.45 ACP vs 9mm - Gun Guys Ep. 08

Published on July 23, 2018
Duration: 9:55

This video features Wilson Combat founders Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn discussing the merits of .45 ACP versus 9mm. They share their personal shift from favoring .45 ACP to adopting 9mm for daily carry and training due to reduced recoil, improved capacity, and modern ammunition advancements. The discussion highlights that modern 9mm hollow-points are ballistically competitive with .45 ACP, emphasizing shot placement as the critical factor in self-defense effectiveness.

Quick Summary

Wilson Combat founders Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn explain their shift from .45 ACP to 9mm for carry and training. They highlight that modern 9mm hollow-point ammunition offers comparable defensive performance to .45 ACP, with reduced recoil, higher capacity, and lower costs making it a more practical choice for many shooters today.

Chapters

  1. 00:00Introduction: 9mm vs .45 ACP Debate
  2. 00:38The Shift to 9mm for Carry & Training
  3. 01:15Physical Impact of Recoil on Shooters
  4. 03:20Stopping Power Myth: Modern 9mm vs .45 ACP
  5. 04:45Practical Advantages of 9mm
  6. 07:059mm Reliability in the 1911 Platform

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are experts like Bill Wilson and Ken Hackathorn shifting from .45 ACP to 9mm?

They are shifting due to 9mm's reduced recoil, which lessens physical strain from high-volume shooting and mitigates joint issues. Modern 9mm ammunition also offers comparable defensive performance to .45 ACP, combined with higher capacity and lower costs.

Does modern 9mm ammunition have enough stopping power for self-defense compared to .45 ACP?

Yes, modern 9mm hollow-point ammunition has advanced significantly, closing the ballistic gap with .45 ACP. Experts emphasize that accurate shot placement is the most critical factor for effectiveness, making well-placed 9mm rounds highly effective.

What are the practical advantages of choosing 9mm over .45 ACP for everyday carry and training?

9mm offers lower ammunition costs for practice, higher magazine capacities allowing for more rounds, and reduced recoil which leads to better accuracy and less shooter fatigue during training sessions.

Are 9mm pistols, especially 1911s, as reliable and accurate as their .45 ACP counterparts?

According to Wilson Combat experts, modern 9mm 1911s can be built for exceptional accuracy and reliability, sometimes even surpassing .45 ACP versions when using quality ammunition. This is attributed to advancements in design and manufacturing.

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