USAFA06STX
Member
- Joined
- Jan 29, 2007
- Messages
- 46
Aaryq, don't feel bad. I have found that many people underestimate the value of a 9mm pistol (as I once did). I am also in the military and initially you do tend to hear some bad things about 9mm pistols based on using FMJ ammo (plus, bigger is better, right?). I once too was not a big fan of the 9mm until, like you, I talked it over with my dad. He emphasized the many benefits of the 9mm that have already been mentioned in the thread (cheaper ammo, quicker follow up shots, and the good quality defensive ammo that is now available). I like the 9mm so much that all of my pistols are currently chambered in it (after messing around with a ton of different rifle calibers I enjoy the simplicity of having all of my handguns chambered in one single caliber). In fact I will soon be acquiring a 1911 in 9mm .
I live in a city that has a fairly nice city shooting range, even if some of the people are not. It is not uncommon for me to be heckled at the range for shooting a "9" by people that are shooting a .40S&W or .45 (especially by those that are approximately my age, I'm only 22), especially if we are shooting a similar gun. That is, until they see that the groups that I am shooting at 10 or 25 yards when compared to their own. More often than not, my groups of 30 shots from the "9" fit into the area between any two of their shots with a larger caliber (it's quite common to see people have two shots that are 4" apart at 10 yards). And I don't even consider myself a good shot. Plus, I've found that with a 9mm my follow up shots tend to be quicker and in a much smaller grouping than those with larger calibers.
The cheaper cost of 9mm ammo has allowed me something that others at the range, and many of my friends that shoot larger calibers, either because of time or many constrants do not have - more time at the range (I try and go at least once a week, more if the weather allows). I will gladly trust my life to quality 9mm pistols and ammo that allow me to much more often than if I were shooting .40 or .45 and hardly every getting to the shooting range. While .45 my make a bigger hole, that bigger hole does you no good in a self defense situation if you can't hit what you are aiming at. Three (or more!) 9mm holes in the bad guy are much better than the same number of shots that miss from a .45.
This is not meant to be bashing the .40 or .45, if you can afford to shoot it often and you shoot it well, I agree that it should be your first choice (and I am sure there are many here that can do both). However, in my experience, you should not feel undergunned if you have a 9mm that you are able to shoot often and well.
I live in a city that has a fairly nice city shooting range, even if some of the people are not. It is not uncommon for me to be heckled at the range for shooting a "9" by people that are shooting a .40S&W or .45 (especially by those that are approximately my age, I'm only 22), especially if we are shooting a similar gun. That is, until they see that the groups that I am shooting at 10 or 25 yards when compared to their own. More often than not, my groups of 30 shots from the "9" fit into the area between any two of their shots with a larger caliber (it's quite common to see people have two shots that are 4" apart at 10 yards). And I don't even consider myself a good shot. Plus, I've found that with a 9mm my follow up shots tend to be quicker and in a much smaller grouping than those with larger calibers.
The cheaper cost of 9mm ammo has allowed me something that others at the range, and many of my friends that shoot larger calibers, either because of time or many constrants do not have - more time at the range (I try and go at least once a week, more if the weather allows). I will gladly trust my life to quality 9mm pistols and ammo that allow me to much more often than if I were shooting .40 or .45 and hardly every getting to the shooting range. While .45 my make a bigger hole, that bigger hole does you no good in a self defense situation if you can't hit what you are aiming at. Three (or more!) 9mm holes in the bad guy are much better than the same number of shots that miss from a .45.
This is not meant to be bashing the .40 or .45, if you can afford to shoot it often and you shoot it well, I agree that it should be your first choice (and I am sure there are many here that can do both). However, in my experience, you should not feel undergunned if you have a 9mm that you are able to shoot often and well.