Which kicks more .40 or .45

However, with current ammo choices the 9mm can perform quite well. The perfect caliber and handgun, it is what works for you, seems easy for you to shoot, provides the performance you are comfortable with and will keep increasing your skill level.

Have a great 4th of July. I came to the. The FBI switched back to 9mm, but I think they gave it up too soon. Their money would have better spent investing in more training. Short fingers and wide hands. Shooting x 12 yrs. First gun PX4 in 40 cal. Second gun Kahr PM Beretta PX4 is very soft shooter.

Not a bullseye gun but consistently hits center chest as far as my eyes allow. Kahr PM 40 is my love. One must be aware that, if you buy the smallest Kahr in 40 cal, you will have to fix its tendency to break parts. Yes, it kicks hard. Straight back into my hand. Very easy to control. It especially likes Sig ammo but shoots anything.

It took me much longer to settle in with my nines in spite of the fact that they are very accurate guns. Could 9mm be a little more so? Other things that make me wonder about this are the fact that 45acp kicks harder but slower and many people find it easier to control than Then there is my spring piston pellet gun.

But the timing of the recoil makes it hard for me to hit the side of a barn. Squirrels love it. I always go back to my CO2 gun. Squirrels hate it. Anybody else find 40 easier to shoot or am I just weird like that? Remember at that time in history the semi-auto pistol was just gaining ground with law enforcement.

They already owned some 3 million rounds of 10mm so they were stuck with the 10mm at least for a few years. The capacity was not impressive to say the least, either. I traded it off for a SIG P, for concealed carry — but never really liked sights for quick target acquisition, especially in dimmer light conditions. I am very happy with the grip and feel, as the HK has 3 interchangeable grip panels. My first shots are often dead center, and stray a bit afterward — but with the exception of a stray or two, are normally grouped nicely in critical wound areas of silhouette targets.

I always felt that my 40cal was a softer more accurate shooting Pistol. When I retired I was not able to buy my duty weapon as it was passed on to the new guy. I still love that gun and use it for my backpacking Adventures located in a chest holder.

I take my 40 Cal with the Buffalo Bore hard cast Outdoorsman loads just in case. Love my Sig I switched to 40 from 9 for 1 reason. A shoutout close to home, and I knew who everyone was. Two people died one lived. The ones shot by a 40 died, the 9 lived.

The 9 lived and was ambulatory, the 40 bleed out rapidly. The shots were all body, with shot placement not playing a factor. Caliber did. I was an early adopter of the 10mm, so to me a 40 cal was a weak 10mm.

I never had trouble controlling it, and you can get ammo loaded down to 40 cal standards if you want less recoil. They were going to the 9mm as I got out. My first pistol was a Glock I loved the pistol but hated the 9mm because of stopping power, or lack thereof.

Ever since, I have never gone back to the 9mm. Even though I am now retired I still personally carry the Glock Sorry, if you use that same analogy the 40 cal should still perform better. As suggested in the article it is hard to quantify the results of a 9mm and 10mm 40 cal striking living tissue in a defensive situation.

Ballistic gelatin may help as a guide but how exactly a 9mm to a 10mm hole actually stops a threat still has some unknown quantifying results in actual performance.. I have had a long career carrying a gun everyday.

Started out with a 9mm then a 40cal for 20 years, now back to the 9 mm for 11 years. From both actual personal experience using them and training, I will take a 40 cal everyday. My off duty carry is a Shield in 40 cal or Glock No problem handling recoil in this heavy stainless frame gun!

Then I got a Kahr CM40 for concealed carry. While very small and light, it only carries five rounds well, so does a J-frame. Recoil is more than a bit brisk side, even with gr bullets that I typically use in this tiny gun. Much easier to hold when shooting! With the 7-round extended mag, it is even easier to hold. I did a lot of research before I decided on this weapon and caliber.

I find the Beretta, even with some of the highest power loads, is very controllable with its rotating barrel. It is very accurate and the recoil is very little and easily manageable. I recently went to the range with a friend who has been a 9mm and. He was very surprised by the accuracy and speed of recovery on my Beretta. Being a polymer frame gun, it weighed less than his 9mm, even with the full 17 round clip. I let him fire a couple clips through it and he was very impressed.

I explained to him that weapon choice is very important, just as is caliber size when it comes to self defense. He worried that he could not conceal it well, but I showed him how I do it and explained that even my friends that know I always carry concealed never know if I have it on or not without patting me down.

He told me that he is seriously considering changing to the. I have seen Police Officers die due to the fact that their 9mm was not powerful enough to stop the threat.

I remember using the. I have considered the PX4 in. In a firefight, you can never have enough ammo, or punch from that ammo. I will always stick with my. With my. Twice as many as we used to carry with our revolvers. Yes, One in the chamber at all times. I have used the. I was pleased to read this blog and to learn of the gr. I switched away from 9mm in and love using. Happy shooting people! Shot placement is more important than fps more velocity or energy.

I believe it all comes down to training for shot placement; IF you can handle the recoil. I am a much better shot with my model In the pistol. When the FBI returned to the 9mm, they cited 6 reasons why. I accept their decision, but will make my own regarding what I use! I love mine in And most importantly is dead on accurate!

I have a Baby Desert Eagle full frame 40 cal. Its got all that I want. A lot of ammo without compromising a smaller grip. I reload so 40 is the greatest way to go for target shooting for me.

I find the 40 a midway between the 9 and the I get speed and knockdown power without the restriction of less ammo like the 45 and more penetration than the 9. I love the but find it extremely hard to get a semi auto without it being a huge weapon.

I have a Smith and Wesson shield. I can handle the recoil just fine and in a rapid fire situation all 7 rounds are grouped quite well, no complaints here! The ammo market is messed up right now. In 20 years of shooting, i would have never thought that would happen.

I like all calibers but the cost of 9mm made me switch to that. When you shoot thousand rounds a month. It adds up. The current market when this article was written was in full blown panic mode. I purchased an FN 40 Subcompact about 6 months ago. I cannot say enough good things about it. Matches up nicely with the Kel Tec Sub 40 as well! As a bonus, you get more rounds than a 45 acp. I never feel undergunned with a Part way through the mail was hot sweaty on the head.

Modern day technology has placed the. The round was great when it was offered and developed but with modern day bullet and powder tech the 9mm wins the day. Keep shooting; smart, safe, and have fun. I feel that same way about my gun. My first gun was an XD , service pistol. I got my XD while on my way to an indoor shooting range for the first time with a cousin.

I was supposed to get a Hi-Point in 9mm like he had but when we stopped at a gun store, the salesman told me all 9mm Hi-Points were sold out. He then directed me to the available line of XD pistols.

He was very professional about his presentation as he explained why I might like to purchase a Springfield. There were no 9mm in the Springfields, and we were supposed to be the range sooner than later. I settled on a. A few years later I went to an annual shot show and shot off all kinds of guns, including several Glocks in various calibers.

I felt that my gun was the best fit for me. I later purchased a Shield in. But I ported it, got a new spring and guide rod and did other things to it to mitigate recoil. That was supposed to be my EDC conceal carry firearm, but my county prohibits it. When a. Minor caliber was the problem. So the round has the best ballistics. Years ago before I became active with my shooting skills, I hated shooting. My G27 kicked n bucked. It helped me discover and love the 9mm and shooting in general.

I consider myself a profecient shooter now. About 6 months ago, I broke out that dinosour of a firearm g I got some very lightweight bullets and low n behold I was pretty damn good. Go figure! MJ, must have been interesting at your place that day. The main bad guy that day was shot 12 times, with one shot clipping an artery. He had 24, nice, round, 9mm holes in him. Not so much for self defense unless you hit the heart or brain stem.

But fast forward 30 years and 9mm self defense ammo has really come of age, with grn hollowpoints getting rave reviews from police for 1 or 2 shot stopping power. Cut the weight of the gun in half and the recoil energies felt would be doubled.

Recoil energies also differ within caliber when different bullet weights are used but the following examples will give a represenative comparison.

If you have shot any one caliber listed, you can estimate the comparative recoil from the other guns based on the figures given. For example, a 38 Special has roughly twice the recoil of a ACP i. They each have their own quirks that make them suited to different users. Firearms are classified by their caliber , which is the diameter of the widest part of the bullet.

There is a general understanding that shot placement is more important than the caliber shot. The caliber that you choose is important though, hence this article!

Therefore, firearm proficiency is the most important factor in good self-defense. Here is a video with tips on how to improve shooting a pistol:. This comes in either a 4 or 5-inch barrel. Although the 5-inch barrel is great for aiming, both lengths will be an excellent choice. This pistol has striker fire action and an extremely light trigger pull.

CZ 75 SP Tactical : This is both a great home defense handgun and a favorite for firearm enthusiasts. The SP Tactical variation is a little different with a side-in-frame design that offers recoil management. This is perfect for shooters who want a comfortable grip. A comfortable grip, sharp accuracy, and a smooth trigger pull put this handgun at the top of most lists.

Beretta M9: The Beretta M9 functions as an all-purpose handgun. In , it became the sidearm of choice for the United States Armed Forces. That definitely speaks to its reliability and effectiveness. It features a unique 3-Dot Sight System for quickly zeroing in on your target. When talking about a. After two and a half decades of use from the FBI, the. Instead, the FBI returned to utilizing 9mm after research and development on new 9mm ballistics proved to be the most useful.

The U. Army did consider adopting the.