I am not an experienced semi-auto handgun shooter, but I do have quite a bit of experience shooting revolvers. My lack of experience in using the auto-loader calibers did not allow me to have a pre-formed opinion on which caliber was the best. After doing 3 months of research, I decided on the .40 S&W as the caliber of choice for me. I then sought the advice & opinions of members on this forum in helping me make a decision on an ambidextrous 40 compact for personal defense. I received many helpful replies and almost as many replies promoting the 9mm & .45 acp. I was able to make an informed decision, which I do not regret, with the information supplied to me by members who actually tried to answer my question instead of selling me on something I did not ask about. Therefore, through personal experience that I have had on this forum, I certainly know where the moderator is coming from with his topic.
In my opinion, the recoil on my compact .40 is nothing compared to what I was led to believe by those who I did not ask. It might well be substantially more than a 9mm or a .45 acp, but compared to revolver calibers that I shoot (.357 magnum & 44 magnum), the recoil is minimal. After shooting my .40, my son who was in the Army for 4 years, told me the recoil was no more than the 9mm Beretta he used to qualify with. The handgun that I use is a Smith & Wesson M&P 40 Compact.
When it comes to accuarcy, I shot 250 out of a possible 250 score when qualifying for my CHL. I used the 100 round Winchester USA 165 gr. FMJ .40 S&W value pack from Wal-Mart for practise and for qualifying. I'm obviously not a competition shooter and maybe the 9mm and 45 acp are better suited, but for what I want to use it for, the 40 is perfect for me.
When it comes to reloading, I am very meticulous about it, and I am not going to seat the bullet .1" deeper than it is supposed to be seated among other things. The reloads I have worked up so far have caused me no pressure nor feeding problems with consistent accuracy for my application. I have been using Winchester & R-P brass, WSP primers, 155 gr. JHP Remington & 150 gr. JHP Nosler bullets. The Bullseye & Herco powders which I already had on my bench are the powders I've been using. When I use them up, I'll probably switch to a powder which may be a little better suited for the .40 S&W.
In conclusion, I am very impressed with the .40 S&W caliber for my application. If someone is seeking advice about the 9mm or 45 acp, I am not going to give them my .02 cents worth about the .40 S&W.