Questions about .25

[GrandMoffBrandon]

Hi, I’m a first-time gun owner. For my birthday, I’ve received a Sterling Arms .25 auto handgun. I wanted a gun for the purposes of self-defense. From what I’ve read on several websites, this gun isn’t very powerful but because of financial restraints, it is the best I can hope for at the moment. I have a few questions. How can I get the most out of this gun? I mean, what is the best way to use it for self-defense, what kind of ammo is best, etc? Any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[rb8941]

Shot placement is always critical no matter what you are firing but especially so if you are using a smaller calibre like the .25, so practice, practice, practice becomes the most important and essential thing you can do.

[NG VI]

practice till your eyes bleed

and don't buy any super-awesome Glaser or Magsafe "frangible" bullets, if they even make them for the .25. also avoid EXTREAM SHOX type bullets, they're pretty worthless. and ridiculously expensive.

[Jim Watson]

Yes, but the question arises as to WHERE to practice to place those shots.
There are two theories about using smallbores for self defense.

The first is to pepper your assailant liberally in the center of mass on the basis that a hit with a .25 is better than a miss with a .45 and that more hits are better than fewer. And that a few bullets in the lungs will make him leave you alone.

The second is the source of the term "face gun" for small caliber pocket pistols. Based on the liklihood that the only sure way to stop someone with a small caliber weapon is to kill him; therefore shoot for the face and hope to put a bullet up his nose or through his eye into the brain.

These little guns do not have enough energy to expand a hollowpoint and still penetrate to the vitals. A plain roundnose is probably best. European ammunition is usually higher velocity than American, I buy Fiocchi .32s because I cannot get Geco.

[B.D. Turner]

Go to a pistol range and pratice close shots from arm length out to seven yards. This is the distance that you will most likely need your handgun in a self protection incident. You will need to practice until drawing and firing is second nature. Find ammunition that fires every time without malfunction. While the .25 is on the low end scale of personal weapons it is better than nothing. If your state allows CCW get your license.

[bannockburn]

I would agree with Jim Watson's second theory; aim for the nasal area/eye sockets as there is only catillage and soft tissue there. Think of your aiming point as being a T on your assailant's face. And with the low velocity of the .25 round, you need all the help you can get, in terms of penetration. Use only FMJ ammo as there is almost no chance for expansion with any of the more exotic types of ammo available.

[PointOneSeven]

I second Fiocchi, a good ammo maker for the smaller caliber guns.


I'm more of a 'empty the magazine in the chest - at least until the threat is stopped' kind of guy. I'm not steady enough with rapid fire / moving targets and head shots, especially with a pocket pistol.

[Starter52]

I'm glad to hear you have a Sterling Arms .25 ACP that works. In fact, I'm surprised you have a Sterling Arms gun that works.

[VA27]

I've owned a half-dozen or so over the years, in 22 and 25, and they all worked flawlessly. +1 on the european 25 FMJ!

[pete f]

Where might you live? I would look at saving a little bit and making the move to a better caliber. If you live nearby a member, maybe someone here has a lonely gun in need of a a good home for a good price.

Understand that for just a few dollars over 200 bucks, you can get a really quality fire arm. USED police guns are showing up at CDNN investments and Buds and KY imports for just a few dollars over that magic two hundred dollar mark.

[harmonic]

Back when I was still reading gun mags, I read about a guy that got shot point blank in the head with a 25 ACP. The bullet pierced his scalp but not his skull, and zipped around his head just underneath his skin. Other than a really bad headache, he wasn't hurt too bad.

[chris in va]

That's funny. I was watching a 'Dr. G Medical Examiner' episode where an old 22 revolver hit the floor and struck a guy in the head. Traveled around his scalp, stuck in the back of his head. He died.

[pete f]

There can be stories like published about many other calibers. Just recently some marine caught a 7.62 in the teeth and only lost a couple teeth, yet still had the bullet in his mouth, its all angle, velocity and luck.

In a large number of DGU's ( defensive gun uses) the mere sight of a weapon is deterrent enough, but we do not want her to rely on that.

[Shawnee]

Would personally go for the "lotsa hits in Center-of-Mass" program.

Unfortunately, small caliber isn't the only reason that gun isn't too desireable as a defense weapon. A physically small gun with rudimentary sights is definitely a "point and pull the trigger" weapon. The extra time you spend trying to use those sights (using the term loosely) to aim and hit someone's dodging face might well be the time the assailant needs to plug you with their Glock. :eek:

Local opinion may vary.

:cool:

[DrLaw]

I had a Sterling .22 as a backup gun when I was a cop. At first I had problems with it feeding bullets. I messed with the magazine lips until that was basically solved. Sterlings were pretty solid little guns. Rough trigger, but it was a pocket gun, not an expensive target gun.

I knew that the gun was a short distance gun and it would be used for that, short distances of a couple feet or yards.

However, about the time that I got it, Guns & Ammo magazine had an article about 100 yard pocket guns. The Sterling if I recall right, was one of them that they used at a 100 yard target. Since the outdoor range our department had at the time happened to be 100 yards deep, I set up a large sheet of paper and had at it.

I had enough hits to worry or wound a recipient of the long-range fire.

Bottom line, practice with the gun. Practice, practice, practice and you will not need to be afraid or worried. Confidence alone is a mighty fine weapon to have. :D

The Doc is out now. :cool:

[unspellable]

I don't know about Fiocchi loading hot. I have not tried their 25 or 32 ACP stuff but I do have their 7.65 mm Parabellum (30 Luger) and have run it over the chrono. It's pretty anemic. About 1075 fps from a six inch barrel when it ought to be doing 1220 fps from a 4.5 inch barrel.

[rcmodel]

http://www.brassfetcher.com/25ACP.html

http://stevespages.com/page8f25acp.html

rcmodel

[owlhoot]

There was a time when .25 autos were extremely popular. They would tuck right into a vest or watch pocket or a lady's purse. Even James Bond carried one until he was forced to upgrade.

Personally, I would never choose to carry one, but, on the other hand, over the years I have had two good friends and one acquaintence who were killed with the .25. All were strong robust men. Two of them were killed with single shots. But I always thought they were just extremely unlucky.

[rcmodel]

Any pistol caliber that will shoot through 16" of ballistic gel is not one I'd care to get shot with.

And prior to the widespread use of penicillin and other modern antibiotics, the .25 ACP was just as deadly as a .45 Colt, if not more so.

rcmodel

[bladecp]

Always aim for the eye and never miss. Shameless James Bond reference. ;)

[Confederate]

I'm not sure Brandon is still with us. His post was on March 2, but if he returns, he said in his first post that he's a 22 year old college student in Indiana and that he does handyman services/cleaning apartments to make ends meet.

When I read of people having Sterlings that worked, it really gets me riled, because I bought a number of them and NOT ONE of them worked. Bang, *Jam,* Bang, Bang, *Jam,* Bang, *Jam,* Bang!

Then I read about the problem Sterling had and I think, why me? BTW, I may have a magazine or two in .22LR, brand new, if anyone's interested. Just pay shipping, if I can dig them out.

I wish I knew where that Sterling employee was. I'd like to wring his neck....grrrrrrrr.

My best friend told me to put the gun in a sock and use *that* as a weapon. Some help!