Choosing a Pistol for Private Investigation or Concealed Carry

What Type of Pistol Should I Carry? (Part One)

Among the gun enthusiast crowd this is a topic of great debate (i.e. name calling and personal attacks) and there isn’t any real consensus among them, only the various “camps” who extol the virtues of their favorite pistol.

The first question to be answered is whether you can really shoot someone. You have to know, that even if you are justified in using deadly force, you are going to go on emotional, and possibly legal, rollercoaster ride that will affect every aspect of your life. I would recommend Dave Grossman’s book “On Killing” to further explore the emotional impact of a shooting on someone’s emotional health. Mas Ayoob, a noted expert in the use of lethal force, has books and seminars that will explain what the legal ramifications are in using lethal force. Look for his books and courses at WWW.ayoob.com.

The second question you should ask is, “Do I know how to shoot a pistol?” If you don’t, sign up for an NRA basic handgun class at your local range to get the proper training.

Assuming you want to carry a pistol, and if you are not already a gun enthusiast, you are going to find a bewildering array of pistols available (at least in the U.S.A.) to choose from. What I am going to talk about is a few different types of guns, how they function, and what brands to buy.
My first bit of advice, contrary to most brand champions on the internet spew out, is to find a gun that fits you, and do not fit yourself to the supposedly “most awesome” pistol they advocate. I have large hands, but I grip a thin 1911 pistol better than I do a thick Glock pistol. When I was a cop, I carried a Smith and Wesson Model 66 revolver, and I had a problem with both the small grip and the oversized grip offered by the company. I ended up buying a Pachmayr brand rubber grip with my own money to put on the revolver. Even if it means you carry a gun that is considered a “non-starter” in the world of gun enthusiasts, you need to be confident in your ability to grip the weapon solidly. The best way to learn what gun you like is to rent them at your local gun range.

***Just to reiterate, you must find the gun that works for you. I like a full sized 1911 pistol in .45ACP. You on the other hand may pefer a small Beretta .25ACP, even though I don't think much of the .25 caliber cartridge. If the .25 works better for you, then the .25 is the best gun for you.***

Okay, do you choose a revolver or a semi-automatic? The revolver has been phased out of Law Enforcement here in the States, for all intents and purposes. Revolvers, also called Six-Shooters or wheel guns, hold 6 bullets in a cylinder (smaller ones hold 5 bullets) and the reload time is longer than a semi-automatic pistol, which is why Law Enforcement went for the semi-autos. But for PIs or private citizens, a revolver still has several advantages. First, they are very reliable guns and very simple to operate. You put the bullets in, either one by one or with a speed loader (recommended), close the cylinder and pull the trigger. Revolvers are a lot less finicky about the ammunition they fire and because revolvers are simpler mechanically than semi-automatic pistols, they are inherently more reliable and simpler to operate. Also, speaking strictly from statistics, the odds of firing more than two shots in a self defense event is very, very low, even if you are in law enforcement. They also come in small packages making them easier to conceal and more comfortable to carry.

Here is a link to a YouTube video showing a revolver being fired.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTO0A_ZyHNA


But what caliber should I get? The common self defense calibers are, in roughly their order of power are, .22 Long Rifle (usable, but underpowered), .32 (still underpowered), .38 Special, .357 Magnum, .44 Special, and .44 Magnum. My opinion is you should go with either a .38 Special or a .357 Magnum (but remember what I said above about the pistol fitting you). The .38 was a very common police and military round until the .357 Magnum came about, and then that became the most common law enforcement caliber until the switch to semi-automatics. Here’s a bit of trivia for you, the .38 special bullet is not actually .38 inches in diameter, it is .357 inches in diameter. The .38 should have been called the .357 or the .357 Magnum should have been called the .38 Magnum (I don’t know why they weren’t). A .357 Magnum pistol will shoot both .38 Special ammunition and .357 Magnum ammunition, but a pistol chambered for .38 Special ammunition can only shoot .38 Special ammunition.

.44 Specials and .44 Magnums are fine guns, but are big, have strong recoil, and more expensive to shoot than the ever present .38 and .357 Magnums. If you are in bear country, then a .44 Magnum might be worth considering, but it’s really too big for every day concealed carry. There are other calibers, but they are niche calibers and not meant for self defense. (Edit: My old Chief emailed me to tell my the .41 Magnum might be a niche gun, but it was meant for self defense. He is right, but I'm still not including it because it is a niche gun.)

How long of barrel should I get? I would recommend a 2 or 4 inch barrel. Longer barrels are more accurate, but most gunfights happen at spitting distance.

What brand should I get? My favorite wheel gun manufacturer is Smith and Wesson, after that I would pick a Colt, and then a Ruger. Ruger is the cheapest of the three and Colt is the most expensive. Unless you are an experienced shooter, I’d stick with these three brands. (Edit: I'm getting some heat for this, many Ruger owners prefer them to Colts. I probably shouldn't have put them in my order of preference,)

What else should I know? Make sure you buy a double action revolver. That means when you pull the trigger, the hammer cocks itself and then falls forward to fire the gun. The first revolvers were all single action, which means the hammer had to be cocked with the thumb and then the trigger pulled. Because of the popularity of Cowboy Shooting Sports, there are a lot of single action pistols on the market, but you definitely want a double action gun.

Also, in the attempt to increase the stopping power of smaller bullets, like the .38 Special, some ammunition will be marked +P, which means that it has extra powder and will have a bigger bang than regular .38 Special ammo, so make sure of what ammo you’re buying as +P ammo can damage a gun not rated for it.