Which Caliber handgun? (the age old question)

[CAR54]

I just took the class for the exposed carry permit and qualified with a .38 revolver and a 9mm semi-auto.

Now I'm wondering if I shouldn't have also qualified with the .40 cal as it seems most of the people here are using that caliber pistol. Back when I was doing a lot of competitive shooting we didn't have the .40, you where either using a .38, probably a 45acp or MAYBE a 9mm. Is this caliber just the flavor of the week or is it inherently better then the 9mm?. I haven't had a chance to shoot it yet (poor security guard) and was wondering if the recoil is much greater then the 9mm. I was hoping to EVENTUALLY get a Sig Sauer (if my wife will loan me the money though now I'm debating on which caliber.

I realize this might be a pointless discussion as we all know it's bullet PLACEMENT that's important (rather then size or speed) but I didn't see any harm in asking. Plus some might like giving their views on the subject.

BTW, the other people in my class were all young guys. Afterwards their qualifying targets looked like they'd been sprayed with buckshot, kind of amusing..and they all were passed..(kind of scary!)

[N. A. Corbier]

Heh. Add this into the mix? What kind of hollow point? Speer Gold Dot, Hydra-Shok, Corbon?

Its an age old question, and everyone's got an answer. I've seen .38 Special Winchester White Box (JHP Home Defense) kill a man dead.

[EMTGuard]

I don't carry on duty but for off duty carry I never go anywhere without my Bersa .380 pistol. Not the biggest manstoper on the street but it is one of those guns that just naturally puts every bullet in the 10 ring everytime I fire it. Of all the guns I own it is the most natural to shoot, like an extension of my arm.
Sometimes I'll carry one of my Ruger P series 9mm pistols but the added bulk and weight of the gun and the 18 round Ramline magazines they carry is just too much for everyday/everywhere carry.
Normally I leave one of the Rugers in my car's glove compartment and there's usually either a AR-15 or a Rem 870 in the trunk. In the event of a Katrina/French Riot/Red Dawn occurance I feel prepared enough to get to my car and get the hell out of dodge.
The hardest part is having to keep the car guns oiled and safe from the Louisiana humidity. At least twice a month I have to take the glove box and trunk guns inside for cleaning to keep them from becoming big rusty bricks. Even zipped up in their carry cases the guns and spare mags need constant care.

[N. A. Corbier]

I'm rather partial to Ruger P series myself, but I also am partial to the Beretta 92 series.

And, yeah, we had constant issues with rust in Florida. Up here, its "Will it function in freezing temp?"

[SEOHopeful1]

Probaly a forty caliber because of the stopping power and the penetration I neva really owned a gun and only shot a rifel 22 but im told 40 cal is good all around

that or my biceps... cause those ar elike guns

[N. A. Corbier]

I can see the Mossad liking .22 caliber. Its small, compact, and will do a number on internal organs when you get a good chest cavity shot. The bones and hard organs will richochet the round, turning the softer tissue into swiss cheese. While stopping power (amount of temporary trauma causing tissue destruction and internal bleeding) isn't the greatest, I understand that its really hard to patch someone up hit with a .22 by a trained professional.

[Bill Warnock]

I like the SIG .45. With CCI Lawman ammunition, it is hard to beat.
N.A., you are correct about the damage that a .22 can do especially in a three shot group, one solid, one hollow point followed by another solid. Had a ME tell us the .22 wounds are like the work of minature slicing machines. That is why the 5.56 mm or cal .223 are so effective.
Enjoy the day,
Bill

[CAR54]

Sig .45, now that's another caliber I need to qualify with..this is getting expensive.

Concealed carry permit is pretty much impossible to get for a security guard here in Los Angeles. From what I've heard, Police officers, judges and maybe a few well connected actors have them and thats about it.

I've always liked the .45, I guess people moved to the 9mm due to the higher mag' capacity and slightly reduced recoil over the .45 (among other reasons). I liked the 45 for pin shoot competitions (bowling pins) since even if the hit wasn't dead on or just a nick you'd still take down the pin. Also at twenty five yards I could just make out my grouping on a target.

I'm leaning towards the Sig in .40 caliber. What I'll really need to do is head to a range and try out both the 9 and 40 caliber and see what I think. I'll post my thoughts here when I do. I'm sure everyone will be looking forward to my opinions.."well our department was about to switch to the ---- but then that anonymous security guard preferred the --- so that's the gun/caliber our department is switching to."

[Charger]

This is one of those questions that's never going to "truly" be answered... so I stand by what my original firearms instructor said on the subject...

"The 9mm round has been responsible for stopping/killing more suspects than any other round in LE history. So trying to argue that 9mm isn't as good as the bigger calibers is a moot point."

I'm happy with my Walther P99 9mm, and will continue to be.

[davido]

re

I like the 88 Magnum, It shoots thru schools. (satire) Johnny dangerously.

[davis002]

We use .40cal Federal Premium Hydra-Shok rounds. Maximum penetration with the least chance of "pass-through". 9mm for a duty weapon is too small (our opinion of course), and we typically will not allow a .45cal (unless you are in the tactical unit) as it will pass through everything and come to rest somewhere in a neighboring county