Pistol People - 9mm or .40 caliber?

**Consultant** · 08-05-08, 02:24 PM

So I am contemplating the purchase of a SigSaur P226. As it turns out I have a friend who is a national sales rep for them. He can get me a deal on a Certified Pre-Owned model (a very interesting opportunity) and I have narrowed my selection down to 9mm or the 40.

Ive heard from die-hards that the 9mm doesnt have enough of that mystical "Stopping power" while the 40 kicks harder - harder even than the 45 cal because of the higher pressure of the round.

What I am wondering is, what is your preferred caliber and why?

I am leaning toward the 9mm because if my wife ever had to fire it (or wanted to, for target practice) I want her to feel comfortable...

What are your thoughts?

(here's the link to the 226)

http://www.sigsauer.com/Products/Sho...7&productid=90

**Addrake** · 08-05-08, 02:38 PM

I never cared for the .40 caliber. Either 45 or 9mm for me. My full-time carry piece is a Keltec p3 at .380 caliber pistol loaded with Corbon powerball ammo. It's a tiny gun that, loaded with the correct ammo, I can stop someone quick with.

My "car carry" piece is a 9mm Taurus PT92 with rosewood grips and gold trigger and decocker accents:
[img width=700 height=462]http://discountgundealer.com/images/SAV33896-1.jpg[/img]
I carry it cause I think it looks fucking cool, and loaded with Corbon DPX +P ammo it will stop just as good or better than any .40 and close to a .45.

The ammo is described here: http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/C...09mm%20115.htm

Long story short, you can have enough "stopping power" in a 9mm if you loaded it with the correct ammunition. Just don't buy some cheap Winchester shit from Walmart for defense, spend a few bucks and be sure it will protect you if it needs to.

**punish3r** · 08-05-08, 02:42 PM

To me, choosing between the .40 and the 9mm is like choosing between the lesser of two evils. I don't feel safe with a 9mm because I don't like the thought of having to squeeze off three or four rounds to do the same job a .45 can do in one. The 9mm round could have difficulty doing it's job if it's shot through glass or other things in it's way. The .40 on the other hand, is nothing much more than a meatier 9mm. A LOT of gun and ammo experts have called it a "Dangerously over-pressurized round" and have recomended the .45 after trying out the .40 to see what all the buzz was about. I suppose the bottom line is if I'm recomending a pistol caliber to anyone, it's going to be the tried and true .45 ACP.

If I were to have to choose between the two though, I think I would have to pick the .40 S&W. The 9mm simply doesn't offer enough punch.

On another note, SIGARMS is an excellent manufacturer. My father owns a Mauser M2 in .45 and a friend owns a p226 in .357. Both are excellent handguns, and I would recomend them and the manufacturer to anyone.

**Consultant** · 08-05-08, 02:44 PM

I've also heard a lot about HydroShock ammo - what's the difference?

**Consultant** · 08-05-08, 02:48 PM

Great replies - and the results so far mirror every other forum thread I've seen on the subject.

There is the camp that says "9mm is fine as long as you have confidence in it and use premium ammo" and there is the camp that says "45 ACP or nothing at all."

I don't have a dog in the hunt - this will be my first pistol purchase - I really appreciate all the input.

**33knight33** · 08-05-08, 02:50 PM

pretty much fully agreed with what punish3r said. he just beat me too it.

i wouldnt recommend the 9mm as a personal defense round just because it really doesnt have the I SAID TAKE A SEAT power that your going to want. basically if you shoot someone in an arm, leg, or maybe stomach then they are still going to have a few minutes to come at you before they have to worry about that.

just something to think about would be the .38 caliber round. i personally like it because it has pretty decent range and power without the kick off the .45.

at the same time though, if your looking to stop an intruder whos tripping on meth, your going to want that stopping power.

im looking forward to getting a .17 HMR interchangeable .22 Mag Accelerator Pistol as my next toy to go plunk with on the range.

**Mcstrange** · 08-05-08, 03:00 PM

Get the sig 226 in 9mm and youll be in absolute love. The gun is just heavy enough that it makes shooting regular load 9mm feel like your painting a masterpiece. Its smooth and responsive, and just feels right in the hand. Its right up there on my list of 'perfect guns'

If this is you first pistol absolutely go with the 9mm. You need practice practice and more practice before you even can start to wonder if you have a big enough round and the only thing cheaper than 9mm is 22 rounds...
As for all that talk about stopping power, it is just that, talk. Its all water under the bridge until you actually start putting rounds in your target, and if you ever get to a point where a couple 9mm rounds arnt enough your probably in deeper shit than a couple millimeters would work you out of...

I carry at different times a sigpro in .40 and a sig 232 in .380 and dont feel like I am lacking "stopping power" in any way.

Maybe I would think about it more if I was a cop or something and had a higher chance of getting into a shootout, but for personal protection and, even more so, personal enjoyment at the range, go with a 9.

now if we are talking home defense, get a pump action shotgun. Nothing says 'get the fuck out' like you racking the slide on the old 12 guage...

On the .45 note, the 1911 style of pistol is probably as close to pistol perfection as you can get and my tuned up springfield 1911 is probably my favorite gun to shoot.

**Consultant** · 08-05-08, 03:06 PM

Yeah, a 1911 is on my list for sure - SIG makes one of those too, but I have not done any research on it.

I was heavily leaning toward a 9 and appreciate all the feedback so far.

My pal who works for SIG told me that the 9mm gets a bad reputation because the NATO round is limited to hard-ball because of the Geneva Convention and a 9mm hardball tends to go through and through - but he told me the same thing - if you load it with good quality stuff, it will stop em.

Also, most of the criticism I have read about the 9 on the internet came from retired cops or active duty cops who are using their guns in real-deal gun battles - If joe burglar comes in my house, I'm sure 2 center mass will settle things quickly.

As one poster I read put it, caliber can't substitute for accuracy.

**TehSpaz** · 08-05-08, 03:09 PM

between 9mm and .40...gotta go w/40.

as they said, the 9mm lacks the "mystical stopping power", but this is all true.

They're both relatively small rounds, though, but the .40 is a good in-between round that offers portability, and is small enough to have a good amount of them in a small gun.

Also, the 40 have a fairly small kick...my 12 yr old sister can handle a Springfield XD40 just fine. and she's a TIINY girl (she's a dancer)

and the 38? booo! for one, it's a revolver round....so you'd have to buy a revolver...and it isn't much different than a 40....
I personally prefer a .357 mag...which is basically a longer 38...and a .357 can shoot a .38 (if it's a revolver)

Something to consider: the .40 is the round the military is switching to...and the .40 cal p226 is WIDELY popular around the US as a police standard sidearm...including the TXDOT officers (highway patrolmen) it has good stopping power, can pierce windshields, and is a relatively cheap round (so cheap, you don't save much money by reloading it)

Oh, and the .40 is a very cheap round also, not much more than a 9mm.

**Consultant** · 08-05-08, 03:13 PM

Yeah, I have friends on the local PD and also the Capital Police Department (State Capital, here Tallahassee) and they used to all be 9mm - they used 9/11 as an excuse to "upgrade" to the 40 but my friend on the PD said that it was a lateral move in the eyes of their official armorer.

They also carried Sigs but now carry glocks (due to internal politics)