ront - not at all. Sorry if I came off that way.
All I was saying is that I feel the reports of the 27 being incredibly difficult to shoot are exaggerated.
I just hate it when I hear in gun stores the salesperson trying to tell somebody not to go with the 27 because "they won't be able to handle it". It's an insult to the customer, and I just never felt it was a big deal.
Notice I did mention I learned how to shoot on a 340PD with .357 mag - so I was basically saying that I may be more used to harder recoil than some and therefore not as sensitive to it.
Everybody is entitled to their opinion. I just didn't want the reader to interpret what people say as the 27 being a very difficult gun to manage, which is the kind of stuff I hear in gun-stores all the time.
Whether the OP goes for a 26 or 27 is fine. They're both great guns. I just wanted to point out that at least with practice, the difference in recoil becomes marginal if even noticed (at least for me).
This is a forum - the whole point is for people to voice their opinions.
For future reference, don't ever interpret what I say as me saying I know what's best or anything like that. I most certainly don't know what's best - or I would be G-d. Guns are all about personal comfort. You have to be confident and comfortable with what you shoot, and especially if you carry it.
So long as the OP doesn't just automatically rule out the 27 because of reports of it being a tough gun to manage - my work is done.
- and if he/she goes with the 26 just to be totally comfortable with shooting it - he/she is still in good hands. The difference in firepower between the two is marginal really. The bottom line is that the best gun is the one that stops the fight. What make/model/or caliber is otherwise irrelevant and just a matter of personal preference.
I think the OP's best bet is to find a friend that has a 26 and a friend with a 27 (or just go to a range that rents them) - try them both, and then find out what his or her sensitivity to recoil is. He/she may find like me that it's not noticeable - or he/she may be of the impression as some others that there is a big difference. It's all a matter of personal preference, wrist-strength, internal muscular/skeletal etc.
ETA: Oh yeah, also Ront - of course there is technically more recoil. I'm talking perceived recoil though. I'm not doubting that to some extent .40 kicks more..... I'm just saying I don't feel it as being enough to be a deal-breaker..... Also, bear in mind when I shoot, I'm concentrating on the target, and am kind of in some sort of meditation mode (if you want to call it that).... my adrenaline is up, and that also may cause me to feel less of whatever is there in terms of recoil. With enough adrenaline, you could probably shoot a cannon out of your hand and make it feel like a .22.