[d62_4life]

ok this is my first post i am brand new to gt and have been researching every brand of pistol i can think of and i am def. getting a glock. Now the only thing i need to decide on is the caliber. the gun is going to be for cc im a really big guy 6' 4'' 340 i can control just about any caliber i have ever shot. im just not sure what calibers are best for different situations. such as shoting through walls, cars, distance, etc.

Thank you,
D. Lo

[mclaren]

10mm all the way. I was in the same position before i decided on the G20C. I could not rationalize getting a G22 when I could get a .40 conversion barrel for the G20. I can shoot the hell out of cheap .40 S&W. Dont sell yourself short. If you want penetration, flat shooting, hard hitting the 10mm is what you need. There is a round for every situation in this caliber. Lots of versatility.
Shoot a 20 or a 29 you will love it.
As far as terminal performance goes the 10mm has all the pros of a .40 (and more) and none of the cons.

[Jerrylundergard]

The guy pimpin the 10 makes a good point. But, poppin in a 40sw barrel will never conceal as good as a G23. The G23 brings big boom boom to a small 9mm sized pistol. Plus, the 40sw has all the research behind it. The 10mm, while it has tons of potential, gets zero attention in the research and development departments. All the research is going to the 40 which means youll get the best bang for your buck with that caliber. The hollow tips available in 10mm suck in comparison to whats available in 40...

The G23 is the best CCW pistol available, period.

[HAMMERHEAD]

Hard to argue with a G23 as a concealment gun. I prefer the G20 10mm, but I don't CCW. The big 20 has really top notch accuracy, but that won't matter at 7 yards. I'm buying a G19 for my personal protection pistol and possible CCW because I know I'll actually practice with it, something I seemed to avoid with .40s.
Of course 9mm conversion barrels are available for the G23 for practice.

[M&P Shooter]

The .40 is a great round and you can do a quick barrel change and shoot .357sig if you like in that weapon. I like the G23 because it's the same size as the Glock 9mm model and fires a larger diameter bullet. Great choice for a CCW weapon.

[ajstrider]

I concur with the above statement that the 10mm is the powerhouse. It is definitely the most powerful standard semi automatic cartridge out there. You can get some great wide flat noise lead bullets for hunting deer with it or jacketed hollow points for self defense. Ammo is also quite expensive for it. The grips on the G20 and G21 (same size) are too large around for me though, this may not be a problem with you since you are a bigger guy. I prefer the grip size on the 9mm/.40/.357 Glocks. The .357 sig is a great cartridge too. I feel after reviewing multiple test results and such that a smaller, faster bullet of solid construction penetrates all barriers better. This is what makes the .357 sig such a great round, it is basically a 9mm on crack. .40 caliber is a nice compromise of larger diameter and heavier bullet at a moderate velocity. For the record, the .357 sig is essentially a .40 casing necked down to 9mm caliber. The 9mm is the smaller bullet of the cartridges, and generally slower, but the +P ammo available today is quite potent. I chose the 9mm as my round of choice due to the fact that it has the cheapest ammo. I prefer to practice more and the cost of the ammo is a considerable difference as far as I am concerned. I do not feel undergunned at all with my 9mm's either.

[Waffentomas]

All handgun calibers are woefully underpowered - even the 'almighty' 10mm. As long as you are at 9mm or above you will be fine. Yeah, I carry a 10mm also, but when I can't carry it, I carry either a 9mm or a .357 snub and feel well armed. I have no faith that any handgun caliber is going to do much to a BG, having seen first hand the amount of damage the human body can take from bullets and shrapnel, and stay in the fight . . so I'm really not particular to what caliber I carry. I reload and hunt, and the 10mm gives me the combo of a hunting handgun, and a fun hobby. I'd focus on gun type and how it shoots, and feels in your hand and on your hip, first and foremost. It'd be worthwhile to go to a range and rent some different guns and whatnot, shoot them, and then decide. Have fun.

[Tarowah]

Unless you are a person that shoots alot or a person with unlimited funds that can shoot enough to be efficent with any caliber I would start with a G19 and go from there, a well placed 9mm round from a quality ammo company will make a bad guy just as dead as anything else, you will simply get far more range time with a 9mm over pretty much anything else out there.

Dont get too caught up in the caliber war because imo it is the least important factor in picking your weapon, all calibers kill bad guys and all of them fail in one way or another, pick a weapon that you can shoot alot, once you have enough trigger time then I would start looking at something larger if you feel the need, I carry a G30SF as my EDC but I never feel under gunned with my wifes G19.

[AWESOMO 4000]

Highs: Bullets galore, 9mm-based platforms, fills perceived gap between 9mm and .45ACP, little cheaper than .357SIG and a lot cheaper than .45ACP.

Lows: Twisty and snappy recoil in light guns, everybody has one, not as inherently accurate as 9mm, .357SIG, .45ACP (my experience...), little more expensive than a 9mm.


I'm not a big .40 fan. I don't hate it. It works, obviously. I just prefer the .357SIG and 9mm guns that are originally designed in that caliber. If a bigger round is needed, I'd rather have a .45. Or a 4" Model 29. I traded off a P226 in .40 S&W for a 9mm Beretta M92FS 11 years ago. I found it picky with ammo, inconsistent, not all that accurate, and wildly over-rated.

[beforeobamabans]

Here's what you want to do: buy two extremes. For example, you really MUST have a 9mm Glock collection if you are going to own Glocks. At a minimum, a G26 for carry and a G17 for range and HD. Now, you will also need a large cal and what better than .45acp, the American Classic? So you will need at least a G30 and perhaps a G21. See, there is no need for the intermediate cals i.e., .40. Get small and get large both in cals and in frames and you'll have everything you need.

[aujrb]

Hi D. Lo!

I'll just give my two cents (that's what it's worth) on the one big pro I know of about the .40.

You can find ammo EVERYWHERE! I know where I can go online to find any brand SD ammo in any bullet weight I would like. HST, Gold Dot, or Ranger. 155, 165, or 180gr.

For range ammo...Go to Wal-Mart.

For the 10mm, that's going to be more expensive, but you can get ammo from doubletap.

Welcome to GT!

[SDGlock23]

The .40 is a great cartridge. It packs plenty of power it's the same size of the 9mm Glocks so it can conceal very easily. The G23 and G27 are about the best choices one can make concerning a carry pistol.

Pros: Potent, readily available, high capacity, big bullet
Cons: some don't like .40 recoil, but it's a personal thing. I really like the .40 myself.

[SDGlock23]

Originally Posted by beforeobamabans

See, there is no need for the intermediate cals i.e., .40. Get small and get large both in cals and in frames and you'll have everything you need.

There's no need to have .45 power and then some with 9mm like capacity? Seems to me that if you have a .40, you have no need for a 9mm or a .45.

[greenlion]

I vote G23 with
1) a .357 SIG conversion barrel
2) a 9mm conversion barrel

You'd have 2 great defensive rounds to choose from, and one to save you $ at the range.

[d62_4life]

i forgot to say i do have a kel tec p-11 . . . its a 9mm but i dont like it to much cuz the xtra long trigger pull but i have practiced with it a bit . . . i was wanting a bigger cal but i wanted to know what each cal was designed for or whatever.

[PAPACHUCK]

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.

Shoot the largest caliber YOU can shoot well.

[DRT]

I agree with SDGLOCK23.

[coal]

Citizen: Caliber Acedemic? & Load Data

[bogey3737]

Try a .40, 9mm, .45, etc. Buy the one that feels the most comfortable and practice...a lot.

[Brass Nazi]

CONS: It SUCKS!

PROS: It SUCKS less than the 9mm!

[Merkavaboy]

In the real world all the service calibers from 9mm to .45ACP perform the same; they all have their spectacular stops and dismal failures, so pick what ever caliber you want.

But if this is going to be your first Glock, I would suggest that you get a .40 caliber, either the compact G23 or the full size G22. My reasoning is that you can always get conversion barrels in 9mm and .357Sig. 3 calibers in one pistol.

[glocksterr]

Originally Posted by AWESOMO 4000

I traded off a P226 in .40 S&W for a 9mm Beretta M92FS 11 years ago. I found it picky with ammo, inconsistent, not all that accurate, and wildly over-rated.

[Eagle22]

Originally Posted by PAPACHUCK

Shot placement, shot placement, shot placement.

Shoot the largest caliber YOU can shoot well.

and practice, practice, practice.

The more range time you have each month the better shooter you will be.

[Brucev]

ok this is my first post i am brand new to gt and have been researching every brand of pistol i can think of and i am def. getting a glock. Now the only thing i need to decide on is the caliber. the gun is going to be for cc im a really big guy 6' 4'' 340 i can control just about any caliber i have ever shot. im just not sure what calibers are best for different situations. such as shoting through walls, cars, distance, etc.

Thank you,
D. Lo

Welcome to GT! When it comes to handguns, especially Glocks... this is a great place to get your knowledge on!

Regarding your question, since your concern is cc, you will need to choose the Glock that you can best carry given how you normally dress, climate, etc. The 10mm is the most powerful Glock. It may or may not suit your needs for cc, depending on how well you can use it, etc. Advice offered in previous responses to this thread are excellent. Sift through and apply the advice given and you will end up making a good decision.

Perhaps the most important issue you will need to consider in a Glock selected for cc is not the power of the pistol but your own ability to effectively use it for the intended purpose. Regardless of what you choose, you need to plan to practice and develop the necessary skill-set so that should the need arise you will be able to make full use of the pistol for its intended purpose. This means going beyond merely selecting a caliber and pistol and learning how to shoot it effectively to considerations of tactics, etc. Sincerely. Brucev.

[AWESOMO 4000]

Quote:
<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tbody><tr> <td class="alt2" style="border: 1px inset ;"> Originally Posted by AWESOMO 4000
I traded off a P226 in .40 S&W for a 9mm Beretta M92FS 11 years ago. I found it picky with ammo, inconsistent, not all that accurate, and wildly over-rated.
</td> </tr> </tbody></table>
<!-- END TEMPLATE: bbcode_quote -->

Hah....well, I should say, MY P226 in .40. It was a bummer from the get go. Never really got comfortable or shot that well with it. The last time I wiped it down, the front sight fell off. I could never get the 10th round in the post-ban magazine, and ruined a pair of leather gloves trying to get the 10th round in. Slice my thumb up, AND the gloves. Had I waited four more years I could have got some 12 rounders for it I guess.

I love the P226...would love to find an older W. German 9mm example. They don't look right with a rail.