The larger ft-lb a bullet has, the more powerful it will be. A 45 bullet typically has 355 ft-lb of muzzle energy. For a handgun, this is an insane amount of power. 45 bullets also tend to hold more gunpowder than a 9mm.

Besides, Is .45 a big caliber?

The . 45 ACP cartridge is large and takes up considerably more space in a magazine than a 9mm round does. The largest of handguns are mostly limited to 13 rounds per magazine (15 in some FN models). When it comes to the 9mm, there are pistols capable of capacities upwards of 17 rounds.

Keeping this in mind, Is a 45 harder to shoot than a 9mm? Your pistol is a soft shooting 9mm, but since . 45s are generally a little heavier the felt recoil is fairly close, in as much as neither one is punishing at all. The 9mm is higher velocity, so it tends to be a little snappier.

Which is better 9mm 40 or 45?

Light bullets shed velocity and thus energy faster, both in the air and in the target. Retained energy aids in penetration of the target. … 40 has 122 percent more bullet weight than the 9mm, and the . 45 has 161 percent more bullet weight than the 9mm.

Do police use 9mm or 45?

“While many law enforcement departments and agencies still use . 357, . 40, and even . 45 caliber guns, most have already switched or are switching to 9mm,” says Joel Harris, SIG Sauer’s director of media relations and communication.

Is 45 louder than 9mm?

Decibel scale is exponential. 9mm comes in at 159.8 dB and 45 acp at 157 dB for a difference of 2.9 dB. Well every 3 dB is a factor of 2 in sound energy, so there really is a difference and 9mm is significantly louder.

How powerful is a 45 caliber pistol?

The typical . 45 ACP load is a 230-grain bullet fired at 830 fps for about 355 foot-pounds of muzzle energy. At short range, that hard-hitting load was considered the gold standard for stopping power among handguns for many decades.

Will 45 ACP stop a bear?

45 acp is a poor choice for bear defense. The round is slow, fat, and has fairly poor penetration on tough-skinned animals; however, some people carry . 45 acp with modern +P ammo and hardened bullets for bear defense. There are many better options, but it can work.

Is 45 FMJ good for self defense?

Registered. Short answer: with several very good JHP alternatives on the market, I would not recommend FMJ as a defensive round for any of my personal carry pistols, in any of the common “carry” pistol calibers except perhaps . 380ACP. While FMJ should be able to penetrate deep enough in a short-bbl .

Is 40 more powerful than 9mm?

40 S&W has more energy, delivering superior ballistics to the target which results in larger, more lethal wounds to a threat. (This is not at all to say that the 9mm is a weak cartridge.) For this reason, many people who want more power prefer the . 40 S&W over the 9mm Luger.

Is a 40 or 45 more powerful?


40 S&W exceeds standard-pressure

. 45 ACP loadings, generating between 350-foot-pound (470 J) and 500-foot-pound (680 J) of energy, depending on bullet weight.



Comparison chart.

.40 S&W .45 ACP
Velocity 900-1449 FPS 700 – 1150 FPS
Maximum pressure 35,000 psi (240 MPa) 21,000 psi (140 MPa)
Designed January 17, 1990 1904

Which has more stopping power 9mm or 40?

The 9mm releases about 10 – 12 % less energy than its competitor. Also, there are ammo manufacturers that say their 9mm can match up in stopping power against other 40 cal. … Most gun manufacturers use the same 9mm pistol frame for both calibers. Glock is notorious for this.

Why do police use 9mm instead of 45?

45 Auto projectiles tested by the FBI. 9mm Luger offers greater magazine capacity and less recoil/more weapon control at a lower cost. A majority of FBI shooters are both faster and more accurate using 9mm Luger versus . 40 S&W rounds.

What ammo do most police use?

So if every major government in the world agrees that this weapon is too deadly even for war, then why is it the standard ammunition used by American police officers? Hollow point bullets are the most common type of round used by American police.

What caliber do most police use?

45 ACP and the 9mm have their fans, these days, most law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, have chosen Glock pistols for their standard issue sidearms.

How loud is a 45 handgun?

Table-3-CENTERFIRE-PISTOL-DATA-2019-10-29. csv

.25 ACP 155.0 dB
.41 Magnum 163.2 dB
.44 Spl 155.9 dB
.45 ACP
157.0 dB
.45 COLT 154.7 dB

Is a .45 good for self defense?

Choosing the Best Caliber for You

45 ACP. … 45 ACP for home defense. It’s the perfect grab-and-go handgun to fire in close quarters where recoil won’t pose such a problem. Alternatively, the 9mm’s stopping power and smaller design make it ideal for open and concealed carry.

Will a 45 stop a bear?

45 acp is a poor choice for bear defense. The round is slow, fat, and has fairly poor penetration on tough-skinned animals; however, some people carry . 45 acp with modern +P ammo and hardened bullets for bear defense. There are many better options, but it can work.

Whats more powerful 45 Colt or 357 Magnum?

357 Magnum rounds – on average – achieve a velocity of about 1290 feet per second (fps) while . 45 Colt (LC Long Colt) rounds travel at a velocity of 1050 fps. … 357 Magnum bullets travel 1.5 times the speed of a 737 airplane at cruising speed, while . 45 Colt (LC Long Colt) bullets travel 1.2 times that same speed.

How loud is 9mm?

As you can see from the infographic below, a 9mm pistol typically produces around 160 decibels. … Looking at that, it is clear that the noise from even a small pistol is way over the limit!

What handgun round will stop a bear?

44 Magnum is the minimum for charging bears, many others have opted for a Glock 20 in 10mm Auto and, interestingly enough, passed right by the . 357 S&W Magnum. Several folks have even successfully killed bears with a 9mm. While a well-placed shot from a 10mm can no doubt do the trick, the .

What handgun can stop a grizzly bear?

Hunters have successfully used Smith & Wesson Model 629 for bear defense for years and this is probably one of the more common choices for dealing with a bear attack. Chambered in . 44 Magnum, the stainless steel 629 is a potent and versatile handgun.

Which is more powerful 45 ACP or 10mm?

The 10mm has a faster velocity and energy than the . 45ACP. But the 45 gives great diameter and has stood the test of time. Maximum damage becomes very handy when you’re in dangerous situations and the 45 is going to give you the largest bullet expansion.