I'm trying to choose a pistol for target practice and home defense. Considering the 9mm, .45 Auto, and .40 S&W, how do they compare in terms of recoil and price per round?
2007-02-09 21:33:33 · 13 answers · asked by bmdave 2 in Sports ➔ Outdoor Recreation ➔ Hunting
If you have the physical and mental ability to handle the .45ACP round(and few don't, there are men and women both who shoot .45's in competition), go for it! If you really get into pistol marksmanship, I would suggest investing in a reloading setup, as well, which will save you even more on ammo costs, as you will have the ability to tailor your ammo to your own uses. To begin with, there is plenty of military surplus ammo out there for "punching paper", and the .45ACP with full-house factory combat loads is the best for personal defense, far surpassing the 9mm for single-shot knock-downs. The .40 S&W can't touch it, either, and ammo for the .40 isn't much less pricey than for the .45, added to the fact there is no military surplus for the "Short & Weak".
My personal carry weapon is a H-K USP .45, for which I load all my own ammo, even casting my own SWC lead bullets. This holds down the costof practice ammo, with salvaged surplus or once fired cases to less than 3 cents a round.
A complete reloading setup, including your first pound of powder, bullets, and primers, would cost you less than $300, and I have found, in my thirty-odd years of reloading, that it is almost as much fun as shooting up the resulting product, as well as a great way to spend an evening, much better than vegging in front of the "boob tube"!
2007-02-11 04:11:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 9mm is what I use for target practice and home defense. Not only is it cheap, but it can be found almost anywhere.
The 9mm is a small round, and has less stopping power than the others you mentioned, but most 9mm pistols hold 10-15 rounds, which is more than enough for your intended uses. The recoil is also much more controllable than that of the .45 or .40.
I recommend the 9mm Beretta 92F for home defense. It is very reliable, easy to shoot, and safe to handle.
2007-02-12 19:45:10 · answer #2 · answered by d g 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since you ask, we'll all assume you have little experience with any of them. If you've never shot a handgun, I'd recommend none of the above, and suggest a revolver. But of the choices you list, I'd say the 40 S&W. The 9mm is OK, but a forty-something is better, and stepping up to the plate for a home run with the 45 ACP may be a bit much. I'd hate for you to develop a flinch, and one reason the US military went to the 9 (a mistake in almost everybody's estimation) is that too many people just had trouble handling the big fat boy. The 40's a good compromise. I can't tell you about the ammo costs, because I stuff my own, but all three are very popular, so there probably won't be much difference.
2007-02-10 06:31:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
like everyone already said the 9mm is the cheapest and has the least recoil next on the list is the .40 for price but in terms of recoil they tend to have more since the .40 cal cartridge has a much higher pressure then that of the .45 which is a slow moving hard hitting round. the .40 cal has been adopted by many law enforcement agencies do to its all around performance and cost. but in my opinion if your using it for a home defense weapon then go with the .45 the heavy round has great knock down power and the slow speed will keep it from over penetrating and going through walls and in to others areas of the home that you don't want it to in most cases. while the other cartridges are lighter higher velocity rounds that have a greater chance of over penetration....... well hope this helps
2007-02-10 06:06:47 · answer #4 · answered by John R 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The 9mm would be your cheapest choice, just because the gun market is flooded with them, but the 40 or 45 would be more potent for sure. The 40 cal seems to be the perfect blend of what you get in the 9mm and 45ACP. You get the high capacity magazine like a 9mm, but all the punch of a 45ACP. Its the hottest new thing in the pistol world, but all of them will work fine. As much as I don't like the 9mm, it might be your best choice here. Ammo is cheap for target practice, and if you are using hollow-points for home defense, its going to be enough to stop the bad guy (just barely), but it won't punch through every wall and take out your neighbors TV after it leaves your house. But, since its only a 9mm, shoot twice just to make sure.
2007-02-10 02:09:34 · answer #5 · answered by brian f 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The 9MM will be the least expensive and if that means that you will practice a lot it might be the best choice. If you can handle a bit more recoil and the higher practice price of either the .40 or .45 then go with one of those calibers.
A larger, more powerful round WILL NOT make up for poor shot placement. That being said you should choose the largest caliber that you can shoot accuractly and quickly.
Good luck
2007-02-11 13:07:46 · answer #6 · answered by Christopher H 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Dont worry about caliber size all three will do the job, you must practice. Hit what you aim at and they all will do the same, pick a hollow point that is relable in your gun and your all set. 9mm is the cheapest to feed a gun and 40 come next. Pistol size and weight will will have the biggest effect on recoil. Again the 9mm will always have less recoil than the others of same size.
2007-02-10 19:27:02 · answer #7 · answered by Jon 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I like the .40m myself,, I like it because it's more powerfull than the 9mm, just enough, and small enough not have bad recoil. Some people say recoil problems with the .45 are all in your mind, but I likw the .40. check out the Walther P99 in that caliber, if you don't mind the magazine release. Price per round is pretty much a wash.
2007-02-09 21:39:09 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Target practice if your going one pistol then the 9 is cheaper to run ammo through.
Personally, after hearing some of the reports from Afganistan and Iraq about how weak the 9 was I think I would stick with a .45
2007-02-10 16:19:58 · answer #9 · answered by .45 Peacemaker 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
.45 is the best round, 9mm is the cheapest for ammo but the WORST for defense.
Get the .45 and a barrel conversion kit, which will allow you to shoot .22LR to learn how to shoot and handle the pistol, and will pay for itself in terms of ammo in about 6 months of shooting and keep you from developing bad habits such as flinching. And the .45 is great for home defense, one shot stop, very little overpenetration.
Really the best pistol would be a revolver in 38 Special, allowing you to shoot .38 for target and load .357 Mag for home defense.
2007-02-10 12:41:57 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋