Women face many challenges in shooting. Not the least of which is handgun
caliber selection. Your significant other or male family member may say
something like, "If it doesn't start with a "4", forget it!". Or, "Have the
largest caliber you can shoot comfortably." What exactly is "comfortably"?
Does that mean for a few rounds while at the range or for serious training
or for carry purposes?
Women's ability to comfortably carry may seem greater due to the fact that
we most likely also carry a purse but off-body carry is by no means optimal
with regards to accessibility, economy of motion, retention and speed of
draw. On-body carry for a woman can become somewhat problematic due to
fashion considerations, dress requirements for work, shorter rib to waist
measurements and general body contours.
First, let's examine calibers. Most anyone will agree that the 9mm, 10mm,
.40 S&W, or ..45 ACP are adequate handgun calibers for personal protection.
Some would argue that the 9mm is underpowered and the .40 S&W is a much
better round with increased stopping power and a good compromise to the .45
ACP. They might be right as far as energy statistics are concerned but they
might be wrong when it comes to the recoil pattern, perceived recoil and the
ability to get the pistol back on target for a follow-up shot. You are the
one to know, not anybody else. Your perception of what is comfortable to
shoot is the truth for you.
Recoil has two distinct patterns. Linear momentum, which is the movement of
the gun straight back, and angular momentum, which is rotational in nature.
Linear momentum or recoil will be perceived as a backwards push up the hand,
wrist, forearm and eventually into the shoulder. The angular momentum or
recoil will be the
"muzzle flip"; this involves rotation of the hand upward at the wrist.
Muzzle flip is much more noticeable to an observer than linear recoil. You
can see the angle of the muzzle at its highest point of recoil when standing
to the side of the person shooting the handgun.
Muzzle flip is very pronounced on the .40 S&W, especially with female
shooters and particularly while shooting one-handed. While males may
experience less muzzle flip than females and an approximate/observed muzzle
flip angle from horizontal of 30º or less, females regularly exceed 45º
-60º. This will significantly increase the amount of time required to get
back on to your target for a follow-up shot.
Personally, the .40 S&W has a much more perceived or felt recoil and the
recoil is also much sharper than either the 9mm or the ..45 ACP. I can much
more easily shoot a 1911 style .45 ACP, get faster follow-up shots and don't
feel so beat up as when I shoot a .40 S&W. The difference is not small.
My own observations while teaching, training and lurking at the range would
lead me to believe that this is almost universal for women with our smaller
hands, weaker wrists and forearms and less developed upper bodies.
Other considerations regarding caliber need to include continuity of
ammunition supply. In other words, what calibers are presently in your house
as well as the cost of ammunition. Taking Wolf ammo as an example because
it is inexpensive to start with and one can readily cost compare across
calibers, and using 1000 rds of 9mm as a base, it is obvious that .40 S&W is
35% and .45 ACP approximately 55% more expensive to shoot.
Look at it another way:
10 cases of 9mm
6.5 cases of .40 S&W
5.5 cases of ..45 ACP
are all about the same total price.
In my household this matters a lot since both of us are shooters!
I realize this will be even more controversial than the above but here goes
anyway. What about the "minor" calibers such as .38 special, .380 or ..32?
Are they even worth carrying? Arguably something is better than nothing and
many will recommend a subcompact version of what would "normally" be carried
in one of the major calibers. But just what is "normally" carried? How is
it carried? And finally will it be carried if the restrictions mentioned
above (fashion, dress codes for work, rib to waist length and general
curves) are considered?
I have yet to meet anyone who would volunteer to be shot with even a .22
caliber. My discussions with former undercover narcotics officers indicated
that they wanted concealability over caliber. One even said he personally
witnessed .380 not penetrating a leather jacket while .32 was more than
adequate for the job and that is why he always carried a Beretta Tomcat.
When one considers that most firearms related encounters are at under 10
feet, it is obvious that a "minor" caliber will most likely be adequate.
Notice I said, "adequate" and not "optimal". Adequate to cause enough
damage to reset your attacker's OODA loop. Adequate to possibly stop an
attack. Adequate to maybe dissuade an attacker from actually beginning
their attack if they see the firearm even as small as it is. Nobody wants
to get shot! And while it may be argued that a .32 will do little to
nothing in stopping a raging meth addict, unless you can get a clean CNS
(central nervous system) hit, neither will any handgun caliber for that
matter.
There is also another fact regarding minor calibers I cannot dismiss: Due
to the smaller size they will have noticeably sharper recoil than a larger
caliber in a larger, heavier firearm. Though I doubt in the chaos of the
moment of defending yourself this would be noticeable, training with the
smaller calibers is essential so there will be not surprises should that day
ever come. Also, it should be noted that the recoil will be greater and more
difficult to control with a subcompact firearm in a major caliber than with
its full-sized equivalent.
Advantages
Disadvantages
45 ACP Stopping power (SP) Ammo
price, recoil
40 S&W Stopping power (SP) Ammo
price, recoil
9mm Stopping power (SP), low recoil, ammo price Less SP than
larger cals
38 Spec. Adequate SP, size, low recoil Less SP,
fewer rounds
380 Size
Less SP, fewer rounds
32
Size Less SP,
fewer rounds
Everyone will have a different experience when shooting the various handgun
calibers through the variety of handguns available in those calibers. But
on a whole, my experience has been that women will just plain adapt more
easily to a 9mm than say a .40 S&W or .45 ACP. Women will find the recoil
pattern less "punishing" as well as the perceived recoil. They will be able
to get back on target quicker and complete a follow-up shot in less time.
And isn't that our goal in the first place?
Personally, I also have a .32 caliber Seecamp which is entirely concealable
almost anywhere and having shot Gold Dot HPs into wet phone books can report
penetration, though with little expansion, to a depth of 7-9 inches with
consistency.
Where possible, I prefer to open carry (strong side hip) a 9mm Glock or
Springfield Armory XD. If I do carry concealed I wear either the Ehud
Holster crossdraw or use my 32. Seecamp with a pocket holster.
