Why so may fireams in .40

[philip964]

I have 5.7, .380 and 9mm. My next purchase will be a .45. I enjoy shooting different guns at the range. I have really not thought about a .40 yet.

However, Collectors Firearms seems to have a lot of used ones for sale. Don't know if that means anything.

[68Charger]

I would _never_ carry 9mm as a defensive round. I just can't do it. I know people say it will work, but I want that extra 50gr of weight and 200fps of velocity that I can get from my defensive .40 rounds. Just for my own piece of mind. Some people insist on the 2x more than 9mm weight of .45 for their own piece of mind. You gotta stick with what you have faith in

I often sometimes wonder why people decide to use it for their carry weapon. I speculate the only reason they decide to get the caliber is because ammo is just so darn cheap. I just find the 9mm as a range gun.. kind of like the .22LR with less jams.

Never had the opportunity to fire a .40, but all I hear is 'snappy' this and 'snappy that'. I'll just stick with the .45 until I get my conversion kit for my P226.

[BAD17]

I agree with TAM. I don't like the 40 either. I own a Springfield XD 40 and it is a fine weapon but well it's just snappy. I carry a Kimber ultra II in a 45. I IMHO don't know why anyone would carry a 9 mm. I have seen how ineffective they are. I have also seen how effective a 45 is. with a 9 or a 40 they have to be placed well. A 45 you have a little more leeway with them. IMO.

[OldCannon]

I agree with TAM. I don't like the 40 either. I own a Springfield XD 40 and it is a fine weapon but well it's just snappy.

I see "snappy" as an advantage -- my sights are back on target faster (I don't fight recoil because my shots are "surprise breaks").

Besides, if I REALLY wanted "snappy", I'd shoot 357SIG

[Zoomie]

I think the reason .40 S&W is so popular is

(Power Per Round) X (Number of Rounds) = Power of Firearm

I don't prescribe to any one caliber.

If I have a full sized steel handgun, .45 is perfect.

For a pocket pistol, .380 is a great round.

I currently carry a "compact" handgun w/ stainless slide and aluminum frame, and .40 works wonderful.

[Beiruty]

Also, put a 9mm, .40 S&W and .45acp side by side. There is definitely a feeling that the 9mm just looks so pathetic. Of course its not but when you put .40 next to a .45acp nobody really says that is a small bullet or cartridge. Even though I knew the 9mm was more then adequate for self defense I couldn't get over how tiny it looks. That is probably why I just bought my first 9mm and why many still prefer the .45acp, it’s just bigger!

Have a look to .223 and compare it to 30-06 or 7.68R

[Texas Dan Mosby]

I'm probably in the minority but I hate the .40. It's so snappy that it annoys me.

You're not...

Whether out of a steel or polymer gun, I am not a fan of the recoil impulse of the .40 compared to .45 acp. I find it far easier to fall into sync with the .45acp recoil impulse as opposed to .40, which is important for accurate shot strings / clearing plates / defense etc...

Granted, I haven't fired a .40 as extensively as the .45 though...

[gigag04]

I agree with TAM. I don't like the 40 either. I own a Springfield XD 40 and it is a fine weapon but well it's just snappy. I carry a Kimber ultra II in a 45. I IMHO don't know why anyone would carry a 9 mm. I have seen how ineffective they are. I have also seen how effective a 45 is. with a 9 or a 40 they have to be placed well. A 45 you have a little more leeway with them. IMO.

Where have you see the ineffectiveness of the 9mm demonstrated?

[HarleyDave]

I'm interested as well in why the 9mm is ineffective? Please splain for me...

[68Charger]

I'm interested as well in why the 9mm is ineffective? Please splain for me...

50 Cent (The rapper)

Wiki it.

[The Annoyed Man]

I don't think the 9mm is ineffective. I just think that fatter Bullets are more effective.

I've seen a lot of people shot with 9mm, and I have yet to hear even one of them say it was a walk in the park. Some them had already spoken their last words in this world. If a 9mm were all I had access to, then that's what I'd carry.

[HarleyDave]

TAM, I understand we're your coming from now. I like the 45 myself and the wife will shoot nothing other than the 9mm so that is why I got her the Winchester Ranger 127 +p to hopefully make up for the difference. Plus might add she is a very good shot, she grew up on a farm in west texas and did alot of hunting with the brothers, so just want to make sure she'll be fine on herself. So, again thanks for your input. Also, thanks for the heads up on the 1911 tool for my Kimber.

[OldCannon]

I'm interested as well in why the 9mm is ineffective? Please splain for me...

I would _never_ say it's ineffective. A .22lr is effective if placed right. Same can be said of any projectile with sufficient mass and velocity to penetrate layers of clothing and (ultimately) a human in a way that incapacitates.

If you want to kill an hour or so, here's a fun website to browse - http://www.brassfetcher.com/index_files/Page1293.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;. Some awesome pics in there (safe for work -- all I saw was pretty ballistic gelatin photos).

You can have a LOT of discussions about what caliber works best and has the most effective results, but there are soooo many factors that come into play in real world situations. Bullet weight, shape, and velocity are a beginning, but then placement and wound cavity effects take over, and let's not go into all the odd things that happen when bullets encounter things like bone -- all bets are off at that point. There really, really, really is not single "right" answer. I mean, if you're REALLY wanting max "ballistic effects" with least recoil, your best bet is probably the 5.7x28 in an FN Five-seveN pistol. 20 rounds of low-recoil, hypersonic, anti-bad-guy. And besides, if it's enough to make the Brady Campaign write to Barack Obama to ask him to ban it, it's got to be good, eh?

As I said in my first post, and I'll reiterate: Shoot what you're comfortable with. Want to shoot the 9mm? Perfect. Don't let ANYBODY convince you that it's a mistake (cuz it ain't).

[gigag04]

While I'm going against the grain, I don't buy that shot placement is more important in smaller diameter rounds....

I'm of the opinion that shot placement is paramount regardless of caliber...a larger round does not take up the slack of a poor hit. Research shows that COM hits from 9mm are plenty lethal to be considered a serious defensive caliber.


As far as claiming that the 9mm is ineffective because it didn't kill 50 cent...I don't think I can take that seriously. I'm sure people have been shot with a .45 and survived too...it's the law of averages.

I prefer a .45, sure, I feel it IS better than most. But, I don't tow the line that the 9mm is anemic. That's kind of like the guys on M4C or Arf that say a RRA is no good for home defense as it is not a fighting rifle...

To the OP, shoot what you like and accept which trade offs you desire.

RE: glock SF frames....grip on a 21sf or 30sf is not even close to 19. Significantly larger IMO.

[68Charger]

Haha, hey buddy, don't take it seriously. It was a mere joke and nothing more.

As far as I'm concerned any bullet out of ANY gun would do. I don't think anyone has ever had the experience to even say how effective any caliber is when used. God forbid any situation has to result to that. As far as looking at 'ballistics tests' etc, that is all we have to speculate on but we can't say for certain.

I just don't feel comfortable with a 9mm. I just simply don't. I carry my .380 at work with an extra clip and I don't feel at all comfortable. Although I feel it's sufficient opposed to absolutely nothing.

Hey, to each their own though.

Stay safe.