As I’ve acquired more age and experience, these questions interest me less. I’ve become a committed “define the job, then pick the tool” guy in almost all aspects of life, be it 9 vs 45, Harley vs Sport bike, Jeep vs Truck, etc etc...
That said, for carry I evolved to 9mm since the development of trustworthy ammo. I can shoot 124gr JHPs accurately and easily from giant capacity service pistols all the way down to the DB9 that’s in my back pocket “when I’m not carrying a gun”.
For four legged critters that make their living killing stuff, I love 44mag or 10mm-again, depends on the job situation.
For both two and four legged threats I still like a 357.
For around town, I still love to carry a 1911 either in 45 or 10mm as I love the ergos and soul of a 1911 but if I’m honest, my old XD9 fills the bill well and gets 2x the rounds down range before popping the reload button.
Only caliber I’m no fan of is 40. But that’s from shooting steel days and not liking the narrow margin between soft shooting loads and squibs that blew me three barrels. Anything I need a hot 40 load for I can do better with a hotter 10mm load, and anything a mid range 40 load can do the 9 covers just as well.
Terminal ballistics data of late holds that it’s a tossup between the big three for actual stopping power mano y mano, so pick your poison.