Ill Explain why i think this.
My Pops was Highway Patrol for 30 years, all of the officers hated 9mm,(thats why i dislike them) not enough stopping power. thats why cops now carry .45 ACP. Dont get me wrong i like shooting 9mm, its just id never buy one. As for a CCW stand-point i carry a .45 ACP. I used to carry a .22 LR, so Size of the bullet does not matter to me. as for "Just" shooting holes in paper....Get some tanerite (hopefully i spelled that right) make some explosions. They make some for rimfire and some for centerfire rifles. But as for choosing a caliber for a lacking part of your life is horse shit! Only assholes "compensate." most people i know that use guns for anything is usually statistical, 50-Cal for hunting gives you more distance you can shoot something. .45 ACP for defense, you only need one shot if it comes to that. Everything depends on what your using it for and what your comfortable with. Im comfy with a .45 ACP for Carry, 410 judge for home defense (so it wont go through walls), and a .257 weatherby for hunting (which is not a big round). but i digress, I have a test in the morning and need to get some shut eye,