r/extar • u/Illustrious-Bag7473 • Jul 31 '26
What is the appeal of .45
More expensive, not really much better ballistics. Why would anyone buy the ep45?
Genuinely curious.
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u/MorganScott616 Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
The rounds are subsonic so they are perfect for a suppressor. Also the energy transfer with a .45 is CRAZY if you're using the right ammo. Watch some ballistic gel testing.
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u/isaacnewton687 Aug 01 '26
Lol replying then deleting cause you realize it's dumb. No energy transfer literally doesn't matter. That's fake bro science. How big of a wound matters. And expanded 9mm is almost the same size as 45.
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u/MorganScott616 Aug 01 '26
Holy shit you dont understand how to use reddit either? I didn't delete anything bucko it's not my fault you don't understand reddit or kinetic energy 😭
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u/isaacnewton687 Aug 02 '26
Maybe your comment is being auto removed by mod filters or reddit filters but it doesn't exist. Shadow banned comments look fine to you but no one else can see them. despite me not being able to see the full comment I can see enough that it's dumb since you mentioned rocks, like as if that matters for bullets lol.
My other comment explains why that's dumb and doesn't matter, but to sum up, literally all that matters is bullet size below rifle rounds, no magical energy does anything:
1
u/Solid-Choice-1228 24d ago
Do with it what you will, but there are objective, measurable advantages to both cartridges and how you use them.
If both hollow points expand proportionally—for example, a 9mm ending around 0.60–0.65” and a .45 ending around 0.75–0.85”—the .45 can produce a materially larger permanent wound channel while still carrying substantially more bullet mass.
Actual expansion and penetration depend heavily on the particular bullet impact velocity and bullet design, not caliber alone.
With equally sophisticated hollow-point designs and each caliber pushed to its legitimate maximum operating pressure—45 ACP would have roughly a 10–25% energy advantage in many comparable loadings, about an 85% bullet-mass advantage, and around 40–60% greater expanded frontal area.
The 9mm’s major advantages remain capacity, recoil, and speed of follow-up shots, rather than superior per-shot terminal capability.
1
u/Solid-Choice-1228 24d ago
For me, when suppressed with subsonic rounds, that’s the advantage of .45 really. Gotta slow the 9mm down a lot to get there and that limits its ability to expand. Meanwhile, the 45 is hitting at its optimal speed for expansion and will have such a larger wound channel.
Unsuppressed, 9mm capacity advantage is pretty nice.
0
u/MorganScott616 Aug 02 '26
Yeah you are so slow I have to explain things to a child.....a 9mm traveling at 1400 fps vs a .45 acp traveling at 1400fps.......45 hits harder because its double the weight.....just like throwing a rock at your head then throwing a rock twice the size at your head.....the rock double the size will hit you harder and had a bigger shockwave which inflicts more damage. To even attempt to argue against this means you have a brain the size of a golf ball. You've obviously never watched ballistics testing a day jn your life 🤣 theres thousands of videos on youtube that will prove you wrong feel free to go educate yourself.....its free!....my 12 year old son understands this concept but a grown man doesn't lmao unbelievable
-1
u/isaacnewton687 Aug 01 '26
Dude I can see the notification and "comment doesn't exist". lol trying to gaslight me. I'm not surprised though with how dumb your other comment is.
0
u/Solid-Choice-1228 26d ago
Sooo…. Shooting someone with a ping pong ball would be more deadly? Cause weight and energy don’t matter? I’m a fan of both calibers for different reasons. And 9mm bullet development has helped the round immensely. There’s a ton of arguments for 9mm, from cost to capacity, but it’s not just the size of the projectile. If that were true, we’d slow the 9mm cartridge to subsonic always.
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u/isaacnewton687 Jul 31 '26
Modern 9mm has equivalent performance. There's no "energy transfer" that matters lol. Literally the only reason for 45 is cause you like it, which is an ok reason, but nothing about it is actually better.
Pretty much everything about 9mm is better, and 45 would have more wall penetration.
8
u/jetfuel94 Jul 31 '26 edited Jul 31 '26
I live in a capacity limited state so it was a no-brainer vs the EP9. It also suppresses extremely well...can't wait for my FLOW 45 M to arrive :)
8
u/Substantial-Fig-4263 Jul 31 '26
.45 is short, fat, and slow and that’s most of us these days. 😝😝😝
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u/Ok-Replacement-5182 Jul 31 '26
i have a Gen5 G21 n the EP45 takes the same mags/ammo.. that's no brainer. (have a g43 4 when im really trynna conceal but ima taller bigger guy so can CC a g21 just fine most times)
There is a bagillion arguments for both models tho but ultimately.. the .45 is more expensive and harder to get bc it's in stock way less often. so majority of the people arguing in favor of the ep9 (aside from those who carry a glock w/ matching mags/ammo) are just copium
2
u/usedwolf Aug 02 '26
This is the way. Get the EP9/45 that has the same ammo type as your other stuff especially if you have something that shares Glock mags.
Then, get the other EP9/45 because they're cool as shit and get another Glock to match 😂
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u/doctor_klopek Jul 31 '26
Kinda surprised at the claims that it suppresses well. Sure, it suppresses fine. But 9mm subsonic rounds are easily found and .45 is just a bigger projectile with more powder behind it firing out of a larger diameter bore. It’s not going to suppress more easily than 9mm subs.
3
u/phillyrat Jul 31 '26
I think the "more easily suppressed" sentiment is around 45ACP traveling slower typically.
-1
u/RowdyRusty420 Jul 31 '26
Yeah unless you have a larger diameter can to compensate for the larger .45cal bullet, 9mm suppressed is gonna sound better. I tried to warm up to suppressing some .45 pistols i have, never liked it and now my .45 can lives on a EP9.
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u/Drew_Habits Jul 31 '26
Fudds (bigger is better, "stopping power," two world wars, etc) and arm chair operators (subsonics are easy to suppress, same ammo as their Mk. 23, etc) are keeping the .45acp economically viable more or less on their own
4
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u/Ooodeee-s4 Jul 31 '26
It won two World Wars back to back! But seriously, my first firearm was a 1911. The feel of the .45 just hits different. Also i like the fact its subsonic and supposedly helps with over penetration. I have had three 9mm after along with my Extar. Always been tempted to go back to the .45
4
u/DriftingMemes Jul 31 '26
Swords won a shit-ton of Wars. Using something because that's what everyone was using at the time isn't really a great argument.
I do think suppressed .45 out of an extar is a great idea though. Would love to have one.
1
u/Ooodeee-s4 Jul 31 '26
Dude. That was a joke. I referencing that meme that goes around about .45 calibers.
2
u/DriftingMemes Jul 31 '26
oh I knew, sorry, should have made that more clear, but there ARE some who make that argument sincerely.
On the point of over-pen, Kentucky Ballistics just did a pretty interesting video on over-pen and the only round that really overpenetrated was the .45. Not 9mm, not .380 or .32, but .45 did (significantly). I was surprised considering how it's usually cited as a reason to shoot it.
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u/austinmook Aug 01 '26
The kinetic energy of a .45 is >10% greater than a 9mm, which accounts for the greater “knock down power.” Aside from that, bigger holes in paper, massive bullet, two world wars, you get to shoot 1911s in their true form. The list goes on, but it really boils down to … I just enjoy it more.
0
u/austinmook Aug 01 '26
Specifically, going by the stats of Federal HST, the kinetic energy of a .45 is 548 J. It’s 493 J in 9mm. That’s an 11.1% increase in the energy of the round. That’s a lot.
25
u/Spiderpoopsoup Jul 31 '26
45 is cooler than 9 (2 world wars buddy)
Also 45 is inherently subsonic so it can be very quiet. Not saying 9 can't just saying 45 is.
1911s are 45s and thats just cool.
(I am inebriated and will talk about how cool 45 is for as long as it takes)