Single Stack 9 vs .40 vs 45

[jellyb]

What is the preferred caliber in Single Stack division? Why is one caliber preferred over another?

[wolffy1876]

I went 9mm mostly for the 2 extra rounds

[earplug]

I have shot 45 ACP and 9MM, as a senior the 9MM is a nice change for my body. If your gun poor the 9MM 1911 is a fun Steel Challenge device too.

[jkrispies]

.40 will let you easily go either major or minor depending on your mood and/or how the stages look. If starting from scratch, that's the smart choice.

I've been running a .45 for years but would now like to switch to minor. Since I'd have to get an entirely new gun anyway, I'd just get a 9mm if I ever decided to commit to the investment.

[LilBunniFuFu]

9: Cheaper to reload, usually the 2 extra rounds help at most matches. As long as you are accurate the stage planning usually offsets the points lost.

40: Can load minor or major. A buddy loads 180s for major and just changes the projectile to 165 and he is at 135 PF for minor. Grab some Tripp 10 rounders that fit the box and you only have to bring two sets of ammo to a match to chose between them. Plus, 40 minor is a hoot to shoot.

45: America's round. It's what most people have before they started competing. Rock what you got, it's what I've been doing. If I were to redo it I would get a .40 just so I can swap ammo depending on stage breakdown.

[zzt]

9mm: 10 rounds with anyone's mags. Scores minor, so a handicap.

40sw: 10 rounds only with special Tripp mags, 9 with all others. Score major.

45: my favorite round. 8 rounds in SS, 10 in others. My favorite all around caliber. Scores major.

I'd shoot 45, because I already have them. If I were starting out fresh, I'd seriously consider a 40. I shoot 40 in Limited. Starting with 20 rounds in a mag is confidence inspiring. You can press a little harder, especially on steel, knowing that you have enough rounds for several make up shots.

The same would be true in SS. With 45, you have to make every shot count. You start with 8+1, so you can make up for one miss. Miss two and you are doing a standing reload. That will kill your time. So having at least one extra round in the mag gives you a larger margin or error. Two extra is even better.

40sw can be loaded to major or minor. 9mm is minor only for SS.

[rhett45acp]

40sw: 10 rounds only with special Tripp mags, 9 with all others. Score major.

Appendix D5 #9 40 S&W is limited to 8 rounds if scored major.

The advantage of 40 is some use the same load for their limited setup. So in SS you can shoot 40 S&W with 8 rounds as major, just like a 45 ACP.

[jkrispies]

40sw: 10 rounds only with special Tripp mags, 9 with all others. Score major.

Appendix D5 #9 40 S&W is limited to 8 rounds if scored major.

The advantage of 40 is some use the same load for their limited setup. So in SS you can shoot 40 S&W with 8 rounds as major, just like a 45 ACP.

Or you can hand load minor PF .40 and use a 10 round magazine, scoring at minor PF. Or, for the masochistic crowd that doesn't want to mess with multiple loads, you could continue using .40 major PF loads with a 10 round magazine and score at minor PF.

(But, yes, 10 rounds means minor in SS or bump to L-10 or L.)

Edited May 29, 2016 by jkrispies

[DagoRed]

If I were doing it again I'd do 40. Same deal as others said, same ammo as limited gun where 40 rules. I had 45 again and before I knew more I bought more 45. Of course if Jesus shot her shoot 45 major so there's that. For cost and simplicity is do 40

Red

[dansedgli]

Do the 40 guns run good enough out of the box yet?

[RJH]

I like the 45. The 40s that have seen seem a little trickier to make run, but I am sure that it can be done. I tried the minor route, and while the 9mm in a 1911 is the best shooting gun I have ever shot, I shoot too many A/Cs, and found out that minor is not for me. And while you may have an extra reload here or there, it does not offset the scoring difference FOR ME.

[cooper74]

My vote goes for 40 for all of the above benefits already mentioned.

As for an out of the box SS 40 - I've seen some good things mentioned about the Max Michel Sig...

[Foxj66]

Buying new and shooting nats get a 40

Shooting locals and area matches I would get a 9

Nothing wrong with 45 if you like it, but 40 is cheaper to load and if you shoot limited you already load it.

[PatJones]

Buy one to match what you already load. I bought a 45 because I already loaded that for my revolver. It's a pain every time you add a new caliber, and a bunch of money. I like to have a couple thousand rounds in every caliber loaded at all times, so that's a bit of money tied up in reloading components alone.

Outside of nationals, this is the one division where major and minor play on an even footing.

[sbo76]

As others have mentioned having the flexibility to run minor or major in .40 is attractive. I have all 3 calibers and shoot the 9mm the most but you have to overcome minor scoring in paper matches.

[zzt]

Since I tend to use all of my pistols for multiple competitions, I'll throw this into the mix. For knock down steel and pins, 45 is best, 40 is next and 9mm last. The difference in how fast the steel goes down is quite noticeable when the falling steel activates a swinger or disappearing target. Same with pins.

I had a custom double stack 9mm at one time. I thought it the cat's meow and figured I'd clean up with it. I used factory 147gr jacket bullets for steel and pins. I never, ever did as well as when I used my 45. Not all steel is calibrated properly, especially at unsanctioned club events. I'd often have to double tap a popper to get it to fall quicker. When I hit it with a 45, it went down like it was pole axed.

I sold that custom 9mm and got a 40 Limited gun. I liked it much better, and also did much better with it. Still I'm a little faster with the 45 on pins and falling steel, but no where near the difference between 9mm and 45.

So I stick with the 40 recommendation. You can use 135 or 140gr bullets and little bits of fast powder to make minor and equal the 9mm in power with lighter felt recoil. Yes, you have to change springs, but so what. And you can load major up to 200gr bullets when you want to knock things down or over. I'm a died in the wool 1911 45ACP lover, and yes you can load it to minor, major or above as well. Any way you cut it, the 40sw is going to cost a lot less to reload for, especially when you consider brass costs for lost brass matches.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I say get a 9mm. Cheaper ammo if you have to buy it. Cheaper to reload if you don't. 2 extra rounds and lots of magazine options with 10 rounds. Softer recoil than the 40 and 45 shooting major. If you are still learning the game the extra rounds do help. Shooting minor also is easier on the body. Now the bad is the minor scoring but if you shoot mostly A's then not a problem. If you go to the single stack nationals it is setup for 8 round magazines but I still think if you are a A shooter and lower then you can still do well there. Lastly gun options. Lots of 9mm options not as many 40 options in factory guns. Why not start out shooting 9mm and see if single stack is for you. If you find it is not then you can keep the 1911 in 9mm since they are such sweet shooters. Thanks, Eric

[motosapiens]

much good advice in this thread. My only point is regarding standing reloads 'killing your time'. I would say excessive makeup shots on steel will kill your time whether or not you do a standing reload.

i shoot both 45 and 9 in SS. My results have been better with 9, but in the last year my reloads have become dramatically faster, so I may try the 45 again for a bit.

I will say that unless you already have a 45 that you load for, I would start with a 40 for major or a 9 for minor. People claim you can run 40 minor reliably, but just about everyone I talk to who has tried it has had more problems and malfunctions than with 9 minor.

[Rhawk6]

i also would vote for 40 cal. I just picked up a Sig Traditional Match in 40 ,still breaking it in using my Limited loads.

[SCTaylor]

Looking at a .40 single stack to compliment my 2011 now. Easier and cheaper to load the same caliber.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SCTaylor]

Looking at a .40 single stack to compliment my 2011 now. Easier and cheaper to load the same caliber.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Beauxdog]

Look at what the Big Guys are running at the SS Nats. The .45 runs better and the .40 is a little easier to control. I've been running a .45 ACP for years just because. Others run the .40 for the same reason. Pick one and go practice and when your done go practice some more.

Beauxdog

[diver60540]

Do the 40 guns run good enough out of the box yet?

Depends on how your luck is running. Don't mean to be facetious, but you never know. The worst case is you load long, still gags, and you send it to Virgil Tripp or Atlas Gunworks for a ramp redo

[kimberacp]

What Beauxdog said! FWIW... 45 brass is expensive.

[motosapiens]

What Beauxdog said! FWIW... 45 brass is expensive.

it's more expensive if you shoot alot of lost brass matches and you never work those matches. I have accumulated a pretty good stock of 45 brass without too much trouble, but it didn't happen overnight.