Posted: 12/12/2006 8:53:48 AM EDT
|
So I have been hunting around for a new handgun, and I have decided on the Sig P226. Now that I have that figured out, I can't decide on which caliber - 9mm or .40. I will be using this as a CCW, but mostly for plinking at the range. I have been leaning towards the 9 for a couple of reasons. Cheaper ammo, low barrel rise, lighter. However, I'm concerned about stopping power. I have heard people say that police agencies have turned in their 9's for a larger caliber (.40 and 45). So I wanted to get the thoughts of forum members - many of whom have more experience with this topic. Thanks in advance. |
|
A poster on this board put 15 rounds of 9mm JHP's into his neighbor's Chow dog Slowed it, eventually killed it. I upgraded to .45 acp after that. Barrel rise is mainly a function of grip and stance. Learn those right, and the recoil isn't an issue. My wife is even loving the .45 now. AFAS cost, look at reloading, then .45 becomes pretty inexpensive to shoot 
|
| I personally have never had to shoot anyone or anything in defense with a pistol so can't relate.... but I can tell that from a lot of reading and studying and listening to some with experience... the 9's (fmj) are bad about over penetration from what I understand. Good for cost and plinking but that is all. Furthermore, the .45 is the round that made a big difference for allied forces in WWII against the opposition. .45 WILL without a doubt bring it down. Big bullet, so a bit slow and heavy, but lots of energy being transferred to target. .40 would be my next choice if I couldn't go with .45. .357 sig..... opinions differ, this one not for me, 9mm, definately not what i'd want. |
| For your needs I would choose the 9mm. They tend to be more reliable than the other calibers...yes, some will scream about that, but take 1000 guns and fire 10,000 rounds thru each and you will see the 9mms are more reliable...they are less expensive to shoot and easier to find ammo for in most cases. With good duty ammo...like Gold Dots or WW SXT Rangers, the 9mm will do just fine if you do your part. |
|
what he said |
Very innacurate statement given modern bullet design. With modern JHPs, any of the major calibers will get the job done. Over penetration is a problem with FMJ, but shouldn't be much of a concern with proper defensive ammo. My personal opinion, get the most powerful round you shoot well, under stress. Plinking at an indoor range won't tell you that. You have to get your heart rate up and practice shooting under stress. I personally use a .40, but wouldn't feel undergunend with a 9mm. EDITED TO ADD: Didn't notice your note about 9mm FMJ in parentheses. But the point is that if you handle a hit with a 9mm is better than a miss with a .45. |
|
The choices of handgun caliber you're looking into don't have "knock-down power." For the purposes of CCW, first shot placement and follow up shots are the most important factor. Select the caliber you shoot well in a handgun that fits your hand well, then buy lots of ammo and practice. I've got 9mm, .40, and .45 in my safe BTW. Good luck. ETA: the idea that 9mm won't "get it done" is silly. Come over and let me shoot you with my 9mm and you be the judge.  YMMV
|
|
You won't regret it. I have a 229 and it is the smoothest cycling autoloader I have ever used. I have a 220 also and I like it as well. I, unlike many others here, have no concerns about carrying the 9mm. Like was mentioned, just make sure you feed it quality ammo. I use Winchester Ranger RA9T for my carry ammo. Check out the Recommended Ammunition for defensive use. |
| wolf ammo is always cheap and gets it done for practice purposes also look at winchester ammo- fmj of course- -myself i carry a 38 spc. +p or a 9mm and I can't help but lauging at all the comments about 9mm not getting it done. I was watching police shootouts the other day and this guy took a .45 to the abdomen and wasn't phased a bit. In any event, I don't think isolated incidents prove anything but I would submit to those who say that 9mm is for women and pansies; I don't see anyone volunteering to take one in the chest to prove that the caliber is worthless. Congrats on your new gun. |
 The key word here is POSTER.
|
LOL- was the dog on drugs? PCP perhaps? Damn chows and thier angel dust habit... |
Not just one story on the net - that was the proverbial straw that broke the camel's back for me. I didn't say recoil was the same, I said it wasn't an ISSUE if you are shooting correctly. Professional instruction helps immensely |
HA!! The guy was a former LEO! We all know they are GREAT at killing dogs!
|
The key word here is POSTER.
|
|
Folks, remember, pistols rounds arent great at stopping men, much less dogs. Chances are if it wasnt stopped with 9mm, it wasnt gonna get stopped with 8 rounds of .45acp either. Anyways, to the TA. I would say 9mm. The P226 was made for 9mm. It shoots it accurately, reliably, and for a very long time. P226s in 9mm, with over 100K through the gun are not uncommon. Ask boardmember SteyrAUG. A SIG Sauer P226 in 9mm is a handgun your great grandkids will be able to shoot. |
|
I know you've already made you choice, but I'd like to add this humble offering. Your choice of caliber is irrelevant so long as you stay in the realm at or above 9mm. Heck, at normal civilian gunfight ranges, I'd take a .32 as well, if I HAD to. My tertiary weapon is a .32. The size of the hole left by the bullet doesn't matter much except minimally increasing the chance you hit something critical. Getting a good CNS (central nervous system) shot in a gunfight requires ample amounts of both training and luck. Any other hit is hydraulic and requires the target to bleed to death while they remain a threat. Bullets won't knock people down like in the movies and rarely will you get an instant observable reaction to anything other than a spinal/medulla/ or cortex shot (where the plug is pulled on all stimulus to the muscles.) It helps that the vena cava and other major blood paths are there too. (ETA: hitting the pelvic girdle and breaking the hip bone may accomlish this, but it isn't the impact that cause the person to fall.) More likely, you'll continue shooting, and hitting is the most important thing. FOr that reason, any high capacity pistol of 9mm or better is more beneficial to the average shooter than a most .45ACP offerings. I like the ballistics of the .357 SIG, but a hit is a hit, and 9mm is about the cheapest thing out there. |
Good choice. I CCW my P226 with Speer gold dots. Haven't had any problems and no mishaps with going through a thousands rounds from various ammo makers. Go to walmart and get the 9mm luger winchester value packs(100rounds) for around 12 bucks. Also noticed an increase in accuracy after getting some hogue grips for about 20 bucks. Try them out at the store first because they don't fit everyone but I love them. Hogue Grips |
|
I'd also like to add a humble observation about my friend's brother-in-law who was killed last summer while on duty. Both he and the scumbag he pulled over were armed with 9mm pistols. My friend's brother-in-law was able to squeeze off 3 shots before being hit, two in the chest and one in the gut from a 9mm glock (unsure if it was a 17 or 19). The stray round from the criminal happened to hit him in a "lucky" spot on his PD collar device. It ruptured an artery and he bled to death before help arrived. The guy with 3 holes in his front side lived to see the inside of a jail cell. Yes, 9mm does give you shot capacity, that's really the ONLY good thing the military's sidearm, the M9 (Beretta 92FS) has going for it. As far as my fellow Marines and those other guys (soldiers ), I think I'm safe in speaking for all of us when I say that we would very much prefer .45 over the 9mm... even if it involves trading in a few shots. Hell, a good deal of us also want a beefier rifle cartridge as well.But, don't underestimate the deadliness of a "weaker" round like the 9mm or 5.56 NATO. My friend hunts deer with low-caliber rifles, and although I wouldn't, he proves his method works with VERY good shot placement... drops 'em dead every time. Please regard this article, the guy did a decent job of considering a lot of factors. <http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/9mm%20vs%2045.htm> As you can see from that article, a 9mm with a +P load and well-engineered expanding bullet can be a pretty nasty combo indeed. There is, however, something to be said for the .45's significantly higher frontal surface area as well as larger expanded area. The 9mm isn't a bad choice... I sure as shit wouldn't want to be shot by one, but using nothing more than anecdotal evidence, I tend to trust the .45 more. It just seems that I hear a lot more stories about assailants being shot with 9mm and surviving, while ones shot with .45 tend to not be so lucky. Again, anecdotal only. Unless it's the Springfield Armory .45 XD, you'll be able to find a LOT more shot capacity in a 9mm... not that it matters in my native NY with our communist "no more than 10 rounds" law. Also, some lore from the Marine Corps: <http://www.beaufortonline.com/military/rifle-creed.htm> Pay great attention to these lines: My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise of our burst, nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. WE WILL HIT... We will hit. Amen. |
|
Lets see. 9mm is cheaper to plink and carries more in the mag. And what do the larger calibers give me that 9mm doesnt? You decide. I prefer to go for good shot placement over a larger caliber. You can use the biggest hand cannon on the planet, if you dont have goood shot placement it just aint gonna get the job done. 9mm for me. 
|