Small Caliber Hand Guns?People wonder if small guns, like the .25 acp, .22 rimfire, and .32 acp, have enough firepower to stop an attacker with a body shot? Well, research on actual shootings, bears out that it will about 25% of the time! Let's check it out and see what results we can produce!
It seems that one shot is usually not enough. Statistics show that the .25 acp rates a very poor 25%, in one-shot-stops to the body. That means that for every four shots to the body, three will not stop an attacker from further acts of violence.
Small guns (or "pocket rockets" as I call them) are also called "shoot and run guns", since the bullets fired from these small-bores are so light. You need to practice with the knowledge that the weapon is simply a tool to slow down your attacker while you, and even your family, escape from harm's way. Ordinarily these small pistols have an adequate magazine capacity, so don't spare your shots. I like to practice two and three shot bursts while retreating and looking for the best opportunity to escape. Be imaginative but be safe! These small calibers won't stop a man like using a shotgun would. You must shoot accurately with them. Amazing results can be produced if you learn to shoot well. In other words shoot your handgun, or take a shooting course, until you're confident firing it. They're small, but the real deal, and lethal!
Statistics show us that these small handguns only stop an attacker 25% of the time with a body or torso shot. We have to fire at the neck and face to have the greatest effect? That sounds a "bit much" naturally, but I believe that several unexpected bursts from an out of sight, "palmed" pistol will send your attacker reeling back, perhaps with lethal wounds. If not, they will disengage as the fire, noise and searing pain, caused by one of these tiny projectiles ripping into their body, changes their mind quickly! Now you are in control of the situation.
Are Small Bore Handguns Worth It?For those among you who currently use
high voltage stun guns and
pepper sprays for self defense, but yearn for the feeling of security that only a pistol can provide, I thought I'd explore the mini's capacity for mayhem a little further and share my test results with you.
It's been driving me nuts to test the veracity of the statistics that I based my previous paragraph on. Those being; that small caliber loads like the .22 rimfire, 25.acp and 32.acp would require 4 shots to put the attacker down. I dry fire my handguns often and after many years of practicing combat style shooting, my results are probably better than average. Lets see how well I did with my "small caliber" test firing session.
My Test Grouping:I pulled out my favorite "pocket rocket", a .22 rimfire made by Sterling - probably a couple of decades old and shot quite a bit. It is a very solid little piece and fits comfortably in the hand. It sports a 2 1/4" barrel and magazine capacity of 6 rounds.
We recently purchased a new "range" for the kitchen and put the old one out against our barn, leaning against the woodpile. It's great living in a rural setting with enough "elbow room" to walk out in the yard, set up a target, get out your pistol and
safely "have at it"!
Reality is key in practicing any self defense technique or weapons training. I walked up to the old stove as if it were a few thugs in a dimly lit parking garage, and yelling at me to stop. I later measured that my absolute minimum comfort zone had been reached at 3 1/2 paces (about 8 - 10 feet). I had both hands in the pockets of an old windbreaker, the little semi-automatic loaded with 6 "Stingers" on board (Manufacturer: CCI, Bullet Weight: 32 grains, Velocity: 1600+ FPS), and one round already chambered - with safety ON!
At this point I started talking to that old stove. I'd say "look man, I don't want any trouble", but as my imaginary target started pulling a pistol out, or began to thrust with his knife, I put a quick 2 shot burst into him seeing the holes appear magically side by side. One about in the sternum and the other a little lower and to the target's heart area. I quickly moved backwards three steps (now at 8 paces or about 24 feet) and unloaded two more double tap bursts methodically into the menacing stove. Surprisingly, my 3rd shot hit right at the navel and the 4th just below the contraption's lung, below the liver but probably catching the ascending colon. Rounds 5 and 6 were both grazing shots on the left side with a possibility of hitting the torso but most probably the left arm of the opponent.
Your results may vary but I am quite sure my initial 2 shot burst were both "stoppers" and probably fatal. The 3rd and 4th shots would certainly be fatal (without timely medical attention) and I believe they were both in spots that would have immediately "stopped" any further aggression. The 5th and 6th shots were very close but not "stoppers", had they been fired first. Now that's not to shabby for my little relic of a .22 auto-loader is it?
When going to battle with sticks, blades, guns or empty hands, all have one commonality: if you want to survive you'd better practice, and then practice some more! Or, like an old Kung-fu adage I read remarked: "if you don't train every day then do not go out to meet the enemy".
*Note: We do not advocate the carrying or use of firearms. This article is not a guide to the use of lethal force in any way, shape or form. It exists for informational purposes only!
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