I already have a .357 and a 9mm . What's the difference between the .40 and the .45 in a semi-auto ? Looking to add another caliber for now and possibly the other caliber at a later date . Thanks
I am tempted to answer, "the difference is 0.05 inch." But I won't, because that would make me sound like a wise guy. :smt083
The .45 ACP is old-fashion, and delivers a relatively heavy, relatively slow-moving bullet. That's not a bad thing. It's just a statement of fact.
The .40 is much newer, and it delivers bullets which, although generally lighter, move somewhat faster.
I like the .45 ACP, and have used a gun in that caliber for most of my pistol-shooting life.
I have never owned a .40, but the FBI thinks that it's the bee's knees.
Really depends on what your firing out of... a polymer or metal frame handgun.
A poly .40 (lets say Glock) will be "snappy" comared to an all metal .45 (lets say Kimber).
I currently carry a Dept issued .40 Glock and feel it had more jump & recoil than my previous Dept's Sig Sauer .45acp.
This is my opinion based on my experience with them... all my personal handguns are .380 & 9mm. If I had a choice I would go .45 in a metal frame model.
I am tempted to answer, "the difference is 0.05 inch." But I won't, because that would make me sound like a wise guy. :smt083
The .45 ACP is old-fashion, and delivers a relatively heavy, relatively slow-moving bullet. That's not a bad thing. It's just a statement of fact.
The .40 is much newer, and it delivers bullets which, although generally lighter, move somewhat faster.
I like the .45 ACP, and have used a gun in that caliber for most of my pistol-shooting life.
I have never owned a .40, but the FBI thinks that it's the bee's knees.
Thanks for the replies...pretty much what I was looking for . I really do want one of each so I guess I'll go with the cheapest ( less expensive ) of the two and save up for the other while I get some up-close time with the first...thanks again .
Both are excellent choices for self defense calibers and you would do well to choose either. My personal preference is the .40S&W but I also own a few guns chambered for the venerable .45ACP, one of which I have carried. Best thing to do is to try candidate guns in both calibers to see which works best for you. Even though the .45ACP is over 100 years old, it is still considered one of the best SD calibers you can carry. On the .40S&W side, a well-known gun writer stated in one of his books that the Glock 23 is the finest combat handgun you can carry. While he tends to be quite opinionated, he gives and has his reasons for making this statement.
Performance wise there isn't much difference at all.I prefer the 45,I find it nicer to shoot at high speed and it's an old popular round.Not so much a NATO round anymore but falls into that kind of classification-9,5.56,7.62x39,7.62x54(?) and 45acp will always be around to be had one way or another.
Im thinking of a .40 cal due to cost of ammo. Unless your really into the .45 and/or a rich man, I think .40 is the way to go, and the way of the future. Just my 2 cents.
I'm either getting a Sig or a Glock in .40 cal in case you guys were wondering!
At pistol ranges, both do about the same thing to the target. I like my SR40 better than the Colt 1911 I shot in the service. My Ruger is a double stack with 15 rounds. The 1911 had 7, It may be more the Ruger than the round. But the SR40 stays on target better than the 1911 did.
My 5"USP is 12+1 too,but barely moves.Accurate and fast followup shots are what count,if you can't pull off 3 shots a second 7yds out you're too slow.Handguns are your worst choice of firearm but they're better than a knife or club,you have to drill them until they break down because one shot stops are rare on real criminals.
My 5"USP is 12+1 too,but barely moves.Accurate and fast followup shots are what count,if you can't pull off 3 shots a second 7yds out you're too slow.Handguns are your worst choice of firearm but they're better than a knife or club,you have to drill them until they break down because one shot stops are rare on real criminals.
Well yea, it won't take him off his feet, but it's definitely enough to stop all but the most crazed jerk on drugs.
Local news covered a story the other day, where a single round of 22 rat-shot to the belly proved to be sufficient to persuade the jerk that robbing that man's house was not a good idea. Home invasion wielding a machete, and a single round convinced him it was a bad idea.
Well yea, it won't take him off his feet, but it's definitely enough to stop all but the most crazed jerk on drugs.
Local news covered a story the other day, where a single round of 22 rat-shot to the belly proved to be sufficient to persuade the jerk that robbing that man's house was not a good idea. Home invasion wielding a machete, and a single round convinced him it was a bad idea.
The thing is, unless you hit the central nervous system or the spinal cord, you really never know how your assailant is going to react to being hit. There are just too many variables to make a cut and dried statement about stopping someone or causing them to collapse. This is why proper training will include the concept of firing until the threat is eliminated (this means ceases). Now if there are multiple attackers, this concept is the best argument for "high capacity magazines". Misses, non-stopping hits, BG's who can take a lot of punishment.... all scream for having enough ammunition in your firearm to give you a chance to survive.
But the fact remains that you are not going to know whether or not your chosen caliber and load is going to do the job in an instant case until you have to call upon it to save your skin.
It's my amd others observations from being around guns and watching crime for a few decades.
3 shots a second at close range is not hard with practice,and slow compared to the IPSC and IDPA boys.
It's long been known hanguns are not your first choice for defense,but it's kind of hard to conceal a rifle or shotgun.
One shot stops are not the norm with real criminals,that's been known for a long time.I'm talking real criminals,not the street punks like XD40 mentions stopping at the sight or a shot from a gun.Years of reading Marshall,Sanow,Ayoob and the like have backed this up.A one shot stop means you hit that small target that shuts down the CNS,not the bad guy peeing his pants because you put a 44mag throough his shoulder.Cops and Military carry large capacity mags and spares for a reason,it's likely to have multiple assailants and the real bad guys rarely stop with a shot,you have to hammer them until they stop.There are many cases where the perp was drilled with many rounds and decided to stop and didn't die,just recently I read one where a heavy guy was hit over 10 times and still walked to the ambulance but I don't remember if he lived or not.It's also been proven you can destroy a person's heart and if they're determined still have around 30 seconds to kill you before they expire.
While the majority of people don't meet up with the real bad guys,don't be complacent thinking you never will.There's a difference between a street punk and a real criminal,if you remain aware you can usually be prepared for a street punk whereas the pros have a better handle on stealth and surprise.
It's my amd others observations from being around guns and watching crime for a few decades.
3 shots a second at close range is not hard with practice,and slow compared to the IPSC and IDPA boys.
It's long been known hanguns are not your first choice for defense,but it's kind of hard to conceal a rifle or shotgun.
One shot stops are not the norm with real criminals,that's been known for a long time.I'm talking real criminals,not the street punks like XD40 mentions stopping at the sight or a shot from a gun.Years of reading Marshall,Sanow,Ayoob and the like have backed this up.A one shot stop means you hit that small target that shuts down the CNS,not the bad guy peeing his pants because you put a 44mag throough his shoulder.Cops and Military carry large capacity mags and spares for a reason,it's likely to have multiple assailants and the real bad guys rarely stop with a shot,you have to hammer them until they stop.There are many cases where the perp was drilled with many rounds and decided to stop and didn't die,just recently I read one where a heavy guy was hit over 10 times and still walked to the ambulance but I don't remember if he lived or not.It's also been proven you can destroy a person's heart and if they're determined still have around 30 seconds to kill you before they expire.
While the majority of people don't meet up with the real bad guys,don't be complacent thinking you never will.There's a difference between a street punk and a real criminal,if you remain aware you can usually be prepared for a street punk whereas the pros have a better handle on stealth and surprise.
Make no mistake. One can be as deadly as the other. A "real criminal" may only be interested in any valuables that you may own, and has no interest in killing you.
A "street punk" may only be interested in any valuables that you may own. Difference is, the street punk may kill you just for the hell of it.
In a nutshell, a criminal is a criminal. I don't differentiate between any of them.
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