Common Folk Using Common Sense

All the politics going on in the US are giving me an ulcer. So let’s talk about something far more enjoyable: guns.

Guns are used to stop something from doing something you don’t want them to do. Whether it’s a deer (food) running away from you, or a criminal running towards you, we use a gun to stop the target from doing it.

The bullet transfers a shock wave through the air preceding it and into it’s target. Remember “Force equals mass times acceleration”? There is blood loss caused by the severing of blood vessels. If the bullet hits an organ there can be immediate loss of function of that organ. Certain types of rounds can bounce off of bones within the body, and ricochet, causing collateral damage beyond that of the initial entry wound.

But the key to effectively using a gun it the ability to penetrate the outer layers (skin and clothing, fur and hide) and get inside the target body. You want to use the largest caliber, heaviest bullet loaded as hot as you can handle to still be able to deliver two quick thoracic cavity (chest) shots. If you cannot handle the largest calibers and must use something smaller then your point of aim is the cranio-ocular cavity (between the mustache and eyebrows).

And remember the Mozambique Drill: two quick shots between the nipples, take a quick breath, then one careful shot between the eyes.

Handguns are woefully inadequate in their stopping power as compared to a shotgun or rifle. But it’s not often that we are allowed to carry a rifle or shotgun as we go about out daily business in the world, and that’s the purpose of a handgun. They are small enough to always have on our person for an emergency and they allow us to immediately respond in a defensive manner. It’s been said that the purpose of a handgun is to allow us to fight our way back to our rifle.

So what about handguns? I use a Taurus PT1911 chambered in .45ACP. My wife uses a Kel-Tec PF-9 in 9mm. My daughter uses a Glock in .40 caliber. The information below is only my thoughts; your mileage may wary.

• .45 ACP: Our grandfathers knew it in World War II and our grandfathers’ grandsons are figuring it out again in Iraq. .45 ACP is the finest handgun round for self-defense, and a pretty good hunting pistol round.
• .40 S&W: Just a bit weaker that .45ACP, but still good stopping power. Smaller round usually allows the carry of more rounds in the gun. Lots of law enforcement are using this.
• .44 Special, .357 Magnum, .357 Sig, and 9mm +P: Well-tested and powerful. Does not have the pure knock-down power of the .40 and .45, will not generally produce the fictional “one shot, one kill” effect, but a few well-aimed shots with any of these should highly discourage a criminal to leave you alone. The .357 Magnum is my favorite revolver round.
• .38 Special and 9mm: Forget what the urban gangstas sing about the exalted 9mm – it is only an adequate round. With good shot placement and rapid follow-up shots it will get the job done, but really determined criminals have been noted to survive after being hit with multiple rounds. The trade-off is that these rounds typically have much less recoil and the guns weigh much less. Remember that I said you should have the largest round “as you can handle”, and if this is your limit then understand that a 9mm in your hand is far better than a .45ACP at home, you’ll just need to practice more to be a better marksman.
• .380, .32, .25, and .22: These are generally known as “mouse guns”, and for good reason. Unless you get these little bullets inside the skull they tend to do nothing more than make the criminal more angry. If you can shoot a .380 then you can shoot a 9mm. I do recommend using one of these as your backup or second gun, used in conjunction with your primary handgun, but please don’t use these as your primary unless you’re James Bond.

Go to the range and rent several guns in different calibers. Determine the largest bullet you can handle, remembering that follow-up shots are almost a necessity. Get comfortable with the weight and action of your gun. Get to where it feels just as natural in your hand as your keyboard and mouse. Practice often at the range. Carry the weapon anywhere and everywhere you are allowed by law. Contact your representatives to increase the areas you are legally allowed to carry. Put yourself in the mental state where you can and will defend yourself and your loved ones, and not rely on your cell phone and the 911 operator. Pray that you never have to use your weapon, but be ready at all times to use it if necessary. Fight for your right to survive.

gun, bullet, caliber, handgun

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