Another common error I see, especially among new shooters or old-but-untrained shooters is that they select a handgun based on caliber or, heaven help us, “stopping power” rather than their ability to shoot the thing properly.
Here is a simple clue for new shooters: a hit with a 9mm is far more effective than a miss with a .45 Auto.
In the photo at left, the shooter has lost control of the gun. Her grip is in the right place, but the gun has come out of it completely. Part of this can be addressed with technique, of course. But why handicap yourself that way?
Someone who needs to fix his grip after every shot, whose hands separate every time the gun goes off, is simply not going to have the control necessary to make rapid accurate hits under stress. This is especially true when shooting on the move, because stabilizing your gun becomes that much more important when your body is adding wobble to the sight picture.
This isn’t a damnation of the .40 or .45, of course. Plenty of people can and do shoot them well. I’ve carried .45s and 357SIGs on and off over the past ten years myself. But especially for new shooters or shooters with subpar hand strength, the effort of fighting a heavily recoiling gun is detrimental to learning proper technique. If your grip isn’t consistent, your hits will not be consistent.
When I hear a below average shooter touting the .4-something pistol he carries, to me it always translates into this: I know I’m a bad shooter, I know I’m going to miss a lot, so I’m trying to make the best of what few hits I’ll get by using a bigger bullet. That’s backwards logic. “I’m not very good, so I’m going to choose a gun that makes me even worse.” Brilliant.
I’ll take more controllability, more speed, and more ammo over a slightly bigger bullet hole every time.
Train hard & stay safe! ToddG
Awesome post! I’m going to try to make all my friends read this.
Guilty as charged. Every time I go back to 45 after long run with 9, the first few shots are revelation. And a clue to return to 9. This is one of the reasons I’ve recently traded my compact 1911 for a full-sized.
I swear that in 5 years I’ve been shooting (I’ve lived in three states during this time) I have not seen a single person on a range with a timer. Folks get attached to their big guns subjectively; objective measures of performance is something I don’t see happening.
That’s absolutely true, Todd! Add to that the fact that most people think they shoot like Dave Sevigny when they really shoot like Barney Fife.
I started shooting only recently and currently own a Ruger mk2 in .22lr. When my grandfather gave me his Browning HP I foudn the recoil to be insane compared to the Ruger. I rented an HK P30 and also found the recoil to be much.
What can I do to help mitgate and correct the issues you have mentioned in your post? I was thinking of attending some trainning classes but I don’t really see any in the south Florida area.
Edwin — If you find the recoil of a P30 or BHP “insane’ then I can guarantee you’re not holding the pistol properly, or your idea of how much a pistol should recoil is unrealistic. Check with local gun shops and ranges, they should have a good idea of what kind of classes are available in the area.
there are also the below average shooters who defend caliber choice based upon capacity. they will say “you only have 13 or 14 shots of .45 (g21sf) but I have 147 shots from my 9mm”. subpar shooters tend to be exceptional apologists.
While bigger and heavier is bigger and heavier, so to is more capacity more capacity. Its all a compromise.
So, in essence, what you are saying is follow-up shots with a 9mm are easier than follow-up shots with a 45 ACP.
This is absolutely true.
However, practice does help a great deal and one CAN learn to control a 45 ACP handgun. With that said, it is more important for one to shoot a handgun that fits their hand properly than one that doesn’t, even if they have to go with a larger caliber.
Well, you’ve gone and done it, now. Your chosen topic can become as “long-winded and heated” and as the 9 vs. .45 debate. I definitely agree in your observations and I also tend to carry a 9mm a lot, especially during the summer months.
A 9mm is my chosen competition round and when I shoot my carry gun (P229 .40) once a month, I will admit it takes some adjustment and I’m not as fast with it. You muscle memory becomes accustomed to the recoil characteristics of the caliber you shoot the most and fore me, it’s the 9mm.
Good article, BTW. Ought to post this over on M4C, interested to read the potential feedback.
Man, I should start proof reading.
One thing I like to try and get across to folks is the need to be able to shoot their chosen pistol single handed.
I know lots of folks who shoot fine-ish with their .40+ caliber pistols, with both hands.
One may not have the luxury of having both hands available when the balloon goes up.
Since I am of the opinion that none of the standard service calibers works better than the others on people, I choose to carry my Glock 9mms and S&W J frame .38s for work and defensive use.
Again, I realize this is an old thread, but to address Edwin’s old concern or a future concern of shooters who come here, I’d like to add an observation.
If the first and only pistol you fire is a .22, then just about any centerfire round is going to feel like it has a heavy recoil. I personally am a 9mm guy because of my personal preferences, but I recognize the fact that 9mm isn’t really the best caliber out there for stopping a deadly threat. A shooter has to find that balance between comfort and effectiveness. While a .22 may be very easy to shoot well and allow for very rapid follow-up shots, most would agree that you’re gonna want to sacrifice some of that comfort for a round that will go through a leather jacket.