Gentlemen, I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and comments on a brief article I intend to submit for publication in the monthly newsletter of a small organization. The article can't be very long, so I've glossed over a great deal.
The organization is Mensa (or, more particularly, South Texas Mensa) with a few more than 400 members.
I will quickly concede that I am no expert on firearms and most of you have forgotten more than I will ever know. That said, I would like to encourage the members of the organization to develop an appreciation of firearms and no one else seems willing to do so.
So...for your amusement...
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Choosing a Firearm for Concealed Carry
If you have a permit that authorizes you to carry a concealed handgun, and you choose to make use of that privilege, you face the question of which firearm is best. There is no one answer, and certainly no easy answer. On the one hand, some advocate using the largest caliber available, for example the 45 caliber semiautomatic pistol. Others contend that a smaller weapon is both sufficient and effective. Some consider the 25 caliber semiautomatic pistol, or even a 22 caliber firearm as sufficient. The purpose of this brief article is not to offer answers, but rather to stimulate the critical inquiry that may help you come to an answer that fits your needs.
One of the first choices is between the revolver and the semiautomatic pistol. The revolver has the advantages of high dependability and simplicity. The semiautomatic pistol tends to be flatter, and often offers a greater ammunition capacity. Either firearm can be entirely effective. According to a recent New York police study, about 68% of conflicts involving police required five or fewer shots from the perspective of the officer involved. About 22% required 6 to 10 shots. And 11% involved 11 or more shots (NYPD, 2007). From this, we might conclude that the revolver has sufficient ammunition for roughly 2/3 of the encounters involved.
It is worth noting that the supposed knockdown power of even the largest caliber handgun is not a significant factor. Rather, the important issues are penetration of the target by the bullet and the diameter of the wound. Given the realities of human physiology, this means the bullet should penetrate at least 12 inches into the target. That said, over penetration represents a risk to innocent bystanders and should be avoided (Patrick, 1989).
With due consideration of the foregoing, at least one highly qualified user suggests that the smallest weapon caliber for revolver is the 38 special, with options for semiautomatic handguns ranging from 9mm at the smallest through .40 caliber and up to a .45 caliber pistol (The_Reaper, 2005). Further corroboration is provided a webpage provided by Yahoo (McKay, 2009). These choices may somewhat simplify the decision process, providing a starting point for the new shooter who has not yet decided on the best firearm for themselves.
Whatever choice the aspiring handgun owner might make, the issue of proficiency remains. That can only be accomplished through regular practice. Those who wish to practice are encouraged to participate in the shooting SIG, which meets on the fourth Saturday of each month and is announced in the bulletin.
Bibliography
McKay, L. (2009). Five Best Pistol Calibers Retrieved 03/08, 2011, from
http://www.associatedcontent.com/art...rs.html?cat=41
NYPD. (2007). New York City Police Department Annual Firearms Discharge Report. New York, NY: Retrieved from
http://www.nyc.gov/html/nypd/downloa...rge_report.pdf.
Patrick, U. W. (1989). Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness. Quantico, VA: Retrieved from
http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf.
The_Reaper. (2005). Concealed Carry Weapons Retrieved Mar. 08, 2011, from
http://www.professionalsoldiers.com/...ead.php?t=9449
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