45 Or 9mm - Here's an unpopular opinion - 9mm vs. 45 is not a problem. This hotly debated topic has been exhausted. Of these two calibers, only one makes up the bulk of the global ammunition market, but both cartridges serve a very loyal user base due to the success of each caliber in many areas.
It was so hotly debated. By the end of today's blog, you will understand what we are talking about.
45 Or 9mm
Some believe that the two calibers were developed at different times and for different purposes, but this is not the case. Both calibers are rated for efficiency.
Wilson Combat 45th Anniversary 1911, A Celebration Pistol
The .45 ACP is revered as a classic American caliber due to its Civil War roots from its predecessor, the .45 Colt long cartridge. Its successor, the .45 ACP we know and love today, was developed in 1904. You can usually find .45 ACP with 230 gram full metal jacket cartridges, and it's actually still being sold the way it has been for over a hundred years.
The 9 mm caliber was developed two years before the .45 caliber by the Austrian designer George Luger in 1902. Both calibers saw action in the First and Second World Wars. Although only a few years had passed since its initial development, by the beginning of the First World War, submachine guns chambered for 9 mm were already being supplied to the German army.
You have probably seen jokes and memes on the net about the M1911 chambered in .45, which defeated America in two world wars. While a meme may have some merit, times are changing. As early as 1955, the North Atlantic Council chose 9mm as the standard caliber for personal weapons issued to NATO forces. At the time, most of Europe carried Browning Hi-Powers chambered in 9mm, so it made sense. While some sources claim that the US quietly adopted the 9mm, it certainly was a step forward for our troops, who until 1956 received special .38 caliber revolvers. As a soldier, would you like to have more ammo if you were sent to military conflicts? NATO's adoption of the 9 mm caliber also made logistical sense: in the event of another major war, delivering ammunition to the allies would not be so difficult.
From 1955 to the present, the United States military has consistently used 9mm for personal weapons, regardless of the make or model of the pistol being used. Most of the world's police forces today also use 9mm pistols for their service pistols.
Optimized: Glock 45 9mm Carry Pistol Project
Before jumping to conclusions, let's let the science speak for itself. Just because a .45 cartridge is larger than 9mm doesn't mean it's better.
There is a saying: "I wear .45 because I don't like to repeat myself." Have you heard about it? Of course, a .45 bullet has a lot more kinetic energy, which is desirable in a premium cartridge. However, take a look at the picture above. The top is a 9mm Black Hills cartridge and the bottom is a .45 ACP+P Black Hills cartridge. The wound channel is certainly larger, but it doesn't have as much penetration as a 9mm cartridge (about an inch shorter).
Proponents of .45 caliber will say that they prefer larger cartridges because they have a higher chance of hitting vital organs. It is, of course, difficult to argue with such reasoning. But be aware: according to the FBI, law enforcement officers miss 70 to 80 percent of the shots in a gunfight. It's hard to win a shootout with only seven or eight rounds left in the clip, isn't it?
In the FBI summary document "Rationale for Law Enforcement Partners" they also dispelled the "power of a firearm" myth, since the most important factor in injuring a person is bullet penetration somewhere between 12-18 inches by Bureau standards. The .45 ACP certainly lives up to that standard, but so does the 9mm bullet with a different weight.
Mm Vs .45: A Non Issue
Research on "stopping power" is debatable as it seems that no one has ever been able to scientifically determine how much kinetic energy is needed to effectively stop a determined and brutal fighter.
According to Hornady Manufacturing Senior Ballistics Specialist, there is currently very little difference in the final ballistics of premium self-defense bullets between ballistic gel-tested 9mm and .45 bullets. So, if the ballistic difference isn't that great, but it's easier to shoot and handle a 9mm, why choose the .45?
If you go to YouTube or Facebook Videos, you can easily find videos of cops throwing both calibers at people attacking them. The reality is that both calibers are not an effective means of stopping combatants under the influence of drugs or alcohol, greatly delaying the effects of pain, unless the shot hit the person's central nervous system; it's their brain.
Not everyone has the power of God's wrist like Jerry Miculek. For him, the caliber probably does not matter, but he will probably never admit how painful it is to shoot from the caliber. He just said, "Yes, he's digging." The .45 can greatly increase your confidence in destroying sheet steel targets, but if you plan to fight mostly cardboard targets, you may prefer twin magazines that can accommodate 9mm cannons.
Mm Vs .45 Acp
If you are not a professional shooter, the 9mm will probably be the best choice for the durability of your wrists and maybe even a professional shooter's career. While there are 2011 models chambered in .45ACP, most of them are offered in 9mm, if that tells you anything.
Since 9mm cartridges make up the majority of the world's ammunition, they should be much more affordable (depending on where you live) and therefore a cheaper and more practical alternative for those who want to spend a lot of time on the range. However, due to the large ammo shortages that began in 2020 and the price increases we are still seeing, the price difference between the two calibers has narrowed significantly.
9mm seems to range from 0.37 to 0.57 cents per round, depending on whether you can buy in person from a store like Bass Pro, Academy, or choose to buy in bulk online.
So why do we think this problem doesn't really exist? Well, it’s just that we don’t live in a time when this topic is already being discussed so vigorously. For now, gun owners and professional users using .45 caliber handguns are likely to do so more by tradition than by performance. That doesn't mean there can't be well-tuned and extremely fast 45-chamber guns...because they certainly are.
These Are The World's Best .45 And 9mm Weapons On Earth
It makes sense for racers to compete in the "heavyweight" category where 1911/2011 racing pistols reside and shoot .45 caliber. If you have a job that requires you to be armed with a handgun, chances are it will be chambered in 9mm. .40S&W pistols are less and less issued to officers, but they do happen. However, with all the factors mentioned above, given the FBI's return to 9mm since 2015, the overall answer to this controversy seems pretty clear.
The reason this debate continues is because everyone's shooting needs and skills are different, hence the different opinions. But in general, if you want to shoot with a silencer, the .45 ACP is a better and quieter option as it shoots much slower and heavier than subsonic bullets compared to 9mm. For those who want a self-defense pistol, the 9mm pistol is the clear winner due to its ballistic capabilities, larger magazine capacity, and easily controlled recoil. If you enjoy owning a lot of guns and have no budget restrictions, just stock up on pistols in both calibers; the task is solved. 9mm is generally cheaper, has less recoil and higher velocity than .45 ACP. The .45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol) cartridge holds 0.452 in (11.5 mm) bullets, so is slightly larger than 9 mm (0.355 in) bullets. Both cartridges have a long history and were first developed over 100 years ago.
Close-up of a .45 ACP showing what the primer primer looks like after firing and ejecting the cartridge from the chamber. The recess in the center is the place where the drummer strikes the capsule primer.
The 9mm has a bullet diameter of 9.01 mm (0.355 in), a neck diameter of 9.65 mm, a base diameter of 9.93 mm, a rim diameter of 9.96 mm, and a rim thickness of 0.90 mm.
Vs 9mm: Which Is The Better Caliber For Everyday Carry (edc)?
The .45 has a bullet diameter of 11.5 mm (0.452 in), a neck diameter of 12.0 mm, a base diameter of 12.1 mm, and a rim diameter of 12.2 mm.
Assortment of cartridges for pistols and rifles. Left to right: 9
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