What's the real reason 9mm is so popular?

[jdg30]

I like 9mm for it's price, less noise, and less recoil.

I'm a better shot with it.

I can say this because I'm comfortable with the size of my penis.

Easy now, this isn't a 10mm thread

Just jokin', lots of good reasons for why 9mm is a popular round so far.

[erik_26]

I love my 9mm. But I also love all my guns. I don't shoot my 9mm any more or less then the other calibers I have. They all get an equal amount of rounds through them.

When is comes to HD or a carry weapon, I don't use my 9mm. It is ready as a possible back up. But is not primary.

I think the reason it is so popular is that it is cheap to shoot, cheap to buy, and has a mild recoil.

[Fishslayer]

All the above.

Also the price of the guns themselves, tho buying the gun is probably the cheapest part of our sport....

[LovingTheYear1911]

Already said 134 times. Its cheap to shoot (especially when shooting at paper, does it matter what caliber?), low recoil, and it will drop an intruder, maybe not as fast as a 45, but it will get the job done.

[chering88]

cheap!!!!

[Freq18Hz]

Thanks for the clarification. I am aware of a few units (not just Special OPs) which use .45ACP ... just not very many. It probably goes without saying that .22LR is an favored "specialty" round for "certain applications", lol.

It's probably notable that in the case of LAPD SWAT, their primary entry weapon is an MP5 ... chambered in 9mm. FBI HRT and SWAT also uses the MP5 as a primary entry-team weapon (sometimes PDW-configured M4), and they often carry Glock 22 (.40S&W) as a sidearm as well.

What does a swat team with an MP5 have to do with a discussion about handgun calibers? Most folks arent going to be dumping 30 rounds on full auto, or 3 round burst at someone.

Limited to 10+1, semi auto, I really don't think anyone would consider the 9mm as deadly of a round compared to .40 etc. Sure they kick a bit less, but assuming you are using it for defense or target shooting, who cares? You are either defending yourself in a situation where you have to kill another human being in self defense at short distances, or you are target shooting. 9mm ammo is cheaper. And it's cheaper for a reason.

Who cares about special forces or swat teams or the FBI? As a civilian, you are either killing someone is self defense, or shooting at a range. The likelyhood of being involved in a shootout is almost non existant. Personal defense has almost nothing in common with the needs of a government operator or soldier. This is why many folks use a .357, 44 mag, or .45 at home.

-Freq

[himurax13]

It is generally less expensive than many other types of pistol ammunition.

Almost every gun manufacturer makes a pretty decent 9mm pistol.

Almost no one picks up their 9mm brass.

There are a kazillion options for reloading 9mm.

The 9mm makes paper targets scream the same as my .45 ACP but at half the price.

[ZombieTactics]

... I really don't think anyone would consider the 9mm as deadly of a round compared to .40 etc. ...

Anyone? Try almost any medical examiner or coroner worth their salt. That's a LOT of somebodies, and specifically somebodies who are in a unique position to know what the heck they are talking about.

[JDW67]

I can control the 9mm round more effectively. All the other reasons are just icing.

[Hipmatt]

I love people who say 9mm isn't strong enough, despite the fact that it is used internationally in police agencies and militaries probably more than any other round. The primary sidearm of the us army is a 9mm. Major police agencies still use the 9mm. Yet some people claim it won't do the job. The high end ammo you can buy is probably better than what they are issued.

[Sam]

It's cheap so I can practice more. It's low recoiling so it doesn't tire me out so I can practice more. It's low recoiling so I can get good hits rapidly. I can hold a ton of rounds. It's a good self defense round.

after the adoption of the 9 mil they had to start teaching the double tap method,i would prefer the single shot take down of a higher caliber.(not that every shot would be a kill shot)

Can you show me a reputable instructor that teaches students to only shoot once?

[UserM4]

People full of adrenaline won't drop like a sack of potatoes unless they get hit in the vitals. All it takes is adequate penetration to do the job. Whether it's a .45ACP or a 9x19. It doesn't matter.

Now, if we're talking about bleeding someone out, yes, a .45 will be more effective. But to bleed someone to death, it'll either take quite a long time or multiple punctures.

In the end, a shot to the vitals is what you need to do to get the job done and a 9mm will do the job just fine.

Would rather have more capacity with the 9mm with quicker follow up shots to try and hit the vitals.

[IrishPirate]

price, accuracy, efficiency (HD/SD), large choice of firearms, wide selection of different types of ammo, wide availability of ammo, higher capacity magazines (in free states).....those are my reasons. I don't like it more or less than any other caliber. I like them all the same and all for different reasons. I'm one of those guys who would own a gun in every caliber if possible.

[BOFH]

Price, and in a free state...mag capacity. Its the 22LR of centerfire pistol rounds, cheap (ish) to shoot and good enough for its intended purpose.

[glockwise2000]

Out of the box, 9mm is cheaper to shoot compared to other caliber. .22lr set aside.