What Caliber is Best?

General Firearms Terminal Ballistic Information
1

A constant theme of discussion on various forums is “What Caliber is best?”

Considering the variables associated with actual combat situations are numerous, randomly distributed and extremely unpredictable, this is difficult to analyze. However the time to shoot rounds and the damage caused can be analyzed. The following data is better visualized with a spreadsheet and graphs, but they were too large to attach here.

Consider:
Three different firearms: a 17 round capacity 9MM, a 15 round capacity 40S&W and a 10 round capacity 45ACP. Assume that the draw, split and reload times are equal for all calibers (2.0 sec. draw, 0.20 sec. split, 1.5 sec. reload). Also the shooter carries a single spare magazine.

Furthermore, using DocGKR’s data for expanded bullet diameters:
9MM =0.62”
40S&W=0.68”
45ACP=0.74”

… And a depth of penetration is assumed at 14” for all calibers, the wound volume would be:
9MM =4.227 Cu. In./shot
40S&W=5.084 Cu. In./shot
45ACP=6.021 Cu. In./shot

Performance over time yields (Rounded off):
Time=>--------2.0-----2.2-----2.4….----4.0….
Shot=>---------01------02-----03….-----11….
9MM damage=—4.2-----8.5-----12.7-----46.5….
40S&W damage= 5.1-----10.2----15.3-----55.9….
45ACP damage= 6.0-----12.0----18.1-----66.2….

Everything looks great for the 45 ACP, the 40 is close behind and the 9MM is about 2/3 of the 45 ACP! But in a real fight you might hit with only 20 to 25% of shots fired so the results are much closer than this initially looks.

Now consider the next few clock ticks……
Performance over time yields (Rounded off):
Time=>------4.2-----4.4-----4.6….----5.0….
Shot=>------12------13------14….-----16….
9MM damage= 50.7-----54.9----59.2----63.4….

Shot=>------12------13------14….-----16….
40S&W damage=61.0—66.1----71.2-----81.4….

Shot=> Reload…………………………
45 ACP damage=66.2–66.2-----66.2-----66.2….

Sure makes that first 45 ACP reload look real loooonnnnggggg. This is with 10 Rounds in the magazine. A 7 round 1911 would be nearing the second reload. After shot 16 the 40 S&W reloads, the 9MM reloads in two shots and the 10 shot 45 ACP is nearly out of ammunition.

Lets jump ahead and look at time near the end of the second 9MM Magazine……
Performance over time yields (Rounded off):
Time-----------7.3-----8.1-----8.5-----9.1-----9.3-----9.5-----10.1….
Shot-----------21------25------27------30------31------32------35 <OUT OF AMMO!>
9MM damage=—89-------106-----114-----127-----131-----135-----148….

Shot-----------21------25------27------30------31…. <OUT OF AMMO!>
40 S&W damage=107------127-----137-----153-----158….

Shot-----------21…. <OUT OF AMMO!>
45 ACP = ------126….

What does this tell us?

  1. The 9MM is in the fight over the longest time.
  2. The 40S&W causes the most damage (Especially if you look at a graph of the shots!).
  3. The 45ACP is out of the fight early with less total damage!!!
  4. If the 45ACP has another reload it is in the fight until 10.6 sec. and creates the most damage (187).
  5. All of the service calibers are about equal.
  6. It looks like lots of rounds on target is the best thing.

When I started this analysis I thought the 45ACP would win easily. I was very surprised that the 40S&W did so well. I believe for world class shooters the 45ACP can be very effective, but for most of us a 9MM or 40S&W using effective loads with heavy bullets (To reduce split times) would be best.

Remember, the split times were equal for all calibers. The 9MM looks better and better as splits for the other calibers grow.

Wait a minute, is this not what our resident experts have been telling us all along?

2

Sound training from credible competent firearm instructors & shot placement, are more important, regardless of caliber. Follow with practice and more training. Repeat often.

3

I would choose the ‘acceptable’ caliber and ammunition that is the largest you can truly shoot well. You have to really be honest with yourself and set your EGO aside when making that evaluation!!! For us guys, that can be hard to do… :smiley:

I like 9mm with Ranger RA9T for my pistol, 12 gauge with Ranger (RA1200) 9-pellet ‘Low Recoil’ 00 Buck for my shotgun…

4

Here’s a ballistics gel comparison (attachment).

I don’t think caliber matters too much.

Pick one you are comfortable with and train.

5

What I am trying to say with the original post is that it looks like the 9mm is good to go if you keep banging away in serious social situations.

Note in the original post that the split times are the same for all calibers. It is well accepted that the 9mm has the lowest split times and is more accurate for less practiced shooters.

I wanted the 45 ACP to win so I could justify a new M&P purchase. How disappointed I was to find the 9 mm doing so well.

A second conclusion was that the 40 S&W is better than the 9 mm if you can get your split times even with the 9. However, it does not take may hundredths of a second to make things even between these two.

Accuracy first and fast shooting of many rounds second seems to be the winner. This assumes you follow the best in class ammo recommendations from DocGKR and practice all possible combat situations.

I did buy a new M&P…… The M&P 9L, new sights and Apex sear and plunger…. My new IDPA and carry gun.

6

IIRC DocGKR said something along the lines of if you take away all the variables, whatever makes a bigger hole. :smiley:

7

This is part of why I switched from a G21 to a G17 when we changed duty ammo from Standard Ranger 230gr to Fed HST +P that was much blastier and totally screwed up my split times. Even more importantly, I felt that maybe in a dynamic situation, shooting one handed with the fat grips, maybe even a bit sweaty or wet out I may well lose hold of a recoiling G21 with the +P ammo. This also happened right after our reliability issues with the G21 and they had to replace parts (which I can’t for the life of me remember right now… Firing pin plunger?)

I could have practiced TONS more and overcome or at least mitigate this issue, but the fact that I could do a faster and more accurate triple hammer with a G17 than a normal double hammer with a G21 decided it for me. Also, a smaller profile for plainclothes work, a bunch more bullets, and as stated only minor ballistic differences were all factors as well.

This decision has been borne out with many of our S&W & Glock .45’s breaking parts after a couple years of shooting the +P ammo, which given our shooting schedules may well be less than 200 overall +P rounds on average. My extra practice, had I decided to do so, would have been many hundreds if not thousands of rounds, and I would likely have a broken pistol for my trouble.

Shoot what you can hit/fight with. More bullets are always better, I believe in ammunition :slight_smile:

Dennis.

8

Dennis,

I too switched from the G21 to a G17… then a G19.

Caliber does matter when a larger caliber negatively affects your shooting ability.

9

I like the 357SIG. YMMV.

10

Best caliber?

Something in the 155mm class.
For anything less, expect to apply repeatedly.
Buy something that allows you to do that and frequently train to do it.

11

Given good ammunition, I am quite willing to use any of the common service pistol calibers; the preferred platform tends to dictate caliber selection. For example, I find the G19 to be ideal for CCW–so if carrying a Glock, I am shooting 9 mm. Likewise, the M&P40 is the finest duty pistol I have yet used, so I run .40S&W with that system. The pistol I am able to most easily shoot accurately with the least amount of practice is the 1911, so with that platform I am using .45 ACP. Note that other factors can play a role–in states with illogical, asinine magazine capacity restrictions, a pistol designed for 10 rd mags, like the M&P45 or M&P40c, would likely be my choice; in other settings, for example in the U.S. military, there is often no choice in pistol selection and an M9 or M11 is issued.

The keys are:

– Cultivate a warrior mindset
– Invest in competent, thorough initial training and then maintain skills with regular ongoing practice
– Acquire a reliable and durable weapon system
– Purchase a consistent, robust performing duty/self-defense load in sufficient quantities (at least 1000 rounds) then STOP worrying about the nuances of handgun ammunition terminal performance.

12

What is best is entirely up to the end user. I prefer a single stack custom 1911 as my duty weapon. It works well for me. I would also feel well armed with my Glock 17. While having lots of bullets is good and never a bad thing. I think some people are too concerned with magazine capacity.
pat

13

I own more than one caliber…

Calibers are like different sizes of fish hooks… there is no single best one, it depends on what needs to be done…

I like more than one option… :cool:

14

A lot of overthinking here…

As long your ammunition meets the necessary performance criteria, then shot placement is paramount. For me, it isn’t necessarily the caliber that helps me with the shot placement so much as the shooting platform.

15

Agree… the platform has a lot to do with pointability… the caliber has more to do with recoil levels…

16

Well said. I like options for wear depending on situation and potiental problems (i.e. bear country vs. going to the local shop n’ rob)

17

Agree… options are good!!!:smiley:

18

Situation dictates.

The cartridge (be it 9, 38, 40, 10, or 45) is only part of the answer.

19

Agree…