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9mm performance in the 21st century

2K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  CrookCountyGO 
#1 ·
I was never a 9mm fan, more of a 45 or 357 fan to say the least. I have Direct TV and on Mondays they have Lock and Load Mondays and I'm seeing the 9mm is not the 9mm of yester year. Bullet performance has greatly improved not to mention the +P ammo and suddenly I've become a fan. When I can shoot 100 rounds of 9mm ammo to 50 of the 45s and even less with the 357s and still have great bullet performance at a much lower cost. I don't reload so ammo prices determine what I shoot and how much I shoot. Please do not misunderstand me I have 7 rounds of Black Talon loaded in my 70 series Combat Commander for anyone that wants to wake me up at night but I'm thinking 17 rounds of 9mm Critical Defense might be a better option. Am I being brainwashed or am I just becoming smarter realizing 17 in a magazine is better than 7. I don't want to spark an argument with the die hard 45 club but is this just me or are others joining the band wagon.
 
#2 ·
I agree that bullet performance has greatly increased over the last couple of decades. But then that's true for all calibers. My thoughts run a little on the bigger is better side of SD calibers. If a 9 expands, you've got a .45 caliber projectile. If a .45 expands you've got a 70 caliber projectile. I like the high capacity mags of the 9, but I have to wonder if I need more ammo, or more practice in getting combat hits with the 45? I firmly believe in the adage, "shoot em to the ground", no matter what caliber SD handgun you choose.
 
#5 ·
We come from the same place......if it's an auto 45, wheel gun 357. 9s are for girls and those that are forced to use them. If you just look at terminal performance of one round delivered to the exact same spot...357 and 45 still outperform the 9 but.....when you look at the big picture, cost, recoil and the greatly improved performance of the Ol 9 she's not Grandpas gun. The best loads in 357,9mm and 45 are all so close in actual performance assuming solid hits.....other factors come into play. The 9 is cheaper to shoot, that means more practice which increases hit probability when it counts. Holds more rounds in a smaller package if desired and is mild mannered.
I had a few 9s in the past but they didn't stay long. After many years of no 9s I have put 3 in the locker in the last couple years. Ammo is cheap( well relatively) and plentiful and some really great guns are chambered in it so why not?
 
#6 ·
We come from the same place......if it's an auto 45, wheel gun 357. 9s are for girls and those that are forced to use them. If you just look at terminal performance of one round delivered to the exact same spot...357 and 45 still outperform the 9 but.....when you look at the big picture, cost, recoil and the greatly improved performance of the Ol 9 she's not Grandpas gun. The best loads in 357,9mm and 45 are all so close in actual performance assuming solid hits.....other factors come into play. The 9 is cheaper to shoot, that means more practice which increases hit probability when it counts. Holds more rounds in a smaller package if desired and is mild mannered.
I had a few 9s in the past but they didn't stay long. After many years of no 9s I have put 3 in the locker in the last couple years. Ammo is cheap( well relatively) and plentiful and some really great guns are chambered in it so why not?
I'm in agreement with you about the NEW 9s. I've watched them shot in ballistic gel through denim and their performance was very good. I still think a 125 grain .357 is still the best but the recoil and blast is more than most want to deal with plus the cost of each round to practice is only for the rich. If our military and police trust their lives with them then maybe I should as well. I just bought a S&W Shield for cc and I shot very well with it and truly love this pistol. Perfecta ammo at Walmart for $9.76 a box of 50 gives me a lot of practice to hone by defensive skills should I be tested someday.
 
#7 ·
The higher capacity of the 9mm along with it's availability it so many different weapons is appealing, I haven't been a fan of the caliber since the Army took away my 1911 and forced the Beretta on us. I'm sure the bullet performance has improved since then. But the military is in process (horribly slow, but process none the less) of replacing the 9mm.
I chose the .40 S&W as my SD weapon, it's not my 1911, but closer. Yes, the 9mm is cheaper to shoot. And I'm not saying the new bullets aren't effective, I wouldn't want to be shot with one. But I just feel better with the larger bullet.
 
#8 ·
#9 ·
I'm curious as to the weapon calibers are being used in Israel and Germany by law enforcement and military forces. The 9mm was king there at one time. One of the reasons Allegedly one of the reasons we switched to the 9mm was to be using the same thing as our allies. Israel definitely responds to threats on a regular basis.
 
#11 ·
here's the way I see this topic.
The best handgun is a comfortable one. If it is not comfortable to handle, shoot and carry, it will be at home on the dresser when you need it, regardless of caliber.
a real life SD scenario will be the fastest, roughest, most stressful 10 seconds of your life. In most cases it will happen so fast that more than likely you will fire 1 handed, basically from the hip. in order to survive, you have to be able to draw your gun, poke it out in front of you and empty it into a paper plate sized target at 15 feet and do it in 5 seconds.
at 15 feet, 90% of the people on this planet will not know if you hit them with 12 rounds of 9mm or 8 rounds of 45...crackheads excluded!
 
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#12 ·
I'm a fan of the 9mm and .45 ACP, I carry both. I prefer the .45 for the size and less snappy recoil but I'll trust my life any day of the week with a 9mm too.

To me it comes down to what I'm wearing on any given day. If I want more concealment I'll carry my 9mm. If I'm wearing more or bigger clothes the .45 will be on my side more than likely.
 
#13 ·
Why don't we all carry a .22, we know it's deadly? I'm thinking we want a bigger bullet for SD. So why stop half way to the biggest bullet? Just rambling!
 
#14 ·
The range of bullet choices and performance has made a big difference in the 9mm pistol. Power in +p and reliable hollow point feeding and expansion has moved the wonder 9's into damn near perfect self defense guns; they are no longer a 2nd best gun.
It is about like comparing 38 spl and 357 if you look at 1970's ammo and the new rounds being made today.
With that being said, I still prefer the .45, but I would not feel outclassed when carrying my 9.
 
#15 ·
Look at the .45 ammo out there today. It's undergone the same changes, and enhancements that all other SD ammo has undergone, including the 9mm. Using the same yard stick for all ammo today, if the .45 "was" the best SD ammo out there, then today, it's even better, and by the same margin. I'm not disparaging the other calibers at all. If I had a 9, I'm sure I would use it, but I don't even own one. I have a couple of guns in .380, and some in .38, and .357, but I feel better about carrying the best of the best! Would I carry a .380? You bet! Just like I would carry a 9mm, if I had one. I know the 9 works, it just doesn't work as well as some other choices. My preference would be something in the 50 caliber range, but those guns are hard to carry, and harder to conceal!
 
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