To the point. Most agencies chose the 9mm because there is not a lot of difference between the outcomes of shootings with a 45ACP, a 40 or a 9mm. Given the best bullets to be had, at their maximum velocities, all things considered they are all about the same speed and all penetrate about as deep and all do a similar amount of damage. This is not me making this up, it’s common knowledge. When I say all things considered, recoil, your ability to shoot the gun, accuracy to hit the right spot, ability to shoot fast and more than once accurately...all things considering all people who might use the gun. The other part Glockduffus aside, the 9mm if it penetrates 13 inches is going to produce about the same damage as a 45 that penetrates 13 inches. Now I can see the 9mm and 105 howitzer will be markedly different but .35 and .45 just ain’t. Jeff Cooper was just wrong.
I really, really tried to keep my mouth shut...or my keyboard quiet, but...
I work in an office of five agents, three males, two females. All have 15-20 years mixed LE and military experience, but the females generally don't shoot recreationally. None have any problem whatsoever qualifying with their .40 Glocks, which include 23s as well as 27s. Just never an issue. We shoot several courses in a day, generally 200-300 rounds. No problem. I just can't get my head around that so-called firearms guys have such a difficult time with a .40. (We use 165 gr Ranger bonded.)
No discernible difference between the various cartridges? No shiit! The FBI specced that everything has to penetrate 12-18" or whatever, so no kidding, they all perform the same. I just can't understand that when there's a 100 or more foot-pound energy difference between cartridges, no one questions what effect that has on a human that's not high. Screw me, if I'm in a gym and someone drops a 100 pound weight on my chest from a foot high, it's going to have an effect on me.
I generally work alone in Indian Country, in al weather, so the key phrase to me is "...if you get 13" of penetration." If I'm dealing with a subject wearing Carhartt overalls over a wool shirt and an undershirt, and I may less than an optimum shot angles, I want something that will assure greater than 13" penetration. And I'm not even going to discuss various barriers.
By the way, as I recall, the FBI's testing is done at ten to twelve feet! Most car stops are a hell of a lot longer distances than that.
Sorry, rant over, but I'll never get behind a 115 or 124 grain 9mm going at the same velocity as a 165 grain .40 is the same. If you want to carry a nine, go for it, just quit trying to convince everybody else.
