The Army is Replacing the M9

Too bad they won't rethink tactical bullets that can't hold together through winter clothing. Don't you think that has something to do with the effectiveness of a handgun? And why with such bullets, it doesn't seem to matter what caliber?

No matter what the caliber, too often it takes 5 hits or more with those to stop a determined drug-numbed (zombie-like) adversary. That's why special forces clearing caves in Afghanistan insisted on .45's with full metal jackets. It is stupid that those who make the decisions far away and cozy safe from the fights, are so consumed about collateral damage that they give our police bullets that suck at the primary job.

Our soldiers have been fighting drug-numbed adversaries since the Spanish American war in the Philippines.

My handgun is a means for me to fight my way to my battle rifle. That is if it isn't already with me for some screwed up reason.

dangun,
this is a tossup for me. i have owned 44s, and 1911 45s. only shot paper with them. i respect what people in combat think....but for me in a real firefight i think i would be more comfortable with 17 round rather than 7. i know i shoot my 9mm better than the big bores i have owned. with the development and advancement of personal defense bullets now, it seems logical that ammo testing would be a first option to pistol changes. i hope they ask the troops what they want rather than asking the generals and defense contractors.

The old way of thinking about wound one and it will take three out of the battle is no longer the current thinking. It has been proven battle after battle that many of the counties we have fought, simply don't place the same value on life as we do. So a wounded enemy is just as likely to lay wounded on the battlefield as not. The main reason for hard ball ammo now is for protection from damage during transportation and to hopefully maximize the number of casualties. They want the bullet to pass through and hopefully hit another. Most enemy when the wound is severe enough loses his will to fight and that will turns to survival.
Yes there have been hundred of reports when the enemy keeps coming but there are thousands of reports that wounds as small as a grazed arm sends them packing for home.

On one of my recent vacations that Uncle Sugar sent me on, we had a Dain officer observing for the U.N. ask me why I had a .45 pistol on my hip (I did catch myself before I smarted off) and said that it was my assigned sidearm. He looked me right in the eye and said: “That may be so, but you will not deploy with it!” He proceeded to tell me: “Studies from Iraq and Afghanistan have showed that the .45 ACP was too affective in killing and that it only took an average of 2.6 .45 ACP rounds to kill an enemy combative, were it took on average 15 rounds of 9mm!” All the more reason for me to carry the .45 I said and without a blink, his reply was: “You will not in my war!” Well, I lost it and asked him: “If we are not going there to kill the enemy, why the hell are you sending a BN of Green Berets there? Are we going to deliver Girl Scout cookies and flowers?” OK the Lt. Col saw what I meant but still gave it to me about respecting our friends in this war; I said with friends like this, do we really need enemies? I must give it to the Lt. Col though, he did discipline me and could keep the smile off his face most of the time for why I was in his office.
We also got a nice 3 hour briefing about the sniper bullets we use: Sierra Match Kings and the fact that they are “open tipped” and not Hollow Points!

7th: After all you know we are not supposed to kill the enemy too fast or too dead you must give them a fighting chance, and we wonder what is wrong in the world today. Durning Viet Namm I carried an M56 very leathal in right hands, LOL! Also I was never "in country".Almost though as a contractor.

I agree with 7th in that the 45 is more effective than the 9mm in a combat situation. Even knowing that with proper shot placement almost everything is effective not many are going to try and make every shot count in combat. That is a true spray and pray situation.
Boys war is war and it is a Bitch. Screw the convention except in the treatment of prisoners (I think we are the only country that comes close to following it) but on the battlefield they can die by whatever means. I'd carpet bomb the shit out of them with nothing but daisy cutters. Now I know there are some good people over there but they need to leave so we can turn the whole place into a big glass ashtray!
Sorry but I got some blood in that fight and I'm not happy with pussy footing around with those countries anymore.

OK, so if the Army going to replace the M9, what pistol would you recommend they buy?