Am I alone?

[ladder13]

Nowadays the biggest guns I go with are a 38-3 J frame with +P Gold Dots, or my P365, again, with +P Gold Dots.

I see no personal use for a magnum other than hunting and making fireballs at the range (I grew out of that phase), so carry no magnum capable firearm.

 

[Mule Packer]

Several years ago, I used to go packing up in the wilderness areas with a grizzled old cowboy who was crippled up in one leg. We both had pack strings and found that we got along pretty good together. He always packed an old Smith and Wesson .38 with stag grips. Anyway, one particular outing, we were having a similar discussion about handgun calibers. His reply to my opinion on various cartridges was, "Tell me...just how much deader than dead can you kill somethin'?"

After thinking it over, I figure the ol' boy made pretty good sense.

 

[delcrossv]

342 with Underwood 125 grn +p bonded hollowpoints.
Works for me!

 

[diyj98]

Since my hands are registered as lethal weapons, any firearm is overkill for me.

Actually yes a match will start a fire, but what if the wood is wet? That flamethrower might come in handy. I'm fine with a 38 special, but I don't believe there's such a thing as too much muzzle energy or too much capacity so long as the shooter can handle it.

 

[delcrossv]

...... I'm fine with a 38 special, but I don't believe there's such a thing as too much muzzle energy or too much capacity so long as the shooter can handle it.

Well heck, I'm pretty handy with my 460V, but it prints pretty bad when stuffed in the front pocket of my Bermuda shorts.

 

[Deceasedeye]

Over penetration is a result of bullet choice, not caliber. If you feel 38 is adequate for you then so be it. But to try and tell anyone who doesn't agree with that theory that they are wrong and are somehow recklessly endangering everyone around them by caring a more powerful caliber smacks of arrogance. Carry what you want and don't question anyone else's choice. Just because you think something doesn't mean you're right...

The only post I've seen calling people stupid and smacking of arrogance is from a magnum advocate. A hypothetical situation was cited but I haven't read (recklessly endangering everyone around them) in any other post but yours.

 

[Honest-Ab]

Why use a flame thrower to start a fire when a single match will do the job? I read a lot of posts that put down the 38 Special. IMHO a 2" magnum handgun for self defence is OVERKILL squared.

I generally carry a SIG 323 in .380. I think it's enough. But part of me wants to carry a Desert Eagle in 50AE.

 

[RWPBR]

Wow.. Overkill? ... Decapitation? .. Where are you guys getting this super Uber 357 Magnum Thunder God ammo? Are they Thor's own handloads?

 

[tops]

If a whole herd of people are coming at you having bullets that will go plumb through would be as asset. You could get twofers and maybe some threefers. Larry

 

[Lostaro]

Carry the biggest gun you can/will carry...load it with the most powerful round you can control...that combo is gonna be different for everyone...
I carry a snub with .38's most days...ain't gonna tell anyone else what to do, I might be wrong

 

[Telecaster]

Huh. A caliber war thread with a twist. Whodathunkit.

 

[oysterer]

A local department switched to 40 Glocks years back. On a cold winter day they had a threat coming at them wearing 2 sweaters and a heavy leather jacket over it. Many many 9mm could not stop the threat. 38 even less so. I load lots of 38 spl target rounds and love shooting them but for defense they are not a consideration. 38 and 9s are useful if nothing else is available in that situation. I also load a lot of 44 spl target loads with lead SWCs and now thats another story.

 

[Muss Muggins]

I'd like to read about this firefight. Got a link or enough info I can search for it . . . ?

A local department switched to 40 Glocks years back. On a cold winter day they had a threat coming at them wearing 2 sweaters and a heavy leather jacket over it. Many many 9mm could not stop the threat. 38 even less so. I load lots of 38 spl target rounds and love shooting them but for defense they are not a consideration. 38 and 9s are useful if nothing else is available in that situation. I also load a lot of 44 spl target loads with lead SWCs and now thats another story.

 

[Buford57]

And I can't understand why any man would want to marry a blonde or a redhead when God is still making brunettes. It's overkill.

 

[dr. mordo]

Why use a flame thrower to start a fire when a single match will do the job? I read a lot of posts that put down the 38 Special. IMHO a 2" magnum handgun for self defence is OVERKILL squared.

To quote a SEAL buddy of mine, there's no such thing as overkill, there's just dead.

 

[fredj338]

A local department switched to 40 Glocks years back. On a cold winter day they had a threat coming at them wearing 2 sweaters and a heavy leather jacket over it. Many many 9mm could not stop the threat. 38 even less so. I load lots of 38 spl target rounds and love shooting them but for defense they are not a consideration. 38 and 9s are useful if nothing else is available in that situation. I also load a lot of 44 spl target loads with lead SWCs and now thats another story.

News flash, in that scenario, I doubt the 44 would have done any better. Its always shot placement. I would bet most hits were non vitals or the guy was on drugs. His clothing choice was irrelevant.

 

[fredj338]

And I can't understand why any man would want to marry a blonde or a redhead when God is still making brunettes. It's overkill.

Red heads really are overkill. Why There are so few good looking ones.

 

[rubiranch]

If someone needs to be shot and it's up to you, not later but now in a split second and the 357 is what you have I guess you throw it at them. I am an old man now, I started shooting at 12, I have shot competively, so I know about education, training and responsibility, I also know about the heat of the moment. Even the best of us is not perfect!

If you carried a .22 and missed you could kill the person standing next to your target.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

I must resist the temptation to post anything in this thread.

 

[Gunslinger808]

A .38 may command respect, but there is NOTHING like seeing the blue eyed devil that is the igniter on a flame thrower to get you closer to your preferred god...

From one of our shoots