Is the .45’s Stopping Power a Myth?

[HugoStiglitz]

I've carried an XDs in 45 ACP since it was originally released. I can honestly say that the recoil is just as manageable as a similarly sized 9mm.
I think it's pretty much accepted that modern 9mm jhp are on a par with 45 ACP. That said... during the scamdemic jhp ammo was scarce. If I have to use fmj, I'll take 45 any day.

 

[Mr. Untactical]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Is the .45’s Stopping Power a Myth?” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/45-acp-stopping-power-myth/.

 

[3L120]

IDK based on my research (I've never shot anybody) stopping power in general is a myth

View attachment 68132
Unless you're shooting one of these

I actually prefer this round, 175mm out of a M107. The thought of a 147 Pound projectile leaving the muzzle at the same speed as a 147 grain bullet out of a M-14 always fascinated me. Not very accurate at charge 3 ( of powder) range, but I used them at 5-6 klicks and they were accurate enough for my purposes, killing NVA.

 

[Nitestik]

There's nothing new to add to this topic. Every time it comes up the discussion just devolves into people justifying their choice.

Sydney Vail, Martin Fackler and Gary Roberts all agree that there's no significant difference in the performance characteristics of the three main service calibers.

If any one of the three was clearly and consistently stopping more bad guys than the other two then every Police Department in America would be carrying it and everyone else would be buying it.

Here is a very good article that addresses this issue

http://www.03designgroup.com/technotes/why-glock-why-9mm

QUOTE from the article

I thought back to the effects different pistol rounds having on animals, victim's of shootings, and Officer involved shootings that I had seen personally and read about during my career. I couldn't think of a single shooting where the person or animal was shot with a 9mm and lived, but would have died if the round would have been a .40S&W or a .45acp. And I could not think of a single shooting where a person or animal was shot with a .40S&W or a .45acp and died, but would have survived if the round would have been a 9mm.

With all due respect to the author of this article, the effectiveness of a cartridge in a self-defense scenario is not a question of whether the aggressor “lived” or “died”; rather it is a question of whether they were “stopped”. There exists (on the internet) bank security camera footage showing a bank robber shot through the neck. There is copious arterial bleeding spurting out yards all over the floor. It takes him 30-32 seconds to bleed out. That is a BIG window of time in which to remain dangerous. According to my reading, a one-shot stop with ANY defensive handgun runs the risk of failure at least 15% of the time. Personally, I don’t like those odds. Better to be where the bad guys AREN’T. And then, be armed with a rifle.

 

[3L120]

The folks here have lots of true stories about “anyone” can handle a 1911. Problem is, there is a NG difference in ‘can handle’ and ‘want to handle’. There are a lot of people who are terrified of a “big gun” especially in .45. Look at the FBI with the 10mm, reduced to the .40 and now using 9mm. Smaller people, including females, have a problem with managing recoil. If they had their way the FBI would be packing .30 Super Carry. Two more examples; I was a Provost Marshal at an Army Guard base. Female soldiers carried .38 Police Positives while my male soldiers carried 1911s. At the LAPD range female fivers, when they came on in about 1975 few could pass the physical tests, were not taught combat wrestling, and their pistol qualification scores with a DAO Model 15 Smith were not the best. Not to put down female officers, I worked with one who was about the best partner I had in 23 years

 

[NMEDGE]

In my mind the 45 is king! If you ask my back it says please carry a 9mm.

 

[tthor]

All holes are bad, but big holes are more bad. I carry an XD/S when I can, but honestly, most days it's a Ruger LCP Max in my pocket.

 

[SimonRL]

We should do a poll here on the armory life - those preferring a .45acp of their choice loading and platform vs one for the 9mm and 40 (maybe 10mm too is that isn't blasphemy lol) and see. The q is if you had but one gun and two mags and there was 3-5 assailants which would you choose and why. - full disclosure - I'm an Xer and still prefer a 45 or 10mm over a 9mm so there.

If the 3-5 assailants are armed I think for 98.5% of gun owners caliber is going to be academic.

 

[peace officer]

Springfield Armory, Range Master Compact has been my off duty carry. We still used the 1911 in Vietnam. The stopping ability is unmatched by any other.

 

[trader]

If the 3-5 assailants are armed I think for 98.5% of gun owners caliber is going to be academic.

yep - hitting the targets, as needed, in the right areas will always outweigh caliber choice. That being said I want to hit as hard as possible in that area.

 

[Shibadog]

Most of the arguments on 9 vs 45 come down to “.45 was better, but now 9 mm has better bullets” while ignoring the fact that .45’s ALSO now has improved bullets. Given a choice, I’ll take the bigger hole every time. It cracks me up to see agencies go with smaller lighter guns because their folks can’t handle the recoil (and I’m not talking hand cannons but things like .45 and 10mm). FBI went to 10 after 9’s failed. 10 mm proven too much for some agents, went to reduced power loads (and the .40 was born), then back to 9 mm. Maybe, just maybe it would have made more sense to train their people to use the heavier round in the first place. If they’re too small/weak for the standard weapon perhaps they are in the wrong career track. . Instead, as with everything else today, we go for the lowest common denominator. Maybe just give ‘em .22 short target pistons )

 

[trader]

Well the bureau changes its mind so often on some things they begin to make Kamala look resolute.

 

[AnyNameYouWish]

Too often the 45ACP cartridge is tied to the 1911 pistol. While I realize the heritage, there are many modern pistols designed for the 45ACP. I wished I captured a comment by someone who worked in Emergency Rooms for a number of years. Paraphrased, he said he could tell which bullet a patient had been shot with, a 9mm or a 45ACP by the wound. Gelatin tests, unfortunately, are limited as they pretend individuals do not have bones. Therefore, they are limited as to what they tell us about real body responses to being shot.

 

[Annihilator]

 

[trader]

now do 10mm

 

[KillerFord1977]

now do 10mm

 

[KillerFord1977]

If the 3-5 assailants are armed I think for 98.5% of gun owners caliber is going to be academic.

Can we downgrade that to 1-2

 

[LarryT]

Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “Is the .45’s Stopping Power a Myth?” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/45-acp-stopping-power-myth/.

I shoot both 9mm and .45 acp frequently. My experience as an instructor has taught me that peeps looking to convert from 9mm to .45 acp first must learn that you don't shoot one the same way you shot the other. People that can't adapt have problems with the .45. As far as stopping power goes, we could ask those who have been shot with both which was the worse, but I suspect the population to question is quite small.

 

[SimonRL]

Can we downgrade that to 1-2

Thats a given, I was trying to be polite.

 

[SimonRL]

I shoot both 9mm and .45 acp frequently. My experience as an instructor has taught me that peeps looking to convert from 9mm to .45 acp first must learn that you don't shoot one the same way you shot the other. People that can't adapt have problems with the .45. As far as stopping power goes, we could ask those who have been shot with both which was the worse, but I suspect the population to question is quite small.

I think a lot of this depends on the gun. A 1911 feels significantly different in 9mm and .45. My HK45 and FN545 are creampuffs and no harder to shoot than a PDP or VP9.