Softest shooting .40 Pistol

[M47 Dragon]

SIG 226 for me. I have an M&P .40 and the SIG just seems so much smoother.

 

[Bart Noir]

Unable to do the comparison, since I sold my Steyr M40 before I bought the Px4. But that Beretta is my answer to this question.

Bart Noir

 

[CountGlockula]

G35 long slide.

 

[stevereno1]

Probably the biggest, heaviest, handgun that you can find. I like the Glocks, personally, but they aren't for everybody, as seen on almost every thread on here.

 

[Ltlabner]

I just put 400 rounds through my new-to-me Glock 22 (from cdnninvestments.com) last night.

I usually shoot a G23 so to me the G22 was a soft shooting creampuff. I realize my perception is probably different since I am used to the .40S&W in a smaller platform.

 

[md7]

Recoil isn't too bad for me in the Glock 23 or P226. The edge going to the P226. For me anyway.

 

[ashtxsniper]

Sig 226/229, H&K USP

 

[Peter M. Eick]

Springfield's P9 Ultra IPSC Longslide.

Solid steel, very heavy and ported.

Its the one on the right.

here are the ports at the front of the slide.

You can push the 40 well into 10mm territory with this gun as it is fully supported and very well made.

 

[blitzen]

I've only shot two. I bought a Glock 22 and a BHP in .40 S&W at a gun show so I had the chance to shoot them both side by side. Long story short, I sold the Glock because I thought it was pretty flippy. The all steel High Power is a thumber that is easy to shoot well. The slide on the .40 HP is quite a bit thicker and heavier than the slide on the 9mm version.

 

[Varmonter]

subjective at best.perceived and felt are 2 different animals.
the weight of the gun and the weight of the bullet being hurled down the barrel
will make a big dif in felt recoil.But a gun that is too small for your hand may
hurt some also. I shoot a p239 in 40 and it is fine for me. but a bigger
heavier gun would feel better(less recoil) i guess.
my LIL naa guardian in 32acp feels about the same(well almost) as my sig 40.

 

[They Call Me 'E']

+1 for the PX4 vote. Excellent weapon, very light recoil.

 

[cowssurf]

Some have mentioned the PX4 which I've never shot. I've heard the Stoeger Cougar in .40 is like shooting a 9mm, because of the rotating barrel, which design of course, was the precursor to the PX4. I have the Stoeger Cougar in 9mm, and I can attest to very manageable recoil and an ease at getting the barrel back on target for a follow up shot.

 

[Scratchshooter40]

H&K USP 40 so far from what I have shot. I have 8 variations of .40 S&W handguns from Beretta 96's to S&W M&P40. I shoot the Berettas IDPA and carry with the local S.O. when called upon. Like some of the previous comments, perception is reality and what fits you may not necessarialy fit another. None of them are unmanagable. The Stoeger Cougar is a close 2nd to perceived recoil though.

 

[Glockorama]

+1 on the Stoeger Cougar. Softest shooting 40 I've ever fired.

 

[jlangton]

I was very surprised by my Ruger KP944. I own a P89 9mm,and the .40 actually feels the same as my P89 when shooting. With all of the internet talk of how "snappy" the .40 is, I assumed it would be more of a handful,but honestly,there's so little difference I can hardly tell the difference between the two.
JL

 

[Coronach]

M&P40 is very soft (Sorry, Jason - never shot a PX4). The BHP is not bad, but the 40 is snappier than its 9mm brother.

Mike

 

[wristtwister]

I've got a Hi Point and a Smith 4006... actually a couple of them, and the 4006 is a really smooth shooting gun. The Hi Point is a BUG (big ugly gun), but the laser sight on it makes it pretty accurate, and the 4006 has a reasonably smoothe 2nd shot recovery, depending on stance.

Almost any big bore pistol is going to jump a bit, but I like the 4006 for staying down and being accurate up to about 50 yards (limits of our range). I shot a bunch of 40's before I settled on the 4006, including a bunch of the sissie pistols made out of polymer, and just plain liked the 4006 for the best all round performance.

Usually if you miss, it's the loose nut behind the grip... not the gun...

WT

 

[Jason_G]

M&P40 is very soft (Sorry, Jason - never shot a PX4).

LOL, it's okay. You should give it a try. The thing looks like a garden hose spray nozzle, but that rotating barrel really does make a difference.

Jason

 

[2ndamd]

Without a doubt the softest shooting .40 cal is the Beretta Px4 Storm.

I almost bought one just because it felt like a 9mm.

Good guns.

 

[gtmtnbiker98]

M&P 40 gets my vote, followed by my P229R.

 

[grenadier]

All things being equal, a heavier pistol will have less felt-recoil than a lighter pistol.

However, not all things are equal. Polymer frames, while weighing less than steel or aluminum alloy frames, have a good bit of flex to them, which helps soak up some of the felt recoil as well.

To me, a Sig P226 all-stainless steel pistol is the softest-shooting .40 pistol out there, since it tips the scales at a hefty 42 ounces, unloaded.

An alloy framed Sig P226 and a Glock 22 have about the same felt recoil, even though the P226 weighs more by about 8 ounces, give or take. A Kahr T40 (all stainless) has a bit less felt recoil than either.

Of course, you can also get a Glock 22 C, which has the porting on the slide and barrel, and that feels softer than any of the above (except for the all stainless Sig P226).

 

[Boris Barowski]

that would probably be the Sig P226 X-FIVE for me

 

[DWARREN123]

I have GLOCKs in 40 S&W (G23 G27) and they are softer than the steal framed guns I have had. I would have thought the steal frame would have been better but the plastic guns seem to absorb recoil better.

 

[M&PVolk]

I have only shot a Kahr CW40 and my M&P 40, but of the two, the M&P definitely feels softer. Then again, I didn't find either to be unpleasant at all.