9mm or 40 SW or 45 ACP?

[SSGSAD]

I will tell you, about me, it may NOT work for YOU, you have to try like some others have said here .....
For ME, it is the 9mm, and the .45 ... I do NOT like the "snappy" recoil of the .40.... I shot my buddies, XD, and it hurt my wrist... MY steel S&W .45, does NOT ,..... MY S&W 59, 9mm, does not hurt either..... I also use a .357 S&W, and I load it down, so it does not hurt... for HD, I use .38 +p ..... THIS works for me .....

 

[tlkidd]

Have all 3. 40 cal hands down. Less recoil than the 45 and better stopping power than the 9. Having said that, I enjoy shooting the 45 the most.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Have all 3. 40 cal hands down. Less recoil than the 45 and better stopping power than the 9. Having said that, I enjoy shooting the 45 the most.

The .40 is snapier then the .45. Handguns are not the best choice for SD, unless you like to carry a rifle or shotgun.

 

[TheFireArmorer]

I'd go for .45! why? Cuz it's a badass round and no matter what anybody says, it's gonna do the job and do it well. It's just a little pricey so that's the biggest negative to me. I find the recoil a lot easier to control than a .40. It's more of a dull push than a snappy type that you get with the .40 Don't get me wrong I own an assortment of calibers, but .45 is just a classic and I love it!

 

[Femme Assise]

I would rather get a 9mm for home defense. Granted, it's not the most powerful round for self defense, but it does have several perks which I would consider huge advantages. For one, I have never been a fan of the .40 round. For me, the recoil tends to be quick and snappy, and overall I feel that it is kind of a sloppy self defense round. The .45 is my favorite round; however, for self defense I think there are more factors involved than just taking down an intruder. The .45 has much more penetration than the 9mm, making it more likely to go through walls, and injure other people. For this reason, I believe that the .45 is too powerful, considering you may end up having to shoot it around your family. The 9mm gets the job done, and unless the intruder is wearing Kevlar, it will be very effective, especially with JHP rounds. It may also be easier to handle under high stress. The recoils minimal, while still retaining it's accuracy.

That's just my opinion. Of course, the best gun is always the one you have the most confidence in! I would try a few firearms in different calibers and see what you like.

 

[mstlouis1986]

i've always stuck with .40 but there's many deciding factors, if you don't want holes through every wall in the house should something happen has a .45/410 crossed your mind?

 

[Shift Zombie]

Buy Tulammo , you can find it for 16 bucks a box of 50 for .45. Sometimes less if you buy in bulk. I find .45 to be more controllable than 9mm but ymmv.

 

[Eric05]

Buy Tulammo , you can find it for 16 bucks a box of 50 for .45. Sometimes less if you buy in bulk. I find .45 to be more controllable than 9mm but ymmv.

Agree with you there. Must just be the actual pistol I'm shooting but I love the .45ACP.

 

[Scratcher]

I'm using 9mm at the moment but considering a change to 40 or 45 for knock down capability.

 

[Aaronhome27]

I see a lot of comments about shot placement. Granted that will be key.... BUT how many have been in a high stress situation (outside of LEO's)?? Did you point and shoot rather than worry about shot placement. Practice, practice, practice will always help on shot placement but that is no guarantee what you will do when the time comes to defend yourself. With that said I want something that will do a good bit of damage yet have high capacity. I had a rather large dog charge me when stepping off my ladder in a deer stand a few years ago. Noticed him at around 10-15 yards. I swung and started sending rounds his way. After checking what I had fired I found that I had actually fired 10 rounds his way before he stopped dead in his tracks. He was mere feet from me when he stopped. I had no time to try to aim especially on this fast moving target. For me I use 40 S&W because it is a good mix of power and capacity. I dont have any issues with the recoil or keeping it on track. I highly suggest shooting all three calibers and choose what you feel more comfortable with. All have proven themselves over many years and ammo manufacturers make good ammo for all of them.

 

[jimmyw86]

Get a 9mm with +p or +p+ ammo and you'll do fine. If you want a .45 then go for it. I had an fnp45 and it felt like I was shooting a 9mm, it was also a lot bigger.