Anyone else change their opinion of the 9mm lately?

[TimboKhan]

It really hasn't been "lately", but there was a point where I swore I would never shoot 9mm again. For a variety of reasons, to include cost, I changed my mind and now shoot a ton of 9mm. I still don't have a whole lot of trust in FMJ 9mm as an effective defensive round, but there are better designs out there that I do have confidence in.

 

[Dr_2_B]

Well we've settled in at 93% or 13 out of 14 respondents who believe the 9 is enough. I for one am surprised to see it that high.

 

[TimboKhan]

I for one am surprised to see it that high.

Well, I sort of know why you would be and I sort of don't. Compared to many American SD calibers, it ain't that great. Statistically, the round has proven to work, at least most of the time. This is one case where I think bullet construction makes an abnormally large difference.

 

[tumbleweed]

my main problem with the 9mm is its allways in a large service size gun,it needs too be about the size of a .380 then it would be ok.the current crop of smaller 9's are kinda pricey too

 

[PhillyGlocker]

With the new design in JHP's, I never feel underarmed.

 

[North of 49th]

I have always thought that the 9mm is a good alround caliber. It is cheap to shoot (thereby cheap to practice with). It has low recoil and it is very common; you can find ammo anywhere. Not only that but it also has an ok stopping power; not that of a .45 or a .357mag but still... In my opinion it is a great caliber to have.

 

[sparkyguy]

Yes. I used to think the 9mm was a decent and affordable caliber for range work, and a minimal caliber for defense for the money. Now, the price far outreaches it's value in all categories, definitely NOT worth nearly 20 cents a round for practice, and 50cents a piece for SD ammo. I've sold all my 9mm guns and ammo, and I'll stick with 45acp, which is king.

 

[ceadermtnboy]

Ten reasons the 9mm is better than the 45ACP!

1. AMMUNITION IS CHEAPER/MORE PRACTICE
2. 9MM IS A GOOD STOPPER WITH GOOD AMMO
3. MORE STYLES OF HANDGUNS TO PICK FROM IN 9MM
4. HIGHER CAPACITY THAN LARGER BORES
5. LESS RECOIL
6. LESS WEAR/TEAR ON FIREARM
7. SLIGHTLY TAPERED DEISIGN OF CARTRIDGE LESS PRONE TO JAM
8. LESS WORRY ABOUT OVERPENETRATION
9. CARRY GUNS IN 9MM ARE MORE COMPACT THAN 45ACP
10. 9MM HANDGUNS ARE GENERRALY MORE ECONOMICAL TO PURCHASE

I like the 45 ACP round. For military combat the 45 ball ammo is slightly better than 9mm and would prefer it to the 9mm. But I get tired of gunwriters trashing the 9mm round. Most of them are biased towards the 45 ACP and the best compliment most of them give the 9mm is to say its better to pick 9mm if you can shoot it better, meanwhile they are looking down their noses at you the whole time.(ALL of the gunwriters for American Hangunner, especially Clint Smith for instance have this mentality). Even though I love my subscription I think they cast a dark shadow over the 9mm round. However writers such as Jeff Quinn on Gunblast and Chuck Hawks who offer (FREE) reviews and opinion online will tell you otherwise. They will agree that the difference between a 45 and 9mm with quality ammo in regards to defending yourself is so small that it dosent matter. If I had to choose just one auto pistol to protect me and my family it would chamber the 9mm round!

 

[sparkyguy]

1. AMMUNITION IS CHEAPER/MORE PRACTICE
I reload my 45acp. Costs me $6 a box.
2. 9MM IS A GOOD STOPPER WITH GOOD AMMO
It's good, 45acp is better(bigger holes to bleed out faster)
3. MORE STYLES OF HANDGUNS TO PICK FROM IN 9MM
There could be thousands more styles, I wouldn't G-A-S. Only need one 45.
4. HIGHER CAPACITY THAN LARGER BORES
When you're good with a gun, you don't need to spray'n pray.
5. LESS RECOIL
Debateable. 9mm snaps, 45acp more of a push.
6. LESS WEAR/TEAR ON FIREARM
Untrue, in every sense.
7. SLIGHTLY TAPERED DEISIGN OF CARTRIDGE LESS PRONE TO JAM
Opinion, not factual.
8. LESS WORRY ABOUT OVERPENETRATION
45acp travels slower then 9mm.
9. CARRY GUNS IN 9MM ARE MORE COMPACT THAN 45ACP
Some are, some aren't.
10. 9MM HANDGUNS ARE GENERRALY MORE ECONOMICAL TO PURCHASE
Opinion, not factual.

I'm not trashing the 9mm. IMO, it's just not worth 20 cents a round. Just like 38spl isn't worth the 31 cents a round for WWB at wallyworld, but I can reload it alot cheaper and in many different variations. 9mm is small and a PITA to reload to any great satisfaction, at least in my equipment. Hey, if it works for you, great. Have at it. My family is protected by 12ga first, then my 45acp.

PS: Putting your statements in capitals doesn't make you right, just annoying.

 

[PhillyGlocker]

1. AMMUNITION IS CHEAPER/MORE PRACTICE
I reload my 45acp. Costs me $6 a box.
2. 9MM IS A GOOD STOPPER WITH GOOD AMMO
It's good, 45acp is better(bigger holes to bleed out faster)
3. MORE STYLES OF HANDGUNS TO PICK FROM IN 9MM
There could be thousands more styles, I wouldn't G-A-S. Only need one 45.
4. HIGHER CAPACITY THAN LARGER BORES
When you're good with a gun, you don't need to spray'n pray.
5. LESS RECOIL
Debateable. 9mm snaps, 45acp more of a push.
6. LESS WEAR/TEAR ON FIREARM
Untrue, in every sense.
7. SLIGHTLY TAPERED DEISIGN OF CARTRIDGE LESS PRONE TO JAM
Opinion, not factual.
8. LESS WORRY ABOUT OVERPENETRATION
45acp travels slower then 9mm.
9. CARRY GUNS IN 9MM ARE MORE COMPACT THAN 45ACP
Some are, some aren't.
10. 9MM HANDGUNS ARE GENERRALY MORE ECONOMICAL TO PURCHASE
Opinion, not factual.

I'm not trashing the 9mm. IMO, it's just not worth 20 cents a round. Just like 38spl isn't worth the 31 cents a round for WWB at wallyworld, but I can reload it alot cheaper and in many different variations. 9mm is small and a PITA to reload to any great satisfaction, at least in my equipment. Hey, if it works for you, great. Have at it. My family is protected by 12ga first, then my 45acp.

PS: Putting your statements in capitals doesn't make you right, just annoying.
sparkyguy is online now

If I shoot a BG in the head with a 9mm, he will drop. No need for a bigger round. 2nd, the chance of me coming across an amped up heroin addict on meth with a side of speed is highly unlikely. Therefore, I really don't have to worry about super villain still coming after me with 7 rounds in him. No bad guy will stand there and listen to determine what caliber they think is being fired at them. If I start shooting at the BG, he will flee or be incapacitated by at least the second round.

I'd carry a .380 for SD, but I like the size and capacity of my G26. Any bullet that will save your life is a good one.

The End.

 

[sparkyguy]

Hmm. Interesting. So, by your reasoning, I should put my 12ga away and put my Ruger Mk1 22lr on the bedside table, because..."No bad guy will stand there and listen to determine what caliber they think is being fired at them." and will flee. Well, I guess I'm just not the betting man that you are. You'd stake your life on the chance of whatever you just stated, whereas, I won't. I say, don't flip-flop man! If you say you'd use a 380 for SD, then do it! Me? I've got a bit more sense(of surviving I guess).
That's the real end(at least as far as I'm concerned).

 

[ceadermtnboy]

Sparky guy, were you annoyed with capital letters or my thoughts on the 9mm? I like both rounds but I do not like it when big bore advocates throw off on the 9mm when with the proper ammo it is just as viable for self defense. You reload, and that is great. You obviously have the time that I do not. Nine millimeter ammo in my neighborhood costs 10 cents per round less than 45 ammo. This equates to 10.00 extra per range session. I have a 1911 and springfield XD in 45 and I like those weapons. Again if I had choose betweening owning a 9mm or 45 and thank goodness I dont have to, it would be a 9mm handgun. I also have a 12 guage shotgun, but I can lock up my pistol closer to my bed than my shotgun while keeping it away from my 6 year old daughter so that is my means of quick response protection right now. I figured my opinions would ruffle some feathers and thats o.k. Hopefully other 9mm advocates feel as I do that the 9mm is not a step down.

P.S. If you are good with a gun, then the 8 shot 45 might take down your first 8 shots, the 18 round 9mm might just take down your first 18 shots, making it better when confronted with several assailents. Now I know you probably reload pretty darn fast, but then you are talking 15 rounds vs 35. Three mags then you go to 22 vs 52. Now you will tell me that the chances of you needing to fight more than one assilent is slim, but no slimmer than someone bleeding out quicker with a 45 and dying from blood loss before they closed in from 7 yards and slit you throat.

 

[spiroxlii]

I carry a 9mm or a .380ACP Bersa daily. I trust the 9mm to defend my life and the lives of my loved ones as long as I do my part. That's all you can ask of a gun in any caliber.

There are so many 9mm loads available today that are proven to perform well in ballistic testing that it's ridiculous to consider them inadequate for defense. There are plenty of military and law enforcement agencies around the world who agree.

To be clear, I'm no 9mm snob. I believe that .40S&W, .45ACP, and other popular handgun cartridges are wonderful too. I just don't think 9mm deserves the hate it gets.

 

[Luis Leon]

9mm is the oldest, I believe, of the service handgun calibers. Its time you youngsters showed some respect. I feel fine with all my 9mm handguns, I shoot thousands of rounds a year, and feel that I would prevail if I had to use my handgun in a defensive (god forbid) situation. I know I wouldn't want to be on the receiving and of the lightest 9mm load.

regards,

Luis Leon

 

[Newton]

As a compromise between capacity, shootability, cost and terminal ballistics, the 9mm is, and will continue to be the finest choice there is.

 

[semper_fidelis]

in my opinion

the 9mm is to small and only good if your looking to unload a clip into someone or trying to shoot enough to scare them away. while in Iraq my uncle was forced to use his 9mm beretta. he shot the man 3 times and he kept coming. In his opinion and mine if it had not been for his squad member coming around the corner and nearly cutting the man in half with a rather large bust from his SAW we both think he wouldn't be here today.

 

[spiroxlii]

semper fidelis... Man, I have nothing but respect for the men and women in the military. Looks like you're a Marine or come from a Marine family. I myself come from an Army and Air Force family, and my dad saw action on the Koran DMZ and in Vietnam.

You hear stories all the time about crazy Chinese and North Korean troops continuing to charge despite repeated hits from the M1 carbine. You hear stories about how the VC and Iraqis wouldn't go down when hit with the M16/M4. And let's not even mention all the stories about how the M16/M4 is a piece of unreliable junk. The point is, if you put a piece of equipment on the battlefield, somebody's gonna complain about it.

I'm not calling your uncle a liar by any means. I'm just saying that the mugger who wants to steal my wallet in an alley is not a crazed Jihadist motivated by the promise of 72 virgins. If the guy your uncle shot three times with NATO standard 9mm ball ammo didn't go down until he was cut in half by a SAW, odds are he wouldn't have gone down to a few shots of .45ACP either.

Admittedly, even though I'm not over in the sandbox, I might encounter a drugged out individual who could keep coming after getting shot a few times by my 9mm, but the stories from Korea and Vietnam say that people hopped up on drugs can keep charging after getting hit by .30 Carbine or 5.56 NATO. So what am I supposed to do against a target that won't fall to a handgun or intermediate rifle cartridge? Should I call 9mm crap and tote a shotgun or a SAW around town?

You say "the 9mm is to small and only good if your looking to unload a clip into someone or trying to shoot enough to scare them away." So let me ask you this: Would you be willing to let me shoot you just one time with ANY 9mm load?

Take your pick. I could shoot you with a fairly light and fast FMJ round like the NATO standard ammo your uncle used against that insurgent, if you like. Better yet, since I am not restricted by the same rules that require the military to use FMJ ammo, I could use one of the JHP carry loads that is available dirt cheap at Walmart.

 

[AdamSean]

Shot placement is still the key in a fight. I have always been accurate with the 9mm in many different packages. I have since stepped back up to a .40 S&W, but will still trust a 9mm.

 

[Ala Dan]

"always believed", brother~!

Guess that is why I own three 9m/m's, wouldn't you think~?

 

[antsi]

A pistol is a compromise. Adding a second compromise on top of the initial one such as a .35 caliber projectile instead of a .45 caliber one just doesn't make sense to me.

You can argue this the other way, too. Pistols, generally, are underpowered. Compared to rifles and/or shotguns, you are sacrificing range, power, and/or accuracy in favor of convenience and portability.

My opinion is that of the widely used defensive pistol calibers, the differences between them are trivial and are not likely to be the determining factor in whether one survives a lethal confrontation.

Arguing about one pistol caliber versus another is like arguing which ant is bigger. Well, sure, maybe that ant is slightly bigger than this other one, but they're still ants.