I'd say Mr McKay Sagebrush is "spot on". No pistol round is a guaranteed "fight stopper". The .45 one-shot-stop is an urban myth. I also carried lots of rounds when I was in uniform...over 60 9mm rounds in my gun and on my belt, and a couple more mags in my ditty bag, stashed in the trunk. Firepower is a good thing. The one-shot stop USUALLY doesn't happen; the 10-shot stop mostly does.
On my 2nd or 3rd day "on the job" I responded to a tiny female Hispanic that had been shot 4 times in the chest with .45 Winchester ball (ex-boyfriend was upset with her). After being shot, she walked to a payphone, dialed 911 and asked for an ambulance. She then walked to a bus bench, sat down and awaited help (ex boyfriend bailed after shooting her). When we arrived (before the RA -Rescue Ambulance- got there), she was conscious, but breathing hard. I interviewed her in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, in between oxygen gulps. She lived, albeit with a couple of good chest scars. One lung was punctured, but otherwise, she was OK. Her aorta was missed by a millimeter or two. All 4 rounds were through and through. Boyfriend was arrested by Detectives the following week. The GI 1911 he used was recovered with 2 rounds of ball still in the mag.
The only round that is capable of putting someone down immediately is a centerfire rifle round to the chest, at close range. I saw that more than once in Iraq. Those can be dramatic. Of course, a headshot will work, if the correct part of the head is hit, which doesn't always happen. I'll take lots of rounds anyday, if I go into the schit again. Bob
