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Popular Semi-Automatic calibers

Current production semi-automatic pistols are produced in quantity in just a few calibers. The most popular calibers for general use semi-autos are, in order of case size, the 9mm Luger, .40 S&W and .45 ACP; in addition the 10mm and .357 SIG are also growing in use. Choosing the correct caliber for personal use is a matter of weighing the respective advantages and disadvantages of each caliber and then making an informed decision. There are some differences in ammunition used in semi-automatic pistols and revolvers and they are described on our Pistol and Revolver differences page.

9mm Luger

Georg Luger developed a number of firearms and calibers, among which was the 9mm Parabellum which was developed in the last years of the 1800s. This caliber is also known as the 9mm, the 9x19mm, the 9mm Luger; there are some other calibers (9mm Kurz, 9mm Largo, 9mm Makarov, 9mm Short) that sound similar but are very different and incompatible with the 9mm. The 9mm round is by far the most common and cheapest caliber for semi-automatic pistols. The round itself is light and the recoil is lower - usual projectile weights range from 90 to 147 grains and velocities are in the 1000 feet per second to 1400 fps range. In addition to being inexpensive the 9mm bullets themselves are smaller and therefore the magazine capacities are larger than for the other calibers. Many studies have been done regarding this caliber's effectiveness and the results are mixed. The FBI, using 9mm bullets, had a fatal shootout in 1986 which prompted them to reassess their caliber choice and this is often used as a justification for choosing a heavier caliber. Since that time, significant improvements in bullet design have occurred which mitigate this decision.

.40 S&W

The .40 Smith & Wesson caliber was introduced to the market in 1990 by Winchester. This round came about by duplicating the ballistics of the 10mm FBI round that came as a result of the findings in the FBI shoot out in 1986 that prompted the switch from 9mm to 10mm. The case size of the 10mm bullet was larger than required, so while keeping the projectile identical to that of the 10mm the case was redesigned into what is now the .40 S&W. This new caliber quickly became a big success and all of the major firearms manufacturers as well as ammunition suppliers quickly came out with this caliber. The .40 S&W has projectile weights from 150 to 200 grains and velocities of 700 feet per second to 1100 fps. The .40 S&W is often considered a good compromise between the small, high-capacity 9mm and the much larger .45 ACP round.

.45 ACP

The bullet is generally referred to as a .45, the ACP stands for Automatic Colt Pistol and is usually left out. The firearm this caliber was designed for is the venerable M1911 and both the firearm and caliber were designed by John Browning, with General John T. Thompson (of Thompson submachine gun fame). The .45 ACP round has a heavy projectile weighing at 185 grains up to 230 grains and travelling at velocities from 800 feet per second to 1000 fps. This heavy bullet often makes for a solid recoil and it's large size makes for a greatly reduced magazine capacity. The wildly successful M1911 style of firearm has helped make this caliber very popular. For additional information, see this article.

10mm

The 10mm cartridge was created by NORMA of Sweden but released in 1983 by Dornhaus & Dixon for their Bren Ten firearm. Unfortunately the company had manufacturing issues and went bankrupt in 1985. The 10mm caliber bridged the wide gap between the 9x19mm and .45 ACP and is the predecessor to the .40 S&W. The 10mm case is larger than the .40 S&W and can contain more powder. Projectile weights range from 150 grains to 200 grains with velocities of 1100 feet per second to 1300 fps. The projectile is identical to that of the .40 S&W but bullet speeds and foot-pounds of energy are much higher and the perceived recoil is much higher. The 10mm round remains in production but it's use is not increasing greatly. Additional 10mm information can be found here.

.357 SIG

The .357 SIG cartridge is the newest popular handgun caliber, it is the first mainstream necked handgun cartridge in over 80 years and was developed by SIG-Sauer and Winchester starting with the general dimensions of the .40 S&W cartridge but enhancing the speed by necking down the projectile to what is a 9mm bullet. The projectiles used in this caliber are the same as those of the 9mm while velocities range from 1100 feet per second all the way to 1600 fps. The .357 SIG cartridge has often been called a necked-down .40S&W cartridge, this is erroneous but understandable. To the naked eye the case looks like a .40S&W that has a bottleneck, but even though the exterior dimension look the same the .357 SIG case is designed to hold much higher pressure and it is thicker and stronger on the inside.