Devonai
Member
In order of my personal favorites, H&K USP, Beretta PX4, Sig P229, S&W 4006 TSW. Although the last one was too heavy for concealed carry for me, it was still a very nice pistol.
What is the best .40 sw firearm?
- Thread starter thunderbyrd
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I passed on a chance of buying a SR40c a couple years ago. I think they wanted $275 for it. At the time I was thinking of getting out of the 40s.
I like my son's SR9c. Nice shooter.
Nature Boy
Member
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- Apr 21, 2015
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- 8,255
I really like that.
1KPerDay
Member
FYI that pistol has an alloy frame.
Zak Smith
Member
SV Infinity limited gun
One of my sons presented me with a Browning Hi Power .40 S&W a decade ago that's a real peach to shoot. I'm not crazy with Browning's adjustable sights on it, but the gun is very accurate, beautiful to handle, with that wonderful grip 'feel' that all BHP's possess. It's a keeper.
The other is a comparative rarity; a Colt Gold Cup Elite .40. I found in two decades or so ago, but had a heck of a time getting its reliability up to snuff. A fitted Wilson bushing finally brought it around to nearly 100%. It's especially fond of Nosler 135 gr JHP's launched at 1180 fps...an authoritative load for most any purpose east of the Mississippi you'd probably agree. The gun's a bit heavier than the Hi Power but I shoot it a bit better too.
My wife, however, prefers her Glock 23 which also prefers that Nosler load. Early in its career, we bought an after market 9mm bbl. (Lone Wolf IIRC) which is equally as accurate and cheaper to feed. BTW, she qualified with it out at Front Sight several years ago, shooting the .40 barrel...did fairly well in the mono e mono, steel challenger, surviving the first two go-arounds and losing to fire-fighter from San Jose.
Pics of both the BHP & Colt...Best Regards, Rod
The other is a comparative rarity; a Colt Gold Cup Elite .40. I found in two decades or so ago, but had a heck of a time getting its reliability up to snuff. A fitted Wilson bushing finally brought it around to nearly 100%. It's especially fond of Nosler 135 gr JHP's launched at 1180 fps...an authoritative load for most any purpose east of the Mississippi you'd probably agree. The gun's a bit heavier than the Hi Power but I shoot it a bit better too.
My wife, however, prefers her Glock 23 which also prefers that Nosler load. Early in its career, we bought an after market 9mm bbl. (Lone Wolf IIRC) which is equally as accurate and cheaper to feed. BTW, she qualified with it out at Front Sight several years ago, shooting the .40 barrel...did fairly well in the mono e mono, steel challenger, surviving the first two go-arounds and losing to fire-fighter from San Jose.
Pics of both the BHP & Colt...Best Regards, Rod
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I've only had 3 .40 caliber pistols. The first was an old Ruger P94, the second a XD-40, the third is a M&P 2.0 40 Compact with the 4" barrel. Of the 3 I believe I like the M&P the best. I believe it is best with .40 to buy a gun that was designed for the round. I have shot a 3rd generation G-23 & liked it but if I were to buy a Glock 40 I would probably look at the 4th generation guns because I believe they made some design changes for 40.
Probably doesn't mean much because I have never shot or owned one but I've always kind of wanted a P-229. I was eyeballing the LEO trade ins that were online at great prices pre-Covid then the world went crazy & all those deals disappeared.
Probably doesn't mean much because I have never shot or owned one but I've always kind of wanted a P-229. I was eyeballing the LEO trade ins that were online at great prices pre-Covid then the world went crazy & all those deals disappeared.
commygun
Member
I’ve had a bunch. Sigs, Glocks, Berettas, S&Ws, Stars, Astras. My favorite is the S&W M&P 40C. It just checks the most boxes.
Elkins45
Member
My vote would be the Beretta PX4. The rotating barrel lockup reducing felt recoil isn’t just hype. My secondary choice would be some flavor of S&W 3rd generation. I bought a 4046 (DAO) for next to nothing and it’s a brick of a gun. Sometimes there’s just no substitute for mass.
I was issued a BERETTA 96D Brigadier in the 1990's and found it to be a very accurate and reliable handgun, but also bulky. I could hit a man sized target at 100 yards with it 3 out of 10 shots and considered that to be my limit and not the gun. The downside was that my agency had to replace all the model 96's after 10 years. The high velocity .40 caliber load wore out the guns. It was the 155 grain jhp at 1200 fps.
After that, I was issued an H&K P-2000 and while I carried it for 12 years, I never warmed up to it. Also, after about12 years, I had to swap it out for another one, as it had developed stoppages.
I also still have a private purchase BERETTA 96D Brigadier and it shoots very well. Still it is a large and somewhat heavy gun. If the size is not a problem, the accuracy and reliability of this gun is excellent as long as you use the 180 grain ammo. I only use ball for practice and FEDERAL HST 180 grain jhp for carry.
I bought a SIG 229 in .40 S&W, back in 2000, but was not allowed to carry it because we dropped the SIG as an alternate carry gun. I sold it after shooting it side by side with the BERETTA and found that BERETTA had the better trigger, control and accuracy. I had wanted to carry it off duty, but that ended with the standardization only on the BERETTA. Since, I was posted outside the U.S., it was the BERETTA or nothing.
I found nothing wrong with the SIG 229, except I could not carry it on duty. I have a SIG 229 in 9m.m. and consider it an excellent pistol for ccw. A .40 cal. version would do the same.
I bought a GLOCK 22 and found it recoiled to much for me when using the 155 grain ammo.
I sold most of my .40 caliber pistols along with my .45ACP pistols when I decided to stick with 9m.m. for carry. I kept my BERETTA 96D Brigadier and a 96D VERTEC because I liked the VERTEC grip and light rail.
I had shot the BERETTA 8000 and when a local gun shop was selling the STOEGER copies for $279.00 brand new to get rid of them, I bought an 8000 in 9m.m. and really liked the way it shot and handled. So I bought a .40 S&W STOEGER 8040 new for $279.00 and found that I liked it as much as the 8000. So I bought another 8040 for S239.00 on GUN BROKER. When it arrived, I was ticked because it showed surface pitting on the slide, but it cleaned up well and shot 100%, so I could not complain.
Using premium .40 S&W ammo like the HST or any of the other premium bullets, you can get expansion to .70 inches or more without heavy recoil. I think that is quite an achievement.
I can recommend the above guns as I have shot them often and still do. I carry the 8040 as a ccw gun on occasion, also the 8000, when I want something bigger than my SIG 365.
JIM
After that, I was issued an H&K P-2000 and while I carried it for 12 years, I never warmed up to it. Also, after about12 years, I had to swap it out for another one, as it had developed stoppages.
I also still have a private purchase BERETTA 96D Brigadier and it shoots very well. Still it is a large and somewhat heavy gun. If the size is not a problem, the accuracy and reliability of this gun is excellent as long as you use the 180 grain ammo. I only use ball for practice and FEDERAL HST 180 grain jhp for carry.
I bought a SIG 229 in .40 S&W, back in 2000, but was not allowed to carry it because we dropped the SIG as an alternate carry gun. I sold it after shooting it side by side with the BERETTA and found that BERETTA had the better trigger, control and accuracy. I had wanted to carry it off duty, but that ended with the standardization only on the BERETTA. Since, I was posted outside the U.S., it was the BERETTA or nothing.
I found nothing wrong with the SIG 229, except I could not carry it on duty. I have a SIG 229 in 9m.m. and consider it an excellent pistol for ccw. A .40 cal. version would do the same.
I bought a GLOCK 22 and found it recoiled to much for me when using the 155 grain ammo.
I sold most of my .40 caliber pistols along with my .45ACP pistols when I decided to stick with 9m.m. for carry. I kept my BERETTA 96D Brigadier and a 96D VERTEC because I liked the VERTEC grip and light rail.
I had shot the BERETTA 8000 and when a local gun shop was selling the STOEGER copies for $279.00 brand new to get rid of them, I bought an 8000 in 9m.m. and really liked the way it shot and handled. So I bought a .40 S&W STOEGER 8040 new for $279.00 and found that I liked it as much as the 8000. So I bought another 8040 for S239.00 on GUN BROKER. When it arrived, I was ticked because it showed surface pitting on the slide, but it cleaned up well and shot 100%, so I could not complain.
Using premium .40 S&W ammo like the HST or any of the other premium bullets, you can get expansion to .70 inches or more without heavy recoil. I think that is quite an achievement.
I can recommend the above guns as I have shot them often and still do. I carry the 8040 as a ccw gun on occasion, also the 8000, when I want something bigger than my SIG 365.
JIM
gryphon1911
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- Joined
- Nov 16, 2021
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- 40
I’m just going to be definitive and say that the best and only 40S&W I have experience with is the Sig Sauer P226R. It is a used police trade in.
The best 40 will be the one you like the best and fits what you want.
The best 40 will be the one you like the best and fits what you want.
amd6547
Member
I bought a police surplus Gen4 G22 pre-plandemic for $275. It arrived in about 95% new-looking condition, with working night sights.
I was always pretty happy with 9mm, but I find I really like the .40. At the same time I bought the pistol, they were selling police surplus 50rd boxes of HST 180gn.
After a range visit, I quickly made that G22 my go to home defense pistol. It’s a great shooter.
I was always pretty happy with 9mm, but I find I really like the .40. At the same time I bought the pistol, they were selling police surplus 50rd boxes of HST 180gn.
After a range visit, I quickly made that G22 my go to home defense pistol. It’s a great shooter.
Use that ammo for trade fodder, or as others have mentioned, find a S&W 3rd Gen. After the FBI told everyone that 9mm is king (yawn) a lot of gullible people got rid of their .40 3rd Gens to buy a 9. Thanks to the FBI i got this trade-in 4053 for a song. But i will admit that the mags aren't that easy to find (unless the price is over $75).
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Hesa Hard1
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- Sep 22, 2021
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- 123
Ignition Override
Member
The super-smooth, pretty light 'felt pull' of 7# of the Sig P229 in DAO (LEO turn-in) impressed me.I had already invested in a few handguns (this was 2018), and -.- otherwise - - would have grabbed any of these available. People were running away from .40 like a herd of cats when a book hits the floor......
Not just any gun: the Personal Owner of that DAO P229 (.40 S&W chambering) is an instructor at a Memphis Police Academy facility.
The typical problem is usually finding a local gun to handle before buying an item online.
* mope540: your 3rd. Gen. S&W is an excellent choice.
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