Best 40S&W for CC

Birdhunter1 said:

I have a Shield chambered in 40 S&W and I like everything about it, except it being a 40. It shoots good, has always worked, carries well and everything else it should do, I just don't like shooting the 40 round very much.

Click to expand...

I agree.
40 S&W in a lightweight small plastic handgun takes some practice and recoils a bunch compared to 9mm......I like to shoot 40 out of my full sized metal guns only. (My compact/subcompacts are 380/9MM)

As mentioned in my earlier post , The 27 is my EDC
But another option is a XD40 SC,
I own a XD9 SC ... Great pistol ... I think its about 3 or 4oz heavier than my 27 ... a longer grip .. Should handle the 40 S&W well

I too like the .40 cal. My first handgun was a Glock 27 which I do carry. My second favorite .40 which may be a little bigger to the 43 is my Beretta Cougar 8040. Too me it is a great carry piece and handles the .40 very well.
While Beretta no longer makes them they are being produced by Stoeger and I do understand that they are made just as well.
Pictured is my 27,8040 and a Smith#36

My $.02 is for the G27 per the OP. The Springfield XD line looks interesting, but I have no experience with any of them. Though larger than a G43, my pick would be Gen 3 or 4 Glock 23 and call it a day.

The Sig P229 might be larger than the OP wishes, but mine is a sweet, sweet shooter. My friend shot it with me a couple of days ago and raved about it. Some people CC pistols that size. Police trade-ins on that model are cheap these days. I think I paid $280 for mine.

I will probably get a G27 eventually. It's getting pretty far up on my "next gun to buy" list.

I'm loving my Kahr K40. All steel, but small enough to not be that heavy. It just feels like substantial quality. If it starts feeling heavy, just pick up a 1911 and it become light again!

Another vote for the M&P 40C. Mine has been stone reliable and is very manageable and easy to shoot well.

I have literally shot thousands of rounds of .40 through my Sig 229:and it would be my favorite semi auto pistol. Heavy? Yes! Comfortable to carry? Yes both inside and outside the pants. Next favorite is the Glock 23. One extra round in the magazine which is nice. I don’t believe you will go wrong with any of the suggestions here, although the Smith semi autos were never a personal favorite, people so love them. Best of luck, carry anytime you are legally able to do so, and don’t skimp on the leather!

Okay the OP was asking about subcompact pistols but since the thread has already veered... I bought a S&W M&P 2.0 40 compact with a 4" barrel the first of this year I like it a lot Accuracy is fine & I don't really notice the recoil. It is roughly the same size (a little thicker) as a Glock 23. I got mine from Buds. It was $340 shipped plus $10 for using the card. The only thing that upset me was 2 days after I ordered it I got an E-mail from CDNN advertising the same pistol with night sights for $299.99. I saw one (I don't remember which site was selling) for 299.99 on gun.deals the other day. I think this is a great deal (The 9mm versions are more expensive). I also like the trigger.

While I don’t have one, Walther makes the original PPS in .40S&W. Personally I carry the PPS M2. The only .40 I have is my S&W SD40VE. It’s really no snappier than my Ruger LC9s.


L8R,
Matt

DANS40XC said:

SIG SAUER P229 for double stack mags or SIG SAUER P239 for single stack mags.

Purchase a SIG SAUER 357SIG Bbl for either of your choosing(s).


Anything TUPPERWARE should stay in the cupboard where it belongs!

Click to expand...

P229 was going to be my suggestion also.

I’ve looked hard at the 229 over the years. Anyone care to share experiences? And what’s the deal with the “legacy” slide?

The 229 could well be the one gun that fits both the role of cc and house gun.

Have one of these. Rather snappy but hides pretty much anywhere. Great little shooter.

I love my 229. While yes it is “hefty” it shoots amazingly well and I carry it on most days. An inside the waist band holster works very well. Make sure a sturdy gun belt is used. I don’t know a bunch about the legacy slide, but if you google it there are videos outlining The differences. I would have a look at police trade in 229’s. They appear to be available in abundance as agencies ditch the .40 for the 9mm. I found, once you get a sig, nothing else compares. I also have a sig ar platform as well as a 556. Both weapons have amazing fit, finish and feel.

I have a 229 (thanks to cheap trade ins). I personally prefer the 226. Both are great handguns and I wouldn't say a bad thing about either. I may carry either of them or my Beretta or HK if it's cold and I'm bundled up. But For everyday concealed carry, I carry a glock 27. It's considerably lighter. Easier to replace parts that are cheaper (normal wear parts like a 10 dollar RSA every few thousand rounds) and in many 10s of thousands of rounds it still looks just like it did when I got it. It's still ugly. No frame wear to watch. Nothing. It does have more felt recoil than the others. The trigger is definitely striker fired. The worst single action I ever forced was far better. I prefer a striker to most DA triggers though. Actually in all my glocks that may be my most shot (would be close between a couple) but it has by far the worst trigger of them. They all have 3.5 lb disconnectors but that one is spongy and rough. Still better than many strikerfired guns I've shot. And I hit well with it.
For a full size gun I may go another route. But for my CC that's my choice.
Right now is certainly the time to buy though. I see deals daily that make me feel bad for what I paid for some of my guns.

I used 226's for years. My new used 229 in 40 is the cats a$$. My wife likes it also. Her bear defense for woods hiking.

My fave is the Springfield XD40 sc. I replaced the OEM sights with Trigicon HD night sights and the flush magazine base plate with the extended front Pearce Grips version. Otherwise the gun is completely stock. I also carry one 12-round magazine for a reload, giving me 21 rounds of Federal HST which is what my local PD uses. I use a close-fitting OWB Antero holster from LS Holsters. I have thought about going to a Springfield XDs .40 but the XD40 sc conceals just fine under a sweatshirt.

I picked a G-27 in a pawn shop about 15 years ago, mainly because it was cheap and handy.
I haven't regretted it.

Anchorite, Right now mine is set up for 357 SIG but was originally 40 S&W. I still have the 40 barrel but it shoots nice both ways and is accurate. It is in my CC lineup.

Another thing I will say about the 40 S&W is that back in the ammo crunch days when President Obama was in office and 22LR, 223, 9mm, 45acp and other rounds were difficult or impossible to find 40 S&W was well stocked in every store I ever went to. Not that I was looking to buy ammo, I don't think I owned my 40 at the time, but I did take note. I guess that is the plus side of caliber diversification.

g27 or g23 (depending on hand size)

pros - Cheap new and used, cheap mags. Everyone makes holsters for them. Cheaper and common after market sights, tons of after market parts. if it gets scratched or beat up over years, you cant make it uglier.

Cons - little heavy on recoil compared to others. triggers are not the best stock. Sights are not the best stock. ugly.

Robbins290 said:

g27 or g23 (depending on hand size)

Click to expand...

How are these two guns hand size dependent?

The G27 pretty much won't allow the "pinky" on the grip no matter how small your hands are and to the best of my knowledge, the trigger reach is the same for all G17/19/22/26/27/31/32/33/34/35/37/38/39/etc. guns (at least if you compare the same generations.).

Birdhunter1 said:

Another thing I will say about the 40 S&W is that back in the ammo crunch days when President Obama was in office and 22LR, 223, 9mm, 45acp and other rounds were difficult or impossible to find 40 S&W was well stocked in every store I ever went to. Not that I was looking to buy ammo, I don't think I owned my 40 at the time, but I did take note. I guess that is the plus side of caliber diversification.

Click to expand...

40 S&W may have lasted a little longer on the shelf, but not much longer (at least in my area). The only thing I can say was readily available at our local Walmart was 28ga shotgun ammo. I have a photo somewhere of the Walmart shelves that are completely empty.

Most people I know, myself included, use a pierce or similar baseplate that allows the pinky to fit.
Other than that I agree, if the 27 doesn't fit a 23 or 22 won't either. In all my time teaching people how to shoot

During the shortages I seen more 40 than some others like 9 380 45 or 22. But definitely seen times when walmart was out of all of them. My walmart always had xtp bullets in 40 to reload and unique powder at least. Primers would have been a problem though.

JTQ said:

How are these two guns hand size dependent?

The G27 pretty much won't allow the "pinky" on the grip no matter how small your hands are and to the best of my knowledge, the trigger reach is the same for all G17/19/22/26/27/31/32/33/34/35/37/38/39/etc. guns (at least if you compare the same generations.).

Click to expand...

grip length. because they do not make the 43 size in 40 yet. I mentioned those 2. Some can carry the g27, some can not. I have both and the 27 is way to short for me to grip.