"Stopping Power!" Or is it, "Stopping Power?"

When considering stopping power, first ask yourself how you define it. Does it mean that the bad guy explodes? Maybe he just stops dead in his tracks? Does it mean he's alive, but not capable of causing harm to you or anyone else? I've read some of those ballistic tests. I think the best examples of stopping power are the statistics from those tests, stops me from ever wanting to read another article about ballistics tests again. I've seen the pictures and videos of what the cartridge will do to a block of gelatin, and am certain really of only one thing, if a plastic jug water ever attacks me, it had better watch out!

Like you, I've sat around gun stores listening to customers try to impress the gun store’s employees with their infinite knowledge on the issue, yet when I ask them what stopping power means, even the guy that pretends to have worked for Blackwater has little to say. And yes, we are onto you. So what does Stopping Power mean? I'm still not sure.

I do know this, unlike what you have been taught in your basic gun course, the truth is that any handgun cartridge is capable of providing "one shot, one kill" with proper shot placement and that any handgun cartridge will be woefully ineffective with poor shot placement. This means, that a round as small as a .32 can stop many attackers. Likewise, a poorly placed .41 magnum may do little damage, if any.

Although it is not ideal for self defense, a .32 caliber round will stop your average nut case if you shoot him through his eye into his brain. The same man may not even notice when grazed in the shoulder with that .41 magnum cartridge. Therefore, shot placement is the single most crucial component when determining the factors involved in terminating a hostile threat. Having said this, the odds of me being able to shoot a moving bad guy in the eye at 10 yards with a .32 Kel-Tec aren't good. So we do the best with what we have. Your muzzle should initially be focused on the bad guy's chest -- center mass. Two shots to the attacker's thoracic cavity is a good, effective way to begin a self-defense shooting. Rumor has it he won't explode, but it's still a good start.

Another popular misconception is that the shooter expects a single cartridge to be effective against an armed adversary. This is dangerous and could get someone killed. Again, unless your attacker has a habit of exploding when shot, even the most powerful combat cartridge will not guarantee an immediate stop. Keep shooting until the bastard is down. Your enemy is your enemy until he's dead.

Here's the problem, the handgun cartridge is grossly underpowered compared to a shotgun shell, or rifle cartridge. If only we were allowed to carry concealed shotguns and rifles. Until we can, we need to settle for our handguns -- first two shots delivered as quickly as possible while maintaining accuracy. Shoot twice at center mass then quickly determine if the threat still exists. If the threat is not terminated, muzzle to the head and deliver two shots. This does not mean you walk up to the bad guy to deliver the third and fourth blows. Remain where you are. Stay a safe distance away. By training to shoot twice every time you engage a target, a standard response develops that enables the quick and accurate delivery of two hits when shooting to defend your life. Good stuff, and once your muscle memory maintains the movement, you are increasing your skill set big time.

When choosing a cartridge, there is plenty of literature comparing calibers, the projectile's design, weight, velocities, and just about everything else you can think of to keep you busy for months. These conversations are great between gun guys, but was that the extra couple of hundred feet per second really dispositive of the gun fight? Unlikely. I suggest you select a cartridge that has a large cross sectional bullet diameter (this is what is meant by “caliber” and this directly relates to the amount of damage the bullet will inflict by damaging tissue) and as heavy a bullet weight as possible (measured in “grains”). Load as hot a round as you can effectively control. The weight and velocity of the bullet effects penetration and this determines how much internal damage it will cause. Therefore, the larger the caliber, heavier the bullet, and faster the velocity, the greater the tissue damage, the greater the odds the bad guy stops.

There’s an old joke, A Texas Ranger is asked why he carries a .45. He replies, "They don’t make a .46”.

Many hand gunners think that a fully loaded, large caliber pistol cartridge, such as the .45 ACP (Auto Cartridge Pistol) is too difficult to control. Excessive recoil when shooting a handgun chambered in .45 ACP may be due to poor handling rather than high cartridge power. An average man with proper grip and a stable stance will have effective control of the muzzle enabling target reacquisition. I recommend that you shoot the heaviest bullet and the largest caliber that is loaded as hot as you can control and discharge two accurate shots, center mass, in the quickest amount of time possible. It’s placement that does the damage, not just the round. A Navy SEAL with my .32 is far deadlier than a blind man with my .50 Action Express.