Comments on: Media admits police get powerful guns too

By: Ron w

Ron w — Sat, 02 Dec 2006 20:24:53 +0000

Unix-Jedi,

I agree. I carry the 9 and basically use the .357 7-rd revolver for my first grab home-defense gun.

By: Unix-Jedi

Unix-Jedi — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 19:11:07 +0000

I don’t think it’s fair to compare a 9 and a .357 – they’re world’s apart in power.

Having said that, the biggest issue is (All Together Now….)

Bullet placement!
Bullet placement!
Bullet placement!

So, Ron, if you can shoot the CZ 75 accurately, it’s the gun for you. (Evan Marshall, the co-conspirator with Sarnow who wrote up analysis for the “one shot stop study”, that promoted the .357 above all others.. carries a nine, and says he shoots to slide lock. )

By: Ron W

Ron W — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 17:16:36 +0000

That bit of info from Tam about the 9mm makes me feel better about the potency of my newly acquired CZ 75B 14+1. It’s a great carry gun, the main erason for its acquisition. But as ben says, there is a considerable difference in the sound and recoil of my .357 Taurus revolver and the 9mm semi-auto. I’m thinking one vital zone, self-defensive, hollow-point round from the .357 would be a definite stopper.

By: Captain Holly

Captain Holly — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 17:01:05 +0000

Uncle blogged about a case earlier this year of a BLM cop in Idaho who would carry an AR-15 on her shoulder when confronting paintballers. It caused quite a heated discussion in the comments.

The problem wasn’t that she had been issued an AR-15, or that said AR-15 had been stolen from her car, but that she would carry it when confronting a group of kids that were probably guilty of nothing more than misdemeanors. It’s an issue of respect, not safety: Cops who openly carry their AR-15s when they clearly don’t need them are doing so to intimidate people.

Police intimidation is something totalitarian states do. It’s counterproductive and corrosive in free societies, or those societies that wish to be free.

By: ben

ben — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:29:14 +0000

Actually, it’s not particularly that much closer to the .357 (magnum I presume). Here’s the info from the Remington website:

Muzzle energy in ft-lbs, 125gn bullet, Remington UMC (Apples to apples, you know)
.38spl reg/+p: 220/248
9mm: 339
.357mag: 583

9mm is superior to the .38spl, but it doesn’t come close to touching the .357 mag.

By: Sebastian

Sebastian — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 15:13:53 +0000

I agree with you completely on this. I have no problems with police having an AR-15 in their patrol cars, and think they should have them. My general feeling is the police should be allowed to have whatever I can have. Since I can’t have an M16, they should be off limits to police. If the government feel the police really need one, then they should let everyone have them.

By: SayUncle

SayUncle — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 14:40:20 +0000

Tam, you’re a blogger. You’re supposed to pick nits.

By: Tam

Tam — Thu, 30 Nov 2006 14:31:37 +0000

A 9mm (the most common caliber for carrying 16 rounds) is roughly the same caliber as a .38. The .38 is a bit more powerful due to having more powder.

Not to pick nits, but despite the bigger case, .38 Spl uses about the same powder charge as 9mm, and is less powerful, due to the resultant lower operating pressures. 9x19mm is closer to .357 than it is to .38 Spl.