I get emails and calls almost every day asking me "Which gun is right for me?" That would be like you asking me what foundation you should wear, or which brand of shoes will fit you best, it's all personal preference. Do you have big hands or small hands? Do you prefer stainless or matte black? Perhaps you want duracoated pink or baby blue grips? Do you want something full sized with less recoil or something easier to conceal regardless of the recoil? All valid questions, all just PART of the process of picking out your personal concealed carry firearm.
When I, personally, decided to carry a Ruger LCP for my CC, many factors played into that choice. I have small hands, I wanted something easy to conceal, and the price fit into my budget at the time. My Cowboy; however, wasn't exactly pleased with my decision. He did NOT want me to carry a .380 for self-defense. He argued, "That pea shooter isn't going to do anything but piss someone off."
I did my research, I studied videos and ballistics tests and I decided that a hole like the one in the picture above should be more than plenty to stop someone and allow me to get away. I got that picture from this video testing Hornady Critical Defense .380 ACP 90 Gr:
This is the ammunition that I carry for self-defense...BUT, you cannot depend on good ammunition alone when factoring in the ability to be reliable in a self-defense situation. There are several factors to include:
First and foremost - TRAINING: Would you allow your un-trained friend to perform life-saving surgery on you for no reason other than they just happened to have a scalpel in their hand? I don't think so.
In the same way, just because you own a firearm, doesn't mean you know how to use it, especially in a self-defense situation. Take classes, take as many classes as you can, as often as you can. Get to the range - and often - and shoot the firearm that you will carry with the same weight ammo you will carry.
Many of you have heard me say that the LCP is not a plinking gun. It is not "fun" to shoot. I don't take it to the range just to throw lead down range. If I am going just to shoot, I take a full sized gun with me simply because I enjoy shooting and a full sized gun is more fun with easier grip and less recoil. My CC gun, my LCP, is always there with me and I will shoot a few rounds, just to make sure it is firing correctly and to remind my body what it feels like to shoot it.
Next, CLEANING: Is your firearm clean and in proper working order? A dirty gun is an unsafe gun. And don't depend on someone else to clean it for you. This is another place where training comes in. Attend a gun cleaning clinic, visit a local gun smith, and most importantly, check your owner's manual for instructions on the take-down,re-assembly, cleaning schedule and recommended lubrication of your firearm, so that you can responsibly and knowingly care for your own firearm.
Also, POSSESSION: Legally and consistently carrying. If you don't have your firearm with you, it cannot help you to protect yourself. If you are not carrying legally and you do use it, you will likely go to jail...that's not really protecting yourself is it? Sure, you're alive, but you're not much good to your kids and your loved ones incarcerated, are you?
Know the laws of your city and state, as well as federal laws regarding your ability to carry, be it open or concealed, wherever you will be. Know whether you have a Castle Doctrine or not, if there is a Motorist Protection Act in your state, where it is legal and illegal to carry, and whether or not you must be licensed to be in compliance with local and federal ordinances. In order to keep our precious Second Amendment rights, unfortunately, we have to jump through some hoops to make sure that the anti-2A/anti-firearm activists don't obtain the upper hand. Please, don't be the one to feed them their own "ammunition".
Finally, PRACTICE: Yes, I covered this under training, but it bears repeating. Practice with all of the tools you have available. Practice with the shoes that you normally wear. Practice with and without a coat and gloves. Practice drawing from concealed if you have a range that will allow it (check with your range, some don't allow holster draw). Practice with any assisted devices you may have, including a laser sight or speed loader. Oh, and, just my humble little opinion here, not expert advice but I would suggest this: A Crimson Trace Laser Grip is an amazing tool and will shave precious seconds off of your draw and aim time, seconds that are valuable if you are in a self defense situation. Get one, sight it in, learn how to use it, keep the batteries fresh...BUT, with that being said, KNOW HOW TO AIM AND SHOOT WITHOUT IT FIRST! The CT is a device, run on batteries and man-made. It can MALFUNCTION....and if it does, we know, it will most likely be in that one instance when it is most crucial. So practice with it. Practice without it. With any of your tools. Know how to use them, but also know how to live, function, and fire without them.
So, all this said, can my .380 protect me? I absolutely believe so. It might not make the hole shown in the ballistics gel above every time I place a bullet, but if I can depend on my aim and I know where to aim for, I think I have a pretty good shot at protecting myself and those I love.
What caliber, what gun, what ammo should you use? That's personal preference friends. My suggestion, find a group like A Girl and A Gun with functions like Girl's Night Out, where you can go and try out a few different types of firearms: Semi-Automatics, Revolvers, different calibers, compact and full sized. Then decide for yourself what the right choice is for YOU.
Have a beautiful day and a wonderful weekend friends!
With love,
Lady
A 22 caliber will protect you if you use it right.
ReplyDeleteAny gun will protect you if you use them right.
Use them wrong you suffer. Same as anything else in life.
I don't want to moderate posts, unless they are offensive or something, but I don't understand the last comment. First, the point of the post was that, my .380 CAN, in fact, protect me just fine. And second, "Use them wrong, you suffer." Really? I don't find that necessarily so. Someone else may suffer, no one may suffer, who knows what may happen. As I stated in the post, training is important!
ReplyDeleteI am sure that is what you meant, I just want to make sure that misinformation isn't received as part of my post. I gladly appreciate your comments and responses, just want to make sure they are clearly understood.
This is a very encouraging post for me to read. I have tiny hands with really short fingers, and have yet to find a large caliber handgun that "fits". With a rifle I do not seem to have such difficulty, but the largest pistol that suits my hands is the Sig P238, which is really small. Even most other .380 caliber guns have the trigger too far away from where I can reach.
ReplyDeleteI teach women that any gun can protect them as long as they know how to use it. I will eat my words (and my hat LOL) if a woman pulls out a .25 loaded with critical defense or home protection ammo and fires at an intruder in her home, only to have the intruder say, "Oh it's only a .25". Negative Ghostrider, he's going to say "Holy crap! Woman with a gun shooting at me!" and run like you-know-what! On a side note, my profession is as an x-ray technologist. I have actually x-rayed a few folks with badly damaged internal organs due to a round (or 5) of .25 hollow points. Just my 2 cents. Love love love your post!!!
ReplyDeleteI have observed IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) matches. The matches include drawing, reloading, moving, & creating pressure through timing of the course.
ReplyDeleteI am wondering if this would or would not be beneficial for self defense practice? Thanks
Yes, absolutely, like I said, the more training you can get, the better. I like IDPA for self-defense training, as you learn to draw and fire from a holster, as well as drawing and firing under pressure.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have a Ruger LCP, but it is not my primary. I agree 100% that the gun needs to fit the hand. The problem with the LCP is that it can be difficult to control, any soft wrist will result in a mis-feed. I like your ammo choice, it is also my preference for defensive ammo. For me, I shoot my LCP better with one hand than with two. The key is to cant, or anlge you hand slightly inward. I find I have better accuracy and control. All that said, I've recently switched to a Glocl 26 as my backup. Not because I think 9mm is any better than .380 but just the control.
ReplyDeleteGood Post!
Very good write-up, very well stated.
ReplyDeleteI saw a big, bad "associate" outlaw motorcycle gang member, in his leathers, assume parking lot temperature courtesy of one well-prepared AUSA (assistant US Attorney) in the parking lot of a grocery store in a town in the Hill Country here in Texas.
A Sig Sauer P230 and three rounds of Winchester silvertips (this was back in the late 80's) kept the AUSA, his wife and his daughter from being assaulted by a vindictive alpha-hotel.
That little .380acp also saved the good citizens of Texas from wasting money on a trial, incarceration and imprisonment.
So, what's not to like about the .380, eh?
For the record, I keep one in my flight bag at all times.
--AOA