.40 guys: Sell me on .40 S&W...

Status
Not open for further replies.
H

hartzpad

Member
Joined
May 12, 2004
Messages
445
Location
Utah
I'm a huge 9mm fan and love it for all types of shooting, steel, paper, plinking, etc. But it sometimes lack the power needed to knock down steel and you can buy it so cheap that I also can't bring myself to start reloading it because I won't save much.

I also love 10mm (own 3 of them) because it can be loaded hot for hunting or self-defense or downloaded for plinking, it's also available in many different bullet weights (135 gr. to 230 gr.). Problem is...not many of the guns I love are available in 10mm and 10mm brass is pretty much impossible to find laying around on any range, unlike .40 spent brass.

I'm thinking about getting a CZ Tactical Sport in either 9mm or .40 (capacity is 20 rounds in 9mm/17 rounds in .40)
CZ7501172_1.gif


It will be used for plinking and also for some local steel shoots and possibly for 3 gun if I ever get into it. I already have several guns in 9mm including a CZ SP-01 which I currently use for fun shoots. It seems logical to get the CZ Tactical Sport in .40 instead of 9mm, because .40 can be reloaded very inexpensively and around here it seems easier to find .40 spent brass than even 9mm and I have never been able to find any 10mm spent brass. So I would basically choose a .40 to get free brass for reloading and to make major PF if I ever want to formally compete.

You guys that love .40 S&W, give me the reasons why:

1) great compromise between capacity and power (in between 9mm and .45acp
2) Almost every gun is available in .40
3) Good self-defense reputation
4) will knock down steel better than 9mm
5) cheaper than .45acp
6) can make Major w/ a lower recoil than a hot-loaded 9mm

What are the disadvantages?
1) higher case pressures
2) more expensive than 9mm
3) Kabooms more possible from higher pressures especially when reloading?
 
Seems you got the list down already. You are talking more a specialized piece for competition, but for CCW .40 is the way to go - for all the reasons you listed!
 
I assume that .40 can be reloaded cheaper than buying the cheapest factory 9mm @ $5/box (if I find free .40 brass at the range)?
 
40 SW caliber

My experience is they are difficult to reload. I have had a lot of jamming
with my reloads. I nearly went nuts trying to make them work and finally
gave up.

The caliber is probably best for CCW and shines in that application.
Wal Mart sells affordable 40 SW. These work well for practice.

In any event special self defense rounds exist for 9 and 40 SW and stopping
power may not be as different as some may think.

Graffer
 
Can't tell you much about .40 for sportshooting.
Can tell you that, as a self-defense cartridge, it is one of the best. Ever. Performs similarly to the .45 ACP. Never seen a bad guy get up from a .40 shot. Not saying it hasn't happened, just saying that when I worked homicides, almost all every bad guy shot with a .40 died, and the rest were disabled.
 
Pressure is the same. Kabooms are no problem if you use IMR HiSkor 800-X. It'll get the same velocity as any other powder, with 25% less pressure. 180 gr at 1030 fps, 26,000 PSI. Excellent powder for any of the centimeter bores. Also good in .44 mag.

Some people say that .40 caliber is inherently not very accurate.

Well, .40 cal is inherently inaccurate, plated bullets are inherently inaccurate, 180 gr bullets are inherently inaccurate, Glocks are inherently inaccurate, full power barn-burning loads are inherently inaccurate, found brass is inherently inaccurate, and triggers heavier than 5 pounds are inherently inaccurate, but...

With a Glock 23 with 7 pound trigger, shooting reloads made with range pickup brass, 180 gr Berry's plated hollowpoints, using a full power load of Power Pistol (estimated 1100+ FPS), I can get 1" groups at 7 yards on a good day. And I'm definitely not a good shot. Put the gun in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing, and you'd probably end up with a .40" edge to edge 5 shot group in the target.

Never listen to anyone who ever tells you that anything is "inherently inaccurate."
 
I like the 40. I have no problems loading for it. I can load a very mild target or a hot heavy load. Overall it is my personal favorite caliber, with the 10mm being right there with it as far as versatility.
 
I own a Sigma Smith and Wesson .40, and put at least 100-150 rounds a week with no problems. I also reload all my own ammunition and rarely have an issue with them. I think the .40 is a great load for those that want more than a 9mm but less than a 45.

Just one point to make about reloading. I personally I have never had any troubles with my reloads, but the problems I have heard of have many been caused by bad crimping. Without a factory crimp die, your rounds are gonna jam like crazy. Im sure some can relate to this, its the only problem I have ever heard of.

By the way, a CHEAP box of shells round here goes for about $11 bucks... I reload for a little less than $2.50 a box... so even if your only reloading one type of bullet for one gun, DO IT! Lee has a full starter set up kit for $80 bucks! I shoot approx 2 to 3 boxes a week, so I have paid for mine many times over again...
 
The .40 S&W is my favorite round. 10MM would be, if I could find a supply of cheap brass for it. With the right powders, it is very versitile. I make loads from 250 ft-lb plinking loads up to 686 ft-lb serious business loads. I have a 15 round progression of loads that I make up for people who want to shoot .40, but are tentative about the recoil. It starts with 270 ft-lb (180 gr JHP over 3.9 gr of Titegroup ) and goes up to 600 ft-lb (155 gr JHP over 9.8 gr of Longshot) in 20 to 25 ft-lb steps. I load up one of each in a mag with the softest first. The increase in power with each round is so gradual that the shooter easily adjusts to the next hotter round and finds themself handling the hottest load with ease.
I also agree that proper crimping is very important with .40, especially with plated bullets. Use just enough crimp to get rid of the bell and leave the lip of the case the same diameter as it is down further where it is still supporting the bullet. The Lee Factory Crimp Die is the the way to go regardless of what you use for the other dies. It re-sizes the case all the way down after the bullet has been seated which can prevent a host of feeding issues. If you are concerned about ka-booms, buy a .40 with good case support or use an aftermarket barrel with good support. I only use brass that has been fired only once for hot loads and don't use the brass more than four times for light loads. Longshot is another powder that produces good velocities without as much pressure as many other powders.
 
My opinion is that any of the major calibers is fine for self defense (9mm, .40, .45, .357, .38, 10mm).

That said, I don't have the time, resources, or technical skills to test various brands of ammo from different guns. I enjoy shooting to harness my potential for accurate and swift shots, double taps, movement, etc. Not studying the scientific effects of each shot.

That said, the Federal and State governments have hired professionals and spent millions of dollars and years researching ballistics against human targets. The results? The .40 S&W seems to be the most popular caliber. I choose to carry and rely upon what the professionals overwhelmingly rely on, the .40 S&W. Be that as it may, the other calibers are probably fine and I choose to have a variety of each. But I rely on the .40 for the packaging and that's what the pros choose.
 
Like the original poster, I'm a late-comer to adopting the .40. I was primarily a 9mm and .45 kinda guy. But after a lot of research it's become obvious to me that the .40 fills a nice balance (velocity versus weight versus ammo price) between the .45 and 9mm and it has become my everyday carry gun. I still have to say I have an emotional attachment to the .45, but I'm definately warming up to the .40 due to it's successful track record with law enforcement agencies.
 
mtmilitiaman +1
Jbrown87+2
Recently bought Glock G22C. 4th Gen. barrel.
Bought Lee Dies. (reloader 20+ yrs.) Lee is the best. Good QA, cheap, good web site...
Working on .40 w/ titegroup., so far 5.1gn., is the best. Nice group. Not alot of kick. :)
 
You're not kidding

10mm brass is pretty much impossible to find laying around on any range, unlike .40 spent brass.
Click to expand...

About 6 months ago at the range this guy was shooting a Colt Delta 10mm, and he must have some serious cash, because he just was blasting away. When he was done, he said that whoever wanted the brass could have it… Well, let me tell you, there was almost a fist fight or two as grown men dove onto the floor and began gobbling up that brass like hungry little piggies. Even I grabbed some ‘cause you never know… I might just get a 10 some day…
 
I load light .40 for practice in my Kel-Tec P-40 (factory loads and not pleasant to shoot) and standard loads for my Beretta 96. I never have problems and just use the standard Lee dies, no factory crimp die. On the other hand, I have several .45 autos that require me to use a factory crimp die or they won't function reliably with reloads.
 
Old thread

Hartzpad, did you ever make a decision?

The only thing I don't like about .40 is, for a defensive pistol where a round is chambered over an over again, the bullet will get noticeable setback. Since it's already a high pressure round, I try not to chamber the same round more than once or twice.

Perhaps I'm overly cautious, perhaps not. Perhaps my CZ40 has a steep ramp. Perhaps the 165gr. Golden Sabers I use have weak crimps.This doesn't seem to be a problem with the 230gr. 45ACP Golden Sabers I use in my other defensive handguns.
 
I love my Witness Elite Match in .40. I was considering the CZ Tactical Sport but had no idea as to how the trigger was and its a lot of money for an unknown. I will never see one around here and I would have had to order it. I am a bigger .45 fan than .40 but it is a nice caliber. Recoil is not much from a full sized gun.
 
i like it because it is cheaper than .45 as well as gives you more capacity.
more knock down power than the 9mm with only sacrifing a few rds. it also makes since to reload it, unlike the 9mm you stated before. i like the .40 for several reasons and one of the greatest reasons to me is the versatility, in most .40 handguns a .357sig barrel can be dropped in and you are good to go. as well as a conversion to 9mm if that is what your heart desires. i don't know if this is possible in the cz's. but it is a pretty darn cool thing i believe.
 
.40 S&W

The recoil is no problem, but prices are a little higher than 9mm. If this is for a plinking application you would do well to limit your shot totals, unless reloading. For me, this round shines in self-defense; it offers a nice blend of power, limited recoil, magazine capacity, and frame size.
 
the cz tactical is decent for the money. the 40 is in my opinion is very decent

there is also the eaa witness elite match, which is about 400. The quality that goes into these is suprisingly good in .40.

GAnewhg_020106F.jpg
 
.357sig V .40S&W...

I say check out the .357SIG pistols. THey feed better than the .40 Smith & Wesson, the .357SIG is more powerful/faster than the .40 loads and most major gun companies sell several models for the .357SIG. ;)

If you are set on a .40S&W all you need is to switch the pistol barrel to fire .357SIG rounds too! :D

Look into it and let us know...

RS
 
Get the .40. it feeds as well as the .357. Bottlenecked cartridges do not neccessarily feed better than straightwalled ones and you can convert from .40 to .357 if you so desire. The .40 is more versatile IMHO. It is easier to reload and is very accurate. Oh, and I want a larger frontal area myself.
 
Witness Elite Match........... Yes ...........Go get one.........WEM... Yep............. This has been a subliminal message, pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

D
  • Locked
40 S&W pistol recommendation
2 3
Replies
54
Views
5K
makarovnik
M
B
  • Locked
Objectively speaking, why the 40 S&W hate / decline?
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Replies
175
Views
16K
mcb
mcb
1
  • Locked
Need a reliable DA/SA convertible between 10mm and 40 S&W
Replies
13
Views
763
gunfan
G
F
  • Locked
  • Poll
S&W 40 in a 10mm Pistol?
Replies
9
Views
849
Dobe
D
KBintheSLC
  • Locked
10mm vs 40 S&W Recoil
2 3
Replies
66
Views
11K
smartshot
S
Back
Top