How good is 9mm for self defense>?

Answer 1

Asking this question is like asking what kind of car you should buy or what clothes to wear. Everyone has an opionin but the only one that really matters is yours, since your life may depend on it, someday.

Personally I would rate a 9mm as adequate for self defense, especially for carry purposes. I prefer bigger bullets, but that's my choice. No one should harass me for that either since they aren't buying my gun or my ammo.

Also if you have a wife/girlfriend who may need to use it since the recoil is not very unmanageable with a 9mm, it is a good choice, but I wouldn't go any smaller than that.

The "nine" has been around for years and like ANY OTHER caliber or cartridge, it has it's pros and cons. It also has it bandwagon followers as well as those who discredit the capability of the round. Just like any other round!

The "how good" part of your question would be, up to you.

Practice (safely) shooting and safe handling of the weapon, marksmanship, and defensive techiniques and tactics and you could even be deadly with a pellet gun (extreme example...but possible).

Like any other machine, a gun is useless or dangerous if it is not used correctly within its capabilities.
If your choice happens to be a 9mm, then so be it.
For home defense, realistically a 20 gauge shotgun is a good choice. There are many valid reasons for the 20 gauge in my opinon, but you did not ask about that.

Now go buy some ammo and practice.

You could have the biggest, most expensive, and accurate gun in the world, but if you don't know how to shoot it, it doesn't do you any good.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/avu9u

Go with a 9mm for your first gun, and go to the range and learn to shoot it. Practice till you can clear a jam, drop the mag, and reload a fresh mag, and put a round on the bull at 30ft in less than 2 seconds. I have a Sig in 9mm a Sig .40 / .357 and a 1911 in .45. Each round is its own creature, but none are more "difficult" than the other. The 9mm or .357 stay near by bedside because I am more proficient with them than the .45. I would go so far as suggest that in a choice between a .22 you could run in the dark with no malfunctions or a .45 that jammed one in ever 100 rds, to pick the .22. In the event you are concerned about "stopping power" practice with 115 gr bullets (remmington UMC are good practice rounds) due to cost, but load up with 147 gr hollow-points (can be ordered online from midway usa). While its still not a 230 gr .45, a hot loaded 147 will better terminal ballistics than your standard hardball.

Answer 4

9mm For Self Defense

Answer 5

It may not be a .357 Magnum or .357 Auto, but it is a hell of a lot better than any .38 SPL. 9mm got a bad rap because of its ball performance.
If I had to shoot through a windshield I would rather have a 9mm than a 45acp. It all depends on the situation. If it were not for the success of the .40SW, then you might not be asking this question and gun writers would still be pushing the 9mm like they were in years past.

.357Mag 125gr=@1450 FPS
.357Auto 125gr =@1375FPS
9mm+p =@1250FPS
9mm+p+=@1350FPS

These are more than commonly known statistics from 4" service automatics. Velocity is not everything, but mass alone is overrated.

Answer 6

For concealed carry I think it is the best choice. Get something which is capable of handling 9mm +P, hollowpoint rounds and you'll do just fine.

+P (overpressure) 9mm rounds can pretty much equal the muzzle energy of standard .40SW and .45ACP loads.

There's a constant debate as to whether it is adequate, but I personally think that it is. There's always the trade-off, if you carry something more powerful like 10mm auto or .357 sig, it has more knockdown power, but there's increased recoil so follow-up shots can be more difficult etc. etc. If you ever are in a situation like that there's really no hard rule that says your first shot has to knock him down. Shot acquisition after your first round is another big consideration.

If it's something for at home, don't use a pistol, just get a shotgun, there's nothing better than a shotgun for standard self-defence situations.

Answer 7

I used to carry a S&W 940, 9mm, 5 shot, J-frame revolver. I replaced it with a Taurus 745, 45ACP, 7 shot semi auto.

I still pack the little J-frame on occassion. Slips into a pocket quiet easily.

I never felt inadequately armed with the 9mm. It is a small round with a rep for overpenetration, so shot placement is critical. So I always practiced, paracticed, practiced. I keep mine loaded with Winchester 115 gr. hollow points. There are more potent rounds I could load with but this is the most accurate round for this particular gun. That is another consideration with the 9mm; sometimes the gun is ammunition senitive.

Answer 8

my opinion is that it depends on what you are defending yourself against. if you are a deer hunter, you will probably need something of a larger caliber in the rare, but possible, chance you will encounter a bear or wild boar ....9mm probably won't stop these animals. if your weapon is for home defense' i agree with some of these other guys. hollow points (speer gold dot, or federal hydroshock) will make that 9mm just fine....remember: people don't have the same survival instinct that animals do. most people will go down if you shoot them with just about anything (unless they are high on some crazy stuff). even the sight of a weapon can make most people back-off. i sold my 9mm and now i own a 40 cal. s&w because the price was right, i am accurate with it at 25 feet, and i've heard stories of 9's not being able "knock down" attackers who are all "jacked-up" but then again, how often are you approached by muggers high on PCP? there's always a chance, but i pray we never have to find out.

Answer 9

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
How good is 9mm for self defense>?

Answer 10

i have no idea what the first two responses were about, especially considering David M's response:
"I carried a nine mil most of my life. It is probably just about useless for self defence."
was that supposed to be a funny joke?
if he was in the armed forces and police services and carried and trusted that weapon "most of his life", obviously he didnt get the feeling it was useless for self "defence".

now to answer your question-
in terms of defending your life, surely a .45ACP bullet will be more likely to slow, stop, or kill an enemy charging at you with a chainsaw. it is a bigger bullet, and just as a 9mm will be more powerful than a .22, a .45 will be more powerful than a 9mm. but that doesnt take away from the power of a 9mm bullet. i own a semi-auto 9mm compact, and i keep a magazine loaded with hollow point bullets. they "mushroom" upon impact, and can create a path of internal destruction about as wide as a quarter or even a half dollar.

every day and every night when i go to bed i trust my life to my 9mm gun and hollow point bullets, as do millions of other citizens and law enforcement officers.
i hope that helps best answer your question.