.45 acp vs 9mm
03-01-2006, 08:50 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,290
RE: .45 acp vs 9mm
It has to do with velocity in the equation. You can ramp up energy figures by increasing velocity. How the beast behaves going through tissue, and how big the wound channel is, can be a different story.
03-02-2006, 05:49 AM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location:
Posts: 126
RE: .45 acp vs 9mm
"I had my choice of only one, it would be the 45 ACP or 45 GAP."
[align=right][/align][align=right]I agree and thats all I have,allthough would like to get a hi power 9 mm if I had to get a 9 mm [/align]
03-02-2006, 08:14 AM
#5
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: SE Wisc
Posts: 677
RE: .45 acp vs 9mm
the .45 will have more knock down power. Thats simple to determine. Having said that, with alot of todays loads and bullets, the gap between the rounds is getting closer IMO. I say stick with what you shot the best. I have said before, i have seen people at the range get sold on a .45 only to discover they can't hit a paper target 5 yards away because they were sold a gun or caliber that didn't fit them.
03-02-2006, 08:27 AM
#6
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: S Texas
Posts: 1,037
RE: .45 acp vs 9mm
Oh boy, another .45ACP vs 9x19 post!
Everybody KNOWS that only a sissy quitter will stop after being shot, even multiple time with a 9x19, but a hit to the little finger with a .45 ACP will pick up,a 300 pound man and throw him to the ground.
With modern designed, expanding bullets, both the 9x19 and .45 ACP are fine self defense cartridges. I happily trust my life to both.
Everybody KNOWS that only a sissy quitter will stop after being shot, even multiple time with a 9x19, but a hit to the little finger with a .45 ACP will pick up,a 300 pound man and throw him to the ground.
With modern designed, expanding bullets, both the 9x19 and .45 ACP are fine self defense cartridges. I happily trust my life to both.
03-02-2006, 11:09 AM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Too close to Chicago
Posts: 3,337
RE: .45 acp vs 9mm
The 9mm gets its energy from speed.
Over and over again, I keep reading that the experts are recommending light (115g) hot loads in 9mm for defense.
The biggest issue with the 9mm 'not cutting it' is overpenetration and small wound channels due to failure of expansion. When a hollowpoint encounters heavy clothing, or other barriers before entering a body, the HP can plug up and fail to open. It will then perform like the mililtary FMJs and zip right through without tearing too much up. Not what you want for defense. Go light and hot, andyou maximize its performance. There is also one HP out there that pushes flat instead of relying on hydrostatic pressuse inside the HP toinitiate the expasion process.
I like 40 and 45, but the 9's sure are getting small and comfy to carry.
Over and over again, I keep reading that the experts are recommending light (115g) hot loads in 9mm for defense.
The biggest issue with the 9mm 'not cutting it' is overpenetration and small wound channels due to failure of expansion. When a hollowpoint encounters heavy clothing, or other barriers before entering a body, the HP can plug up and fail to open. It will then perform like the mililtary FMJs and zip right through without tearing too much up. Not what you want for defense. Go light and hot, andyou maximize its performance. There is also one HP out there that pushes flat instead of relying on hydrostatic pressuse inside the HP toinitiate the expasion process.
I like 40 and 45, but the 9's sure are getting small and comfy to carry.
03-02-2006, 05:30 PM
#9
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,290
RE: .45 acp vs 9mm
I recommend that people shoot what they can hit with. Thus, I even like the 32 auto. I tried hard to get Mrs Biscuit to hit with 45, and she did good, but only on the rounds where her eyes weren't closed!
My experience with knockdown power was this. Lord have mercy, had a night on Okinawa as duty officer. A perp stabbed one of our sentries who pulled his piece and did what he had to do. The first shot was a chest grazer, as the perp turned to run. The second shot was a chest shot but did not hit the spine. The 3rd shot was a heart shot. He continued to run 50 yards before he collapsed and died. Now, that was a bad night. But I am grateful that his last moments were not spent on doing more damage to the sentry. At no point did the 45 "knock him down." The sentry was hospitalized with a collapsed lung from the knife wound, but recovered.
My experience with knockdown power was this. Lord have mercy, had a night on Okinawa as duty officer. A perp stabbed one of our sentries who pulled his piece and did what he had to do. The first shot was a chest grazer, as the perp turned to run. The second shot was a chest shot but did not hit the spine. The 3rd shot was a heart shot. He continued to run 50 yards before he collapsed and died. Now, that was a bad night. But I am grateful that his last moments were not spent on doing more damage to the sentry. At no point did the 45 "knock him down." The sentry was hospitalized with a collapsed lung from the knife wound, but recovered.
03-03-2006, 02:18 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: A flat lander lost in the mountains of Northern,AZ
Posts: 3,171
RE: .45 acp vs 9mm
get ya a 9mm they make a great paper puncher. for defensive purposes I prefer the 45 acp hands down. Though I have 45's I also have 9mm's the 9mm's have the job as full time paper punchers. if you dont reload 9mm is alot cheaper then 45 as is the way to go if you want to shoot alot. just my 2 cents