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Why a .45 for EDC instead of a 9mm?

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8.1K views 52 replies 23 participants last post by  LeadPoison78  
#1 ·
I shoot a .45 because I'm basically lazy & cheap. I don't want to shoot twice.

It takes five 9's to = a 45

Wish I could say I came up with these gems but heard them elsewhere.
 
#16 ·
I read a story years ago about a guy high on angel dust getting into a shootout with the Illinois State police and their newly issued 9 mm pistols. Angel Dust was still returning fire after being hit over 50 times with the wonder 9s. One trooper finally shot his spine in two with a 12 gauge slug.
Never seen or heard of an incident like that involving 45s. That is why.
 
#17 ·
Never seen or heard of an incident like that involving 45s.
Then you need to do more research and expand your knowledge base, because there are plenty of them out there.

I realize most of the posts in this thread are done in jest, but amazingly enough even in 2018 there are still people who believe this stuff and can't be bothered to bring their level of understanding into the current century. So, in the interest of helping my fellow members make better-informed decisions on how to protect their lives, I'll play the role of Captain Buzzkill (again).

Fact: ALL handgun rounds suck at killing people. Magnum revolver rounds out of 4" or longer barrels can do a slightly better job, but not enough to offset the lower capacity/higher recoil & muzzle blast/increased difficulty in concealment.

Fact: there's not a lick of difference in terminal effectiveness between any of the major semi-auto handgun rounds, both in controlled testing and real-world shootings. The results are out there for anyone willing to vet their sources and do their homework.

Was there a time when choosing .45 (or .40) over 9mm was wise? Yes, but it ended 23 years ago when Speer introduced the Gold Dot bullet and was later followed by the Winchester Ranger/SXT and Federal HST. Either of those 3 rounds brings the 9mm's performance level up to equal that of the .40 or .45. Given equal bullet performance, why not choose the caliber that gives you more bullets in a platform that is easier to shoot quickly and accurately, and is also cheaper to shoot? Is there still a time today when choosing the .45 over the 9 makes more sense? Yes, if you're limited to only using FMJ ammo for some reason. In a situation like that, I'll take .45 ACP all day long. I'll always own .45's (primarily 1911's, my first and greatest handgun love), and if I had to get in a pistol fight with one I'd be OK with that. But if I had the choice I'd rather go in with a full-sized 9mm loaded with 147 gr +P HST's.
 
#18 ·
It’s all about shot placement. We’ve all seen it numerous times while deer hunting. No different with people. Only CNS hits will drop a person immediately. Next is the Heart. They still have to bleed out though. That can take a few minutes depending on how much damage was done to the pump. There’s no question that a 45 has more potential. Shot placement however is way more crucial than caliber size.
 
#26 ·
Then you need to do more research and expand your knowledge base, because there are plenty of them out there.

I realize most of the posts in this thread are done in jest, but amazingly enough even in 2018 there are still people who believe this stuff and can't be bothered to bring their level of understanding into the current century. So, in the interest of helping my fellow members make better-informed decisions on how to protect their lives, I'll play the role of Captain Buzzkill (again).

Fact: ALL handgun rounds suck at killing people. Magnum revolver rounds out of 4" or longer barrels can do a slightly better job, but not enough to offset the lower capacity/higher recoil & muzzle blast/increased difficulty in concealment.

Fact: there's not a lick of difference in terminal effectiveness between any of the major semi-auto handgun rounds, both in controlled testing and real-world shootings. The results are out there for anyone willing to vet their sources and do their homework.

Was there a time when choosing .45 (or .40) over 9mm was wise? Yes, but it ended 23 years ago when Speer introduced the Gold Dot bullet and was later followed by the Winchester Ranger/SXT and Federal HST. Either of those 3 rounds brings the 9mm's performance level up to equal that of the .40 or .45. Given equal bullet performance, why not choose the caliber that gives you more bullets in a platform that is easier to shoot quickly and accurately, and is also cheaper to shoot? Is there still a time today when choosing the .45 over the 9 makes more sense? Yes, if you're limited to only using FMJ ammo for some reason. In a situation like that, I'll take .45 ACP all day long. I'll always own .45's (primarily 1911's, my first and greatest handgun love), and if I had to get in a pistol fight with one I'd be OK with that. But if I had the choice I'd rather go in with a full-sized 9mm loaded with 147 gr +P HST's.
I run USMC 115 in my 9mm .
 
#28 ·
It’s all about shot placement. We’ve all seen it numerous times while deer hunting. No different with people. Only CNS hits will drop a person immediately. Next is the Heart. They still have to bleed out though. That can take a few minutes depending on how much damage was done to the pump. There’s no question that a 45 has more potential. Shot placement however is way more crucial than caliber size.
Have you ever been in a real-life shoot-out? Talking about shot placement is great when you are at the 15 yard line, shooting at a target. Things get a little more dicey when that target is shooting back at you, though. Good training and lots of it helps, but the sound of rounds whizzing by your ear and rapid muzzle flashes in the dark tends to make one anxious and can spoil your careful aim.
 
#29 ·
I do agree. It still boils down to shot placement no matter the circumstances. Caliber size will not remove that variable nor the “heat of the moment” variable. A small framed teenager was shot 6 times in the chest with a 45 at less than 10 feet distance a few years ago. She lived. The same shot placement with any other pistol caliber would have given the same result most likely. Yes the bigger the hole the better the chances given that a person is just as accurate with each caliber.