Which caliber handgun would you buy?

[Yosemite Sam]

There are truly way too many variables to plan for.
Your trusty revolver isn't worth anything if the intruder simply puts his hand around the gun. Bye bye double action. bye bye any action from that revolver. It would go from close to 100% reliable to zero with a hold of the cylinder.

And if your SEAL/Ninja attacker is so adept that he can grab your cylinder, he's going to be quick enough to hold onto the slide of your semi-auto, too. In fact, if he's that quick and good, you're dead meat regardless of having a gun on you.

-- Sam

 

[sicboy13]

There are truly way too many variables to plan for.
Your trusty revolver isn't worth anything if the intruder simply puts his hand around the gun. Bye bye double action. bye bye any action from that revolver. It would go from close to 100% reliable to zero with a hold of the cylinder.

And if your SEAL/Ninja attacker is so adept that he can grab your cylinder, he's going to be quick enough to hold onto the slide of your semi-auto, too. In fact, if he's that quick and good, you're dead meat regardless of having a gun on you.

-- Sam

Ninja. I lol'd.

 

[drew76]

Which caliber handgun would you buy, based on the availability and cost of the ammo?
Keep in mind thinking of self defense.
:?:

If you're kinda new to it all, the 9mm is a good choice for all the reasons already mentioned. After you make your choice, go online and buy a bulk 1000 round load of ammo and go to the range on a regular basis.

It takes more proficiency to shoot a .45 well than a 9mm. Watching people unfamiliar with shooting at the local range tells me that. I say start with the 9mm and later upgrade to something bigger if you decide you want to.

 

[tightgrouper]

There are truly way too many variables to plan for.
Your trusty revolver isn't worth anything if the intruder simply puts his hand around the gun. Bye bye double action. bye bye any action from that revolver. It would go from close to 100% reliable to zero with a hold of the cylinder.

And if your SEAL/Ninja attacker is so adept that he can grab your cylinder, he's going to be quick enough to hold onto the slide of your semi-auto, too. In fact, if he's that quick and good, you're dead meat regardless of having a gun on you.

-- Sam

I'm hoping the seal/ninja doesn't come around either.lol.
nah, that's actually a quick little hand trick for a would be attacker that pulls a revolver on you. Heaven forbid that happen, but it does, at point blank, to folks. I was actually taught that little quick grab by a seal/ninja.lol...hope to hell I never have to try it.

 

[Anoobie Knewberton 47]

I wonder if anyone who was ever shot at thought:

Oh nothing to worry about...it's only 9mm.

9mm is cheap, you can afford to shoot much more, and while I enjoy shooting .45, even if $$$ was not a factor, I'd still shoot more 9mm each time I go to the range.

 

[sicboy13]

and to think, my first pistol was a .22 snub nosed revolver, don't laugh, for home defense. I'll let myself out,

 

[gatorhugger]

Fascinating stuff.
I would get one you like to shoot a lot.
Forget what would put down a bear and Ninjas holds and
magazine change times and hollowpoint designs.
Just a gun you like to shoot, any caliber. Any size.
5 round .38 revolver, 5 round shotgun, 30 round Glock 9mm,
10 round .22, it doesn't matter.
Shoot it a lot. Lay it by your bed at night.
Then only a fool would want to come in your front door.

 

[tkarter]

Shot placement is what tells you what caliber you need for self defense.

If you are a really good shot a pellet gun will do the job.

I choose 9mm because it delivers the kind of performance I expect. You need to choose what will accomplish that for you.

!2 gauge slug works for most anyone.

tk

 

[NC-P95]

Shot placement is what tells you what caliber you need for self defense.

If you are a really good shot a pellet gun will do the job.

I choose 9mm because it delivers the kind of performance I expect. You need to choose what will accomplish that for you.

!2 gauge slug works for most anyone.

tk

Wow... I was just sitting here thinking the same thing, about to post...

For years, I've kept a K22 revolver in my nightstand for "home defense" never giving a thought to whether or not it had what it would take to stop a home invader or threat.... I just know that if anyone was shooting at me with anything, including a pellet gun, I'd be moving the other way... whether I was being hit or not... All of them will hurt, and like you say, if the shots are placed properly, will be fatal... Even though I've got a P95 lying beside my K22 now, I'm still confident that I could stop a home invader with it... maybe I'm wrong... I hope I don't have to find out...

 

[GaryA]

I think the argument in favor of 9mm is very sound. That said, my personal choice would be (and is) .45acp. I am not a prolific handgun shooter but want to and do shoot enough to maintain reasonable proficiency. Therefore, the cost difference, while real, is not significant enough to influence my choice. Yes, I will shoot paper more than any live target but were I to have to fire upon a live target, I would prefer to do so with a .45. The reason for that is, that while there is some perfectly wonderful 9mm defensive ammo out there, were I to have to rely on whatever I could get, .e.g ball ammo, I would prefer to rely upon .45 ball rather than 9mm (.36) ball. A good .45 HP is at least as good (I think a bit better) than a good 9mm HP. I think .45 ball is significantly more desirable than 9mm ball. I also would prefer subsonic over supersonic given a choice. There really is no wrong choice here. All the major calibers work just fine.