A lot of guys have been arguing more and more passionately that 9mm is plenty good enough. They say that 9mm is tested out to be just fine… just as good… smaller and more rounds in the mag is better. I’m not going to argue that more rounds can be better than less rounds, but I’d argue that bigger rounds are better than smaller rounds. I wonder if the cost of each main stream auto handguns rounds were all the same low price… all the same as 9mm… if people wouldn’t be looking at the more potent rounds instead of the cheaper 9. I understand the economy sucks and money is tight everywhere. So a lot of guys are telling themselves Nine is Fine. Really? Is it?
9mm, .40, .45, .357SIG, 10mm… if they were all 12.99 a box of 5o for FMJ’s and 18.99 for 25 rounds of JHP’s. I think 9mm would fall out of favor pretty quick.
The Trials of 1905 found that they didn’t like the small caliber, so they went with .45. Recently the Army put out the Request for Proposal for a new gun that was basically “Not a Beretta in 9mm.” That request was later withdrawn, but the fact remains that the US Army isn’t all that tickled anymore with the smaller caliber.
Given my experiences with the 10mm cartridge, I could happily run 10 exclusively. I know MHI is all about the .45, but the MCB guys are happy with their 10’s. If the cost was indeed all the same, what would you run? Would you opt for 9?
The missing factor here is ammo. If limited to FMJ, then bigger is always better. But with modern hollowpoint designs the 9mm becomes a contender. There is also something to be said for reduced recoil and faster follow-up shots.
If the price were the same, I would run .45auto. But it is not. If you cannot afford to practice then what is the point anyway. Round count on board isn’t much of an issue for me as I carry a 6+1 .380. But my .380 is WAY smaller and lighter than any 5+1 or 6+1 in 45 auto that I have seen. I will still carry a .380. Ammo is more expensive to boot! I just like the ease of carry and the fact that the anti-gunners will NEVER see me print with my mouse gun. People tease me about carring a “chick-gun”, but I have yet to find someone that is willing to stand in front of it! Overall I have been thinking about going to a wheel gun in .357. Still a “mouse” caliber, but a bit more potent!
I wouldn’t volunteer to have you stab me with a pointy stick. But that “test” does not automatically make it an effective self-defense weapon. The goal isn’t to cause unpleasantness for the attacker; the goal is to stop him with a shot or two, such that he is physically incapable of continuing his attack.
The 357 is a mouse caliber? You much have some darned big mice.
Mouse caliber (dia), not round. There is a difference.
Aren’t premium JHPs all about the same anyway?
I opt for the Ten at the current cost. I carry the mouse gun when I have to, but otherwise it’s the 10mm, which is most of the time. OTOH, except for carry ammo, I rarely buy factory ammo in any handgun caliber.
If all things were the same, it would be 10mm short and long, and then .357.
Of course, I gave up on 9mm a long long time ago.
As far as follow up shots, reduced recoil blah blah… well to each their own. When I got my first 10mm short, I was positively surprised at the extra snappiness and instantly fell in love. 500 round later I was completely used to it and running my glock23 as efficiently and accurately as I did with my glock19.
And since when is .357 a mouse caliber?
I used to really groove on the 135 grain load from Cor-Bon. Very hot load. Now, I’m going to more heavier loads.
.45 all the way. Tried and true.
Respectfully disagree with the idea as the newer “wonder rounds in 10mm 40cal,357sig will never be as readly availible as 45acp and 9mm. Having said that I will stick with a 92FS. Am on my 2nd one for daily carry,as I retired my 1st when it went over 35000 rounds through it. I can visually see if the mag is seated with perifial vision while still watching the target. I have a second strike capability that the Glock and M@P type weapons do not have. I will never have to worry about the polimers breaking down or becoming brittle as they age. One might recall “Lock and Load” on History Channel. They had a super slow motion shot of a full auto Glock pistol being fired. What alarmed me was the flexing the forward portion of the frame was doing under recoil. The 92FS also has a huge advantage with the long site radius. The distance between the rear of the slide and the front site with its 5 inch barrel is huge in accuracy and target acqusition in low lite (parking lot at night) compared with say a S@W 6913 with its 3 1/2 inch barrel. So my choices from would be 1. 92FS 2.S@W 4506 and if I had to go super small 3. Walther PPK. (not ppks) The controls on all 3 are basicly the same so I would operate them on reflex /muscle memory in a stress situation. Honorable mention would be Colt 1911A1 and Colt Python. Respectfully
I hate to tell you, but all firearms flex when fired.
Try to find that ultra high speed shot from Lock and Load. Mr Glock looked like a bullwhip in the 2 inches ahead of the triggerguard. Metal/Alloy will flex less than polimer/plastic. What is unknown at this time is how polimers will age after climate exposure, age, use and effects of cleaning solutions are added to them. I will stick with what I trust my life to every day, and not risk a weapon disabling stress crack at a bad time. It may not be the newest craze but 92FS or 1911a1 will still be truckin for decades with just basic TLC. Respectfully
Personally, I REALLY like the .357 SIG. I carry a .380 all day everyday and a full-size 1911 whenever I’m not working. As far as what would I carry if ammo was all cheap? .460 or 10mm. 9mm is fun to play with, has it’s selling points as far as capacity and recoil go, but two big holes in the chest are far better than two little ones. (I’m really tired of seeing crooks with 9mm GSW scars walking around. )
If cost were not a factor, .400Corbon / .40Super. If we have to choose from the list, above, then either 10mm or .45ACP… I consider both to be roughly equivalent, as each has certain benefits and drawbacks, relative to the other, but they balance out to be be about the same. 11mm is a bigger hole than 10mm, but the 10mm has higher energy. 10mm offers increased capacity in the same grip, but .45ACP has lighter recoil for faster follow-up. Any choice I made between the two would probably be based upon the availability of pistols that chamber it, not the cartridge.
Given that I still want to tinker with the bottlenecked .45 cases, and that I currently carry a Springfield in .45ACP, I guess I’d go that route…
A high cap 1911 in .400 Corbon would be shockingly awesome.
I have the barrel, actually. Just need to tinker with the link length, get some ammo and try it at the range.
I’ve got a 5” barrel for my 4” XD .45 which I’m looking forward to handloading for. I haven’t yet so I haven’t shot it. But I hear feeding in doublestack mags is “iffy”. I knew this when I bought the barrel. I’m hoping I’m one of those people that claim theirs runs fine.
But it still annoys me. I figured since .357 SIG has zero feeding issues and is better than most because of its bottleneck. But then some tech guy at Cor Bon replied to my query and mentioned something about the feed lips not having the same “hold” on the case as it does a .45 ACP and that’s where problems arise. So who the hell knows. I guess I will once I convert my friend’s Dillon. But if my XD works I’ll have a 15+1 “10mm”. Well, with Arredondo +2 floorplates.
But since the hottest 10’s hold in edge in power over .400 Cor Bon, probably better off going with a hi-cap 10 like Larry’s STI. Or did you mean a hi-cap .40 Super would be shockingly awesome? I’d say that someone offering loaded .40 Super would be shockingly awesome. Man, I wish Triton were still around.
.400Corbon isn’t quite as hot as the hottest 10mm ammo, but it feeds more reliably (bottlenecked case), and has lower recoil.
And, of course, if you handload, you can load .400Corbon pretty hot, if you want to…
Flint, an employee of Cor Bon told me double column mags can cause problematic feeding of the .400 Cor Bon.
I thought the same as you. Hey, if .357 SIG is considered more reliable due to it’s case then so should .400 Cor Bon. But it isn’t as easy as that.
Again, I hope I have great success in my XD with it. But I won’t know until I start loading my own.
And yes, you can load it hot. But the pressure limits of the cases gives the distinct edge to the 10mm. 37,500 for the 10mm vs. 29,000 for the .400 Cor Bon.
I think that’s more a magazine issue, than anything else. Different brands are likely to be better/worse, based upon their geometry.
As far as chamber pressure, you could always start with .45Super brass, instead of .45ACP.
If you use .45 Super as a base then you are practically duplicating the .40 Super. It’s no longer .400 Cor Bon.
I’d rather just buy .400 CB brass and work with its limitations. It’s still very potent. And “almost as good” as a 10mm is good enough for me.
That was kind of my point. Once you have a quality barrel, you can play around with the specs pretty easily, as long as you’re careful.
Stay away from SWC with the XD and it should be very reliable. The problems with XD and SWCs were part of a sacrifice by Springfield to make the XD more reliable with other ammo.
Anyone shot anybody this week?? What round was used??
I shot some animals… so since they weren’t people I guess it doesn’t count. Then again I did use rifles.
The javelina I popped with the 9mm sure went down in a hurry. Good thing too.
The guy I shot, in the face, with a 180 gr GDHP .40 out of a G22 went down. Fast. That said, my department has allowed us to choose, now, between 9mm, .40 and .45. A large number of Officers, including me, chose 9mm. Some chose .45. Some chose .40. Why? Well, ballistically, the ammo we are issued, is all about the same at 15 yards. Almost identical. The issued pistol is Glock. Personally, I prefer the faster followup with a 9mm. I don’t like the fit of the Glock .45 in my hand, and, I’m not buying all new holsters. Especially when I’ve spent damn good coin on some custom leather, including Kramer. Besides, I have full confidence in the 9mm, with modern expanding ammunition. There sure are a lot of dead BGs from it. Basically, it all boils down to hitting what you are aiming at, anyway. Instead of spending $2k on a custom 1911, maybe some folks should buy a Glock and take some training.
I used my response as today’s blog post at When the Balloon Goes Up! I go into a fair amount of detail but the way I see it 9mm has advantages in all three criteria I use to select a round.
http://balloongoesup.blogspot.com/2011/11/9mm-vs-45-round-1.html
So you bring the question into question and still argue for the 9mm. Fine. But you missed the whole point the question to begin with by trying to over think it. Glad you like your 9mm.
If cost weren’t an issue and I had a regulated limited number of rounds in a magazine imposed and I was stuck with FMJ, at my skill level, I would choose a .45acp. I am an adult male with above average sized hands and consider myself a competitive shooter.
If I were smaller, shot less, or you remove the ammo restrictions, I would/do prefer the 9mm, regardless of cost.
Well… considering that my carry guns, when I dont need max concealment, are .44 special, .44 mag, .45 acp, and 10mm… I think my thoughts on this are obvious. 😀
I love my hand cannons… and .45s. 😛
Jim
I tend to agree!
If cost weren’t a factor and if bigger rounds beats more rounds, does it make sense to carry a single shot .50 BMG? Or are there tradeoffs both directions that demand striking a compromise somewhere in the middle?
If the 9mm I carry isn’t adequate to stop a threat, I doubt that any other handgun would really do much better – but this is why I do my best to never be too far from a rifle.
Well, sure it would make sense but reload speed becomes more of an issue. Now, maybe a revolver…
Hard to carry a .50BMG – even a single shot.
I have a pistol with 14 rounds of .45ACP on board, strapped to my waist, every time I walk out the door. Carrying that load-out is entirely reasonable for nearly any adult.
For me it comes down to the fact that my dad and I already have several 45 autos. To get a 9 mm would mean I would now be loading for a new caliber. Since I hand load the cost isn’t that big of a deal, I can with a steel colt 1911 load lighter loads for reduced recoil and quicker shots in a match and not need a new caliber. As far as defense goes, we are arguing about pistol calibers….they all suck….they are pistols. If you want 1 shot stopping power get a shot gun.
So if you guys owned .32 Auto Berettas you would just stick with .32 Auto because you couldn’t be bothered to buy a 34 dollar RCBS Die?
My main reason for not wanting to buy the die isn’t the cost of the die, but with hand loading 45 vs 9mm there isn’t much difference, that I both of us just like 45. I can shoot 45 and set the press up and reload a couple of thousand rounds because we have tons of brass and components. To invest in a new caliber isn’t just the die, its hundreds / thousand of rounds of brass plus more lead selection. The recoil from the 45 doesn’t bother me and I really don’t like the higher pressure 9mm….. that’s just me though. If you like 9, shoot nine. I just pointed out that one of the main reasons I might want a quicker follow up shot would be shooting a competition. Then I could use a heaver framed gun and a lighter load and achieve that same effect with out investing in a new caliber and a new gun. Now for quicker follow up shots during a conflict, I would hope I would make each shot count regardless of what I was shooting. I’ve seen it here along with other gun places on the net, caliber is secondary to time spent shooting your gun and taking some good training. If you don’t hit it doesn’t matter 10mm 45, 9mm or 32 auto.
That has always been my tenant in regards to caliber wars. If you cant hit the target, none of it matters. What does gripe me is when I see someone argue for a lighter caliber to cover for their shooting inadequacies instead of putting in the training time to build proper foundational skills which are needed regardless of caliber.
I have never shied away from encouraging someone to build foundational skills with a smaller caliber, or any caliber that they enjoy shooting. Lets face it, you dont put a .44 in a childs hands for their introduction to shooting and expect them to be a world class shooter over night.
No kidding. I carry a lot of the time with my ruger LCP. Not the best gun, however, I do have some small kiddos that still like to be carried around when we are out. Having a 3 yr old crawl on you really messes with your cover garments. My preferred carry gun is a 45, but the 380 beats nothing. I also have hundreds of rounds through it and thousands through my 45s. I am confident with either, and that is the most important thing.
As much as I LOVE to shoot my .45’s it would be impractical to ONLY carry that round. I would choose a 9mm over a .45 in the summer time here in NC, now if I was in Alaska then it would be a much different story. I am a surgeon with my 9mm’s and I know that under stress I will be better able to put it right where I need it to go and for the most part not have to worry about going through much more than a t-shirt. In a perfect world where all the ammo costs the same I surely wouldn’t only stockpile a single caliber, I would be spreading the love so that all of my fiearms will be eating well. The thing about hollow point performance across the calibers has been beat to death, and then beat to death in the afterlife so there is no need to even throw in my 2 cents.
…and this topic is beat to death. How about to each his own. Maybe have everyone agree upon the lowest common denominator round and move on. There are so many “compensating for something else” issues on this thread, I don’t know where to begin.
I guarantee I carry my 380 longer on my person throughout the day and night than any “hand cannon” advocate on this thread. Not because I want to, but because how I wear it – I don’t even notice it’s there anymore.
As for the original question, I would stick with 9mm Sig, cost being equal. Because it is pleasant to practice with, over any other calibur I own, except 22.
Of course it’s beat to death… but still fun. Look at all the comments – Gun Dudes just can not help but to chime in on this very very old debate.
Doubt you carry more than I do. Maybe the same, but it’s unlikely that it’s more. If I’m wearing pants, I’m armed. Springfield widebody with 14 rounds of .45ACP on-tap.
I would maintain my trusty 9mm pistols for summer time carry due to my lean and mean size, but when I can conceal it and for tactical purposes, I would probably choose a Glock 21 SF. On a side note, if prices were all cheap, I would definitely be giving the .357 SIG some attention.
Right on! .357 SIG is just outstanding as far as I’m concerned.
10MM.
Very happy with it through the longslide.
Saving for a Glock 29.
Don’t handload. The stuff I gett off the the shelves doesn’t ‘kick’ as much as the rap given the 10MM.
Even those I’ve let shoot the longslide are surprised at how it feels – more like a .357 in handling the recoil.
It’s really too bad the FBI didn’t give it more of a chance.
Maybe it would have garnered more patrons; and, thereby the cost for ammunition wouldn’t be as prohibitive as it is to shoot.
Still, despite the cost, saving for a Glock 29 to compliment the longslide.
10MM.
Just ealize that the velocity loss between a 29 and 20 is significant. More so than between a 21 and 30. It’s well documented. To help compensate, carry the most brutally hot 10 JHP you can find. Make it your carry load.
Thanks for the heads up HiVelSword
I was figuring on the rule of thumb 50 ft per second per .5 inch of barrel length.
The thing, I’m thinking, will be the change in grip.
I don’t have what I’d consider big hands, but the longslide fits my hands well while the G29 is ‘tight’ in the comfort zone.
Will come down to having the G29 and practicing.
It’ll make a difference whenever it is I get the G29 and begin carrying it; however, with the longslide I grab whatever happens to be on the shelves at the time.
I’ve put Double Tap, Buffalo Bore, Winchester, Remington,PMC, and Hornaday, all in various grains and type through the longslide. It seems to prefer the Buffalo Bore 180 JHPs.
If cost were indeed the same? 10mm, 357mag (pref. in a 1911 setup), and .45acp. In that order, more or less.
If cost were indeed the same I would have the same cost whichever I chose to practice with, and carry.
Well, since you invited me into fantasy land…
If costs were the same, I’d roll with a Glock 20 converted to 9×23. It’d be like carrying three .357 magnum revolvers in one gun. That would be wicked cool.
I went to the .40 from the .45 due to the increased capacity and vastly larger number of LEO’s using the .40 than the .45 and thereby making the round more plentiful through out the market.
All handguns suck at stopping power, period. If you want to put somebody down get a rifle (a RIFLE, not a carbine) or a shotgun. Even then you need to hit the mark, plenty f guys rattling around with holes in their hide from poorly placed rifle rounds.
I do not count on being able to obtain the latest and greatest ‘Super-Killer Deluxe Depleted Unobtanium Expanding Lightsabre Ultramag’ammunition. I want something that will do more damage than a 9mm with the WORST ammo I can get. I am more comfortable with FMJ’s in a .40 than in a 9mm and I feel better having nearly double the amount of rounds than I had in my 1911.
Frankly, cost between pistol rounds is not a huge issue for me, I buy my ammo in bulk and save up to get as much as possible at a pop. The price difference between 9mm and .40 is not enough to make me switch to a (IMHO) inferior bullet. Nor was cost a huge issue when I went from .45 to .40, I decided that the difference in performance was more than offset by the increase in round count. I don’t think that the extra 3 to 5 rounds in a 9mm would make up for the inferior performance of that round. I want the best bang I can get and am more than willing to pay a bit more for it. I am also happy to carry FMJ’s in my .40 out here in bear country as I think HP’s and the 12 to 14 inch penetration limit makes them a poor choice for taking down a large predator, I don’t think a 9mm would be adequate in any load.
I’d personally choose 9mm even if it cost *more* than .45 ACP. Sure, the lower cost of training ammo with 9mm is a nice benefit, but 9mm duty loads aren’t cheap, and prior to reading this post I don’t think it had really crossed my mind that some people might choose 9mm *solely* for cost reasons.
For me, it comes down to the fact that 9mm with premium loads offers nearly equivalent performance to .45 ACP with premium loads, and that .45 ACP sacrifices way too much capacity for whatever small gain in effectiveness it might offer. I’m not saying that .45 ACP is a bad choice by any means, just that the main reasons I prefer 9mm have nothing to do with cost.
If I need more than 14 rounds of .45ACP, things have gone pretty far downhill… Plus, at that point, I can always reload and have another 13 ready to go…
This is true, but it’s also true that if you need ONE round of ANYTHING, things are grim indeed.
I’m not a signatory to the Hague Accords, so I’d stick with nine.
The beauty of modern ammunition is that there is no penalty for carrying 9mm. It has energy, penetration and expansion. 9mm 40S&W 45ACP? All three answers are correct. Pick the one you like. 127gr 9mm +P+ in a G19 or G26 for me.
IMHO aside from cost you’ve got availability.
I would LOVE to run 10mm but I won’t buy anything I can’t get ammo for at Academy or Wal-Mart.
Costs being the same, I would still dig the G19/G26 frame sizes but would probably want the 10 or .45 to fill them with. But costs aren’t the same so I carry what I can afford to frequently train with and that is 9mm.
Though I do sneak in my 1911 every now and again.
If cost was all the Same, I’d probably carry a .45. But I have a 9mm, and I carry Gold Dots, try to get as much effect out of the bullet as possible.
can I take a turn flogging the dead pony…
In my book, a 9mm+P Bonded JHP is as good as a .45 up close and personal like, now using the +P kind of negates some of the follow up /recoil advantages to me…but that’s just me, I like my 9’s hot….if stuck using fmj military style… .45 please (stupid conventions). That being said there are still thousands and thousands that have been put down with 9mm ball rounds in both world wars and everything else that has seen it used in service…but getting to the question of cost…I guess I would stick with the 9mm since I can still use the same rationale that the number of instances that I would (as a non leo or .mil type these days) most probably have to defend myself is quite small…and the number of instances that the advantages of .45 over 9mm in those instances makes the difference even smaller…now if a rash of home invasions in my area with guys with body armor starts occurring I will take another look…
If costs were the same…i’d definitely play with some of the more exotic stuff. 10mm, .357sig, etc. So far all I have hands on with is 9mm, .40, .45, .357mag, and 38 special, and as much as i Love .45…I carry a 9.
Part of the switch was capacity, part was practice costs…but the reason why I carry it now, and even if they all cost the same would still carry it (or some cool-fancy-whiz-bang-oooh-wow caliber) is because it’s so easy to shoot. I can easily and quickly place 9mm rounds in a head size target at 7-15yards. I tried to run my .45 that fast…and my groups opened up – even though if i take my time the .45 is more accurate.
Now, that said…I’m assuming modern premium hollowpoints and shooting at people in a defensive scenario. If i’m stuck with ball ammo, it’ll be .45 or 10mm. Hunting monsters? 10mm all the way (or really really HOT .45 loads, maybe). Or if I know I need to kill something ahead of time… I’ll grab a long gun.
IF they all cost the same- based ONLY on personal experience- 9mm in a high performance defensive load.
Qualifiers are- More rounds in full size guns, and follow up shots, if indicated are MUCH faster for ME to put on target, as well as better one- handed or even “weak” hand only operation. I DO have several .45 ACP handguns- 3 1911s, and a GLOCK 21. I simply cannot fire them as accurately for follow up shots as FAST as I can my full size 9mms. I know that old time IPSC A class shooters could- back when an iron sighted single stack “full house” .45 1911 was the rig of choice. I never was A class with such, had a brief look into ( local) B class scores when I had a comped .38 Super, let go when the Double Stack and Electronic Dot race gun came into being, but I digress…
Somehow, owning both 9mms and .45 ACPs, I never bought a .40, a .357 SIG, a 10mm, so make no qualified opinion on those. Can’t shoot revolvers VERY fast, ( that is, double tap fast. Always get two distinct reports, unlike Jerry M., my hero! ) either, though I own many, and enjoy them.
If High Performance 9mm is good… how about High Performance .357 SIG or 10mm?
George, come on. Beat the decaying equine a bit harder. 9mm is decent. We all know 10mm and .357 SIG offer more horsepower. It seems like you’re trying to convince someone that their 9mm is inferior. Well, we know it is. But inferior to other cartridges still doesn’t make it a bad choice.
A pair of 9mm HP’s an inch apart in the center of the upper torso is going to get the job done the same way a pair of .45 ACP rounds an inch apart in the same spot.
That kind of shot placement blurs the performance gap.
You want to argue tissue damage on shoulder hits or effectiveness against a car’s windshield or doors then fine. But against people, the 9mm can and has effectively defended many of the folks that rely on it.
Easy to do on paper, at the range. Not that common in real, stressful self-defense situations. Especially if he gets off the first shot, which is not exactly unlikely in a self-defense situation (if he doesn’t already have a gun or other weapon out, why did you draw yours?)…
A one-inch group by someone defending himself, particularly after being wounded, is not really a likely event. Not impossible, but not something to plan on.
Then put him in a heavy jacket and turn those fancy hollowpoints into ball rounds once they fill up with denim or such, and making a big hole becomes even more important.
By your logic no one should practice the double tap because it’s “not that common in real, stressful self-defense situations”
And by bigger you mean .096 bigger, right?
Nothing against those calibers, solid performers that they are; accurate follow-up with hi-po 9mms is just FASTER for me.
I’m curious, George, now that you’re gravitating more towards .45 ACP and 10mm in handguns, do you have any second thoughts about 5.56 in your carbines? You’ve spoken to 5.56’s limitations before. Do you think a more powerful round is needed there?
I always have. I’m still a big fan of 6.8.
I was re-reading the saga of Gecko45 and I stumbled across this from the same website:
Why not a .46?
http://lonelymachines.org/2011/10/09/now-they-do-make-a-46/
When we were test firing the different calibers, so we could choose our new duty pistol and round, a couple of us were watching this one guy. He was shooting his mouth off about how the .45 is a “man’s round”, and took a .45 test pistol and ammo up to the line. Then, he proceeded to miss the target with over half of the rounds he was given to fire. My point? If you can’t hit the target with that “man’s gun”, it’s not doing you much good.
I bet he would have been missing just as much with a .380.
That guy? Yeah, I’m pretty sure you’re right…
I’d roll with either 9mm +P+ – at the velocities that Georg J. Luger intended (1312 FPS out of a 4 inch barrel) – or .357 SIG (even FASTER).
With flat points or JHP. Or .45 ACP.
There doesn’t need to be a between caliber. NOT AT ALL.
Well, in fantasy world, I’d have magpulse 4mm flechette rounds. 60 in the magazine. Muzzle velocity about 3,500 fps. Of course, that’s just my backup weapon, for when my phaser “jams” or is knocked out of my hand due to the explosions that throw me across the room.
BUT, I’m not in fantasy world. I’m in the real world where, aside from the range, I don’t know WHAT I’m going to be facing, or where. AND those considerations matter. So, in addition to already mentioned considerations of knock down, second shot target acquisition, recoil and magazine capacity, there’s overpenetration, and noise. Yes, noise. At the range we where hearing protection, it’s not a major consideration. In a self-defense situation, we’ll very rarely have that option. So, we may be shooting outdoors with a following wind, or in a small, enclosed space where the concussive force and noise can have negative effects on the shooter.
All that said, I actually don’t have enough experience with different rounds to make a call. My experience tells me that I’d take .45ACP over .22, but for the rest, can’ say.