Right now, I have a Glock 23 and I was thinking about ordering a Glock 27 in addition. I will only use them for plinking/practice and personal defense. I've also thought about selling the Glock 23 and buying 2 Glocks in 45 Auto. What's your recommendation?

My main concerns are: Ammo availability in 20+ years(if the antis get their way), knock-down power, shootability(quick follow-ups). In that order.

I'm only interested in Glock and those two calibers. I want to have 2+ pistols that use the same ammo so I'm covered in the future if the SHTF so no "get 'em both" and no "go for the 9mm" please.

NEBRASKA,
I think you said it all with "PERSONAL DEFENSE". I've never understood why someone would buy a popfart and then bet their life on it. The .45 ACP works. I use the Hornady 200 grain XTP/HP. So far the only thing I've used it on was a 100 pound Sheperd that was getting after stock. It did the job. It has been necessary to use the .45ACP in GI ball in the past. The best comment I can make is, I'm still here. I think the question you have to ask is how bad do you want to go home again. Good luck.

When I made this choice a few years ago I split the difference a little and went with .40 S&W. While a bit never and maybe not as "proven" as the venerable .45ACP there is something to be said for having a round that is bigger/more powerful than a 9mm and has a higher capacity in most cases than the .45ACP. I think your follups will be faster and more controlable with
.40S&W than .45ACP and generally speaking the gun will weigh less loaded. Now if both guns are limited to 10 rounds I'd learn to shoot the .45ACP well, and get used to a little more weight. As far as the antis go if they come for the guns and ths SHsTF either will be fine for the fight but both will be targets. Since both are police rounds that could either help or hurt depending on the debate ie outlawing all police /military calibers to citizens.

.45 is simply the best choice, I am from europe where is no restrictons about capacity so I have my Springfield with wide frame and I use 14 or 16 rounds magazines in it, is has enought power and it makes big holes - enought blod is going out and enought air is geting in...:-))) Because we have restricion regarding JHP I use for defense and hunting mainly SWC 187grs and 1000fps. It works well. Sometimes I use IMI "bell" bullets, it makes almost same effect like JHP when I have shot deer with it.

I love the glock, so i got 1 in 9mm. The reason for the 9mm is that i find the glock soooo light, that it is hard to stay on target with the 40's and 45's. This is just me, and if i could shoot the 45's thats what it would be . With the 40 S+W becoming so popular in LE, i can sweep up all the 40 brass i want for pennies a pound. When it is all said and done, both are great rounds, just pick the one you can shoot the best. If i was using it for self defence, i would rather puth 3 9's instead of 1 45 into an attacker, but would rather put 3 45's if i could handle the recoil.

I have both,h+k usp in .40s+w,and a colt 1991 in .45acp. I love both of them,and the rounds they fire.The .40 seems to shoot a little flatter,and you can see the velocity difference when you watch the pins fall..40 s+w brass is conciderably cheaper than the .45 too...I don't think there's much of a recoil difference between the two.

If you have a choice I'd take both! I carried a .45acp on my first cop job and I shot a lot of deer that had been hit by a car. I would shoot them in the head to put them out of their misery. My Colt Officers Model would dispatch them with one shot to the head and they would be out right now! I used a Remmington Golden Sabre 230 grain. I shot roughly 30 deer in the year and a half with that gun and round.

Now I work in a bigger department and I carry a Glock 22 (40 S&W) I have had problems killing deer with this round. Last winter a doe ran into a fence and was really tore up. I went to put her down for a motorist who wanted the doe for the meat. I shot her 3 times in the back of the head and she would not die. This was with the Winchester Lawman, which is a variant of the Black talon. I was pissed! Made me sick to my stomach to see her suffer.

I carry a Glock 27 in the winter and a S&W airlite titanium in the summer. When I am out and have the proper clothing to conceal it, I carry my Colt. I know if it came down to the round I would take the .45acp over the .40 S&W.

My advise would be to try the G36. If I had to limit my carry guns to one thats what I would buy.

Take care, Jay

I disagree with most of the above replies. The best choice is whatever caliber you can shoot the best (ditto for the firearm, as well). A hit with a .22 is better than a miss with a .45.

Eddie

Deputy450,You'd probably get in trouble for carrying a few swc's or copper coated hard cast in your pocket for dispatching services I guess?