Which Handgun Caliber Is Better?

[Jack Ryan]

No, it wouldn't have been. Which was kinda my point. Handguns just don't always work.

At least I think that was my point... now I've forgotten what it was LOL

Handgun worked fine. It was operator error, misuse of the equipment.

He gave up a tactical advantage before the first shot was fired.

Later after solid hits took the opponent down, he used the opportunity to take cover instead of pressing the advantage and finishing him.

The bullets, gun, and calibur all did exactly what they were designed to do and what tests confirmed long ago could be expected of the 40S&W when it was being considered next to the 10mm. A time when it was labeled the 40 short and weak. The 10mm was recomended over the 40 for just these types of situations.

The 40 won out over the 10mm because it was lighter, less recoil, a better fit for "recoil sensitive" recruits. Not because it was a proven, more effective round.

There was no failure of the weapon or ammunition in this situation. There was a failure of the operator to use it in a manner it was capable of doing the job it was designed to do.

 

[Joe Williams]

Handgun worked fine. It was operator error, misuse of the equipment.

He gave up a tactical advantage before the first shot was fired.

Later after solid hits took the opponent down, he used the opportunity to take cover instead of pressing the advantage and finishing him.

The bullets, gun, and calibur all did exactly what they were designed to do and what tests confirmed long ago could be expected of the 40S&W when it was being considered next to the 10mm. A time when it was labeled the 40 short and weak. The 10mm was recomended over the 40 for just these types of situations.

The 40 won out over the 10mm because it was lighter, less recoil, a better fit for "recoil sensitive" recruits. Not because it was a proven, more effective round.

There was no failure of the weapon or ammunition in this situation. There was a failure of the operator to use it in a manner it was capable of doing the job it was designed to do.

Had he "pressed the advantage" he would have died. Pure and simple. Taking cover kept him from getting shot some more, and forced the bad guy to come to him, which allowed him to set up the ambush that won the gunfight.

He did indeed make a tactical error before shots were fired, but that doesn't change the fact that 17 solid hits from a solid caliber and a solid bullet didn't end the fight. Even after "solid hits took the oppenent down," said opponent was fully capable of advancing and continuing the fight.

The handgun failed, as they are liable to do. Failure to recognize this basic reality, to be prepared for the fact that you may have to keep fighting even after dropping the bad guy, even after delivering fatal hits, will lose fights. This is far from the only example of a man receiving fatal hits to COM, of having his circulatory system destroyed, and continuing to fight for several minutes. It's happened with 12 guages, it can sure as heck happen with handguns.

 

[Jack Ryan]

OK, if you say so.

If I knock you down with a hand gun though, don't bet your life I'm cutting you a break and going to stop shooting and hide until you've stopped rolling, moving and writhing around on the ground or I need to reload.

So long as my gun is firing, I'm going to consider it to be working just fine and I'm going to be trying to do my job better of using it to "stop what is threatening me". IE, shooting them in new, better places that hurt more.

 

[KPierce]

I have an XDm 40 that I can shoulder carry. Love the .40 round myself and the fact that I have 16 round mags in the XDm make it all the better in my opinion.

 

[ChrisK]

I only carry a 9mm or .45 Auto. Tried the .40, did not like it for a carry gun, very snappy on recoil. As others have said, It is shot placement. You can stop someone with a .22 if shot placement is dead on. I would say that a .22 is not what I would recommend for a carry. Shoot and carry what you are best with and practice, practice, practice.

 

[Old Salt]

I like the 45. I usually carry a 1911 Dan Wesson CBOB that is easily concealed. If it is hot weather and I'm wearing light clothing I carry a 1911 Colt New Agent. 3'' barrel very slim and can be carried in a pocket if need be. Even though it has a 3'' barrel, I have run over 1000 rounds with no FTF. I like large slow moving bullets, great stopping power without the danger of over penetration. The 10mm can easily pass through the target. I don't want to accidentally injure an innocent.

 

[gglass]

I am wanting to purchase a new handgun. I have a .38 revolver but I am currently looking for a semi-auto. Would you recommend a .40 cal, .45 cal or 9MM?

The answer to your question is "Yes".

 

[techres]

I.E. Get what you can hit well with and then be sure to hit where it matters.

 

[Nathan]

awsome pictoral representation of the penetrating comparisons between calibers. that's my new official desktop! i carry my 9 because of the price of ammunition, it's what i practice with, it's not too bulky, i get more rounds in a mag, and as the picture represents, it has plenty of stopping power IF PROPER PLACEMENT IS EXCERSIZED

 

[Cwood]

 

[Nathan]

DANGIT!! cant decide which one to use. i'll photochop a 9mm in there instead

 

[gunrunner0320]

any thing bigger then a 9

i have had two 40cals. and i liked them a lot to me there a good cal .
i like the 45 to so to me there both good eather way to me there better then a 9mm but thats me

 

[Snake Eater]

i use 40 and 45ACP.

 

[Sailor]

I cant believe this question still comes up.
below

I was involved in a shooting where a guy took several 9MM, 40 CAL and four rounds of OO buck from me. One of my last two rounds blew the gun out of his hand and removed his thumb in the process. It still took him several minutes to expire. You can imagine my horror when OO buck failed to cause him to burst into flames.

That said I am a 9MM fan, especially the Glock 19. Keep putting rounds on target until the threat is stopped, while you are doing that keep moving, harder than it sounds. There are three ballistic stops, central nervous systems stops, circulatory stops and structural stops. When someone is shot most of the time it compromises the circulatory system. Even though he may be dead and just does not know it he can still do a lot of damage. When rounds COM don't work I teach to drop to the pelvic girdle for structural stops. The interesting thing about rounds to the pelvic girdle are that beside being great circulatory and structrual targets they are likely to result in the head coming forward and down giving you a better chance of hitting the CNS when continuing to shoot COM.

Caliber and blade length are a poor substitute for mindset and training.

 

[swebb]

I agree that any of the popular calibers, using modern JHP loads for self defense, can get the job done.

Self defense JHP ammo costs too much for me to stockpile. I only keep about 100 rounds of SD ammo for each caliber I carry. Hard ball / range ammo however, I maintain several thousand rounds. So, if for any reason I can't purchase more ammo, after 100 shots I'm left with bringing hard ball ammo to the fight. For this reason, I prefer .45acp.

 

[jeremy]

The one that goes bang everytime I have a need for that to happen.

 

[59wildman]

9mm is a good carry gun as compared to the bulkyness of the 45acp. Personally, I prefer the 357 mag. I have carried on for years and have found it reliable and capable in any situation.

 

[HICKMAN]

Nothing wrong with the .40

It's grown in popularity since it's introduction because it gives you a higher capacity like the 9mm, but in a bigger payload.

There's a reason the FBI and many other law enforcement agencies use it.

 

[Nathan]

yup, 9mm or 40, inexpensive and payload

 

[Field King]

I was involved in a shooting where a guy took several 9MM, 40 CAL and four rounds of OO buck from me. One of my last two rounds blew the gun out of his hand and removed his thumb in the process. It still took him several minutes to expire. You can imagine my horror when OO buck failed to cause him to burst into flames.

That said I am a 9MM fan, especially the Glock 19. Keep putting rounds on target until the threat is stopped, while you are doing that keep moving, harder than it sounds. There are three ballistic stops, central nervous systems stops, circulatory stops and structural stops. When someone is shot most of the time it compromises the circulatory system. Even though he may be dead and just does not know it he can still do a lot of damage. When rounds COM don't work I teach to drop to the pelvic girdle for structural stops. The interesting thing about rounds to the pelvic girdle are that beside being great circulatory and structrual targets they are likely to result in the head coming forward and down giving you a better chance of hitting the CNS when continuing to shoot COM.
Well said! Sorry, I quoted wrong, credit to mercop for a good post reply!