What semi-auto chambering would you choose?

If you could have only 1 semi-auto which cartridge would you choose?

  • 9mm

    Votes: 45 24.5%

  • .38 Super

    Votes: 3 1.6%

  • .357 Sig

    Votes: 2 1.1%

  • .40 S&W

    Votes: 29 15.8%

  • 10mm Auto

    Votes: 24 13.0%

  • .45 ACP

    Votes: 81 44.0%
  • Total voters
    184
350 Mag

350 Mag

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If you could only have 1 semi-auto pistol for home, street or woods protection which FACTORY chambering/caliber would you choose. No wildcats allowed. No switching out barrels and no handloads.

The area you live in has cougars, wolves and alot of black bear.

Had to edit criteria...45 ACP groupies were doing an end-run around my precious 10mm.

damn Gunnar and his 45-08
 
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9mm. Does fine for two legged critters and larger. Not my first choice ina go to calibre, I'd prefer something out of a shoulder controlled system pushing well over 2000 fps and generally in the .30 cal range. Seeing as how 9mm on paper produces comparable numbers to both .40 and .45 and penetrates better than 45(not better than 40 however). 9mm produces less recoil, lower pressures than 40, has a large capacity in nearly all firearms and is NATO standard.

Shot placement.....

TDC
 
Hehe... 9mm... ya he is smoking something! ;)

Get a 45ACP 1911. For bear protection load up some 230gr. 45 Armco. Uses machined down 308 Winchester cases to support much higher pressures. 44 Magnum comparable performance in a semi auto compact package. Packs a wallop!


Fudd
 
Why does it have to be a semi? By confining yourself to a semi you miss out on the best cals.......45 colt, 44 mag., .454, .500 S&W, etc.......ok ok if it has to be a semi.....45ACP or a 10mm(not S&W)
 
Your scenario (i.e. Woods Protection) - 10mm for sure, for all intents and purposes it is a .357magnum in a semi-auto format and best for what you ask; if it was just home use then anything would be acceptable.

My VOTE is for a 10mm pistol with extra .40S&W barrel for the #1 all-around choice to cover all situations.
 
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G37 said:
Your scenario (i.e. Woods Protection) - 10mm for sure, for all intents and purposes it is a .357magnum in a semi-auto format and best for what you ask; if it was just home use then anything would be acceptable.

My VOTE is for a 10mm pistol with extra .40S&W barrel for the #1 all-around choice to cover all situations.
Click to expand...

G37,

So you think it's best to have an extra barrel in .40 if one has a 10mm handgun, do you? ;)

Jeff.
 
Jeff/1911 said:
G37,

So you think it's best to have an extra barrel in .40 if one has a 10mm handgun, do you? ;)

Jeff.
Click to expand...


Oh yeah... 10mm for the most powerful (easily available) semi-auto pistol cartridge and .40 S&W barrel for cheap range plinking which is most likely when it will ever be shot.

Heheheh... let me know what you think 'cause I told Questar to "not" fit the second barrel ;) LOL.
 
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350 Mag said:
45 ACP=inadequate penetration for Black Bear:runaway:
p
Click to expand...

How do you know this to be true?

What tests have you done that compares penetration of various 45ACP loads and other cartridges that, in your opinion, have enough penetration?
 
No switching out barrels and no handloads.
Click to expand...

Because of this limitation I would go for the 10mm. You could get the full factory load and the reduced factory FBI load when you would want a lighter load.
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by 350 Mag
45 ACP=inadequate penetration for Black Bear
p




Gatehouse said:
How do you know this to be true?

What tests have you done that compares penetration of various 45ACP loads and other cartridges that, in your opinion, have enough penetration?
Click to expand...


All of these tests were done using 10% ballistic gelatin provided by Vyse gelatin using all FBI protocols and 4 layers of denim and two layers of light cotton T-shirt in front of the gelatin.

DoubleTap 9mm+P
115gr. Gold Dot JHP @ 1415fps - 12.00" / .70"
124gr. Gold Dot JHP @ 1310fps - 13.25" / .70"
147gr. Gold Dot JHP @ 1125fps - 14.00" / .66"

DoubleTap .40 S&W Penetration / expansion
135gr. Nosler JHP @ 1375fps - 12.10" / .72"
155gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1275fps - 13.00" / .76"
165gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1200fps - 14.0" / .70"
180gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1100fps - 14.75" / .68"
200gr XTP @ 1050fps - 17.75" / .59"


DoubleTap .357 Sig
115gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1550fps - 12.25" / .71"
125gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1450fps - 14.5" / .66"
147gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1250fps - 14.75" / .73"

DoubleTap .357 Magnum
125gr. Gold Dot JHP @ 1600fps - 12.75" / .69"
158gr. Gold Dot JHP @ 1400fps - 19.0" .56"

DoubleTap 10mm
135gr JHP @ 1600fps - 11.0" / .70" frag nasty
155gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1475fps - 13.5" / .88"
165gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1400fps - 14.25" / 1.02"
165gr Golden Saber JHP @ 1425fps - 14.75" / .82"
180gr Golden Saber JHP @ 1330fps - 16.0" / .85"
180gr XTP @ 1350fps – 17.25” / .77”
180gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1300fps - 15.25" / .96"
200gr XTP @ 1250fps - 19.5" / .72"
230gr Equalizer @ 1040fps - 11.0" and 17.0" / .62" and .40"

DoubleTap .45ACP
185gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1225fps - 12.75" / .82"
200gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1125fps - 14.25" / .88"
230gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1010fps - 15.25" / .95"

DoubleTap 9X25
115gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1800fps - 10.0" / .64" frag nasty
125gr Gold DOt JHP @ 1725fps - 15.0" / .74"
147gr Gold Dot JHP @ 1550fps - 17.5" / .68"


As you can see here...10mm out pentrates them ALL.

So in factory(non-wildcats) 10mm is KING of carry-able/conceable auto-loaders.

The 180 gr Gold Dot actually out EXPANDS the much larger 45 and still out-penetrates...numbers don't lie.

10mm is KING!
 
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