I see people claim that there is not any significant difference in the incapacitation potential of the "service calibers" 9mm, 357 Sig, 40, 45.
Do you agree?
...........We also discourage "caliber war" threads and strongly encourage you not to post a thread starting one. Regardless of your level of experience, caliber is a personal preference and what is right for you may not be right for others.
The poll... I answered yes, because I assume you mean good shot placement. If you shoot a completely non vital area, something like a 45 might have more impact on the person than a 9mm. If you mean a shot to a vital organ, then there is probably not enough difference to matter.
Same shot placement, do you think 9mm, 357 Sig, 40, 45 offer equal incapacita...
Depends what you are shooting at.. A heart I would want the largest caliber to do the most damage. An engine block I would want the penetrating power of .357 sig. The important thing is finding a balance of power and recoil that works best for you to make you an accurate shooter as quickly as possible.
Same shot placement, do you think 9mm, 357 Sig, 40, 45 offer equal incapacita...
If shot placement is between the eyes then all 4 are equal! However add a barrier I would base on our test of ballistic glass I would go with the 357 Sig or 40 S & W. But if it is a pelvic area shot I would say the 45ACP! But I carry a 357 Sig and shoot it very well so DON'T corn-fuse me with all those personal preferences! Any of the 4 will service you well if you train with them and can have rapid follow up shots! JMHO!
Does the round make a difference? Yes! Does rage drugs sense of duty shear cussed meanness make a difference? Yes! If you over emphasize any one factor to the exclusion of others can it bite you? You betcha!
That's funny right there! 45ACP still has it IMO. Everything else is just a gamble. Do I carry 45ACP all of the time? Nope. But I sometimes gamble on more shots per mag and more velocity and penetration. May sound like trade offs, but what you can hit with is still number one!
All things being equal- same shot placement same number of shots delivered- I'll go with the bigger hole every time. But we don't live in a world where all things are equal. A platform will hold more 9mm than 45 ACP. Thus I'm left with a bit of a personal conundrum. There's a reason I own both. There's also a reason I've moved away from 40/357 Sig platforms- compromises don't give enough of any upside to mitigate the downside... to me.
Caliber preference is a personal decision. People that somehow wrap their self worth up in the caliber they pick are only fooling themselves. I'll keep carrying a 9mm with 124 gr +P Gold Dots on duty and off duty I'll sometimes pick a gun with the same load and sometimes I'll go with the 230 gr 45... because that's what I picked for myself that day.
Is there is a difference... yes
Is there a significant difference... well, I'm still looking for the person willing to take a hit from a 'mouse gun' to prove it will just piss an attacker off
Shot placement is a pipe dream. A SD situation is a dynamic event, everyone is trying to not get shot. What do you shoot the best, what can you make the fastest hits with? What is the most powerful gun you can control. Based upon my experiences and those I trust I give the same answer. I carry the biggest most powerful gun I can conceal and shoot well. I am partial to the 357 Sig, it hits hard and shoots strait and holds 16 shots. I will take any advantage, however small, to tilt the tables in my favor.
My ER doc friend says he can patch a 9mm hole in someones heart but when a 45 expands to 3/4" he cannot patch that hole. The same theories apply to SD as they do to hunting. Elmer Keith did great work on the effects of high VS low velocity bullets on game animals and the effect on meat.
OP I have been following your threads on numerous boards. None of your choices are bad, they are however very personal. I can explain why I like something, but you may not agree with my logic.
OP I have been following your threads on numerous boards. None of your choices are bad, they are however very personal. I can explain why I like something, but you may not agree with my logic.
Why the pole they are all going to hurt or terminate and you forgot the 22 assignation kit that was always good placement and did not mess up your clothes.
What caliber is used to protect the leader of the free world? Why is the caliber used? Why is a true full powered load for the caliber hard to find and not readily available? Why does the average person not know the original design specification for this caliber? There are a lot of questions I have about the .357 Sig and I bet that somewhere a government study on these questions exist. I carry all calibers at one time or the other except for the .45.
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