.45 versus 9mm

This seems to be a popular topic of debate in gun magazines and tons of websites. So do you choose blunt stopping power, but low capacity. Or low stopping power, but high capacity magazines. Or maybe something in the middle like the .40 cal Smith and Wesson.

*Except for the new Springfield most .45s are low capacity.

Nah, I don't think so. The people on this site don't seem to be immature, just curious of preference.

I'd say either one as long as you know how to handle it correctly. I personally go with the 9mm as I am much more familiar with this and can handle it better .

Well it really depends on personal preferance and skill i think, if you can hit something with your first round you dont have to worry about capacity to much, but if youre one of those people how spray and pray, well something with a little less collateral damage may work well. I perfer my walther P99 in .40 S&W, its seems to be a great compromise. But then i hate the 9mm round in general

It all depends on your situation. In war time with fmj's id chose the 45 hands down. Its a big slow moving projectile that hits hard. If its just a fun gun or one you want to suppress then 9mm is top because you cant beat suppression in a 9mm and silencer with 147 grain rounds. Those things do pack a nice wallop. In the civilian side most rounds that are produced as hollow points go by the FBI standard. Which means no matter what the caliber is it still has to expand to .64 caliber upon penetration. So really the only difference is the weight of the bullet itself. It all boils down to what youre comfortable with and how accurately you can shoot it. 15 rounds in an m9 wont do shit if you cant hit your target accurately, but if you have a seven round magazine of .45 and you can do a controlled pair to the chest then your 45 has almost a 95 % shock rate. Its all in what you can control and what youre comfortable with

I would go with the 45

Same here pal. It would take only 3 rounds when confronted. After the 3 rounds, someone is dead. You or him.

"better to have one even if you don't need it
than to need one and you don't have it"

My decisions change from time to time about what weapon I carry. I wrote earlier that I carry a 45 Kimber Pro Carry II. My oppinion has changed as far as the gun brand, as I have traded my Pro Carry II for a Colt full size 1911. From all that I have read and my experience of shooting both 9 mm and 45, my choice would still be a 45 because of the two things. Number one is the feet per second of the bullet of a 45 verses 9 mm and the hollow point ammo in a 45 destroys more flesh because of the size and FPS of that bullet. I have never been in a gun fight and hope that it never happens, but, I will be carrying a 45 as my sidearm if it ever happens. When I went to a defensive handgun class a few weeks ago, the instructor said that if you know you are going to be in a gun fight, take a rifle, but, for the unknown carry a 45. I shoot both 45's and 9 mils at the range and enjoy both. But, one last comment, anyone who is going to carry a weapon needs to pick a gun that they are confident in and can handle. If you shoot a 45 and are not comfortable with it or it just seems to much to handle, try a .40 caliber. If that caliber doesn't fit you try the 9 mm. If you really want to carry for your own protection, there is a gun that is just for you in a caliber that you can handle and have confidence in.

In my honest opinion the 9mm is better for downrange accuracy than the .45 because it is not only faster but it also has a flatter trajectory than the .45 and as for stopping power, if you are familiar enough with your weapons habits downrange and you carefully select your ammunition then that wouldn't be an issue but in all fairness I know nothing about the .40s&w or the .41AE anyone care to fill me in?

I loved the 41 Action express while it was out, a buddy bought a Jericho 941(I'm never call it the baby eagle) a while back, a year ago now. It came with the 9mm barrel and the 41 Action express. At first he couldn't find any .41AE, until I showed him Gunbroker. 25 dollars bought us two boxs, one JHP and one FMJ.

We fired up all the fmj the first day, destroyed tons of old watermelons and made us half deaf, but we loved it.
"We deal in Lead, friend." Steve Mcqueen from the Magnificent Seven.

While I was in the Army, I was assigned an M-16, but I did get a chance to shoot the Berretta 9mm at the range. It was fun too shoot, but I have always thought that I would want a bigger cartridge for home protection. Haven't had the chance to try a 45 yet, but have been looking at a Springfield 1911 Long Slide.

45 acp all the way,brand make or mod. is your pref. what works for you,i have 1911 colt s70, hk usp,sig 220,and a glock, man do i hate that glock 21 its just wered. usp is biger than the sig witch shoots dead on every time.and my colt has been tricked out ,but i like it alot.kimber desert worrior gets shot more because its new!and i am still playing with it.shoots good! hey its your choice , i like 45 acp!SEVERAL MORE 1911'S BUT I REALY DONT SHOOT THEM MUCH ANY MORE.

I believe the F.B.I. uses the 10mm? And if anything the US military would go to the 40S&W (Navy SEALS and such organizations already use this caliber other than the Beretta M9), but the military has postponed changing their service pistol pretty much forever.