9mm or .40?

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jestic

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Hello Everyone:
I plan on buying a SA xd sub compact within the next week or so but I'm unsure of what caliber to get. I have shot both rounds and they feel the same to me? I'm looking for some opinions. This is going to be my primary carry weapon. Thanks.
 
At least in my local Walmart, 9mm sells for almost half than that of 40SW. Great for practice. Plus there are some great +P defensive 9mm rounds out there.
 
Well, if they feel the same for you it would be a matter of cost then and the 9mm is less expensive, is magazine capacity something of concern or bullet weight?
 
If you plan on shooting a lot of rounds a 9mm will cost you a lot less $$$ and a lot less grief from your wife on how much you are spending on ammo. Otherwise which ever gun fits you best. Good luck with your choice. FYI Walmart white box.
 
weight is not an issue. it would be nice to do the 9mm because the gun is cheaper but i want the stopping power as well.
 
I wouldn't want to fire .40 through a compact, really.

1. more limited magazine capacity (slightly), but this is a bigger issue in your compact than in a full-frame firearm.
2. More recoil/less comfortable grip on the compact (what is it in 1911 recoil springs? 14 for 9mm, 16 for .45ACP, 19 for .40S&W?)
3. From what I've read, only SLIGHTLY more stopping power.

On a full-frame (what I'm looking at picking up shortly), I'm very intrigued by the .40S&W, as it seems to be a good "compromise".

On a compact (if you mean *real* compact, not Sig 229 when compared with 226, or slightly smaller full-frame), 9mm would probably be the word.

Plus, 9mm is much cheaper to feed.
 
Look at some of the ballistic charts available on the web. The difference between the 9mm and 40SW (or 10mm) is not a whole lot. The 9mm gives you 10 rounds flush, and 16 rounds with the included extended mag. The 40SW gives you 9 and 12, respectively. Do the extra chances to hit the BG make more of a difference than a bit more stopping power? Throw shot placement in the mix and that's an argument for another day. There is no correct answer to any of these questions (although some of this forum would beg to differ.)

Which caliber do you shoot better with? Which can you afford to practice with more? Which is more available? Which gives you more opportunities to protect yourself and your family? Make a choice and LIVE with it!

FYI, I protect my home with a .45acp (HK USP45). My upstairs back-up gun is a .40 (Sig 229 Plat Elite). My car gun is a 9mm (SA XD9sc). My winter carry is a HK P7 in 9mm. My summer carry is a Seecamp in .32acp. (So if I'm mugged, I hope its in the winter.) To each his own. I bet you dollar to donuts that the list I just typed would be DIFFERENT for EVERY SINGLE MEMBER of this forum.

Good luck with your choice!
 
All subcompacts get a little harder to control when you go up in caliber. Provided that you are using a proven service caliber, the most important aspect of your pistol should be how well you shoot it rapidly and accurately. In a subcompact, I think you will shoot 9mm much better......I know I do.

147gr loads will also be much better out of a subcompact. It will recoil more comfortably, have less muzzle blast, less muzzle flash, and doesn't lose as much performance out of short barrels as lighter loads do. Any of the following would be great choices:

Federal HST 147gr JHP (P9HST2)
Remington Golden Saber 147gr JHP (GS9MMC)
Speer Gold Dot 147gr JHP
Winchester Ranger Talon 147gr JHP (RA9T)
Winchester Ranger Bonded 147gr JHP (RA9B/Q4364) FBI Load
 
CC/second gun, compact pistols

A 9mmNATO. For CC/second gun use, I'd go with a well made factory only JHP +P, like the Speer Gold Dot or the bonded Remington Golden Saber 124gr JHP +P.
The 9mm will hold more rounds and feed a lot better than a .40S&W, ;).

The 9mm is really a .38 caliber and may recoil less too. This could allow 1 handed firing in a real shooting incident.

Most 9mm loads cost less too, :D.

Rusty
 
At one time, I had all the major calibers. However, due to personal circumstances, decided to trim down my collection & ammo requirements. The .40S&W left my inventory, even though I had an excellent weapon in the Daewoo DH40.
I felt that the 9mm and .45acp were enough in semi-auto's for adequate fun on the range and personal protection.
So, I'd choose the 9mm.:)
 
Hello Everyone:
I plan on buying a SA xd sub compact within the next week or so but I'm unsure of what caliber to get. I have shot both rounds and they feel the same to me? I'm looking for some opinions. This is going to be my primary carry weapon. Thanks.
Click to expand...

great choice, now for caliber, i have 2 xd's and they are .40 and i love them they are reliable accurate and fun guns to shoot. i have the service and the sc model. i say get the 9mm , cheaper ammo gets you more trigger time. you won't be dissapointed in the xd i can tell you that.
 
I own all .40S&W and getting another one by the end of the year.

I vote for .40S&W because of the bigger hole factor. Also, the .40S&W is a unique recoil round. I love the recoil more than a 9mm, and I'm very accurate with it.

Best thing to do is shoot 50-100 in each caliber and see for yourself.
 
This is all great advise. But do you guys think the 40 has greater stopping power than the 9mm? Ive been shooting for a while now but i'm no expert. I live in a town where crime is no surprise. I need to be ready fo anything.
 
Look for yourself. Seems to me, you pick a good defensive 9mm round, and the BG is stopped. Twelve inches is what the experts recommend for an effective round.

Handgun_gel_comparison.jpg
 
.40 s&w

I'd vote for .40 S&W for defense and 9mm if you are going to shoot a lot. Ammo cost is a very real consideration. If the weapon fits you well, then the .40 is not going to foul out due to recoil. The 9mm will be noticably less recoil though. I have a Beretta 92FS and a 96FS that are identical, except capacity and perceived recoil. If you compare factory published ballistics between the 9mm and .40 S&W you will see an average 37% advantage with the .40 S&W. Remember there are no +P .40 rounds as it is pretty hot as it is. I do carry the 92FS at times CCW with Gold Dot 124 +P's in it and feel quite safe. Generally, I carry the 96 FS and have a Cougar 8000 in .40 as a BUG. Shoot 'em both and make your personal decision.
 
9mm

I like my 9mms and don't feel under powered. Practice is much cheaper and I think the price of the gun is a little cheaper too in general. As mentioned before there are some great self-defense ammo out there for the 9mm. Practice is the main variable. I practice a lot and my shooting has greatly improved. Neither round is effective if you can't hit what you are shooting at! Have fun either way
 
This is all great advise. But do you guys think the 40 has greater stopping power than the 9mm? Ive been shooting for a while now but i'm no expert. I live in a town where crime is no surprise. I need to be ready fo anything.
Click to expand...
Then go with 9mm. Cheaper ammo will allow more practice, which should lead to better accuracy. Lower recoil will allow for faster follow up shots.

The thing you have to remember is that energy levels in most handgun rounds mean very little. A projectile must be carrying somewhere in the neighborhood of 1000 ft. lbs. of energy before hydrostatic shock becomes a permanent wounding mechanism. Therefor, penetration and expansion are the only wounding mechanisms present in standard handgun calibers. Penetration is the more important of the two, because the bullet must penetrate deeply enough to strike critical internal organs. Damaging critical internal organs is the only way to reliably incapacitate an attacker (and stop him or her from continuing to attack you). Modern 9mm JHP loadings are on par with those in .40 S&W, .357 SIG, and .45 ACP.

In the end you have to decide what you're comfortable with. If the .40 S&W chambering gives you more confidence go for it. I'll take any advantage I can get if I'm ever forced to fire a gun in anger. If that advantage is a psychological one gained from carrying a larger round use that to help you.
 
The 9mm is not a .38 caliber round. It is .355".

The .38 special is also not a .38 caliber round. It is .357".

The .44 Magnum is .429", etc. (Isn't marketing great?)

That correction being made, I would go with the 9mm. Placement is power, and cheaper practice makes for better placement, usually.

-Polish
 
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