Please get this, if you don't get another thing... IT AIN'T A CALIBER WAR! It's all about circumstances.
Several years ago my son bought a XDc in .45. In the three or so years he owned it he shot about 200 rounds. He got rid of it during some tough times, then won a Glock 26 in a raffle. Immediately he started talking about selling it for another XDc in .45, and as much as I do not like Glocks I encouraged him to either keep it or swap it for an XD in 9mm. Reason is quite simple... he is ALL OVER THE TARGET with the .45, and can't afford to practice with it.
Showed up at my place 2 weeks ago with... you guessed it... an XDc in .45 which he hadn't shot. I set up a B27 target, and along with my SR9c we started shooting. He shot the man's legs off, neutered him, gave him a nasty shoulder wound, eventually got a couple in the stomach. My turn, and I filled the BG's head with bullets. He blamed his XD's sights.
After several magazines each, he asked me if I'd like to shoot his gun. The target was pretty riddled with holes, so I decided to shoot the miniature silhouette in the upper left corner of the target. Put 8 of 10 inside the image (about 8 to 10 yards). What my son muttered next is not printable in THR.
We talked about several things, foremost the fact that I had close to a couple thousand rounds of practice, and he hadn't broken 250. We also worked on his grip a little, discussed sight picture, etc.
Fast forward to yesterday... he went to the range with a co-worker who is a knowledgeable gun enthusiast. The grip helped. Sight picture helped. Shooting his buddy's Glock 19 helped... way more! My humble son called to inform me he was now in the market for an XDc in 9mm.
"Why?" I asked him, curious to see what lessons he learned.
"Because the muzzle doesn't rise so much. Because he bought twice as many cartridges as I for half as much money. Because I can follow up shots easier. Because the cartridges are cheaper and I can practice more. Because I was way more accurate. And because I like to shoot and I can BUY MORE CARTRIDGES!!"
He then added (what I've told him for years) his buddy told him that with modern SD ammo, the difference isn't all that great between 9mm and .45... "especially when you can shoot like that," pointing to my son's now respectable grouping.
I told my son, "Didn't your old man tell you that, oh, several years ago?"
"Go ahead... say 'I told you so!'"
With a grin... "I just did!!!"
He did say he still loves the .45 and believes it to be a superior cartridge. I completely agreed... IF he has the money to practice a lot and IF he can be as accurate as he is with 9mm. Keep 'em both, boy!
Several years ago my son bought a XDc in .45. In the three or so years he owned it he shot about 200 rounds. He got rid of it during some tough times, then won a Glock 26 in a raffle. Immediately he started talking about selling it for another XDc in .45, and as much as I do not like Glocks I encouraged him to either keep it or swap it for an XD in 9mm. Reason is quite simple... he is ALL OVER THE TARGET with the .45, and can't afford to practice with it.
Showed up at my place 2 weeks ago with... you guessed it... an XDc in .45 which he hadn't shot. I set up a B27 target, and along with my SR9c we started shooting. He shot the man's legs off, neutered him, gave him a nasty shoulder wound, eventually got a couple in the stomach. My turn, and I filled the BG's head with bullets. He blamed his XD's sights.
After several magazines each, he asked me if I'd like to shoot his gun. The target was pretty riddled with holes, so I decided to shoot the miniature silhouette in the upper left corner of the target. Put 8 of 10 inside the image (about 8 to 10 yards). What my son muttered next is not printable in THR.
We talked about several things, foremost the fact that I had close to a couple thousand rounds of practice, and he hadn't broken 250. We also worked on his grip a little, discussed sight picture, etc.
Fast forward to yesterday... he went to the range with a co-worker who is a knowledgeable gun enthusiast. The grip helped. Sight picture helped. Shooting his buddy's Glock 19 helped... way more! My humble son called to inform me he was now in the market for an XDc in 9mm.
"Why?" I asked him, curious to see what lessons he learned.
"Because the muzzle doesn't rise so much. Because he bought twice as many cartridges as I for half as much money. Because I can follow up shots easier. Because the cartridges are cheaper and I can practice more. Because I was way more accurate. And because I like to shoot and I can BUY MORE CARTRIDGES!!"
He then added (what I've told him for years) his buddy told him that with modern SD ammo, the difference isn't all that great between 9mm and .45... "especially when you can shoot like that," pointing to my son's now respectable grouping.
I told my son, "Didn't your old man tell you that, oh, several years ago?"
"Go ahead... say 'I told you so!'"
With a grin... "I just did!!!"
He did say he still loves the .45 and believes it to be a superior cartridge. I completely agreed... IF he has the money to practice a lot and IF he can be as accurate as he is with 9mm. Keep 'em both, boy!