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9mm vs 45ACP: The Ultimate Caliber Conundrum

In my 20's, the 30s, 40s, and 50s I shot a 45. Now I'm in my 70's and I shoot much better with a couple of 9mm's. Age happens, just sayin'...
I’m almost 60, and am contemplating a S&W EZ Shield for that day and time when I sell most everything and ‘retire’ myself from the sport. I’ll have that EZ for my bedside (8 rds is better’n nuthin’). Will also keep my RIA GI .45 since it’s what got me started on 1911s. (The M9 Beretta was already fielded when I started my 22 yrs service). Perhaps I’ll pass on that Rock GI to a relative - who knows it might be a part of fam lore someday. Someone has my Confederate ancestors pistol and razor, and I have my great grandmother’s handsewn quilt and straight back chair ( both 120 yrs+).
 
.22
9mm
.45
If you cant hit a target, it wont matter the caliber. A miss is a miss.
.22 placed properly quick will dispatch as well as any other round.
Shot placement counts
.45 helps if you miss by a smidge
Coroner doesnt care if its a .22 or .45
If you cannot use your firearm properly, doesn't matter the caliber
I have shot 45s since 1952 and is still is my choice for defense and that was my BUG when I was in law enforcement, our duty weapon was a Model 19. I have owned many hand guns over the years and that includes 10mm and I still make my pick a 45 as I am comfortable with it so its my primary carry and close at hand at zero dark30 and IMO what you consider the long term that I have used, carried and shot I am comfortable with my 45 to protect me, my wife and family along with my home. I never argue about caliber because I just use the one that fits me but I do enjoy shooting other calibers and I have some other calibers but thats because I like guns.
 
The debate leaves out attrition and time to learn.

Like learning to drive a chevy on main street USA vs a NASCAR.

Larger calibers take more time to be proficient. Like high HP cars.

The Govt’s of the world go with 9mm as its easier to pump out masses of people able to use them over larger calibers.

Lets face it, if it was easy, every military soldier would be an Olympic grade shooter.

Law enforcement, military, and civilian shoot what is less time to train.

Its only time and money.

Govt’s dont have either.
 
”One Caliber to rule them all, One Caliber to find them, One Caliber to bring them all, And in the darkness bind them” 10mm, gotta love it 😍
On the other hand, momentum weighs mass and velocity equally — the equation is — mass times velocity. The weight of the bullet counts a lot more in the numerical result. For example, a 9mm 124-grain bullet moving at 1,150 fps has about the same energy as a .45 ACP traveling 850 fps (364.2 vs. 369 ft-lbs.), but the .45 ACP has roughly a third more momentum (27.93 vs. 20.37 lb.-ft/sec). There — a victory for the big and slow ballistics crowd!

The 45ACP is just a tough as the 10mm. I checked some numbers and found that 14.2 grains of Enforcer pushing a 230-grain bullet at 1,078 fps produces 11.6 ft-lbs of recoil. My highest average velocity was achieved with the Hornady 230-grain XTP bullet (14.0 grains of Enforcer - 1040 fps). That value is slightly above the published speed of 1,022 fps, and it is 42 to 89 fps faster than the other powders produced at +P pressures, giving Enforcer the edge on velocity and with much lower pressure. Therefore, a 45ACP 230gr XTP @ 1078 produces 35.42 lb.-ft/sec, compared to a 10MM 200gr XTP @ 1130fps produces 32.29 lb.-ft/sec. Mass times velocity = momentum.
 
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