would you change the handgun you carry?
- Thread starter Grumpy
- Start date
for most people to use easily, and learn how to shoot rather consistently,
at ranges like 5 yards simulating the typical self defense ranges most women,
visualize, having to defend themselves at, and a revolver is far easier to load, unload,
visually verify its loaded etc. and there's zero slide to pull back or to verify potential function.
and yes ammo used matters as does the user's skill level , familiarity in use, and expertise.
your very unlikely to get consistent projectile expansion, from a 2"-4" barrel,
so a knowledge of the potential opponents anatomy and your shot placements critical.!
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I was asked why I carry and seem to prefer using a 45 acp or 10mm handgun, as my CCW choice, well,
having both, recently and over 6 previous decades, tested several handguns, while hunting medium game,
like hogs and deer, and watching the effectiveness I personally seen, I have come to several conclusions.
game will in my experience have one of two most likely responses to being shot at, in most cases it is to put as much distance and cover as they potentially can do so, between you and them as they can,or rarely while hunting larger hogs the response is to close, with you and attack,
and too, do you as much physical damage as they can.
the first response ,being that it is obvious that both precise shot placement, a knowledge of a games anatomy,
AND the cartridge and bullet used all have a very noticeable effect, on the potential results one might reasonably expect, to see.
the smallest handgun cartridge I have found to consistently produce dependable results is a 357 mag revolver with a 6"-8" barrel length,
the 45 acp and 10mm handguns are a useful substitute, both having a higher magazine capacity, which in most people's way of thinking would seem to be a marked advantage, and it may well be in a defensive confrontation, but I have found that in a hunting venue, and what Id suspect ,
would be very similar in a defensive situation, it's the first 1-2 shots that will dictate the potential results,
simply because, any GAME as I suspect any opponent you face ,will do everything they can to put cover and, as much distance between you,
and the threat you represent , once it becomes obvious your armed,and protecting themselves, once it becomes obvious,
that you are potentially a lethal threat to them, thus rapidly limiting your ability to get off more than one or two shots,
made , accurately to your game or opponents body, thus if the first two shots do not connect ,
your chances of making a consistent and accurately placed shot after the first few seconds, degrade very rapidly, if the first couple shots,
do not provide potentially lethal, or mobility restricting results. and legally you can't shoot any human opponent, running away from you.
I'd also point out that to get consistent positive results, a handgun chambered in 44 mag,445 DWSM or 500 S&W hand provide a noticeable increase in first hit lethality, but the size of those revolvers makes them far less than ideal a CCW options,
and that power is something I strongly suspect would not be as required, nearly as much on a human opponent, as a deer or large hog,
which may not understand the potential threat or how much damage it has been subjected too, as a human opponent.
given that an aggressive human component is either going to attack from very close range, and to do so only when they think they can overwhelm you thus preventing any effective defensive retaliation, and frequently with one or more acomplaces , precise accuracy is not as critical as a fast and decisive response, with overwhelming force if its required, and in a human opponents case power may not be as critical as speed and potential physical damage to your opponent(S) thus cartridges like the 357 mag in a revolver, or 10mm and 45 acp might hold a marked advantage.
reports from the military strongly suggest that round nose full metal jacket bullets, do not always result in a rapid incapacitation of an opponent
but police statistics show that shot placement with a handgun, with almost any centerfire handgun is more critical that just increase power levels.
on game a hard cast 168 grain gas check 357 mag bullet is rapidly and decisively effective with a well placed shot, or two,
while hunting, shots from, a 44 mag or 445 dwsm. revolver, using a 240-300 grain ,hard cast grain gas check bullet,
is in my experience on game..even more effective and rapidly lethal,
obviously I have no experience, punching lethal holes in human opponents, but I can't help thinking results might be similar.
on GAME you generally want a large exit wound, on a human opponent you'll want less total penetration as an exiting projectile,
may endanger people you had no intention of injuring beyond the intended target.
having both, recently and over 6 previous decades, tested several handguns, while hunting medium game,
like hogs and deer, and watching the effectiveness I personally seen, I have come to several conclusions.
game will in my experience have one of two most likely responses to being shot at, in most cases it is to put as much distance and cover as they potentially can do so, between you and them as they can,or rarely while hunting larger hogs the response is to close, with you and attack,
and too, do you as much physical damage as they can.
the first response ,being that it is obvious that both precise shot placement, a knowledge of a games anatomy,
AND the cartridge and bullet used all have a very noticeable effect, on the potential results one might reasonably expect, to see.
the smallest handgun cartridge I have found to consistently produce dependable results is a 357 mag revolver with a 6"-8" barrel length,
the 45 acp and 10mm handguns are a useful substitute, both having a higher magazine capacity, which in most people's way of thinking would seem to be a marked advantage, and it may well be in a defensive confrontation, but I have found that in a hunting venue, and what Id suspect ,
would be very similar in a defensive situation, it's the first 1-2 shots that will dictate the potential results,
simply because, any GAME as I suspect any opponent you face ,will do everything they can to put cover and, as much distance between you,
and the threat you represent , once it becomes obvious your armed,and protecting themselves, once it becomes obvious,
that you are potentially a lethal threat to them, thus rapidly limiting your ability to get off more than one or two shots,
made , accurately to your game or opponents body, thus if the first two shots do not connect ,
your chances of making a consistent and accurately placed shot after the first few seconds, degrade very rapidly, if the first couple shots,
do not provide potentially lethal, or mobility restricting results. and legally you can't shoot any human opponent, running away from you.
I'd also point out that to get consistent positive results, a handgun chambered in 44 mag,445 DWSM or 500 S&W hand provide a noticeable increase in first hit lethality, but the size of those revolvers makes them far less than ideal a CCW options,
and that power is something I strongly suspect would not be as required, nearly as much on a human opponent, as a deer or large hog,
which may not understand the potential threat or how much damage it has been subjected too, as a human opponent.
given that an aggressive human component is either going to attack from very close range, and to do so only when they think they can overwhelm you thus preventing any effective defensive retaliation, and frequently with one or more acomplaces , precise accuracy is not as critical as a fast and decisive response, with overwhelming force if its required, and in a human opponents case power may not be as critical as speed and potential physical damage to your opponent(S) thus cartridges like the 357 mag in a revolver, or 10mm and 45 acp might hold a marked advantage.
reports from the military strongly suggest that round nose full metal jacket bullets, do not always result in a rapid incapacitation of an opponent
but police statistics show that shot placement with a handgun, with almost any centerfire handgun is more critical that just increase power levels.
on game a hard cast 168 grain gas check 357 mag bullet is rapidly and decisively effective with a well placed shot, or two,
while hunting, shots from, a 44 mag or 445 dwsm. revolver, using a 240-300 grain ,hard cast grain gas check bullet,
is in my experience on game..even more effective and rapidly lethal,
obviously I have no experience, punching lethal holes in human opponents, but I can't help thinking results might be similar.
on GAME you generally want a large exit wound, on a human opponent you'll want less total penetration as an exiting projectile,
may endanger people you had no intention of injuring beyond the intended target.
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- Vermont (Long-standing)
- Alaska (2003)
- Arizona (2010)
- Wyoming (2011)
- Arkansas (2013)
- Kansas (2015)
- Maine (2015)
- Mississippi (2015)
- West Virginia (2016)
- Missouri (2017)
- Idaho (2016/2019)
- North Dakota (2017)
- South Dakota (2019)
- Kentucky (2019)
- Oklahoma (2019)
- Montana (2021)
- Utah (2021)
- Iowa (2021)
- Tennessee (2021)
- Texas (2021)
- Indiana (2022)
- Georgia (2022)
- Alabama (2022)
- Ohio (2022)
- Florida (2023)
- Nebraska (2023)
- North Dakota (Non-resident, 2023) - Usually counted with above
- Louisiana (2024)
- South Carolina (2024) [1, 2, 3, 4]
but that should rapidly change to many more as the courts mandate changes
ATF Announces Historic Firearms Regulatory Reform Package Emphasizing Modernization and Burden Reduction
On April 29, 2026, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) released a coordinated package of proposed and final regulatory actions that together represent the most significant firearms regulatory reform effort in history.
www.wiley.law