I've decided on the gun, now the caliber (9mm vs. .40)

[scubie02]

meh, I don't really think there's a huge difference in reliability--I never had problems with any 40 or 9mm I've owned so far. I am doubtful there is a huge difference in effectiveness, but who knows. For whatever reason, though, I just never really warmed to the 40, and have gone back to 45's and 9's in my auto pistols pretty much exclusively. The 40's I have owned have been mediocre as far as accuracy, but that may well have been a coincidence since its a relatively small sample, and also may be the result of them being in different model handguns and one design of handgun being somewhat superior to another.

It is a fact though that 9mm ammo is cheaper, and thats awfully nice when you go to stock up on ammo. I have even begun shooting my 9's more recently than my 45's because of this, though the 45's are still sentimental favorites.

 

[nico]

Thanks for all the replies. I decided on 9mm and put $250 down on my new CZ-75B SA yesterday. I can't pick it up until next Thursday though

 

[Longbow]

Good job!
Practice is the key to confidence, which I believe is vital for success in any situation. The 9mm will allow you that $$ wise.
Now, stock up on Corbon and/or Speer Gold Dot's.

 

[MoeMentum]

I bought my CZ compact in 9mm, because I shoot often, and thats a big consideration over .40 mm.

 

[BioDemon]

40 S&W. More stopping power than a 9mm, More capacity than a 45acp. Still cheep to shoot with WWB.

 

[dragon1]

9mm ammo is readily available everywhere (except in DC) in many variaties at cheap prices. Worried about 'knock down' power? Shoot twice!!!

 

[Pietro Beretta]

At My Local Wal-Mart
Winchester 9mm 100 Round Value pack 10.97
Winchester 40S&W 100 Round value Pack 14.97

A 4 Dollar Difference, thats not enough of a difference to turn me away from shooting the .40.

Thats not enough of a difference for it to cross my mind when deciding what new pistol to buy in what certin caliber.

... at a 1000 rounds your paying 40 more dollars then the 9mm... Still that is not enough to deture me from shooting the .40.

 

[albanian]

The 9mm vs. .40S&W debate goes on and on. If I only had one shot, I would probably take the .40 S&W under most conditions but not by much. I currently have zero gun in .40S&W and about 8-10 in 9mm last I checked.

For me, the 9mm beats the .40 in several ways.
1. It is cheaper to shoot so I get more practice and hence, I am a better shot with a 9mm than I would be with a .40.

2. It can penetrate better with some rounds in case you have to shoot through a leather biker jacket or something.

3. It has less recoil so I can shoot it faster and hit better with it.

4. It tends to be more accurate than .40S&W. This is a blanket statement so it is not always going to be the case. If I had to bet on a certain gun being more accurate, I would go with the 9mm version rather the .40 but who really knows.

5. I have other guns in 9mm so adding a .40 is not high on my list. It would just be one more cal I would have to keep in stock and I don't see any real advantage to it that would make me do that.

6. High capacity. Most of the time it is only 1-2 extra rds but sometimes it is 4-5 more. Extra rds is ALWAYS a plus. I know everyone is a dead eye and they say that if you can't hit what you are shooting at in 7-8rds, you have no business having a gun but I live in the real world and I am not a gun slinger. If I ever have to shoot it out for my life, I will probably miss a whole lot more than I hit so the more rds in the gun the better. .40S&W may or may not be better than 9mm but two 9mms is certainly better than any .40S&W load I have ever heard of.

Make up your own mind but I generally tell people that are asking this question to get the 9mm. If you are asking, you probably are somewhat new to guns or at least to 9mm and .40 semi-autos and the advantages of the 9mm are really good for the new shooter.

 

[ZeroX]

Somehow I knew that it would be a CZ-75. Good choice.

Anyway, I'd go with the 9mm just on the basis of cheap practice.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

Are you a college student or something?

You cant afford 4 extra dollars for .40 rounds


Im sorry, I just dont like to accept that reason.......

I would take the reason of your girlfriend didnt like the re-coil of a .40 (evin though the difference is little.) Over a price difference of 4$

 

[Monty]

For me, the 9mm beats the .40 in several ways.

I'm with you, very happy with my 9mm pistols. When Double Tap starts loading for them, I'll be even happier!

 

[jc2]

You cant afford 4 extra dollars for .40 rounds

But what do you get for that $4?

Reduced capacity, reduced control, more wear and tear on the weapon, and possibly reduced accuracy (and no measurable increase in effectiveness).

 

[Biker]

a) 13 rounds out of my G23 seems adequate to me.
b) There is little or no difference in contolability between my G19 and my G23-recoil is subjective.
c)16,000 plus through my G23 with no problems at all.
d)Concerning reduced accuracy, I've never noticed a difference between the two, but then again, most of my shooting is done at ten yards and under, once in awhile, 25 yards. No measureable increase in effectiveness???? Where did you get that from?

Albanian
Please don't shoot me.
Biker

 

[scubie02]

Are you a college student or something?

You cant afford 4 extra dollars for .40 rounds

Online, you see tons of spoiled rich people who never have to worry about money, and can't conceive that anyone else would. In the real world are actual people who actually paid for their own college perhaps and took out student loans, who paid for their own cars and all their own bills and nobpdy ever handed them anything. Maybe they have jobs like teacher sor factory workers or whatever, with bills to pay, and they *gasp* actually DO consider costs for things. Sure, everyone has their things they will spend money on that somebody else thinks are stupid. But lots of people are practical too. Is 40 prohibitively expensive? No. But I'll bet it DOES come into the equation for more people than you might imagine.

 

[albanian]

"Albanian
Please don't shoot me.
Biker "

I had to think about that for a while because I forgot I said something about shooting through a leather biker jacket!

I remember reading something about a .38 spl out of a snubbie that was stopped by a tough leather biker jacket and that has always stuck in my mind. I think the .38spl was a soft lead download and the distance was further than normal and the bullets just bounced off. I was a few years ago I heard about this but it made me think that over penetration is not really the big problem in hanguns. You want at least enough pentration to go through some heavy garments if need be. Leather biker jackets are some of thickest leather that people tend to wear.

Nothing personal. I used to have a bike but I sold it because people kept trying to kill me! Not intentionally, just out of pure stupidity. I drive an SUV now and I am still worried what the idiot in front of me is going to do. :banghead:

I have truned a new leaf from trying to tempt fate and death to trying to stay as safe as I can. I don't ride motorcyles, I don't drive drunk, I don't go to places that are shady, I don't let anyone know when I am carrying a gun, I have quit smoking (more or less), I don't carry a Kel-Tec (talk about living dangerously), I don't hang out with morons if I can help it and that helps a lot. It is not really that hard to stay safe and still have fun. In fact, I have more fun staying out of trouble that I ever had getting into it. I have been thinking about getting another bike but just for fun. In the summer the urge to ride is stong.

 

[nico]

Are you a college student or something?

You cant afford 4 extra dollars for .40 rounds

as a matter of fact I am. I'm starting dental school in a little under a month. A $4 difference for 50 rounds may not sound like a lot, but that's a 34% difference and I'm not convinced that .40 is 34% better than 9mm. It's not a matter of being able to afford ammo so much as it's an issue of what I'm getting for my money. There's also already a 9mm in my house, so the common caliber is also an advantage.

 

[Biker]

Just joking Albanian. Most of us wear enough leather to warrant a round that would penetrate rhino hide! In truth, that's one of the reasons I carry 180 grainers in my G23. That and there are a lot of fat people in Idaho.
Now, imagine defending yourself against charging hordes of plumpers wearing two inches of leather!
Biker

 

[ZeroX]

Are you a college student or something?

You cant afford 4 extra dollars for .40 rounds

Yeah huh.

 

[jc2]

a) 13 rounds out of my G23 seems adequate to me.

It probably is, but even if you have to take your boots and sox off to count that high, 15 is still more (and if you ever need them, a whole lot more).

b) There is little or no difference in contolability between my G19 and my G23-recoil is subjective.

Again, there may not be a lot of difference in controllability (talking about second and subsequent shots), it nonetheless is there. Given similar type loads (e.g. defence versus defence or low-end practice versus low-end practice) and similar size/weight weapons (identical in this case G19 versus G23), the 9x19 will always be faster when it comes to aimed follow-up shots.

c)16,000 plus through my G23 with no problems at all.

No doubt, but again, Glock rates the .40 S&W at 30,000 rounds, and it is harder on the weapon than the 9x19.

d)Concerning reduced accuracy, I've never noticed a difference between the two, but then again, most of my shooting is done at ten yards and under, once in awhile, 25 yards.

There's probably not ten much difference at yards--and to be honest probably not enough to make much of difference when it comes to combat accuracy--nevertheless generally speaking (and realizing there are exceptions), the 9x19 is more accurate than the .40 S&W.

No measureable increase in effectiveness???? Where did you get that from?

Everybody that's ever seriously studied wound ballistics. There's just not enough difference between the two rounds in actual LE performance or in the lab to make a difference. A .40 S&W may make you feel better, but that's it.

Are you a college student or something?

You cant afford 4 extra dollars for .40 rounds

Talk about false and ego-centric logic. If you think being a college student bad, try raising kids. Every penny gets counted and squeezed twice.

 

[Biker]

jc2

a) I can count that high without taking anything off, appreciate the thought anyway.

b)I can shoot my G23 just as fast as my 19.

c)Kindly provide some kinda data to support the difference in longevity according to Glock between the 23 and the 19.

d) How much difference do you think a half-inch difference makes at 25 yards, if in fact that difference exists?

e) )Wouldja mind providing some proof to support your assertion that there is no difference between the 9 and the 40 in the lab or on the street?
I call BS in a loud, strong voice.

Biker

 

[jc2]

b)I can shoot my G23 just as fast as my 19.

At least you think you can.

c)Kindly provide some kinda data to support the difference in longevity according to Glock between the 23 and the 19.

The 30,000 service life for the .40 S&W was straight from Glock, Austria to the Illinois State Police.

d) How much difference do you think a half-inch difference makes at 25 yards, if in fact that difference exists?

None, and I said so.

e) )Wouldja mind providing some proof to support your assertion that there is no difference between the 9 and the 40 in the lab or on the street?

Like I said earlier, you need to do some research in wound ballistics. You might start with DiFabio or Roberts they are usually the two most accessible. While the .40 S&W does leave a very slightly larger permanent cavity (to the tune of two or three one hundreths of an inch), there is just not enough difference to make difference. Whether you look at lab results or LE use, they're too close call (though one of our regular posters who's in a position to know is fond of pointing out the Albuquerque PD has a better success rate with the 9x19 in the G17 than the Bernalillo County SD has with the .40 S&W in the G22). If you have anything (other than obviously strong beliefs) indicating otherwise, I'd be glad to see it.

 

[Biker]

jc2

a) I KNOW I can.

b)Compare that to the G19....

c) Glad to hear it. It kinda negates that argument.

d) Doesn't a larger wound cavity generally translate into greater incapacitaion? Not all, I admit, but an edge none the less? If not, why use a 9 over a .22 LR?
For example: Cor Bon makes a .40SW load consisting of a 135gr bullet at 1350 fps. Can the 9 match that?
And I'd take it kindly if you bagged the condencending BS. Hmmmmm?
Biker

 

[GunGoBoom]

Is .40 that much better than 9mm for defense that it's worth the extra cost of range ammo?

No. Nine is fine!

.40 is fine too.

 

[DAVE RICHARDS]

9mm all the way. For so many reasons. Mostly chaep practice ammo so you can practice lots. O.k. then here we go. With the better rounds the .4 offers no better performance. The CZ is very accurate in 9mm. Being heavy the 9mm recoil is almost a joke. Very fast, accurate, follow-up shots possible. Long barrel squeezs every ounce of perforance out of the 9mm. More rounds. And .40's do Kaboom. I've never seen a CZ. But six other guns. Only two Glocks, a couple of Sig 229's, a Kahr MK-40, don't remember what the last one was. Never seen a CZ blow-up. And one of the Glocks that blew-up was mine with Remington factory ammo. All but one of the others were reloads. YMMV.

 

[Pietro Beretta]

So with "better" 9mm rounds, it will match/beat a .40

.....
How much do the "better" rounds cost?
....

If their the same or more than the price of .40 ammo, I would just get the 40 to start with.