Compare a 9mm 1911 fullsize mag to a .45 acp mag. A 9mm mag holds 9-10 while a .45 acp holds 7-8.
Have you ever held a double stack .45?
9mm nearly matches the ballistics of .45 while allowing more capacity, being cheaper, and having more plentiful choices in not only loadings, but firearms as well.
.45 is only like 2 years older than 9mm, if it was better, the market would show less of a gap in sales.
zackmars,
The 9x19mm is DEFINITELY an INFERIOR STOPPER when Ball ammo is compared to Ball ammo from the GM in .45ACP.
(Because of international agreements, FMJ is ALL that military personnel may carry "on the job".)
ADDENDA: YES, I've held/fired a double-stack .45 on the range. My hands aren't large enough to shoot it well, so I've never owned one.
Further, during the "Interwar era" & when we still had troops in the Philippines fighting the Moro, the 9x19mm and/or .38ACP (The USN had some Colt's GM in .38ACP but NOT in .38 Super.) was found to NOT STOP those fanatic native warriors, while the standard 230 grain FMJ .45ACP would "put them down for the count" & frequently GYD right then/there.
yours, satx