40 Caliber

[Ghostrider_23]

I have only once owned a 40 caliber and did not like it. Many years later I try to like it again and rented a Sig 239 in 40 cal and there again did not enjoy my time. I think it's because it has too much muzzel flip.

I know it's a great round with a lot of advantages, but I can't seem to get adjusted to it. I wanted to get a Glock 22c, but think I will stick with 9mm and 45 acp.

What are your view points on the 40 cal??????????

Do you perfer 9mm or 45 over the 40 cal??????

 

[Happiness Is A Warm Gun]

Why is there never the option

I don't care as long as it goes bang.

 

[burningsquirrels]

i like it because it can stop kind of like a 45 and can come close to capacity like a 9? good compromise between the two?

 

[JonB]

Where's the 10mm option?

 

[gp911]

I like the .45 better because the recoil is more pleasant. Wouldn't feel undergunned with a .40 though...

gp911

 

[Whitman31]

+1 for the 10mm option.

 

[possum]

i like the .40 s&w for a few reasons.
1) three of my handguns are in that caliber, i shoot well with all of them. my xd service model i shoot better than any other gun ever bar none.
2) the first semi autp handgun i shot was a .40 and that is kinda what i was raised on. i have shot 9mm, and i have owned them. i shoot .45 and i own them 2 of em, but for me i have been a long time fan of the .40.
3) generally it is the largets caliber that will fit in a 9mm frame sized gun, and that is improtant as i have small hands.
4) also the capacity is a good medium between .45 and 9mm.
5) the .40 used to be cheaper than the .45 and now they are closer in price than i have ever seen.
6) i think that the .40 is a great defense rd. there are many great loads out there. you csan go from light and fast 135gr to middle of the road 165gr, to even up to 180gr in the same gun.
7) accuracy with the 40 has been easy for me to achieve, with factory but more importantly handloads that i and dad have worked up have ,made my xd's and .40 handguns very accurate.
8) muzzle flip alot of people complain about this and yes i can see and tell the difference between a .40 and 9mm is the same caliber, but the extra muzzle flip dosen't bother me, i am used to it, and have the proper technique to maintain it. i can shoot it fast and accurate. 800rds in a range visit is no problem for me.
9) and a big reason that i stick with it is the fact that i have 3 wonderful guns in that caliber and they aren't going anywhere. also with all the reloading equipment and 10's of thousands of brass it would be stupid for me to stop shooting it.

 

[glockman19]

No poll answer for my response. I actually don't own a .40 caliber anything.

I have 12 calibers right now and don't want to add another, at least not right now. It's expensive. figure at least 3 pistols & ammo of at least 1,000 rounds for each and you've spent a few thousand dollars.

I currently shoot .22lr, .223, .38spl, 9mm, .357mag, .44spl/mag, 30-06, 308, 7.62x54, 5.56. 12 guage. (for those who say .223-.5.56 & .308 & 7.62x54 are the same I only shoot .223 out of my mini-14 and 5.56 through my AR's same for my M1A 7.62x54 & .308 for my hunting rifle).

Of the .40 caliber manufacturers the pistols I'd like to own are any Sig 220, 226, 229 & Hk USP or P2000, and a Beretta 96 in Full Compact and sub compact. Maybe a compact Glock after all the others are purchased but I prefer Glock's in 9mm.

For me the 9mm, 357mag, .38 & .45 .44mag calibers have me pretty well covered in the SD/HD/Camping/Hunting/CCW areas.

 

[Old School]

I have owned a 40 cal. I prefer the recoil of the 45. All data and tests I have seen on the 40 shows it to be an excellent caliber. It is just not for me.

 

[shdwfx]

For auto pistols, .40 S&W has some ballistic advantages over 9mm. And, due to police adoption and market economics, ammo is relatively cheap (compared to .357sig or .45 ACP).

However, some people don't care for the .40 S&W recoil, which is a little snappier than 9mm and even .45 ACP. Keep that in mind. If you get more accurate hits with 9mm, by all means go with what you shoot best.

 

[AlexM105]

I recently shot a Glock 23 (.40 S&W). I didn't particularly like the Glock (didn't fit my hand right, weird sights), but it shot nice and accurate, and the recoil was fine.

I would love to get a Springfield XD-M in .40 S&W.

 

[CountGlockula]

I like the 40 cal because...

everytime I pull the trigger my pistol goes higher than any other...besides a 10mm.

Great round!

 

[Ala Dan]

Well, if the poll had allowed two choices- I would have voted for #2
and #4~!

I see NO earthly need for the existence of the .40 S&W; as anything
the .40 can do, I can do with a 9m/m or a .45 ACP. IMHO, the .40S&W
evolved as an answer to a problem that did not exist~!

 

[Vern Humphrey]

The .40 S&W is so dangerous it ought to be outlawed!!

I've sprained my back several times at the range, diving for what I thought was a .45 ACP case, only to find it was a %&$@ S&W.

 

[Ghostrider_23]

Recoil

I think a lot of people confuse recoil with muzzel flip. Muzzel flip is what I do not care for about the 40 cal.

This is why I was considering the Glock "C" version to take some of the flip out.

Vern Humphrey I agree with you on that many times I reach down for a spent case only to find it is a 40 cal.

Ala Dan I am thinking about what you said and it is true.

 

[MMCSRET]

I dislike it because it doesn't come in a wide selection of revolvers, I am very fond of 38-40 with .401/180 gr.MMMMMgood40!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[357wheelgunner]

9mm because .40 isn't different enough to justify the cost of ammunition, and practice is the most important "gear" that you need to buy for self defense.

If you can't stop someone with a 9mm, you probably can't stop them with a .40 either. The .40 is the supposed solution to poor marksmanship and ammunition selection.

 

[VegasOPM]

I like .40 because.
1. It is available in small frame GLOCK's and has a higher power factor than 9mm. I like the idea of having 16 rounds of 180gr ammo traveling at 1000fps that can be easily concealed.
2. It is the smallest diameter round that is legal in USPSA Limited to make Major. I can fit 20 rounds of 40 into my GLOCK limited gun and still be under 140mm mag length.
3. I can pick factory defensive loadings from 180gr at 1000fps to 135gr at 1400fps. I can hand load anything between 130gr and 200gr. You can choose- big bullet moving fast or little bullet moving really fast.

 

[KBintheSLC]

I like the 40 caliber bullet, but I prefer to have the 10mm Auto casing pushing it through my gun.
Nonetheless, for human targets the 40 SW has proven itself many times. I think the 10mm Auto is far more diverse though. You can run very mild loads for HD/SD, or you can toss some hot 200 grainers in there and use it as a hunting/backwoods gun.

Do you perfer 9mm or 45 over the 40 cal??????

For CCW I prefer a 9mm. It is very easy to shoot in my small carry piece.

 

[Lonestar49]

40 is good

...

Great caliber IMO, and one does not have to add to any mix with +P or +P+ type JHP ammo, as one only need choose between 40 S&W 165gr or 180gr JHP's and the right gun platform.. Key

I can attest to either a Sig P229/40 or a Beretta Px4 40 for excellent platforms that allow fast accurate following up shots..

I have some 6450 flawless rounds with my Beretta and around 6000 flawless rounds with my Sig with 180gr.. Pure joy to shoot either gun.

Good luck,


Ls

 

[Walkalong]

I prefer the 45acp over 40 cal because................... I like 1911's and .40 cal in a 1911 makes absolutely no sense. It is a neat little round, but I just have not been able to overly excited about it. I sold my Witness Elite Match in .40 (Should have gotten it in a 9MM), but I do still have, and like very much, my XD SC in .40, but I bought a 9MM conversion barrel for it too.

 

[DWARREN123]

I like the 40 S&W because it does better what the 9mm and 45 ACP does. Bigger than a 9mm and faster than a 45 ACP.
I really just think it is a good round with a lot of good platforms for it.

 

[Disaster]

I like the .40 because it is the second cheapest centerfire after the 9mm, yet has the power of the .45. Plus you get an extra round or two vs. the .45.

 

[10-Ring]

I'm not a 40 fan -- I have a safe full of 9mm's & 45 acp's and since the great collection consolidation of '97, 10mm and 10mm short free

 

[CountGlockula]

This came into my thought last night as I was thinking about the .40S&W: Most LAPD are issued Glock 22s and Glock 23s. There are a total of 9,500 officers and 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of 473 square miles with a population of more than 3.5 million people, it is the fifth largest law enforcement agency in the United States.

So in southern CA alone there are a bunch of .40S&Ws. Yay!!!!