I agree with MJRW.
I have a G27 and Beretta 96, and don't care to shoot them much because I do not like the way the .40 caliber cartridge recoils. It is too snappy and harsh.
And no, I'm not exactly "recoil sensitive" either, as I love shooting my 12 ga, .45's, and my .44 Desert Eagle.
As MJRW said, the .40 recoil just makes me unhappy and is not fun to shoot, out of either a full-size combat pistol or a compact one.
However, my G27 has been absolutely, 100% reliable, so I do carry it a lot.
In an SD situation, you are not going to notice recoil, so I'd like a reliable pistol.
Balistically it is decent.
Now that I've been mauled by the 1911 beast, I do not see anymore .40 pistols in my future.