Trauma Surgeon EDC? 9 vs 45 vs whatever.

Triathloncoach · Feb 25, 2018

My best friend of 30 years is a Trauma Surgeon in Saint Petersburg. He trained in NYC at Bellevue in the early 90s - near 2,000 murders per year in those days and at a Level Center 1 with helicopter in Florida. He is well into 4 digits in treating gunshot wounds. He only carries a 45. He has a safe full of collectibles and his EDC is this well used 457.

As much as any other reason he likes the 45acp because the police tell him about all the folks shot with a 45 who don’t make it to the ER.

18DAI · Feb 25, 2018

Maybe, since he spent time in New York, that wad is his "mugging money". Its what you give the miscreants (since NY disarms law abiding folks) so you might keep your wallet, ID and credit cards.

And now that he is in a free state, it is what you throw on the ground when being robbed. And while the miscreant is focused on it and bending down to pick it up, you draw your lawfully carried 457 and empty the mag into him.

The 457 is still a VERY underated 45 pistol. A great choice for carry. Light weight, about he perfect size for a carry pistol, fine caliber and it is thin. Conceals very easily and is pleasant to carry all day or night. More accurate and bet your life reliable than pistols costing 3 times as much.

I carry mine at my part time job in a local gunshop on the edge of Indian Country. Great pistol and if it winds up in an evidence locker it is more easily replaced than some of my other more expensive S&W 3rd gen 45s.

You may want to reassess your friends level of intelligence.

Regards 18DAI

TomkinsSP · Feb 25, 2018

18DAI said:
...And now that he is in a free state, it is what you throw on the ground when being robbed. And while the miscreant is focused on it and bending down to pick it up, you draw your lawfully carried 457 and empty the mag into him.

As a doctor, perhaps he should just have Mr. Mugger take two (to the cranium) and call him in the morning...

armedmd · Feb 25, 2018

Trauma surgeon as well

I'm a trauma surgeon as well. Not as old as your friend but hope to stay on the right side of the Earth and reach his level of seniority someday. Not sure the point of this post per se. About everyday that ends in "Y" I'll have a Beretta Nano 9mm in my pocket and a decent chance I'll have a Glock 29 10mm in my belt. I also carry a decent amount of cash in the event I come across something I'd like to purchase and credit cards aren't accepted ie a deal on a gun etc. I hope your friend continues a safe career and never has to use that Smith 457 for anything other than target practice.

Triathloncoach · Feb 25, 2018

I thought people might find it interesting what caliber EDC a trauma surgeon carries. A variation of the 9 vs 45 debate.

18DAI · Feb 25, 2018

It is interesting. Thanks for posting it!

And did you even notice that LE units that have a high contact rate and frequency of social gunfire with felonious miscreants (LAPD Metro/SIS/HRT) all carry 45s? I noticed that too.

Regards 18DAI

Triathloncoach · Feb 25, 2018

18DAI said:
It is interesting. Thanks for posting it!

And did you even notice that LE units that have a high contact rate and frequency of social gunfire with felonious miscreants (LAPD Metro/SIS/HRT) all carry 45s? I noticed that too. Regards 18DAI

I have a gun nut, swat cop friend who works in a bad inner city. His favorite gun to carry is an old HK 45 USP.

18DAI · Feb 25, 2018

We had HK USP 45s for a couple of years. I still have mine. Great gun! And the only plastic gun I own or will own.

For kicking doors or storming beaches, I cant think of a better 45 to do the job with. But -it is pretty big.

For my puposes, in semi retirement, the 4513, 457 and CS45 serve me best. Regards 18DAI

demkofour · Feb 25, 2018

Triathloncoach said:
I thought people might find it interesting what caliber EDC a trauma surgeon carries. A variation of the 9 vs 45 debate.

In big state, county and local agencies where training budgets are always a concern, the .45 has lost footing- it costs too much to properly train the "average" sworn members and ammunition costs can be prohibitive.
My agency transitioned from 9mm Glocks and jumped onto the .40SW bandwagon a few years ago. Training scores went down, ammo cost went up and equipment wear and tear was accelerated.
Guess what we're switching back to soon?
In a perfect world, a bigger entrance hole is always better, but most agencies don't exist in that perfect world... YMMV, but practice, practice, and then practice more with your issued pistol. Be Safe.

GaryS · Feb 25, 2018

Most Boston PD officers carry Glocks in .40 S&W. Officers assigned to the Entry Team carry 1911s.

18DAI said:
It is interesting. Thanks for posting it!

And did you even notice that LE units that have a high contact rate and frequency of social gunfire with felonious miscreants (LAPD Metro/SIS/HRT) all carry 45s? I noticed that too. Regards 18DAI

GaryS · Feb 25, 2018

It's interesting, but it would be also interesting to know how often he goes to the range.

Triathloncoach said:
I thought people might find it interesting what caliber EDC a trauma surgeon carries. A variation of the 9 vs 45 debate.

BAM-BAM · Feb 25, 2018

18DAI said:
It is interesting. Thanks for posting it!

And did you even notice that LE units that have a high contact rate and frequency of social gunfire with felonious miscreants (LAPD Metro/SIS/HRT) all carry 45s? I noticed that too. Regards 18DAI

And an long gun....................

oysterer · Feb 25, 2018

45

Absolutely. If I am stuck in a dark alley I would much like a 45 ACP than 9mm. I use a variety of 9mm in IDPA competition to keep cost down and minimize muzzle flip. If I compare my 1911 with winchester brown box, they really do pack a wallop. I know mass times speed could be equating the same kinetic energy. But I have to assume the larger mass bullet is going to transfer it a whole lot better.

Pete_H · Feb 25, 2018

Jeez, Bellevue to St. Pete? Quite a switch.
I recall the wait times at Bellevue ER could be half a day even if you were bleeding out in the late 80's.
St. Pete sewed my finger back on while I waited last year.
Good luck to him, hope he's my Doc if I go in Swiss cheese like....

Quite interesting to know his carry preference, thanks. those lib nurses may give him some grief, however.

Steve912 · Feb 25, 2018

BAM-BAM said:
And an long gun....................

--all the SWAT long guns are 45-70's, right?

armedmd · Feb 25, 2018

Sorry, I missed the point earlier. In my experience, which isn't as extensive as your friend's, a larger caliber weapon is obviously preferred. Real estate and gunshot wounds are two arenas where location is everything but as always there are exceptions. I've seen a 3 year old survive a .357 magnum to the left chest and I've seen a 22 year old male die from a .32 acp to the groin. A small statured local LEO was forced to fire on an assailant and shot low with his department issued Sig 220 in .45. He hit low center mass and the suspect survived though he certainly had a bad day. We've all seen and heard similar stories. Again, I hope and pray I never have to use a weapon against another human being but if I do find myself in that situation, I prefer that weapon to be whatever I can be most effective with in defending my family and myself. I believe if the aforementioned deputy had been armed with a smaller frame 9mm the suspect would have suffered a much more lethal wound. I'm sure everyone saw the recent video of the mother/daughter team who were robbed in their liquor store and subsequently found themselves in a firefight with the suspect. He took several hits to the chest but was able to flee and present to a local hospital where he is still in critical condition. This solidifies the old saying that if someone is worth shooting, they're worth shooting twice. Needless to say if they were using larger caliber weapons the robber's current state would be room temperature. However they may not have hit him at all. Stay safe and try not to send any business my way!

03hemi · Feb 26, 2018

I find it interesting the type of ammo was never mentioned, only the caliber as this is more important than the size of any round unless your shooting a shotgun or bazooka?

Barrie · Feb 26, 2018

Some of the local Hospitals in my city here have a shooting team made up of chest surgeons. They shoot on our outdoor range all summer mostly. We even have a retired coroner as well as many of the local Police personal also. They have a good time and are very down to earth folks when on the range as well.

Remmark54 · Feb 27, 2018

Back in the 70's I was in the Air Force in Dayton, Ohio and worked moonlight at a hospital downtown. Our ER Doc carried a Browning High Power on the job. We had issues with the black and biker's gangs back then. This guy was a nice black man and had been robbed too many times so he went this route. Cops and hospital didn't seem to mind.
As I've written before. I am in Pathology. What I found interesting was the very high number of FMJ's that I examined from both the living and dead, over 90%, when I lived in Yakima, WA. I guess the gang bangers are cheap or that's what they steal.

BAM-BAM · Feb 27, 2018

I spent about 15 years as a Hospital "Administrator" and In-house counsel........... one of our Psychiatrists was into full auto..... another Doc collected S&W revolvers..... bought them new in box/never fired........

We had a 30 man armed(4"model 10s) Security Dept........ reported to me.

Use to find shell casings in the gutters around the Hospital... from time to time.....

Had a prison riot near by.. we were getting the injured; inmates,guards and cops .....locals were no help .... they were at the prison...... we cleared a unit for the prisoners...... and cuffed them to the beds. (ah for the good old days)

spent 96 hours in house .... with naps on a med/surg unit .... packing a Smith 6906 and 2 extra mags...... the Director of Security was carrying his 4" 10 and a concealed 2 1/2" 19..... the Asst. Dir his model 10 and a 39. Couple of the ER docs ...... don't ask don't tell.

Trauma Surgeon EDC? 9 vs 45 vs whatever.

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