Having 2nd thoughts on swithching carry caliber

[thefamcnaj]

Hello highroaders,
I know this is going to be long but bear with me please
The first gun i ever bought was a glock 27, meant to be an all purpose gun because I hadn't yet been bitten by the gun bug. When I bought it I was a big fan of the 40s&W. Simple self reasoning really, it was bigger than the 9mm and cheaper than the 45 acp. Since I thought it was the perfect round(because I had nothing to compare it to) I bought two more(g23 and usp 40).
After many range visits and shooting other calibers I told myself," Its time to step up to the big boy" So I bought a couple of 45 acp's(g30,xdm) and loved them both.
Then I wanted something cheaper to shoot so I got a couple of 9mm's(px4 storm, g19) and loved them too. I was amazed at how accurate I was with these two guns. They instantly became my favorite guns in the safe. Everytime I went to the range I would take these two guns.
As an avid reader of THR I read where a gentlemen posted "carry what you shoot and shoot what you carry". So I started alternating the 9mm's. But for some reason everytime I leave and holster up a 9mm , I feel under powered. Every time me and my friend go some where he says, " you got that sissy 9mm with you today". My other friend who is a LEO said I should never go below .40 for cc. Seems all of my shooting buddies are anti 9mm unless its for the range. Do any of you guys carry 9mm and feel comfortable with that? Or do some of you refuse to carry a 9 because you feel under powered? I'd really like some highroad opinions because I trust what the guys on here have to say. Thank you for all opinions.

 

[rogerjames]

My XD9 is my favorite shooter and goes with me almost everywhere. When I dont have the 9, I carry a S&W 442 .38 revolver or a TCP .380. I guarantee you if you get hit with any of these, it will be the worse day of your life.

This tough guy, big caliber stuff is bs. One 9 to the head or heart is better than a .45 to the lung or liver... yada yada yada.

Carry what you shoot best... 2 9's in the brain weigh more than a .45 in the butt.

Stopping power is all relative... a heavy load in a bad place is no good. A lighter load in a good place is better... yada yada yada

PS... ask your buddy if he's willing to take a "sissy round"

 

[MaterDei]

While I prefer the 45 myself, it's not because I feel the 9mm is inadequate, it just happens to be what I shoot best. If you shoot the 9mm best than tell your friends to go fly a kite and rest assured that you're well armed should you ever need to draw your weapon in self defense.

 

[Got_Lead?]

The 9mm is thinner and handier than it's two larger brothers, the 40 and 45. I've got an XD in 45, and it is just a bit "fat" in a holster. The XD-9 feels so slim and compact by comparison, and it holds 3 more rounds. I wouldn't feel underguned at all with 9mm.

As far as sissy guns go, my 9mm's kick just as hard as many of my 45's, 9mm is really a pretty potent cartridge, generating just as much energy as the 45 ACP. If your friend is really hung up on "sissy guns", I've got one for him. Let him shoot a couple of magazines out of a Polish P-64 in 9mm Makarov, he'll go home with his hand still hurting.

 

[RX-178]

The 9mm is just fine a a self defense round. If that's what you're most comfortable with, if that's what you shoot better with, then by all means carry it.

But if YOU feel undergunned with a 9mm, and you can comfortably carry, shoot, and run a weapon in a higher caliber, then carrying the .40 or the .45s wouldn't be a bad thing either.

It's all down to what you prefer, what you feel comfortable with, and what you shoot best.

 

[harrygunner]

My standard answer:

My whole setup is based on the kinds of questions I'll ask myself if I have to use my gun and things do NOT end well.

Say for example, I have to use my gun, but a loved one is lost. I'm going to want to know I made the best choices I knew how to make when I had a chance to make them.

I project myself, imagining a bad situation and answered questions like:

- Did you get training? Did you practice?
- Did you carry the most powerful ammo you can handle?
- Did you have reasonable confidence in our overall setup?
- Is your holster stable?
- Is the grip on your gun big enough for you to feel confident making follow-up shots?

So, I use the most powerful ammo I can control and still shoot one handed with either hand.

 

[Strahley]

Think about it...what causes an attack to stop? Hitting vital organs, central nervous, etc. Do you really think that having a bullet that is .1" wider than another is going to give you magical "fight ending" power? They will both penetrate enough to hit vital organs, and a miss with either will yield the same result...a miss

Carry what you can shoot the best. .45ACP is a fine round, but it is NOT the end-all magical show stopper that many try and make it out to be. 9mm has been putting people 6 feet under, all over the world, for a very long time

 

[Geckgo]

If you want to impress your buddies, get a judge or a DE 500.

If you want to protect yourself, 9mm is more than adequate by anybody's standards.

p.s. I don't own 9mm and I'm not just advocating my preference, I like 45s, but the 45, as stated, is not really giving you any kind of real advantage over the .40, 9mm or any other major caliber. 9mm gets the job done.

 

[JohnBiltz]

You already know the correct answer and are letting peer pressure keep you from making it.

 

[Big_John1961]

You're LEO buddy is missing the boat. Just because he's a cop, doesn't mean he knows what he's talking about. Like the others said, carry what you shoot best. The 9mm cartridge is more than adequate for self defense.

 

[Milkmaster]

What you feel comfortable carrying and have become proficient with by practice will always be your best option be it 22lr or 45acp. Carrying anything without practice and proficient knowledge is about as good as a stick. I carry a 22lr semi auto in tight clothing and a SW642/38sp in loose clothing. I don' feel under powered with either. The 22lr is easy to get 8 shots right in middle mass quickly, and the 38 (more recoil) is almost as easy. I know because I practice those scenarios with each of them at the range. Carry what you practice and practice what you carry. 9MM can still serve you well. Tons of folks died with 9MM in WW2. I haven't seen a one of them get up out of the grave to complain.

 

[Steel Talon]

I would never worry about carrying a 9mm for personal defence and have. But, I also believe that 40 sw and 45ACP are balistically superior choices for pistol carry. .357 magnum for wheelgun carry.
After 22lr pistols, all of my children grew up learning to run 9mm in comp. It's affordable and was easy for them to control based on thier frame. So shoot what your confident with and can easily control.

 

[thefamcnaj]

Thanks guys I feel better about the 9mm. If I wasnt going to carry a 9 I'd carry a 45 because I shoot it well to. I'm good with the 40, it just takes me a tad bit longer to get back on target and make quality follow up shots. Even out of my full size usp 40. The muzzle flip on a 40 to me personally just feels worse than any other caliber I shoot. I'm not going to get rid of the 40's though because they were my first guns and kicked off my never ending quest to buy guns.
John Blitz as bad as I hate to admit it, you were correct about the peer pressure. I didn't want to be the guy in the crowd toating the "sissy gun"

 

[redbeardsong]

I don't care for .40 either. I carry a subcompact, so I choose 9mm for more capacity, and shootability in a small frame. If I were to carry a full size gun, I'd go for .45, but I'd prefer to have 10+ rounds on tap.

 

[miles1]

You LEO buddy is unfortunately an idiot.Shoot and carry what's comfortable for you.9mm is more than adequate.I have friends that are in the law enforcement and they would certainly disagree with your friend.

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

with modern jhp technology, this is a moot argument. 9/40/45 are all good. pick what you like shooting the best

i prefer 40/45 because they don't tend to yaw through automobile windshields as much as 9mm.

 

[Dr_B]

Don't listen to armchair commandos. 9mm is fine for self-defense.

 

[Ole Coot]

I carry a 40, 45, 38, 9, 380 even a Beretta 21A 22 in my shirt pocket. My choice depends on where I am and where I plan to go. I've never felt defenseless with any of them. I shoot the 45 or 40 best. My own personal opinion is your comfort level and what you shoot best. If you're not comfortable with a 45 then practice with it until you are, same with the 40. My carry 38s are J frame and a little more practice is needed with them. The 22, for a little pistol is very accurate just point and shoot. Confidence means a lot.

 

[Rifleman 173]

Don't worry about what the gun snobs tell you or say. If you can hit with the 9 mm pistol, by all means, carry it! Shot placement is as important as bullet diameter. You hit a bad guy in the forehead with a 9 mm, .40 S&W or .45 caliber bullet he ain't gonna complain that you shot him with a sissy 9 mm pistol. Trust me on this one. That's why so many elite hostage rescue units carry 9 mm pistols: they work with well placed shots. The SAS used Sig Sauer P-226 pistols, Special Forces Hostage Rescue used P-226 pistols for many years and so on. I switch around on my guns but because I know how to use them and teach firearms courses, I don't worry if I have a 9 mm, .45 or .40 caliber handgun on me. Heck, I sometimes carry a Bersa .380 on me with confidence. Go with what you like and with which you can hit the target.

 

[psyshack]

I carry a PF-9 and have no issue with it or the caliber. I could carry a .45acp, .38/.357 revolver.

I carry for SD which incorporates more than the weapon or caliber. If I wanted to carry a true combat weapon I could take the M&P .45, 686P or even the CZ-52. Heck even my Sigma 9mm would get the job done if needed.

Carry what you shoot well, what is easy to conceal with a extra reload.

 

[bruzer]

I am glad you now realize that peer pressure was the root of your 9mm troubles. I like 9mm because it is more affordable than .40 & .45 and with two spare magazines I can very easy carry over 50 rounds of ammo. That's a lot of practice without stopping to reload magazines. Remember John Moses Browning not only is famous for the .45 caliber 1911 but also the little gun called the Browning Hi-Power that uses the 9mm round. (The Hi-Power is one of the most widely used military pistols of all time, having been used by the armed forces of over 50 countries.) Copied from Wikipedia. The 9mm is just as proven as any other pistol caliber so don't let your friends get the best of you.
Mike

 

[thefamcnaj]

This is why there are hundreds of gun forums but only one HighRoad. Thanks guys, I've had many questions answered and made clear to me via the high road, and this one was no different. I'm going to take Roger James's advice and ask my friend next time he makes the sissy gun comment if he wants to volunteer to be on the buisness end of a sissy gun and report back to me his findings lol.

 

[Shipwreck]

Once upon a time, I Tried to carry various 45s for concealed carry because of the slightly extra power. But, except for a 1911, every other 45 I tried always had a grip just slightly too big for my hands.

Also, I tend to shoot 9mm better. I've consolidated all my handguns to 9mm now, and I carry a 9mm everyday. In the initial transition, I did feel a little under gunned. But now, I am fine with it

 

[Walking Dead]

The 9mm is more than enough. But I carry a .357 just to be sure.

 

[AJChenMPH]

Ask the guy the NYPD sergeant shot in Times Square in Dec. 2009 if 9mm wasn't adequate. (My recollection is that the perp took four rounds COM...let's just say he didn't walk out of the hospital.)

My carry caliber is 9mm, and I don't think twice about it.