9mm vs .40 vs .45 ??
I have been thinking about buying a semi auto pistol for awhile. I am balacing cost of ammo, lethality, and accuracy. I want to shoot this gun often so I cant really afford .45 or .40 ammo. I also want to use it for self defense so I want more stopping power than a 9mm. I also want it to be concealable so I want a shorter barrel but I dont want to lose accuracy. Should I just buy one of each and carry them all ?
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buy 2 of each and shoot them all, the heavier they are the less bounce[:D][}:)][:D] 0 -
Guy who works for my employer, retired Maracoipa (sp?) County, Ariz sheriff dept. (worked swat, LEO trainer, etc) said a surprising thing once. He said he has shot bad guys with both a 9mm and later with a 40 cal when they changed over. He said the bad guys went down faster and harder when shot with the 9mm vs the 40 cal.
Both firearms were shooting Federal Hydroshoks.
He knows a lot more than I do about it, and that is the statement he made.0 -
It depends on a whole heck of a lot more than the difference between 9mm and .40. It depends on the mental and physical state of the adversary and shot placement. The only TRUE one-stop shot is to the medulla oblongada (SP?) aka "The T-Zone". That is the only part of the body and brain that, if you shoot it, will cause a complete shutdown of the body. If the assailant has his finger squeezing a trigger on a hostage or you that is the only place to place a shot and guarantee that he will not complete the trigger squeeze.
Accuracy? You won't be counting X-rings in an armed encounter so don't worry about barrel length. Failure to hit the target will be on you--not the gun. Your best bet (IMHO) is a Ruger SP-101 with a 3" barrel in .357 Rem Mag. You can shoot less expensive .38 loads through it or you can amp it up for carry purposes with .357 loads.0 -
Just to be a Smart(hehehe) Arse, they are all Lethal! I believe that it all comes down to personal preference! You can talk ballistics and stopping power all day long, but if you don't like or are not comfortable with you weapon it won't be much fun or as efficent when it comes to self-defense as it could be. You always hear people talking about which one hits harder and which one cost more, blah blah blah. But to each is own! I suggest you talk to some of your buddies and local people at the range(if you shoot at one) and ask to try out what they own, to get an idea of what is out there. I won't try and tell you which is a better round or what weapon will be the "Best" for you cause I am bias when it comes to pistols. I shot a 9mm for several years in the service and even though I was a good shot with a 9mm I still didn't care for it. I have yet to this day shoot a 40 because I know no one but A few cop buddies that own one and haven't had the chance to shoot theirs. I am however a BIG fan of the 45ACP, especially in a 1911 or XD. But as far as the self-defense goes I prefer and recommend a revolver, but like I said, to each there own! Hope you figure out what you want. Anywho, Good luck and Good shooting! 0 -
Caliber is much less important than shot placement as long as the caliber is reasonable ie 9mm/38 special or larger. Whatever you can shoot the best with the most confidence is what I would shoot. They make good bullets in all the calibers. 0 -
If I had to choose one for what you are trying to do I would go with the 9mm. One of the big misconseptions (sp) about the 9mm being a weak round comes from the military and all they can use is FMJ ammo. If I had to choose a gun based on FMJ being the only ammo I could shoot I would choose the biggest thing I could get.
Quality ammo is one of the things that makes the biggest difference. I like Corbon ammo I have put down many injured deer effectivly (sp). Any quality defensive ammo should be used for self defense.
Another big point is being proficient with your gun. If you are not able to spend time shooting and being comfortable with your gun that is a bad thing.0 -
if you're going to carry it all the time, get a .40. a .45 weighs too much, or, with the same weight, will have a round or 2 or 3 less capacity. 0 -
Big holes leak more important goo than small holes do. Therefore the 45 is top dog.
That is the bpost1958 certified, bonified and documented truth of the matter.0 -
In your situation, I'd go with 9mm no doubt. It's a lot cheaper to practice with. I don't know why people feel the 9mm is so weak. It packs more of a punch than a .38 spl, which is a pretty highly recommended revolver for carry. I doubt anyone would stand and take a bullet from a 9mm to prove how "weak" it is. 0 -
Preference of caliber will be up to you. Whichever you choose, be
sure you receive proper training to go with it. 9's 40's and 45's
all will do the job, some better than others. But the end result
will be the same if training is applied and proper shot placement
is used. So it really boils down to what you feel comfortable with
to carry. Full-size, Compact, sub-compact, weight.0 -
Buy a .40 Sig and then buy a .357 Sig barrel and you'll have the best of both worlds. A powerful .40 and a hot 9mm. 0 -
you cant go wrong with a Colt combat commander, Its .45, light weight for a .45, and damn good looking too. 0 -
Easy, get a sig 226 for carry and a sig mosquito for practice, you can't beat the cost of .22 lr and all of the controls are in the same places for familarity. 0 -
It's been beat to death by now, so here goes; get the gun that you can shoot COMFORTABLY.
Makes no difference as to caliber, with recoil being subjective and all; whatever you shoot, it's gotta feel good or you won't practice.
I have a KelTec P11 that chews into my right thumb's knuckle when I shoot it, and the long trigger pull isn't my favorite.
I have a PA-63 (PPK copy) in 9X18 Mak. that also bites my knuckle, and the slide sometimes slices a little flesh off the web of my hand.
The double action pull is Godzilla-like! Not my favorite either.
I have a couple of Witnesses in different configurations in 38Super and .40S&W and 9mm that feel so good when I shoot, that they have become my favorites for CCW.
Ergonomics are what makes a gun feel that good, and the Witness line has that in Spades! They even have one that swaps between .45 and .22lr as a kit.0 -
I like my S&W 60 with my loads. At a 100 yards I can hit a one gal milk jug 3/5 sometimes better and the misses are close enough to keep me happy. Learn to reload, you can shoot 10 times as much. I have 2 1911's and enjoy the thrill of filling both hands and sending 16 rounds down range. They don't hide as well, are a lot heaver but are a lot faster to reload. Never shot a 40 though the 11mm brass I have picked up look interesting. What ever you carry shoot it enough to get good with it. Advice from my dad that was givin to him as a kid "carry enough gun to shoot your way out of the trouble carrying one can get you in" J.E. Bruster 1929
Other thoughts: a bullet that passes threw takes energy with it, the hydrolic shock of larger cal's put people on the ground dead or not,
the noise of clean misses doesn't do much good.0 -
95% of the police and military units in the world think 9mm works just fine.
I recall a quote from an ex-British SAS, who said "Nobody I've ever shot with a 9mm didn't die".
As mentioned above STANDARD 9mm is equivalent (or superior to) .38+P with similar weight bullets, and many think that's a perfectly good round. 9mm+P kicks it up another notch.
9mm+P will give you 75% of the muzzle energy of a .357 magnum, with nearly three times the capacity, less recoil, and cheaper ammo. Nobody says you have to stop shooting after one hit.
Cheaper ammo means more rounds fired in practice, which means better proficiency with your gun.
Decreased recoil of 9mm *might* mean more accuracy for follow up shots, (and you can certainly spit lead faster from a 9mm than the others) but practical accuracy is going to be mostly a function of you, not the caliber or gun.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Mk 19
Easy, get a sig 226 for carry and a sig mosquito for practice, you can't beat the cost of .22 lr and all of the controls are in the same places for familarity.
Sig 226 and mosquito may look the same, but they do NOT have the same "feel".
If you want to do that, why not get a Glock, Beretta, 1911, or Hi-Power and a .22 conversion?
That way you are shooting the SAME gun with .22 ammo, instead of a different one.0 -
which one would you want to get shot by?
dont pick that one[8D]0 -
i know everyone talks about shot placement but lets be honest, if something happends and i need to shoot, i dont think i'll be very calm and shooting straight. i, like most people, will probably be squeezing away like a mad man. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by badcompany
i know everyone talks about shot placement but lets be honest, if something happends and i need to shoot, i dont think i'll be very calm and shooting straight. i, like most people, will probably be squeezing away like a mad man.
i agree with badcompany the only gun that matters is the one in your hand at the time you need one. But my choice 45acp all the way 100 years of service cant be wrong!0 -
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-Let's look at what's really bothering you: Economics.
The thing that should be bothering you, as earlier noted is: Ergonomics.
Get either a Browning Hi-Power in 9mm (the original high-capacity-magazine) or a M1911 in .45acp (single stack mag). Both of these John Browning-designed weapons are the ultimate in ergonomics. Screw the .40 (a.k.a. 10mm).
Economics? You can buy inexpensive lead-bullet 9mm Luger or .45acp ammo at gun shows or on the internet. Cheap, in the long run. You should fire at least 400 rounds over 4 gun range sessions with your new gun to get used to it. Then fire at least 100 rounds per month to keep your hand in. Keep the weapon loaded with a good defense load, like Federal HydraShok (my favorite). Buy a box of each weight bulllet the "good stuff" is available in and see which one performs the best. Then stick with that when you carry the gun. You can shoot the lead bullets for practice. Save your brass.0 -
I carry differant guns from time to time, now it's a 38 super in a 1911 style, sometimes a J frame 38 special, sometimes a 5 shot 44 special, BUT, if I could only have ONE, and IF I didn't reload, it would be my 1911 in 45acp. For what it's worth.
W.D.0 -
.45 brass reloads many times, especially if shot at middle pressures.
IF you reload, I think it is cheaper to reload .45 due to prices of supplies. I can get the cost down to around $.10/rd. Furthermore, the bigger components are a little easier to handle in the press for my big fingers.
My second choice would be the small revolver .357 also - shoot .38 for practice, carry .357 HPs.0
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