How much more powerful is the .40 over the 9mm?

[streetstang67]

After looking at several auloaders, 9mm, .40, and .45 are by far the most common. I had decided on 9mm, but the more I think about it, the more unsure I am about the decision. I'm wondering if the 9mm will be enough stopping power for whatever I may run into. That being said, I'm not willing to go to a .45 because of recoil (I plan on getting a relatively lightweight gun) and cost of ammo, therefore, my only other reasonable option is the .40 caliber.

Is the .40 much more powerful than the 9mm? and how different is the recoil in the two?

 

[Lonestar49]

Buyer's Remorse?

...

Seriously, IMO, your 9mm, with the right ammo, will do the job, but it's your shot-placement that will be the deciding factor with whatever you use.

And, IMHO, you're wrong about recoil and the 45cal. As the 45cal is the biggest, heaviest, bullet you can use, out of the 3 calibers you mention, and the 40cal has the most recoil.

45's, such as a Sig P220 standard, or Carry model, and other makes of 45, lightweights, yet, very docile recoil, really, more like a push-back of the gun. It's/they're SWEET, as is a 9mm's least amount of recoil and, back-on-target ability favors either the 9mm or 45cal IMO.

The 40cal is the hardest caliber to tame, and hone-in with in my book.


LS

 

[Wedge]

The only way to determine recoil is to shoot the guns you are looking at. Anything else is just internet conjecture worth less than what you paid for...

Personally, I feel well protected with my Glock 17 and 2 reloads.

Any handgun is a compromise, so I would go with whatever you are most comfortable shooting. Caliber is important, but probably not as important as the internet and gun shop commandos would make you believe. The well shot gun will trump the "better" caliber any day.

Rent a couple of guns or head to the range with a friend that has them in that caliber and see what you shoot better.

 

[LFOD1776]

According to Wikipedia, 9mm muzzle energy is ~350 ft.-lbs., and .40 S&W yields ~ 425 ft.-lbs. Of course, they also put .45 ACP at ~ 370 ft.-lbs., which would make the .40 S&W the most powerful of the three (the most energetic, at any rate), and I'm not sure if that passes the sniff test.

At any rate, a given .40 S&W round has significantly more stopping power than the equivalent 9mm round (JHP vs JHP, or ball vs ball). However, 9mm ammo is much less expensive.

As for recoil, it really depends a lot on the weapon. My Sig P228 (9mm) and Beretta Cougar 8040 (.40 S&W) both have about the same felt recoil, and they're both about the same size and weight. The Cougar's currently manufactured by Stoeger, apparently using Beretta's original tooling, and they're relatively inexpensive. Why not get both?

Seriously, though, neither caliber is the "wrong" choice for your purposes. But you'll get a lot more plinking for the same money with a 9mm.

 

[03Shadowbob]

Any of those 3 will do the job. Don't be reeled in by all the caliber fanatics saying you need something starting with a 4. IME, the .40 will have recoil that is most difficult to tame, the .45 will have the most natural recoil and the 9mm will come on target faster on follow up shots. Now these are just general experiences and it all depends on gun, ammo, you, etc...

 

[Baba Louie]

.40 using 155 gr - 180 gr, traveling about 1000 fps gonna give ya a range of 375-450 ft/lbs at the muzzle... give or take

9mm shooting 115 gr - 124 gr scooting along around 1100 fps or so should show power ranging around 350 ft/lbs at the muzzle. Again, plus or minus kinda numbers.

Recoil is a factor dependant on a couple of things and isn't a factor to me, at least in those two calibers, tho' the .40 can have a right snappy felt impulse depending on what you're shooting it out of.

So I gotta agree with them what says buy 9, cause it's cheaper than the other two rounds and practice practice perfect practice makes for self confidence and lack of honest power. If it's knockdown power ya want, 12 ga slugs or large bore rifle's the way to go. All handguns in these calibers are somewhat iffy in that regards but each should make a nefarious ner-do-well rethink his immediate actions to stop (or give pause at least) as long as you practice proper placement... unless he's all doped up.

As always, YMMV. (I really think everyone needs at least one or two handguns in each of those calibers... so the real question is which one should I get first?)

 

[mavracer]

If you planing on a light gun, A 9mm will be much easier to control.stopping power between pistol calibers is much less important than accuracy.get a 9mm and fill it with these
http://www.doubletapammo.com/php/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=37&products_id=120

 

[wally]

However, 9mm ammo is much less expensive.

Only comparing cheapest vs. cheapest. If you buy "premium" self defense JHP ammo, .40S&W can usually be found significantly cheaper because you can find "Law Enforcement Only" police surplus 50 round packages of the .40 ammo much more commonly than in 9m or .45ACP.

For example CDNN recently had 155gr or 180gr Winchester Ranger JHP for $12.99/50. You are doing good to find the 9mm version of this for under $20.

That said I'd vote for a 9mm as the first full power autoloader so you can afford to shoot it a lot to get proficient. The three most important things about bullets and self defense is Placement, Placement, and Penetration. No magic bullet can make up for poor shot placement and a bullet that can't penetrate to the vitals can fail if penetration is inadequate despite good placement.

--wally.

 

[Soybomb]

It depends on how you define power. Are we playing a numbers game like dungeons and dragons where we figure the kinetic energy each round has when it leaves the muzzle? Or are we actually talking about the holes it would leave in an attacker? If its the latter, the difference is quite small and you'd be far better off with cheaper practice with a 9mm so you'll have a better chance of hitting properly.

Should give you an idea for how similiar an effect the two rounds can have on a body.

 

[McCall911]

Is the .40 much more powerful than the 9mm? and how different is the recoil in the two?

About recoil, the .40 has a snappier recoil than the 9mm IMO. I'm not very recoil-sensitive with handguns, but my son is, and he reports he doesn't like to shoot .40s at all. But, for some odd reason, he finds the recoil of the .45 ACP acceptable. Best thing to do, I think, is buddy up with a .40 shooter and try one out for yourself before you buy. Recoil tends to be a subjective thing really.

Power? I've gotten in trouble for saying this before, but I honestly don't know how much better terminal effect the .40 S&W has over the 9mm. I tend to look at penetration and expansion data from sources that I feel are objective and unbiased to help me evaluate. Here is one good one IMO:

http://demigodllc.com/~zak/firearms/fbi-pistol.php

And another great one from our old buddy, JE223, who does the testing himself:

http://www.brassfetcher.com/

Whatever your choice, good luck!

 

[jod78]

I don't think it really matters to be honest with you. I prefer 9mm. Less recoil, faster followup shots, cheaper ammo. I suppose if you're wanting a hunting sidearm and you could potentially run into a bear, then you don't want either of those two calibers. Otherwise, shoot whichever you feel most comfortable shooting.

 

[Bobo]

This might help:

http://www.mouseguns.com/PopularHandgunAmmoComparison.pdf

 

[Scorpiusdeus]

Soy, thanks for posting that chart. It confirms my desire for the .40 S&W. I just hapen to own a box of that very ammo.

 

[CountGlockula]

I'm all in favor of the .40S&W. A .40S&W recoil will prepare you to handle recoil better with other calibers, especially with the lower ones. Just my opinion.

 

[pablo45]

.40s&w snaps and jumps more. .45A.C.P. is a pusher because it is so fat and powerful. On the recoil i think i notice the .40 more, especially getting back on target.

 

[jad0110]

Which do you shoot better? That may be the most important question.

If you shoot the nines better like I do, I would suggest sticking with that for now. Lots of people like the 40, but to me it felt like it combined 9mm snappiness with the heavy push of the 45. It's not for me. I think 45 ACP has less recoil than the 40, but you are correct, 45 is more expensive.

Honestly, I pay very little attention to muzzle energy. Kenetic energy may be more important for medium and large game hunting, I dunno though. More important in my book is penetration and placement. In that regard, most medium and large bore pistol rounds will do the job (as good as any handgun round can be expected to). My personal favorite handgun round is 38 Special. I can shoot it very well, and because of the low recoil I can make accurate, rapid follow up shots. With the right self defense ammo, 38 Special can do the job quite well, IMO, despite appearing a bit weak on paper.

So if you can shoot the 40 equally well or better, than it may well be the better round for you. Then again, 9mm is generally cheaper. However, that's what a good 22 is for - a box of 550 rounds of 22LR at Wallie World currently sells for $10.

 

[C-grunt]

9mm works fine in the self defense department. If you shoot the bad guy in the heart its not going to matter if it was a 9mm or .45. 9mm is a VERY popular round throughout the world because it is a light recoiling effective cartridge.

The .40 is more powerful but we are not talking of a kitten vs. a tiger. Its kinda like all the truck companies saying their engine puts out the most power. Then you go look at them and they are seperated by a few horses. One is more powerful but is 5 HP going to make a big difference?

 

[JDGray]

I carry a G19, and dont feel undergunned in the least. Shot placement is what counts, and with a 9mm, I have 16 rounds to place In a very compact package. I also carry a 45, I'll pass on the 40

 

[critrxdoc]

Take a look at this. Arguing the merits of the most popular handgun rounds is a waste of time. :banghead: Handguns are still inferior weapons. Solid 9mm SD rounds are as effective as any other handun. Get what you shoot well, feels comfortable and PRACTICE.

 

[MikePGS]

Its really more about ammo than it is the caliber. Since i'm assuming your not in the military you have access to premium JHP ammo which in a 9mm will be more than adequate, provided that you hit what your aiming for. Yes, the .40 is more powerful (probably by 10-20 percent or so) but thats not saying that the 9 isn't powerful enough. Someone already posted the doubletap link which can give you a bullet that delivers 511 foot pounds of energy, more than almost any standard load availiable. Provided that you do your job your ammo should do its job as well.

 

[20nickels]

Many autos you can have both in the same gun for not much more cabbage. For example, the Glock in .40S&W caliber can accept a drop in KKM 9mm conversion barrel (not vice versa). Same gun, same holsters, 1 set of expensive night sights, 2 calibers.

 

[ZeSpectre]

While there is a definite power difference, I think all of these rounds will do the job if called upon....as long as you can master the shot placement.

I was going to link, but can't remember the other thread so I'll just quote myself...

In my experience the .40 S&W and full house .357 Magnum rounds have some parallels.

If your grip is too stiff and your elbows locked rigid, it WILL eventually begin to hurt your wrists and elbows (and even shoulders eventually). It has been my experience that when shooting any "snappy" pistol load you need to learn how to use arms as shock absorbers not stiff rods. (The CZ-52 with those 7.62x25 rounds also falls into this category).

I consider the .40 S&W (and full house .357 Magnum) to be -very- unforgiving of shooter errors and thus one of the most challenging rounds to shoot accurately especially out of 4" and shorter barrels that most .40 guns seem to have. A gun chambered in .40 S&W with a crappy trigger will be a nightmare plain and simple.

The flip side of this (for me anyway) has been that “training up” to good accuracy with .40 has raised my accuracy with other calibers by an order of magnitude, especially with 9mm which does seem to be quite a bit more forgiving.

That being said I really like shooting .40

 

[wally]

Soy, thanks for posting that chart. It confirms my desire for the .40 S&W. I just hapen to own a box of that very ammo.

+1

Shows why .45 & .40 are preferred. Because of earlier failures the FBI specifies 12" penetration as the minimum in a variety of situations. The table shows only .40 and .45 consistently fill the bill, although the 9mm 147gr comes very close failing only thru auto glass, although strictly speaking the 11.6" penetration of the .45 in bare gelatin fails -- borderline over expansion to .75"

Also confirms the idea that if you shoot 9mm better you are better off using it, as with the 147 gr loads you aren't giving up much. I find the 147gr 9mm loads to generally be sweet shooters.

--wally.

 

[Koblenz]

My Sig P228 (9mm) and Beretta Cougar 8040 (.40 S&W) both have about the same felt recoil

Based on what I have read, the recoil of the .40 varies a lot between gun brands, and also ammunition loads. The Berettas are often mentioned as being very controlable in .40, while I see a lot of complaints about recoil in .40 Glocks.

Cartridges loadings also make a big difference in the .40. Those using 180 grain bullets are less hot than those with lighter bullets, and give less recoil.

I believe the .40 has become very popular with police departments, not because stopping power is better than the best 9mm loads, but because the heavier .40 bullets are better at penetrating intermediate barriers, such as car windshields.

 

[DMK]

Wow, those charts posted by Soybomb and Critrxdoc really do show that the terminal difference between the major SD calibers is pretty minor.