Start by remembering the 5 rules of a gun fight:
1) gun beats no gun
- so the hand cannon that you left home because it is to heavy, prints, to expensive to shoot, etc = no gun
- the semi-auto that jams because you didn’t feed it the right ammunition or is so complex to operate under stress that you can’t clear the jam = no gun
2) a hit beats a miss
The .22 that hits is worth a whole lot more than the .50 AE that misses.
3) fast beats slow
Not talking about bullet speed, talking about getting the gun into the fight. He who shoots first often forces the other to take cover
4) big holes beat small holes
Given the above 3 rules, carry the biggest hole maker that you can. Hollow points are better than FMJ
5) two holes beat one hole
If it is worth shooting once, it is worth shooting twice
Lots of bad guys have been stopped with the .32 ACP and the .380. If that is what you will carry consistently and is what you can shoot accurately for both the first and follow on shot.... carry that.
I am of the opinion that far too many carry far too much gun. I have trained MPs and SWAT teams in the military. There is one additional thing to consider - PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE. So get a gun that you can afford the ammunition - or learn to reload
Best advice I’ve read in a long time.
2) a hit beats a miss
The .22 that hits is worth a whole lot more than the .50 AE that misses.
...
Great advice.
I just saw a guy on Youtube instantly take down a 300+ pound hog with a 22lr subsonic round. However, he did have the advantage of getting a head shot in an ambush situation.
Sorry for being off topic, but I think a point and shoot revolver can’t be beat for personal self defense situations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nOe4O0Jr0g