What is the smallest caliber you trust to protect yourself?

[mrmoskillz]

I know a guy whos brother died after being shot in the leg by a 22 and the bullet bounced around hitting some arteries

[pianoman9701]

I know a guy whos brother died after being shot in the leg by a 22 and the bullet bounced around hitting some arteries

My son's half-brother was killed by a .22 two days before Christmas a few years ago. Guy took a wild shot and hit him in the heart. Died instantly.

[mrmoskillz]

I know a guy whos brother died after being shot in the leg by a 22 and the bullet bounced around hitting some arteries

My son's half-brother was killed by a .22 two days before Christmas a few years ago. Guy took a wild shot and hit him in the heart. Died instantly.

Sorry for your loss..God bless

[colockumelk]

A 30mm   650 rounds per minute of pure freedom

[npaull]

I know a guy whos brother died after being shot in the leg by a 22 and the bullet bounced around hitting some arteries

The Inuit absolutely routinely shoot polar bear with .22 and kill them. When asked how they do it, their reply is simple: "we shoot them in the heart."

You can kill almost anything that moves with a .22 if you shoot it in the right spot.

[Bean Counter]

.38 Special is my family minimum. Im not much of a 9mm fan but I suppose some with the +P might be all right. My main carry is .40 S&W with hollow points of course.

[Jamieb]

The two handguns in the avatar are my carry. the Airweight is in 38spl +P and its the smallest I'm comfortable with, its small and fits in a pocket for summer carry. The other is a 45acp, it's on my hip most of the time if I'm wearing a long shirt or jacket to conceal it.

[FC]

Way, way, way more likely to kill yourself, hurt yourself, or shoot someone you don't want to with a sidearm...

Care to provide some kind of a cite for that tidbit? I've never seen any evidence to back that claim, the reverse is true in every case.

[whitey]

.40 cal. 1 shot 1 kill

[shoot-em-dead]

I'd rather have a .22 than a 9 mil for self defense. But thats just me.

[pianoman9701]

Way, way, way more likely to kill yourself, hurt yourself, or shoot someone you don't want to with a sidearm... when I bowhunt, it's me, my bow and my knife. Not going to be a popular sentiment, but that's the way it is...

Please provide statistics to support this statement. And, please tell us "...more likely..." than what? A Popsicle, a rifle, a mud pie?

In your comment in the thread "Has Obama really attacked the 2A?", you stated that, "This paranoia 'they're going to take my guns!' is a frightening and puzzling phenomenon that I've just never understood."



Combined with the above statement, this leads me to believe you either don't own firearms and are opposed to them, or that you're in complete denial that there are powerful people in the US, with the President at the front of the charge, who would remove or change the 2nd Amendment to further anti-gun agendas. You seem to say that our signing the UN small arms treaty and the appointment of Eric Holder as the US Attorney General is no indication that Obama would like to end our individual gun rights.

Please answer these questions. How do you substantiate the statement that you're more likely to hurt yourself or someone you don't intend to with a handgun, and compared to what? Are you a gun owner? Do you believe in the 2nd Amendment as written? Do you think that the 2nd Amendment as written guarantees the individual's right to bear arms?

[superdown]

personally I carry a S&W model 60 357 snubbie or a Kimber eclipse full size 1911 45acp.

[carlyoungs]

I carry a 9mm on my side. That's about as low as I like to go but it just depends on the person.

[GrainfedMuley]

  my AK (if its not hunting season)

You can legally hunt with an AK. I have done it. It's a 30 caliber bullet and meets the WDFW impact requirements at 100 yards. For big game, if I recall, there is no mag restriction.

[GrainfedMuley]

  Are you a gun owner? Do you believe in the 2nd Amendment as written? Do you think that the 2nd Amendment as written guarantees the individual's right to bear arms?

YES, YES, and YES!