by Jim Kerrigan

Created on: November 17, 2009

This is as old as the North against the South. As over ridden as lite vs regular beer. 45 acp vs 9mm 230 grains flying at 840 FPS and 124 grains at just under 1200 FPS, .454 diameter vs .357 and Europe vs America. Classic non confrontation. Basically the difference between these rounds in a sub-machine gun is nil. However in a hand gun there are issues.

In this corner the venerable 45 acp. Created from the 45 colt. reduced in speed from 1000 FPS to 840 FPS the bullet lightened from 250 grains to 230 grains. 45 colt was for shooting horses so it was seen as over kill by John Browning who made the great round. (This is just another reason 45 fans hate 9mm what's more American than John Browning?) The bullet had to conform to Geneva convention and was made in a hardball or full metal jacket bullet. Tests performed on animal carcases proved that 45 caliber did greater damage at what we now know are subsonic speeds. Even being subsonic AKA slow flying the 45 acp full metal jacket round exits the body 70% of the time which effectively creates two wounds and one near half inch canal without having to expand.

And in this corner crated form the Walther pp round (Police pistol) the 9mm parabellum (For war) round was born in Germany just before the first world war and about the same time as its nemesis the 45 acp. The 9mm had to be full metal jacket for the same reason that 45acp did. 9mm parabellum quickly developed a reputation for over penetration. Frankly few rounds penetrate as well as 9mm hard ball can. This ability, to shoot through stuff becomes evident when you point it at a flack vest. 45 acp doesn't penetrate a flack vest 9mm does. It was for this reason that 9mm was adapted over 45 as being able to create a wound canal through a vest where 45 acp could not. 9mm shoots flatter and has an advantage at distance over 45. More rounds of 9mm can be carried in the same space as 45 and 9mm is easier for most people to shoot.

I believe that in order for 9mm to out perform 45 ACP two things have to be employed. First hollow point ammo which the military cannot use. Second 124 grain bullets period, the lighter stuff doesn't work just ask the families of the FBI agents that lost their lives trusting 115 grain silver-tips. 1200 ish FPS yes I know this is on the edge of +P some say at +P whatever if you want the kinetic argument to work then the smaller bullet has to have mass and more energy than the momentum round has. 124 grains at 1200 FPS is over 400 foot-pounds. the old 230 840 FPS 45 is 360 foot-pounds.

In sum if you are shooting a large capacity shoulder weapon then either round will work. If you are using a handgun then you will have to pay attention to the ammo. Either way both can defend your life it is just a matter of logic. GI 45 is a man-stopper 9mm hard ball isn't. It just causes a wound canal through a flack vest where 45 would only produce blunt force trauma. This is why the military teaches the technique of double tap or firing two rounds per target. This is sound advice if you are shooting hardball at adversaries wearing flack vests. However if you are a civilian use hollow point civilian ammo and go hot and heavy with 9mm. One could argue going a little lighter say 200 grains of hollow point and slightly faster say 900 FPS with 45 acp.

However you score them it is like anything else in the firearm world, know your gun, know yourself, and know your enemy.

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