Is 40 S&W the red-headed step child?

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TanklessPro

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I have been recently hitting up the more mainstream areas(big box stores) and have noticed that ammo is mostly gone. 223,9,45 are have become an endangered. If any ammo is available, it's 40. I shoot a lot of 40 and one store today had 100's of boxes of fmj.
I know 9 and 45 are popular but I didn't think it was that big of a gap.
Am I the only 40 shooter out there? Why is it seem to be the only ammo available in large quantities?
 
I have been recently hitting up the more mainstream areas(big box stores) and have noticed that ammo is mostly gone. 223,9,45 are have become an endangered. If any ammo is available, it's 40.

I've heard that comment from a couple people. 9mm and 223 are obvious, but you'd think more folks shoot .40.

I own two 40sw guns. I like them a lot, but actually shoot 38 special the most, as far as handgun calibers go.
 
.40 is all I shoot in semi autos. I have 7 pistols in the caliber. It's great still being able to find lots of ammo right now, one of the caliber's many advantages :)
 
I'm a .40S&W shooter and reloader. It's a great cartridge which I consider neither red-headed nor a step-child.

As I've always said, have a .40 in your battery, and when .45 and 9mm grow scarce, you'll be able to shoot.
 
I wonder if it has something to do with all the first time gun owners from the last 5 years. Those that bought their first gun will gravitate to what they know. Everybody has heard of 9mm, then there are those who know of the 1911's so they go with .45. .40S&W may just be new enough that most non gun folks don't recognize it. It is old news to us, but maybe not to them.
 
is .40 sold in higher volume than .45ACP yet ?

I'm seriously asking, I don't know....

It seems that .40 is darn near 9x19 in volume these days.

Feel free to flog me if i'm wrong....
 
I love my .40.
Been reloading all week for it (too damn cold to shoot here).
It was my first pistol; I did much research before I bought it. Seems like a great compromise between 9mm and .45.
 
I've had no trouble finding .40 S&W around here if I bother to look. One local shop had a large stack of the Winchester 180 grain JHP, 50 rounds, black lettering white box, for $20ish. Seemed like a pretty good deal so I picked up a few boxes the other day. I'd normally buy range rounds at Walmart, but they've pretty much been cleaned out of everything since December.
 
I shoot .40 as well and here in my area it is sold out just like every other caliber except 12 guage. No reloading supplies to be found either.
 
I love shooting my Glock 35, it definitely hits the poppers and dueling tree with more authority than 9mm. The downside is that it is a bit more expense... but I haven't broken down and bought a Glock 34 to reduce my ammo costs :) (yet)
 
I've also noticed that many (most?) of the used guns I see around are .40. Seems like a lot of .40 trade-ins.

Not sure why, but I thought I'd throw that out there.


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Browning Hi Power in .40 is about as good a carry gun I could find. Double stack,15rd, controls almost like 1911 (I have 7 of those) not as bulky as a Beretta (I have 4 of those) lighter than a 1911, carry cocked and locked,easy to conceal. A lot has been said about the recoil, but it's a non starter for me. But ALWAYS carry what you shoot best, even if it's a Glock (I only have one of those).
 
I dislike .40 because it's more prone to bullet setback than both 9mm and .45. It's a very noticeable problem with this caliber. My friend almost blew up his XD with a round that had only been chambered a couple of times. The entire shoulder of the bullet was below the end of the case neck. And the only Glock kabooms you ever hear about also involve .40 caliber pistols. I truly believe the round is fundamentally flawed and poses an unusual risk.
 
40 is a great round, it has a tendancy to recoil different than 45, I don't care for it as a range gun, but carry one for stopping power. It hits just as hard as a 45. Just makes a smaller hole to start with, the wound cahnnel may be euqal depending on ammo.
I prefer 45's but my shield has 8 rounds and it's smaller thinner tan my xds, and has a safety, for my dogs and grandkids who enjot jumping on me. I am used to Glocks. I can shoot a 9 or a 45 more accuratelly than a 40, but at distances under 50 feet it doesn't present a problem.
I shoot 9 the cleanest, but unless I have an open shot I am not dropping a guy with 1 or even 2 rounds. I am lazy and 2 rounds of 40 or 45 will usually do the job, if i hit a chest, or spine, shot.
Each to their own, it can go on all day, but just ask yourself which you would care to be shot with.
Handguns are feeble unles you shoot well. Large calibers pull and small calibers require 4 rounds, pick your poison, My ratio is 3 to 1 in favor of 45's, that's after 43 years of carry.
Also 45's are freking accurate, you can underload a 45 to 185 or 200 grain and stll make a big fraking hole. Two rounds and it's a really big hole. $0 is almost as good if you practice with it. 9 is surgical if you are a shooter. Get a glock 34 0r 35 0r 17llong slide in 9 and you have a 9mm with velocity of a carbine. It's just a big ass gun.
Almost like shooting a 22.
 
I liked my XD 40 so much I had to have a seocnd one. Ordering 40aS&W from cheaper than dirt was fast and easy. On the way into Bham yesterday we stopped at a junk store, guy there had 20-25 boxess of 22lr lead nose bullets and right in middle were three boxes of S&W 40 critical Defense ammo. Paid less for the three boxes that he had than special ammo I ordered from CTD. Still seems the S&W 40 is available might be slightly higher but its there.
 
It's less popular bit still selling out. I almost bought a .40 pistol a few weeks back but scored some 9mm and 7.62x39mm ammo.
 
I dislike .40 because it's more prone to bullet setback than both 9mm and .45. It's a very noticeable problem with this caliber. My friend almost blew up his XD with a round that had only been chambered a couple of times. The entire shoulder of the bullet was below the end of the case neck. And the only Glock kabooms you ever hear about also involve .40 caliber pistols. I truly believe the round is fundamentally flawed and poses an unusual risk.
Exactly how is the .40 more prone to setback? News to me!
 
I started out on .40, mainly because I couldn't decide between .45 and 9. I've decided now that as long as capacity isn't limited by law, I'm going to go for the highest capacity I can get in a standard magazine, and if it is limited I'm going to go for the biggest rounds I can fit 10 into the gun with.

I am surprised .45 is low right now, I'd have thought the smaller the round, the more likely people would buy it in bulk right now.
 
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