.40 cal bastard child?

[byhova]

I also went with the .40 as my first gun, not to carry but as a regular shooter. Which now I'm glad I did because the .40 ammo is much easier to come by where I'm at. I wanted to start with a 9mm but in 4 months I have yet to see the 1st of 9mm ammo, but I've accumulated about 1000 rounds of .40. For me it was a learning curve for the recoil (vs the 9 & 45). My personal opinion based off those 3 cal I shot the 40 seems to have a little recoil. Although it might have been what I was shooting (handgun wise) but now after some practicing I love my .40....However everyone I talk to is there is nothing like shooting a 45 through a 1911.

 

[RJHill]

While I've enjoyed almost every gun I've shot I have a Glock 23C and love the way it shoots. Can't say I prefer 40 over 45 or 9, but I'm more accurate with 40 than 45.

 

[Hkfiend]

Maybe you should.

Second!

 

[byhova]

While I've enjoyed almost every gun I've shot I have a Glock 23C and love the way it shoots. Can't say I prefer 40 over 45 or 9, but I'm more accurate with 40 than 45.

I couldn't agree more, as for myself I don't if its because I've shot the 40 a little more than the 9 & 45 but my accuracy and groupings always seem much better with the 40..

 

[Packin' Preacher]

I own a variety of cal. guns. 9x19, .40 S&W; .38 they all have there purpose. My thoughts for practicality are to pick a cal. and stock pile ammo in that. I just can't seem to follow my own advice! .40 will stop em' in their tracks. Good cal. I have fun shooting it.

 

[Brando]

I just acquired a .40 shield and a .380 ACP LCP. After shooting them, I have no idea why people ***** about recoil. Yeah it isn't a .22, but from what I read on here and other sites, you'd think they were a .50 BMG.

 

[88E30M50]

I thought I read somewhere that the .40 S&W was in response to an FBI complaint that the 10mm was too dififcult to control so they took the 10mm and shortened the case and Voila' the .40 S&W. I could be wrong and I assure you I have been accused of that more than once.

That's not quite right from what I understand. The reason the FBI moved away from the 10mm was that they found that they could get good performance at velocities well under the normal spec for 10mm given bullet design of the time. They were also getting some complaints from agents over the grip size of the larger framed pistols required for the 10mm cartridge. S&W saw an opportunity and shortened the cartridge enough to fit in a 9mm sized frame, while still meeting the FBI requirements for velocity.

Back when the 10mm first came out, bullet design was not where it is today and if they pushed the .401 bullet too fast, it came apart. Today, 10mm can be loaded at its original spec without as much of a chance of bullet failure due to higher quality designs and fabrication.

But, the FBI girly wrist story still lives on. To that, add the fable of the paradox of .40 S&W being too weak, yet still having a kick that is too strong for some. Life would be boring if not for the myths that float about.

So, where are all these .40 pistols being dumped? I would not mind adding a few more to the safe to use as backups.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

I just acquired a .40 shield and a .380 ACP LCP. After shooting them, I have no idea why people ***** about recoil. Yeah it isn't a .22, but from what I read on here and other sites, you'd think they were a .50 BMG.

Because more muzzle flip = more time between followup shots. Its not that its painful or intolerable, its just that all else being equal you can't shoot as accurately AS FAST as you can with a lower recoil round.

Recoil isn't all about what you can bear, its about what you can quickly compensate for and control.

 

[blazer1]

My first gun was a .40 it goes with me every time to the range. I am just as accurate with it as I am with 9mm and .45.

 

[dtkw]

I love my .40 Sig P229, when hit a full bottle of water at 25 yards, watching it exploded was priceless. Same with a watermelon.

 

[88E30M50]

Because more muzzle flip = more time between followup shots. Its not that its painful or intolerable, its just that all else being equal you can't shoot as accurately AS FAST as you can with a lower recoil round.

Recoil isn't all about what you can bear, its about what you can quickly compensate for and control.

That's the point most people seem to miss. It's not how accurate you are with a particular caliber, it's how well you shoot it in a crisis. I recently switched from 9mm to .40 for daily carry and I really struggled with the idea that I'd be giving up time with each follow up shot. It was not until I shot the .40 a lot that I convinced myself it was a trade I could make. To be honest, I'm still slower with the .40 than I am with the 9mm, but I'm actually more accurate with the .40 than I was with the 9mm. I don't know if that bit of extra time is letting me find the front sight a bit better than I was with the 9 or what.

But, you're right about it being all about what you can control.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

The great caliber debate, it's good for a morning laugh. Fact is, handgun bullets are not overly affective to begin with. I would much rather have a shotgun or a rifle, but I can't carry either easily on my waist. It's not about the caliber, it's about being profecient with what you carry. A lot of people buy a gun, and never even fire it, or do so very little. If you can't shoot under stress, I don't care what caliber you carry. I have owned 45's, 40's, and 9mm's. When I started reloading, I had more 9mm's than anything. Therefore, I stuck with one cartridge, and sold my .40. Get out and shoot instead of saying my caliber is better than yours.

 

[HotD]

The main reason I stick with the .40 is because a majority of people go with 9mm. I load ammunition and can find the components. I like the way the round shoots and have no issue with recoil. The capacity issue doesn't bother me either.

To each his own. At least I'm not carrying a 10mm.

Yep. You carry the 10mm short.

Just like me.

 

[jgressley2003]

The reason I bought my .40 is because someone told me it kills the bad guy deader than 9 or 45. I take it he was wrong?

 

[sampo]

I have a .40S&W and a 10mm, and a stockpile of ammo. MAN do I feel stupid.

 

[Indy_Guy_77]

Shoot what you want. Carry what you want. Makes no matter to me.

For those wanting to get into the game for the first time, I personally steer people away from the .40 due to the higher chances for a "newby" not liking the recoil characteristics, then not wanting to practice / not like the gun / etc. (Same reason why I think it's foolish to recommend an airweight .38 revolver as an only gun for a new shooter)

I recently shot about 50rds through a brand new 3rd Gen G22. Hated every single shot. A few years ago, I shot a mag through either a G22 converted to .357 Sig or a G31 (don't know, didn't look close enough) And I had a blast.

I personally think that the M&P FS 9mm and the G17 are real honey pies. The M&P9c is quite nice, too. Never shot a G23, 27, or 26. Don't remember shooting my G19 enough to really have much of an opinion.

No caliber war on my end. I'm aware that, in general, they all suck.

But I know that I'm not giving up anything by carrying a puny 9mm.

-J-

 

[lovemachine]

Shoot what you want. Carry what you want. Makes no matter to me.

For those wanting to get into the game for the first time, I personally steer people away from the .40 due to the higher chances for a "newby" not liking the recoil characteristics, then not wanting to practice / not like the gun / etc. (Same reason why I think it's foolish to recommend an airweight .38 revolver as an only gun for a new shooter)

I recently shot about 50rds through a brand new 3rd Gen G22. Hated every single shot. A few years ago, I shot a mag through either a G22 converted to .357 Sig or a G31 (don't know, didn't look close enough) And I had a blast.

I personally think that the M&P FS 9mm and the G17 are real honey pies. The M&P9c is quite nice, too. Never shot a G23, 27, or 26. Don't remember shooting my G19 enough to really have much of an opinion.

No caliber war on my end. I'm aware that, in general, they all suck.

But I know that I'm not giving up anything by carrying a puny 9mm.

-J-

If you let me shoot your Shield, I'll let you shoot my G19 and G26.

 

[Robjps]

3? of these threads this week? ffs....

 

[Que]

Yep. You carry the 10mm short.

Just like me.

Ohhhh nooooooo...

 

[in625shooter]

I have a good friend that I hunt with and have since we were teenagers. He is an ER doctor in the Philly area. We talked about modern defense ammo as we were skinning a deer.

His take on the whole modern bullet design topic: "I have pulled more bullets out of bodies than I care to remember and I can say that the most consistent thing about modern bullet design is their inconsistency. Sometimes they do as advertised, and sometimes then fold in on themselves and hardly expand at all".

FWIW

^THIS^ while statistically modern ammunion is suppose to "perform" in the real world it's murphy's Law that happens.

I tried to attach this to another topic but here is an afteraction report by the FBI on a shooting incident by a municipal PD in PA. the Officers used 40 cal amoung other rounds.

I recommend clicking on the black box and reading the whole story.

(WARNING IT HAS PICS)

FBI Ballistics Brief: Officer Involved Shooting Photos | Public Intelligence