Should i buy a 45 or a 9mm

While we are on the topic, it should be noted that some service pistol calibers not under direct discussion here—like the 10mm Auto,.

Another logistical element is weight. Soldier, cop or civilian—the weight of your ammo is a big consideration. This will allow considerably more grain 9mm training rounds than grain. Conventional wisdom states that a lighter-kicking round will be easier to shoot rapidly and accurately than more powerful ammunition. While this sounds obvious and objective, it is not percent true and therefore does have some subjective elements.

Competition shooters have noticed over the years in traditional, one-handed Bullseye events that some contestants have higher scores over the exact same course of fire in the. It is quite common for Bullseye competitors to use their. Moreover, the smaller caliber does not always kick less. Differences in gun platforms may change things. A very small, very light 9mm may be more unpleasant to shoot and induce more flinching than a full-sized.

Many shooters find the. Your load choice can change things, too. This makes them particularly snappy and, as agencies such as the U. Border Patrol discovered, hard on the guns as well. Some grain.

Certainly, as a general rule, in platforms of similar size, shape and weight, the 9mm will have less recoil. Pressing the trigger, allowing it to reset forward and pressing it again takes exactly the same amount of time irrespective of caliber and recoil, assuming similar guns. There is also Geometry as distances between the shooter and target increase, the accuracy should suffer accordingly, particularly if the firearm has not returned fully from its last muzzle rise when the next shot is fired.

What has changed is that the new bullets have elevated performance levels, so that cartridges that were once considered to be ineffective self-defense rounds are now thought to be acceptable. However, no matter what you hear, remember this: A bigger, heavier bullet carrying more energy equals higher performance. It will help you decide which is best for you. Scores of modern guns are chambered for it. Army and for multitudes of concealed carriers. Light bullets shed velocity and thus energy faster, both in the air and in the target.

Retained energy aids in penetration of the target. With all else being equal, a heavy bullet will always penetrate deeper than a lighter bullet. Obviously, the grain 9mm bullet is the lightest of the three. The bigger the bullet, the bigger the hole it makes in the target.

The 9mm bullet has the narrowest diameter of the three. As velocity increases, so does energy, but at a much faster rate, which can be a bit deceiving. For example, a light bullet going very fast may have more energy than a heavy bullet at moderate velocity, yet the terminal performance of the heavy bullet may be better. If the small calibers do not expand they are not nearly as reliable as hard ball from the 45 ACP. Read the account of Alvin York stopping a squad of charging Germans with a , they charged at close range when his was empty.

I have 3 calibers in semi-auto, 9mm, 38 Super and 45 ACP. If I need better concealment I carry a the little 9 since its better than nothing and its only for a short time once a week. The current 45 is all steel and pretty heavy. But it will work pretty well even with hardball. The 9mm will not. The Super with the fps s loading gr blunt RN its supposed to be loaded with for FMJ is better than 9mm hardball on all counts.

Someone mentioned helmet penetration. Had someones head been in it the dent was deep enough to kill. Helmet penetration is a fools guide to defensive handgun performance. If you are close and need to use a handgun it better keep the bad guy from shooting you. The 9mm has too spotty a reputation for me to trust as my normal carry caliber. Its also poor on window glass.

Such as having to shoot through a windshield. But in general bigger is better. My EDC is 9mm. I have 2 of them. I also have 2 of them. An alternate that is small enough to fit in my pocket an probably should carry more often is a.

There is only one way to address this issue. Half of cops in America carry the 9mm and the other half carry. In the U. Government tested the 9mm and. Circumstances and bullet placement dictate the outcome of targeting humans. Trying to make a science out of chaos is pointless. Most gunfights do not resemble what takes place in movies.

The average individual armed with a pistol will be lucky to unsheathe their weapon in a timely manner and place their first shot where it will stop a miscreant. And if they do, a timely swat on the head will out them. Practice, physical fitness and awareness is more important than quibbling over ballistic niceties. Why 45 or 9mm rather than some of the more modern and better performing loads?

For me it is just a matter of cost. The old cartridges are a fraction of the price of others, and much more easily found. Have three. Like all. Have to go with. The question I keep asking, to which i have yet to get an answer, is why are we still arguing the merits of two cartridges that are both over a century old, instead of moving on to newer, more effective choices? For example, the. Why is that? Save my name and email to use for future comments.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Forgot your password? Get help. Password recovery. Gun Digest. Yes, the 9mm Luger shoots a smaller caliber and lighter bullet than the.