1911Forum banner

Caliber, the experts choice FYI

5K views 55 replies 29 participants last post by  Gamecockgangsta 
#1 ·
I did a survey of some of the most experienced shooters/trainers I personally know and here is the question I asked them all.

Assuming you had to buy your own pistol and ammunition (type of your choice) for combined self-defense and self-defense range training use, which caliber would you choose, 9x19mm Parabellum, .357 Sig, .38 super, .40 S&W, 10mm or .45 ACP ?

I surveyed the following and their answer:

BJ Norris 9mm
Bill Rogers 9mm
Bill Wilson 9mm
David Bahde 9mm
Ernest Langdon 9mm
Frank Proctor 9mm
Ken Hackathorn 9mm
Larry Vickers 9mm
Mike Seeklander 9mm
Paul Markel 9mm
Paul Howe 9mm
Paul Buffoni 9mm
Rob Haught .45
Rob Leatham .40
Super Dave Harrington no response yet, but he's always been a 9mm guy
 
See less See more
#3 ·
So this tells us what exactly?

That the first twelve people like nine millimeter and the last two people like .45 and 40 respectively. That is great, thank you for the information.
 
#4 ·
If the poll had been conducted thirty years ago, and included Jeff Cooper, Charles Askins, Bill Jordan, Ray Chapman, Chuck Taylor - top instructors, competitors and lawmen - how different would the results have been; would a single one of them have chosen 9mm?
 
#12 ·
This might have meant something had you also asked them why? Otherwise, that is their opinion which is like @#$holes, we all have one. Lol.
Just because someone is an expert marksman or gunsmith etc......that does not validate an opinion about ammo.

Scientific test have some meaning. But, I ask you this: 45 ACP has been around a long, long time and has proven effective as a hardball round. JHP just got to be better than hardball. Me, if I carry a 1911 it will be in 45ACP. Other pistol makes I would consider 9mm.
 
#21 ·
Doing a 2nd survey with these ?s, I think a lot of people will be surprised at the results........so far only one has changed caliber, but his #2 was still 9mm. Will share results after all have responded.

#1 What is the make and model of your primary carry gun?

#2 If you have more than one you carry list your second choice?

#3 What is your preferred carry ammo?
 
#17 ·
That's a bit surprising.

At least there's a couple big boys there...





...jk.

9mm is certainly cool again. I'll be picking one up here soon...only because I don't have one. I like shooting my 45's and 38's best.

I like to combine the particular gun with most appropriate caliber.
 
#18 ·
Actually, Col. Askins was predominately a heavy caliber guy thru out most of his "career" even though as I remember he was instrumental in getting the Border Patrol to standardize on the Colt New Service in .38 special. With the Border Patrol he mainly carried Colt New Services in 44/40 or 45 Colt and with the Forest Service he carried a 38/40 and later a .357 Magnum still in his favored New Service model Colts. He really liked those big frame Colt revolvers (usually with the front of the trigger guard cut away). It was in his later years starting in the '80's that he embraced the .45 auto and pretty much went over to that.
 
#19 ·
So Bill, are you planning to have a fire sale to get rid of all those "obsolete" .45's that are too expensive to shoot? If you do, I'll take one exactly like the giveaway gun in the Sept. 1981 American Handgunner magazine. Just don't bob the hammer. And I'll even pay the same price!
 
#23 ·
Not all even shoot 1911s

Vickers carries a Glock 19, when I asked him about carrying a 1911 his comment to quote was:

"Not if I'm gonna potentially get a gun seized after a shooting !!! I'd rather have a $500 Glock seized than a $3000 1911 !!!"

This is all very interesting to me, nice to be an American that CAN carry and have all these choices :)
 
#36 ·
Or ask it slightly differently, or ask different people.

I am almost exclusively a 9 mm for everything, but the way this question has been constructed and respondents selected, the answer was effectively predetermined.
 
#33 ·
no kidding?! 90% of those people shoot at a minimum 10K rounds in a few months and the question included "range practice". unless you are Bill Gates or Donald Trump, why would you pick .45 acp? if you are looking for best self defense load and "money is not an option", then you might have a different answer.
 
#34 ·
Could be those 9mm lovers are just Luddites and geezers who aren't ready to move up to the new-fangled .45 ACP. The 9mm is after all the older cartridge.
 
#38 ·
Bigger holes make better blood outlets.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top