I'm about to buy a handgun for personal protection and was wondering which is more advantageous. Please help. Any knowledge is appreciated
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9mm or .40 for personal protection?
- Thread starter infantryman91
- Start date
The most advantageous round for self defense is the one that you can reliably, under duress, be the most precise with regardless of caliber.
This. I shoot a 9mm and 45 WAYYY better than I do the .40. So go shoot both and see which one you can be the most precise with.
I've shot both calibers and i'm equally comfortable with both. Are there any real advantages one over the other though?
Seems 9mm is cheaper to feed then the 40 round. If your looking to carry you need to practice practice practice. You might as well carry a brick if you can't shoot and hit what your aiming for. A gun is almost worthless without proper shot placement.
Ballistically, you could make some arguments that the .40 has more kinetic energy than the 9mm...but in terms of recoil and shot recovery between the two, the extra kinetic energy isn't worth it to me. Neither round is going to drop anyone in their tracks at center mass. If you can shoot them equally well, I'd go with the one you can shoot well repeatedly and afford to feed for practice.
Then it's looking like the 9mm is going to be my choice. I've been looking at the S&W Sigma series 9mm. Any comments on the choice?
I think the Sigma's a reliable pistol. Many folks do complain about their tough triggers.
For a few $$ more, I really like the XD pistols. I like the M&P from Smith, but you can likely find a better buy on a Springfield.
For a few $$ more, I really like the XD pistols. I like the M&P from Smith, but you can likely find a better buy on a Springfield.
For best performance for defensive pistol rounds, priorities should be in this order on anything at .38 +p or above & arguably even below:
1.Bullet placement
2.Bullet design
3.Bullet caliber
Sigma triggers are usually rough.
If that's all you can afford right now, just practice that triggerstroke as much as you can as long as the mfr. says it is ok to dryfire.
Most modern guns aren't hurt by it but I'm not familiar w/ their policy on that gun.
One of the shooters we had last week in a big class shot an S&W SD which is almost like a cross between a Sigma & an M&P.
He did fine with it & it always went bang.
You might look around on here some.... occasionally you can find good deals on quality used guns that might be within your budget.
1.Bullet placement
2.Bullet design
3.Bullet caliber
Sigma triggers are usually rough.
If that's all you can afford right now, just practice that triggerstroke as much as you can as long as the mfr. says it is ok to dryfire.
Most modern guns aren't hurt by it but I'm not familiar w/ their policy on that gun.
One of the shooters we had last week in a big class shot an S&W SD which is almost like a cross between a Sigma & an M&P.
He did fine with it & it always went bang.
You might look around on here some.... occasionally you can find good deals on quality used guns that might be within your budget.
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