Need help with caliber choice

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I’m looking for advice in choosing a caliber for my new Glocks. I’m planning to purchase a full size Glock (Model 20/21), a mid-size gun (30/29/19/23/32), and a sub-compact (26/27/33).

I have shot Glocks in all five calibers and recoil is no problem. I have access to pretty much any ammo line, including Ranger and Golden Saber.

My first instinct is .45 and 9mm. Mainly because of cost of practice ammo, the large choice of self-defense loads in both calibers, and availability in general.

So my question is this;

With top defensive loads, is the 10mm significantly better ballistically than the .45acp in the large frame guns? And the same question for the .40s&w and .357 Sig vs the 9mm. Am I putting myself at a disadvantage with .45 and 9mm?

I have experience shooting handguns, but I don’t have a favorite caliber, or even a preference really. Just looking for what works best.

Thoughts?
 
OK, here we go again with the great caliber debate.

Personally, I would go with the .45 ACP and the .357 Sig. The 10mm may be superior to the .45 on paper, but it's hard to beat the .45's combination of relatively mild recoil and proven track record of stopping power. I prefer the 230-gr Hydra-Shok myself.

I'd go with the .357 Sig over the 9mm, unless I was mainly interested in cheap practice ammo. The .357 has significantly more power than the 9mm.

Of course, I wouldn't be buying a glock in the first place, so this is merely acacemic for me.
 
A 9mm will do its job if you do your job.

That said, go with the biggest caliber that you can control. Bigger is better.
 
Am I putting myself at a disadvantage with .45 ... ?
Click to expand...

Please tell me you're kidding!

That'd be like putting yourself at a disadvantage by playing shows with a '54 Strat or by driving on the highway with a convertible '68 Mustang. Maybe you'd rather play gigs with an Ibanez Shredmaster 5000 in neon yellow, or you'd rather drive a Ford Probe. There's no accounting for taste, right?
 
Deja vu all over again

Thought I posted on this, but anyways...

I had carried a 10mm for awhile, and it's definitely the most powerful by far. However, to me, after some thought, using a 10mm for 2-legged critters seemed about like using a .300 winmag for the small whitetails around here - it works, but it's really overkill.

So I ended up opting for the .45 for a carry gun, but I would choose the 10mm for an "all things at all times pistol" - i.e. something that you might want to use for ccw and trail gun and impressing your friends, etc.

Strictly for carry I like the .45 in the regular and compact, and the .40 in super-minis simply because I want the biggest hole (permanent wound cavity) possible, in the event of non-expansion. Also,
-Yes, a big bore is good for intimidation value. :)
-Very importantly, in the event you DO have to shoot a person someday, your life will be turned upside down, and in most places you will be charged with a crime and have to get a lawyer and prove self-defense. In that case, a "standard" caliber such as .45 is much easier to defend in court than your "mall-ninja, super-hyped, only-intent-was-to-kill-not-incapacitate, overkill special forces 10mm round gun" to have the DA tell it. Don't underestimate the importance of this factor for CCW. It's extremely unlikely you will have to shoot someone, but if you do, you life will be miserable until you clear your name, and the quicker and easier, the better.
-.45 has more flavors and better prices/values, including things like (a) CCI birdshot shells, for pests/snake defense, and (b) Speer plastic bullets, in case you want to shoot around the house with just a primer (it's fun :) ).

9mm is awesome too, but again, I just like bigger holes, and these days, 40 is very well established. However, there's always the supposed kb's in .40 glocks, yada, yada, standard diclaimers...
 
PS

Obviously, if you're going for "same caliber for all 3", for simplicity's sake, etc., the 10 and 45 are out. I'd go for .40 myself in that case.
 
If it were me I`d go 20,19,26. The 20 is the most versatile pistol Glock ever made. Factory loads range in power from mid range .40 to .45 Super level(or more correctly the .40 and .45 Super copycat the 10mms power levels). It`s the only Glock with a factory available 6" "hunting" barrel as well. With 15rd. hi caps you can`t carry more total power in a standard sized auto. The 19 is also an easy choice,after shooting lots of different Glocks,to me it`s the best balanced of the lot in regard to power/capacity,durability and size. Good 9mm ammo is plenty effective and it`s CHEAP. Last the 26 is obvious,easy to handle despite it`s small size and able to use the mags from the 19. YMMV but I`d be very happy with those 3 (and even happier if Glocks had a grip shaped like a CZ ;) ). Marcus
 
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