Which Handgun Caliber is better ?

[survivalshop]

  Interesting piece on what is the best handgun caliber for defensive use .

https://gundigest.com/handguns/concealed-carry/best-caliber-self-defense-concealed-carry-ammo

[98Z5V]

I like the end of that article - sums it all up perfectly. 

[AngelDeVille]

I shoot 9mm better, I'll just tell everyone at the gun shop I CC a Wildey Mag...

 

Edited January 2, 2018 by AngelDeVille

[D.R.D.]

Interesting:  (from the comments below the article)

"Ok you made the comment “surgeons can’t tell by looking at a cadaver on a slab which caliber put them there.”
Two problems with that.
1 If it’s on a slab in a morgue it would be a pathologist or coroner looking at it. Any experienced of those could definitely tell the difference by the size of the entry/exit holes and surrounding tissue damage. That’s their job.
2. Having worked on many a poor soul in a trauma OR for almost 25 years, where surgeons do see the damage, I can say with a personal record of about 72% accuracy that just looking at x-rays I know whether it’s a 9mm or a 45acp. That goes up drastically once I see the actual wound. Even the high end expanding 9mm self defense round make small dime to nickel sized holes, unless they hit long bone, the bone is shattered and small pieces of the bullet are mixed in with the bone fragments. . The 40 makes nickel to quater sized holes long bones are also shattered and big pieces of bullet are present. The 45acp rounds make lemon sized holes, long bones are powdered and the mostly intact bullet is found past the bone not in its fragments.

When it comes to vitals hit, heart, lungs, liver. Heart hits well all calibers the victim is gone by the time they reach us. Lung, 9mm unless it’s in the hylum no problem ewsy fix sew up the hole, 40 you’re missing a small chunk of lung to fix same with the hylum, 45acp well that lobe of the lung is a goner. Hylum hits 9mm if the Pulmonary artery and vein are not directly hit pain in the arse but fixable, 40 same, 45acp d.o.a. even a near miss shreds the P.A. and P.V. Now on to the liver. 9mm makes messy holes that are fillable with coagulants, 40 larger holes that require the use of lots of electrocautery as well as the coagulants, 45acp usually we have to resect that section of the liver to stop the bleeding due to that area is pretty much liquified.

This has been my actual experience working in US Navy during Desert Storm and a level one trauma facility in Washington DC for more than 2 decades. We have a VERY active gun and knife club and the police, secret service and miltary police shoot lots of people with a combination of these rounds, the bad guys add even more. You see as many holes as I have you can easily tell the difference."

[AngelDeVille]

I would think once you reach the morgue, the round was effective.

[edgecrusher]

Thank you DRD, good first hand insight. Whatever you can hit your target with is obviously the best. I prefer .45ACP but would use any projectile available when the time comes to be on the winning team....

[unforgiven]

Good info brother. Just got back from the range with wife and granddaughter 15. Took both Xdm's 4.5 in 9mm and .45 ACP both did better with 9mm Jess did great for fist time with the .45 but also enjoyed the reduced recoil of the 9mm. Go with what you can control is always best.

I am a .45 fan. 13+1 Xdm

[survivalshop]

On 1/2/2018 at 12:10 PM, D.R.D. said:

Interesting:  (from the comments below the article)

"Ok you made the comment “surgeons can’t tell by looking at a cadaver on a slab which caliber put them there.”
Two problems with that.
1 If it’s on a slab in a morgue it would be a pathologist or coroner looking at it. Any experienced of those could definitely tell the difference by the size of the entry/exit holes and surrounding tissue damage. That’s their job.
2. Having worked on many a poor soul in a trauma OR for almost 25 years, where surgeons do see the damage, I can say with a personal record of about 72% accuracy that just looking at x-rays I know whether it’s a 9mm or a 45acp. That goes up drastically once I see the actual wound. Even the high end expanding 9mm self defense round make small dime to nickel sized holes, unless they hit long bone, the bone is shattered and small pieces of the bullet are mixed in with the bone fragments. . The 40 makes nickel to quater sized holes long bones are also shattered and big pieces of bullet are present. The 45acp rounds make lemon sized holes, long bones are powdered and the mostly intact bullet is found past the bone not in its fragments.

When it comes to vitals hit, heart, lungs, liver. Heart hits well all calibers the victim is gone by the time they reach us. Lung, 9mm unless it’s in the hylum no problem ewsy fix sew up the hole, 40 you’re missing a small chunk of lung to fix same with the hylum, 45acp well that lobe of the lung is a goner. Hylum hits 9mm if the Pulmonary artery and vein are not directly hit pain in the arse but fixable, 40 same, 45acp d.o.a. even a near miss shreds the P.A. and P.V. Now on to the liver. 9mm makes messy holes that are fillable with coagulants, 40 larger holes that require the use of lots of electrocautery as well as the coagulants, 45acp usually we have to resect that section of the liver to stop the bleeding due to that area is pretty much liquified.

This has been my actual experience working in US Navy during Desert Storm and a level one trauma facility in Washington DC for more than 2 decades. We have a VERY active gun and knife club and the police, secret service and miltary police shoot lots of people with a combination of these rounds, the bad guys add even more. You see as many holes as I have you can easily tell the difference."

 

  Since that was a comment from the Article , it sounds just like the debate that has went on for decades ! ( & he is a 45 auto fan !)        The 45 acp caliber is a one shot man Killer !  How many times have I read tor heard that statement .

   Its all about shot placement , period .

  

Edited January 7, 2018 by survivalshop

[Gschnarr]

For a number of years, I also saw many GSWs in the trauma rooms in a few hospital ERs. All handgun rounds basically suck. Because of this, I have come to the conclusion that the most important factor is to use a handgun that you can use and use effectively. You need to be accurate with it and be comfortable with it. There is an older article that explains how and why I feel this way. I'm sure a number of you have seen it already, but it still applies  

 

 

http:// https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/alternate-look-handgun-stopping-power

[Gschnarr]

This link works

 

https://www.buckeyefirearms.org/alternate-look-handgun-stopping-power

Edited January 6, 2018 by Gschnarr
Bad link

[ARTrooper]

I'm a 9mm fan myself. .357 in revolver though. 

[Magwa]

A 9mm may expand but a 45ACP will never shrink....... :)

[Matt.Cross]

16 hours ago, Magwa said:

A 9mm may expand but a 45ACP will never shrink....... :)

Thus endeth the lesson. 

[unforgiven]

On ‎1‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 11:24 PM, Matt.Cross said:

Thus endeth the lesson. 

Did Mike just drop the mike.....

[ARTrooper]

yeah... there was no good comeback for that. lol.

[392heminut]

My newest carry gun is in 40 S&W. Why? Because I have 2K rounds of factory hollowpoints compliments of Uncle Sam via the U. S. Border Patrol! No other reason! I'm of the opinion that the bullet technology of today has narrowed the field between the three calibers so much that it's a moot point.

BTW, my son tells me that the Border Patrol is switching from 40 S&W to 9mm.

[shepp]

1 hour ago, 392heminut said:

My newest carry gun is in 40 S&W. Why? Because I have 2K rounds of factory hollowpoints compliments of Uncle Sam via the U. S. Border Patrol! No other reason! I'm of the opinion that the bullet technology of today has narrowed the field between the three calibers so much that it's a moot point.

BTW, my son tells me that the Border Patrol is switching from 40 S&W to 9mm.

Number one reason I like my .40, tons of surplus hollow points, cheap enough you can practice with it and not blow 20$ in one or two mags

[Sisco]

Sold my 40 put my 9mm on the shelf and have 4 -45's. Just my personal preference. But for accuracy at any distance, nothing beats my N Frame S and W 357. Just impossible to CC

[dsdmmat]

Interesting question, I suppose the right answer is the one that is in your hand at the time you need it. 

 

I am am partial to the 45 ACP, 41 Mag and the 38 super. I normally carry the 45 but, have been known to carry a 40, 9mm, 357 and 38 super as well. 

[Magwa]

It is like sword play stick em with the pointy end... shoot em with what you carry I really believe it is 90% mind set that you are willing to fight instead of surrender in the situation keep the mindset that you are in the right and for good reason keep em on the target, caliber is indeed moot..... but a 45 will never be smaller than 45...... :) just sayin.....

[ARTrooper]

9 hours ago, shepp said:

Number one reason I like my .40, tons of surplus hollow points, cheap enough you can practice with it and not blow 20$ in one or two mags

to bad my agency can't get me more than 50 rounds to shoot every 3 months because "they don't have the money"

 

[Sharpshooter]

Not as bad as having someone who doesn't ever practice. When I was on the force (small town PD), we instituted required qualifications and had one guy show up with ammo so old it was glued to the cylinder, green gunk all over. I'd like to think those days are gone, but people are still people so I'm sure it still happens.

[ARTrooper]

We shoot our duty rounds when we qualify, then get new ones. 

[Sharpshooter]

Sensible.