do YOU think 9mm is underpowerred ?

Is 9mm strong enough to use for defense.

  • I think 9mm is plenty strong for defense.

    Votes: 215 50.8%

  • I think 9mm is strong enough but only if Hollow Point.

    Votes: 122 28.8%

  • I think it takes more (.40 or .45) to be deadly

    Votes: 18 4.3%

  • If you're asking you're a mall ninja

    Votes: 68 16.1%
  • Total voters
    423
The 9mm works but you have to be somewhat picky about ammo. You need a quality hollowpoint of at least 115gr and 124s seem to work a hair better. Skip the 147s unless you have an abnormally long barrel; they may not expand well if they're not going fast enough.

My first choice would be anything using the Gold Dot 124gr slug, in +P if possible, standard velocity otherwise. The Cor-Bon DPX is also a good slug, a bit light but it holds together well at all speeds and expands reliably.
 
with good staking skills (i went bow hunting once and my dog followed the blood trail like it was instinct for her)... if a .22LR can kill a deer, i'm sure a 9mm will kill a human.
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Well, your initial post tells us as all we really need.

Staking skills? You mean stalking skills?

More importantly, your dog followed the blood trail to where the deer eventually died.

Note: The deer was not shooting back.

The ability to kill someone/something eventually is not the criteria to select a defensive weapon. The fact that the recipient of your fire may die eventually may be of no consequence to you, if he is capable of returning fire to the extent that you also expire.

You have some serious re-thinking to do, and I hope you do it. For your sake.

All that said, I do carry a 9mm when I can't conceal a .45. But I'm going to keep on trying to find a way to conceal a .45....
 
One thing I have noticed is that with bullets between 145 and 230 grains, you can increase energy a LOT, with little penetration difference. 45 Detonics, 200 grain speer flying ashtray, at 1200 fps penetrates little more then a 125 grain .357 at much higher velocity.

With 180 grain bullets in .429, you can move them at 1600 fps, or more, and still get 13" of penetration. I guess at 1800 you might get 15"?

45 ACP, way to many 230 grain bullets give you 12" of penetration, plus P may get you 12.6".

Funny part is it's almost like a dam is broken, or the sound barrier, once you get over 230 grains, and go to 240 grains plus. 240 grain Speer gold dot starts going through stuff, like 16 inches of gell, even when moving at 1354 fps.

Same if you slow the 240's down to 1171 fps, big hole, huge penetration. Bullet penetration is rather strange sometimes...
 
I find myself carrying my HK .40 and .357 sixshooter mostly these days. I prefer something with more horsepower than a nine. But if all I had was a hi-cap nine with premium SD ammo I would not feel undergunned against the bad guys.
but since I can carry and shoot a heavier round well that is what I choose.
 
The tragic shootings in Portland that occurred recently where done with a 9mm pistol firing factory loaded FMJ ammo.

Two you people lost their lives and seven more were injured. Some seriously. All of this was done with seven rounds of ammo.
 
9mm underpowered?

From my experience, no. I believe much more than just grains and bullet size goes into the "power" of a round. I believe the speed I can accurately discharge rounds plays a part as well.

For instance, my mother has a .357 Magnum Smith and Wesson revolver. If I could only fire one round, I'd much rather it come from that gun than my Ruger P89 9mm pistol. However, the ability for quick, accurate multiple shots with the .357 is not near that of my 9mm. I'd be willing to be I could load a target with 10 9mm before I could clear the 6 out of the S&W.

Same could be said for other large calibers. a .40 is a larger cartridge with a higher grain behind it than the 9mm. However, the recoil is not near as manageable for me. Would I rather have 2 well placed .40 shots or 4-5 well placed 9mm shots? That changes the whole equation, at least for me, in whether a round is underpowered.

I'm not delusional to the point that because I can unload a 30 shot clip of Ruger 10/22 that a .22 is an adequate self defense round. There is some give to the equation. For me, a 9mm is about the largest caliber I can unload very rapidly and still maintain accuracy.

In short, I do not feel the 9mm is "underpowered". It's an adequate caliber in my opinion, yet still possesses a great deal of controlability when it comes to multiple shots which I believe adds to the "power" of a caliber.
 
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I just want to know who the 7 people are that think the 9mm isn't deadly.

rotfl.gif
 
Is the 9mm underpowered?

Golly, I don't know...

What say we dig up all the soldiers killed in all the wars by 9mm and ask them?

What say we dig up all the dead gangbangers, or criminals or innocent victims, or cops killed by 9mm and ask them?
 
Ammo in this cali. has come a long way and although I don`t carry a 9mm anymore, when I did it was 124 grn. JHP Hydroshoks. Now my primary carry is a 642 with 38 +P loads. Wouldn`t(don`t) feel inadequit with either.
 
I will cease to believe the 9mm is effective the day I see a criminal, a terrorist, or an insurgent catch one and throw it back at me from 25 yards.
 
I will cease to believe the 9mm is effective the day I see a criminal, a terrorist, or an insurgent catch one and throw it back at me from 25 yards.
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But IZ...wait...you are military.....everyone knows from reading the net that military guys HATE the 9mm:eek:

bet you think the .223 works too:rolleyes:

WildnettraitorAlaska ™
 
Please. Anybody who thinks 9mm is no man stopper is full of it. I love almost
all calibers. I really don't get the 40 cal craze though. I've shot many.
The problem as stated by many others is felt recoil vs ballistic advantage
over 9mm. Love my 45. Love my 9mm. And really love my 38's. I have
absolute faith no one could handle aneven decent placed shot from any
of those calibers Period.
 
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