Reasons to choose 9mm, .40, or .45?

[rutilate]

I'm considering getting into production USPSA shooting and am wondering what reasoning I should apply to choosing a caliber. I'm brand new to competition shooting.

I'm currently set up to reload 9mm and .45, and just before the hysteria, it cost me the same to reload 9mm and .45. It might take me a few months to find 650 conversion kits and dies for .40, but it is certainly doable.

Thus, ammo cost isn't necessarily a consideration.

What other considerations are there?

Should I be considering wrist strength (ie. punishment of the .45 over the 9mm), barrel rise, power factor, what?

I find that I shoot the M&P .45 better than the 9mm due to the wider grip. I shot an STI .40 that also had a wider grip that seemed more stable. But that is the extent of my experimentation.

Thoughts?

Edited March 30, 2013 by rutilate

[Sarge]

In the long run 9 will be much cheaper than 45 or even 40. In Production you are scored minor so why shoot major loads? The name of the game is taming the guns wether it be compensated open guns, heavy limited guns, or running soft loads in a stock production gun.

[kneelingatlas]

My shooting buddy has been shooting a .45 in Production because it's what he has, now that he's reloading we're going to try some sub-major loads and see what it feels like. A lot of shooters seem to enjoy 40 Minor in Production, but of course 9mm is dominant.

[cuzinvinny]

I currently shoot both 9mm and .45 in a 1911 platform, but want to try a polymer frame gun. I'm leaning toward going with a 40, and shooting minor in production, just so my old eyes will be able to better see my hits. Another factor for me is being able to find once fired 40 brass much easier than I can find 9 when I patrol the local range.

[wgj3]

Any of the calibers work just fine when down-loaded to around 130-135 PF. You can play with different bullet weights at higher velocities for the lighter bullets and lower speeds for the heavier. They will all work just fine. One thing you might notice when shooting a 155gr .45 bullet vs. a 230 gr of same caliber at same PF (diff velocities) out of same gun is that the heavier bullet at lower velocity makes the gun feel a little sluggish in cycling. Some of that can be managed with different springs. Caliber makes little difference. And, if cost is the same to you run whichever you like best. Bigger holes with larger calibers will sometimes pay off around the edges of the scoring area.

My understanding for the dominance of 9mm in Production has to do with keeping recoil to a minimum while still keeping the gun cycling/recovering quickly; lighter bullets at higher velocities. And, most perceive 9mm as being less expensive to shoot as well.

Edited March 30, 2013 by wgj3

[WrxGuy90]

I enjoy .40. 9mm is just a pain to always make sure my reloads are major PF. I'd say go .40.

[steel1212]

If you don't currently have a gun and this is going to be a production only gun get them 9mm. Bullets are cheaper, more brass available, If your recoil sensitive there are some supper soft heavy 9mm loads out there for them. They don't tend to be as sluggish as a .40/.45 gun shooting minor.

[Chris iliff]

I enjoy .40. 9mm is just a pain to always make sure my reloads are major PF. I'd say go .40.

OP was stating shooting production, USPSA Production division is scored minor. No "PAIN" in loading 9 to minor. No pain loading it to major either, but that's just for OPEN division.

You can load it for major in all divisions if you want, but only in OPEN division will it count for major scoring.

[Chris iliff]

If you don't currently have a gun and this is going to be a production only gun get them 9mm. Bullets are cheaper, more brass available, If your recoil sensitive there are some supper soft heavy 9mm loads out there for them. They don't tend to be as sluggish as a .40/.45 gun shooting minor.

Good advice.

[Sarge]

If you don't currently have a gun and this is going to be a production only gun get them 9mm. Bullets are cheaper, more brass available, If your recoil sensitive there are some supper soft heavy 9mm loads out there for them. They don't tend to be as sluggish as a .40/.45 gun shooting minor.

Good advice.

Corey's full of it.....

good advice, that is.

[sroe3]

If you're sticking to production shoot a 9 for the reasons stated above. If you might wish to dabble in L, or L10, where major scoring will be available to you, get a 40.

[motosapiens]

40 is more versatile, and for old weak people like me it takes less physical force to resize the cases, and less dexterity to handle them. You do pay an extra 50-75 cents per box of 50 tho.

I personally shoot 40 in production because I'm over 50 years old and my wife is 34, and shooting 40 is a LOT more manly than shooting some euro-metrosexual-9mm nonsense. But there's probably a good reason that 9mm is the dominant caliber in production class (most production competitors don't have hot young wives).

[deerassassin22]

The only real difference in my opinon is the PF and the points that you loose if you miss the A zone. I like 9mm and 40 brass and bullets/powder/primers are easier to find.

[kevin c]

... I'm leaning toward going with a 40 ... just so my old eyes will be able to better see my hits...

Most advise against looking for the hits. Better to know from having the shot break with the correct sight picture that the hit is there. Now, it is true that the bigger bullet might earn you the higher score on an edge hit, but that may be cancelled out by the fact that it might also get you into a penalty that the smaller bullet would have missed.

I'd say pick 9mm for a dedicated Production gun, though a minor 40 gun works well, and can also do double duty in the Limited divisions, with the option of uploading the major PF..

[S197Shelby]

My decision should have been based on the fact that I get 40 cal free from my department... but I wasnt that smart and got a 9 since shooting production i get no advantage from shooting 40.

[motosapiens]

My decision should have been based on the fact that I get 40 cal free from my department... but I wasnt that smart and got a 9 since shooting production i get no advantage from shooting 40.

I get 40 brass free from my department. It's true there's no real advantage to shooting 40 in production, but there's no real disadvantage that I can tell either. And since production nats are somewhere I will never go, I can switch to L-10 with the same gun and maybe go to nationals in that division.

[Azoneonly]

By far most shooters in USPSA shoot the following:

Production: 9mm as you are scored Minor anyway. Less expensive too.

Limited: 40 Cal. more rounds in the gun and less recoil than 45.

Limited 10 and Single stack: Most still shoot 45 but 40 is also very popular.

Open: 38 Super, 38 Super Comp, 9 X 21, and 9mm Major. At last years Hangun Nationals 38 Super comp was most popular. Good for me as my Open gun is set up for 38 Super Comp and I got a lot of brass to take home!

[chall]

By far most shooters in USPSA shoot the following:

Production: 9mm as you are scored Minor anyway. Less expensive too.

Limited: 40 Cal. more rounds in the gun and less recoil than 45.

Limited 10 and Single stack: Most still shoot 45 but 40 is also very popular.

Open: 38 Super, 38 Super Comp, 9 X 21, and 9mm Major. At last years Hangun Nationals 38 Super comp was most popular. Good for me as my Open gun is set up for 38 Super Comp and I got a lot of brass to take home!

What about Single Stack or IPSC Classic?

[Sarge]

By far most shooters in USPSA shoot the following:

Production: 9mm as you are scored Minor anyway. Less expensive too.

Limited: 40 Cal. more rounds in the gun and less recoil than 45.

Limited 10 and Single stack: Most still shoot 45 but 40 is also very popular.

Open: 38 Super, 38 Super Comp, 9 X 21, and 9mm Major. At last years Hangun Nationals 38 Super comp was most popular. Good for me as my Open gun is set up for 38 Super Comp and I got a lot of brass to take home!

What about Single Stack or IPSC Classic?

It was hidden among the other divisions.

[chall]

Duh. My bad. Do a lot of people shoot minor in SS, or is it pretty much all major?

[kneelingatlas]

Duh. My bad. Do a lot of people shoot minor in SS, or is it pretty much all major?

There is a guy in my club shooting SS 9mm Minor, but he's the only one I've seen.

Edited April 9, 2013 by kneelingatlas

[retarmyaviator]

I started out shooting 9mm in a Sig P226, then to a M&P Pro 9mm. Two years later I bought a M&P45 more as a joke due to kidding about shooting a 9mm at steel targets. It turned out I shot the 45 M&P better than I did the 9mm Pro,. Just the opposite of what most folks would have thought happened. I continued shooting the 45 in Production and started shooting it in L10 as well, just like it better than the 9mm.

Find a caliber you like and stick with it.

[L3324temp]

If you reload, I think shooting .40 in production makes sense. In my area 9mm brass is hard to find, yet 40 is everywhere. Shooting 40 minor is doable if you reload. You then have the option of moving the same gun into Limited-10 and shooting major should you desire. I shot 9mm in production for 3 years. I am ready to move on to Limited-10 and am now buying the same gun in 40 to do it.

[polizei1]

Duh. My bad. Do a lot of people shoot minor in SS, or is it pretty much all major?

I shoot SS Minor.

OP, since you're already setup to load 9mm, I would go with that for production, IF you want to buy a compatible gun. If not, then just shoot what you have.

Edited April 10, 2013 by polizei1

[Azoneonly]

For sure 40 brass is the easiest to come by. Most of the brass I got from the back to back Nationals last year was 40. Think I ended up with a five gallon bucket of it. I can't understand why anyone would shoot minor in any division except production. 40 is a nice and very universal caliber to start with. Though not as popular as 9mm, 40 can be down loaded and used for production as well.