Hugh,
I’m always glad to hear stories from fellow Marines on your blog. Having served as a combat Marine in Fallujah (2004), I can appreciate the lessons he’s disseminating and vouch for their effectiveness. However, there is one detail I want to clarify to your readers:
The 9mm is not a bad round. It’s actually quite an effective round with the right bullet. The military is restricted to using mostly ball type ammunition, due to the obsolete Hague Convention, and 9mm ball is, unequivocally, a terrible round for stopping humans. It’s great for light barrier penetration and target shooting, and that’s all it should be relegated to. Modern 9mm jacketed hollow-points have elevated the humble 9mm up to respectable standards, and through testing have held their place right along with the overly hyped .45 ACP. Just as the Marines had done by switching from M855 ball to the Mk318 SOST to improve the terminal ballistics of the 5.56mm round, a similar effort should be done to replace the antiquated ball round with something more purpose driven. I have nothing against the 1911 or .45 ACP, but given the cost/performance/capacity of 9mm with modern JHP’s, it’s the pragmatic choice of many long-time shooters and the new standard for the FBI. Regards, – R.D.