While much depends on how a weapon fits and feels while using it, an honest appraisal of your abilities and your commitment to practice and where you think you will use that firearm for defense.
While the .357 magnum is still considered the best “one shot man stopper” round even yet today, the bulk and weight of a revolver chambered in .357 coupled with the heavier recoil makes it less appealing to most shooters. Plus it is a lot more expensive to practice with. The current standard handgun thinking is 9mm is the correct choice. It’s popular with militarizes around the world because it’s cheaper to make and it’s easier to train raw recruits in a reasonable amount if time to be at least adequate in it’s use. That also tend to hold true for civilians.
A “nightstand gun” vs “carry guns” is another issue. A home defense gun that doesn’t get carried can be larger and heavier than one you might want to regularly carry. Carrying a pistol can be a pain in the ass after a long day.
Think about where you might need to use that gun. A home defense gun in an urban area or inside an apartment, over penetration is a serious issue. A lot of rounds can easily go through walls and kill someone sleeping on the other side. The .357 is one of them and 9mm is not a lot better either. Oddly enough, the 5.56 rifle round, when tested, tends to penetrate walls less often than many self-defense handgun rounds - YMMV. An AR15 could be the safest choice for many.
My personal choice for a self-defense handgun is a 9mm SIG P365XL, (no safety version). It fits my XXL hand very well, points naturally when acquiring the target, and I like the flat trigger and sights. My wife prefers the S&W 9mm EZ, (manual safety plus grip safety). She likes the fit and the slightly less muzzle flip between shots.
Thank you very much for that nice well thought out summary…I will say despite the 357s stopping power I’ve see enough crime shows with cops facing a guy with an automatic weapon while they struggle to reload a sex shooter to know I need a semi automatic, because in my head I am a hero…but my logic knows I’m not…yet.
If you look at the shooting records complied by the FBI, for civilian self-defense where shots are fired, in the majority of encounters 4 or less shots are fired. At that point, everyone is running away like they got somewhere else to be or they are down and bleeding out. Because, as it turns out, no one wants to get shot. So a 6 shot revolver is still actually pretty viable for self-defense. Hell, a brace of flintlock pistols might be enough…
In any case, no matter what gun you choose, you are correct - get training, practice, practice, practice. And always remember that if it ever actually comes down to it -You only have one job. Survive the encounter to get away. That’s it.
While much depends on how a weapon fits and feels while using it, an honest appraisal of your abilities and your commitment to practice and where you think you will use that firearm for defense.
While the .357 magnum is still considered the best “one shot man stopper” round even yet today, the bulk and weight of a revolver chambered in .357 coupled with the heavier recoil makes it less appealing to most shooters. Plus it is a lot more expensive to practice with. The current standard handgun thinking is 9mm is the correct choice. It’s popular with militarizes around the world because it’s cheaper to make and it’s easier to train raw recruits in a reasonable amount if time to be at least adequate in it’s use. That also tend to hold true for civilians.
A “nightstand gun” vs “carry guns” is another issue. A home defense gun that doesn’t get carried can be larger and heavier than one you might want to regularly carry. Carrying a pistol can be a pain in the ass after a long day.
Think about where you might need to use that gun. A home defense gun in an urban area or inside an apartment, over penetration is a serious issue. A lot of rounds can easily go through walls and kill someone sleeping on the other side. The .357 is one of them and 9mm is not a lot better either. Oddly enough, the 5.56 rifle round, when tested, tends to penetrate walls less often than many self-defense handgun rounds - YMMV. An AR15 could be the safest choice for many.
My personal choice for a self-defense handgun is a 9mm SIG P365XL, (no safety version). It fits my XXL hand very well, points naturally when acquiring the target, and I like the flat trigger and sights. My wife prefers the S&W 9mm EZ, (manual safety plus grip safety). She likes the fit and the slightly less muzzle flip between shots.
Thank you very much for that nice well thought out summary…I will say despite the 357s stopping power I’ve see enough crime shows with cops facing a guy with an automatic weapon while they struggle to reload a sex shooter to know I need a semi automatic, because in my head I am a hero…but my logic knows I’m not…yet.
Time for me to get some lessons
They make a pill for that!
Goddamn autocorrect I’m leaving it
If you look at the shooting records complied by the FBI, for civilian self-defense where shots are fired, in the majority of encounters 4 or less shots are fired. At that point, everyone is running away like they got somewhere else to be or they are down and bleeding out. Because, as it turns out, no one wants to get shot. So a 6 shot revolver is still actually pretty viable for self-defense. Hell, a brace of flintlock pistols might be enough…
In any case, no matter what gun you choose, you are correct - get training, practice, practice, practice. And always remember that if it ever actually comes down to it -You only have one job. Survive the encounter to get away. That’s it.
*With proper rounds, frangible or hollow point. Steel cores zip through and even straight ball isn’t the best.
Important note.
You are of course correct. I just didn’t want to get too far off on a tangent. So I left that for you to teach. ;)