Dilemma Decision

[mikep99]

Alright guys its crunch time and I need your help. Its very simple;all you need to do is help me decide. When I joined I had the same issue but now I have made it easier.

I ordered a Walther P99 but can't decide on which caliber 9mm or .40. This is the gun I am set on so don't try to change my mind. Its just today I went to go pick up the 9mm(which I thought had gotten there) but instead it was a .40. I am not sure which one to get. The .40 is already there(gun store) but the 9mm will be in probably next week.

Can some of you help me in my choice.

Description about me:

I am going to acquire a CCW soon so i will carry the pistol

I want to go to the shooting range a good amount every month(once every weekend 4 times)


So there you have it. Its either the 9mm which costs less to shoot or the .40 which supposedly has more stopping power.


The guys at the store said to me that the police is moving towards .40 because it has more stopping power. Nevertheless the.....ahh nevermind just help me!

 

[Eightball]

If money matters, get a 9mm. If not as much (or if stopping power matters more) get the .40. I like things cheap, so I'd get the 9mm. Just my opinion.

 

[Black Majik]

Well, my personal opinion is as follows.

- 9mm is much cheaper, so that equals more time to shoot
- More time to shoot means more practice with the 9mm
- More practice with the 9mm means better traning of your CCW piece
- Quicker follow up shots with 9mm
- I'm not sure the max capacity of 9mm in the P99, but usually you can stuff more rounds in a 9mm than .40

- .40 has more "stopping power" supposedly
- If you can afford to shoot and train with the .40, I'd rather pick the .40 over the 9mm for carry.
- .40 ammo is still cheaper than .45!


For CCW, I'd prefer the .40 over the 9mm. That is of course, if you can practice often with your CCW piece.

Have fun, from what I've heard its a great pistol.

 

[mikep99]

Hmmmm. Anyone else have any comments. I am leaning towards the .40 but I still don't know.

 

[Black Majik]

Have you shot any pistol in .40 S&W? If not, I definitely suggest you try one out to see if you can shoot it comfortably.

The recoil is noticeably snappier, sharper recoil. In my honest opinion, the .45 ACP round is easier to shoot than the .40 S&W round.

The 9mm round is much easier to use and shoot. I dont find the .40 round to be very comfortable to shoot. But thats just how I feel on the subject.

 

[pax]

The 9mm is not only cheaper to shoot, it is also easier on your joints if you plan to shoot a lot.

Arthritis is not a lot of fun.

pax

 

[mikep99]

What do you mean exactly by 'recoil'? that the pistol will bolt back into me or that it will snap at the front of it going up?

 

[HSMITH]

Mike, recoil is 'kick'. The 40 will have more muzzle rise and 'kick' back into your hand a little harder than the 9 will. 9mm has a light recoil, 40 feels sharper and is more pronounced, 45 acp is just as pronounced but more of a big push than a snap like the 40.

For a guy fairly new to handguns I would strongly suggest you get the 9mm. Practice is a huge deal for you early on, and 9mm is cheaper by a lot letting you shoot more. 9mm is also easier to control, this makes it easier for you to refine your technique instead of ingraining bad habits that heavier recoil tends to create in new shooters. Get a 9mm, put a couple months to a year of solid effort into it learning to shoot it, THEN consider a new gun that might or might not be better suited to your needs.

You should also look at getting some competent instruction, it will cut a lot of time out of the learning curve letting you become a proficient pistol shooter much sooner than if you go at it on your own. Good instruction isn't cheap, but it is worth every penny.

 

[Roadwild17]

9MM vs 40Cal

If you use a good 9mm round it and put it on target it should do the job. 9mm should have a faster follow-up shot, look up some balistic data and see exactly what the difference between the two rounds are.

 

[CurtM]

I tried both before deciding on the 9mm. Higher capacity mags, and it just felt better to me. I'm not small or weak, so it wasn't like I couldn't take some recoil, but the 9mm was just easier to handle. I don't know if the p99 was designed as a 9mm then upgraded to a .40, but it just felt more manageable.

 

[mikep99]

You see I think my problem here is patience. I originally ordered the .40 until I realized that it was going to be more expensive to shoot and the recoil would be more than the 9mm. Then I changed my order to a 9mm...but the .40 cam in first and I almost took it yesterday. Now today I was going to pass by, but I think I am just going to take it becuase I can't wait for the 9mm, which would get here next week. I am new to shooting, like I said before, so I don't know if I should relax and wait for the 9mm to come in.

 

[hobbeeman]

I just bought my first 9mm, and I love it! (see probs with my 9mm). I'm with the other person who said essentially, Get them Both! But I would get the 9mm first and then the 40. Practice your heart out with the 9mm and then upgrade so that you would have both for different circumstances if needed.

 

[Chipperman]

I am not a fan of .40.
Is is too loud, too expensive, and too snappy.

I'd get the 9mm.

But if you like .40, and shoot it well you may be happy with that.

 

[Bobo]

Self-control and patience are two great attributes that will help throughout life. They will help you to be a better shooter as well as help in most other things. They are strenghtened by testing and practice.

Wait for the 9mm if that's really what you think is the best for you!!!

 

[CajunBass]

9mm = 5.95 for a box of 50 at Wally World. (Winchester White Box, Blazer Brass, and Remington-UMC 115 gr FMJ) All good for practice shooting.

40 S&W I think, I didn't look really close was about twice that or more.

 

[MICHAEL T]

Have you even held or shot That model Walters. I would go with the 9 for starters But I don't know about the P99 for CCW. Seems to me lot of others out their be better carry gun. and not as ugly

 

[Aguila Blanca]

You see I think my problem here is patience. I originally ordered the .40 until I realized that it was going to be more expensive to shoot and the recoil would be more than the 9mm. Then I changed my order to a 9mm...but the .40 cam in first and I almost took it yesterday. Now today I was going to pass by, but I think I am just going to take it becuase I can't wait for the 9mm, which would get here next week. I am new to shooting, like I said before, so I don't know if I should relax and wait for the 9mm to come in.

Wait for the 9mm

 

[Black Majik]

I agree with Hawkmoon. I've been following this thread and I agree, for a new shooter start off with the 9mm.

I'd honestly probably recommend a gun in .45 before a gun chambered in .40 S&W.

 

[mikep99]

I hate to disappoint you guys but I went with the .40

The guy is really cool though because he is going to go to the range with me more than once and if I just can't bare with it he is going to get me the 9mm.

 

[Chrontius]

9mm. Golden Sabers make huge holes either way, and target ammo is cheaper than dirt.