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EN said...Just my take from examining gunshot wounds, but there's no such thing as a magic pistol bullet. Gaining compliance with pistol bullets isn't easy and against multiple assailants the highest capacity mag may not be close to enough and you're likely going to need a second mag.
The twelve gauge is magic at pistol ranges, even with skeet loads, and five or six rds is good against multiple assailants, assuming you get hits. And any rifle is more likely to get hits over any pistol. Pistols are notoriously inaccurate when someone's shooting back at you.
Everyone needs to make their own choices on this, and God bless you all whatever you choose. For me it's the shotgun with #7 Shot, and a pistol in .45 (make and model depends on how I'm feeling). I live in a wood frame house with neighbors at 180 degrees. At 12 ft no one shot with a 12 gauge will notice the difference between 00 Buck and #7 shot.
As for guns going off in houses, I sleep with my weapons and Impact amplified hearing protection beside my bed... which has led to some interesting conversations with "guests". If I need to use any weapon I'll try and put them on, along with eye protection. I've seen the results of wood splinters in eyes from shootings. I have no date but I would bet that we're far more likely to get hit with splinters than bullets in a pistol fight.
Thanks EN for your comment, good stuff.
The way I see it the key to not overestimating the stopping power of your handgun is knowing that a) the bad guy wont go down as if hit by some death ray b) You’re not supposed to shoot once and take a look at the results, but keep on shooting fast and accurately until the attacker goes down and is no longer a threat. Fully expect nothing at all to happen when you shoot the bad guy with your handgun, at least not anything obvious and visible. Even when down, if the bad guy is still in the fight, holding his weapon and conscious, keep shooting, since nothing is stopping him from shooting back at you from the floor. If your lucky and the bad guy goes down like a sack of potatoes after the first shot or two then that’s great, just don’t count on that happening.
Even with a close range 12 ga shotgun blast, don’t expect anyone flying through the air. Our instructor told us that in his experience it generally does knock them off their feet at close range, out of brute force, but that’s as far as it gets. It wont send anyone flying through windows and that kind of movie stuff.
For those of us that shoot often its important to take care of our hearing.
Good electronic ear muffs that amplify the ambient noises around you but block the +80db shots do seem to give you an edge in the fight. My only concern is how accurate it is when determining the location of the noise, where the bad guy is located and that split second decision that may save your life or not.
When hunting and such, no doubt, these headsets protect your hearing yet amplifies the noises around you. Also in classes, you can hear instructions and directives well. In some cases, being able to hear may avoid serious injury or death when people are shooting at your side. This is specially true in more advanced shooting training where there’s movement and shooting while working as a team.
Lets say your in combat or even guarding during extraordinary civil unrest situations, headsets such as these Peltor Com-Tac II
are a serious advantage. They even allow you to combine it with your radio equipment and helmet.
are a serious advantage. They even allow you to combine it with your radio equipment and helmet. Right now I’m remembering that man during the aftermath of the earthquake in Chile, he was guarding his property and shot over 2000 shots with his 12ga shotgun. I’d at least want something like these Howard Leight R-01526 Impact Sport Electronic Earmufffor such a situation.
For around 10 bucks, Peltor makes these Combat Arms Earplugs
that supposedly allow you to talk and hear ambient sounds yet reduce shots enough to protect your hearing. I'm a bit suspicious though as of how these plugs would achieve such a thing but Peltor is a good brand. Stll, mkaes more sense to spend the extra 30 bucks and get the electronic ones that seem to have good reviews. I'll see if I can find these locally or order them on line and write a review.
that supposedly allow you to talk and hear ambient sounds yet reduce shots enough to protect your hearing. I'm a bit suspicious though as of how these plugs would achieve such a thing but Peltor is a good brand. Stll, mkaes more sense to spend the extra 30 bucks and get the electronic ones that seem to have good reviews. I'll see if I can find these locally or order them on line and write a review.
Anyone that hangs around shooting clubs and talks to the old guys every now and then knows what happens when you combine guns and poor ear protection. Back in the day it was seen as unmanly to use ear protection, because of that most of these old folks are almost deaf. Don’t make that same mistake.
Take care,
