Expert advice on selecting a handgun

[tylanator5]

I would go with the .22, p22 from walther because it's reliable and accurate with me behind it. I dont own one but i did shoot one and am looking to buy one!!!! looking for any advice on what gun to buy!! trying to keep it a .22.

[Mancolt]

I would go with the .22, p22 from walther because it's reliable and accurate with me behind it. I dont own one but i did shoot one and am looking to buy one!!!! looking for any advice on what gun to buy!! trying to keep it a .22.

If you're looking for a gun for self defense, I would pick something larger than a .22. The point of this article is mainly the difference between 9mm and .45. No one could argue that a .22 is AS effective as either. Rethink your choices and go, at the very least, to a 9mm.

[bears guy 1972]

I don't want to be too off topic but I just bought (traded really) a brand new Taurus OSS 24/7 .45 cal with 12 cap mag. 12 rounds of .45 cal emptied in 6 seconds will knock down an elephant in my opinion, but....
question: has anyone shot this firearm and/or know anything about its performance and relaibility?

[synergy]

12 rounds of .45 cal emptied in 6 seconds will knock down an elephant in my opinion, but....
question: has anyone shot this firearm and/or know anything about its performance and relaibility?

If it'd take down an elephant what do you think it'd do to the person firing it?

My advice is to re-read the first post...

Accuracy? Probably on par with most modern semi's...capable of 3" groups at 25 yards or so, I'd wager.

Reliability? Depends if you got a good one or a bad one. Shoot it enough to find out for yourself.

[jon'76]

Honestly for 99/100 SD situations a 5-shot .38 will do the trick.

For the other 1/100 times the higher-capacity guns are a life saver.

However personally I chose the 1911 over the glock, because I think a situation is more likely to occur where the increased accuracy, better trigger, and intimidating appearance will be desired.

Now if I was going to war with the pistol I'd demand a G20.

Honestly most will never have to pull their guns, of those that do most will never have to fire, of those that do most will never need more than 5 or 9 shots, of those that do reloads are available.

My belief is that training is the most important. Cops are definitively not as trained as the private citizen, and they are often forced to use heavier trigger glocks (NY). I firmly believe that .45acp is better than 9mm, but by how much I will not even pretend to know. So in my gun I will have 9 shots, and 16 more as backup. If 25 rounds of.45 can't do it then 51 shots of 9mm probably won't either, except in extreme circumstances where one is using the pistol for all out warfare.

In the streets if 7 thugs attack you and you shoot 3 two times each; the rest run like girls. If not you can't shoot fast enough to stop them anyway. This differs from war where you can shoot from greater distances, most SD shootings are at 7 yards or less.

The 1911 is my choices for CC/OC (when I'm legal), but I would choose a G20 or G17 in a war in an instant. I also feel the 1911 is scarier to most criminals, and thugs give it a reverance as the big .45 so its phsychologically more devastating.

It is all opinion and that's mine.

[dman]

Everybody agrees that shot placement is critical,I agree but one shot,center mass,.45 ,end of threat-vs-three shots 9mm. .Under stress, I don't thing accuracy is even an issue.I'd go capacity and there-fore my G30.I'm a fair shot but under stress,I may not hit the threat the first couple of shots.Big hunk of lead,large capacity,I'll just feel better.

[synergy]

Everybody agrees that shot placement is critical,I agree but one shot,center mass,.45 ,end of threat-vs-three shots 9mm. .Under stress, I don't thing accuracy is even an issue.I'd go capacity and there-fore my G30.I'm a fair shot but under stress,I may not hit the threat the first couple of shots.Big hunk of lead,large capacity,I'll just feel better.

Dude, there is 2mm's of difference between .45 and 9mm. 2mm's....

The entire point of the article was that .45 wasn't some "1 shot stop" magic bullet...UNLESS you hit the CNS. And in that case, a 9mm would perform just the same.

Carry what you want, but they really perform closer than you might think.

[dman]

There's 1 mm. between a 9mm. and a 10 mm.Not to be a smart ass,in a bad place at the wrong time,the slower heavier rnd, might have more effect.I love my 9mm's but with the velocity of the slightly smaller,lighter rnd.,the B.G. might not even know he's been shot.Hit him slow and heavy,he'll know.Only my opinion.

[NineseveN]

Dude, there is 2mm's of difference between .45 and 9mm. 2mm's....

The entire point of the article was that .45 wasn't some "1 shot stop" magic bullet...UNLESS you hit the CNS. And in that case, a 9mm would perform just the same.

Carry what you want, but they really perform closer than you might think.

I owe you rep for this, good post man.

[synergy]

There's 1 mm. between a 9mm. and a 10 mm.Not to be a smart ass,in a bad place at the wrong time,the slower heavier rnd, might have more effect.I love my 9mm's but with the velocity of the slightly smaller,lighter rnd.,the B.G. might not even know he's been shot.Hit him slow and heavy,he'll know.Only my opinion.

No, the .45 is about 11mm...not 10mm. You specifically spoke about the .45, which is what I was addressing.

The idea that someone can tell the difference between 1/7th of 1 ounce, and a couple hundred feet per second, as it tears a hole though their body, is ludicrous.

What's the basis for your opinion on this?