New CHL and New Hand Guns User

[SpikeTX]

Hello All,
I have been lurking for a week now and a lot of good questions and answers. I have decent amount of experience with rifles but less on hand guns. I am currently tossed between a 9mm and a .40. We will leave makers out for now. Since I believe like the rest of you that practice makes improvements and knowing you all have more experience overall and I will practice a lot; If looking at round cost comparison of 9mm vs .40 would it be beneficial to go with 9mm and upgrade later as experience and skills improve?

Background on me: Originally from Connecticut and transplanted hear 5 years ago. I'm a Mechanical Engineer specializing in permanent magnet motor/generator technology; currently doing wind turbines.

Im sure I will have more questions but I have been doing searches for a lot of them.

thanks for any response/feedback.

John

[WildBill]

Welcome to the forum SpikeTx. I am not going to recommend a caliber. Try shooting some different makes and model of handguns to see which one you like. Besides, most of the members will probably suggest .45ACP.

[Middle Age Russ]

Nothing wrong with 9MM, .40 or .45. Each has its own recoil impulse, and different folks prefer one over the other. I have heard .45 described as more of a push, .40 as a sharp, fairly hard push, and 9mm as a less sharp, less hard push. I don't particularly care for the sharpness of the .40. My wife and I both shoot 9mm since we sort of consolidated there and don't have to stock the other cartridges. Makes it a bit simpler for reloading too.

Welcome to the forum and best of luck to you. If it is not too much to ask, what area are you in?

[SlickTX]

You may want to go to one of the indoor ranges that rents handguns of different makes and calibers so that you can test a few. Trial and error by purchase can get expensive.

[Teamless]

Having only shot a couple of .40's and .45s, but I own 3 9mm's, I can say that the .45 I shot was awesome (could have been that it was a Colt Gold Cup....)
As you stated, ammo costs, do come into play. The 9mm is probably 20% cheaper than the .40, give or take.

Can you upgrade to .40 caliber later? of course, but is it really an upgrade? Some say yes, some say no.
Some look at stopping power of the bullet, in that case, you with the .45, without question, but then if you miss your target, how many other misses do you have, before you run out of ammo?
I prefer the round count. yes, I can shoot pretty good from 3,5, and 10yards, and further is not so great, but still could do a torso shot, just not pinpoint precision, but if I miss, I have 13 more rounds in my small magazine to go after.

Of course, if you want to get a .40 for the stopping power, you can do that and to get handgun proficient, you can always get a nice .22LR and get real cheap ammo and practice a lot.

[RPB]

Well, .I know you said leave out brands ...

I like a .40 in Glock, and Keltec .......hated a .40 in Kahr CW40

I carry 9mm now; sold my .40 bought a .45 ... keep getting tempted to buy a heavy weight .40

I guess my point is, a lighter weight gun with a .40 is pretty snappy recoil which my wrist didn't like

As stated above...Test drive ....try various guns with each caliber and see what you like.

I like 9mm in thin light weight guns, .40 in heavy ones

will soon be carrying a .45

[Skiprr]

Welcome to the Forum!

I agree with Middle Age Russ: Almost no one will try to argue that anything 9mm and larger will make a perfectly suitable defensive weapon. Ammunition technology has come a long way in the past couple of decades, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with choosing, and staying with, 9mm.

I agree with SlickTX: Try locating a range that rents guns, and give several a whirl. Also, the members here are a particularly friendly bunch and, depending upon your location, may invite you to join them at a range to talk about and try out a few of their own guns.

I agree with Teamless: Given the economy and the likelihood that ammunition prices will continue to increase—fluctuate, but generally increase—give some thought to buying a .22 LR in addition to a carry gun. I’m a big believer in dry-fire practice, but you can also reap a lot of benefit from a .22 during live-fire practice.

Good-shootin’ .22 pistols are inexpensive and accurate, are great for that time when you’ll want to introduce someone else to handgun shooting, provide excellent practice on the basics like sight picture and trigger control and, a biggie, you can send about seven .22s down range for the cost of a single 9mm commercial round; or about nine .22s per .40 S&W round; or about 11 .22s per .45 ACP round. It adds up quickly.

My best recommendation is to take your time, make a wish-list of defensive handguns you’d like to try out, shoot as many of those as you can, and be as informed as possible when you then make the purchase. If you commit to carrying it, it’s going to be with you a lot. Being comfortable with, and confident in, the gun is crucial.

[The Annoyed Man]

My best recommendation is to take your time, make a wish-list of defensive handguns you’d like to try out, shoot as many of those as you can, and be as informed as possible when you then make the purchase.

And then buy a 1911 in .45 ACP before the Glock fanboys convince you otherwise.

Sorry, I couldn't help myself. And welcome to the forum, BTW.

[Teamless]

And then buy a 1911 in .45 ACP before the Glock fanboys convince you otherwise.

[RPB]

plastic takes longer to rust
But that ceramic Glock that metal detectors can't see is the greatest.
However my XD 45 has a thumb safety.

[SpikeTX]

Thanks All for the responses. I did qualify on a Sig .40 (I rented) and I agree the recoil on my wrist did cause issues (was recovering from an injury) .. no not from that!).

Annoyed Man; Sorry to say but I have been looking at Glock. Specifically I was interested in a G26 for an EDC. Im kinda wigging out about being made.... I hope it goes away but will always be aware....
As for a range I qualified at Top Gun and they have numerous selection of rentals.

To address my location... This is tricky
I have a house in Richmond (off 99) but; due to my job I'm on the road a lot and was planning to take it with me. The states I go to do have reciprocity with Tx. The only issue I need to look up is how much of a hassle it would be to drive across Canada (Mi thru Ny to VT). I usually do that drive and I have read about NY. Although I could just fly but that ride is my me time...

[Teamless]

hassle it would be to drive across Canada (Mi thru Ny to VT)

Good luck with that one!

Specifically I was interested in a G26

My wife has a Glock (19) (and no, I am not saying a Glock is a woman's gun by any means), and it is a great gun, she absolutely loves to shoot it (but I think its more the hogue grip - but thats another story!)

Anyway, if you havent tried yet, try the Springfield XD9 subcompact.
Its the same size (almost) as the G26, but I think the grip is just incrementally longer on the XD9. Also another nice feature is the backstrap safety, as well as the trigger 'safety' like the Glock has.
Personally, I picked up the G26 when I first started carrying, did not like the feel of it at all, but when I grabbed the XD9, it felt great.

[A-R]

spike, welcome

you've already received a number of good responses. I'm with the camp that believes the difference between 9mm, .40, and .45 as defensive calibers are minor enough to not warrant a huge amount of concern. Most important is picking a gun that fits you well and that you shoot well.

Remember too that smaller guns (like a Glock 26) are typically more difficult to shoot well (as an example, I can't shoot my Glock 27 subcompact as well past 15 yards as I can my Glock 17 full size). So there definitely is a trade off.

Also if you're traveling state-to-state a lot, be sure to consider each state's individual laws. There are the obvious no-carry laws, when you'll have to lock up your gun in the trunk, but in some of those states (Kalifornia being a perfectly rotten example) it is illegal to even possess a magazine that holds more than 10 rounds (unless, in case of Kalifornia, it was grandfathered into the state prior to 2000). Many pistols perfectly legal in Texas and elsewhere could get you into some trouble in some states (New York, Massachussetts?) based solely on standard capacity magazines holding more than 10 rounds. For this reason, the Glock 26 with a standard 10-round magazine would be a good choice. However, modifying the magazine with a pinky extension that then allows for 11 or 12 rounds in the magazine would be illegal. .... confused yet? Of course, reduced capacity magazines are available for most modern guns to comply with stupid state laws, but it is just one more hassle to consider.

As for the cost of ammo, it varies greatly between stores and even depending on the time you buy it (try to buy A LOT when a Republican is in the White House so you won't need to buy so much when a Democrat is there ). Some general cost break downs based on locally available ammo in my area (north Austin - Wal Mart, GT Distributors having the lowest prices on basic practice ammo). I typically try to keep about 500 rounds on hand of each caliber I need (others keep much less or way more stockpiled).

~ $11 per 50 rounds of 9mm 115-grain FMJ practice ammo = $0.22 per round x 500 = $110
~ $14 per 50 rounds of .40 S&W 180-grain FMJ practice ammo = $0.28 per round x 500 = $160
~ $20 per 50 rounds of .45 ACP 230-grain FMJ practice ammo = $0.40 per round x 500 = $200

As for self-defense effectiveness, all three calibers are widely used by police agencies and military forces world wide. Generally speaking, bigger is better in terms of stopping power. But the trade off is obviously capacity and how easy is the caliber to shoot. A .40-caliber handgun has always been considered a good "trade off" between 9mm and .45 since its introduction, however recoil impulse is sharper than either 9mm or .45 because .40-caliber uses a relatively "high pressure" standard load.

Another factor to consider is that to get max effectiveness out of 9mm in a self defense situation, using +P increased pressure ammo is strongly recommended. But then shooting that more expensive load for practice gets much more expensive than standard-pressure 9mm practice ammo. Also inexpensive 9mm practice ammo is usually 115 grain and relatively soft shooting, compared to heavier 124-147-grain +P rounds that can kick much more sharply. With .40 caliber and .45 caliber, typically you can more easily and inexpensively (relatively speaking of course) find practice ammo at least of the same bullet weight as your carry ammo and often loaded to similar pressures so the recoil impulse you feel shooting practice ammo should be more similar to what you'll feel shooting your defensive ammo.

I don't believe this last factor should be a huge consideration - I often practice with cheap 115-grain 9mm and carry 124-grain +P rounds and don't notice a major difference in point of impact between the two rounds at defensive distances - but it is something to consider depending on your skill level etc.

[texanron]

First, welcome to Texas even though its been 5 years. Second, welcome to the forum.
I can't really add much to the discussion in regards to recommending either 9mm vs .40 S&W that hasn't already been covered. However, I will say that I for one like the snap of the .40 S&W. In your OP you stated that you're from Connecticut and that you're a Mechanical Engineer. Given those two facts and that you said in your second post that shooting a .40 S&W hurt your wrist, I would recommend that you go with 9mm.

[DFWTT]

Snip\ In your OP you stated that you're from Connecticut and that you're a Mechanical Engineer. Given those two facts and that you said in your second post that shooting a .40 S&W hurt your wrist, I would recommend that you go with 9mm.

Welcome.. ..and don't feel bad, I'm working on a Biomedical Engineering masters so I'll have to go with the 380. J/k I shoot both the 45 and the 40, from Glocks primarily, but I have no wrist issues. You get 13+1 in the G21 45 and 15+1 in the G22 40s&w. The 45 in these guns produces significantly less muzzle rise with the recoil headed straight back into your palm. The 40 recoil goes straight up, jerking the wrist, even in the fullsize model (G rated forum). If the mag cap is an issue, it's a no brainer, go with the 45. I do not own a 9mm. For what it's worth, I don't carry a 1911 because IMO (15x3)+1=46 is better than (8x3)+1= . Sorry to all the 1911 guys, I couldn't resist. Disclaimer: 1911's are perfectly suitable defense weapons to consider. Whatever you decide on though, pick up the .22 conversion kit for it if it is available and financially feasible. That way any practice time you get will be cheaper and on the same trigger, unless you just WANT to buy another gun. BTW they are about the same price, .22 conversion or .22 pistol.