“Stopping Power” of firearms and ammunition is a matter that has been cussed and discussed for decades. In a nutshell, it is the ability of a firearm and ammunition combination to incapacitate an attacker, whether four-legged or two-legged.

Understanding Stopping Power

Stopping power is typically a combination of ballistic factors, such as tissue displacement and energy transfer that can cause trauma, shock and hemorrhaging. Some experts poo-poo any discussion of stopping power, while others have developed intricate calculations on the topic. Today, we’ll look at what new gun owners should know about this matter in relation to choosing a gun and ammo combination for self-defense purposes.

Guns

Any matter of stopping power has to include a discussion of firearm calibers and the relative “strength” of the various calibers used for self-defense. Today we’ll limit our discussion to handguns, since they are the most commonly used firearms in self-defense situations and often the first kind of gun purchased by new gun owners.

The 9mm is the most commonly used caliber for self-defense and is a good trade-off of power and recoil. With the right ammunition, the venerable 9mm has proven itself in self-defense situations for decades and is even used by many police agencies as the sidearm of choice. Also, most quality handgun makers offer a number of models in 9mm, from subcompact carry pistols to larger handguns.

The larger .45 Auto and 10mm shoot bigger but slower-moving bullets that are touted by followers to be more powerful and to have more stopping power. The tradeoff, however, is increased recoil, which can be daunting to some inexperienced shooters.

Mighty Mites

At the lower end, .380 ACP and .32 Auto can get the job done with somewhat less recoil than the 9mm, but they are firing smaller bullets so are deemed to not be as effective by many experts. 

Stepping down even further, people have successfully used the .25 ACP, .22 Magnum and even .22 LR for self-defense. But they are grossly underpowered for the purpose and not recommended for self-defense use by most experts in the field.

For revolvers, the .38 Special and .357 Magnum have plenty to offer. However, the .38 Special is considered underpowered by many, and the .357’s recoil can be a challenge for some people.

Ammunition

Just as important as the firearm used is the ammunition you choose to shoot. Solid, full-metal-jacket rounds aren’t meant for self-defense. And while they have been used to stop attacks before, they’re simply not made for the purpose, punching a single, caliber-sized hole in an aggressor. 

Ammunition purpose-made for self-defense typically has a hollow point that is designed to expand upon hitting the target, dumping most of the energy into the target. This not only causes more tissue damage, but also makes the bullet less likely to penetrate all the way through the target and hit something else on the other side.

When choosing a self-defense round, consider such factors as caliber (already discussed), expansion, penetration and reliability. Try several kinds through your self-defense pistol and make sure that it is accurate and shoots and cycles 100% reliably. That means every time, as self-defense is a matter of life and death, so there is no place for ammunition failure in such a situation.

Quality ammo makers like Hornady, Black Hills, Winchester, Federal, Remington, Speer, Underwood and others all make quality self-defense ammo. Just be sure whatever you choose is made for self-defense applications. And don’t get overly caught up on the higher price of self-defense ammunition compared to range ammo. If a situation is dire enough to use your gun to defend yourself or your family, it’s worth spending a few extra dollars to give yourself an edge.

The Human Factor

Of course, another factor in stopping power is the person using the gun and ammunition in a self-defense situation. If you have the right gun/ammo combination but can ‘t put your shots where you want them when the chips are down, you won’t be as adept at stopping an attacker as if you can hit right where you intend to.

That means putting in plenty of range time to develop the muscle memory and accuracy to put your shots on target. Note that while there is less expensive range ammunition available for your self-defense firearm, you need to shoot enough of the rounds that you intend to use for self-defense to become accurate with that specific ammunition.

In the end, get a top-quality self-defense handgun in a viable caliber, find good purpose-made self-defense ammunition and practice with both—a lot. Then if, God forbid, you ever need to use your gun for self-defense, you’ll be well equipped to do so.

Find a place to shoot at NSSF.org.