Thinking about a .40 -- opinions?

[Mastrogiacomo]

I've never thought about this caliber before because I'm so recoil shy. But with the permit upgrade soon, I'm considering all kinds of guns and I don't have anything but 9mm and my .357 686 (I use only .38). The Glocks I want are all 9mm -- 17, 19, 26, but I've noticed the 19 and 23 are the same gun, just a different caliber. Also considering the Brig 96 Beretta but before I was worry about how unpleasant it might be to shoot and the ammo cost. I'm told the .40 is now available in a Winchester white box value pack -- but I've never seen it. Any thoughts on the forty?

 

[jetman]

I really like the .40/.357 Sig round and would HIGHLY recommend trying out a Sig in either a P229 or P239 in that caliber. My son at 12 put several rounds through my Sig with surprising accuracy for a kid. The recoil didn't bother him at all. Of course he liked shooting my old Kimber Ultra carry too. You can't go wrong with a quality gun like a Sig. The Beretta 96 I shot was OK but it just reminded me of my old SS 92F and was just too big and awkward and not as balanced to me as the Sigs.

 

[HSMITH]

IMO the 40 has a sharp recoil, it seems to have the intensity of the 9mm recoil with about 30% more recoil force than 45 acp. Recoil seems to be about double the 9mm, and certainly higher than 45 acp. The 40 is sharper than other mainstream auto calibers to me, but it should since energy levels are significantly higher than 9mm and 45 in most loadings.

If you are recoil shy the 40 is not the way to go unless in a BIG heavy STEEL gun, possibly a government length steel framed 1911?. The Glocks and the Berettas are quite light for the caliber, but either should be pretty easy to rent before buying.

I shoot a G22, Baby Eagle, and a P16 in 40 pretty regularly. I own the G22 and friends own the others. The G22/23 is a great package, but something to work into if recoil shy. A gun that is abusive to the shooter will undo MONTHS and YEARS of training, and each of us has a different level that we consider abusive. If you want a more powerful gun work into it slowly.

 

[longeyes]

I've avoided .40 so far. I'm trying to keep my calibers to a reasonable number. I have yet to understand what .40 offers that you can't get in a hot 9mm or normal .45acp. A 9mm with Powr'Ball isn't enough?

Have you tried the Glock 30? If it fits your hand, you'll find a great all-around firearm.

 

[txgolfer45]

Get the Glock 23! Light enough for carry, accurate, reliable and the recoil really isn't that bad.

Scott

 

[tex_n_cal]

A little mechanical stuff, for interest...

Books can (and have) been written on the birth of the .40, but in a nutshell, it's a 10mm Auto case that was shortened until it would fit in a 9mm pistol.

With good loads, they seem to be a little more effective at stopping bad guys than a 9mm. A little more power, a little more recoil. Magazine capacity not much less than a 9mm. Of course, the .45 is a better choice for defense. The 10mm with full tilt loads is an even more better boom - a 10 shot .357 magnum.

For you I think a 9mm is probably a better choice. Good ammo accurately fired in a 9 is more than adequate for defense, and will kick less.

 

[10-Ring]

If you've already got the 686, why not just upgrade ammo? 38's in a +P or 357 magnums would surely do the trick & the 686 is a nice gun to shoot hotter loads from.

 

[Peter Gun]

I like .40 cal but it is a lot of recoil. I had a G22 which I thought was a good gun, but i found it too light for .40 and I was developing a flinch. I switched to a sig 229 and shoot much better. The sig is still somewhat light, but the extra weight and metal frame seem to do a better job of taming the recoil.
BTW, I'm not generally recoil shy, I shoot .357 and .44 all day long, but I feel a heavier gun will help you shoot .40 much better.

 

[Hypnogator]

In a full-sized pistol (like my Daewoo DP-40) the .40 doesn't produce significantly more recoil than the 9mm. In lighter weapons, though, (like my Kel-Tec P-40) the recoil can be punishing. A lot will depend on the weapon you choose. If at all possible, try before you buy.

 

[mete]

You might try the HK USP. The recoil system is designed reduce recoil and wear and tear on the gun. And they are noted for accuracy too. The best thing is to shoot a number of them and pick the one that is best for you.

 

[Zero]

Recoil Shy?

How could you be recoil shy when you are shooting a .357 magnum already

 

[JSR]

I'v got an XD40,I don't think the recoil is that bad,kind of sharp but certainly not punishing.A guy makes a guide rod/recoil spring setup that reportably reduces the recoil and muzzle flip. I ran a few hundreds of the white box stuff thru it before I got my dies and was pleasantly surprised to get ESs of around 5-6 fps. Amazed actually.
Jeff

 

[.45Ruger]

Recoil Shy?
How could you be recoil shy when you are shooting a .357 magnum already

Zero, he said he only shoots .38's. I would second the Glock 23 or the Springfield XD 40 both guns are accurate and the felt recoil is not all that bad.

 

[mbott]

The CZ 75B in .40 caliber handles the .40 snap very well. Feels more like a stout 9mm.

--
Mike

 

[Erik]

40s don't recoil half as much as some folks would have you believe.

I've seen plently of folks new to firearms learn on 40s, and not knowing they were supposed to fear its recoil, did not.

 

[defense2]

I've owned a number of HKs (USP .40 Compact, USP Tactical, USC, and USP .45 Commemorative) and I can report excellent things about all of them. Well, maybe not the Commemorative...I don't shoot that one.

My USP .40 Compact was my carry pistol for some time. I put many, many rounds through it and had only a single jam with some really shoddy surplus ammunition. The recoil is fast and sharp, and for that reason my rapid fire accuracy is better with a .45 (my 1911 and USP Tactical, specifically). Still, the .40's excellent hybrid capabilities make it a solid defensive round, so it may be worth it if you're willing to spend some range time getting a feel for it.

I still recommend the .45 for defense due to personal preference, but that really what it's all about, anyway. Shoot some pistols and see what works for you.

Also, the basic USP variant has a safety/decocking lever that will allow you to carry cocked and locked with as much safety as any 1911 -- a major bonus for me.

 

[Marko Kloos]

I favor 9mm over .40S&W.

The marginal increase in terminal performance of .40 over 9mm Luger is bought at higher ammo cost, reduced capacity, and more wear on the gun.

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Thanks guys. I'm a female shooter by the way... I appreciate all the advice about the .40. I'm still building my 9mm collection so I won't be making a purchase right away. Just curious about this caliber because I hear so much about it. I can't get the H&K in my state so it's the Glock and Beretta for me. Appreciate the feedback.

 

[LeonCarr]

Personally, I would stick with the 9mm. Costs less to shoot than the .40 (10.96/100 versus 14.97/100 at Wal-Mart, value paks), less recoil, higher capacity with standard capacity magazines, and did I mention it costs less to shoot?

With the right defensive loads (Cor-Bon 115 grain +P or equivalent), the 9mm is just as good a stopper as any of the others, especially with good shot placement. Lots of people tell me that the 9mm is a wimp cartridge, but nobody will volunteer to get shot with one either . For the best 9mm handgun, read the signature.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[Berg01]

The CZ 75B in .40 caliber handles the .40 snap very well. Feels more like a stout 9mm.

Agree 100% with this statement; my .40 cal 75B fits my hand and balances well, and is very accurate. I think the large steel frame also might help to counteract the recoil of the .40 cal, although I was never really bothered by the recoil in any of the other .40 S&W guns I've tried.

If you like Berettas, try the 96FS Vertec; with the Langdon Tactical Level 2 Trigger Action, this is an absolutely awesome gun!

 

[rock jock]

My main carry gun is a Glock 23. Personally, I do not find the recoil to be siginificantly greater than a 9mm. In a comparable weight 1911 chambered in .45 ACP, I find the recoil from the G23 to be much less. As far as 9mm vs. .40, well, there are plenty of opinions on this. Suffice it to say that for me, the .40 is a great compromise round.

 

[bountyhunter]

Compare factory standard ammo (9mm/115gr, .40SW/180gr, and .45/230gr) in identical 1911 guns. I did. The 9mm is the lightest recoil, .40SW is about 30% up from there, and the .45 is about 30% up from that. If you compare the ammos in different guns (especially tupperware) the recoil will seem much worse.

I think the .40SW is a great cartridge. Try it in a good 1911 and decide for yourself.

 

[Poohgyrr]

I don't know if the "pre-ban" mags are available to you or not. If so, 15 good 9X19's in a G19 is a good thing. And 13 good .40's in the G23 is a favorite of mine. The G30 seems the same size to my tired old eyes, and holds 10 rounds of good .45's in a really accurate soft shooting pistol.

If you can only have post ban mags, I'd look at the G26/27 or the G30.
All three rounds generally work fine with good ammo. All these pistols are great. Quite a few females shoot all the above without trouble.

Of course, the Hi Power, in 9X19 or .40, is a fantastic pistol . And even more female shooters use the Hi Power.

 

[jetman]

I have a Sig P229 and don't see the .40 round near as bad as what I'm reading about here. My 12 year old son didn't blink shooting .40's after learning on .22 and then 9 mm, and now shoots the Sig as well as my .45's without any troubles or complaints of excessive recoil. In fact I sold his old favorite, S&W CS9 since he said the 9mm was "kinda boring like the .22", after shooting the Sig. Now he would much rather shoot my Sig or .45's than my .22's. I guess recoil is a relative thing.

shooting a .44 Mag... now that's recoil I can't imagine one of these new S&W .500 MONSTER revolver rounds! That's got to make most anyone recoil shy.

 

[Ky Larry]

MG, do you have access to a range that rents weapons? If so, try shooting several .40 S&W load/pistol combinations. The only way to know what you like is to shoot a variety. My CZ 75 .40 is very easy (for me) to shoot well but so is my S&W model 29 .44 Mag. Since you will be trusting your life and liberty to this weapon, only you can choose.
Shoot well and shoot often!