When it comes time for your first self-defense firearm, you have a multitude of different options to choose from. To be sure, there are many different self-defense cartridges available to you today, some of them much better than others. Let’s take a look at several of these options to help you narrow your search down to the best possible choice in your own personal, self-defense.
One of Gun Carrier’s largest audiences are those brand new to the shooting world. We need to take the time to educate those who haven’t been doing this as long as we have, which is why we decided that this was a good topic. Make sure you add your thoughts to the bottom, so that we can all pave the way for new gun carriers.
Please note that this is just a guide, and not meant to be the end all list of self-defense cartridges, because there are more available to you than what is on this list. I’ve left off the very big projectiles, like the .44 Magnum, .45 Colt and larger rounds because they are just too powerful for a new shooter.
Let’s get started:
.22 Long Rifle
I have a firm stance on this that says, you should only carry a gun chambered in .22 if you’ve got absolutely nothing else to carry. After all, the best gun for you is the one you’ve got access to. If it’s a .22, so be it. It shouldn’t be your first pick, however. Having said all of that, smaller cartridges tend to lend the shooter to be more accurate at the range. If you can hit your target, you can hit an attacker.
Guns chambered in .22 are also great for new shooters who are just learning. It helps them get acquainted into the sport of shooting, and helps to aid young shooters learn the basics. Overall, this should not be used as a self-defense round, unless it is done as a backup.
.22 Magnum
A step in the right direction is the .22 magnum. While it pushes a similar sized projectile as the long rifle round does, it does so much, much faster due to an increased amount of powder inside the casing. Some say that a .22 magnum is the best of the smaller sized rounds.
ACP – .25 and .32
While I wouldn’t want to get shot with anything, these two would be my absolute last pick for a self-defense round (next to a .22lr). The amount of internal damage they inflict is not enough to put my life on the line, should an attacker hopped up on methamphetamine decide that he needs whatever I have in my pocket. Next…
Magnum – .32 H&R and .327
Now we’re getting somewhere. Both of these cartridges fire a similar sized projectile (usually somewhere in the neighborhood of 85-95 grains), and can pack a pretty decent punch. Furthermore, they both generally tend to be controllable in terms of recoil, which can only mean that you’re able to rapid fire much more accurately. This is great for those times when six .32 H&R Magnum holes in your attacker are better than one from a bigger projectile. These tend to be harder to find on the shelves, however, and may need to be purchased online.
.380 ACP
Chances are good that you’ve heard of this one, even if you’re new to the wonderful world of shooting. The .380 is a small step up from the previous two, and is more widely available. A lot of shooters carry a small pocket pistol chambered in .380 as a backup for their EDC (every day carry). Depending upon the area where you live, a box of these little guys can be quite expensive, and is considered by many to be the absolute smallest self-defense cartridge you’d ever want to carry.
.38 Special
Generally speaking, the ballistics of a .38 special are only slightly better than the .380 ACP, and, as such, should also be considered as the smallest you’d want to carry (in a revolver). However, one thing that .38 Special is great for, is target practice, and getting used to your gun, if it is also chambered in the much more devastating .357 Magnum (more on this in a minute).
However, I do want to say here, that Gun Carrier does not teach people to target practice with one round, and then use another one for self-defense. We believe that you should shoot what you carry, at least some of the time, because two different rounds can feel different, throwing you off in a self-defense situation.
