Why does the US military use 9mm for their handguns? I know they used to use 1911s in .45ACP but why did they switch? We all know that the FBI was too limp-wristed and unskilled to use 10mm auto and this resulted in the development of .40S&W. Now LEO's are so bad at shooting they had to switch to 9mm just so soiboys and women could stand a chance at qualifying. But your average soldier s generally better at shooting and probably strong enough to handle the extra recoil of 10mm or .45. So why 9mm? Unlike cops the military's job is to kill, not neutralize or arrest, plus they only get FMJ, not JHP. 9mm has no real advantages whatsoever in this case. A soldier forced to use his sidearm with FMJ rounds would benefit greatly from .45 or 10mm, with the M9 you may as well be giving him a peashooter.
Why does the US military use 9mm for their handguns? I know they used to use 1911s in .45ACP but why did they switch...
nice b8 m8
short answer
having bullets > not having bullets
NATO standardization makes having bullets easier
military pistols are a meme anyway
Because NATO.
but why didn't nato standardize on the 45 ACP instead of 9mm Luger?
the Americans won WWII. the Germans lost.
9mm kills people just fine, you wont kill anyone more dead with 10mm. Shot placement and adequate penetration is what matters, and 9mm is more than adequate in both of those. Plenty of people have been killed with 9mm ball.
>what is stopping power
I'm not just talking about energy ft lbs either. The intense loudness and muzzle flash from hot rounds like .357 Magnum, .357 Sig, 10mm, and to an extent .45 ACP can have a psychological effect on the enemy, especially indoors. You know that phrase "9mm kills your body, .45ACP kills your soul?" Well there's a nugget of truth there.
Because in a fight, you dont need to kill. You just need to incapacitate. In an enclosed environment where multiple shots are going to be fired, there is going to be no noticeable difference between the pistol calibers when it comes to "psychological effect". And all handgun calibers tend to have about the same rate of incapacitation so why not go with the round that you can hold more of and make follow up shots more hastily/
>Shit bait
N A T O
A
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this is the fuddiest thing i've ever seen
because if your reduced to a pistol in most combat situations your fucked already anyway
you know we just started issuing hollowpoints right? also modern 9mm loads are just as killy as .45
Im guessing 9mm was more common among other nato members
Cause 9mm is the best combat cartridge. Plenty of stopping power, quick and accurate follow up shots for effective strings of fire, greater capacity. With hollowpoint loads which the military has started to issue, it's clear that 9mm is optimal. Can other calibers work well? Yes. But not as optimally for combat. There's a reason that everyone from the SAS to a standard infantryman uses 9mm for sidearms.
>With hollowpoint loads which the military has started to issue
What is the Geneva Convention
Wrong convention, and the relevant one was never signed by the US (because it's dumb) so we don't care.
a faggy europoor circlejerk
Not relevant to the choice of ammunition.
Because .45 is so slow the enemy just moves out of the way.
Because 45 acp is a heat-seeking missile that only targets europeans. As soon as a european merely sees 45 acp they break into a cold sweat
Because nobody uses handguns in war anymore and officers need something light and shiny to wear on their hips
We fucked over NATO with the 7.62 and 5.56. We had to make some concessions if we ever wanted the NATO standardization treaties to actually come to fruition.
The US Army Medical Department's post-WW2 analysis wasn't particularly positive about what happened when .45 bullets hit people:
"Some consideration should be given to the .45 caliber automatic pistol and its load. From time to time, complaint has been registered that this weapon is not as efficient under all conditions as could be desired in a self-defense weapon. A 234-grain full metal patch bullet is used, and it is launched with a muzzle velocity of 825 feet per second…
…it can be readily appreciated that the .45 caliber bullet is of little value as a wound-producing agent except in the softer tissues and at near ranges. The bullet often fails either to penetrate or to fracture bone and practically never shatters bone in the manner common to the rifle bullet or fragment. The Japanese and German sidearms with muzzle velocities of approximately 1,100 f.p.s. were much more effective as antipersonnel weapons than the .45 caliber weapon. While the same bullet with its characteristics was used in the submachinegun, multiple hits probably compensated for the weaknesses, so apparent in single shots."
because you can hold 19 rounds of it.
(OP)
>Unlike cops the military's job is to kill, not neutralize or arrest
It's common knowledge that cops shoot to kill, it's how they are trained. You don't fucking shoot someone with the intent not to kill them, are you retarded?
Well put brother. Back in 'Nam, they gave my daddy a .45, and when he loaded seven rounds in the clip, that meant seven dead Charlies. Not like that pussy shit they issue these days with fifteen bullets in the clip. Look here kiddo if you can't hit your target in seven shots, I'll teach you to shoot for free.
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Why do I carry a .45? Cause they don't make a .46!
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