WHY 9mm?

[jimmyj]

Hi:
What are your reasons for CCW a 9mm?
What type ammo do you use?
Do you feel comfortable with a 9mm or would you prefer a larger caliber?
Thanks,
Jimmy

 

[cmort666]

I regularly carry a Glock 19 or a Browning Hi Power.

• Accurate
• Easy to shoot
• Reasonably effective

I also carry a full sized M1911 in .45acp, as well as a Model 36 and a 3" Model 65.

The gun I carry the least is my Glock 22. It's a good gun, but the hard muzzle whip makes it difficult to control in rapid fire. I had a choice between a G19 and a G23, and chose the G19 for that reason.

 

[Kanewpadle]

I worked weekends at a gunshop for a few years. Which hardly makes me an expert, but I saw more 9MM's go out the door for a few reasons.

1.Many of them were the first service caliber gun for some.
2.Most 9MM guns offer a comfortable grip and reduced recoil and provide plenty of capacity.
3. 9MM ammo is less expensive. Especially for those new to guns that require more training and practice.
4. Some of us feel that the caliber of the man is more important than the caliber of his gun.

Some of these buyers were young, old, male, female, married, not married.

Couples found the 9MM to be attractive because both could shoot it effectively for less money than a 40 or 45.

Younger men bought one because they had to have a "nine".

Mostly I carry an M&P 357Sig (125gr Gold Dot), sometimes a 1911 (230gr 45ACP Win Ranger T), and while at work a Kel Tec PF9 (Corbon DPX).

I don't feel undergunned or overgunned with either.

 

[J.P.60]

I think, in the end, there are two major reasons so many carry the 9mm (I do not).

First, the 9's are cheap to shoot and there's a myriad of cheap plastic pistols to choose from.

Second, television, the military and law enforcement use them regularly and therefore, "They must be the best."

I prefer .45acp and, particularly, the Commanders although I also carry 5" 1911's and various .45acp revolvers.

 

[snw19_357]

What are your reasons for CCW a 9mm?

#1 - its the one that 'fits me' the best.
#2 - size, weight, and 100% reliable.

4. Some of us feel that the caliber of the man is more important than the caliber of his gun.

I like that.

 

[Lost Lake]

I like the post another member posted a few weeks ago...

'Because I don't want to spend more than a buck in ammo to kill a bad guy'

Or something to that effect...

I think it's cost really. I don't have one, but I am getting a 9mm barrel for my .40 so my 13 year old daughter can plink with it. I reload my own .40's which is probably cheaper than 9's anyway. Maybe if I got a lighter spring I could load soft .40's and not even need a 9 barrel.....

But it must be cost. I know why I have a .40. It holds more shells than a .45, is easily changed to a 9 or 357, and many loads have more power than a .45. What's not to love? The recoil is almost nothing and it's easy for a full sized man to shoot. It may be a bit heavy for women, I don't know as my wife and daughters have not tried it yet.

In the end, yes a 10mm is bigger, but holds fewer rounds and isn't as versatile for swapping calibers. 9mm is cheaper, but I think they are underpowered especially when you think you may have to shoot through windshields, walls, cabinets, storefronts, car doors or whatever.

But hey, this is my opinion and I know I'm wrong, so please don't waste the pixels pointing that out to me.

 

[max]

I usually carry a Sig 229 in 9mm or a Smith 669. I own a number of 45's but prefer the magazine capacity of the 9's. I think a premium 9mm jhp is very close in effectiveness to one in 45.

I also tend to shoot the Sig a great deal and like the amount of experience I have had with it.

 

[RufusG]

Hi:
What are your reasons for CCW a 9mm?
What type ammo do you use?
Do you feel comfortable with a 9mm or would you prefer a larger caliber?
Thanks,
Jimmy

Lot's more bullets in a 9mm than most alternatives. Practice ammo is cheap.

Speer Gold Dot +P 124 gr.

If I wasn't comfortable with it I wouldn't carry it. I shoot a 45 just as well as a nine. I have and have had numerous 45s. I just choose to carry a nine. Examining the broad scope of all the caliber comparison evidence available, I really have a hard time seeing how people convince themselves all their problems are solved if their cartridge choice "starts with a 4".

 

[Strato]

Light weight, high capacity, quickness and accuracy of follow up shots.
124gr golden sabre +p jhp
I have no problem carrying larger calibers but I'm still comfortable with the nine. I believe that reguardless of caliber or number of rounds fired it's still that one round that hits just right that makes the stop. I don't believe in "spray and pray" but I'm a little more comfortable with 17 chances than 8.

 

[WC145]

Why the 9mm? Simple - speed and accuracy.
I carry a S&W 1911 9mm Pro Series on duty and a Fusion 9mm CCO off duty. My loads of choice are Federal 9BPLE 115gr JHP +P+ and Winchester Ranger 115gr JHP +P+. I shoot these guns faster and more accurately than anything else I own and both of these loads are well proven in actual shootings. I'm confident that my gear will do the job when needed.

 

[seagill]

My choice was based mainly on cost. I found a S&W 908 for $300 and jumped on it! The only other ccw guns I found in that price range were .380's and a couple of beat up Taurus .38's. I'd love a 1911 but that's way out of my budget. Could of waited to save more but after having a knife pulled on me plus a string of break ins in the neighborhood, I wanted it sooner rather than later. Plus down here I wear shorts and a T-shirt 80% of the time. The 908 is very easy to conceal.

 

[BigBill]

I probably carried the revolvers in 44mag for most of my CCW life. I did switch to the 1911/45acp and the 357mag at times too, but i mainly carried my redhawk's in 44mag. I never was interested in a 9mm but I waited over 30+ years to finally get a pistol in 9mm luger/parabellum. I just wanted to see at the time what all this 9mm hype was all about. Nothing really attracted me to a 9mm pistol until i seen a used but brand new looking CZ85DB in 9mm for just $299. This used pistol still looks like brand new today and came with its orginal box and papers too. After shooting it the new to me CZ pistol impressed me and started me off looking and collecting other CZ pistols too. I did pick up the CZ82 Czech military pistol in 9mm makarov. It has been my new CCW gun for a few years now.(12rd mag) I put away the CZ85DB in the safe. Ok I got off the track from revolvers and got into pistols. I thought i wanted something smaller in size. But my main love is magnum revolvers, i'm just an old wheel gun guy. My new carry gun will be a S&W model 57 or 58 4" in 41mag. soon. Depending on where i'm going the CZ82 could be my back up gun. I did like carrying the 44mag on my motorcycle at night.

On the other hand the 9mm luger, 9mm makarov and the 32acp is cheaper to shoot and plink with. The 380acp seems a little more expensive for ammo for some reason. I haven't been into the auto pistols for that long but the CZ's have impressed me with there quality so far. Beyond that the 1911's are decent too. I may try a smith & weson someday too. With the auto's we have more rounds but the stopping power isn't there in the 9mm's until we get to the 38 super, the 9x23 winchester or the 9x25 dillon. Unless we get away from the 9mm's and go bigger to the 10mm or larger. Bill

BTW; At the range i play with all my guns with accuracy at 100yds. I like to see just how far i can shoot accurately. The 9mm luger/parabellum takes about 3' higher in elevation (kentucky windage) to shoot accurately at 100yds. I can ping smaller rocks on the berm at 100yds. Trying this with most of my handguns gives me the knowledge of the needed adjustments to shoot them out to 100yds. I did sight in my redhawks in at 100yds with magnum loads. With the other handguns its interesting to see what kentucky windage is needed for the longer shots. I find out the pistol can do it but its a matter of how much power we have at 100yds with the smaller less powerful calibers. But it is knowledge we can bank on if we ever had too make a shot like that.

 

[tbone2]

For me, it is easier to put more rounds on target quicker than it is with larger calibers. It is cheaper to shoot and my wife likes shooting 9mm and is comfortable shooting it in a full size gun like my SD9.

 

[TxShooter]

For the same reasons I picked it as a duty weapon. A good blend of accuracy, low recoil, high capacity, and cheap practice ammo. I have a couple of .45s, but qualified with my SIG P226R 9mm, P226 .357, and Glock 17. The P226R sees the most holster use on and off duty.

Ammo is Speer Gold Dot 124 grain, the standard pressure load. I'd also like to try Federal's HST after seeing some of the test data.

IMO, with advances in ammunition technology the 9mm, .357 SIG, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP are pretty much equals today as far as effectiveness goes. Each has their pros and cons, and it's up to the shooter to decide which will work best for them.

 

[Dogguy]

Hi:
What are your reasons for CCW a 9mm?
What type ammo do you use?
Do you feel comfortable with a 9mm or would you prefer a larger caliber?
Thanks,
Jimmy

1. The 9mm is efficient. It's a physically smaller cartridge than a .38 Special cartridge but it is more powerful--in the hotter loads the 9mm can approach the .357 Magnum in performance. The guns chambered for it hold lots of rounds with minimum recoil allowing one to make lots of holes in a short time.
2. Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P, Federal HST 124 gr +P. For a non-plus P load, I like Federal 115 gr JHP 9BP.
3. I have a choice in calibers that are larger and more powerful but the 9mm is my first choice in an autoloading handgun.

 

[JeepGuy00]

I am also a big believer in "it's not how many you shoot, but where you put them", which goes both ways for 9mm, if you have let's say, a M&P 9c, there's 12 rounds that, if you know what you're doing, can dance and make coffee if needs be. I always thought the 9mm was a useless round, having shot .40 all my life, however when talking about CCW, it's about stopping the threat, and if you can do that with 9mm, then that's all you need.

 

[mtgianni]

Because I already had a full size 9, molds, dies, 3-4K brass and it was concealable.

 

[Hook686]

I'm content with a S&W 3913. It is a single stack compact 9mm pistol. The 9mm is as good as the .40, or .45acp for self defense if you use the right ammunition.

http://i459.photobucket.com/albums/qq319/DocGKR/Handgun_gel_comparison.jpg

Keeping in mind that handguns generally offer poor incapacitation potential, bullets with effective terminal performance are available in all of the most commonly used duty pistol calibers—pick the one that you shoot most accurately, that is most reliable in the type of pistol you choose, and best suits you likely engagement scenarios.

The following loads all demonstrate outstanding terminal performance and can be considered acceptable for duty/self-defense use:

9 mm:
Barnes XPB 105 & 115 gr JHP (copper bullet)
Federal Tactical 124 gr JHP (LE9T1)
Speer Gold Dot 124 gr +P JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 124 gr +P JHP (RA9124TP)
Winchester Partition Gold 124 gr JHP (RA91P)
Winchester Ranger-T 127 gr +P+ JHP (RA9TA)
Federal Tactical 135 gr +P JHP (LE9T5)
Federal HST 147 gr JHP (P9HST2)
Remington Golden Saber 147 gr JHP (GS9MMC)
Speer Gold Dot 147 gr JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 147 gr JHP (RA9T)
Winchester 147 gr bonded JHP (RA9B/Q4364)

.40 S&W:
Barnes XPB 140 & 155 gr JHP (copper bullet)
Speer Gold Dot 155 gr JHP
Federal Tactical 165 gr JHP (LE40T3)
Winchester Ranger-T 165 gr JHP (RA40TA)
Winchester Partition Gold 165 gr JHP (RA401P)
Federal HST 180 gr JHP (P40HST1)
Federal Tactical 180 gr JHP (LE40T1)
Remington Golden Saber 180 gr JHP (GS40SWB)
Speer Gold Dot 180 gr JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 180 gr JHP (RA40T)
Winchester 180 gr bonded JHP (RA40B/Q4355/S40SWPDB1)

.45 ACP:
Barnes XPB 160 & 185 gr JHP (copper bullet)
Federal HST 230 gr JHP (P45HST2)
Federal HST 230 gr +P JHP (P45HST1)
Federal Tactical 230 gr JHP (LE45T1)
Speer Gold Dot 230 gr JHP
Speer Gold Dot 230 gr +P JHP
Winchester Ranger-T 230 gr JHP (RA45T)
Winchester Ranger-T 230 gr +P JHP (RA45TP)

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

 

[Class III]

What are your reasons for CCW a 9mm?

Increased Capacity over a 40 S & W in the same size package. I'm not LEO and don't normally carry my spare mags on me, they are usually in the truck. Therefore the the "Spare" ammo is in the magazine in the pistol.

What type ammo do you use?

Federal HST 124 gr

Do you feel comfortable with a 9mm or would you prefer a larger caliber?

Nine is Fine. I’ve never felt under armed when carrying a 9mm. Most of the time my CCW is a J frame plus one speed strip behind the cell phone in a ballistic nylon carrier. When I do carry a 9mm it’s usually a 3953, 6904 or Block 26. If I need a bigger caliber I pull out one of the 10mm’s or one of the Kimber’s, Colt’s or the Norinco 45 ACP’s. I own several 40’s and just don’t care for the sharp recoil impulse of the 40 out of a light weight (4053 Single Stack, SW40F, Block 22 and 27) pistol. I find it much easier to stay on target with a 38, 357, 9, 10 or 45 than a 40.

Class III

 

[APS]

What are your reasons for CCW a 9mm?
The G26 is small enough to pocket carry with the standard magazine if necessary though I mostly OWB/IWB with the +2 magazine extension.

What type ammo do you use?
Speer 124gr+P Gold Dot

Do you feel comfortable with a 9mm or would you prefer a larger caliber?
Yes, I do.

I have started CCW a G30SF for the chief reason that it has a light rail and I can use the same gun for home defense. If the G26 had a rail, I wouldn't have bought the G30SF.