beantownshoota ?
i think you absolutely made my point on question question. if you have something that goes bang everytime you pull the trigger you are way ahead of the game. there is always someting better and something worse than what you have, but what you have is what you have.
0
-
Was there a question here? I think the general question was about selecting a proper defensive load. Of course, ultimately, you're "stuck" with whatever you have when the chips are down, but I think the idea is to pick something that will likely work for you when that happens, and make sure you've worked at it enough so that you're ready for it.
Although I do agree in principle with what you wrote above, I would add that finding a gun that goes off reliably every time you pull the trigger isn't a particularly high hurdle to jump over in the 21st century.
If you're going to carry a gun, or rely on it to protect yourself and your family, absolute reliability is a pretty basic criteria, and there are any number of guns that should meet it. For example, that list would include pretty much ANY functional revolver, and the vast majority of the modern service style automatics: eg Glock, Beretta, Sig, CZ, even Smith and Ruger, etc.
Next thing you want is a *reasonable* caliber. Without opening up the big can of worms, in my opinion, anything as powerful as 9mm or higher is adequate for defensive use for the average schmoe, so long as they are competent in using it. In common calibers that could mean 9mm luger, .38 Super, .40SW. 357 SIG, .44 special, .45 Colt, .45ACP, and 357 magnum. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages, but ultimately any of those calibers should work fine with a proper defensive type load.
Super diehards might consider 10mm, .41 magnum, or even more obscure calibers like 9x23, though I'd say these are impractical for most shooters for a variety of reasons, and are probably best reserved for individuals who might also need the same gun for hunting and/or protection from 4-legged predators.
.38 special and .380ACP are both marginal powerwise, in my opinion, but they have one MAJOR advantage of being available in platforms that most people can actually carry. Considering that carrying full sized automatics or revolvers is NOT practical for a large subset of people (if not the absolute majority), then these weaker calibers are all you've got.
Given the ready availability of super small super light guns in .380 nowadays, anything less than .380ACP (eg .32 or .22) is obsolete in my opinion.
Again, FAR more important that which bullet or caliber is putting the bullet in the right place. That simply can't be stressed enough. Pistols are simply intrinsically weak tools. NONE of the various calibers will stop anybody if you don't hit a vital area. ANY of the bigger ones are capable of it if you do your part, though even then there is no guarantee.
While I also agree that you can always have something WORSE, in terms of your statement "there is always something better". . .honestly, I don't know about that.
Once you find a gun that you're comfortable operating, that you can point and aim well, that fits your hand, that's reliable, that's in a reasonably powerful caliber you can control, that you like and you've practiced with A LOT until using it is second nature to you, then whatever that choice may be. . .that gun will probably be THE best choice for you. Swapping for a different one at that point probably will NOT help. Also, this is not like finding "the holy grail". . .for any individual, there are probably a NUMBER of different guns that COULD work. . .ultimately you have to pay your money, make your choice and then move on.
If your choice is one of the guns made by the top tier manufacturers (eg Glock, Sig, Smith for revolvers, etc, etc), there probably *isn't* anything out there that's really better. Sure you can swap your 1911 for a Glock, or your Sig for a revolver, but "different" doesn't necessarily mean "better". Most of the differences between the various platforms come down to personal preferences about specific features or ergonomics, which are subjective.
And sure, you can go swap out the sights for better ones, or get nicer grips, or get a trigger job, but again in the grand scheme of things, these aren't major things, and they're a pretty low hurdle to cross. Once you have your good sights, trigger, and grips (and in many cases the guns will have these things right out of the box), then what?0 -
Then you practice 'til you can't afford it. Leastways that is what I try to do. 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
2 comments