deputy tom
Member
I too have relied on nothing but a .22 or a Spyderco knife on occaission but prefer a .38 Spl. +P 158 gr LSWCHP.YMMV.tom.
Your minimum SD handgun - Where do you draw the line ?
- Thread starter Fun2Shoot
- Start date
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U
universal
Guest
I would prefer to not have to use anything less than a .38 Special, but if need be, I would settle for a .22. I am sure that with enough practice, one could learn to hit well enough with it to make it effective.
Winter or Summer? Primary or for back-up?
In winter, you need more umph to get through heavy winter coats. Also, I never carry just one.
Winter:
Primary: Series 70 (.45 ACP)
Back-up 1: G19C (9MM)
Back-up 2: P3AT (.380)
Summer:
Primary: G19C (9MM)
Back-up 1: P3AT (.380)
Back-up 2: NAA (.22 Mag)
Doc2005
__________________
DOC. Where do you live that you feel you have to carry, three guns..
In winter, you need more umph to get through heavy winter coats. Also, I never carry just one.
Winter:
Primary: Series 70 (.45 ACP)
Back-up 1: G19C (9MM)
Back-up 2: P3AT (.380)
Summer:
Primary: G19C (9MM)
Back-up 1: P3AT (.380)
Back-up 2: NAA (.22 Mag)
Doc2005
__________________
DOC. Where do you live that you feel you have to carry, three guns..
ramon
Member
Two .22 shots, two dead folks
When I was a prosecutor, a long time ago, I had a case with a drunk sailor who fired two shots from a .22 revolver. He missed the guy he was shooting at about two feet away and killed a fellow sitting on a barstool behind the first guy. The second shot went about 18 feet and thru the neck of some poor soul at the other end of the bar, second death with just two bad .22 shots. Convinced me, ANY gun is lethal.( I carry a small hammerles .38, by the way.
:
When I was a prosecutor, a long time ago, I had a case with a drunk sailor who fired two shots from a .22 revolver. He missed the guy he was shooting at about two feet away and killed a fellow sitting on a barstool behind the first guy. The second shot went about 18 feet and thru the neck of some poor soul at the other end of the bar, second death with just two bad .22 shots. Convinced me, ANY gun is lethal.( I carry a small hammerles .38, by the way.
: A lot of folks underestimate .22lr
It is a killer. If you want to do something small, stealthy and quiet, do it with a .22lr.
It is cheap to practice with, low pressure and if you know what you are doing, just as deadly as the magic bullet.
The little .22 pills do some weird things inside the body, twists around and bounces off stuff...messy.
It is a killer. If you want to do something small, stealthy and quiet, do it with a .22lr.
It is cheap to practice with, low pressure and if you know what you are doing, just as deadly as the magic bullet.
The little .22 pills do some weird things inside the body, twists around and bounces off stuff...messy.
Sniper X
Member
Im inot big si I'd say absolute minimum is .380 in my PPK, but usually carry either PRoCarry or Ultra Carry in .45acp.
tuckerdog1
Member
Sometimes, a NAA 22 mag.
Tuckerdog1
Tuckerdog1
Longbow
Member
Sure is, but how quick does it do it?
I think .22lr's lethality is well known, but self defense minded people go for something that does the job faster and with better reliability.
Myself, I'll go for .380 cal as minimum.
Steve2237
Member
minimum gun
J frame smith loaded with +P HP's
J frame smith loaded with +P HP's
Mike_in_OC
Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2006
- Messages
- 102
Once in a while s&w J-frame 158 gr LSWCHP,
90% its a Glock .40
90% its a Glock .40
The Lone Haranguer
Member
9mm Luger for autos, .38 Special for revolvers, if said gun is to be a primary (only) sidearm. I'll consider a .380 or even .32 ACP for a backup.
koja48
member
Since the smallest handgun I own is a PT111, I have to say 9mm.
1911 guy
Member
Revolvers and autos.
If I were to pack a revolver, the .38Spl would be my minimum, a .357 preferable.
If I were to go the autoloader route, a 9mm with suitable JHP's would do me.
If I were to pack a revolver, the .38Spl would be my minimum, a .357 preferable.
If I were to go the autoloader route, a 9mm with suitable JHP's would do me.
DawgFvr
Member
Lets be realistic. Aside from perfect shot placement and some luck, a side arm in any caliber is nothing more than the extension of your fist. I carry .380 in the P3AT, at times....38 Special in my 642, at times...but my primary carry is a high capacity .45 ACP. Using side arms, I hope to slow down a fight. I intend to follow through with fists, or any other weapons on hand if I am unable to "run like hell" after emptying all chambers/clips. The only weapon I have total confidence in stopping a fight...is my shotgun or M1 Garand.
parolebear
Member
Minimum
To me it is what you can handle and shoot well. I agree with the guys that say a .17, personally my deep undercover is a 2 shot High Standard Derr. in a wallet holster in .22 mag, carry is a Glock 23 (.40) with Crimson Trace's. My wife carries a .380 Seecamp, my daugther a Glock 27 (.40). We all have choices of just about anything on the market but those are the weapons that feel the best to the person. Nothing works unless you hit your target. The best allround (cal., reliabilty, cost, ease of operation) SD gun in my opinion is the .38 revolver. Home defense is a 18" cyl. bore pump shotgun (Mossberg, Remington etc.) with buckshot. Thanks for letting my useless two cents worth into the thread.
To me it is what you can handle and shoot well. I agree with the guys that say a .17, personally my deep undercover is a 2 shot High Standard Derr. in a wallet holster in .22 mag, carry is a Glock 23 (.40) with Crimson Trace's. My wife carries a .380 Seecamp, my daugther a Glock 27 (.40). We all have choices of just about anything on the market but those are the weapons that feel the best to the person. Nothing works unless you hit your target. The best allround (cal., reliabilty, cost, ease of operation) SD gun in my opinion is the .38 revolver. Home defense is a 18" cyl. bore pump shotgun (Mossberg, Remington etc.) with buckshot. Thanks for letting my useless two cents worth into the thread.
32acp = .380
not to start a caliber war:banghead: , but I am tired of people sayin a 380 is ok and a 32 is too small
. understand neither is going to knock BG on his @$$ but if you study external balistics neither expand reliably and so have small wound channel and a 32 will usually out penatrate a 380 wich may reach vitals or provide 2 holes to bleed . That being said my floor is either of these and since I no longer own a 380 the smallest I carry is either my seecamp (conceales any where and BG may not know its there till hes already bleeding) or my walther pp which will shoot minute of eyeband at 15 yards
.either are loaded with european spec fiocchi 60 grn jhp.which chrono 1000 fps from seecamp .
not to start a caliber war:banghead: , but I am tired of people sayin a 380 is ok and a 32 is too small
. understand neither is going to knock BG on his @$$ but if you study external balistics neither expand reliably and so have small wound channel and a 32 will usually out penatrate a 380 wich may reach vitals or provide 2 holes to bleed . That being said my floor is either of these and since I no longer own a 380 the smallest I carry is either my seecamp (conceales any where and BG may not know its there till hes already bleeding) or my walther pp which will shoot minute of eyeband at 15 yards .either are loaded with european spec fiocchi 60 grn jhp.which chrono 1000 fps from seecamp .Zeke Menuar
Member
Bersa Thunder 380 loaded with Corbon DPX is my minimum.
ZM
ZM
I've recently transitioned to all 9mm pistols for a few reasons...my father was eyeing my Sig232 (.380ACP), and I wanted to have one standard of ammunition to share with my wife. So I only carry 9mm. I actually prefer 9mm in my XD and USPc to my friend's .40SW G23.
Having said that, I felt just as comfortable with the Sig232 as I do with my USPc 9mm. In my mind, the reliability and accuracy of a pistol (and the shooter) is more important than the caliber. I've never carried anything less than a .380, but I've never needed to. I think if I only had a .32, I'd carry that. Of course, I'd shoot to slide lock with a .32, where I might stop after a few rounds of 9mm to assess the situation.
I guess that's my two cents. Your mileage may (and likely does) vary.
Having said that, I felt just as comfortable with the Sig232 as I do with my USPc 9mm. In my mind, the reliability and accuracy of a pistol (and the shooter) is more important than the caliber. I've never carried anything less than a .380, but I've never needed to. I think if I only had a .32, I'd carry that. Of course, I'd shoot to slide lock with a .32, where I might stop after a few rounds of 9mm to assess the situation.
I guess that's my two cents. Your mileage may (and likely does) vary.
A gun is better than none.
So the answer to the question is the firearm that in a given circumstance I can conceal well and can shoot well.
I will not go without a gun because I can't always carry my 1911 or AR. If I can only carry a NAA Mini revolver, I will.
The focus on simple stopping power as a determinant to carry or not to carry is too, too simplistic but appeals to some as a metric.
So the answer to the question is the firearm that in a given circumstance I can conceal well and can shoot well.
I will not go without a gun because I can't always carry my 1911 or AR. If I can only carry a NAA Mini revolver, I will.
The focus on simple stopping power as a determinant to carry or not to carry is too, too simplistic but appeals to some as a metric.
crebralfix
member
- Joined
- Mar 7, 2004
- Messages
- 1,356
I draw the line at no gun. Even a Beretta Bobcat Model 21 (22 LR) is better than nothing.
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