MINIMUM DEFENSIVE CARRY CALIBER

[Axxe55]

I don't shoot to kill. I shoot to stop the threat....as many times as it takes. If the perp decides to die in the process, that's on the perp.

SOUBDS LIKE A JOB HAZARD OF BEING A LAW-BREAKING PERP

 

[@TX_1]

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The Police Sergeant who stopped the two Muslim Terrorists with AK47’s at Arlington / Grapevine a few years back used 2 rounds of .45ACP, head shots both, quick kills, @ 60 yards.

Some LEO’s shoot very well.

leVieux

<>

Yes. I remember that incident. Not much was said about it. But it put the Jihad of the day away. I did not know it was a .45ACP, thought it was a .357 mag. Either way it was very good shooting.

 

[leVieux]

Yes. I remember that incident. Not much was said about it. But it put the Jihad of the day away. I did not know it was a .45ACP, thought it was a .357 mag. Either way it was very good shooting.

GLOCK 21

 

[@TX_1]

"The police officer, who has requested his name not be released, began shooting back with his duty pistol and killed the armed men, Harn said." (May 4, 2015)

Garland Officer “Saved Lives” at Prophet Muhammad Art Contest, Police Say

A traffic officer working off-duty security fatally shot two men wearing body armor and armed with assault rifles who began shooting outside a Prophet Muhammad cartoon art contest in Garland Sunday, “saving lives,” police say.

www.nbcdfw.com

 

[Graceaction]

I have a feeling that a lot of people decide on their carry caliber by what they've seen in the movies or what a bunch of mall ninjas discussed after the fourth round of brews at the local watering hole. In the movies, the bad guys always drop after one shot and the good guys can tie an old rag around their wounds and wait a few hours for them to heal.

In the real world, pistol shooting victims usually die from bleeding and that can be a slow process. Pistol caliber bullets have to hit certain vital spots (e.g., the brain) in order to have an instant stop, and that can be difficult in a real situation. Even suicide attempts have a pretty significant failure rate.

Mouse guns (.22, .25, .32) are low powered, but more importantly the bullets aren't the most effective. Statistically, these pistols wound and kill a high percentage of victims because they are the hidden, Saturday Night Specials used by low-life druggies and robbers, and they tend to shoot at close range. Still, any weapon is better than no weapon at all.

Anything bigger than a mouse gun is in the range to be a good defensive pistol, as long as it's not so powerful that the shooter can't handle it. If you want to have a solid chance when you're forced into a bad situation, then you need to have practiced as much as possible, and that requires that you are shooting a cartridge that you can comfortably and consistently handle. That .44 magnum may be impressive in Dirty Harry movies, but if it's more than you can handle, it's a bad choice.

Actually, it's not just the cartridge, but the firearm as well. A good example is the Ruger LCP. Nice little pistol, easily concealable (even in Texas summer weather), very reliable, and available in .380 or 9 mm. But if you take it to the range and try to shoot a couple of hundred rounds for practice, you'll need to prepare an ice bath for your hand afterwards. It's not fun to shoot. I heard a woman who was shooting a .44 mag pistol tell someone she'd rather shoot it than the LCP. I don't know how much was real and how much was just bravado, but I don't think it's a stretch to agree that you're going to have the best chance with a pistol and cartridge that you can - and do - practice with on a regular basis.

A wise friend once told me that “the smallest caliber you carry beats the largest one you’ve left at home”. Indicating, I suppose, that one should carry what they are comfortable shooting rather than avoid carrying something that they find uncomfortable to shoot.

 

[@TX_1]

GLOCK 21

When you wrote that, I did not know what one was. It is a hefty and obviously simple weapon. Was impressed and I saw the significance of it in this incident.

 

[leVieux]

When you wrote that, I did not know what one was. It is a hefty and obviously simple weapon. Was impressed and I saw the significance of it in this incident.

<>

I had owned a nib G21 for years and had never fired it. Then one year I used it for requalification, and was very impressed at how comfortable it was to shoot.

Still, it is awfully BIG for edc.

<>

 

[@TX_1]

<>

I had owned a nib G21 for years and had never fired it. Then one year I used it for requalification, and was very impressed at how comfortble it was to shoot.

Still, it is awfully BIG for edc.

<>

My 357 magnum 5-1/2" Uberti clone of Colt is heavy. And very very pleasant to shoot. Will never get over the workmanship of that gun. For Open carry, it is fine. But for concealed it will be noticed part of the time.

I look forward to my 9mm semi auto arriving at the local FFL. It weighs just 1 lb. empty. My Uberti is 2.3 lbs empty. The Uberti will shoot better and farther. And has incredible trigger. Never shot better.

Happy New Year to you and your family my friend.

 

[General Zod]

For Open carry, it is fine. But for concealed it will be noticed part of the time.

You're not required to have flawless concealment. As for it being noticed...plenty of people including my own wife have failed to notice a full size 1911 on my hip being worn right out in the open. A gun-shaped bulge under a shirt won't be noticed 99% of the time. People are not observant.

 

[leVieux]

<>

I’ve carried all sorts of stuff for decades. For the past 15+, maybe 20 years, I’ve preferred IWB. The thickness of a weapon is a really big factor, weight is second.

OTOH, overall length just isn’t much of a factor, but “height” or grip length can be an issue.

The suspenders from “The Suspender Store” are a really big help.

<>

 

[@TX_1]

You're not required to have flawless concealment. As for it being noticed...plenty of people including my own wife have failed to notice a full size 1911 on my hip being worn right out in the open. A gun-shaped bulge under a shirt won't be noticed 99% of the time. People are not observant.

Well, my next step will be get the LTC, think the nearest examiner is 40 miles. But that may wait, for a little while, planning to move to another house I own. Replacement of a ceptic tank and rerouting a gas line stands in way for now.

 

[@TX_1]

<>

I’ve carried all sorts of stuff for decades. For the past 15+, maybe 20 years, I’ve preferred IWB. The thickness of a weapon is a really big factor, weight is second.

OTOH, overall length just isn’t much of a factor, but “height” or grip length can be an issue.

The suspenders from “The Suspender Store” are a really big help.

<>

The one I bought is 7 long x 5 high x 1.2 wide

 

[General Zod]

Well, my next step will be get the LTC, think the nearest examiner is 40 miles. But that may wait, for a little while, planning to move to another house I own. Replacement of a ceptic tank and rerouting a gas line stands in way for now.

The course gives a good overview of the bare basics of the law, but further reading on your own will keep you sharp. The one I took did mention that "printing" was not an issue to be overly concerned about for concealed carriers, and that was before the open carry law passed.

 

[@TX_1]

<>

I’ve carried all sorts of stuff for decades. For the past 15+, maybe 20 years, I’ve preferred IWB. The thickness of a weapon is a really big factor, weight is second.

OTOH, overall length just isn’t much of a factor, but “height” or grip length can be an issue.

The suspenders from “The Suspender Store” are a really big help.

<>

Did you ever wonder why Texas does not have more manufacturing companies in the firearms industry? Surely we could support at least one powder, primer, bullet and components manufacturer, here on our own turf. Yes, we have some small ammo assembly companies and a few cast lead or swege lead bullet companies. But we need more of this.

 

[@TX_1]

The course gives a good overview of the bare basics of the law, but further reading on your own will keep you sharp. The one I took did mention that "printing" was not an issue to be overly concerned about for concealed carriers, and that was before the open carry law passed.

OK. Thanks. I am going to pursue this.

 

[zackmars]

Arguing about how powerful handgun cartridges are is like arguing who came in third place.

 

[mongoose]

Yes. I remember that incident. Not much was said about it. But it put the Jihad of the day away. I did not know it was a .45ACP, thought it was a .357 mag. Either way it was very good shootin

<>

The Police Sergeant who stopped the two Muslim Terrorists with AK47’s at Arlington / Grapevine a few years back used 2 rounds of .45ACP, head shots both, quick kills, @ 60 yards.

Some LEO’s shoot very well.

leVieux

<>

With all due respect to the Police Officer's bravery for engaging superior fire power. Apparently, he did not take out the terroirs. According to the Police chief, they were taken out by the SWAT team using 5.56 rifles.

 

[davidindallas]

A shocking number of people are shot with their own guns.
That's why I like a manual safety.
Most people today are so used to a trigger safety. Its one small "combination" that a practiced user can "solve" before use and dumbass the perp wont.

 

[@TX_1]

With all due respect to the Police Officer's bravery for engaging superior fire power. Apparently, he did not take out the terroirs. According to the Police chief, they were taken out by the SWAT team using 5.56 rifles.

I've seen nothing about that. Only what was in the news reports. That has been a while ago. I have NO connection with anything in Austin police department.

 

[oldag]

My 357 magnum 5-1/2" Uberti clone of Colt is heavy. And very very pleasant to shoot. Will never get over the workmanship of that gun. For Open carry, it is fine. But for concealed it will be noticed part of the time.

I look forward to my 9mm semi auto arriving at the local FFL. It weighs just 1 lb. empty. My Uberti is 2.3 lbs empty. The Uberti will shoot better and farther. And has incredible trigger. Never shot better.

Happy New Year to you and your family my friend.

I really would not worry about a printing. As others have observed, the overwhelming majority will never notice anything. And if they do, they will most likely assume it is a cell phone case.