9mm vs. .45 15 experts give their opinion.

[Zoub]

Wow, you really need those glasses!

It was an epic start to the day!

 

[Robert Richardson]

No "Expert " will ever convince that a 9mm is equal to or better than 45acp.

 

[cedartop]

Tactical bearding in the sandbox has different requirements than most folks self defense scenarios.

No doubt that is largely true. There are a crap ton of PD's switching back to 9 as well. Of course that is still not the exact same metric as a private citizen defending himself. It doesn't matter to me what of the commonly agreed upon handgun rounds someone uses. I would prefer they become better shooters and improve their awareness and mindset than worry about what caliber their gun is. For most people though that doesn't seem to be as much fun.

 

[cedartop]

No "Expert " will ever convince that a 9mm is equal to or better than 45acp.

Would a non expert have better luck?

 

[cedartop]

Anybody else sick of all the "tactical experts"? If I see one more pair of fake Oakleys sitting above a wannabe beard I'm gonna throw up. You're not an "operator" in the "sandbox". Get over yourself.

Many of these guys were exactly that. I should be okay though as my Oaklys are real and I can't grow a beard with a dang.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Ok, now that I'm on a computer:

1) Who cares what these guys like? Mission drives the gear train (said in operator-speak so they'll get it). If I was going to go against multiple assailants in a combat scenario, had NATO logistics, etc, then my answer might be quite different then "protect myself from random attacks stateside." Capacity seldom matters.

2) Why is the bullet technology so magical that it improves the 9mm but nothing else? Right, it doesn't. The .45 still expands more, penetrates just as deep, and is less velocity dependent. Gel blocks don't have arteries, organs, or nerves. Cardboard targets don't have a will to fight or a pain threshold that they surrender at. More tissue damage = better.

3) Cost is easily overcome by reloading. Cut out 30 minutes of TV time a day and crank out a box of ammo.

4) I'm just glad we all agree .40 isn't even in the running.

5) Faster followup shots are great. Grab yourself a timer and see how much difference there really is at most self defense shooting ranges. At 5y and in if you're grip and technique is right, you're probably able to run the gun as fast as you can pull the trigger and keep it on "A" zone for 4-5 shots anyway. 25y plus where you need to let the sights settle a bit more, yeah, you'll start to see more differences.

Carry what you want. Carry what you can control and shoot well. Timers and targets don't lie, though, and at the end of the day if all else is equal I'll take more tissue destruction over more capacity for stateside SD carry.

 

[lovemachine]

I will admit, that the biggest reason why I chose a 9mm over a .45 is because I wanted a gun that my wife can shoot as well.

Now that I am in a "somewhat" better financial position, I have a .45 sitting in my safe. I haven't carried it because I haven't been able to put enough trigger time with it.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

No doubt that is largely true. There are a crap ton of PD's switching back to 9 as well. Of course that is still not the exact same metric as a private citizen defending himself. It doesn't matter to me what of the commonly agreed upon handgun rounds someone uses. I would prefer they become better shooters and improve their awareness and mindset than worry about what caliber their gun is. For most people though that doesn't seem to be as much fun.

A crap ton of PDs are worried about $$$ and factory 9mm is certainly the cheapest option. PDs also have to worry about a standard issue gun/ammo system that will accommodate a wide variety of shooting ability, recoil tolerance, desire to train, etc. If I were a police admin looking to equip hundreds of cops, I'd be hard pressed to not go with a Glock or Sig striker fired 9mm. I have to worry about the officer who's 5'2", 120 lbs, and shoots exactly twice a year for qualifications and that's it. I am not in the position to tailor the weapon to the individual officer. Selecting my own personal weapon, though, I don't have to care what fits or is tolerable for anyone else.

 

[churchmouse]

The other day I killed a porcupine that I thought was a woodpecker. He got the dog and I got him. I used a .45 and a handheld spotlight. One shot kill.

Why .45? Because it was the closest handgun to me at the time and I walked past shotguns and AR's to get it. Sometimes you gotta get up close and personal. I had a 2 day beard going and no glasses of any kind on at the time. I was in my underwear, a Tshirt and cut down rubber wadding boots I keep by the door, no socks. Yeah sorry, no pics.

However, I do like the article and the last 5 handguns we have purchased are all 9mm.

Aw Geez ZOUB......what a mental pic...............

 

[Zoub]

I will admit, that the biggest reason why I chose a 9mm over a .45 is because I wanted a gun that my wife can shoot as well.

Now that I am in a "somewhat" better financial position, I have a .45 sitting in my safe. I haven't carried it because I haven't been able to put enough trigger time with it.

My wife started on a Glock .45 and made his with it from day 1. Then she moved to 9mm but stayed with Glocks, this way we are familiar with the same platform and regardless of caliber, when the adrenaline is running, muscle memory kicks in for the shooter. Then I bought a G19 for myself and put the same sights on all the 9's.

 

[Bfish]

The results didn't surprise me really... The Ken Hackathorn response had me shaking my head a little bit. The LV response was good, and another guy (who it was I can't remember) seemed to be aligned with my thoughts. Kind of interesting to read people reasonings.

 

[Zoub]

Aw Geez ZOUB......what a mental pic...............:faint

It's a lifestyle choice. I could easily reenact the situation and have pics taken after my wife gets home.

I will say this, NOT having a weapon mounted light is better when you are dealing with a lot of crap at one time and trying to keep an eye on things. There is also no such thing as too much light when you are outside, even at 4:30am and the crack of dawn.

I went out to scare off the woodpecker that had finally woke me up through an open window. So I let speedy Gonzales the lab out too. He made a hot lap around the house in 2 seconds and followed the scent of the porky right up under the deck I was standing on. Growl Growl, sounds of skirmish, dog running away with quills in his nose. It was his first encounter with one, he is only 1 year old. It was not a woodpecker, it was a rhythmic 4 hit chewing of the porky on the deck wood. In my sleep I thought I was hearing the damn woodpeckers. That is the third time in 2 weeks I have had bigger then expected surprises out the back door. My point is caliber was not a huge issue. With one eye open and pulling quills out of my dogs nose I wanted a gun I know and know well.

 

[indiucky]

Due to a bit of Injun DNA I am unable to grow a beard...I won't shave my head because my hair is all there (and just a grey hair or two) and I am over 50 and am kind of proud of that fact...None of my T Shirts are black and very, very, very tight..........And worst sin of all????

I daily carry a five shot revolver..(or two..)


I am going to get killed ain't I????

 

[cosermann]

They missed (or decided not to list) a bunch of Larry's creds.

 

[redwingshooter]

That was pretty comical! I'd like to know how being a competitive shooter or winning Top Shot makes you an expert in the field of terminal ballistics!!?? LOL! It doesn't matter, BBI nailed it in post #26.

 

[EricG]

Agreed ^

 

[cedartop]

That was pretty comical! I'd like to know how being a competitive shooter or winning Top Shot makes you an expert in the field of terminal ballistics!!?? LOL! It doesn't matter, BBI nailed it in post #26.

That's why I mentioned that a lot of them weren't really experts in what matters to answer the question. Many of them were though. Wilson, Hackathorn, Proctor, Vickers, Chappy.

 

[sbu sailor]

Carry what you want. Carry what you can control and shoot well. Timers and targets don't lie, though, and at the end of the day if all else is equal I'll take more tissue destruction over more capacity for stateside SD carry.

Well put, BBI.

14 "experts" huh? It wasn't unanimous, as the author tried to say on the last page... 3 said "both" for different situations/reasons. Of the creds I could find, only one "expert" has seen combat, and one other was an LEO. So, the rest are "experts" at punching paper.

4 said "cost of ammo" so those opinions are out for me. My life is worth more expensive ammo.

7 stated that bullet technology has improved the 9... well, that same advancement in science has improved the 45. (psssst... that means the nine didn't catch up!)

Back to the "combat" "operator" "Seals use this" crap... look SpecOps fan boys, yes nines are ISSUED AS SECONDARIES to some units. But a 9mm handgun is not the only thing they carry. Do I have to type that again? We aren't talking about going to battle are we? If we are, then my choice between the 45 and 9 is the 7.62.

BBI is right, carry what you want. Carry what you can handle. If you believe in what you use, that's half the battle. At one time, I EDC'd a 32 H R Magnum for years, and never felt out gunned.

 

[JollyMon]

I see the normal panties have been put in a bunch....

 

[cedartop]

Nah......those are just a bunch of "Nancy" boy's...........................

I have recently put a 9mm in the safe surrounded by .45 ACP pistols. The 9mm shoots, hits etc. It has a hard time flipping the dueling tree paddles. The 45 has no trouble at all.

Pick your poison.

When my life is in danger from a dueling tree, I will keep that in mind.