Handgun Stopping Power

In the early 80s, when I first pinned on a badge and took the oath, the .357 Magnum was king of the law enforcement community.  Everyone carried one, along with the .38 Special. There were big things happening in the firearms world. Jeff Cooper was still the guru, touting the .45 ACP and the 1911 platform as the top of the lie for serious handgun use. Then, in 1986, a couple of things happened.

The FBI Miami shootout happened, calling into question the tactics and handguns currently in use. And, also in 1986, Gaston Glock introduced the Model 17 in the US market, introducing the popular age of polymer handguns.  Each of these developments spurred development of handguns and cartridges for law enforcement and self-defense use. There was no internet back then, so we would have to wait for the monthly magazines to come out, telling us what  the latest thinkers were saying and the products that were hitting the market.

Everything moved more slowly back then. s we hashed out our differences, the lines were drawn, and there were several lines to draw.  Semiauto vs revolver,  Polymer vs steel.  Glock vs 1911. Those were exciting times around the coffee pot in the squad room.  Everyone had an opinion.

In January of 1990, Smith and Wesson introduced the .40SW cartridge. It grew out of tests that the FBI was conducting to find a better handgun cartridge and the debate really cranked up. The US Army had adopted the Beretta 92FS in 1985, but I didn't see the first one until late 1990, supply issues being what they are. Exciting times.

We heard rumors about a big study being done as part of an academic exercise. Then, in 1992, Evan Marshal and Edwin Sanow published their study, Handgun Stopping Power.   You can still find it on Amazon, sometimes. With this study, the wheels fell off the debate. We can find a very brief summation of it at US Carry forum here.

I say all this to remind the youngsters that we are still arguing about the best gun to carry and use for self defense. The 9mm is now the king of the hill, but that does nothing to diminish the utility of the others. I find a couple of things interesting.  Marshal and Sanow found the diminutive .32 ACP to be a 64% stopper with good bullets.  And, the renowned FBI Miami shoot was finished with the old FBI .38 Special load. Both of those are considered extremely anemic by today's standards.

Todays bullets and powders are worlds apart from what we were using in the 1980s and 1990s. Yet, those same cartridges have benefitted from the technology that gives us better powder and bullets. Technique and bullet placement are still critical. The best parameter for success is still hitting the target. Every thing else is secondary. Don't scoff at the little lady with the .32, or the old man who is carrying a revolver. They probably know how to use them.