What is the best defensive round for a pistol? The FBI Training Division has done extensive testing on this subject and issued a report to the law enforcement community.

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The conclusion they made was that the 9mm Parabellum (Luger) was the best defensive round for a pistol. You can read a good summary of this report over at Loose Rounds, it offers a good overview of the report along with some valuable background information. What’s helpful in all this is that the FBI has done a thorough analysis on this subject and debunked a lot of myths surrounding the best defensive round.

Of course, this report is designed for law enforcement officers so keep that in mind. Selecting the right firearm and ammunition is an individual matter based upon many factors. My suggestion is that anybody who is in the market for a firearm of any kind test fire several different weapons before they make a purchasing decision. That way you can begin to accumulate real-world experience that you can use in making an informed decision. So keep the FBI report in mind when selecting a firearm but use good judgement in addition to personal experience as well.