9mm or 40 SW or 45 ACP?

[rn7554]

If you would have Ruger LCP and S&W 60 .357 mag and wanted to get another semiautomatic for self/home defense what would you get? 9mm or 40 or 45? and why?

 

[Rambler]

Home defense? High capacity .40 or .45 pistol with good self defense ammo, as long as you can afford to practice with it. If cost is an issue, the highest capacity 9mm you can handle with the absolute best JHP ammo you can find, like Gold Dots, HST or Ranger-T.

 

[3point5]

If you would have Ruger LCP and S&W 60 .357 mag and wanted to get another semiautomatic for self/home defense what would you get? 9mm or 40 or 45? and why?

I cant give you a definite answer...

Is money an issue? You can shoot the 9mm for much cheaper, and can get higher capacity guns in 9mm.

45 is going to have the most stopping power, but the lowest capacity, and it will cost the most to shoot.

My next purchase will likely be a .40.....good capacity, great stopping power, not as cheap as a 9mm but not as expensive to shoot as a .45.

Any of the 3 will stop someone...shot placement over diameter any day.

 

[illmaniac123]

40 is the compramise for both options. The police use it, so if its good enough for them, its good enough for me.

I like 9mm though. I like to target shoot and they have higher cap magazines of course.

I think anyway you go, 9mm 40 or 45 youre good.

 

[hemicharger]

Glock 20SF 10mm

 

[Kedric]

.45 always. Yes it's a little pricier to shoot, but getting into reloading solves a lot of that if you shoot frequently. Plus, it is another fascinating facet to our hobby!

If weapon cost is an issue, then by all means step down to the .40 cal. It's still quite capable.

As was said above though, placement wins over diameter. Whatever you decide to get practice and train frequently with it. Make sure you can hit what you need to when you need to.

 

[John Galt]

It has to be a .45! 9's & 40's only tick them off, a .45 will vaporize them!

 

[Manan]

For home defense, I would recommend the .45 ACP. Good man stopper, and the slowest bullet. Better transfer of energy to target and less threat of shooting thru walls etc.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

1st Don't buy into all the hype about you need a .45, or that it's some amazing wonder bullet. 2nd I advise, if you can, fire guns in different calibers. Find the caliber that is the easiest for you to control, and that you shoot well. Then make your decesion. I'm not you, so I can not make that choice for you. 3rd Buy some name brand modern day SD ammo. No, you do not have to spend $30 on 20 rounds either.

 

[churchmouse]

I carry a Para Ordinance P-14 stainless Hi-Capacity .45 ACP. Yes it is expensive to practice with but with enough range time it becomes second nature to use. It has 15 rd. capability and you can drive tacks with it at 25 yds. I own 7 1911 .45 ACP. and would never ever consider a .9 mm for any reason. Just my personal opinion. Your budget may be the deciding factor but in this insane world I would hate to go down for lack of funding.

 

[xM3RC1L3SS1x]

.45 because it will send them flying back 30 feet in the air.

 

[85t5mcss]

I own 7 1911 .45 ACP. and would never ever consider a .9 mm for any reason. Just my personal opinion.

I would never use .9mm, either. That's just WAY too small.

9mm, .40, or .45ACP will all do the job. Good ammo and shot placement are key. Find what you can shoot well, handle well, and feel comfortable with. Then run some of the SD ammo through it to verify it will cycle properly.

 

[NIFT]

Overall, there isn't a whole lot of difference among the 9mm, .40, and .45acp--assuming the right ammunition.

The .45 makes the biggest hole. The 9mm will have more magazine capacity with similar sized guns. 9mm "practice" ammunition is the cheapest, which means you are more likely to practice more. The .40 is used by more law enforcement agencies than any other caliber.

If anyone of those impacts the brain stem or the spinal cord from cervical vertebrae 1 through 7, there will be instantaneous incapacitation. The 9mm, .40, and .45acp are also pretty much equally lousy manstoppers for shots not to the brain stem or C1 through C7.

Personal preference plays a big role. If you believe the 9mm is the best, you will do better with a 9mm. If you believe the .40 or .45acp are better, you will do better with the one you prefer.

All things considered, again, there isn't a whole lot of difference among the 9mm, .40, and .45acp--assuming the right ammunition.

The following loads all demonstrate outstanding terminal performance and can be considered acceptable for duty/self-defense use:

9 mm:
Barnes XPB 115 gr JHP (copper bullet)
Federal Tactical 124 gr JHP (LE9T1)
Federal HST 124 gr +P JHP (P9HST3)
Remington Golden Saber 124 gr +P JHP bonded (GSB9MMD)
Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P JHP
Winchester Partition Gold 124 gr JHP (RA91P)
Winchester Ranger-T 124 gr +P JHP (RA9124TP)
Winchester Ranger-T 127 gr +P+ JHP (RA9TA)
Federal Tactical 135 gr +P JHP (LE9T5)
Federal HST 147 gr JHP (P9HST2)
Remington Golden Saber 147 gr JHP (GS9MMC)
Speer Gold Dot 147 gr JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 147 gr JHP (RA9T)
Winchester 147 gr bonded JHP (RA9B/Q4364)

.40 S&W:
Barnes XPB 155 gr JHP (copper bullet)
Speer Gold Dot 155 gr JHP
Federal Tactical 165 gr JHP (LE40T3)
Winchester Ranger-T 165 gr JHP (RA40TA)
Winchester Partition Gold 165 gr JHP (RA401P)
Federal HST 180 gr JHP (P40HST1)
Federal Tactical 180 gr JHP (LE40T1)
Remington Golden Saber 180 gr JHP (GS40SWB)
Speer Gold Dot 180 gr JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 180 gr JHP (RA40T)
Winchester 180 gr bonded JHP (RA40B/Q4355/S40SWPDB1)

.45 ACP:
Barnes XPB 185 gr JHP (copper bullet)
Federal HST 230 gr JHP (P45HST2)
Federal HST 230 gr +P JHP (P45HST1)
Federal Tactical 230 gr JHP (LE45T1)
Speer Gold Dot 230 gr JHP
Speer Gold Dot 230 gr +P JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 230 gr JHP (RA45T)
Winchester Ranger-T 230 gr +P JHP (RA45TP

Source: Thoughts on Service Pistols, along with Duty and Self-Defense Ammo Recommendations - M4Carbine.net Forums

 

[Chapparal]

If you need more than three shots you are in trouble. The 357 is a great gun!

That said, do you live in the middle of nowhere or do you live in an apartment with paper walls so you can see and hear your next door neighbor? Check the penetration of the rounds you will shoot. All three of your choices have options that could be safe to miss your target and not worry about your neighbor.

That said, the percussion of the .40 hurts my ears, the 9mm and the .45 are just loud. A .45 will do more damage to who it strikes, the 9mm will be easier to hold, read as recoil.

Have you shot any weapons with these rounds? This is where I would start.

Wife chose 9mm, I chose .45. We both have revolvers for first use in preference to the semi-autos.

 

[thompal]

.45 because it will send them flying back 30 feet in the air.

And it will catch their car on fire and make it leap 20 feet in the air for good measure.

(even when parked down the street)

 

[in625shooter]

9mm is perfectly fine. If you look around several PD's are going to 9mm from 40. On the "mythical" effectiveness of the 45 over everything else somebody didn't tell this guy how deadly the 45 is! His leg didn't vaporize or did he get knock back 10-20-30 or however many feet the story goes.



http://youtu.be/p3kJ6SU3ycs

 

[xM3RC1L3SS1x]

Thompal: You're right, I forgot about the car flying behind them. Last time with me it was a tank though. lol

 

[60Driver]

45 ACP because a 9 or 40 won't do this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC3IGts3Dyk

Seriously all three of the calibers listed in good loadings (As NIFT listed above) are excellent defensive choices. Choose a platform that is reliable and that YOU shoot well and be happy.

 

[paperboy]

UH OH....I feel a caliber war starting.... (in my opinion) the best close quarter man stopper is the good ol 12 gauge loaded with 00 but since I can't pocket carry one I'll stick with my LCP and Golden Sabres and if I'm feeling in an OC mood the Glock 19 gets the nod and I have no worries about either one. Remember 3 words....SHOT PLACEMENT, CONTROLLABILITY....

 

[in625shooter]

45 ACP because a 9 or 40 won't do this!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cC3IGts3Dyk

LOL