Size Doesn?t Matter: Using 9mm for Personal Defense

[JimThornTX]

Article from HANDGUNS magazine about the evolution of 9mm ammo and how today's 9mm ammo (more specifically defensive HP ammo) performs much better than it once did.

http://www.handgunsmag.com/2012/10/23/size-doesnt-matter-using-9mm-for-personal-defense/

Why choose a 9mm over something larger?  Several simple reasons.

Guns hold more 9mms than they do larger calibers, and the 9mm recoils less than either the .40 or .45. So the guns hold more ammo and recoil less; if modern ammo makes it perform just as well as the larger calibers, why not carry a 9mm?

[Skookum]

Thanks for the link, Jim.

Of course, advances in bullet design that make the 9 Luger more effective make larger calibers even more effective -- if one is willing to pay the price in more recoil and less capacity.

The way I look at it, the .45 Auto is the man-stopping gold standard of military sidearms -- with ball ammo it will drill 0.45-inch wide holes having potentially lethal, greater than 12 inches, penetration.  With today's well-designed premium JHP rounds in a 9 Luger one can get potentially lethal penetration with a bullet that expands to 0.85 inch in diameter.  Thus, the 9 Luger offers better-than-gold-standard performance with less recoil and roughly twice the capacity.  And as a bonus, the ammo is cheaper.

[Birds Away]

I am a convert to the 9mm as a carry gun.  It took a while to overcome my previously held convictions but I finally did.  Now I carry a CZ Compact 9mm with 16+1. 

[Skookum]

Now I carry a CZ Compact 9mm with 16+1.

How do you get the extra round in the magazine?

[Wobbly]

How do you get the extra round in the magazine?

You're correct. You really don't want to chamber a round and drop the slide. The extractor was not designed to load ammo that way.

Try this....
Drop the slide on a magazine to load the "1".
De-cock.
Drop the mag and top it off.

[Birds Away]

How do you get the extra round in the magazine?

You're correct. You really don't want to chamber a round and drop the slide. The extractor was not designed to load ammo that way.

Try this....
Drop the slide on a magazine to load the "1".
De-cock.
Drop the mag and top it off.

Yes, I was initially confused by the question.  Of course you load a magazine, drop slide, eject magazine, top off, reinstall.  I guess I am still not quite sure what the question is?

[RandyP]

Ok, I'll be the one who posts the old adage - "A 9mm may expand but a .45 will never shrink" - LOL

I own and often carry a .380ACP for my personal protection and don't feel unprotected. Like they say, if I know there's gonna be trouble, I'm bringing a rifle.

For me SD is much more dependent upon shot placement than the size of the slug headed down range. Only hits count in a gun battle.

[Skookum]

How do you get the extra round in the magazine?

Sorry.  I meant to say "How do you get the two extra rounds in the magazine?"  My 75 C holds 14+1, not 16+1.  Are you using a different magazine or a modified magazine?

[JimThornTX]

Now I carry a CZ Compact 9mm with 16+1.

How do you get the extra round in the magazine?

I will hazard a guess -- 14-round mag plus 2-round extension (16 rounds) plus 1 round in the chamber. Total of 17 rounds.

Or 16-round mag with SP-01 base for flush-fitting plus 1 in the chamber.

[JimThornTX]

Ok, I'll be the one who posts the old adage - "A 9mm may expand but a .45 will never shrink" - LOL

There is a quote in the article I like by Elmer Kieth -- ?Big bullets let in a lot of air and let out a lot of blood.? -- probably referring to the preference of .45 ACP for personal defense.

[jjdurso]

My response to any handgun caliber debate is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!  If you want to feel confident you can put multiple rounds in the vitals at eight feet when your life depends on it, you should feel confident you can put ten shots through and orange at ten yards with no stress.



I would never say there is one 'perfect' defensive pistol, but there are different weapons for different situations; I feel comfortable with my .357 wheel guns in the house because I can't imagine many scenarios where I will need more than six shots to neutralize the threat inside my home (I also have a 12ga pump kicking around for good measure), but if the SHTF and I have to make a run to the grocery store, I would feel most comfortable with 20+1 of 9mm on my hip and 30+1 of .223 in my hands.  Just sayin'...

[Birds Away]

Or 16-round mag with SP-01 base for flush-fitting plus 1 in the chamber.
[/quote]

Yes, I have two of these.  Worth their weight in gold as far as I am concerned.  Gives me a warm and fuzzy.

[bang bang]

size doesnt matter if you cant hit what your aiming at.

you can do everything right and sometimes youre going to get your A## kicked or get killed.  its not right, but its life. 

[Skookum]

If you want to feel confident you can put multiple rounds in the vitals at eight feet when your life depends on it, you should feel confident you can put ten shots through and orange at ten yards with no stress.

Are you sure that's good enough?  From what I understand, most police departments require a minimum range score of 70 to qualify, but the average police officer hits the bad guy in a gun fight only one time in six shots.  As most shootings are at close range, the stress of a gunfight seems to degrade one's precision and accuracy horrendously.

[bozwell]

If you want to feel confident you can put multiple rounds in the vitals at eight feet when your life depends on it, you should feel confident you can put ten shots through and orange at ten yards with no stress.

Are you sure that's good enough?  From what I understand, most police departments require a minimum range score of 70 to qualify, but the average police officer hits the bad guy in a gun fight only one time in six shots.  As most shootings are at close range, the stress of a gunfight seems to degrade one's precision and accuracy horrendously.

What's "enough" is highly subjective and I doubt there ever is truly "enough" training to account for every situation you might face.  Generally speaking, you can always benefit from going above and beyond with your training.  There are ample fighting classes you can take, practical shooting events you can participate in, and so on, and all of these will likely help you (to some extent) in the situation you ever get in a gun fight.  That doesn't even account for all the physical training that would certainly benefit the average person in a life-or-death altercation.  Extra muscle can be a good thing, and many fighters will tell you how important cardio is in a struggle.  That said, these things can cost money (potentially a lot of it) and require a lot of time.  To some extent, it comes down to what you enjoy and how you view the risk/reward ratio.