GUNS FOR LADIES

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The purpose of a gun is to kill.   There may be times when self-protection requires desperate measures to ward off an attack but a gun is not designed to frighten or to wound.  And sloppy thinking on the matter or half-hearted hesitant action makes any situation where a gun is involved very much worse and not better.   A gun may frighten away an attacker but if not, the situation becomes one of kill or be killed.

 

If you are not comfortable with this fact, it may be better to instead carry pepper spray or perhaps a stun device and especially to avoid potentially dangerous situations.

 

TERMINOLOGY

 

There are roughly three types of firearms, rifles, shotguns, and handguns.  They have the following characteristics.

 

1.      Rifles have long barrels typically longer than 16 inches.  Also the walls of the barrel are relatively thick with round spiraling grooves (i.e. “rifling”) carved along the inside.  This imparts a spinning motion to the bullet greatly improving its accuracy at distances to 300-1000 yards and even further.  They are not something ladies usually use for protection.

 

Nevertheless for general information, rifles are divided into roughly three categories depending on how many bullets they can shoot each second.

 

a)       “Single shot” rifles typically require a “bolt” be manually pulled back to eject the spent shell and then pushed forward to chamber a new round.  These are also called “bolt-action” rifles.   Their rate of fire is about one shot every 3 to 6 seconds.  For example, Lee Harvey Oswald managed to shoot President Kennedy twice in less than 6 seconds using a cheap bolt action model which was not known for accuracy and which frequently jammed.

 

 

b)       “Semi-automatic” rifles use the pressure of the exploding gun powder to automatically eject a spent shell and feed another round into the firing chamber.  These rifles fire once every time the trigger is pulled.  But then the trigger must be released to return to its original forward position before a second shot can be fired.   They were invented in 1885 and are the most popular type in civilian use today.  They can fire from 1 to 2 rounds per second.   None of these models are accurately called “assault” weapons.

 

 

c)      “Automatic” or “fully-automatic” rifles are also called “assault weapons.”   These are what some soldiers in military service use.   They are portable “machine guns” that fire bullets continuously whenever the trigger is pulled.  That is, pulling the trigger and holding it down will cause the rifle to keep firing many bullets each second.  Their rate of fire is typically 10 or more rounds per second.  They have been effectively illegal for ordinary citizens in the United States for many, many decades (e.g. since 1934).

 

 

2.      Shotguns also have long barrels but the inside of their barrels are smooth.  They can be “single shot” or semi-automatic which was first introduced in 1902.  They are never accurate beyond a maximum 30-70 yards and often are useless even at much shorter distances. Typically a shotgun shell has many pellets which spread out in an expanding circle and are more deadly at close range than a rifle.   They are not something ladies usually use for protection.

 

 

 

3.      Handguns are also called pistols and, obviously, can be held in one hand.  They come in two types, revolvers and automatics.  A handgun is the type of weapon that most ladies carry and either type is all right being more of a personal preference.  Their barrels vary from about 1 to 12 inches in length with 4, and 6 and 8 inches being most common.  Because of their short barrels they are not accurate.   But they are easily concealed and EASY to shoot and can be very effective at distances less than 10 feet.  They have the following characteristics.

 

a)      Revolvers have a cylinder which typically has holes or slots for 5 or 6 bullets.  Each time a round is fired, the cylinder rotates to move a new bullet to line up with the barrel.

Revolvers were the original type of handgun and have the following characteristics

 

·         They carry only 5-6 bullets and are hard to reload.  This can take a lot of time although you can get “speed-loaders” which is 5-6 bullets held together with a metal tray or plastic and which can be inserted into the revolver all at the same time.

·         They are slightly less accurate than automatics because the bullets in the cylinder don’t always line up exactly with the barrel.

·         They are slightly less accurate because pulling the trigger is harder.  This is because the trigger movement has to move the large hammer back.

·         They are almost always “double-action” which means you fire the gun by just pulling the trigger.  In the much older “single-action” you had to first use your thumb to move the hammer back until it locked in position.  This is called “cocking the gun”.  Only then could you shoot by pulling the trigger.   A single action is much less useful for self-protection as it takes too much time and attention to use in an emergency.

·         It is important the hammer be “recessed” so it doesn’t stick out and catch on things.  Most revolvers manufactured today have this feature.

 

http://www.luckygunner.com/lounge/revolver-speed-loaders-work/

 

b)      Almost all handguns today are “automatics”.  This moniker is something of a misnomer even though common usage.  Unlike a rifle, an automatic handgun will only fire one bullet each time the trigger is pulled.

Automatic handguns have the following characteristics

 

·         They carry 7-15 bullets and are easy and fast to reload by removing the old clip and inserting a new one.

·         They then require you to pull the “slide” back and then to release it to chamber a round.  This is called “chambering a round” or “charging the weapon” (like a battery not a credit card) or simply “loading”.

·         They are slightly more accurate than revolvers because the hammer [or firing mechanism] is always “cocked” or pulled back ready to fire.  But this also makes them slightly more accident prone.  [Note that the US Military .45 caliber pistol has found a need for THREE safeties, a switch, a hand grip, and a half-cock.]

·         They aren’t as familiar so an attacker might not immediately realize this is a gun instead of a cigarette lighter; which would never happen with a revolver.

·         They are cheaper to manufacture and do not require as many individual adjustments.

 

HOW BIG A GUN DO YOU NEED

 

To be effective a handgun needs to be powerful enough to ABSOLUTELY stop someone and yet not so powerful as to have a big kick so you won’t practice enough to get good at it.  A little practice improves performance by as much as an order of magnitude.  This is an IMPORTANT consideration. 

 

The balance involves a choice of the “power” or “force” of the ammunition you fire which is not strictly a function of the caliber or diameter of the bullet.   A “round” of ammunition is characterized by the size of the bullet but even more importantly by how long or tall the cartridge is.  The bigger the cartridge, the more gunpowder it holds and the faster the bullet.  The parts of a “cartridge” or “round” or “bullet” or “ammunition” are

 

where the pistol strikes the primer on the bottom of the cartridge which ignites the black power and expels the bullet at the top.  A bigger cartridge has more room for black gun powder.  Some sizes of common cartridges are shown below.  The pistol rounds are the smaller ones to the left.  Those rounds of 7.62 mm and larger to the right are used in rifles and shotguns.

 

 

https://www.pewpewtactical.com/bullet-sizes-calibers-and-types/

 

The power of a bullet is the same “recoil” force which is imparted to the person shooting.  For different types of ammunition in common use, the average force in ft-lbs is

 

Handgun Cartridge Power Chart
Primary Useage	Calibar and Cartridge	Average Force (ft-lb)	Percnt. First Round Stop
			Raw Data	Smoothed
Amateur	.25ACP	65.0	29.7%	30%
	.22LR	97.0	29.3%	37%
	.22WMR	123.2	41.0%	43%
	.32ACP	158.0	60.0%	50%
Civilian Self Protection and Police	.380ACP	209.5	64.9%	60%
	.38Spec.	302.6	69.7%	74%
	.44Spec.	360.7	79.3%	80%
	9mm x19	407.4	87.3%	85%
	.38Super	431.0	88.0%	86%
Military Grade	.45Colt	455.0	81.3%	88%
	.45ACP	451.6	86.1%	88%
	.40S&W	456.3	91.6%	88%
Overkill	.357Mag.	484.0	89.7%	89%
	10mm	512.5	87.0%	90%
	.41Mag.	698.5	85.5%	87%
	.44Mag.	702.3	91.0%	87%

 

The smaller bullets, 0.22 inch diameter or 0.32 inch are simply not powerful enough to absolutely stop someone.  They can be fatal but they are not immediately impressive.  The smallest sizes which are effective are the 0.38 inch or the 9 mm diameter cartridges.   Ladies generally choose the 0.38 because it has less “kick” or recoil but is still effective.  Nevertheless, if you can tough it out, the 9 mm is a better round.  

 

The larger cartridges with bullet diameters of 0.40, 0.45, and 0.357 inches typically waste a lot of their energy when the bullet exits the victim.  They are mostly used by law enforcement and the military because they will go through walls where bad guys may be hiding or for disabling engine blocks in automobiles and so forth.  Eventually the bullet is so powerful the “kick” starts to interfere with the aim not to mention a greater weight of all the rounds.

 

Despite a lot of confused and conflicting information, the average percentage of criminals who were incapacitated after being shot once by a police officer is given below.

 

http://www.chuckhawks.com/handgun_power_chart.htm

 

https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2012/8/29/handgun-stopping-power-sizing-up-your-options/

http://gundata.org/blog/post/best-handgun-caliber-and-round-for-self-defense/

 

The equation of the smoothed curve is

 

(Stopping Percentage) = 3 [Force/8 – (Force/100)*(Force/100)] – 1

 

where the “Force” is the muzzle energy of the bullet in ft-lbs and the Stopping Percentage  is a value from 0 to 100 representing the percent likelihood of a “stop” from a first round hit derived from actual police reports.  Note that one “foot-pound” is that energy necessary to lift a “mass” of one pound one foot upward against the force of gravity.

 

Note that the “stopping power” is not just a function of the recoil (or foot-pounds of force) of the bullet but also by how much the bullet expands as it hits the human body and rips through flesh and blood and bone.  That is to say, how much damage it does so the person hit will quickly become unconscious as they bleed to death.   Again a gun is designed for killing so this might be a good time to think about it some more.

 

TYPES OF CONCEALABLE HANDGUNS

 

The smaller the barrel, the easier it is to conceal.  But also a short barrel greatly reduces the accuracy and the speed of the bullet.   A short barrel does have a bigger muzzle flash which may be an important deterrent.  Typically ladies choose a barrel from 2 to 4 inches which are among the smallest models manufactured.  Another crucial consideration is to choose a model which NEVER fails to fire when you pull the trigger.  That is to say, your handgun must be insensitive to dirt and grease and being banged around and being infrequently cleaned.  Some designs are more forgiving than others…

 

Some of the more popular and acceptable choices are

 

Recommend	Manufacturer	Model	Round Diameter	Length	Height	Loaded Weight	Trigger Pull	Barrel Length	Pistol Type	Comments
	Glock	19 Gen4	9 mm	7.3 in	5.0 in	30.2 oz	5.5 lbs	4.01 in	Automatic
	Glock	26 Gen4	9 mm	6.4 in	4.2 in	26.1 oz	5.5 lbs	3.42 in	Automatic
5	Glock	43	9 mm	6.3 in	5.2 in	22.4 oz	5.5 lbs	3.39 in	Automatic
1	Glock	42	.38 in	5.9 in	4.1 in	17.3 oz	5.5 lbs	3.25 in	Automatic
5	Smith & Wesson	M&P Shield	9 mm	6.1 in	4.6 in	21.6 oz	6.5 lbs	3.1 in	Automatic	No thumb safety
2	Smith & Wesson	M&P Bodyguard 38	.38 in	6.6 in		17.0 oz		1.88 in	Revolver	Laser Sight
5	Smith & Wesson	638	.38 in	6.3 in		17.2 oz		1.88 in	Revolver	J-25 frame
	Smith & Wesson	642	.38 in	6.3 in		17.0 oz		1.88 in	Revolver	J-25 frame
5	Smith & Wesson	642LS	.38 in	6.3 in		17.4 oz		1.88 in	Revolver	J-25 frame
	Sig Sauer	P320	9 mm	6.7 in	4.7 in	27.5 oz		3.60 in	Automatic	micro-compact
7	Sig Sauer	P938	9 mm	5.9 in	3.9 in	18.6 oz	7.5 lbs	3.00 in	Automatic	micro-compact
	Sig Sauer	P290RS	.38 in	5.5 in	3.9 in	19.0 oz	9.0 lbs	2.90 in	Automatic	micro-compact
3	Sig Sauer	P238	.38 in	5.5 in	3.9 in	17.8 oz	7.5 lbs	2.70 in	Automatic	micro-compact
4	Ruger	LC9s	9 mm	6.0 in	4.5 in	19.8 oz		3.12 in	Automatic
	Ruger	LCP	0.38						Automatic
	Ruger	LCR	.38 in	6.5 in	4.5				Revolver	RECALLED
	Springfield	XDs
	Berreta	Nano
	Walther	CCP
	Bersa	Thunder

 

Another important improvement would be to add a laser sighting device.   It is fairly accurate especially at close range and the large red spot appearing on the bad guy is another deterrent.

 

CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT

 

It is the right of every citizen to own a firearm as enshrined in the Second Amendment to the US Constitution.  Its purpose, according to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, was that the government should always be fearful of an armed uprising if it becomes too tyrannical.  They believed politicians were not to be trusted with the absolute power of the state.  This was because our rights are not bestowed by government but rather by God who created the universe and our individual consciousness or soul.  

 

Lest we forget, the founding fathers had just succeeded in an armed insurrection against the legal government of King George III because of excessive taxation and unreasonable regulation administered by uncaring bureaucrats thousands of miles away in the capital of London, England.

 

In Santa Clara County, California, a concealed carry permit may be obtained by any citizen in good standing for ANY reason whatever.  For the proper forms and procedures see the web site

 

https://www.sccgov.org/sites/sheriff/Pages/ccw.aspx

 

PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS

 

Despite insane democrat politicians ranting nonsense, there are many good reasons to own a gun.  These reasons include

 

·         You absolutely cannot depend on a criminal being rational.  They will get weapons to include guns whenever they want and will show a complete disregard for any laws forbidding assault or robbery or worse.  Many criminals will never be punished for most of their crimes.   Eventually they may be caught, but this is typically a statistical fluke.  [Less than one-third of burglaries, less than half of rapes, and only two-thirds of murders are usually “solved”. ]

 

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2013/crime-in-the-u.s.-2013/offenses-known-to-law-enforcement/clearances/clearancetopic_final

 

 

·         The police are extremely unlikely to be around when you are attacked or your home is broken into.  Criminals will be on the watch for the police and will choose a victim or a place or a time when they are less likely to be caught.

 

·         Showing a weapon, in most cases, will cause the criminal to flee. [Statistically more than 90% of attackers will flee.]

 

·         If worse comes to worse, a gun may save your life.  In particular, in every single case of mass shootings, in ALL of them, the body count would have been significantly reduced if more ordinary citizens were carrying guns.

 

But like everything in life, there are also bad consequences of owning a gun and a rational person cannot ignore them.  These include

 

·         If you surprise a burglar in your home, he will already have found the gun you have “hidden” and may use it against you.

 

·         If you are suddenly attacked, in the ensuing struggle, the criminal may take your gun and use it against you.

 

·         It is all too easy to accidently discharge a loaded weapon and hurt innocent bystanders.   This includes missing the criminal and shooting into a neighbor’s house.

 

·         It is all too easy to get into an emotional rage especially with family members and instead of throwing things, to shoot them.

 

·         Children tragically kill other children in gun accidents nearly every day.

 

·         Most importantly, introducing a gun into a desperate situation RAISES THE STAKES beyond what they might otherwise have been, to a kill or be killed status.  Guns are so deadly, there is often no other choice.

 

One might argue that the bad consequences, real and horrible as they undeniably are, are the lesser of two evils or even that they are statistically insignificant.   But they are NOT IRREVELANT and must be seriously considered.  The bottom line is that there is NO PERFECT SOLUTION and those who think otherwise are deluding themselves.  It is necessarily a matter of balance and judgment.

 

If you do finally decide to purchase a handgun, treat it as if were loaded at all times.  Take great care to never point it at anyone unless you want to shoot them.  If you have unloaded and perhaps even dissembled the gun to clean it, STILL always think of it as loaded and dangerous.   Treat it exactly as you would your pet rattlesnake, Bruce.  You may have lavished a great deal of care on Bruce over the years and even have a kind of mutual affection, after a fashion.   But still it would never be wise to sleep with Bruce or treat him with anything other than the greatest of CAUTION.

 

CONCLUSIONS

 

Guns have long been an integral part of the American experience.   They were a key factor in the success of westward expansion.  As a societal equalizer, we note the quip “On the [American] frontier, everyone is created equal.  Samuel Colt [who invented the revolver] made them that way.”  Indeed the first states to accept “Woman’s Suffrage” were those on the Western Frontier.

 

Today, society still finds guns a useful tool and important equalizer.  That guns are deadly and abused by criminals is also true.   And so any rational decision regarding gun ownership needs to take both sides into consideration.   Calmly and carefully thinking about it is IMPORTANT.

 

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