9 mm vs. .40 S&W, which is better??

[mnrobitaille]

I know this is a bit of a loaded question, but which is the better self-defense round? 9 mm or .40 S&W??

 

[davidmcbeth]

Excellent question. But this is going to partially depend on you, Mr. OP.

Is cost not a factor? 9mm ammo is cheap .. you could practice every day with a 9mm pistol cheaply...not so much with a .40.

I'd rather hit my target with a .22 short than miss with a .45 long.

And cost of operation and ownership is always to be considered.

So , would the OP practice more with the 9mm v. the .40 due to cost ?


I would say, just due to this significant difference that the 9mm is the better choice as I think that with a 9mm you would practice more.

I know I have gats I do not practice too often with due to high costs of operation. Some ammo is crazy expensive.

(have you considered a .223 rifle ammo handgun?)

 

[WalkingWolf]

Avoiding the rabbit hole, and popping corn.

 

[davidmcbeth]

Avoiding the rabbit hole, and popping corn.

I know... .45 is best. More stoppin' powar.

 

[Grapeshot]

Personal choice or prejudice.

 

[The Truth]

10mm. End thread.

 

[Phoenix David]

I know... .45 is best. More stoppin' powar.

Guy at work told me that if you get hit with a .45 anywhere your heart will stop, he said he was in the military and knew this as fact.

I walked out of the room while he was still talking.

 

[solus]

Guy at work told me that if you get hit with a .45 anywhere your heart will stop, he said he was in the military and knew this as fact.

I walked out of the room while he was still talking.

and you didn't chortle even a snicker as you left...

ipse

 

[Firearms Iinstuctor]

The one you have with you at the time you need it.

 

[WalkingWolf]

The one you have with you at the time you need it.

+1 Whatever a person carries depends on "One thing".

 

[davidmcbeth]

10mm. End thread.

Metric rounds are known to be less powerful.

 

[WalkingWolf]

[video=youtube;UMo5HwpLI48]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMo5HwpLI48[/video]

 

[JamesCanby]

I know this is a bit of a loaded question, but which is the better self-defense round? 9 mm or .40 S&W??

OP, you are going to get a lot of cheeky answers in this thread because there are never-ending caliber wars, best exemplified by the old saying, ".45 -- because it's silly to have to shoot twice."

For me, it's not a question of caliber. Caliber is not, in my opinion, the most important factor, remembering that we use our firearm to "stop the threat."

The critical factors involved in stopping the threat are:

• Shot placement
• Type of bullet

Shot placement infers control, sight alignment, sight picture, trigger control, etc. Hitting center mass multiple times is an important factor in stopping the threat.

Bullet type equals choice of bullet; FMJ, JHP, etc. A JHP that expands and creates a significant internal wound cavity lessens the bleed-out time that results in unconsciousness or incapacitation, and reduces the possibility of rounds going through the target and striking unintended targets.

The FBI standardized on .40 using Speer Gold Dot JHP cartridges for quite a few years. Recently, the FBI decided to use 9mm cartridges, but I do not know if they stayed with the Speer Gold Dots or some other, perhaps newer, bullet design.

The cost involved in practicing to become proficient can be mitigated by using FMJ cartridges rather than the more expensive JHPs. Some ammunition manufacturers produce "paired" cartridges in FMJ and JHP that have similar or identical bullet grain weights and powder loads so there is little if any difference in the felt recoil for a given firearm.

The bottom line is, all rounds/calibers are deadly. Your proficiency with the firearm you decide to carry and the ammo type you use will determine how well you can stop the threat.

 

[nobama]

OP, you are going to get a lot of cheeky answers in this thread because there are never-ending caliber wars, best exemplified by the old saying, ".45 -- because it's silly to have to shoot twice."

For me, it's not a question of caliber. Caliber is not, in my opinion, the most important factor, remembering that we use our firearm to "stop the threat."

The critical factors involved in stopping the threat are:

• Shot placement
• Type of bullet

Shot placement infers control, sight alignment, sight picture, trigger control, etc. Hitting center mass multiple times is an important factor in stopping the threat.

Bullet type equals choice of bullet; FMJ, JHP, etc. A JHP that expands and creates a significant internal wound cavity lessens the bleed-out time that results in unconsciousness or incapacitation, and reduces the possibility of rounds going through the target and striking unintended targets.

The FBI standardized on .40 using Speer Gold Dot JHP cartridges for quite a few years. Recently, the FBI decided to use 9mm cartridges, but I do not know if they stayed with the Speer Gold Dots or some other, perhaps newer, bullet design.

The cost involved in practicing to become proficient can be mitigated by using FMJ cartridges rather than the more expensive JHPs. Some ammunition manufacturers produce "paired" cartridges in FMJ and JHP that have similar or identical bullet grain weights and powder loads so there is little if any difference in the felt recoil for a given firearm.

The bottom line is, all rounds/calibers are deadly. Your proficiency with the firearm you decide to carry and the ammo type you use will determine how well you can stop the threat.

I agree with this^^^ I'm no expert by any means, but I don't believe in the term "stopping power" I think its total BS. These are handguns, which have low velocity so basically they are hole punchers. I have seen deer run over 100 yds with a well placed round from a rifle with a lot more velocity than any handgun. I will leave out the 22 caliber, but the rest are just personal preference. 9MM are cheaper.

 

[Grapeshot]

That is true. Just like metric wrenches have less turning power that SAE wrenches.

Doesn't that just torque you up?

 

[davidmcbeth]

Doesn't that just torque you up?

# of threads concerning the correct caliber to shoot: 345,582,395

# of threads resulting in the correct answer: zero

But we'll never stop trying.

 

[The Truth]

# of threads concerning the correct caliber to shoot: 345,582,395

# of threads resulting in the correct answer: zero

But we'll never stop trying.

WRONG

 

[JamesCanby]

# of threads concerning the correct caliber to shoot: 345,582,395

# of threads resulting in the correct answer: zero

But we'll never stop trying.

But I suspect that you have multiple posts on each and every one of them....

 

[color of law]

9 mm vs. .40 S&W, which is better??

Answer - Both.

 

[OC for ME]

Which ever one is at your hip when you need it. The other round types, if you have any other round types, are of zero value if it is not on your hip when you need it.