Doug Bowser
New member
I carry a SIG P225 9x19 with 146 gr HP reloads at a tad over 1000 fps. For Home defense Remington 870 20" 12 ga.
Doug
Doug
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Self Defense Calibers-How Much Is To Much
- Thread starter COLT_45
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Shotgun693
New member
IMO,it's the gun that determines the caliber you carry. While I won't carry anything less than a .357, I'm a big guy and can carry an N Frame S&W or a Colt's SAA without being 'made'. If you happen to be 5' and 100 lbs then you likely need a smaller sized gun. While they can build a pocket sized .45, they are not fun to shoot no matter your size.
Something huge, like a S&W 500 or some other funky high caliber number for revolvers thats over the top. 44mag unless you live near big animals.
Any gun with you is better than no gun with you. As long as your state doesn't prohibit the caliber your fine, but just IMO S&W 500 is over the top.
Any gun with you is better than no gun with you. As long as your state doesn't prohibit the caliber your fine, but just IMO S&W 500 is over the top.
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armsmaster270
New member
I carry a Sig 226 in 357Sig & a S&W 340PD as a BUG. I prefer Shot placement.
no such thing as 'too much' protection in my opinion
the biggest i'd probably carry personally is .45ACP, because it's easier to find than 10mm, which is really the only more powerful auto load
i'd carry .44 Magnum or .45LC if i had a revolver and the means to carry it, though realistically i'd probably fall more for .357
the biggest i'd probably carry personally is .45ACP, because it's easier to find than 10mm, which is really the only more powerful auto load
i'd carry .44 Magnum or .45LC if i had a revolver and the means to carry it, though realistically i'd probably fall more for .357
500
a couple years ago i was in a gun shop and a small guy that worked at the railroad came in... he said that he had been robbed at gun point the day before, he signed up for the next ccw class, and purchased a 4" bbl 500 s&w and holster to carry under his work coveralls...
but on the other hand i know a guy who scared two burglars in his house so bad one of them soiled his pants with an old sa 22 revolver...
there was also an armed citizen article in american rifleman about an elderly lady who dropped a thug with a little .22 mag naa revolver shooting through the side of her purse, she aimed for the center of mass and hit him in the head...
I say whatever makes ya sleep well at night, you need to be comfortable with what you have...
personally i am looking for one of the s&w 632 comps. a nice little 6-shot j-frame in .327 mag with a 3" compensated barrel...
a couple years ago i was in a gun shop and a small guy that worked at the railroad came in... he said that he had been robbed at gun point the day before, he signed up for the next ccw class, and purchased a 4" bbl 500 s&w and holster to carry under his work coveralls...
but on the other hand i know a guy who scared two burglars in his house so bad one of them soiled his pants with an old sa 22 revolver...
there was also an armed citizen article in american rifleman about an elderly lady who dropped a thug with a little .22 mag naa revolver shooting through the side of her purse, she aimed for the center of mass and hit him in the head...
I say whatever makes ya sleep well at night, you need to be comfortable with what you have...
personally i am looking for one of the s&w 632 comps. a nice little 6-shot j-frame in .327 mag with a 3" compensated barrel...
Edward429451
Moderator
There is a clear difference to me as to what I carry on the street, and what I use at home. 45 acp on the street and nothing more, although
thinking about it, you are giving a very good description of my 6" Freedom Arms 454 Casull right there. That gun is very compact for it's niche. I wouldn't carry it though.
I am one who has a Redhawk on the nightstand. At home things are different than on the street. I load my 44 HD ammo in that grey area above 44 Special, yet below 44 Magnum specs. +P 44 Special I guess you could call it. 245 gr swc at 1100 fps. This gives me a little more penetration without going overboard.
thinking about it, you are giving a very good description of my 6" Freedom Arms 454 Casull right there. That gun is very compact for it's niche. I wouldn't carry it though.
I am one who has a Redhawk on the nightstand. At home things are different than on the street. I load my 44 HD ammo in that grey area above 44 Special, yet below 44 Magnum specs. +P 44 Special I guess you could call it. 245 gr swc at 1100 fps. This gives me a little more penetration without going overboard.
FairWarning
New member
.357 Mag is the limit for me. I don't even carry that in full house because of the ear splitting crack! A moderate .357 load or hot .38 Special is effective. The nice thing about .45 is the relatively mellow report. Same for 9mm, but it's easy to have a smaller gun with lots of rounds and not much loss from full sized performance.
I know if I had a .44 Mag, I'd carry .44 Specials, just like Callahan. That practice didn't come about by accident or Hollywood script. Anything above that is a nice '80s action movie fantasy, but not really practical or even your best chance to survive. Imagine carrying a .44 Automag or .475 Wildey Mag under your coat! Strictly a cool weather carry to be sure.
I know if I had a .44 Mag, I'd carry .44 Specials, just like Callahan. That practice didn't come about by accident or Hollywood script. Anything above that is a nice '80s action movie fantasy, but not really practical or even your best chance to survive. Imagine carrying a .44 Automag or .475 Wildey Mag under your coat! Strictly a cool weather carry to be sure.
In my prior statement I indicaded that if your going to shot someone in Self Defence. - Shot to Kill.
And a few other members seem to disagree with that.
They say "In Self Defence, just shot the bad guy until they are Stopped".
Well, that makes me wonder.....If anyone who carries and shoots a bad guy in Self Defence with a .38+P - .357 - .40S&W - .44mag - .45acp caliber....12 gauge XX BUCK.
With those Larger Calibers - Is he/she just trying to Stop or Kill the bad guy?.....Yah!...One shot stop?
When they say STOP....Do they really mean WOUNDING?
Should one consider that if they only Stop a bad guy, that afterwards that bad guy will press charges on you, and with a massive law suit?.
Or, when that bad guy is released from jail. And time passes. There is a planned revenge taken against you or loved ones?.
Maybe it's just me, but if there is an intruder with a weapon in my home. I am going to shoot to kill.....Not Wound.
If I am in my vehicle or outside, and someone attacts me with a weapon. I will defend myself and shoot to kill.....Not Wound.
And a few other members seem to disagree with that.
They say "In Self Defence, just shot the bad guy until they are Stopped".
Well, that makes me wonder.....If anyone who carries and shoots a bad guy in Self Defence with a .38+P - .357 - .40S&W - .44mag - .45acp caliber....12 gauge XX BUCK.
With those Larger Calibers - Is he/she just trying to Stop or Kill the bad guy?.....Yah!...One shot stop?
When they say STOP....Do they really mean WOUNDING?
Should one consider that if they only Stop a bad guy, that afterwards that bad guy will press charges on you, and with a massive law suit?.
Or, when that bad guy is released from jail. And time passes. There is a planned revenge taken against you or loved ones?.
Maybe it's just me, but if there is an intruder with a weapon in my home. I am going to shoot to kill.....Not Wound.
If I am in my vehicle or outside, and someone attacts me with a weapon. I will defend myself and shoot to kill.....Not Wound.
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Front Sight, the NV based training outfit, recommends the largest caliber, firing the heaviest bullet that you can deliver two aimed shots into the thoracic region from the holster, in 1.8 seconds from 5 yds. Their instructors, from police, swat and military special forces backrounds, are the best...it's good advice. Rod
wncchester
New member
"Self Defense Calibers-How Much Is To Much"
Well, that seems a contradiction in terms. I mean, when you're talking real, life on the line defense, no handgun would be my first choice. But, I suppose carrying the S&W .50 is a bit too much. However, IF I suspected I would actually need it, I'd find a way to carry it.
Well, that seems a contradiction in terms. I mean, when you're talking real, life on the line defense, no handgun would be my first choice. But, I suppose carrying the S&W .50 is a bit too much. However, IF I suspected I would actually need it, I'd find a way to carry it.
Stevie-Ray
New member
Up north where it is wilder, I prefer 10mm, but I think it too much for the concrete jungle in metro-Detroit, where I rely on .45 ACP. Been that way for many years.
Thefiring007
New member
.380 is all you REALLY NEED
Underestimating the power and ability for a well placed shot/s may have you killed ::::viewer discretion advised:::::
Underestimating the power and ability for a well placed shot/s may have you killed ::::viewer discretion advised:::::
"Too much"... to me that implies, "the point at which disadvantages start to appear, particularly those of significance."
By that definition, "too much" would be any useful caliber/cartridge that you can't shoot as well as your best shooting cartridge. If you shoot .380 and 9mm equally well, but find that 40 and 45 slow you down a bit, then those are too much and 9mm is the best. If you shoot .380 the best, then 9mm is too much. If you're a manly man with uber skills and shoot everything up to 357mag the same but 41mag slows you down, then 41mag is too much.
I'm sort of in a tossup between 380 and 9mm being just right. Anything more than 9mm and I can't shoot it as accurately at speed.... at least, not with any gun I've had the opportunity to work with.
EDIT: This is assuming 2-legged predators. For animals, it's a different game. Follow-ups are important, but power becomes more important. I'd say for most people anything bigger than a 44mag is too much.
By that definition, "too much" would be any useful caliber/cartridge that you can't shoot as well as your best shooting cartridge. If you shoot .380 and 9mm equally well, but find that 40 and 45 slow you down a bit, then those are too much and 9mm is the best. If you shoot .380 the best, then 9mm is too much. If you're a manly man with uber skills and shoot everything up to 357mag the same but 41mag slows you down, then 41mag is too much.
I'm sort of in a tossup between 380 and 9mm being just right. Anything more than 9mm and I can't shoot it as accurately at speed.... at least, not with any gun I've had the opportunity to work with.
EDIT: This is assuming 2-legged predators. For animals, it's a different game. Follow-ups are important, but power becomes more important. I'd say for most people anything bigger than a 44mag is too much.
Bigfoot?
There's another thread floating around about what caliber would be good for bigfoot, assuming they exist. As for normal adversaries, I'm confident I can get the job done with either a 9mm, .45 ACP or a .38 SPL. Even some 9mms are impractical to carry because of size and weight. I love my SIG 226 but I rarely carry it, preferring my Kahr P9. The FBI's brief adoption of the 10 mm failed largely because the recoil was too much for the rank and file, causing the introduction of ammunition dubbed 10mm lite.
I'm of average size. I realize that some of you big guys can easily carry and conceal a larger weapon than I can. In which case, anything goes.
There's another thread floating around about what caliber would be good for bigfoot, assuming they exist. As for normal adversaries, I'm confident I can get the job done with either a 9mm, .45 ACP or a .38 SPL. Even some 9mms are impractical to carry because of size and weight. I love my SIG 226 but I rarely carry it, preferring my Kahr P9. The FBI's brief adoption of the 10 mm failed largely because the recoil was too much for the rank and file, causing the introduction of ammunition dubbed 10mm lite.
I'm of average size. I realize that some of you big guys can easily carry and conceal a larger weapon than I can. In which case, anything goes.
I carry a 3" Model 625 in 45 acp part of the time. The same gun in a 45 Colt would probably be the largest caliber that I would use for CCW.
Now if we are only talking Self Defense. I live in the country with no close neighbors, so over penetration, or hitting my neighbors house by accident is a non issue. I have grabbed my 480 Ruger Super RedHawk a few times when I have went outside to check on noises, or the dogs having something of interest they are barking at. To Much Gun ?? Probably not for me. The 480 Ruger would give new meaning to "One Shot Stop"
Bob
Now if we are only talking Self Defense. I live in the country with no close neighbors, so over penetration, or hitting my neighbors house by accident is a non issue. I have grabbed my 480 Ruger Super RedHawk a few times when I have went outside to check on noises, or the dogs having something of interest they are barking at. To Much Gun ?? Probably not for me. The 480 Ruger would give new meaning to "One Shot Stop"
Bob
black mamba
New member
I think anything at least .40 caliber, at least 200 grains, and at least 900 fps is enough for one shot stops with good placement. Just make sure you can put them on target quickly.
I've settled on a 4" barreled 5-shot .44 magnum revolver, loaded with 235 gr. semi-wadcutters at 950 fps. Easy to shoot accurately, and powerful enough to do the job every time.
I've settled on a 4" barreled 5-shot .44 magnum revolver, loaded with 235 gr. semi-wadcutters at 950 fps. Easy to shoot accurately, and powerful enough to do the job every time.