I have the chance to become the proud owner of either a 9mm or .45 both of these are Taurus'. They are both used but both look and shoot like new. I was wondering which of these two would you choose. I have a 2 3/4" 870 with a smooth bore slug barrel and a 3x9 scope that the guy wants very badly. He said he will trade me either one of these including all the xtra clips (he has 4 clips for each) and all ammo and the holster for the 870. I feel its a pretty good trade since I only bought this gun as part of a pair from someone who needed money and only paid $175 for 2 870's that were both new in the box!! All I have done is add the scope mount and scope to this one.. the other one has a 28" vent rib and I use it for everything from deer to turkey to doves. SO I feel I have more than got my money out of the deal. Besides I already have several other slug guns.. I have let him use this one the last two seasons since he doesnt have a slug gun... so what do you guys think????

I've always been a .45 kind of guy. Something about 230 grains of lead hitting animate objects that really puts them down in a hurry. 9mm on the other hand have been known to take more than one shot to get the job done. That's why a majority of police departments switched to .40 calibers.

The .45 seems (to me anyway) easier to shoot well since the recoil is not as "snappy" as with the 9. I've always experienced more muzzle flip with the 9 than I have with the .45.

If you don't need the 870, and you like the handguns, I'd make the trade and wouldn't have any reservations.

No Doubt on this one. Take the 45.

I like the .45 and the 9mm very much. The 9mm is much cheaper to shoot Winchester Value packs are around $10 for 100 rounds, and Blazer can be found for around $5.00 per 50.

I like the recoil of the .45 but some don't. I would try and shoot both and see which one feels the best to you.

If you want to see some data on defensive loads, look here http://www.ammolab.com There is plenty of good 9mm and .45acp defesive ammo out there.

I hate the 9mm. I do have two however when I didn't know better. But when I talked to a friend of mine in MD who was a detective for Anne Arundel County and it took 17 shots to knock down a guy. I decided it wasn't for me.

I think a 40S&W is about perfect. I get a tad over supersonic loads with 155gr bullets. 45, well I love em, just more momentum when it hits the target.

IF you're just gonna shoot it at paper targets and beer cans, get the 9mm. It's cheaper to shoot.

IF you need a defensive weapon, then by all means, get the .45!![&:]

well...if you plan to shoot a lot, 9mm ammo can be found considerably cheaper than 45 ammo. that's worth considering

also, are they the same size? if you plan to concealed carry, the 9mm would also get my vote if it was smaller than the 45. if they were the same size, with the same ammo capacity, I'd go with the 45. if you don't plan to concealed carry at all....the 45 has more stopping power

I would shoot them both first, and see which you like to shoot better....as others said, the recoil is different...some people don't like 45 recoil and some think it's quite pleasant

You didn't say which models the Taurus were or what you wanted them for. Carry, plinking, home defence? As a plinker, you can't beat the lower price of the surplus 9mm.

I'd go with the .45 ACP if you're looking for a defense pistol. I love my 9mm (surplus Walther P-1), but it just doesn't have the punch I want in a self-defense sidearm.

On the other hand, 9mm's are easy to shoot and ammo is cheap and plentiful. So if you're looking for a plinking/target pistol, that's your choice.

My rule of thumb is it's better to have more than less, because you never know when some thug is going to try storming your house. Now that I've already gotten a 9mm to "play" with, I wouln't go any smaller than the .40 S&W.

Either way you are going to be happy with your choice. The 9mm is a lighter bullet, but a higher pressure caliber, so it jumps a little more than the .45. .45 is time tested, but some people are intimidated by it for some reason. I have 9's, .45's, and .40's, and I like them all, but if I had to take one to a fight it would be my Glock 21 loaded with 230 grain hollowpoints. Good luck man!