9mm vs. .45 - not for defense!

[cat_IT_guy]

I will turn 21 (legal minimum to purchase a handgun) in a couple of months. I am planning on buying an auto and a revolver.

For the auto, I am leaning toward a beretta 9mm over a .45. I am NOT trying to start the 9mm vs. .45 debate for defense. This gun will be for fun only - not defense, as concealed carry is not legal in IL anyway.

I am leaning toward the 9mm primarily because of the cheaper ammo. I like to shoot, and the more I can shoot the better, especially on a college budget.

Having said this, am I on the right track with the 9mm or am I missing another round that would fit the bill better? Any thoughts or recommendations?

 

[CypherNinja]

+1 for 9mm

Cheapest service caliber around.

 

[possum]

welcome to THR.

no matter if it is for defense or not, there is nothing wrong with 9mm but with that said as you pointed out 9mm ammo is cheaper, and it is gonna be a range gun. that is the point i was gonna make too. go with the 9mm and shoot to your hearts content, the more bang for the buck the better.

the only way i would go with .45 in that situation is if you were planing on reloading. but if you are not planing on that then i would stick with the 9mm.

 

[sansone]

I prefer 9mm for 2 reasons, (1): 9mm pistols are usually smaller, (2): as you stated ammo is cheaper. / if you reload the cost is less and that removes one advantage for the 9mm.. the bigger bullet of the 45 gives more reactive evidence when shooting targets which matters to some. you didn't mention defense so I won't go there

 

[phantom45]

I'd also recommend the 9mm over the .45 for just shooting for fun, ammo savings are significant unless you are reloading your own. But have you considered getting a nice .22 semi-auto or revolver for some SUPER cheap plinking for fun? If it's not for defense that's something I'd definitely consider.

 

[FieroCDSP]

Go for the 9mm first, definitely. This is your defensive piece at home and if/when you get a carry permit, you're set. I would make your next purchase a 22, be it revolver or auto. I used to go to the range and fire 100 rounds and that was it. I take my 22 along now, and I can fire 300 rounds easily, without feeling like my wallet is empty. More shooting is better.

 

[sansone]

absolutely 22's are the way to go for punching paper or plinking. most weekend shooters bring a 22 along regardless of what gun or load is being tested

 

[ojibweindian]

Benatilstate

First, welcome to THR . A great place to learn anything you've ever wanted to know about firearms, or a bunch of other things, for that matter.

Second, though I'm a big fan of the 45ACP, in your situation, I'd opt for the 9mm; cost being the overwheling factor. The 9mm is less expensive to buy than 45ACP, and if you're just getting into pistol shooting, lots of affordable practice is a great thing.

 

[CJ]

Sounding like an echo in here, but 9mm is great for the reasons you've figured out. Less expensive, common, and capable of serving adequately as a defensive tool if necessary.

As others mention, for the majority of your goals, a .22 is even cheaper and is excellent for practicing the fundamentals.

 

[jklinstein]

ditto what phantom45 said...

For range use, especially for fun, get a .22LR pistol. From ammoman.com:

$179 for 5000 rounds of Federal .22lr = 3.5 cents per round,
$169 for 1000 rounds of WOLF 9mm = 16.9 cents per round,

By the time you've shot 5000 rounds of CHEAP 9mm ammunition, you'll have spent $666 more than if you shot 5000 rounds of .22lr. If you shoot a lot you'll want a .22lr pistol. Do your own math to figure out what makes sense for your shooting expectations.

 

[colt1911fan]

my choice

if i was going to go buy a gun just to shoot for the fun of it, i would buy a .22 LR auto pistol, it is cheaper to shoot, ($9.95 500 rounds, usually) and fun, i would get a walther p22 or a ruger MKII, i also heard that the Sig mosquito is really good as well, in a 9mm i would get a taurus or beretta they're both well made, but 9mm is fairly expensive $9.95 for 50 so for what it's worth go for a .22, as for a revolver, get a smith and wesson or a ruger, and taurus is also finely made

 

[wally]

At least as of a couple of weeks ago you could still get Federal bulk pak .22lr for $10/550 and 9mm Winchester USA for $14/100 at the local Wal*Mart.

9mm is a great first centerfire pistol. IF you reload the price difference between 9mm & .45 becomes pretty minimal and it runs about $80 for components to load 1000 rounds.

If you don't have a .22 pistol you are missing out on a whole lot of pure fun.

--wally.

 

[possum]

$169 for 1000 rounds of WOLF 9mm = 16.9 cents per round,

it is cheaper than that for wwb at wally world.

 

[alucard0822]

you can always get a 22 ciener kit for several different 9mms and 45s, or a convertable revolver that can fire 357/38/9mm, or 45acp/45LC

 

[innerpiece]

id go 9mm for all the above stated reasons.

AND it CAN double as an effective defence pistol if/when that day comes


ip.

 

[glockman19]

9mm less expensive might be a beter gun for your first. You'll be shooting alot. I'd get a Glock, HK, Sig Para, or S&W 9mm NOT the Beretta. Glock being my favorite.

 

[ArmedBear]

9mm is a lot cheaper to shoot, and lower recoil.

Good 9mm is perfectly effective for home defense, as well. Good HD rounds are expensive, but all you need is one box. Your pistol can certainly be used for HD.

 

[phantom45]

What about this? Go with a 9mm for a semi-auto for cheaper shooting and still a solid self defense gun should the need arise. You mentioned you're getting a revolver also but didn't ask about what caliber (unless you've already decided).

Why not go for a .22 revolver to compliment a 9mm semi-auto? Then you have 2 nice guns and you can shoot both for cheap to get plenty of practice time which is a good thing for newer shooters. I think that'd be ideal for your college budget.

Those will be perfect for developing good shooting technique and GOOD habits as you increase in skill. Then later if you want a larger SD caliber like a .45 or .357 or whatever then you can make that leap. that's my $0.02

 

[cat_IT_guy]

Phantom you read my mind! I will probably get a taurus tracker 970 in .22.

 

[phantom45]

Glad to be of service!! Good luck with your purchases and shooting!

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

Originally posted by benatilstate:
This gun will be for fun only - not defense, as concealed carry is not legal in IL anyway.

I am leaning toward the 9mm primarily because of the cheaper ammo. I like to shoot, and the more I can shoot the better, especially on a college budget.

Sounds good to me. Even the Europellet is an effective defense cartridge when loaded with a good jacketed hollowpoint. You need not shoot these for practice, just enough for function/accuracy testing. Your more frequent practice will make you a better shot.

 

[gandog56]

you can always get a 22 ciener kit for several different 9mms and 45s, or a convertable revolver that can fire 357/38/9mm, or 45acp/45LC

Except for the price of one of those .22 conversion kits, you can get a gun designed and dedicated for a .22, and probably is a heck of a lot more accurate. I do have a .357 mag that I shoot homeload 38 specials out of to keep the costs real low. Probably lower than reloading jacketed 9mm. I see nothing wrong with getting a 9mm too start shooting with. And with surplus military 9mm everywhere, it may actually be cheaper not to reload.

 

[aspree]

Being a relatively new gun owner, I would start with the 9mm. I chose the 9mm over the .45 for various reasons.

First, and probably most importantly, I knew that 9mm ammo would be cheaper than .45 ammo. Therefore, I could use that extra money and not break the bank on an annual membership to my local gun range.

Second, this was my first gun and I wanted to develop good technique without being overwhelmed by the power and recoil of a .45.

Because of these factors, I would highly recommend starting with a 9mm handgun.

HOWEVER, I would wait a while before deciding on whether to "step down" to a .22 or "step up" to a .45 or .357. Personally, in my humble opinion, shooting a .22 is basically a joke - which is what I'm sure the people who shoot .45s think about 9mms. My friend and I rented a .22 Luger and it was fun... for about 20 seconds.

Don't get me wrong. .22 ammo is cheap and I'm sure you could develop great technique since there's practically no recoil. But I would hold off on making your decision until you've become comfortable with 9mm.

 

[aspree]

...In other words, don't let the attractive cost of .22 ammo become the single factor for choosing a .22 handgun over a 9mm. Stick with the 9mm and you won't be disappointed.

[Sorry for the double-post. My long-windedness gets the best of me sometimes.]

 

[cat_IT_guy]

There will be many over time.....I am just asking about a first one.