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9MM VS. .40 CALIBER: HOW DO THE CARTRIDGES STACK UP?

Wednesday, February 8, 2017

Smith & Wesson released the .40 S&W, and the new cartridge has gained traction, but the 9mm remains far more commonly used — here are some key differences

In mid-2016, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) awarded Glock an $85 million contract for new pistols chambered in 9mm Luger. Then in early 2017, the U.S. Army awarded Sig Sauer a $580 million contract to supply a service pistol based on the company’s P320 handgun also chambered in 9mm. The new sidearms will replace the venerable Beretta M9, a 9×19mm Parabellum pistol.

Meanwhile, in the past couple of decades, police departments across the country have departed from the 9mm, electing instead to move to the slightly larger .40 caliber.

So, the debate rages on, and questions continue to be asked (and answered) by proponents of each. Which is better? What differences are there? What are the similarities? Is this a tectonic shift or simply another chapter in the rivalry? Here are some thoughts.

DIFFERING HISTORY

 For starters, the 9mm is a far older design. Georg Luger designed the 9mm in 1901, releasing it to the market about a year later. Smith & Wesson released the .40 S&W in 1990.

The intention behind the .40 design was to take a parent of the FBI’s 10mm load, shorten the case and enable a larger round in existing 9mm designs. In the 25 years since, the .40 has definitely gained traction, but the 9mm remains far more commonly used.

The two cartridges have some substantially different characteristics. For example, the .40 caliber cartridge typically sports a heavier bullet with loads between from 135 to 180 grain, compared to between 115 and 147 grain for the 9mm. The heavier bullets of the .40 caliber will be a little slower in velocity. The .40 also delivers more felt recoil and has a slightly higher recoil velocity.

Another difference is that the 9mm round is in pistols around the globe. The .40 caliber pistol is — with some exception — restricted to United States deployment. This is quite probably because there simply are more pistols on the market chambered in 9mm. That’s slowly changing — with more .40 cal guns emerging — but availability of more purchase options as a factor, the 9mm still has a slight edge.

One of the biggest differences is that 9mm ammunition is generally cheaper because of the disparity in the cost of materials. The materials used to make cartridges — particularly the lead, zinc, copper, and tin — are sold by weight (provided that other factors like the number of units are the same) so with less materials used, the cost to manufacture 9mm is slightly less costly than .40 caliber.

Another reason for the cost differential is that there are many more 9mm cartridges sold than .40 caliber.

DIFFERING PERFORMANCE BETWEEN THE 9MM AND .40 CALIBER

In terms of performance, the .40 has the edge. When comparing apples to apples (same brand/bullet design across the calibers) bigger calibers will almost always expand to a larger diameter and penetrate a little further. The bigger the bullet, the bigger the hole it makes. Sometimes, the 9mm will do better in penetration because of its high sectional density and because it easier to push a smaller frontal area through the tissue simulator.

When it comes to performance after barrier penetration (particularly auto glass in the FBI eight-part test) the bigger bullets will typically get more mass through the glass to do more damage to the target.

All that having been said, the margins between the performance of .40 cal vs. 9mm are close enough that in a real world situation, the damage done by each round is about the same. Further, the tests which net the results we discuss about penetration and expansion need to be assessed alongside a substantially sized grain of salt.

People are not comprised merely of muscle (which ballistics gelatin simulates). People have bones and vital organs, which affect the lethality of gunshot wounds. Consequently, shot placement and accuracy are far more important determining factors of a round’s lethality.

Finally, with bullet designs continuing to evolve, there may come a point in time where the performances practically intersect. So on balance, the “bigger hole” argument is a little, well, hollow.

COME TO YOUR OWN CONCLUSIONS

So, which is better?

The short answer is, “It depends”. On whether or not you have difficulty with the “snappier” felt recoil of the .40 caliber. It depends on whether or not you want to save money while shooting more in training with the 9mm.

Do yourself a favor.

Shoot both.

A lot.

Then decide.

Either way, make sure you keep training hard, ensure your maintain your positive, winning mindset, and stay vigilant always.

Filed Under: Personal Experience/Reviews

DISCOVERIES OF AN ANTI-GUNNER: MY CONVERSION TO THE OTHER SIDE

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Discoveries Of An Anti-Gunner: My Conversion To The Other Side

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by Robyn Sundoval

In 1651, Thomas Hobbes wrote that free people consent to give up their individual rights in order to establish a political community, i.e., civil society, which establishes laws so that everyone can enjoy security. Although simplistic, this theory supports the following arguments for gun control:

Private citizens should give up the right to own military-style weapons, so that a violent person cannot get one to use on innocent people. In our First World society, we have police, sheriffs, constables, SWAT teams, reservists, military, Special Forces, and a variety of teams that can respond to an emergency at a moment’s notice. If military weapons are needed, a cadre of weapons can arrive with expertly trained professionals.

Citizens who want guns should give up the right of privacy so that they can be vetted to keep guns out of the wrong hands. If you don’t have anything to hide, you should submit to a background check. The government can keep a registry so that if a gun is passed to a new owner it can be tracked so that it is not used unlawfully.

Gun owners should give up the right to buy large quantities of ammunition, so that a violent person cannot obtain thousands of rounds of ammo. Similarly, gun owners should use smaller magazines to limit the round count so that if someone uses a gun unlawfully there may be fewer fatalities.

Lastly, it doesn’t support Hobbes’ theory, but this argument often accompanies the previous ones: The NRA should be universally recognized as a heartless political engine that is funded by firearm manufacturers for profit and it mocks the deaths of innocent people.
I spent many years making these arguments in support of gun control. I cried out, “Enough is enough!” when another senseless murder happened because of a gun. I reviled politicians who were in the NRA’s pockets. I didn’t let my kids play with toy guns. I wanted to end America’s obsession with destruction and start a new generation of we’re-all-in-this-together, rational human beings.

Then I bought a gun.

After a 10-year conversation weighing the pros and cons, my husband and I bought a handgun. I was suddenly on the other side of the mountain and what I discovered was very surprising:

Surprise #1: Gun owners are some of the most family-friendly, kind-hearted people I’d ever met. They welcome newcomers and are willing and happy to teach anyone who wants to learn. It is common to find veterans, active military, and law enforcement men and women at the range. This isn’t solely because of the enjoyment for shooting itself; rather it is the culture of people who enjoy shooting sports. Many shooters grew up in 4H or scouting programs that emphasize good citizenship and working together for the common good, and they’re raising their children in the same values. From a young age children are taught gun safety, responsibility, and accountability, and family times at the shooting range or deer lease create lasting memories and traditions.
Surprise #2: On my very first trip to the range the first thing I had to do was watch a video that reviewed NRA’s safety guidelines. I discovered that lobbying is only one facet of the NRA. A primary role has always been marksmanship education and safety, but you wouldn’t know that if you’ve never been to a shooting range. At a range you’ll see that most firearms instructors have taken NRA classes to become certified and many shooting ranges offer NRA classes to new and advanced shooters. The NRA also has the Eddie Eagle program to teach gun safety to young children, and it hosts a variety of shooting competitions that can lead a youth shooter to college scholarships and Olympic dreams.
Surprise #3: It is socially unacceptable in the shooting community to use a firearm irresponsibly. Post a picture on social media of you at the range without ear protection? Prepare for ridicule. Share a picture of your child holding a toy cap-gun with her finger off the trigger? People will comment just as much about her trigger discipline as her cute smile. They hold each other to a higher standard of safety, so when a senseless tragedy happens gun owners are the first to yell, “Enough is enough!” They want to know why it happened, how it could have been prevented, and solutions to complicated problems. They continue to model responsible behavior with firearms and value safety and accountability.

Surprise #4: A “military-style” rifle is actually the same as any other rifle. They can look scary because you see them in war movies and video games, but the body style makes them lightweight and easy to hold and customize so that it fits your body correctly. Having a rifle that is the right size for you makes it more comfortable to shoot and therefore more accurate and safer. The rails look tactical, but that allows you to safely attach flashlights or other accessories. Once you learn about them, they are really not scary at all and are fun to shoot! By the way, automatic weapons are already illegal for (most) private citizens to own. You can’t make them extra-illegal.
Surprise #5: Although it is a big responsibility to have a firearm that scared me at first, I feel safer with it. I’ve seen cities be hit by natural disasters that become opportunities for crime, and I know that if we lose power or communications I can keep outsiders from looting our home. I watched mothers in a Nairobi mall beg gunmen for their children’s lives, and I feel safer knowing that we can find shelter and have a fighting chance. I’m not anything close to the female-equivalent of Jason Bourne, but I continue to take training classes and practice so that I model responsible behavior and can protect my family if the need arises.

We can see Thomas Hobbes’ social theory at work in our society because we frequently give up rights in order to have order and security. Some examples are speed limits, drinking ages, and showing ID before you can buy Sudafed. However, the first thing you must know about Hobbes’ theory is that it only works if everyone is on board.

Remember when I said that shooters are often veterans and law enforcement? They sacrifice their lives to protect the common good, but also recognize that not everyone is good. Many gun owners believe that using a gun to protect their loved ones is not only a constitutionally protected right but a moral obligation. I championed for gun control for a long time, but I found that once I became self-reliant for my personal security, the arguments no longer made sense. Here are the reasons why:

There is a saying that regardless of species the most dangerous place is between a mother and her young. If my family is threatened and I have the training and tools to protect my children, it is my right and duty to do so. If I have nonlethal options I will use them — and part of good training is knowing if I do. If I can call 911 and wait for help I may do so. The problem with relying on law enforcement is that they respond after you call them. If someone is assaulting you or breaking into your home, you’ll be toast before the cadre of professionals arrive.

More than anybody, the good guys want to keep guns out of the hands of bad guys. Many law-abiding gun owners understand the reasoning for background checks before buying a gun, and many have conceal/open carry licenses that require background checks plus fingerprinting. The problem is that 38 states submit less than 80% of their felony convictions to the database for background checks, so more than 7,000,000 felons aren’t in the system. This is another example of trying to make something extra-illegal: it is illegal for convicted felons to have guns, so we don’t need more laws about it. We need all of the names entered into the background check database, so that when they try to buy a gun they can be arrested for it.

While the background check database holds names of those who should not have guns, it makes gun owners very nervous when you talk about “registries” of good guys. It sounds like paranoia to anti-gun people, but this is an era of intense religious and racial tensions, with polarizing, far-left and far-right politicians. Gun owners do not want a list that could be used to identify them for the simple fact that guns are expensive and they don’t want anyone knowing what they have, in addition to a “gun round up” or any other dramatic possibilities. They feel safer being anonymous knowing they can personally protect their families in case of a widespread information or communication outage, terrorist attack, or natural disaster.

Also if the government intends to track every gun that passes hands it can only log the transactions of people who go to the office and file the paperwork. I’ve never seen a movie of a fugitive getting a duffle bag of passports and pistols that he takes to the state office to file. Similarly, I am carded to buy a box of Sudafed, but the bad guy doesn’t show ID when he steals a case of it for his meth lab. Laws like these are meaningless because only good guys adhere to them, and that creates a registry of good guys. That does nothing to keep guns (or large quantities of ammunition) away from criminals and crazy people.

Another example of going after the good guys is limiting magazine capacity. When I was anti-gun, this sounded pretty serious; however, now I know that it takes less than 2 seconds to change a magazine. It doesn’t slow anybody down, and more importantly, it doesn’t solve the problem of bad guys getting guns in the first place. Focus on the stuff that matters.

As for the NRA, when I wasn’t a gun owner I hated “them” passionately. I began to appreciate the training programs, publications, and other services, but dragged my feet on joining. The acceptance of the NRA was my final step into the gun culture. Now I support the NRA because it fights for *me*. I like the security (and enjoyment) that my gun gives me and I want to keep it. If you aren’t a gun owner you just won’t understand that.

If we truly lived in a Hobbes society where everyone was on board and accountable, then there would be no need for gun control. It seems easier to control guns than human behavior, just like it is easier to take all the markers away when your toddler writes on the wall. As a long-term strategy, however, we need to address the root of the problems: the irresponsible parent that didn’t keep it locked in a safe away from a child, or the gang member skirting background checks, or the teenager struggling with mental instability, or the domestic or international terrorist with a plan to get on the evening news. These behavior problems are much harder to address, but allocating resources to our law enforcement, criminal justice, and mental health systems is a good place to start.

We don’t need more laws to monitor what good guys are doing, or gun control laws that make things extra-illegal. We need we’re-all-in-this-together leaders to get to the root of these complex problems and develop rational policies so that all law-abiding Americans can enjoy the security of a civil society.

I used to wish that the government would get rid of all the guns and then everyone would be safe, but I discovered that the utopia in my mind was actually a society with no bad guys. It was never about guns at all.

Filed Under: Personal Experience/Reviews, Uncategorized

WELL ARMED WOMEN – UTAH CHAPTER

Monday, May 4, 2015

On our our former students has spearheaded the Utah Chapter of Well Armed Women.  I would encourage women to join and attend a this organization as they afford women the opportunity to learn the skill set unique to women in a male dominated industry.

Press Release:2_women_at_shooting_range

TWAW Salt Lake City – North Shooting Chapter will give women of all experience levels the opportunity to be introduced to issues important to women shooters, learn safe gun handling skills and train together.

TWAW Salt Lake City – North Chapter is being spearheaded by Jacqui Porter, a local female gun enthusiast. Events will be held monthly and open to all women, 21 years or older. TWAW Shooting Chapters has partnered with Discount Guns and Ammo to be the host range for these monthly events. Time will be devoted to discussion and topical study as well as time on the range learning and practicing safe gun handling skills at each monthly event.

Participants will be required to pay any applicable range fees and costs of ammunition or firearm rentals. Annual Chapter membership dues of $50 provides members with local and national discounts, a chapter hat and member kit and is used to cover chapter expenses, and events. First time attendees are not required to join.

The first shoot is scheduled for May 14, 2015 6-8 pm at Discount Guns and Ammo, 2140 S 1260 W, Salt Lake City then we will continue to meet the 2nd Thursday of each month from 6-8 pm.

Reservations are required. I need to reserve enough lanes for all of us.

Women interested in learning more can contact Jacqui Porter at TWAWJacqui@gmail.com or visit TWAW Shooting Chapters, Inc. website at www.twawshootingchapters.org

The Well Armed Women Chapter of Utah

What:

TWAW Shooting Chapters is a non-profit organization that organizes local groups of women around the country that meet monthly to practice, learn and grow as shooters. Creating opportunities for women to be introduced to issues important to women shooters, learn safe gun handling skills and train together.

Why:

To expand the world of firearms to women all over the country in a safe, non-threatening way with the purpose of Educating, Equipping and Empowering woman shooters.

  • Educating women on firearm safety, gun care and handling
  • Developing gun handling skills
  • Building defensive gun skills and awareness
  • Developing confidence
  • Networking with women of like interests
  • Meeting new people/socializing

Who:

  • Women 21 years or older of all experience levels
  • Women who are just getting started with buying, shooting,   and caring for firearms, and want to learn in a comfortable environment
  • Women who have some level of experience and want to advance their skills
  • Women who want to share their knowledge and expertise to help other women
  • Women who want to have some fun and enjoy learning and shooting in the company of other women

 

 

Filed Under: Personal Experience/Reviews, Self Defense

INSANE OPINION PIECE FROM UNC NEWSPAPER THE DAILY TAR HEEL

Thursday, March 26, 2015

UNC Opinion: Concealed carry is no solution for sexual assault

“Students for Concealed Carry took advantage of the national dialogue on sexual assault to push their own agenda by suggesting that easing concealed carry restrictions would curb sexual assaults on campus.

Concealed weapons would not significantly reduce sexual assault and would create inadvertent risks within other forms of interpersonal violence.unc-1-logo-symbol

And concealed weapons would be yet another excuse to blame victims for their own assaults. Like other items on the list of measures that would supposedly prevent attacks, guns would not address the causes of sexual assault. 

Even worse, they could reinforce rape culture because the burden of stopping assault would be further placed upon women. 

Allowing concealed weapons on campus for the purpose of preventing sexual assault will create the unintended consequence of increased homicides stemming from intimate partner violence.

Having guns that are accessible in a household where domestic violence occurs increases the risk of homicide. In 2005, perpetrators used guns in over half of cases of female homicide related to domestic violence.

Expanding concealed carry restrictions on campus would arm potential perpetrators — not just of sexual assault but also of violence in relationships.

To reduce sexual assault, focus should be maintained on preventative programs that challenge rigid gender roles and promote healthy relationships as well as intervention trainings that teach peers to be active bystanders rather than on measures that will not solve the problem.”

A Few Responses:

DAN H-
Hey, I know, instead of making Chicken Little, Sky Is Falling (TM), phobic scenarios why don’t we look at the 20+ states that allow CCW on campus in some form, from allowing it in cars driving through to CCW in the classroom and see where it’s been a problem. Oh my goodness, it has never been an issue. 10+ years of data and none of the fantasies from the anti rights gun phobic have come to pass.

Instead of making everyone else live within your irrational fears, definition of phobia, it would be better if you sought professional help to overcome those irrational fears.

UPSCALEMAN-
You liberals are, beyond question, the dumbest people on the planet Earth.

“Even worse, they could reinforce rape culture because the burden of stopping assault would be further placed upon women.”

There goes “personal responsibility” once again…..it must make your idiot ears shutter to listen to that mantra over and over; that you should do SOMETHING for yourself.

There’s no such thing as a “rape culture.” It’s just another idiot concept developed by a league of idiots to support idiot ideology.

NCLAW44-
From the letter: “Concealed weapons would not significantly reduce sexual assault …” If concealed carry saved one life or stopped one assault, would that not be good? We can’t stop all assaults, but should we not stop the ones that we might, with the tools that are available?

RICHARD MCCARGAR-
There is no “rape culture”. Totally fabricated.
PAT_LOUDOUN-
One thing I noticed in this childish rant. The point of concealed carry is to increase the risk factor of even considering the attempted rape. Not all rapists are drunken fratboys who let things get out of hand or don’t understand that no means no.

If potential rapists were to have to consider that attempting to rape someone might get them shot, that would affect their behavior. At least some of them. Or do you juice boxers honestly think that would never happen?

Filed Under: In The News, Personal Experience/Reviews, Self Defense

PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY

Thursday, March 26, 2015

This article ran on KSL titled State investigators to determine if bar is liable in weekend crash on March 24th. While this is not firearms or 2nd amendment related, I do see a parallel. Please read the article before you read on.25547809

Upon my first read I really started to feel this was another typical, blame everyone else for the actions of a few.  Very quickly I started to realize that I was not alone in my angst towards a program called T.R.A.C.E.  This is an investigative team that tracks the source of the alcohol consumed to determine what liability they may hold in a crash. The comments related to this article  made be proud because everyone one of them I read, indicated that the sole person responsible for this accident was the driver.  The person that decided to consume alcohol and then behind the wheel of a vehicle.

The parallel that I drew was with how we have taken responsibility for our own safety and obtained our permit to not rely on anyone else for personal safety.  I will not get started on why anti-gun people argue to blame the gun for a shooting.

Maybe my next blog needs to be about how many people get killed falling of a trails while hiking in the mountains each year and the need to hand rails on all the paths. I jest but that’s how ridiculous programs like T.R.A.C.E. are.

Filed Under: In The News, Personal Experience/Reviews

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