9mm or .45

[DevLcL]

My dad and I are gonna go half and half on a pistol that we can shoot together just for plinking and stuff like that. He wants the 9mm for economical reasons, I want the .45 for the obvious sexiness of a 1911 type pistol. My shooting buddy has a 1911 so I know what it feels like and im pretty good with it actually. I've never shot a 9mm but something tells me I wouldn't like it. I saw an episode of Mail Call on the history channel where gunny shot a 9mm and a 1911 both at a block of wood hanging from a string under a tree limb. The 9mm barely made the wood swey while the .45 knocked it back and started spinning slowly. Not that I need the stopping power that this suggests, but It just feels good. It's like apples and oranges right?

Is there an immediate price difference in 9mm vs. .45? I know 9mm ammunition is cheaper then .45 but what about the pistols themselves. (I plan on having a good future )

 

[HighVelocity]

If it's just for casual plinking I'd definitely go with the 9mm. $5 for 50 rounds vs. $10.

 

[arcticap]

I own several caliber pistols including a 9mm and I never shot a .45 ACP until a couple of weeks ago at a range event. I only wanted to take 1 shot after my son had emptied a magazine quite accurately. I did not enjoy that first shot and did not want to continue shooting the rest of my magazine. My shot didn't go where I intended it to go either and I thought it it was too heavy of a load for pure shooting enjoyment purposes. Another adult mentioned to me that he doesn't like the .45 either and that he thought that about half of shooters do like the .45 while half don't. Maybe I would have enjoyed it if it was a lighter hand load.

 

[JohnKSa]

just for plinking and stuff like that

9mm--absolutely no question.

I want the ... obvious sexiness of a 1911 type pistol

How about a 1911 chambered in 9mm?

 

[XLMiguel]

JohnKSa beat me to it, but there are a number of nice 9mm 1911's from SA, Kimber, STI and others. I just got a Kimber TacPro in 9mm, really like it. Plus, you can probably shoot a bunch of +P 9mm in a 1911 w/o beating on the gun if you're interested in a SD/HD gun, too.

 

[psyopspec]

+1 on a 9mm 1911. I'll be corrected if I'm wrong, but as to the block of wood reacting to the bullets, keep in mind that 9mm travels at roughly 1000 more fps than .45. Thus, 9 is more of a sharp shove compared to the slower but more powerful push of the larger caliber. Like you said, apples and oranges.

 

[Mulliga]

The 9mm barely made the wood swey while the .45 knocked it back and started spinning slowly.

Just another example of "you can't believe what you see on TV." Without starting another caliber war thread, I believe .45 is probably more effective against human beings, but I also believe 9mm is plenty effective (yes, even 9mm FMJ). The recoil from both cartridges is pretty negligible with practice.

Many 9mm 1911-type guns exist. The best of the breed (from what I've heard on this board and others) is STI, but of course this doesn't mean the guns others have mentioned are bad (quite the opposite, in fact).

One big problem is that new 1911s are expensive (and a bit overpriced IMHO). Other handguns (Glock, Sig, CZ, etc.) will get you respectable accuracy and good reliability (in 9mm, .40 S&W, or .45), for considerably less than a new 1911, especially if you get police trade-ins/pre-owned guns.

The price issue is a big factor. If you're serious about shooting, you'll soon end up paying way more for the ammo to feed a pistol than for the pistol itself. 9mm tends to be anywhere from 1/2 to 2/3 the price of .45 ammo, a difference that most assuredly adds up.

ANOTHER OPTION - get a nice .45 1911 and put a .22 conversion kit on it. Accurate, cheap practice on the same platform, with no need to "compromise" on power.

 

[Tman]

"9mm travels at roughly 1000 more fps than .45" Would that be the 38 Casull?

Mike in Va: "I just got a Kimber TacPro in 9mm"
You owe us a range report!

 

[Solo]

Hope I'm not too late.

 

[Tman]

I hope my reply wasn't construed as being ugly.

 

[Forseti]

If its *really* for plinking, the most economical would be a .22. Rather boring, in my opinion, but you did say plinking...

If that is NOT the true purpose...then it opens the door to more choices.

The 1911 design is a nice shooter. But, I could not get comfortable carrying such a weapon with the hammer back, and that super light trigger pull...not for me. Many like it, I don't...I think the accident potential is too high.

 

[BHPshooter]

9mm is definitely cheaper -- about half the price of .45.

You said you like 1911s... have you tried a Hi Power? Very 1911-like but in 9mm, and unlike 9mm 1911s, you'd have increased capacity (if you go for that sort of thing. )

Regardless, they are both good defense calibers and are both fun to shoot.

Wes