.40cal longevity

[NU9MM]

Curious how many 40 fans are still shoot their .40? I've often heard and read that .40 wear out fast due to the high pressure of the round. If I bought one it would a Glock 23 or full sized M&P.

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[Caveman Jim]

I've had my XDM40 for 8 years and have put well over 3000 rounds through it. I load for comfort shooting so basically 1000 were factory rounds. No problems with it at all.

 

[P7M13]

Have over 20K through my CZ 75B

 

[No_Regerts]

"Fast" is relative. Fast for a pistol is around 15k rounds, given regular maintenance. The .40 pistols I've seen in service all have no problem reaching that.

 

[Anonymous 510]

7 .40 's here 2 Glock 22 1 Glock 23 1 poly 80 Glock 2 s&w m&p and 1 keltec sub 2000 no issues and thousands of rounds down range

 

[GWS]

I have at least 15 k rounds through my Gen 1 G22. Which I bought in 1991. It is still in great shape.

 

[Jonnyuma]

I have .40s and no intention of getting rid of any of em.
Some l bought new (XDM, PPS Classic), most came to me as police trade-in (HKP30, USP40, S&W 4013TSW). Great deals to be had on those.

If, like me, your first question is, "What freakin' police department issues HKs?", the answer is Santa Monica and Mailibu. They gots dough.

 

[oremike]

40 and 9 operate at about the same pressure so they should "wear out" about the same. I'd say just more internet BS from the 40 haters.

 

[Member 66129]

How many people ever shoot enough through a gun to even consider the wear and tear?

 

[oremike]

How many people ever shoot enough through a gun to even consider the wear and tear?

I don't know what the number is but there is a lot of high volume and long time shooters out there. I for one am competitive and have been shooting for over 40 years. I don't know that I've ever shot out a pistol barrel but I have replaced a few springs and other parts over the years.

Edited to add: My go to caliber is 40, the only reason I own a 9 is because I use it as a test fixture for my ammo business.

 

[Longwalkhome]

At today's ammo prices it would cost a fortune to wear out a gun.

 

[2Wheels4Ever]

I have 3k through my G35. Probably close to 2k through a G23. Not really high numbers, but they both work good as new.

 

[Member 66129]

I don't know what the number is but there is a lot of high volume and long time shooters out there. I for one am competitive and have been shooting for over 40 years. I don't know that I've ever shot out a pistol barrel but I have replaced a few springs and other parts over the years.

Edited to add: My go to caliber is 40, the only reason I own a 9 is because I use it as a test fixture for my ammo business.

My point is that the percentage of guns seeing enough volume to even need a single replacement part is minuscule. The percentage of those guns that have worn to the point that they can't be rebuilt with a few cheap parts is even smaller. Hell, I have put 50k rounds through one gun and the only new part it ever saw was a $8 spring that I installed just because I had it. Worrying about shooting one pistol caliber over another due to excessive wear and tear is a waste of time for 99% of gun owners.

 

[FortRock]

My EDC is a Kahr CW40. Well over 1k through it. Not as accurate as my old CW9 but close enough for parking lot trouble. Sub-minute-of-human! We have an increasing number of out-of-state dopers coming into Butte. They are problematic. .40 skeptics need to re-think this round.

 

[NU9MM]

Would love to land a M&P.40 full size or 2.0 compact. I've contemplated a Glock 23 I've seen on here. Had a G22 but it felt very blocky in my hand but would imagine I could get comfortable with it with practice and trigger time. Not a Glock hater by any stretch of the imagination. M&P are just more ergo friendly for me.

 

[Anonymous 510]

Honestly the first 40 I bought was a G22 and liked it being a bigger guy the full size g22 was better for me... but later on down the road when I got a m&p it was quite the difference allmost like the m&p better.... The ergonomic s week way better to the hand all though I will say if u get a m&p flat face trigger it the way to go.

 

[uberguy]

OP says "I've often heard and read that .40 wear out fast due to the high pressure of the round."

I've never heard that before your remark. Been around guns 40 yrs. now. Own a few, never worn any out. On average with factory loads, I've understood 20k rounds to be pretty typical. Maybe 10-15k in some. Steel frames hold up the best, then maybe polymer, but unless running over safe pressure limits, I don't see the issue unless there's an ammo failure, obstruction, etc. Aluminum frames wear faster with high pressure loads, so you have to be careful with that combo.

High pressure does wear faster, with many thousands, but that's not typical for most shooters. Competitive shooters go through a lot of rounds run softer than factory loads, for better control and accuracy, so a hypothetical scenario of many thousands of high pressure anything (40/whatever) is just super unlikely, in my view.

At that point, a replacement barrel isn't too expensive. For about the price of a few hundred rounds. Usually $200 +/-. for match grade.

High pressure rounds in my book take off with 357 Sign and 10mm. But who can afford 10 or 20k of those at the range?

 

[Member 34319]

just more internet BS

This. Don't believe anything gun related on the interne. Most likely have never shot a 40 much less put 10-20 thousand rounds through any of there guns.

My old G20 had 6-8 thousand hot handloads put through it. Zero signs of any problems whatsoever.

 

[NU9MM]

OP says "I've often heard and read that .40 wear out fast due to the high pressure of the round."

I've never heard that before your remark. Been around guns 40 yrs. now. Own a few, never worn any out. On average with factory loads, I've understood 20k rounds to be pretty typical. Maybe 10-15k in some. Steel frames hold up the best, then maybe polymer, but unless running over safe pressure limits, I don't see the issue unless there's an ammo failure, obstruction, etc. Aluminum frames wear faster with high pressure loads, so you have to be careful with that combo.

High pressure does wear faster, with many thousands, but that's not typical for most shooters. Competitive shooters go through a lot of rounds run softer than factory loads, for better control and accuracy, so a hypothetical scenario of many thousands of high pressure anything (40/whatever) is just super unlikely, in my view.

At that point, a replacement barrel isn't too expensive. For about the price of a few hundred rounds. Usually $200 +/-. for match grade.

High pressure rounds in my book take off with 357 Sign and 10mm. But who can afford 10 or 20k of those at the range?

It's out there to read if you do a google search. I I wouldn't of posted it had it not been out there. I've read it on several gun forums. Just trying to be much more firearms educated. Great appreciate your input thank you.

 

[uberguy]

It's out there to read if you do a google search. I I wouldn't of posted it had it not been out there.

I don't doubt you, I just never heard it before. I own maybe a half dozen 40 &W, I'm partial to them, never had any issues but I don't have the resources to run 10s of thousands through them all ;-)

The really nice thing is with many 40s is swapping over to a 357 Sig if interested in a high pressure, solid defense round, or down to 9mm for range time.

With just a barrel change in 40-357 Sig, or barrel and mag to 9mm. I've done this with several M&P and Glocks and am happy with their performance.

If looking for a recommendation, mine is buy an inexpensive M&P 1.0 (4.25"/40 S&W) used and then pick up a Performance Center 5" Ported slide and barrel upper. It's a great combo. The PC unit is milled for a red dot too.

You can pick up 9mm or 357 Sig barrels / mags for either or both. You have a wide range of shooting choices with that setup on 1 frame.

An Apex Flat Face trigger is a nice addition. All for about a grand, depending.

I have several M&Ps, compact 1.0, std 1.0 and 5" 2.0 all in 40; The compact is my go to carry arm, but for all round flexibility, my favorite is the std. 1.0 with the PC slide.