9mm guy starting to consider .45 ACP for reasons OTHER than effectiveness or pride - Page 2

dgludwig · November 14, 2019, 08:06 PM

Quote:

That's why I shoot .40, which wasn't asked but it gets me the better size with bigger holes and more power.

The .40 is a great compromise round. Some might argue "neither fish nor fowl", but I don't see anything wrong (except for slightly less capacity and slightly more recoil) with a larger and more powerful round (when compared to the 9mm Luger) housed in a 9mm-sized frame. It's almost like having your cake and eating it too.

shurshot · November 17, 2019, 08:51 AM

The .40... which is virtually ballisticly identical to the old Cowboy era .38-40 BP cartridge, which in turn, along with the .44-40 BP and .45 ACP, were all slightly inferior to the venerable old .45 Colt (or Long Colt, whichever you prefer). I wouldn't want to get hit with any of them.

zoo · November 17, 2019, 10:57 PM

Nine millimeter or .45, be thankful you have something to crank off a few rounds downrange to buy yourself some time to get to your rifle!

RickB · November 17, 2019, 11:10 PM

I carried a "compact" .45 for about fifteen years, believing the terminal ballistics of carryable handguns was marginal enough that only the biggest hole would do.
But, I think that cuts both ways; if handgun ballistics are marginal, why carry a really big, really heavy marginal gun, when a 16oz, half-as-big 9mm is available?
I've been packing a SIG P938 for a few years, have put 3000 rounds through it so I have some confidence in it, and me, and probably won't go back.

All that said, if I really thought I would need a gun, like that time a buddy asked me to drive him down to the hood on a Saturday night to recover his stolen and abandoned car, I'd strap on the 5", all-steel .45, and to hell with light and compact!

Cirdan · November 17, 2019, 11:19 PM

I'm basically a 9mm guy (Hornady ftx in my carry guns), and recognize most of the real-world data shows basically similar results for most carry calibers. E.g., a first-shot stop rate in the 30% - 35% rate.

Having said that, I sometimes shoot at those "self-repairing" plastic ball targets out on BLM land. With my 9mm, after a box of ammo, I have to go shag the target. With my 1911, I have to shag the target after a single 7 round mag.

AgedWarrior · November 19, 2019, 08:18 AM

I have always valued larger holes as being a great deterrence of criminal mischief. Thus I have an appreciation for .45. That said, I have carried a compact 1911 in .45 ACP, a sub-compact in .40 S&W, and currently carry a Sig P365, 9mm. My motive for change is not ammo capacity, but weight and conceal ability. My body has undergone some tough abdominal surgeries and I am now rather thin and dislike the weight and IWB carry of the 1911 or the .40 (XD Mod 2). The P365 9mm is quite effective with good ammo, easily carried OWB with shirt untucked, and I do not feel at all under gunned. In winter I can conceal any of the three pretty easily with OWB carry, but the P365 is great all year long. Like I said at the beginning, I like bigger holes, but the 9mm is quite effective. In regard the 45 Super, I am not really interested as much, being 10mm is quite sufficient with the right loads and is not any less potent than 45 Super if loaded effectively. (And it is just a wee bit smaller hole) I am quite comfortable dealing with most four legged beasts I might encounter using the 10mm with stout 200 grain hard cast loads. When stronger medicine is possibly needed, I will employ an appropriate caliber revolver.

November 17, 2019, 11:10 PM	#29
RickB Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2000 Location: Boise, ID Posts: 8,518	I carried a "compact" .45 for about fifteen years, believing the terminal ballistics of carryable handguns was marginal enough that only the biggest hole would do. But, I think that cuts both ways; if handgun ballistics are marginal, why carry a really big, really heavy marginal gun, when a 16oz, half-as-big 9mm is available? I've been packing a SIG P938 for a few years, have put 3000 rounds through it so I have some confidence in it, and me, and probably won't go back. All that said, if I really thought I would need a gun, like that time a buddy asked me to drive him down to the hood on a Saturday night to recover his stolen and abandoned car, I'd strap on the 5", all-steel .45, and to hell with light and compact! __________________ Runs off at the mouth about anything 1911 related on this site and half the time is flat out wrong.

November 17, 2019, 08:51 AM	#27
shurshot Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2006 Posts: 1,819	The .40... which is virtually ballisticly identical to the old Cowboy era .38-40 BP cartridge, which in turn, along with the .44-40 BP and .45 ACP, were all slightly inferior to the venerable old .45 Colt (or Long Colt, whichever you prefer). I wouldn't want to get hit with any of them.

November 17, 2019, 10:57 PM	#28
zoo member Join Date: October 2, 2019 Posts: 414	Nine millimeter or .45, be thankful you have something to crank off a few rounds downrange to buy yourself some time to get to your rifle!

November 17, 2019, 11:19 PM	#30
Cirdan Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2013 Location: Tahoe Posts: 363	I'm basically a 9mm guy (Hornady ftx in my carry guns), and recognize most of the real-world data shows basically similar results for most carry calibers. E.g., a first-shot stop rate in the 30% - 35% rate. Having said that, I sometimes shoot at those "self-repairing" plastic ball targets out on BLM land. With my 9mm, after a box of ammo, I have to go shag the target. With my 1911, I have to shag the target after a single 7 round mag.

November 19, 2019, 08:18 AM	#31
AgedWarrior Senior Member Join Date: June 15, 2019 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 210	I have always valued larger holes as being a great deterrence of criminal mischief. Thus I have an appreciation for .45. That said, I have carried a compact 1911 in .45 ACP, a sub-compact in .40 S&W, and currently carry a Sig P365, 9mm. My motive for change is not ammo capacity, but weight and conceal ability. My body has undergone some tough abdominal surgeries and I am now rather thin and dislike the weight and IWB carry of the 1911 or the .40 (XD Mod 2). The P365 9mm is quite effective with good ammo, easily carried OWB with shirt untucked, and I do not feel at all under gunned. In winter I can conceal any of the three pretty easily with OWB carry, but the P365 is great all year long. Like I said at the beginning, I like bigger holes, but the 9mm is quite effective. In regard the 45 Super, I am not really interested as much, being 10mm is quite sufficient with the right loads and is not any less potent than 45 Super if loaded effectively. (And it is just a wee bit smaller hole) I am quite comfortable dealing with most four legged beasts I might encounter using the 10mm with stout 200 grain hard cast loads. When stronger medicine is possibly needed, I will employ an appropriate caliber revolver.