More rounds vs. more power (e.g. 9mm vs. .45)

**kel ruger man** · January 7th, 2018, 07:30 AM

more rounds or more power? doesn't really make sense because most 9mm are faster and have more energy than the 45....note I said most, not all. 9mm has come a long way over the years. the only time a 45 will have more energy would be if the 9mm passes through the body and the heavy 45 does not and stops 6 inches in, then yes the 45 in that case will have more energy. I wouldn't want to get hit with either. my motto is carry whatever it is you can shoot well, even if its a 22. if you can't shoot the 45, what good is it?

**Boo Vuccla** · January 7th, 2018, 11:28 AM

A 4" barrel 9mm pistol rated for +P ammo shooting a 115 grain +P JHP has a velocity of over 1200 fps.
A 4" Commander or similar 45 ACP pistol shooting +P 200+ grain JHP ammo is just at or sub-sonic at the barrel's business end.
9mm has less recoil and can be back on target faster than the 45.
9mm has more capacity than a 45.
9mm has lass bulk when carrying concealed than "most" 45 handguns.
Bottom line....shoot what you shoot best regardless of caliber.
Those who would train to shoot both the 9mm and 45 and the 40 and 10mm "well" would most likely gravitate to the 9mm and 40 for the extra capacity they usually afford.
Those who scoff this hypothesis are just like me who hunt deer with 100 year old calibers in 80 year old guns simply because they like doing that and no amount of facts and common sense appeal will change that person's mind.

**Gunsnwater** · January 7th, 2018, 11:35 AM

Originally Posted by Hodgie

Cabbages aren’t humans, .45 won’t cause limbs to fall off or heads to explode. The caliber comparison data has been out there for years, Modern 9mm duty ammo is a very efficient man stopper/killer. Vital hits on the intended target matter regardless of the service pistol caliber one chooses to use.

Cabbage Patch Kids.

Just sayin'.

**streaker69** · January 7th, 2018, 11:38 AM

Originally Posted by Gunsnwater

Cabbage Patch Kids.

Just sayin'.

I bet a video of someone shooting cabbage patch dolls would cause some lib heads to explode.

**Zeke2A** · January 7th, 2018, 06:56 PM

I’ve carried and shot a .40 cal since 1994. I’ve recently switched to 9mm for my winter EDC . Regardless of caliber it’s all about shot placement. The older I get the more comfortable I am with the 9mm . I still have 3 .40’s in my House for HD but my EDC is now either a 9mm or a .38 snub . IMHO it’s all about what you personally shoot well and practice with. I will,not purchase another .40 all of my future handguns will be 9mm.

**KCJones** · January 7th, 2018, 08:51 PM

Originally Posted by streaker69

I bet a video of someone shooting cabbage patch dolls would cause some lib heads to explode.

For that... I will assuredly acquire & video the shooting of some cabbage patch dolls next time we head for the farm!

**buxbandit** · January 7th, 2018, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by KCJones

For that... I will assuredly acquire & video the shooting of some cabbage patch dolls next time we head for the farm!

Please post it when you do!

**marinville** · January 7th, 2018, 09:09 PM

Originally Posted by kel ruger man

more rounds or more power? doesn't really make sense because most 9mm are faster and have more energy than the 45....note I said most, not all. 9mm has come a long way over the years. the only time a 45 will have more energy would be if the 9mm passes through the body and the heavy 45 does not and stops 6 inches in, then yes the 45 in that case will have more energy. I wouldn't want to get hit with either. my motto is carry whatever it is you can shoot well, even if its a 22. if you can't shoot the 45, what good is it?

45acp typically has 50-75 more ft/lb of energy at the muzzle than 9mm. 9mm is faster, and also lighter.

**thanker92** · January 7th, 2018, 09:20 PM

Enough is enough!!!!! Get a flamethrower!!!! Debate over!!!!!!

**KCJones** · January 7th, 2018, 09:33 PM

Originally Posted by marinville

45acp typically has 50-75 more ft/lb of energy at the muzzle than 9mm. 9mm is faster, and also lighter.

In a word: Overpenetration. Total energy vs. delivered-to-the-target energy are different things.

Like I've said before... cabbages.

Cabbages exploding into slaw with .45 is different than taking a chunk off the cabbage with 9mm (even with energy left over to deliver into the berm).

I ain't saying cabbages are an analog for a human head or target. I -am- saying, they're an apples-apples comparison.

You can talk theory all you want, and that's fine and more power to you. Carry whatever you like and I ain't arguing. 9mm is not bad. I loves me some 17-shot 9mm pistols.

But I'm a country boy from the show-me state. What I been showed is what a .45 does to cabbages and what a 9mm does to cabbages. They're not comparable IMHO, and you're not likely to convince me otherwise with fancy math and fancy talk.

But you go ahead. You do what you want and carry what you want. Hell's bells: carry a .950 rifle if that works for you and you can carry it.

I'm not tryin' to tell anyone what to do here. Just sayin' what I do and what I carry within the carry-constraints I face.