Maybe I need to rethink my faith in 45 acp

V

vito

New member
I was reading Gabe Suarez' latest newsletter and in it he discusses why he avoids the 45, and prefers the 40 or 9 mm. To him, capacity represents the ability to fight for a longer time, and the large capacity magazines in those calibers, compared to 45 acp, makes the decision for him. Maybe I've been naive but I always felt it likely that in a typical self defense situation I would be firing only 1 or 2 rounds, so my 45 with 7+1, or even my J frame snubbie with 5 would likely be adequate. But its also likely that Gabe Suarez knows a lot more about being in a gunfight that I do, and maybe I need to completely rethink my strategy for self defense. Just maybe I need to sell or trade my S&W revolvers and my small 380 with 6 rounds, and medium 45 acp with 7 rounds and buy a 15 round 9 mm Glock.
 
Dunno...
But with the right ammo, .40 S&W has ballistics comparable to the .45
Or you could go the 10mm route...

Eli W.
 
most people dont carry a weapon for a typical days excitement.

i like to carry as many rounds as possible for the same reason i like to carry a pistol in the first place

i'd rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it


the difference between 9mm and 45 is truly negligible
if the 45 got the job done, the same shots with a 9mm would have almost certainly done so as well

but i'd hate to be in a situation where the 8th or 9th shot is needed, but my 1911 only holds 7

if you're insisting you will only need 1 or 2 shots, then screw the 45acp! why settle?.... get something like a .223 or 44mag derringer.
 
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but I always felt it likely that in a typical self defense situation I would be firing only 1 or 2 rounds
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In your typical SD situation involving a single attacker, you'd be right. The extra capacity isn't for the typical SD situation. There are still situations where more capacity is needed, that's why the extra rounds are in the gun.

i'd rather have it and not need it, then need it and not have it
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Which is why I've got 7+1 in my CCW and an extra mag of 7 in my pocket. I figure that 15 rounds of 9mm may not be enough to neutralize any and all encounters, but it sure ought to be enough to facilitate me getting myself and SWMBO out of harm's way.
 
nothing wrong with 45ACP, for any halfway regular situation, unless your denzel washington, as stated- you wont need more than a few shots. carry the caliber your best with, with the gun you know best. practice with it, and youll be all set. work on reloads and always carry a spare mag with you if your worried about capacity but still love 45, they dont take up that much space in an IWB holder.
 
Which is why I've got 7+1 in my CCW and an extra mag of 7 in my pocket. I figure that 15 rounds of 9mm may not be enough to neutralize any and all encounters, but it sure ought to be enough to facilitate me getting myself and SWMBO out of harm's way.
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my glock 26 will hold 12+1 and i carry an extra 17rnd mag

or if i'm wearing a coat, my 17+1 PX4 and an extra mag keep me secure
 
"its better to have it and not need it, then to need it and not have it" Is a great motto to have for life. I've been forced to practice reloading (not by my choice) many many times with a multitude of weapons under many conditions. I just can't imagine a time when with one or more assailants where I'd be given the opportunity to reload, even at combat pace. I'm a big fan of the .45, but its not nor will it ever be my choice of what I get issued to carry. If I were given the choice it would be a .45 with 10+ per mag. Just my .02
-Chris.
 
i normally try and live by "better to have and not need" as well, but there are some cases that go to far. if we all lived by that, we'd all be carrying glocks just incase superman had to throw our pistols through the atmosphere, and we still wanted it to shoot. i personally think what is best to have and not need in this case, is practice, and being comfortable with your equipment. i agree its nice to have a larger magazine capacity, but i believe if you need 7 rounds before reloading, you havent given yourself the proper training, or your going down anyways lol
 
Pistols are for self defense...and fighting to get to your rifle/shotgun.

If you took a pistol to a gunfight...you did not plan well....Clint Smith


FBI carries 40S&W...until they need help..all their office SWAT teams carry 45's...go figure !

LAPD issues 9mm or 40S&W.......LAPD SWAT carries Kimber 45's...they must know something.

maybee get a couple of 8 rd 45acp mags ???:)
 
I prefer a 1911 in .45ACP and four spare Wilson 8 round mags. That gives me 41 rounds immediately available. Reloading the 1911 is fast and easy, and I honestly don't feel at any sort of disadvantage. It is undeniable that the .45 cuts a bigger hole than the 9mm, and I'll go with that every time.
 
my 45 is a 10 rounder thank you very much :P. and i actually debate with my friend quite often that the reason for a pistol is to get to your rifle/shotty, it made me happy to see someone else thinks that way :D
 
Gabe Suarez appears knowlegable, but he does interject his opinion and is not fond of other opinions. I was kicked off his site for because I refuse to bow to the AK theory's. And I'll match my experance with the AR & AK with him any day but thats not the subject of ths topic.

If we all had the same likes and dislikes we wouldnt have nothing to talk about and there would only be ONE gun in the system.

As with the AK vs AR, I will disagred based on my experience with both. I also disagree with him ref; 45 vs 9 or 40 cal. I base my opinions not on what I've read, nor what someone has told me. I have used the 45 to defend my life, and in a situation where mulitpul rounds was not the option. This was the few times I couldnt get out of volenteering to crawl down some little dark, muddy, scarry tunnel in SE asia. The times I did fire, I only had the chance to fire one or two rounds. No way in heck can you convince me I would have been better off with a 9 or 40. Also I dont know of a 9 or 40 that I would trust (as far a reliability) like I trusted my 1911A1 in such slimmy conditions. BUT this is just my experance, others may have a varied experance

I'm sorry Mr Gabe Suarez dosnt agree, but if you study police shootings, and I have as a LE firearms instructor and CS investigator /CSI Instructor. The average number of rounds does not bare out his theory.

Beware of any instructor or school who preaches X firearm or Y cal. is no good and shouldnt be used. Its their opinion, based on what ever, but if you are ever involved in a shooting, and the attorney discoveres you used brand X and XYS Shooting accademy instructors says not to use it, you then you are gonna spend a lot more time and money in attorney fees explaining why you didnt follow the guidence of your instructor. In any of my classes I have instructed I have never recommened one gun over another, I do how ever take as many guns as I can and allow the students to try differant ones and let them make up their minds based on what fits them.

I do recommend that one does not take any instructor, or firearm expert's word or opinion as gospel. Instead, read as much as you can on any and all instructors you can. Throw all the knowledge in a basket, shake it up and see what comes out. Adjust that to what fits you. For every one of the same opinion as Gabe Suarez, you'll find a Jeff Cooper with a differant opinion.

Remember: "No man's opinion is any better than his background, his experience, and his general common sense." - Jack O'Conner
 
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