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What caliber (gun) do you carry for personal defense?

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A quick look at what firearms we carry for defense
Which of the following do you carry most of the time for defense?
Semi-automatic pistol
Revolver
What caliber is the handgun you usually carry?
.22LR
.22Magnum
.25 ACP
.32 ACP
Other .32 (ex. .327 Fed Mag, .32 H&R Mag)
9mm Luger
9mm Makarov (9x18)
.38 Special
.357 Magnum
.40 S&W
10mm
.41 Magnum
.44 Special
.44 Magnum
.45 Colt
.45 ACP
.454 Casull
Other caliber not mentioned here (ex. 7.62x25 Tokarev)
How often do you carry this weapon/caliber?
All the time
75% - 90% of the time
About half the time.
What best sums up the philosophy behind your caliber/ammo choice? Check any that apply.
I feel it was a good balance between capacity and potency.
I want the biggest, heaviest manstopper I can carry. I don't care if I only have 5 rounds or so in my gun as long as one hit drops a guy where he stands.
The U.S. military uses (or used to use) it.
It's common and very available.
I chose my caliber not because it's especially powerful but because it's cheap to buy and I feel it's enough.
It's got character.
I want more ammo in my gun and I'm willing to sacrifice some bullet weight and power to have it.
I'm afraid to actually kill someone so I use something which would serve more as a deterrant than lethal.
It's easy to reload.
Police officers use it.
I feel my caliber of choice has the best statistics of one shot stops, and that's all I care about.
How many rounds in 9mm Luger should be the minimum in a semi-auto? Where do you draw the line for feeling secure with this caliber?
At least 5.
At least 7 or 8
More than 10
At least 12, and maybe more like 15+. A 9mm is not reliable unless you have alot of rounds at your disposal.
How many shots of .45 ACP do you think should be minimal in a semi-auto handgun?
At least 5.
At least 7 or 8.
Better make it 10 or better!
Do you feel that .40 S&W really is a good balance between 9mm and .45 ACP for capacity and potency, or would you rather have something in either 9mm or .45 instead?
.40 has drawbacks that would make me fall back on 9mm
.40 Is a great caliber and I'd rather have a .40 than either of the other two.
.40 has drawbacks that would make me fall back on .45 ACP
Is .38 Special the at the median of all calibers for size, weight and power? Is it a good reference point for judging other calibers because of its long service and the plethora of data available regarding its performance?
Yes, that is a fairly accurate assumption, and one shouldn't feel undergunned with 5 shots of .38Sp in a revolver in most self-defense situations.
No. .38 Special should be considered obsolete, or almost...
I'd feel undergunned with 5 shots of .38 Special, but the round itself is a reliable manstopper. The issue becomes more about the limitations of revolvers than the round itself.
If you carry a cemi-automatic handgun as your main carry, is a revolver one of your second choices?
Absolutely. A revolver has some benefits that a semi-auto doesn't have.
Only semi-autos for me.
I own a revolver, but it is my last resort.
I don't own a revolver, but I would like to have one.
A revolver is my first choice for defense.
As a gun owner, it is very important to me be able to reload my caliber of choice.
Yes, absolutely.
Not that important, but I guess it's a plus.
I couldn't care less as long as it's available and/or cheap.
Have you changed your mind over time about what caliber you use in your handgun?
Yes. I started with something smaller but changed my mind because of things I've read or experienced.
Yes. I started with something larger but later realized it wasn't neccessary, or I felt that capacity was more important than power.
My caliber choice has remained pretty much the same for a long long time.
I'm very new to handguns or guns in general, and I'm not sure yet.
What size handgun do you carry?
Full-sized, heavy frame. Weighs several pounds.
Medium/average, around 28 - 32oz.
Somewhat compact. Between 22 - 28oz.
Very compact. 18 - 22oz.
Featherweight. 16oz or less.
This poll was created on 2014-06-16 18:54:37 by brofjw@yahoo.com