Best caliber for self defense

Metric said:
Sometimes it's refreshing to see what can be achieved with a different mindset.
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It's not a different mindset.

Sky marshals and Mossad assassins have different equipment needs than the rest of us, that's all.

James Bond used small calibers, too.

Most of his killing was done at distances of inches and feet rather than yards........and head shots were the goal.
 
James Bond used small calibers, too.
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A) because Ian Fleming wasn't a "gun guy", and knew very little about them.
B) because small caliber weapons suited the character's primary role. Spy/secret agent, not a gun fighter type. While 007 had a "license to kill" all that meant was he didn't have to wait for permission from his higher authority, and was able to use his own discretion.

The movies turned Bond into an action hero type, when they moved beyond the stories that Fleming wrote.
 
My everyday CC is a Hellcat in 9mm and I feel plenty well covered. But in my vehicle I drive to work with a .357mag Security Six with a 4” barrel just in case.
 
The Verminator said:
It's more like garbage in--garbage out.

It is a fatally flawed and unscientific effort from the beginning.

It concludes that a .32 is more likely to make a one shot stop than a .45 or a .357 Magnum or a .44 Magnum.
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It doesn't "conclude"anything. It reports -- and graphs -- statistical data. Any conclusions must be drawn by the reader.
 
44 AMP said:
A) because Ian Fleming wasn't a "gun guy", and knew very little about them.
B) because small caliber weapons suited the character's primary role. Spy/secret agent, not a gun fighter type. While 007 had a "license to kill" all that meant was he didn't have to wait for permission from his higher authority, and was able to use his own discretion.

The movies turned Bond into an action hero type, when they moved beyond the stories that Fleming wrote.
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Ian Fleming, a typical Brit, was quoted as saying that firearms details bored him.

Fleming, however, did know the spy business.

He carried a "Baby" Browning .25 himself. Why? An obsession with concealment.

Small guns ruled (except for the mysterious .45 that was a "car gun" in a secret compartment).

When Bond used a Smith .38 Special it was regarded as a large and awesomely powerful weapon. The .45 "car gun" must have seemed like heavy artillery.

:D
 
I think best is an improper term because any caliber bigger than 9mm is capable of defending yourself, the better word to use than best would be, well, better.

I like the capacity and lower cost of ammo with .40 than .45, I like the power and capacity of 10mm even more than either. .45 ACP isn't my favorite, but I still own it because it has special characteristics that make it useful for the purposes I use it for, but if all I had was one 9mm pistol and had the option of being able to only choose one and it was between a .40, a 10mm, and a .45, the .45 is the last one I would choose.

The OP needs to go into more detail on what he wants and is looking for. Being stuck in a state with 10 rd mags is lame, but I do agree that going with the bigger caliber is the better way to go and is one reason I'm not opposed to .45 GAP other than it being stuck in Glocks. Would be nice if someone would make a P365 like pistol that held 9 or 10 rds of GAP.
 
You can't go wrong with either, but I recommend .40 S&W for the following reasons...

  • Less expensive ammo
  • Greater magazine capacity
  • More compact frame size
  • Better straight-line hard barrier penetration
  • Easy conversion to 9mm and .357 SIG with simple barrel swap
 
If limited to 10 rounds, buy a smaller 9mm designed with 10 round mags. The Sig 365 or Glock 48 would be excellent choices. There is zero statistical difference between 9mm, 40, 45, or 357. They all work about 85-90% of the time when best loads for each are chosen.

If you just want something different then get either a 10mm or 45. I'm not a 40 fan. Smith makes an excellent 10 round M&P 45 pistol that holds 10 rounds. The G29 in 10mm holds 10 as does the G30 in 45.
 
Once upon a time, the 125 grain .357 Magnum was considered the most effective anti-personnel handgun round. But that’s a revolver, eww.
We were told that the .357 Sig was meant to mimic that in an automatic.
Which brings up .38 Super and 9x23Win for the enthusiast.
Me?
I’ll just keep on making do with 9mm P or .45 ACP.
 
Once upon a time, the 125 grain .357 Magnum was considered the most effective anti-personnel handgun round. But that’s a revolver, eww.
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See, there's the problem, people don't just want the most effective round, they ALSO want it in the package they want.

They want small and light, for concealment and easy carry, then IF they get that in a sufficiently powerful cartridge, they complain about the recoil.

Or the lack of round capacity, or the size and weight, if the gun is large enough to tame recoil to manageable levels. Oh, and don't forget they want it at a low price.

There's no free lunch...sorry.

I have a pistol that shoots that 125gr .357. Semi auto, 9+1 capacity recoil is not heavy. The GUN is heavy. Blast is fierce. The grip is huge. And the MV is over 1700fps with select handloads from the (nominal) 6" barrel.
No one will choose it as a carry piece, it goes 4.25lbs empty.

It's not "practical" but I like it, as a home defense pistol, I think it would do well, even if you missed, you could beat a grizzly bear to death with it, possibly,...:rolleyes:

The real question is not what is the best caliber for self defense, the question is what is the best caliber for self defense in a pistol YOU find acceptable.

And that's going to be as varied as the people answering the question.
 
Or, just carry extra mags. If you have gone through ten rounds that should buy enough time for a quick mag change if you’ve practiced. That being said I do agree the ten round limit is a load of BS and definitely falls under the definition of an infringement.
 
Better a hit with a 22 short than a miss with a 9/40/45/50. Shot placement is everything. Don't ever count on any single hit or caliber to stop an assailant.

Charles Henderson's Marine Sniper recounts the story of Gunny Hathcock hitting in the chest a foe with a 30-06. That's the venerable bullet we used in WW I, WW II and Korea.
The shot man responded by charging. Second shot to the chest didn't put him down and he still charged. It was the third shot to the head that dropped him.
 
Tool said:
All of my handguns have been 9mm. I'm tempted to buy an HK USP with a larger caliber. After all, I live in a state that prevent me from using magazines that can hold more than 10 rounds anyway.

Which one is better? 45 acp or 40 SW?
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.357 SIG.


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Unless you're just itching for a new gun, stick w/ your 9mm.
Use Federal HST for carry.

... expensive? yes.
But not for life-on-the-line.
and a whole cheaper than a new gun.

.
 
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Unless you’re just looking for a good reason to buy another gun, I’d give the nod to the 40S&W.

Then buy one in .45acp the very soonest next time.

I understand the FJB people in dc don’t like that.


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One thing got me wondering, since we haven't lived in a society where single shot muzzleloaders are our primary means of self defense for nearly two centuries, why the concern with "one shot stops"????
 
well with pistols it would seem to be a moot point. from a long range perspective it's like white feather said "how many shots are you going to get?" when hunting, a follow up shot may or may not be a "thang"; reguardless of the game you hunt.
 
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