Arguably, for as long as anyone can remember, firearms enthusiasts and professionals have debated which caliber handgun is the most effective. One of the classic arguments, 9mm vs. .45 ACP, has created so much angst and studies, and new-found insight from the US Army Medical Department and the FBI makes it so much clearer.
Even though it is bigger in diameter, the .45 caliber bullet penetrates and fractures bone poorly, according to the US Army Medical Department.
“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,” the department said. The saying remarks on the vulnerability of the .45 ACP against the higher velocity rounds.
Another factor by which the 9mm round is very effective is some extensive testing performed by the FBI. They found that the ballistics and penetration power of the new, more powerful 9mm Luger ammunition were able to retain much of the ballistic performance and penetration of its bigger-caliber brethren, yet being easier to control, allowing for accurate shots.
The FBI says, as far as the truth of the matter is concerned, “handgun stopping power is simply a myth,” and that there has been little to no appreciable difference in wound tracks between premium line law enforcement projectiles from 9mm Luger through the .45 Auto.
Armed with that knowledge, many police agencies have gone back to 9mm because of the greater magazine capacity of its ammo, less recoil, and equal terminal performance. A perfect example is the wide acceptance by police departments into adopting the Glock 45, a 9mm pistol.
Over several decades, the United States police forces have been using Glock pistols due to their reliability, simplicity, and value for money.
Veteran law enforcement officer and gun writer Richard Nance describes the advantages the Glock 45 offers: technically a blend of the Glock 17 and Glock 19, “the G45 features a full-length grip like that of the G17, but it’s shorter-barreled like the G19; hence, the result will be an extremely balanced pistol, a gun so easy to handle and fast to draw.”.
Some of the features make the Glock 45 an extremely versatile, highly reliable duty weapon-to mention a few: the Glock Marksman barrel, which improves accuracy; the front serrations on the slide; and a loaded-chamber indicator.
The modular design provides interchangeable grip options and adds the ambidextrous slide-stop lever to provide an adjustment for any shooter.
After endless tests, 95 percent of Nance’s officers preferred the Glock 45 above all else. The ergonomics, magazine capacity, and the controllable 9mm round made it impossible for officers not to fall in love with the pistol – even the most skeptical ones. “The overwhelming sentiment was that the Glock 45 was the most well-balanced gun the officers had ever shot,” says Nance.
However, the Glock 45’s success certainly wasn’t restricted to the police. Indeed, the Glock 19, the compact variant of the Glock 17, was recently officially designated sidearm for most elite forces – including the Army Special Forces and Delta Force, as well as the Navy SEALs. This occurs by exploiting its reliability, modularity, and compact size to be useful in so many different mission sets.
Glock pistols simply are known for being plain and rugged, easy to service and maintain, and can be brought to any user’s wish. With the Glock Safe Action, three safety devices are incorporated into the firearm: No manual safety need exists due to this level of security already present.
In the final analysis, the Glock 45 and its 9mm chambering do bring a rather high level of expectation to law enforcement firearms. This is simply the handgun that works perfectly due to the singular blend of reliability, accuracy, and efficiency of its use for police officers as well as elite military units.
Amidst all the hand-wringing over which handgun caliber reigns supreme, the Glock 45 stands as a standout example of how fine modern 9mm ammunition can be and why, through it all, Glock seems always to land at or near the pinnacle of the pistol innovation curve.