Larry Gude
Strung Out
Interesting conversation you guys have going on here. I would guess, just me talking, the average person with average practice time would be better served with a 9mm for home protection.
"Knockdown power", "energy dispersal", etc aside...the average person can't kill/wound what they cant hit! Especially on a follow up shot.
Given a home invasion scenerio, at night, intruder coming down the hallway, a person with minimal practice will simply put several holes in a wall with a 45. That is if they can manage the recoil and not limp wrist the gun creating a stove pipe condition.
A 9mm is a little easier to shoot, especially on a follow up shot.
Just my $.02.
Damnedest thing. I had one of my cousins kids out to shoot. She's done the NRA handgun safety course, I believe, whatever that is. I am unfamiliar with it. And that's about it shooting handguns.
In any event, she's 19, typical size, weight, good athlete. So, my full size .45 shooting 230/fmj, not a problem in the world. Shooting full size 9mm baretta, constant stove pipes. I fiddled with her grip again and again and admonished her to stiffen up her dominate arm to no avail. Back to .45, no problems. Most people I take out who are first timers ALWAYS struggle with the .45 to be firm enough and rarely, if ever, the 9. Odd.
So, to me, unless one practices fairly regularly, I always say a .38 revolver, maybe a .357, is most idiot proof and reliable. No mags. No recoil issues. No safeties. Pretty intuitive to point and fire.