re: Is .32 acp too small

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SLIGHTLY Better than nothing

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Sorry -- had to fix that for you.

If the OP is simply playing the odds, any handgun in any caliber will be effective -- about 70% of the time. (The odds will vary based on your location and the demographics thereof.) That's about the percentage of attackers that will run away simply because they see a gun.

LINK

I think all of us would likely run away if someone pulls a gun on us. The problem with relying on this is that it's dangerous to project our beliefs/values onto thugs.

Roughly 30% (this number will vary based on whose study you look at) of bad guys (BG's) will be on drugs, will be mentally ill and /or belong to a gang. These are the people that are commonly referred to as "motivated attackers."

Motivated/dedicated attackers typically won't stop merely because a gun is introduced into the encounter by the victim. They will have to be rendered incapable of attacking -- and that's where the .32 becomes an issue.

All handguns are puny (with the possible exception of the .50 Desert Eagle mentioned previously. ) But there's little reason to drop too far down the scale. There are quite a few 9mm and .380's that are small enough for pocket carry.

I think we'd all agree that, if we have to stop a BG, making large holes in his body would be better than making small holes. There's a huge difference in terminal ballistics (how deep will the bullet penetrate and what's its diameter after penetrating) between a 9mm and everything smaller. And there's little difference between the terminal ballistics on a 9mm and virtually all of the commonly carried calibers that are larger than a 9mm (.40, .357 .45).

Just my $.02

Good post but I think youre leaving something out..

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any handgun in any caliber will be effective -- about 70% of the time

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Check.

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Roughly 30%...will have to be rendered incapable of attacking

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Check.

However, youre leaving out a percentage of those "motivated attackers" that arent going to stop when they see a firearm but will stop when shot with any firearm.

I dont have statictics but for example:

70% stop at sight of firearm

25% of the remaining "motivated attackers" stop by being shot or shot at

5% of the remaining "motivated attackers" stop when the bullet says so.


BTW, I completely agree with your assessment of the 9mm round relative to other calibers.

I carry the Ruger LCR in 38 sp. in my pocket. Great gun with little printing.