THERE’S SUCH A THING AS A TOO-SMALL GUN

backwoodshome.com ^ | 18 February, 2010 | Massad Ayoob

[mouser]

Plenty of .45ACP here in MO from what I am told by a guy who has one he has no problem getting brass from manufacture he has more problem with primers but that is getting better

[Eska]

You think 460 is high at 32 bucks a box do you? Bought a Weatherby 30-378 last fall. Ammo is $127 a box. Just bought a Redding Press and started reloading.

Twice in my life I have had blk bears come in on me front quarters down like a cat on a rabbit, ears going like crazy. Both times they were young males. First time, I was able to yell & wave bear off when it was less than 8 feet from me; second time, I shot the bear as he was angling in on me. Funny thing, I've never had to shoot a grizz, they have always moved on. Bottomline, the 460 has so much more knockdown than my 44's or 480; what I want to be shooting if my life possibly depends on it. I also just purchased a 5 inch 460 s&w; for the pull away.

The 44 hardly dented the pipe in, the 460 put quarter size holes in the steel.

[Para-Ord.45]

But, I got these tiny hands

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C89uOeDL9Gw

Would you turn your heads when I shoot?

[dangus]

So what do you recommend for a guy whose piano aptitude was limited by small, stubby hands; natural good aim; strong trunk, but weak arms; looking for adequate self-defense (not just to annoy someone); and not really needing to leave a hole in someone’s chest large enough to stick my arm through? (Disable, but not kill.)

[GL of Sector 2814]

I have one of those North American Arms mini-revolvers, it's the smallest actual firearm in my collection. Here's the smallest "firearm-ish" thing in the collection, a Xythos 2mm pinfire flare gun:

[OneWingedShark]

Hm, maybe the Colt .357 Magnum Python.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_Python

[Lancey Howard]

I’m with you. Give me a revolver any day.

[11Bush]

First I would suggest that you go to a local range that has a variety of handguns to rent and try out a selection to see what fits best. This is my standard answer to this question. There is no one size fits all standard. To me the 1911A1 drops in my hand and points at the target without my thinking about it. You may not find that is the case, though I doubt it.

Second, you should pick a caliber that will STOP the attacker (9mm minimum). Do not get something that will depend on perfect shot placement to get the job done (.380 or smaller). The smaller the caliber the easier to control, the heavier the weapon the less felt recoil, the perfect fit is somewhere in the middle depending on the individual. I’m not anticipating being attacked by a grizzly bear in the suburbs of Richmond so .45ACP is plenty of stopping power.

Third, you should practice, practice, and practice some more. In order to be effective with any weapon you will need to rely on instant action, something that is only going to be available with practice. If I can’t stop the attack with the 15 rounds I usually carry then I should have brought a rifle.

Finally, you should put the best lawyer you can afford on a retainer basis if you are only going to disable the attacker. Sure thing the wounded gremlin will try to sue you for pain and suffering. Dead men only leave one witness to the event. When forced to defend my life, or the life of another, it is not a matter of disabling the attacker. I shoot until the threat is eliminated. That means dead. There are hundreds of examples of the attacker taking multiple hits with various calibers and pressing the attack. Dead people are no threat. If you do not think you can kill, then you probably should not carry to begin with.

[sockmonkey]

Czech 75 looks great but is too big for my hands!

Oh, great, now I'm looking at my hands thinking, "I must have man hands."

[dangus]

all sounds very sensible. thanks.

[Joe 6-pack]

"I am still stunned by the fact that the Genius of Browning designed a gun that EXACTLY fits my hands almost fifty years before I was born."

Yep...my hands aren't excessively large, but are pretty thick and meaty, and I've NEVER had a hammer bite issue with the stock hammer or grip safety of a GI 1911, 1911A1 or 1991A1. Personally I think a lot of people who complain about it "choke up" way too high on the grip than it was designed for. Commander hammers are ok, but I like the good spur on the Gov't so you can safely lower the hammer on a loaded chamber should that need ever arise (though I don't recommend the practice with a SA auto like the 1911 which was designed to be carried in "condition one"). I personally think the long ass, hooked beaver tail grip safety looks ridiculous especially on pistols that have been bobbed and are advertised for "snag free" concealed carry...

[GladesGuru]

For under $300 you can turn that into a .460 Rowland and get .44 mag results.

;-)

[Who is John Galt?]

I'll stick with my J-Frame.

Bingo - the 'KISS Principle' taken to an art form...

;>)

[X-FID]

I’m thinking ruger blackhawk .357 or s&w 686, because I need another a pea shooter to add to my collection.

[X-FID]

I have a colt 4091u, I love it but I wish I had the gov model which is 3/4 in longer. I stuck with the commander because I’m used to it but I see it’s pretty trivial in the long run. I’m also going to get the rosewood grips for it, I think that will be a better look.

[VOA]

bump