As far as the caliber wars, I'm tired of them. 9mm is more than sufficient and has probably killed more people in the last 20 years than any other caliber, is the choice of many LEO agencies, as well as the military. (Though, it would be interesting to see what handgun caliber the military would choose of not mandated by NATO.) Just like deer hunting, a well placed .223 round can be more effective than a inaccurate .338 round.

Especially for carrying a polymer based, sub compact size handgun, it is difficult to control the recoil of a caliber larger than a 9mm for many shooters. I carry a compact size .40 (Glock 23) most of the time, but if I go subcompact, will carry a 9mm. I do have a .380 backup gun that I sometimes carry on my ankle or in my pocket (usually on road trips or out hunting in certain areas), though I almost never carry that as my primary weapon.

If you do choose to carry a larger caliber, your shot placement should be every bit as good as a 9mm, which means you should be/are/have been shooting on a regular basis. Being a hunting forum, I assume many on here are more competent with a handgun than the average armed citizen, however, don't let your ego be the determining factor in your caliber selection. Your selection should be based on the nature of the ballistics and your ability to handle the weapon. You should take into serious consideration your ability to handle that caliber with one hand, further consideration for your ability to handle that caliber with your off hand. These are the realities of carrying a handgun for self defense purposes.

I also hate it when a potential new gun owner with no experience and little consumer knowledge is shopping for a handgun and the caliber snobs start telling him or her that they need a gun with more stopping power than that inexperienced shooter will be able to effectively handle.

they ain't top heavy when you've got a full magazine. (at least not to my feel)

"caliber snobs"

I like it

wait till he asks about deer calibers, lol

wait till he asks about deer calibers, lol

"caliber snobs"

I like it