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HOW GOOD IS YOU WIFES HEARING? DOES SHE NEED HEARING AIDS NOW? YES, I AM SHOUTING.

If she fires a .357 inside a car with the windows rolled up, I guarantee that she will need hearing aids from that moment on. .357's make a lot of noise. Without a doubt! Even with ear protection you can always pick out the .357's.

Post #79 by CHICAGOFARMER is probably the best written post so far on the issues to be concerned with when carrying a concealed firearm.

I don't think that I would feel comfortable shooting someone who was only yelling at me if I was in a vehicle and the engine was running. I can just picture the DA saying to me, "Why didn't you just drive away to eliminate the threat? Did you have to shoot this man in the face/ or neck, throat, head?" (and I use a wheel chair for mobility)

Now if the person had a club and I was blocked by traffic, then the odds that he could or would injure me rise substantially. That raises the odds that I would fire tenfold. I would think that most DA's and grand juries are going to want some physical damage to the drivers side of the car to justify her shooting someone.

Yes, a man yelling is intimidating but without actual damage to the vehicle the case could go either way.

An ideal place to carry a firearm when you are driving in on the seat beside you, covered with a garment or newspaper. Or stuck down between the seats, into a holster, where the grip is quickly accessible.

I recommend a 2 inch, S&W Chiefs Special in .38 caliber.

Even with ear protection you can always pick out the .357's.

When I first got mine I was wondering why people next to me at the range moved away !!

HOW GOOD IS YOU WIFES HEARING? DOES SHE NEED HEARING AIDS NOW? YES, I AM SHOUTING. If she fires a .357 inside a car with the windows rolled up, I guarantee that she will need hearing aids from that moment on. .357's make a lot of noise. Without a doubt! Even with ear protection you can always pick out the .357's.

Personally, I wouldn't choose a self defense weapon by how quiet it was. I want a couple of things from a self-defense (handgun) weapon:

1. Effective
2. Goes bang every time I pull the trigger

Number 2 pretty much rules out semi-automatic weapons. I don't want to bet my life on the remote possibility of a stovepipe jam or a bad primer. For women and some men, the possibility of a "limp wrist" jam is also very real. A revolver is on the top of my list for reliability and ease of use.

Number 1 pretty much rules out pistol rounds smaller or weaker than .357. The 38 special +p is a realistic choice, but it's pretty noisy too.

That leaves revolvers of 38 special +p and up on my list. A .45ACP with a half-moon clip is a good alternative. The availability of good self-defense rounds for the .357 make it my choice.