John,

That is a great article. If the author had thrown the 10mm into the mix, that would have been an even better discussion.

I have had pistols in both 38 Super and 9mm cartridges. I like the 38 Super in a 1911 pistol but recently bought a Glock 34 in 9mm. The 38 Super is a more powerful cartridge than the 9mm but the 9mm is cheaper to shoot. Both the 38 Super and the 9mm (with similar, expanding bullets) are quite capable of stopping someone.

I think that handgun proficiency is the most important component of defending onself with a handgun. To become proficient, one needs to shoot often with whatever gun you will use.

BTW, my Glock 34 (9mm) is an ex=asy gun to practice with as the recoil is light and ammo is not that expensive. I reworked the trigger but is still isn't the same quality as a good 1911 trigger.

If you want a pistol to carry and also use for hunting, my recommendation wopuld be a 10mm. Recoil is greater but not severe. A 220 gr bullet at 1200 fps is certainly more effective than the 9mm or 38 Super.