Secret Service switching to Glock

[phylodog]

Any JHP which fails to expand is neutered. Failing to expand isn’t near the issue it was 10 years ago, bullet construction has come a long way.

All handgun calibers suck at stopping people. None of them attain hydrostatic shock which is seen at rifle caliber velocities. Put a modern handgun round in 9mm, .38, .357Sig or Mag .40 or .45ACP where it matters and it’ll perform as desired. Put any of them in where it doesn’t matter and they won’t.

I’ll take a good hit with a 9mm over a poor hit with any other caliber any day of the week. Obtaining that good hit in a high stress, life threatening situation is much more difficult than many are willing to acknowledge and is where the emphasis should be placed when determining which caliber to carry.

If there were a clear advantage of one handgun caliber over another for defensive use we wouldn’t see the variety available nor the popularity of the different calibers. The fact is they all offer advantages and disadvantages when compared to others. There is no magic bullet.

Carry what what you want and if you can get a good hit when needed you’ll be fine. Depending on the “stopping power” of one handgun caliber over another is doing a lot of people a disservice.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

All handgun calibers suck at stopping people. None of them attain hydrostatic shock which is seen at rifle caliber velocities. Put a modern handgun round in 9mm, .38, .357Sig or Mag .40 or .45ACP where it matters and it’ll perform as desired. Put any of them in where it doesn’t matter and they won’t.

Doing what I do for 24 years I have seen all kinds of people walking about after being shot (including head shots) with pistols of all calibers.

However, 2 shootings with long guns, both were fatal. One was .22lr out of Ruger 10/22 through a door. The other was a .410 deer slug, so old that it broke into 3 pieces upon striking the sternum.

The only advantage that a pistol has is portability. Much rather have a long gun. However, I'm going to look strange with my Colt AR-15A4 slung over my shoulder in the produce section at Kroger.

 

[Route 45]

Keeps things in line with other Federal Agencies...even the FBI has switched back to the 9mm caliber after ditching it in 1986, stating that their testing shows is now a 'viable' caliber, keeping in mind that in 1986 the FBI was still using 'hardball' ammunition in their 9mm pistols.

This is wrong. The FBI was using 115 grain Winchester Silvertips, not hardball. One of the big things always brought up in the Platt/Matix shooting is how the Silvertip was short on penetration and failed to reach the bad guy's heart, not because it didn't expand, but because it DID expand as designed. If I remember correctly, the Silvertip stopped about an inch short of Platt's heart, although it did create a non-survivable wound by severing a major artery. 9mm FMJ ball ammo actually might have ended the fight sooner, as no one ever accused 9mm ball of being short on penetration.

I'd take ammo that penetrates all the way through over ammo that hauls up short and fails to penetrate to the vitals any day of the week. Luckily, modern defensive handgun ammo is a lot better than yesterday's Silvertips. I love my little .45 Shield for cold weather carry, but I carry it with the full knowledge that if I ever have to confront a "Walmart shooter" with a rifle that I will be cussing myself for leaving my 15+1 M&P 9 Compact in the safe. You pay your money and you take your chances.