Lot to play with especially if you are also looking at soft armor penetration where 300aac can vastly outperform 9mm or 45. I just threw out 50gi because it is a fun silly option that never really got popular enough to be noticed with 45acp being a dominant option for the better part of a century.

SAFEupstateFML,

Now you did it–you mentioned the utility of a short-barreled rifle when shooting subsonic with a suppressor. (A short-barreled rifle maintains sight radius and balance while reducing overall length for extra maneuverability–all without sacrificing any muzzle velocity.)

That will be my project for this year or next year: identify a semi-automatic short-barreled rifle chambered in 9mm Luger or .45 ACP, submit the appropriate form to ATF to acquire my tax stamp, and then acquire the short-barreled rifle.

I suppose that I could look for same chambered in .300 AAC Blackout. However, if I am going to be shooting subsonic through a suppressor, I might as well opt for a caliber with the largest diameter bullet possible, where “largest diameter” covers both unexpanded and expanded bullets. Needless to say, both 9mm Luger and .45 ACP are significantly larger diameter than .300 AAC Blackout, both unexpanded and expanded.

With that setup the 5 inch barrel versions of 9mm rifle/smg/pcc/”pistol” absolutely makes sense. Honestly I more see 50gi making a comeback/actually have some level of popularity in the space you describe if sbr/suppressors get deregulated.

For reference I paid $700 for my pistol-rated suppressor which has an aluminum tube and weighs 8.7 ounces (short) or 12.7 ounces (with its extension). I am sure it is a skosh louder than the titanium masterpiece featured in this article. I can live with that for just over half the price. And my suppressor is fully serviceable.

In terms of home defense, my preferred platform at this time is a suppressed carbine chambered in 9mm Luger and loaded with subsonic 147 grain hollowpoints. Even though there is no muzzle velocity advantage of a carbine over a pistol when shooting subsonic ammunition, I like the much longer sight radius and better balance/handling of the carbine.

Some day I may step up to a carbine chambered in .45 ACP (and suppressed) for a bit more oomph in terms of home defense “firepower”. For now, the 9mm carbine will have to do.

Heading that way but until they are off the NFA and 50 state legal there will be premiums to pay.

and make it 52 state legal.