Which auto caliber do you like and why?

9mm. does the job, cheaply, in smaller guns.

If I could only own ONE handgun, I'd choose the 10mm, as it can offer the capacity of a .40 S&W with the power of a .357 Mag.
As I can own more than one handgun, I'm unable to vote in this poll...
However, I'm leaning towards the 9mm. Lots of capacity, fast shot recovery, available in the widest range of guns, inexpensive to buy and reload, and plenty of power for defense--with the right ammo.
I love the .45acp, and I love my 1911. But it'd be nice to hear something other than "it's big" from the .45 people...

I doubt any pistol/caliber combination has saved more soldiers' lives than the 1911 and .45 ACP. It works.

I carry premium JHP ammo, but if it failed to expand, I would be left with basically the same effect as .45 ACP FMJ which.......works just fine.

40 S&W.....the best compromise of power, capacity, and stopping power. 8 rounds of 45, 12 rounds of 40 S&W, or 16 rounds of 9mm, I'll take the 12 of 40. Or in the case of the new XD-M, 17 rounds!

Also, you get 9mm sized frames, which small hands can grasp, plus a plethora of concealed carry pistols in 40 S&W. Its also very efficient in short barrels. What's not to like?

I doubt any pistol/caliber combination has saved more soldiers' lives than the 1911 and .45 ACP.

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Maybe American Soldiers but many more Russians went to war than Americans and if they had a pistol it was chambered in 7.62x25. (or other) More Germans saw action then Americans too and they carried the 9mm mostly with some 32 and others. The Germans were the most pistol heavy army in combat in WW2. Almost everyone packed some type of pistol.

9mm's are still being used to protect soldiers today, the 45 ACP not so much unless its a specialty unit.

It certainly deserves respect and its place in history.

Have owned/carried all of the above (and then some, a few real oddballs as well), but now all of my full-size semi-autos are either 9mm or .45ACP. No regrets at all about eliminating all the others.

I carry a 9mm (G19) daily, with a pocket-gun as a BUG, and have done so for years.

As much as I love my .45s (and I do love them), I'd give them up before I'd part with my 9mms on versatility alone. YMMV.

I've been a 1911 .45 acp guy for 30 yrs. I love the .45 acp and always will.

My first pistol was a MK IV Series 70 Colt. It was absolutely beautiful, shot great, and that was all it took to get me hooked. I was about 22 yrs then.

However, I'm 55 yrs old now and I've painfully realized that as I've aged I am probably shooting the 9mm better.

Whether it is a 92FS, BHP, PPS, or M&P.

I seem to able to get more hits on target, more accurately, faster with these 9mm sidearms.

And most folks agree that shot placement is key.

With state of the art 9mm ammo -- HST, Gold Dot, Ranger, etc. - the 9mm is a formidable sd round.

9mm is my favorite caliber, it has been my favorite caliber since i am 16 years old. I like the .45 but its not as good as the 9mm at longer ranges.

9mm: Because it has some pretty nice guns with it as a primary chambering. HKP7, BHP, HK P9S, CZ-75, Sig 210,

40 cal is just another round chambered in the cookie cutter guns and 45 really only has the 1911.

armchairQB said:

... 45 really only has the 1911.

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Really, now?

40 cal is just another round chambered in the cookie cutter guns and 45 really only has the 1911.

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Seriously? That whole sentence is ridiculous, not just the .45 part. There is a HUGE variety of guns chambered in all three of those cartridges. I'm not even sure what a cookie cutter gun is supposed to be, or how that's a bad thing for the .40. Also you can get most of the 9mm guns you mentioned in .40 as well. They may not have exactly the same model numbers, but they're the same gun.

9mm.....

I like it due to low recoil (fast follow-up), cost, capacity.......

For whatever reason I find I shoot 9mm well / accurate. .45 is not so good for me; however not knocking it.

9mm: Because it has some pretty nice guns with it as a primary chambering. HKP7, BHP, HK P9S, CZ-75, Sig 210

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Let's see here
HK P9S, available in .45 ACP
CZ-75, available in .40 S&W
BHP, available in .40 S&W
Sig 210--who cares? It's a $2,000 niche gun.
HK P7, available in .40 S&W

9mm EDC except Sunday then 357

I like 9mm and 45acp.

I voted 9mm, but......
I got rid of my .40's and .357 Sig's and went with all 9mm and .45 ACP (not counting revolvers, right?) because I shoot them better than the .40 or .357 Sig, but I am just now getting ready to pick up another M&P in .40 S&W because EVERY WM I go to has hundreds, if not thousands of rounds of .40 - FMJ and JHP. If SHTF I think I need to have at least 1 reliable .40.

10MM , wide varity of loadings , its a breeze to reload . Plus I live in a area where if I had to shoot some offend critter like a cougar , I rather only have to do it once .

.45acp is just so comfortable and intuitive to shoot.

Let's see here
HK P9S, available in .45 ACP
CZ-75, available in .40 S&W
BHP, available in .40 S&W
Sig 210--who cares? It's a $2,000 niche gun.
HK P7, available in .40 S&W

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Lets see here:

P9S-originally in 9mm
CZ75- Originally in 9mm
BHP- originally in 9mm
Sig 210- (your right, too niche) still originally in 9mm, and only? in 9mm
HKP7-originally in 9mm

As can be seen above the these pistols were made originally in 9mm and the pistol was optimized for them. Often times introducing the 40 into the works just mucks things up such as with the BHP and HKP7 where the slide is grossly enlarged and wont even fit the same holsters. I believe this is also the case with the P9S in 45 caliber.

40 is just a cartridge that has backpacked off the 9mm its whole and pathetically short lifetime.

45 has the 1911 which is unique
The Sig 220 which is like most other sigs
And it is a cartridge that belongs to a family of many different guns such as: FNP, S&W M&P, Glock, Sig, Taurus Millenium, 24/7, et al, it is a fine cartridge but it has dismally few original chambering. A few early colts and the 1911 pretty much sum it up.

I chose 9mm. I would probably have chosen .45, but I would have to win the lottery to practice regularly with my 1911.

45acp.........accuracy. I consistently score the highest with it @ 25yds.

more fun to reload

more fun to shoot

45acp. No brainer. Ammo is more, so I practice with cheaper calibers like 9mm makarov or 22LR. But when I want the best of the best, I want the 45acp. It's the biggest; which expands even more with good hollow points. The larger the diameter, the more damage.

I will never go with the "More Rounds in a 9mm vs a 45acp". My theory is: "If you can hit what you're aiming at with 6-8 rounds, then you SERIOUSLY NEED TO BE SOMEWHERE ELSE. You don't need to be shooting a gun at someone. A 7 rounds of a 45acp in the chest will do a lot more than the 15 rounds of the 9mm. Of course, shot placement is key. But with that argument, a 22LR can kill with 1 shot; if placed properly.

So; 45acp for BUSINESS; and 22LR or 9mm Makarov for practice. (Ammo is about the same on the mak as a 9mm para; but weapons are a lot less for quality guns in mak)

I've been a 1911 .45 acp guy for 30 yrs. I love the .45 acp and always will.

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Yep, that about sums it up.

They are all good rounds. I feel the .45 is the best of the bunch, but each has it's good points. It depends on what you like.

If money really was in issue I would just shoot more .22 and stay with the .45.

I don't think the .40 has had a short lifetime, lol. Its experienced a widespread adoption by the law enforcement community, has performed admirably on the street and is in the top five in terms of reloading die sales. Plus, a myriad of pistols are chambered for it, compact and full size. In addition, widespread ammo manufacturer support.

The .40 isn't going anywhere, its already been around for 20 years. Saying the .40 has had a pathetic and short lifespan is assanine, no offense.

9mm, but wish I afford to gear up for .45acp, but .45 would still be my second choice.

I shoot 9mm best, I can afford to reload and shoot it often.