What caliber in a handgun is considered the BEST man stopper?

[Tcruse]

Well, the top tier of choices are 9x19, 40sw and 45 acp and second tier of choices of 357 sig, 45 gap and 10mm. Each of the second tier attempts to improve on its top tier counter part. They generally offer some performance improvement but introduce other negative changes, usually larger case, more recoil and less availability. You have two camps, the high capacity, fast and small vs the low capacity, slow and big. Then the polically correct 40sw that is a compromise in every respect. When the only ammo choice was ball or first generation hp ammo, the .45 had a real advantage over 9. Today the high tech ammo levels the field enough that the bullet performance differences are over shadowed by number of rounds and expected accuracy.
So, my choice would be 357sig or 45gap if ammo supply and cost was covered by someone else (like the government). Otherwise, I would choose the 9mm as first choice and 45 acp as second choice. The 40 just is hard to justify for either way to approach the problem.

After all a gen 4 Glock 17 shoots 9mm.

 

[sirsloop]

^^ off topic.

 

[Loosedhorse]

.500 S&W Magnum

If I recast your question as: "You have only one shot, and it will be to your attacker's torso. If it doesn't stop him, you die--game over." I'm not trying to be funny: I consider that a reasonable way to think about your "best man stopper" question.

Then, of the specified choices, .500. Hollowpoint. No question.

And let me know when they come up with a .5000!

(Okay, that last line was me trying to be funnny. )

 

[mljdeckard]

Besides the question of how effective the round is, is how many of them you can quickly put on target. I have more faith in the three .45s I can draw and fire quickly than the single .500 I would have to draw and try to fire without cringing.

With some practice, you can be much more effective with a .44. But I can probably place five 9mms effectively in the same time I can place . .44s. There is a reason we have decided on the cartridges we have. It's not like it has been a secret that you can make bigger, more effective cartridges than the ones we use, it's that there is a trade-off between effectiveness and controllability, and the service cartridges we use have shown to be the best compromise.

 

[Hoppes Love Potion]

Went with .22 because it looked lonely there with no votes and because I'm counting total number of men stopped. .38 Special runs a close 2nd.

 

[tipoc]

Also, this is outside "what you can shoot the best", "what ever you practice with the most", "whatever you carry everyday", "shot placement" etc.

I did not note well enough earlier the above sentence. Others caught that one. So we go from the practical to the more abstract question when we cut out the type of handgun, the shooters skill, shot placement, reliability, etc. We can get completely abstract by cutting out any references to bullet type and load...

Again I go with the baseball bat.

If you rule out the above considerations most people would have to cut out what they presently shoot (because they shoot a certain gun well, with a well designed bullet suited to the task, which are verboten criteria) and go with the largest, fastest, heaviest caliber bullets available. It would not matter that this caliber is better suited to hunting than self defense. The criteria now rule out the .357 Magnum, the 9mm, the 45acp, etc.

Since the criteria rule out the service calibers, which are the most shootable of the ones mentioned, and shootability and shooter skill is ruled out as a criteria, again we have to look to the biggest and fastest of those mentioned.

Odd poll this one. Or is it an odd pole? Pole, brings me back to the baseball bat.

tipoc

 

[wlewisiii]

Appropriate question for April Fools Day, isn't it?

(Chose other. There is no "best")

 

[allaroundhunter]

.22 short.

Dumb question, dumb answer...


And just because I helped settle this "once and for all", as of my posting the .22 is a better man-stopper than the .44 Mag...guess what I am taking on my next handgun hunt?

 

[Mamertine]

I think ammo plays a larger role then caliber alone.
Not sure how much to believe about this, but this ammo is supposed to dump all of the ballistic energy into the first 6 inches of penetration.
http://www.extremeshockusa.com/cgis...oduct_info.html&setup=1&cart_id=9068298.10912

 

[Zaydok Allen]

I think ammo plays a larger role then caliber alone.

+1 to this. I know some people, ones that I know personally, who carry FMJ ammo in their gun. I know lots of people do this on THR. For energy transfer, HP's are supperior, provided that they expand. I don't think anyone will argue with that statement.

If you are out in the country away from people, fine. For in your home, if in a neighborhood, or carrying in an environment with population, then this is not a responsible thing to do IMO. I'm sure some people would argue otherwise. Ammo choice is huge in my mind.

 

[Pyro]

I think ammo plays a larger role then caliber alone.
Not sure how much to believe about this, but this ammo is supposed to dump all of the ballistic energy into the first 6 inches of penetration.
http://www.extremeshockusa.com/cgis...oduct_info.html&setup=1&cart_id=9068298.10912

Extreme Shock is terrible ammo even when compared to the rest of the pre-frag genre. If your gonna go pre-frag go for Magsafe.

 

[ORHunter79]

.22 short.

Dumb question, dumb answer...


And just because I helped settle this "once and for all", as of my posting the .22 is a better man-stopper than the .44 Mag...guess what I am taking on my next handgun hunt?

How is this a dumb question? I thought the only question that is dumb is the one not asked.

There's a saying, ask a question once and your thought a fool for a minute. Never ask a question, you're a fool all your life.

The purpose of This question was to debunk the myth that the .357 or the .45 ACP are the best man stoppers out there.

I think I have brought to a light a simple yet complex answer to the age old question as to what hand gun caliber is the best at stopping a human in his tracks.

To me the answer is obvious. The 500 S&W is king. But some people still hold to their opinion that the .357 is king. They, like you, are entitled to their opinion.

A lot of you didn't like this question. That's ok. I respect your answers and reasoning.

Some went with a track record, some with low recoiling rounds, and yet others with "other."

It's interesting to see what people chose based on their reasoning.

Though in my opinion the 45 LC, 45 ACP or the .357 might have been king in recent history, I believe the 500 is currently the best one stop shot round. As some of you pointed out, a shotgun or rifle is way better than a hand gun.

Disagree if you like, that is your prerogative, and I, like most of you, enjoy reading peoples opinions on THR. Otherwise we wouldn't be members.

 

[SFCRandall]

Statistically, in police shootings the .357 is the top "one shot stop" cartridge. I believe it is around 98 percent with the 125 grain hollow point. The .45, .40 and 9 mm all follow closely. These stats have their detractors, but offer documented,real life results from armed encounters.

 

[bikerdoc]

Didnt vote cause I only know about 357 and 45 from experience, both proved to be manstoppers, YMMV

 

[Brian Williams]

So I'd like to settle the debate once and for all what you consider to be the best man stopper (outside rifles and shot guns).

This is what shut down the thread, we are a discussion board, a 22lr up the nose will kill a person quicker than a 357 thru the lungs.(maybe)
This "debate" will not be settled once and for all, new projectiles and powders come out all the time.

It is not about the cartridge, it is about the process of developing experience in the use of your weapon. Being able to hit some one with your chosen cartridge is more important that the best cartridge for a SD weapon.

Ask why is the 357 a good stopper and we can debate that, ask why the 22lr is a good nose-picking gun and we can talk about that, etc. in regards to cartridges. As for platforms, why is a 1911 right for you? Why does an M&P fit your hand, etc, in regards to platforms.

When you find a good combo that is [strike]right[/strike] works for you, start to ask what training do you do at the range to improve your accuracy, and when you find that you are running out of options in your own range, ask what classes you have taken and what problems does one come up against that one should train to avoid and/or deal with.
HD/SD is more than Caliber/Cartridge/Gun. Do some searching and find out what it is and then come and re-engage. Hint, start with Mindset