[Bill2e]

If you already owned a 9mm or .40 cal semi auto & you were going to get another.

would you get the same size you already had so you only had to buy one size ammo or would you get the other one for something different?

[Ala Dan]

Well, I can answer speaking only from the 9m/m standpoint~! :scrutiny:

I own three 9m/m's: a all West German SIG-SAUER P228, a Smith & Wesson
model 39-2, and a new Kahr CW-9. The Kahr being the smallest, its also the
easiest too carry~! :cool: ;)

[Bill2e]

Thanks, I already have the 9mm, think of gettign the .40 for the "more power", but the idea of only one type of ammo is appealing.

How simular are the cartridges?

[skinewmexico]

I just sold both 40 S&Ws I had so only had to buy 2 kinds of ammo. Having to stock a bunch of different calibers doesn't bother some people.

[trackaddict88]

Glock 17 and 26. Same 9mm-one for carry one for fun and comfortable grip.

[dhoomonyou]

same ammo, just easier for some

[Josh Aston]

Some people will try to tell you how much more powerful the .40 is. As long as you can put both bullets in the same spot, I don't think that what you're shooting is going to notice the difference.

[brighamr]

I'd buy the .40 just to have a different gun with different results (shoot a small C02 container with a 9, then with a 40 you'll notice the difference ;)

As for the differing ammo, I've owned several guns in different calibers at the same time. As long as the ammo stays in the boxes until being loaded into the mags I haven't had a problem.

[benatilstate]

.40 is pretty much dead center b/w the 9mm and the .45. I like the tradeoff - more power than the 9mm, w/o the price jump to buying .45ammo

[nerfsrule2]

Right now I have revolvers in .22, .22mag, .357mag, .41Mag and .44mag. Semi Auto pistols in .22, .40 S&W, and .45acp. Sometimes it is fun to shoot more than just one; (caliber)!!!!!!

[AZ Husker]

Don't mean to twist the topic, but all 14 of my pistols are .45acp. Much easier to keep ammo in stock that way!

[Black Adder LXX]

I'm going through the same thing because of the S&W special on M&P line pistols right now. I already have a couple 9mm, so I might jump up to the 40 or 45. It would be nice to have a caliber besides my 357 that I would be confident in for HD...

[Chris B]

I'd stick with the 9mm. I'm no fan of the .40 cal. If you can, go to the range with your 9 and rent a .40 and a .45 and shoot them all. I much prefer .45 to .40. I shot two guns of similar weight side by side (fullsize GLOCK in .40 and compact XD in .45) last time I went to the range and the .45 was much more pleasant to shoot. The .40 has a very snappy recoil due to the nature of it being a hot load in a short cartridge. The longer, slower .45 feels more like a push than a snap, if that means anything to you, and that's out of a light, polymer framed gun. Out of a 1911 the recoil is actually pleasant.

So, I would either stick with the 9 or get a .45, but that's me. Definately try a .40 before you buy one.

To me having weapons that all take the same caliber ammo is not that big of a concern (but then again I'm more of a long gun guy and I see no need to have multiple rifles in the same caliber, aside from EBR's)

would you get the other one for something different?

I say different tools for different jobs.

[theNoid]

I have always thought that having different calibers is best. One reason is the fact that it is fun to shoot different things on occasion, maybe a bigger boom with more recoil, and then sometimes let's go smaller maybe. What happens, if all you have is 9mm ammo and all of a sudden your local suppliers are out of it for who knows what reason. Let's say you go to some BFE town like Rock River to visit a friend and do some shooting and all they local gas station carries is one particular caliber, which doesn't happen to be the one that your guns shoot? Just my thoughts...

Noidster

[brighamr]

all they local gas station carries is one particular caliber

Not to hi-jack, but isn't it nice living in free america ? :D

In all seriousness, you'll be happy no matter what you buy, but if you're slightly redneck like me (aka you shoot old furniture/auto parts) the .40 is going to be a fun difference from the 9

[greenflash107]

I like having different calibers. I just bought a box of .40 and I dont own one yet. Had a local gun/pawn shop go out of business and bought the ammo. The .40 is going to be my next purchase

[massglockman]

i dont mind it at all i have 9mm, 38spl, 357m, 40 s&w, 45acp, 50ae, and
5.7x28. next addition is the 22 cheap to shoot but hey its a great time

[velojym]

A friend of mine has a 9mm Ruger, and I had a .40 carbine at the time. Somehow, when we were loading the mags, he'd gotten some of my .40 in his mag, and (fortunately) had a FTL. It's obviously bigger, but if you aren't paying attention, it's evidently not too hard to accidentally stick a .40 in the 9 mag.

[Barr]

If I was going to buy another gun I would either buy it in the same caliber or in a caliber different enough to be unique. For instance if I had a 9mm I would buy either another 9mm or a .45 ACP. If I had a .357 Magnum I would buy a .44 Special or Magnum.

[gym]

I have different guns for different situations, I wouldn't carry anything smaller than a 32, there are many different schools of thought on this, but many carry a Seacamp, check out the next gun show, you will be suprised at how many vendors carry 32's,and 380's now, although the 32 will give you a better shot as far as recoil goes, most times. Other than that I go 38, 40, 45, I figure if you are going to be in a situation that is more dangerous, than say going to church or an affair, like a wedding, I'll sacrifice the size, in order to still have a reliable gun. The worse thing is saying to yourself, its hot, i'm only going to an afternoon wedding, and I really don't want to carry that big commander all night. That's the time that something stupid happens, and you left your big gun at home. The airweight is also a good compromise. It also depends on weather you carry all the time, for me, in 35 years or so, I can count on one hand, the times I didn't have a weapon. I'm not trying to brag about that, but once you have been through a few of close calls, that could have gone either way, it changes your attitude about how fragile life is. I had several businesses in my life, and reached a point where I would rather be the one who determines if I get to make the call, and not rely on bieng lucky that I didn't get killed for a payroll, or because someone thought I had something I didn't have or saw my car and waited for me to come out of a restaurant. It sucks to have to think that way, but that's the way it is now.

[gcrookston]

I pretty much buy the guns I like and don't worry about calibre. That being said, on the handgun side most of my shooting (about 90%), is with .22, 9mm and .45acp, while one the long gun side it's mostly 5.56, 7.62x54 and .338 Lapua..

[Majic]

Buy whatever you like because as far as ammo there is no reason to keep a stockpile. All you really need is a box of your chosen defensive ammo on hand. The rest can be bought when needed or when your budget allows.

[wally]

My strategy when first starting out was to get a gun in every major caliber so if TSHTF I could use whatever ammo I could scrounge. Then I got more guns in the calibers I liked best. Twenty-five+ years later I'll partially fund my retirement by slowly selling off my collection :)

Nothing wrong with sticking to a single caliber, but you are missing a lot of inexpensive shooting fun if you don't also have at least one .22 pistol.

--wally.

[ernunnos]

I stick with 9mm. It's easier to stock up on one type of ammunition. 9mm uses lighter weight bullets, so increasing lead prices don't affect the cost of practice ammo as much. As for power, if you want a high-pressure round that pushes the limits of safety in a pistol, that's what 9mm +P+ is for.

[Rexster]

I tend to own multiples of the same weapon, not just to simplify ammo logistics, but accessories such as magazines, mag cases, holsters, and spare parts. My duty pistol is a personally owned SIG P229, and I just acquired a second P229, largely because it has NO night sights, and will probably make it my most-carried pistol once I have put enough rounds through it to verify its reliability. With my revolvers, which I use for back-up at work and for primary carry much of the time while out of uniform, I tend to stick with .357s made by Ruger. Another MAJOR reason for similar firearms is commonality of training, so practice with one with have relevance and benefit in handling the others. Example: I had to dump the Glunck because shooting it had a negative effect on my proficiency with my SIG. I have found the SIG and Rugers complement each other well.