What's the smallest pistol you'd trust?

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I'll just repeat one general observation about bullets and bodies, and leave it up to the reader to decide. No matter how two bullets apparently stack up against one another, they're all still awfully small in comparison to the human body (there is a difference in performance, but it's small).
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I do not disagree, but bigger is bigger, and .645" is much bigger than .32". Twice as big, in fact.

I also think you and i are in general agreement about all this stuff. :)
 
I think I may be changing my mind. After reading the article Pocket Full of Dynamite over at Hanguns mag I feel more comfortable with a .38spl+P. The Speer Gold Dot is expanding to dimensions equal to (and greater than) a 9mm. All while penetrating 12.5+" in clothed gel. The Winchester SXT 130gr+P posts nearly identical numbers.

That is with a 2" barrel 38spl+P versus the 3.1" barrel 9mm used at Golden Loki.

http://www.handgunsmag.com/ammunition/pocket_dynomite/

http://www.goldenloki.com/ammo/gel/9mm/gel9.htm
 
You can get speer gold dot in 9mm too, it is the same diameter as .38spl gold dot. Golden Loki just didn't test it.

Also, Corbon DPX+P in 9mm expands to double it's diameter, and then some.
 
You can get Corbon DPX in .38spl+P as well.

I come up with guys that always shot the 158gr SWCHP. Looking at the performance of the modern hollow points, I think that older load is obsolete. I also think that a .38spl+P is now pretty similar to a 9mm. The only problem is the lack of capacity.

That is just my opinion YMMV.

38spl+P Corbon DPX test at Handguns.

I was also not surprised to find the promised penetration while still expanding. In ballistic gelatin, the Cor-Bon 110-grain DPX penetrated 15 inches. The track was straight; the bullet remained nose-forward. The expanded bullet measured almost .60 inch in diameter and kept all of its expanded petals.

Even more impressive was the heavy-clothing portion of the test. Multiple layers of denim can clog hollowpoints, making them act like solids--or at least the older designs. Modern designs have been tuned with FBI test protocols in mind, and this bullet demonstrates that. Even with a shred of fabric attached to one petal, and a small ball of it cut out and left in the center of the mushroom, the bullet went (again) 15 inches.
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http://www.handgunsmag.com/ammunition/38snubbie_070507/index.html
 
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Smallest id trust is a .380 as a bug or a main if i had to run out of the house fast and couldn't holster up.
But as a main gun a 9mm is the smallest i trust, But i still wont carry one.
Smallest i do carry is a .40 and i prefer a .45acp when possible.
Ill switch to a .460 Rowland when they make one without the muzzle brake.
 
For the absolute smallest I'd use, .22mag NAA mini. It's all in how good you are at using it, and realizing what you can and can't do with it. Given, I'd only carry something that small if I had no other practical options....for the smallest "any situation" firearm, I'd go with a .380 semi-auto...along the lines of the P3AT, DB380, TCp, or similar.
 
Mike, i'm not saying .38spl+P is bad, just that the same expansion can be had in 9mm. I agree that .38spl+P is about the same as standard pressure 9mm, performance wise.
 
no point in going smaller than a P3AT or a LCP .380
i pocket carry a glock 27 .40

but i have carried a keltec .32 in the past before they made a .380
 
A J-frame loaded with good .38+P rounds would be the smallest I personally would feel OK with.
 
I guess I'd have to say 9mm. I keep looking at the pocket .380s and I think it would be nice if I had to dress up in the summer here but I can't quite bring myself to buy one. I carry a Glock 26 everywhere and it gets hot here in Phoenix in the summer and cargo shorts and a T-shirt work fine with it.
 
I am happy with a .380; I carry a Beretta 84FS Cheetah with 13+1 capacity. Other carry options include a S&W M637, M60 and a Walther PK380.

When the weather turns cooler (whenever that happens down here), I'll be able to switch to full-size 9mm pistols.

I don't feel under-gunned with any of my carry sidearms. I practice with all of them and, at the most likely ranges for an SD, I am confident the guns will do their job if I do mine.
 
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My choice is either the NAA HGMC or HGMSC.

I wonder how much that .5" on the barrel will make a difference to me and to the "outcome" of this thread. . . .
 
My choice is either the NAA HGMC or HGMSC.

I wonder how much that .5" on the barrel will make a difference to me and to the "outcome" of this thread. . . .
 
I trust the smallest .22 magnum revolver made: The North American Arms Pug with tritium sights. I chronied this gun with various ammunition the other day, and it's more than adequate as a primary (in certain circumstances), backup or ultra-deep concealment gun:

Ballistics info:

http://naaminis.blogspot.com/2010/08/north-american-arms-pug-ballistics.html

Photos:

http://naaminis.blogspot.com/2010/08/photos-north-american-arms-pug.html

http://apps.carryconcealed.net/foru...os-NAA-Pug-with-Trijicon-Tritium-Night-Sights
 
A friend of mine had a confrontation in the parking lot of a VFW. A gang banger shot him six times with a Raven Arms .25 caliber pistol. Two of the rounds didn't even make it through my friend's leather jacket. My friend made it to the kid and broke his wrist separating him from the pistol. The kid went to jail. My friend was released from the hospital a day later, and three days later was back at work.
 
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