40 cal autos

I'd say either a Glock 23 or 27 would be a good place to start. I CCW a 26, and the 27 is the .40 version of the 26, assuming that the two are the same size, it would conceal just fine. Many people ccw the 19, which is the same size as the 23, but in 9mm as opposed to .40

Walther PPS.

If you want the tried-and-true standard, go Glock. If you want something a little bit apart from what everyone else has, I strongly suggest checking out the CZ P-06 (all metal) or P-07 (polymer). The P-01 which is just the P-06 but in 9mm, is literally the next gun on my purchase list after the holidays

If you have your heart set on a .40 I would recommend a Glock 23. You can convert it to 9mm and 357 Sig which is pretty cool.

However ...

I had a 9mm, sold it and bought a .40. Then after a couple years I sold it and got another 9mm. I would highly recommend just sticking to a 9mm. I thought it was lacking in stopping power, but realistically all pistols are. I've heard of people getting shot with every pistol caliber you could think of and surviving. People have been successfully using 9mms for almost 114 years. It must be doing something right.

Also, if you haven't shot a .40 before, I would recommend you do before you buy one. You might be in for a surprise. I actually had a Glock 22 and it had more recoil then any other pistol I've ever shot, including a 357 Magnum with hot defense ammo. A 9mm with +P defense ammo is pretty close to a .40, plus you have more capacity and generally a higher resale value. On top of all of that, if you have a wife or kids it would be a lot easier for them to shoot a 9mm then a .40.

Sorry for such a long reply but I just wanted to fill you in on my experience with it. Good luck with whatever you choose.

I like the 40, I have a FNX40 and a S&W MP, both are considered full size or duty size pistols. Am 6'2 180 and have no problems hiding either one. IMO the FNX fits my hand better, more accurate and has less perceived recoil then the MP. Both are awesome pistols and will remain in my collection.

But with that said the one I throw on the most is a MP9c. Its smaller and just wears a little easier then a full size. I went with a 9mm in the smaller size cause the 40 was just a tad too much, quick follow up shots were easier with the 9 then in the 40 when coupled in the sub-compact frame.

There is no best.
Its all what fits you the best.
Now there are many to stay away from.

I carry a Glock 22 for work so I decided to stay with the same platform for my personal carry and went with the Glock 23. I have the G23 & the G23c. The G23c is ported and it does help with recoil a bit but night shooting can be a little challenging.

Do you happen to have a local range that rents handguns? It might be the best way to see what feels and shoots best for you.

To the OP: Other than everyone throwing their personal favorite .40's choices at you, we don't know much about you... your physique, how you dress, is this for home SD or CC?

Help us out a little.

It's all about how the gun fits you. Glocks are fine, but all .40's are double stacks. If you have smaller hands, or shorter fingers, you may not like them.

However, there are Walthers (PPS) which are single stack, and they do fit my hand.

Try, try, try, before you buy.

In .40S&W, the M&P.

Here is a Hilton Yam comment.

http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=171#more-171

Same with .40 – the M&P was designed for the .40, with steel chassis for increased rigidity and none of the durability or function issues of the Glock 22. Oddly, the 9mm was shoehorned into the M&P platform rather than the reverse which is true for Glock, and it is therefore the weakest model of the M&P.

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S&W M&P 40, full size or compact. If you can afford it a HK USP compact or P2000. since all of these were designed for the .40

For all around use, carryability, price, capacity and reliability?

Glock 23.

With the criteria you listed: Glock 23.

TheGoldenSaber said:

If you have your heart set on a .40 I would recommend a Glock 23. You can convert it to 9mm and 357 Sig which is pretty cool.

However ...

I had a 9mm, sold it and bought a .40. Then after a couple years I sold it and got another 9mm. I would highly recommend just sticking to a 9mm. I thought it was lacking in stopping power, but realistically all pistols are. I've heard of people getting shot with every pistol caliber you could think of and surviving. People have been successfully using 9mms for almost 114 years. It must be doing something right.

Also, if you haven't shot a .40 before, I would recommend you do before you buy one. You might be in for a surprise. I actually had a Glock 22 and it had more recoil then any other pistol I've ever shot, including a 357 Magnum with hot defense ammo. A 9mm with +P defense ammo is pretty close to a .40, plus you have more capacity and generally a higher resale value. On top of all of that, if you have a wife or kids it would be a lot easier for them to shoot a 9mm then a .40.

Sorry for such a long reply but I just wanted to fill you in on my experience with it. Good luck with whatever you choose.

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I've got to disagree with at least part of your post. I don't find the recoil witht the .40S&W to be anywhere near as bad as you're describing, and certainly not close to the .357 Magnum with any load let alone a defensive cartridge. The .40 is snappier than most 9mm loads, but still very maneageable. As with anything, practice makes perfect.

Your suggestion of the Glock 23 is a good one, IMO.

I have an H&K USP 40, a Gen4 Glock 22, and a Sig P226 in .40S&W. They are all very good but the H&K is just a little bit better as a range gun than the other 2. The Glock is the best carry gun.

Another vote for the Glock 23.

I carry a M&P 40c and conceal it easily... A good gun belt has made it much more comfortable to carry all day... I could stand for it to be a tad bit thinner and lighter but it's not a big deal... I've never carried a Glock or any other pistol for that matter so I can't give a direct comparison... Good luck...

The nicest shooting 40 I've shot was an hk p2000. It feels like a 9mm. My wife liked it better than my g19.

There are a ton of good choices and of course everyone's style is different. I can tell you what's worked for me, and perhaps you'll find it helpful.

My choice was driven by two main constraints - the first was that I wanted a 'windex bottle' gun (no safeties, no decockers, same trigger from shot to shot, bonus points for true DA so dry fire is not such a chore), and it had to fit my hand and point naturally.

The second constraint was hardest one, because for some reason I cannot hold flat-sided guns with a damn, even with grip adapters.

The only gun that met both constraints was the Sig P250 - this is a highly modular gun, which allows conversion from subcompact, compact, and full sized, each with small, medium, or large grips, and in calibers from .380 through .45. I settled on a .40 compact-sized top end over a subcompact grip frame. It fits me well, and it has a smooth, true DA trigger.

The early versions had problems but they seem to be squared away now. Mine needed a trip back for some upgraded parts, but it's been running perfectly ever since. I've been following the saga on the various forums and the new ones do seem to be right. Sig customer service is pretty good, too, and that takes a lot of the risk out of it.

All that said, I'd say the most important thing is that you want a gun that fits your hand. Fit, to me, means three things:

1) Grasp the gun, identify a spot on the wall, close your eyes, point the gun at the spot, open your eyes. If the sights are on the spot, it fits.

2) While aiming, tighten your grip. If the sights do not move, it fits.

3) Your hand can only grip it one way without feeling really weird. You want your grip to be consistent, and if it's off, you want it to be obvious.

Any quality gun that fits your hand and makes you happy will be a good choice. It's also nice if it can accept a 9mm conversion, if you later decide to go that route.

Big_John1961 said:

I've got to disagree with at least part of your post. I don't find the recoil witht the .40S&W to be anywhere near as bad as you're describing, and certainly not close to the .357 Magnum with any load let alone a defensive cartridge. The .40 is snappier than most 9mm loads, but still very maneageable. As with anything, practice makes perfect.

Your suggestion of the Glock 23 is a good one, IMO.

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Idk, that was just my experience with it. It had at least 1.5x the recoil of a 9mm, but it was my Glock 23 compared to a CZ75, not another polymer 9mm, so it probably soaked up some recoil.

Idk, that was just my experience with it. It had at least 1.5x the recoil of a 9mm, but it was my Glock 23 compared to a CZ75, not another polymer 9mm, so it probably soaked up some recoil.

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I've found that a reduced rate recoil spring goes a long way with reducing perceived recoil and "snapiness" in any .40 cal Glock. I run them in my G23 and my G24 with great success.

Glock G23

Glock 23 is the best compromise in my book. I like the accuracy, ease of shooting and is easy to carry concealed.

I have a CZ P-06 ive had 4yrs. its $500-650 depends on where u look.I carry it daily.Very accurate,its alloy;Great gun,u wont regret it