Defensive Ammunition is Not Cheap: You Need to Buy it Anyway
Watching You Tube for flaws has became a prety big deal for me. My rationale for doing this is because I get paid to educate people in regard to firearms. I go to schools to get formal education to carry home and share with my people, as well as others, in an attempt to impart important information.
I’m pretty sure that a lot of the people on the videos have an education that is likely contained within the walls of their homes. Even in such confines, you may indeed learn things that are “share worthy”, possibly. At this point, it is imperative to point out that I’m paid by no one in doing these (hopefully) helpful installations of topics. I don’t make money by mentioning certain ammo makers, either.
I notice that a lot of the people online are constantly wheedling on about supporting them. This support, from you, allows them to get free stuff. Seems fair (?) There are constant thanks for free ammo, and guns, and who knows what else? Interesting.
So anyway, there is this chart from 2017 that a person has displayed, showing a spectrum of shootings where the Bad Guy lost, due to absorption of high speed lead pellets of various sizes. At the low end (caliber wise) were scenarios involving .22 rimfire. The tiny bullet did well, per the norm, and this is why. It is fairly fast, fairly quiet, and in the right spot (like the Cranial Vault), it tends to end hostilities quite handily. However, so can a .177 caliber pellet from the proper air rifle, but these were not on said list.
The .22 is also known as the “kill ya later” bullet, and this is why- Bad Guys often soak up bullets, and don’t scamper off to the E.R. Oddly enough, hospital workers tend to call the police when people wander in with extraneous holes due to questionable activity. Strange. Bullet wounds can turn septic fairly quickly, and can/will kill if not tended to correctly. However, this list wasn’t about Bad Guys getting shot for being in the wrong place(A Good Guy Home) at the wrong time (the time of the crime). Doesn’t this equation and statement sound/look better this way? You will honestly hear that statement on the news- “Victim X was in the wrong place at the wrong time”. That’s a pretty glib thing to say for someone shopping, or exercising, or whatever.
Anyway, back to this list. The list involved the expiration of Bad Guys, due to Good Guys making them slightly heavier with an addition of lead, copper, brass, etc. At the far end, again unsurprisingly, were stoppages delivered from Shotguns and Rifles. The application of these tools tend to halt hostility effectively, because they are “enough gun” for the task. Best pistol for home defense? 20 Gauge pump. Smaller people can effectively weild it, with 33% less thump than a 12 gauge. That is a free tip for your consideration. Pistol-Home Defense x Bad Guy= Not Good.
So, as usual, the data was nothing new (2017) statistics. This type of information makes me giggle when I look at ads for certain firearms/bullets, and all the catchy words and phrases that lead you to believe that “Brand X” bullet carried in “Brand Y” pistol will cause a Bad Guy to expire from you just carrying this combination on the street. Nonsense.
This was the facet of the list that got my attention, and caused my indigestion. The usual players that most carry for defense were basically the same, again. ( Tough Luck, all you .40, .45 ACP, .357 SIG, die hards out there). The part that was upsetting is that there would have been more stoppages if the Good Guys had been carrying real defense rounds, and not FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) What the Hell? Seriously?
This leads me to pleading with all of you. This site is for “gun people”, and being a “gun person” is an incredibly demanding task. You have decided to enjoy a sport that a lot of people don’t believe you have the right to enjoy. You must be responsible for everything you do, with no hesitation, and complete accountability. We’ve all heard the expression- “Be your Brothers /Sisters keeper”. Let us examine this in more detail. Do you carry concealed for the protection of yourself, and loved ones? Do you understand that you may be forced to use your firearm in the defense of yourself and others? If you’ve answered in the affirmative to this, let us go further.
Have you not noticed how oblivious the typical person is today? Most tend to have their heads down, utterly engrossed in that small collection of parts that encompass their digital world. Most shuffle around like zombies- nearly colliding with things has became an acceptable norm. The intrepid members drive the same way. Some go so far as to wear their hood up, cancelling out peripheral vision, and the worst offenders include ear buds so that they are literally deaf, half blind, and dumb. Some people don’t need any of these items, and still operate in the same capacity. Will you stand by and offer no assistance when a wolf hits them? Does your state mandate that you assist in some way, shape, or form? Do you know this law?
Do you understand that you must train to mitigate stress? Do you understand that in crisis, you cannot miss? Do you understand that bullets tend to over penitrate targets, and can still be lethal to innocents down range? Do you understand that every round you fire has a lawyer taped to it? Are we all still shaking out heads in the correct direction? Yes? Okay, lets go further.
Are you well versed in what bullets do? Do you understand what the performance abilities of your chosen defensive rounds are?Chances are, you know a police officer, and hopefully in a good way. What does that police department carry? If it’s good enough for the police, it’s likely good enough for you. Thought must go into the choice of defensive ammo.
If you don’t know any police officers, this is a good time to use your device. You can Google different ammo types, and you will learn that many makers have gone the extra mile, and put icons on their boxes to show you what their products are designed for. Again, I’m not getting anything for mentioning these ammo makers. Browning, Federal, SIG, and Winchester all do this, using icons and words like “Train and Defend”, “Train and Protect”, “Optimized for..” etc. This is a clue people. FMJ ammunition is for paper. Use this on the street, and here is a fairly likely scenario- if you hit the Bad Guy, it will cause a “thru-n-thru”. This means it will pass through him, considerably slower, and not cause him to immediately stop. As this round is still going downrange, it will most likely terminate one of these Cell Zombies, hood up, ear buds in, taking a “selfie” nothing but net.
Now, your assailant is still jacked up,able to do you great harm, and potentially enraged, as he has a hole he didn’t leave home with this morning.He may expire in a couple of minutes, but for right now- you and yours are the undivided center of his attention.He has not laid down and closed his eyes, nor has blood flown for 30 feet, like it does on television. Hmmm, this is bad. There’s a pretty good chance that he isn’t alone, either. Last but not least, we unintentionally terminated a Cell Zombie. Wrong place, wrong time? Too soon? This is just an article, so we can leave this very grim scenario, and let us now go to your home.
For whatever reason, you know unequivocally that you are being robbed, as all family members (or lack thereof)are accounted for. If you’re smart, the spouse is calling 911 on the cell phone, and you’re not in pursuit. The defense is to stay away from the threat(s) and Alamo Up in the bedroom. Your door is locked, and you can go no further. It would be best for all parties concerned for the threat(s) to go away with your stuff. That is exactly what insurance is for. It’s pretty damn dark in your bedroom. Do you know if you have low flash ammo? Have you ever shot in low/no light? Do you have a flashlight to verify it’s not a kid home from college with dirty laundry? It would be very bad to terminate a family member, wouldn’t it? Wrong place/wrong time? Hit a nerve?
We can come up with a million “what if?” scenarios. Does this collection of words make you uncomfortable? Have you pondered all of this, at all, or do you subscribe to the theory that the world will just leave you to your peace? If you can, go to your range and shoot FMJ in the dark. Pretty big flash, isn’t it? That’s due to cheap propellant. Duty ammo costs more, for a reason. If we returned to either the robber or home invasion scenario, you aren’t wearing earpro either. No ear protection in a gunfight will get to you pretty fast.
If you have any intelligence at all you’re not toting a 6 inch barreled anything as a concealed gun. This begs the next question. Do you know if your defense ammo works well in short barreled firearms? Believe it or not, it makes a huge difference. Hornady, Liberty, Remington, and Speer all make special ammo for short barreled guns. None of these lists are all inclusive- merely pointers to illustrate differences.
So, hopefully, you’ve skimmed through this and decided that “this guy isn’t telling me anything new”, and you would be 100% correct. Nothing here is new. However, let’s go 1 step further. Chances are , you have “gun people” as friends. Do you know, 100% that they are all using correct ammo, too? If not, ask them, as you may be surprised. If they are responsible adults, they should be happy to share the info. Since you read this article, the task is yours to perform. If you have a reloader guy in your circle, do not let him carry reloaded ammo for defense. Reloaded ammo has a way of not being good at the range, and the fact he’s using “custom” ammo could likely get him hooked up in court by lawyers who specialize in this exact sort of thing. I’m just saying…
This brings us to the final portion of this missive. Beware the shark behind the counter at your local gun store. Everyone needs a job, but many of these people should be garbage collectors, since they know garbage, if you know what I mean. Most gun stores are distributors for certain products/brands, and this is what they aim to push, facts be damned.
So, what do you do, then? Well, you research the various types of defensive rounds. You sort throu
gh the various options, and decide on a short list of what best suits your needs. Then, save your money, and buy at least 1 box of every type you have decided on. Then, you shoot all of them fairly, and objectively. Just because Acme Ammo makes what appears to be the ultimate Whiz Bang (this week ) bullet does not mean it will correctly cycle in your firearm of choice. Do not ever be that unfortunate person who blindly carries the magic bullet of the moment, and fails to verify it cycles. This is inadvertent suicide.
Defensive ammo is not cheap. However, do not cycle that same round into the chamber repeatedly, you will get setback with the bullet. When you get setback, that bullet can be given to your reloader friend. Chances are high that he will be tickled to have it.
So, what did we learn?
1-.22 can do the job, but until expiration occurs, you’re in the running for expiration, too.
2-We don’t ever want to use FMJ for Bad Guys. We could terminate a Cell Zombie.
3-One hit won’t likely stop a threat, and threats are rarely traveling alone.
4-There may be other Good Guys in the area unaware of what you are doing, and they may interpose themselves. Wrong place/time?
5-If we are at home with a shotgun, or rifle, why are we considering a handgun?
6-We need to research whatever tpye of defense ammo we are pondering to use.
7-It may be wise to consider using what the local police use
8-Shotguns in 20 guage are easier to use than 12 guage
9-Rifles can be excellent for home defense, with the proper round
10- If you’re being robbed, don’t pursue, that’s what insurance is for. You only engage when all avenues are exhausted. If you must fight, do not relent.
