Ammo
Ammo
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So I just watched a YouTube channel I never saw before: "Banana Ballistics". I was done watching my heavy duty Science Channels, and thought his intro was intriguing. He wanted to know if the Desert Eagle 50 was better than the 44, and by the way (He said) : "What's wrong with the revolver style?"
As you all know from my previous posts, I am so bad with a pistol, that I was told to either carry a rock, or just throw the darn thing at the enemy, maybe they will duck.
So you can count me as totally ignorant on any pistol. So my first surprise was the cost of AMMO! How in the heck to you get proficient at $2 a round? I am guessing staying proficient is not cheap. And I had no clue what the pistol itself cost. And then the gear to hold it, store it, etc... Did the Gun folks have a behind the closed doors meeting with Golf and Skiing, to find out how to eek every single penny out of their clients? LOL
But then he showed the power of these guns. I don't know where you folks live, but I live in stick houses with drywall. And from what I saw, if you shot your Desert Eagle...and missed, well, several houses down, someone's pooch is going to pee the floor. And how in the world do people in movies hide behind lawn furniture and couches. The most effective thing he had to prevent penetration was a block filled with sand. And my walls don't have any sand in them. And after what he did to concrete, well my cinder block foundation wouldn't even help.
And then he showed what it did to that stuff that imitates going thru a human body. And it looks like it could go through three, or maybe four- after midnight Wall Mart Shoppers - and their scooter too.
So I have some questions.
Do you really need that kind of power for home defense? I mean I watched an Interview with a famous baseball pitcher...and he keeps a bucket of balls next to his bed. He said: "I am not going to miss in a bedroom, and you aren't getting up."
I have another friend and his son is a heck of a pellet gun shooter. He keeps some sort of air charged pellet gun...because he just wants to stop the guy, not kill him.
If I lived in my old apartment building, and you had that kind of firepower and shot at some intruder, every single other apartment would have at least a round in it.
I don't really believe (unless like most of you folks on here who do shoot expert) that woken up from a sound sleep, with a magazine that you can fire a dozen rounds out in a second or two, is actually going to hit center of mass and stop. And I don't think your night vision, or ears, will even let you know if said Thief, bad guy, or evil intent is even in the room anymore.
And if you have anger issues, and you drive in traffic, and you have one of those monsters in your car...well, the evening news is full of those tragic stories.
I had no idea of the power, precision, and expense of the modern pistol.
And I wonder how many folks have them, that don't have the training, self control, and thought out philosophy of what warrants a "kill."
Now I am not scared that I don't have any guns in the house, I am afraid that my neighbor....does. Holy cow, did I learn a lot from that guy.
As you all know from my previous posts, I am so bad with a pistol, that I was told to either carry a rock, or just throw the darn thing at the enemy, maybe they will duck.
So you can count me as totally ignorant on any pistol. So my first surprise was the cost of AMMO! How in the heck to you get proficient at $2 a round? I am guessing staying proficient is not cheap. And I had no clue what the pistol itself cost. And then the gear to hold it, store it, etc... Did the Gun folks have a behind the closed doors meeting with Golf and Skiing, to find out how to eek every single penny out of their clients? LOL
But then he showed the power of these guns. I don't know where you folks live, but I live in stick houses with drywall. And from what I saw, if you shot your Desert Eagle...and missed, well, several houses down, someone's pooch is going to pee the floor. And how in the world do people in movies hide behind lawn furniture and couches. The most effective thing he had to prevent penetration was a block filled with sand. And my walls don't have any sand in them. And after what he did to concrete, well my cinder block foundation wouldn't even help.
And then he showed what it did to that stuff that imitates going thru a human body. And it looks like it could go through three, or maybe four- after midnight Wall Mart Shoppers - and their scooter too.
So I have some questions.
Do you really need that kind of power for home defense? I mean I watched an Interview with a famous baseball pitcher...and he keeps a bucket of balls next to his bed. He said: "I am not going to miss in a bedroom, and you aren't getting up."
I have another friend and his son is a heck of a pellet gun shooter. He keeps some sort of air charged pellet gun...because he just wants to stop the guy, not kill him.
If I lived in my old apartment building, and you had that kind of firepower and shot at some intruder, every single other apartment would have at least a round in it.
I don't really believe (unless like most of you folks on here who do shoot expert) that woken up from a sound sleep, with a magazine that you can fire a dozen rounds out in a second or two, is actually going to hit center of mass and stop. And I don't think your night vision, or ears, will even let you know if said Thief, bad guy, or evil intent is even in the room anymore.
And if you have anger issues, and you drive in traffic, and you have one of those monsters in your car...well, the evening news is full of those tragic stories.
I had no idea of the power, precision, and expense of the modern pistol.
And I wonder how many folks have them, that don't have the training, self control, and thought out philosophy of what warrants a "kill."
Now I am not scared that I don't have any guns in the house, I am afraid that my neighbor....does. Holy cow, did I learn a lot from that guy.
Ammo
Handguns and Pistols
Self Defense
Pistol Shooting
Posted 1 mo ago
Responses: 3
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@ Sgt Kevin hughes , i love a good Youtuber because there is some great information from very bright people, out there.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
I agree, I have about a dozen channels I watch. Everything from Science to a guy who cruises around Britain in a Narrow boat. And another couple called: "Gone with the Wynns" who used to travel around in an RV, then bought a sailboat and went around the world. Just like another couple called: "Sailing Yacht Florence" who have done the same thing. I have watched those guys since their first video. And then I have the smart people ones to keep me up with technology.
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Kevin, you've just presented the 'perfect storm' of 'what ifs' regarding a firearm, specifically the Desert Eagle .50AE (DE). Additionally, you're taking the attributes of one firearm to applying them to all firearms.
If you were to replace the generalities of your statements about all firearms and specifically question using a DE for self-defense, I think overall your statements are valid.
Ignoring that the most common firearm used for self-defense is a 9mm pistol (if you search for ownership information on the DE, most consider it an "expensive range toy", that it's not a practical self-defense weapon, and that it makes up an insignificant percentage of ownership of self-defense firearms), you would need to string a lot of IFs together to make the scenarios you present plausible. Sure, the scenarios you present are possible, but so is a meteor crashing into your house ... how likely of something possible actually occurring is a cornerstone of risk management.
As I personally don't own a DE, I'll have to leave it to the firearm afficondos (maybe SGT (Join to see)?) to comment further, but as I see it, the possibilities you would have to string together are numerous. This is not meant to discount your valid concerns about ballistic penetration (which is why the recommended round for self-defense is a jacketed hollow point) of a fired round, but to highlight the difference between the conditions set forth in a 'lab environment' and a realistic environment.
Becoming a trained shooter is as expensive as you want it to be. Basic competency could be a few hundred rounds a year which would translate into less than $100 for the average 9mm pistol (again, the most common firearm used for self-defense) when using 'range ammo' which is somewhere around $0.20/round.
Doing weekly trips to the range is expensive. So is getting a daily coffee at Starbucks, having a glass of fine wine at the end of the day, owning a performance automobile, etc. Pick your poison.
If you were to replace the generalities of your statements about all firearms and specifically question using a DE for self-defense, I think overall your statements are valid.
Ignoring that the most common firearm used for self-defense is a 9mm pistol (if you search for ownership information on the DE, most consider it an "expensive range toy", that it's not a practical self-defense weapon, and that it makes up an insignificant percentage of ownership of self-defense firearms), you would need to string a lot of IFs together to make the scenarios you present plausible. Sure, the scenarios you present are possible, but so is a meteor crashing into your house ... how likely of something possible actually occurring is a cornerstone of risk management.
As I personally don't own a DE, I'll have to leave it to the firearm afficondos (maybe SGT (Join to see)?) to comment further, but as I see it, the possibilities you would have to string together are numerous. This is not meant to discount your valid concerns about ballistic penetration (which is why the recommended round for self-defense is a jacketed hollow point) of a fired round, but to highlight the difference between the conditions set forth in a 'lab environment' and a realistic environment.
Becoming a trained shooter is as expensive as you want it to be. Basic competency could be a few hundred rounds a year which would translate into less than $100 for the average 9mm pistol (again, the most common firearm used for self-defense) when using 'range ammo' which is somewhere around $0.20/round.
Doing weekly trips to the range is expensive. So is getting a daily coffee at Starbucks, having a glass of fine wine at the end of the day, owning a performance automobile, etc. Pick your poison.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
Hey Colonel, thanks for that lucid and succinct response. I wasn't kidding about being totally ignorant of modern weapons and training. I remember having to police brass all the time, so even the Army couldn't afford to waste stuff. But am totally unaware of what rounds folks use for what level of protection. I have seen Desert Eagles at Lowe's (Open Carry State) with extra clips on tactical vests- so I think unloading in a Public Place is not an unreasonable scenario. I also wrote a Post once about a guy in front of me in Jersey Mike's with a Glock stuffed in the back of his shorts. And Yes, I am aware that an Idiot like him...is the exception. And I totally agree that "risk" evaluation, and how to spend your dollars is up to each individual. But I had no clue that there were training rounds...and carry rounds. That makes sense to me.
Lots to think about...Thanks for the great response! I will just work on my screaming.
Lots to think about...Thanks for the great response! I will just work on my screaming.
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SGT (Join to see)
I'm in the simplicity corner. Always hated the 5.56, the day I got handed the M60, I was a happy camper. Your best choices are calibers our military uses. some day I'll get a 277Fury. I have no desire to play with a DE. My EDC guns are a .45 and a .380. I have one of the last 30-30 pure Marlin Lever guns just because. I have a Savage A-17 for varmints in the field and a .22lr SA Ruger for varmints at the barn. I keep an extra mag with shot shells for the 22 and 45. I have 1 wheel gun, A Ruger .38-.357, again that one's a just because. Securing Ammo is always a concern, thus my predilection towards military calibers. Many folks say the best gun for you, is the one you can handle. I say learn to handle the one you'll be able to get Ammo for if the balloon goes up.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
SGT (Join to see) - Well, I started as an AMMO bearer and can't shoot for beans. So if the balloon goes up...I can carry ammo.
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First, do you have an ammo budget? I use different investments for many different things. Like one CD is for bullets. I may not buy any but the money is there when I run out. I have a company stock that pays my electric bill and I haven't paid for electricity in 30 or more years. That's just a couple of examples but you get the idea. As far as fire power, I would never shoot at something I don't see. You have to train yourself to be able to assess a situation in under a second and react accordingly.
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SGT Kevin Hughes
No guns here. No need for ammo. And you are also light years ahead of me for financial planning. When my kids asked me for financial advice, I just say don't do what I did. And they are doing well. When their kids ask them what to do, they say, don't listen to Pop pop. I am amazed at a couple of things since that video...no wonder people find guns and the technology surrounding them so inviting. So much to learn, and if you have mechanical or engineering skills (and talent as a shooter) it has to be just fascinating.
The other thing is, there seems to be a clear divide between people who understand the difference between the gun making the man, and a man making the gun. The latter being the kind of guys, like you who maintain situational awareness and emotional neutrality in understanding what level of lethality to unleash. As for me, I will stick with screaming really loudly until Kathy comes to the rescue.
The other thing is, there seems to be a clear divide between people who understand the difference between the gun making the man, and a man making the gun. The latter being the kind of guys, like you who maintain situational awareness and emotional neutrality in understanding what level of lethality to unleash. As for me, I will stick with screaming really loudly until Kathy comes to the rescue.
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