9mm .40 .45 ?

[stevie_d]

If it were me I would likely go with 9mm, just for more manageable recoil for faster repeated shots, and also likely a high ammo capacity (relatively).

 

[aeropb]

With regards to pistol calibers, its where you shoot them and how many times you shoot them. Not what you shoot them with.

I want as much penetration as possible, while retaining the possibility of expansion. If my bullet expands thats just a benefit, but it is not my goal. 2 holes for blood to exit the body are better than one.

 

[MoBoost]

With regards to pistol calibers, its where you shoot them and how many times you shoot them. Not what you shoot them with.

I want as much penetration as possible, while retaining the possibility of expansion. If my bullet expands thats just a benefit, but it is not my goal. 2 holes for blood to exit the body are better than one.

I'm 100% with you.

There is only one way to stop threat immediately - disruption of central nervous system: brain or spine.

Head - if you can penetrate the skull the incapacitation is immediate - caliber irrelevant, penetration a must.

Chest - unless you are shooting someone in the back - you'll have to go through clothing, ribs, soft tissue, etc - you have to get to the spine - penetration is a must, caliber again irrelevant.

Overpenetration theory - a bogus concept in self defense situation - if you can hit BG with just one bullet from a full magazine - you'll be doing better than average: in other words you have very good chances of missing all together, but if you get lucky you need a bullet that will get to the "goods".

Energy dump theory works with rifles; but with pistols you just don't have enough energy to dump. All you hoping for is hitting VERY important stuff - you want the bullet that keeps going through and through, not stop on a ribcage or in clothing.

Bigger hole - more blood theory: obviously bigger hole will bleed more - but I don't think it matters "now"; BG bleeding out 15 minutes instead of 75 minutes later doesn't help you in next 10-30 seconds: direct hit in heart or major artery will cause fairly quick death; but again the caliber doesn't matter.

Now, with all that said - I'm sitting here and wondering - what exactly the SD/expanding pistol rounds provide over FMJ?

P.S. I have and carry all three calibers without much preference, but I do carry SD-type ammo, but that last question really makes me think again "why".

 

[Koshinn]

I'm 100% with you.

There is only one way to stop threat immediately - disruption of central nervous system: brain or spine.

Head - if you can penetrate the skull the incapacitation is immediate - caliber irrelevant, penetration a must.

Chest - unless you are shooting someone in the back - you'll have to go through clothing, ribs, soft tissue, etc - you have to get to the spine - penetration is a must, caliber again irrelevant.

Overpenetration theory - a bogus concept in self defense situation - if you can hit BG with just one bullet from a full magazine - you'll be doing better than average: in other words you have very good chances of missing all together, but if you get lucky you need a bullet that will get to the "goods".

Energy dump theory works with rifles; but with pistols you just don't have enough energy to dump. All you hoping for is hitting VERY important stuff - you want the bullet that keeps going through and through, not stop on a ribcage or in clothing.

Bigger hole - more blood theory: obviously bigger hole will bleed more - but I don't think it matters "now"; BG bleeding out 15 minutes instead of 75 minutes later doesn't help you in next 10-30 seconds: direct hit in heart or major artery will cause fairly quick death; but again the caliber doesn't matter.

Now, with all that said - I'm sitting here and wondering - what exactly the SD/expanding pistol rounds provide over FMJ?

P.S. I have and carry all three calibers without much preference, but I do carry SD-type ammo, but that last question really makes me think again "why".

Why do you change pistol calibers? Recoil, round count, and platform. No one's going to argue that a single .45 FMJ round has a slightly better chance of hitting the nervous system than a 9mm FMJ round because the size of the bullet can make a near-miss into a hit.

So if a bullet expands, you keep recoil, round count, and platform the same, but you get a larger bullet. A 9mm expanding round will end up with a diameter larger than a .45 ACP FMJ round. SO every little bit helps.

 

[druryj]

Can anybody here who has been shot with 9mm, 40 and 45 please tell us which one you found most unpleasant? And which one most allowed you to continue your actions that caused to you to get your ass shot in the first place? I have not met anyone who has had the experience first hand who can talk about it and give us a rational comparison.

I am really not worried about what to carry today...maybe I'll just throw a J-Frame or a .380 in my pocket.

 

[casualplinker]

Can anybody here who has been shot with 9mm, 40 and 45 please tell us which one you found most unpleasant? And which one most allowed you to continue your actions that caused to you to get your ass shot in the first place? I have not met anyone who has had the experience first hand who can talk about it and give us a rational comparison.

I am really not worried about what to carry today...maybe I'll just throw a J-Frame or a .380 in my pocket.

I don't want to be shot with anything!

 

[MoBoost]

Why do you change pistol calibers? Recoil, round count, and platform. No one's going to argue that a single .45 FMJ round has a slightly better chance of hitting the nervous system than a 9mm FMJ round because the size of the bullet can make a near-miss into a hit.

So if a bullet expands, you keep recoil, round count, and platform the same, but you get a larger bullet. A 9mm expanding round will end up with a diameter larger than a .45 ACP FMJ round. SO every little bit helps.

You answered your question yourself - it's the pistols that change, calibers is just what they happened to be in.

 

[MoBoost]

As far as "every bit helps" - here is a cool test: hang a piece of 3/8" rope - that would be the spine : now try to hit it - JUST hit it (not even sever) with a pistol at 5 yards.
What do you think will score a hit faster - 45 with larger bullet or 9mm with larger capacity and less recoil?

 

[BigRed82]

This post sums it up about as well as can be done: http://www.m4carbine.net/showthread.php?t=19887

I go with 9mm because it's cheaper. Cheaper means more shooting. More shooting generally means better shooter. So inferentially, 9mm means better shooter. (at least dollar for dollar - and I don't have much to spare).

 

[Koshinn]

As far as "every bit helps" - here is a cool test: hang a piece of 3/8" rope - that would be the spine : now try to hit it - JUST hit it (not even sever) with a pistol at 5 yards.
What do you think will score a hit faster - 45 with larger bullet or 9mm with larger capacity and less recoil?

Given equal rounds, and similar weapons (say, s&w m&p) .45 should win, shot for shot, which is the point of using expanding bullets. Self defense rounds don't really change your firing platform (may add recoil from +p or heavier projectiles) but increases effective bullet size. So again, every little hit helps.