Favorite pistol caliber?

104TN

104TN

Verified Military
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Dec 4, 2006
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The CZ I have is in .40 S&W and I'm pretty partial to the holes it leaves. In the past I've had a Glock 17 and Sig 226 in 9mm too.

The CZ is a nice piece...actually it's a great piece, but it's definitely laid out for a rightly. I'm thinking about getting a new pistol and have been thinking of going either 10mm or .45.

I know there are a lot of 1911 fan boys out there but I was hoping for some objective opinion about what caliber you're most into.

Thoughts?
 
rick said:
The CZ I have is in .40 S&W and I'm pretty partial to the holes it leaves. In the past I've had a Glock 17 and Sig 226 in 9mm too.

The CZ is a nice piece...actually it's a great piece, but it's definitely laid out for a rightly. I'm thinking about getting a new pistol and have been thinking of going either 10mm or .45.

I know there are a lot of 1911 fan boys out there but I was hoping for some objective opinion about what caliber you're most into.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Caliber is one thing, Pistol design is another. 10mm and 45 are pretty comparable in power. 10mm would probably be more expensive to buy loaded ammo, because it is not as popular.
 
HOLLiS said:
Caliber is one thing, Pistol design is another. 10mm and 45 are pretty comparable in power. 10mm would probably be more expensive to buy loaded ammo, because it is not as popular.
Click to expand...

I get that. Whatever I buy will be more lefty friendly.

I'm just curious about what people's thoughts on rounds are.
 
What do you want it for Rick?

Defense or target stuff?

I'm not much more than a novice with a pistol but I'm a fan of the .45, I just like a solid kick when I shoot, pistol or rifle (I love the 7.62 in rifle cal).

And ballisticly my understanding is the .45 is better than 9mm and .40.

I've used a Sig .40 and loved it but the ammo is more expensive and it doesn't give as good ballistic performance as .45 so why bother?
If I was just plinking i'd go 9mm, defense, .45.

:2c:
 
The way ammo is getting, I'd seriously consider the future availability.
I think .45 will be a lot easier to come by than 10mm, and cheaper.
Ballistically, .45 is for sure in the top 3 or 4 semi-auto pistol rounds.
My feelings are .45, .40sw, .357sig would all be great choices ballistically...
now which one will be the easiest to GET!

9mm probably easiest/cheapest...but not in the same league ballistically.
I would stick with .40 or .45...and lean toward the .45 as well.
.357sig is awsome, but availability may be a hassle...(and spendy!)


(hell, I've been trying to decide between .40 and .45 for the last year!)
 
I am pretty indifference as to a favorite, it depends on what I am going to do.

With pistol designs and what one can do with a pistol to lessen felt recoil, caliber almost becomes mute.

As Pardus mention, what is your intent for said pistol?

As power goes, I shoot 22LR to .30 Herret (.30 herret has more retained muzzle energy at 100 yards than a .44 Mag has at the snout.)

I guess I like just about anything that goes bang, when I want it too.
 
rick said:
This'll be an Armageddon/self defense gun.
Click to expand...

Well in that case, conduct a survey of your community to see which cal is the most popular. That way when you become the warlord or your community, you can seize their ammo and use it in your arsenal :D
 
.45 ammo is way more prevalent and cheaper than 10mm ammo. But the 10 mm is superior in every way to the .45. Yes I know some people will argue this! But scientifically it is superior! Don't get me wrong the .45 is a very close second to the 10mm in my opinion. I love the .45 a lot! I just like the 10mm more! But again, this is my subjective opinion.

The 10mm is closer to the ballistics of the 357 Mag. But 10mm ammo is more expensive and I have a hard time finding it form time to time.

The Maximum Average Pressure for the 10mm Auto is 37,500 P.S.I.
The Maximum Average Pressure for the .40 S&W is 35,000 P.S.I.
The Maximum Average Pressure for the .45 ACP +P is 23,000 P.S.I.
The Maximum Average Pressure for the .45 ACP is 21,000 P.S.I.

The 10mm Auto provides a hand gunner with the power of a .357 Magnum revolver with the increased magazine capacity and rapid reload capability of an automatic pistol.
10mm AUTO.

Go fill 2 1 gallon jugs with water! Shoot one with the .45! Pretty cool explosion, right!

Now do it with a 10mm! Night and day difference. That is what I have done to show the difference. Very unscientific but very dramatic difference.
 
08steeda said:
.45 ammo is way more prevalent and cheaper than 10mm ammo. But the 10 mm is superior in every way to the .45. Yes I know some people will argue this! But scientifically it is superior! Don't get me wrong the .45 is a very close second to the 10mm in my opinion. I love the .45 a lot! I just like the 10mm more! But again, this is my subjective opinion.

The 10mm is closer to the ballistics of the 357 Mag. But 10mm ammo is more expensive and I have a hard time finding it form time to time.

The Maximum Average Pressure for the 10mm Auto is 37,500 P.S.I.
The Maximum Average Pressure for the .40 S&W is 35,000 P.S.I.
The Maximum Average Pressure for the .45 ACP +P is 23,000 P.S.I.
The Maximum Average Pressure for the .45 ACP is 21,000 P.S.I.

The 10mm Auto provides a hand gunner with the power of a .357 Magnum revolver with the increased magazine capacity and rapid reload capability of an automatic pistol.
10mm AUTO.

Go fill 2 1 gallon jugs with water! Shoot one with the .45! Pretty cool explosion, right!

Now do it with a 10mm! Night and day difference. That is what I have done to show the difference. Very unscientific but very dramatic difference.
Click to expand...

might want to check your data, 10mm has two different loads, for auto loaders and then for single shot contenders. On a Auto loader velocity for a 190 gr bullet is 1050, for the contender it is, 1350.

Max Velocity for a 45 ACP 185 gr bullet is 1000. Plus a 45 can shoot up to a 240 grain (Sierra) compared to the 10 MM 190 grain (Sierra).
 
Those are Pressures not FPS stats I posted.

picture.php


http://www.gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Chart_C/AMMUNITION+BALLISTICS+FOR+10mm+Auto
 
08steeda said:
Those are Pressures not FPS stats I posted.

http://www.gunsandammomag.com/cs/Satellite/IMO_GA/Chart_C/AMMUNITION+BALLISTICS+FOR+10mm+Auto
Click to expand...

Looks like at the muzzle FPS are approximately the same (given same weight bullet). What I went on was chamber pressures. The greater chamber pressure the faster the bullet, general rule. One of the reasons a Chrony is a important reloading tool, is because of the relationship between speed and chamber pressures. Obviously there is a limit to chamber pressure. The 14,000 PSI, difference seems off to me. I have some reloading books with chamber pressures, I use when building a load. One of the reasons a Chrony is a important reloaded tool, is because of the relationship between speed and chamber pressures.

I used Sierra book, they only show loads for their bullets. Powder manufacture's books show loads for the range of bullets available for that caliber.
 
FWIW, I absolutely love the .40 I have. I just figured if I was buying a new gat I may as well see if there is a better (sic) caliber I should be checking out.
 
.40 vs .45 still up in the air...

Rick, check out the S&W M&P line for a good ambidexterous (lefty) pistol line. Glock, XDm also.
(recommend .40 or .45...especially if you have a lot of .40 ammo already from your CZ!)

08, How does the .357sig fit in to those pressure numbers?
Not that I'd recommend that with ammo scarcity becoming an issue.
It's a tough call for me as I don't reload anything but 12ga.

It's .40 or .45 for me...and the energy at 50yds numbers seem very similar between the .40 and the .45. And the availabilty could go either way between the two.
Cops shoot (and are proving) .40's (as a generalization).
Military may go back to the proven .45 (but with Obama, that may not mean much, as he's already shredding surplus brass).

Folks (Hollis), if you had to pick...which would you choose (and why) between the .40 and the .45? I can't make up my mind, as a final recommendation to Rick (or for me!).
For me, it will be the small KAHR platform, as it fits my hand..but also limits me to 7 round mags.
(PM me, if necessary.)
 

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