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TinyDee
May 18, 2010, 11:40 AM
I was a 45 nut for a long time, finally got away from that and have just never come over to the 9mm. Now I think the 45 may be the way to go, again, but I have friends and lots of cop buddies who swear on the 357 Sig. Maybe that is the way to go. Opinions please.....

IanS
May 18, 2010, 11:54 AM
You're gonna get all kinds of answers. It really is something you gotta figure out yourself. I like 9mm and .45 and though I've owned and tried others don't really feel the need for other autoloading calibers.

Head-Space
May 18, 2010, 12:04 PM
OK --

.223 Rem. or 7.62 X 39mm ? :D

I like a 45 ACP, Springfield XD, 5" bbl. "Tactical" (It's a model feature.) w/ GTL Glock laser. But it's too big for CCW most days, and I haven't found a holster which fits the mounted laser.

9mm Kahr MK9 Elite, stainless. Small, potent, I like the trigger and its size.

But there are days when I prefer a J-Frame Smith snubbie in .357 mag.

There's the 9mm compact Uzi Jericho (Baby Eagle) w/ the night sights. Or the Sub Compact Springfield 1911 w/ night sights, bells, whistles.

Lots of times, outdoors, it will be the Smith 629, 44 mag. 4" bbl. -- with an AK in the truck, along with a Rem. 870, and for distance a Win. 70 scoped 30-06.

-- What was the question again? :D

ScottRiqui
May 18, 2010, 12:19 PM
What are you looking to do with the new gun - range toy, duty gun, concealed-carry gun?

RT
May 18, 2010, 12:20 PM
I posted this in another thread
Why Glock, why 9mm?
Published on 05-04-2010 02:31 PM
1 Comment Comments
Why Glock, why 9mm?

I am often asked "Why a Glock" and "Why 9mm"?

Since 1990 I have carried on duty Beretta, Sig, Smith & Wesson, H&K, Colt, Les Baer, Springfield Armory, Para Ord, Kimber, and Glock (there may be others, but those are the only models that I recall as I'm writing this article)

I have had the opportunity to shoot Styer, Taurus, Walther, S&W Sigma, S&W M&P, Wilson Combat, Ruger, CZ, Desert / Baby Eagle, STI / SVI, Browning HP, and several other pistols.

In the late 1990's I narrowed my handgun choices to 1911's and Glocks. Because it's what I shot best and what I felt most comfortable with.

Up until 2001 I had always been a fan of the .45acp, but felt comfortable with a .40cal. I had always felt that the 9mm was under powered.

I generally carried a 1911 on duty, but when it came to stressful shooting (ie. SWAT qual, Firearms Instructor's qual, etc) I would use a Glock because I felt more comfortable with it under stress. I found time and time again that I shot better with a Glock under stress. The Glock had the same trigger pull every time, the grip angle was perfect, no grip safeties to worry about in awkward positions, the size of the grip was just right, no safety levers, decockers, etc.

In 2001 I attended a two day tactical pistol course. As a test to myself to see which platform suited me better, I shot the first day of class with a Les Baer Thunder Ranch Special (full size 1911) and the second day of class with a Glock 35 (the Glock 35 is Glock's Pratical / Tactical model and is almost the same size as a full size 1911). It was after this class of shooting 500 rounds per day through each gun, back to back, that I realized that I preferred the Glock platform by a wide margin.

I have been through several other training classes, matches, and training, and shot both guns and found that under stress, shooting one handed, shooting in awkward positions, shooting on the move, shooting while trying to perform other tasks other tasks, etc. that the Glock was easier for me to shoot and easier for me to get hits on target.

"Why the 9mm"? During a tactical pistol class several years ago, the instructor stated "Pistol bullets poke holes, rifle bullets tear [color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color][color=#FF0000]█[/color] up". The quote stuck in my mind for some time. I thought back to the effects different pistol rounds having on animals, victim's of shootings, and Officer involved shootings that I had seen personally and read about during my career. I couldn't think of a single shooting where the person or animal was shot with a 9mm and lived, but would have died if the round would have been a .40S&W or a .45acp. And I could not think of a single shooting where a person or animal was shot with a .40S&W or a .45acp and died, but would have survived if the round would have been a 9mm.

With 9mm being approximately half the price of .45acp, the recoil of 9mm being less than the .45acp, and knowing shot placement is much more important than caliber, it's not hard to understand why I switched over to 9mm. With one pistol platform in a single caliber it cuts costs when purchasing magazines, holsters, magazine pouches, gunsmithing gear, sights, and ammo. Supporting one platform and one caliber is much more cost effective than purchasing holsters, magazine pouches, magazines, ammo, etc. for several different platforms in several different calibers.

After the training class in 2001 (mentioned above) and knowing that I had use the Glock (instead of the 1911) for stressful shooting courses, I started to rethink my mentality on pistols and pistol calibers. I did some soul searching and realized that I disliked the 9mm for many years and favored the 1911 based on the hype I heard from other shooters and gun magazines ("Real shooters carry a 1911" ... "Real men carry .45's" ... etc).

Every time I had taken a pistol class, shot in a match, practiced at the range, etc, it solidified that I shot better under stressful conditions with a Glock. But I was carrying a pistol and caliber due to hype, not on what pistol and caliber suited me the best.

Choose the platform and caliber best suits you based on comfort, ergonomics, personal preferences, and what you shoot with the best. Don't get married to a platform or caliber just because you precieve it's cool or because you have a lot of money invested in your firearm or equipment.

Jeff Carpenter is a former United States Marine and is currently employed as a Detective / SWAT Officer. Jeff has worked as a full time sworn law enforcement officer for over 14 years and currently works for a medium sized city police department in Colorado where he is assigned as a Detective and has been an active member of the SWAT Team for over 11 years and is also a Firearms Instructor for his agency and SWAT Team. He has been hosting (and attending as a student) two to seven tactical training classes a year, every year since 2001.
http://i339.photobucket.com/albums/n443/thorm001/Funny%20pics/attachment-1.jpg

Webleymkv
May 18, 2010, 12:22 PM
All the major service calibers (.38 Special +P, 9mm, .357 Sig, .40 S&W and .45 ACP) perform more alike than different when fed quality ammunition. It's only when you get into Magnum cartridges like .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, or .454 Casull or smaller calibers like .22LR, .25 ACP, and .32 Auto that performance is markedly different.

18DAI
May 18, 2010, 01:11 PM
I had two Sig pistols chambered in 357sig. That round has a nice flat trajectory, and is tough on pistols, IMO.

I didn't see any advantage over my 45's and 9mm's and sold them.

I agree that all the handgun calibers perform more alike than not.

Go with what you can shoot accurately and get quick follow up shots with. Regards 18DAI.

Chesster
May 18, 2010, 01:38 PM
Have a gun, loaded with ammo with which it will function reliably, and know how to use it well. I've carried .32-.45 autoloaders for SD at one time or another. Any of them would work if needed. My preference is a G19 due to feel, function, concealability and capacity. Others will have other preferences. Someone may invent something tomorrow that may change this preference for me.

azredhawk44
May 18, 2010, 01:54 PM
All the major service calibers (.38 Special +P, 9mm, .357 Sig, .40 S&W and .45 ACP) perform more alike than different when fed quality ammunition. It's only when you get into Magnum cartridges like .41 Magnum, .44 Magnum, or .454 Casull or smaller calibers like .22LR, .25 ACP, and .32 Auto that performance is markedly different.

^^This.

Shoot what you can afford to practice with a lot.

I have friends and lots of cop buddies who swear on the 357 Sig. Maybe that is the way to go. Opinions please.....

Unless one of them stopped a crazed PCP addict with his .357 sig while his buddies next to him lobbed round after round of 9/40/45 into the bad guy's COM with no effect, and truly demonstrated that .357 sig is the be-all-end-all... I wouldn't worry too much about what your buddies (even cop buddies) say.

Buy a gun. Get holsters and magazines. Train with it. Carry it. Live life.

Warchild
May 18, 2010, 02:07 PM
Like the man said earlier, it's a personal decision that you'll have to make for yourself. I love my G19 9mm, I love my DW CBOB and S&W M&P .45, my next purchase will be a G32 in .357 simply because I've never owned a .357Sig and I'm curious, had a .40 G23 and ehh, it was fine but didn't fill a role that my 9mm or .45's couldn't.

stevieboy
May 18, 2010, 08:15 PM
I own a 1911 in .45 ACP and a 9mm semiauto (CZ). Shooting the two are like night and day. The 1911 punches big holes. It also has a fairly significant recoil that shows up as muzzle flip. It comes with an 8 round magazine. My 9 punches much smaller holes. But, it's equipped with a 16 round magazine and the gun has far less appreciable recoil than does my .45. Bottom line, I can put 16 rounds from my CZ in a smaller area and in less time than I can put 8 rounds from my 1911.

What one prefers is subjective. Both my 1911 and my CZ are exquisitely accurate guns. So, I'd rule out accuracy as a criterion. What I really like about the CZ is its shootability. I can shoot that gun all day long without getting tired, it's comfortable in my hand, and it has a great trigger. So, if forced to make a choice between my 1911 and my 9, I'd pick the CZ, but only by a whisker.

Your choice will, by necessity, be subjective. If you want the gun mostly for home defense I'd choose the 1911. The intimidation factor alone makes it the better choice.

But, for range work, I'll pick the CZ every time. More rounds at less effort = much more fun.

chris in va
May 18, 2010, 09:33 PM
Plus 45 and 9 are easier/cheaper to reload for. You do reload, right?;)

nefprotector
May 18, 2010, 11:30 PM
Load that baby up with CorBon or Buffalo Bore and to heck with any other cal!

9mm Rules!

benzuncle
May 19, 2010, 05:50 PM
TinyDee, I have 2 45's; I love the shove of a 45, always will. 230gr rounds = big pills. I used to own 2 357magnum wheel guns. I sold them and for a good while missed the power of a 125gr heater. Then I happened to be near a US Air Marshall at the gun range who insisted I try his P229 chambered in 357SIG. Aw Jeez. It brought back that 357magnum feel. I had to have one. Love the round. What a flat shooter. Makes me look good at the range. I reload all my ammo so I am not concerned with cost. As previously mentioned, this is your decision. Thanks for not asking us to pick for you.

Glock_19
May 19, 2010, 06:48 PM
Personally I'm a huge fan of the 9mm. I think it's a pretty good round all around with low price, availability, and with the right ammo stopping power.