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Old 01-21-2011, 03:22 PM
oldtexan oldtexan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by m41 View Post
I was wondering what members in the forum thought was the best all around caliber for semi auto the 9mm, 40, or 45. I have all three but for home defense, target shooting and ccw I am looking for a large capacity auto and couldn't make up my mind which caliber to buy.
Read this thread:

Service Pistol Duty and Self-Defense Loads - M4Carbine.net Forums

Lots of good info there.

BLUF: all three will do the job with the better loads available if the shooter puts the bullets where they need to go. IMO the differences among them aren't that great.

If you have to shoot through automobile windshields, .40 and .45 are somewhat superior to 9mm. Otherwise all three are good choices.

9mm is cheapest to buy, produces the least recoil, may allow you to shoot faster with the same accuracy than the other calibers, and will allow you to carry the most onboard ammunition.

45 ACP crushes more tissue per shot assuming best available loads in each caliber, but has greater recoil, lower capacity, is more expensive, and for many shooters, slower recovery between shots.

40 seems to split the difference.

If you have a strong preference for a particular platform, picking the platform first, then the caliber, may be a good idea. This is because some platforms work better in some calibers than others. For example, getting a 1911 to function reliably seems easier if it's a .45 than if it's a 9mm or .40. Glocks have typically been more durable and reliable in 9mm than .40.

I standardized on 9mm several years back to simplify supply and because my wife shoots 9mm much better than the other calibers.

Last edited by oldtexan; 01-21-2011 at 03:25 PM.
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