Okayyy--well--of course there are...and everything you've said seems to make little sense. I just find it ironic that you come out swinging .380 talking about "knockdown power" crap which directly conflicts with your previous statements.
Methinks he dost protest too much
The only thing I suggested "swinging" was a sledge hammer.
I told you my thoughts on the .380. They are mere opinion, and if you chose to carry a .380 that you can shoot accurately, you're doing better than 98% of most handgun owners -- no matter what caliber they tote.
I haven't changed my views on "knockdown power" as an accurate measure of
handgun capability -- which remains an incantation of gun-store commandos whose use of the phrase belies a misunderstanding of the purpose of handguns and the limits of projectiles.
Some weapons can and will "knock down" any human -- a 5 or 10 lb sledge will certainly do it -- so will a sword, a pike, a bayonet, a bullwhip, or hands.
And
any handgun round will floor
any person, given suitable placement of the lead.
The problem is few of us have Annie Oakley's skills -- especially in a street fight -- so a miss is more likely than a clean shot to the eye (whatever the "immediate stopping hit" place
du jour is...).
So we are forced to choose a round that combines a
compromise between projectile weight, velocity, platform portability, affordability, comfort, complexity, and suitability (no Desert Eagles in the Night Club, for example).
I chose the 9mm because it's widely available, has a proven track record, is small enough to carry many rounds, is shaped for easy loading (even when fouled), and is a caliber SigArms makes. I have total confidence in the Sig.
I lost confidence in the .40s lifespan, given a troubling history over time -- particularly in Glocks.
YMMV.