In Rifle, one of my favorite gun magazines, I always enjoy reading Terry Wieland’s thoughtful column, “Walnut Hill.”  In the May 2014 issue, he cited an important quote from a great authority on firearms, Bob Hagel.

The quote was, “You should not carry a rifle that will do the job when everything goes right; you should have one that works when everything goes wrong.”

Words to live by, and they don’t apply just to rifles.

It’s looking as if the FBI is going to scale down from .40 caliber Glocks to 9mm, starting next year. The 9mm has long been approved as an option for agents, and a recommended one for those who find the recoil of the .40 too difficult to manage in training and qualification, even though .40 Glocks have been standard issue for the Bureau since the late 1990s.  The .45 caliber Glock 21, if privately purchased, is also approved, and I can think offhand of at least three agents I know who carry them, all “gun guys.”  I hope that option remains for field agents if and when the Bureau goes to 9mm as its primary caliber.

It comes at a time when, as discussed here, there’s a push in the military to go back to .45 from the 9mm that has been standard issue for most elements since the mid-1980s.  Non-expanding ball ammo being the norm for military pistols, I can certainly see the .45 argument: it’s what I’d definitely prefer if I suffered under the same limitations of bullet configuration.  With law enforcement hollow points, current ammo has made the 9mm a much more viable defensive choice than it used to be. Of course, the same new designs make .40 S&W and .45 ACP more potent than they used to be, too.

Lower ammo cost, and smaller rounds allowing more cartridges on board, favor the 9mm over the .45 in a pistol, and the 5.56mm over 7.62mm in the rifle.  Yet if there’s time for only one shot – whether it’s the winter venison or your own life that’s at stake – all of a sudden, more powerful cartridges seem more comforting.

Each of us has to assess our needs and our abilities, balance them, and make the right decision.

Where did you find your balance?

199 COMMENTS

  1. I have carried all three calibers in three military conflicts, as a reserve LEO and as a concealed carry. In truth, most days my primary is a .38 +P
    S&W J frame with a Seecamp .32 Winchester Silvertip as backup. At night, besides the Remington 870, a Glock 17 with a rail light is close at hand. Here in the computer room is a Glock 35 with a 22 round mag. When out and about on our 300 acres, it is a Kimber SS Gold Cup with .45 quality hollowpoints. En extremis, I favor .45 ACP, preferably from my legal Thompson Colt 1928N w/ C or L drum… Thanks to my friend PK in Delta, CO, my wife Mare favors her Sterling MK IV SMG suppressed…YMMV

  2. I have always been a fan of the 9mm and never have liked the 45. I carry 2 9mm on me at all times. A M&P Shield in 9mm in my pocket, a Ruger SR9c in my 5.11 Push bag and when I leave the small town I live in a full sized M&P 9. The 10mm has always amazed me since its conception in the 80s. So I finally broke down and bought an EAA Witness full sized in 10mm. With Underwood Ammo 155gr at 1500fps that’s a lot of power 775 Ft/lbs of energy. I still carry my 9mms more than the 10mm just because I can control the 9mm better. But knowing that I can have the power of the 10mm is comforting. If I could have a 12ga on me at all times I would go that route.
    Today with the choices we have in 9mm JHPs at speeds of 1300fps I don’t see how you could go wrong. And when I am carrying all 3 I have 76rds of 9mm on me so I should be just fine. And Mas if you block my post because I said I have never cared for the 45 I understand.

  3. I have always been a fan of the 9mm and never have liked the 45. I carry 2 9mm on me at all times. A M&P Shield in 9mm in my pocket, a Ruger SR9c in my 5.11 Push bag and when I leave the small town I live in a full sized M&P 9. The 10mm has always amazed me since its conception in the 80s. So I finally broke down and bought an EAA Witness full sized in 10mm. With Underwood Ammo 155gr at 1500fps that’s a lot of power 775 Ft/lbs of energy. I still carry my 9mms more than the 10mm just because I can control the 9mm better. But knowing that I can have the power of the 10mm is comforting. If I could have a 12ga on me at all times I would go that route.
    Today with the choices we have in 9mm JHPs at speeds of 1300fps I don’t see how you could go wrong. And when I am carrying all 3 I have 76rds of 9mm on me so I should be just fine. And Mas if you block my post because I said I have never cared for the 45 I understand.

  4. I have always been a fan of the 9mm and never have liked the 45. I carry 2 9mm on me at all times. A M&P Shield in 9mm in my pocket, a Ruger SR9c in my 5.11 Push bag and when I leave the small town I live in a full sized M&P 9. The 10mm has always amazed me since its conception in the 80s. So I finally broke down and bought an EAA Witness full sized in 10mm. With Underwood Ammo 155gr at 1500fps that’s a lot of power 775 Ft/lbs of energy. I still carry my 9mms more than the 10mm just because I can control the 9mm better. But knowing that I can have the power of the 10mm is comforting. If I could have a 12ga on me at all times I would go that route.
    Today with the choices we have in 9mm JHPs at speeds of 1300fps I don’t see how you could go wrong. And when I am carrying all 3 I have 76rds of 9mm on me so I should be just fine. And Mas if you block my post because I said I have never cared for the 45 I understand.

  5. I have always been a fan of the 9mm and never have liked the 45. I carry 2 9mm on me at all times. A M&P Shield in 9mm in my pocket, a Ruger SR9c in my 5.11 Push bag and when I leave the small town I live in a full sized M&P 9. The 10mm has always amazed me since its conception in the 80s. So I finally broke down and bought an EAA Witness full sized in 10mm. With Underwood Ammo 155gr at 1500fps that’s a lot of power 775 Ft/lbs of energy. I still carry my 9mms more than the 10mm just because I can control the 9mm better. But knowing that I can have the power of the 10mm is comforting. If I could have a 12ga on me at all times I would go that route.
    Today with the choices we have in 9mm JHPs at speeds of 1300fps I don’t see how you could go wrong. And when I am carrying all 3 I have 76rds of 9mm on me so I should be just fine. And Mas if you block my post because I said I have never cared for the 45 I understand.

  6. Grant Cunningham points out that you can’t prepare for everything. Even if you had the time and money, it’s not feasible to carry that much stuff. Within those constraints, prepare for what is most likely to happen. As much as I like my .45 Gold Cup, I would carry a single stack 9 mm and one spare mag.

  7. Grant Cunningham points out that you can’t prepare for everything. Even if you had the time and money, it’s not feasible to carry that much stuff. Within those constraints, prepare for what is most likely to happen. As much as I like my .45 Gold Cup, I would carry a single stack 9 mm and one spare mag.

  8. My ideal defense load would be a .45 caliber hollow point bullet of 200 grains at 1100 fps or 230 grain projectile at 1000 fps. I don’t feel like carrying a .45 Colt revolver with reloaded ammo, so settle for a 1911 in .45 ACP with Winchester Ranger 230 grain SXT which is the now defunct Black Talon on steroids without the diabolical black coating on the bullet.

    Saving money and weight on ammunition is good, but when it takes several of the smaller bullets to do the job of a larger projectile, one loses in the long run. Three or more rounds of .223 or 9mm cost more and weigh more than one.308 or .45 ACP cartridge. On top of that, it takes more time to fire off several shots than one or maybe two bigger rounds, and the target is taken out more quickly, thus decreasing the possibility of the shooter being injured or killed. Don’t send boys to do a man’s job.

    If cops and soldiers can’t handle a heavier firearm chambered for a more effective cartridge, they need to get better training, get stronger, or get a different job requiring less brawn such as playing a harp or writing poetry.

  9. My ideal defense load would be a .45 caliber hollow point bullet of 200 grains at 1100 fps or 230 grain projectile at 1000 fps. I don’t feel like carrying a .45 Colt revolver with reloaded ammo, so settle for a 1911 in .45 ACP with Winchester Ranger 230 grain SXT which is the now defunct Black Talon on steroids without the diabolical black coating on the bullet.

    Saving money and weight on ammunition is good, but when it takes several of the smaller bullets to do the job of a larger projectile, one loses in the long run. Three or more rounds of .223 or 9mm cost more and weigh more than one.308 or .45 ACP cartridge. On top of that, it takes more time to fire off several shots than one or maybe two bigger rounds, and the target is taken out more quickly, thus decreasing the possibility of the shooter being injured or killed. Don’t send boys to do a man’s job.

    If cops and soldiers can’t handle a heavier firearm chambered for a more effective cartridge, they need to get better training, get stronger, or get a different job requiring less brawn such as playing a harp or writing poetry.

  10. My ideal defense load would be a .45 caliber hollow point bullet of 200 grains at 1100 fps or 230 grain projectile at 1000 fps. I don’t feel like carrying a .45 Colt revolver with reloaded ammo, so settle for a 1911 in .45 ACP with Winchester Ranger 230 grain SXT which is the now defunct Black Talon on steroids without the diabolical black coating on the bullet.

    Saving money and weight on ammunition is good, but when it takes several of the smaller bullets to do the job of a larger projectile, one loses in the long run. Three or more rounds of .223 or 9mm cost more and weigh more than one.308 or .45 ACP cartridge. On top of that, it takes more time to fire off several shots than one or maybe two bigger rounds, and the target is taken out more quickly, thus decreasing the possibility of the shooter being injured or killed. Don’t send boys to do a man’s job.

    If cops and soldiers can’t handle a heavier firearm chambered for a more effective cartridge, they need to get better training, get stronger, or get a different job requiring less brawn such as playing a harp or writing poetry.

  11. My ideal defense load would be a .45 caliber hollow point bullet of 200 grains at 1100 fps or 230 grain projectile at 1000 fps. I don’t feel like carrying a .45 Colt revolver with reloaded ammo, so settle for a 1911 in .45 ACP with Winchester Ranger 230 grain SXT which is the now defunct Black Talon on steroids without the diabolical black coating on the bullet.

    Saving money and weight on ammunition is good, but when it takes several of the smaller bullets to do the job of a larger projectile, one loses in the long run. Three or more rounds of .223 or 9mm cost more and weigh more than one.308 or .45 ACP cartridge. On top of that, it takes more time to fire off several shots than one or maybe two bigger rounds, and the target is taken out more quickly, thus decreasing the possibility of the shooter being injured or killed. Don’t send boys to do a man’s job.

    If cops and soldiers can’t handle a heavier firearm chambered for a more effective cartridge, they need to get better training, get stronger, or get a different job requiring less brawn such as playing a harp or writing poetry.

  12. Mas,
    Personally I favor the 1911 .45 for the confidence factor but if I could find a high capacity 9mm that fit my hand as well, I wouldn’t feel less armed.

  13. Mas,
    Personally I favor the 1911 .45 for the confidence factor but if I could find a high capacity 9mm that fit my hand as well, I wouldn’t feel less armed.

  14. I live in Florida and rarely do we have thick jackets on here. I carry a Glock 19. The weight is manageable and I like having a lot of rounds. I am a business owner and it seems to me from watching videos of convenient stores and the like..gun pointing robbers come in two’s and threes and 6 rounds just might not be enough and I don’t want to reload. I don’t feel under gunned at all. I shoot the 9mm well. The .40 ammo is so much heavier that a g23 is just uncomfortable to me for daily carry. And if it’s not comfortable I will find myself leaving it at home.
    On weekends I carry my diamond back in 32naa. On my knight stand is a full size Glock sporting .357 sig. So what’s the best gun to have when it hits the fan? The one you have!

  15. I live in Florida and rarely do we have thick jackets on here. I carry a Glock 19. The weight is manageable and I like having a lot of rounds. I am a business owner and it seems to me from watching videos of convenient stores and the like..gun pointing robbers come in two’s and threes and 6 rounds just might not be enough and I don’t want to reload. I don’t feel under gunned at all. I shoot the 9mm well. The .40 ammo is so much heavier that a g23 is just uncomfortable to me for daily carry. And if it’s not comfortable I will find myself leaving it at home.
    On weekends I carry my diamond back in 32naa. On my knight stand is a full size Glock sporting .357 sig. So what’s the best gun to have when it hits the fan? The one you have!

  16. As a famous man somewhere must have said, “it doesn’t matter what you miss with, it is still a miss”. The first round, on target, decides the match. The contest is won by practice, not by the micrometer.

  17. As a famous man somewhere must have said, “it doesn’t matter what you miss with, it is still a miss”. The first round, on target, decides the match. The contest is won by practice, not by the micrometer.

  18. As a famous man somewhere must have said, “it doesn’t matter what you miss with, it is still a miss”. The first round, on target, decides the match. The contest is won by practice, not by the micrometer.

  19. I carry a 9mm semiauto (S&W MP9c), the wife carries a Ruger LC380. Concealment, control and comfort were the deciding factors in each of our choices. I simply smile when I read some “45 snob” telling me that it will take three or more rounds of my 9mm JHP to do what one round of their 45 ammo will do. Shot placement matters more than anything in stopping a bad guy – and having twice as many rounds of 9mm (in my pistol compared to a 1911 in 45) means I have twice as many chances to put a shot where it needs to go. It also means that if I am facing a bigger group of bad guys, I can give each of them a round or two as needed – while the guy with the low capacity 45 gets to use his as a club pretty quickly.

    The 380 is a better choice for my wife (who is very petite) because she is willing to train with it, and carry it everywhere. She would prefer a high capacity 380, but we haven’t actually seen any – so she carries two spare magazines and practices reloading as well as fast, accurate shots. A CT laser and fiber optic sights make her pistol very effective in her hands.

  20. I carry a 9mm semiauto (S&W MP9c), the wife carries a Ruger LC380. Concealment, control and comfort were the deciding factors in each of our choices. I simply smile when I read some “45 snob” telling me that it will take three or more rounds of my 9mm JHP to do what one round of their 45 ammo will do. Shot placement matters more than anything in stopping a bad guy – and having twice as many rounds of 9mm (in my pistol compared to a 1911 in 45) means I have twice as many chances to put a shot where it needs to go. It also means that if I am facing a bigger group of bad guys, I can give each of them a round or two as needed – while the guy with the low capacity 45 gets to use his as a club pretty quickly.

    The 380 is a better choice for my wife (who is very petite) because she is willing to train with it, and carry it everywhere. She would prefer a high capacity 380, but we haven’t actually seen any – so she carries two spare magazines and practices reloading as well as fast, accurate shots. A CT laser and fiber optic sights make her pistol very effective in her hands.

  21. I carry a 9mm semiauto (S&W MP9c), the wife carries a Ruger LC380. Concealment, control and comfort were the deciding factors in each of our choices. I simply smile when I read some “45 snob” telling me that it will take three or more rounds of my 9mm JHP to do what one round of their 45 ammo will do. Shot placement matters more than anything in stopping a bad guy – and having twice as many rounds of 9mm (in my pistol compared to a 1911 in 45) means I have twice as many chances to put a shot where it needs to go. It also means that if I am facing a bigger group of bad guys, I can give each of them a round or two as needed – while the guy with the low capacity 45 gets to use his as a club pretty quickly.

    The 380 is a better choice for my wife (who is very petite) because she is willing to train with it, and carry it everywhere. She would prefer a high capacity 380, but we haven’t actually seen any – so she carries two spare magazines and practices reloading as well as fast, accurate shots. A CT laser and fiber optic sights make her pistol very effective in her hands.

  22. I carry a 9mm semiauto (S&W MP9c), the wife carries a Ruger LC380. Concealment, control and comfort were the deciding factors in each of our choices. I simply smile when I read some “45 snob” telling me that it will take three or more rounds of my 9mm JHP to do what one round of their 45 ammo will do. Shot placement matters more than anything in stopping a bad guy – and having twice as many rounds of 9mm (in my pistol compared to a 1911 in 45) means I have twice as many chances to put a shot where it needs to go. It also means that if I am facing a bigger group of bad guys, I can give each of them a round or two as needed – while the guy with the low capacity 45 gets to use his as a club pretty quickly.

    The 380 is a better choice for my wife (who is very petite) because she is willing to train with it, and carry it everywhere. She would prefer a high capacity 380, but we haven’t actually seen any – so she carries two spare magazines and practices reloading as well as fast, accurate shots. A CT laser and fiber optic sights make her pistol very effective in her hands.

  23. For either rifles or handguns, I take the advice of my teacher, Lt. Col Jeff Cooper. I’ve got a Ruger Gunsite Scout in 308 Win. for hunting. Several Glocks in .45 ACP are near the bedside, but my usual carry is a S&W Airweight with .38 Sp+Ps. Mas, I believe you knew Jeff Cooper, too. Just as an afterthought, I was recently able to get a new, unfired, Steyr Scout Jeff Cooper Package, complete, serial number JC010, and I wouldn’t fire it or sell it for anything. I’d be glad to show it to you if you ever come near Houston.

  24. For either rifles or handguns, I take the advice of my teacher, Lt. Col Jeff Cooper. I’ve got a Ruger Gunsite Scout in 308 Win. for hunting. Several Glocks in .45 ACP are near the bedside, but my usual carry is a S&W Airweight with .38 Sp+Ps. Mas, I believe you knew Jeff Cooper, too. Just as an afterthought, I was recently able to get a new, unfired, Steyr Scout Jeff Cooper Package, complete, serial number JC010, and I wouldn’t fire it or sell it for anything. I’d be glad to show it to you if you ever come near Houston.

  25. For either rifles or handguns, I take the advice of my teacher, Lt. Col Jeff Cooper. I’ve got a Ruger Gunsite Scout in 308 Win. for hunting. Several Glocks in .45 ACP are near the bedside, but my usual carry is a S&W Airweight with .38 Sp+Ps. Mas, I believe you knew Jeff Cooper, too. Just as an afterthought, I was recently able to get a new, unfired, Steyr Scout Jeff Cooper Package, complete, serial number JC010, and I wouldn’t fire it or sell it for anything. I’d be glad to show it to you if you ever come near Houston.

  26. I think the .40 is a great round and a good compromise between power, weight and capacity. I’m not opposed to the 9mm. Never actually owned one but I feel with today’s loadings it surely better than minimum. Considering handgun cartridges are comparatively wimpy in contrast to rifle cartridges, I’d sooner carry something with a little more punch. I’ve not gotten over the relegation of the 10mm to niche cartridge yet. Always wanted one but the ammo pricepoint makes it impractacle. More power, Scottie!

  27. I think the .40 is a great round and a good compromise between power, weight and capacity. I’m not opposed to the 9mm. Never actually owned one but I feel with today’s loadings it surely better than minimum. Considering handgun cartridges are comparatively wimpy in contrast to rifle cartridges, I’d sooner carry something with a little more punch. I’ve not gotten over the relegation of the 10mm to niche cartridge yet. Always wanted one but the ammo pricepoint makes it impractacle. More power, Scottie!

  28. I think the .40 is a great round and a good compromise between power, weight and capacity. I’m not opposed to the 9mm. Never actually owned one but I feel with today’s loadings it surely better than minimum. Considering handgun cartridges are comparatively wimpy in contrast to rifle cartridges, I’d sooner carry something with a little more punch. I’ve not gotten over the relegation of the 10mm to niche cartridge yet. Always wanted one but the ammo pricepoint makes it impractacle. More power, Scottie!

  29. I shoot a 10mm in IPSC competition … for the strength of the case. But I load it down to .40 S&W ballistics.

    The 10mm was recommended to the Feebies, but they didn’t like it because the perceived recoil was too intimidating. If you’ve shot a full-power 10mm much, you can understand that its SHARP recoil is a bit more extreme than the SOFT recoil of a .45 ACP.

    YMMV … recoil/muzzle-flip is a perceived phenomenon, which doesn’t make it any less real.

    The problem is that LEO agencies are trying to accommodate people who don’t shoot more frequently (on the average) than is necessary their annual certification requirements.

    We hear a lot about the ability of the 9mm to be more effective with “special” bullets and loads, but it is still a poodle-shooter. An officer who is in fear for his life should not be convinced that he/she has enough rounds in the magazine that eventually a stopping round or rwo *(or three, or four)* will resolve a hostile conflict. The confidence should be that one good hit, well delivered, will resolve any situation. Recoil is NOT an issue .. accuracy and competence (for both the LEO and the load) is the issue.

    Unfortunately, we are saddled with a generation of people who are cursed with a fear that the tools of their trade will ‘hurt them”.

    They cannot be convinced that this is a mere perception; they will not accept that the felons they confront will hurt them more.

    Personally, I like the .45ACP in 230 grain hardball; the 200 grain SWG is softer, but the muzzle-flip is more pronounced, making it more difficult to get back on target for a 2nd shot when needed in competition, for example. But both proven “big bore” calibers … 10mm and .45ACP … along with (it now appears) even the .40 Slow & Wimpy cartridge, are rejected by our Government Agencies in favor of the 9mm Spray-And-Pray.

    We don’t need softer calibers: we need harder agents. As Tom606 suggests. But guns are easier to find than brave agents.

    Imagine, that we have such faith in our government, but their employees prove to be such whiners.

  30. I shoot a 10mm in IPSC competition … for the strength of the case. But I load it down to .40 S&W ballistics.

    The 10mm was recommended to the Feebies, but they didn’t like it because the perceived recoil was too intimidating. If you’ve shot a full-power 10mm much, you can understand that its SHARP recoil is a bit more extreme than the SOFT recoil of a .45 ACP.

    YMMV … recoil/muzzle-flip is a perceived phenomenon, which doesn’t make it any less real.

    The problem is that LEO agencies are trying to accommodate people who don’t shoot more frequently (on the average) than is necessary their annual certification requirements.

    We hear a lot about the ability of the 9mm to be more effective with “special” bullets and loads, but it is still a poodle-shooter. An officer who is in fear for his life should not be convinced that he/she has enough rounds in the magazine that eventually a stopping round or rwo *(or three, or four)* will resolve a hostile conflict. The confidence should be that one good hit, well delivered, will resolve any situation. Recoil is NOT an issue .. accuracy and competence (for both the LEO and the load) is the issue.

    Unfortunately, we are saddled with a generation of people who are cursed with a fear that the tools of their trade will ‘hurt them”.

    They cannot be convinced that this is a mere perception; they will not accept that the felons they confront will hurt them more.

    Personally, I like the .45ACP in 230 grain hardball; the 200 grain SWG is softer, but the muzzle-flip is more pronounced, making it more difficult to get back on target for a 2nd shot when needed in competition, for example. But both proven “big bore” calibers … 10mm and .45ACP … along with (it now appears) even the .40 Slow & Wimpy cartridge, are rejected by our Government Agencies in favor of the 9mm Spray-And-Pray.

    We don’t need softer calibers: we need harder agents. As Tom606 suggests. But guns are easier to find than brave agents.

    Imagine, that we have such faith in our government, but their employees prove to be such whiners.

  31. I only shoot 9mm and 45 in pistol rounds, I shoot them both better than 40 cal, and have 4 decades + to make my argument.
    I started with revolvers, and should pick up a 357/38 also. But with prices what they are, the 9mm is my go to practice gun, as 22 really doesn’t feel like a real reactionary pistol. I have no real use for a 22 and got rid of mine, I don’t hunt nor enjoy shooting them, they are too easy to shoot and I feel give a false sense of accomplishment.
    The 40 never was as easy to shoot than the 9 and 45, or 38. It twists the wrist, and after 6 tries, “guns” I decided it was not for me.
    I can pick up any 9 or 45 and hit the 10 ring all day at 25 feet to 25 yards. Shoot what works for you.
    The 45 always came easy to me.
    Long guns are 556 and 12 gauge, that’s it, I my 60’s I am not punishing myself for no reason unless we are invaded, then I will shoot a bad guy and take his.

  32. I only shoot 9mm and 45 in pistol rounds, I shoot them both better than 40 cal, and have 4 decades + to make my argument.
    I started with revolvers, and should pick up a 357/38 also. But with prices what they are, the 9mm is my go to practice gun, as 22 really doesn’t feel like a real reactionary pistol. I have no real use for a 22 and got rid of mine, I don’t hunt nor enjoy shooting them, they are too easy to shoot and I feel give a false sense of accomplishment.
    The 40 never was as easy to shoot than the 9 and 45, or 38. It twists the wrist, and after 6 tries, “guns” I decided it was not for me.
    I can pick up any 9 or 45 and hit the 10 ring all day at 25 feet to 25 yards. Shoot what works for you.
    The 45 always came easy to me.
    Long guns are 556 and 12 gauge, that’s it, I my 60’s I am not punishing myself for no reason unless we are invaded, then I will shoot a bad guy and take his.

  33. I only shoot 9mm and 45 in pistol rounds, I shoot them both better than 40 cal, and have 4 decades + to make my argument.
    I started with revolvers, and should pick up a 357/38 also. But with prices what they are, the 9mm is my go to practice gun, as 22 really doesn’t feel like a real reactionary pistol. I have no real use for a 22 and got rid of mine, I don’t hunt nor enjoy shooting them, they are too easy to shoot and I feel give a false sense of accomplishment.
    The 40 never was as easy to shoot than the 9 and 45, or 38. It twists the wrist, and after 6 tries, “guns” I decided it was not for me.
    I can pick up any 9 or 45 and hit the 10 ring all day at 25 feet to 25 yards. Shoot what works for you.
    The 45 always came easy to me.
    Long guns are 556 and 12 gauge, that’s it, I my 60’s I am not punishing myself for no reason unless we are invaded, then I will shoot a bad guy and take his.

  34. I only shoot 9mm and 45 in pistol rounds, I shoot them both better than 40 cal, and have 4 decades + to make my argument.
    I started with revolvers, and should pick up a 357/38 also. But with prices what they are, the 9mm is my go to practice gun, as 22 really doesn’t feel like a real reactionary pistol. I have no real use for a 22 and got rid of mine, I don’t hunt nor enjoy shooting them, they are too easy to shoot and I feel give a false sense of accomplishment.
    The 40 never was as easy to shoot than the 9 and 45, or 38. It twists the wrist, and after 6 tries, “guns” I decided it was not for me.
    I can pick up any 9 or 45 and hit the 10 ring all day at 25 feet to 25 yards. Shoot what works for you.
    The 45 always came easy to me.
    Long guns are 556 and 12 gauge, that’s it, I my 60’s I am not punishing myself for no reason unless we are invaded, then I will shoot a bad guy and take his.

  35. My balance: .380 always, .38 J-frame in the summer, full-size .45 in the winter.

    It’s not that I’m some kind of two-gun bandido; the little .380 is just another article of clothing; socks, shoes, ankle holster. Yes, it’s only six .380s in a not-easily-accessible location, but it’s *always* there.

  36. My balance: .380 always, .38 J-frame in the summer, full-size .45 in the winter.

    It’s not that I’m some kind of two-gun bandido; the little .380 is just another article of clothing; socks, shoes, ankle holster. Yes, it’s only six .380s in a not-easily-accessible location, but it’s *always* there.

  37. I’m quite comfortable with my H&K compact .45. Its almost as small as a Glock 19 and shoots with the usual H&K accuracy. I carry 2 extra magazines and continue to practice rapid reload procedures.

    Get something you’re comfortable with and become an absolute expert with it.

  38. I’m quite comfortable with my H&K compact .45. Its almost as small as a Glock 19 and shoots with the usual H&K accuracy. I carry 2 extra magazines and continue to practice rapid reload procedures.

    Get something you’re comfortable with and become an absolute expert with it.

  39. I prefer Glock 21 .45 ACP for home defence besides the obvious long guns.
    For carrying, I have a several options depending clothing in the hot Florida climate. Ruger LCR .38+p critical defense, Glock 19 9mm+p Gold Dot, Kahr P45 .45 ACP.

    Shot placement is of the utmost of importance in our self defense guns.

  40. I prefer Glock 21 .45 ACP for home defence besides the obvious long guns.
    For carrying, I have a several options depending clothing in the hot Florida climate. Ruger LCR .38+p critical defense, Glock 19 9mm+p Gold Dot, Kahr P45 .45 ACP.

    Shot placement is of the utmost of importance in our self defense guns.

  41. I prefer Glock 21 .45 ACP for home defence besides the obvious long guns.
    For carrying, I have a several options depending clothing in the hot Florida climate. Ruger LCR .38+p critical defense, Glock 19 9mm+p Gold Dot, Kahr P45 .45 ACP.

    Shot placement is of the utmost of importance in our self defense guns.

  42. I prefer Glock 21 .45 ACP for home defence besides the obvious long guns.
    For carrying, I have a several options depending clothing in the hot Florida climate. Ruger LCR .38+p critical defense, Glock 19 9mm+p Gold Dot, Kahr P45 .45 ACP.

    Shot placement is of the utmost of importance in our self defense guns.

  43. Well if I was as good a shot as HG III or Mas, I would just get a muzzleloader, cause one is all they need, but I’m not, so more is better for me.

  44. Well if I was as good a shot as HG III or Mas, I would just get a muzzleloader, cause one is all they need, but I’m not, so more is better for me.

  45. The FBI, and many agencies try to balance what the average cop, whether they be small female or large men with Meat books for hands, can shoot effectively and is a good combat caliber/load. I think any person, small or large with a lot of dedicated training can handle a full size 1911 45acp. That little Asian lady that teaches at Gunsite in Arizona, shoots a full size 1911. 45 with ease. I have watched her on TV. However most LEAs don’t have the time to train as much. In my opinion, the 1911 should be carried by those who will become a professional expert with them, and be dedicated enough to them. It is not a pistol for the cop that shoots it once or twice a year at Qualification. The. 45acp worked in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and in a dozen other smaller fights, so the US military I am sure, would welcome it back. With all this said, my own personal favorite, is the. 357sig in my Sig 229 SASS gen 2, in my Raven Concealment Kydex Phantom holster.

  46. The FBI, and many agencies try to balance what the average cop, whether they be small female or large men with Meat books for hands, can shoot effectively and is a good combat caliber/load. I think any person, small or large with a lot of dedicated training can handle a full size 1911 45acp. That little Asian lady that teaches at Gunsite in Arizona, shoots a full size 1911. 45 with ease. I have watched her on TV. However most LEAs don’t have the time to train as much. In my opinion, the 1911 should be carried by those who will become a professional expert with them, and be dedicated enough to them. It is not a pistol for the cop that shoots it once or twice a year at Qualification. The. 45acp worked in WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and in a dozen other smaller fights, so the US military I am sure, would welcome it back. With all this said, my own personal favorite, is the. 357sig in my Sig 229 SASS gen 2, in my Raven Concealment Kydex Phantom holster.

Comments are closed.