Why is .45 the new 9mm?

[Daven]

Ok, years ago 9mm was the cal. Of choice by the masses. Now it seems .45 is. Why is that? Not that I disagree, I prefer it, but why do you??

Gimpy

[gynojunkie]

Ok, years ago 9mm was the cal. Of choice my the masses. Now it seems .45 is. Why is that? Not that I disagree, I prefer it, but why do you??

Gimpy

It's a large projectile and, whether RN or JHP, large projectiles make big wounds and stopping power (I don't care a hoot about 'one-shot stops'); I also reload and the .45 is simple, straight, fairly easy and low pressure; 9 mm & 40 mm can get very twitchy on the reload, whereas the .45 is quite forgiving.

Yes, .45's are heavier guns, less concealable, but there are lots of options to solve those 'problems.' And those heavier guns dampen the recoil to very manageable--so you can practice, fairly inexpensively, too--because you need muscle memory to be effective when the SHTF.

Finally, John Moses Browning knew his STUFF!

[Pokey]

Probably due to all the "BS" babble over a 9mm not being a man stopper round. The Germans sure took down way too many of our troops during WWII with this whimpy round "MP40, Luger and Walthers", and if it doesn't kill you quickly you have to deal with the very probable hydrostatic shock effect of the round. I don't care for the slow and heavy 45 round, I would prefer a 40 over it anyday.......40 might very well be the perfect overall defensive round anyways. So I guess you can tell that I am a fan of the 9mm, and I'm sure I'll be shooting and using them for self defense for many years to come.

[BrianRay]

Comes back to power vs capacity. 45 gives you that warm fuzzy feeling that comes from carrying 230 gr JHP rounds, even though you may only have a single stack of 8.

I have a 40 sw, good combination of power and capacity.

[CalicoJack10]

Seems to me that you should not need more than 8 rounds. Mostly because there is no need to pull a NYPD and dump 96 rounds out at a guy and then hope you hit him 5 or 6 times. Round accountability is very very important to self defense. And while the 9mm is a good round, as is the .40, the truth is that i want a round that is going to take my attacker off his feet.

Sure that may mean that they stumble and fall, but the kinetic energy in a .45 acp would easily stop someone if the penetration doesn't. The sad fact is that it is becoming a trend in the inner cities for these gang bangers to start wearing body armor. A majority of the incidents involving the illegal use of said armor don't hit the news cause it allows the attacker to get away. But if you hit some thug gang banger who is wearing body armor with a .45, you are surely going to put them on their a$$.

[hp-hobo]

Seems to me that you should not need more than 8 rounds. Mostly because there is no need to pull a NYPD and dump 96 rounds out at a guy and then hope you hit him 5 or 6 times. Round accountability is very very important to self defense. And while the 9mm is a good round, as is the .40, the truth is that i want a round that is going to take my attacker off his feet.

Sure that may mean that they stumble and fall, but the kinetic energy in a .45 acp would easily stop someone if the penetration doesn't. The sad fact is that it is becoming a trend in the inner cities for these gang bangers to start wearing body armor. A majority of the incidents involving the illegal use of said armor don't hit the news cause it allows the attacker to get away. But if you hit some thug gang banger who is wearing body armor with a .45, you are surely going to put them on their a$$.

Really?

Well if the premise of your post was scientifically accurate, wouldn't discharging your side arm also cause you to be knocked on your ass? First? Because the projectile would have to leave your muzzle with at least as much energy as it hits your assailant with. Please help me to understand modern physics.

Just sayin'.

[Cocked _and_Locked]

...wouldn't discharging your side arm also cause you to be knocked on your ass? First?

Now there's some scientifically-inaccurate physics-ignorant white-trash logic, if I ever heard it!

[hp-hobo]

Now there's some scientifically-inaccurate physics-ignorant white-trash logic, if I ever heard it!

Indeed.

Coming from the King of Ignorance, I'll take that as high praise.

If you're capable of reading multi syllable words;
The truth about handgun knockdown power

And since you probably need pictures;
YouTube - Myths Revisited 2 - Blown Away

So. What information do you have that refutes what's been known for about 600 years? Please answer in small, simple words for this ignorant white trash.

[S&W645]

Same company ammo of the same type in like guns 9mm vs .45. Bullet weight will be higher in the .45 as will the lb/ft of energy. In fact in full size guns for both sizes, the .45 will still be flying at the same speed as the 9mm leaving the barrel, 100 yds downrange.

And I never concider the .45 as the new 9mm. .45 has always been the ammo since 1911. The others are the wannabes.

[ClearSightTactical]

Here we go again, the age old argument of 9mm vs .45ACP.

To those who say you should not need more than 8 rounds, I say you should not need even 1 round. I'm a believer in Murphy's law and there are many things that could go wrong. You obviously believe in things going wrong, hence you carrying a weapon in the first place. Multiple attackers, low light situations, weapon malfunctions, assailant in body armor behind cover, etc. etc. there is NO penalty for having too much ammo. .

To those who reference 'stopping power' I'd redirect you to a study conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
http://www.firearmstactical.com/pdf/fbi-hwfe.pdf

Highlights of the study:
Page 12 paragraph 3
Goddard amply proves the fallacy of 'knock-down power' by calculating the heights (and resultant velocities) from which a one pound weight and a ten pound weight must be dropped to equal the momentum of 9mm and .45ACP projectiles.

Now there's some scientifically-inaccurate physics-ignorant white-trash logic, if I ever heard it!

According to the same study conducted by the FBI:
Page 12 paragraph 4
A bullet simply cannot knock a man down. If it had the energy to do so, then equal energy would be applied against the shooter and he too would be knocked down. This is simple physics, and has been known for hundreds of years.

In short, I carry a Glock 17 chambered in 9mm, I am more than confident that should I ever need to use it, the weapon would perform equally as well as a .45ACP. Shot placement is key, a .50 is about a useful as a .22lr if you miss. SHOT PLACEMENT is critical as verified by major law enforcement study's.