Argg! Too Many Options!!

I have posted this the study below in other threads, and will do so again.

One of the best and most cited studies done on the subject of "stopping power" was done by Evan Marshall of the Detroit Police Department back in the 1990's. His study was compiled from data across the country using "real-world" shooting incidents. His study only collected data met this criteria:

• Single bullet (no multiple shots)
• Torso hits only (no head or appendage shots)
• A "stop" meant that the perp dropped within 10-feet of the shot (out of commission)

The data shows that even lowly mousegun cartridge like the .380 ACP has a decent percentage for "stopping power". The percentage might not be in the near 90% range of the mighty .40 S&W, but it is still much higher than most people on this forum would be willing to give it credit. Isn't it interesting that the lowly .380 ACP Hydra-Shok JHP or Cor-Bon JHP have a higher one shot stop percentage than the "legendary" .45 ACP FMJ cartridges. Have we not all seen on these very forums that people would rather carry a FMJ .45 than any small caliber cartridge. The idea being that a .45 ACP bullet does not really need to expand to be more effective than other calibers.

Article based on study: Selecting the Duty Weapon--Is Caliber the Key?

If we decipher the statistics provided by this study, we will see the following 1-shot stop percentages:

• .380 ACP = 62.29%
• .38 Special 2" barrel = 61.90%
• .38 Special 4" barrel = 70.60%
• .357 Magnum = 86.55%
• 9mm = 82.44%
• .40 S&W = 87.37%
• .45 ACP = 82.50%

If you look look at these "real life" 1-shot stop percentages, you will see that statistically there is no discernible difference between the pedestrian 9mm and the "legendary" .45 ACP.

What should this mean to you? Choose the firearm and caliber that fits you the best, and stop over thinking a given cartridge's superiority, which is usually based only on anecdotal reports anyway.

P.S. The reason that many police departments choose calibers larger than the 9mm usually involve an assumption that officers may need to shoot through barriers like auto glass. If you foresee a need to penetrate car doors in a shootout, you may want to look at a .40 S&W based handgun.

First, there's nothing wrong with having two of the same guns. Both of you should carry what you shoot best. I've said it before and here it is again:

The "best" gun is the one YOU like, not anyone else. It will be a compromise of:

1. Fit - It should fit in your hand like you were born with it there.
2. Reliability - It should go BANG about 99.8% of the time you pull the trigger.
3. Accuracy - In YOUR hand. It's how well YOU shoot it.
4. Concealability - It should be comfortable enough to wear and easy enough to conceal so you won't leave it laying on the dresser at home.
5. Cost - You don't want to scrimp on your "life protector" weapon, but you probably don't need a $1,000 Kimber, either.

Don't give in to the caliber wars. It's all hype!

Click to expand...

True. NO handgun, I repeat, NO handgun is a reliable stopper, much less a "one shot" stopper. Shot placement and number of hits are the deciding factors. Any caliber on your belt is better than a "big, honking .45" sitting on the dresser because it's too big-too heavy-uncomfortable to carry/shoot, etc. A "stopper" shot happens for two reasons: 1. The BG is too injured to continue. 2. The BG is afraid of being shot again.

Having you and your wife using the same gun, and same spare mags, would be a great thing!! I only wish my wife would carry a G26...

How many times do I see police officers (either partners, or in the same department) carrying different guns? One with a Glock, another with a Sig?!:spankme: Mag compatibility, anyone?

As far as the caliber wars...I am also a 9mm guy, but always conceded that there must be some benefit to a larger caliber. I just never could determine if the benefit was worth the trade-off in mag capacity, recoil/follow-up shot speed, and ammo costs. I found some interesting data that convinced me that 9mm is the best overall compromise for me...wrote about it here...

http://www.defensivecarry.com/vbull...on-ballistics/88508-caliber-wars-over-me.html

Hope that helps settle "the grass is greener over there" for you as well!:wink:

Adding to what gglass said, the .45acp is usually used by those who use the idea that while a 9mm and .40sw might expand to .70 - .80, a .45 never goes below .45 which is always bigger than a .40sw and 9mm that do not expand properly. However, with the newer bullet designs I don't think 9mm is really bad at all. Here's why I say that.

You get more ammo with 9mm and trust me you won't shoot like you do at the range when it comes time for defensive shooting. You get an easier time with recoil. For some, this is a very important factor. Others like myself can handle .45acp and .40sw which have significantly more recoil than 9mm and that's just fine. Not everyone can shoot accurately with heavy recoil rounds. New designs in 9mm do not plug when passing through heavy clothing and the penetration is almost always right on where you want it to be to reach vital areas during a shoot.

I carry a .40sw myself, I wanted to carry a .45acp but I split the difference. I used to carry 9mm. The thing for me is I shoot a 1911 really well and love them. I would carry them if they weren't so heavy, and for the fact they aren't cheap if you get yourself a nice one. In the event you need to use your weapon the LEOs will take it and do their investigation. I'm not comfortable handing over a $1000+ gun to them.