Is Bigger Better?

[E. Spears]

I know in America, everything BIGGER is considered to be BETTER. :D But what about caliber size? I've seen it argued that 2 x .355 = .71 :rolleyes: But what about the stopping power for the .45 ACP? :confused:

And what about the .40 S&W?? Seems more and more agencies are going that way today. Then there's the other side of the coin like the FN 5.7. :confused:

[Larry Talbott]

Don't even go there :eek:

[Brad VanHorn]

Ahhh, it was only a matter of time before we started this discussion again :)

I'll preface my remarks with this: these are my opinions, there are many like them, but these are mine ;)

Stopping power is a myth, which sensationalists won't let die. A bullet wound track in the human body is subject to practically millions of physical and psychological possibilities, so there's no way to know the definitive effects and whether a bullet will have the desired affect.

Bullet diameter and penetration depth are two of the more consistent measurements related to bullet wounds. However, even these are somewhat subjective, for although modern hollow points expand with more reliability than in the past, there is still no guarantee, and although penetration in testing has been pushed to a near exact science, there are still many variables which effect penetration in the body.

Handgun rounds are, in general, low velocity and energy by comparison with rifle rounds. With handgun rounds the critical factor to ensure incapacitation is to affect the central nervous system. A bullets ability to penetrate will determine if it can reach the vitals and the bullet diameter may affect the chance of striking those vitals.

Now, a .355 hole vs. a .45 hole... have you measured this? Let's be generous and go with massive hollow point expansion. A .70 hole vs. a .90 hole? Poke two holes in a piece of paper using these respective sizes and then overlay those holes on your body. Does it make that big a difference to you? It doesn't to me. Especially when I consider I can shooter faster and more accurately with the smaller round (i.e. 9mm). The smaller round gives me nearly double the magazine capacity and is usually available in a wider variety of platforms depending on my needs.

So, is 40S&W a compromise? Certainly. A little more bullet size, usually a couple less rounds, a little more recoil than 9mm. A little less bullet size, a few more rounds, a little less recoil than 45ACP. Is it the better option? This is a completely subjective question based on the skill and comfort level of the shooter.

Frankly I think this is great table talk, but is really overblown in proportion to the really important things like quality training and sustainment of that training. Any of the big three will work fine. Pick a gun that fits you, that you can afford to shoot (again, in general, favoring 9mm), and then spend more time and energy on training and less time on pondering the myth of stopping power.

Having said all this, my carry gun is usually a 9mm and my home defense gun is a 45ACP, so I choose... both :D

[D.R. Middlebrooks]

Well said, Brad! :cool: There are NO magic bullets... :(

And people often overlook the fact that we need penetration, either into the computer vault and/or to clip the spinal cord in order to stop a determined foe.

Bottom Line: It's all about...

"SHOT PLACEMENT, SHOT PLACEMENT, SHOT PLACEMENT!!!!" :eek:

[Ernie Johnson]

Is Bigger Better? Of course it is. But all the power in the world is no good if you can't connect with the intended target.:o

I'd say carry no more gun than what you can handle. As DR says,

"Bullets never miss, they ALWAYS hit something, and you are responsible for EVERY shot you fire." :eek:

[John Badertscher]

Funny that all the previous ".45 is a one-shot stop" nonsense seems to have disappeared from all but the most old-school of shooters.

I remember reading back in the 1980s when we switched to 9mm that there was an ex-Israeli Commando/Mossad type who said his favorite round was the 9mm because it was most accurate. He shrugged off the American obsession with .45 saying "if you do what you're supposed to do (put rounds on target) the bullet will do what it's supposed to do."

From a wound ballistic perspective, the .45 makes a slightly larger hole, the 9mm penetrates slightly deeper. The .40 is either the best or worst of both. Neither travels at sufficient velocity to impart hydrostatic shock (if you accept the concept). Outside of a headshot either is probably going to require more than one helping.

Little bit of trivia...back in the 1990s when I was in EMS, by percentage and numbers the most LETHAL (cause most fatalities) round in American Emergency Rooms was the .22lr.

[Michael Thompson]

You know John, for a long time back in the 70's the gun of choice with Mossad was actually the .22 Beretta.

[D.R. Middlebrooks]

Right on, Michael... Just ask Bobby Kennedy about the .22LR. :eek:

OK, All together now class: "SHOT PLACEMENT, SHOT PLACEMENT, SHOT PLACEMENT" ... :cool: