Why carry a .40 or.45

[danpaw]

Hey Dan, at the risk of going off topic again, how did you see the difference in effectiveness between the 5.56 and the 7.62 x 39?

[GhostTX]

I agree with you Texas Dan. That's what the point of the FrontSight article is, IMO.

As far as FrontSight's comments on the larger calibers, it has more to do with concealment and handling/follow up shots. The trade off in the larger caliber versus being able to carry the gun concealed and being able to follow up with a quick, well placed shot.

[glbedd53]

All handguns are a compromise and concealment handguns are even more of a compromise. The small 1911s seem like a pretty good answer to the problem to me. One of the things that has always impressed me the most about 1911's is how slim they are and yet they are .45s. Especially considering the age of the design.

[troglodyte]

I mainly carry a 9mm for two reasons.

1) it is the common family caliber. We have five XD9SCs in my immediate family. My wife is the deciding factor. She shoots the 9mm best. It is a moot arguement for the rest of us.

2) capacity. 13+1 with two 16 round reloads. 46 total rounds at hand but more importantly 14 initial rounds. This becomes a major factor if you are engaging multiple threats. I want to stop, or at least dissuade, as many threats as possible before having to reload. By the time you have to reload you are probably behind on the curve.

3) concealability is a distant third but still a factor to give serious consideration.

Let's say I am a proficient 2 COM 1 head shooter. That seems to be the "standard" shot arrangement on forums. With my compact .45 I have 7+1. That's two attackers and a couple of rounds left over (let's just say I was off that day and had two misses). What if there is a third attacker? Now I'm reloading somewhere in the mix. Choose your order of shots but realistically you'd better be putting at least two on target and figuring in a miss or two each target.

I realize that the chance of having 3+ attackers is probably rare and if you do you probably are somewhere you shouldn't be anyway. But sometimes, honestly a lot of the time, I am in a location that may bring multiple attackers. If it is just me and my wife out then I don't much worry about capacity and will just as likely carry my .45 because I am looking to cause separation. If I can put a couple of rounds in the target and hot-foot it out then I'm good with that.

On the other hand I put myself in a position to have chosen to defend others if need be. That may involve more rounds than my .45 and I can carry. Of course, have a sobering realization that I will probably never get through the second magazine. Either the threat(s) will be down or I will. Who knows, I may get lucky. I'd rather have more rounds than needed than not enough.

I like the .45. There is something about that BIG chunk of lead that gives you a warm fuzzy. But with today's standards in ammo manufacturing one will do just about a good as the other. We can throw all the physics equations we want at it but it doesn't change the facts that handgun calibers are not that good, especially in the sudden self-defense scenario, at reliably stopping an attack. Multiple rounds helps that defiency.

Right now I tend to choose capacity over caliber (with the obligatory disclaimer of it being a sufficient caliber...).

Now all of this is fine and good as I sit at the computer having never shot (or wanting to shoot) a human. So my thoughts on this are exactly worth the experience I have in this matter...absolutely nothing.

[Frost]

Strange things can happen when rounds hit bone in 4 AND 2 legged critters, and a deflection can send an otherwise incapacitating shot to a more survivable area.

That is pretty much my logic. If I do my job and the shot placement is good I want the round to do it's job and not be deflected.

[rm9792]

As far as capacity over caliber, 12+1 in .45ACP? The Kimber BP ten conceals fine IWB or OWB with an untucked shirt. 2 spare mags = 37rds of 45.

[troglodyte]

As far as capacity over caliber, 12+1 in .45ACP? The Kimber BP ten conceals fine IWB or OWB with an untucked shirt. 2 spare mags = 37rds of 45.

Got my interest up. Is it new? I don't find it in Kimber's catalog or website.

Full-size 1911? Do you have any specs on it? It seems it's got to be wider.

Capacity AND caliber.

[TEX]

I settled on the 40 after a lot of research and looking into. IMHO the 40 does everthing a 45 can do, but usually at a higher capacity, and is a little more effective than a 9x19. That being said, any round, including a 22-RF would do the job if it hit the eye socket - so location is still supreme. The 40 does have a sharper recoil than a 9x19 and about equal to a 45 IMHO. On the other hand Gabe Suarez has gone exclusivly to the 9x19 for capacity reason I believe. He doesn't seem to feel under gunned with the 9x19.

[rm9792]

As far as capacity over caliber, 12+1 in .45ACP? The Kimber BP ten conceals fine IWB or OWB with an untucked shirt. 2 spare mags = 37rds of 45.

Got my interest up. Is it new? I don't find it in Kimber's catalog or website.

Full-size 1911? Do you have any specs on it? It seems it's got to be wider.

Capacity AND caliber.

Here is a pic of mine.
http://home.swbell.net/mortmit/Kimber_B ... 56xx__.JPG" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

holds 12+1 in 45 acp. 4 inch regular slide. about 1/4" thicker in the grip but can be concealed pretty easy.

[Vecco]

As already said I am sure, it’s the best gun that you can use accurately. Remember when you need it, bad things will always happen, safety left on, type 1, 2, 3 malfunction, not enough ammo... ECT// you need to make sure you can use the gun you carry to the best of your ability no matter what Cal it is. Always fear the man with one gun, because you can bet he knows how to use it.

[lawrnk]

I prefer .40, but I think a high quality defense round in 9mm is ample.

[baldeagle]

This is an excellent point, I think. I listened to a ProArms podcast recently (the link is here) discussing the .357 Sig. Mas Ayoob and others asserted that there's something 'magic' about the 1,400 fps velocity threshold, when a bullet reaches that speed (like the Sig and the 357 mag - and others) that many confrontations end from a non-lethal hit on the bad guy. Perhaps that's why the 125-gr .357 Magnum round was such an effective man-stopper, and the Sig pretty closely duplicates its ballistics. The podcast is really interesting, and I'd recommend a listen.

I have shot my share of .357 Mags, but have yet to try the .357 Sig. Just what I needed...more guns.

According to Ballistics by the inch, the shortest barrel weapon in .357 Magnum that reaches 1400 fps is 4 inches, and the same is true of the .357 Sig. So you wouldn't want to go any shorter than 4 inches if 1400 fps really is "magical" (and I have no reason to doubt that it is.)

Now you've got me thinking I should convert my P226 to .357 Sig.

[baldeagle]

That podcast was great. I highly recommend anyone listening to it if you have a hour available to sit down and pay attention. It has me thinking that my next gun will be a P250 in .357 Sig.