Anyone that has ever stepped into their local pistol range or stood in a field with a target against a back stop (something to make sure the bullet does not travel past the target) has tried to imagine what shooting distance is acceptable for a self defense application. If the day comes that you need to use your trusty sidearm for defense, you should know that 80% of all handgun battles are fought at a distance of 13 feet or less. If you are in doubt about how close that really is, then you need to get out a measuring tape……….the results will shock you! At 13 feet you could almost defend yourself with a bookend or a broomstick except for the fact that the perpetrators of the law are usually armed with a knife or a gun.

If you could choose a position during a gun battle, you no doubt would pick a place of good cover, one where you could inflict a maximum amount of damage with a minimal amount of exposure. I know I sure would. The truth of the matter is that human nature is to spray, pray and go for cover, but at 13 feet or less that spray and pray reaction very well may get you “back shot.” If you want to pray, stay caught up before the gun fight begins.

Pick a gun that makes sense for your situation.

On revolvers: Single action (SA) Double action (DA) Double action only (DAO)

“Cowboy” (single action) revolvers are extremely safe for handling and are a favorite of quick draw and trick shot competitors. I’ve seen some talented shooters that were absolutely mesmerizing in their speed and accuracy with a single action .45 LC (Long Colt). I’ve seen cowboy fanning techniques that would have left most other shooters with their holsters still full.

I love cowboy guns. They are safe, no nonsense shooters that are extremely reliable. Over the past 35 years I have owned a wide assortment of calibers in the “single six” (single action/six shot) configuration. The introduction of a transfer bar into the inner workings of this famed shooter makes it extremely safe;  due to the overall size, this type gun it is not at the top of my list for conceal carry weapons.

Semi automatic pistols with higher capacity clips are certainly desirable, accurate and fun to shoot. I have to admit that possessing more than five or six rounds of ammunition ready for defense is certainly good, not to mention fun when you are punching holes in paper targets at the range. If you think that you are going to face multiple targets at 13 feet or less, then you have a good hi-cap argument. If you find yourself in an offensive position, where you are the hunter instead of the hunted, then I recommend a high capacity with a twelve to seventeen round capability. The caliber is basically what you feel confident with. My personal preference is a .40 or .45 caliber round, although there is much to be said about bullet placement instead of bullet caliber.

When considering a semi automatic there are two downside possibilities that come into play. Since the breech opens and closes when the round is chambered and fired, fouling of the firing mechanism is a real possibility. There is no substitute for meticulous maintenance or in layman terms a good and regular old fashion cleaning.  The second possibility is a FTF (failure to feed), the most common being a “stovepipe” jam. A stovepipe jam occurs when the bullet fails to enter the barrel properly and the slide won’t close. Some guns are temperamental as to the ammunition they shoot and that is remedied through trial and error of brands. The other remedy is to have the ramp polished and throated by a competent gunsmith. Realizing that the slide must cycle every time a round is fired, anything that interferes with this movement can cancel the action and thus cancel your ticket.

You want to consider overall size when looking at maneuverability in close quarters.  Although longer barrel guns do provide improved accuracy, you need to remember that the action of the gun needs to remain functionally free. The ideal barrel lengths for concealed carry will be anywhere from 1-1/2 to 4 inches. If you think that there is a likelihood that you’ll need to fire the pistol while it is still in your pocket, then the obvious choice would be a revolver with a concealed hammer (CH) or double action only (DAO).

If the possibility exist for you to fire the pistol from your pants pocket, and you’re a male and plan to stay that way, I advise that you make real sure of the direction of the barrel and be familiar with the sensitivity of the trigger pull.

While DAO (double action only) revolvers are common place, I personally prefer a magnaported, stainless or titanium, double action revolver with a barrel length of 3 inches or less. Once the above particulars are in place it’s time to consider the trigger. I really like to polish the trigger to where all the creep is gone. By the word creep, I mean the feeling you get where the hammer breaks over right before it falls. If you have a trigger pull gauge, I like the double action smooth, even and crisp at between 10 to 14 pounds of pull. If I want to shoot this same revolver in the single action mode, I want the trigger at 2 pounds of pull or less. If you have ever shot a pistol with a 2 pound or less trigger, you know that sometimes it can go off before you are ready. The last thing you want to do is to accidentally discharge a round into someone before you mean to and for this reason alone you really need to practice. Once that bullet leaves the barrel it is a little too late to call it back.

As a young boy I remember telling my uncle that the reason I was practicing with a pistol was so that if I ever needed it for self defense, I could shoot my aggressor in the arm or leg. “Raymond,” he said, “you’ve seen too much cowboy television……….any man worth shooting is a man worth killing.”

Having embraced this grain of truth, I guess the bottom line is this:  When it goes down, my favorite type self defense pistol is the one I have in my hand; one that has the capability of going “BANG!” when I pull the trigger.