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Good post. The old .45 vs 9mm argument. Like the old 5.56 vs 7.62 argument. I would still go with the .45 for stopping power at close range. .45 will actually kill someone with one good shot to the chest. The problem with the 9mm is too much penetration resulting in through and through shots.
"The .45-caliber round is the bigger bullet, so it has the 'knock down power' to neutralize any adversary with one shot; while pistols that fire 9mm rounds are generally more accurate and can carry more bullets. Where a bullet hits the human body is also a major factor on whether it inflicts a mortal wound. Even though the .45-caliber cartridge has more propellant, the 9mm round usually has more penetrating power because the smaller round faces less air resistance on its nose as it flies through the air."
.45 on the right.
The idea of stopping power is really kind of crap from what research I've put into it. The difference in kinetic energy put into the target is rather miniscule between a 9mm Luger and 45 ACP.
So if you shoot someone in the chest and miss all the vital areas, there's no significant difference in the stopping capability between the two cartridges. Neither are large enough to really produce a temporary cavity of significance. The permanent wound channel sizes are pretty much the same between either round. If you shoot someone in the chest and they go down instantly, they'd almost certainly go down from any round from 9mm Luger to 45ACP.
There's just really no science behind the myth of stopping power when talking about 9mm Luger and 45 ACP. You'd have to get into a comparison between rifle and pistol to have a measurable difference. The kinetic energy of a bullet is about the same as getting punched. It's completely about the damage to vital areas and both rounds perform the same.
What really matters is shot placement. The best way to ensure good shot placement is a manageable firearm, good training, and plenty of ammunition to send downrange. I would argue that the 9mm is usually lighter and has less recoil, which often makes for a more manageable firearm. Obviously it's for comparing similar sized models. With training, ammo is cheaper and a more manageable firearm is more fun to shoot so you'll be more likely to practice more. And of course, real firefights result in piss-poor performance. Statistics seem to indicate that around 70% of shots miss their target with pistols in close quarters. That makes capacity extremely valuable.
http://soldiersystems.net/2014/09/25/fbi-9mm-justification-fbi-training-division/
It just seems like the whole stopping power debate is based on ego other than science and statistics. Guys think a bigger round is akin to a bigger dick. It's not really necessary, it's how you use it that matters. I've been making the transition away from 40 SW and 45 ACP over the last year to the 9mm Luger and I've yet to see a single scientific reason to go back to a bigger round. Modern 9mm Luger hollow point ammunition is more than sufficient for self defense.
