im thinking about replacing my glock 19 as my ccw. opinions welcome.

C

cajun47

New member
i don't want to start a debate about weather the 9mm is a good sd round. im keeping my glock 19.

hows the ruger lcr in .357mag? that round has a much higher 1 shot stop rate? im thinking about making the switch from glock 19 to ruger lcr .357mag because i want a more powerful round and easier every day carry. i am concerned about the .357mag over penetrating though.

i could spend lots of time researching the numbers and types of rounds, brands, ect. and i will. but if anyone has the low down on the best round for one stop shot in .45acp(+p), 10mm, and .357mag. let me know. im really leaning toward the .357mag but i will read all opinions.
 
I think you should set a few basic and general standards in terms of caliber and focus on finding a gun that is comfortable for you to shoot and carry. The LCR in .357 would be a great choice. If you have not already, try to shoot a light weight .357 or at least an AirWeight with some heavy +P's.
 
How well do you shoot a 19 or so sized 357Mag? That would be my concern. Can you shoot it as well, and as easily?

Ive owned a number of smaller 357's, and they really are no treat to shoot, and require a good bit of practice to stay on top of them, and that in itself can be detrimental to some extent. I dont even like to practice with my .38 snubbies.


Personally, Id take the 19 any day. Load it up with 127 grain +P+'s, and power wise, youre close enough to 357Mag for government work, and its a lot easier to shoot well with (and constantly practice with). Thats not even going to capacity and faster, easier reloads.
 
Of the rounds you listed, the both the 45 and the 10mm have great ballistic coefficients but I'd go with whatever you shoot most accurately under stress. For many people, that's the G19. One round of 9mm to the chest will do a lot more to stop a bad guy than a 10mm to the shoulder. :D
 
cj, 5/30/11

Don't put too much emphasis on the one-shot stop numbers. While I think they provide a good basis for cartridge selection there are a number of other things that need to be considered. You want the most powerful cartridge that you can make accurate and repeated shots on target. Remember that in a firefight many to most of one's shots may not be where you want them to go, thus the need for quick followup shots until the threat is stopped. While I have several .357 magnums I prefer the 9mm and .45 as carry calibers, mainly because I can shoot either caliber fast and accurately, not so with the .357. Also in the unlikely need for a reload the auto-pistols can be reloaded much faster. Good luck.

best wishes- oldandslow
 
AK gave you some very good advice in post #3.

Having owned a number of handguns, I will share with you what I have found...bear in mind that I am not an expert, just a CHL holder who has been buying, trying, selling and repeating the process for about the last ten years.

The .357 is a very good round, but any revolver sacrifices round count (firepower) and in a lightweight frame it will be difficult/unpleasant to shoot, which discourages practice and diminishes proficiency.

The .45 acp is a fairly pleasant round to shoot, and if you practice with it, is an effective round as well. Downside is lower capacity (generally speaking) or heavier weight (if you choose a double-stack .45 acp).

The 10mm is a potent round, but ammo is expensive and not all that available, and (at least in a "real" 10mm round) has a fair bit of recoil--as a result, follow-up shots are slower.

Bottom line...everything is a compromise. Size, weight, firepower, recoil...you have to experiment for a while and figure out what the best compromise is for you. You may change your mind after a while--I have done so several times. :)

Good news is, you are still free to do so, provided you have the patience and financial wherewithal. :)
 
Caliber, as long as they have the power to reach vitals from any angle, is not as important as several other considerations. Shot placement, fast followups, and bullet configuration all are more important IMO.
 
If you genuinely believe you are better armed with a 2", 5 shot 357 Magnum that is difficult to control than with a 15+1 capacity, medium sized semiauto that is much easier to control...nothing I have to say is going to do any good.

Dave
 
I carry a 19 everyday, unless I need to be a little more covert (then it's a 26). I have no trouble concealing the gun, it has enough rounds for most any situation I may find myself in, it is accurate and follow-up shots are easy.

As for one-shot stops, who only shoots one time?
 
cajun47

im thinking about replacing my glock 19 as my ccw. opinions welcome.
i don't want to start a debate about weather the 9mm is a good sd round. im keeping my glock 19.

hows the ruger lcr in .357mag? that round has a much higher 1 shot stop rate? im thinking about making the switch from glock 19 to ruger lcr .357mag because i want a more powerful round and easier every day carry. i am concerned about the .357mag over penetrating though.

i could spend lots of time researching the numbers and types of rounds, brands, ect. and i will. but if anyone has the low down on the best round for one stop shot in .45acp(+p), 10mm, and .357mag. let me know. im really leaning toward the .357mag but i will read all opinions.
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It is always a nice mental exercise to consider new things.

#1 Please consider that over-penetration should not be much of a concern compared to missing your target. Therefore, find a handgun and cartridge that you can competently shoot (balance speed and accuracy) in a defensive manner. As authority for this position on over-penetration, I offer the following quote.

Aren't you afraid of over-penetration?
• The fear of over-penetration is a misconception, which was created back when law enforcement was trying to overcome misinformed public
resistance to the use of hollow point ammunition. In the process, we began to believe it ourselves. First, our lawyers are unaware of any successful legal action resulting from the injury of a bystander due to a round over-penetrating the subject. We are aware of numerous instances of Agents/officers being killed because their round did not penetrate enough (Grogan and Dove, for example). Further, if you examine shooting statistics you will see that officers hit the subject somewhere around 20-30% of the time. Thus 70-80% of the shots fired never hit their intended target, and nobody ever worries about them - only the ones that might "over penetrate" the bad guy. Third, as our testing shows, even the most frangible bullets designed specifically for shallow penetration will plug up when striking wood or wallboard and then penetrate like full metal jacketed ammunition. We are aware of successful legal actions where an innocent party has been struck by a shot passing through a wall, but as we have proven, ALL of them will do that.
FBI 10mm Notes, SSA Urey W. Patrick, Firearms Training Unit; FBI Academy, Quantico, VA
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#2 One shot stops
All defensive handgun rounds are under powered, that is why we are trained to fire twice to center of mass, assess and proceed as necessary. I suggest that one should not try to choose a defensive handgun cartridge for one shot stops.

If you can quickly and accurately deliver two hollow point bullets to center of mass with any of the three cartridges you mentioned that you are considering, you should fair well.

My personal preference has been the 10mm auto cartridge for decades and the 1911 platform from which to launch it.

http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf This link is to "Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness" a document by the U. S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation
Authored by Special Agent UREY W. PATRICK July 14, 1989.
It might be informative reading.
 
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357mag? that round has a much higher 1 shot stop rate? if anyone has the low down on the best round for one stop shot in .45acp(+p), 10mm, and .357mag. let me know.
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When Marshall and Sanow originally came out with their "One-Shot-Stop" percentages, I like you, wanted to believe in them. I wanted something that would provide guidance on what the "best" or most "effective" handgun round would be for me. Now when I was looking at all this stuff - it was right when the .40 S&W was invented, and at that time there were no major offerings for the 10mm - the 10mm was just coming out.

So I was mostly looking to see what was the most effective 9mm round that I could load in my H&K P7M8.

Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to believe in a grading system, I eventually came to have serious doubts about the whole "One-Shot-Stop" thing. Even defining what constitutes a one shot stop is controversial.

Now I just think, if something penetrates around 14" of ballistic gel and expands to around 60 caliber, then it's probably a good round that will in most cases stop an attack.
 
Try a Kahr CW9. If you want more power get a .45acp instead. Overpenetration with the .357 is a real concern. Try a .38spcl it was THE law enforcement cartridge for over 50 years. Unless you are going to be in a shootout with a drug cartel (that younshould have called in SWAT anyway) you'll be fine.
 
The Glock 19 is really hard to beat as a carry gun. As mentioned plus P plus rounds can be used. The HP well placed will do the job quite well. Also the Glocks are extremely reliable. With 16 shots at your disposal you should be well protected.
 
If you're worried about percentage points then switch to a Glock 23.

You're better served with a Glock 19 or 23.

The .357 out of that light revolver is a beast to control.

Statistics show that 80% of all shots fired in armed confrontations are misses.

With the 5 shot revolver you're wanting, you statistically will have 1 hit.

Best advice.

Don't do it.
 
Since no handgun round achieves 100 percent one shot stops according to Marshall and Sanow, including the mighty 357 magnum, then logically more than one hit will likely be necessary.


While there are some amazing shooters out there I can think of none who can shoot a 357 mag as fast with equal shot placement as a 9mm.

It seems you are battling the power demon. Most if not all of us have done the same. I was so stricken in the early 90's and selected the mighty 10mm cartridge. However as my knowledge and experience expanded it became more and more clear that I was emphasizing the wrong thing. While any caliber selected must have enough power to cause the necessary damage to the human body to force a stop, there is a point were it levels off in the benefits recieved vs difficulties in delivering followups. The latter a must given the likely need for more than one handgun round according to most reputable sources.

Carry what you want. The 357 will likely serve you perfectly. The 9mm will likely serve you with equal effectivness but more in the gas tank for the rare road trip.
 
Why not step up to a Glock 23? It's the same size as the G19 and you're already used to shooting it. Also uses the same holster so money saved there. The .40 is the "step up" you're looking for while still keeping a familiar platform. I actually "stepped down." I already had a G23 and then discovered 9mm ammo going for $6 a box (this was before the great ammo shortage) so picked up several cases of ammo and a Glock 19 to shoot it up. Cheaper practice for my G23.
 
We seem to be focusing on the cartridge and capacity issue. While both are legitimate concerns, it is a "balancing act" when selecting a weapon. I am willing to bet that the main reason for considering a change is size and/or weight. The Glock19 is without question a great gun BUT it is basically a full size service pistol.

The OP mentioned he was interested in the Ruger LCR in .357magnum. He stated he will be keeping his Glock too. I would DARE say, he is aware that he'll be carrying 1/3rd the ammo. However, I would venture that he is fine with it given that he'll be carrying 1/2 the weight and in a smaller package.

Basically, the OP (from what I can tell) was asking opinions on the LCR .357 (which as a few correctly mentioned isn't too fun with full power ammo) OR for some suggestions for another (presumedly lighter/smaller) CCW pistol.

So, let's help him out and give him some suggestions for other guns and our thoughts on the LCR in .357magnum.
 
I don't know it seems the OP is looking for something with more power. All the calibers he mentioned were all more powerful than the 9mm.

because i want a more powerful round and easier every day carry
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He also mentions wanting more power along with easier carry.
 
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