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Some very popular wheel guns of the old west didn't have much more energy on impact than a modern .380 ACP.

In Northfield Minnesota Cole Younger was shot 14 times and survived. I would not want to bet my life on an anemic round


The 45 Colt in black powder loadings in the 1800's used a 260 grain bullet at 800+ FPS hardly an anemic round

I have a Glock 20 that I added a 6" slide and a 6" barrel to, and I mounted a Docter red-dot site on it. Where ever that dot is within 25 yards is where the bullet is going to hit. I load Double Tap ammunition 135 grain HPs.

My Surefire M6 Gaurdian is right beside it. I'm considering mounting a light+laser on it, and putting Docter on something else.

True, but Wild Bill Hickok did OK with his pair of .36 caliber Colt 1851 Navy Revolvers. Probably hits about like a .380 ACP. But he probably put his shots where they counted.

Hickok was an extrmely good shot by all accounts.


36 Remington, 1858 6.5 inch 32 grains 3F Pyrodex 130 grains, Conical 976 ft/s

Oh absolutely. There wasn't a whole bunch of quick draw if any at all. I've only seen two rigs from that period that could be called quick draw. One was a shoulder holster and one was the belt slide that a Colt with an over size screw head fit into. I don't know just how fast that was.

Guns of the time period that were used for personal defense were small short barrel hand guns. Some of rather large caliber such as the Store Keeper or Sheriff's model and the Webley. Derringers were of course, popular. The personal defense guns were usually used at very close range and usually in saloons.

Of course, if one was going into a known shoot out such as the infamous OK Corral that's when the big iron came out which included the double barrel shot gun or even rifles.

Personal defense is close range from the end of your arm to about three feet more or less. Big iron isn't needed but if anybody wants to carry it by all means go ahead.

The original OP asked what was a person's favorite self defense or as I have found out personal defense and for me it's going to be a small gun that's light weight easy to carry and something I'll have with me at all times.

This is pretty much the last word as I've covered this every which way but lose.

Gunfights of the "Old West" generally weren't much of a fight, and the only reason they were called gun fights is because a gun was involved. The large majority of them were a sneak shot in the back, or a contact wound from the only armed combatant. Hollyweird has distorted "gunfights" as much as they distort almost everything else.

Who said anything about Hollyweird?

Back to pistols:



A different 1911 might get the nod at different times, but this one shoots well and is totally trustworthy.

That is a nice looking weapon.

Self-defense tactics and handguns for same are two distinct topics. In fact, tactics is a scientific discipline. The more one delves into tactics the easier handgun selection becomes.

The 1911A1 is the only handgun of which I am aware that was designed to be a close quarters battle handgun. It was not designed as a double-action semi-auto and applied to battle situations.

The absolute minimum caliber I would even consider as capable of saving my life is .40 S&W. .45 ACP is preferred. At the risk of heresy, a .357 Mag would be far from my preferred tactical handgun.

Big magnum handguns such as the .41 Rem Mag on up are not tactical handguns. Therefore I would exclude them from self-defense consideration. In a gunfight, you must expect to fire more than a single round while responding tactically. Hence, you'll want a powerful handgun that does not produce excessive recoil thus taking you off sight picture.

Now by my mileage calculations, the single best tactical handgun for self-defense is a Model 1911A1. But I'll be doggone if others don't get different mileage.

In the end, you gotta choose what's right for you.

Finally, remember that in a gunfight, someone is trying to kill you. So if you want to survive one, don't get in one. Avoidance is a good idea to keep in mind. I don't much cotton to the idea of lying supine on a pathologist's examination gurney.


Stay Safe,

R

You did in a way; it was the next logical comment following your post about gunfights. Hollyweird has distorted a one-on-one armed conflict to the point of being ludicrous. If you�re serious about self-protection you not only need to choose the proper tool, you need training, and you need to be trained in realistic scenarios, not the type Hollyweird feeds us. When the schit hits the fan you will do what you were trained to do. If you don�t train, and/or haven�t been trained, then when the moment of truth arrives you�ll do exactly what you were trained to do � nothing, other than get shot and die.

The best self-defense firearm is the one you have with you when you are facing a deadly force encounter.

Well said, and welcome to the Fire.

The best scenario for a gunfight is to avoid it, that not being possible have you gun in hand, not still in the holster. If you know you are going to be in one bring a rifle, also bring friends with rifles.

Shotguns aren't bad either

[quote=bea175]If you could have only one what would it be? My choice would be my Glock 23 with two barrel 40 S&W and the 357 Sig barrel. Nothing beats the Glock in my opinion. [/quote

IMHO, this does!!

Ed Brown Special Forces 1911.

Magnumdood,

I like your analysis. You seem to have knowledge of self-defense. However, there is one area where I disagree. I used to carry a Model 60. It's small and easy to conceal. But it's all but worthless for saving my life. The best gun for saving my life is a 1911A1 or my Sig P-229 in .40 S&W. So in a moment of reflection, which I can do from time-to-time, especially after something bad has happened to me such as dropping a small fortune on a chick whom I thought was going to get lucky only to find out I shoulda left her in the pasture in which I found her, that I was stupid to trust my life to a gun that's likely to get me killed.

If you don't have the best self-defense gun with you when you need it, then by definition, your life is in the hands of one that ain't. Therefore, and this is my usual refrain to my friends, is to carry the gun that causes YOU to feel most secure.

I am teaching my good friend self-defense. He wanted to go shooting with a bunch of handguns. I asked him to choose the one that he feels will save his life (A .45 ACP of course!), and take only it. One of Raisuli's Rules of Gunfighting, I can't remember which one because I ain't bright enough to write 'em down but I know 'em by heart, is to make one handgun your primary self-defense gun and thoroughly know how to use it.

Gun fighting is a deadly business, which is why I don't like it. I'd like to do a lot more above ground activities as long as God allows. So far I have had the good fortune of avoiding dodging bullets, but then again I don't take stupid risks like wandering into LA at night if at all. I stay the hell away from bad areas.

I very rarely carry a gun, but when I do it's one that's most likely to save my life.

Magnumdood, I know you know the following, so please bear with me so that others who might not know it can gain knowledge that might save their lives. Really bad guys train, such as gangbangers. Many can use their weapons as well as cops use theirs. They rarely caper alone, which means that were one foolish enough to intervene, you ain't gunna gunfight just one bad guy, which means you're probably gunna die. Many have knowledge of military tactics. So I'd recommend adhering to Raisuli's Gunfighting Rule Number 1: The only sure way to survive a gunfight is to not get in one; therefore, avoidance assures survival. That's a pretty simple rule to live by, or die by if you violate it.


Stay Safe,

R

The Real Hawkeye,

Thank you.

Many isnstances of out numbered men that survived the confrontation both in Military action as well as on the street

I agree that not being in a gunfighter means a 100% percent survivablity, but being in one doesn't guarenty non survival either

So what were all the others designed to be? Framing hammers? Coffee makers? Jockstraps? If a handgun isn't for hunting or target shooting, what is it intended for? Curious as to what you're saying here.