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

[Rexster]

I got out of .40 S&W, when its per-shot recoil became painful to my aging, ailing right wrist. The first step was in Spring 2012, when I starting carrying a 9mm G17 during personal time. I still had to carry the mandated .40 S&W while on duty. The next step was in October 2015, shortly after my chief authorized 9mm as an alternative duty cartridge; G17 and G19 Glocks then became my default handguns for duty and carry.

To be clear, I am not blaming .40 recoil for causing my right wrist's condition, as I fired plenty of .44 and .41 Magnums in the Eighties, and full-pressure .357 Magnums in the Nineties and into the first decade of this century.

As for the narrative of the original post, it reads like a thinly-disguised ad.

 

[BSA1]

The .40 is falling out of favor with many law enforcement agencies the most notable is the FBI. However some departments stay with the .40 due to the upfront cost of changing to 9mm.

A nearby large metro police department issues Glock 40's. I have been told that the range and training officers have recommended switching to 9mm because it is easier to train and qualify officers and they can buy 9mm ammo at a lower cost but top brass is using funds to buy body cameras for all of it's officers.

Unless you are in need of the money right away consider keeping your guns until after the elections in November. If the candidate whose platform is for more gun control wins expect a Hanic. This, of course, will result in being able to sell your guns quicker at a much higher price.

On the hand if the other candidate wins I don't expect a change in market demand which means you will get the same amount of money for them.

 

[kcofohio]

Unless you are in need of the money right away consider keeping your guns until after the elections in November. If the candidate whose platform is for more gun control wins expect a Hanic. This, of course, will result in being able to sell your guns quicker at a much higher price.

On the hand if the other candidate wins I don't expect a change in market demand which means you will get the same amount of money for them.

That is something to consider, BSA1. Though I dread the thought of that possibility.

In general, the OP of the thread should have a good portion of the info in place for quicker feed back. Cuts out a lot of guessing game by the following posters. Or at least in my thinking.

To those who read the OP as a veiled ad, I'll let the moderators be the judge of that.

 

[DaisyCutter]

The 9mm is the cool cartridge now, and it blows my mind. I just gotta respect the power of the bandwagon.

Nothing about the 40SW has changed. It's still one of, if not the best, defensive handgun cartridges.

The pendulum will swing back. Some fat prima donna with soft hands and a bigger neck beard will declare the 9mm no longer cool, and everyone with 9mms will be questioning selling theirs in order to fit in.

Don't be a follower.

With all that 40SW reloading equipment and supplies, you'd be a fool to trade it for 9mm, an absolute fool. The best argument the 9mm fans have is cost, and that's a non issue for you.

Find anyone who will claim a 9mm is more effective than an equivalent 40SW... bullet for bullet, Gold Dot for Gold Dot, Corbon for Corbon, etc.


If you want the change, then do it for you, but not because someone else says it's cool.


You know what else is cool right now?

Vespa scooters.

Vespas cost less then a real motorcycle and are easier to ride...


Think about that for a second. Sound familiar?

 

[Old Dog]

Just one man's opinion, but I'm done with the .40 S&W.

I have to carry one as a condition of employment, but when not at work, I go with a .45 ACP or a 9mm. After more than 25 years of dealing with the .40, I've concluded there's no up-side to this caliber, whereas re-loading, shooting and packing both the .45 and 9mm make far more sense.

While I enjoyed my SIG P-226 and Beretta 96 in .40 -- in my humble opinion, the premier platforms for the caliber -- I despised having to carry and qualify with the Glock 22/23 and H&K USP, and have found that most pistols, including Glocks, but particularly SIGs, Berettas, CZs and even some 1911s, are much more accurate and fun to shoot in 9mm.

 

[Capt. Ct.]

I never got involved with the .40. I have never even fired one. I reload for 9mm, .45, .357 and .38. I just never wanted to start reloading for yet another caliber.

 

[Fiv3r]

The ammo drought a few years ago swayed me toward the .40.

I own one .40, and I love it. I don't plan on adding more to tell line up, but as I don't reload, I like having an option in case there is another ammo rush on 9mm/.38/.380/.45.

Back when almost everything was cleared from the shelves, the steadfast .40 was there. I'll always keep one in the stable.

However, I'm thinking about picking up an fns 9c to carry over my fns 40c. The .40 will go back in the safe until it is needed.

 

[mdThanatos]

I say get rid of it if you don't shoot it that much/enjoy it. I got out of .40 4 or 5 years ago and haven't regretted it.

 

[LiveLife]

I switched from Glock 17/19/26 to G22/23/27.

Why?

I can drop in 40-9 conversion barrels to shoot 9mm - Best of both worlds.

 

[kcofohio]

bds, that is something I hadn't thought of. A quick search, and it looks like a few different barrels are made for a conversion of the M&P.

 

[Schwing]

I have never cared for the the .40 either. It is a higher pressure round like 9mm so, if you are a bullet caster, it is far more challenging to get good clean loads than .45. You can do it for sure but getting accuracy without leading out of a .45 is a whole lot less effort.

I do agree that you should wait until after the election to sell. I don't see prices falling between now and then nor do I see them falling if Trump wins. I do see them going up if Hillary wins though.

I also think, if it were me, I would sell it as a package. If offers pop up for individual items, you can always re-evaluate.

 

[JO JO]

I would sell them individually,but that would take more time and work then selling as a lot, as far as getting away from .40 that depends on what YOU like ! I agree don't listen to the nay sayer's the .40 is alive and well will be around for our lifetime in fact in my neck of the woods .40's out sell the 9's and I see way more folks shooting 40's. It's the 9's that are for sell second hand and sit on the shelf, seems to be where you live to what folks say. This is just my opinion pick the caliber YOU like not what the village voodoo doctor's flavor of the week is but I think you would make more money selling them individually in my opinion.

 

[Jimfern]

Offer a great deal for the whole package and see how it goes. You can always break it up if they don't sell.

 

[ATLDave]

If you don't like that stuff, sell it. I'm not sure what you're looking for. Someone to validate your distaste for that round?

 

[cougar1717]

If you're set on selling, I would price it individually and give a discount for buying the whole package. You're going to get a whole bunch of tire kickers asking for individual prices anyway.

As has been mentioned above, I don't get the reasoning to sell a M&P 40 (unless you really don't like it) when conversion barrels are available, but even more so when you have a reloading setup that can download 40S&W to whatever power level will function the action.

At the end of the day, if the stuff is just sitting around, it may be worth selling to get something that you would use. Please just don't be swayed by the flavor of the day, as the marketer makes his living on dissatisfaction.

 

[azrocks]

I seriously doubt there's someone in your local area looking for that particular combination of firearms & accessories. So if you do garner interest, it's likely going to be because you're offering a smoking deal that's too hard to pass up. Which means you'll lose a lot of money on the deal.

If you ask a reasonable price, I think your bites will be few & far between. Better to sell the items individually IMO.

 

[LiveLife]

I am a fan of 40S&W Glocks/M&Ps and would buy them when I see for sale used in good condition (wife shoots G22/23/27 and sister competes with M&P40 and I like M&P45). 40S&W was my primary match caliber and like the flexibility of 9mm-like practice loads to full-power loads with better than 9mm/45ACP terminal ballistics for same capacity compact/subcompact carry. Of course, being able to shoot cheaper 9mm is a nice bonus.

I also like 9/40/45 carbines (Just Right carbine with 9/40/45 caliber conversions and PSA carbines).

Too bad OP is not local as I would have PMed an offer already.

 

[BJJ223]

I think the 9mm thing is one of the most ridiculous "bandwagon" things I have ever seen in firearms. Just because the FBI chooses a smaller round to arm females and wimpy desk type agents, does not mean it is the best round for the average person. This is the same FBI that is allowing the biggest criminal in politics to run for President. Excuse me if I question their judgement.

The .40 caliber is more snappy than the 9mm because it hits harder. Shoot a 180 grain bullet and you have a superior round to any 9mm.

 

[badkarmamib]

I switched from 9MM to .40 S&W about 8 years ago for all of my carry guns. Honestly, it started because in VA, you legally need over 350 ft-lbs of energy to hunt deer with. During the 2008 banic, .40 was the only semi-auto ammo you could find anywhere near here. Now I reload. There is absolutely no reason for me to go back to 9MM.

 

[tipoc]

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.

It's an attractive deal, depending on price. Keep in mind you're selling used guns but it's likely with the extras that you can recover the price of the guns as you mentioned.

The part of the deal that is questionable is requiring the buyer to have a CCW license. Why do that? What's your thinking there?

tipoc

 

[wingman]

When I begin shooting 40 did not like the round but once I found a gun in that caliber that fit my hand my opinion changed, the Browning Hi Power and a CZ40B, both fun and a joy to shoot. Someone posted about the 180gr and that is true it does give less snap in recoil and if your a reloader easy process to come up with a load to copy either 45acp or 9mm feel/recoil.

Honestly I enjoy all 3 rounds 9, 40 and 45 if I had to pick one it would be 45acp.

 

[geo57]

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.

Very good post. The number of false statements in this thread is laughable.

 

[geo57]

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

Another excellent post.

 

[geo57]

I think the 9mm thing is one of the most ridiculous "bandwagon" things I have ever seen in firearms. Just because the FBI chooses a smaller round to arm females and wimpy desk type agents, does not mean it is the best round for the average person. This is the same FBI that is allowing the biggest criminal in politics to run for President. Excuse me if I question their judgement.

The .40 caliber is more snappy than the 9mm because it hits harder. Shoot a 180 grain bullet and you have a superior round to any 9mm.

This

 

[kcofohio]

Thanks all for the much good advice. I will take much of it into consideration.

Guess I should have realized the mentioning of this caliber would bring out the passion on both sides. But, hey, I'm a fool!