9MM v. 45ACP
- Thread starter nsf003
- Start date
ReverendHobo
New member
Just to correct something in the poll (not that it really matters one iota) -- 9mm has been proven in more wars and carried by more soldiers than .45 (by *far*).
I still won't take sides by voting for either. They're both just fine as far as I'm concerned.
I still won't take sides by voting for either. They're both just fine as far as I'm concerned.
This is neverending debate, but just for fun as you said 
The 9x19 is as old and proven as the .45 ACP and in fact it was multiple time more people killed in history by 9mm FMJ than by .45 (WW2 just as example) and the guns did not become less effective than they was in the past. Both rounds are same good for killing humans and there will allways be examples of strong individuals and bad shot placement causing the one who got hit remain on his feet for some time... You can not trust to a single hit, nor in the combat, nor on the street whatever cliber you may have.
The 9x19 is as old and proven as the .45 ACP and in fact it was multiple time more people killed in history by 9mm FMJ than by .45 (WW2 just as example) and the guns did not become less effective than they was in the past. Both rounds are same good for killing humans and there will allways be examples of strong individuals and bad shot placement causing the one who got hit remain on his feet for some time... You can not trust to a single hit, nor in the combat, nor on the street whatever cliber you may have.
Normally I avoid discussions like this but here goes...
9mm - Decent stopping power, mild recoil, very quick follow ups
.45 - Very good stopping power with the right load (they dont all fall to hardball guys), reasonable recoil in a large frame, muzzle flip prevents very quick follow ups.
.40 - Very good to excellent stopping power, light recoil, reasonably quick follow ups.
For recreational shooting, I like the 1911 in .45 but I can't really spare the cash for a pistol that reliably feeds the most effective JHP loads. Not bashing the 1911, just the cost.
For last resort defense, gimme the .40 any day
For my wife, the 9mm works better than either, but 357SIG is better still.
In the end, it's akin to the .270/.308/30-06 debate. They'll all leave you just as dead in the end.
9mm - Decent stopping power, mild recoil, very quick follow ups
.45 - Very good stopping power with the right load (they dont all fall to hardball guys), reasonable recoil in a large frame, muzzle flip prevents very quick follow ups.
.40 - Very good to excellent stopping power, light recoil, reasonably quick follow ups.
For recreational shooting, I like the 1911 in .45 but I can't really spare the cash for a pistol that reliably feeds the most effective JHP loads. Not bashing the 1911, just the cost.
For last resort defense, gimme the .40 any day
For my wife, the 9mm works better than either, but 357SIG is better still.
In the end, it's akin to the .270/.308/30-06 debate. They'll all leave you just as dead in the end.
A hole is a hole is a hole!
The big questions are how fast it will stop the agression, how well placed the shot is, the physical and mental state of the agressor, the ability to follow up with additional shots, the agressor's choice of weapon, did I leave my gun in the car because it's too big, etc., etc., etc.
The best decision one could make is to assess the risk for daily carry and modify it for special cases. I.E. I may take a Walther PPK (380) to the movies located at the mall but I might take my G36 (45cal) for dinner in the city. Actually, I'll take my wife to dinner and the gun just goes along for the ride. If I can't decide, then I take my trusted P7M8 and my wife!
A hole is a hole is a hole!
The big questions are how fast it will stop the agression, how well placed the shot is, the physical and mental state of the agressor, the ability to follow up with additional shots, the agressor's choice of weapon, did I leave my gun in the car because it's too big, etc., etc., etc.
The best decision one could make is to assess the risk for daily carry and modify it for special cases. I.E. I may take a Walther PPK (380) to the movies located at the mall but I might take my G36 (45cal) for dinner in the city. Actually, I'll take my wife to dinner and the gun just goes along for the ride. If I can't decide, then I take my trusted P7M8 and my wife!
A hole is a hole is a hole!
I think someone shot with a .45 in a critical place might be as much as 20% more dead than with 9mm.
Can we pass a law so that Bad Guys have to wear jackets that say whether they have body armor on or not? Cause that'll make my choice for me (and is one reason why the military is using 9mm, much to the astonishment of the M1911 crowd).
VG
SIG P220 .45
CZ 85 Combat 9mm
Can we pass a law so that Bad Guys have to wear jackets that say whether they have body armor on or not? Cause that'll make my choice for me (and is one reason why the military is using 9mm, much to the astonishment of the M1911 crowd).
VG
SIG P220 .45
CZ 85 Combat 9mm
Don't want to start a flame war, but the same happens with the .45...
BTW, to choose a gun based on what an army did is wrong! (IMO). Armies will use handguns in a backup role, you won't. It'll be your primary gun.
Having said this, I still prefer the 9mm if I had to use a handgun in a defensive situation. Faster follow-up shots...
Light recoil?
The .40 does not have a lighter recoil than a .45 or 9mm. It's recoil is more like the 2 of them combined. Between the 3 caliber's, the .40 has the highest pressure rating.
I've shot all three caliber's with various pistols and the .40 has much sharper recoil. The .45 is close but nowhere near as snappy.
I never said it had lighter recoil than the 9mm. It's been my experience that good defense loads in the .40 have a little less "push" than good defense loads in the .45
Maybe I'm feeling the 1911 slide bump and misinterpreting it.
Note: I have never fired a .45 from anything other than a full size 1911, so my opinions might be skewed. Fired .40 and 9mm from a multitude of pistols.
If I could only have one gun it would be a .357 mag.
I really love the .45 ACP. It is usually more accurate than other calibers (don't know if its the cartridge or the guns). It has better stopping power (though it may be mainly theoretical, in real life situations both will stop a bad guy with proper shot placement and with poor shot placement the gad guy will still be standing after being hit with either).
However, if I could only have one auto I'd pick the 9mm (though right now I only have one and it's a 1911 in .45 ACP- go figure). I had a Ruger P89 in 9mm and really wanted the .45 so I traded (now I really wish I had both or, barring that, had just kept the Ruger for the reasons stated below).
With good quality defensive loads the 9mm can be nearly as effective as the .45 (and effective enough in most situations), and you'll certainly be fine with +P or +P+. With cheaper practice ammo you can pay almost half as much as the cheapest brands of .45 ammo. It seems to me that the only caliber with the same versatility (more versatility) is .38 spl. Also, 9mm guns seem to feed more reliably than .45s (just my observation, probably haven't shot enough of each to say for certain). For these reasons I've been advising my friends who are thinking of buying guns to go with the 9mm if they buy an auto (it will be the only one for a while and may be the only gun they ever own so versatility is good).
Oh yea, the .40 is good too.
Though it seems a compromise that takes some of the best features of both and throws them away. It isn't quite as powerful as the .45 (though it has very good stopping power). It isn't quite as versatile as the 9mm (somewhat more stopping power, though the better 9mm loads are close, and you don't have the cheap practice ammo with the .40 that the 9mm has- in fact ammo is in the .45 price range). If I could only have one auto I don't see that I would ever pick the .40, though as a second or third auto it may be nice. I can see picking it for some specialized concealment duties (it may be nice to have the extra power of the .40 in a small backup gun since they tend to have a small magazine capacity- I'm thinking the Kahr MK40 here) but a gun with such a specialized use would not be suitable as an only gun.
So I guess my vote is for both the 9mm and .45. If you must narrow me down, theoretically I vote for the 9mm but in real life I picked the .45. How's that for commiting myself.
I really love the .45 ACP. It is usually more accurate than other calibers (don't know if its the cartridge or the guns). It has better stopping power (though it may be mainly theoretical, in real life situations both will stop a bad guy with proper shot placement and with poor shot placement the gad guy will still be standing after being hit with either).
However, if I could only have one auto I'd pick the 9mm (though right now I only have one and it's a 1911 in .45 ACP- go figure). I had a Ruger P89 in 9mm and really wanted the .45 so I traded (now I really wish I had both or, barring that, had just kept the Ruger for the reasons stated below).
With good quality defensive loads the 9mm can be nearly as effective as the .45 (and effective enough in most situations), and you'll certainly be fine with +P or +P+. With cheaper practice ammo you can pay almost half as much as the cheapest brands of .45 ammo. It seems to me that the only caliber with the same versatility (more versatility) is .38 spl. Also, 9mm guns seem to feed more reliably than .45s (just my observation, probably haven't shot enough of each to say for certain). For these reasons I've been advising my friends who are thinking of buying guns to go with the 9mm if they buy an auto (it will be the only one for a while and may be the only gun they ever own so versatility is good).
Oh yea, the .40 is good too.
Though it seems a compromise that takes some of the best features of both and throws them away. It isn't quite as powerful as the .45 (though it has very good stopping power). It isn't quite as versatile as the 9mm (somewhat more stopping power, though the better 9mm loads are close, and you don't have the cheap practice ammo with the .40 that the 9mm has- in fact ammo is in the .45 price range). If I could only have one auto I don't see that I would ever pick the .40, though as a second or third auto it may be nice. I can see picking it for some specialized concealment duties (it may be nice to have the extra power of the .40 in a small backup gun since they tend to have a small magazine capacity- I'm thinking the Kahr MK40 here) but a gun with such a specialized use would not be suitable as an only gun.So I guess my vote is for both the 9mm and .45. If you must narrow me down, theoretically I vote for the 9mm but in real life I picked the .45. How's that for commiting myself.
As I always say, it doesn't matter what caliber it is. What matters is the shooter's abilities and skills. It is no good to have a .45 if the shooter can't hit the target, while a 9mm or even a .22 will be deadlier in the hands of a marksman who knows where to hit and what to hit i.e. a .45 to the arm verses a 9mm to the throat or forehead? It's all about vital area targets. It may also help to know the human anatomy.
The .45 is definitely the stopping power enforcer of the two, while the 9mm is the tamer one for more accuracy. Practice makes perfect. Let's leave it at that.
The .45 is definitely the stopping power enforcer of the two, while the 9mm is the tamer one for more accuracy. Practice makes perfect. Let's leave it at that.
I go with 9mm although I like other cartridges
just fine. (Not crazy about 40 though...) I like
the fact that 9's fit in smaller guns and the
recoil allows for faster follow-up shots. I don't
believe in one stop shots and like to allow for
the possibility of multiple opponents. Just my
thoughts...
just fine. (Not crazy about 40 though...) I like
the fact that 9's fit in smaller guns and the
recoil allows for faster follow-up shots. I don't
believe in one stop shots and like to allow for
the possibility of multiple opponents. Just my
thoughts...