agree with most of your post.
disagree... with the 9mm
check the ballistics of a 9mm 147grain jacketed hollow point.
don't get me wrong... I love my 45's... but the 9mm when properly loaded is an efficient killer.
Every good instructor will tell you it is about shot placement. Right now, my go to gun is the Ruger SRC9 in my safe in condition 1 (ready to fire) and in my car I have my Sig 2022 in 40. Occasionally, I have been in very high crime rate areas, w/ lots of carjacking, and in addition to the Sig I carry my Kahr 40 single stack on me. If it is a really really bad neighborhood I will put my Glock 23 (which I don't really like shooting...but they go bang every time in my passengers seat w/ a towel over it).
My wife used to say I had a siege mentality until 3 thieves tried to rob her (w/ my son in the car). She called me as she got to our driveway, and they boxed her in. My son is the world to me, and I suppose I kind of sort of want my wife around[
)] so I came out w/ my A/R-15 from the side of the house w/ gave me the drop on them. Houston had record setting home invasions that year, thanks to our hospitality for the criminals in from hurricane Katrina (thank you, New Orleans). My friend got robbed, the Mayor of Sugar land got robbed.
They decided to leave. As a general rule, I would almost never use an AR in a home defense situation (outside could kill a neighbor...I have really nice neighbors) inside could kill my son. I have a Mossberg 12 gauge...and this is kind of embarrassing, but I have never trained w/ a shotgun. Shotguns are the best for home defense. Just racking the slide will usually send unwanted guests running
There was a study done, where they asked criminals who specialized in home break ins, and guess what the # 1 deterrent?
Dogs.
By the way, we should talk about safety. If you carry (legally, w/ your ccl...btw, if you get pulled over put your ccl on top of the drivers license....great way of getting out of a ticket) you need to dramatically change your attitude.
Someone flips you off, let it go, someone cuts you off, let it go, some one insults you, let it go. If you carry, you have to be kind, loving, and tolerant.