What pistols were built for the .40?

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Surefire

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What pistols were from the ground up build for the .40 cartridge? I know a lot of 9mm pistols have been converted to .40 with a little beefing up parts...but I'd like a list of pistols built specifically around the .40.
 
Well the new Kimber KPD polymer frame pistols are going to be offered in 40 initially, so it was probably built for the 40, but I dont know.
 
Actually not that many from what I understand. The HK series were initially designed as 9mm and then adapted to the .40 cartridge.

The Sig 229 is actually engineered completely different than the 228 and has since replaced the 228. The Sig 229 was designed from the ground up to be a .40 and is one of the few pistols that was.

S&W adapted their 9mm series to shoot .40 ala' the 4006 and 4003. Though the 4006 is considered the first .40............at least how I understand it....I may be wrong.

The Glock 22 is a beefy adaptation to the .40 round from the 17 design.

That coverst the big manufacturers..........the only one that was completely re-engineered is the Sig.
 
The BHP in 40 while obviously not started as a 40 was extensively redesigned and tested.
 
That's news to me. Are you sure? Positively sure, not biased of your sig?

I do have a Sig.....but no, I'm not biased. In 96 the USP became the German Army pistol in 9mm. Later in 96 the UPS compact was introduced in 9mm .40 and .45.

So yep, pretty sure it was not model specific designed for .40.

Info taken from The Complete Encyclopedia of Pistols and Revolvers.

According to the same material the 4006 was introduced in 1990 as a .40 one year after the 5906....which is very similar.

The Sig 228 was introduced in 9mm (only) in 1988 and the 229 in 1991. The 228 was from forged slide steel, etc. The 229 represented a new type of Sig manufacturing process of milled.....in other words, Sig re-tooled for this gun using a new manufacturing process....which is what makes it unique in that it was the only gun to go from concept to paper to process to product as a .40 and not based off of an existing design or manufacturing process.
 
Some say that Glock actually beat SW to the .40 platform with the Glock 22. Which was just a G17 modified to be a .40.
From everything I've gathered the P229 was designed as a .40 and so was the USP. I'll have to dig up the article I'm thinking of, but it essentially stated that the USP was designed to be a .40 and other calibers followed from there, where as the Glock started as a 9mm and went to the .40.
 
MadMercS555 and all others who have said the HK USP was originally designed for 40 S&W are correct. I have read about this many places and thought it was common knowledge.

Also like others have said, the Glock 22 is basicly a 17 with some things changed such as the barrel. Even though Glock's customer service is excellent, the G22 seems to have had many problems over the years and I wouldn't purchase one for self defense personally.
 
Well, the HK USP WAS designed as a .40. From THE home of all that's Heckler & Koch, HKPro, here's the scoop:

Throughout its 50 year existence, Heckler & Koch has led the industry in one way or another. First in many things, first with polymer frame pistols, first with caseless ammunition rifles, first with the most advanced weapons design over a broad spectrum. In the early 1990s, HK was tasked with designing a new handgun that would be built around the .40 Smith & Wesson caliber that was fast emerging as the de rigeur caliber for American law enforcement.
The USP is that pistol, originally designed for .40 S&W and not scaled up from existing 9mm designs. USP stands for Universale Selbstlade Pistole, or Universal Self-loading pistol in English. (OoneeverSalleh Zelbstlardeh Pistoleh.) It has been incorrectly labeled in major American gun magazines as the Universal Service Pistol.

Using a modified Browning action with a special recoil reduction system, the USP covers new ground with the number of action variants that are changeable with only minor parts replacement. Introduced to the American shooting public in 1993 at the SHOT Show, the USP debuted in .40 and 9mm. As another HK first, integral frame rails for the mounting of on-gun lights and lasers was made standard, which most major manufacturers are now emulating.

The USP was designed by the great Helmut Weldle, longtime HK engineer and the brains behind many of HK's great firearms.




In 96 the USP became the German Army pistol in 9mm. Later in 96 the UPS compact was introduced in 9mm .40 and .45.

Production of the USP series actually began in 1993 and the German Navy divers were the first to recieve the gun designated as the P8 by the German gov't. This was in 1995 not '96.
 
Definitely the Steyr M40 and S40. Now M40A1'a. As stated in many reviews, articles, and by the designer.

Sigg 229 (though they did redesign the slide half to have a fully supported chamber the frame side is the same).

S&W M&P

soon to be released Kimber KDP.


Glocks, sygmas, berrata's, other S&W's, Walthers, Rugers, etc etc were all just slightly modified from their 9mm designs (some like the glock resulting in a not so fully supported chamber).
 
I felt like giving the .40 another chance (I had a CZ 75 in .40, but sold it off two years ago). I rented a Sig P226 in .40, and it was an excellent shooter. Accurate, and I was able to get quick follow up shots. It had rubber Hogue grips without finger grooves which I really liked, and the range sells these grips as add ons to pistols (its NOT a standard grip). I will consider a .40 Sig as my next gun, based on how much fun I had with the rental. My current Sigs are all in 9mm and .45 acp.
 
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