Confused... Handguns too powerful for self-defense?

bdickens said:

Too much perceverating about calibers & shot placement and not enough thought about reducing the risk of conflict in the first place.

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Well it is a gun forum....

bdickens said: ↑
Too much perceverating about calibers & shot placement and not enough thought about reducing the risk of conflict in the first place.

MaxP said:

Well it is a gun forum....

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And it's still winter....

Although #bdickens should get a couple of extra internet points for using 'perseverating' properly in a sentence.

I don't expect to ever be in any conflict where I have to fire. I may be a fool, but I like a little CZ-70, that's what I tend to bring around with me, chambered in .32 ACP. I've looked up the ballistics a bunch and thought about it, and basically it is similar in ballistic nrg as a .22 Long Rifle cartridge fired out of a rifle. I shoot it well, it's handy, I think it is cool, and 8 rounds of .32 ACP - is just enough IMHO to find enough time to run away, go find a bigger gun, or seriously impart hurt on 1 or 2 bad guys. Power is power, being handy with your firearm and being a good shot beats power IMHO, even if you're carrying a .22 - getting hits on a target beats a slow draw, slow follow ups, and poor aim. If you land a hit, or have time to, the bigger gun wins - but, if you're not really good with that bigger gun, really really good, why not carry one that you are really good with? I think this is the root of the OPs inquiry. Carry what you're good with, anything bigger is not to your advantage and is harder to carry, and more likely to get left at home or in a vehicle anyway.

LiveLife said:

How about this?

If there are TWO hungry wild wolfs on the other side of a large room about to be released and in front of you there are these on the table:

• Glock 17 with 17 rounds of 9mm Gold Dot HP
• Glock 22 with 15 rounds of 40S&W Gold Dot HP
• Glock 21 with 12 rounds of 45ACP Gold Dot HP
• Glock 20 with 15 rounds of 10mm Gold Dot HP

You have a second to choose to defend your life.

Which would you choose?


How about from these against ONE hungry wild wolf?

• Glock 19 with 15 rounds of 9mm Gold Dot HP
• Glock 23 with 13 rounds of 40S&W Gold Dot HP
• Glock 30 with 10 rounds of 45ACP Gold Dot HP
• Glock 29 with 10 rounds of 10mm Gold Dot HP

My choice?
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For me, I would make my selection based on my ability to hit moving targets fast because missed shots don't count no matter what caliber it is.

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Which is why I use 38 wadcutters for home defense, in a 2" S&W I can make a 5 shot, quarter size hole at 10 yds which would be max indoor range so I feel perfectly comfortable and even for carry in town. Now I do also have 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP, but close point and shoot accuracy isn't as good as with the wadcutters!

I do not see over penetration as a realistic problem, but I think that a large caliber like 10mm and more powerful can be a poor choice for self defense fo some people. The two most important factors of self defense are accuracy and speed in handling (not velocity). Some people simply do not have the hand and arm strength to handle the recoil and recover quickly from muzzle rise, which is going to be greater as calibers get larger. I am one of those people. I have arthritis in my hands and inoperable rotator cuff injury. I shot a friends 10mm at the range a few weeks go. The recoil ws painful in my hands. The muzzle size taxed the strength of my damaged shoulder. I do mot experience that with my 9mm. So for me a 10mm. would be a bad SD gun choice those problems I had reduce accuracy and speed of shooting.

Kleanbore said:

Well, the question was not about reducing the risk of conflict, was it?

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I think good shot placement with a proper sized bullet from adequate cover reduces the risk of conflict, don't you agree?