What caliber do you prefer for self-defense 9mm or 45 ACP?

[TheWabbit]

That's what I was thinking as well, level 2 blubber armor.

I resemble that remark! Still wouldn't want to get shot with ...Anything.

[dirtmcgirt76239]

I saw someone ask on FB "Thoughts on .38 Special?" And the top reply was ".38 Special hasn't been a viable self defense round in decades!"

Which begs the question: what happened 20 to 30 years ago to make humans suddenly more resistant to .38 Special?

Its viable, but further down the list.
9mm
40 tied with 45
then whats next?

It has to be 38 and or 357. Cops cannot shoot 357 well. Packaging is sorta lame, weird ergos, bad sights, heavy, but the round still works.

Arguing with the guy ... not you.

Its viable, but not contender for top choice.

Miami-Dade

compared to what, 38 special + is pretty nice. People use 22, 25, 32, they are anemica in comparison.

It would be lame to outfit cops with 38 special.

Not so lame as a gun under the pillow, back up, etc.

I do not have one but I want a ruger lcr 357 that I would mostly shoot 38 special out of.

[Fuel Fire Desire]

Its viable, but further down the list.
9mm
40 tied with 45
then whats next?

It has to be 38 and or 357. Cops cannot shoot 357 well. Packaging is sorta lame, weird ergos, bad sights, heavy, but the round still works.

Arguing with the guy ... not you.

Its viable, but not contender for top choice.


compared to what, 38 special + is pretty nice. People use 22, 25, 32, they are anemica in comparison.

It would be lame to outfit cops with 38 special.

Not so lame as a gun under the pillow, back up, etc.

I do not have one but I want a ruger lcr 357 that I would mostly shoot 38 special out of.

I didn’t say it made sense or was correct....but Miami-Dade was what put the .38 to bed in the law enforcement world. It bothered the FBI enough to make the drastic jump to 10mm.



If anyone doesn’t know the details, Paul Harrel does a good explanation of it and how it brought about FBI standards for caliber selection. In short, some agents landed good hits in the armpit of an armored attacker, but they failed to penetrate deep enough for an immediate stop, and other LEO’s died as a result.

IMO .38 special is just fine ballistically.

[JDeko]

Had to change my reply now that I saw there was more replies. I could see someone saying that because of Miami Dade, erroneously but still since the most "tactical" round these days is 9mm which didn't do much better and all these guys usually carry 1911s loaded with RIP rounds.

[mr44]

45 1 round per perp...9mm 3rds per perp...

[Scoop]

45 1 round per perp...9mm 3rds per perp...

All depends upon how proficient you are. You can kill a man with one round of 22LR.

[mr44]

had a inmate that shot his self in the head with a 22lr did not kill him just more nutty

[joepistol]

" had a inmate that shot his self in the head with a 22lr did not kill him just more nutty '
may be true..proof that shot placement is critical.

22RF is a assassin's round of choice, provided it's applied to proper area.

[Corbs126]

45 1 round per perp...9mm 3rds per perp...

Meh. I dunno about that. Shot placement is so much more critical than caliber in handguns. Both effective with a proper shot.

[Ol` Joe]

had a inmate that shot his self in the head with a 22lr did not kill him just more nutty

Had a friend as a younger man that was sitting in his car with his cousin waiting for his cousins new girl friend to come out with smokes and beer when a car pulled up and the driver hopped out with a 22 rifle shooting my friend in the back of the head once and his cousin in the chest multiple times. Seems the gal was recently divorced and had a jealous ex.

My friend lived, the bullet traveled along his skull and exited his jaw, the cousin was DOA. I have also seen larger animals hit in the skull with a 22 that failed to penetrate. I would not personally trust one for self defense. YMMV