9mm 13 Rd or 45 8rd

[AK103K]

Since they all basically perform to the same standard, why not go with what is easiest to shoot with, has greater capacity, and allows for more options? Makes no sense to me to do otherwise.

I have a number of 45acp and 9mm handguns, and shoot them all on a regular basis. I dont have any problem shooting the 45's well, and I dont have any problem shooting the 9's well either.

I do know that I can shoot the 9's a lot quicker, and more easily, and more accurately when shooting that way, than the 45s though, and thats a fact. I can also sustain that about twice as long before having to reload with the 9mm too.

Ive never understood either, the mentality of having less ammo is better than having more, especially when the guns are about the same size. Id much rather have 17 and only need 16, than to have 5 and very badly need 6. But thats me.

 

[nofendertom]

So what conclusion have you come away with and for what reasons?

 

[kmw1954]

I do not carry and don't feel a need to so I don't feel well qualified to answer this.

I do own and shoot both 9mm and 45acp just as well and I don't care for mousey pocket guns.

Now this is my understanding. Most shootings on the streets are random and unexpected. Most of the time with very little time to react. Also many of these are ambush situations and you had been targeted well before the first shot is fired. Next is that most Gun Fights are of short duration and seldom long and drawn out. also in a shoot out most shots are point and shoot/pray and spray.

In the first case you most likely are not going to have time to react and in the second scenario I want as many rounds as possible if for no other reason than to keep your opponent pinned down and not allowed to advance on you.

In our house we have a designated strong point/defense retreat which is the bedroom. Easy to retreat to and easy to defend. Aside from the many different firearms and ammunition available along with the cell phone. On the street you are at the mercy of the street. In my home I have the advantage from a home invasion.

 

[fastbolt]

Whenever one of our people used to ask me this sort of question while on our range (often looking at what I might be wearing on my hip), I suggested we go over to the firing line and have them determine the answer for themselves. I'd run them through a couple of new (to them) demanding drills with both calibers/pistols and let them examine and consider the results of their shooting for themselves.

Like the old saying goes, shooting means hitting your intended target. If you can't hit your intended target, what good does paper ballistics and caliber diameter do for you? Does one or the other common service caliber offer them an immediate noticeable advantage in getting solid hits?

Do they notice a difference, from their perspective, in recoil management and controllability?

If they change to using their non-dominant hand, or just shoot using one hand of either side, does changing the caliber significantly affect their ability to get fast and accurate hits?

Does using either caliber offer them more confidence in getting solid hits?

Which one do they want to have on their hip if they walk off the range and find themselves in a shooting incident 10 minutes later?

Mostly, I found that many folks quickly found their own answers.

 

[rskent]

Mostly, I found that many folks quickly found their own answers.

Problem is, 1911’s are heavy to carry. Having weighed probable need, to pain in belt line, I have gone with 8 rounds of 9mm. Sad, I know.

 

[Jim Rau]

I'm not convinced that .45 is a better man stopper than 9mm, so I'd go for the 9mm because of the higher round count.

That being said, I often carry a j-frame so I don't necessarily believe that you need to have a capacity in the double digits to be safe.

In reality, it's a personal choice and there's no wrong answer.

BINGO!!! If you use the best modern SD ammo there is less than 5% difference in the would cavities made by the 9, 40, or 45. Just the reality of the argument.

 

[Jim Rau]

Problem is, 1911’s are heavy to carry. Having weighed probable need, to pain in belt line, I have gone with 8 rounds of 9mm. Sad, I know.

BINGO! You too nailed it. I know MANY people who found the BEST gun, usually a LARGE/HEAVY one, for SD and they started carrying it, but in a short time they were making excuses NOT to carry it. When I was 'young, dumb, and numb', I carried a 1911 A LOT both on duty (SWAT) and off duty. Today I would not consider it if I have a lighter smaller one (9) I shot well. Which at the present time is a S&W Shield.

 

[WrongHanded]

.45 ACP if the gun is big enough that I can shoot it well. And with a capacity of 8 rounds, I'm guessing it is.

 

[psyopspec]

There's a negligible difference among the service calibers. Fights tend to get stopped by landing accurate hits; more ammo equals more chances to stop the fight, so put me down for 9mm.

 

[Blkhrt13]

I’d take the Nina with gold dot ammo

 

[Waveski]

9mm , no hesitation. Easy to shoot , easy follow up shots , inexpensive practice =lots of practice, lots of good carry options, 13 is better than 8.

 

[Trunk Monkey]

What are the two guns?

 

[.455_Hunter]

Given my threat matrix, I would probably go with the .45 if the platforms were the same, like the Sig P250. The .45 can be comforting when confronting four-legged aggressors.

 

[JDR]

Which would be your choice to conceal. Size is the same.

If this is strictly a theoretical comparison, I still would go with the one that I shot the best, which for a carry gun would probably be the 9mm.

Maybe I’m trying to think too hard, but I can’t think of a 13rd 9mm carry gun and an 8rd. 45ACP carry gun where the size is the same.

 

[barnetmill]

Just how more deadly is a single .45 vs a single 9x19?
It is what you hit and not just how big a hole you put through when killing an attacking human. More rounds in the mag means I have a better chance to hit something more important and the lighter recoil of the 9mm makes it easier to hit something important.

 

[tercel89]

Which would be your choice to conceal. Size is the same.

I hate to be the person to ask this but here goes , what is the make and model of the gun you want ? For me it would make answering your question a lot easier .

 

[94045]

A P365 with a 12 round magazine is much smaller than any 45 ACP.

Compared to an XDS with a 5 round magazine I don't know that I would use the term much. The Sig would be shorter, a.little thinner and a good bit taller.

 

[JR24]

Depends on the gun and how well it carries and how well I shoot it against the clock.

If all other factors are the same, I'd take the .45 on the off chance the bigger bullet helps if needed.

Normally I'm faster with 9mm by enough that I lean towards more probable hits over bigger bullets.

 

[94045]

If everything was equal I would take capacity over caliber. However....

Relative caliber performance and capacity are far down the list.

1. How reliable is each.
2. How well do you shoot each platform.

P365 vs .45 Shield. What do I carry?

1.Reliabilty

.45 Shield - Has never malfunctioned

The P365 did not feed the first 3 rounds out of one OEM magazine. Believe this was a follower burr that fixed itself. If I shoot WWB after about 400 rounds I will start getting light strikes. I attribute this to relatively dirty ammo, harder primers and not quite fully seating in battery.

2. How well do I shoot each platform.

.45 Shield - The best of any compact I've tried.

P365 - Shoots very well for such a small pistol but I have more trouble gripping it and avoiding riding the slide stop. My split times are roughly the same. My practical accuracy is not as good as with the .45 Shield.


Caliber and Capacity have already been decided by more important factors.

I carry the .45 Shield despite it being slightly harder to conceal.

 

[needmorecowbell]

I have to make this choice daily between my XDSC 9 and 45 and I usually go with the 9 even though they are identical in size. I typically carry 2 full size mags with me too. That’s a total of 46 rounds on me. With the 45 it’s 36 rounds. I have no rhyme or reason, guess I like quantity over quality

 

[Jeb Stuart]

The real question that I see, is what will take down a Zombie? Will they go down with a 9mm, or do I need a bigger caliber for a good head shot? How many on average usually attack at one time? 1-5, 5-10 or a dozen plus at a time? If they go down with a 9mm then I need a high round count pistol. But if they keep on coming, then I want the 45. Zombies scare me, that is why I log onto this forum so in someway to learn about high round count pistols etc.
The Zombies are coming. Just a matter of time. Will you be ready? Will I be ready? Right now thinking of carrying Both a High Round count Pistol and a 8 rd 45. And learn to shoot them both at the same time. But that brings up the question of which hand to shoot the high round count pistol and which hand to shoot the 45? I am so confused. Thank God for all the experts at THR. I know there are many Zombie Professionals to help me out. And please advise what Zombie Assualt training class I should take. Thanks to all.

PS Do I really need to worry about concealment around Zombies?

 

[94045]

The real question that I see, is what will take down a Zombie? Will they go down with a 9mm, or do I need a bigger caliber for a good head shot? How many on average usually attack at one time? 1-5, 5-10 or a dozen plus at a time? If they go down with a 9mm then I need a high round count pistol. But if they keep on coming, then I want the 45. Zombies scare me, that is why I log onto this forum so in someway to learn about high round count pistols etc.
The Zombies are coming. Just a matter of time. Will you be ready? Will I be ready? Right now thinking of carrying Both a High Round count Pistol and a 8 rd 45. And learn to shoot them both at the same time. But that brings up the question of which hand to shoot the high round count pistol and which hand to shoot the 45? I am so confused. Thank God for all the experts at THR. I know there are many Zombie Professionals to help me out. And please advise what Zombie Assualt training class I should take. Thanks to all.

Just make sure you stock up on those Zombie Max Rounds they are disappearing fast.

 

[jhb]

depends on the guns. I like 45acp and im willing to carry less rounds per mag say in a 1911. I dont like small or compact short barrelled .45s though. in that regard I'd lean 9mm every time.

 

[JR24]

Just make sure you stock up on those Zombie Max Rounds they are disappearing fast.

Just used up the last of the boatload I bought for cheap to load in my .300 BLK.

Sucks actually having to pay normal prices for the normal vmax

 

[JR24]

depends on the guns. I like 45acp and im willing to carry less rounds per mag say in a 1911. I dont like small or compact short barrelled .45s though. in that regard I'd lean 9mm every time.

That's a good point, I do prefer .45 in a steel frame 1911.

In my mind this question was between a 1911 and Browning Hi Power.

Probably not what the op was thinking though