A widely debated topic no doubt. Which caliber is the best for self defense?
As you can probably guess, depending on who you ask, you will get a different answer. With all the information out there, where can one turn to for some consolidated data to help with your decision? Well, in this article, we hope to achieve just that and provide you with some concise information.
THE DILEMMA
Ah yes, the million dollar question. Which caliber truly reigns supreme?
Our answer? THERE IS NO ONE SOLVE ALL BULLET...you can fight us on this! (Just kidding, we won't fight back. We have our opinion, and you can have yours).
In all seriousness though, as you already know, different calibers have different attributes. When considering a caliber for self defense, you have to personalize the situation. The worst thing you can do is ask a general question "What caliber should I choose?".
Let's be real for a second... if you do that, it will just start some commenting war where everyone says something different. Some people will agree with each other, and it will turn into a clan vs clan scenario. You will then ultimately make your decision based off of relationships and only half consider what people are saying. Then after all of that, you will maybe do some research and convince yourself a particular caliber is the best, only to then second guess yourself because you want to be objective, putting yourself back to square one. Repeat full cycle until either A: you pick one and just deal with it, or B: you end up just as confused as before. Sound about right? If so, keep on reading! If not, and you've got your mind made up and you are perfectly content....well, still keep going, because there may be some extra information you can find useful.
As much as it would be nice to say that there is someone who can perfectly pick out the proper caliber and firearm for you 100% of the time with 100% accuracy, that is just not going to happen. Picking the right firearm takes careful consideration, and knowing a few factors to consider certainly can't hurt in helping a person make this decision.
THINGS TO CONSIDER
1. Size- both the gun, and you.
Make sure to consider the size and weight of the firearm you are going to be carrying or using. While 3 lbs doesn't sound like a lot, carrying a gun in a holster can leave surprising strain on your body. Ask anyone who carries a firearm regularly, they will tell you: the size and weight of a firearm often times factors heavily on whether they want to carry it, and how they do so. You may be surprised to find that an extra 3 lbs in an inside waistband holster is rather annoying, and can be quite impeding. Go ahead, try it. Or if you are in the process of deciding on a gun or caliber. go find a rock that weighs 3 lbs. Carry it around all day in your pocket, see how that turns out.
Also, consider your own size. Are you short? Well then, a 5 inch barrel, full size .45 ACP is probably not the optimum choice for you. Are you a tall, stocky person? Well congrats, you have more space to carry.
2. Your physical capabilities.
Consider your own restrictions and/or abilities. As an example: Do you have hand dexterity issues or problems controlling fine motor skills. Are they hypersensitive? Depending on the answer, you may want to stay away from single stage triggers, which are known for lighter trigger pulls. The opposite can be said if you lack finger strength. Perhaps a double action firearm may not be in your best interest if this is the case. Are you part of the small hand crew? Then you may find a single stack firearm is more comfortable.
3. Time
Many people will consider the 2 subjects above, but many just breeze over one of the most important things to consider. How much time are you willing to put into this gun? How much of your time are you prepared to train and dedicate, so you can handle the firearm safely, effectively, and competently. A 1911 chambered in 45 ACP takes a much different amount of time to master than a Glock 42 chambered in 9mm. No defense firearm is really any use if you haven't trained to use it under pressure or use it proficiently.
4. Stopping power with considering recoil
It will be specifically noted that when considering one of these, you NEED to consider the other. What was Newton's third law again? For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Often times, people love to mention the stopping power of a 45ACP but they don't consider the recoil. You need to ask yourself. Can you handle the recoil? Is the recoil personally worth it to you for the power you get?
Keep in mind that how a person handles recoil is determined by that person- YOU. So this is a very important consideration, that only you can make. That being said, any help you can get to objectively look at a caliber without bias is helpful. So....here ya go.
For some, you may be asking "what exactly am I looking at?". In the above chart, we have compared the major popular concealed carry calibers, utilizing models of firearms that are commonly found and used, and using bullet weights that are common in defense ammunition. We then took it up a notch. Using the characteristics of the exact model of firearms listed, we calculated the foot pounds of recoil that specific firearm would feel should it be shooting the listed bullet at the listed velocity.
The 45 ACP is on there 2 times, because the use of steel frame 1911's is still very popular as are polymer framed firearms in this particular caliber.
So, why did we make this chart? So that a person could rationally compare the stopping power vs force created by the recoil in similar firearms. This in turn may help someone who is in the process of choosing a firearm, make that decision easier. Now some may say, "Well, if you wanted to get good comparable data, why didn't you make the weights all the same while calculating recoil?". Simply put, because that's not reality. If you want to compare a 45 ACP to a 380 ACP, sorry, but you may find it hard to find a 45 ACP handgun that weighs 13.7 oz, and even if you did, very few people would have it. So, what is the point of doing that calculation? We specifically chose these firearms and weights as they are common, and chosen at a higher rate for carry, so the information at hand could be more applicable for people.
For example. If lil' Johnny has only ever shot an MP2 9mm and not a 40 SW, but is curious about a G23 40 SW. He can look at the above chart and see that in similar firearms, the 40 SW generates a ballpark of 68% more recoil, and generates roughly 12% more stopping power utilizing common defense ammunition. Keep in mind, that the chart above is for those specific firearms and the chart is only made to give general reference ideas for people looking for more information on recoil vs stopping power. The choice of this balance still comes down to you.
5. Fashion
Always consider your clothing and what makes up your wardrobe. Depending on the clothing you like to where, certain firearms and calibers may not work with you. Let's say you fell in love with a Kimber Micro. its small, sleek, and cool, but you like to wear a lot of lot of tighter fitting athletic wear. That Kimber Micro may snag a bit more having a hammer system vs a striker fire system.
6. How you want to carry.
For some this may be one of the most important factors, while for others, they could care less. If you are a person who knows how they want to carry i.e. outside the waistband, inside the waistband, a belly belt, etc., then that will factor into the gun you want to purchase, and you should make a conscious effort to take that into consideration.
We could probably find numerous other things to consider when picking out a firearm and caliber, but these are just a few that we felt were important. Regardless of what you consider, just remember to make this decision personally and, if you go looking for other's opinions, take them with a grain of salt, even ours! At the end of the day, if you ever find yourself in a position where you have to draw your firearm, you want to be sure you can use it. When the seconds count, and you may not get a second chance, you want your first chance to be the best it can be. So, take the time, do your research, and don't look for an easy way around it.
Live free, train smart, and be Hard To Kill
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