Good self defense caliber?
 

Looking to buy my first gun. Want it primarily for home-defense, and possibly CCW in the future, but will also be doing alot of range/target shooting initially.

I was originally leaning towards a larger caliber for the stopping power, but the guy at the shop made the point 9mm is far more economic.

So what caliber splits the difference? Something thats still kind of cheap, but will stop an attacker with fewer hits?

Is .45 ammo really that expensive? I've never owned a 9mm or a .45 so I've never really paid attention. I know the .40 is expensive to shoot, but I thought the .45 wasn't bad.

I took a quick look through wal-mart and it seemed 9mm was around $12.50 a box and most others started around $18-30 a box.

However not all boxes were clearly marked with a qty, and within each caliber there seemed to be many different kinds of rounds, with a large price variation so it was hard to get a good comparison.

Well, your best bet is to shoot a bunch of them to see which one you like the best. For most calibers, the cost of ammo should be very low on your list of priorities for picking a weapon. It's different if you're talking about something exotic, but for standard calibers pick what you like and what fits you.

Do you have an Academy store nearby?
I buy Blazer aluminum case 9mm form them at slightly under $7 a box. Have never had a problem.

When it comes to the security of yourself and your family and property, does a few bucks matter? Get the .45 if you plan to carry it. As for home defense, you can't beat a 12 guage shotgun with Number 6 shot. The shot is big enough to make a difference without killing the neighbors too.

Thanks
 

Good points. Thanks for the comments!

It's all a balancing act!
 

Idealistically, if the choice becomes one of "dead or alive" than money should be no object. Realistically however:

Technically speaking, it's just me; no family or property in the [current] equation. And there is a sliding scale of "cheap guns, no guns, or no food".

Most concrete, decisive advise i've gotten so far, maybe I should take it..

In all seriousness, is this still true in a condo complex when the neighbors are a standard 4-inch interior wall away? I may have to give this consideration.

Cheap don`t mean much if your dead. I`m a wheel gun fan and my choice for ccw is the .44 mag., but I would carry nothing smaller than a .357. In semi auto I would never carry a 9mm, .40 S&W is the bear min. and a .45 auto would be better. The smaller cal`s. will kill people, but if you trying to stop a big guy that is on dope it won`t stop him. Big heavy bullets even if at lower velosities, make better stoppers than smaller faster bullets. Even if they don`t kill the guy he`ll stop and if nessary you`ll have time for a secound or third shot.

Don't fall prey to the caliber wars. Don't forget that firearms are one of the most subjective topics around. Would you buy a pair of shoes just because several other folks suggested that particular pair?

Go to gun shops, gun shows, local ranges, and get your hands on as many guns as you can. Several of them should feel pretty good in your hands. I'm talking about just comfort. A few of them will really feel "just right". Most likely, that manufacturer will make different calibers in a similar frame. If the handgun doesn't "feel right", you'll never shoot it enough to become proficient with it. If you're not proficient with it, you might as well have a baseball bat.

Just my opinion, and worth at best, 2 cents. :rolleyes: