Best pistol caliber??

I searched in vain for this but have a suspicion it was discussed before. What is the best defensive caliber for a handgun? My money is on the .45, but I have heard many claim that with the increased velocity of a 9mm or .40 they are superior. Has anyone HERE done any actual research? Please don't say a .50, I hate hearing that!

I'm with you on the .45cal. Big,heavy and slow enogh to stay in what or who you hit.

I like 40 s&w it has very close to the knock down power of the 45 acp with close to the flat trajectory of the 9 mm. So take your pick 40 s&w is the best IMHO..

I've been wondering about the .40 cal. For some reason I have only read articles about the 9mm and .45 cal. The .40 has to be pretty darn good and flat shooting if so many cops/agents are using it. I think my .45 preference comes from my 1911 preference. Just love my Kimber!

.45 without a doubt. For conceal carry though, .357 Gold Dot, of course with the Taurus 617 7 shot .357. Although, let's not forget the best all around multi purpose round, .22. (ya know, survival reasons ), but not for personal defense.

I carry a govt. model for concealed carry. I'm thinking about picking up a revolver for summer pocket carry though. When it's really hot out and I'm wearing shorts and an undershirt I usually just rely on the girlfriends purse Glock!

reply to post by Raustin


Well in my case, it's kinda hard to rely on my wife's purse when she's carrying a 7 shot .357 too. I feel ya though, I have a Para .45, but I trust my Taurus 617 in case I can only use one hand. I prefer autos, but the model 617 is quite easy to carry and packs quite a punch. It's nice to know the missus and I can put 14 rnds downrange and still conceal with comfort .

reply to post by shai hulud


That is a comforting thought! It's always nice to know of another couple that both carry. I'm a real good shot, but my girlfriend is starting to surpass me and I trust her with the only gun. She punches out a bullseye with my Kimber real quick. She is 5'4" and 110 lbs and doesn't shy at the recoil! I think within the year she will shame me! Have you ever noticed that women (that are not scared) pick up shooting quicker than the fellas? I think it's a macho thing, women listen to instruction, men think they know it all.

.40 due to it's balance of power and speed.

Rendering my second line unto Caesar.

reply to post by Raustin


Seriously though, isn't it unreal how some women take too it so easily? My wife was hitting 2 " groups with a .38 snub at 25 feet on her FIRST try out of the box. She nailed torso 47 out of 52 shots, mostly center mass and head. Made me kinda feel like a chump after all the practice I have done, but then I thought, that is one sexy backup in a clutch. I guess that is what you get when you marry a 5' Irish Blackfoot. No macho here, just proud and ALOT more comfort with the self defense angle. Thank the Constitution for conceal carry permits (say goodbye to them soon).

Back on topic.....yeah, still .45 (XD and 1911A1 fan here), unless revolver....then .357 (you can shoot .38 through it as well). Depends the situation, combat or conceal carry self defense.

[edit on 21-11-2008 by shai hulud]

[edit on 21-11-2008 by shai hulud]

So far we have .45 and .40 cal. No 9mm guys want to stand up? I suppose it is rather late/early depending on where you live. All my Glocks are 9mm, and I do genuinely like the round. From what I have read a 9mm has better penetration due to its velocity.

reply to post by Raustin


I have a Ruger P89 that I completely trust, but only with a a ramline mag with extra rounds. It's light, but so is the punch, not enough knockdown. If I go 9mm, I gotta use Cor Bon. I do however like the .45 Long Colt.

By the way...I would kill for a Kimber..not really, but man what a weapon.

Yeah it's late and I think we are the only "gun nuts" on this thread.

[edit on 21-11-2008 by shai hulud]

reply to post by Raustin


My first handgun was a Glock 17 A little big for concealed carry but accurate and dependable as all hell.

Still given a choice, I'm sticking with my .40.

reply to post by shai hulud


We really are the only ones up this late. I blame coffee after 5 PM! My Kimber is the best handgun I have ever shot. I bought it brand new and it has not malfunctioned once even after 2,000 rounds. You should get one. Actually the only malfunction from a pistol was from one of my three Glocks. One stovepiped when my girlfriend was shooting. In terms of reliability I say revolver, Glock, 1911. After that it doesn't matter. I have heard wonderful things about Ruger though. I never really got the hang of Rugers or Berettas, but I can still respect them. The trigger pull of both throw me off, but I think if I practiced I would shoot some tight groups.

I'll throw my hat in the ring for 10mm. It is one of the highest-power and flattest calibers available for pistols. The 10mm is the patriarch of the .40s&w family - more velocity and greater accuracy.

While I would not recommend 10mm for survival because of the scarcity of its ammo, I like the round because you can get an automatic handgun, revolver, sub-machine gun, and rifle all chambered for it. There are people who swear by this particular caliber for small-game hunting.

Also, compared to the .45acp (which this round delivers more foot-pounds of force than) you can get more 10mm rounds into an automatic pistol's clip that is still comfortable to hold.

Jon

That's a tough question to answer because there is no one best....
Little things like what types of clothing a person has on can dramatically change the effectiveness of any cartridge...

However there is a standard people use
"Sanow, Marshall, and Fuller" have all created what's called a
"One-Shot-Stop Percentage"!

Basically what the chart shows is what is the % that a single shot will kill a human...seemingly forever the .357 is king of one shot stops. but you have to take that data with a grain of salt. those figures were done under careful and ideal conditions...real life isn't like that...but it does give you a measure to make your own mind up to what works best for you...

My carry gun out here in the wide expanse of the southwest is a .41 ruger redhawk. not that I expect to encounter 2 legged varmints but we do see a lot of bear and mountain lions... and I'm confident the .41 will take anything deer sized

reply to post by DaddyBare


Thats a pretty useful comparative tool, but the hard numbers are a bit suspect.

Does it take into account bullet placement? After all, Id rather take a .45 to the arm than a .22 to the head.

I agree with Voxel on this one- 10mm is a useful midway calibre. 9mm/ .45 are best for availability.

10mm might be useful precisely for its scarcity in a survival sit... its less likely to be stolen; and also will be very cheap in barter if you come across some since there wont be much demand.

Shot placement, Shot placement, Shot placement. handguns suck for stopping power. A handgun is so you can fight your way back to your rifle. The only way your gonna get a one shot stop is by getting a CNS hit. You need to practice and practice some more. Then when you think you've done enough, practice even more. Shot palcement means everything for stopping power.

Organally Marshall compiled his data by shooting at cows and pigs... in this Day and age they use ballistic gelatin...remember what I said though this is just a rough guide.... and the only best round is based on personal choice....

As for me I would agree the .45 is a good pick and partnered with a proven firearm like a Colt Combat Commander a tough to beat combo...in skilled hands that is....

As for the 9mm I'm not so sure... one of the darkest days in FBI history surrounds the invention of the invention of the .40 S&W...
See in a Florida shoot out with a suspect the agents pumped something like 20+ rounds in the man...that man hyped up on drugs still managed to kill several of the agents before scumming to his wounds.... that lead the FBI to rethink the practice of carrying a 9mm and held trials for a new choice...in the end it came down to two the 10mm and .40 S&W...while the 10mm had slightly better performance the FBI settled on the .40 as more controllable...

Still where you look back in history how you use it is often better than what you use.... the CIA assigns were quite fond of their .22 short pen gun... looking just like a ball point pen this little shooter was perfect to press against the base of a targets skull and the soft pop was hardly noticeable...the low powered round would enter the brain but without enough energy to exit would just bounce around in there... before you ask no there no longer made but once in a while they do pop up at gun shows...

this all goes to prove one thing... your choice is a personal one... and you really should do your homework before making a choice that your betting you life on...



[edit on 21-11-2008 by DaddyBare]

S&W nickel-plated 357 mag. short barrel, notched small grip revolver. comfortable under a light jacket with shoulder sling. small grip affords passing to a female or teen in case of you being incapacitated. small seal-a-meal packs with 6 rounds in each,insures water-proofing, dust proof and you can toss around a full cylinder load without boxes or single cartridge fumbling. and they are built like a brick sh*t-house