HEAD SHOTS?

[jro45]

I don't concider the 380 ACP anything but a plicking gun. I bought my wife one so she can shoot while I shoot my 357 mag or 10mm.  I would think that you would have to be holding a small caliber gun right into the perk to do any good. That my thoughts.

[sawebbshooter]

If escape is possible, i.e. attack on the street, then multiple shots to the body should give one the required lead.  Cornered in the home, or otherwise, if there is still a threat after the body shots, then the shot to the head is more justifiable.  Then again, if there is still a
threat, it is still going to be tough to do the headshot anyhow. Although I do believe that it is better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6, finishing the bastard off in the absence of continuing threat ain't gonna look in front of a jury. Real Life 101, people for reasons good and bad are not going to carry or train with "appropriate caliber and handgun combos" 100%.  People also count on the deterent effect; witness the number of crimes thwarted by the mere presence of firearms according to the N.R.A.  My dear old departed Granny had a break-top 32 which she planned to stick in the housebreakers face, unloaded, when the time came.  I realize the problems with this approach, but there is some validity to it and Granny wasn't alone in her thinking.  Bottom line, shoot to the breadbasket 'til bad guy drops.  If that happens before that loud click, then leave, call 911, keep bastard covered and/or shoot again as needed, in the order needed.

[Horsefeathers]

I might as well put my 2 cents worth in. Head shots, a bullet inthe back of the skull at the base would be effective. You would hit the Medulla Oblongata at the base of the brain. An area where you apply a Rabbit punch.  Useful for assasinations. But I knew of a case where a burglar was shot in the back of the head just above this area and the slug stuck in his skull only causing hime to fall down and to give up. It was a 32 S&W. A man shot his wife a few times in the torso area .She was wearing a corset and afur coat which stopped the bullets. A man shot his wife in the temple. the bullet went completely through and exited the other side and lodged in the wall. He the n shot himself between the eyes, and the bullet came out of his nose. He then put a round in the temple which did the job. IT was a .22cal. Another man ran his car of the road into a tree. He was semi conscious and vomited. He was taken to the hospital they assumed he was itoxicated. Closer investigation disclosed e .22cal hole in the back window of his car. The E.R. was informed. an xray revealed a slug in the back of his head which later caused his demise.   A an old storekeaper was held up. He ran up the street in the dark pursuing the perps. who went the other way. He shot an old freind of his in the abdomen  twice with a 22.cal rifle then shot a police officer in the leg. another officer shot him in the face breaking his glasses and smashing his eye. as he lay on the ground he said "Did I get them?'   Every one recovered from their wounds. I have more first hand stories but I dont want to boar any body.    Horsefeathers.

[dogngun]

Several points ;
     Most of these posts are talking about pocket pistols. A .22/.25 is not a powerful round. Out of a two inch (or shorter) barrel, it is even less powerful and less accurate. Most pocket pistols have no sights or very small sights, making it even more difficult to make an "eyeball" shot under stress.
Pocket pistols in .22 RF calibers are famous for being unreliable.They are also difficult to clear, especially an FTE.
Some pocket pistols are too small for large hands - they will cut you and jam the gun when fired.

I have tried  various.22 and .25 caliber pocket pistols for over 20 years, more as a hobby than anything else, guns ranging from Ravens and Jennings to Taurus and Beretta. NONE of them are reliable enough to carry.

The only pocket auto I now own and sometimes carry is a Keltec P-32.
It has been 100% reliable for me, and I can actually hit something at 30 feet using it.

If you must carry a .22, carry a revolver. If you must carry a .25, get an old Colt, Browning or an Intratec...The Tecs are cheap guns, but the one I had was reliable and even painless to shoot. They aren't made any more and are hard to find.
The Colts and Brownings are collectable and run around $300.

Get a bigger gun.

Mark

[yuppie]

At 30c a shot, you just haven't fired that .32 as much as the .22's that you deem "unreliable".  Sights can be added to any gun, and nearly any gun can be made to be plenty reliable enough. The shooter "malfunctions" about 9 times in 10 (at getting the hits, fast enough) so worrying about a 1 time in 100 malfunction of the gun is just asinine.