People have liked 45 cal since black powder revolvers were introduced (probably earlier, better refer to @AndyinEverson on that one). It's an eternal infatuation!
9mm was only an advancement in powder technology that allowed the 30 Mauser / 30 Luger case to be shrunk down allowing for more capacity. People like to have a lot of zippy rounds, always will!
Smaller cartridges were mostly the result of rich men wanting something they could stick in a pocket. I believe a lot of early derringers were 32 cal, so it likely had that familiar flavor as the world turned from black powder, to black powder cases, to smokeless cased ammo ... and they held on for those reasons.
Savage introduced a pistol with a 10 round mag in 32acp, designated the M1907, a hundred years later it's the Sig P365 with a standard 10 round magazine in 9mm NATO... and they're about the same size!
Granted, they'll all kill people...
The worm will turn, man!
9mm was only an advancement in powder technology that allowed the 30 Mauser / 30 Luger case to be shrunk down allowing for more capacity. People like to have a lot of zippy rounds, always will!
Smaller cartridges were mostly the result of rich men wanting something they could stick in a pocket. I believe a lot of early derringers were 32 cal, so it likely had that familiar flavor as the world turned from black powder, to black powder cases, to smokeless cased ammo ... and they held on for those reasons.
Savage introduced a pistol with a 10 round mag in 32acp, designated the M1907, a hundred years later it's the Sig P365 with a standard 10 round magazine in 9mm NATO... and they're about the same size!
Granted, they'll all kill people...
The worm will turn, man!