9 mm, vs 40 S&W vs 45 acp

For years the debate over what is the best handgun caliber has raged. Some people swear 9 mm with a small hollow point bullet travelling very fast (1200 fps) is the best. Some feel that the large 45 caliber HP bullet travelling at a more sedate 800 fps is better, providing they both expand upon impact. The much newer 40 S&W has following too, stating that a moderate weight HP bullet travelling at a moderate speed is the best as it takes almost the speed of a 9 mm and places it almost the the same mass as a 45 ACP.

Well, here's my researched input...

--A 9 mm bullet (0.355 caliber) has an impact area of 0.098 inches squared.

--A 40 S&W bullet (0.40 caliber), which is 10 mm in size, has an impact area of 0.126 inches squared, which is about 27% larger then a 9 mm.

--A 45 ACP bullet (0.452 caliber), which is over 11 mm in diameter, has an impact are of 0.160 inches squared, about 63% larger then a 9 mm.

Assuming the bullets are FMJ and or HP bullets that do not expand upon contact, a 45 ACP will cause significantly more damage then a 9 mm or 40 S&W simply due to its initial contact area being much larger.

But, alas, life is not that simply. There are 9 mm HP bullets that have been FBI tested to constantly expand to 0.60 inches in diameter, or slightly larger. Well, this is a lot bigger then a 45. Some, 40 S&W bullets can constantly expand to 0.70 inches in diameter. And then there are 45 ACP bullets that were tested to constantly expand to 0.78 inches in diameter. So, a 9 mm that does expand fully is better then a 45 acp which does not. Ok, you are asking, what about the extra speed of the 9 mm vs a 45 ACP? Most 9 mm bullets, even with their extra speed still have less energy then a 45 ACP bullet at a slower speed simply due to the much greater mass of the 45 acps bullet.

But, not all bullets expand. There are report after report, after report of HP bullets of all calibers and weights not expanding due to the HP being filled in with denim, cotton, flesh, etc which essentially causes a HP bullet to become FMJ. All tests of handguns bullets show penetration of 8 to 16 inches of ballistic gelatin, with most being 8 to 13 inches. You want a bullet that will not go too far, as you want it to expend all its energy into the target and not exit the target, but penetrate deeply enough to hit vital organs.

So, which is better? The biggest HP/SP bullet with the most energy that properly expands.

http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/38%20Special%20Expansion%20Tests.htm
http://www.firearmstactical.com/tactical.htm
http://www.handgunsmag.com/ammunition/bullett_071207/index.html
http://user.tninet.se/~scj351g/handloading/expansion.html
http://www.frfrogspad.com/terminal.htm

Remingon purchases Marlin

It was announced a few days ago that Remington was purchasing Marlin.
http://www.downrange.tv/artman2/publ...stry/130.shtml

I think this is a good thing for the Marlin name. The company makes the best lever guns in the world, but lever guns are associated with the 19th Century, not the 21st century. No one denies that the 30-30 or 45-70 are not still powerful and valuable cartridges, but they are easily substituted today by more modern cartridges and weapons that can fire them.

The Marlin Model 60 and 39 22 rifles are legendary, also. For the longest times, the model 60 was the best selling 22 in the world, and for good reason. It's a simple, reliable weapon. The model 39 isn't cheap, but it is world known for reliability and accureacy, and price.

Marlin used to make a variety of shotguns, bolt action centerfire guns, and even handguns. I think that Marlin, to be a viable company in the future, must begin making a name for itself with 21st century weapons. There is only so far nostalgia will take a company before the public demands something else. Otherwise, everyone would have a Sony Walkman cassette player and not an Ipod.

Homicides down in NYC and Chicago

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071229/ap_on_re_us/big_city_homicides;_ylt=AnGNi7eeR8rM17y4EEAzVx5G2ocA

While I am happy for the citizens of those two cities, I am sure the decline has less to do with those cities recent anti-guns laws and more to do witht he fact that the overall homicide rate for the entire country has been declining for many years prior to those gun laws being enacted. The anti's are probably having a field day with this article, until one considers that this is not a report about gun homicides, it is all homicides, including knives, cars, beatings, chains, screwdrivers, etc.

In Baltimore, where owning a handgun is next to impossible, the homicide rate went up. How will the anti's explain this? They will say that guns are being smuggled into the city. Umm, duh ! But it's not the law abiding citizens doing this or killing those people with guns, but if law abiding zitizens were allowed to own guns, perhaps a good number of these homicides could have been prevented. Over and over this article points to gangs and organized crime as factors for the homicide rates. These groups will get guns no matter how banned they are.

Disarming law abiding citizens only creates victims.

Pistol recommendations

I visit quite a few gun related websites. Two of the more common questions I see are "What *&% is the best?" or "What *&% should I get?" Well, I dislike these questions. First of all, there is no correct or wrong answer. They are opinion related questions, not subjective. There is an old maxim that goes, "Opinions are like assholes. Everyone has one." My opinion is no more right than anyone elses, based on the above two questions.

One caveat, I suggest all people posting their opinions actually have some experience in what they are replying to. There is no valid help offered to someone asking the above questions when you are answering based on what you have read in various gun books, magazines and websites if you cannot temper or validate that information with real, hands-on experience.

A recent example of this is when someone asked a question regarding the S&W M&P and the Ruger SR9. Both weapons are very new and not one person who replied to the question regarding "Which one should I get? actually had either of these pistol. All the opinions offered were based on magazine articles. While both of these weapons are probably great guns, why would anyone tell someone else to buy one based on presumed effectiveness with no real life experience with said weapon?

Assault Rifles

An Assault Rifle is a hand-held, selective fire weapon that fires an intermediate powered rifle cartridge.

There is No Such Thing as a semi-automatic assault rifle. 99.9% of SKS's, Ak's, Ar-15's sold in this country are semi-automatic. Semi-automatic means each time the trigger is pulled, a single bullet leave the barrel, until the magazine is empty. An assault rifle can also be fired one shot at a time, but every single Assualt Rifle has a selector switch that allows the user to fire more then one bullet automatically. For a true AK, this is full automatic and holding down the trigger will empty the magazine. SKS's were designed to be semi-automatic and are not selective fire capable. There are experimental models from the U.S.S.R. and China that rumor says were full auto, but none have shown up here in the U.S.

The Ar-15 is NOT an M-16. M16 is the designation for the militaries rifle that has a semi-automatic and 3 round burst option. The original M16's did offer full automatic, though. Again, these are military weapons and are not for sale to civilians. Ar15's, while similar in look, do not have a full auto or 3 round burst capability, and therefore by definition are not Assault Rifles.

The cartridges used by these Assault Rifles and their semi-automatic siblings are not high powered cartridges. Every single Assault Rifle cartridge is lower in power then a 30-30 Winchester; a cartridge designed in the late 1800's. While more powerful then most pistol rounds, these cartridges are designed for a modern battle field where combat takes place within 300 meters. A Battle Rifle cartridge, like a 30-06, 7.62x54R, or 8mm are much, much, much more powerful then cartridges fired from Ak's, SKS's, or Ar-15's.

To call bullets fired from an SKS, AK, or AR-15 "high powered," like the media has a tendency to do, is like calling a Civic a race car. A Civic, while a decent car, is not in the same league as a Corvette, Ferrari, or Lotus and comparing them is an insult anyones intelligence.

So why does the news media call Assault Rifle cartridges "high powered?" IGNORANCE

Anti-gun laws

I recent read on a few other websites that a number of states have bills pending to limit gun ownership further, in one form or another.

To me, this is absurd. The number of people killed or injured by guns in the U.S., either purposefully or accidentally, is small compared to the number of people killed or injured by cars. Guns do not shoot by themselves, just like cars do not sudden start and plow into a bus stop full of people by themselves. One would think, from listening to the media that guns load themselves, come out of their safes/holsters/drawers all by themselves and go on their own rampages. Of course this silly. It was supposed to be. Someone explain why the Brady Bunch is so willing to ban guns and not cars.

Ok, how about this? More people in the U.S. are killed or injured by drunk drivers then by guns, yet no one sues Seagrams or Anheuser-Busch for a drunk driving accident. If we used the same logic for gun issues that we use for drunk driving issues, people injured by drunk drivers would sue Ford or Chevy. Boggles the mind, huh? Instead of going after the problem, the injured are going after the money. Guns are not the problem, people are. Cars are not the problem, people are. Alcohol isn't the problem, people are.

Should there be laws restricting some people from having guns? Yes, just like some people are restricted from driving. However, driving is not Constitutionally protected. Owning a gun is.

Intro

It always blows my mind when someone I talk to says something like, "I don't believe in guns." In fact that phrase outright ticks me off.

This isn't some existential being we are trying to have faith in. It isn't a dream or a nightmare, it's a tool you can hold in your hand and no matter how hard you dream or pray, they aren't going away. It is a tool, and like every other tool, the work it does is based on the person using that tool. I am sure Da Vinci didn't look at paint brushes and say "I do not believe in those."

The vast majority of the estimated 250 million guns in the U.S. are lawfully owned. Just because a few idiots go on psychopathic rampages doesn't mean the tool is the cause of the problem. These assholes are just sick. Then could have done their bad deed with a steak knife, a screwdriver, or any number of chemicals.

I own guns. I shoot guns. I do not hunt. My idea of a good hunting trip is making from my house to Safeway and back without spending too much money and without getting dents in my car. I am not a huge fan of hunting, but I do not stop someone else from doing it.

I enjoy shooting at paper targets, coke cans, and errant pumpkins that cross my path. Except for the pumpkins, I clean up after myself and try not to leave any mess in the places I shoot. The pumpkins...well, they are biodegradable and since there never seemed to be any sign of them when I went back a few weeks later, I assume the local wildlife enjoyed them. Bonus for them.

Oh.. and Merry Christmas