bad Company 2. that pistol is a freakin' beast!

[youtube][/youtube]

 

[shadowslayer81]

I always love the L4D pistol.
Mostly because of infinite bullets though.

People would even ask me why I use it, but I'm just as good with it as the other, more powerful, guns :\

 

[Midnight Crossroads]

The M9 in Call of Duty 4 is my favorite pistol. Pair it with the MP5 and you have an extra 200 bullets. It can drop most people in 3-4 bullets, it's about as accurate as an MP5, and it's almost impossible to run out of ammo because of the small magazines and semi-automatic fire. I can own the map with that gun. The Desert Eagle is too inaccurate and doesn't have enough ammo to do the job, but it's an okay gun.

Other than that, the Falcon in Perfect Dark. You could probably fit a tiny grenade launcher on it. The grey pistol is pretty awesome too for it's alternate-fire explosive shells. Honestly, there's not much reason to use the regular fire on half the alien guns in that game.

Any pistol with infinite ammo is good too. I think they should all have infinite ammo in most games.

 

[meowchef]

The .357 Magnum in Half Life 2. Sniper accuracy, one hit kills.

 

[Wilcroft]

the .375 from HL2 it,s a literal Hand Cannon
or the Laser Pistol from FO3/NV it can turn your enemy into ash!

The laser pistol from the Fallout series. Seriously, it turns people to ash, how is that not awesome?!?!?

Plasma Pistol was better. Glowing Goo >> Ash.

OT: The Pistols (and really, all the guns) from ME1 were pretty awesome. They actually had unlimited ammo, and with reasoning behind such. IF you read through the codex, the concept behind it was cool.

 

[Je Suis Ubermonkey]

The Desert Eagle in Rainbow Six: Vegas

It is the perfect substitute for a shotgun (it has as much stopping power, more accuracy and possibly (my memory is a little hazy) more ammo) but it doesn't fill up the main weapon slots.

It can also be used in conjunction with a riot shield. Great for drawing attention so your squad can take the flanks, or for going Rambo on an entire building.

Oh, and the noise! So satisfying.

 

[Biodeamon]

that laser sight pistol from the conduit. forget what it's called.

instant kills. sniper scope. wheeeeeeeeeeeee!

 

[siahsargus]

The Dessert Eagle in CS:S and Rainbow Six: Vegas
The prepatch M1911 in BC2
I was disappointed when I got the 1911 in Red Dead: Redemption, because it's a lot less powerful than it should be.
The Pistol in the Halo: Reach beta was amazing, but not as crazy as the Halo: CE pistol or the Halo 2 BR. The Halo three pistol killed in five shots like the Halo: Reach pistol, but wasn't as accurate. However, it could be dual wielded, and you could very easily outshoot a four-shot BR player if you where good against grenades.
The pistol in republic commando has unlimited ammo.
Same with the L4D magnum, which can be dual wielded, with unlimited ammo.

Most games have one good pistol, besides MW2. Black Ops had some decent backup pistols but nothing I would want to start a fight with.

 

[Aeonknight]

Plasma Cutter in Dead Space 1 and 2. Only weapon you ever need.

Does that really count as a handgun/pistol? I mean it's a laser blaster

Semi automatic, clip size of 10ish, high power, decent reload speed, 1 handed weapon.

Sounds like a handgun to me.