I know that this basic question has been asked and rehashed a number of times on this forum...but I'd appreciate some opinions and help based on my needs and likes. I live in southern Maine on an old farm, and handgun regulations here are fairly liberal on visible open carry, not so when concealed or in or on a motor vehicle. I did, 10-15 years ago, on the advice of a game warden/friend, obtain a CC permit after nearly 3 months of resistance from our small town selectmen/primary issuing agents at that time, who felt that no one needed to conceal a handgun! I foolishly let my permit lapse years ago, and now will have to go through the application process and handgun course. On the plus side, Maine laws have changed - one can conceal while hunting and my town selectmen can't unreasonably hold up the process either.
My hunting season carry guns are 2 old model Rugers (3-screw non-converted): a 5-1/2" Super Single-Six convertible (usually w/.22 Mag cyl.) and a 4-5/8" .45 Long Colt Blackhawk with a brass square-back trigger guard Super grip frame. They're both comfortable old friends but are getting a little loose with age and show lots of holster wear. On the .45 I plan to eventually replace basepin and add a steel ejector hsg., the trigger was reworked when the brass frame was added and is great, but I hope to eventually send it out for a tuneup, maybe even a new tight chambered cyl., or better yet a 5-shot (if I can ever afford that grade of rework! The .22 is still a little tighter and will probably only get a new basepin, a thorough internal cleaning/polishing, and maybe a generous application of cold blue. I've grown up with the Ruger adjustable sights, the old model Colt-style hammer and trigger feel, and could care less about honest holster blueing wear! The .22 Mag weighs just a bit over 2 lbs and carries pretty comfortably in a (converted to lighter and higher carry, often worn as cross draw) leather holster. The .45, in a handcut and blocked but similar holster, at nearly 3 lbs reminds me it's there - both by weight and bulk.
My actual CC shooting needs are for a coyote/fox killer generally at about 50 yds max, raccoon/skunk/porcupine short range devestator, occaisional (in season) small game pot shooter or for short range deer (very unlikely, though last year's was standing broadside at 35') - been theatened and chased by surly moose out back here and once in a great while a transient black bear or I'd guess bobcat sneaks through, but can't really consider any of these as threats! I've worn a 16' Stanley metal-cased tape measure on my belt for 30 years, only removing it (generally) for church or formal events, and I intend to wear this other newer tool the same way. We built a new house well back off the road and this will be the nightstand handgun, to be slid on my belt or kept in the truck while away from the house, on and off my tractor or crawler or in and out of the truck while working out in the woods or fields. Years ago I owned a P-38 (my only semi-auto - traded it off for a posthole digger for my tractor!) but never was comfortable shooting it, and although I realize that an intermediate cal. lightweight and flat semi-auto would be a comfortable (and less publicly obtrusive to non-shooters!) option, I've ruled it out. That leaves either a revolver or for an extreme downsize, a derringer size/style weapon, and to make things more difficult, I'm not really much of a double action shooter either. I shoot and handload (in pistol cals.) .38/.357, .44 Mag., and my favorite: .45 Long Colt. I have dies & molds also for .32-20, .38-40, .41 Mag, and .44-40, plus another dozen+ rifle calibers I checked out new Ruger single actions, both Birds head and Vaqeros, but not much weight or bulk saved over my .45...unless I pickup a Single-Six in .32 H&R, but will I gain much over a .22 Mag? If I bend a little and look at Ruger double actions, either in an old Security-Six, or SP101 or GP-100 in .357, .38+, or .32 H&R I can get a 4" brl. w/adj. sights and keep the weight down to as little as 2 lbs. - handled a Taurus 5-shot .45 Long Colt at a gunshow last weekend - pricey, but nice!!! Only other option I see would be a little over/under derringer on the old Rem. design, easy carry and light, but would guess lousy grip, poor sights, poorer accuracy!?! Worse yet, I'm trying to limit spending to $2-300/350, but doesn't have to be brand new either. Remember, I'm not in Alaska big bear country, nor jogging or camping in our newly established "West Coast cougar protection and have a human for lunch" areas, nor on a big ranch with hours walk to a house, nor in the need to thin out rattlesnakes(none in Maine, supposedly!). I just need/want a useful, reasonably priced tool to keep close to me - hope I never have to draw or use it on another person - if so I don't want to blow him away with 1 shot (if so, it'll be with a 12 ga.), but also want to be able to do more than just p..s him off with a round of 22 LR!
Thanks for reading this lengthy post - at this rate I'm going to have to change it from "hobbyguymaine" to "windbagmaine"! Hope you'll share some thoughts and sage advice, Joe

Some of it depends on what hoops you have to jump through to get the permit. Here, besides so many ours of class, have to shoot a qualification round...same basic qualification as some PD's and secruity guards have to run.

The qualification i shot was based on 6-shot sets. Time limit was OK, and I ran it a second time with a 5-shot snubbie. So at his command, would have to fire five, reload either 0ne or all 5, and fire one, then empty the revovler at command...wnd up with 6 fired rounds and 4 live ones loose on the table. Not big deal, would load 5 rounds loose and keep a speed loader at hand for that 6th shot....but had to do a relaod and fire one round in the same time limit. Everyone else held 6 rounds or more...the others may carry a 5-shot snub, but the rules for the qualification shoot were not real 5-shot friendly.

I'd not like to run it with a single action...but once qualified, are no real limits on what you actually carry. The permit here isn't gun spcific (none the less, I ran it once with a semi-auto and once with the 5-shot revolver)...it is handgun specific (rifles, knives, etc. are not included).