More like... 00 buckshot (and hand grenades. but those are NOT for self defense).

Handguns aren't magic wands, thats for sure.

( the most instructive lesson for me from history is when it came to the close quarters action against the Moro in the Philippines. Forgive me my love of the .45, but the story seems to be that it was more like the Winchester Trench Gun and 00, coupled with the .45 automatic, of course, that came from that particular insurrection which have made a lasting imprint on American history as manstoppers. just sayin, put it where it belongs, and a .45 hardball got the job done. Often very quickly. Even against fanatical opposition.From the plains(.45 long colt, does that count?) to the Philippine Moro to WW1 and WW2, Korea and that not to name a few, up till to the jungles of Vietnam. But I go too far, I wasn't there. My granddad was tho. I just trust the .45. ).

ETA- forgive my spelling.