HANDGUN STOPPING POWER

7/12/11



If you’re connected to the Buckeye Firearms Association (BFA) you’ve already seen this so what I’m posting is just a waste of time.

However, on the other hand, if you’re not......

A topic that generally gets beat to death (and usually with a bunch of pre-conceived biases) is the relative stopping power of handguns. I think this is an important topic for any CCW permitee (and even more so for LEO and military).

There is an article by Greg Ellifritz in the BFA Buckeye Firearms News, for 7/12/11, titled “An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power”. See at:
http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/7866

I think you’ll find it an interesting read. It provides a needed counter-point to so much prattle we see vis-à-vis handgun stopping power.

By the way, I know nothing about the author other than what’s shown in the BFA article. They say that he is the full time firearms and defensive tactics training officer for a central Ohio police department, an instructor for both the Ohio Peace Officer's Training Academy and the Tactical Defense Institute. You can draw your own conclusions and make your own evaluations.

Ed

Thanks for the link.
I wouldn't want to get shot by any of those calibers. Like they say, the gun in your hand will do more good than the one in the safe, no matter what the caliber is.

Interesting ...

That was a great read... Thanks for sharing, but it looks like I gotta upgrade my 32 to a 380...

To belabor this just a little further.

An observation...

I think the mort important thing that Greg Ellifritz wrote was his concluding sentence, "...train with it until you can get fast accurate hits. Nothing beyond that really matters!"

IMHO, this has been, and continues to be, the underlying theme in much that I have posted to these MS-G-O forums since I’ve been connected.

I’ve written, time after time, “good = speed, precision, and effectiveness” (or words to that effect) adding that you need to practice defensive up-close-and-personal on a regular and recurring basis.

(I’ll step down from the pulpit, now! Appreciate your patience.)


Ed

Good read .. thanks for the post.

I think most would agree, in self defense many variables count as much or more than caliber.

Doug Bowser wrote:For self defense in the home, I opt for the shotgun with 00 Buck. 9 .33 balls with a velocity of 1250 fps. One shot stop is almost assured.

Doug

I agree Doug, but I might go for #1 Buck, 12 pellets of .30 caliber in a short 2 3/4 shell,
more in a 3 inch, not a lot of difference per pellet but the totality should make a real
difference at home defense ranges.

Good read.

I’m playin’ the devil’s advocate here........

I don’t disagree at all with the suggestions regarding shotguns and buckshot. That’s really going to do the job.

But let me throw this in, as we have introduced home defense.

Go over to my Me ’n’ My J-frame (see at: http://www.msgunowners.com/t5900-me-n-my-j-frame) posting dated 5/24/11, titled, “Knock, Knock; Who’s There?
Stronghand/Weakhand- Only Drill”.

Run that with the long gun. I think you’ll have problems with either keeping the gun discreetly out of sight (no need to scare an innocent pilgrim to death) or on the other hand getting the long gun into play from a discrete carry within narrow confines.

Again, just playin’ the devil’s advocate.

And if the long gun is in fact your home defense you need to be running these up-close-and-personal drills with that gun (and I know you do).

Thanks for letting me comment.

Ed

o lord how did we get on to buckshot again for home defense....

Beladran wrote:o lord how did we get on to buckshot again for home defense....

Beladran wrote:o lord how did we get on to buckshot again for home defense....

Nobody factored in 'wind drift'. From Handgun stopping power to 12 ga, buckshot...I WANT one of those! LOL

dont make me moderate this... lol i will.. im not scared.

I thought we were supposed to use bird shot.

I see your claymore an raise you howitzer...