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I want to toss a slightly off topic question. What about 380?
I ask because MrsM had a thumb reconstruction and severe arthritis of her hands. It took forever to find something that che can rack, fire and handle the recoil. Other than full size stainless pistols and revolvers, the only gun that she can handle (and she handle and shoots very well) is the Sig P238 chambered with 380 ammo. (I have a Glock 19 9mm and Glock 22 40 cal. She can barely handle the 19 and cannot use the 22 because of snap recoil--although she does practice with both of my Glocks and I practice with her tiny Sig just in case)
I know that any pistol is better than no pistol, but how is 380 in stopping power?
Try something like a 147gr standard pressure 9mm in a heavier 9mm pistol like a P226ST. If size is a concern, try the HK VP90. It also has tabs to help her rack the slide if she refuses to rack it using other methods than the "pinch/pull" for whatever reason.
I want to toss a slightly off topic question. What about 380?
I ask because MrsM had a thumb reconstruction and severe arthritis of her hands. It took forever to find something that che can rack, fire and handle the recoil. Other than full size stainless pistols and revolvers, the only gun that she can handle (and she handle and shoots very well) is the Sig P238 chambered with 380 ammo. (I have a Glock 19 9mm and Glock 22 40 cal. She can barely handle the 19 and cannot use the 22 because of snap recoil--although she does practice with both of my Glocks and I practice with her tiny Sig just in case)
I know that any pistol is better than no pistol, but how is 380 in stopping power?
About 20% less than a 9mm; with correct shot placement it is still lethal. My wife uses the S&W bodyguard in 380.
No mention of WHY most bullseye/league precision competition shooters and USMC favors the 1911 and .45 ACP in General?
ACCURACY!!
Of course if anybody that belonged to a gun club and shot bullseye competition and or spent time around any number of Devil Dogs would know that already.
Had a couple 9mm pistols way back when. Never used them much. Sthck with the 45. For all types of competition, which is a biggy for me, its just hands down #1. For Bullseye, the 9 can't keep up, the 40 was t around when I was doing Bullseye. I have no , personal, experience with the 40. For action games, especially steel plate and bowling pins, I do know, that neither the 9 or 40 can beat the 45 ACP. For pins, a 9 won't take them off the table. Not enough weight. I know guys that use a 40, and its OK, but still not as decisive as a 45. Pins are evil creatures. They take big bullets to get them off the table with one shot.
For steel, 9s and 40s do alright. Doesn't game as much to make a hinged plate, on a rack, fall. But, with big pepper poppers on the array, give me my 45. A 9 or 40 doesn't carry enough kinetic energy to keep up with a 45, when your trying to , decicively, knock over a heavy target. From where I'm sitting, that translates to self defense, as well. The 9 , 40 and 45 may have comparable penetration, but the 45 drives home carrying the weight. Brings home the bacon, so to speak. Lol. I like my 45s..
No mention of WHY most bullseye/league precision competition shooters and USMC favors the 1911 and .45 ACP in General?
ACCURACY!!
Of course if anybody that belonged to a gun club and shot bullseye competition and or spent time around any number of Devil Dogs would know that already.
I would not say the 1911 design or the .45 ACP is inherently more accurate than any 9mm gun design or the 9mm cartridge.
But the 1911 and .45 ACP is very, very mature for precision shooting. Its long history and ubiquity allows gunsmiths to be very familiar with it, and the "drop in" design of the gun makes modifications easy. The same is true of the cartridge: Lots of experience, lots of history. I used to hand load .45 myself and constantly tweaked for accuracy--tweaking a bullet and load for accuracy in a particular gun is not hard.
That does not mean off-the-shelf .45 ACP ammunition in off-the-shelf 1911-design guns is inherently more accurate than off-the-shelf 9mm ammunition in off-the-shelf 9mm guns.
Now, for bowling pins, a big old bullet carries more momentum to a dead mass target than does a smaller bullet, but that's not saying everything about such factors as hydrostatic shock in a living target.
I would not say the 1911 design or the .45 ACP is inherently more accurate than any 9mm gun design or the 9mm cartridge.
But the 1911 and .45 ACP is very, very mature for precision shooting. Its long history and ubiquity allows gunsmiths to be very familiar with it, and the "drop in" design of the gun makes modifications easy. The same is true of the cartridge: Lots of experience, lots of history. I used to hand load .45 myself and constantly tweaked for accuracy--tweaking a bullet and load for accuracy in a particular gun is not hard.
That does not mean off-the-shelf .45 ACP ammunition in off-the-shelf 1911-design guns is inherently more accurate than off-the-shelf 9mm ammunition in off-the-shelf 9mm guns.
Now, for bowling pins, a big old bullet carries more momentum to a dead mass target than does a smaller bullet, but that's not saying everything about such factors as hydrostatic shock in a living target.
Several key points play a factor with a 1911 and a .45 ACP usually taking the trophy home. By design it's single action "bow" style trigger slides straight back in a machined track in the frame. Most pistols have a swinging trigger that pivots on a pin in the frame. This "bow" trigger can be safely tuned to produce a consistent 3 1/2 - 4 pound trigger pull in a tuned, custom or gunsmith worked over example. Even a GLOCK has about a 5 1/2 - 6 pound trigger. The trigger can be machined from aircraft grade aluminum and drilled for weight or "skeletonized". They also are drilled or fitted with a over-travel stop pin or set screw to prevent you from pulling through the sear/hammer release notch. Add in a 5" barrel, with good sights, a fitted and tightened barrel bushing, fitted and tightened frame, slide rails to create the effect of the slide moving on roller bearings and superior ergonomics and you have the makings of a weapon that will damn near empty it's entire magazine into on ragged hole no bigger than a U.S. nickel in the right hands. Tuned custom reloads also ring out the weapons potential even further. The famous multi-decades old 200 grain H&G #68 lead semi wad-cutter set to a COL of 1.250"-1.260" with a taper crimp of 0.469" and a 4.8-5.0 grain charge of Aliant Bullseye has been used for well over 50 years. Trimmed cases of 0.888" - 0.893" (make them all the same) will allow you to have proper match grade head spacing and a consistent taper crimp.
Using some of the new Hornady XTP or Nosler jacketed bullets and VHIT N-310 powder will produce jacketed rounds that will blow your mind and shame your friends into submission. 9mm and .40 S&W handguns can be accurate too in the right hands. The same shooter will almost always shoot EVEN BETTER with a 1911 and a .45 ACP.
How much better?
Good enough for high end manufacturers to give 1" or less at 25 YARDS and 1.5" at 50 YARDS guarantees. They even send a test target with the weapon to confirm this "myth"..........
Several key points play a factor with a 1911 and a .45 ACP usually taking the trophy home. By design it's single action "bow" style trigger slides straight back in a machined track in the frame. Most pistols have a swinging trigger that pivots on a pin in the frame. This "bow" trigger can be safely tuned to produce a consistent 3 1/2 - 4 pound trigger pull in a tuned, custom or gunsmith worked over example. Even a GLOCK has about a 5 1/2 - 6 pound trigger. The trigger can be machined from aircraft grade aluminum and drilled for weight or "skeletonized". They also are drilled or fitted with a over-travel stop pin or set screw to prevent you from pulling through the sear/hammer release notch. Add in a 5" barrel, with good sights, a fitted and tightened barrel bushing, fitted and tightened frame, slide rails to create the effect of the slide moving on roller bearings and superior ergonomics and you have the makings of a weapon that will damn near empty it's entire magazine into on ragged hole no bigger than a U.S. nickel in the right hands. Tuned custom reloads also ring out the weapons potential even further. The famous multi-decades old 200 grain H&G #68 lead semi wad-cutter set to a COL of 1.250"-1.260" with a taper crimp of 0.469" and a 4.8-5.0 grain charge of Aliant Bullseye has been used for well over 50 years. Trimmed cases of 0.888" - 0.893" (make them all the same) will allow you to have proper match grade head spacing and a consistent taper crimp.
Using some of the new Hornady XTP or Nosler jacketed bullets and VHIT N-310 powder will produce jacketed rounds that will blow your mind and shame your friends into submission. 9mm and .40 S&W handguns can be accurate too in the right hands. The same shooter will almost always shoot EVEN BETTER with a 1911 and a .45 ACP.
How much better?
Good enough for high end manufacturers to give 1" or less at 25 YARDS and 1.5" at 50 YARDS guarantees. They even send a test target with the weapon to confirm this "myth"..........
My P226 will pull off 5 shots in around 1-1.5" at 25 yards. For gaming, that's fine. All I care about is "Can it tag a target in the A-zone at 50 yards if I do my part?" If the answer is "Yes", then that's good 'nuff! I got away from high-end 1911's because they were so finicky, and because they were low capacity compared to the plastic guns.
I want to toss a slightly off topic question. What about 380?
I ask because MrsM had a thumb reconstruction and severe arthritis of her hands. It took forever to find something that che can rack, fire and handle the recoil. Other than full size stainless pistols and revolvers, the only gun that she can handle (and she handle and shoots very well) is the Sig P238 chambered with 380 ammo. (I have a Glock 19 9mm and Glock 22 40 cal. She can barely handle the 19 and cannot use the 22 because of snap recoil--although she does practice with both of my Glocks and I practice with her tiny Sig just in case)
I know that any pistol is better than no pistol, but how is 380 in stopping power?
My advice is always to shoot the biggest thing you can handle up to 9mm +P. From that point up you aren't gaining much of anything in the personal defense area.
If the biggest thing she can shoot and practice with is a .380, then that's what she needs to carry.
My arthritic mom carries a Ruger LCR in .22Mag; it's no .45, but it's better than a cell phone.
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