very unscientific .45 vs. 9mm observations

[stans]

Seems to me when the FBI was founded, the agents were not allowed to carry firearms. Maybe it should have stayed that way?

I stand by my tests. 45 ACP for steel plated bad guys, 9mm for those who have watermellons for bodies.

 

[c_yeager]

I stand by my tests. 45 ACP for steel plated bad guys, 9mm for those who have watermellons for bodies.

And .357 mag for the ones made of meat

 

[TonyB]

C'mon..everybody knows if you're even hit in the little finger with a 45 you'll spin around 360 degrees and drop like a bag of dirt
And if you get shot in the head with a 9mm you'll need a baby aspirin.
Here's how I see it......if you shoot a 9mm better than a 45(which I do)shoot the 9mm...and vice/versa......only hits count.
(of course my CCW is a 357...)

 

[stans]

TonyB, are you proposing that accuracy is more important than caliber? Could shot placement actually make up for not using a tactical nuke? Wow, what a concept!!!! And yes, my carry gun is a 357.

 

[Black Snowman]

For fun with momentum comparisons check out this spreadsheet I made. Sort by Power Factor to get momentum comparisons in order.

It includes a sampling of loads from .22LR to 16"/50 navel cannon

 

[JohnKSa]

Sorry, I don't usually comment on spelling errors but "navel cannons" really makes me chuckle...

 

[agtman]

".45 vs 9mm ..."


... is why we have the 10mm AUTO (and, probably, the .40 S&W and .357 Sig).

Why? Because it got so BORING when there were only two.

 

[Black Snowman]

I just caught that myself John. I was going to edit it but since you pointed it out I think I'll leave it in. It is some pretty funny imagery

 

[jc2]

is why we have the 10mm AUTO

Naw, the only reason we have the 10mm is so the bottom feeders can have something almost as good as the .357 Magnum.

 

[Richochet]

Gentlemen, nope...I certainly don't consider the FBI as the authority on firearms. My reason for pointing out that they dumped the 9's was simply to illustrate that even with their limited firearms savy, they figured out the 9 was hardly the "holy grail" of pistols.

The operative word with the FBI is INVESTIGATION. They are not much in the warrior department as a whole. As an example, there was a big law enforcement competition a few years ago out in west Texas. Police, DPS, Sheriff's Dept. FBI, Customs and even Border Patrol invited.

Who do you think won it? The Border Patrol walked away with it. Guess who came in dead last. Yep, the FBI.

But I didn't come here to fight with anyone about their favorite gun. All I said was the .45 was vastly superior to the 9s for the purpose intended and I'll stand by that statement.

No one has to look far to read documented cases of the bad guys running around with 9mm bullets rattling around inside them. This doesn't happen very often with the .45.

What did I carry in my cop days? .357
What would I carry today? .357 Maybe a 4" bbl .41 Mag.

 

[Tamara]

agtman, jc2:

Jeezo-pete, do y'all have little 10mm & .357 gang signs y'all flash at each other, too?

 

[faustulus]

No one has to look far to read documented cases of the bad guys running around with 9mm bullets rattling around inside them. This doesn't happen very often with the .45.

No one has to look far to see the documented cases of people killed with a .22 or .25. I've known people carrying around .30 cals. A .45 in the arm is just as about as good as a .30 in the arm -- it depends on where the round lands.
I'd be willing to bet there are more guys dead from 9mm than .45 but that doesn't prove anything either. And lets put it in perspective, both pale in comparison to a .30-30.

All I said was the .45 was vastly superior to the 9s for the purpose intended and I'll stand by that statement.

You've made the statement but what I think people here are saying is you haven't backed it up. For what it's worth.

 

[c_yeager]

I'd be willing to bet there are more guys dead from 9mm than .45 but that doesn't prove anything either. And lets put it in perspective, both pale in comparison to a .30-30.

And they would all pale by comparison to the lowly .22lr which (last time i checked) has been used to kill more people in (non military) shootings in this country than any other cartridge. In fact if i remember right it might actually be more than all other cartridges COMBINED.

This of course proves nothing more than people get killed with a lot with .22s

 

[halvey]

More unscientific data:
9mm ball ammo, loaded hot. Shot at a 3.5" x 3.5" treated four by 4. It would only penetrate the wood about half way.

.45 185 gr Hornandy 5.5 gr bullseye loaded pretty much in the middle. Nice clean entry and big hole out the back. Same results with 230 gr ball ammo loaded in the middle of the loading chart with bullseye.

9x18 Mak ammo from (I think) Winchester. 3 shots at 2x2 pine boards. 2 went in half way, the other bounced back and dropped at my feet.

 

[Dr.Rob]

Unscientificly... I shoot 9mm better.

45 can be more fun.

Both will ruin your day.

Note to shooters with steel plates.... showing off how to spin a steel plate with a 223 will result in a .223 caliber hole in the plate and it doesn't really move much. It will also leave your dad looking sheepish and buying you a new steel plate.

I have yet to see a steel plate set up for IDPA that I couldn't knock down with a 9mm... a solid hit will knock em down with authority.

I saw a 38 super spin a free standing plate sideways... and leave the SO scratching his head about how to score it.

 

[Jaegermeister]

YIKES

Some of you guys got way too serious. I did open this threat stating I did want to start a caliber war.


The .45 and 9mm are both on my favorite list. Loaded with Speer Gold Dots in 230 grain .45 or 124 grain 9mm +p, I would carry either into a bad neighborhood.

My USP .45f will be joined by a 9mm P2000sk as soon as they are available.


But, if you guys want to argue, take this: (using sacrasm voice)


I hate the .40 S&W for being snappy and innacurate and the .357 Sig is nothing more than a hot 9mm cleverly marketed as a death ray.

(I'll now sit back and read the fury)

 

[Grump]

So there you have it. When shooting at steel plated bad guys, hit 'em with a 45. If they have watermellons for bodies, shoot 'em with a nine!

I was going to say something funny about that but now I can't remember it.

What kind of BGs do we shoot with marshmallows?

[Monty Python] What if he comes at you with a pointed stick?

Saw one of those policecar surveillance videos of a guy who was using a knife to open a box the cop wanted to look into. DUI stop, IIRC. Cop gets stabbed, perp gets at least one .45 round to the gut, and the fight for the weapons was on. And on. Forever, it seemed. Looked like the BG finally gave up just because he wasn't feeling so good any more.

 

[Tacblack]

I'll now sit back and read the fury, here you go!

I hate the .40 S&W for being snappy and innacurate

oh oh, let me get the ball rolling.....Inaccurate how, please give me an example. This should keep all the 40 cal hater busy for awhile

 

[faustulus]

I hate the .40 cal because it is ugly and its mother dresses it funny

 

[caz223]

Cain't we all just git along?
I have many a caliber, and they all serve a purpose, last I checked.
I like .45 because it's easy to reload, and easy to be accurate with.
Oh, and it knocks steel plates down just fine.
I like 9mm because it's cheap to shoot (Trigger time is good.)
Easy to double tap with, and practice those rapid fire drills, and mag changes.
I like 357SIG because it's as accurate as .45 (In my hands), and cheaper to reload, because it takes el cheapo 9mm bullets.
I like 10mm because it has authority and really knocks down those pesky plates, and it's also very accurate.
I like .40 because I'd hate to see how much 10mm ammo would cost if the bulk .40 caliber bullets weren't around.
In and of itself, it's not a bad round, either.
I could go on and on, but you get the picture....

 

[Diecinueve Once]

 

[cerberus]

No 9mm for me

I sold my trusty Bret.91 9mm it was a nice plinker. But I and many others don't trust a 9mm. for real defence. I do trust the 45 ACP. Just putting my two cents into this thread.

 

[Jarhed]

My Dad was a Marine Sgt in Korea in 1950 and he walked right smack into a Chinese soldier that was lost at night (its reeeeeeely dark there) the Chink went for his burp gun and my dad pulled his .45 and fired. The bullet hit him in the bend of the elbow. And spun him like a top. He was incoherent and they drug him back to intel. Can you imagine hot loads with hollow points?

PS. the chinaman never played ping pong again.

 

[halvey]

my dad pulled his .45 and fired. The bullet hit him in the bend of the elbow. And spun him like a top. He was incoherent and they drug him back to intel. Can you imagine hot loads with hollow points?

No no no. If he'd have had 158 rounds of 9mm that would have been better. I just can wait until the AWB ends!!!

 

[Warbow]

Jarhed wrote:

The bullet hit him in the bend of the elbow. And spun him like a top.

*cough*Bullcrap.*cough*

Also, might wanna lay off the racial slurs. It makes you look really stupid.