Help Me Choose My 1st .40 Pistol

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zebco

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Yep, another "help me" thread. That's ok, though, as I do enjoy learning new things and learning from others' experiences. My heart was broken today, as I had it set on getting a Glock 23 4 gen. I had a chance to shoot a 3rd gen today and now I'm not so sure. It wasn't an accuracy problem, but the recoil was far more than I thought it would be compared to other .40s I've shot. It actually hurt my hand somewhat. Nothing intolerable I suppose, but am I really going to want to spend a lot of time practicing with it? It's a shame as I had a chance to walk around the store the other day with it tucked in a Crossbreed Supertuck holster. Concealed great and didn't bother me at all. I really wanted this gun.

An interesting option I found today is the FNX .40. It appears to be very similar in size to the 23, and I'm sure would disappear just as well in a Crossbreed. But I didn't get a chance to shoot it. Other .40s I've shot that weren't too bad to me are the Beretta PX-4 and the Sig 229, although the Sig seemed the "chunkiest" of them all. But keep in mind that my shooting of these guns was very limited. I would be interested in hearing more about them or others from those that have owned them and have shot them a significant amount of time.

So what says experienced .40 shooters? Anyone try the FNX? This is something I plan on carrying concealed, and as long as it can conceal in something like the Crossbreed I'm not sure size is an issue. I do want to add here that while the M&P handles the .40 well to me, I don't care for the trigger. And I haven't cared much for the basic XD models I've shot, but haven't tried the XDM yet. All opinions are welcome; thanks!
 
I wouldn't give up on Glock just yet. The Gen4's have a dual recoil spring that is more stout. I have a Gen4 Glock 22 and it has less recoil then a Gen 3. I would say 15-20% less felt recoil. Also, if you like the 23's frame size take a look at a Glock 19. 9mm is a very effective round with the right loading, i.e Speer Gold Dot Winchester Ranger etc. Not only that it's cheaper to shoot. Hope this helps! :)

Armedleprechaun
 
hammerklavier- What does the Apex trigger do for the gun?

Armedleprechaun- Thanks. I didn't want to give up on it, which is why I didn't walk out of the store with something else. And it was hard not to. I'm sure you know when you have money in hand ready to buy, you can get a little antsy. But I decided to sleep on it. Anyway, I have a CZ PCR in 9mm that I love. Very close in size to the 19 and easy to conceal. While I do like the 19, I wanted something in a .40 this time. I was wondering about the Gen4 spring and if it would help. The guy at the range said no, it wouldn't make a difference. I'm glad it does for you. So I will still keep the 23 Gen4 in consideration
 
Try the XDm 4.5 in .40 or the XDm .40 Compact for concealed carry. You can use the full size mag with extension and have the equivalent of the XDm3.8. The interchangeable backstraps in either model will allow you to fit the gun to your hand and that will make recoil more manageable.;)
 
If you purchase a Glock 22, S.F. XD Tactical, or an M&P40 you have the option of later dropping in a 9mm converision barrel or a 357SIG and shooting 3 calibers from one gun. I chose the XD Tactical 5". Good luck and good shooting!!
 
The SIG P229 or a SIG P226 in .40S&W / .357SIG, add tritium night sights and you are good to go. These pistols can change between calibers by only changing the barrel, takes less than a minute. FNH makes a good gun for the money, parts and accessories are more dificult to come by in my experience.
 
I second the P229 .... I bought it as a .22LR, then upgraded to 9mm which I LOVE. It was designed as a .40 cal originally, so ought to work fine in thst caliber as well. Too big to carry for me, but lots of folks do ....

Fits great, shoots great, works great. I think it is plenty with Winchester PDX +P hollowpoints. SInce you are already used to 9mm, maybe it would suffice.

Downside is ..... pricey, esp. if you get the 9mm and the .40ca; barrels.....
 
I have a 226 in 40 that I love, But........ for me, its too big for IWB, CCW.

Like you I settled in on the 40 cal

Like you I wanted to CCW a 40

I ended up with a Bersa 40UC, which I like (but not 100%) , and CCW in a Crossbreed.

Its a solid little pistol, but a tad too thick at 1.45". The kick is pretty stout as well which I hope is stepped back with new slip on rubber grips

I had to send my Bersa in for warranty work, and found that they are going to send me a new pistol.

Since I am getting a new gun back, I can sell it on Gunbroker as new.

I may be in the market for a new CCW....



Its a quandry........

I like to shoot and become proficient with all my guns. I also want to be able to let my wife and kids learn to become proficent with every gun in the house as well.

The nice size polymer pistols like a Kahr CW40 are great for size and weight, but the recoil, according to many is brutal (I cant find a range that has one to rent)
OK for me.... not so much for my wife

I am looking very hard at buying a used SIG 239 in 40 for $500 ish

Its heavy, but shoots "like" my 226
 
Thanks so far. A little update as I shot some more today.

I think I may have it down to these 3:

Sig 229
Beretta PX4
FNX-40

I wasn't necessarily having an accuracy competition with myself, more just trying to see how they feel. The Sig was very accurate, and it was definitely comfortable to shoot. Tried it on in a Crossbreed and while it did kind of "disappear" (the shop employees really couldn't tell I had it on) I felt it. Especially the weight. The Beretta, despite it's big and tall grip, wasn't bad to conceal either, and felt much lighter. The FNX wasn't bad shooting, but it didn't "wow" me either. I'm sure it could be a good gun, but I kept feeling like I would be compromising if I got it. That feeling could change, of course.

So, in the end, all I did was confuse myself even more. Not sure I want to justify spending Sig prices, although if they were priced lower than what they are, I probably would have walked out with it today.

Another thing I want to mention, and this is why the Glock was at the top of the list at first, is I want a gun that can withstand the elements. I want one that I can take outdoors, in the woods, or whatever and not worry if a speck or two of dirt happens to get inside the gun. The Beretta kind of worries me in this regard with the rotating barrel. Maybe my worries are unfounded.
 
I've had an FNP-9M, loved it, if you liked the feel of the FNX-40 you can't go wrong with those pistols.
 
i carry a S&W Sigma .40 and love it, i know its not what you listed but it is a dam good gun. i have NEVER had any issue with it and it has well over 5K through it now.
 
Fact is, the real recoil numbers are not much different from the 9mm to the 40 Glock - The difference you're feeling is all your own individual perception.

The GOOD news is that Glock is not the only answer. If its punishing your hand too much, then look into something is a wider or more ergonomic grip. A heavier gun wouldn't hurt either.

CZ-75 / Beretta 96 / Beretta PX4 / M&P should all shoot very different.
 
mr.trooper: I remember you mentioning this in another thread. It sure was noticeable to me. I really wanted the 23 to be the one. And I'm still not ruling it out, but I found the Sig, for example, to be much more comfortable and I shot it better. I'm sure if I did end up going with the 23 that I would be able to learn to shoot it well.

I just got through looking at the H&K web site. The USP and USP Compact looks interesting, but there is no range in the area that will have those available to shoot.
 
The apex trigger bits smooth out the early part of the trigger pull, removing the bumpy feeling and making the release super crisp with a very noticeable, shorter trigger reset. It makes it feel like a super light tuned K or L frame double action is the closest I can compare it to. 5# pull on the duty kit is just about perfect.
 
Sig P229 Rates #1 With Me

A while back, a good friend watched me struggling with several semi-autos at the range in an effort to be continuously accurate. He offered me his Sig P229 in .40 S&W to try and I was amazed firing the first few mags. I have never fired any other semi auto that was "naturally accurate" in my hand(s) as the P229.

The other thing that I like most about the P229 is its DA/SA functioning. When I first tried the P229, I had been carrying a 4" S&W 586 Revolver in .38 spec/.357 mag professionally for 11 years. The P229, with its hammer drop feature and no other "safety", totally mimics the revolver operation - DRAW, AIM, PULL TRIGGER.

I now own a pair of P229's, each with factory .40 S&W and .357 Sig barrels. The .40 S&W is most satisfactory for normal carry and use. But when the feces hits the rotation blades, I can change barrels in less than 30 seconds, and now I have the equivalent of a .357 mag wheel gun, with 13 in the mag and 1 up the pipe, and 50% more muzzle energy than the .40 S&W.

Find a way to try the Sig P229 at the range. That sold me.
 
if you like parts and upgrades i would look on EMA Tacticals site and look under Roni pistol convertions made my uncles glock a pretty cool toy, almost like having a sub and if anything its a cool site to get great info hope this helps
 
.40? I think a Glock 20 SF would work..........
Sorry, just love the real .40. You could get a 10mm and a 40 S&W barrel.
 
The FNP has nice ergos. The main drawbacks, in my mind, are the SA trigger is lighter than I'd like. And the mag floorplates look like they were designed in a wind tunnel for maximum lift.

Anything with a higher bore axis will have more tolerable recoil.
 
+1 on the H&K USPc in .40. Very solid gun and favorite in .40 out of what i've shot. If youre traveling near a range that rents them, definitely try it out. you will not be disappointed. plus, you can usually get a police trade in for about 500-550.

if not, out of the three you listed, i'd go with the sig p229. I like the feel of an all metal gun better than polymer and it balances very nicely in the hand.
 
No one is mentioning the SigPro SP2022 .40SW here, hope it's not that bad because I just bought one. I think there are two types of guns. One for defense and one for sport. I didn't buy guns for defense so for sport I care about the following:

1.) Accuracy
2.) Comfort
3.) Cost of ownership

I think my next gun will be a HK USP but in the 9mm variant.
 
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