Ammunition Depot

A few years ago the FBI released a report on their decision to adopt 9mm sidearms except for those chambered for .40 S&W and .45 ACP ammo. The decision was justified based on the development of “hotter” 9mm ammo, like +P loads, which make penetration and wound channels similar to larger calibers. And for their agents, that meant the larger pistol size, greater recoil, and lower capacity (in general) of .40 S&W and . 45 ACP ammo did not outweigh the benefits of a bigger caliber. While that may be a reasonable conclusion for thousands of FBI agents collectively, there are still many good reasons why you shouldn’t rule out a pistol chambered for .45 ACP as an everyday carry (EDC) or concealed carry weapon (CCW). History on Its Side When the U.S. Army was looking for something with a bit more punch than the .38 Long Colt, John Browning stepped up with the .45 ACP and its timeless partner, the Colt Model 1911. For three-quarters of a century, the .45 ACP and Co...

If you ask 50 firearm enthusiasts what the best caliber for an everyday carry (EDC) and backup gun (BUG) is, you’ll likely get several different answers. Everyone has their preferred firearm and their reasons for them. But it’s important to clarify that it’s certainly not just a matter of preference. There will always be the gun store counter or campfire debates regarding the merits of the 12 gauge vs. AR-15 in .223 Remington vs. a . 300 AAC Blackout upper in the home, or the 9mm vs. .40 S&W vs. .45 ACP on the hip. That, however, doesn’t mean there are “right” answers, and that’s what this is about. It’s a focus on two calibers, both in the .22 caliber family, and making an argument for their viability as legitimate defensive options. Since there aren’t 100% correct answers and there’s no universally perfect pistol that’s the right caliber, size, capacity, brand, and color for everyone , this is an example of a combination that could work. Although it may p...

The . 300 AAC Blackout has increasingly become established as the alternative caliber for the AR-15. With the exception of the forever-popular .22LR, it's very likely that more people are shooting .300 AAC Blackout from AR-15s than anything but the .223 Remington. It's not like there aren't other excellent calibers for the AR-15 platform that remain popular. But whether Grendel or SOCOM, Creedmoor or Valkyrie, propelled by buzz or hype, Blackout has rocketed past them all in popularity. While there are inevitably going to be shooters for whom it’s just not their cup of tea, that popularity isn’t just hype or an overrated, flavor-of-the-month cartridge. The .300 AAC Blackout has earned its place in the top echelon of centerfires with impressive versatility. Small and Medium Game While the .300 AAC Blackout was originally designed as an AR-15 (M4) compatible suppressible military cartridge to provide a harder thump for close-quarters combat, the civ...

There are some beliefs and misapprehensions held by people, sometimes large groups of people, that defy explanation. It’s not clear where these myths came from, why anyone even considers them, much less actively believes them, or why they’re still around. Then there are the myths that, while not true (being myths), people can’t really be blamed for occasionally believing. They often make good intuitive sense, may be considered longtime conventional wisdom, and may have been repeated by the experts in a given field. Those are the breed of common handgun defense myths that will be covered and (hopefully) debunked here. Stopping Power The fact that stopping power is a practically entirely mythical standard has actually been getting a good bit of coverage recently. Despite that, its rejection is still strongly contested by a considerable portion of the gun community. That’s no surprise since it hits all three believability markers: It has been repeated as gospel by civil...

There are a lot of passionate gun enthusiasts out there with a lot of passionate opinions. Those opinions are often based mainly on someone’s personal experience and preferences. Sometimes they’re helpful and informative, and sometimes they’re inaccurate and uninformed assumptions that sound helpful and informative. That’s why when it comes to choosing the right defensive handgun for you, you should take every confidently-shared, entirely-certain gun truism with a grain of salt. Just because someone recommends . 22 LR ammo over anything else doesn’t mean it’s the right choice for you. You’re far better off trying out a variety of options, weighing a variety of other options, and then deciding what works best for you . Size of the Handgun One of the most important considerations when choosing a gun is its size. Consider the conditions in which people find themselves when using a handgun in a self-defense scenario. Hands shake, hands sweat, fine motor skills often deg...

All too often, there’s an impression, conscious or not, among those who own or carry a firearm that by virtue of owning a gun they have become safer. However, a firearm is a tool, and like any other tool, attempting to use it without the appropriate training and familiarity can result in injury or worse. For a gun to be a safe and effective self-defense solution, whether you’ve got a pistol chambered for .22 LR or a shotgun racked up with 12 gauge ammo slug or buckshot, training is a must. And for that training to be most effective, it has to be more than going to the range every few months. The Best Gun for You The first step in a practical firearm defense strategy has to be finding a firearm that works for you. It’s highly important, particularly for carrying a pistol, that your firearm fits you, your physical traits, your lifestyle, and your comfort level. These factors are all exponentially more important than caliber alone. If you find a .22 LR pistol that fit...