The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - What’s the smallest handgun that is still effective at 100m?

Wyosmith · May 19, 2019, 07:53 PM

"Effective" is one of those terms that is often misunderstood, and sometimes meaningless.

If a bullet has any effect, it's effective. Maybe not as effective as you'd like. So what is meant when you ask about effectiveness? What does it mean to you?

I have several 22 handguns. I can keep all my shots on an 8-1/2 X 11 inch piece of paper at 100 yards with them if I have a bit of time. Say 2-3 seconds per shot.
I can keep a soda can in danger with all my shots at 100 yards too, but I hit maybe 1/4 of them on that can, the rest missing by short distances.

If I shot a bad-guy with a 22 LR at 100 yards would it have an effect?

Would that effect be that he charged me?

Or would he run?

Or hide?

Or would he surrender?

Any of the above is "an effect".

So it falls back to the fact that in a fight it's 98% the man and 2% what he is using. Same with the enemy. And we can't know all the possibilities.

What if he was just as good a marksman as you are?

Or what if he has a rifle?

Or what if he can get in a car and try to run over you?

Or phone call 3 friends?

We want pat answers. There are none if we are honest.

I have killed about 35 head of game with handguns in my life ranging from small buck deer to bull buffalo. Every one of them but one was killed with 1 shot each, and the one that is the exception was killed with 2 shots. The closest one was killed with a 45ACP at about 7 yards and the farthest one was an antelope I killed at about 135 yards with a 357 magnum. My smallest "big game" killed with a handgun was a 3 point mule deer shot with a 44 mag,(which ran about 20 yards after the hit) and the largest game animal I ever killed was a buffalo at about 35 yards with the same 44 mag. (Which dropped dead at the shot) In addition to these animals I have killed a fair number of domestic horses, cattle and sheep and a few goats with various handguns.
I have killed big game with 357 mags, 44 mags, 44 specials, 45ACPs and 45 Colts, 45 cal Ruger Old Army cap and ball, and a 454 Casull.

But not every animal I have killed fell at the shot. Were those that ran a bit shot with an "Ineffective" gun?

With all respect given, please understand what I am saying here.

Maybe the question needs to be asked in some different way. Because it can't be answered in a definitive way the way it's posted here.

May 19, 2019, 07:53 PM	#5
Wyosmith Senior Member Join Date: December 29, 2010 Location: Shoshoni Wyoming Posts: 2,713	"Effective" is one of those terms that is often misunderstood, and sometimes meaningless. If a bullet has any effect, it's effective. Maybe not as effective as you'd like. So what is meant when you ask about effectiveness? What does it mean to you? I have several 22 handguns. I can keep all my shots on an 8-1/2 X 11 inch piece of paper at 100 yards with them if I have a bit of time. Say 2-3 seconds per shot. I can keep a soda can in danger with all my shots at 100 yards too, but I hit maybe 1/4 of them on that can, the rest missing by short distances. If I shot a bad-guy with a 22 LR at 100 yards would it have an effect? Would that effect be that he charged me? Or would he run? Or hide? Or would he surrender? Any of the above is "an effect". So it falls back to the fact that in a fight it's 98% the man and 2% what he is using. Same with the enemy. And we can't know all the possibilities. What if he was just as good a marksman as you are? Or what if he has a rifle? Or what if he can get in a car and try to run over you? Or phone call 3 friends? We want pat answers. There are none if we are honest. I have killed about 35 head of game with handguns in my life ranging from small buck deer to bull buffalo. Every one of them but one was killed with 1 shot each, and the one that is the exception was killed with 2 shots. The closest one was killed with a 45ACP at about 7 yards and the farthest one was an antelope I killed at about 135 yards with a 357 magnum. My smallest "big game" killed with a handgun was a 3 point mule deer shot with a 44 mag,(which ran about 20 yards after the hit) and the largest game animal I ever killed was a buffalo at about 35 yards with the same 44 mag. (Which dropped dead at the shot) In addition to these animals I have killed a fair number of domestic horses, cattle and sheep and a few goats with various handguns. I have killed big game with 357 mags, 44 mags, 44 specials, 45ACPs and 45 Colts, 45 cal Ruger Old Army cap and ball, and a 454 Casull. But not every animal I have killed fell at the shot. Were those that ran a bit shot with an "Ineffective" gun? With all respect given, please understand what I am saying here. Maybe the question needs to be asked in some different way. Because it can't be answered in a definitive way the way it's posted here.