Springfield XD: .40 or 9mm?

[jmresistance]

I have decided to buy a Springfield XD 4" Service Model. What I haven't decided is whether to get it in .40 S&W or 9mm. I'm not looking for opinions, although I'm sure I'll get them... Can anyone tell me the difference between the two rounds? Bullet drop, expansion, penetration, etc...

 

[Kiln]

You get a couple extra rounds to a magazine with the 9mm but a larger projectile with the .40...performance wise it all depends on ammunition choice. The type and specs of the ammo can be more important than the caliber in many ways when considering a defensive weapon. I've got an XDM in .40 S&W and the gun has very little recoil and is extremely comfortable but I wish I'd gotten the 9mm just because of the cost of ammo. Reliability has been amazing and I can't have had more than 3 jams through almost 4k rounds.

If you plan on shooting the crap out of it and aren't made of money get the 9mm instead of the .40, if you plan on getting it for defensive purposes and only shooting it to keep yourself "in shape" so to speak then it really doesn't matter much. Just make sure you get ammunition with good specs and make sure that it functions well in your gun before choosing anything as a defensive load. In general the 9mm will have lighter recoil of the two if you're snap sensitive.

Good luck, let us know what you decide.

 

[Plan2Live]

I have the XDm 3.8 Compact in .40 cal. The recoil is nominal, not that much harder than my 1980's vintage S&W 9mm auto. I used this purchase as an opportunity to try .40 cal even though I had a reasonable stockpile of 9mm ammunition. Even if it is purely psychological, I like the idea of the larger mass of the .40 going downrange, even at the expense of 2 fewer rounds in the mag.

Either way, you won't be disappointed with the XD.

 

[David E]

Plenty of information comparing those two cartridges are already available online. Take five minutes and look it up.

Now, which caliber for the XD is another question that calls for insight, knowledge and carefully considered opinions born of extensive experience with the two.

Having owned and shot both for years, the best choice would be.....oh, wait. You specifically said you did not want opinions.......

 

[InkEd]

I prefer the 9mm over the .40

IMHO get a .45 if you're going to get a .40

I've owned the 9 and .40 and shot them in all three choices. I would go with the 9 or 45.

 

[IlikeSA]

I'd go with the 40 for the choice of dropping other barrels in other calibers in. That may or may not be important to you.

 

[Onward Allusion]

Both are fine options for the XD. For HD I would choose the 40S&W. If this was going to be a range toy, I'd go with 9mm just because it is cheaper to feed.

 

[Grynch31b]

I have decided to buy a Springfield XD 4" Service Model. What I haven't decided is whether to get it in .40 S&W or 9mm. I'm not looking for opinions, although I'm sure I'll get them... Can anyone tell me the difference between the two rounds? Bullet drop, expansion, penetration, etc...

Sounds like you're looking for specifications of ammo..

If you're looking for that and ways to compare them you should define what loads and what different ammo you're talking about.. (Federal HST... Speer Gold Dot... weight of what you're shooting... etc). Of course, you can also do a google search to find charts and specs on ammo...

 

[kk0g]

I have decided to buy a Springfield XD 4" Service Model. What I haven't decided is whether to get it in .40 S&W or 9mm. I'm not looking for opinions, although I'm sure I'll get them...

Yes you will, this topic is practically impossible to discuss without giving opinions.

Can anyone tell me the difference between the two rounds? Bullet drop, expansion, penetration, etc...

The differences are so minuscule that they make no practical difference in a defensive situation. On the other hand 9 mm allows for a larger magazine capacity and the lighter recoil allows for faster shooting. Combine that with the fact that 9mm is considerably cheaper than .40 S&W which allows for more practice (training and practice are FAR, FAR, FAR more important than caliber choice) and in my opinion the choice is easy.

 

[Mike J]

I have an XD-40 service. It is a good gun. As far as .40 or 9mm as others have stated it you use your google fu you can find those stats. 9mm makes for cheaper practice ammo. .40 lets you use heavier & slightly larger bullets. Some folks don't like the way .40 recoils. If there is a range near you where you can rent both & see how they shoot for you it might be a good idea.

 

[Hanzo581]

I have no ballistics chart for you, but personally, as kk0g said, 9mm give you higher capacity (usually) and similar performance (depending on the round) but is cheaper, so you will get to shoot more, and practice is indeed the most important aspect.

 

[jmresistance]

Thanks for the advice. I'm leaning towards the 9mm due to the cost of ammo and the extra capacity.

I did Google the question before I posted it here, but most of what I found was less than scientific and basically said "the bigger, the better" or "carry a 1911 or stay home". I know there is a lot more to it than that and I thought THR might give me some insight.

I know that shot placement is the most important factor in self defense, but if there was a marked difference in performance between the two rounds, specifically in this pistol, then it would deserve consideration.

From what I can tell, penetration is a little deeper and expansion a little wider with the .40, but the difference is barely noticeable and they both easily break the 12" mark for penetration. I think that comparison was with Speer Gold Dot, which is probably what I would run through it, as long as it feeds consistently. All things considered I would sacrifice 1/4" of penetration for an extra 4 rounds and cheaper ammo for practice.

 

[verdun59]

For me I can get back on target quicker with the XD9. Mine is a solid shooter and accurate.
I'm glad that you did enough research to find out " carry a 1911
or stay home", if you believe everything you read on the internet
you will find virtually everyone in America carries a 1911, that's
why we ran out of .380 ammo...........

 

[Grynch31b]

I did Google the question before I posted it here, but most of what I found was less than scientific and basically said "the bigger, the better" or "carry a 1911 or stay home". I know there is a lot more to it than that and I thought THR might give me some insight.

I googled and found ballistics fine... just have to know what you're looking for... which is what I said in my first post. You would've had to specify what you were thinking of carrying primarily.. (or options that you were considering for carrying).

I carry a Service XD-40, if you went .40 S&W I'd recommend either 155 or 165 gr Gold Dots.

 

[prickett]

I'd go with the 40 for the choice of dropping other barrels in other calibers in. That may or may not be important to you.

How reliable are the other calibers when using a conversion barrel? I too am debating between a 9mm and a .40 and figured a .40 would allow buying a conversion barrel and getting a 9mm on the cheap. The only concern is whether the 9mm (.40 w/a 9mm barrel) is as reliable as a dedicated 9mm.

 

[easyg]

There's just no denying it....the .40 is the more effective round (all other things being equal).
It makes a bigger hole with a heavier slug and it delivers more energy to the target.

But those advantages do come at a price:
More felt recoil, slower follow-up shots, lower magazine capacity, and more expensive ammo.

You have to decide for yourself if the price is worth it.


FWIW, I was once a great fan of the .40S&W, but these days I prefer the 9mm Para.

 

[David E]

Proper technique minimizes or eliminates the alleged differences in shot-to-shot time. (called"splits.")

If your splits with a .40 or .45 is 15/100ths, your 9mm splits will be the same.

But most people don't use proper technique.

 

[WinThePennant]

Easy.

9mm.

Lower cost, great ballistics, lower recoil, and you can hold lots more in the mag. Don't throw your money away on a .40.