Best Defensive Ammo for the Semi-automatic Pistol

Posted by Lance Earl of Lance Earl, LLC on January 25, 2013

Warning: getimagesize(images/2204_DPT_Glock17DPT.png) [function.getimagesize]: failed to open stream: No such file or directory in /home5/dallypos/public_html/dp/modules/imaging.inc on line 9

Warning: Division by zero in /home5/dallypos/public_html/dp/modules/imaging.inc on line 19

So, which is the best defensive ammunition for a pistol? This is a question that is debated often. Personally, I think its relevance ranks right up there with other important questions. Allow me to share a few. What color of ski cap will keep you warmest on February 18th? What state produces the prettiest girls, Colorado or Ohio? And finally, does Santa prefer to go down the chimney head first or feet first?

All great questions and all of equal importance. But today, I will be discussing defensive ammunition so let's focus there. I see great and lengthy debates about this subject. When it comes to ammo for a pistol, there are many, many choices. However, most seem to play the 9MM Luger vs the 40 Smith and Wesson vs the 45 ACP game. I will limit my comments to these three.

Before we go any further, I must ask a few additional questions. First, is a well placed round with any of these three a man stopper? Second, is a poorly placed round from any of these three a man stopper? The answer to the first question is absolutely yes. The answer to the second is obviously no. So, does caliber really matter? Of course there are differences in the energy delivered, penetration, and tissue damage from round to round. But still, a well placed round from any of these is a show stopper. So what else matters.

Now, I admit that one round may have an advantage over another when it comes to nearly well placed rounds. But this is marginal.

My advice when choosing a round is to first, take a hard and realistic look at your shooting budget. Be honest! Will the purchase price of ammo be a hardship or inconsequential? Remember, with regard to these three calibers, the critical factor is placement. Factors which are not nearly so critical are muzzle velocity, energy, penetration, expansion, etc.

With that in mind, if your ammo budget is restricted there can only be one choice, go with the 9MM Luger. Of the three, this is the one that will allow you to purchase large amounts of ammo and practice until you become a proficient machine.

If your ammo budget is not a concern, purchase the 40 S&W or the 45 ACP, provided that you can handle the recoil. Keep in mind that the recoil of these cartridges can be quite sharp. The most powerful ammo in the world is of little value if the shooter cannot deliver it down range effectively.

I strongly suggest that you adopt the following priorities and make them your own:

1. Buy something that shoots ammo you can afford.
2. Don't buy more cartridge than you can handle.
3. Practice like your life depends on it because it just might.
4. When you do carry, use only top quality defensive ammo.

The next time you hear people arguing about this ammo or that, smile, shake your head, and walk away. You can do that because you are confident in your skills and that is what really matters.

Join DallyPost Tactical on Facebook

Write your elected officials
Enter your zip code:		OK

Notice: You must be logged in to leave a comment.

Comments

Comment by: Tom Young 2013-02-06 17:23:40 I wouldn't be scared to carry a .22 pistol around...the accuracy with multiple follow up shots would be sufficient to stop most threats.