Considering Getting Out of 40 S&W, Your Thoughts?

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kcofohio

kcofohio

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What I have is a M&P 40 (4"), a Hi-Point Carbine TS, reloading die set, 400-500 factory loads, several hundred reloads (which will come with a kinetic puller), about 700 once-fired casings, and bullets (plated, lead, and FMJ).

We have hardly shot the 40s in seriousness. Less than 200 through the carbine, and a few hundred through the M&P.

I'm looking for thoughts, whether offering all the above as a package would make or break a deal. And since it is all ready to go, I'd require the buyer to have a CCW.

I had only kept the M&P around this long because of the "hi-cap" magazines.

TIA

Kevin
 
I don't see the point of .40s in general, and neither do many experts of today.

I agree with you OP. Ditch them! :)
 
I think many will be moving away from the .40 so I would do it quickly before a pile of the police guns in .40 hit the market at low prices.

I'm not a .40 fan but IF the ammo gets to be less than 9mm I'll be buying.
 
I'd have no use for the Hi-Point carbine. However, there are some advantages to having the M&P 40.

Generally speaking, when the last ammo shortage hit, .40 S&W ammo was generally available, while 9mm wasn't.

The M&P was designed around the .40 S&W round. It has a fairly good reputation for accuracy from that gun, while the 9mm versions don't have as good a reputation.

If I had a Glock 22/23 in Gen 3 or older, I'd probably get rid of it, but the S&W M&P 40 has a good reputation.
 
I would ditch it all! I would t even wait for money. All the experts that used to say .40 was the absolute best, greatest round ever and that 9mm is worthless have decreed that .40 is now worthless and 9mm is the greatest bestest round ever! I have even heard rumors that gangs and other criminals have realized that taking a hit from a .40 is so inconsequential, they have incorporated it into their initiation routines for those too squeamish to get a tattoo. In their down time, some have even taken to playing a round or two of Who Wants to Catch a .40!

My guess is, this new found belief that smaller, faster rounds, combined with "New Technology" will lead to hi tech .22 LR. being the next greatest beast killer.

(Disclaimer: The preceding sarcasm was not aimed at the OP, but at the notion that the so called "experts" indeed have anything important to contribute.)

If I were the OP, I would ditch the stuff if I really had no need for it. Maybe. I am of the belief that having more guns is better than having less guns. There will always be guns you own that are shot less than the others. Every gun I have ever sold, except the Walther P22, I have regretted selling. So, maybe I would actually keep them.

I love .40S&W. I have carried a Glock 23 since 1993 and still shoot it better than my Glock 17.
 
Cooldill said:
I don't see the point of .40s in general, and neither do many experts of today.

I agree with you OP. Ditch them! :)
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That's exactly what I was going to say ... I never did understand the "why" of it but it sold a bunch of guns, ammo and supplies!
 
If it were mine I would sell off the whole .40 collection. Have never been a big fan of the round even though I have had 3 guns chambered for it. Guess I'm just a dyed-in-the-wool traditionalist and like my 9mm. and .45ACP guns so much more.
 
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I'm not the world's biggest .40 fan but I have three and plan to add one more. I like having a little redundancy - three of the four I own (or intend to own) have 9mm duplicates in my collection.
 
I can't find any fault with the idea of getting out of .40.

I've got a couple (SIG & HK) and I reload for .40, it's not a bad caliber and if you reload is pretty versatile. But. my HK 2000 in .40 has been converted o 357 Sig and my 226 in .40 is going to follow suit.

Chuck
 
My thought is that I don't really know what your question is.

Are you seeking affirmation for your choice to sell .40 guns? To sell them as a package vs. individually? My main thought is that - absent a concrete question - the whole thing reads as an ad with a vague hand-wave of "what do you think" tacked on to allow it to survive outside the classified section. I'm not saying that's what it is, but I can't exclude that possibility.

I don't entirely get the antipathy so many feel for the .40S&W. It is derided as the "forty short and weak" in one breath, then faulted for its heavy recoil the next.

Is it my favorite cartridge? No. But it isn't a .25acp either. It can be used without embarrassment or apology as far as I'm concerned.
 
Ed Ames said:
My thought is that I don't really know what your question is.

Are you seeking affirmation for your choice to sell .40 guns? To sell them as a package vs. individually? My main thought is that - absent a concrete question - the whole thing reads as an ad with a vague hand-wave of "what do you think" tacked on to allow it to survive outside the classified section. I'm not saying that's what it is, but I can't exclude that possibility.

I don't entirely get the antipathy so many feel for the .40S&W. It is derided as the "forty short and weak" in one breath, then faulted for its heavy recoil the next.

Is it my favorite cartridge? No. But it isn't a .25acp either. It can be used without embarrassment or apology as far as I'm concerned.
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I'm looking for thoughts, whether offering all the above as a package would make or break a deal.
Click to expand...

Maybe I didn't spell it out clear. Just was curious if a package deal would find its appeal to the everyday Joe. I don't think I was seeking buyers here. As it would be a local deal.
 
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BTW, I find no fault with the 40 S&W. I got into them after my wife shot her nephew's 40. I get a bit of tunnel vision from time to time. And her desire was all it took for me to run with it.

Since then, she has claimed my Commander 1911 in 45.

Getting out of the 40 will still leave me reloading for 5 other handgun calibers. I must resist the 327 magnum. lol

Anyhow, thanks for all the responses. I'm going to get a total of all that I have and start putting the info together. :)
 
I'm just recently in the 40 game, and mostly because of how cheap and readily available the brass is. I bought a 40 conversion barrel for my Glock 20 but don't have to worry about chasing down my expensive 10mm brass.

If you're not a reloader and are dependent on factory ammo to shoot I can see a reason to keep at least one 40 around. Back during the last banic it was one of the last rounds left on the shelves after all the 9mm and 45 had sold out. Of course the 10mm and 357 Sig lasted even longer, but that's another story.
 
If you are trying to sell high then the package route is probably the best way to rope someone in. But trying to get retail for used doesn't work well in these parts unless it's a really special gun.
 
Ahh, ok.

It sounds like I should have read it as, "Thinking of getting out of a caliber completely" With the question being, "Should I sell as a package or individual items?" The specific cartridge in question doesn't really matter so much as the fact that you won't have anything in that chambering after you are done.

I bring all of this up because many of the responses you got were people affirming that you should dump the .40 because those people don't like .40.

Personally, I think you will get less money if you sell as a package. OTOH it will take less time and will probably make someone happy.

I'm in a similar situation in that I have a g22 and a matching sub2k . They are ok guns but my only two .40s and I wouldn't have either if I could have found a sub2k in 9mm. I have debating selling them as a pair, but I doubt I will.
 
I don't really care for the 40, but I do have one (Gen 2 glock 23 truck/bike gun). I keep it because it was basically free, and its a common round. If it was me, I would keep the M&P and the factory ammo, and dump the rest. Or at least dump the hi point. You could always keep the M&P for trading material down the road.
 
Sell while you can or buy a 357sig barrel and have a more versatile rig. Shoot either caliber with same slide, spring, and mags. New life for about $100.
 
I have never cared for the 40. But I don't think you should be embarrassed or apologetic about liking it. Different strokes for different folks.

As for the OP, split the stuff up. I believe it will sell faster and you will get better cash. Let us know how it goes.
 
This is great. I will be waiting to buy several of these cheap used 40's when the trade-in Glocks hit the stores.

If your .40 is "snappy and hard to control, it is because you are making it that way. The .40 was originally loaded as a 180gr bullet doing around 950fps. That is the round the FBI found to be very effective in many different situations. Later when the "faster is always better" crowd realized they could add a few hundred feet per second to it, they created the "snappy" .40 that everyone whines about. The original round is still very effective (more so with modern bullets) and still very pleasant to shoot. So are the 165gr loads when loaded to around 980fps.

Check out how well the lower velocity .40 loads did in this extensive ballistics gel test compared to even the +P 45ACP loads:
http://www.luckygunner.com/labs/self-defense-ammo-ballistic-tests/#380ACP
 
In the local pawn shops, using the M&P as an example, the 9 is selling while the 40 marked $100 less sits in the case. One of the shops said they will no longer take a 40 in pawn.

The local gun shop does not stock 40s. If you want one he will order it for you. It doesn't help that Austin PD is trading in their 40 M&Ps for M&P9s.

If you want to divest yourself of 40s, around here anyway, you waited to long.
 
In my area, 40 caliber pistols (esp. Glocks) sit on shelves collecting dust for a LONG time, new or used.
 
LE trade-ins in 40 are flooding the market. 357 also except not in huge numbers. With the gov't still in 40 I would think it isn't going anywhere for awhile but eventually it will lose out to 9 mm when all the 40's are replaced.

A package is the way to sell it. Box it all up and take it to a gun show. Asking price would be around 50% of retail for firearms, factory ammo and components. It should sell real fast.
 
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