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The first practical handguns were invented in the early 1500s. In the five centuries since, they have evolved into a variety of reliable designs. The reason for their existence is simple: a handgun can be available when a heavier, larger shoulder arm (rifle or shotgun) would not. Although even the most powerful handgun is still limited in power compared to most rifles, a weapon in hand is worth ten left behind in a safe.

The answer to the question "Why carry a handgun?" is simple: because other firearms are too heavy and bulky. But that answer is too cute for most people. "Why carry a weapon at all?" they ask.

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One reason is that carrying a weapon makes the difference between being easy prey to ill-meaning humans and going through life unmolested. Criminals tend to have the advantage of superior numbers, initiative and ruthlessness. The lawful folk can counter that with better weapons and, as importantly, effective training.

Of course, avoiding trouble is always the best policy. Yet it is wise to have a back-up plan, if trouble does find us despite our best efforts to avoid it. Same logic as wearing a seat belt while driving: not looking for an accident but being prepared to minimize the damage should something happen.

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The other, equally important reason, is that wearing sidearms exercises a human right to self-defense acknowledged by the US Constitution. We know from history that neglecting to use the rights we have results in the disappearance of those rights over time. England is a good example of such a process. Their 1689 Constitutional had guarantees similar to ours but the rights enumerated in it have long since disappeared though disuse.

A person may not wish to go armed today. Should she decide to wear a sidearm sometime in the future, perhaps as a response to stalking or another threat, she should have that right. The tradition and the current practice of wearing defensive arms by millions of Americans preserves that right for all of us.

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For recreational use, a .22 rimfire target pistol would work well. They have little recoil, good accuracy and suffice for small game hunting and target shooting. A typical example shown here is inexpensive, uses cheap low-powered ammunition and has finely adjustable sights.

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Sidearms for personal protection have to be more powerful in order to be effective. They usually have simpler sights, and use larger cartridges than purely target handguns. They can, however, be used for target shooting: the variety of available ammunition makes these designs very versatile.

Naturally, plenty of practice is needed to gain proficiency with a firearm. However, guns are much easier to master than any other martial art: for that reason alone they overtook longbows and arbalests in popularity back in the 1600s.

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Above are just some of the available ammunition types in .38 Special caliber, the most common for revolvers.

1. Jacketed hollow point: for self-defense
2. Jacketed round nose: for defense practice
3. Jacketed soft point: for hunting small game
4. Unjacketed wadcutter: for target shooting
5. Jacketed flat point: for practice, target shooting
6. Unjacketed round nose: for inexpensive practice

The uses listed above are typical but, in a pinch, any of the rounds shown can be used to deter aggression.