What happened to 40 caliber?

Maybe the rumors are true? 40 is dead.

I still like the caliber but I shoot it less at the range because the gun heats up quicker and burns my............ leg, even with an OWB holster and jeans. When I do shoot it, I pick up all my brass.

At my range I see a ton of 9mm. I don't pick it up as I do not load or shoot a 9mm even though I own a couple of 9mm for the wife. Brass becomes sporadic in my range depending on supply and demand. A few years ago before this shortage we are experiencing everyone would pick it up especially the 5.56 or .223. After that shortage was over I was able to pick 5 gallon buckets of 5.56, .45 acp and even some .357. People are fickle, especially if they do not reload.

The only .40 cal I shoot is 10mm and if one happens to find some of this brass it is because the darn pistol ejects them to the next county.

It's all the lemmings that followed the FBI to the 40 following the FBI back to the 9mm.
In the meantime I'm good with it as I've picked up several 40s for clearance prices.

Slamfire said:

If popularity is based on the brass I pick up at the range, 9mm is by far the champion. It used to be I picked up a fair amount of 40 S&W, now, it is onesies and twosies. I find more 380 Auto than 40 caliber.

So what is going on?

I miss the days when I picked up coffee cans worth of 38 Special. Its a blue moon when I find any of those.

Click to expand...

You been in hibernation?

Interest in 40 dwindled when the FBI and Police decided 9mm was good enough.
Have no fear the new 38 super carry will soon become the go to caliber!

Most at my range that shoot .40s also reload so they pick up their used brass. They miss some every now & then so I pick it up.

Slamfire said:

If popularity is based on the brass I pick up at the range, 9mm is by far the champion. It used to be I picked up a fair amount of 40 S&W, now, it is onesies and twosies. I find more 380 Auto than 40 caliber.

Click to expand...

Likely depends on where you live/shoot.

I shoot at various BLM shooting spots in two states and while I always pick up plenty of 9mm brass, sometimes I pick up more 40S&W brass than anything else. And of course, there's always plenty of .223/5.56 brass and some days, I pick up more .223/5.56 brass than anything else. .38 Spl/.357Mag/.380Auto/45ACP brass make up the rest of my pick up brass.

Interesting thing is I notice most of these brass are factory new/once fired with plenty of factory boxes present at the shooting areas. Can't imagine people shooting that much when ammunition was around $1 per round.

Hartkopf said:

Maybe the rumors are true? 40 is dead.

Click to expand...

40S&W is certainly not dead based on the spent brass I pick up.

I hardly ever pick up .357 Sig brass so to me, for areas I shoot at, .357 Sig is near dead. Heck, I even see 10mm brass from time to time.

40 must not be dead. My lgs is always running out and restocking.
38 and 410 is a different story. If they get in 38 the price is too high to afford. 410 is non existing in my area. None.

10mm is the new .40

tws3b2 said:

410 is non existing in my area. None.

Click to expand...

Same here.

I find 9mm and 223/556 the most. Lately i been finding more 10mm than 45 acp. 40sw and 380 are about the same as always. Been finding a lot of real small diameter brass too. I think it's what the Ruger 57 shoots.

CoalCrackerAl said:

I find 9mm and 223/556 the most. Lately i been finding more 10mm than 45 acp. 40sw and 380 are about the same as always. Been finding a lot of real small diameter brass too. I think it's what the Ruger 57 shoots.

Click to expand...

5.7 brass nobody wants it because it’s so finicky. .40 is good stuff! loaded down or load it up! it’s good stuff

Wish Ruger would do a .40 PCC!

Times change! What was popular isn't now! Sad but true, I hear you. Younger ones are more on the compact and appearance than power! Besides, since you got 9mm, you can get a barrel and convert, if you want too.

Mark_Mark said:

10mm is the new .40

Click to expand...

Maybe they should have named .40 S&W 10mm Short, or 10mm Special.

I think it just got too expensive. For awhile there, the price difference between a box of cheap .40 and 9mm was only a couple bucks, but now the cost/benefit ratio is too wonky.

On paper the .40 makes great sense, but increasingly expensive ammo coupled to lower capacity and greater recoil in a CCW package is a death spiral.

I got hooked on Beretta's and Taurus yrs ago, It is easy to change out! 92 to 96, or 96to 92. 100, 101 to 92...

NIGHTLORD40K said:

Maybe they should have named .40 S&W 10mm Short, or 10mm Special.

I think it just got too expensive. For awhile there, the price difference between a box of cheap .40 and 9mm was only a couple bucks, but now the cost/benefit ratio is too wonky.

On paper the .40 makes great sense, but increasingly expensive ammo coupled to lower capacity and greater recoil in a CCW package is a death spiral.

Click to expand...

10Special sounds amazing! I hope the Max Cap 9mm CCW trend cools off!

What’s wrong with a 1911 4” in 10mm or .45 ACP? I always carry a extra mag. I also love my double stack .40 STi VIP, just wish it would run.

Mark_Mark said:

10mm is the new .40

Click to expand...

And the original, the 40s&w was based on.

NIGHTLORD40K said:

Maybe they should have named .40 S&W 10mm Short, or 10mm Special.

I think it just got too expensive. For awhile there, the price difference between a box of cheap .40 and 9mm was only a couple bucks, but now the cost/benefit ratio is too wonky.

On paper the .40 makes great sense, but increasingly expensive ammo coupled to lower capacity and greater recoil in a CCW package is a death spiral.

Click to expand...

I once heard that it was the 40 “short & weak”

Some one asked me what 10mm is. I told them to think of it as 40 magnum.

About 15-18 years ago the local sheriffs department had MP5's chambered in 40 S&W. They used the local conservation area shooting range and I was normally able to pick up all of their brass. Needless to say I have plenty of 40 brass to last me quite a while.

But as others have stated. Everyone jumped on the 40 S&W band wagon when the FBI started using it. And when the FBI went back to 9mm then a lot of police department and civilians went back to 9mm also.

I personally like 40 S&W. Yes it definitely has a different recoil impulse compared to 9mm in the same sized pistols but the recoil is still not bad. I even bust out the Hi Point 4095 Carbine in 40 S&W now and then just for giggles. That thing is very accurate for being so cheap ($179 when I bought it)

CoalCrackerAl said:

Some one asked me what 10mm is. I told them to think of it as 40 magnum.

Click to expand...

40 Super Max.. all the kids will love it!

10 Super Carry (.40 lol)

10 Climate Pledge (.40 but eco friendly)

12Bravo20 said:

About 15-18 years ago the local sheriffs department had MP5's chambered in 40 S&W. They used the local conservation area shooting range and I was normally able to pick up all of their brass. Needless to say I have plenty of 40 brass to last me quite a while.

But as others have stated. Everyone jumped on the 40 S&W band wagon when the FBI started using it. And when the FBI went back to 9mm then a lot of police department and civilians went back to 9mm also.

I personally like 40 S&W. Yes it definitely has a different recoil impulse compared to 9mm in the same sized pistols but the recoil is still not bad. I even bust out the Hi Point 4095 Carbine in 40 S&W now and then just for giggles. That thing is very accurate for being so cheap ($179 when I bought it)

Click to expand...

if I find a Hi Point Carbine in .40, 10, or .45. I would buy it. Wait… they are considered Assault weapons in Washington, never-mind

Mark_Mark said:

Wait… they are considered Assault weapons in Washington, never-mind

Click to expand...

The Hi Points are even specifically called out on the proposed Assault Weapons Ban bill too. I guess it must really scare the gun ban crowd simple due to how ugly they are, never mind that they only use 10 round magazines.

Ever heard of fictional "caliber war"? You know the term that only exists on gun forums.
Well lets suppose there was a mythical "caliber war" - what happened to 40 is part of the tale.
In the 1970's - 1980s 38 special,357 mag and 45 acp were the reigning champions.
By the early 1990's 9mm and 45 had taken over the revolvers throne.
But since a lot of people wanted more diameter than 9mm and more bullets than 45 - the 40 was born (roll with my story, aint got time to include 10mm).
LE like the 40 which meant civilians liked the 40.
But then bullet makers made new "modern" 9mm and many people were like hhhuuummm - that "modern" 9mm kinda performs like 40
LE having "small stature" and shooters not "into" shooting found it easier for all personnel to pass qualification with softer shooting 9mm than 40
LE decides that they are going back to 9mm and not long afterward civilian shooters followed suit.
What happened to 40? "Modern" 9mm. And that is why if there ever was a "caliber war" there is no such thing now as 9mm won. (Now we just have caliber discussions)

I was an early adopter of the 9mm, starting with it when most cops carried .38’s. Was always satisfied with the performance of a hot 9mm load.
But I couldn’t ignore the cheap police surplus .40 deals, and ended up with a like new G22 Gen4 with night sights for a ridiculously cheap price.
After a couple range trips, it quickly became my favored home defense pistol. It really likes the HST 180. Plus,its a great woods round, loaded with a hot solid. I don’t notice much difference in recoil shooting the G17 with hot +P or +P+ 9mm service ammo, and the nearly identical G22. People, mention lower capacity… I don’t feel too deprived going from 17 9’s to 15 .40’s. After all…13 9’s in a Browning HiPower was plenty for me for a lot of years, lol.
So, I guess I say thanks, police, for throwing away these great pistols in this great caliber.