The 9mm vs .40 S&W vs .45 ACP Caliber Debate

Spoiler:

.45 ACP is a bigger, heavier bullet, so it is the best self-defense round. There’s nothing better than shooting an ashtray size projectile at someone. Right?

9mm bounces off of windshields. It can’t penetrate thick clothing. It is an inferior self-defense round. Right?

.40 S&W is the ultimate fight stopper. That is why the FBI and countless law enforcement agencies across the country dropped .45 ACP, .357 Magnum, .38 Special, 9mm, and adopted it. Right?

Never get into a gunfight with any caliber that doesn’t start with the number four. Right?

Wrong.

Is There A Benefit To Using A Bigger Caliber Over A Smaller Caliber?

For decades there has been an ongoing debate as to whether 9mm, .40 S&W, or .45 ACP is the best fight stopper. With advances in bullet technology, when using a modern hollow-point bullet, there really isn’t any significant ballistic advantage of using a the larger .45 ACP or .40 S&W over 9mm. With 9mm you will have the advantage of more magazine capacity, and less felt recoil than with the higher calibers.