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I see a lot of forums and articles saying the concensus is just carry 9mm over .380 due to stopping power or other variables. Has any one had or know of some horror stories where they wish they would've had a 9 instead of 380? I can't seem to find anything. Just trying to get a more round about view about rounds. :s0067:
I have never shot anyone with any gun, but I have seen plenty of penetration tests of 90 grain .380 bullets in everything from 1/2 pine, to car doors, to gelatin blocks and more. Pull up YOUTUBE and look for yourself. All I can say is that I cannot believe any human being can take a couple of .380 shots anywhere in the torso, and be still continue an attack of any kind.
 
So, you like your high speed 36's (357 magnum) You loose more energy out the back side of the target than you transfer. If you are a highway patrolman that needs to shoot at distance occasionally they are fine but at 5 feet, they are a waste. It is a fine field caliber but still inferior to a 44 mag if that is what you want.my wife carries a 3" M60 but we live in a rural area and occasionally need extra range. The army solved that debate in 1902. The only reason the 38 carterdiges are not called 36 is because the early 36 revolvers had such a bad reputation as man stoppers the marketing department wouldn't let the new caliber be called a 36.
Not how it works in the real world. Unless you are talking about Military type ball ammo. In a .357 if it does go through it makes a HUGE mess coming out the other side. Not to mention it's not nearly as easy to go through center mass as people at the watering hole like to think. A .357 with any defensive ammo that does go through someone? That someone is dead before he falls. No matter what someone told you it does not drill a neat .36 hole in them. Things have changed a little since the last century and lead balls of .36 caliber guy.
 
I see a lot of forums and articles saying the concensus is just carry 9mm over .380 due to stopping power or other variables. Has any one had or know of some horror stories where they wish they would've had a 9 instead of 380? I can't seem to find anything. Just trying to get a more round about view about rounds. :s0067:

A lot of it comes down to preference. What fits in your hand well, what meets your needs, what you can conceal. My personal experience is having 380 jam or misfire 10 times more often that a 9. That is my "valid argument". I have not seen stats nor looked for any about 9 vs 380 in leathality. At 20 feet if shouldn't matter if you hit center mass. But I do want it to fire every time! Would I own a 25 or 32, no I have seen them bounce off stuff. Yes the 9 has more stopping power and I believe more dependable. Ask 100 people get 97 different answers. :s0045:
 
Not how it works in the real world. Unless you are talking about Military type ball ammo. In a .357 if it does go through it makes a HUGE mess coming out the other side. Not to mention it's not nearly as easy to go through center mass as people at the watering hole like to think. A .357 with any defensive ammo that does go through someone? That someone is dead before he falls. No matter what someone told you it does not drill a neat .36 hole in them. Things have changed a little since the last century and lead balls of .36 caliber guy.

This was my understanding with 357. I assumed 357 ball would blow out someone's back cavity if you hit center mass. Probably even kill the poor soul behind em too.
 
This was my understanding with 357. I assumed 357 ball would blow out someone's back cavity if you hit center mass. Probably even kill the poor soul behind em too.
Yea, you've gotta do your homework, and no slight intended.
There's different rounds in the world. The classic stopper is the 125gr SJHP .357.. it doesn't penetrate a whole bunch.
However, the classic and common 158gr JSP and HP generally are constructed such that they will go through about three people.
 
Yea, you've gotta do your homework, and no slight intended.
There's different rounds in the world. The classic stopper is the 125gr SJHP .357.. it doesn't penetrate a whole bunch.
However, the classic and common 158gr JSP and HP generally are constructed such that they will go through about three people.
Yep. Many years ago some bean counters did some searching. For what is known as "1 shot stops" The winner was the .357 125grSJHP round. It beat all the common carry rounds. Even my beloved .45ACP. It was why I became super impressed with the PCC's in 9mm. I found out they could put the right 9mm ammo out the tube at the same as a .357 did out of a 4 inch tube. Making those little rifles VERY impressive for defensive work.
 
This was my understanding with 357. I assumed 357 ball would blow out someone's back cavity if you hit center mass. Probably even kill the poor soul behind em too.
Yes one of the heavier rounds can go through. Could well take down someone standing behind him. Odds of that are SUPER slim. It would make a HUGE mess of the guy shot though when it went out. Which is the idea if you're trying to stop someone. Comparing these round to lead round balls from a BP gun is really out there.
 
Not too keen on grains and different defensive rounds. My military training really focused solely on 556 tracer and ball as well as 762 travel and ball.(not to me ton 105mm and 155mm arty :p) The civilian defensive ammo market is a whole new can of worms for me. I try to do a little research everyday and expand my working knowledge of it. This forum is greatly enhancing that work.
 
Not too keen on grains and different defensive rounds. My military training really focused solely on 556 tracer and ball as well as 762 travel and ball.(not to me ton 105mm and 155mm arty :p) The civilian defensive ammo market is a whole new can of worms for me. I try to do a little research everyday and expand my working knowledge of it. This forum is greatly enhancing that work.
Even in this it gets hard. It will come down to you making a choice what you think works. In my guns over .380 I use a good "defensive round". Prefer Speer Gold Dots but there are many good ones. in my .380 and .32 I do use ball ammo. The idea for me that in these rounds coming out of such short tubes I want all the penetration I can get. A lot of others of course don't see it my way and that does not mean they are wrong. You have to do your own searching and then decide what you feel is best.
 
I have a Browning BDA, a 13 round double stack made by Beretta, a Colt Mustang XSP, Glock 42, Kahr CW-380, Remington RM-380, Ruger LCP, Ruger LCP Custom, Ruger LCP II, S&W Sigma. So I have a lot of 380's. The Browning is a compact size gun, all steel, poor sights, but a great gun. The CW-380 is probably the smallest and most accurate, but picky on ammo, I use Underwood or Grizzly with XTP's for it, I have not tested it with the Extreme loads. The LCP and LCP Custom are double action and are accurate and reliable, but snappy. The LCP II is SINGLE action (big difference) accurate and reliable and still snappy. Remington and S&W are the easiest to rack. The Glock is biggest, easiest to shoot, accurate and reliable, easiest to recommend. Love the Colt but a lot of people don't like carrying cocked and locked.

On a different note I have pocket carried a Ruger LC9s Pro a ton in a RKBA leather molded holster.
 
I've found it impractical to carry my .45 Auto or 9mmP unless I'm wearing heavy winter clothing, and I can't reach them beneath those layers if they're needed quickly. My Sig P232 .380 Auto disappears beneath summer-weight clothing and allows me to carry with discretion.
 
IDK if there is better data out there but his is the best I have found on this subject.
An Alternate Look at Handgun Stopping Power | Buckeye Firearms Association
Thoughts?

Hey DaronW, it looks like your request for thoughts got lost in the shuffle. However my $0.02 after reading the article is that the fellow went to a lot of effort to tell us basically what we already know.

His conclusion was to first use appropriate bullets for self-defense, re: JHP vs FMJ or ball, secondly to use the largest caliber that we can handle well and carry concealed, third only law enforcement really needs to worry about distance shooting, car penetration, etc. Also that the standard recommended calibers are just about all equal stoppers, and that the smaller calibers are not really appropriate due to the number/percentage of people not incapacitated at all no matter how many shots hit.

So what I'm saying is that his data confirms what writers and trainers have been saying. There are some outlier opinions, but they usually fail to consider one aspect or another.
 
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I realize that it's pretty much beating a dead horse. I just very much enjoy this forum and like the insight you guys bring to the table. Was just looking for some closer to home experience :s0013:
About 20 years ago (I know, munitions have changed) a friend of mine who was rooming with a friend who was out of work, arrived home after work, and as he was getting the two sacks of groceries out of his car, he realized that very loud music was coming from his house. As he walked in the front door, his room mate stepped out of his bed room, aimed a 9mm at him and emptied 8 rounds into his torso. One round went through his arm and into his chest, making 9 entry wounds. Let's call the friend J. J dropped the groceries and went next door to call 911. His room mate went back into his room, reloaded and committed suicide. J recovered fully from his wounds. Accuracy and knowing where to place your rounds makes the difference.
 
About 20 years ago (I know, munitions have changed) a friend of mine who was rooming with a friend who was out of work, arrived home after work, and as he was getting the two sacks of groceries out of his car, he realized that very loud music was coming from his house. As he walked in the front door, his room mate stepped out of his bed room, aimed a 9mm at him and emptied 8 rounds into his torso. One round went through his arm and into his chest, making 9 entry wounds. Let's call the friend J. J dropped the groceries and went next door to call 911. His room mate went back into his room, reloaded and committed suicide. J recovered fully from his wounds. Accuracy and knowing where to place your rounds makes the difference.


now this is the kind of horror stories I was talking about. Holllly bubblegum. Did your friend ever figure out the cause behind all of it? Or just an interrupted suicide attempt?
 
About 20 years ago (I know, munitions have changed) a friend of mine who was rooming with a friend who was out of work, arrived home after work, and as he was getting the two sacks of groceries out of his car, he realized that very loud music was coming from his house. As he walked in the front door, his room mate stepped out of his bed room, aimed a 9mm at him and emptied 8 rounds into his torso. One round went through his arm and into his chest, making 9 entry wounds. Let's call the friend J. J dropped the groceries and went next door to call 911. His room mate went back into his room, reloaded and committed suicide. J recovered fully from his wounds. Accuracy and knowing where to place your rounds makes the difference.
Probably forgot the Cheezwiz. sounds legit
 
This of course almost doesn't need to be mentioned---go fire/practice with some of that more costly self defense ammo.
I had some Gold Dot fail to feed in my 380 LCP. It now has Hornady Critical Defense.
 

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