Hey Guys... I have done some reading recently about the 9mm as a defensive round and have seen published some impressive test results.

What about real life experiences?  How is the 9mm truly as a defensive round?   Is the 115 grain JHP by Federal or the +P by Corbon truly as good as rumor has it?

As with any other round shot placement is paramount. So with that in mind think about it this way… the only reliable wounding mechanism in handgun cartridges is the crush mechanism, handguns generally don’t have enough energy to reliably wound through the transfer of said energy. So given a particular target, identical bullet tracks, and adequate penetration depth the bullet with the largest diameter will have the wounding advantage. Which isn’t to say that energy isn’t important just that it has less to do with inflicting damage than most think and it needs to be considered for what it truly is… the bullet’s ability to do work.

Needless to say many people have been killed with all calibers and I would say that it is less about what you’re shooting them with and more about how well you’re shooting ‘em.  

Ditto, put the bullet where it'll do the most damage. That being said, I've owned and carried just about everything you can think of and never felt "under gunned" with any of em'. Now days I'm looking for a 45ACP pistol only because I have a 27a1 Thompson and want a pistol to go with it. Makes it eaiser to stock up on ammo. Get what you can shoot best, 9mm, 45ACP, heck a 22Mag, just make sure you can hit where ya' aim.

It's not what you shoot , it's what you hit.  When it comes to  defensive shooting. You have to take into consideration  more than just damage.  Recovery time is important as well.. larger  round  slower  recovery time.  A defensive round  ( hollow point) works on speed. When you shoot someone   the round needs body fluid to open it up.. the faster the round travels the more it will mushroom.  Most find a happy medium with the .40 cal S&W. good FPS and managable recoil. But like i've said before the best gun is  what fits the shooter.

It's not what you shoot , it's what you hit.  When it comes to  defensive shooting. You have to take into consideration  more than just damage.  Recovery time is important as well.. larger  round  slower  recovery time.  A defensive round  ( hollow point) works on speed. When you shoot someone   the round needs body fluid to open it up.. the faster the round travels the more it will mushroom.  Most find a happy medium with the .40 cal S&W. good FPS and managable recoil. But like i've said before the best gun is  what fits the shooter.