BF2S Forums Best Carry Handgun Caliber Ever???

To be fair, 99% of the people out there don't know what you're talking about it you just use the term magazine.  I guess I've gotten used to calling them clips just so I don't have to explain.  I've had the same discussion with friends, and I've gone so far as to just ask the folks at the shooting range what they called it.  Most called it a clip.  Even in a lot of store fronts they're labeled as clips and called that by employees.  Sure it's not right, but it's a commonly accepted term. 

There was a time when I made special efforts to be as technically correct as possible when I spoke.  I think it's because I'm from a very rural family (I guess they'd be called rednecks), and as a kid, strove to set myself apart.  Over the years though, most of that has worn off.  I still correct myself (like before your jib above ), but honestly, it doesn't really matter much.  I'll adapt to vernacular just to make communication easier.  Being anal about it only ever made me have to repeat myself or explain what I meant.  That shit gets old after a while

My department (Las Vegas Metro P.D.) lets us carry either 9mm .40 or .45 as a primary duty weapon. I carry a .40 Glock 22C. The compensated barrel helps with the recoil from the .40 quite a bit. I would say at least 50% if not more of my department carries the .40, with .45 being the next most popular. Any one of the 3 is highly effective though, people have debated this topic for years and everyone has their opinion. With the 9 you get higher capacity magazines with less recoil. The .40 kicks like a donkey in most handguns. The .45 has less capacity, but is a large round that is tried and proven.

Bottom line is, it matters 100% more WHERE YOU HIT THEM, not what you shoot them with. I have seen people shot multiple times with various size rounds, and what it always came down to was the location they were hit. You can have the biggest gun in the world, but if you don't train with it or know how to use it then you might as well sell it.

[JiF]Timmay! wrote:

alien-DSW-Gen wrote:

.45 is great, but you cant fit as many in a mag. Also they cost more per round then say 9mm. That was another major deciding factor for me to go with the .40, cost to shoot it.

Does how many you can stuff into a mag really mean much any more? I thought they had banned the making of new high-cap mags years ago (in the US, at least) and pre-ban mags are insanely expensive.. OTOH, if you've got the money, you can still find 15 round mags that'll fit in a .45 Glock 21. It's heavy but will get pretty much any job done.

The law banning the number of rounds a magazine can hold sunsetted/expired with the Clinton Cosmetic gun ban.  Any laws left that limit the number of rounds in a Mag. are only local state laws.

I carry a Glock model 23 (.40 cal.).  This gun came with 2-10rnd mags and I later bought 2-13rnd mags after the law sunsetted. They only cost around $25 USD. 
I think it was "Bostons Gun Bible" where I read that the .40 cal. had either 92% or 95% of the Kinetic energy as the .45 apc.  Kinetic energy = Stopping Power

Stubbee wrote:

SealXo wrote:

I say .45 all the way 9mm is german and im not to cool with the nazis.

Not cool to equate germans with nazis

Not at all the same thing.

Big +1

[JiF]Timmay! wrote:

alien-DSW-Gen wrote:

.45 is great, but you cant fit as many in a mag. Also they cost more per round then say 9mm. That was another major deciding factor for me to go with the .40, cost to shoot it.

Does how many you can stuff into a mag really mean much any more? I thought they had banned the making of new high-cap mags years ago (in the US, at least) and pre-ban mags are insanely expensive.. OTOH, if you've got the money, you can still find 15 round mags that'll fit in a .45 Glock 21. It's heavy but will get pretty much any job done.

Acctually that is a state per state basis. In Texas, you can purchase the same size magizines that law enforcement officers use... I live in Texas.  But I was refering in general to the fact that due to the larger bullets regardless of higher capacity magizines or not, the .40's offer a higher # of bullets per clip compared to the .45. It's only one or 2 bullets i think in the compact glocks for example... but i'd rather have one or two extra just incase.

Also a side note, the glock 22's mag fits right into a glock27, so you can use the full size mag in your compact if needed.

Last edited by alien-DSW-Gen (2006-08-01 01:12:31)

Also a side note. Yes the proper term from the manufacture or community, military, whoever, is magizine. This post is about ammo, lets not get our panties in a roar because someone said clip. You knew what they ment, that is what really matters on this discussion - the ammo!

.40 is the best compromise in stopping power, penatration and ammo capacity.

Say what you may about aiming or intelligent shooting but a revolver is not going to be any good in a prolonged firefight. Yes most engagements are quick and invovle relatively short exchanges if not being a one sided gunfight. However how many times have you seen standoff situations turn into prolonged firefights? It happens both to law enforcement and civilians. You place 2 or more armed people in a situation with some cover and both are going to exchange rounds in the interest of removing the threat.

D6717C wrote:

My department (Las Vegas Metro P.D.) lets us carry either 9mm .40 or .45 as a primary duty weapon. I carry a .40 Glock 22C. The compensated barrel helps with the recoil from the .40 quite a bit. I would say at least 50% if not more of my department carries the .40, with .45 being the next most popular. Any one of the 3 is highly effective though, people have debated this topic for years and everyone has their opinion. With the 9 you get higher capacity magazines with less recoil. The .40 kicks like a donkey in most handguns. The .45 has less capacity, but is a large round that is tried and proven.

Bottom line is, it matters 100% more WHERE YOU HIT THEM, not what you shoot them with. I have seen people shot multiple times with various size rounds, and what it always came down to was the location they were hit. You can have the biggest gun in the world, but if you don't train with it or know how to use it then you might as well sell it.

Has the issue of reduced night vision ever been brought up or discussed in your department? Also have you fired it in low light conditions to observe the affects? I own a 23 and have fired a 22 and 27 both owned and carried by my brother as his duty and backup respectively. However I have never had a chance to test the claims especially with the hot loads most people carry on duty. I know his department doesnt allow them to carry compensated weapons.

The only experience I have had personally is firing my bushmaster carbon 15 and firing my brothers LE M4 with flash supressor. The difference was night and day. The .223 round can produce some amazing muzzle flash unsupressed.  I know with the .40 you are talking about a substantially less amount of powder but it still throws gasses up. Something to research deff.

Last edited by Intheshadows (2006-08-01 01:59:04)

" best compromise " why compromise? 

.45 No contest, not to mention that bad guys melt when you point it at them. I have heard them blubber things like,

" I wanna to go home ! "

I was dumb founded.

Last edited by Horseman 77 (2006-08-01 06:55:37)

Horseman 77 wrote:

" best compromise " why compromise? 

.45 No contest, not to mention that bad guys melt when you point it at them. I have heard them blubber things like,

" I wanna to go home ! "

I was dumb founded.

Because the .45APC is not the best for what some people want.  The .45 lacks capacity, the 9mm lacks the power.  The .40 is a good compromise to get the best of both.

The bore on the .40 is quite a bit larger than the 9mm, and people will know very well they are looking at a larger calibre weapon if you point it at them.

.44 ftw!

"This is the most powerful handgun in the world, it will blow your head clean off, and I don't knew whether I fired 5 or 6 bullets, so, do you feel lucky? Punk!"

10mm auto, you gotta love Glocks.

Magnum

I have a good amount of guns that I ahve collected over time and I'm always looking to expand my collection, during the hot days I keep my glock 26 on my hip with Federal 9mm Premium Hydra-Shok (135 gr) or Winchester 9mm Black Talons ( 147 gr) and Beretta Bobcat .25 AUTO with Winchester .25 AP Postive Expanding Point ( 45 gr ) during the colder days where I can wear a jacket or a pull over I wear my Colt 1911-A1 70 series with Winchester .45 ACP Black Talons
I have several other concealed carry guns but these are my primarys - I also have guns in the other calibers but I shoot almost everyday ( I wish everyday but things happen ) and I go through the same techniques from what I was taught in the marines and I put 2 in the chest 1 in the head from rapid fire too moving targets