Decisions: Glock 9mm or .45ACP for competition?

[infuriatednoodle]

Hey all, well I'm in a pickle here. Let me just start out by saying that I'm new to the world of pistol competitions, and I wanted to get started. My pistol of choice would definitely be a Glock (I know some hate it, some love it, but this is my decision). Now, the thing I've been pondering is, what are the benefits of having a .45 over a 9mm for competition(IDPA) and vice versa? The big reason why I am preferring the .45 at this point is because I also want to use it as my carry gun. I absolutely refuse to carry a 9mm. So at this point I'm preferring the big bore .45, but what are the pros and cons of both when it comes to competition?

-Brendan

 

[Apocalypse-Now]

9mm, of course.

 

[chris in va]

I tried using my G21SF for our IDPA matches but the funky grip angle kept throwing my shots off. I switched to my CZ and scores improved dramatically.

Now about 9 vs 45. At least in IDPA, you have major and minor calibers. Minor (380/9mm/38 Special) requires two shots in certain situations to count, otherwise you get time added to your score.

However 45 has more recoil and is a bit harder to get back on target, unless you reload and can downcharge the rounds for less muzzle flip.

 

[Zak Smith]

Without knowing what type of competition you want to use it in, it's hard to give a meaningful answer.

 

[Hk Dan]

Chris--what the Hell are you talking about???

There is no such rule or scoring in IDPA. No Major/Minor (That is USPSA), no differences in the number of shots for one caliber versus another (That is Polite Society). If it takes 3 shots with a 9mm, it takes 3 shots with a .44 magnum.

OP--I'd go with the 9mm for match shooting. Your practice will be cheaper, your shooting will be faster, and believe it or not, you are not underarmed with a 9mm versus a .45. I load both calibers and 9mm takes the exact same powder charge by volume as the .45. Yes the .45 is 2.4 mm bigger, but with a 9mm you can put another 9mm into him before you could fire again with the .45 (accurately) and you have the ammo to do it. Don't be a caliber snob. One is pretty much like another in terms of terminal effect.

 

[infuriatednoodle]

Thanks Dan, I'll definitely be going with the 9mm. I was not trying to be a caliber snob, but the only reason I said that is because my uncle died trying to defend himself with a 9mm, putting 1 round in center mass, but it unfortunately didn't stop the guy.

 

[ProCarryNAustin]

Counting on a single round of any pistol caliber can be lead to disappointment.

 

[1KPerDay]

my uncle died trying to defend himself with a 9mm, putting 1 round in center mass, but it unfortunately didn't stop the guy.

That's terrible.

We get the impression from movies, etc. that guns are instant death rays, but unfortunately that's not the case. Do you happen to know what type of ammo he was using, out of curiosity?

Condolances.

 

[Sam1911]

If you're going to shoot a lot of competition, a 9mm is kind of the obvious choice.

If you'll be carrying a .45 ACP, though, and will only buy one gun, then it makes a lot more sense to get the gun you will want to have by your side.

Download to 8 rounds in the mag, and shoot "CDP" class. You'll give up nothing to the guys with the 1911s, trust me.

(Now, about the caliber choice, you've got to make a decision that you can live with, but believing that your uncle died because he had a 9mm and not a .45 is probably not really a complete view of the matter.)

 

[Purgatory]

I prefer .45 for self-defense and my first CCW was chambered for such. Yet, I acquired a Glock 19 and, with twice the ammo and the quality of modern defense 9mm, do not feel at all undergunned with it.

Especially after shooting IDPA for a while with it, I actually feel a little more capable of firing multiple shots accurately at speed now if I needed to for self defense. And it's becoming more and more likely an attack will come from multiple assailants than just one.

If you reload, .45 is not a bad option. The holes are much easier to see in the targets under any lighting condition or angle.

But, as has been stated, 9mm is much cheaper to practice with and shoot in all the various matches.

I chose 9mm for IDPA.

 

[Jim Watson]

Sam has it covered.
If you don't handload, the difference in ammunition cost of 9mm vs .45 will pay for the extra gun in 5000 or 6000 rounds. Or you might decide that 9mm Ranger T and the multiple shot habits you learn in IDPA will let you defend yourself better than Uncle.

 

[ny32182]

For IDPA there are not multiple power factors available within one division for scoring purposes like there are in USPSA, but, shooting a .45 in a minor division is something that virtually no one does. It is legal however.

The 9mm auto divisions (ESP/SSP) require a 125 (minor) power floor with any cartridge 9mm or greater (380ACP, etc is not allowed), and CDP requires .45ACP with 165 (major) power floor. If you want to shoot .45, chances are you want to shoot in CDP division against other .45s.

Since divisions don't technically compete against one another, there is no competitive advantage to using one over the other as long as you are placed in the most appropriate division.

If you want to shoot a lot, obviously 9mm is cheaper. This applies whether you reload or not.

 

[mgmorden]

The Major/Minor thing, as said, is not IDPA and is for USPSA.

Also, it's not anything that requires and extra shot.

The way it works is that there are various scoring zones on the target: A, B, C, and D. A is center of mass and head - B is rest of head and C outside of center. D is outermost area.

If shooting Major Powerfactor, A's are worth 5 points, B and C are 4 points, and D's are 2 points.
If shooting Minor, A's are still worth 5, but B/C is only worth 3, and D's are only worth 1.

So if shooting minor you lose some points on bad shots, but you can recover quicker from the recoil. Single-stack also has an even more significant tradeoff between the divisions - not only do have the tradeoff above, but in Single-Stack you use 8-round mags for Major PF, but for Minor you can have 10 rounders.

Also, if shooting in Production division (which is where many Glocks are shot), due note that in that division there is no distinction - everyone is scored minor anyways.

In general, I shoot production where 9mm is the clear choice.

my uncle died trying to defend himself with a 9mm, putting 1 round in center mass, but it unfortunately didn't stop the guy.

Not to get into self-defense ballistics here since this is about competition, but without other data you can't really fault 9mm there. 9mm failing to stop a threat doesn't mean the 9mm was inadequate. Depending on the situation a bigger round may have not done any better.

 

[Rail Driver]

I think for competition, 9mm is easier to shoot than .45, but if you refuse to carry 9mm and you can only get one gun then your mind is already made up, isn't it?

 

[waktasz]

Do you reload or plan to?

Do you plan to shoot anything besides IDPA or USPSA Production?


I would lean toward .40 for versatility in both sports. If you only want to shoot IDPA, the .45 is the only caliber that can be shot in all of the auto pistol divisions, but if you ever want to shoot USPSA limited you will be at a capacity disadvantage.

 

[Chris Rhines]

Even if you reload, 9mm is quite a bit cheaper to shoot. The 9mm will also be somewhat easier to shoot. That said, the .45ACP won't be at a crippling disadvantage either way.

-C

 

[LiveLife]

Holes on target speak volumes.

If possible, I would have you shoot each through a match stage mock up with an average match load. If you know anyone who shoots matches, s/he can help you set up some cardboard targets at various distances. Ask around at the range or attend some local USPSA/IDPA matches. You never know, depending on the people/club, they may help you make that happen.

Whichever you can shoot faster and more accurately is what I would recommend you start out with.

I started out with both 9mm and 45ACP for match shooting. I moved to 40S&W to meet power factors easier with more bullet/powder options but would not have any problem going back to 9mm or 45ACP. I also moved to 40S&W to better practice for the caliber I was using for SD/HD as I used the G22/G27 combination. "You fight like you train."

If you end up shooting USPSA, would you consider G22? This way you have both 9mm/40S&W options with the use of the 40-9 conversion barrel. If cost is a factor, 9mm is much cheaper for practice. If you go the IDPA route, you could consider the G27 and practice with cheaper 9mm ammo. I use Pearce mag base extensions for full 3 finger grip.

Believe me, once you compete, cost of pistol is negligible compared to ammunition cost! If you average 1000 rounds a month for practice and match shooting, that's over 12,000 rounds a year! Yup, cost of pistol is nothing compared to the cost of ammo.

As to reloading, you will not only consider it for lower cost of shooting, but to produce more accurate "match" loads that will shrink the shot groups less than half that of better factory ammo.