I was in Missoula today and stopped to look through the library's freebie magazine stash. I found a 1996 Guns & Ammo magazine in which was an article that identified best "one-shot stop" ammunition for calibers from 22 LR through 45 ACP. Identifications were based upon a large database of shootings compiled by people named Marshall and Sarnow??, neither of whose name means anything to me. I found the information on 32 ACP interesting because Winchester silvertip ammunition was identified as being abnormally effective to me while 45 Colt ammunition was, again to me, less effective than I would have thought.

Assuming the database continues to be compiled, is information based on it useful for making valid choices for buying and using factory ammunition intended for self-defense? Regardless whether it is, 1996 ammunition for self-defense in smaller bore sizes, such as 25 ACP, 32 ACP, and 380 ACP, has almost certainly changed for the better.

So what is now "cutting edge" self-defense 32 ACP ammunition - if such a thing exists? And how effective is it when compare with 9x19 mm and 38 Special in handguns intended, more or less, for a similar purpose ?