Forgive me for not reading most of the above posts, but I didn’t have to read many to realize there are some of the same old themes here, mostly devoid of facts.
Let’s clarify a few things:
1) All handgun rounds are inadequate to get immediate incapacitation with anything other than a well placed shot to the central nervous system (brain or upper portion of the spinal column).
2) Even a shot to the heart or large vessels above the heart that immediately causes a catastrophic loss of blood pressure still leaves about 10-15seconds of oxygenated blood in the brain and muscles. That means a fatal shot to the heart will still leave the assailant with 10-15 seconds of useful consciousness to continue his assault.
3) Hunters who have shot a deer in the heart will be able to confirm that a heart shot doesn’t always drop an animal in its tracks. Deer hit in the upper chambers of the heart or large arteries above the heart can still run about 50 yards before they collapse and they *will* run if they are able to identify where the threat is coming from. Deer hit in the most muscular - and partially self sealing - lower chambers of the heart cam run 100 yards or more.
Keep in mind this is with hits from high velocity expanding rifle rounds, not handgun rounds. The smart money after hitting an animal that runs off in the brush is to just cool your jets for 15 minutes so that it won’t run far, beds down, gets stiff and won’t be able to get back up.
On the other hand the smart money with damegerous game chargine you is to shoot and keep shooting until it stops the charge, dies, or kills you. This is a lot closer to the suitable response with a human assailant - shoot until the assailant goes down or you reach slide lock.
4) With number 3 in mind remember that missing or getting ineffective hits *faster* isn’t *better*. Good hits are what matter and accuracy and bullet placement matter far more than the cartridge or bullet used in a self defense shoot.
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Statistically speaking when looking at what works well in real world shoots over time, the 125 gr .357 Magnum is pretty much just as effective as anything larger - the .45 ACP, .41 Magnum or the .44 Magnum. However you see a slight decline in performance with the .40 S&W and 9mm Luger. To be fair that’s also probably offset or even more than offset by an ability to get more good hits in the same period of time.
I like the .45 ACP in a 1911, but I also carry a 1911 in 9mm Luger at times and don’t feel any less under gunned. I came to that conclusion that that in a practical pistol match I can score 3 A zone hits with a 9mm in the same time it takes to score just 2 with a .45 ACP. That’s 3 chances to score a cardio vascular or CNS hit and three wound tracks helping to reduce blood pressure rather than just 2.
That’s more compelling than the argument that 9mm hollow points have improved significantly since the 1990s. Thyme have, but so have hollow points in .45 ACP, etc.
We can argue about whether the 9mm is good enough. My position will be that a modern hollow point like the 135 gr Gold Dot in a +P loading it probably is as good as or even better than an old poorly expanding .45 ACP Hi Shok, but a modern .45 ACP hollow point like the 230 gr HST is an awesome performer.
It really comes down to wether an individual can shoot something larger than 9mm Luger with suitable accuracy. Some can. Others can’t.
