Is 45 ACP more effective than 9mm?

All things being equal, there is no difference in accuracy between the 9mm and 45 ACP. However, there is one caveat and that would be muzzle velocity. As the 9mm round fires a lighter bullet at a higher velocity, it will have less bullet drop over distance making it the better choice for long range shots.
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Is 45 ACP more powerful than 9mm?

45 ACP comparison, the 9mm is smaller and more compact and has less power. The . 45 ACP is comparably larger, heavier, and wider. Therefore, it can hold more gunpowder and stopping power.
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Why do I shoot 45 better than 9mm?

45 ACP, that translates into deeper bullet penetration. A higher muzzle velocity and lower weight also means that the 9mm usually has less vertical drop than a 45 does. Another one of the major advantages that most 9mm guns have over those chambered in . 45 ACP is magazine capacity.
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Will 45 ACP stop a bear?

45 acp is a poor choice for bear defense. The round is slow, fat, and has fairly poor penetration on tough-skinned animals; however, some people carry . 45 acp with modern +P ammo and hardened bullets for bear defense. There are many better options, but it can work.
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Do police use 9mm or 45?

"While many law enforcement departments and agencies still use . 357, . 40, and even . 45 caliber guns, most have already switched or are switching to 9mm," says Joel Harris, SIG Sauer's director of media relations and communication.
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.45cal Vs 9mm Ballistic Test | Ammo Comparison | Tactical Rifleman



Is a .45 good for home defense?

Many shooters like to have the . 45 ACP for home defense. It's the perfect grab-and-go handgun to fire in close quarters where recoil won't pose such a problem. Alternatively, the 9mm's stopping power and smaller design make it ideal for open and concealed carry.
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Which caliber is best for self defense?

Capacity. The 9mm offers greater magazine capacity than virtually any other pistol caliber carried for personal defense. If the wounding capabilities of 9mm and the other cartridges are nearly identical, it would seem to be that having more rounds in you magazine will give you a better opportunity to stop an attacker.
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What is the best all around pistol caliber?

It's no surprise that the 9mm round dominates the top spot as the most popular handgun caliber. Developed in the early 1900s by Austrian designer Georg Luger, the 9mm cartridge is the most widely used round in the handgun realm.
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Is a .40 or .45 more powerful?

The energy of the . 40 S&W exceeds standard-pressure . 45 ACP loadings, generating between 350-foot-pound (470 J) and 500-foot-pound (680 J) of energy, depending on bullet weight.
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What pistol round has the most stopping power?

40 round, which supposedly combines the best features of the . 45 ACP and the 9mm. However, others say that the lowly . 22 LR has the best stopping power, since it stays in the target's body and bounces around, shredding arteries and punching holes in internal organs.
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Why 45 ACP is outdated?

It's outdated because it travels at a slower velocity and cannot be carried in the abundance the alternative can. The majority of the world's militaries employ the 9mm round and even the United States Special Operations Command has gone back to the 9mm after years of employing several . 45 ACP pistols.
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What is more powerful a 357 or a 45?

357 Magnum is more powerful since it has more powder. However, this doesn't mean the . 45 ACP isn't reliable for self-defense. In fact, it's a great round as well.
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Why do I need a 45 ACP?

The .45 ACP is an effective combat pistol cartridge. It combines accuracy as well as stopping power for use against human targets, has relatively low muzzle blast and flash, and it produces a stout, but manageable recoil in handguns (made worse in compact models).
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Why do police officers carry 9mm instead of a .45 ACP?

45 Auto projectiles tested by the FBI. 9mm Luger offers greater magazine capacity and less recoil/more weapon control at a lower cost. A majority of FBI shooters are both faster and more accurate using 9mm Luger versus . 40 S&W rounds.
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What gun do FBI agents carry?

The FBI Relies on Glock Gen 5 Handguns

Like many other law enforcement agencies, the FBI relies on the fifth generation of Glock handguns, including the Glock 19 Gen 5 and a Glock 17 Gen 5. These are 9 mm models.
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Why did FBI go back to 9mm?

Today many loads for police duty cartridges meet that benchmark. By going with the 9mm, the FBI gets the terminal performance it desires, with more capacity, in a handgun that's easier, and faster, to shoot accurately.
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What is the most powerful hand gun?

The Smith & Wesson Model 500 has held its rank as the world's most powerful handgun since it was first introduced in 2003.
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Is 10mm or 45 ACP better?

The 10mm has a faster velocity and energy than the . 45ACP. But the 45 gives great diameter and has stood the test of time. Maximum damage becomes very handy when you're in dangerous situations and the 45 is going to give you the largest bullet expansion.
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What gun did Dirty Harry use?

In the 1971 movie Dirty Harry, actor Clint Eastwood introduced the world to the double-action Smith & Wesson Model 29 . 44-cal. Magnum revolver—"the most powerful handgun in the world." It was a crown S&W wore proudly, albeit briefly.
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Does a 45 have more recoil than a 9mm?

Recoil Energy

45 ACP recoil is nearly double that of the 9mm when launched from a similar pistol. Size and weight of the gun matter when calculating recoil. For example, a . 45 launched from a carbine will have less felt recoil than a 9mm shot from a subcompact CCW pistol.
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Does 45 ACP break the sound barrier?

45 ACP pistol caliber cartridge. It is inherently subsonic due to its relatively heavy projectile that keeps its speed below 1,100 feet per second. You still hear the round being fired, but you will not hear a supersonic crack because it is nonexistent with this caliber.
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What is the deadliest 45 ACP round?

Here's the Best . 45 ACP Ammo for Self-Defense
  • Winchester 230-Grain Ranger T-Series. Sportsman's Outdoor Superstore.
  • Federal 230-Grain HST. Brownells.
  • Remington 185-Grain Golden Saber +P. Ammunition Store.
  • Magtech 230-Grain Bonded. MidwayUSA.
  • Speer 185-Grain Gold Dot. ...
  • Speer 230-Grain Gold Dot Short Barrel. ...
  • Hornady 200gr XTP.
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What caliber is closest to 9mm?

357, . 380 auto and 9mm ammunition are all the same caliber. (Caliber is the size of the projectile, or bullet.)
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What handgun caliber has the most one shot stops?

Average Number of Rounds Until Incapacitation

We can see that smaller calibers tend to require more shots until the person is incapacitated. The 9mm round has the highest number of shots prior to incapacitation. I believe this is because it is one of the easiest rounds to shoot quickly.
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