So what is the best defense caliber anyways? I prefer the .40 S&W. A fast round with a good amount of punch. Not a big fan of the 9mm. I don't mind shooting at paper with a 9 but I don't think I would use one to protect my home. I'm tainted from listening to my grandfathers WWII stories of him hitting japanese in the sholder, arm, etc. and them still coming at him like nothing happend.
In honor of the current poll
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9mm is the most deadly and accurate of all handgun rounds. EVERYONE knows this. As for power, has anyone seen that movie where the guy shoots the car and it explodes? That was a 9mm bullet....
I've always been told .40 has the same stopping power as .45 since one is smaller and hits with better speed and one is bigger but slower. Not true?
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True, how could have I forgot about the 9mm, not a very common caliber, but it does have the most spark potential for hitting and exploding gas tanks. But it is purely a speciality round for that very fact. .45 ACP grip it and rip it.
Or maybe a 10mm which after all is a lenghtened .40 that just uses a different bullet.
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I like .45.
I like .45 mainly for the platforms, which work quite well for me. In single stack, they are nicely slim and concealable. In double stack, they are still concealable, and can hang in their with the other calibers, capacity wise. And using a modern JHP, makes nice, wide, deep wound channels.
My second fave is 9mm; capacity, capacity, capacity. Although I also like single stack 9mms, as they usually have an even slimmer profile than a .45, and sometimes, that's just the way you have to go, carry-wise. Add in that modern 9mm ammo penetrates deeply as well as has good expansion tendencies...it's a no-brainer.
Although, when the chips are truly down..ask me what pistol I want out of the safe, and I'll take my .500S&W...and if you don't understand why, you never will....
I like .45 mainly for the platforms, which work quite well for me. In single stack, they are nicely slim and concealable. In double stack, they are still concealable, and can hang in their with the other calibers, capacity wise. And using a modern JHP, makes nice, wide, deep wound channels.
My second fave is 9mm; capacity, capacity, capacity. Although I also like single stack 9mms, as they usually have an even slimmer profile than a .45, and sometimes, that's just the way you have to go, carry-wise. Add in that modern 9mm ammo penetrates deeply as well as has good expansion tendencies...it's a no-brainer.
Although, when the chips are truly down..ask me what pistol I want out of the safe, and I'll take my .500S&W...and if you don't understand why, you never will....
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7,895 Posts
Knockdown power is a myth. Take a physics class and pay attention.
Incorrect. The .40 Short and Wimpy is a shortened 10mm. You need to study the history of the two rounds. They use the same bullet.
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A marginal hit with any round will likely not stop a determined aggressor.
Multiple hits, center mass with any round (save mebbe a 22 ) WILL likely stop a determined aggressor
There is no "best" round, there IS skill and training and getting your hits with whatever you happen to be able to shoot well.
While caliber war discussions are indeed fun and can lead to a growth in knowledge, in the end, it's the shooter, not the gun, that will make the difference.
Or not.
With that said, I prefer the 45 or the 357Sig, but would not feel underguned with a 9mm or even a 380 for civilian defensive purposes.
Also, there is the thought that most shooters can "drive" a 9mm faster than say a 40 or 45 or 357, therefore, at some point in the exchange, the 9mm shooter is going to get a whole extra round downrange (and preferably into the target)than a shooter with a snappier or heavier recoiling gun.
(This was brought to my attention by Rob Pincus this past weekend during his CFS/APH class but more on that later)
If I'm going into a fight and know it's coming, Im taking a rifle.
peace
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46,392 Posts
A marginal hit with any round will likely not stop a determined aggressor.
Multiple hits, center mass with any round (save mebbe a 22 ) WILL likely stop a determined aggressor
There is no "best" round, there IS skill and training and getting your hits with whatever you happen to be able to shoot well.
While caliber war discussions are indeed fun and can lead to a growth in knowledge, in the end, it's the shooter, not the gun, that will make the difference.
Or not.
With that said, I prefer the 45 or the 357Sig, but would not feel underguned with a 9mm or even a 380 for civilian defensive purposes.
Also, there is the thought that most shooters can "drive" a 9mm faster than say a 40 or 45 or 357, therefore, at some point in the exchange, the 9mm shooter is going to get a whole extra round downrange (and preferably into the target)than a shooter with a snappier or heavier recoiling gun.
(This was brought to my attention by Rob Pincus this past weekend during his CFS/APH class but more on that later)
If I'm going into a fight and know it's coming, Im taking a rifle.
peace
Good words to live by!!!
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957 Posts
Did you honestly read my replys and think I was serious? Hook, line, sinker, and boat. I'll add the smiley faces now:razz:.
I have always been told and read that the .40 is a more poweful, yet has more knockdown power then a 9mm. Which is a big reason that there are more and more LEO's going to the .40...Is this not entirely true?
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2,676 Posts
Good grief, We're really not seriously going down this road again are we?. This topic is insane. Take the gun and the caliber you shoot the best and go with it. We're not all built the same, or even the same sex for that matter. Nor do we all shoot the same gun, so how can there be one specfic round that is the best.
I like the 9mm round, but also like the 45caliber round. There different as day and night, but for me there both great rounds. I'd have to be insane to think for one minute that they are the best possible choices for everyone though.
Just love the term knock down power it's so Hollywood and sounds so Bad a**.
I like the 9mm round, but also like the 45caliber round. There different as day and night, but for me there both great rounds. I'd have to be insane to think for one minute that they are the best possible choices for everyone though.
Just love the term knock down power it's so Hollywood and sounds so Bad a**.
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1,322 Posts
The best defense round is the round that the shooter can shoot accurately and reliably. A 6 foot 200 pound male can probably easily handle .45 ACP, whereas a 4 foot 90 pound female could not handle that round.
This bed is too soft. This bed is too hard. This bed is just right.
This bed is too soft. This bed is too hard. This bed is just right.
I agree, that it is up to the shooter but I think it's important to have the stronger round for the non-centermass/kill shots. As for the "drive" of a bullet. I have to laugh whenever I hear this. We are comparing bullets here that travel between 2500-3000+ FPS. This is like comparing a car that goes 200MPH to a car that goes 225MPH. You'll never notice the difference.A marginal hit with any round will likely not stop a determined aggressor.
Multiple hits, center mass with any round (save mebbe a 22 ) WILL likely stop a determined aggressor
There is no "best" round, there IS skill and training and getting your hits with whatever you happen to be able to shoot well.
While caliber war discussions are indeed fun and can lead to a growth in knowledge, in the end, it's the shooter, not the gun, that will make the difference.
Or not.
With that said, I prefer the 45 or the 357Sig, but would not feel underguned with a 9mm or even a 380 for civilian defensive purposes.
Also, there is the thought that most shooters can "drive" a 9mm faster than say a 40 or 45 or 357, therefore, at some point in the exchange, the 9mm shooter is going to get a whole extra round downrange (and preferably into the target)than a shooter with a snappier or heavier recoiling gun.
(This was brought to my attention by Rob Pincus this past weekend during his CFS/APH class but more on that later)
If I'm going into a fight and know it's coming, Im taking a rifle.
peace
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