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I've had my first gun, a 9mm Smith & Wesson for several months. I think I'm ready to upgrade to a higher caliber. I was thinking along the lines of a .40 or so.

Being the relative n00b that I am I'm not quite familiar with what makes & models excel in various attributes. So, that's where you guys come in :) What do you suggest?

I have some feelings on what I'd like to get but my ignorance leaves my bias to just "what looks good".

Also one off topic n00b question I'd like to get out of the way. Can someone plz explain the acronym ACP ?

Glock. Automatic Colt Pistol.

edit: good luck pistol hunting. my best advise, ALWAYS shoot it before you buy it!!

For now stick with your 9MM and get some practice with it until after you get your CHL then maybe change guns.
The 9MM will be much more shooter friendly for a new shooter then the 40 or 45 Cal.

Just my opinion.

well, after reading up on how you have to qualify w/ .32 or greater on a semi I figured it would be best to become proficient w/ a larger caliber. I have shot a 45 revolver before and boy did my ears ring after that.

What size do you want to carry? Compact or full size?

Full size I would go with a SIG P226 in .40 and in compact maybe the Sig P220.

Have you shot .40 before? Make sure to try before you buy. I personally do not do well with .40 at all.

Are you getting rid of the 9mm for the .40 or simply getting another pistol?
Is the S&W the Sigma? if so, do you like polymer guns?

Almost every variety of handgun nowadays also come in .40 even some revolvers (taurus comes to mind).

So figure out what TYPE of gun you'd like and we can go from there.

As with any purchase, you should def shoot a whole bunch of guns before you can find one you like, not buy one and see if you like it.

Most people are friendly at ranges and a simple "hey, I've never shot ____ before, think we could swap for a few rounds?" has gotten me many opportunities to shoot various guns.

atxgun wrote:What do you suggest?

What I always suggest is to find a range that rents, and shoot several. The more you can try, the more likely you are to find the one that feels best to you, and that you shoot the best. There are plenty of good ones out there, but individual fit to your hand, and the comfort level you have with the mechanics of any given pistol are particularly important with handguns.

Some .40s you might want to look at are the Glock 22 and 23, the SIG P226, P229, and P239, the Beretta PX4 Storm, and if you like your S&W, take a look at the M&P in .40. There are plenty of other fine .40s, but that should be good for a start. :-)

There is nothing wrong with the 9mm for self defense. A good 9mm with good ammo will do the job very nicely. There is so little difference in the "stopping power" of quality JHP ammo in 9mm, .40 and, .45 that it boils down to carry what you shoot the best and practice, practice, practice.

Mojo: Although good points, I do not think that is the question at hand.

The first time I was shooting, about a year or so ago, my ex-gf's father had a 9mm and a 45 revolver (not sure of make/model). So I am familiar with the kick of larger calibers. (I wish he would have suggested some ear protection before handing me the .45 though!)

I will be keeping my current firearm. I don't know that I'm to purchase something for my carry but just to get something different and become proficient in a higher caliber. To mojo: I agree 9mm is fine for SD and would prefer something that's easier to reaim in such a scenario.

Also I want to get used to the discharge. If it's been a while since i've been to the range I'll still initially jump a bit if there's someone firing a big gun.

I'm really liking the springfield XD series from what I've seen. Any feedback on those? I've heard the ambidexterous magazine release can cause problems if you aren't careful, how true is that?

Well maybe the XD wouldn't be such a good choice for my purposes afterall. Just reading an article in Guns&Ammo Handguns on the XD-45 "The XDs are duty and carry guns, not target pistols, so a very light, crisp trigger pull is just not a realistic expectation. ... Specifications call for a trigger pull of 5.5 to 7.7 pounds"

atxgun wrote:Well maybe the XD wouldn't be such a good choice for my purposes afterall. Just reading an article in Guns&Ammo Handguns on the XD-45 "The XDs are duty and carry guns, not target pistols, so a very light, crisp trigger pull is just not a realistic expectation. ... Specifications call for a trigger pull of 5.5 to 7.7 pounds"

Well, I don't know about it not being a target gun. My XD-45 Compact is as accurate as (possibly MORE accurate, but I'm not a good enough shot to say for certain) my GI 1911A1 (also an Springfield Armory firearm, btw) out to 25 yards. The pull is smooth and while it doesn't break exactly like the 1911 does, it breaks pretty nicely even so.

rule 1. All Gun Mags either love or hate a gun based on whether the author was allowed to keep the test gun.

in this case, I think the author meant that the XD is suitable for daily wear and tear. I believe that the trigger does break very clean and crisply. I am of the opinion that 5.5# is pretty light, considering it's a "DAO" trigger.
course, we all know it's not "really" a DAO (double action only) trigger, but you certainly can't cock the thing first.

I carry a Hi-Power in 9mm as my primary. It's a good pistol, nice picture reset and recoil are very good. I was able to try out a couple of 1911s in .45 at Forum Day last month, and found them to be very close in they way they handle, recoil, and in sight reset. This is in contrast to a S&W .45 auto that I have had experience with previously where felt recoil was much greater, not to mention slower sight picture reset and inferior ergonomics. If you have the opportunity, try one out and see how you like it. I believe you will find it to be a pleasurable shooting experience, and they are easily concealed for carry due to their slim profile. A 1911 is next on my list for a carry gun, and the only handgun in .45 that I've got on my wish list.

atxgun wrote:I've had my first gun, a 9mm Smith & Wesson for several months. I think I'm ready to upgrade to a higher caliber. I was thinking along the lines of a .40 or so.

Going from a nine to a forty is not really an "upgrade". All you will do is buy a pistol that costs more money to shoot, and decrease your capacity. You will not increase your proficiency by going to a forty. If you want to upgrade, then many would consider a .45ACP to (argueably) be an upgrade, and certainly going to 10mm, .357 mag., or .44 mag would be an upgrade.

As for "what would we suggest?".... I would suggest that you let us know what you want a pistol (or perhaps a revolver) for, so that we could narrow possible suggestions from several hundred possiblities down to maybe a dozen or so. If you are looking at XD-type of pistols, then you are looking at sidearm or self defense handguns. If you are worried about trigger pull, then you aren't....

PhilR.