One shot - or follow-ups?

[The Tourist]

"When you're up the creek, use Mozambique."

Sorry, guys, I don't even trust 'big holes.' There are numerous reports of people simply full of adrenaline that took over a dozen hits and kept on going.

Hitting some major boiler room part of the physiology is the only guarantee.

Under duress, your aim might not be what you'd like in a perfect world. The Mozambique drill is a classic because it works.

It ain't rocket science. Even Euc should be able to hit a grapefruit sitting atop a volley ball. Practice, practice, practice, tactical reload, practice.

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bud White]

The controllablitly would be issue of course but a 300 grain or heavier round from say a 454 casull would reall pack and punch and if the guy was doped up would probley do the trick but if they were i would want to be able to get 3-4 off ... Course that doesnt mean that those 3 or 4 will stop him either

[Euclidean]

It ain't rocket science. Even Euc should be able to hit a grapefruit sitting atop a volley ball. Practice, practice, practice, tactical reload, practice.

You say that... and I can hit a cantaloupe perched on a watermelon... don't remember how far away I was though, pretty young at the time. I remember I could barely handle the recoil of a .357 without dropping it and the grips seemed so big.

Cantaloupe everywhere. Yummy.

Well actually yucky. It was rotten fruit.

[Rob72]

But - consider an extreme ( ignore the absurdity factor!) - if (IF) you carried instead something huge like a short barrel .454, hot loaded .44 even - and we assume that you are able to control this for one quick and well placed shot (follow-ups being by default slow) - might it actually be more effective, than multiple well placed shots from something like my SIG? Or your 1911.

The one place I could really see the Big Bores would be in the role of back-up, when you couldn't carry a long gun. A .44 300gr Barnes copper solid will do worlds more damage to a fellow like the recent TX courthouse shooter than a dozen core-mass .45/9mm's. Blunt trauma alone is likely to cause a pneumothorax, and a frontal hit could kill by pericardial tamponade, body armor or no. But. How often do you forsee encountering something like that? Perhaps a back-up mag of sub-gun +P+ ball would be a better option? I'm always reminded of an officer shooting I heard about in Wichita: Routine traffic stop. The perp exits, firing. The first officer out of the car is hit, and goes down (he survived). The second officer fires 26 times for 13 hits (slide-lock twice on his 5906). The DA asked why he felt the need to reload, and keep shooting. His response, "He was still moving. Our policy is to shoot until the target is no longer a threat....." Works for me.....

[Tom357]

Assuming equal shot placement, and no overpenetration, and assuming the kinds of expansion we see in gel, then your three 9mm JHP's are going to damage twice as much tissue as one shot from a .44, .45 or .454. Unless your large caliber shot reaches rifle velocities, it will only cause permanent damage to what it contacts. The large caliber shot may hit harder, but it won't damage more tissue than your three shots (assuming your three shots don't go through the same hole). I'd rather do twice as much damage or more, than trust my shot placement on a moving target under stress to make a one-shot stop.

[rocky]

1 in the head COM should do the trick in any of the service calibers. I would much rather carry my .40 and use 2 or more if needed than carry a .44 all day.

[P95Carry]

The votes are counted!! My SIG stays where it is! Foregone conclusion really.

Thx folks.

[Paul Gomez]

A pretty smart fellow once told me "Anything that needs shooting, needs shooting alot".

He also told me that "Pistols are pathetic, puny popguns" and that I shouldn't expect much out of them.

I'd take 3 rounds [or more] of anything that will punch deep enough to damage vital structures over 1 round of anything, regardless of diameter [talking about pistols, of course ]

[triggertime]

Having fired a 4" barreled .44 mag, one handed, from a high retention position, I'll tell you that the experience was not fun. I quickly learned that loudenboomers do not make practical carry guns for defense against two legged predators. Bears, maybe...

[rfurtkamp]

I still feel well ''comfortable'' with my 15+1!

You shouldn't.

Those MecGar 17+1s are readily available for that pesky Sig these days. :)

When I'm using 15 round range mags I feel undergunned, almost.

[RSSZ]

IMHO, Always double tap. At the range(practice sessions) I never fire one shot. I don't want it to become a bad habit. There is no reason that I can think of to just give the BG one. Multiple BG's? If you get attacked by a squad or platoon of BG's your in deep do-do anyways but then most of you guys and gals carry 30-40 rds. of ammo. Just don't "spray and pray". (Think JC said that)-------

[P95Carry]

Those MecGar 17+1s are readily available for that pesky Sig these days. :)

I do have two factory 20 rounders!! Trouble is they stick out!!

[FortyFive]

P95Carry Thats a mighty sight to behold with a determined and seasoned look as well as that very large muzzle opening.

[P95Carry]

''Seasoned look'' LOL - like that!! In fact when light not bright on muzzle, the hole looks bigger anyways - cos barrel is dark and bore and barrel outer dia sorta merge!! Not a good tunnel to contemplate!

Here is that 20 - as I said - sticks out a bit! So carry stays at flush fitted 15's.

[CLASS3NH]

I found some of those Winchester Sub-sonic 147gr round the other day.bought 4 boxes at 10bucks each.from a LEO I know....I put some thru that bertta 92 I recently aquired and it worked VERY well.....NO excessive muzzle jump..NO FTF or FTE experienced, besides that 92F is huge to begin with.....Might work well in that Sig of yours Chris......worth a good look-see