45acp or 9mm

[mongo chicago]

Way back then, what 9mm ammo was available to use, how’s it compare with today’s? Also what’s the purpose of the secondary weapon? Thanks.

For most people, drawing a second revolver was faster than reloading. The primary duty weapon was a 38 spl. revolver with the almost useless 158gr. lead h.p. So if you wanted to carry anything you felt was better, you carried a secondary weapon. Don't remember varieties of 9mm ammo available but it wasn't much. We are talking 1980.

 

[Tesoro]

This thread reminds me of when I’m at one of those gun shops, eavesdropping, listening to the conversations of the people who probably are there to socialize. There’s ALWAYS a couple, every time

I always wanted to own a local country gunshop after I retired. That was until I started frequenting them and realized I would probably run off half my customers in the first month!

 

[J.d. Popkes]

For most people, drawing a second revolver was faster than reloading. The primary duty weapon was a 38 spl. revolver with the almost useless 158gr. lead h.p. So if you wanted to carry anything you felt was better, you carried a secondary weapon. Don't remember varieties of 9mm ammo available but it wasn't much. We are talking 1980.

So, having a magazine, with higher capacity, with well designed ammo, along with shot placement, is what matters. To me. And apparently those in defense situations for real would agree. Not deer hunting. Not ball ammo. Current technology matters. Dirty Harry didn’t have the choice to carry a high capacity, ported 2011 with real hot 9mm hollow points. “Did I shoot 21 times, or only 20, punk”

 

[AccelR8]

One of the best bits of lore I heard in gun shop was "A 9mm is like stabbin' somebody with an ice pick but a 45 will knock a man off his feet!"

 

[bpd459]

We have had many, similar posts / exchanges in my almost 20 yrs on this Forum. I have carried a handgun my entire adult life, and 36 yrs in uniform. A 1911 .45 for 33 of those years, a 9mm for the remainder. I responded to shootings 1-2 times a week, more so in the early 90’s. I saw everything from .22 Short to the .50 AE, pistol wise, a couple 12ga, and few .223 and one 30/30 win gun shot injuries. I saw death on both ends of the spectrum. A temple shot with a Beretta with.22 shorts dropped the guy in his tracks. The dude shot in the ass with the Desert Eagle .50AE survived, leaving a blood trail that Helen Kellar could have followed.
The old “double tap” is just that. Shoot, move and evaluate. Body armor, drugs, bad guys that work out in prison, and mental illness negates this. Shoot the threat to the ground, or until they are no longer a threat. The face has become the new “center of mass”. Please discern the difference between a 115gr 9mm FMJ and a 230gr .45 round to the face. The goal of a self defense shooting is to stop the bad guy. To Stop them. Death and / or injury are a simple byproduct of this. Shot placement is what matters.