Best handgun caliber for the $?

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PatrickBateman

New member
Pretty much deciding between 9mm, 357sig, 40s&w, and 45ACP. Which would you say is the best caliber in terms of effectiveness (for carry and home protection) and cost? Im new to guns and am looking for some opinions! Thanks!

EDIT: Also factoring in availability! I know 357 is pretty hard to come by, and for a reasonable price at that.
 
9mm is the generally least expensive out of those you listed, and can be had in several effective loads.
 
9mm, no question. Assuming premium JHP, testing shows more or less no practical wounding or penetration difference between 9mm, .357Sig, .40S&W, and .45acp on soft targets, and 9mm ammo is substantially cheaper than any of the others.

That said, I like .40S&W with a 9mm conversion barrel so I can shoot both (I spend a fair amount of time in a car, and .40 does better through barriers than 9mm).
 
While I'm not a huge 9mm fan I have to agree, I'm paying $37 and $43 per 100rd box of .40SW and .45ACP respectively and training is getting expensive.

And when you're talking about terminal performance in handgun rounds there really isn't a stark difference until you factor in big bore magnum revolvers. I landed at .45 because 1911s were the first handgun that really fit well in my hands and that I could shoot accurately. I have a .40 Glock that was gifted to me and I'm learning to like it.
 
PatrickBateman said:
Pretty much deciding between 9mm, 357sig, 40s&w, and 45ACP. Which would you say is the best caliber in terms of effectiveness (for carry and home protection) and cost? Im new to guns and am looking for some opinions! Thanks!
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Welcome to TFL.

The caliber question has been discussed, debated, argued, and dragged out to the point that I think the topic itself is a member of the undead.

In leiu of silver bullets and wooden stakes, allow me to give some very basic facts.

Of the calibers you mentioned, 357 Sig is the least common as a defensive caliber, and tends to be harder to find ammunition.

Of the remaining 3- 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP- 9mm is on average the cheapest and smallest, while 45 ACP is the most expensive and biggest, with 40 S&W as a middle road between the two.

Selecting between calibers is a balance of capacity and power. Some opt for the highest capacity possible, citing the fact that modern defensive ammo kills people just as dead with little regard for caliber. Other select the most powerful round, stating that they would rather have the most powerful round available to inflict the most damage. Still others opt for the middle ground, seeing it as a compromise between the two.

In terms of cost, I use gunbot.net as a price guide. They publish a "good deal" threshhold in terms of cents per round. They are as follows:
9mm: 28c/rd (or $14 for a box of 50 practice rounds)
40 S&W/357 Sig: 40c/rd (or $20 for a box of 50 practice rounds)
45 ACP: 43 c/rd (or $21.5 for a box of 50 practice rounds)

I am doing my best to provide simply facts here. Others will throw in their 2 cents and reasons for selecting their caliber, but this I think strikes at the heart of your question without getting into my personal opinions.
 
I have handguns that can shoot 9mm, 40 S&W, 38Spl, 357 Mag, 44 Mag, 44Spl, and 22lr. For self defense I do not prefer the high powered rounds. More is not always better. Shot placement trumps caliber, so for capacity and effectiveness the 9mm is hard to beat. My EDC is a Ruger SR9C.
 
I'm paying $37 and $43 per 100rd box of .40SW and .45ACP respectively and training is getting expensive.
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That's why i reload. The cost is cut by 2/3rds. I practice shoot cast at the weight of my SD rounds for around 14 cents per.
 
Of the calibers you mentioned, 357 Sig is the least common as a defensive caliber, and tends to be harder to find ammunition.
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Actually, every ammo shortage in the past few years leaves plenty of 357 Sig on the shelf. Why? Because its not a popular cartridge.

My friend recently sold his Glock (33?) because recoil is just absurd. He went with a Glock in 45. I suggested he get a 9mm barrel but wasn't interested.
 
9 mm is a good place to start. Recoil is most manageable, cost the lowest of the center fire cartridges, and its performance in ballistic gel compared to .40 and .45 is comparable enough to make accuracy more important than caliber.

One thing to keep in mind is that handgun caliber cartridges will very often require more than one round to decisively stop an assault; therefore, the speed and accuracy of followup shot is important. It is for that reason that recoil management is in turn important and a lot of folks choose 9 mm.
 
9mm is about perfect for most needs

It used to be hampered by lack of quality ammo and platforms that could effectively use anything other than FMJ. That has changed. Affordability and availability is easily achieved with this round.
 
9mm unless you re-load: than 9mm, 38, 40 or 45 all re-load for under 15 cents per round.

but if you are serious about carrying safely and effectively you will be putting a lot ( 10k 1st year) of lead down range. re-loading is the best investment you can make -- and the earlier into the 'game' the better your return on investment.

not just $$ wise (cause you will get all your money back after using the press for 8-10 years) but how fast you improve. though you will quickly realize to get more better you'll need a timer; and eventually you will decide a formal class is what's needed.

they can run your gun 4-500* rounds per day plus the class cost.

also you can make +p's with a bit more powder and plated bullets for under 30 cents a round vs factory SD ammo at $1.25 each and up.

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* 500 store bought on sale near to me cost 44$/100 = 220$
re-load at 13 cents cost me 90 minutes and $65.
 
The price difference between 9mm, .40 and .45 is usually a couple bucks, while I prefer 9mm I wouldn't let the price of each round be a factor in which one I get. Although 9mm and .40 will usually be the easiest to find.
 
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My friend recently sold his Glock (33?) because recoil is just absurd. He went with a Glock in 45. I suggested he get a 9mm barrel but wasn't interested.
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I know it's not universal but I and a number of others have always felt that Glocks in .40SW have worse recoil than .357sig.

I'd do 10mm if I wasn't doing .357sig but I'd do .45acp if I didn't do 10mm.;)

In response to the OP's question, I have never seen any evidence that any of the major cartridge choices predictably perform and better or worse than any of the others.

More power and/or bigger holes can not be a bad thing UNLESS it effects your ability to make follow-up shots. Shoot the gun/cartridge that gives you the most power and/or holes size and which you can control well.

It's all a balance. Heavier guns can be annoying to carry but have less recoil. Lighter guns carry nicer but can be nasty to shoot. You have to find your own balance.

Price of ammo isn't a factor unless you're going to be shooting a lot and if you ARE going to be shooting a lot, you really need to get into reloading because factory ammo prices (of good ammo) don't compare to your own reloads or the quality you can make.
 
I am a 9mm and .45acp fan, but in my neck of the woods (Colorado), there are more .40 rounds on the shelf than you can shake a stick at and they have them priced in 9mm territory. So even though I am not a fan of the round, I would say the .40 is the best thing going, around here anyway.
 
Personally, I love the .45 acp. It's a big ol' stupd, slow round, and I'd shoot it all day if I had the time. That said, it's not The Magic DragonSlayer that some folks would make it out to be. There are plenty of other cartridges that will do their part, if you do yours. With all of that said, 9mm is markedly cheaper than .45, at least in garden-variety target ammo.
 
I personally prefer the .40, but for cost efficiency I would say the 9mm. Cheapest medium bore ammo, bonded HP ammo is rated as effective as other calibers, widest selection of handguns, easy for most new shooters to shoot well.
 
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