Looking for a good 40cal ccw

[TXRuger]

I have the Taurus PT145 for about 3 years now and I love it. It's been with me almost everyday since I bought it. It's about the same size and has the same 10+1 round capacity as the PT140.

[proheath]

Springfield Armory XD(M) 3.8 Compact receives top ratings from me. It'll treat you a million times better than the SD40VE. It also comes in both 9mm and .40S&W (plus .45ACP but that wasn't mentioned as an option for you). I used to own an SD9VE and hated it. I experienced seemingly inherent feed and ejection issues right out the box. I polished the feed ramp to fix half that issue, but that slide just never wanted to make it back far enough to spit out a spent casing.

If you really are considering a 9mm, take a look at the XDs as well. Comes in 9mm and .45ACP and carries like a champ. I've got one on my hip as I'm typing this.

[Salty1]

As others have hinted in the most sensitive ways I suggest that you stay away from the SDVE models, they are not very well made and are inexpensive because of the shortcuts that were taken in manufacturing to keep the costs down. There have been a lot of good alternative suggestions besides having the gun fit your hand properly reliability should be next on the list for a carry gun. Rather than run out and spend your $400 just to have something think about saving a bit more and buy something you will be pleased with for the long run or look at pre-owned. From my experience If you need to stay in the stated range take a look at the Sig P250 models which can be found for around $400. Good luck with your decision now that you have been overloaded with opinions.....

[ripnbst]

M&P Shield 40 or M&P 40c are both great. You need to decide if you want the additional conceal-ability or the additional capacity. My advice would be to try the 40c first and if it seems too bulky then buy a Shield. You can get a shield right now with all this labor day sale business for $350 online.

Both the compact and shiled come in 9mm as well. 9mm is my recommendation, personal preference.

[MechAg94]

I have a CZ 75 P06 which is a CZ 75 compact in 40 S&W. It has a 10 round mag capacity and is about the size of the Glock 19, but all alloy metal instead of plastic. Good pistol and shoots reliably. I thought it was the best of the compact pistols I tried.

The Glocks might be a good idea, then you can get a KetTec sub2000 in 40 cal with several 22 round stick magas. Fits nicely in a little gym bag.

As far as 40 cal goes, I tried for a while to find a 40 cal pistol I liked, but the recoil of the 40 bothers me. I have since decided that I will stay with 9 mm for capacity or go with 45 for power. Hard to beat the Springfield XDm 9mm with the 19 round magazine.

[bigity]

I'll second a XDSC from Springfield Armory. I don't have alot of expierence with different handguns, but I like this gun much better than my old Taurus PT-111. I have good sized hands, and with the extended mags this gun just feels good, shoots well and has features I like (chamber indicator, grip safety and trigger safety), and it didn't break the bank. I have fed it plenty of cheap ammo without any issues at all.

[ripnbst]

I wanted to come in here and add that Palmetto State Armory is selling dang near everything Kahr has ever made for less than $300.

[StewNTexas]

Take a look at the Sig P239 in .40.

For a few $$ more you can move up, with benefits. For the price of a few replacement barrels, at the price of $169.00 each, you can convert it to correctly handle .357 Sig or 9mm. No need to change slides or magazines. A quick few minutes make the change.

Wow, three firearms, three different calibers, for the price of one.

The P224 in .40 does the same, and the P226 does it, but you can also convert to .22 if wanted, and the same for the P229. You do have to start with the .40 to get all the choices.

For the P224 and P229, you will have to buy a .22 conversion kit, not such a real bargain. No .22 conversion available for the P239.

[AlgoaAggie91]

Another vote for the M&P Shield 9mm.

I usually shoot a Ruger P-89 and a Browning BPH (both 9mm). I am not a 'super shot' by any means, but at 5 yards I can make a pattern the size of my palm while picking the Ruger up from the bench and firing within 2 seconds; one shot per 'pick up'. If I take time to aim using the rear sights I can get much smaller than that.

I mention that for a reason. Before I bought my CCW, I went the range one day and rented and fired the Beretta Nano, the Springfield XD-S, and the M&P Shield (all 9mm guns). I used the shorter CCW magazine and the 'pickup and fire once within 2 seconds' routine with all three. The Nano was horrible, I may have even missed the target once. The Springfield was much much better. The M&P Shield blew my mind... I was almost as good with it on my first clip as I was on my trusty P-89. I bought one a few days later.

Up until that point, I was really unaware there could be so much variance in accuracy between 3 'quality' guns in the hands of the same person, on the same day, on the same range, with the same box of ammo. A real learning experience.

Dave

[patterson]

CZ 75 or Sig P229

[patterson]

thought about the M&P 40c till I saw Hickok45s video and the slide cracked

[JCole]

Walther PPS, or maybe CZ RAMI

[TomV]

I have a Sig P250 I bought here. It has a .40 and a .357 sig barrel with 275 rounds of ammo I could let go of.

[Pecos]

I carry the Glock 23 Gen 4 with Green Tru=Glo TFO sights in a Galco belt slide holster.

[tomdavis]

I have the S&W Shield in 9mm and even though I have large hands it is great. I like it as my wife can also shoot it comfortably. It comes in the 40 and 45. I am sure the 45 would be too much for the pistol's weight but a 40 could work.