Best Full-Size Combat .40 caliber? - Seeking advice from experienced owners...

[Kentucky Rifleman]

Let me begin by saying that I've been shooting handguns since I was 8, and I turn 50 this year. I'm by no means a novice. : )

I own and shoot a broad range of handguns including several revolvers from .22 LR through .44 Mag, and Automatics from .22 through a Tanfoglio 10mm Match and a really nice Sig 1911.

There are two holes in my collection that I want to fill before summer: A 1911 in .38 Super and a .40 S&W, which is what brings me here asking input.

I don't own, and have never owned a polymer gun of any sort. I have nothing against them, and have enjoyed shooting a friend's Glock and Springfield XD. I appreciate them for what they are.

I want to pick up a full-sized .40 S&W for use as a combat handgun. I'll probably shoot some reactive course stuff at the club with it, but I'm really wanting the best .40 S&W combat handgun I can find.

I've read quite a bit about the current crop of offerings, but I'm hoping to hear positives and negatives from you guys and gals with extensive experience with this particular kind of weapon.

I'm open to polymer or alloy/steel framed models; I have no particular preference.

In order of considerations, I'd like to know about:

Accuracy
Reliability (especially with hollow points)
Durability
Ergonomics / Natural "pointability"
Any other aspects you think I should take into account.

Price point isn't really as much of a consideration, my budget is between 500.00 - 1,200.00, which seems to cover most of the more common 40s I've looked at.

So...

What would you buy to carry as a duty weapon if you were a police officer or soldier (and had your choice)? Why?

Thanks in advance!

KR

 

[pblanc]

I like the SIG Sauer P229 although you might prefer the slightly larger size of the SIG P226. The P229 was designed from the ground up to handle the .40 S&W cartridge with a slide milled from a solid billet of stainless steel. The older P226s had stamped and folded slides, but the newer production has a milled stainless slide as well, so in terms of durability either should be good.

The P226 had long been in service with the Navy Seals. The P229 has been carried by the Secret Service and Federal Air Marshals so I think durability and reliability have been put to the test. I have had no issues with my P229 with either ball or hollow point ammo. It shoots very well for me and is quite ergonomic, although some might find the grip on the P229 to be a little on the thick side. The size and weight of the pistol allow it to manage the recoil of the .40 caliber round very well.

 

[bannockburn]

Kentucky Rifleman

What pblanc wrote.

If I were to get back into a .40S&W I would probably get a SIG P229. Love my 9mm. P229; very reliable, accurate, and durable. Would like to think a .40S&W version would be more of the same.

 

[Peakbagger46]

Glock 22

I have put thousands of rounds through gen 2, 3, and 4 Glock 22s and have carried one at work daily for over ten years now.

Wonderfully reliable, pointable, and consistent. Runs lubed and clean, or dry and dirty (like after miles open carried on an ATV dirty).

Point shoots like a dream out to 15 yards. Consistent hits on a bad guy target at 50 yards. And, the texture on the gen 4 is really really nice.

There is a reason everybody from cops to army SF uses this platform. Not sexy but it just works.

 

[bannockburn]

pblanc

I have small hands and the E2 grip on my P229 feels great and fits my hand perfectly. Always thought the grip on the P228 was a tad better than that of my P226; mainly because it was slightly smaller than the full size gun.

 

[Chuck R.]

For me this sort of question always boils down to what type trigger or action are you looking for?

There's a plethora of .40 call service sized handguns available in all action and trigger types. Do you want a DA/SA, SA, DAO, Striker, DA, Striker SA?

Sort that out, then ask your question. Surely somebody that's 50 and been shooting since they were 8 has a favorite action/trigger type. IF not all you're going to get is a listing of everyone's favorite and their opinion of "best".

Chuck

 

[bannockburn]

Kentucky Rifleman

And if you would like some advice on a 1911 in .38 Super I would be more than happy to share with you one of my favorites: my Colt Commander. For some reason I have always like the Commander and Combat Commander, especially if it's in .38 Super. Just seems to handle and balance better for me than the typical full size Government Model. And don't forget you can always add a 9mm. barrel assembly and magazine if you would like have a two in one gun convertible.

 

[Sergei Mosin]

I have three .40 pistols - a SIG P229R DAK, an HK USP, and an HK P30S. Of the three my favorite is the P30S, mostly for its outstanding ergonomics and the ability to carry it cocked & locked or as a traditional DA/SA pistol. There's also the LEM trigger, which has its partisans.

The P229 would be my second choice, largely because I really like the DAK trigger.

The USP is a little out of date now but sometimes I just have to grab the old brick.

All of them are sufficiently accurate, durable, and reliable for serious work; the HKs in particular have a reputation for being built like tanks (reference the late Todd Green's endurance tests of several HK products.)

 

[Kentucky Rifleman]

Brianinca, I have one of the older "Bauska" marked CZ75s in 9mm, and I love it! : ) I haven't handled a CZ in 40, but if they feel the same, it would be a real contender! The newer CZs I've looked at don't seem quite as slick as some of the older ones, but maybe that's just me. : ) I also really like the Tanfoglios I have which are both CZ clones.

 

[tarosean]

Are you going to war?

 

[ColoradoShooter77]

If money is no object, than the H&K P30 is hard to beat. Very accurate, awesome feeling grip, shoots soft with its recoil reduction system and its very durable. H&K tested this pistol through 91,000 rounds without any major component failure. I prefer the LEM trigger.

 

[Coyote3855]

Since you didn't specify an action type, consider the Beretta 96A1. Not my cup of tea, but it's standard issue for the local Sheriff's Department and the guys seem to like it.

 

[Tallball]

I like everything best in CZ. I would get a metal CZ. My friend talked me out of my polymer P09, which was a real nice gun.

I like my Beretta 96 a lot, too. It is surplus. I got it cheap. It has been very accurate and reliable.

I like my double-stack 1911 in 40 also.

Basically I like the caliber best in a bigger heavier pistol.

 

[tarosean]

Basically I like the caliber best in a bigger heavier pistol.

CZ Tactical Sport for the win... By far the best 40SW pistol Ive ever owned.. My G35, G22 cannot even hold a candle to it in any category.. (Accuracy, Reliability, etc. etc)

 

[Kentucky Rifleman]

For me this sort of question always boils down to what type trigger or action are you looking for?

There's a plethora of .40 call service sized handguns available in all action and trigger types. Do you want a DA/SA, SA, DAO, Striker, DA, Striker SA?

Sort that out, then ask your question. Surely somebody that's 50 and been shooting since they were 8 has a favorite action/trigger type. IF not all you're going to get is a listing of everyone's favorite and their opinion of "best".

Chuck

Chuck, Lol. I came shopping for opinions! : ) (with reasoning of course!)

I've never liked DAO handguns.

For this particular purpose, I probably lean more toward a DA. I like both DA and SA for the obvious reasons: The SAs typically have a (to me at least) better trigger (lighter pull, less creep), but I appreciate the DAs' ability to carry a round in the chamber with the hammer down (being ready to fire with a DA pull). I've always felt a little uneasy about carrying cocked and locked. I know thousands do it everyday with perfect safety, I'm just personally more comfortable with the hammer down or on half-cock. This, of course makes for slower response time in an initial "draw and fire" situation with the SA.

Most of the handguns I own are exposed hammer. The Browning Buckmarks I own, and the S&W Airweight I use for CC are hammerless, but the rest have exposed hammers.

I'm comfortable with striker handguns, just don't own any.

Hopefully this clarifies my questions. : )

KR

 

[zb338]

I never had a .40 caliber gun. Up until a few years ago I shot IDPA with a group at a gun club.
The best shot in the club shot a .40 caliber 1911. Watching him shoot was like watching a movie.
He is the best shooter I have ever actually seen in real life. Please don't ask me his name I don't
remember it. I moved away and lost touch with those guys a few years back. All good guys though.
Zeke

 

[JTQ]

Glock 22

Note the reason there are Gen 4 Glocks at all is because all the previous generations of .40 S&W Glocks had problems.

...consider the Beretta 96A1

Another point to note is the 96A1 is the only .40 S&W gun remaining in the Beretta 9X line-up. The Beretta 96 is known for its' short lifespan with .40 S&W.

 

[Kentucky Rifleman]

Tallball, I have shot 3 or 4 different Beretta 9mms friends owned, and I couldn't hit anything with them. It's definitely me, because my friends shoot the Berettas just fine. I like the looks and feel of them, but something about the Berettas and I don't mesh. I can't explain it at all. : )

I do like the 1911 platform quite a bit, and I've considered looking for (or building) a 1911 in 40. That's definitely a possibility for me. My only thought there is I already own the Sig in .45 and plan to pick up a 1911 in .38 super this spring, so I'm probably more inclined to go to a different auto altogether for the 40. I'm still grieving that I didn't catch the S&W Performance Center model 952 longslides that came out a few years back. Of course they're WAY outside my budget now (and a bit off of what I'm looking to do with this handgun) but my goodness are they ever beautiful! : )

 

[Kentucky Rifleman]

Note the reason there are Gen 4 Glocks at all is because all the previous generations of .40 S&W Glocks had problems.

Another point to note is the 96A1 is the only .40 S&W gun remaining in the Beretta 9X line-up. The Beretta 96 is known for its' short lifespan with .40 S&W.

JTQ, Thanks for the input!

What kinds of issues did the earlier Glocks have with 40? I've shot a few Glocks, but have no serious experience with them, and the ones I shot were all in 9mm except for one .40, but I have no idea which model or generation it was. The Glock actual had an easy natural point for me, and I shot it well. Honestly, it and the XD were the two handguns that got me to consider a poly gun, but now that I've opened up to that notion, I've been reading about some of the others, trying to learn more before I buy.

I mentioned earlier that something in the Beretta and I don't agree about where the bullets should be hitting. : )

No one has mentioned the Beretta Storm. Any thoughts on them?

I'm still not set on the poly gun, and I really like the CZs and the Tanfoglio clones. Another I'm considering is a Browning Hi Power in 40.

KR

 

[tarosean]

What kinds of issues did the earlier Glocks have with 40?

Glock actual beat SW to market with the first 40SW gun. Because all they did was retrofit their 9mm's to 40.. This caused a lot of issues, just like all the other manufactures that tried to do the same. (Wear and tear, malfunctions, etc.). Once they added a rail problems got a lot worse.Now gen4 guns were designed for 40 and retro fitted to 9mm. Hence the teething issues with their 9mm's when released.

I own a gen3g22 and gen4g35. I'll sell ya both as they are mediocre at best.

 

[JeffG]

I think the Glock 22 would fit the bill nicely. The are super reliable, accurate, and shoot like Cadillacs.

 

[pblanc]

I have not owned or shot a Beretta PX4 Storm. The reports I have read and heard from those who have owned the PX4 full-size or compact in .40 S&W have been very positive. I do own several Cougars. The Beretta Cougar has the same slide design and rotary barrel breech lock-up as the PX4 full-size and compact models, but it has an alloy frame. One of my Cougars is a Beretta 8040F DA/SA in .40 S&W. It handles .40 S&W recoil very well and shoots well, but I would still place it below my SIG P229.

The Beretta 96 was not widely praised for its longevity. The 96A1 has incorporated a recoil buffer within the frame to help tame the recoil of the .40 S&W cartridge and spare wear and tear on the frame. But I have no idea how effective it might be.

I shot a SIG P320 full-size in .40 S&W on several occasions and was very impressed with it with regards to recoil management and accuracy. It would be my choice in a polymer-frame, striker-action pistol. I have also shot an FN FNS .40 a few times. Not bad, but not as comfortable to shoot as the P320 and the trigger was not as good.

 

[tarosean]

If you think Glocks suck so badly, why did you wind up with TWO? And your "theory" about problems is unsupported by fact. Troll up under another bridge, please.

I've got more glocks than that..

Those are the facts.. Your anectodatal evidence, as well as mine are inconsequential.

 

[Chuck R.]

Chuck, Lol. I came shopping for opinions! : ) (with reasoning of course!)

I've never liked DAO handguns.

For this particular purpose, I probably lean more toward a DA. I like both DA and SA for the obvious reasons: The SAs typically have a (to me at least) better trigger (lighter pull, less creep), but I appreciate the DAs' ability to carry a round in the chamber with the hammer down (being ready to fire with a DA pull). I've always felt a little uneasy about carrying cocked and locked. I know thousands do it everyday with perfect safety, I'm just personally more comfortable with the hammer down or on half-cock. This, of course makes for slower response time in an initial "draw and fire" situation with the SA.

Most of the handguns I own are exposed hammer. The Browning Buckmarks I own, and the S&W Airweight I use for CC are hammerless, but the rest have exposed hammers.

I'm comfortable with striker handguns, just don't own any.

Hopefully this clarifies my questions. : )

KR

I'd look hard at a SIG P series, IF you're not worrying about concealing it, then I'd get a 226. You might even want to look at a police trade it and save some cash, but there's also some great deals on new .40s because the caliber is sort of falling out of favor now. Here's a link to the .40s that CDNN has for sale now:

https://www.cdnnsports.com/firearms.html#category_2=FIREARMS/HANDGUNS&caliber=40 S&W

HK P30 V2 (LEM DAO only different) for $599.99 is a heck of a deal (they've also got a V3, but although I'm an HK fan I'm not thrilled with their P-series DA/SA) and a SIG 226 Elite in .40 for $769.99 with nightsights and 3 15rd extended mags isn't bad either.

Chuck

 

[Kentucky Rifleman]

Are you going to war?

Tarosean,

I hope not. : )

This is a home defense weapon. It'll stay on the nightstand at night, and I hope to never need it in a deadly capacity. That said, if I need to pick up a handgun and go see about something that went bump in the night, I want something that I can count on.

KR