# 9MM vs .40 Cal



## pintail1069

I will soon be buying my first handgun, and I don't know which to buy. I have been told good reasons for each from various people. I would appreciate hearing the opinions of other members of this forum.


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## clic2323

as most will tell you go to a indoor range and rent each one and fire a box from each. find what suits you best. then find the gun that feels good to you then BINGO


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## Mike Barham

9mm:
Lighter recoil
Cheaper to shoot
Holds more BBs

.40:
More powerful

If I were a new shooter, I'd get a 9mm.


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## stevexd9

I would agree with mike. I am a new shooter and I started off with a 9mm. I bought a .45 and love it, but I was recently shooting a .40 and the recoil was very pronounced more so than the .45 and it just fun for me to shoot.


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## scorpiusdeus

The .40 S&W is by far the most superior bullet ever made. It is better than every other handgun cartridge ever. It combines substantial size bullet with enough powder to drive it home fast. 

Learn to master the .40 you Luke and all other calibers will bow at your feet.

... but seriously, I do love the .40 S&W.

I say start with the .40 S&W. I find that the hysteria over the felt recoil is unfounded. I shoot .40 S&W in IPSC matches and do just fine.

I would look at, in this order, Sig P226 .40 S&W, Springfield XD .40 S&W, Walther P99 .40 S&W, and HK P2000 .40S&W.

The 9mm will do just fine, but if you're already asking the question, you'll always wonder if you need a larger caliber. .45ACP would do just fine for you, but you'll always wonder if it's too slow and if you have enough rounds.

Go .40 S&W and have peace of mind.


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## PhilR.

I would agree w/the above -- 9mm will do just fine. The 9mm is about the cheapest centerfire cartridge you can find, which will allow you to shoot more often and therefore allow you to better your skills. I've paid as little as $4.97 a box for CCI Blazer. There are also a great number of excellent cartridges made for self-defense, so you will not be under-gunned when it comes to self-protection. Most 9mm variants can also be found in .40, but there are a few models that will come only in 9 and not in 40.

At any rate, you won't go wrong with either caliber, as long as you buy a decent pistol....

PhilR.


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## propellerhead

I wish CCI Blazer 9mm is still $4.97. It is now $6.97 at my Wal-Mart. .40 is only $7.57 and .45 is $9.47 so I've been shooting more .40 lately.


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## stevexd9

propellerhead said:


> I wish CCI Blazer 9mm is still $4.97. It is now $6.97 at my Wal-Mart. .40 is only $7.57 and .45 is $9.47 so I've been shooting more .40 lately.


:smt022 I would love to pay 6.67.. I pay 12.00 for 9mm and 17.00 for .45.
I would get it for 10 and 15 but the drive we be too far for me


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## propellerhead

stevexd9 said:


> :smt022 I would love to pay 6.67.. I pay 12.00 for 9mm and 17.00 for .45.
> I would get it for 10 and 15 but the drive we be too far for me


Damn! You should do mail order from Natchezss.com.


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## stevexd9

propellerhead said:


> Damn! You should do mail order from Natchezss.com.


Thanks for the info  I am ordering as I type :smt023


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## Vom Kriege

I prefer 9mm. Range ammo cost less, and in the top end loads give up nothing to the .40SW. I'd rather have the higher capacity and faster follow-up shots that the 9mm offers.


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## TxPhantom

*Don't worry about recoil...*

I have a S & W, MP 40 and a S & W MP, 9mm compact and several other 9mm, 357 magnum and 45 caliber pistols. Both MP's are great pistols. I'm having a trigger job done on my MP 40 because it is such a great range gun and I want a little lighter trigger. Some 40 caliber pistols may have a sorta snappy recoil but I have no problem with recoil of the MP 40. The MP 9mm compact is almost as accurate as my full sized 40 caliber. 
In somewhat of a answer to your question I would go with the 40 caliber if costs of ammo is not a issue. If you should decide to go with the 9mm there are inexpensive range loads and some very good self defense rounds. Both calibers are very good but don't let recoil be a determining factor.:smt023


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## scorpiusdeus

I try not to let cost of ammo enter into the decision. I don't bargain shop when my life might count on the purchase.


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## Mike Barham

The realistic difference between the .40 and 9mm in the defensive context is almost irrelevant. Things like mindset, gunhandling, marksmanship, and tactics matter far more than a 1mm difference in bullet diameter (or any other equipment issue). 9mm offers lighter recoil, which is better for a new shooter who is just learning marksmanship and gunhandling skills.

I just bought a .40 pistol from a forum member, and will give it a go when I get home, but I am under no illusions that it will make a real difference in a fight compared to the 9mms I carried previously. I would have bought the gun whether it was a Glock 19 or 23.


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## Glockamania®

I had the same problem, but ended up with a .40S&W Glock as my first handgun. Reason why is after trying out different guns from 9mm to .50 calibers, the .40S&W was easy to handle and as accurate as heck. Also, I love the recoil on that thing, especially with Jacketed Hollow Points! Testosterone pumping.

The big plus is that after shooting the .40S&W, it strengthen my hands/arms to control a 9mm. Let's just say it's a workout caliber for a first time shooter.

Good luck with your decision.


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## PhilR.

Mike Barham at Galco said:


> The realistic difference between the .40 and 9mm in the defensive context is almost irrelevant. Things like mindset, gunhandling, marksmanship, and tactics matter far more than a 1mm difference in bullet diameter (or any other equipment issue). 9mm offers lighter recoil, which is better for a new shooter who is just learning marksmanship and gunhandling skills.
> 
> I just bought a .40 pistol from a forum member, and will give it a go when I get home, but I am under no illusions that it will make a real difference in a fight compared to the 9mms I carried previously. I would have bought the gun whether it was a Glock 19 or 23.


Very well said. I feel that if you can't do it with a 9mm, then you aren't going to be able to do it with a .40 either.

PhilR.


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## TxPhantom

*It will take some doing...*

Yep. Well said. Now all you gotta do is convince all those 1911 fans (I'm not one of them) that the 9mm is just as good as the 45 caliber.


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## Desertrat

I am not a 'caliber wars' guy....I say let us all enjoy what we have....don't have a lot of experience with the .40...maybe 500 rounds shot thru them in all....borrowing from friends etc.....but I have ...for all my 40 plus years of shooting...been a 9mm fan. My first decent handgun, other than a .22, was a 9mm Browning Hi-Power and I have reloaded for them and owned many 9mm's....just a good, well mannered, and economical round to shoot...and I would never tell anyone that they were under-gunned for SD with a 9mm.


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## jakeleinen1

9mm or .45

.40 is the middle ground that gives you more recoil IMO


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## Packard

I'm of the opinion that new shooters should start out using guns that make loud noises but don't recoil very much. Once you get used to the loud "bang" and the lack of significant recoil you can move up to a heavier caliber. 

However, if the first weapon you use has a heavy recoil, you may develop a recoil flinch that once it is a habit will be hard to eradicate.

For that reason I would suggest a 9mm in a full sized weapon--something like a Glock 17.

A well-placed 9mm round will stop an adversary. The ammo is relatively cheap. The recoil is light. There is a large selection of full sized weapons available. And it will serve as a range gun if you decide to get something much smaller later on.

My first choice for a beginner is a .357 Magnum with a 4" barrel and adjustable sights. Loaded with .38 Special ammo it is a light recoiling weapon. Load it with .357 later on and it is one of the most formidable of man-stopping rounds. 

The revolver is easier for beginners to master and "make safe". 

And revolvers are the most reliable of all hand guns.


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## rgrundy

Get a handgun from a company that is reputable and known for quality. It'll cost you a little more but from what I've found the cost of the pistol will be vastly cheaper than the cost of the ammo used while becoming proficient with it. Glock is always a good place to start. Lone Wolf makes conversion barrels for the 40 cal Glocks so you can practice or shoot 9mm's on the range and all you need is a magazine for the 9mm and the barrel. A 22 LR conversion is a good addition too. As for caliber the 9mm and 40 are very high intensity cartridges and wear the pistol quicker than say the 45 ACP and have a much snappier recoil. All 3 will work for defense if you can shoot well. I carry a 9 lots and feel okay about it's effectiveness but I'm not going to be shooting centermass either. I thought I'd missed one but it just hit the edge.

‪Put a Smile on Your Enemy's Face‬‏ - YouTube


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## ozzy

Yeah get a .40 and practice. 9mm to weak and .45 not enough rounds. .40 is the perfect caliber, mine holds 11. Plus hydrostatic shock factor.


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## RICK54

My vote get you a 9mm plenty of handgun for your first pistol plus ammo is cheap I have larger calibers but my 9mm is still my favorite.


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## AIM RIGHT

I'm going to have to go with the 40 caliber. My opinion, the 40cal is that middle bullet between the 9 and 45. The recoil isn't 
that bad and it packs power as well. Plus the magazine capacity is pretty good, just my opinion.


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## Cat

Go back to WWII are boy had 9mm. And the 9 was getting are man killed.Thick and heavy clothing No power in them, That is where colt came out with the .45. Police Officers drop 9mm for .40cal .. Note 9mm is a 38'special. In to day world, Most have .40 or 10mm and 45cal. For a power house pistol.


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## ooakpro

Glock model 23 .40 caliber.....awesome gun, shoot one a few tmes, all the 9's feel like pellet guns after.........of corse, this is my opinion!


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## Cat

Ya a .40 had a lot more power to it. Like I was telling them. Officers use a .40 y. Like your g23 and my g27 and g22. Note My g27 holds 9+1,My g22 15+1. Offices use the g22 for just that. More power and still have a mag with a lot ammunition in the mag. And your g23 I think I'm right 13+1. But the 9mm is still a power house pistol. But with all the testing 9mm come a little off of the power in to days world. Back in wwII they show are man shooting people with 9mm,And they would get back up and kill are boys. Japan and German had .45cal Or the 13mm.


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## Cat

You guys got me thinking so much in this lol, I read a lot and do a lot with my RO at the range.( RO is Range Officer ) So I was looking on some place I was reading up on this.( The why and why not ) My be this can help. FBI Site.
FBI Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness - FirearmsTactical.com


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## jakeleinen1

9mm to the head, the bastard is dead -thats my motto

I can definitely see where a .40 will outgun a 9, like if say you were shooting at vehicles, but even in this case, careful placed shots outweigh any "power" you get from a 9 to a 40 IMO


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## ozzy

jakeleinen1 said:


> 9mm to the head, the bastard is dead -thats my motto
> 
> I can definitely see where a .40 will outgun a 9, like if say you were shooting at vehicles, but even in this case, careful placed shots outweigh any "power" you get from a 9 to a 40 IMO


I like my carefully placed with a .40 myself. Hydrostatic shock doesn't hurt either. :smt083


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## dondavis3

The caliber wars will go on for ever ... some like .45 acp .. some .40 cal .. some 9mm.

I personally shoot the 9mm because of cost.

I like shooting the .45 acp the most.

If you shoot a lot (I do) 

Then the difference in ammo cost in 1 year between the 9 mm and a .40 or a .45 

Will save you enough to buy yourself another gun.

The last 2 .40 cal's I bought, I bought a Bar-Sto 9mm conversion barrel for and mainly shoot 9mm in them.

:smt1099


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## jakeleinen1

ozzy said:


> I like my carefully placed with a .40 myself. Hydrostatic shock doesn't hurt either. :smt083


Ive seen ppl who can shoot .40 extremely well, but if you shoot .40 extremely well, I would guess you shoot 9mm perfect. If a hypothetical situation escalated to where I had to draw a pistol on a very specific spot (like movie scenario where bad guy takes human shield and bad guy's head popping out) if I had a .40 or a 9mm, I would choose the 9 to take the shot if i had to... (obviously its a ridiculously hypothetical and silly scenario seeing as 99.9% of the time you should never take the shot) BUT Would you take the shot with the .40 over the 9mm if you had to? I would hesitate, but not with a .45 or a 9mm


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## recoilguy

I would only shoot what I have practiced with. If I practiced with a .40 I would shot a .40. Caliber is not in direct corrilation to ones ability to control a handgun, I don't think anyway.

The logic in the if you shot a .40 Extremely well you would shoot a 9mm perfect is .......I don't know the word......goofy works.

There are so many factors to consider other then just caliber. I put very little credence in movie or TV senerios. If so I saw a guy on Criminal Minds, The middle aged guy who is the boss, shoot a BG off the top of a moving train while in a car driving on railroad tracks sticking his head out the window, with a Glock 17 (I assumed) from about 50 feet. What gun would you use to make that shot? I don't know which one I would use. But at least he used a 9mm.

RCG


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## rauchman

PhilR. said:


> I would agree w/the above -- 9mm will do just fine. The 9mm is about the cheapest centerfire cartridge you can find, which will allow you to shoot more often and therefore allow you to better your skills. I've paid as little as *$4.97 a box for CCI Blazer*. There are also a great number of excellent cartridges made for self-defense, so you will not be under-gunned when it comes to self-protection. Most 9mm variants can also be found in .40, but there are a few models that will come only in 9 and not in 40.
> 
> At any rate, you won't go wrong with either caliber, as long as you buy a decent pistol....
> 
> PhilR.


Wow, remember when a box of 50 9mm Blazer rounds was $4.99. It doesn't seem all that long ago.

Anyway, in answer to the 9mm / .40 question. I've found myself now going 3x back to .40 to try to master it and shoot it as well as a 9mm or even a .45, and it just doesn't happen. Rather, single shot accuracy is fine, but it's the 2nd shot that takes a bit to get downrange accurately.

Having said that, some of the newer .40 offerings are better than they were when the .40 first became popular. I have a Gen4 G23 and M&P40F and both seem to handle (better 2nd shot recovery)the .40 better than previous Glocks and other, older offerings. I find myself sometimes practicing w/ .40 FMJ to be more competent w/ 9mm HP.

I still like .45 the best though.

As for perceived bullet performance...

Yes, I do believe a modern 9mm HP offers enough terminal performance to be competitive w/ the .40/.45 offerings. However, if you're not using the latest/greatest 9mm HP rounds, my warm and fuzzy feeling on the 9mm seems to diminish a bit, especially w/ FMJ. You always see .40 available at WalMart and where ever, while 9mm and especially .45 can be hit or miss. My 1st pick in an FMJ would be the .40 due to the flat point.


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## mdschell

I have always been taught that the .40 was superior to the 9mm as a personal protection weapon, but recently read this very interesting artical to the contrary.

Being Wrong is Important... and, Admitting It is too! Or: Why Rob Pincus now prefers the 9mm over .40 S&W for Personal Defense.

Being Wrong is Important... and, Admitting It is too!


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## Russ

124 gr Gold Dot hollow +p short barrel 9 mm is all the fire power you will need. Look up the ballistic. 13 inches of penetration nearly twice the diameter with almost zero loss of bullet mass. Seriously what more do you need ? Those results will stop anyone. I would focus on shot placement and 9 mm will not be as punishing when it comes to recoil on a pocket gun. 9 mm delivers and a lot cheaper than a 40 cal.


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## Overkill0084

For a first handgun, a 9 mm is a better choice. Easier to shoot well and cheaper to keep. I'd strongly recommend you consider pistols that have a .22 adapter kit available (CZ 75 being one example among many). Even more shooting for even less money.


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## Packard

If 9mm was all the gun you need, and considering that 9mm ammo is cheaper and you carry more rounds of 9mm than you would of .40 or .357 Sig, then why have the FBI and police departments all over the country been flocking away from 9mm and to the more robust calibers?

The answer is, I will suggest, that 9mm is _not_ all the gun you need; in fact is is not nearly all the gun you need. You want to believe that it is because the ammo is cheaper and the guns are smaller, and the recoil is lighter. But wanting to believe something is true is not the same as it being true.


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## rwspear76

*ammo on the web*



stevexd9 said:


> Thanks for the info  I am ordering as I type :smt023


I was interested because I had not heard of that site, and looked at it. I compared them, ammunitiontogo.com, and cheaperthan dirt.com, and cheaperthandirt.com is on average a dollar per box cheaper for ammo......just sayin


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## rwspear76

A guy can get by with a 9mm, a .22 would even do the job. The .22 is used in a lot of butcher shops to take down cattle, its all in round placement. HOWEVER, for home and personal defense, I prefer my .40 s&w.


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## rwspear76

Packard said:


> If 9mm was all the gun you need, and considering that 9mm ammo is cheaper and you carry more rounds of 9mm than you would of .40 or .357 Sig, then why have the FBI and police departments all over the country been flocking away from 9mm and to the more robust calibers?
> 
> The answer is, I will suggest, that 9mm is _not_ all the gun you need; in fact is is not nearly all the gun you need. You want to believe that it is because the ammo is cheaper and the guns are smaller, and the recoil is lighter. But wanting to believe something is true is not the same as it being true.


The .357 SIG is based on a .40 S&W case necked down to accept 0.355-inch (9.0 mm) bullets, the .357 SIG brass is slightly longer (0.009-inch (0.23 mm) to 0.020-inch (0.51 mm)). The cartridge is used by a number of law enforcement agencies and has a good reputation for both accuracy and stopping power. But none the less it is still a 9mm, just like a .22-250 is still a .22, but that extra velocity sure does help.


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## Packard

rwspear76 said:


> The .357 SIG is based on a .40 S&W case necked down to accept 0.355-inch (9.0 mm) bullets, the .357 SIG brass is slightly longer (0.009-inch (0.23 mm) to 0.020-inch (0.51 mm)). The cartridge is used by a number of law enforcement agencies and has a good reputation for both accuracy and stopping power. But none the less it is still a 9mm, just like a .22-250 is still a .22, but that extra velocity sure does help.


I believe that I've read that necked down cartridges feed very reliably--more so than conventional cartridges. And that might be part of the decision making. But why would the necked down cartridges feed more reliably?


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## rwspear76

I really don't know, but it seems to me it was done simply to get more power behind a smaller load, for a faster, more accurate bullet.


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## Packard

rwspear76 said:


> I really don't know, but it seems to me it was done simply to get more power behind a smaller load, for a faster, more accurate bullet.


Yes, I understand why they did it. But a by-product of that necking-down was improved feed reliability. I just don't understand why the necked-down rounds should feed more reliably. Maybe one of the other members here can explain.


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## berettatoter

pintail1069 said:


> I will soon be buying my first handgun, and I don't know which to buy. I have been told good reasons for each from various people. I would appreciate hearing the opinions of other members of this forum.


Each caliber has its strong and weak points. The .40 has no real "weak" points in the power factor department, but it is more expensive and some people have a little harder time getting follow-up shots to hit the target as quickly as they could with a 9mm. The .40 carries with it more muzzle energy than the 9mm does, that I think we can all agree on, but the right 9mm is no slouch. The 9mm has been around a hundred years or so, and it has made a lot of poor souls occupy the great beyond. I feel that your question can only be answered by you yourself. Get your hands on a few different examples of each caliber and shoot them both. Some handguns are designed differently than others, and a .40 or 9mm will shoot differently in these guns. Do your homework before you go out and drop five to six hundred dollars on a gun you are not really happy with. JMHO.


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## Packard

I'm an old timer. When I started shooting expanding bullets was a brand new concept. So a big round like a .45 was a man stopper, and a military ball 9mm fared poorly. I am slow to change. So I tend to dismiss 9mm rounds as inadequate, even though the modern bullet designs have gone a long way to minimizing the differences between a higher speed 9mm and a slow, lumbering .45. So I like big bullets. I like proven bullets (like a .357).

Also there are a lot of military people out there and they like the .45 because they are not permitted to use expanding bullets. A 9mm ball bullet, I think most people will agree, is not a proven man-stopper (though it kills pretty well). A .45 in military ball is still an effective round.

I think that you will find that guys that have been shooting a long time gravitate to .45s and .357s and other major calibers. And those that are up on the latest and most effective bullet designs are happier with 9mm rounds and .380s.

So first you have to pick the demographic for your advisor, then listen to the advice.


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## Bisley

Cat said:


> Go back to WWII are boy had 9mm. And the 9 was getting are man killed.Thick and heavy clothing No power in them, That is where colt came out with the .45. Police Officers drop 9mm for .40cal .. Note 9mm is a 38'special. In to day world, Most have .40 or 10mm and 45cal. For a power house pistol.


Huh?

Our boys in the military have been using the .45 ACP since before WWI, and continued to use it throughout WWII, Korea, and Viet Nam.

It was replaced by the 9mm, which has probably taken more lives than any other pistol round, if you count all the executions by the Nazis and tin-pot dictators. As for the police leaving it in favor of .40's, that was a backlash caused by it's failure in the big Florida shootout, in the 80's, and its deficiencies from that era have since been corrected by improved bullet design that makes 9mm self defense ammo compare very favorably to the .40 S&W.


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## swampcrawler

9mm. not because its my favorite round, but because its easy to afford to shoot it a ton. I think there is no substitute knowing you weapon, and the only way to do that is to shoot it. id rather be up against someone with a .50 cal desert eagle that has only shot it twenty times than someone whith a .22 revolver who has shot it thousands and thousands of times.

but i think i'll stick with my HK45.


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## denner

The 40;45; and 9mm are all great catridges. Look at their popularity, with 9mm being the most popular in the US and worldwide. The 40 is a heavier more powerful round and leaves bigger holes. Many police agencies are going to 45's over 40's for the penetration through auto glass and auto bodies, however slight. Neither the 40 or 45 beat out the 9mm 147's by much in this category. As far as what I've read the agencies who have adopted the new 147's have had very positve results in the one shot stop category as well as the venerable 124+P Goldots. I've shot Golddots for many years and I truly believe I sure the hell wouldn't want to be shot by one. Law enforcement has a very high priority concerning shooting into cars, not so much as for the average joe and the need for self defense against human targets w/o having to go through cars. All things being equal 9mm has less recoil, holds more bb's and practically does as well as either 40 or 45 even through cars. I likewise believe the 9mm to be more reliable in semi-autos due to it's size and shape, the 9mm is at home in full size service weapons to pocket pistols and cost's less. In all the ammo testing videos and articles I've read coupled with the 9mm's popularity and track record and for what I need it for the 9 will do just fine new or old shooter alike, however, I do like the 40 and 45 as well. Just my 2 cents, just shoot what you like, it's your choice.


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## imaredhead946

*40 Caliber Glock*



stevexd9 said:


> I would agree with mike. I am a new shooter and I started off with a 9mm. I bought a .45 and love it, but I was recently shooting a .40 and the recoil was very pronounced more so than the .45 and it just fun for me to shoot.


I used to practice with a 40 caliber Glock and the recoil took a little getting used to.... ok, a LOT of getting used to but I finally got to where I could hit the target fairly well but not as well as with a 38 or my 22 rifle (and a very old 22 military issued pistol). I had wondered about a 9 mm and someone said here the recoil isn't as bad as the 40 caliber so I may have to rent a 9mm so I can decide which handgun to purchase for protection. I definitely want one with a clip/magazine to hold lots of ammo and I need to be sure I'm able to handle it well and with ease since I've been away from shooting for about 6 years. I will also have to get passed the initial flinching too. I love shooting but hate the noise. Go figure! LOL! I used to shoot my brother's 12 guage shotgun and even though I held it securely in place, my arm would ache for days but back then I only weighed just over 100 pounds so it's a wonder it didn't knock me off my feet but that isn't problem these days. LOL! Well thanks to all who've contributed information. I look forward to being a part of this handgun forum especially once I get back up and start target practicing again. My eyes aren't so good but before I had to wear glasses, I was an excellent shot! I could outshoot all my brothers and both my husbands and boyfriends that came along after my divorce! I hope to get there again and hope to get proper training so I don't panic in a tough situation. My daddy, who started teaching me about guns at the age of 12, told me never shoot someone unless you intend to kill them so I hope I never have to defend myself with a gun or I will have to take my dad's advice.

Have a nice day and thanks for all the gun info!

Ima


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## David_Pavlich

Cat said:


> You guys got me thinking so much in this lol, I read a lot and do a lot with my RO at the range.( RO is Range Officer ) So I was looking on some place I was reading up on this.( The why and why not ) My be this can help. FBI Site.
> FBI Handgun Wounding Factors and Effectiveness - FirearmsTactical.com


That was an interesting read. Thanks for posting the paper! As far as the science behind caliber choice, I guess it really comes down to what you can shoot proficiently under duress. I'm a .45 ACP person as the best defensive weapon. However, if I tell a potential buyer that the .45 is the best, but the person hasn't fired a large bore handgun, it may be that the person never really masters the thing. So...if you can master a .380 and that's it, that's what you use for self defense. You have to hit what you're shooting at to save your bacon. Theory goes out the window.

David


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## Bob Wright

I am somewhat out of my element in these auto loader topics, but I'd advise you to get any caliber and get profieient with that gun/caliber before giving any consideration to carrying a gun for social purposes. After that, get whatever you feel comfortable with.

Bob Wright


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## Darkman

*9mm VS 40 Cal*



berettatoter said:


> Each caliber has its strong and weak points. The .40 has no real "weak" points in the power factor department, but it is more expensive and some people have a little harder time getting follow-up shots to hit the target as quickly as they could with a 9mm. The .40 carries with it more muzzle energy than the 9mm does, that I think we can all agree on, but the right 9mm is no slouch. The 9mm has been around a hundred years or so, and it has made a lot of poor souls occupy the great beyond. I feel that your question can only be answered by you yourself. Get your hands on a few different examples of each caliber and shoot them both. Some handguns are designed differently than others, and a .40 or 9mm will shoot differently in these guns. Do your homework before you go out and drop five to six hundred dollars on a gun you are not really happy with. JMHO.


I have a beretta 96 and the recoil does not fill much different than the 92 9mm or M9 I shot in the Air Force, also the reason I got the 40 cal is I had heard from a lot of sources that the 9mm was a very fast and hot round and you had a greater chance of a round going through a person and hitting someone behind them than you would with a 40 cal.


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## paratrooper

Darkman said:


> I have a beretta 96 and the recoil does not fill much different than the 92 9mm or M9 I shot in the Air Force, also the reason I got the 40 cal is I had heard from a lot of sources that the 9mm was a very fast and hot round and you had a greater chance of a round going through a person and hitting someone behind them than you would with a 40 cal.


If there's one thing and only one thing to consider about the 9mm, it's not the worry of over-penetration.


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## Steve M1911A1

Darkman said:


> ...[T]he 9mm [is] a very fast and hot round and you had a greater chance of a round going through a person and hitting someone behind them than you would with a 40 cal.


The truth is exactly the opposite, I believe.


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## Cait43




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## Donn

Nice weather we're having.


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## paratrooper

We're getting rain here......lots of rain. But not so much at one time as to pose flooding problems. :watching:


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## Scrappy

There you have it... pros and cons, dos and donts. Personnaly I prefer the 9mm, for capacity and recovery. If i feel the need for more punch, Ill take my .45
Ive heard .45 too slow, but I havent heard of anyone outrunning one yet! 9's are cheaper, and with a 147g jhp, if you HAD to shoot someone, I dont think they'll be able to tell you the difference. Just my take


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## paratrooper

If someone handed me a 9mm and told me to go defend myself, I'd say okay. :mrgreen:


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## shaolin

Cat said:


> Go back to WWII are boy had 9mm. And the 9 was getting are man killed.Thick and heavy clothing No power in them, That is where colt came out with the .45. Police Officers drop 9mm for .40cal .. Note 9mm is a 38'special. In to day world, Most have .40 or 10mm and 45cal. For a power house pistol.


A 9mm should have better penteration than a 45acp. and in real combat the 9mm and 45acp are basically the same.
Then I did my own research and found something amazing: A 127 grain Winchester Ranger +P+ fired into bare ballistic gelatin will impact at 1210 feet per second, penetrate 12-14 inches, and expand to right around .70 inches. My favorite .45 ammo, Federal Hydra-shocks, will impact the same gelatin at a slower 800 feet per second, penetrate 12-14 inches and expand to right around .70 inches. Wait a minute, it sounds like these two rounds would pretty much cut the same wound path, right? This information supported what I'd been told by another group that conducted ammo test of pigs: You cannot tell a decent 9mm wound path from a decent .45 wound path

If the rounds are going to do the same damage, why not use the one that affords me 19 pulls of the trigger without a reload instead of 8? As it turns out, those battlefield reports from ex-military guys using the 9mm in combat actually tell me more about military pistol training than the power of the 9mm. The Army does not give the soldier nearly the pistol training that they do the rifle, so the problem is that many of these reported hits are not in vital areas and that is the problem, not the size of the ammunition itself. On top of that, the standard military 9mm ammo is what you and I use for target practice, NOT self-defense. That's right, soldiers are issued standard FMJ hardball; now the clouds are really beginning to part!

Is it really worth arguing in the first place? Probably not. If you're a fan of and comfortable with the .45ACP weapons, carry one. If you prefer and are comfortable with the 9mm, carry that. If you like the .40 because it makes you feel like you've solved a difficult conundrum, then carry it.

Me? I still make a choice every day based on how I'm dressing and where I'm going. Variety is good. Don't pick just one. Have one of each available and make your choice as each set of circumstances looms.


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## paratrooper

I'm not convinced that any one caliber will do everything. 

That's what I have way more than just one caliber handgun. :smt033


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## zeke4351

I think 9mm being cheaper is a thing of the past. The .40 has become as popular and the prices have come down for the .40 and has been easier to find than 9mm lately. As of right this minute range ammo for the .40 is 27 cents a round and 9 mm is 26 cents a round. Maybe the 9mm has gotten higher and caught up to .40 I don't know but as of now there is virtually no difference in cost. I like them both just making a point.


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## zeke4351

Packard said:


> Yes, I understand why they did it. But a by-product of that necking-down was improved feed reliability. I just don't understand why the necked-down rounds should feed more reliably. Maybe one of the other members here can explain.


Because you are loading a 9mm bullet in a .40 S&W hole.


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