The great caliber debate...

As I said in an earlier post, I don't give a wet slap what caliber you carry, I don't. They will all do the job. Some will do it fast than others, some with more noise and flash, but they will all do the job.

However, I believe in carrying the biggest bang in the smallest package possible. I also believe in "the more the merrier" when it comes to magazine capacity.

I love the 45 round. It's big, its mean, and it works. The problem is, its big, its heavy and its expensive. When you increase the size of ammunition you either decrease magazine capacity or increase the frame size of the weapon. Neither of those choices appeal to me.

Here are my choices, and again, I'm not law enforcement of military, I'm just a guy who's tried out enough hand guns to make a relatively educated choice. These are in no particular order.

.380
Pros:
this is great little round. I say "little" because it is a short version of the 9mm. It's not as fast and doesn't hit as hard, but it will do the job pretty darn well. It has low recoil and low muzzle flash. It's relatively easy to find and not terribly expensive.

Cons:
Most of the weapons designed for this caliber are considered "pocket guns". They may hold 8+1 at best. 8+1, by the way, means 8 in the magazine and one in the chamber for a total of 9.

.40 S&W
Pros:
This thing hits like a ton of bricks. It's a strong round. It is small enough that you can get 10+1 or better in a compact pistol. It's cheap and readily available.

Cons:
I don't like it because the shell size makes for a smaller frame gun (for CCW purposes) but the bang is so big that you can't double tap effectively or get back on target after discharging a round.

.45 ACP
Pros:
This is a freight train. This round has the subtelty of a sledge hammer to the chest. It's readily available and just about every manufacturer makes something in the caliber. I love shooting this round through a full size frame. It's much fun!

Cons:
It is a heavy, heavy beast. Due to its size you get very limited magazine capacity. My full size 1911 only carried, at most, 8+1. I can get that in a much more comfortable package in a smaller caliber and in something I'd actually carry. Also, this thing will buck like a bull at the first green up of spring, so if you have a little sub-compact (Glock, Smith, and Springfield make some) it'll be hard to shoot and hard to stay on target with.

.357 Mag
Pros:
Still considered the gold standard of the one shot stopper. It's mean, it's lean, it is a down and dirty "You talkin' to me?" round. It will, without a doubt answer all the questions a bad guy will pose to you, period. Also, revolvers chambered in this round will also fire the .38 Special, which makes practicing a little cheaper.

Cons:
It's a revolver round only. So the most you'll ever have in your weapon is 6 rounds. Revolvers are not the easiest thing to conceal, nor is it easy to carry extra rounds for it in any way that is easily accesible. However, if you were to choose to wear a 5 shot revolver on your ankle, know that it will buck and buck a lot. Unless you train and shoot thousands of rounds through it, you won't be able to stay on target after the first shot.

9mm
Pros:
Now this one is my favorite. I used to religate this round to 2nd tier, but after more research and some more experience, this is the right tool for the job. It's a strong round, it's supersonic and it hits hard. It is readily available and easy to get. It shoots well in any sized frame you put it in. You get much higher magazine capacity with it than any other round. 15+1 in a Glock versus 10+1 in .45ACP using the same frame. I'll take the extra 5.

Cons:
Can't think of one, really. I'm sure there are some detractors out there who will say that it moves so fast that it doesn't expend all of its kenetic energy in to the target. And that may have been true before some of the new self defense rounds were developed, but now... that's just not the case.

So, there are a lot of options out there, and many, many more than I listed here, but these are the ones that are most common for a CCW and ones that I have personally had experience with at the range.