There are many myths about self-defense that continue to spread. Today, we have selected five of the most common myths that we will present to your attention. In addition, we will explain why they are not corresponding to reality and why you should politely ignore or get away from any coach who mouthing them.
Myth 1: A self-defense handgun should be carried without a cartridge in the chamber.
Those who spread this myth argue that this is a much safer way to wear since there is no chance of discharging through carelessness. It is certainly difficult to disagree with this statement. However, the most likely place for a handgun error to occur is with extreme tension, a quick attempt to move the rack. Carrying an unchambered gun with you effectively disarms yourself – unless all goes well.
Moreover, this additional step not only slows down but also complicates the actuation of the pistol. In a situation where even a fraction of a second is important, you add at least a few seconds to the process, as well as the need for fine motor skills.
This is despite the fact that you assume that both hands can be used unimpeded. However, one hand is usually required to provide standoff distance for the draw. Carrying an empty weapon with you can only be a great idea when you are staying at home. Confined to the living room, you can practice carrying and retrieving weapons without the risk of an accident. However, going out into the wild unchambered is not much better than being unarmed. You create a sense of security, but in reality, it is most likely different.
Myth 2: No self-defense caliber should start with a number below 4.
It’s important to note from the outset that, in theory, the .45 ACP, .44 Magnum, .41 Special, .40 S&W, or their brethren, have a large place in the self-defense arsenal. At the same time, .22LR and .22 Magnum are far from the best choice, but they are much better than a sharp comment.
Due to different ailments, such as arthritis, different people have different abilities to cope with recoil. It just so happens that the shooter’s hand cannot properly control the grip of the .4x uberthumper. The largest caliber weapon you can control and fire with quick follow-up shots is undoubtedly the best weapon for self-defense.
If someone tells you that the .22LR, .22 Magnum, .32 ACP, or .380 ACP are useless as ammunition for self-defense, ask them to prove it by letting you shoot them as they load. I don’t think anyone will agree. However, if they say that .25 ACPs are useless for defense, then they are probably right.
The best place to deal with damage is, of course, .380 ACP and up. The best place to minimize recoil is usually 9mm down. As you can guess, most of the people end up using as the main weapon caliber 9 mm or .380 ACP. However, your mileage may vary.
Myth 3: A revolver never malfunction.
No one disputes that the revolver is insensitive to primer failure since pulling the trigger on an unexploded shell will cause the new shell to turn to the desired position. This means that the second pull of the trigger will cause the trigger to fall for another round. This is why the odds of losing back-to-back factory rounds are comparable to the odds of winning the top prize in the lottery.
For most people who refuse to exercise, this is a great consolation. However, revolvers are machines that have all sorts of problems that can make them useless in a self-defense situation. Depending on how tight the cylinder tolerances are, an improperly installed primer may protrude enough to lock the cylinder.
Also, the cylinder may become out of sync and mismatch with the barrel and cartridge. Whereas grit and varnish can gum up the action and create a light hammer fall. Believe me, this list can be continued for a long time.
Of course, as with the semi-automatic, most of these problems can be prevented with proper gun care. More often, those who say: “Buy a revolver. They never fail,” are the ones who hardly know how to prevent or fix these failures.
Myth 4: On a shotgun to protect your home, just take a shot. The bad guys will run away.
The question arises again: why don’t you have a round chamber? The reload phase is the most likely cause of the problem. If your shotgun already has a chamber, aside from malfunctioning ammo, you will fire at least one shot.
Moreover, it is guaranteed that a shot from a 12 or 20 gauge will cause more fear than merely chambering a shell. Not to mention, the pistol is not designed to scare off attackers. Its main goal is to stop the threat. However, if you have an intimidation mentality, you are more likely to be disarmed and have a gun pointed at you. Remember that someone in your home without permission is a very dangerous person, so act accordingly.
Myth 5: Use a shotgun and you don’t even need to aim.
If you’ve ever shot skeet or trap, you will immediately understand how absurd this concept is. In fact, the little gun in your hand will always be better in a self-defense situation than the one you left at home in the safe.
Depending on the load you are shooting, the shot may not even start spreading at home-defense ranges. Almost every 12-gauge cartridge has a wad – a short plastic cup that holds the pellets together as the cartridge is fired. Based on the construction, the wad falls off at a certain distance. Before this happens, the distribution of the pellet pattern will be very small.
In a very shallow cup designed for early opening and drop, this expansion starts at 1–3 yards. Other cartridges are built with taller, stronger cups, and the wad can remain as long as 30 yards when fired. Think about long-range turkey rounds. After the wad is gone, the rule of thumb for expansion is half an inch per stroke yard.
As a result, at a distance of 10 yards, the widest patterns will cover approximately 4-7 inches. If you do this, it will create a very powerful hit. However, most of us don’t have 10 yards/30 feet distance in our homes.
At a more realistic distance of 5 yards or less, the same shotshell is likely to have a spread of 2 to 4 inches. It is very likely that, unless you have a wide-spreading wad, the shot will likely be slightly larger than the bore diameter (0.729 inches).
Trust me, in situations where your safety or the safety of your home is at stake, aiming can save the whole situation. If you are not sure about this, conduct an experiment using a gun with different charges and shoot at a paper target from a distance of 2, 4, 7, 10, and 15 yards. For more realistic results, use fruit such as fresh pumpkin or melon, or even a pork butt instead of a paper target.
As you experiment, you will find that only massive superficial damage can be achieved, but very little deep penetration. Still, penetration is the key to ending aggression in something more alive than some fruit.
