Poll: Why is the 9mm such a popular caliber?

Why is the 9mm such a popular caliber?


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Just curious why this caliber is so popular, especially for personal protection. Personally, I'm not sold on whether or not I want to defend my life with it, though I can see certain trade-offs which may make the caliber attractive for concealed carry.
 
Although I carry a 1911, I'm confident in the ability of a good JHP round out of a 9mm to stop a threat. The main reason I enjoy 9mm is simple, it's cheap to shoot, in turn allowing me to shoot more often and become a better shooter. Either way, I don't really doubt it's ability to neutralize any human threat I may face.
 
$10 says this turns into a "x caliber is better than y" thread. Any takers?

I like 9mm because it's cheap, will get the job done, and I can hold 20 rounds of it in my Xdm
 
Just a side note: I'm not voting because I don't know enough about the history of the 9mm. I'm interested in what others think, though.
 
There is no such thing as a "perfect cartridge".

what is your specific beef with the 9?

THIS +1

With all the improvments over the years, and the currently available 9MM defensive ammo, what is your issue. Everything has issues and trade-offs. I see 9MM as a good compromise, feel comfortable shooting it, and practice more frequently as a result.
 
Because it can kill bears. Duh.

I was just surprised when I went to shoot with a small subcompact 9 at the lack of recoil, that's all. It was really manageable for a gun that's under 20 ounces. I certainly don't want to get shot with a 9mm round. I suppose any accurate shot at center mass with anything from a .22 would easily put someone on the edge of death. So I suppose it's not worth splitting hairs over, though I was thinking that the popularity of this gun had to do with it's power relative to its recoil (it looks like that's getting some action in the poll).
 
Just curious why this caliber is so popular, especially for personal protection. Personally, I'm not sold on whether or not I want to defend my life with it, though I can see certain trade-offs which may make the caliber attractive for concealed carry.

It doesn't work much worse on average than the other calibers in its class (eg, the class being 9/40/45) and it's a hell of a lot cheaper than most of the others.

You're probably trying to resolve the never ending caliber war debate... don't, it'll make your head hurt.

-Mike
 
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Inmo it is a very solid compromise between cost, power, and availability. Because it is such a popular cartridge, it is generally available even during shortages, crisis times, etc., and is available in most countries around the globe as well, so if shtf it is a good caliber to be able to source. Generally speaking, you can also carry more rounds in a pistol mag compared to a larger round like a .45, which inmo makes up for any perceived deficit in "stopping power" compared to .45
 
$10 says this turns into a "x caliber is better than y" thread. Any takers?

I like 9mm because it's cheap, will get the job done, and I can hold 20 rounds of it in my Xdm

Hope you found a taker..

People are baby's.. I work in IT, in an industry where people have no shame asking me to blow an extra 1k on a laptop just to save them a pound to carry home a few times a week... because for some reason a 5lb laptop will herniate disc when a 4lb laptop won't.

People are cheap.. They'll make up any BS excuse they can because they don't want to spend the money on shooting .45 regularly

People are shitty shooters.. they rely on the crutch that they have more rounds when 1-2 well placed will do. Give me 8+1 of .45 versus 20+1 of 9mm any day. I need shit ended fast, not in a long term distance shootout.

People are superficial.. more cool looking per dollar (kinda goes back to cheap) guns are available in 9mm than in .45

People are fools... they are under the impression shooting someone a time or two will absolutely drop them, and are in denial about statements similar to what I have made above.

I believe it carrying the most powerful caliber you can. Body type, shooting ability, various other physical challenge may be a hindrance and that's OK... but based on those just exclusions for no reason should that make lesser calibers more common. I carry a 28oz 1911... that right there just killed any excuse for a poly 45 other than price.
 
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Top 10

1. For any given capacity you get a smaller, thinner and lighter handgun; or in equal size gun you get more ammo and still lighter gun.
2. Less recoil = higher probability of follow up shots under stress (likely one handed grip with hand tremor). Multiple shots on target is far more important than slightly larger hole.
3. With proper ammo just as killy as .40, .45, etc.
4. It has killed more people than all other handgun calibers combined.
5. Countless armies and police units across the globe prefer it.
6. Universally available.
7. Better priced than other respected SD rounds. Because it’s not about the few dozen rounds you carry on you, but thousands you put downrange.
8. Greater variety and availability of gun choices chambered in 9mm than .40 .357, .45, etc.
9. Given same rd capacity, spare mags are lighter and smaller.
10. Because .380 is not killy enough.

The real question is not why someone would carry 9mm, but rather – why would anyone carry anything else. [wink]
 
Top 10

1. For any given capacity you get a smaller, thinner and lighter handgun; or in equal size gun you get more ammo and still lighter gun.
2. Less recoil = higher probability of follow up shots under stress (likely one handed grip with hand tremor). Multiple shots on target is far more important than slightly larger hole.
3. With proper ammo just as killy as .40, .45, etc.
4. It has killed more people than all other handgun calibers combined.
5. Countless armies and police units across the globe prefer it.
6. Universally available.
7. Better priced than other respected SD rounds. Because it’s not about the few dozen rounds you carry on you, but thousands you put downrange.
8. Greater variety and availability of gun choices chambered in 9mm than .40 .357, .45, etc.
9. Given same rd capacity, spare mags are lighter and smaller.
10. Because .380 is not killy enough.

The real question is not why someone would carry 9mm, but rather – why would anyone carry anything else. [wink]

Excellent, well thought out list!
 
Top 10

1. For any given capacity you get a smaller, thinner and lighter handgun; or in equal size gun you get more ammo and still lighter gun.
2. Less recoil = higher probability of follow up shots under stress (likely one handed grip with hand tremor). Multiple shots on target is far more important than slightly larger hole.
3. With proper ammo just as killy as .40, .45, etc.
4. It has killed more people than all other handgun calibers combined.
5. Countless armies and police units across the globe prefer it.
6. Universally available.
7. Better priced than other respected SD rounds. Because it’s not about the few dozen rounds you carry on you, but thousands you put downrange.
8. Greater variety and availability of gun choices chambered in 9mm than .40 .357, .45, etc.
9. Given same rd capacity, spare mags are lighter and smaller.
10. Because .380 is not killy enough.

The real question is not why someone would carry 9mm, but rather – why would anyone carry anything else. [wink]

#3 is straight up wrong...
#4, backup up your claims
#5, higher ups prefer it, that says nothing about those on the ground, show stats.. I know a few former navy armorers that would disagree
#6, so is .45
#10, well duh

the rest is explained by my previous post [wink]
 
well, I'll be the first to say it, It's because people can't handle the awesomeness of a .40.

With that being said, here is a picture of my glock fortay in a tacticool carbon fiber black hawk serpa holster next to some lotion which is usually needed after contact with said awesomeness for "alone time"

snip

come at me bro

There's nothing awesome about the .40 - It's all the negatives one could come up with about a 9mm and a 45 with none of the upside

Additionally, no one with a Macbook should be taken seriously about anything practical, ever... except perhaps masturbation which you seem to have covered.
 
I can make a Mac be taken seriously trust me.

watch-out-we-got-a-badass-over-here-meme.png
 
Top 10

1. For any given capacity you get a smaller, thinner and lighter handgun; or in equal size gun you get more ammo and still lighter gun.
2. Less recoil = higher probability of follow up shots under stress (likely one handed grip with hand tremor). Multiple shots on target is far more important than slightly larger hole.
3. With proper ammo just as killy as .40, .45, etc.
4. It has killed more people than all other handgun calibers combined.
5. Countless armies and police units across the globe prefer it.
6. Universally available.
7. Better priced than other respected SD rounds. Because it’s not about the few dozen rounds you carry on you, but thousands you put downrange.
8. Greater variety and availability of gun choices chambered in 9mm than .40 .357, .45, etc.
9. Given same rd capacity, spare mags are lighter and smaller.
10. Because .380 is not killy enough.

The real question is not why someone would carry 9mm, but rather – why would anyone carry anything else. [wink]

that's pretty convincing
 
#3 is straight up wrong...
#4, backup up your claims
#5, higher ups prefer it, that says nothing about those on the ground, show stats.. I know a few former navy armorers that would disagree
#6, so is .45
#10, well duh

the rest is explained by my previous post [wink]

These are good points, especially for #5. Corrupt, inept beauracracies make the worst decisions for the people in the trenches.
 
Every firearms choice is a compromise. I think the 9mm works because it is a reasonable compromise that manages several competing engineering requirements well.



1) Big and powerful enough so with modern ammo and decent shot placement, it can be effective.
2) Small enough so you can fit a lot of them into a human sized magazine.
3) Not so powerful that most people can't shoot it well.
4.5) Not so powerful that is isn't manageable in some very small firearms.
4) Not so powerful that it is intimidating. - I've seen big strong men develop a wicked flinch trying to shoot some tiny subcompact in .40.
4) Cheapest centerfire ammo you can buy other than maybe 5.45x39.

Watch the guy in this vid:
http://youtu.be/h2svnO6oO-0

Skip to 25 seconds. Note how he regrips the gun between every shot. This is very common when shooting a .40 out of a small gun. In a crunch, he's going to be faced with a choice. Keep shooting with a compromised grip that doesn't allow him to shoot quickly with accracy, or slow down even more and regrip between every shot like he does in the video.

With this firearm, he'd be better served by a 9, because he could clearly put more lead down range faster with better accuracy.
Now fast forward to 45 seconds. Check out that Flinch. WOW. its a wonder he can hit anything.

Also notice that with the Glock he is is NOT regripping between shots. So what is best for him is what I tell people to do in general. See if you can shoot a particular gun well. If you can't, then get a bigger gun or drop down in power. If its a .40, try the same gun in 9mm. People really do shoot 9mms much better than they shoot .40s I'm of course talking about factory ammunition. If you reload, you can turn out pussy cat .40 loads that will make major.

In contrast to the guy above. Here is a video from walls of steel last week. The woman in this vid is shooting a 9mm Dan Wesson Pointman 9. If she ended up in a gunfight against the guy above, my money would be on her.

Incidentally, she took my NRA Basic pistol class this spring and has only shot with me about 5 times since then. She doesn't even own a gun. I think she has great potential.

http://youtu.be/WeYzWBVa0oc
 
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