Help me... 9 mm vs 45 ACP

S

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I’m looking for some sage advice all. I have a Beretta 96A1which I bought originally for home defense while living in PA. I paired it with a Crossbreed Super Tuck and can EDC it but it’s obviously big and hot in the warm months. I’m considering trading it in for an M&P M2.0 Compact but with the NY mag restrictions, I’m not sure if I should go with 9mm or 45 ACP. From my perspective the primary advantages of 9mm are:
1. increased round capacity
2. cost of shooting, i.e. training
If I’m restricted to 7 rounds in the magazine, doesn’t it make most sense to make them the largest rounds possible? I’d spend more on training if I went with the 45 but I’d also have the ability to punch bigger holes with more mass if necessary. I can shoot both nearly as well and with training would have no difficulty becoming fully proficient with either.

As a side argument with myself, I’d really love a new P365XL but that’s a different beast entirely and only have the funds for one at the moment.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
Exonautic

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For starters, you're not limited to 7 rounds, it's ten.

Second, I wouldn't suggest getting rid of a home defense gun you're familiar with just to get a EDC gun you have to start all over with. Even if you never touch the 96 again, you'll regret it at some point if you were to sell.

As for the gun, ignore 45, there's no point at all. Velocities are lower, recoil is different, and you make just as big a hole with an expanding 9mm as you do with a decent 45.

If you're buying a new gun get the regular p365. However if you're really going to get rid of the 96(don't) get a p320 so you can switch from full size to compact in the future.
 
Chevusa

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The only thing for me is I stay away from the full size guns just because you are limited to 10 rounds anyway. I only buy pistols that I would carry. I think it's silly to have all that unused space in there. Where caliber comes into this for me, the best example I can give is the Glock 19 (9mm) and the 23 (.40) are exactly the same size guns. In a state without mag limits, I would absolutely carry the 19 which holds 15 rounds. In NY both can only hold 10 so I went with the 23 because in the same size package I get the slightly better performing .40. Not that I have anything against 9mm, I own 2 but they are much smaller guns so it makes sense to me. All that being said, my next purchase will be a .45, because I don't own one yet. But again either round will do what you need it to if you are using premium hollow point ammo.
 
S

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why t
Exonautic said:
For starters, you're not limited to 7 rounds, it's ten.

Second, I wouldn't suggest getting rid of a home defense gun you're familiar with just to get a EDC gun you have to start all over with. Even if you never touch the 96 again, you'll regret it at some point if you were to sell.

As for the gun, ignore 45, there's no point at all. Velocities are lower, recoil is different, and you make just as big a hole with an expanding 9mm as you do with a decent 45.

If you're buying a new gun get the regular p365. However if you're really going to get rid of the 96(don't) get a p320 so you can switch from full size to compact in the future.
Click to expand...
he regular 365 and not the XL?
 
Deplorable Me

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The M&P I find still a little bulky for summer carry. Take a look at the M&P 2.0 Shield. 9mm is 7 rounds, extended mag 8 rounds. I think the .45 M&P Shield is 6/7 rounds. .40 is 7/8 rounds if you want a pinch more ft-lbs.

I carry the 9mm, two mags, 15 rounds. Two spare mags in my luggage. Thin and lightweight. I carry IWB and have a pocket holster in addition.

S&W has been running all kinds of promotions. You can get at bigger savings an original NIB Shield but the 2.0 version has a nicer trigger system. 2.0 has some promotions from time to time.

I do have a full size M&P .45, maxes out at 10 rounds. Good shooter, good for repelling home invasions and drunk pirates. S&W magazines are SS and affordable.
 
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Phauxtoe

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your pistol is only for getting to the long gun you should have had in your hands in the first place.

get a 18" shotgun with 0000 buck!

(don't you hate when someone answers your question like this!)
 
71velle

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I would say the m&P 45 compact that holds 10 would be nice. I shoot it very well and it feels great. But, it going with a 9mm the M&P is carrying a 15 round gun that you can only have 10 so not worth carrying the extra size. So, in 9 mm the Glock 48 or 43x or the p365 would be my choice.

If limited to 10 rounds I would rather have a 45, but I do not want to carry something that big and heavy.
 
Criticalt

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If you plan on shooting a dude in a tshirt at 5 yards, get a 45.
If you plan on getting through a winter coat or any form of barrier, go with the 9mm or 40.
I for one carry either a 10mm or 357 mag. If I must defend my life, I dont want a coat or car door stopping me.
Penetration needs speed.
Speed kills.
 
Chevusa

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Ohh boy. This sounds like it's turning into a caliber debate. Either round penetrates past the FBI recommended 12" in the heavy clothing test. You can look that up on your own but it's several layers of clothing. State Police use the .45 and Sheriff's and most other police use the .40 at least around here anyway. Secret Service recently went to the 9mm. They will all work fine.
 
BDinPutnam

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Phauxtoe said:
your pistol is only for getting to the long gun you should have had in your hands in the first place.

get a 18" shotgun with 0000 buck!

(don't you hate when someone answers your question like this!)
Click to expand...

Hell if you want to play that game he really should have an SBR.

How many DGU's in a given year follow this scenario? Dude is talking about carry presumably outside of the home. Who and where would he be fighting outside of his home field advantage that he would be "fighting his way back to a long gun"?
 
Criticalt

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Chevusa said:
Ohh boy. This sounds like it's turning into a caliber debate. Either round penetrates past the FBI recommended 12" in the heavy clothing test. You can look that up on your own but it's several layers of clothing. State Police use the .45 and Sheriff's and most other police use the .40 at least around here anyway. Secret Service recently went to the 9mm. They will all work fine.
Click to expand...
Oh damn, ive never thought of looking it up!
Anyways, ive never once been attacked by gelatin. Gel is not intended to show how good a round does on a human body. Gel is a calibrated medium used as a control to compare calibers and loads.
Cloths, bone, tendons, muscle, ambient temperature, angle of shot can all slow or deflect a bullet. Not to mention doors, walls, cars......
The faster a bullet goes, the less these barriers matter.
An 800 FPS 45 bullet will be slowed and deflected more easily than an 1100 FPS 9mm, or a 1400 FPS 10mm.
In real world situations a 9mm is usually superior to a 45 ACP.
That said, a 45 ACP is usually an adequate round but if I cant have a 2500 FPS rifle round, I want a bullet that goes as fast as possible to cut through my target.
 
BMF JK

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Keep the beretta , get yourself a G26 for carry and call it a day . Glock subcompact and have 10 rounds of 9 mm ! I shoot my G26 as well as any of my full size pistols .
 
Chevusa

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Criticalt said:
Oh damn, ive never thought of looking it up!
Anyways, ive never once been attacked by gelatin. Gel is not intended to show how good a round does on a human body. Gel is a calibrated medium used as a control to compare calibers and loads.
Cloths, bone, tendons, muscle, ambient temperature, angle of shot can all slow or deflect a bullet. Not to mention doors, walls, cars......
The faster a bullet goes, the less these barriers matter.
An 800 FPS 45 bullet will be slowed and deflected more easily than an 1100 FPS 9mm, or a 1400 FPS 10mm.
In real world situations a 9mm is usually superior to a 45 ACP.
That said, a 45 ACP is usually an adequate round but if I cant have a 2500 FPS rifle round, I want a bullet that goes as fast as possible to cut through my target.
Click to expand...
It also doesn't take 12 - 18" to hit vital organs in a human chest. That's why the FBI standard is at least 12" in calibrated gel. It's a good representation. If it can do that, it'll do it's job in a human once you add in muscle and bone. S

Speed is not the whole story. Mass also matters. You will find the heavier the bullet, the longer it maintains it's velocity. The lighter rounds slow at a faster rate than heavier ones.
 
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