Self Defense Handguns.

[Freak_090]

When it comes to self-defense and handguns, what round do you prefer to use and why? Now, I'm not just talking about stopping power, so don't go off with, ".500 S&W!!! ZOMG!!! *BOOM* Where's yo thigh now, Mutha-f***ka!?!?!? "

Please take into account the pros and cons of the different rounds that are for the different rounds.

IE: .45acp Sure, you can take a guy out with only a few shots, but you also have a smaller mag capacity, it isn't as controllable as smaller rounds like .9mm or .40S&W, and you run the risk of over penetration.  

[uryu ishida]

Actually, at commonly slower velocities, I would say the 9mm has MORE penetrative ability than the .45ACP, comparing hardball rounds. The 9mm would have a higher chance of over penetration than the .45ACP.
The .45ACP is a very effective round that drops most of it's force into the target rather than overpentrating. Even with hardball. A PROPER FMJ will dump it's full energy into the target, with more kinetic force than the 9mm or .40S&W.

Also, .357MAG dumps a large amount of energy into the target, with proper loads it also has limited chances of overpentration. .38SPCL is fairly the same, but a weaker scale. Police officers have said that .357SIG is also a good round in an auto as well, with the same "******** you" impact.
It's been found that all-lead rounds for the 7.62x25TOK are nearly ballistically identical to .357MAG in gel tests!


EDIT: I voted .45ACP.  

[Requiem ex Inferni]

Uryu's right. Weaponology compared the two during the Green Berets episode. 9mm Parabellum flies at 1200 feet per second, so it will usually just pass right through with little damage. .45 ACP, on the other hand, is bigger, and flies at a mere 800 FPS. It slows down when it hits, and that extra kinetic energy has to go somewhere- so it gets transferred to the surrounding tissue. My friend's grandpa told me that a well-placed shot with a 1911 can separate a man's hand at the wrist.

However, for self-defense, I'd probably go with a .357/.38 revolver. A good amount of bang, and if you run out of magnum rounds you can simply grab a few .38 Specials.  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

Requiem6661

Uryu's right. Weaponology compared the two during the Green Berets episode. 9mm Parabellum flies at 1200 feet per second, so it will usually just pass right through with little damage. .45 ACP, on the other hand, is bigger, and flies at a mere 800 FPS. It slows down when it hits, and that extra kinetic energy has to go somewhere- so it gets transferred to the surrounding tissue. My friend's grandpa told me that a well-placed shot with a 1911 can separate a man's hand at the wrist.

However, for self-defense, I'd probably go with a .357/.38 revolver. A good amount of bang, and if you run out of magnum rounds you can simply grab a few .38 Specials.

R. Lee Ermey also did somewhat of a .45 vs 9mm on mail call.

Also: I think a 9mm hollowpoint would be a solution to the penetration problem. It would penetrate in the target and mushroom out making the bullet bigger inside the target making much more drag inside the target.

Also2: Long time no see. What's new?  

[OberFeldwebel]

Well, SIG 226 or 229 in .357 SIG.
~14 rounds in a mag.

.45 is good, but if you're gonna go revolvers you should use .357 or .44 Magnum, if you can take it.

You've got 6 rounds then you have to reload, might as well make them count and not have to shoot them more than once.

.44 Mag
300 gr (19 g) JHP 1,500 ft/s (460 m/s) 1,499 ft·lbf (2,032 J)  

[Fresnel]

If I recall correctly, .357SIG shows in ballistic tests that it should overpenetrate almost every time, but in the field it shows that that is, in fact, not the case.

I ran across a ballistic test the other day where someone put a 9mm Speer Lawman 90gr. frangible round through 16" of gel and a cardboard box full of polyester fibers (roughly equivalent to another 16" of gel). It was recovered in the berm in near mint condition, covered in polyester fuzz.  

[Stoic Socialist]

I'm sure a nice snub nose in .357 should do nicely for any self-defense shooting. Isn't the common SD shooting 2.3 shots or something like that?
If we're going with anything more, give me a pistol with double column magazine in 10mm Auto, 9x25 Dillon (wildcat, necked down 10mm), or .38 Super.

Not that I'd feel something in 9mm would be underpowered (using HP/SPs), but these go faster, with heavier weights. smile  

[Fresnel]

Stoic Socialist

I'm sure a nice snub nose in .357 should do nicely for any self-defense shooting.

MAG or SIG? I'd think a tiny .357MAG would break your wrist.

Quote:

Isn't the common SD shooting 2.3 shots or something like that?

Not that I know any better, but I think the coincidence is too high that the average family has 2.3 children.  

[Stoic Socialist]

Fresnel

Stoic Socialist

I'm sure a nice snub nose in .357 should do nicely for any self-defense shooting.

MAG or SIG? I'd think a tiny .357MAG would break your wrist.

Quote:

Isn't the common SD shooting 2.3 shots or something like that?

Not that I know any better, but I think the coincidence is too high that the average family has 2.3 children.

That's what compensators are for. Besides; with the massive adrenaline dump one would have, I doubt one would notice. We shoot standard 2-3/4" shells in the shotgun at the range, and switch to 3" Magnums when out hunting. It doesn't change the POI considerably, and I don't even notice. Sure, it's the difference of a pistol and long gun, but shotguns have been known to break collar bones before.

And that's very well possible... >.< I just remember that it was somewhere between 2 and 3 came to mind.
Double taps, eh?  

[Fresnel]

Stoic Socialist

Fresnel

Stoic Socialist

I'm sure a nice snub nose in .357 should do nicely for any self-defense shooting.

MAG or SIG? I'd think a tiny .357MAG would break your wrist.

Quote:

Isn't the common SD shooting 2.3 shots or something like that?

Not that I know any better, but I think the coincidence is too high that the average family has 2.3 children.

That's what compensators are for. Besides; with the massive adrenaline dump one would have, I doubt one would notice. We shoot standard 2-3/4" shells in the shotgun at the range, and switch to 3" Magnums when out hunting. It doesn't change the POI considerably, and I don't even notice. Sure, it's the difference of a pistol and long gun, but shotguns have been known to break collar bones before.

And that's very well possible... >.< I just remember that it was somewhere between 2 and 3 came to mind.
Double taps, eh?

I imagine it's a balance between "Don't you ******** move" 0 shots fired and "OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG" mag dumps.  

[Sidal]

.45ACP, due to I want the target on the ground, not with a small hole in him. If I wanted to turn a man into swiss cheese, I'd resort to a 9mm. But for stopping power, which is what self-defense is, the .45ACP. Once I get the paperwork all filled out, I'll be taking ownership of my dads 1911; beautiful pistol I cannot wait to have for home defense.  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

Requiem6661

Uryu's right. Weaponology compared the two during the Green Berets episode. 9mm Parabellum flies at 1200 feet per second, so it will usually just pass right through with little damage. .45 ACP, on the other hand, is bigger, and flies at a mere 800 FPS. It slows down when it hits, and that extra kinetic energy has to go somewhere- so it gets transferred to the surrounding tissue. My friend's grandpa told me that a well-placed shot with a 1911 can separate a man's hand at the wrist.

However, for self-defense, I'd probably go with a .357/.38 revolver. A good amount of bang, and if you run out of magnum rounds you can simply grab a few .38 Specials.

Wouldn't a .38 special be too big for a .357?  

[uryu ishida]

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Requiem6661

Uryu's right. Weaponology compared the two during the Green Berets episode. 9mm Parabellum flies at 1200 feet per second, so it will usually just pass right through with little damage. .45 ACP, on the other hand, is bigger, and flies at a mere 800 FPS. It slows down when it hits, and that extra kinetic energy has to go somewhere- so it gets transferred to the surrounding tissue. My friend's grandpa told me that a well-placed shot with a 1911 can separate a man's hand at the wrist.

However, for self-defense, I'd probably go with a .357/.38 revolver. A good amount of bang, and if you run out of magnum rounds you can simply grab a few .38 Specials.

Wouldn't a .38 special be too big for a .357?

!!!???

It's one of the most common multi-caliber firearms! The .357MAG revolver can safely shoot .38SPCL (+P?) rounds a a cheaper practice or self defense round.
Some revolvers also have 9mmLuger cylinders for their .357MAG revolvers.

Rommel, it's just like the .32 adapter for .303 Enfield. It may be a bigger number, but it's not necessarily the actual measure.  

[Desert_Fox_Rommel]

uryu ishida

Desert_Fox_Rommel

Requiem6661

Uryu's right. Weaponology compared the two during the Green Berets episode. 9mm Parabellum flies at 1200 feet per second, so it will usually just pass right through with little damage. .45 ACP, on the other hand, is bigger, and flies at a mere 800 FPS. It slows down when it hits, and that extra kinetic energy has to go somewhere- so it gets transferred to the surrounding tissue. My friend's grandpa told me that a well-placed shot with a 1911 can separate a man's hand at the wrist.

However, for self-defense, I'd probably go with a .357/.38 revolver. A good amount of bang, and if you run out of magnum rounds you can simply grab a few .38 Specials.

Wouldn't a .38 special be too big for a .357?

!!!???

It's one of the most common multi-caliber firearms! The .357MAG revolver can safely shoot .38SPCL (+P?) rounds a a cheaper practice or self defense round.
Some revolvers also have 9mmLuger cylinders for their .357MAG revolvers.

Rommel, it's just like the .32 adapter for .303 Enfield. It may be a bigger number, but it's not necessarily the actual measure.

That's why I asked. I'm probably the noobiest member of the guild. To be honest about 2/3 of what I know about guns I've learned from being in this guild.  

[Xarich]

<******** Handguns.