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[bud]

. Edited August 5, 2015 by bud

[chances R]

It is certainly nice to have a 'minute of angle' shootin' iron.....but for self-defense not necessary. What you are looking for is reasonable grouping, sort of 'minute of man'. Your accuracy will come with practice, but for SD you are looking at making hits quickly, not dotting the "I". Look for fist size groups with speed. Actually you are better off to hit in 2 different spots rather than stack your shots....more tissue damage, and thus more leaks created. Reliability is just as important. Unlike Grunt, I have no ideas what if any SD situation I may find myself in, so I do factor in 'shoot-thru" to some degree.

[tnhawk]

Several well grouped hits with RN are better than many misses with the most powerful HP round.  I also carry a P938 and my concerns were determining that a round feeds everytime and having spare magazines.

 

I try to practice often and make the best effort possible to avoid the necessity of putting that practice into use.

Edited December 15, 2014 by tnhawk

[Jonnin]

I use the 90 grain gold dot.  The smaller bullet feeds the best in a few of our 9s including a 938. 

It really does not matter. 

JHP ammo is all very similar, so as long as it works IN YOURS reliably, it will be fine.  Small differences in bullet weights and shapes won't make any real world difference. 

[Grunt81]

It is certainly nice to have a 'minute of angle' shootin' iron.....but for self-defense not necessary. What you are looking for is reasonable grouping, sort of 'minute of man'. Your accuracy will come with practice, but for SD you are looking at making hits quickly, not dotting the "I". Look for fist size groups with speed. Actually you are better off to hit in 2 different spots rather than stack your shots....more tissue damage, and thus more leaks created. Reliability is just as important. Unlike Grunt, I have no ideas what if any SD situation I may find myself in, so I do factor in 'shoot-thru" to some degree.

You are absolutely right in what you say. I agree with your post, completely and I'm glad you mentioned this. More practice does lead to better accuracy and I hope no one is trying to "dot" an "i" with a short-barreled, compact, concealable pistol.

 

Personally, I've noticed a huge difference in accuracy between a 3"/ 3.5" barrel (can't remember) and a 5" barrel using the exact same ammo, at a distance of 17 yards shot from a rest. The difference was ridiculous. I'm talking a 10-shot, 2" group vs a 10-shot 12" group! That difference can mean either a hit or a miss, when taking rapid shots.

 

Once the OP determines how inherently accurate his pistol is, with a given type of ammo at 20yds, then, if he misses, he'll know it was his fault and not the "ammo's" fault  or the "short barrel's" fault.....on the same token, if the defensive shooting occurs within 5 yards, any factory amm should be "minute of man" any day of the week. But I'd like to be prepared for the chance a shot may have to be taken at 20 yards or so.

 

I guess a better way to say it is, "With my pistol and defense ammo, HOW FAR away can I get a fist-sized, 'minute-of-man' group?"

 

Several well grouped hits with RN are better than many misses with the most powerful HP round. 

Amen.

Edited December 16, 2014 by Grunt81