Better Bullet for Bigger Punch?
Which is a better bullet, providing bigger punch to an assailant: .45 ACP, .44 Special, or .45 Long Colt? Taurus makes nice, short barrelled revolvers, and I'd like to get one for my wife to protect herself at home.[:)]
0
-
Oh boy...here we go again....
I think you'll find that any of the three are more than sufficient for home defense use. I don't know that I'd recommend the Taurus .45 acp revolvers for home defense use. You've got to load each round into a moon clip.
Either of the other two cartridges should be fine. Go to the range and get her to shoot as much of each one as you can afford, and then make your decision.0 -
As far as the three rounds you mentioned, anyone hit by any of them won't know a gnat's butt of difference in them. I do agree with the previous poster, I would rule out the revolver in .45 ACP. In my opinion, the most critical factor is which weapon feels the best and is easiest to use for the person using it. Remember, gun control is hitting what you are shooting at. 0 -
I agree with the revolver idea for you wife. Why not get a .357 mag, that way your wife can use 38 specials in it also, especially if she doesn't have alot of shooting experience or is recoil sensitive. As she gets more comforatable with the gun, she can switch to the more powerful .357 rounds. 0 -
Also when going with 357, Taurus gives you 7 rounds instead of five for the above calibers...
Either way, I hope your wife is not recoil shy. All of these can be a handfull to shoot.
Daniel.0 -
I dig the .45 for myself, but I agree that the .357 is the way to go for the ladies. She can use the milder .38 at the range for practice, but you can load it at the house for protection with the heavier .357. The adreniline of an attack will negate the recoil. [:)] 0 -
My wife has a Rossi in 44spl, with full house (defensive) loads that thing is a handfull even for me (it's not bad with "plinking" loads).
I'me going to join the 357 loaded with 38's bandwagon.
Some guys like a mag full of lead, I still prefer one round to the head.0 -
Taurus makes an 8-shot revolver in .357, the Model 608.
The moon clips on the .45acp Taurus revolvers are as fast or faster than speedloaders, they also have a clipper/unclipper for sale at Dillonprecision.com. That being said, .45acp makes a poor choice for a neophyte not used to recoil.
Jacketed flat-nosed soft points are good for penetration and expansion at +/- 1200fps, lead roundnose are good for targets, I prefer the 145gr. Winchester Silvertips in the home defense role.
"Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit" --OVID0 -
A few considerations not mentioned previously.
Home Defence. This tells me she will have the weapon for inside the house. Given the penetration and sharp, loud report from a .357, I would strongly advise against that caliber. The .45 being subsonic (945 fps) will not blow out anyones eardrums normally. It will still penetrate hollowcore doors and sheetrock just fine, but will usually be stopped by bricks or exterior wood.
The .45 revolver, even using half moon clips should have enough cartridges to take care of whatever problem you are going to have. Since one shot per goblin is about all a .45 requires, you should finish your shoot out with ammo to spare.
Knowing the lay of the home without turning on lights gives the homeowner a fantastic tactical advantage over an intruder. They can be ambushed at choke points without having to expose yourself to any possible return fire. A safe room or simply a plan for kids/other family members to lay flat and not move until the all clear is given is paramount to keep from shooting a friendly.
Different grips can be tried on a .45 revolver until something suitable for your wife is found. She CAN learn to shoot it in an emergency.
There was a cowhand once who said that Shakespeare was the only poet who wrote like he'd been raised on red meat.
No man in his right mind will play with a gun. I've seen show-offs doing fancy spins and all that. No real gun-fighter ever did. With a hairtrigger, he'd be likely to blow a hole in his belly. L'Amour
Stolen from, and with thanks, to Kiwibird0 -
Thanks all, for your input. May wife is a Philipina and, while in her country, she had reason once to draw iron on a peeping tom. So I have no fears of her not being able to defend herself. After all, isn't half the battle being willing to kick rump? She had to leave that pistol, a Kimber 1911, when she moved here, and I want to pick a good one for her. She's already a good shot, having been a gun dealer in the old country. The trouble with the magnums is that they go through the body, and keep going, and going... And she's doesn't care for the recoil. I didn't know that about the Taurus moon clips, but I'd rather stick to a revolver due to ease of use. All she'll need to do, is pull it from the drawer, and bang away. 0 -
Stupid question, if she is used to the 1911 design and efficient with it, comfortable enough to keep one cocked and locked around the house why not get her another one? You could get a short barreled version. Or even a Para LDA to get the advantage of the DA first shot.
Chances are, if an intruder gets to the gun before she does he will have problems with the safety. Not with a revolver.
As a side not, my house gun is a good old security six and my wife's a .38 Ladysmith so I do see your point.
Daniel.0 -
45 acp 0 -
If she's that familiar with a 1911, it changes everything. Buy her a good, all-steel 1911 with good sights and grips, and take her to the range. Houge rubber wraparounds are pretty inexpensive, and they give you one heck of a hold on the pistol. 0 -
The one you have with you when yo need it! 0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
13 comments