Reeder Custom Guns - THE BEST CALIBER

My preferred carry caliber is .45 ACP with .357 Magnum being the next preferred. These two are what I carry the absolute most. I have carried a 9mm at times and a .38 Special at other times. I never felt “under-armed” but I have to admit I felt better carrying the .357 or the .45 ACP.

And I know intellectually that is ridiculous. I have never met anyone who didn't mind if someone shot them with a .22 Long Rifle! And I know of situations that were taken care of with good results for the good guys, where a .22 Long Rifle was used. I have killed good sized Mule Deer with a .22 Long Rifle bullet fired from a Ruger Single Six pistol. Do I prefer to hunt with it? Of course not. But if you keep your wits about you, you can make it work.

The same with self-defense. When I was where it was not legal to be armed I once carried a Beretta Jetfire .25 ACP. It was better than only having regrets to carry around. I shot it enough that I knew I could make it work.

BECAUSE NO ONE WANTS TO BE SHOT WITH ANYTHING!

Well … there is always the exception, but thank God they are very rare.

I have a good friend who took on 3 gunmen with a 5 shot .38 Special Taurus. The gunmen had AK47's and hand grenades and were killing people in the church he attended. He fired 3 shots, hit one of the bad guys and they all ran from the building. He ran to the door and fired 2 more shots as they jumped into a waiting car. The police got the guy he shot when his “friends” dropped him at a hospital.

Now what he did was crazy. Take on men with machine guns and grenades! They killed 12 people and wounded 50-some before he stopped them. With a .38 Special snubby revolver.

Those of us who shoot a lot like to debate calibers. And it is fun as long as egos don't get in the way. But the truth of the matter is, a person who is a decent shot and who can keep calm enough under pressure to make the shots count can make almost any caliber work.

But if I have a choice I still prefer the .357 or the .45 ACP.

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There are some I’d certainly prefer. These days I find myself making choices based upon specific circumstances. A need for covert carry, a compact flat rig. Traveling through Injun territory, a high capacity rig. Bedside, high capacity, larger with a light on it.

It’s comforting I have some choices.

But training and proficiency can be overlooked. I’m still working on that.

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If I am dressed and not neked, I have a NAA Black Widow 22 LR on me. Save those pesky government buldingsa d such. But that isn’t my carry gun, it is like my wallet, watch and pocket knife and tiny flashlight, alswYs there. Then. I normally carry a smith 36 or 9mm of of one make or another in addition to.

Thankfully I hardly ever have shootouts with folks. I do get down and dirty with some pigs at times and that is where the “anything in my hands” come in. On our little dirt road near the house, Dee and I saw a nice piggy stand up from a muddy ditch as we drove by. I don’t remember why but I only had that little NAA 22 with
me. Resting through the window and aiming at the ear, at the Pop he just dropped and quivered. A 10 or 12 yard lucky shot that I normally let my wife tell since she saw it. For pigs and deer I prefer a 44 special.

Glock 19, Marlin 357 magnum, and Remington 870 12ga by the bed. Only the Glock has yet to kill an intruding pig in the yard.

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I have a friend who killed a coyote with his Ruger Bearcat Shopkeeper. Biggest thing I have shot with mine is raccoons. But it's larger than that NAA! Great job!

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It's not the rounds we fire, the noise of our bursts, or the smoke we make, it is the hits that count.

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THE BEST CALIBER

My favorite is whatever is loaded and filling my hand!

Whatever I have in my hands too

That's Great .. dropping a pig with a little pocket pistol .

Like the Marine Corps rifle creed says...