Best Caliber

[TomN]

Flip a coin.

 

[deer hunter1110]

any thing 9 or bigger will

 

[lilop]

I'm thinking about buying a handgun at the 1500. I know there are advantages to every caliber. But which is best for everyday carry: 9mm, .45 acp, or .40 S&W?

9mm. My personal opinion, but I think the carry caliber question boils down to whether or not you believe in one stop shots. I don't, and that being the case, there's something very comforting about having 15 +1 shots in a carry package as small as, say, a glock 19. There's also something very comforting about being able to QUICKLY and ACCURATELY put multiple rounds in an aggressor, and still having some left in the weapon ready to go.

 

[orange]

The .357 Magnum is a mouse gun. The .45 ACP doesn't have the stopping power to take down an aging one-legged mosquito with Downs Syndrome. The 9mm might be good for really big bacteria.

What you need, sir, is the .950 JDJ on a custom-built T/C Encore.
Carry two for quick follow-up shots.

 

[truss1010]

Try them all and see which Fits you best. For me it's a .357, high capacity doesn't do me much good if I am going to miss.

 

[Old Salt]

I carry a PM9 9mm in the front pocket and a .45 in the waistband. If the 9mm hollow points don't stop someone, I'm sure the .45 will.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

I prefer the .40, but that's me. Everyone has their likes, and dislikes. As others have said I would not carry anything smaller then a .9mm. I have a .9mm for backup, incase something happens to my XD. Just buy a quality hp, and you are good to go. Find what caliber, and make of gun fits you. That's the best thing you can do in my eyes. Hope that helps.

 

[HICKMAN]

I personally love the .40, but recently switched to the 9mm because it's more available.

That's important because I want to shoot alot (wink @ scutter) and really know my gun. Accuracy and controlled recoil are important.

It's also the NATA standard and if SHTF then I might have a better chance of getting more ammo from someone on the ground. Just being realistic.

 

[tv1217]

Chose .40 as an intermediate between 9mm and .45

 

[Glockster]

Well, if you really bought at the gun show, this is too late but, if you're looking for a carry gun, always buy capacity over caliber.

 

[HandK]

Yep I will chime in with the majority, Its hits on the target that count, If you shoot well with a 9mm and cant hit the broad side of a barn with a .45 then it would do you no good to carry the .45, If however you buy a 9mm and practice alot and become efficant with that you could move up to a .40 or .45 down the road. Go to an indoor range that rents guns and try a few out before you buy,

 

[CandRFan]

The .357 Magnum is a mouse gun. The .45 ACP doesn't have the stopping power to take down an aging one-legged mosquito with Downs Syndrome. The 9mm might be good for really big bacteria.

What you need, sir, is the .950 JDJ on a custom-built T/C Encore.
Carry two for quick follow-up shots.

Can you suggest a IWB holster for that?

I prefer to carry crossdraw and am right handed.

 

[TopDog]

I would first be concerned with which gun model suit my needs best. Which gun model I could shoot the best and then which gun I could afford.

Then I would look at caliber, because all things being equal, bullet type etc cailber always takes a back seat to placement.

 

[kingnereli]

I basically agree with the as long as you hit the bad guy with the bullet you'll be fine concept. Even a little .32 will do its job if you do yours. However, it is usually the small caliber guys that want to ignore ballistic evidence and the like.
The general rule is you should use the largest caliber that you can shoot well.

 

[Paco Bedejo]

If you want to carry full-size, go with the largest caliber you can shoot well.

If you want to carry a sub-compact, go with the largest caliber you can shoot well from a tiny gun which gives you enough capacity that you feel you can get the job done.

I just bought my 1st handgun & after TONS of research & handling guns at the 1500 like I was trying to spread a disease, I chose .40S&W in my XD(m). .40S&W is easy for a big guy (me) to control & 16+1 rounds should be plenty for even the "toughest jobs".

Looking at sub-compacts, I'd probably go with a Kel-Tec PF-9 9x19mm. Military & Police agencies around the world use 9x19mm cartridges. The Kel-Tec PF-9 is only about 1/2" larger in length & height than the highly-lauded Ruger LCP .380 ACP, so it should conceal very well. The Kel-Tec PF-9 also holds 7+1 rounds, 1 more than the LCP.

An interesting option if you're interested in a cargo-pocket carry is the Kel-Tec P-11 9x19mm. It is 1.3" wide, 5.6" long, and 4.4" high. It's too thick for a typical concealed carry, about 0.1" thicker than even my full-size XD(m), but would work great in a pocket-holster stuffed into a cargo pocket. It also holds 10+1 rounds.