Tell me what are the advantages of 40 Smith & Wesson.

[Bluedragon]

From the time I got into shooting, to the time i got my gun permit. I have believed the 9mm the to be the best caliber in my opinion. Due to the capacity, light recoil, inexpensive on practice ammo compared to other calibers, and the fact 9mm is pretty much everywhere in the world. It is my favorite caliber. However I have been toying around with the idea of getting a different caliber in a gun for home defense and occasional carry, just for that little extra punch.

I still plan to carry and shoot the 9mm, but would like to have at least one other gun in a bigger caliber. Namely 40 Smith & Wesson. Being the guns in both calibers are about the same size, and the cost of ammo for 40S&W, is still cheaper then 45acp. Or here it is anyway.

But I want to know what exactly does 40. do that's better then 9mm? I know the obvious would be, it's a bigger round there for could probably be harder hitting. But ballistic wise, how much worse can a 40. do to a human target and or human tissue/organs?

Please don't think I am a psycho looking for trouble by asking this. Because I am not. I am being serious in asking these questions. I can't seem to find any info online that speaks about the 40's performance as a self defense round.

So far the only info I have gotten is data regarding it's velocity, bullet weights, and how many grains of gun powder are in the cartridges. So any help will be greatly appreciated.


p.s - Please don't try to persuade me to other calibers like 45acp or 357 Sig. Reason being for both being more expensive, and because I am pretty much set on 40 cal as being a bigger round then 9mm. Because like I said before, the ammo is still somewhat cheaper then 45acp or 357 Sig, and because the 40 rounds can fit into guns the same size as 9mm.

 

[Sweetums]

IMO - There isn't enough of a difference to make a fuss about. I've heard that in FBI's testing, that they favor the .40 because it punches through a car door better. I believe that if you have a 9mm handgun, and you are concerned about it not having enough punch, then you can buy 9mm +P (but make sure your handgun is rated for it).

I frequently carry a .380 ACP, and I feel comfortable with it. I know that I can get some very, very quick and accurate follow up shots with it. Other times, when my attire allows, I'll carry a CZ Rami in .40. If I can carry a big gun, then its another .40, a CZ 40B. My bedside firearm is a CZ P01 9mm.

Why is this? It is basically just because that is what was in the case at the time. The bad thing about working at Bradis, is that you are broke, all the time it seems...hahaha. All the CZ's were pre owned. I have magazine compatibility between the two .40s (which is nice), and I keep a light attached to the rail of the P01. My choices had nothing to do with seeking a certain caliber. My next CZ will be a P06 (same as the P01, but in .40). The only reasons...

1) The P01 is a NATO edition, only 500 made, AFAIK.

2) Magazine compatibility with my other two CZs.

I'll lock up the NATO P01, and use the P06 for the bedside.

 

[jsharmon7]

AMMUNITION BALLISTICS FOR .40 S&W#

That will answer your question as far as ballistic differences.

I'd also recommend reading Gabe Suarez's article here:

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...-issues_in_caliber_gabe_suarez_must_read.html

This is good too:

https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...contractor_in_iraq_and_9mm_effectiveness.html


If you're really set on getting a .40, I'd suggest going with a Glock 23. With the G23 you can pick up a 9mm barrel and still use all your 9mm ammo you have for your current gun. It's the best of both worlds.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Well with the .40 being a heavier round, the fps is going to be less however you have more mass. To me it's not as fast, but biger then the 9mm. Faster, but smaller then the .45. That's why I prefer it for a carry round. Not saying the 9mm will not do the job. Just a personal prefrence. Also with a 9mm you have a better chance of over penetration. I relalize with hollow points, and heavier bullets it lessens the chance. Like I said it's just a personal prefrence. I do have a 9mm for a back up carry gun. Just in case my main carry gun would be at the gun smith, etc. I'm going to purchase another 9mm at some point in time. I try not to shoot the one I have now, because it's a limited edition. Also I prefer the heavier bullet weights. 9mm I carry 147 grain, and .40 I carry 180 grain!

My back up

 

[ChalupaCabras]

But I want to know what exactly does 40. do that's better then 9mm?

Be .005" larger and carry 12% more energy than a standard 9mm load.

 

[rmcrob]

In the 40 vs 9 conversation, it's all about energy. Caliber is minimally different, but the 40 carries more weight and more muzzle velocity, thus more momentum.

As you can see, the 40 is still carrying more energy at 100 yds than the 9 has at the muzzle.

 

[mammynun]

On the plus side, It's more available in my area.

Downside (for me) is the "snappy" recoil... slower 2nd shot. Truthfully, there'll probably never be a "1st shot," but I get back on target faster with a 9mm or a .45 in a given gun than with the .40.

I'm comfortable carrying anything from a 9mm on up.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

On the plus side, It's more available in my area.

Downside (for me) is the "snappy" recoil... slower 2nd shot. Truthfully, there'll probably never be a "1st shot," but I get back on target faster with a 9mm or a .45 in a given gun than with the .40.

I'm comfortable carrying anything from a 9mm on up.

I do not find the .40 to be snapy personaly!

 

[mammynun]

I do not find the .40 to be snapy personaly!

I'm not saying it's a huge issue for me, and when I see the boxes of .40 at wally world I often wish I had some pistols in that caliber! But the wife preferred the recoil of 9mm over .40, and I shoot better/quicker with 9mm and .45 so that's what we have. My stepson has several .40's, and I like most of them... but my PM45 seems to have less felt recoil than his CW40. That's the extreme example; much less difference with the other, heavier pistols. But I have no problem with .40 S&W. To me, it's like a Glock: absolutely nothing wrong with them, they're just not for me.

 

[Joe Williams]

snip
But I want to know what exactly does 40. do that's better then 9mm?snip

Nothing.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

If you're dead set on the .40, I'd at least look at a Sig 229 before I made a purchase decision. Sorta designed around the .40 round, you can get a .357 barrel to ride in the same slide and use the same mags for some variety, and Barsto has 9mm conversion barrels reasonably priced (firedragon too) that will fit it. I really like mine. The .40 is a little snappy, but not at all bad. I guess it's just personal preference.
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[45calibre]

I see no advantages of a 40 over a 9mm besides the physcological ones of knowing you have a slightly bigger caliber. For your situation I say stick with the 9mm.

 

[gunfun101]

I have a Beretta 9mm and a XD .40 both of which i feel equal love for. I cant see how anyone can say stick with the 9mm when i feel u should own as many different calibers as u can afford, especially the big 3, 9mm, .40 & .45.

 

[joshennis84]

I think 40's are the best round going right now because of availability. Has a little more punch, but not much. I can go anywhere around town (bloomington) and pick up ammo it seems at any time. One guy I talked to at a gun shop told it is because that seems to be what caliber everybody wants in a handgun right now. I don't know if that's true everywhere or if it's even accurate, but he does sell guns for a living.

 

[paddling_man]

Bedside gun is a G22. I can shoot it fine. Still, plastic pistol and .40, it does take me fractionally longer to get back on target than with my two Sig 9mm and the HK P7. Longer than my 1911 too.

I like the 9mm and .45 better. Regarding the "snapiness" there is nothing painful about it. Just more muzzle flip than on the 9mm or .45. More muzzle flip in the Glock in .40 than the steel Tanfoglio (EAA) 10mm with full house Buffalo Bore ammo too. Maybe it's just me. I'm not recoil sensitive and don't mind shooting my .357s or the occasional .44.

Between the ready availability of .40 and already having a trusted gun, I'm keeping the Glock. I can shoot it well enough. Still, if I feel I need something more in an auto that is *other* than a 9mm or .45, it will be a 10mm. I just don't see enough in the numbers to convince me that the annoying attributes (muzzle flip, less capacity than a 9mm) warrant a .40 over a 9mm/.45acp.

You may love it, though.

 

[bw210]

Nothing.

I would have to disagree. Faster velocity and more weight(retention) equals deeper penetration and faster bleedout.

I see no advantages of a 40 over a 9mm besides the physcological ones of knowing you have a slightly bigger caliber. For your situation I say stick with the 9mm.

While I STRONGLY disagree, I would only carry a 9mm with 147gr ammo. Many people will argue that you should use 124gr ammo, but this leaves the 9mm far below its potential as a carry weapon. 147 gr will outperform 124gr +P anytime. 147gr is the ONLY load the 9mm uses that would level the playing field comparing 9mm/.40/.45.

Because of this, the FBI now only issues 147gr loads for issued 9mm sidearms as 124gr barely meets and the 147gr surpasses min. standards for expansion, weight retention, and 12" penetration.

 

[IndyBeerman]

How about a 135 gr .40 JHP traveling at 1325fps with 526ft lbs of energy out of a 4 inch bbl
Compared to a 9mm +P weighing @ 125gr traveling at 1250fps with 434 ft lbs of energy out of a 4 inch bbl.

This info is off the Cor-Bon site, and the .40 above is NOT a +P round.

The .40 is argued to be the best mix of size, speed and capacity.

I carry both a 9mm and a .40, just depends on which I feel like at the time.

 

[Lanser]

I just wanted to point out that the chart displayed on the first page starts the numbers on the left column at 240, not 0 -- just to avoid confusion for anyone just glancing at it.

 

[jimbo-indy]

The only thing I like about .40 is that it makes good plinking/practice ammo instead of full house 10mm ammo in my S&W 610.
Attend a bowling pin match. You can see the difference between how the pins react between 9mm, 40, 45 ACP and other loads. Even max 9mm loads didn't move the pins as well as good 40 loads. That being said, good 40 loads compare well with 45 ACP but neither move the pins like 10mm or even 357 mag. IMHO.
Now, that being said, bowling pins are not flesh and bone. People and animals respond differently than wood. Depends on the intended use.

 

[rmcrob]

I just wanted to point out that the chart displayed on the first page starts the numbers on the left column at 240, not 0 -- just to avoid confusion for anyone just glancing at it.

Correct. So we can say that the 40 has about 50% more "punch" than the 9.

I think 40's are the best round going right now because of availability. Has a little more punch, but not much.

I think ~50% is significant.

The .40 is argued to be the best mix of size, speed and capacity.

There you go.

I have 9s and 45s that I could carry all the time. I choose, generally, to carry a 40 because of mag capacity and "punch".

As I showed above, the 40 has as much energy at 100 yds as the 9 does at the muzzle. This is parallel to a 50 AE out of my Desert Eagle, which has as much energy at 100 yds as a 44 Magnum does out of the muzzle. Think about that for a little bit, and you will realize that we are talking about a significant difference in energy.

That energy will cost you something: recoil. So how do you handle that? In the case of the Desert Eagle, I handle it by quitting after a magazine to save permanent disability in my shooting hand. But in the case of my Glock 27, I handle it by putting a baseplate on the magazine that allows my shooting hand to exert some downward pressure on the grip and counter the muzzle flip caused by recoil. I believe I can get my second shot on target as quickly with a 40 in that way as I could, say, with my Ruger SR9.

That's how the equations work out for me. There is more than knock down power in the equation, or I would just carry the Eagle. When I bought that thing, Bob threw in a box of ammo. I saw that it was HP, and I said, "Hey, Bob, this is good self-defense ammo." He replied, "In 50 caliber, anything is good self-defense ammo."

But in your more carryable calibers, you need to weigh a lot of factors and choose the right ammo and the right gun and the right setup.