Why did military switch from 45 to 9mm?
Why did the US military change from 45 to 9mm? NATO — every other country was metric, used and liked the 9mm, and it was cheaper and more reasonable to adopt the common ammunition. The less different types of ammunition you have to manufacture and field the better for everyone.
45-caliber cartridge has more propellant, the 9mm round usually has more penetrating power because the smaller round faces less air resistance on its nose as it files through the air, said Neil Clapperton, a firearms and forensic expert with the Rhode Island State Crime Laboratory.
The Americans found out the revolver had inadequate stopping power in the hand-to-hand fighting. The Moros could endure several shots before expiring. The Army wanted to replace the . 38 caliber bullet with something more powerful and also yearned for a semi-automatic pistol instead of a revolver.
Since the service adopted the handgun in 2017, Sig Sauer Inc. has delivered 59,000 M17 and M18 MHSs and plans to supply an additional 350,000 of the new 9mm pistols over the next five to seven years.
But ultimately, the 1911 was replaced because of capacity. World War III was supposed to be fought in the forests and fields of Europe, where American and NATO troops would face an onslaught of Soviet men who may be fighting in human wave attacks.
Using a . 45 ACP might lessen the risk of bullets going through walls. Hence, it's a more preferred caliber for home defense. However, the 9mm may be more comfortable to use, but it might cause more damage indoors because of its penetration.
45 ACP is probably a bit better in terms of a larger wound cavity if no barrier is involved. If a barrier is involved, a 9mm +P load is superior. You can carry a lot more 9 mm rounds in the mag, and it is easier to shoot well.
| .45 ACP | |
|---|---|
| .45 ACP cartridge full metal jacket | |
| Type | Pistol |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
Though there are more modern examples with larger magazine capacities, many 1911s retain the original 7-round magazine design. However, U.S. special operations forces, as well as the U.S. Marine Corps, continued to use M1911-style guns afterward, favoring its larger . 45 caliber round over 9mm.
Browning M2 Machine Gun
Affectionately known as “Ma-Deuce,” the Browning M2 . 50 caliber machine gun has been in service around the world for almost 100 years.
Why did FBI go back to 9mm?
By going with the 9mm, the FBI gets the terminal performance it desires, with more capacity, in a handgun that's easier, and faster, to shoot accurately.
Although it was selected for service by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in 1989 from the aftermath of the 1986 FBI Miami shootout, the cartridge was later decommissioned (except by the Hostage Rescue Team and Special Weapons and Tactics Teams) after their Firearms Training Unit eventually concluded that its ...
In 2015, the Glock 19, a compact 9 mm, was added to the SEAL handgun inventory. The SEALs plan to eventually replace the P226s with the newer Glocks. For now, the M9 continues to be the primary sidearm for U.S. uniformed personnel worldwide and the P226 continues to be the primary handgun of the SEALs.
Many readers are under the impression that U.S. special operations forces have returned to using . 45 caliber pistols since the adoption of the M9 9mm in 1985. This has some truth to it, but in most cases SOF units use 9mm, experts maintain. The Army's Delta Force adopted .
In 1985, the .45 ACP M1911A1 pistol was replaced by the Beretta M9 9mm pistol as the main sidearm of the U.S. military, although select Special Operations units continue to use the M1911A1 or other .45 ACP pistols.
45 ACP counterpart, the 9mm has become one of the most popular rounds in the world. For more than 30 years, the Beretta M9 and M9A1 have been the standard sidearm of the US Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps.
Today, the . 45 ACP and the 1911 are seen as All-American, back-to-back World War-winning classics. Although firearms technology has advanced to propagate the popularity of the smaller 9x19mm cartridge, the . 45 ACP remains popular with civilians, law enforcement and military units.
