KahrKarrier
Member
This thread is about .40S&W vs .45ACP in compact pistols with short barrels. Please understand that this thread is not a "Brand Name" flame war so gun makers names won't be mentioned.
My Dad and I shoot together a lot and this topic comes up almost every time we go to the range. My gun is chambered in .40S&W and has a 3.08" barrel. His gun is chambered in .45ACP and has a 3.25" barrel. Two things we both agree on, first that shot placement is the most important aspect of so called stopping power the other is our self defense ammo which is Cor-Bon, mine is 135gr JHP (1325fps/526ftlb) his is 185gr jhp (1150fps/543ftlb).
Neither of these guns has a barrel long enough to take full advantage of these cartridges potential, we realize that. He subscribes to the "bigger hole" theory and swears that his .45ACP is a much better manstopper than my .40S&W. I maintain that both are pretty close in stopping power but IMO the .40S&W is the better of the two because it launches the projectile faster in a short barreled gun and that the .45ACP doesn't burn it's powder quickly enough to build sufficient energy in a short barreled gun to expand a JHP adequately and looses most of it's energy in a ball of fire at the end of the barrel.
Let's face it, either one is going to get the job done, we just argue over which one will get the job done better.
Opinions please.
My Dad and I shoot together a lot and this topic comes up almost every time we go to the range. My gun is chambered in .40S&W and has a 3.08" barrel. His gun is chambered in .45ACP and has a 3.25" barrel. Two things we both agree on, first that shot placement is the most important aspect of so called stopping power the other is our self defense ammo which is Cor-Bon, mine is 135gr JHP (1325fps/526ftlb) his is 185gr jhp (1150fps/543ftlb).
Neither of these guns has a barrel long enough to take full advantage of these cartridges potential, we realize that. He subscribes to the "bigger hole" theory and swears that his .45ACP is a much better manstopper than my .40S&W. I maintain that both are pretty close in stopping power but IMO the .40S&W is the better of the two because it launches the projectile faster in a short barreled gun and that the .45ACP doesn't burn it's powder quickly enough to build sufficient energy in a short barreled gun to expand a JHP adequately and looses most of it's energy in a ball of fire at the end of the barrel.
Let's face it, either one is going to get the job done, we just argue over which one will get the job done better.
Opinions please.