Spray and pray......................I defy to see the human that can get up after being centermass drilled with a 9mm 115 gr Cor Bon +P+ JHP @ 1,435 fps
Not gonna happen.............Especially after delivering 1 more and making the "double tap" complete.

 

Well, I happen to be a fan of not only the 9mm, but, also the .38/.357 and the .45 acp!

The 9mm has a LOT of practical usage and value, today.
The technology put to use, in new(er) bullet shapes and construction, make the 9mm a dependable 'stopper'.
(Dave has a really good point, above! Well said, Dave!!!!)
I defy anyone to stand-up after being hit CM from one or two of my Federal 9BPLE 115 gr +P+ JHPs, too!
The Federal "HST" is a smoking round, too. And of course, the now defunct Winchester "Black Talon" rounds, too!
One or two hits 'in the computer room' (headshot) and ain't nobody standing. . . . .

The .38 +P and .357 are real dependable. I'm a big fan of the .357!

The .40 is what I can't 'warm up to', completely. Yeah, I'd like to have one, but, I'm not lighting a fire under my tires to go get one.

The .45 acp. . . my absolute favorite cartridge. Period.
A big, fat 11mm (+) bullet, traveling at a respectable rate. It's like getting hit by a dump truck!

.45 GAP. . . DOA, in my not-so-humble opinion. A solution to a problem that doesn't exist.
Gaston Glock 'blew it' on that one.

 

I guess I'd be more worried about the women.

I agree, good one monster.

I'd take a .44 mag desert eagle, the rest of the autoloaders belong in a woman's purse or some guy's fanny pack.

 

Your kidding right?

There are thousands of documented cases of people being shot by 9mm and walking away. many shot multiple times. and yes many center mass.

Heck in 81 the pope was shot in the abdomen at the age of 61 and lived 23 more years. Now take someone that is on drugs and 40yrs younger and tell me what would have happened.

A 9mm does NOT have much stopping power.

 

Build a auto pistol that reliably fires full bore .357 mag revolver cartridges, (no, .357 SIG doesn't stack up) is smaller than a Desert Eagle .357 mag auto, is easy to control, and has the magazine cap of a 9mm, and you will have built the ultimate handgun.........unlikely to ever happen, but its fun to dream!

 

9mm is plagued by police depts and "other" users who like to use FMJ std velocity 115-124 gr. ball ammo, if you like to make neat, small, holes thru targets without imparting much damage, those are the rounds for you......When used with modern, hot, JHP ammo that reliably expands and imparts massive trauma, 9mm is right up there in % of 1 shot stops with .45acp according to statistics compiled by the FBI.
Spray and pray, improper ammo and lack of skill are no excuse for knocking a excellent cartridge.............Quite a few subjects have taken multiple hits from the "mighty" .40S&W and kept on coming, Its in how you use it,.... properly applied a .22lr is a "one shot stopper"!

 

There's also reports of people walking away from being hit by 5.56 and larger calibers. Forgot who it was but there is a quote out there that if you ask enough you'll find a solider claiming that an enemy needed a second burst from a .50 before he went down. And Yes one of my carry guns is a 9mm. Actually 2 are.
For the OP good for you! Nice S&W revolvers are hard to find around me they go fast. If they're prelock they go even faster. I was all excitied to get one of the m64's from J&G sales. Course after that I found the 20 HBAR ar15 upper I've been looking for for a while. As soon as I sent that check off I got a phonecall that the Dan Wesson CBOB I ordered in march finally came in.

 

"Other" being the Military,among other users......the FMJ stuff imparts little knock down power,and over-penetrates to boot,serving as a hazard to anyone "Downstream" of the intended target........get some Fed. Hydra-shock,or anything under the Cor-bon label and its another matter.......same can be said about the lowly .38 special......in the guns i just got,i ended up with about 20 or so rounds of Hydra-shock .38 special +P+.............

 

Winchester makes a defensive load,i think there called SXT????? thats presumably identical to the old Black Talon loads,minus
the black coating.... The Glock GAP round was an attempt to duplicate 45 acp in a less bulky cartridge,since the double stack Glock 21 and 30's were so bulky as to be awkward for many users.......since that time glock has made 21SF and 30 SF models......SF being "short" frame or "Slim" frame,depending on who you talk with

 

I picked up a G30SF, not too long ago.
Definitely. . . "Short Frame".
Shoots incredibly well with the CCI Blazers, that I had stocked up.

This is the second group of 10, ever fired from that G30SF, at 15 yards.


I've got to run some more ammo through this (to get the parts mated up) before adjusting the sights. (It does shoot a little 'left'.)
I may put a set of Trijicons on it.
The first group was 'loose'.
The groups are getting 'tighter' and 'tighter', with use.

Federal Hydra-Shok, HST or the Winchester SXT (some call 'em Super Xplosive Talon) and the Winchester Ranger are some of the best rounds available for defensive purposes.
ETA: Can't forget the Speer Gold Dot (aka/ 'flying ashtray'!)

With the technology available today, I feel 'well-heeled' with my G19 or Beretta 92FS.

 

What about a fmj with a mercury core?

 

All this .38, .44, 9mm, 45ACP talk....no love for the .40-cal at all? I love my G22. We're limited to 10-round magazines here in Canada anyway, so why bother with a 9mm when their only real advantage is an extra couple of rounds in the magazine? If I went for a 9mm for any reason (which I probably will...that Ruger SR9 is one sweet pistol), it would be because the ammo is cheaper than either the .40 S&W or .45ACP. Otherwise....I'd say the biggest round you're comfortably able to shoot is your best bet.

 

A couple of 'semi-educated' observations:

1. FMJ (typically) doesn't expand much. Granted, there are 'new' FMJs that will expand, but, typically, fmj doesn't.
2. Mercury core - the EPA wouldn't like that too much, and there's the possiblity that the user (read as YOU) might get Mercury Poisoning.
3. Why not just use a hollow-point and practice, to get consistent shot placement?????


(Not to mention that someone would most likely want to prosecute for 'cruel and inhumane treatment' by using mercury filled projectiles.)

 

The .40 S&W round is a decent round, but, it's not the 'magical round' that some would have the public believe.

Some folks also say that the .40 is a compromise between the 9mm and the .45 acp.
While I have shot the .40 quite a few times, and can get a really good deal on either the G22 or the G23, I'm not rushing to my local dealer to grab one.

I've been loading the .40 S&W for a friend, for quite a while, so, dies and bullets, etc., are not the issue. (Primers. . . that's another story!)
Heck, I even had over 200 lbs of .40 brass fall into my lap!

I'll stick (for now) with 9mm Parabellum; .38/.357; .44 Magnum and .45 acp, for most of my handgun needs.
What lies ahead. . . . most likely another Glock. The G36 would be nice.
Compact, little .45 acp.
Or, a Smith & Wesson M&P .45 w/fullsize frame and 4" barrel, or maybe another Colt, in the guise of a Combat Commander.

As some folks in Southern Maryland would say. . . . "I likes that fortaaaay-five!" (You gotta draw out that 'a'!)

 

Personally I am looking for one of the older model 29s. I had a 29 and a 629 but sold them years ago but now that they allow handguns for hunting in Iowa I want to get another one. Ijust hate the full length under barrel lugs of the current generations.