You’ll have practically as many choices with ammo as you will with commonly used and owned handguns. Part of the reason there are so many ammo possibilities for handguns is because it’s not unusual for certain handheld firearms to be capable of working with more than one kind of bullet design. Below, the firearms safety education professionals from Online Texas LTC, a premier provider of Texas LTC online courses, explain what could happen if you use the wrong ammo for your handgun.
Sending Bullets through Walls
If you use the wrong type of ammo for self-defense, you could unintentionally send bullets through walls. This can be risky if you live in an apartment or have to use your handgun for self-defense purposes in a home with other household members in different rooms.
Injuring Your Hand & Adjacent Body Parts
Some handguns can work well with lighter and heavier bullets as long as the caliber is the same. The potential problem here is heavier bullets typically need more force to successfully leave the chamber. This could produce a stronger recoil you may not be prepared for, which could leave you with a less enjoyable shooting experience.
Causing Serious Injury
Always make sure the caliber of ammunition you use is the same caliber the gun is designed for. In general, guns are only designed to shoot one caliber. If you have a 9mm pistol, .380acp ammo may fit and appear to load, but it would still not be safe to shoot and could have catastrophic results. Firing the wrong caliber out of your gun could result in serious injury to yourself or someone standing nearby. Guns fired with the wrong caliber can seriously damage the user’s hands and face. This is because debris from the gun may come flying off when it’s fired with the wrong ammo, and the pressure causes the gun to break apart.
Damaging Your Handgun
When a bullet fires, the firing pin strikes the primer, and this makes it explode and produce a spark that ignites the gunpowder. The gas produced by this reaction then pushes the bullet out of the chamber and barrel with incredible speed. But if you’re using ammo that has to be manipulated or worked into the chamber just to use it, your handgun may be damaged. Then, when fired, the gun will sustain damage and failure. The resulting damage may involve:
• The cylinder and other parts in the immediate vicinity of the bullet
• The barrel of the handgun
• The trigger and/or frame
• The entire handgun if the force created by the wrong ammo is strong enough
Whether you’re a new handgun owner or a veteran firearm user, choosing the correct ammo for your gun is essential, and high-quality training can help you select the proper ammunition. Online Texas LTC is committed to providing the best firearms training available. Whether you want to take a Texas concealed carry class online or you simply want to learn how to shoot and handle a gun safely, Online Texas LTC has everything you need. Give us a call today at 512-675-2124.
