9mm not adequate...?

[pedalman]

I usually alternate between three sidearms:

Glock 19: 9mm
Glock 22: 40 S&W
Taurus 85 Ultralight: 38 Special

As of late, the G19 has been my primary carry. I keep rounds topped with Hornady 147gr XTP HP bullets. I also reload this bullet for practice ammo, so I can maintain the same feel as my factory carry ammo.

The Taurus is more of a "put in my pocket and run to the store" revolver. I generally don't like strapping on the IWB just to run a quick errand. I keep Buffalo Bore 158gr LSWCHP +P ammo in it (the classic FBI load). Obviously, I don't constantly run +P ammo in this revolver, but I can reload standard rounds cheap enough for practice. And trust me. A 38 snubby is hard to shoot accurately, if you don't practice on a regular basis.

When I started concealed carry, the G22 was my first pistol. I feel confident in my ability to shoot it accurately, but it is a wee bit more expensive to shoot. I still like it, and will keep it.

The G19 has moved to the front of the line, because it is cheaper to shoot, which means I will put more rounds through it and be more proficient with it. I don't feel undergunned when I carry it.

I also have a 1911A1 Govt Model. It is fun to shoot, and feels good in my hand. But I have always been nervous about carrying it cocked and locked. This is not an indictment of "Old Slabsides". I just feel more comfortable with a Safe Action autoloader or DA-only revolver ready to deploy.

[edmart001]

As others have said and explained well, there is no magic bullet, there are only well placed shots and misses. Well placed shots with anything more powerful than a rock is always going to be more effective than a miss with anything else. The best gun in the best caliber to carry is the one with which you have the best chance to fire well placed shots. For many, many of us, that comes down to a medium to high capacity 9mm semi-auto.

I also agree with others who have said it takes practice, practice, practice to get to the point where one can feel confident making well placed shots with any gun. Again, when one considers the cost and comfort of the 9mm against other calibers one often reaches the conclusion that 9mm is a good way to go.

[austin]

With today's cartridges, the 9mm is a great weapon and the extra capacity gives you an extra edge.

Just shoot until the threat stops.

The only advantage that a 45 has over a 9mm is in breaking large bones or penetrating heavy skulls. The ONLY reason I carry a 45 is because I am around large dangerous animals on a regular basis. There are times I think about going to 9mm for the extra capacity.

[G.C.Montgomery]

I have read several times on this board that a 9mm only deserves a "band-aid."

Did I buy an inadequate weapon?

I have an XD-9 that I intend to carry (I've been practicing around the house until my plastic comes)
My husband has a 9mm Glock. Were we misinformed?

Your guns are just fine. You'll find that none of the idiots telling you 9mm only deserves a "band-aid" is willing to stand in front of your muzzle while you press the trigger to the rear. I'm a big 6'2", 320lb bear who carried a Glock 19 as my primary carry for four years without feeling the slightest bit underarmed.

Don't get me wrong, I'm the first to say that 45ACP is a very efficient cartridge and 40S&W has left many a suspect DRT in police shootings. And while they do offer some advantages over 9mm, there are an awful lot of fights that have been stopped in a hurry with a well placed 9mm bullet. My advice is keep your 9mm pistols, buy high quality ammunition with a modern jacketed hollow point bullet and you'll be fine.

[SkinnyB78]

Every time I read or hear someone say a 9mm isn't enough, I offer to shoot them center of mass for a proper evaluation.

excellent point

[mr.72]

Don't get me wrong, I'm the first to say that 45ACP is a very efficient cartridge and 40S&W has left many a suspect DRT in police shootings. And while they do offer some advantages over 9mm,

Well, 9mm offers some advantages over these cartridges as well. That was the point I was trying to make. The obvious advantage is higher capacity. However there are numerous other advantages and they should not be overlooked. There is more to ammunition than just diameter or mass of the bullet.

It's easy to try and over-simplify and choose based mostly on caliber (diameter) to the exclusion of every other factor. Unfortunately it is not that simple.

The fact is that 9mm, .45ACP and .40SW are all very effective SD calibers, and each represent tradeoffs. You pick what you are comfortable with. Odds are extremely high that you will never have to find out and all the debate about it in the world is just a waste of time. If you do have to shoot another human being with a pistol, then the odds are that whatever caliber will be totally inadequate at the time, but the biggest factor is not at all related to ammo. A .45 is not going to turn an inexperienced, panicked person into a steady, calm, marksman. Likewise a 9mm in the hands of an expert is not going to turn them into a spray & pray knucklehead. With the right skills you can get the job done with any caliber bigger than a BB gun, and without the right skills then even a bazooka is not going to be enough.

[Liberty]

With today's cartridges, the 9mm is a great weapon and the extra capacity gives you an extra edge.

Just shoot until the threat stops.

The only advantage that a 45 has over a 9mm is in breaking large bones or penetrating heavy skulls. The ONLY reason I carry a 45 is because I am around large dangerous animals on a regular basis. There are times I think about going to 9mm for the extra capacity.

I'm going by memory so I might be wrong, but I thought I've seen data that indicates penetration with 9mm is actually slightly better than 45acp. Some will claim its about energy transference. The biggest advantage to .45 is in the size of the hole. If it weren't for modern jacketed hollow points, I couldn't be as enthusiastic about the modern 9mm handguns.

[Excaliber]

With today's cartridges, the 9mm is a great weapon and the extra capacity gives you an extra edge.

Just shoot until the threat stops.

The only advantage that a 45 has over a 9mm is in breaking large bones or penetrating heavy skulls. The ONLY reason I carry a 45 is because I am around large dangerous animals on a regular basis. There are times I think about going to 9mm for the extra capacity.

I'm going by memory so I might be wrong, but I thought I've seen data that indicates penetration with 9mm is actually slightly better than 45acp. Some will claim its about energy transference. The biggest advantage to .45 is in the size of the hole. If it weren't for modern jacketed hollow points, I couldn't be as enthusiastic about the modern 9mm handguns.

The 9mm will generally penetrate deeper than the .45 due to higher velocity and smaller frontal area.

Overpenetration and failure to expand are concerns with this caliber.

It works fine when everything goes well and full expansion takes place, but it doesn't deliver comforting results when the hollowpoint plugs up with clothing or other material and the projectile behaves like a full metal jacket slug. Unfortunately, there's virtually no way to tell in advance if it will expand or not in a given situation beforehand.

Some of the newest rounds, like Federal Expanding FMJ (scroll down to article) and Hornady Critical Defense, and the Taurus Hex Bullet hold promise for taking reliable expansion to a new level.

I haven't seen enough data on them yet, but they appear to be significant advances over what we're used to and may provide a solution to the "sometimes it expands and sometimes it doesn't" performance issue.

If they do what they claim to, the stopping reliability gap between the 9mm and the calibers that start with a "4" may be significantly narrowed and the folks that have chosen this round can have greater confidence that it will reliably perform as required when needed.

[Velocity]

Agreed with all the prior posters. I consolidated down to one ammo caliber for my pistols awhile back, and it was 9mm. I'm perfectly confident a quality 9mm HP round (I use the Speer Gold Dot 124g +P JHP mentioned before) is a good self-defense round. I also went with 9mm for more inexpensive ammo (relative) and greater capacity.

One other item. I've found the following image to be telling - while there are MANY factors that go into whether a round will do it's intended purpose, this is an interesting image :

[longhorn_92]

With today's cartridges, the 9mm is a great weapon and the extra capacity gives you an extra edge.

Just shoot until the threat stops.

The only advantage that a 45 has over a 9mm is in breaking large bones or penetrating heavy skulls. The ONLY reason I carry a 45 is because I am around large dangerous animals on a regular basis. There are times I think about going to 9mm for the extra capacity.

I'm going by memory so I might be wrong, but I thought I've seen data that indicates penetration with 9mm is actually slightly better than 45acp. Some will claim its about energy transference. The biggest advantage to .45 is in the size of the hole. If it weren't for modern jacketed hollow points, I couldn't be as enthusiastic about the modern 9mm handguns.

The 9mm will generally penetrate deeper than the .45 due to higher velocity and smaller frontal area.

Overpenetration and failure to expand are concerns with this caliber.

It works fine when everything goes well and full expansion takes place, but it doesn't deliver comforting results when the hollowpoint plugs up with clothing or other material and the projectile behaves like a full metal jacket slug. Unfortunately, there's virtually no way to tell in advance if it will expand or not in a given situation beforehand.

Some of the newest rounds, like Federal Expanding FMJ (scroll down to article) and Hornady Critical Defense, and the Taurus Hex Bullet hold promise for taking reliable expansion to a new level. [/u]

I haven't seen enough data on them yet, but they appear to be significant advances over what we're used to and may provide a solution to the "sometimes it expands and sometimes it doesn't" performance issue.

If they do what they claim to, the stopping reliability gap between the 9mm and the calibers that start with a "4" may be significantly narrowed and the folks that have chosen this round can have greater confidence that it will reliably perform as required when needed.

+

I have seen the "Critical Defense" advertised....but has anyone used them yet? Who's selling them???

[Excaliber]

I have seen the "Critical Defense" advertised....but has anyone used them yet? Who's selling them???

Midway USA and Natchez Shooters Supply among others.

[bryang]

I have seen the "Critical Defense" advertised....but has anyone used them yet? Who's selling them???

Midway USA and Natchez Shooters Supply among others.

Thanks for the tip, Excaliber. I just ordered a box of the Hornady Critical Defense .380 ACP Flex Tip from Midway. I couldn't find any on line and came back here to ask you and someone had already beat me to it. If these work as stated they will be a very valuable asset for the small caliber back up. I wonder if they are going to come out with the .45?

Thanks,
-geo

[Excaliber]

I have seen the "Critical Defense" advertised....but has anyone used them yet? Who's selling them???

Midway USA and Natchez Shooters Supply among others.

Thanks for the tip, Excaliber. I just ordered a box of the Hornady Critical Defense .380 ACP Flex Tip from Midway. I couldn't find any on line and came back here to ask you and someone had already beat me to it. If these work as stated they will be a very valuable asset for the small caliber back up. I wonder if they are going to come out with the .45?

Thanks,
-geo

You're welcome, Bryang - glad I could help.

I don't have any info on when the .45 version of Critical Defense will come out. I understand why they initially focused on the smaller calibers, because that's where expansion is critically important.

Federal's Expanding Full Metal Jacket is available in .45 now. Ammoman usually carries them, but he appears to be out of stock at the moment.