Dumb question?

[billt]

I have to question some of these self defense "rules" a bit. I hear at least 500 to 1,000 rounds for a "brake in", then at least 200 rounds of whatever factory self defense ammo you'll be carrying. With cheap .45 ACP hardball going for $20.00+ a box now, that equates to at least $400.00+. Now add in the 200 rounds of premium self defense ammo at around $22.00+ for 20, that is another $220.00+. Now you're up to a minimum of $620.00, or more than you paid for the Glock you're going to run it through.

Yes, if you handload you can carve off a big chunk of that, but most CCW owners don't handload. With the cost of the gun you're talking over $1,200.00 by the time you become harder to take down than Steve McQueen. That isn't much to quibble about with something that protects your life. But, with that said in today's economy few CCW holders are going to do it simply because they cannot afford it.

Everyone cringes when someone mentions FMJ roundnose hardball for self defense applications, but there are a lot of enemy soldiers that are in the cemetery because of exactly that. I think a better solution is to shoot as much cheap hardball as you can afford. When you do have a few extra bucks buy a box of the high priced stuff and run it through. If, over time, you find that you have run 80 or 100 rounds, (4 or 5 boxes), of premium ammo with no hangups, go ahead and use it. I base this on the fact most auto pistols will either run with a given brand or configuration of ammo, or they won't.

If they won't you'll see it with the first magazine full most of the time. "Sometimes" problems in guns are far more rare than they are in cars. If there still is doubt use hardball for carry. If you can shoot accurately it is going to have far more bearing on your survival than some super trick ammo will. A gun has to go bang to defend you. Everything else is speculative.  Bill T.

[Michael Bane]

Break it in with ball, put at least 20 rounds of your SD ammo...50 is better...

My suggestion is start with one of the "name" SD rounds...Golden Saber, Hornady TAPs or their Critical Defense ammo, Corbon DPX...any of the premium brands will get you through the night. If you run at least 200 rounds of ball through it with no failures and you get no failures with the 20 SD rounds, I'd carry that.

Acceptable combat accurate is whatever you feel comfortable with. All modern guns will shoot better than most people can shoot them...if you're putting all your rounds into that 8-inch pie plate at 21 feet under some kind of time pressure, you can live with that. I strongly recommend that everyone learns to shoot a group...you can do that will the "dot drill," a bunch of stick-on 1-inch dots on a big piece of cardboard. Start at 3 feet...yes, 3 feet! See if you can put 5 rounds into that 1-inch dot. If you can't look at where the shots are going and make changes accordingly. When you can put all 5 shots in the dot, move back to, say, 6 feet and repeat. If 3 feet is too easy, start at 3 yards. The key is that you are teaching your subconscious to shoot a group. When you start going faster, you need the basic skill — the ability to deliver the shot on demand — in place.

I suggest competition, but then, I always do!

Michael B

[Timothy]

Sage advice, once again!

Sometimes you'll get lucky and buy a gun that will eat anything.  Mine is a Para LTC....eats and poops brass a country mile...