3 Myths About Handgun Stopping Power

[Shibadog]

When I was a Deputy many many many years ago our service weapon was a model 19 Smith & Weston and you had 2 dumps six rounds each. The department was small and not a lot of extras. We were told we should carry a backup because backup could be some what of a wait for support to arrive. Our shotgun was a Winchester model 97, not the safest shotgun as across the country reports of ADs with this weapon was made from a lot of departments but that was then and we are in the now. I remember the time we spent making sure we could hit what we were firing at.

Sadly I fear the problem today is many folks, including a fair number of LEO’s, do NOT practice enough to insure they can hit what they’re shooting at, relying instead on the 15, 20 or more rounds they have in each magazine rather than in shooting skill. And that completely ignores where all the “misses” go-and they ALL go somewhere, into property or, in the worst case, other people. I find the whole “spray and pray” concept very concerning, yet that is “the” thing for a lot of folks these days. In the real world the first round or two ON Target, will typically resolve the issue. One hit will beat 20 misses, every, single, time.

 

[The Night Rider]

I don't trust anything smaller than this.

 

[1canvas]

Sadly I fear the problem today is many folks, including a fair number of LEO’s, do NOT practice enough to insure they can hit what they’re shooting at, relying instead on the 15, 20 or more rounds they have in each magazine rather than in shooting skill. And that completely ignores where all the “misses” go-and they ALL go somewhere, into property or, in the worst case, other people. I find the whole “spray and pray” concept very concerning, yet that is “the” thing for a lot of folks these days. In the real world the first round or two ON Target, will typically resolve the issue. One hit will beat 20 misses, every, single, time.

It’s a bit difficult to make good hits when your surprised, the target and you are both moving, the bad guy is shooting back at you, and you are having an adrenaline dump . Something that can’t be duplicated on the range .

 

[Lab4Us]

It’s a bit difficult to make good hits when your surprised, the target and you are both moving, the bad guy is shooting back at you, and you are having an adrenaline dump . Something that can’t be duplicated on the range .

Hard to get those acorns to fall on the range…

 

[Model 457]

Sadly I fear the problem today is many folks, including a fair number of LEO’s, do NOT practice enough to insure they can hit what they’re shooting at, relying instead on the 15, 20 or more rounds they have in each magazine rather than in shooting skill. And that completely ignores where all the “misses” go-and they ALL go somewhere, into property or, in the worst case, other people. I find the whole “spray and pray” concept very concerning, yet that is “the” thing for a lot of folks these days. In the real world the first round or two ON Target, will typically resolve the issue. One hit will beat 20 misses, every, single, time.

I have a lot to say about this one. First and foremost, I couldn't agree with you more on the "spray & pray" mentality. In my day of being LE, a very brief day I might add, we did not have semi autos readily available. Some neighboring departments issued the new S&W semi auto 9s. We had wheel guns with a minimum two speed loaders hanging on our belt. We trained, practiced, and drilled relentlessly because the spray and pray option didn't exist. You had 6 shots. Every single one had better count.

As for the "stopping power" argument - As most before me have stated, shot placement makes all of the difference in the world. I have zero doubt that I can effectively defend myself with a 9, 45, 357, etc. However, one study most of the pundits avoid talking about discusses the mental impact of being shot. This article touched on it but didn't really peel the onion back. I speak from experience in that during my short lived LE career, I was involved in three shootouts and sustained gunshot wounds in two of them. Jokingly nobody in the department wanted to be a backup on any of my calls because I seemed to always end up on the calls that ended 11-99.

What I can tell you from experience is that when you sizzle 4 rounds of 9 through a hopped up tweaker, more times than not he'll keep advancing. However, hit the same dude with 2 rounds of 45, he goes into shock pretty quickly. In, or about 1995ish, the S&W Model 457 was approved for carry by my department provided you could qualify with it. I've carried a Model 457 as my EDC since the first time I personally witnessed the difference between the 9 and the 45 when trying to drop a hopped up tweaker.