• Self Defense Watch Home
• Books and DVDs
• Sitemap
• Privacy and Disclaimer
• About

8 Responses to “What is a good caliber handgun for self-defense?”

1. Chief Inspector Clouseau on July 29th, 2010 4:10 am

   I would not go lower than 9mm in most cases. The .40 and .45 are better, but can be harder for some shooters to handle. The .357 is great, one of the best, but in a small frame gun it can be very hard to learn, most people really have to work on getting used to it. Since any .357 can fire .38special ammo, people tend shoot it at the range because it’s cheaper, or worse to carry it for defense. Outside of very close range the .38 special is not what I would want to be shooting, it’s less powerful than the 9mm and I think less accurate. So if you go 357 i say to make sure you can buy the expensive .357 ammo to shoot at the range to get used to it, and then for self defense, .357 hollow points.

2. boodou6 on July 29th, 2010 4:10 am

   Any one thing that starts with a 4

3. Billy Bob on July 29th, 2010 4:10 am

   .357 magnum

4. ARMYDOG on July 29th, 2010 4:10 am

   The most important thing is to find one that fits you, you have to be comfortable shooting it. I carry a Springfield XDm40. It fires a .40 S&W round and has great stopping power. I think its the best between both worlds of the 9mm, which has the best penetration and the .45 ACP, that packs the most punch from your average automatic pistols. If you’re planning to get a CCW for concealed carry don’t get something too big, think about hiding it too. Carrying a little kel-tech .380 is much, much better than having a smith & wesson .44 magnum left at home!!!!

5. Alan P. on July 29th, 2010 4:10 am

   I agree with "boodou6", either a .40 or .45. They come in larger "patrol" size frames and smaller "concealed" frame & clip. For instance, Glock 21 is a .45 ACP @ 13 round with a longer slide; used in on’duty/patrol applications. Glock 30 is also a .45 ACP but with 10 rounds and shorter slide used in undercover/off-duty applications. .357 is good but distance (but not too far) is a good thing. For direct CQB (close quaters battle, aka "in your face"), you want a .40 or .45. You will find there are ways to hide the smaller framed, high-caliber pistols by making just a few minor adjustments to your clothing.

6. TheCityCop on July 29th, 2010 4:10 am

   Get the gun and calber that you can shoot accurately and precisely. You are liable for every bullet that comes out of your gun. So you must hit what you want to hit everytime.

7. Jeanie on July 29th, 2010 4:10 am

   If you are looking for a weapon which can be used effective for self defense purposes, I would like to suggest that you do not purchase a handgun. Why? This kind of weapon might lead you to some trouble as this needs permits or licenses. Further, this weapon could kill another and might lead you to trouble. If you could not justify in any way why you used this kind of weapon, you might be in trouble. But if you use a self defense weapon like a pepper spray or stun gun, there is small chance of killing someone with this. This might as well spare you the trouble and could justify the way you used it.

   But if you still would like to purchase a handgun, then I would like to suggest that you buy a caliber .380 compact, 9mm compact or caliber 40 also in compact.

8. Sig P229 on July 29th, 2010 4:10 am

   This is a matter of personel choice and is a hot debate topic. 9mm- Great penetration due to high velocity but controllable recoil. .357 Sig- 9mm in a .40 casing more recoil but more power. .40- Larger projectile but more powder makes it great for stopping power but the recoil is a bit larger. .45- large projectile and large casing make it a slower round so the penetration is not as good but the stopping power is greater. Pick what you want its all a matter of personel preference.

Got something to say?

Copyright © 2007-2010 Self-Defense Watch · Revolution Theme by Brian Gardner · Log in