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.

The one you shoot the best and can afford to shoot the most.

......moon

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NRA Life Member

IMHO, .45 ACP, .40, and lastly the 9mm. The .45 ACP has been doin' it all for 100 yrs.....

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'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

9mm firearms are going to have a higher capacity due to round size, and are cheaper to shoot due to ammunition costs. When the ammunition shortage was the worst, only 40S&W seem to be more commonly available. I like 9mm and 45acp, found that my arthritic hands didn't care for the recoil "snap" of the 40S&W, but I am an admitted "wussy" so you can take that with a grain of salt. The highest recommendation when it comes to home-defense and CCW, is to pick the firearm that is the most reliable, and you are most compitent with.

.45 ACP is THE standard to which all others are compared and aspire.

/c

There are as many opinions on this topic, as there are combinations of ammunition and models of handguns to shoot it from.

In my experience, the "best all round semi auto caliber" is the one you shoot most accurately and practice regularly with. Everything else is internet conjecture.

I've seen folks DRT from .22 on up. Shot placement did them in, nothing else. Regards 18DAI.

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.

45 ACP, followed by the 9mm the 40 is worthless in my eyes.

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Sie vis pacem parabellum

Everybody knows that I'm partial to .356 TSW.
Capacity of a 9 m.m. framed firearm, fire power of a .357 Magnum.
Chronographed a 3.50" barrel 3913 conversion yesterday Federal 147 gr. flat point match ammo - 1250 fps.
Cor-Bon used Speer 124 gr. GDBHP's @ 1450 fps.
What more could you ask for?
Regards,
BM1

I agree with what 18DAI said but add that I am not a fan of the .40 round. If you want capacity get the 9mm, if you want power get the .45. The .40 is simply a comprise round without the power the latter or the capacity of the former.

What Moonclip said, the one you shoot the best. For me, that's .45ACP.

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~ S&WCA No.2159 ~

Whichever you shoot best is well said. And if you feel caliber makes a big difference then go that way. I used to think only a .357 mag with wild hand loads would be best, but now I protect me and mine with a .40. I have faster reloads and more shots per load than my .357.

Undoubtedly a magnum rifle will put out the most penetration and power, a shotgun the most forgiving aim, and a machine gun the fastest follow up shot. I have shot all of them, and actually shoot them quite well. If the apocalypse happens tomorrow I'll gather a couple machine guns and grab as many 9mm pistols as I can find because 9mm ammo will be the most common on a battlefield. I'd also get a rifle that shoots full metal jacketed rounds capable of penetrating vehicles.

But lets get back to what you need a weapon for now, pre-apocalypse.

You want something that you can shoot well and often, and you can teach others to shoot. If the weapon isn't second nature to you, if you can't completely operate it in the dark, if you have any hesitation, then you have the wrong weapon.

BTW, I just ordered a BG 380 a bit ago, and will carry that. Sure the power isn't the most, but it's nice and small and I never expect to need to pull it out. It's a tool I need to carry everywhere but probably never use. Comfort first in that case. If I ever do need to use it, God forbid, well then I will be proficient enough to place 6 good shots and increase my chances of going home.

The 10mm, of course. Chock full o' DoubleTaps. I put mine to work this evening to dispatch a critter that shouldn'ta ought been there. Fell like a box of rocks. Yeah, I could have sprayed a bunch of nines at him, but I had other things to do.

Everyone laughs at a 9mm because of its bigger brothers- the .40 & .45. I will tell you it is controlable, lighter recoil and has up up to 17-18 rounds. With today's ammo a 9mm 124 grain +P+ is an effective round and I would not volunteer to stand in front of it. I own multiples of and shoot all three. Bottom line is shot placement is everything so carry what you can handle and recover from for an accurate second and third shots. The S&W M&P 9, Glock 19, and H&K P30L are my choices.

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NRA Bene Life, SWCA 2372

Yes, what he said.

Have them all and like them all. Most people can afford to shoot the 9mm more often. For defense, I would prefer a caliber that begins with a 4, but a 9mm will certainly work. People saying the .40 is worthless is ridiculous. My 4013 is far from worthless.

I personally have nothing against the .356TSW, but sure would love to find it on a local gunshop's shelf once in awhile. Unless you reload or buy online, having the .356TSW seems like living in constant ammo shortage.

The 10mm is another good round, would certainly be a powerful round for home-defense or concealed carry. However would be very costly for a range gun, produces lots of recoil, and isn't available in as many stores as the: 9mm, 40S&W, 45acp.

The .357 sig is another round that is commonly available everywhere, but man are you going to pay. It produces a very snappy recoil, and most people tend to not like the bottle-neck casing.

I don't think that any round is useless, if someone is protecting their family or themselves, any caliber is better than nothing at all.

This is why so many great pistols are made in great calibers. I don't think there is a perfect combo for all uses. For me, the 45ACP is the best all around cal. My CCW is a ten shot PT 145, house gun is a Colt 1911, and at the range I use a 25-5 and a 1917 Classic so I don't go chasing the cases. Of course many other guns and calibers go to the range with me and my hunting stuff is different yet. But, if you need to put a hole in something why not put a big hole in it?

Wouldnt the opposite of what you are saying also be true? The 40 is a compromise round with more power than the 9 and more capacity than the 45? Looking at it this way, it would make it the superior round. It all depends how you look at it.
Me, I'll take the 10mm over any of the rounds above. If you hand load, you can use bullets ranging from 125 gr to 220gr and load them as timid or as hot as you want. You can have loads as light as a 9mm or as hot as a 41 magnum. What other caliber can you say that about?

Wait....let me get my popcorn! This debate used to be 9mm v. 45 ACP. Now we have an interloper, the 40 S&W. IMHO, shoot the one you're best with, and buy good quality defensive ammunition to use when you're carrying it.

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N.R.A. BENEFACTOR Member

I agree with you Palmetto, and usually stay away from these caliber threads, as they usually lead to people saying: "insert caliber" is useless/uneffective, or the I like "insert caliber" and it is the only one that will stop a bad guy. Or "keyboard" specialists that think "insert caliber" will "knock-down" bad guy right there. Usual words of wisdom is training and shot placement are key, a .50AE shot to the foot, probably isn't as effective as a .22lr shot to the heart/brain.

For the original poster, you have an advantage of having 3 of the most popular handgun calibers, which are widely available and with today's bullet technology, you can have a plethora of effective calibers for personal protection, as well as plinking/training. I would not feel under-gunned with either of them in my hand.

With that said I would go with .41 action express.

9 mm box of 50 = about $12

45 acp box of 50 = about $18

As an Army brat, I grew up with 45's and 1911's, but the economy is tight right now, so I am going with the 9 mm with the adage "it's all about shot placement".

good luck!

I'm a big fan of the .45 ACP, but lately have grown fond of the 9mm as well. The cute little saying, "shot placement is King, penetration is Queen, and everything else is (non relevant)" is probably pretty accurate.
I also have to agree with the 10mm fan who pointed out that the 10mm can be loaded from bunny poot to very serious levels. I own a 1006 and wouldn't hesitate for a moment to use it in a SD situation. It's a bit big and heavy for everyday carry, but makes a hell of a bedside gun. Like a full bore .357, it WILL shoot through walls, doors, the neighbor's house, etc. Gotta be a bit careful where you aim it.

It's a toss up; there's a pile of 1911 style semi-autos.

S&W 1911 45 ACP SS with target sights , all the special options and custom grips is top of the pile, but there are 14 & 13 round Paras, SA, 2 customs, Remington, 4 Colts, Kimber, 16 round Para 40 S&W, and an 18 round Para 9mm with little brother Kimber 9 mm.

Best caliber: 45 acp. Load a mild 185 gr SWC for bullseye, or a pin busting 255 gr SWC (45 LC bullet) with HS-7 and 24# recoil spring [works really great in compensated barrel].

40 S&W is ok because there is sooooooo much free range brass and 9 mm is easy for Mrs Engineer to cycle the slide.

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S&WHF 366

In my opinion the nine is fine, I have no love for the .40, and as for the "Ancient Warrior" .45 ACP, it will do 90% of your handgunning chores!
But I'm more of a 10mm guy as it takes up where the .45 leaves off and as others have said, can approach .41 Magnum territory.
Now if left to my own devices and when S&W decides to build one, a Lightweight Commander in .38 Super is my pick of the litter! Dale
I'd like to add that recently I picked up a SIG P229 and converted it to .357SIG. Now here's an interesting round! It has replaced my enthusiasm for the Super .38, in a modern hi-capacity design that I have years of experience with.
And due to the recent mass buyings and ammo shortage, this and the .40 are abundant in my area, and I like this bottle necked hot rod! But then I like 7.62x25 Tokarev too. I like being different.

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"Long live the S&W 3rd. Gen.!"

This debate is as old as the hills.......both .45 and 9mm are over 100 years old and have been popular since day 1. Europeans are in love with 9mm, we gave in to NATO standards and gave up our .45's in favor of the 9mm, since handguns play so little of a role in modern military usage anyway. I was an 11B in the active duty Army for 3 years and fired a grand total of 0 rounds through an M9.

There are a zillion handgun calibers out there and every one has fans that swear it's the best. I stopped giving advice on these threads because people are gonna do what they want anyway. There's always the "I use .44 Magnum for everything", "if you carry a pistol it better be in something that starts with a 4" and then "what about .357 Sig" and then the "I carry a .32 NAA all day every day" so choose what you like the best. There's even oddballs out there carrying Ruger P89's with European contract .30 Luger barrels in them because they think it's the best round ever devised, I even talked to a guy who carries an old S&W top break chambered for .44 American......

I personally like 9mm, it's cheap and available, and many of my favorite handguns were designed as 9's like the CZ75 and Hi-Power. That's just me, I like 9mm because I can load my CZ75 with 17+1 of +P HP's without having to carry a spare mag the size of a baton. It's my opinion and worth what you paid for it.

Poor 9mm. I witnessed one penetrate a plaster wall, wooden lath boards, the other side wooden lath, plaster, ceiling plaster, wooden lath and a ceiling joist. 9mm bullet failed to penetrate the roof. Sure was loud inside though. (wasn't me)

As others have stated, the best of the three is what you shoot the best and what you are most comfortable with. I have pistols in both 9mm and 45ACP, don't currently own one in 40 S&W. I'm most comfortable with my S&W 5906 in 9mm.

I like the 45acp and figure if the answer to the problem takes more than 8 rounds then I should have grabbed the shotgun or the AR. If you're not a reloader and want high capicity or to shoot alot choose the 9. Otherwise go for one of the larger bores. Some of the newer 9mm self defense ammo is rated very high as a fight stopper but you'll pay a very high price to practice alittle with it. The 45 bore has been TCB for over 100 years now. TMSAISTI.

Am I going to be the only one here to defend the 40 S&W? I'm finding much more 40 S&W brass than 45 ACP at the range and actually slightly more than 9mm even! It gives more capacity, but still has great knock-down power. To me, it's the perfect compromise and is able to be in slimmer, easier to conceal guns than the 45 ACP. Now please, in NO WAY am I dissing either the 9mm or the 45 ACP, but for me, the 40 S&W is my go to round and it's popularity amoung law enforcement says a lot in my mind.

Of all the popular SD calibers, the best one is the one in my hand when I need it. Nothing else matters at that point.

I have a .40 also so that means it's the best and all the rest of you are wrong.

I was a .357 magnum-beats-all kind of guy because that's what I had and liked to shoot. I could load .38's in it, and then really heat up some 158 grain hand loads to make a flamethrower out of the thing! Sure I was shooting a .44 magnum also, but I liked my .357. I really wondered how the rimless guys could accept those paltry loads a .40 or .45ACP puts out.

Then I carried a .22 for a while. Nice, light, and I was deadly accurate with it. Used to practice by hip shooting tin cans like in the old west. Anybody willing to take a dozen shots from a .22? Me either!

I carry a .40 now. I like the fact I can load 15 rounds if I want. I like the shape and feel. I like the gun. I like that it can be a 9mm for an $80 barrel change.

I ordered a .38 for CCW. I don't want to carry my .40 all the time. So now I like the .38.

In a nutsack, I think anything from .22 up to the new .50's are good carry guns. (forgot to mention my BIL has a 50 I like to shoot!)

You will like what you own, obviously or you wouldn't own it! I shoot my .22's the most because they are a blast and are so cheap to shoot. They are by far the most important gun anyone can own methinks. If you don't have a couple of .22's you are missing a great time.

The best all around automatic caliber is 9mm. Ammo is more plentyful and reasonably priced. This caliber is also a decent self defense caliber and recoil is very easy to manage followup shots with. Shot placement is far more important that the size of the bullet. As you go up in caliber the magazine capacity goes down and the size and weight of the gun goes up thus loosing capacity and conceal carry ability.

As a mechanic or carpenter you have several different tools in the chest to use depending on the need. This is no different..

For me it's:

.45 or .357 Mag. for home defense
9mm for carry
380 for dress carry

That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Sure the all put nasty holes in stuff, but you all forget that when the zombie terrorists set off an nuclear EMP that destroys society, 9mm, being most common, will be the ammo most sifted from the rubble to fight off the dead survivors:!

It's good to plan ahead.

kk gotta add my .02 thers a ballistics chart floating around here someplace, can't remeber the thread. But it shows that the 147 gr JHP has the EXACT penetration of the .40 hmm somthing to give a little thought to. The .40 was the answer in the 80's to better penetration and stopping power, but with better bullet tech, I dont think its the king anymore. shoot what ya like, shoot it often, and have fun!

I bet I can find enough .45 ACP to cover my rear.

Interesting FBI report on caliber choice and bullet 'knockdown power':

http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf


Excerpt:

Goddard amply proves the fallacy of "knock-down power" by calculating the heights (and
resultant velocities) from which a one pound weight and a ten pound weight must be dropped to equal the
momentum of 9mm and .45ACP projectiles at muzzle velocities, respectively. The results are revealing.
In order to equal the impact of a 9mm bullet at its muzzle velocity, a one pound weight must be dropped
from a height of 5.96 feet, achieving a velocity of 19.6 fps. To equal the impact of a .45ACP bullet, the
one pound weight needs a velocity of 27.1 fps and must be dropped from a height of 11.4 feet.


And the final recommendation after 16 pages:

Kinetic energy does not wound. Temporary cavity does not wound. The much discussed "shock"
of bullet impact is a fable and "knock down" power is a myth. The critical element is penetration. The
bullet must pass through the large, blood bearing organs and be of sufficient diameter to promote rapid
bleeding. Penetration less than 12 inches is too little, and, in the words of two of the participants in the
1987 Wound Ballistics Workshop, "too little penetration will get you killed." Given desirable and
reliable penetration, the only way to increase bullet effectiveness is to increase the severity of the wound
by increasing the size of hole made by the bullet. Any bullet which will not penetrate through vital organs
from less than optimal angles is not acceptable. Of those that will penetrate, the edge is always with the
bigger bullet.

@Lost Lake

I thought we were only talking about semi-auto calibers in this discussion? I mean I'm a much bigger 357 mag or 44 mag fan (I think it'll take me several thousands of rounds of each to figure out which one of those I like more :-D), but for semi-auto, I love the 40 S&W.

Lastly, I agree, having something on your person is better than nothing, I too will take a .22 pistol over leaving a larger caliber at home at day of the week.

Yep, just semi-auto.... I just wanted to point out that my thoughts have changed over the years (guns I have owned).

I myslef prefer the 45acp. I have alwyas liked to shoot that round and ammo isnt too expensive around here.After the 45 I myself would choose the 9mm. Very very quick follow up shots and with the newer ammo just as good as the 40.The 40 is alright but gets snappy in smaller concealed carry guns and most dont care for it.

The FBI say .40cal, and that's good enough for me.
I would suggest though, that you shoot the same round that your local coppers use. Just in case you have to defend your family you can use the argument, "If they can use this round to defend the public and themselves why can't I?"
Just my .02 cents

For the sake of discussion, let me add this to the mix...what about .45 GAP?

Although the 40 is a compromise round, I don't consider that bad. In fact, you could view it as incorporating the best features of both 9mm and 45. It has a higher capacity than a 45 and diameter is right in the middle between 9mm (35cal) and 45 cal. Best of both worlds! I do agree that the 40 has a fairly snappy recoil.

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Dick

45Gap is not readily avaible for most and expensive. It is a good round and the Highway patrol use it around here. I think most dont consider it b/c it isd way to expensive to shoot and not much for reloading it right now.

I used to be all about the .45ACP. Don't get me wrong, I still love that round and really enjoy shooting it.
I picked up my first 9mm on a whim, not liking the round. I justified that it would be good semi auto practice with a round that was cheap to shoot. The more I shot 9mm the more I liked it and more so the guns built from ground up as 9mm. The mid sized polymer 9mm guns just carry good and have a good supply of ammo in the gun. They are accurate and easy to shoot. They won me over.
With the advances in ammunition the 9 has become my go to round and the .45ACP my shooting for fun round.

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Straight shootin'
SWCA#2439

I usually avoid these discussions along with discussions of politics and religion, but what the heck;

In my opinion, 9mm, .40 and .45 (and some of the other oddball and older cartridges) can all do what is required whether for defense, law enforcement or targets, assuming proper ammo choice. Leaving aside ammo prices, which one is "best" depends on the gun, the shooter's needs and abilities and personal preference. If you are limited to non-expanding ammo, that is a different matter.

If we are talking about defense/law enforcement use, then for the sake of discussion I would generally choose a 9mm in small, light guns and the .40 in "duty" sized guns EXCEPT that there are some very nice Performance Center single stack .45's that are not available in .40 and I like single stack guns.

I am still quite fond of the .45 but am beginning to think there is nothing it does that the .40 can't do as well with maybe a couple extra rounds in the magazine, and in a 4" or shorter barrel, perhaps do better. I don't find the .40 in a 180 gr. is any more "snappy" in recoil than a .45.

In the end though, it's like asking what flavor of ice cream is best Your answer and mine may be different but equally valid.

I think we all need at least one gun in each caliber.

40 Smith & Wesson.

I only have one 9mm. It's cheap enough to shoot and fairly accurate, light but OK as a defensive option in decent sized guns.

I have several 45ACPs. They can be pretty accurate with some loads in the right gun, seem proven enough as a defensive option, but I've never been particularly impressed with the cartridge's inability to provide decent penetration.

The 40, while not the most accurate in most guns, has what the other two lack and brings it's own special qualities to the table. It is no wonder that it's now a top choice for police agencies nationwide.

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" I said, good DAY! "

I question if there is really much difference between a 9mm, .40, .45 at all.

Really a .1" size difference is a bit, but energy wise we can load them all to be kind of equivalent can't we? A smaller lighter bullet can be forced to travel faster and result in a similar energy level. We don't worry about overspeeding a bullet until we reach 4,000 fps and above, so a 9mm can cook out of the barrel I would think at 1400 fps pretty easily. Wouldn't the limiting factor be amount of recoil and barrel strength?

And in the end, won't each one of them poke a hole in a person? And isn't that the end result we are looking for?

I think these calibers are so close we are splitting hairs. Compare any of these to a shotgun slug, a .22 short, or a 300 Win Mag. and now we could talk about significant differences.