FBI: the 9mm is as good as a .45?

[BigNate]

If you know you are going to a gunfight... you should take...

...a battle rifle...

*** Anyway - now stepping off of my soapbox and speaking to the actual question... ***

At the end of the day - it is a very multi-varied equation (determining the "best" defensive handgun cartridge)... My personal equation reads like this...
1) Non-negotiable - the cartridge must have enough ass to meet the generally accepted 12" - 18" of penetration standard (I don't want to do everything right and have my 22 shorts bounce off of the thick leather vest under the Carhart jacket.)
2) As long as #1 is met, the next most important factor is shot placement - so each of the following becomes a factor:
a) The cost to practice is a factor. Cheaper rounds are better than more expensive rounds. Until I have enough money that I can put 300 $4.00 Underwood 230gr 50 AE rounds a day down range and throw away the brass - price matters. Which cartridge will let you practice more?
b) The shooter must be able to shoot the weapon with reasonable accuracy at defensive firearm distances (I "practice" through 25 yards). Years ago a friend was all about the .40 SW and .357 sig cartridges. We went out shooting and he brought his G33 (subcompact glock in .357 sig). I'm 6'2" 300lbs and have been shooting all my life and it didn't take long to decide that it was not a direction that I wanted to go. it was super snappy, to the point that 2nd shot timing was noticeably slower than with the G30 (subcompact .45ACP) that I carried at the time. That - and I simply didn't enjoy shooting it.
3) More rounds is better than less rounds
4) There must be a reasonable supply of high quality defensive rounds available in the cartridge (this probably belongs further up the list - but given that we are talking about .45ACP vs 9MM and it is totally true of both of them - I put it down here).

I was a .45 ACP guy for many years - and the trusty G30 is still part of the EDC rotation - but I've given in and adopted the 9mm as a primary carry cartridge. For me - the primary driver for this was 2a - price to shoot. I can buy bulk S&B 124 gr "NATO" 9mm ball that tends to run "hot" so it fairly reasonably approximates the 124gr +p stuff that I carry - and the price just over 1/2 what I pay for 230gr .45ACP ball practice rounds. Between that, and the fact that in the same thickness of a package I can carry almost twice the rounds (the G30 is 9+1 - the PDP is 18+1) - I've landed on carrying the 9mm more and more often. At the end of the day, the ability to put more practice rounds through the 9mm is the biggest single factor driving the decision.

[SupportTheSecond]

I keep on losing my 10mm socket and end up having ten or twenty, oops, sorry wrong topic.

[BigNate]

I keep on losing my 10mm socket and end up having ten or twenty, oops, sorry wrong topic.

Is this where I yell:
"GET OFF MY LAWN!!!!" LOL

[paulgt2164]

Debate as tired as the ol' "ferd vs chebby" b.s.

Historically speaking, the leading cause of death inflicted on humans by other humans using some sort of instrument or apparatus is still some variation of "pointy stick" and will remain to be so for a while longer so.... Just make sure you are proficient at using the firearm that you intend to use to poke holes in bad people if required - and you will more than likely be fine.

[Joelafives]

dead horse

[kenpoprofessor]

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

[pneuby]

but I've given in and adopted the 9mm as a primary carry cartridge. For me - the primary driver for this was 2a - price to shoot. I can buy bulk S&B 124 gr "NATO" 9mm ball that tends to run "hot" so it fairly reasonably approximates the 124gr +p stuff that I carry - and the price just over 1/2 what I pay for 230gr .45ACP ball practice rounds. Between that, and the fact that in the same thickness of a package I can carry almost twice the rounds (the G30 is 9+1 - the PDP is 18+1) - I've landed on carrying the 9mm more and more often.

At the end of the day, the ability to put more practice rounds through the 9mm is the biggest single factor driving the decision.

[Old Jeff H]

Ah, god's caliber, good man. I've got a pistol and an AR pistol in that caliber, I wished ammo was cheaper for it.


Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

Which AR, Clyde, and how do you like it?

[kenpoprofessor]

Which AR, Clyde, and how do you like it?

'I've got at least one in .45& 10mm, and more than a couple in 9mm. I love all of them, in all the calibers I have.

Have a great. gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

[Old Jeff H]

Which brand is the 10mm?

[kenpoprofessor]

Which brand is the 10mm?

I have no idea, I just put parts together that I bought on the internet.

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

[Old Jeff H]

Oh!

I’ve been wanting a Glock magazine 40 S&W PCC for a while now, but you can’t really find parts anymore, and CMMG wants a pretty penny for their Banshee. So I’ve been thinking about getting something in 10mm.

[kenpoprofessor]

Oh!

I’ve been wanting a Glock magazine 40 S&W PCC for a while now, but you can’t really find parts anymore, and CMMG wants a pretty penny for their Banshee. So I’ve been thinking about getting something in 10mm.

I find parts all the time, it's whether or not I want to spend the money when they have them in stock. I have two "large mag" glock lowers for .45 and 10mm, just gotta swap tops to whatever I want to shoot that day.

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

[kenpoprofessor]

Oh!

I’ve been wanting a Glock magazine 40 S&W PCC for a while now, but you can’t really find parts anymore, and CMMG wants a pretty penny for their Banshee. So I’ve been thinking about getting something in 10mm.

I find parts all the time, it's whether or not I want to spend the money when they have them in stock. I have two "large mag" glock lowers for .45 and 10mm, just gotta swap tops to whatever I want to shoot that day. I also have a Glock 20 clone and a Glock 21SF to go with the other accessories.

Have a great, gun carryin', Kenpo day

Clyde

[Suck My Glock]

Oh!

I’ve been wanting a Glock magazine 40 S&W PCC for a while now, but you can’t really find parts anymore, and CMMG wants a pretty penny for their Banshee. So I’ve been thinking about getting something in 10mm.

I built my own Banshee from CMMG's parts page about 6 years ago. Back then, it cost me under $700 to build the upper and stick on my regular multi-caliber lower. (I went with using the EndoMags instead of the Uzi/Colt mags I had intended to originally.) I priced it out again recently last year, and the price to duplicate it again came out to just under $900. (In 9mm, that is.)

But I like the Banshee so much, I have considered building a 10mm version as well. So I'll state my bias here and urge you to really consider doing that for yourself.

(I'm actually tempted to do a super custom Banshee in 9x25Dillon if I can convince CMMG to make me a barrel in that caliber. Wheeeeeeeeeeee doggy, that'd be blazin' hoot and a half!!)