The humble UpLula
Gunslingers of old, whether in Western movies or in history, didn’t carry puny little handguns.
Can you imagine Clint Eastwood as Dirty Harry, pulling out a micro compact .380 and saying: “Please, if you don’t mind, sir. Would you make my day?”
Ha.
No, Dirty Harry carried a Model 29 Smith & Wesson in 44 Magnum. It had a heavy 83/8 inch barrel. What a cannon!
And Steve McQueen in Wanted Dead or Alive carried a Mare’s Leg, which was a pistol made from a cut down lever action rifle. Pretty impressive.
How about the blunderbuss carried by stagecoach drivers? How frightening were they with their flared muzzles?
These guns were big and loud and packed a mighty wallop. Shoot a bad guy with one of these and he’s going down, down, down.
Unless, of course, you missed. When your smoke cleared, how long would it take you to aim and shoot again? And, while your shooting arm is recovering from the pain of recoil and you’re moving the muzzle back on Mr. Bad, his friend is pointing another cannon smack at you.
Certainly, heavy caliber rounds can do a lot of damage. But, when your life comes into question, is the bigger gun the better gun?
Jeremy Stafford in Guns and Ammo writes: “Based on my experience responding to calls as a police officer, I believe that all handgun rounds struggle to be effective at immediately stopping a human threat. It is widely accepted among the gunfighting community that more than one hit will likely be required to make that person a threat no more. If you go out into the world recognizing this, then emphasis must be placed on a fast, accurate second shot.”
So, if you’re an average sized person, carrying a handgun to defend your life, do you want to carry a larger caliber weapon? Or a smaller caliber one?
Will you be able to shoot it once and then shoot a second time right away? And if there’s another Mr. Bad coming at you, can you regain your sights and your strength and shoot a third or fourth time?
Stafford goes on to clarify: “For many shooters, especially older or smaller shooters, the felt recoil of the 9mm is disruptive and sometimes prohibitive to follow with an effective second shot. It also can be problematic for practice sessions, as well. Without adequate practice, people who struggle to manage the recoil of a 9mm pistol may not hit the target at all, rendering the ‘use the more effective caliber’ argument moot.”
Yes, Stafford is talking about a 9mm handgun: not a large caliber .45 or a .357. Yet, for most people, the recoil of that first shot will throw the shooter’s aim off the target. He will then have to re-aim to reacquire his sight picture, which can lose him precious seconds as his target shoots back at him. This is why the second shot is so important. And the third. And the fourth. Particularly if there are several potential threats.
Because of its design, the Sig 365-380 has low recoil. Instead of a blowback design, the locked-breech design of the P365-380 means that the recoil spring does not need to be as strong. What this means for those with limited hand strength is that the .380’s slide is easier to rack.
So, which shall you carry? The softer and more-controllable shooting .380 or the 9mm handgun that has ballistic superiority?
It all depends on which caliber is the best one for you. If you practice and have no problem shooting the 9mm handgun continuously while staying on target as well, then that one is the best for you.
If you do not practice with any regularity, if you have limited hand strength, and if you have difficulty in regaining your sight picture after the recoil of shooting, then the smaller caliber will work for you.
Sig’s slogan for the P365-380 is “less recoil, more control.” While this is important for those with strength or hand difficulties, it’s also important for those who simply want to be more accurate.
And what about the transition of moving from target to target?
Stafford continues: “The lighter recoil also allowed the new-ish shooters transition more quickly from target to target during multi-threat drills. Transitions are a skill that many of us neglect training to develop, but to the new shooter deciding to arm themselves in the wake of the current crime spike, transitioning effectively is a comforting ability.”
Another factor to consider is number of rounds in your magazine. Many of the newer .380s can hold more rounds in their magazines than their higher caliber counterparts. Will you feel more secure if your handgun holds 12 rounds versus eight? Check to see how many rounds the gun you’re looking to buy can hold.
Old movies have shown us that when it comes to handguns, bigger is better. But what is really better for you? Yes, you may be able to shoot a large caliber gun, but can you shoot it reliably and many times accurately?
Do you have limited hand strength? Do you want a gun with less recoil? Do you want your gun to hold plenty of rounds? Will your gun be pleasant enough to shoot that you’ll take it to the range for practice often?
Yes, in movies, bigger is more dramatic. Bigger guns look tougher and more manly.
Let’s get real. There’s only one Clint Eastwood, one John Wayne and one Steve McQueen.
They are not you. Find out what’s best for you.
Marj Law is the former director of Keep Wakulla County Beautiful who has become an avid shooter in retirement.
