The way I have always learned is that it depends on the person...

Try this test, pick up a handgun, point it at a target, close your eyes and then open them. If you are still pointing at the target, you can handle the weapon. If not, it is too big...

I'm not that large a person, a .38 is just fine for me... Anything larger and I start to lose accuracy.
Accuracy is the key, not power.

Yeah, for me anything between the .354 to .40 range is fine... The .38 is ideal for me, though.
Oh, btw, for defense I definately want two of them.

[edit on 30-11-2008 by Jay-in-AR]

[edit on 30-11-2008 by Jay-in-AR]

Just to chime in, any .45 ACP. I've tried most all, but I have not seen the the brute force on target from anything other. It's been around for nearly 100 years for a reason. John Browning got it right. I do like others, but my personal choice is a M1911.

For home defense buy a pump action shotgun.

The absolute best concealed carry gun is one you can easily carry concealed and shoot accurately. In the summer, it is difficult to find places that are not obvious. The "safari vests" are so obvious that you might as well be carrying a musket. Ladies have the advantage with holster purses. The Kel-tec and Ruger clone in .380 fit in a pocket. Small 5-shot revolvers in any caliber are fine. Most people that carry never have to present the weapon, much less shoot it, but you can't shoot it if you don't have it. I know a guy who carries a .40 M1911 and 2 extra magazines in case he accidentally gets stuck in a war somewhere. It's too bulky for me; the biggest pistol I have ever carried as a civilian with a CCP is a Walther PPS in 9mm. I don't carry extra ammuniton. If I can't avoid grief or solve the issue with what's in the clip, I'll have to deal with it. Change out the cartridges every few months, at least.

One thing you might consider is that evil doers expect to be alpha dogs. They are fearless and willing to shoot unarmed victims but are often not willing to be shot at. When the action starts, everyone heads for cover or gets out of town. The adrenaline really does strange things to thought processes and shooting accuracy of all involved so to avoid the lucky shot, hide behind something if you're ever in the crap.

Originally posted by DaddyBare
Organally Marshall compiled his data by shooting at cows and pigs... in this Day and age they use ballistic gelatin...remember what I said though this is just a rough guide.... and the only best round is based on personal choice....

As for me I would agree the .45 is a good pick and partnered with a proven firearm like a Colt Combat Commander a tough to beat combo...in skilled hands that is....

As for the 9mm I'm not so sure... one of the darkest days in FBI history surrounds the invention of the invention of the .40 S&W...
See in a Florida shoot out with a suspect the agents pumped something like 20+ rounds in the man...that man hyped up on drugs still managed to kill several of the agents before scumming to his wounds.... that lead the FBI to rethink the practice of carrying a 9mm and held trials for a new choice...in the end it came down to two the 10mm and .40 S&W...while the 10mm had slightly better performance the FBI settled on the .40 as more controllable...

Still where you look back in history how you use it is often better than what you use.... the CIA assigns were quite fond of their .22 short pen gun... looking just like a ball point pen this little shooter was perfect to press against the base of a targets skull and the soft pop was hardly noticeable...the low powered round would enter the brain but without enough energy to exit would just bounce around in there... before you ask no there no longer made but once in a while they do pop up at gun shows...

this all goes to prove one thing... your choice is a personal one... and you really should do your homework before making a choice that your betting you life on...

completely agree. if you cant control a .45 it does no good. some prefer the lighter kick from a 9mm or a .40 cal and they usually have a higher amoo capacity in the smaller caliber weapons. so the options really are good stopping power, less bullets, bigger kick- or -not so good stopping power more bullets, more accuracy. it all boils down to what your comfortable with. ya gotta go shoot to see what fits.

[edit on 21-11-2008 by DaddyBare]

I use and suggest the .45 for self defense. The type for me is a 1911. The Glock is my second choice. believe you would go wrong with either. Remember, the best choice is the gun you will shoot on a regular basis. Even with reloading, the .45 is more expensive than a 9mm. Practice will always be the most important factor in the gun or caliber.

Also, remember that all normal handgun calibers are under powered. It doesn't matter if it is a .38, 9mm, .357 mag, .40, .44 mag, or .45 acp, none of them are as effective as a rifle or shotgun in a defensive situation. Handguns are only good in that you can usually have one with you at all times.

45 all the way. it will stop anything in it's path. a 9mil you might have to in few rounds to do what one 45 round will.

I read a very detailed report on this and the 45 won hands down

The best defensive pistol caliber is the one you can use well.

I've heard a lot of good things about .40, but I have no firsthand experience.

.45 is tried and true...

Of course, in sheer ballistics, bigger is "better" most of the time. Just like a Ferrari is a better car than a VW if judged by the sheer performance figures. But if you think about what people actually DO with a car, things like shopping, traveling with the family, stop and go traffic in the city, suddenly the VW is decidedly better than the Ferrari. It all depends on the circumstances, and the same applies to a handgun.

I think the quest for the "best defensive handgun caliber" is individual for everyone, and should start with questioning yourself about your limitations. First things first, there is no guaranteed 1st hit kill with any round from any caliber. Second, never trust your own accuracy; most firefights show a hit probability of 50% and less, even by trained shooters, even at close range. Most self-defense courses, especially those for "weaker" persons like women and elderly, won´t show you one ninja-hightech-superkick, they will teach you to attack with surprise and rain blows after blows on your attacker, regardless of how weak they are. The key to a succesful defense is momentary, not actual superiority - the same applies to a gunfight.

What this means is that you should be prepared to give off a maximum number of shots in a minimal timeframe - advocating a caliber with manageable recoil and high capacity weapon. That is why the 9mm cartridges of various makes are so popular, they give a recoil manageable by most males coupled with a capacity of 10+ shots in a, and that is important, still compact sized weapon. Of course there are also hi-cap .45 pistols and larger, but these have huge grips not suitable for many people.

Bottom line is: Never trust ANYONE who tells you about the "best" caliber, or the definitive "first-shot-killer" bullet. Its a myth, the best caliber is always what works best FOR YOU, not what is the prettiest on paper.

I was kind of surprised to see this thread come back around again but since it did let me offer one thought... IF your trained to perform a rock and lock then engage a target with a triple tap any weapon you use will be effective...

now if you don't know what a rock and lock is or what the heck a triple tap doohickey thingumabob does then what you need most of all is professional training before thinking about what calibres are best

45's are so completely overrated. the big debate over 45 and 9mm came from the military who use ball fmj rounds which are crap no matter the size. according to alot of combat shooters one of "the best" is the much overlooked .41mag, it would have been THE police round back in the day if it were not for the bunny huggers being afraid of anything magnum. i've had alot of fun with 44spl a well. but my pick for best is the 357sig, great power, good range, it puts out the same numbers as a 357mag, and the bottleneck design makes for positive lock up and reliable action. several law enforcement agencies are switching to this caliber because of it's great performance.

Since this thread keeps popping up, I wanted to add a few things for anyone else that may want to post. I do have formal training, and am quite proficient at hitting a target (moving or not) with a wide range of handguns/long guns. While I appreciate people pointing out that the best gun/cartridge is the one you train with, this is not the advice I am seeking. I want to know what round transfers the most energy, or stopping power, to an assailant, and I hope claims are backed up. You guys have all been great and I appreciate the posts.