stalkingbear

It's not what I or anyone else says, it's well proven fact over the years that the .45 bullet produces faster and more consistent 1 shot stops vs the 9mm. Now getting back to the original thread topic-get a full size gun.






[quote]ORIGINAL: semi
9mm leaves you undergunned? hardly. It's not on the light side, i don't care what anyone says. Sure a .40 or .45 has more behind it, but with today's defense rounds a 9mm is pretty effective if you are trained.

semi

[quote]ORIGINAL: stalkingbear

It's not what I or anyone else says, it's well proven fact over the years that the .45 bullet produces faster and more consistent 1 shot stops vs the 9mm. Now getting back to the original thread topic-get a full size gun.






of course it will, i know that. But to say a 9mm is undergunned, hardly. I am stating that with today's defense loads the 9mm can be quite effective. If someone is looking to practice, and be able to handle a gun the 9mm suits the bill well. It's cheaper to shoot, easier for most people who are not familiar with handguns to handle and much easier to conceal in alot of different guns.

retrieverman

I own and shoot several handguns, but I mainly carry a Smith M38 "bodyguard" or a Ruger LCP. I got my CHL since 1995 and have found that, if I couldn't carry comfortably, I would end up leaving my gun in my truck. My advise is to seriously consider the weight and bulk of whatever you decide to buy.

A pea shooter in your pocket is better than a bazooka in your truck.

nksmfamjp

For the stated purpose, I really like my SA XD 40. 40 gives you good diameter for stopping power. The XD has many nice night time feattures like you can feel a bump in the top of the eslide if loaded, you can feel a bump at the back of the slide if cocked. You can have a good set of night sights installed. It will take a light on the front rail. I like the rail light on non-CCW guns because they can be available without having them separated and possible missing when needed.

BigTiny

A .45 is certainly going to do more damage than a 9, but improvements in ammo have made the 9 a very effective round, much better than just 10 years ago. I have a Glock 26 I use for carry, I picked it because it was easy for my wife to shoot, and she carries it as well. If it were just me, I would carry a .41 mag or a .45-70, but my wife couldn't hit anything with it for fear of the recoil, so we use the Glock. A 9 in the chest trumps a .45 in a parked car behind your attacker.

country1

The bottom line is you need to be able to consistantly hit with your firearm. One of the biggest factors is how the firearm fits you and your natural point of aim -then comes the factors of how you are able to manage the recoil and muzzle blast/fash and if you have the finger, hand and arm strength for that firearm.

There are several 45 ACP models that can work well for concealed carry. I would much prefer a 357 mag, 40 S&W, 45 ACP or44 Special +P over a 9mm. Yes, the 9mmbullets have improved, but so havebullets for the other calibers. One big advantage of the .45's and .44's is the bullet diameter and their weight. If for some reason the bullet does not expand (can happen), you still have a largewound channel. IMO, the 41 mag, as with the 44 mag, is a hunting cartridge and nota personal protection cartridge. It is likely the bullet will beexiting the perp as the major shock wave is beginning. Ammo selection for the 41 mag is also very limited and usually not easy to find.

oldsmellhound

Sounds like you are on the right track. Some good steps to take might be:

1. Go to a gun shop, hold & handle a variety of pistols/revolvers - see what feels good/natural to you.

2. Once you've narrowed it down to a couple, try shooting them. A lot of gun shops/ranges will rent you used guns that you can shoot and get a feel for the weapon. I would HIGHLY recommend doing this before you buy anything. I've shot a variety of handguns, and for the most part, either I love 'em or I hate 'em - and if I hate 'em, I usually don't shoot well with them.

3. Pick a caliber that after some experience, you feel you can shoot comfortably. I'd suggest a .38 special/9mm minimum. With modern, good quality ammo- the .38 and 9mm will do a good job for personal defense. But don't skimp on the ammo- if you buy cheap, crappy ammo, they will not do the job. Buy the expensive, specially tailored ammo for self defense. That's one of the advantages of the larger calibers (i.e. .45's) - heck, with a .45 even a FMJ round still does a decent job at stopping someone.

4. Buy your gun, practice regularly, and have fun!