Top 5 Self-Defense Handgun Cartridges

1. Hey Everyone, our apologies but there were some technical issues with the original posting of this story so I had to recreate it and repost it so we lost eight of the comments that had already been posted. Didn’t want anyone thinking the thought police had come in and taken down their innocuous comments for no reason. I will post them back here.

   • Speaking of technical glitches, I occasionally use my phone to view this website while waiting at a doctor’s office for 20 minutes. Today, on my phone, I could only see articles that were two days old. I don’t think my phone was the root cause, although I spent very little time trying to find a solution.

     • Bizarre. Not sure what would’ve caused that but sorry for the hassles on your end. Waiting for the doc can be mind-numbing. Had to do it yesterday. Nice to be able to read something you want. I’ll ask my tech guy if he has any ideas.

       • For reference I could see all content that was two days old or older. I just could not see the latest content. I even closed that tab in my phone’s browser and reloaded this site–to no avail.

         I have Android Operating System.

         • Hey uncommon, this was brought to my attention this morning and addressed. We had an issue with cache for the homepage from a plugin, it (should) have been fixed since. Let us know if you’re still experiencing any technical issues.

           • Justin,

             I just checked my cell phone and it looks like everything is working correctly now.

             (The glitch that I experienced was around 11:25 a.m. this morning.)

       • Tried to buy shoes online today – major retailers having issues w/ search. Maybe the IT community is miffed about the election?

   • Hi Doug, just ran across a very interesting story – 11k rnds 7.62 x ?, confiscated at El Paso portal. No biggie, except it was in transit from Mexico to US (?!).

     LOL, maybe a return? Or more sinister, supplies for Harris/Mayorkas imports?

2. While not exactly a carry gun, the new LC Carbines from Ruger in both .45acp and 10mm are excellent home defense guns. Equipped with a muzzle brake .45acp+P ammo is light recoiling and extremely powerful. Stick a 26 round mag in it (or the 30 rnd mag for 10mm), and you’ve got a HD gun that will take care of anything that comes thru the door.

3. From JWM:

   I’m willing to bet that there are as many folks carrying snubbie .38’s on the daily as there are carrying .380’s.

   • I bet a lot more carry snubby .38sp than carry .357 magnum in a revolver. The special not the magnum should be on this list. Don’t get me wrong. I love the .357 in a full sized revolver. While I frequently carry my .38sp (and .380, and 9mm), I never carry my 4″ Security Six .357mag.

     • Yeah. I wouldn’t want to carry a full sized .357 around except in the boonies.

   • Same. .38 spl is much more popular than .380.

4. From SAFEupstateFML:

   May see that shift over time (more 380s made than 38spc) but for the moment I would argue more with the 38 than 380.

5. From Live Free:

   Don’t see the 45 magazine problem? I have 10, 13 and 18 round mags for our Glock 21’s and 30’s.
   Yes they stick out some, but that is real firepower. They work with any range ammo except steel case and Gold Dot Short Barrel is good for carry.

   • From SAFEupstateFML:

     They remain the most popular cartridges in this space for a reason. We might eventually see 10mm in greater use but I would be amazed if it ever managed to tie 45acp let alone 357.

6. From Elmer Fudd:

   What about 12 gauge shotgun?

   • Oh, and Elmer Fudd, a 12-gauge shotgun is great for home defense. This was a handgun caliber article though so just didn’t fit in this discussion.

   • Too many stamps and doesn’t conceal carry well.

     • (snicker)

7. From Sam I Am

   Subtle entry in the calibre wars. Bottom Line: real men carry nothing less than .500; everything else is just a noise maker (being a .22LR owner/shooter, I know whereof I speak).

8. From LazrBeam:

   Other viable options, at least for me, are the .44 Spl, the .38 Spl +P, and the .327 Federal Magnum (or even .32 H&R Mag). Ultimately, all of these as well as those in the article are good.

   • LazrBeam,

     Those three cartridges are incredibly useful as well.

     I will argue that ammunition variety and availability at local gun stores for .327 Federal Magnum and .44 Special are incredibly lacking and thus a significant demerit. Aside from that, those are excellent cartridges.

     Of course .38 Special +P is rock solid for self-defense with proper bullet selection.

     • Uncommon – Yeppers, .327 Fed Mag and .44 Spl can occasionally be a little difficult to source AND can be a bit pricey. That’s why I’ve stocked up on them when I can find them at a decent cost. As for the .38 Spl +P, those can usually be located just fine. I’m partial to Hornady Critical Defense 110 gr +P, Underwood 130 grain +P, both of these for snubbies, and for the 4 inch barrels I really like the 158 gr. lead SWCHP +P, which are a bit much for a snub nose. So much to choose from, so little time!!

9. This is a solid article and touches upon the most significant pros and cons of the most common (and useful) self-defense handgun calibers.

10. From Xddulyelected official:

    Top defensive handgun cartridges:
    .357Magnum
    .45acp—-
    BTW the 9Makarov is a hot rod .380, don’t know why people don’t use it more?

    • Could be because the only guns you can find that shoot it are old Warsaw Pact junk. Nobody’s making new 9 x 18 pistols.

      • Or that the countries making the ammo are mostly not able to effectively import ammo here? More yours I think.

      • cz82

        • Excellent pistol. Got one. Very reliable. Very accurate. There’s a LGS around here that regularly has 9 mm Mak, in a variety of flavors (ball and JHP), in stock.

    • 9x18mm is my EDC. Used to be way cheaper and more available back in the day. Places like Academy don’t even stock it any more. Miss the old Russian Silver Bear. Maybe Orange Man 47 will fix this import ban.

    • Some of us do like and carry the Mak.. it’s a hot little round (and pistol), but hard to find these days. Those of us who can reload are taken care of.

11. I’ll likely stick with my 9’s I can easily pocket carry. I’d carry 40 which I’ve had. Interested in 10mm and 357 in a 3″barrel. No 380 or 38 which I’ve had. No 45. Or rare calibers. I gotta very strong grip(for a 70 year old) & unafraid of recoil🙄

    • If you don’t mind a comp 460 Rowland. With that said be ready for reloading or using buffalo bore/underwood damn near exclusively.

12. There’s that “stopping power” thing again. I’ve been assured by several authors for this website that “stopping power” doesn’t exist and is a myth. I can hunt grizzlies with .32 acp as long as I shoot them through the eye socket.

    .357 and .44 magnum are my principal self-defense cartridges. Performance over capacity. I rarely carry a semi-, but when I do, it’s a .357 SIG.

    • I do enjoy shooting man sized targets at 100 yards with a NY special Sig 320 (full sized slide on subcompact grip) in 357 Sig. Seeing everything hit just a tad under point of aim is neat.

      • I love the terminal performance. I load my Glock 31 magazines with Buffalo Bore 125 grain JHP for the first three rounds (which will cover most situations), then alternate 125 grain FMJ and JHP for barrier penetration performance (if the perp takes cover after the first few shots of the encounter). Each shot is 564+ foot pounds. Some will say ballistics don’t matter, but I think terminal performance is the most important characteristic of a self-defense cartridge.

        I’m sorry, but 9mm squish just doesn’t cut it.

        • I took a long hard look at the FEW but ended up going modular. With that said if you reload the polymer coated 124 and 125 grain hard casts are a cheap way to get a lot of practice. The 68 grain copper solids I need to get chronoed but zipped through all soft armor I was able to test it against up to 2013 era uhmwpe

          • *long hard look at the G31 damned autocorrect.

        • 818 for me, though I usually “settle” for 721 because it’s basically recoilless out of my long-travel setup.

    • Johnny LeBlanc,

      “I can hunt grizzlies with .32 acp as long as I shoot them through the eye socket.”

      (snicker)

    • Johnny LeBlanc,

      I just looked up some of the 10mm Auto cartridges with “hot” loads at DoubleTap ammunition and Underwood ammunition. If you stick to “light for caliber” bullets (around 135 grains when we are talking about 10mm Auto) they have cartridges with muzzle velocities of 1,600 feet-per-second with 4.5-inch long barrels. That is the same or possibly even faster than “hot” .357 Magnum loads with 125 grain bullets and 4-inch barrel revolvers.

      I love wheel guns. (I have several.) And I love .357 Magnum as well as .44 Magnum. (I have revolvers chambered in both calibers.) I also like semi-auto pistols when they can achieve Magnum velocities and have more than twice the ammunition capacity.

      I have been thinking about acquiring a semi-auto pistol chambered in 10mm Auto for several years. Now that I see such high muzzle velocities and energies in the “hot” loads at “premium” distributors, I have to seriously consider if I can justify the cash outlay to purchase one.

      • I evaluated 10mm but ultimately chose .357 SIG, mainly because the available loads are more consistent than those for 10mm. Plus, a Glock 31 is a little thinner and lighter than a Glock 20.

      • I have sixteen wheel guns and three semi-autos. I shoot the former far more than the latter. I find my Model x29s, including the 3″ barreled version, are the most accurate firearms I own, even at 30-50 yards. It’s absolutely astonishing what I can do with those revolvers, even one-handed.

    • The .357SIG is a hot little round, like a 9mm on steroids. It just isnt all that popular so getting the ammo can be a problem in some places. I’d carry one but since I already have a .40S&W- for daily carry 😉 ………

13. Someone who doesn’t carry every day every where in a hot climate where shorts and short sleeves are still too hot.

    .32 and .25….

    .380 is a heavy and harder to conceal EDC. If you don’t agree you tell me you don’t carry everywhere.

    • Nikita Tesla,

      At the peak of sun and heat this summer, I was installing some outdoor network equipment. Of course it was hot and uncomfortable so I was wearing cargo shorts and a t-shirt. I ditched my everyday carry semi-auto handgun which is arguably “full size”. Instead, I carried two Ruger LCP semi-auto pistols (chambered in .380 ACP, one in each of my front pockets) in pocket holsters. It was obviously uncomfortable and I was sweating everywhere. So, carrying those LCPs in each front pocket did not increase my discomfort significantly. Note that Ruger LCPs are VERY small and only weigh 12 ounces (unloaded).

      One of the earliest advocates of everyday concealed carry summed up that lifestyle with words to the effect of, “carrying a handgun everyday [for self-defense] is comforting, not comfortable.”

14. NT
    Just checking the weights I have a 380 that is much lighter then my 25.
    The 380 is plastic the 25 is steel.
    I still prefer the .25 because it has a hammer. I just don’t feel comfortable with that striker fired no safety .380 in my pocket.
    Big Iron on the hip and a hide out.😉

15. Not sure if the .357 has ever been beaten with the ‘one shot stop’ record. The optimum weight was 125 grains combined with a very high velocity. Someday I get that 10mm, the one to beat the .357.

    • Vinny,

      While the 10mm Auto cartridge is a wonderful cartridge, it is not .357 Magnum–at least with respect to commonly available factory loaded 10mm Auto cartridges.

      Having said that, I just checked and the ammunition manufacturer DoubleTap ammunition makes a 10mm Auto load with 135 grain bullets which have a muzzle velocity of 1,600 feet-per-second out of a Glock 20 with 4.5-inch long barrel. That is definitely .357 Magnum territory!

      • 357 magnum is a tough one to beat and typically for any reasonably sized pistol the advantage is mostly capacity. For low end of average to average 357magnum you have the gamut of 357 Sig. For average to upper end of average/touching hot loads you have the gamut of 10mm. For full house 357……….a longer barrel for the previous?

      • If loaded to their potential, neither of which often are in factory ammo, the 10 is almost the .357’s peer. The 10 might actually have the advantage for self defense with it’s bigger bore but the .357’s higher sectional density bullets has a big advantage in the woods. I don’t think a 10 can generate nearly the energy as a .357 in a carbine either. I picked up a Marlin 1894 a little while ago and worked up a carbine specific load for it, 125gr SP over 21.8gr Win 296 (should be about a half grain below max) and it averaged 2280fps (1443ft/lbs). I figured a hollow point would be frangible at those velocities. Still has more energy at 50 yards than a 5.56 AR has at the muzzle. I don’t think the 10 is capable of anywhere close to that in longer barrels.

        • More the 10mm carbine to 357 magnum full house from revolver likely to reach parity. With that said 357 out of rifle length can be loaded wicked hot for what it is.

          • The 10 loads I’ve seen use mostly the same powder as 9mm which burns faster. .357 has twice the casse capacity as 9mm but you can’t just load up twice as much of the same fast burning powder in .357, you can use twice as much but it has to be slower burning powder.

16. Now for the top 5 keyboard warrior self-defense handgun cartridges:

    10mm (duh)
    .44 Magnum (Did I fire five shots…)
    .460 Rowland (bestest .45)
    .50AE (yeah that’s a Deagle in a shoulder holster under my black trenchcoat)
    5.7x28mm (the future is now, old man)

    Honorable mention: 9×23 (sonny, I bought it in the 80s and am now 75, but I can still shoot straight, zoomer)

    • Hmm 2/5 applies on my end but would have said 9×25 Dillon or some of the widley automags for the honorable mention. All the same for home defense it’s whatever is ready to go the fastest when needed.

17. Forgot 45 Colt

    • Does the ammo exist in meaningful quantities outside of cowboy loadings? Great round in the right loading/pistol but not exactly common for this purpose (like several rounds I enjoy).

18. Thermonuclear hand grenades

    • The US military phased out the white phosphorous hand grenade because most people couldn’t throw it far enough and ended up in the affected radius. I think the thermonuclear version just might be a bit worse…

    • When thermonuclear hand grenades are outlawed, only outlaws will have thermonuclear hand grenades.

      • “When thermonuclear hand grenades are outlawed, only outlaws will have thermonuclear hand grenades.”

        Don’t nobody need no stinkin’ thermonuclear hand grenades; dial 911.

19. just bought 3k rounds of .40
    for 30 cents per round
    – shipped –
    gotta love it

20. For us older shooters, many semi auto pistols have a problem – i.e. – Racking the slide. Likewise, the ultralight pistol can be difficult to handle in recoil. A “J” frame size steel revolver is now my handgun of choice. The modern 38 defensive ammo and the weight, (~22 oz
    ), in such a revolver is so much easier to shoot than a 9mm pistol that is half that weight. An accurate shot from a 22 oz – 38 gun is so much better than a miss from a featherweight 9mm. The modern 38 cartridge is still a viable choice in this type of application.

    • While tip up barrels exist they top out around 32/380acp so off of memory that leaves the s&w ez series and some $2k+ competition guns for super light racking slides. I am sure there are other options but realistically sometimes a revolver in 32/38 is just the easiest option that works.

    • Grumpy 49,

      I conservatively estimate that 98% of people naturally use an awful technique to rack the slide on a semi-auto handgun. I have observed multiple people who, left to their own devices, were unable to rack the slide on a semi-auto handgun and then, after I showed them a much easier way, had no trouble at all.

      Awful technique:
      — dominant hand holding pistol at chest level
      — dominant hand holding pistol far out away from body
      — non-dominant hand grasping slide between fingers and thumb
      — non-dominant hand trying to move slide rearward toward body

      Easy technique:
      — dominant hand holding pistol at belly-button level
      — dominant hand holding pistol close to body
      — non-dominant hand grasping slide between fingers AND PALM
      — non-dominant hand STATIONARY while DOMINANT HAND PUSHES PISTOL DOWN TOWARD GROUND

      It is astonishing how much easier the “easy technique” is to rack the slide on a pistol. The “awful technique” requires a LOT of thumb and wrist strength and flexibility in your non-dominant hand. The “easy technique” does not use your thumb at all in your non-dominant hand and requires minimal wrist strength and flexibility. Instead, that “easy technique” uses major muscle groups–the very same muscle groups that you must have to safely grip and fire a handgun. In other words, if you can safely grip and accurately fire a revolver, you can rack the slide on a semi-auto using my “easy technique”. The only exception that I can think of is if you somehow have a significant injury/deficit in your non-dominant hand that you do not have in your dominant hand.

      • Thanx for the explanation.

21. According to terminal ballistics expert Dr Gary K Roberts, LtCdr USNR (ret.), DDS, Clinical Assistant Professor, Stanford University School of Medicine (known in the blogosphere as DocGKR), who has been gathering and collating terminal performance data from the civilian and military sector for more than 30 years, the .357 shows no statistical advantage in real world shootings over the .38 Spl, nor does the 10mm Auto show any advantage over the .40 S&W.

    The bulk of his work with handgun cartridges and projectiles focuses on the .45 ACP, the .40 S&W and the9MM Luger. He states that the real world effectiveness of the three is so statistically similar that the key difference comes down to shot placement. So for best real-world effectiveness, you should select the one of those three that you shoot the best.

    • There you go again, with logic and statistics. I don’t want to follow logic and statistics, but what I feel. And I feel happiness is a belt fed firearm.

22. Right now, I have a 380 BUG on an ankle and a 9mm in the backpack on the file cabinet to my left rear. I’ve considered putting a velcro pad somewhere in the leg space of my desk and sticking something there–still cogitating. It’s one of those heavy old green steel teacher’s desks with the rubber top. I usually have another 9mm in the center console of my Pilot, or sometimes the 45acp. Once I have the 45 Super and my new 357 Mag ironed out, one or the other will supplant the 9mm in the center console, as a block buster. I am also ironing out the AR pistol in 350 Legend, which will be cased in the back of the Pilot. When I have the 357 SIG sorted, it may replace the 9mm in the backpack. I don’t carry the 445, because it’s too valuable and would be difficult to replace, and even with the 4″ barrel, it’s a honking big chunk.

    Folks, we’re a long way from the days of sharp sticks, and I’m glad to live in a country where we can do this. It’s a shame that we have to, but at least we can.

    • So many choices, so little time.

    • 357 Sig is a fun one but admittedly learning to reload that one was the most involved of anything I have tried thus far mostly because of how overall length as well as keeping just enough flair to headspace while still fitting the chamber to feed/function is a lot more involved than any other rifle or pistol round I have worked with. With that said starling brass is great and a lot of good options for bullets and powders……. also underwood/buffalo bore make great options. Now as to what you may want pistol wise……… that is probably the hardest part but anything you like in 40sw would probably be a good option. Kinda want to see what a H&K USP could do but the Sig 320 is easy to find parts for.

      • “357 Sig is a fun one but admittedly learning to reload that one was the most involved of anything I have tried thus far”

        Just speculating here but have you tried trimming the case a hair short so that it will headspace on the shoulders instead of the case mouth? That’s how 40 Corbon works and it is less hassle. You can use a heavier crimp too. Firing an empty primed case will give you a look at the firing pin strike.

        I don’t think there is a big safety issue, but double check me on that.

        • Would need a custom barrel to headspace off the shoulder and that would more quickly run out the neck and possibly reduce the load options with closer walls………not that I looked into it ever. Not a terrible idea but ended up being cheaper/easier to just learn the quirks. Corbon is an interesting one but besides brass was harder to find anything for than 480 Ruger. Now that I think of it crimp/tension never seemed to be an issue with the Sig which is surprising given it’s limited contact between bullet and case.

          • 40 Corbon uses 45 acp brass. Forming the brass is a one stroke process. No trimming necessary, just keep the OAL in line. It is underappreciated, mostly because no dedicated gun is made for it. Converting a milspec 1911 is easy.

            That said, 357 sig is a Porsche to the 40 corbon’s VW.

            “crimp/tension never seemed to be an issue with the Sig ”

            Tight chamber throat?

            • The flair of to spec 357 Sig would be wider than a crimped to bullet (standard bottle neck rifle) and a slightly different geometry to a standard barrel (doesn’t headspace reliably if at all). Because of this there isn’t as much of a contact length of the bullet to the case neck as 40 corbon. Which is why anything under 90ish grains has trouble unless it is a copper solid (longer than lead of same weight). And I don’t think it’s any tighter than other options but honestly who knows.

      • Of the bottlenecked pistol cartridges, I have 357 Sig & 7.62×25 Tok. I don’t anticipate buying dies for them because of the quirks in handloading them, for me not worth the effort. I won’t be shooting them by the thousand, and they aren’t hunting rounds for me that I may otherwise want to tweak. Several good Sig factory loads already on my shelf, and Tok ammo is still available, maybe even more in coming years.

        • Depending on the tok brass/primer it may not be reloadable by standard methods. It is fun shooting 357 Sig as often and as cheaply as 9mm so the learning curve can be worth it if you like the round. For me in NY with our ammo background check+registry it is an additional bonus of noncompliance which is not a factor in America.

23. I carry my 32acp keltec more often than my 9mm p89. And I’m trying out carrying my Charter Arms 32HR magnum 6 shot revolver. So far I like it. And I’m experimenting with different carry methods. Because both guns are lighter than my 9mm.

    Yes the ammo is more expensive. But I’ve been stocking up for 10 years now, in all my different caliber guns.

    • Chris, you’re gonna like .32 H&R Mag. Federal and Hornady make good loads for it and, occasionally, Georgia Arms has new ammo available (just keep checking their website).

24. For us older shooters, many semi auto pistols have a problem – i.e. – Racking the slide. Likewise, the ultralight pistol can be difficult to handle in recoil. Please note that I use a technique when racking the slide (for Right-handed shooters) as follows: 1.) Grasp the slide with the Left hand. 2.) Brace the Left wrist bone against the Left hip bone. 3.) Push the frame down with the Right hand. Just remember to not point the muzzle at any point on your body. Suggest first trying this with either dummy rounds, or without a magazine in place. Problem is when I need to field strip a pistol for cleaning. Some Recoil Springs are a real B(^$h to reassemble. Did have to get a bushing wrench recently for my 1911, because of the Recoil Spring.

25. Ammo capacity is king, and if you can’t conceal the gun? Then that means nothing. You have to be able to reliability conceal you firearm at all times.

    You always have to dress around your gun.

    Shot placement is the only thing that matters. The Caliber means nothing. if you can’t deliver an accurate follow up shot, because of recoil then why do you have the gun?

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