Real world difference between .40, .45, and 9MM

[Pia]

Let's put it this way, I've never met a guy who took a 9mm round and laughed about it being a puny 9mm.

I'd rather have 13 rounds of 9mm vs 6rounds of .45 for a subcompact.

E.G. Glock 26 vs Glock 36

Then again there is no reason to buy a subcompact for home defense purposes.

 

[DaFinn]

As you are new to guns, I suggest you go with 9mm. Its easy to shoot and recoil is very manageable. I have shot all handgun calibers and prefer the 9mm. I can put 3 aimed shots at a target with 9mm, while at the same time 1 with 45. 40 doesn't bring much to the table. Little more power and lot more recoil than 9mm. Especially if you go with compact/subcompact, then avoid it. Normal frame .40 is ok.

As a shooting instructor I have used about every gun available on the market during past 20 years. My choice is Glock 19 pro in 9mm. Also own several others, but that litle baby would be my choice if I had to get just 1.

 

[DCal430]

FYI you don't need a gun for home defense, did you know a family member is more likely to use the gun in an act of suicide than in self defense. You could be inviting tragedy into your home.

 

[schneiderguy]

FYI you don't need a gun for home defense, did you know a family member is more likely to use the gun in an act of suicide than in self defense. You could be inviting tragedy into your home.

Get the fuck out.

 

[DCal430]

Get the fuck out.

Fact is guns are used more often for suicide than self defense, is like twice as often.

 

[highland145]

FYI you don't need a gun for home defense, YOU NEED CHUCK NORRIS MAD SKILLZ.

ftfy

 

[KentState]

Let's put it this way, I've never met a guy who took a 9mm round and laughed about it being a puny 9mm.

I have. The guy that works for me took 6 9mm to the mid section. Had surgery, was in the hospital for a month, but he is alive and kicking today.

 

[LurkerPrime]

The springfield XDM 9mm can hold 19+1. Its a nice gun, but not as accurate as I would like. Plus the recoil increases the time required to re-aim to get a good shot (which probably gets worse on a .4 or .45). While my XDM is my HD gun that sits in my bedside drawer ready to go, I would probably be better off using one of my .22 handguns. I can shoot those much faster and more accurately than my XDM. Also on the plus side, the holes in my wall would be smaller and easier to patch/paint.

In a hostage situation, I wouldn't trust myself to get a good shot in with my 9mm, while I know I could take the shot with any of my .22 handguns. God help the perp if I have either of my .22 rifles.

 

[arcenite]

I have. The guy that works for me took 6 9mm to the mid section. Had surgery, was in the hospital for a month, but he is alive and kicking today.

 

[alkemyst]

FYI you don't need a gun for home defense, did you know a family member is more likely to use the gun in an act of suicide than in self defense. You could be inviting tragedy into your home.

not all of us live with you, we are safe.

 

[alkemyst]

I have. The guy that works for me took 6 9mm to the mid section. Had surgery, was in the hospital for a month, but he is alive and kicking today.

50 cent?

 

[sourceninja]

Fact is guns are used more often for suicide than self defense, is like twice as often.

Yea, I can think of a few times where I was like "I want to kill myself." Luckily, I was unable to find a gun and too lazy to kill myself in a thousand million other ways with stuff in my house. So here I am... still suicidal, but I have no means to kill myself.

 

[HAL9000]

FYI you don't need a gun for home defense, did you know a family member is more likely to use the gun in an act of suicide than in self defense. You could be inviting tragedy into your home.

Source?

 

[corwin]

Source?

That is actually sort of true...there's no firm stats on self defense use but a lot of suicides which are tracked...at least he used the truthful way of saying it instead of the "You're more likely to be killed by a gun in the home than use it for self defense" line that's been sited for years. Thing is someone wants to off themselves they can do it a ton of ways...

I would like to know where he's finding any self defense stats though, since there's no official tracking and all...the estimates usually run around 2 million though

SOURCE

 

[HAL9000]

That is actually sort of true...there's no firm stats on self defense use but a lot of suicides which are tracked...at least he used the truthful way of saying it instead of the "You're more likely to be killed by a gun in the home than use it for self defense" line that's been sited for years. Thing is someone wants to off themselves they can do it a ton of ways...

I agree, I'm just curious if there are any stats to substantiate this claim.

 

[KentState]

50 cent?

I work in IT, we are no where that interesting.

 

[corwin]

I work in IT, we are no where that interesting.

That would also be an extremely unlikely ending...and a damn lucky guy too. Curious, do you know what type of ammo was used? Were they just FMJ or actually some type of self defense round?

 

[KentState]

That would also be an extremely unlikely ending...and a damn lucky guy too. Curious, do you know what type of ammo was used? Were they just FMJ or actually some type of self defense round?

It was FMJ which is the main reason he lived IMO. I actually prefer my 9mm Glock to .40 SW M&P so it was more anecdotal than anything.

 

[corwin]

It was FMJ which is the main reason he lived IMO. I actually prefer my 9mm Glock to .40 SW M&P so it was more anecdotal than anything

That was what I suspected...he's still damn lucky though. I prefer my Bersa .45 but would feel just as good carrying a 9mm too

 

[Dannar26]

Nobody's saying you don't have to aim a shotgun. However, we *are* saying it's easier to hit with than a small gun with ~3 inch barrel.

Not to mention the other advantages a shotty brings to the home def situation (stopping power, reduced liklihood of strikethrough harming your family...etc)

Duely blundered from my thunderdolt

 

[corwin]

Nobody's saying you don't have to aim a shotgun. However, we *are* saying it's easier to hit with than a small gun with ~3 inch barrel.

Not to mention the other advantages a shotty brings to the home def situation (stopping power, reduced liklihood of strikethrough harming your family...etc)

There's drawbacks too, a much longer weapon is harder to wield in a home and if you're using 00 buck those bad boys penetrate walls like cardboard...just as bad as any handgun round. You're right on the scatter effect though being slightly easier to hit them with...bad side is if it's just grazing the pellets that miss will keep going...all personal choice and what you feel comfortable with

 

[DaFinn]

Quote:
Originally Posted by corwin
That would also be an extremely unlikely ending...and a damn lucky guy too. Curious, do you know what type of ammo was used? Were they just FMJ or actually some type of self defense round?

It was FMJ which is the main reason he lived IMO. I actually prefer my 9mm Glock to .40 SW M&P so it was more anecdotal than anything.

Of course FMJ, I don't beleive anyone would walk away alive with 6 Federal Hydra Shoks or Speer Gold Dots in their body. I've seen first hand a guy get shot to his thigh with 9mm hydra shok, and that ain't pretty. He stopped right there, a big guy.

 

[Dannar26]

There's drawbacks too, a much longer weapon is harder to wield in a home and if you're using 00 buck those bad boys penetrate walls like cardboard...just as bad as any handgun round. You're right on the scatter effect though being slightly easier to hit them with...bad side is if it's just grazing the pellets that miss will keep going...all personal choice and what you feel comfortable with

Nothing's perfect, but for a home defense weapon, the shotgun is out and out the best defense option. It's also much more affordable than a decent pistol.

Every hi-point I've handled was thick and heavy. These arent desirable attributes; you don't buy a gun for its utility as a melee weapon. I have not heard a lot of good stuff about them in terms of quality. But, you can't believe everything you hear.

Kel-tech is above hi-point in terms of quality. Lots of people are eager to heap on the hate; nothing I've encountered personally gives me a clue as to why. They also make some interesting weapons, esoecially if you're looking to conceal. Check out the PF-9 if you want to carry with a decent caliber.

My pistol is my go to weapon for home defense. This is because it fufills many roles for me. I carry it, I take it to the range, and it's small and easy to get at in just about every situation. I would pefer a shot gun, but I'm just too cheap to buy another gun right now. I like the jack-of-all trades utility I get out of my PX4 in 9mm. 17+1 is a badass capacity IMO.

Duely blundered from my thunderdolt

 

[alkemyst]

Shotgun is not necessarily the best. For many it is. The problem with shotguns is most people don't have places they can practice where handgun ranges are everywhere.

 

[Merad]

I agree, I'm just curious if there are any stats to substantiate this claim.

http://arstechnica.com/science/news/2011/04/guns-in-the-home-lots-of-risk-ambiguity.ars

Article is referencing this paper: http://ajl.sagepub.com/content/5/6/502

Take it for what you will. The tl;dr version seems to be 'stupid people with guns are more dangerous than stupid people without guns'.