I'm not trying to bring up the old chestnut of 9mm vs 45 for "stoppan powah" or carrying capacity.
I was more curious in regards to performance with penetration. Obviously, rifle rounds are most ideal, and in most self defense (and home defense) scenarios, you DON'T want overpenetration.
If you DID, though, what would be the best? I assume most common things to worry about punching through would be large trees, car doors (both sides), walls in general.
Is it simply "Doesn't matter as long as it's FMJ"?
Tokarev
Yeah, pretty much just FMJ.
Some shit like hard cast +P like what buffalo bore sells does well too.
.475 Linebaugh, with a 430 grain lead flat nose, according to http://www.handloads.com/misc/linebaugh.penetration.tests.asp
Probably 600 Nitro.
>>28051120
Brennanke(?) special forces maximum penetration slugs do okay.
non-deforming and fast goes best through things.
hard cast or copper, faster = better.
I read that if 30% of the frontal cross section is flattened, that is the ideal for soft tissue penetration. Fully rounded did not do as well.
>>28051191
>lead flat nose
Solely for penetration? That makes no fucking sense. If all you wanted was penetration you'd want to have as little lead as possible, solid copper
>>28051120
Personal preference and memes aside, I would consider APPROXIMATELY 9mm (38,380, non luger parabellum 9mm [7.62 pistol]) and 'above' as far as pistol cartridges go to be perfectly sufficient for self defense scenarios.
By which I mean; things like .22, .25, .32 etc... Are better oriented for target practice than self defense.
Beyond that point though; if you want to carry 9mm. 45, 40, 357sig, etc etc... It's 'fine' really, I think at that point it comes down more to how comfortable you are with carrying and using that specific pistol.
I carry 45 now. It's mainly because my "nicest" (cost/quality, and how often I practice with/how good I am with it, also find it much more comfortable to carry) handgun is a 45. This may absolutely change in the future.
If you're asking this in the interest of finding a 'new' or 'first' ccw. please look at the guns before you look at the calibers; anything within the realm of the 'serious' calibers listed above (on the other hand, do try get something you can purchase ammo for easily; 9mm largo is great, but good luck feeding that at a reasonable cost, or like an automag or something). Also don't get too hung up on the whole subcompact/compact thing, just go and TRY stuff out. I went from pocket carrying a glock33 (a subcompact) to 3-oclock IWBing a fullsize 1911 and find the current way much more 'comfortable' really since the 1911 is so damn thin, and it's frankly better to have this thin thing strapped to your side than having something heavy bouncing around in your pocket, like I'd have to rearrange my pocket every time I sat down with the glock, sometimes I really even forget I got the 1911 on me, it's that comfy.
At the end of the day; any "properly placed" (appropriate center of mass) shot from the 'serious' cartridges should be equally lethal or debilitating, and frankly, regardless of if you're carrying 9fmj or 45hp you should STILL be aware of what's behind your target before firing.
>>28051423
I didn't make the charts, man. Some of the loads vs sheets penetrating boggle my mind.
