How I Select a Caliber

WELCOME TO THE NO BS ZONE OF TEDDY JACOBSON


I have decided to talk about this subject because of the emails I get. Most people are so hung up on a specific caliber and I want to try and reason out why they are wrong, and could be dead wrong if they do not pay attention as current events are unfolding before our eyes. There are 120 million rifles, 70 million handguns, 3 million assault weapons in this country and owned by Americans. This is a very frightening thought to those that want to destroy our way of life and our society. The American people are one of the strongest armies in this world because they often buy the finest and best products money can buy and some become very good using them in target shooting of one kind or another. The optics that are available to the American sportsman are the very best this world has to offer and all one needs is money and to learn the proper and safe use of what they buy.


I will first touch on my basic learning experience as I was 9 years old when my Father first bought me a Remington Rifle model number 550 in 22 L.R. It was an eye opener and a very good learning curve for me, the rifle was not super reliable but I was very good with it when it did not jam. I have never had a desire to own many rifle calibers because I was not a hunter and I never wanted any Macho BS to follow me and my rifle. I selected just calibers where ammunition was greatly available like the 30-06 springfield. There has never been a more versitile caliber that I ever knew about or owned. I really did not care about the caliber as much as where placed the bullet on the target, the rest to me was pure BS. Companies and Gun dealers were in the business to BS everyone that they need to have a specific caliber for what ever reason and it was all BS as the real reason was BENJAMIN FRANKLIN, just ask Willie Sutton.


I always liked and preferred a pre 64 Winchester model 70 in a 30-06 caliber. To this day I do not own one but they were the very best in the 50's. I do not know which is best today as its the age old question of Ford vs. Chevy. They will all take you from point A to point B, its really that simple and most important is learning how to use it with superior optics. I have always paid much more for a good optical scope than the rifle itself. I do not care if the rifle is a bolt action or a lever action or a semi auto rifle, as long as I know safety and become a good shot and there is always ammunition available. Its always been bullet placement, the rest is total nonsense. Most SWAT teams today use the 308 winchester caliber in a Remington 700 sniper rifle that has a bull barrel and a graphite stock. It is a super accurate caliber and they seem to be pleased with it and it does the job. When their target is hit its always bullet placement. No one walks away if its done right.


I have said enough about rifle selection and just one more point, I like the AR-15 in 223 (5.56) caliber with a bullet that I would pick for a specific purpose but more important is the optics I select. I think the current line of Bushmaster rifles are good quality for what you pay for them. I always bake a moly coating on my bolt carrier in any AR-15 that I would use for protection of life and property. I would never get complicated and keep things simple.


In my selection of a handgun I have always learned to rely on a small revolver from the era I come from. I use these small revolvers as a secondary weapon. It could be a S&W or an old Colt or a Ruger or a NAA. My preference in a bad situation has been a "J" frame (older model) in 38 special caliber. Most of you do not know that S&W had their very own line of ammunition way back in the 60's. I never relied on my primary handgun, if I had done that I would not be here now. There was never the quality ankle holster in those days that you could buy as compared to what Lou Alessi could make you today. My old ankle holster was poor quality by Lou's standards but that is all I could ever get. I carried my J frame on the inside of my right ankle as I am left handed, was it the best idea, I do not know but it worked well for me.


My main carry handgun at times was a Colt 45 acp 1911 semi auto pistol but it disappointed me many times including when these Full Metal Jacketed bullets traveling at about 750 feet per second hit a car door and bounced off. The only difference between a 9 mm Full Metal Jacket hitting a car door was the smaller dent it made as compared to the larger 45 FMJ. You could not pay me enough BS money to carry a FMJ in any caliber and if your handgun does not feed anything but ball ammo you have got a serious problem. I want no part of any of these stories that you continue to hear about how very leathal a 45 cal FMJ is when it hits a target of one kind or another.
First if it hits a person its depends where the hit is, ITS BULLET PLACEMENT, ALWAYS HAS BEEN, ALWAYS WILL BE. THE REST IS BS. Using 22 long rifle caliber in either standard velocity or in high velocity will give you an instant labotomy.


I select a carry handgun by using a caliber that I will be able to safely shoot indoors to protect my hearing and the hearing of my dawgs. That is prime importance to me. I do not want a bullet that is so powerful that it will keep on going through walls and hit an innocent kid or person. I think a 357 magnum is one of the best man stoppers going using a 125 grain hollow point bullet but its too loud. Can you imagine shooting off a round while in a car at a car jacker. You must use common sense. I mostly keep Beretta 92f pistols on my property as that is my handgun of choice. I do not carry a 92f as it is too big and bulky but it works and it works well and it holds 16 rounds of pure hell using +P+ ammunition. What more could I want in a house. I select my ammo to be no less than 1300 feet per second using a 115 grain bullet.


In hard times if there are no places to buy ammo you will always be able to find 9mm ammo. It will make a good bartering item for food or medicine or any item. I look at all calibers like this including the 5.56 and the 308. I now carry a Glock 27 in 40 caliber but its just because I got used to it. I am just as used to carrying an HK P7 M8 in 9mm. It does not matter to me what I carry but my secondary weapon will always be a small revolver in 38 special as that is what I have depended on almost all my life. I just need to have one or two well placed rounds and I am not of the opinion that double taps in the same spot are the way to go, I much prefer one high and one low to spread the trauma against an attacker that is tryng to kill me. Remember bullets go both ways and you must keep your cool and place your shot. If you do it right you get to go home especially when you are a Police officer. Not many people are standing in line waiting for a toe tag.


I would never buy a new caliber, in fact I will go a step further and say I will not buy another 40 caliber or another 357 sig caliber, not because I do not like them its because of the availability of the ammo if things go bad and there is no place to buy ammo. This country will be panic city if you have a caliber like the 45 Gap, although these may be good calibers in the final analysis but I want no part of any of them. Using a caliber like the 357 Sig is ok if you have a stockpile of ammo stored away but if you need it quickly in hard times its doubtful you will ever find it. The 357 Sig caliber headspaces on the forward case rim and not the shoulder as many people think. It has very good penetration and it is popular here in Texas. A small bullet always feeds good into the larger chamber and it does have some definite advantages, but I would not want to shoot one while I am inside a car.


To sum it all up only you can decide what direction you want to go. I for one look at things from a practical standpoint. If I carried a small 45 acp pistol it would only be one of two choices, it would be the Glock 36 or the HK USP compact. I will still stay with the 9mm and the 38 special as they have served me well and I have reached the age of 64. That in itself speaks for itself. I want no fancy handguns and no fancy rifles. I want spare springs for everything and I want extra ammo in the few calibers I have selected as my primary weapons and nothing more. I do not ever have the demands on myself that some of the people that I have worked for in past years have placed on them selves. Sure if you like the 400 corbon or these other calibers like the 38 super or what ever, its your decision and your life and you are calling the shots at this point in time, not me. I am just telling you how I think.


This commentary as well as all my previous commentaries are my personal opinion and my personal viewpoint. I do not care if you agree with me or not, you do whats best for you. My decisions are based on my experience and sound logic of what has kept me alive.
Thanks for all the nice emails.

Teddy