Home Defense, 9mm vs 38special

[Lex Talionis]

I would reiterate a 12 gauge shotgun with 00 Buck. Nothing else comes close.

You must be really handy with drywall repair.

I'm beginning to rethink my home defense strategy to include folded sheets of plastic in every room so I can request the perp lay them down before I shoot him.... hopefully no 'thru and thru' and gawd I hope I don't hit the aorta!

I have really nice floors, I'd like to keep them that way.

[GW]

I would reiterate a 12 gauge shotgun with 00 Buck. Nothing else comes close.

Plus one on the 12 gauge, but a few handguns stashed around the house is a good thing.

[MrOrange]

Jello blasters allow for controlled conditions that case studies do not. I do think there is value in large collections of shooting data which helps tease out anomalous results. Those detectives and doctors often bring their own biases to the table.

Yes, that's exactly their biggest flaw: They're conducted under controlled conditions, as opposed to actual live real world conditions. They're useful for comparing one load against another, in that specific controlled condition, for specific individual performance factors that may only be seen in that one particular environment. Very little of that translates into "stopping power".

As a long-time proponent of the .45 ACP it pains me to admit it, but the people that actually see what pistol bullets do to people in a fight will testify that once you get to the .38 Spl/9x19mm level, there is no appreciable difference in either fight-stopping performance or amount of damage done to the human body. The only exception is with RN/FMJ rounds; any decent hollow-point will do fine, from 9x19 through .44 Mag.

[Sutcliffe]

Use a premium defense load

Bullet tech has come a long way and both will perform well enough for your needs. The 9mm will have significantly more muzzle energy, but that isn't the only criteria for effectiveness.

[Mail Clerk]

I have Glock 9mm pistols and S&W revolvers.
I don't hear much about many folks using the 38 for home defense, many more seem to use their 9mm(only comparing these 2)

I realize I have 10 rounds in my Glocks and ONLY 8 rounds in my S&W. But the 38 sp round is much bigger than the 9mm.

Which has more stopping power? I'm assuming defense rounds for both.

thx

rodbider,

I have my 38 special near my bed side every night!!!


Mail Clerk

[AceGirlsHusband]

I have Ace Girl at my bedside every night. She keeps her P220 locked & loaded right next to her. And she doesn't miss.

[KahrMan]

Nine is gennerally more powerful than 38 spl even in +p. The extra velocity of the 9's make for more reliable bullet expansion. With that said, some of the +p 38's do quite well in tests even through denim.

The deciding factor would be action type for me. I can leave a loaded revolver...my ccw...in a lockbox and be assured it will work without a hiccup. Most modern 9's are reliable but there is some chance the magazine might not be seated properly or that the first round will fire but fte or ftf next round. Remember, it may be dark and you might have just been awoken.

I think that is how most experienced shooters look at the situation. Better bullet performance (9mm) vs pick it up and blast away reliability (38+p).

[71MUSTY]

Depends which room your in.

[rodblder]

After reading all the posts including the smart *** comments, I've decided I wouldn't want to get shot with either one

Much thanks to those who actually tried to help, lots of good info after wading thru the bs��